Ench Rinder Rinder: Makeover

GUILD  EDITION
Woodsmith.com Vol. 39 / No. 231
BENCH
GMAKEOVER
RINDER
Also:
Tricky Table Saw
Cuts Made Easy
Router Secrets for
Smoother, Cleaner Cuts
Curves at the Band Saw —
Our Top Tips Revealed
Plus: Must-Have
Weapons for Rust Removal
A Publication of Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc.
WS231_001.indd 1 3/31/2017 8:38:25 AM

®
CREATIVE HOME GROUP

GENERAL MANAGER Donald B. Peschke
EDITORIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Bryan Nelson
MANAGING EDITOR Vincent Ancona from the editor
Sawdust
SENIOR EDITORS Wyatt Myers, Phil Huber
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Robert Kemp
ASSISTANT EDITOR Erich Lage
EXECUTIVE ART DIRECTOR Todd Lambirth

SENIOR ILLUSTRATORS Harlan V. Clark,
Dirk Ver Steeg, Peter J. Larson
For each issue of Woodsmith, we
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Bob Zimmerman strive to cover the the full range of what
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Becky Kralicek makes our hobby so great. So whether you’re
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Chris Fitch looking for a project to build for inside your
PROJECT DESIGNER/BUILDER John Doyle home or out in the yard, or even the workshop,
CAD SPECIALIST Steve Johnson
SHOP CRAFTSMAN Dana Myers
there’s something for every spot in these pages.
EXTERIOR PROJECT. For starters, check out the birdhouse above. It’s a great outdoor
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Crayola England project for the bird lover. You’ll have the perfect spot for a community of purple
ASSOCIATE STYLE DIRECTOR Rebecca Cunningham
SENIOR ELECTRONIC IMAGE SPECIALIST Allan Ruhnke
martins in your yard once it’s in place. Along the way, you’ll learn some great
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Minniette Johnson woodworking skills, like creating the staved, circular body and solid-wood rings
Woodsmith® (ISSN 0164-4114) is published bimonthly by
that form the narrow porches around the outside of the birdhouse.
Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc., 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301.
INTERIOR DESIGNS. In need of a simple project for inside the home? You’ll want to
Woodsmith® is a registered trademark of Cruz Bay Publishing.
Copyright© 2017 Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. check out the coat rack on page 18. It’s a project that’s easy to build in a week-
Subscriptions: Single copy: $6.95.
Canadian Subscriptions: Canada Post Agreement No. 40038201. Send change of end. The contemporary look is the result of joining sets of different-size blocks
address information to PO Box 881, Station Main, Markham, ON L3P 8M6.
Canada BN 82564 2911 together into a single unit. Contrasting, flip-down hooks complete the look,
Periodicals Postage Paid at Des Moines, IA, and at additional offices.
Postmaster: Send change of address to Woodsmith, Box 37274, ensuring your coats, jackets, and hats are stored in style.
Boone, IA 50037-0274.
Style is also the name of the game when it comes to the empire bench that
Printed in U.S.A.
begins on page 44. I’ll let you read the article to learn more about the origins
of the empire look. I just want to make sure that all the curves don’t intimidate
WoodsmithCustomerService.com
you. We provide all the details for conquering those challenges. The end result
ONLINE SUBSCRIBER SERVICES is a project you’ll be proud to display in any room.
• VIEW your account information WORKSHOP UPGRADE. I haven’t visited too many shops without a grinder mounted
• RENEW your subscription
• CHECK on a subscription payment to a bench somewhere. But most of them aren’t getting used as much as they
• PAY your bill should. Well, the bench grinder station shown on page 36 changes that. The sta-
• CHANGE your mailing or e-mail address
• VIEW/RENEW your gift subscriptions tion surrounds the grinder with a tool support and a unique set of sliding tables.
• TELL US if you’ve missed an issue This setup makes it a snap to easily and accurately sharpen tools or shape metal.
CUSTOMER SERVICE Phone: 800-333-5075 weekdays
Finally, sawhorses are a mainstay in many shops. But they aren’t always
SUBSCRIPTIONS EDITORIAL
Customer Service Woodsmith Magazine the best choice for many tasks due to their height. There are times when you
P.O. Box 842 2200 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50304-9961 Des Moines, IA 50312 need your worksurface just a bit lower for better results. That’s where the
[email protected] [email protected]
sawbench on page 22 comes in handy, it’s simply shorter. This makes it suit-
able for any task you need to use a handsaw for, like breaking down lumber.
Or if you just need to work or assemble a project at a lower height. I have a
PRESIDENT & CEO Andrew W. Clurman pair in the works in my shop already.
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, TREASURER & CFO Michael Henry
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS Patricia B. Fox
2 • Woodsmith / No. 231
WS231_002.indd 2 3/31/2017 7:57:03 AM

contentsNo. 231 June/July 2017
18
22
Projects
weekend project
Flip-Down Coat Rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Keep your coats and hats easily accessible with this simple
rack. A series of blocks glued together in a random pattern
gives it a modern look. Plus, it looks great on its own.
shop project
Must-Have Sawbenches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Every shop needs a place to break down lumber. With a pair of 36
sawbenches and a handsaw, you’ll be able to complete the task
in less time than it would take to plug in your circular saw.
outdoor project
Martin House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Here’s a project for the birds, literally. This 12-compartment
“condo” will keep the martins living in style. And there’s some
great woodworking techniques to learn as you build it.
shop project
Bench Grinder Makeover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Turn an ordinary bench grinder into a precision grinding
and sharpening station with this handy upgrade. Sliding
tables ensure accurate setup and results.
heirloom project
Stylish Empire Bench . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Graceful curves and heavy-duty quartersawn oak give this
bench its heirloom look. But it’s the rock-solid woodworking
that will ensure this bench stands the test of time.
44
Woodsmith.com • 3
WS231_002.indd 3 4/4/2017 1:27:40 PM

10
Departments
from our readers

Tips & Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
all about 14
Non-Woven Abrasive Pads . . . . . . 10
router workshop
Smoother, Cleaner Cuts . . . . . . . . 12
great gear
Kreg Mobile Project Center . . . . 14
woodworking technique
Curves at the Band Saw . . . . . . . . 16
working with tools

Using Handsaws . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
58
in the shop
Better Veneer, Better Projects . . . 58 62
woodworking essentials
Board Shopping Basics . . . . . . . . 60
mastering the table saw
Tricky Cuts Made Easy . . . . . . . . 62
tips from our shop
Shop Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
WS231_004.indd 4 3/31/2017 9:57:44 AM

o m o u r
fr
readers
Tips &
Techniques
Anchor Bolt Storage Rack
I’m always looking for creative ways to back (counterbored) side, and cinch it attached, you can hang a load of clamps,
use leftover materials in my shop. One I tight. Make sure to hold the end of the hoses, or whatever you like, and none of
came up with recently involves anchor bolt upright while tightening. Screw the the items will roll off.
bolts — the L-shaped fasteners that are rack to wall studs, using fasteners of the David Harrison
used to cinch sill plates to concrete foun- appropriate size. With the rack firmly Salem, Oregon
dations. They became the main ingredi-
NOTE: Attach
ent in a storage rack that combines the storage rack to wall studs
with appropriate length fasteners NOTE: Cleat is made from
best attributes of a shelf and a hook. 2 "two-by" stock
8 !/4"
These bolts, combined with a length roundover
8
of 2x4 framing lumber for the mount- !/2"washer
and nut
ing cleat, allow me to store clamps and
hang hoses with ease. For my setup, I
spaced the holes as shown in the draw- MOUNTING
ing, but you can adjust them based on CLEAT 3!/2
36
your needs. Then drill the counterbores
and holes needed, as shown in detail ‘a’. a.
SIDE
To mount the anchor to the cleat, run a SECTION %/8
hex nut all the way onto the anchor bolt VIEW #/4
thread until it stops, add a flat washer,
!/2 1!/4 L-Hook
and insert that end into the hole on the anchor bolt
mounting cleat. Put a flat washer and
another hex nut onto the bolt from the
Win This Forrest Blade

Simply send us your favorite
shop tips. If your tip or technique The Winner!
is selected as the featured Congratulations to
reader’s tip, you’ll win a Forrest Robert Smith, the winner of
Woodworker II blade. To submit this Forrest Woodworker II.
your tip or technique, go to To find out how you can win
SubmitWoodsmithT ips.com. this blade, check out the
There you can upload your tips information at left.
and photos for consideration.
Woodsmith.com • 5
WS231_004.indd 5 3/31/2017 12:51:53 PM

Square Assembly Station
Lately I’ve been turning out a lot of
simple projects with face frames that are
held together with pocket screws. Hold-
ing the frames steady and square while
screwing them together has proven to
be a challenge that needed a solution.
Adding a set of adjustable cleats to the
sides of my bench solved the problem
nicely. The cleats are held in place with
studded knobs that screw into threaded
inserts. Make sure to leave the cleats
short of the workbench corner. This
way, when you’re assembling mitered
corners, they’ll fit nice and tight. As the
inset photo shows, the slots in the ply-
wood allow you to slide the cleats out of
the way when not in use.
Anthony Yacovelli
Pottstown, Pennsylvania
%/16"-18
threaded NOTE: If necessary,
a. insert place shims between
NOTE: Scale the width of cleats and workbench
SIDE VIEW the cleat to fit your to create a square corner
3 workbench
24
&/8
CLEAT
2!/4 CLEAT
%/16"-18
studded
4 knob and
fender washer
#/8
NOTE: Cleat is made
from !/2" plywood
QUICK TIPS
Glue Bottle Maintenance. When refilling bottles of Dowel Sizing. Sidney Phillips of Melville, NY, has a simple
glue, John Welch of Springfield, OH, adds an extra level of way of determining the size of dowels and other odd-sized
protection. He coats the threads with lip balm, (petroleum parts. He starts by setting his combination square at an inch
jelly also works). This prevents a bond from forming mark. Then he traps the dowel with an additional square.
between the glue bottle and the cap. Where the squares intersect reveals the diameter of the dowel.
WS231_006.indd 6 3/31/2017 9:52:32 AM

23
!/4"
roundovers
1#/4
Size hole to fit

paddle rod
1!/4
2%/8 9!/8
DISC
NOTE: Disc made

from #/4" plywood
NOTE: Attach
the disc using
hardware removed
from original handle
Dust Collector Handle Upgrade

Fitting tools into the tight quarters of my
small shop is always a challenge. And
even though the space is small, I still
manage to kick out an alarming amount
of dust. I was happy that I was able to
shoe horn in a small, but mighty, dust
collector in the corner.
As you see in the photo, it’s the type
that has a canister filter on top. I had one
problem with the setup. To clean the
pleats, I had to rotate the large handle
on the top of the filter. This meant leav-
plywood disc that lets you turn the
paddles on the canister without DIGITAL WOODSMITH
ing the unit out from the wall, which ate having to move the collector. A hole
into my floor space. I could roll out the in the center lets you bolt it to the SUBMIT TIPS ONLINE
LINE
collector, clean the filter, then roll it back, paddle arm. And with the four slots, If you have an original shop
op
but that proved to be a hassle, as well. you can grab and turn the disc freely tip, we would like to hearr
I decided to abandon the handle in the proper direction. from you and consider
and make the large handwheel you Les Beeckman publishing your tip in onee
see in the drawing above. It’s a simple Saginaw, Michigan or more of our publications.
ns.
Jump online and go to:
SubmitWoodsmithTips.com
om
You’ll be able to tell us all
Drawer Location about your tip and upload your
Labels. After going photos and drawings. You can also
mail your tips to “Woodsmith th Tips”
through a lot of effort
at the editorial address shown on
matching the grain
page 2. We will pay up to $200 if
patterns on the drawer
we publish your tip.
fronts of his new tool
chest, Mack Brown of RECEIVE FREE ETIPS
Spokane, WA, wanted
to make sure all this
BY EMAIL
Now you can have the best time-saving
effort showed through
secrets, solutions, and techniques sent
on the finished project. directly to your email inbox. Just go to:
So he wrote the drawer
locations on the underside Woodsmith.com
of each drawer. He then and click on,
had no problem installing “Woodsmith eTips”
the drawers in proper You’ll receive one of our favorite tips
relation to each other. by email each and every week.
Woodsmith.com • 7
WS231_006.indd 7 3/31/2017 9:52:54 AM

Sizing Screws on the Fly
Having that can of old screws from past projects is nice,
but trying to find the right size can be a challenge. It turns
out there’s a simple formula for determining the size of a
woodscrew, such as a #6, #8, or any size up to #14.
Measure the diameter of the head of the screw in 16ths,
(round the number up if need be). Multiply that number
by 2. Then subtract 2 from that sum. And there you are.
Here’s an example. A screw head measures 5⁄16" in
diameter. Five times two equals ten. Subtract two, and the
answer is eight. So the screw is a #8.
Rich Rechkemmer
Beardstown, Illinois
Mini Blind Drawer Slides

I recently had a cabinet job that was on a tight budget. The
drawers needed to operate smoothly, but expensive slides
were out of the question. An abandoned set of vinyl mini
blinds turned out to be the answer. Gluing them to the inside
of the cabinet served as a perfect glide for the drawers.
Taking a couple of slats, I cut them to length with a utility
knife, but found that the arched surfaces of the slats wouldn’t
lie flat. So I smoothed them out using a clothes iron set on low
heat (inset photo, above). Once the slats were flat, I glued them
in place using contact cement (applying it to the slat and the
cabinet). The drawers now slide smoothly. And if the slats get
worn, I still have plenty of replacements.
Keith Ross
Estey’s Bridge, New Brunswick
QUICK TIPS
Waterstone Storage. Steve Kralicek of Omaha, NE, uses Better Gripping Pocket Hole Jig. Micah Schonberger
waterstones daily in his shop. So instead of drying and of Snowmass, CO, uses pocket hole joinery on occasion
storing them away, he leaves them in water in a plastic bin in his shop. As the photo shows, he found that adding a
that has a lid. He adds a capful of bleach to the water to strip of adhesive-backed sandpaper to the bottom of his
prevent any mold buildup between water changes. single hole jig prevents it from shifting while in use.
WS231_008.indd 8 3/31/2017 12:04:15 PM

Bench Vise Racking Resolved
When clamping small parts in my vise,
the vise occasionally has a tendency to
rack and lose its grip on the part. So I
came up with a simple add-on for my
vise to prevent that problem.
It involves attaching a wood face to
my vise jaw that has a couple of angled
notches cut into the ends. This lets me
use a simple wedge to oppose the piece
I’m clamping in the vise.
I found that unless the wedge makes
full contact with the notch, it will pop
out of the vise. So to make these pieces
match perfectly, I made four identical
wedges and used them as ramps to
rout the notches in the vise face. The
three drawings below give you all the
information needed and the step-by-step
details for making both parts.
Once you’ve installed this setup, it’s
easy to use. Start by lightly clamping
your workpiece in either end of the vise.
Then slide the wedge into the notch at
the other end and hold it in place while
you tighten the vise.
Robert Smith
Minden, Nevada
FRONT VIEW
a.
11
3!/2
WEDGE !/2 NOTE: The wedge is
made from #/4" plywood.
Vise face is made from #/4
8 "two-by" stock
VISE FACE
WEDGE
2 #/4
#/4
4!/2 #/4 VISE FACE
1!/2
1 NOTE: Overhang
wedges to guide
2 3
router bit
VISE FACE
!/8 WEDGE VISE FACE
#/4
WEDGE
!/2"
pattern !/2"
VISE FACE bit WEDGE pattern
bit
Double-sided
tape
Tape the Wedges. Apply double-sided Adjust the Bit Height. Flip the Cut the Notch. Nibble away at the
tape to the vise face and align the wedges workpiece and adjust the pattern bit notch until the bit passes through the
to the layout lines. Be sure to overhang the height so it meets the layout line for face. Then move the ramps to the other
wedges to guide the router bit. the entrance of the notch. side of the face and repeat the process.
Woodsmith.com • 9
WS231_008.indd 9 3/31/2017 9:54:56 AM

all
about
non-woven
Abrasive Pads
Like sandpaper, glue, or woodscrews, of a table saw or jointer. And while I still non-woven abrasives.) But non-woven
steel wool has been a staple in my shop keep a supply of steel wool on hand, in abrasives are used in all sorts of indus-
for as long as I can remember. It’s useful the last few years I’ve come to rely more trial applications, as well.
for all kinds of things, from rubbing out and more on a different type of product WHAT ARE THEY? Non-woven abrasive
a finish to cleaning up the cast iron top — non-woven abrasive pads. pads are made up of synthetic nylon
Chances are you’re already familiar fibers and resins. The fibers are embed-
Non-woven with non-woven abrasive hand pads. ded with the same types of abrasive
abrasive belt
You’ll find them in many kitchens, in materials found in sandpaper (alu-
the form of scrub pads for cleaning pots minum oxide or silicon carbide). The
and pans. They’re often referred to as result is a mesh-like pad that’s flexible,
Scotch-Brite pads. (Scotch-Brite is actu- so it conforms to various shapes and
ally a trade name of the 3M company, contours. And as you use the pad, fresh
who pioneered the development of abrasive is continually exposed.
The pads are available in different grits
Arbor-mounted Non-woven and are color-coded to make them easier
wheel abrasive
discs to recognize at a glance. Although there
Comparing Abrasives
Pad Steel Wool

Color Grade (approx.)
Hand pads
Green 2 or 3
Maroon 1
{ In addition to hand pads, non-woven abrasives Gray 00

are also available as belts, discs, or mounted on White 0000
arbors and wheels for a variety of power tools.
WS231_010.indd 10 3/29/2017 7:35:10 AM

are a number of different colors, the four
that you’ll find most readily available
are green, maroon, gray, and white. The
chart on the previous page shows how
each color compares to various grades of
steel wool. (It’s worth noting that some
manufacturers may have slightly differ-
ent color-coding systems.)
OPTIONS. I always have a supply of
rectangular hand pads in my shop.
Abrasive hand pads are commonly
sold in 6" x 9" sizes (refer to page 67 for
sources), but you can easily cut them
down with a pair of scissors to create a
smaller pad. Occasionally, I’ll cut a disc
out of a pad to use with my random- { A maroon abrasive pad is ideal for { Non-woven abrasive pads are great for
orbit sander. The pads will stick to most keeping the cast iron tops of your shop creating a brushed or satin finish on
hook-and-loop sanding pads, but most equipment clean and free of rust. aluminum or other metals.
often I just use them by hand.
Non-woven abrasives are also sold in rust spots with a water-based finish. wipe the surface off with a rag or paper
a variety of other forms, such as discs Although non-woven abrasives do towel. One benefit of abrasive pads is
and belts, for use with sanders and drills shed abrasive particles, a quick blast of that you can wash them out and reuse
(lower left photo on previous page). compressed air clears them out of any them if they get dirty.
Recently, I’ve even begun using a non- nooks or crevices. And unlike sandpa- BRUSHED FINISH. Although it’s a some-
woven abrasive product on my bench per, the pads don’t load up with finish. what specialized application, abrasive
grinder, as shown in the box below. RUST REMOVAL. I use abrasive pads for pads work well for creating a satin or
BENEFITS. Abrasive pads have a few cleaning and rust removal more than brushed finish on metal parts or hard-
benefits over steel wool. For starters, any other purpose. The maroon pads ware, like you see in the upper right
they don’t shed metal particles like are great for removing rust or rejuvenat- photo. Whether you’re creating your
steel wool. This makes them ideal for ing the cast iron surfaces of your power own hardware or rejuvenating an exist-
sanding between coats of finish on a tools (upper left photo). ing piece, an abrasive pad will leave a
project, as shown in the main photo on For this application, the pad works uniform look across the surface.
the previous page. (I use the gray and best if you use a lubricant of some sort. Abrasive pads cost little and are long-
white pads for this purpose.) With steel Just spray the surface with WD-40 or lasting. Even if you aren’t ready to give
wool, you always run the risk of steel another lubricant and give it a good up your steel wool, I think you’ll find
particles being left behind and causing scrubbing with the pad. Then simply they’re worth a try. W
A Closer Look: CONVOLUTE WHEELS Rotation Scotch-Brite

direction EXL deburring
wheel
One abrasive product I’ve recently
discovered is a convolute wheel.
Here, the non-woven abrasive mate-
rial is wrapped tightly around a
core, creating a stiff, dense wheel. It’s
designed to run in one direction only.
Convolute wheels are sold as
“deburring wheels,” but they’re
great for removing rust and polish-
ing metal. I have one mounted on
my bench grinder, as a substitute for
a wire wheel. But unlike a wire wheel,
a convolute wheel doesn’t shoot little { A convolute deburring wheel can takee
wire spears at you while using it. For the place of a wire wheel for removing
ng
sources, turn to page 67. rust and polishing metal.
Woodsmith.com • 11
WS231_010.indd 11 3/29/2017 7:35:32 AM

router
p
worksho
choosing the right

Router Speed
As power tools go, routers are uncompli- 24,000 RPM down to around 10,000 RPM. the router at full speed, I’ve found four
cated. Beyond installing a bit and setting Here’s the challenge: How do you know places where it makes sense to slow
the cutting depth, you’re pretty much what speed to set for a given task? down in order to get better results.
ready to fire up the router and get to There are few rules when it comes BIG BITS. About the only place that you
work. But many new routers also include to adjusting the speed on a variable- find specific instruction on slowing
a variable-speed function as a feature. speed router. On one hand, this allows down a router is when using a large-
This feature allows you to adjust the for some flexibility and experimenta- diameter bit, like the raised-panel bit
bit through a range of speeds, from tion when deciding on the right speed. shown in the photo above. It all has to
On the other, without some guidelines do with the rim speed of the bit. The
to go by, it’s tough to know when drawings below demonstrate that as
Rim speed is or how much you should adjust the diameter increases, the rim speed
250 MPH
the speed. While I usually run jumps way up. Higher speeds reduce
Rim speed is
50 MPH
Router Bit Speed Chart
3!/2"-dia. Bit Diameter Maximum Speed (RPM)
raised-panel bit
@24,000 RPM
Up to 1" 24,000
#/4"-dia. 1
1 ⁄4" to 2" 18,000
ogee bit
@24,000 RPM 1 1
2 ⁄4" to 2 ⁄2" 16,000
1
3" to 3 ⁄2" 10,000
WS231_012.indd 12 3/29/2017 7:33:05 AM

{ Routers with built-in variable speed controls allow you to easily dial in the { At the beginning and end of a stopped cut, the bit
correct speed (left). Aftermarket speed controllers provide the same features lingers and can lead to burning (right flute). A reduced
for older or single-speed routers (right). bit speed can help you avoid it.
your ability to control the workpiece. In in the middle photo above. After plug-
addition, the router motor is subjected ging your router into the controller, you
to strain that can lead to damage. can change the speed with the turn of a
Large diameter bits usually include dial. For sources, turn to page 67.
a speed range (or upper limit) for set- STOPPED CUTS. Another operation where
ting your router. If you don’t have that you may want to slow the router down
information, you can often find it on the is when making stopped cuts. The rea-
website of the router bit manufacturer. son is heat buildup. When a spinning
SETTING THE SPEED. Changing the router bit lingers over a portion of the work-
speed isn’t as easy as it sounds. The piece, heat rises and causes the wood
speed-control dial on most routers to scorch. Using a steady feed rate, you
doesn’t list the actual RPMs. Instead, can prevent heat from building. But at
you may just see a set of numbers, as the beginning and end of a stopped cut,
shown in the upper left photo. To trans- it’s impossible to avoid.
late the number to the actual RPM, you You can see a good example in the
need to consult your owner’s manual. flutes in the upper right photo. At full
However, it won’t take long for you to speed, the right-hand flute burned at
remember what speed each dial setting the start of the cut. That blemish is diffi-
indicates without looking it up. cult and time-consuming to remove. By { When routing bowls, heat can build up
If your router doesn’t have a speed stepping down the speed just one notch, and lead to burn marks and dull bits. Slow
control, you aren’t out of luck. Auxiliary I was able to rout the other two flutes down the router to prevent damage.
speed controllers are available, as shown without burning.
This technique applies not only HARD, DENSE MATERIALS. One final instance
to decorative effects like stopped where I slow down the router speed is
chamfers and roundovers, but also when I’m working with hard, dense
joinery details like stopped rab- materials — especially exotic wood, as
bets, grooves, and dadoes. you can see in the left photo. Used in
DEEP CUTS. A related situation is conjunction with light passes, a steady
found when routing deep inside a feed rate, and a sharp bit, a variable-
workpiece, like cutting a mortise speed motor gives you another “tool”
or routing out the waste for bowl to respond to the material.
(photo at right). Here, you com- EXPERIMENT. Knowing that there aren’t
pound the problem of stopped definitive rules for reducing a router’s
cuts with the bit buried below speed frees you to experiment with dif-
the surface. Wood is an insula- ferent bits and wood species. A few test
tor, so the heat can build up even cuts are all it takes. The benefit is get-
{ Exotic wood like this wenge can be a challenge more. To preserve the life of the bit, ting to know the capabilities of your
to rout smoothly. Slowing down the router reduce the speed of the router and router and learning more about the
speed is one factor to help get the best results. minimize heat build-up. materials you work with. W
WS231_012.indd 13 3/30/2017 7:15:35 AM

great
gear
Kreg
Mobile
Project Center
Automaxx
clamp The workbench is unquestionably
Polypropylene the cornerstone of my shop. But it’s
top
always
alw helpful to have a few extra
worksurfaces
wor around, whether I’m
working
wor on a big project or need
T-track something
som mobile to move around
Sturdy to
t o other areas of my home.
steel I build these extra worksurfaces
supports
and myself
mys whenever possible. But even
legs Shelf
I’ll admit there are some handy
options
opti available for purchase, too. { The included Automaxx clamp slides
After
Afte giving it a trial run in my shop, along the T-track to act as an easy hold-
I ca
can safely say that the Kreg Mobile down as you’re working at the center.
Project
Proj Center passes that test. Now,
there
ther are no shortage of these types of the system from the photo on the
of pportable worktables on the market, left. The legs are solid steel, and so are
but I feel the Kreg hits a few notes that the rugged extensions that support the
Non-skid
feet are lacking in some of the others. worksurface when in use. Non-skid
DURABLE CONSTRUCTION. All things being
DU rubber feet keep the station from shift-
equal,
equa a mobile workstation that’s going ing around in use. The worksurface is
{ With heavy-duty construction and plenty of to win
w me over has to be well-built. durable polypropylene that’s dead-flat
options and accessories, this project center And Kreg certainly didn’t cut any cor- and also lightweight for easy transport
is a worthy shop addition. ners here. You can get a good overview (lower right photo, next page).
WS231_014.indd 14 3/24/2017 8:56:07 AM

HANDY FEATURES. Beyond its solid stat-
ure, the center can also do more than
your average mobile workstation. One
feature that makes it so useful is an alu-
minum T-track in the center of the top.
This accommodates a range of accesso-
ries, including a Kreg Automaxx clamp
that comes with the center.
You can use this clamp in a couple of Key
different configurations. It will fit in a
keyhole slot on the side of the center to
clamp onto the edge of workpieces, as
shown in the main photo on the previous
page. Or you can position it anywhere
along the T-track for use as a hold-down
on the table, as indicated in the lower
right photo on page 14. I found that the
T-track was also adept at holding round
stock like dowels in place, as shown in
the lower left photo below.
Along with the clamp, the center
comes with four bench dogs for securing
work. There’s also a shelf underneath the
worksurface, and recessed trays for hold-
ing hardware and other small items. A
lip along the perimeter of the top accepts
Kreg containers, which can be purchased { With the included keys (upper inset photo), you can lock two of the centers together side by
separately for holding hardware. side to increase the capacity of your workstation. Or slip 2x4s into steel L-brackets that lock
VERSATILITY. Finally, the knockout into the legs of the centers (lower inset) and add an auxiliary top to create a workbench.
punch for the Kreg center over other
workstations might just come down to like a sawhorse. Kreg supplies a cou- You can leave the sacrificial top off the
how versatile it is. In its standard work- ple of bushings that you can screw to sawhorse and use the Automaxx clamp
center configuration, it’s pretty useful, a length of “two-by” material in order if you’re making a cut beyond the sur-
but the two leaves of the worksurface to make a sacrificial top that slides in face of the sawhorse (lower left photo).
can also fold down in order to use it the T-track (upper left photo below). If you invest in a couple of the cen-
ters, you have even more options. Each
center comes with a pair of keys that fit
into tabs on the edges of the worksur-
faces to allow you to lock them together
side by side (photos above). This makes
working on larger parts, like case sides,
a little more manageable.
And if you need even more work-
space, there are two steel L-brackets
with each center that accommodate a
length of 2x4 between them. As shown
in the lower photo above, this allows
you to install an auxiliary worksurface
between two centers to create what is
essentially a workbench.
The Kreg Mobile Project Center costs
$160. It’s available from several retailers
(Sources, page 67). I found this handy
{ By folding the center’s top leaves down, you create a handy sawhorse. You can add a item to be a step up from the average
sacrificial 2x4 top to the T-track (top left), or leave it exposed to hold a round object like a portable worktable, and it’s earned a
dowel (bottom left). The entire center also folds up for easy transport (right photo). permanent spot in my shop. W
WS231_014.indd 15 3/24/2017 8:57:10 AM

w orking
wood nique
tech
band saw
Curves
Straight and square — that’s the theme This project has a number of curves, but
that runs through most every shop, the biggest head-scratcher was the slats
every day. A lot of time is spent keep- at the end of the bench. BAND SAW TO THE RESCUE. For gentle
ing tools tuned to meet this goal. But I considered gluing these up from mul- curves, it’s possible to cut the parts
on occasion, you get thrown a curve tiple thin laminations, but the amount of out of a solid block of wood at the
— you know — shaping parts that time it would take to make ten slats was band saw. There are just a couple of
don’t follow the usual path of wood- not appealing. Also, I was worried about things that come into play here: the
working. Instead of laying straight, the parts “springing back” when the shape you want to make, and finding
the parts need to curve. clamps came off and not matching the boards with an edge grain pattern
That was the challenge I faced with curve of the legs. To make the process that’s compatible to that shape.
the empire bench project on page 44. simple, I decided to enlist my band saw. At the center of this balancing act
is how much grain runout the piece
can tolerate without compromising the
strength of the slat. Some wandering in
Strong the edge grain is not necessarily a bad
thing, just match its flow to the curve
as best as you can. This is the reason I
Grain runout
chose extra-thick lumber here, it gives
Grain runout Weak me options. The two drawings to the
left provide some more insight into the
grain matching process.
Match the Grain to the Curve. Grain runout is grain running opposite to the TEMPLATE TIME. As with most curved
profile. You’ll get a better appearance and a stronger part by aligning the grain parts, I started this process with a tem-
direction to match the profile of the workpiece as closely as possible. plate of the slat, like the one shown on
WS231_016.indd 16 3/31/2017 10:27:35 AM

1 2 3
Spray
adhesive
Pattern
!/4"hardboard
Cut to waste side Random-orbit
After cutting out, of layout line sander will remove
sand template smooth band saw blade marks
Create the Template. Glue the pattern Convex Curve First. At the band saw, Sand Curve Smooth. Use a random-
to a piece of hardboard, then use it to cut out the convex side of the slat. orbit sander to smooth the slat. Increase
create a template for making the slats. Leave the line as a guide to sand to. the grit of the paper to a 180-grit finish.
4 5 Pivot a. Pivot block 6

block
Fence Fence Aux.
fence
TOP
SECTION
VIEW
Slat
a. END VIEW
Leave room
to bring slat Aux. Hold slat square
to final thickness Adjust fence for fence to blade
final thickness
of slat
Cut Concave Curve. Back at the Sand Concave Curve. Sand the concave Cut to Final Length. At the table
band saw, cut the opposite face of surface of the slat using a sanding jig to saw, trim the slats to their final
the slat. Again, cut proud of the line. ensure proper thickness. length. Hold slats square as you go.
page 50. First I scaled it and glued it to a BAND SAW WORK. In Figure 2, I started Figure 4 shows. But sanding the inner
piece of hardboard (Figure 1). After cut- by cutting the convex curve of the curve compelled me to try another
ting and sanding the template, I traced slat. Staying just outside of the pencil method, a drill press sanding jig.
it on all the blocks. Leaving the blocks line makes sanding out blade marks DRILL PRESS JIG. As the “How-To” box
long allows for maneuvering while cut- an easy task (Figure 3). The inner below shows, the jig starts with a base
ting and sanding the slats. curve is cut in a similar fashion, as that attaches to the drill press from
below. This base has a hole for recessing
How-To: SANDING DRUM JIG the sanding drum below the surface. A
fence that clamps to the base has a pivot
block glued to it. This makes it easy to
Pivot block 15 a. TOP SECTION VIEW sand the curves to a consistent thickness.
(1" x 5" Fence With the setup in place on the drill
dowel Cleat
ripped Fence press, I used a 100-grit sleeve on the
5
in half) 3!/4"-dia. drum to smooth the inner curve (Fig-
3"-dia. Center through
Cleat drum pivot block hole ure 5). As a final step, a random-orbit
#8 x 1!/2" Fh 15 on opening
woodscrew
sander and some fine grit-paper will
Pivot bring the concave face of the slat to a
13 15 b. block finish-ready condition.
2!/2
Table SIDE Fence
SECTION FINAL SIZE. As I mentioned earlier, all
VIEW Cleat the slats are longer than needed and
Table
!/4"-20 now’s the time to cut them to their final
!/4"-20 studded knob length (Figure 6). The finished result is
threaded insert w/washer
a smooth and stable curved slat that’s
ready for your project. W
WS231_016.indd 17 4/4/2017 2:29:06 PM

d
Weeken
Project
flip-down
Coat Rack
Sporting a mid-century vibe, this coat
rack is one part wall art, one part handy
place to park your jacket, or hat.
If you’re looking for a quick CONTROLLED CHAOS. Even though

project, but not in the mood to the rack looks a little like a key-
go shopping for a pile of lum- board gone wild, when it comes
ber and hardware, this little coat to putting all this together,
rack fits the bill. In fact, there’s a don’t be too concerned. There’s
good chance that you could use a method to the madness. The
up some of that leftover lumber blocks all start out as identically
in the bin. The rack is basically 29 sized blanks. Then you trim them
blocks that are tied together with to width and length to make { There are five retractable hooks nested within
dowels. Five hooks flip down to six sets of varying-sized blocks. the body of the rack. They’re attached to the
bring this playful mid-century- Some of those you flip to make an rack with metal pins that allow you to flip
style coat rack to life. interesting overall arrangement. them up and out of the way when not in use.
WS231_018.indd 18 4/3/2017 8:47:22 AM

a. !/2 !/2 b
NOTE: Blanks are made Holes in
from 1"-thick hardwood end blanks
are not 4!/2
through holes
TOP VIEW #/8
2!/2
!/4"-dia.
holes 3#/4
LEFT END 12#/4

SIDE VIEW
GROUP ONE
GROUP TWO
GROUP THREE
START WITH BLANKS GROUP FOUR NOTE: Number
As you see in the drawing above, there blanks on center
of back edge
are four main groups of blanks that make RIGHT END
up the body of the rack. On either side of
these groups are the ends. Both of the end key to maintaining the relationship of the back edge of the blanks, you don’t
groups consist of three blanks. You may the blocks, even after they’re cut to final have to worry about trimming away
have noticed that the fourth group has size. This design safety net takes some any of your numbers.
only five blanks. This is for the sake of of the worry out of assembling the rack. Drilling the holes is a straight-
visually balancing the hooks. No worries, GROUPS ARE GOOD. That being said, forward process. As Figures 1 and
though, it will become clear later. start by grouping and numbering the 2 below show, a simple stop block
PREPARING THE BLANKS. As I mentioned blanks. This will save confusion and setup guarantees proper location of
earlier, the rack starts out as 29 identi- headaches down the road. The drawing the holes. If you take a quick look at
cally sized blanks. Aside from cutting above shows the numbers centered on detail ‘a’ above, you’ll see these are all
the blanks to size, the only other thing the front of each blank. But in reality, it’s through holes, with the exception of
to do at this point is drill a pair of holes best to number them on the back. In a the two end blocks. Next, you’ll turn
in each blank. These holes will eventu- little while, you’ll be ripping most of the the blanks into blocks, make some
ally house dowels that tie all the blocks blocks to different widths and cutting hooks, and start shaping all the parts
together. Drilling the holes first is the them to varying lengths. By numbering into a finished coat rack.
How-To: DRILL DOWEL HOLES Materials, Supplies & Cutting Diagram

A Blocks (5) 1 x 2!/2 - 9 E Blocks (6) 1 x 2- 7
!/4" brad !/4"
1 point bit 2 brad B Blocks (7) 1 x 2#/8 - 10 F Blocks (5) 1 x #/4 - 6#/4
point C Blocks (3) 1 x 2!/4 - 11 G Hooks (5)1 x 1&/16 - 7%/16
bit
D Blocks (3) 1 x 2!/8 - 8
Blank
Set stop block • (6) 2" Z-clips
for first hole
Stop
3#/4 • (6) #8 x #/4" Fh Woodscrews
a.
block • (1) 1⁄4"-dia. x 15" Steel Rod
of hole • (2) 1⁄4"-dia. x 36" Hardwood Dowel
SIDE VIEW of bit
Stop block NOTE: Do not 1 x 8" - 48" Ash (Four boards @ 1.0 Bd. Ft. Each)
drill through-
4!/2 holes in the
two end blanks
Drill First Hole. Drill through Drill Second Hole. After For a full-size template of
holes in all of the blanks except repositioning the stop block, the flip-down hook, go to
the two end blanks. drill the second hole. Woodsmith.com
WS231_018.indd 19 4/3/2017 1:04:23 PM

TOP VIEW
F #/4 F F F F
1!!/16
2!/2 2 2!/2 2#/8 2!/4 2!/8 B B
1&/16
G G G G G
E A B E C D A B A C E E A D B A E C D B B E
FRONT VIEW Pivot pin holes
2
2&/8 2!/2 3 2#/4
* * * * * * *
E A F B E C D A F B A C E B F B E A D B F A E C D B F B E
NOTE: Flip the blocks

marked with
an asterisk
2&/8 1!/8 3
1#/4 2
#/4
LEFT END GROUP ONE GROUP TWO GROUP THREE GROUP FOUR RIGHT END
Assembling the COAT RACK

last, narrowest set of blocks, don’t
throw away the waste. Those leftover
pieces will be used to make the hooks,
With the blanks arranged and drilled, to the narrowest rip, and that’s what I so set them aside for the moment.
the next stage of construction is turning did here. To keep this process orderly, CROSSCUTS & ARRANGEMENT. Moving on to
them into finished blocks. This involves I set up a staging area next to my table the next step, Figure 1 below shows
three steps: ripping the blanks to width, saw where I could lay out the groups crosscutting the blocks with a miter
cutting them to length, and flipping of blocks exactly as you see them in the gauge. These cuts create the stag-
certain blocks to achieve the final look drawing above. gered vertical profile of the rack. The
of the rack. This isn’t difficult if you fol- To get started, I referenced the top front view drawing above shows how
low the drawing above. It takes all of the view drawing and noticed that some this looks. As with the previous step,
guesswork out of the process. We’ll start of the blanks don’t need to be ripped. I cut each set of blocks to length. As
by ripping the blanks to create the stag- So all of those are labeled ‘A.’ Then I you drop them back into their groups
gered depth of the rack. went for the next size down. I ripped it’s time to do some end-to-end flip-
RIPPING SEQUENCE. Whenever I have a them and labeled them ‘B’ as I put ping. This creates a more “random”
number of rip cuts to make, I prefer to them back in their place. You get the appearance without having to make
start with the widest and work my way idea. When it comes to making the different blocks.
How-To: SIZE BLOCKS & DRILL PIVOT PIN HOLES a.

!/4"-dia.
1 2 a. Dowel 3 hole
1!!/16
Aux. END VIEW
miter 1!!/16
fence END VIEW
Hole is
centered B F
on dowel Dowel
Blank NOTE: Length of
cuts on ends of Locating
blocks will vary Double-sided
tape block
Cut to Length. Each individual block Use Block as Locating Jig. Drill a hole Drill Pivot Pin Holes. Place the blocks
needs to be trimmed to length. Once in one of the blocks. Tape the block in that require a pivot hole onto the dowel
cut, place it back in its group. place and fit a dowel in the rear hole. and drill the rest of the through holes.
WS231_020.indd 20 4/3/2017 8:48:28 AM

a. !/2 !/4"-dia. dowel, b.
LEFT END &/8" long
4
GROUP
5!/2 ONE LEFT
G END
7%/16 G
G
G Z-clip
hanger
1&/16
GROUP GROUP
!/2 THREE FOUR
!/4"-dia. GROUP BACK VIEW
RIGHT
hole 45° TWO END
!/4"-dia. x 2&/8"
pivot pin GROUP ONE
SIDE VIEW
DRILL THE PIVOT HOLES. To finish up the How-To: MAKE HOOKS & ASSEMBLE HANGER
work on the blocks, you have to drill
some holes for steel pins. The hooks 1 a. 2
pivot on these pins. The top view draw-
ing on the previous page shows which
G
blocks need these holes. Figures 2 and
3 on the previous page shows how to !%/16
1!#/16
G Stay outside
locate and drill these holes. SIDE SECTION of layout
Stop VIEW line
block
G
MAKE THE HOOKS !/4" brad
point bit
Taking a break from the blocks that
make up the body of the rack, it’s time Drilling Pivot Hole. Use a stop block Cutting Long Bevel. At the band
to fashion the hooks. Start by sizing the at the drill press to accurately position saw, cut the long bevel on the hooks.
scraps that you set aside earlier (detail the pivot hole in each of the hooks. Then sand the surface smooth.
‘a’ above). After drilling the hole for the a.
pivot pin (Figure 1), cut the 45° angle on 3 #/8
#/8 4 Cover glue
surfaces
the bottom. The long bevel is the next !/4"-dia. with tape Tape
order of business, as in Figure 2. dowel &/8"
long END SECTION VIEW
The main drawing above shows steel
pins going through the hooks and into
the rack. I used a hack saw to cut these to
length from a piece of 1⁄4"-dia. steel rod,
and then removed any burrs.
GLUE UP. Gluing up the body is next.
Figures 3 and 4 show how to do this. I Glue Up Groups. Glue up the groups Protect Mating Surfaces. Before
cut some 7⁄8" long pins from a section of and ends separately. Dowels are used adding finish to the groups, use tape
1⁄ "-dia. dowel and left 3⁄ " protruding to align the groups accurately. to protect the mating surfaces.
4 8
to join it to the next block. I suggest you
apply finish to each group separately 5 6
before bringing them together.
You can also glue up the two end
groups, but hold off on adding them Rip 4#/4
fence
just yet. You’ll need to cut a dado in the !/4 3
back of the four middle sections to cre- G
NOTE:
ate a recess for some hanging brackets. Apply
Figure 5 shows this. #/4" dado beeswax !/4"-dia. x 2&/8"
blade to pin pivot pin
After installing the last two hooks and
gluing on the ends, all that’s left to do is Cut Wide Dado. A dado blade is the Capping It Off. When gluing and
mount the rack on the wall. The hard- best way to cut the wide recess in the clamping the ends in place, make sure
ware for hanging the rack draws it back of the four glued-up sections. the hooks pivot freely.
snugly to the wall (detail ‘b’). W
WS231_020.indd 21 4/3/2017 1:05:19 PM

Shop
Project
hardworking
Sawbench
The no-nonsense usefulness
of a sawbench in the shop can’t be
overstated. Making a pair of them
merely multiplies the benefits.
Sawbenches have been used by crafts- can kneel on a board
men for centuries. These short work to provide clamping
supports were originally intended to aid pressure, as shown
in the cutting of wood using a handsaw. above. And the rip- { The well in the top and the shallow tray
And while they’re fully capable of han- ping notch on one end underneath provide plenty of space to keep your
dling this task, this splayed-leg design allows a workpiece must-have tools and supplies at the ready.
gives the bench even more flexibility to to be fully supported
aid in several other tasks, as well. during long rip cuts. assembly station or as finishing supports.
HANDSAW WORK. With a wider top and BONUS WORK. Beyond these basic func- A tray keeps tools close at hand, while
shorter stance than a sawhorse, a saw- tions, a sawbench (or better yet, a pair a well in the top holds smaller items.
bench is appropriately sized so that you of them) can also be used as a general A thick top with dog holes provides
WS231_022.indd 22 3/28/2017 2:29:50 PM

1#/16
NOTE: Legs are made
from 1!/2"-thick hardwood 2!/4 a. FRONT VIEW b.
1!!/16
A
%/8 A 1!/2
A A A
!/2
23
LEG
A SIDE
1!/2 VIEW
3
#/4 #/16"-dia. A A
holes
6!%/16
#/4 NOTE: Taper legs

after cutting dadoes 4#/16
and rabbets
NOTE: Drill holes COMPOUND CUTS. After cutting the four bevel gauge. These wide dadoes and
after all joinery
is complete legs to the rough dimensions shown rabbets will serve to secure the tray
in detail ‘a,’ you’ll need to make a and a pair of cleats later on.
compound miter cut on both ends of The How-To box below shows the
multiple clamping options. Best of all, each one. These cuts are what give process for making these cuts. With the
you can knock out a pair of these benches the bench it’s splayed-leg stance that I table saw blade tilted 10° and the miter
during a pleasant weekend in the shop. mentioned earlier. To see a full expla- gauge rotated 10°, make three cuts on
nation on how to make compound each leg to establish the shoulders of the
LEGS FIRST miter cuts at the table saw, check out dado and rabbet (Figure 1). You can then
The sawbench construction starts with the article on page 62. switch to a dado blade to clean up the
two pairs of mirror-image legs. Since WIDE DADOES & RABBETS. With the cuts on rest of the waste, as shown in Figure 2.
I intended to paint my sawbenches, I the ends of the legs complete, you’ll GRADUAL TAPERS. To finish up the legs,
opted to make them from poplar. But want to label each mirror-image pair cut the tapers along the inside edge of
they could just as easily be built from to keep them organized for the next each leg. I made these cuts at the band
common “two-by” stock. The draw- operation. You can then lay out the saw and cleaned them up with a sand-
ing above provides the information for positions of the dadoes and rabbets ing block (Figure 3). You can then drill
how the legs are laid out. on the inside face of each leg using a all of the screw holes.
How-To: SHAPE THE LEGS

1 A 2 a. FRONT VIEW 3 a.
Stop Waste
Aux. miter block NOTE: Cut to
fence waste side TOP VIEW 2#/4
of line
Tilt blade
10°
NOTE: Rotate miter Aux.
miter Waste
gauge 10°
fence
a. A
b. NOTE:
10° Miter
TOP gauge
VIEW is still
FRONT VIEW rotated Dado
10° blade
Shoulders. Three cuts establish the shoulders Remove Waste. A wide dado blade Tapers. At the band saw, cut the
for one pair of legs. Rotate the miter gauge makes quick work of removing the taper on each leg. Clean up the
10° in the other direction for the other legs. rest of the dado and rabbet waste. blade marks with a sanding block.
WS231_022.indd 23 3/29/2017 7:27:28 AM

adding the NOTE: The rails are
made from 1!/2"-thick
hardwood. The tray
panel is #/4" plywood
TRAY & TOP SHORT

LONG RAIL
While the freshly completed legs form B C
RAIL
the foundation of the sawbench, the
next steps add the working surfaces —
namely the tray and the top. The top
consists of thick, edge-glued stock and
is the main focus of the bench. It has TRAY D
PANEL
B
a ripping notch on one end and dog (10"x 25")
holes along one edge that allow for
multiple clamping positions. C 25
3 3
The tray below is constructed using 12 #8 x 2" Fh
woodscrew
simple joinery. But when attached to
NOTE: Rails
the legs, it helps to tie the sawbench are beveled
together and provide the needed sta- after assembly
bility to support a heavy load. It’s also
a handy location for keeping tools and a. b.
supplies close at hand. The bevel along D !/2
SIDE B
the outside face of the rails matches the C SECTION C
angle of the legs for a flush fit, as shown B VIEW !/2

in detail ‘b’ at right. 1!/2
D #/4"ply.
TRAY PARTS. Just like the legs, the tray !/2
rails are made from thick hardwood TOP VIEW
lumber. A piece of plywood serves as
the tray panel. You’ll begin by cutting
the four tray rails to size. With the same dado blade still in WIDE BEVELS. After the glue dries, the
The two short rails have rabbets the table saw, cut the grooves along final step is to bevel the outside perim-
along the ends. These rabbets serve to the inside face of all four tray rails, eter of the tray assembly. I did this at the
capture the long rails and hide their as shown in Figure 2, below. These table saw with the assembly positioned
end grain from view after assembly. A grooves trap the plywood tray panel. upside down on the table. Tilt the blade
quick trip to the table saw knocks these You can then cut the panel to size and 10° and use the rip fence as a guide for
out in short order (Figure 1). assemble the tray with glue and clamps. the long edges (Figure 3). Then switch
How-To: MAKE THE TRAY

a.
1 Aux.
miter fence 2 Push
block 3 Cut bevel SIDE
at corner VIEW
C Aux. rip
fence
C
a. END NOTE: Tray
Dado VIEW assembly positioned
a. SIDE VIEW
blade upside down
#/4"
1!/2 !/2 ply.
!/2 !/2 Tilt blade

Dado 10°
blade
Rabbet Short Rails. Use a wide dado Tray Grooves. A dado blade makes Bevel Sides. Tilt the table saw blade
blade to cut the rabbets in the ends of quick work of the grooves in all four 10° and bevel the outside perimeter of
the short tray rails. tray rails to hold the tray panel. the completed tray assembly.
WS231_024.indd 24 3/28/2017 2:30:44 PM

NOTE: Refer to Shop TOP VIEW 1
Tool Notes on page 65 for 31!/2
well more information about
making the well NOTE: The cleats and 1#/4
top are made from #/4"-dia. F
1!/2"-thick hardwood 2 8 holes 8
TOP
F
12 #/4"-dia.
6
CLEAT 1!/2
E
1#/4 #/4
6 15#/4 9!/4"-rad.
#8 x 2" Fh
woodscrew
26 a. b.
END VIEW FRONT VIEW
E F
F
1 E
1#/4 E
10° 1!#/16
#8 x 3" Fh
woodsc
woo dscrew
dsc rew
woodscrew 1!/2
to the miter gauge equipped with an STORAGE WELL. A shallow well along one
1
auxiliary fence to bevel the short ends. edge of the top provides a convenient
Sand the surfaces smooth before screw- place to store small items. To rout the
ing the legs to the tray (detail ‘b’). well, I made a simple MDF template for
guiding a bowl and tray bit, as shown at
A WIDE TOP right. Shop Notes on page 65 provides
To cap off this project, you just need to more detail about this process. F
add a top. It’s held to the base of the With the well finished, place the
Routing
bench with a pair of cleats. Like the tray top upside down on a flat surface. Set template
(Shop Notes, page 65)
assembly, the cleats are beveled on one the base in position and drive screws
edge so they sit in the rabbets at the top through the mounting holes in the
a.
of the legs (detail ‘a’). cleats into the underside of the top.
You’ll make these bevel cuts at the Now that it’s complete, check out the
table saw, much the same way as the article on page 54 to see a few ways to END 1"- dia.
1
tray rails. It’s then just a matter of drill- put this sawbench to work. And for SECTION bowl & tray
VIEW bit
ing the mounting holes for attaching information on the paint color I
the top and then screwing the cleats selected for my sawbenches, turn to
in place to the legs. Their side-to-side Sources on page 67. W
position is shown in detail ‘b,’ above.
SOLID WORKSURFACE. The top is the final
Materials, Supplies & Cutting Diagram (One Sawbench)
piece. I edge-glued three narrow
boards together for mine. It then needs A Legs (4) 11⁄2 x 41⁄4 - 23 E Cleats (2) 11⁄2 x 13 ⁄4 - 26
to be ripped to width and the ends B Long Rails (2) 11⁄2 x 3 - 25 F Top (1) 11⁄2 x 12 - 311⁄2
crosscut to arrive at the finished length. C Short Rails (2) 11⁄2 x 3 - 12 • (16) #8 x 2" Fh Woodscrews
D Tray Panel (1) 3⁄ ply. - 10 x 25 • (8) #8 x 3" Fh Woodscrews
RIPPING NOTCH & DOG HOLES. Forming the 4
ripping notch starts by accurately lay-

1!/2"x 5!/2" - 84" Poplar (Two Boards @ 6.4 Bd. Ft. Each)
ing out the curved lines on one end
A A B C
of the top, as shown in the drawings
above. I then drilled a 3⁄4"-dia. hole to
E
establish the inner radius of the notch. 1!/2"x 5!/2" - 96" Poplar (7.3 Bd. Ft.)
While I had the 3⁄4" drill bit out, I com- F F F
pleted the five dog holes, as well. You
can then cut the two curves at the band ALSO NEEDED: One 24"x 48" sheet of #/4" birch plywood
saw and sand them smooth.
WS231_024.indd 25 4/4/2017 1:27:07 PM

r
Outdoo
Project
Upscale
Martin
House
Coopered construction and
durable materials combine
to create an eye-catching
home for these social birds.
Many people get their first taste of woodwork-

ing by building a birdhouse. More than likely, it’s
a simple design knocked together quickly from
dimensional lumber and a handful of nails.
With the birdhouse you see here, you can come
full circle, literally. This time around, the design
offers a few more woodworking lessons. The
result is something that’s sure to please you, as
well as the birds in your neighborhood.
MARTIN HOUSE. The obvious difference in this house
is that it’s more like a luxury high-rise apartment
than a single-family home. The 12 compartments
are geared for the needs of purple martins. They
live together in large colonies and feed on insects.
A 12-unit martin house is definitely on the
larger size for birdhouses. But that doesn’t mean
it should be heavy. I used lightweight (but strong)
cypress and a coopered construction to form the
round shell. Round balconies and a perch rail
wrap around each of the three levels.
Inside, 1⁄4" exterior-grade plywood makes up the
floors and walls. There’s also a unique ventilation
system to keep the compartments dry and cozy.
To cap things off, the overhanging roof offers { At the end of the season, you can easily clean out the
up a few challenges for making the parts and then martin house. Simply swivel the brass turn buttons to
gluing them up into a solid, water-tight assembly. remove the door on each compartment.
WS231_026.indd 26 4/4/2017 12:03:25 PM

Construction Overview / OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 31"-dia. x 39 ⁄ "H 3
4
You can turn

your own finial Roof panels are
or purchase one joined with splines
Bead trim covers

roof joints and For the finial
NOTE: Martin adds detail pattern and post
house features plans, go to
12 compartments Woodsmith.com
on three levels
NOTE: Central column slips

easily over a 4x4 post
for mounting and features
ventilation holes
Balconies consist
of four sections
joined by splines Notches help provide
air flow to compartments
Exterior consists
of coopered staves
Perch rails are

made from
aluminum tubing
Removable doors
provide access
Balconies are joined to clean out
with splines the martin house
Balconies and
perch rails
supported
by dowels
Hole in door is sized to match

preferences of purple martins
NOTE: For hardware sources

and paint information, turn to page 67
Airflow. To keep the compartments dry, holes

in the column and a chamfered post allow air
to flow up from the bottom and out through
notches cut in the the top of the staves.
WS231_026.indd 27 4/4/2017 12:03:53 PM

PLUG D
a.
NARROW 21
SIDE
WIDE SIDE C NOTE: Platforms and
B
panels are !/4" plywood. A
All other parts
are #/4"-thick hardwood
PLATFORM A
4%/8 21
LONG RAIL
E
7!!/16 SHORT PANEL

H
A TOP VIEW
G 7
7!!/16
b.
5!/2 3%/8
H
7
5!/8
A 1!/8
#/4 3
G H
F
LONG PANEL SHORT RAIL
C
G #/4"- 9!/4
G dia. 23
NOTE: Plug is glued up B
from three layers of
A #/4"-thick hardwood 1
e. %/8
SIDE SECTION VIEW
c. TOP SECTION VIEW %/8
3%/8
B
d.
!/4 B #/4 B
!/4
G D
C SIDE
VIEW D
Vent
C !/2 7!/4
3%/8 D #/4 holes
D
1!/8 E
!/4 1
A C
#8 x 1!/2" Fh #/4 A
woodscrew
Start from the INSIDE

The inside structure of the martin house straightforward steps. To begin with, to bisect the angle of each section and
forms the first component to make. It’s cut the four platforms into 21"-square draw four more lines to reach 16.
comprised of four plywood platforms blanks, as in detail ‘a’ above. For the next With the blanks marked, it’s time to
that wrap around a central column. This steps, stack the platforms together and cut them to the correct shape. For that,
framework holds the wall assemblies. A secure them with double-sided tape. I turned to the table saw sled shown on
thick plug rounds out the interior. MAKING 16 SIDES. In order to create 16 page 66. A hole in the blanks fits over a
PLATFORMS. The platforms are made sides from a square blank, you need pin on the sled. A reference line on the
from 1⁄4" exterior-grade plywood to to first do some layout work. Locate sled allows you to trim the blank to size
save weight. However, once the house the center of the platforms by drawing simply by aligning the lines and making
is glued up, it’s still quite rigid. In order intersecting lines from corner to corner. a cut, as in Figure 1 on the next page.
to get the round outside shape, the plat- This divides the blanks into fourths. Wrap up the work on the platforms
forms are cut with 16 equal sides. After finding the center of each side, by cutting a square hole, as in detail ‘a.’
You want all four platforms sized draw another pair of lines to create I used the center hole to insert the blade
consistently. Approach this in several eight sections. The final bit of layout is of a jig saw to remove most of the waste.
WS231_028.indd 28 4/4/2017 12:04:47 PM

The final trimming can be done with files
and a sanding block. How-To: SHAPE THE PLATFORMS & COLUMN
CENTRAL COLUMN. The column comes next.
Its four parts join the platforms to create 1 2 Aux. fence
the three “floors” of the martin house.
Stop C
The column also creates a mounting
block
socket for installing the house on a tall !/4" dado blade
post. Detail ‘b’ on the previous page
shows what you’re aiming for. Then fol- A
A
A a. FRONT VIEW b.
!/4 B !/4
low along in Figures 2, 3, and 4 at right FRONT
C !/4 VIEW
for the steps to get there. Align layout marks with
reference mark on
In order to get an ideal fit in the plat- sled to make a cut
forms, I sized the narrow column sides a
little extra wide. Just before assembly, trim Platform Sides. Use a table saw Dadoes. Cut dadoes in the column parts
them so they’re snug with the wide sides sled (shown on page 66) to cut all to accept the platforms. The wide sides
once installed in the platforms. four platforms to shape at once. require dadoes on the edges, too.
I want to add a word about the 1⁄4"
dadoes shown in Figure 2. More than 3 Fence
B
4
likely, the plywood platforms will be
a loose fit in these dadoes. So when it
comes time to assemble the platforms Pilot holes
for plug screws a. B a. &/32 END
and column pieces (Figure 5), be sure to VIEW
register the platforms against the lower
edge of the dadoes. This consistency #/4"-dia.
pays off later when it’s time to make and Aux. drill Forstner bit Tilt blade
press table 45°
attach the outer staves.
COLUMN PLUG. A thick plug at the top of Drill Some Holes. After drilling the Chamfers. Angle a combination blade
the column seats against the top of the screw holes for the plug, drill a pair of to cut chamfers on the wide column
mounting post. It’s glued up from three ventilation holes at each level. sides in a short amount of time.
layers of hardwood, as you can see in
detail ‘e.’ Before attaching it to the col- 5 a. 6 a. 1!/8
umn with screws, trim the four corners, C B
as illustrated in Figure 6.
D
BUILD WALLS. The basic structure of the
martin house allows you to focus on 1!/8
dividing each of the floors into four TOP VIEW
Spacer
compartments. The walls are three- B
piece assemblies consisting of two rails A Sand edges smooth

Trim narrow sides to fit after cutting
and a plywood panel, as shown in the
drawing on the previous page. Assemble the Column. Fit the wide Relieve the Plug. After gluing up the
Take care to note the arrangement (and sides into the platforms. Use a spacer plug, knock off the corners at the band
location) of the walls on each level. The to hold the narrow sides in place. saw to allow air to flow past it.
wall assemblies on the upper and lower
floors are centered on the wide sides 7 8
of the column. In contrast, the middle
B
floor walls butt against the chamfered !/4" dado a. E
blade F END
corners. This means there are two dif- E
VIEW
!/4 !/4
ferent lengths for the rails and panels. E
I marked centerlines on the column F G
E
and added some to the platforms to Rail butts
align each pair of rails. After cutting a against side
groove on one edge (Figure 7), glue them
in place with spring clamps. Wall Rails. Cut a shallow, centered Install the Walls. Once the glue dries
Making the wall panels comes down groove in all the wall rails with a on the rails, you can slide the panels in
to cutting them to fit between the rails. dado blade to accept the wall panels. place. Glue isn’t necessary here.
They simply slide into place (Figure 8).
WS231_028.indd 29 4/4/2017 12:04:58 PM

a. L c. TOP VIEW
O
NOTE: All parts made
from #/4"-thick hardwood L
#/4 I
I L I
J
3
4!/4" (all staves) J
!/4 UPPER STAVE LONG STAVE TOP STAVE

SIDE J I L I 9!/4
SECTION I
5#/8 VIEW
P
4!/4 I
J 23!/4
DOOR 10!/2 I
P
O
M
7!/2
P
b.
P
6!/4 8!/2 M
MIDDLE
STAVE
!/4 K 1!/4
2"-dia 8&/8
holes 7!/4
SIDE
SECTION 1
VIEW
O
(all staves) P
2!/2 DOOR STOP
K 4!/16
!/4" ply.
LOWER STAVE N
BOTTOM STAVE d.
1#/8
Wrapped with STAVES L

1
FRONT VIEW
Staves enclose the martin house and help the end of the season. Removable doors
to give it a round shape. However, the fill the openings and have an entry hole
staves aren’t all the same. Half of them sized for purple martins. spacing, as in the drawing above. Use
are cut into two different sets of shorter STAVE BLANKS. While the martin house the same dado blade technique as you
staves (drawing above). This allows you has 16 sides, you need to make a couple did for cutting the column sides.
to offset the openings to each compart- extra staves to cut the doors from. The On the eight full-length staves, I
ment from the adjacent floors. staves start as blanks cut to length and drilled holes that hold dowels to sup-
The openings between sections provide width. You need dadoes on the inside port the balconies and perch rails. Then
access to clean out the compartments at face of the staves to match the platform on the staves that become the top staves,
How-To: SHAPE THE STAVES WITH BEVELS

a. END VIEW a.
1 a. !/2 2 3 END VIEW
#/8
END #/8
Stave VIEW
blank
Stave Stave
blank blank
Tilt blade
11° Tilt blade
Tilt blade 7° 45°
Wide Bevels. Tilt the table saw blade Then the Edges. The shallow bevel cut A Small Chamfer. With the center of
to form wide facets on the outer face on each edge of the staves allow them the stave flat on the saw table, create a
on each of the stave blanks. to fit together tightly. slight chamfer along each edge.
WS231_030.indd 30 4/4/2017 12:05:18 PM

How-To: CROSSCUTTING THE STAVES
a.
1 a. Top of FRONT 2
Stop
block L
FRONT VIEW
stave VIEW !/4
!/8 Aux. miter
gauge fence
L
b. Bottom b. FRONT VIEW M

of stave Tilt blade
FRONT 45° Waste
!/4 VIEW
Tilt blade
45° 1
Beveled Ends. The upper end of each stave is Cut to Length. The key to locating each cut is referencing off the dadoes
beveled on the outside face (detail ‘a’). The inside on the inside face. Using the top stave and middle stave as an example, see
face is beveled at the lower end (detail ‘b’). how the dado relates to cutting the upper or lower end of each part.
cut a notch that becomes part of the ven- with a block plane for a snug fit. Cutting lower floors. Apply glue to the dadoes
tilation system, as you can see in detail the shorter staves to length comes next. and one edge. Then add the next pair of
‘d’ on the previous page. Figure 2 shows the setup. What you’re staves. The dadoes and platforms regis-
STAVE SHAPING. The box on page 30 doing is removing the material from ter the staves top to bottom.
picks up the story for shaping the stave each stave where the door will be. Once everything was in place, I
blanks. This involves beveling the faces INSTALLING THE STAVES. With all staves applied a few band clamps. When the
and edges and cutting a chamfer at the in hand, assembling them may seem glue is dry, you can sand the martin
table saw. The ends of each stave are like putting together a jig saw puzzle house to a round shape.
beveled, as well (Figure 1 above). Take while juggling the pieces. The trick is DOORS & STOPS. The final pieces to make
note here to cut the bevel on the appro- to work methodically and use a slow- are the door stops and doors (detail ‘a’
priate face, as shown in detail ‘b’ on the setting glue. Figure 1 below shows the and ‘c’ on the previous page). The stops
previous page and Figure 1 above. pattern. Set the martin house upright keep the doors in place at the top of the
At this point, I fit the staves to the mar- on the workbench. I started with a opening, as in Figure 2. The doors are
tin house (without glue) to check the fit. full-length stave installed just to the cut to size to fit the openings between
If necessary, trim the edges of the staves left of a set of walls on the upper and the staves, as you can see in Figure 3.
How-To: ASSEMBLE THE STAVES & ADD THE DOORS

1 K 2 L 3
Aux. miter
1 2 3 4 gauge fence
I I Stop
L block P
O
K
Tilt blade
45°
M
I I M I
a. a. FRONT VIEW
J O
SIDE #/4 5#/8
SECTION
VIEW P
4 N
1 2 3 J Hold in place
until glue sets
Stave Assembly. Full-length staves alternate with several Door Stop. Glue a thin stop Size the Doors. Bevel the
shorter sections to create an offset pattern of openings for just inside each opening for ends of the doors to fit the
the compartments in the martin house. the door to rest against. openings in the staves.
WS231_030.indd 31 4/4/2017 12:05:31 PM

NOTE: Blocking, finial base, a. 20
and keeper are made from FINIAL
#/4"-thick hardwood. U
Roof panels are FRONT VIEW
#/8"-thick hardwood.
Trim is made from 6
!/2"-thick hardwood R 6!/16
T
FINIAL BASE 3!/2"-dia.
NOTE: Finial is glued

up from four
layers of #/4"-thick b. U SIDE
hardwood SECTION
ROOF TRIM VIEW
2#/4
S
!/4
T
!/4"-dia. x
1!/2" dowel
V
20#/16
V
3"-dia.
KEEPER
20#/16 %/8
#8 x 2!/2" Fh
Q R woodscrew
4!/16 Q Q
Spline R
ROOF
PANEL
d. #8 x 1!/4"
Fh woodscrew
3&/8
c. !/2 SIDE
Q
SECTION
VIEW
Q S Q
BLOCKING S S
#/8 S
Spline !/8
R
R R
#/8
i l ROOF
A conical
BOTTOM
VIEW
Making the roof for the martin house detail to enhance the look. Like before, pieces to every other stave around the
is just as interesting as making the the challenge lies in getting the parts to inside of the top of the martin house,
rounded sides. Tapered panels join align as they wrap around the structure. as shown in the drawing above. These
together to forms a cone shape. Beaded ADD BLOCKING. Before getting started on pieces provide a thicker backing for
trim pieces and a turned finial add the roof itself, I glued beveled blocking attaching the roof with screws (detail ‘d’).
How-To: CUT TAPERS & SPLINE GROOVES

1 2
Taper
jig R
c. Tilt c. END
blade 8° !/8 VIEW
Roof panel #/16
blank
END
VIEW
Blade Feather-
Cut opposite side with tilted 8° board
second taper jig Featherboard
Tapered Roof Panels. Create the tapered roof panels using Spline Grooves. Turn the panels on edge with the inside face
two table saw sleds (for details, turn to page 66). The saw against the rip fence. Cut a groove on the narrow edge. A
blade is tilted to create a beveled edge at the same time. featherboard keeps the panel tight to the fence.
WS231_032.indd 32 4/4/2017 12:09:03 PM

ROOF PANELS. The main part of the roof martin house as a kind of form to guide needs to cure several hours for the stron-
assembly consists of 16 solid-wood the process. In the box below, Figures 1 gest bond. Then you can pull the nails
panels joined by splines. The edges of and 2 give you the idea and sequence. and lift the roof assembly off.
the panels are beveled to mate tightly to You can use the staves to determine the ROOF TRIM. Beaded trim pieces conceal
the adjacent panels. They also taper to up-and-down position of the roof panels. the joint lines in the roof, as shown in
form the cone shape. Consistency is the For now, tack one in place with a finish detail ‘c’ on the previous page. To fit
name of the game here. nail partially driven into a blocking piece. snugly against the panels, an angled
While making beveled and tapered That same dimension is used to drill a groove needs to be cut on the bottom
roof panels may seem complex, it’s actu- nail hole in seven other staves (Later on, face of these narrow pieces, as shown in
ally pretty straightforward with the help you’ll replace the nails with a screw.) Figure 3 below. The remaining steps are
of a couple table saw sleds (refer to page Now it’s simply a matter of applying shown in Figures 4 and 5.
66). One sled forms one edge of the panel, glue, inserting a spline, and adding the FINIAL ASSEMBLY. A turned finial caps the
and a second forms the other. This is next panel. I found that after 30 seconds roof assembly. You can turn one your-
shown in Figure 1 on the previous page. or so, the glue has set up enough to con- self using the online pattern or purchase
The roof panels need grooves to tinue adding another spline and panel. one. The finial is joined to a round base
accommodate the splines that link the Go easy on the glue, so you don’t inad- with a dowel, as in detail ‘b’ on the pre-
panels together, as shown in Figure 2 on vertently glue the roof to the house. vious page. The finial is held in place
the previous page. The blade is tilted to Since you’ve taken the time to make with a round keeper on the inside of the
match the bevels on the panel. the roof panels consistent, aligning the roof. I made both the keeper and base
ROOF ASSEMBLY. Gluing and clamping a upper and lower ends of the panels with a wing cutter at the drill press and
16-sided conical roof presents another means the assembly is on track. When completed them with a chamfer (Figure
challenge. My solution is to use the all the panels have been added, the glue 6). Then attach the roof with screws.
How-To: ASSEMBLE THE ROOF

Drive finish nail a. KeepQbottom
1 into blocking 2 edges flush 3
Q Q Q Narrow
Q
push block
Align a. R
Aux. rip
a. Blade
Q panel R
!/16 tilted 8°
fence
with edges R
of stave Feather-
R board
Spline
Leave nail
proud Apply glue sparingly END VIEW
to edges and groove Featherboard
First Panel. Align the roof panel with The Process. After adding glue and a Roof Trim. With the blade tilted and
the edges of a stave and drive a finish spline, fit the next panel in place buried in an auxiliary fence, cut an
nail partially into the blocking piece. keeping the ends of each panel aligned. angled recess on each trim blank.
4 5 6 Scrap block
for handle
Hold sanding
Narrow block level Chamfer
push block bit
T
S a. !/4" round-
over bit Double-sided
tape
END a. a. SIDE VIEW !/4
R S
VIEW T
S
Bottom Sand trim flush

Feather- edge with panels
board
Roundovers. After making a pass along Trimming. A wide sanding block makes Chamfers. A handle attached with
one edge, flip the blank around and quick work of leveling the trim at the double-sided tape makes it safer to rout
make a second pass to create a bead. top and bottom of the roof assembly. a chamfer on the base and keeper.
WS231_032.indd 33 4/4/2017 12:09:17 PM

a.
Wrap-around !/4
Turnbutton
BALCONIES !/2
It’s down to the final details on the #4 x !/2"

martin house — the balconies and Rh stainless
steel woodscrew
the perch rails. The martin house
requires one at each level, as shown
in the drawing at right. As I mentioned NOTE: You need
to make 12
earlier, the balconies and rails are sup- balcony sections
ported by dowels installed in the staves.
Spline
PAINT & TURN BUTTONS. Before working on W
5!#/16
the balconies, it’s a good idea to paint
the house, doors, and roof as separate Sand chamfer
on edges after assembly
components. You can find the paint col-
ors I used in Sources on page 67. 27!/2
The doors are held in place with a 2!/2
pair of small brass turn buttons that are

installed on either side of each opening. Perch rail is #/8"-dia. x 92"
This is shown in detail ‘a.’ alum. tubing
!/4"-dia. x #/4"
BALCONIES. The balconies that encircle W
dowel
BALCONY
each level of the martin house are made
from solid wood to stand up to the
NOTE: Balcony
weather better than plywood. Making sections are !/2"-dia. x 4!/2"
#/8"-thick hardwood
the balconies draws on several concepts dowel
you’ve already used on this project.
Each balcony is assembled from four b. Perch SIDE SECTION VIEW
identical pieces joined with splines (like rail
2!/2
the roof assembly). While the pieces end c.
#/8 FRONT VIEW
up with a curved shape, they start as W
square blanks. The ends are then mitered Support

dowel
to create mating faces between pieces. W Spline !/8 W
#/8 1!/4 #6 x #/4" Fh
The box that runs along the bottom of
#6 x %/8" Fh stainless stainless steel
!/2
this page and the next detail the remain- steel woodscrew woodscrew
ing steps. The ends of each blank have
How-To: MAKE THE BALCONIES a.
1 2 3
Balcony
blank
a. Trammel
!/8 !/2" straight TOP 11
bit VIEW 18
6
Tall aux. !/2"-dia.
rip fence dowel Reference
!/4 groove
Cut Trammel is 3
END !/4" hardboard Base
centered VIEW
groove
Spline Slots. A tall auxiliary rip fence Router Trammel. The router is attached to a hardboard trammel (detail
supports the balcony blank while you ‘a’). After marking a centerline and drilling a pivot hole on a large MDF base
cut a spline slot in each end. panel, rout a shallow groove to help you locate the balcony sections.
WS231_034.indd 34 4/4/2017 12:09:44 PM

Materials, Supplies & Cutting Diagram
a slot cut across the face to accept the 1⁄ 3⁄ x 41⁄ - 37⁄
A Platforms (4) ply. - 21 x 21
4 Q Blocking (8) 4 16 8
splines, as you can see in Figure 1. 3⁄
B Wide Sides (2) x 51⁄8 - 23
4 R Roof Panels (16) 3⁄ x 61⁄ - 20
8 16
In order to cut the blanks to a uni- 3⁄
C Narrow Sides (2) x 35⁄8 - 23
4 S Roof Trim (16) 1⁄ x 1⁄ - 203⁄
2 2 16
form size, I turned to the router trammel
D Plug (1) 2 ⁄4 x 35⁄8 - 35⁄8
1 T Finial Base (1) 3⁄ x 3 1⁄ - 3 1⁄
4 2 2
setup shown in Figure 2. The trammel 3⁄ x 1⁄ - 711⁄
E Long Rails (16) 4 2 16 U Finial (1) 23⁄4 x 23⁄4 - 57⁄8
is a piece of hardboard with two pivot 3⁄ x 1⁄ - 7 3⁄ x 3 - 3
F Short Rails (8) 4 2 V Keeper (1) 4
holes that correspond to the inner and 1⁄ ply. - 51⁄ x 711⁄
G Long Panels (8) 4 2 16 W Balcony Blanks (12) ⁄8 x 5 ⁄16 - 271⁄2
3 13
outer radius of the balcony. 1⁄ ply. - 51⁄ x 7
H Short Panels (4) 4 2 • (12) #8 x 11⁄2” Fh Exterior Woodscrews
The trammel itself pivots around 3⁄ x 41⁄ - 231⁄
I Long Staves (8) 4 4 4 • (8) #8 x 11⁄4" Fh Exterior Woodscrews
a dowel that fits into a hole in a base. 3⁄ x 41⁄ - 101⁄
J Upper Staves (4) 4 4 2 • (1) #8 x 21⁄2" Fh Exterior Woodscrew
To get the cleanest cut, it pays to rout 3⁄ x 41⁄ - 87⁄
K Lower Staves (4) 4 4 8 • (24) Brass Turnbuttons
through the blank in a couple passes,
L Top Staves (4) 3⁄ x 41⁄ - 41⁄
4 4 4 • (4) 1⁄2"-dia. x 36" Dowel
lowering the bit after each pass, as 3⁄ x 41⁄ - 81⁄
M Middle Staves (4) 4 4 2 • (24) #4 x 1⁄2" Rh SS Woodscrews
shown in Figure 3 below. 3⁄ x 41⁄ - 21⁄
N Bottom Staves (4) 4 4 2 • (3) 3⁄8"-dia. x 92" Alum. Tubing
PERCH RAIL. The perch rail around the 3⁄ x 1⁄ - 41⁄
O Door Stops (12) 4 4 16 • (24) #6 x 5⁄8" Fh SS Woodscrews
balconies is made from a length of alu- 3⁄ x 41⁄ - 53⁄
P Doors (12) 4 4 8 • (48) #6 x 3⁄4" Fh SS Woodscrews
minum tubing. You can gently bend the
tubing pretty easily. I cut a round bend- #/4"x 6" - 96" Cypress (Two boards @ 4.0 Bd. Ft. each) n
ing form from MDF to serve as a guide. B P P P P P P Q Q Q Q C
The diameter of the form is 281⁄2".
E E O
You just need a way to join the loose F
#/4"x 5" - 96" Cypress (Two boards @ 3.3 Bd. Ft. each)n
ends of each rail. The solution for that
I I I I
comes in the form of a short length of
dowel and some epoxy. Slip the dowel #/4"x 5" - 96" Cypress (3.3 Bd. Ft.) n
inside each end of the tubing. J K J K J K J K
SUPPORT DOWELS. The final components
to add are the dowels that support the #/4"x 5" - 96" Cypress (3.3 Bd. Ft.) n
balconies and rails. After cutting them L M N L M N L M N L M N
to length, Figure 4 shows you how to

#/4"x 6!/2" - 84" Cypress (Two boards @ 3.8 Bd. Ft. each)
drill the screw holes accurately. U
R R S D D T V
To install the balconies and railings, I U
worked from the top down. Slide a bal-
#/4"x 6!/2" - 96" Cypress (Six boards @ 4.3 Bd. Ft. each)
cony assembly and railing up around
the martin house. Then glue in the dow- R R W W
els and drive the screws. At Woodsmith.
NOTE: Parts 'R' and 'W' planed to #/8" thick. ALSO NEEDED: One 48" x 96"
com, you can find the plans for a mount- Parts 'S' planed to !/2" thick sheet of !/4" exterior plywood
ing post for your yard. W
3 a. 4 a.
Aux. drill
press table SIDE
Spacer and fence SECTION
VIEW
Trammel
W
Pilot
Base bit
#/8"-thick for #6
spacer screws
elevates Double-sided Place workpiece
trammel tape on inside of V-block
reference groove Double-
sided tape
Shape the Balcony Pieces. Center the balcony blanks on the base panel and Drilling Dowels. A V-block supports the
flush with the inner edge of the reference groove. Secure the blank with dowels for drilling. A bit of double-sided tape
double-sided tape. Use the two holes in the trammel to shape the blank. keeps them from shifting between holes.
WS231_034.indd 35 4/4/2017 12:10:01 PM

Shop
Project
multi-purpose
Sharpening Station
Upgrade your standard bench grinder into an all-around sharpening
workhorse. You’ll never have an excuse for using a dull tool again.
If you use your bench grinder for most our grinder station. It’ll make previ- in two directions. The aluminum-edged
of the sharpening chores in your shop, ously difficult to accomplish sharpening hardwood tool rest provides ample
you may have found the standard tool jobs a breeze to complete. support and accepts a number of dif-
supports somewhat lacking in, well, TWO-WAY ADJUSTMENT. The key to this ferent hold-downs for various sharp-
support. But turning your grinder into sharpening station’s accuracy is the use ening tasks. Building this platform for
a capable sharpening machine with pre- of a miter track and T-bar combination set your grinder might just make it the
cision adjustments is as easy as building that allows for the adjustment capability most-used tool in your shop.
WS231_036.indd 36 4/4/2017 9:12:30 AM

Construction Overview / OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 22"W x 11"H x 16 ⁄ "D 1
2
NOTE: Refer to Sources

A pair of leveling washers on page 67 for hardware
helps accommodate and paint information
beveled blades The tool rest
is designed to
accept several sizes
of tool hold-downs
Two positions
provide ample
adjustment range Changing the height
for the tool rest of the shelf supports
allows you to customize
the station to suit your
particular bench grinder The two-layer
plywood shelf
is stout enough
to support
most grinders
Simple hardwood
skirting covers the
plywood edges
and protects the
metal tracks from
grinding debris The two-piece miter track
and T-bar combination set
provides smooth
side-to-side travel
A simple knob and threaded

rod provides for quick A solid, three-piece
front-to-back adjustments base provides loads
of stability
Plans for building optional

tool hold-downs are available
at Woodmith.com
{ The front-to-back adjustment { An optional wide tool hold-down { Another hold-down option
knob is conveniently located in is designed to accommodate features a V-notch to grip the
the bracket at the front of the jig. jointer knives up to 6" long. round handle of a dressing tool.
WS231_036.indd 37 4/5/2017 8:55:18 AM

TRACK PLATFORM NOTE: Cut miter track
a. FRONT SECTION VIEW B sections to length and
B drill mounting holes
1&/8 1!/4 &/16 #8 x 1" Ph
woodscrew
Miter
track
A
8
5
b. TOP VIEW 12#/4

18#/4 NOTE: Miter track
is just proud of the
Miter platform surface
track
10!/4
!/2"-rad.
A
A B 15
A 5
22
A
BASE
!/2
15
5
22 NOTE: Track
platform is made
from #/4" plywood. Base
Start with the BASE

is two layers of #/4" plywood
The sharpening station consists of sev- bracket later on. This notch is easy to After cutting out the U-shaped open-
eral different parts — a heavy-duty make at the table saw (Figure 1). ing, spend a little time sanding the
base and shelf that support the grinder, The upper base layer has a deeper edges of the opening smooth. This sur-
and a sliding deck unit that holds the U-shaped opening on its front edge. This face will be used as a pattern to guide a
hardwood tool rest and allows for two opening makes room for an adjustment flush-trim router bit shortly. Now glue
directions of travel. block that connects to the deck. Creating these two parts together.
BOTTOM-UP BUILD. The three parts of the this opening is a two-step process. First, TRACK PLATFORM. Next up, you’ll cut the
base unit are shown above. You’ll start drill two holes to define the inside corners track platform to size. This piece has a
by cutting them to size. The lower layer of the opening before moving to the band U-shaped opening, as well, that matches
of the base has a shallow notch on the saw to remove the rest of the waste, as the one in the base. But here, you can
front edge that’ll house an adjustment shown in Figure 2 below. simply rough cut this opening at the
How-To: SHAPE & ASSEMBLE THE BASE & DECK

1 NOTE: Make
2 NOTE: Cut
to waste
3
multiple passes side of line
to cut notch and sand
smooth Rip
A fence
A
B
Dado Dado
blade blade
Waste
NOTE: Holes a. END VIEW
a. END VIEW
drilled to form 1&/8
the corners NOTE:
!/2 Tall aux. &/16 Workpiece
miter fence positioned
upside down
Notch Base. A dado blade and tall U-Shaped Opening. With the corners Grooves for Miter Track. Use a dado
auxiliary miter fence make quick work of the opening established, remove the blade to make the wide grooves in the
of the notch in the lower base layer. rest of the waste at the band saw. top of the track platform.
WS231_038.indd 38 4/4/2017 9:13:23 AM

18#/4 a. C FRONT SECTION VIEW
DECK &/16 D
C
#8 x #/4" Ph
woodscrew
1 2#/4
21!/2
12#/4 THIRD: With
back edges b. SIDE SECTION VIEW
4#/4 flush, set deck C
in place and #/4 3#/4 3#/4 3#/4
ADJUSTMENT 1#/8 press down
BLOCK
FIRST: Drill
D
mounting 4
holes in T-bar !/2"- FOURTH: Slide
rad. D
sections and deck out and Threaded insert
slide into drive screws
miter track #8 x 2" Fh through
woodscrew #/8"-16
T-bars c. TOP VIEW
threaded
insert
C
1#/8
D
Double-sided
tape T-bar
Threaded
T-bar insert 4#/4
SECOND: T-bar
Attach
double-sided NOTE: Deck is made from #/4"
tape to T-bars plywood. Adjustment block is two
layers of #/4" plywood glued together
band saw. The reason you can leave the the miter track sections to length, drill I used two strips of double-sided tape on
opening in the track platform rough is counterbored mounting holes, and the back of the T-bars. The sequence is
because you’ll trim it flush to match the screw them in place in the grooves. described in the main drawing above.
opening in the base. But first, head over ADJUSTMENT BLOCK. The last piece is the
to the table saw to cut the grooves for SLIDING DECK adjustment block. In conjunction
the miter track (Figure 3, previous page). The T-bars are mounted to the underside with the adjustment bracket, it allows
Then, glue the platform to the base of the deck, shown above. Start by cut- the deck to move front to back. Cut it
before trimming it as shown in Figure 4. ting the deck to size and then make the to shape and drill the mounting holes
As I mentioned earlier, this sharp- notches along the edges. The table saw and a hole for a threaded insert (Fig-
ening station makes use of a unique makes quick work of the long cuts, and the ure 6), before screwing it in place to
miter track and T-bar combination set band saw can be used to cut the waste free the underside of the deck (details ’b’
for smooth travel. You can now cut (Figure 5). To attach the T-bars to the deck, and ’c,’ above).
4 5 6 a. END
VIEW
!/2" brad
point bit
B
C
Fence
Flush-trim
A bit
Fence
Waste
D
Clean Up Opening. Use the edge Notches in Deck. After making the Mounting & Insert Holes. Drill the
of the base to guide a flush-trim bit long cuts at the table saw, finish the mounting holes and the hole for the
around the track platform opening. notches at the band saw. threaded insert at the drill press.
WS231_038.indd 39 4/4/2017 9:13:36 AM

4#/4
NOTE: Track deck and
a. SIDE SECTION VIEW b. FRONT SECTION VIEW FIXED tool rest base are made from
#/4"-rad.
POST #/4" plywood. Fixed posts are
1#/4 F two layers of #/4" plywood
4#/4
F
#/4 TOOL REST

BASE
18° 45° G
#/8"-dia. F
#8 x 1!/2" Fh
3!/4 woodscrew
F #/4"-rad.
21!/2
T-bar T-bar Miter track

4#/4
G G
Double-sided
E T-bars tape
Miter track T-bar E

!/8
Miter
tracks
TRACK DECK
Adding the E
TOOL REST NOTE: Mounting

the track deck parallel 4!/2 14!/4
ASSEMBLY
to the front edge of the NOTE: Two holes
deck is key to ensure in each fixed post provide
a smooth operation tool rest position adjustability
With the base of the grinding station TRACK FOUNDATION. You’ll start by cutting POSTS & TOOL REST BASE. The fixed posts
complete, you are ready to turn your the track deck to size and then switch- are made from two layers of glued-up
attention to building the tool rest ing to a wide dado blade to cut the two plywood. Figures 2 and 3 show the
assembly. While the deck provides the grooves for the miter track base sec- process for drilling the holes and then
front-to-back movement, the section tions (Figure 1). Glue the track deck in cutting them to shape. Next, you’ll cut
you’ll make next allows for the side- place on the deck (detail ‘a’) and then the tool rest base to size and drill the
to-side travel and uses another set of use the same procedure as before to mounting holes on each end. The fixed
the miter track and T-bar components. mount the miter track sections. posts are attached here with screws.
How-To: CUT DADOES & SHAPE THE POSTS

1 FIRST: Form
the outside 2 #/8" brad
point bit
3
shoulders. Flip Push
the workpiece block
between passes
Dado E E
blade SECOND: Reset Fixed
the rip fence and post blank Fixed
complete each dado post blank
a. END VIEW Waste

!/4 Waste
1!/4
&/16
Wide Dadoes. Use a dado blade to Mounting Holes. Lay out the position Shape Posts. Stay to the waste side of
cut the dadoes in the track deck. You’ll of the mounting holes in the fixed post the layout lines when cutting the posts.
need to make several passes. blanks and then drill them. They can then be sanded smooth.
WS231_040.indd 40 4/4/2017 9:16:52 AM

Wear strip
a. TOP VIEW !/4"-20 x 1#/4" (#/16"x 1!/4"- 22" b. SIDE SECTION VIEW
(tool hold-down removed for clarity) !/4" studded knob aluminum) 1!/2
leveling #8 x 1" Fh
2 6 washers TOOL J
HOLD-DOWN woodscrew TOOL
I
!#/16 Wear J REST
strip I
#/8 4!/2
2!/8 #/4 1!/8 51°
1
H 1%/8
!/8 41°
3
22 !/4"-20
T-nuts 2#/4
H
Now, the T-bar sections are installed #8 x 1!/2" Fh #/4"-rad.
2#/4 woodscrew 3!/2
on the underside of the tool rest base
following the same steps used to 2#/8
c. FRONT SECTION VIEW
mount the T-bars to the deck earlier. PIVOT POST
#/8" 1 3
To allow for an extended range of H
#/8"-16 washer
#/8"-16 x 3" J
travel, the T-bar sections here are studded T-nut 1"-dia.
knob counterbore,
longer than the miter track bases. !/8"-deep
I
ADJUSTABLE TOOL REST
Finally, you can add the tool rest to !/8"
NOTE: Pivot posts are made roundover H
the assembly. It’s made from a piece of from two layers of #/4" plywood.
Tool rest is 1"-thick hardwood. Tool
hardwood and has two posts attached to hold-down is !/2"-thick hardwood
the underside that connect to the fixed #/4"-dia.
counterbore,
posts and allow the rest to pivot. These !/16"-deep
pivot posts are made in much the same
way as the fixed posts (Figure 1, below).
On these posts, however, you’ll also be in the rest and the wear strip. These bottom of page 37 show a couple of
drilling counterbores for T-nuts. These include mounting holes in the table and other hold-downs that you may find
T-nuts accept a set of threaded knobs. wear strip, as well as counterbores in the useful. One holds jointer knives up to
HARDWOOD TOOL REST. The tool rest has a rest for the T-nuts, as shown in Figure 3. 6"-long, while the other is designed to
rabbet along the top edge to provide a TOOL HOLD-DOWNS. The tool hold-down secure a dressing tool for truing the
home for an aluminum wear strip. This shown above is sized to accommodate grinder wheels. Information for mak-
rabbet is cut at the table saw (Figure 2). most widths of hand plane irons and ing these other hold-downs can be
Now, a number of holes need to be drilled other flat blades. The photos at the found at Woodsmith.com.
How-To: MAKE THE PIVOT POSTS & TABLE

1 a. END 2 3
SECTION
VIEW I
&/16" brad Aux. rip

point bit fence Fence
H
Fence a. END
a. END VIEW SECTION
Dado VIEW
blade I %/16" brad I
#/4 point bit
Pivot post
blank #/16
I Fence
Counterbored Holes. After drilling the Wear Strip Rabbet. Bury a wide dado Hold-Down Holes. Lay out and drill
counterbores in the pivot post blanks, blade in an auxiliary rip fence to create all of the mounting and counterbored
drill the through holes. the rabbet for the wear strip. hold-down holes in the tool rest.
WS231_040.indd 41 4/4/2017 9:17:05 AM

a. SIDE SECTION VIEW b.
#/4
K
3!/2
8" Grinder Lag Lag screw
screw
#8 x 2" Fh 8 REAR
2!/2 for woodscrew L SECTION
6" grinder VIEW
8#/4 for SHELF
6" grinder K
9!/2
NOTE: Ease outside edges
L of shelf and supports
22
with sandpaper
K
L 2!/4 SHELF SUPPORT

1 1 L
NOTE: Height of shelf

supports will depend
on model and size of
grinder (see detail 'a')
Completing the NOTE:

Shelf and supports
are made from two
layers of #/4" plywood
GRINDER STATION
With the bones of the grinder sharpen- to use. I mounted a Rikon grinder with above provides the shelf support height
ing station complete, it’s time to add 8"-wheels to my sharpening station. If dimension, as well as the grinder loca-
the heart of this project — the grinder. It you’d like to use the same grinder, you’ll tion for the model I used.
sits on a solid, two-layer plywood shelf, find information about it, as well as the SHELF & SUPPORTS. To make the shelf and
which in turn is held up by equally rest of the hardware and paint used for supports, you’ll start by gluing up two
beefy shelf supports. this project, in Sources on page 67. layers of plywood. The shelf is simply
Because not all bench grinders have If you opt to use a different model cut to size. With the proper dimensions
the same dimensions, this is where you or size grinder (perhaps a 6" version), in mind to accommodate your grinder,
can customize the shelf supports to check detail ‘a’ to determine how high cut the shelf supports to size, as well.
accommodate the grinder you’d like to mount your grinder. The drawing Before attaching these pieces to the base,

A Base (1) 11⁄2 ply. - 15 x 22 H Pivot Posts (2) 11⁄2 ply. - 31⁄2 x 23⁄8 • (4) #8 x 1" Fh Woodscrews
B Track Platform (1) 3⁄ ply. - 123⁄ x 183⁄ I Tool Rest (1) 1 x 23⁄4 - 22 • (16) #8 x 11⁄4" Fh Woodscrews
4 4 4
C Deck (1) 3⁄ ply. - 123⁄ x 211⁄ J Tool Hold-Down (1) 1⁄ x 1 - 41⁄ • (1) 3⁄16" x 11⁄4" x 22" Aluminum
4 4 2 2 2
D Adjst. Block (1) 11⁄2 ply. - 13⁄8 x 43⁄4 K Shelf (1) 11⁄2 ply. - 8 x 22 • (6) 1⁄4"-20 T-Nuts
E Track Deck (1) 3⁄ ply. - 41⁄ x 141⁄ L Shelf Supports (2) 11⁄2 ply. x 21⁄4 - 8 • (2) 3⁄8"-16 T-Nuts
4 2 4
F Fixed Posts (2) 11⁄2 ply. - 43⁄4 x 43⁄4 M Adjst. Bracket (1) 11⁄2 ply. - 21⁄8 x 5 • (2) 3⁄8"-16 x 3" Studded Knobs
G Tool Rest Base (1) 3⁄ ply. - 43⁄ x 211⁄ N Skirting 1⁄ x 11⁄ - 70 rgh. • (4) 3⁄8" Washers
4 4 2 4 4
• (2) 48"-long F-B Miter Track & T-Bars • (2) 1⁄4"-20 x 13⁄4" Studded Knobs
• (16) #8 x 1" Ph Woodscrews • (2) 1⁄4" Leveling Washers
1"x 3" - 24" Hard Maple (0.6 Bd. Ft.)
I
• (16) #8 x 3⁄4" Ph Woodscrews • (1) 3⁄8"-16 Threaded Knob
• (12) #8 x 2" Fh Woodscrews • (1) 3⁄8"-16 x 10" Threaded Rod
!/2"x 1" - 12" Hard Maple (0.1 Sq. Ft.) • (1) 3⁄8"-16 Threaded Insert • (2) 3⁄8" Hex Nuts
J • (28) #8 x 11⁄2" Fh Woodscrews • (2) Lag Screws (to mount grinder)
!/4"x 1!/2" - 72" Hard Maple (0.8 Sq. Ft.) ALSO NEEDED: One 60"x 60"
N sheet of #/4" Baltic birch plywood
WS231_042.indd 42 4/4/2017 9:17:27 AM

a. FRONT VIEW
NOTE: Skirting is
made from 1 6!/2 N
!/4"-thick
hardwood.
Adjustment N
bracket is #/8 #/4
M
glued up !/2"-rad.
from two
layers of
#/4" plywood #/8 #/4
N
b. N
22 SIDE
N #8 x 1!/4" Fh M
N
SECTION
woodscrew VIEW
#/8" hex nuts
N
and washer
M
ADJUSTMENT
BRACKET
SKIRTING
1#/8 N c.
4#/4 2!/8
1!/4 #8 x 1!/2" Fh N
woodscrew 5 FRONT
NOTE: Attach skirting SECTION
using screws only, no glue VIEW
Ease #/8"washer N
edges 2"-dia.
threaded
I eased the outside edges, as shown in knob
the main drawing on the previous page. #/8"-16 x 10"

After screwing the shelf and supports in threaded rod NOTE: Use epoxy to secure
the threaded rod to the knob
place, position the grinder on the shelf
(detail ‘a,’ previous page) and use a cou-
ple of lag screws to secure it to the shelf. Figures 1 and 2 below, walk you (detail ‘b’) and the long threaded rod,
through making this piece. It’s simply washers, and hex nuts are added.
ADJUSTMENT BRACKET two layers of plywood with a hole in Finally, the skirting pieces are cut to size
All that’s left is to make the adjustment the center for the threaded adjustment and screwed in place. They conceal the
bracket that’s fastened to the front of rod. A rabbet on the back allows it plywood edges, as well as provide some
the base and add the hardwood skirting to wrap around the front edge of the protection to the miter tracks. See the
to the plywood edges, as shown above. base. After easing the corners and the online extra at Woodsmith.com for informa-
I began by making the bracket. edges, the brackets are screwed in place tion on using the sharpening station. W
How-To: MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT BRACKET & SKIRTING

1 2 Push
3
block
#/8" brad !#/16
point bit
M
Aux. rip
fence
%/8"-rad.
M a. END
VIEW
5!/4
#/4
N
Dado M
blade #/4
Drill Holes. Complete the mounting Rabbet Bracket. A dado blade buried Skirting Notch. The lower front section
holes, as well as the larger through hole in an auxiliary rip fence is all it takes to of skirting requires a notch to fit around
for the threaded rod, at the drill press. form the rabbet in the bracket. the adjustment bracket.
WS231_042.indd 43 4/4/2017 9:34:09 AM

Heirloom
Project
traditional Empire Bench

Bring an elegant piece of European history into your own home with
this classic, comfortable bench that’s fit for a king.
Known for its tall, graceful arms with appearance due to the use of thick, STEP-BY-STEP CONSTRUCTION. By break-
sweeping curves, the empire bench quartersawn white oak throughout. ing down the assembly into simpler
gained its name due to its popularity And rock-solid mortise and tenon steps, however, you should find that
among European rulers in the 17th, joinery ensures that the bench will the challenges of this project become
18th, and 19th centuries. This version stay together for the long haul. quite rewarding. A little template
of the classic bench features many of Of course, the first element that work makes the curved legs a snap,
the same notes as the traditional ones likely draws your eye are the end and there’s a simple band saw tech-
— elegant lines, gentle curves, and time- assemblies. With curved legs and slats nique for the slats. The rounded crest
tested construction — but with a more and rounded crest rails at the top, they rail at the top begins with some table
down-to-earth design that’ll look great certainly lend a distinctive look to the saw work, and then hand planes and
in your home, even if it’s not a palace. bench. And as you may have guessed, scrapers can handle the rest. So read
DETAILS OF THE DESIGN. As the photo above the end assemblies also pose some very on to see how you can add a little royal
shows, the bench has a stout, sturdy unique woodworking challenges. elegance to your own home.
WS231_044.indd 44 4/4/2017 10:06:13 AM

Construction Overview / OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 57 ⁄ "W x 32 ⁄ "H x 22"D 1
8
1
4
For full-size templates

Crest rail assembly for the bench, go to
formed from four Woodsmith.com
separate pieces
Mortise strips have

notches that
accept slats
Rounded crest rail
shaped with table
saw and hand tools
Diamond cutout
is made with
a coping saw
Cushion built
with high-density
foam for comfort
and faux leather
for a stylish look
Cleats
support
cushion
Corner blocks
reinforce joinery
Rails and stretchers Curved slats

joined to legs cut to shape
with mortise at the band saw
and tenon joinery
Legs cut to
consistent shape
using a hardboard
template
{ Curved legs and slats on the end assemblies are the { The shop-built cushion consists of a plywood
highlights of the bench. Each end is crowned with a bottom panel, high-density foam, batting,
large, rounded crest rail for comfort. and a faux-leather top.
WS231_044.indd 45 4/4/2017 10:06:38 AM

NOTE: Use patterns
8!/2 at left to shape legs
and locate mortises
A
8!/2
A
1!/4"-deep
Dotted line indicates mortises
crest rail shape
(page 48)
Soften all
edges
1!/4"-deep
mortises
33 Leg
blank
11!/4
1!/4 1!/2"-deep
mortises
NOTE: Enlarge
patterns 400% 6
A
LEGS
NOTE: Legs are

made from
1!/2"-thick hardwood
!/4
MAKE TEMPLATES. Considering the elabo-
33 rate curves of the legs, as well as the
Shape the LEGS

Leg angled mortises at the top of each, get-
face
pattern ting consistency from leg to leg without
a little help would be a challenge. To
The four curved legs of the empire bench solve that problem, I started the work
are a good place to get started on the on the legs by making templates from
woodworking for this project. As you 1
⁄4" hardboard (Figures 1 and 2 below).
can see, they’re made from thick, quar- As shown in the drawings at left, there
tersawn white oak. Though the size and are two templates: One to lay out the
shape of each of the four legs is identical, edge mortises and a second, more elab-
they end up as two sets of mirror-image orate template that features both the
legs once the mortises are added to the shape of the leg and the mortise loca-
faces and edges of the legs. tions. By drilling these mortises all the
Edge
mortise
pattern
How-To: MAKE THE TEMPLATE
1 2
Align edge
of pattern
with inside
edge of leg
!/2"
brad point
Leg bit
Align pattern face Face leg
with bottom pattern template
of leg blank
Mortise cut out

!/4" parallel with fence
hardboard
Patterns. The left pattern shows the Cut to Shape. Cut the leg shape on a Template Mortises. Drill all the way
edge mortises, while the right provides piece of 1⁄4" hardboard. Stay outside the through the mortise locations on the
the leg shape and face mortises. layout lines, then sand smooth. template and square them with a chisel.
WS231_046.indd 46 4/4/2017 10:09:36 AM

How-To: SHAPE THE LEGS & CUT MORTISES
way through the templates, you can
End of template flush
use the same templates on each leg by 1 with leg blank bottom 2
simply flipping them over depending
on which leg you’re working on. !/4"
between Edge
START ON THE LEGS. Once the templates template mortise
and blank template
are complete, it’s time to start on the edge edges are
flush with
legs themselves. Plane stock down Leg blank
to thickness and cut four blanks to face
template
match the dimensions shown in the
main drawing on the previous page.
Then label each leg so that you can
keep all of the joinery straight as you
Leg
get started (right-front, right-rear, blank
Leg
left-front, left-rear). blank
EDGE MORTISES. While the blanks are
still square, lay out the shape of the Lay Out Profile. Align the template Lay Out Edge Mortises. Align the
legs and the mortise locations on all of on the leg blank and trace the profile. edge mortise template at the bottom
them using the hardboard templates, as Flip it for the mirror image legs. of the leg blank to mark the mortises.
shown in Figures 1 and 2. Now head
to the drill press to form the edge mor- 3 4
tises on the legs first. Figure 3 shows !/2" a.
brad
the setup. Note that the two mortises point 1!/4
are different depths (details ‘a’ and ‘b’). bit
ADD THE CURVES. With those mortises
END Leg profile
complete, you can cut out the legs, Leg SECTION Upper
blank layout line
VIEW mortise
staying just outside the layout lines.
Figure 4 provides the details. Cut outside
TRIM THE LEGS. After cutting all four legs
b. layout line, A
then sand
at the band saw, the leg face template 1!/2 smooth
once again provides the key to getting

Leg profile
each leg perfectly consistent in size and layout line END
SECTION Lower Leg
shape. Apply double-sided tape to the VIEW mortise blank
template, carefully align it on the leg,
and press it down. Then you can trim Edge Mortises. Use a tall auxiliary fence at Shape the Legs. Cut out the
each one to final size at the router table the drill press to support the leg blank while legs at the band saw, staying
as indicated in Figure 5 at right. drilling out the edge mortises. outside the layout lines.
FACE MORTISES. At this stage, all four
of your legs have edge mortises and 5 6
also are trimmed to their final shapes.
Leg face
All that’s left now is drilling the face Flush-trim template
bit
mortises in the legs. You’ll note that
A
there are three mortises in all: Two !/2"
near the top of the legs to accommo- brad point
bit
date twin tenons on the crest rail, and A Alignment
block
a single mortise near the bottom that
accepts the side rail. a. a.
Since the mortise locations are clearly A
laid out from the template work you END Bearing rides 1!/4
SECTION on template END
did earlier, the process of drilling them VIEW edge VIEW
should be pretty straightforward. The !/2
legs are curved at this point, so you’ll !/2
need to take care in aligning the bit with
your layout lines as you drill. I added an Flush Trim Legs. Apply the template Face Mortises. Finish the legs by
alignment block to my drill press fence to the leg with double-sided tape and boring out the face mortises at the
to help with this, as shown in Figure 6. flush-trim the edges at the router table. drill press. Square them with a chisel.
Then a little chisel work finishes the job.
WS231_046.indd 47 4/4/2017 10:09:47 AM

ARM REST
ARM REST TOP a. F E
LONG SIDE E
1!/2
E F
D 2!/2
F
C D
19
!/2
21!/4
C C
INNER RAIL
D b. 1!%/16"-rad.
ARM REST
SHORT SIDE 5 4!/2
Leg
profile
5
#/8
B 4
B c. FRONT
1 SECT.
SIDE RAIL 21!/4 #/8 VIEW
B
NOTE: Side rails are

1" thick hardwood. #/8 d.
Other parts are #/4
1!/2"-thick hardwood 1!/8
!/2 B
1!/8
#/8
SIDE SECTION
!/4
Build the END ASSEMBLIES

45° VIEW
TOP VIEW
The parts that join the front and back first, which are the two side rails. After saw (Figures 2 and 3). The tenons are off-
legs to form each end assembly of the cutting them to size, cut a groove in the set on both the width and thickness of the
bench are not your average cup of tea. top edge (Figure 1). This groove is not parts, so you’ll need four separate depth
A large, rounded crest rail that’s glued centered, so I used a dado blade set to settings for each facet of the tenon. Then
up from several parts connects the legs the full width of the groove to cut it you can tilt your saw blade and miter
at the top, while a more basic side rail and adjusted the rip fence to accurately the ends of the tenons, as indicated in
forms the connection at the bottom. Later position the groove. detail ‘c.’ The front and back rails are also
on, curved slats fit between these rails. It Later on, this groove accepts a mortise mitered later, so this cut allows them to
all takes a process of careful measuring, strip that has notches to hold the ends fit cleanly in the adjoining mortises.
cutting, and fitting, but the following of the curved slats. You’ll find more on CREST RAIL ASSEMBLIES. The top of each end
sequence will help get you there. these mortise strips on page 50. assembly is crowned by the rounded
SIDE RAILS. I started the end assembly Now cut the tenons on the ends of the crest rail. This assembly is made from
construction with the simplest parts rails using a wide dado blade in the table five parts. An inner rail has the twin
How-To: SHAPE THE SIDE RAILS

1 a. #/8
END
VIEW
2 a. 3 a. 1!/8 END
VIEW
#/8 END VIEW
B 1!/8 !/8 #/4
#/4 Aux.
miter B
fence
B
Rip END END
fence b. END VIEW b. VIEW
B b. VIEW
#/8 Rip 1!/8
#/4" dado blade 1!/8 fence
#/8
F
#/4 #/8 !/4
#/8" dado blade
#/4" dado blade
Side Rail Groove. Cut the off-center Tenon Cheeks. The side rail tenons are Tenon Shoulders. Now stand the rail on
grooves in the side rail and arm rest also off-center. Note the two different edge to cut the shoulders. Here again, it
long side using a dado blade. blade height settings in the details. takes two blade height settings (details).
WS231_048.indd 48 4/4/2017 10:19:27 AM

tenons that fit the mortises in the legs. Check the fit around the inner rail to
Then, three mitered arm rest pieces wrap make sure the parts fit together seam-
the inner rail and are ultimately shaped lessly. Then you’re ready to glue up the
round to match the legs. Just as on the crest rail as shown in Figure 4 below.
side rails that you made earlier, the bot- SHAPING THE CREST RAIL. At this point,
tom edge of one of the arm rest pieces the crest rail assembly is square. The
has a groove to accept the mortise strips. remainder of the work on it involves
I started on the inner rails first. After using a table saw and hand tools to
cutting them to size, use a backer to form the round shape of the rail.
stand the pieces on end and cut a single As you get started, it’s good to have
groove to form the twin tenons. Figure a guide to work toward. The photo on
1 below shows how it’s done. the right shows a little template of the
Now find pieces with a good grain shape that I made. You’ll find the details
match that you can use to form all three for this template on the pattern on the
parts of the arm rest of each crest rail left side of page 46. { This round end scraper is the ideal
assembly. This ensures a consistent grain Next up was a trip to the table saw, tool for the finishing touches on the
appearance from one piece to the next as where I tilted the blade to line up with crest rail. Check Sources on page 67.
the crest rail is shaped. the marked layout on the end of my rail
After cutting these parts to size, cut and made a beveled cut to remove the Finally, it’s time to work with a
a groove in the wide arm rest piece to waste. I repeated this process around block plane, scrapers, and sandpaper
match the one in the side rail (Figure 1, the perimeter of the rail, as explained to shape the rail. Keep working toward
previous page). Now tilt the table saw in Figure 5 below. Adjust the rip fence your layout line, checking the ends
blade 45° and bevel the three parts for and blade angle to remove as much of with the template until you achieve a
each arm rest (Figures 2 and 3 below). the waste as possible around the rail. round, smooth finished rail.
How-To: FORM THE CREST RAIL 3

Push
block
Tilt blade
1 Tall aux. 2 Push
F 45°
C rip fence block
NOTE: Flip with backer
E
piece end a. a.
for end a. END VIEW END
END VIEW
to center VIEW
groove !/2 5
Tilt blade 4!/2
45°
1!/8 F
!/4" dado E
blade 45°
Grooves. The twin tenons on the Bevel Arm Rest Top. Tilt the blade in Bevel Arm Rest Sides. With the same
inside rails are formed with centered order to make a bevel rip cut along both blade setting, you can adjust the rip
grooves. Stand the piece on end. edges of the arm rest top. fence to cut the other arm rest parts.
Crest rail profile

4 5 layout line 6 Block
plane
F
Tall aux.
rip fence
D Crest rail
profile
layout line
Crest rail
blank C NOTE: End layout determines blade
E tilt angle and rip fence position
Crest Rail Glueup. Vertical clamps Bevels. Bevel cuts begin the work of Hand Work. After cutting the bevels,
keep the miters from slipping as you rounding the crest rail. Set the blade tilt work toward the layout line using a
tighten the horizontal ones. and rip fence based on the layout. block plane, scraper, and sandpaper.
WS231_048.indd 49 4/4/2017 10:19:39 AM

NOTE: Mortise strips are cut
Align with from a wide blank (page 65) 19 #/4
top of slat G
2!/2
SLATS
H
BACK RAIL 13#/4
J
DIAMOND CUTOUT
PATTERN 2!/2 G
(Enlarge 200%) MORTISE
H
STRIP
H
G I NOTE: Mortise
3!/8 strips are glued
into crest rails
and side rails
FRONT RAIL
J
1#/4
a. FRONT 5 44!/4
SECTION I
VIEW STRETCHER
45#/16
SLAT PATTERN #/8 G
(Enlarge 200%) d.
H #/4 J
NOTE: Slats start Radius
Crest rail as 1!/2"-thick hardwood matches
blanks. Rails and stretchers leg (Fig. 4,
are 1"-thick hardwood page 51)
b. H
G
FRONT VIEW
Leg c. TOP VIEW
FRONT Side #/8 45°
rail !/2 J
SECTION
VIEW 1!/8 !/4
#/8
I
!/2 FRONT VIEW
e.
Add the 1&/16
!/4 Radius
matches
!/4 I leg
1!/2
SLATS, STRETCHERS & RAILS
A good portion of the challenging the side and crest rails. The process the slats is shown in the mar-
13&/8 work on the bench is complete at for making these is shown in Fig- gin drawing at left, and there’s
this stage. The next steps will move ure 1 below and in greater detail in also a full-size pattern available
you closer to a finished bench. Shop Notes on page 65. online. However, before cutting
MORTISE STRIPS. I started with the MAKING THE SLATS. Next up are the actual slats to this shape, I rec-
mortise strips that fit the grooves in the curved slats. The shape of ommend dry-assembling the end
How-To: MAKE MORTISE STRIPS & CURVED SLATS

1 2 3
FIRST: Drill
an access hole
Slat
Mortise blank
#/4"dado strip blank
H
blade
Drill press
a. END VIEW sanding jig
1!/4 2!/2 1 (page 16)
!/2 SECOND: Feed

blade through
hole and
cut to shape
Mortise Strips. Notch a wide blank Sand Smooth. This single-point Diamond Cutouts. The thin blade
before ripping the strips to their final fence (page 16) makes it easy to of a coping saw allows you to cut
thickness. Check page 65 for more. sand each slat clean and smooth. the diamond shapes with ease.
WS231_050.indd 50 4/4/2017 1:54:06 PM

assembly, making a template out of How-To: ASSEMBLE THE BENCH
cardboard, and checking the fit of the
template in the actual dry assembly. 1 THIRD: Glue 2
Subtle variations can change things, on top leg
and clamp
especially when curves are involved, it all together
so it’s best to check the fit to be certain
before making all ten slats.
FIRST: Clamp up
Once you’re confident the shape side rail, crest
of your slats will fit, a band saw and rail, and slats
(no glue)
sanding drum take care of the shaping
Cut outside
(Figure 2, previous page). There’s an SECOND: Glue layout line,
article on this technique on page 16. side rail and then sand
crest rail smooth
The next challenge on the slats is the into lower Waste
leg mortises
diamond-shaped cutout near the top. See page 65
Here again, there’s a pattern on the pre- for arc layout Outfeed
information support
vious page and a full-size one online. Risers
Due to the curved shape of the slats, I
opted to cut these with a coping saw, as Assemble Ends. It’s easiest to Rail Arcs. After laying out the curved
shown in Figure 3 (previous page). assemble the ends by starting with arcs on the front and back rails, cut
END ASSEMBLY. At long last, you’re ready one leg down on the workbench. them to shape at the band saw.
to glue and clamp the two end assem-
blies together. A good overview of the 3 4
process is shown in Figure 1. I found it
easiest to assemble with one leg face- NOTE: Hold
down on the workbench, so I could slide a. pencil J
perpendicular
in the other parts from above before Sand to to rail
scribed face rail
gluing and clamping it all together. layout J
CONNECTING THE ENDS. If you’ve made it line to

match Run
through the end assemblies, you’re offi- leg pencil Scribed
curve along
cially done with the most challenging leg
leg to profile
part of the project. Now all that’s left is mark
rail
joining them to one another with front Curved
I sanding
and back rails and stretchers. block
STRETCHERS. The stretchers are the sim- FRONT VIEW
plest parts that form this connection,
so I started with those. After cutting Scribe Curves. Insert the rails and Sand to Fit. A little hand work with
them to size, cut the tenons on the stretchers in the mortises, and transfer sandpaper ensures a smooth fit
ends with a dado blade. Note that the the curves from the legs to those parts. between the parts.
tenons are centered on the width of
the stretchers but offset on the thick-
ness (detail ‘c,’ previous page). TENON SHOULDER SHAPING. Due to the After that, I simply worked toward
FRONT & BACK RAILS. Now turn your curved profile of the legs, there’s one the line with files, chisels, and sand-
attention to the front and back rails. more additional challenge to the stretch- paper to shape the tenon shoulders to
The tenons are made in much the same ers and rails that needs to be addressed: fit snugly against the curved leg edges.
way as the others on the project, but The tenon shoulders need to match the Figure 4 above gives you the idea.
they are offset on both the width and curve of the legs. FINAL ASSEMBLY. Once you achieve a nice
thickness (details ‘c’ and ‘d,’ previous I found the best way to approach this fit between the rails and stretchers and
page). Next, tilt your table saw blade challenge was with a bit of hand work the legs, then the basic structure of the
and miter the ends of the tenons. This to create the profile. First, I inserted the empire bench is finally ready to come
way, they’ll fit nicely alongside the parts as far as they would go into the to life. You should find this assembly
tenons on the side rails when they’re mortises in the legs, and used a pencil much more straightforward than the
inserted into the mortises in the legs. to scribe the profile of the leg onto the end assemblies. You just fit the front and
These rails also have a gentle arc along tenon shoulder. Figure 3 shows the pro- back rails and stretchers into the mor-
the bottom edge. This is quick work cess I used to do this on the front and tises in the legs, and use clamps to bring
at the band saw, as shown in Figure 2 back rails, and the stretcher is scribed it all together. Now’s a good time to stain
above. Then sand them smooth. following a similar process. the bench, as well (Sources, page 67).
WS231_050.indd 51 4/4/2017 12:16:47 PM

a. NOTE: Larger, access hole
drilled in all lower b. FRONT SECTION
VIEW
corner blocks
4 4 #8 x 2!/4" M
CORNER Fh woodscrew
3!/4 BLOCKS
1 K
L K
L 1!/2
K 1 Side
1
SHORT M rail
Drill from 10 CLEAT K
K bottom
for #8 Fh Back rail
1"-dia. woodscrew
hole 11
c. SIDE SECTION
11 Front
VIEW 2 rail
K
#8 x 1!/2"
Fh woodscrew M 1
34 1 #/4
K K
L
Side rail 1
K
L
LONG
CLEAT
upper and lower blocks has to do with

NOTE: Corner blocks are
#/4"-thick hardwood. Cleats the holes on the faces of the blocks. The
are 1"-thick hardwood
upper blocks have a countersunk pilot
hole. This is for a screw that will secure
Finish with a custom CUSHION

the cushion above it later on. And
the lower blocks have a larger access
hole drilled in them. This allows you
Your empire bench is nearing comple- CORNER BLOCKS. I started with the corner to reach through the lower block with
tion. All that’s left at this stage is to blocks. The basic shape of all eight is a screwdriver in order to drive the
add some cleats, corner blocks, and the the same and shown in detail ‘a’ above. screw through the upper corner block
upholstered cushion. The cleats provide After cutting them out and clipping into the cushion panel.
a mounting surface for the cushion. the corners, you can set the blocks on CLEATS. In a project full of curves and
The upper corner blocks also support edge in order to drill the counterbored rounded parts, the cleats are a welcome
the cushion, while all eight blocks add pilot holes for screws. The basic over- respite at this stage. The main draw-
additional reinforcement to the bench view of each of these steps is shown ings and detail ‘c’ above have all the
structure to ensure a strong assembly in the drawings in the “How-To” box dimensions you need to make them.
that will last for years to come. below. The only difference between the The cleats have two sets of countersunk
How-To: MAKE THE CORNER BLOCKS a.

Set
3
1 auxiliary 2 Waste
miter fence Stop !/2
at 45° block
K
1
K of bit
K
FRONT SECT. VIEW
K
a. 4 First drill a
#/8" -dia. hole with
K a Forstner bit, then
drill a #/16"-dia.
4 through hole
K
TOP with a brad
NOTE: Four corner blocks cut VIEW point bit
Stop
from one 4"x 16" blank block
Cut Blocks. You can make four corner Trim Corners. Use a stop block to trim Counterbored Holes. Use a tall auxiliary
blocks from one blank by laying out the corner off each block. Flip the block fence at the drill press to support the
and cutting them as shown above. to cut the opposite corner. blocks while boring the holes.
WS231_052.indd 52 4/4/2017 10:15:46 AM

Faux leather
pilot holes for screws: One set for (Sources, page 67)
securing the cleats to the bench rails, Batting 5" high-density
and another set for securing the cush- foam (cut to
match panel)
ion panel. After aligning and screwing
the cleats in place on the bench rails,
the woodworking portion of this proj- N
Cut a 1" chamfer
ect is officially complete. at each corner CUSHION
of plywood panel PANEL
(#/4" plywood)
42
SHOP-MADE CUSHION
However, there’s still one final detail b.
FIRST: Staple batting
of this heirloom bench to address — 19 to edge of panel.
Cut off excess
the cushion. But really this is more of
an upholstery task. Between the infor- a.
mation provided here and in Shop SECOND: Staple fabric to
bottom of cushion panel
Notes on page 64, you should find that Batting
N
the cushion is quite manageable, even
if you’ve never done any upholstery Foam
Cleat
Leather
work before. (Of course, you can also
find someone in your area to make Cushion
panel #8 x 1!/2" Fh woodscrew
you a cushion for the bench if you’re !/2" roundover bottom
edge of panel FRONT SECTION VIEW
not comfortable tackling this part of
the project yourself.)
The drawings on the right provide an Really, most of the work on the When the cushion is complete, you
overview of the basic cushion construc- cushion involves cutting parts to size, can set it in place on the cleats and cor-
tion. It consists of a plywood panel that just as in woodworking. Then it’s a ner blocks, and secure it with screws
you’ll cut to size to fit the bench, a thick matter of wrapping the fabric around from underneath. At long last, you
layer of high-density foam, a thin layer the cushion and stapling it to the ply- finally have a regal piece of furniture in
of batting, and the faux leather that we wood on the bottom face. Refer to your home. Everyone is sure to enjoy
chose for the upholstery. You’ll find Shop Notes on page 64 for in-depth its style and comfort, even if they’re not
more information on that in Sources. details on this process. descended from royalty. W

A Legs (4) 11⁄2 x 81⁄2 - 33 H Slats (10) 11⁄2 x 21⁄2 - 133⁄4 • (16) #8 x 21⁄4" Fh Woodscrews
B Side Rails (2) 1 x 5 - 211⁄4 I Stretchers (2) 1 x 13⁄4 - 453⁄16 • (24) #8 x 11⁄2" Fh Woodscrews
C Inner Rails (2) 1 ⁄2 x 21⁄2 - 211⁄4
1 J Front/Back Rails (2) 1 x 5 - 441⁄4 • (1 yd.) Faux Leather
D Arm Rest Short Sides (2) 11⁄2 x 4 - 19 K Corner Blocks (8) 3⁄ x 4 - 4
4 • (1 pc.) 5" High-Density Foam (24" x 72")
E Arm Rest Tops (2) 1 ⁄2 x 41⁄2 - 19
1 L Long Cleats (2) 1 x 1 - 34 • (1 yd.) Batting
F Arm Rest Long Sides (2) 11⁄2 x 5 - 19 M Short Cleats (2) 1 x 1 - 11 • 1⁄ " Staples
2
G Mortise Strips (4) 3⁄ x 3⁄ - 19 N Cushion Panel (1) 3⁄ ply. - 19 x 42
4 8 4
1!/2"x 7" - 84" Quartersawn White Oak (8.2 Bd. Ft.)

H H H H H ALSO NEEDED: One 24" x 48"
sheet of #/4" maple plywood
H H H H H
G NOTE: Parts 'G' cut to #/8" thick

1!/2"x 5" - 84" Quartersawn White Oak (5.8 Bd. Ft.)
E E D D
1 !/2"x 8!/2" - 96" Quartersawn White Oak (Two boards @ 11.3 Bd. Ft. each)
F
A A
C
1"x 7" - 96" Quartersawn Sawn White Oak (Two boards @ 5.8 Bd. Ft. each)
J B K K K K
I
NOTE: Parts 'K' planed to #/4" thick L M
WS231_052.indd 53 4/4/2017 10:16:01 AM

g
workin ls
with too
skillbuilding Handsaw
Techniques
When the lumber for my next proj- The process helps build muscle memory
ect comes into the workshop, the first and hand-eye coordination for other
tool I reach for is a crosscut handsaw. sawing and woodworking tasks.
The advantage is that a handsaw and SETUP FOR CROSSCUTTING. The photos on
two sawbenches (like the ones shown this page show how to set up saw-
on page 22) create a compact, cordless benches for crosscutting. The key here
workstation I can set up anywhere. is support. As you near the end of a cut,
In a short time, I can transform long the last thing you want is to have an
boards into rough blanks ready for unsupported part of the workpiece fall
jointing and planing. From a working away, leaving a jagged splinter.
perspective, the height of the sawbench When making a cut near the middle
is ideal. It allows you to apply maxi- of a board, position a sawbench on
mum power to the saw while your body either side of the cut line. I like to ori-
holds the workpiece steady. ent the sawbenches parallel with the
Setup, layout, body position, and length of the board. This is shown in the
technique work together to help you photo above. Your body acts as a clamp
{ A hold-down mounted in one of the dog get the most from a saw and sawbench. holding one side of the board. For the
holes of the sawbench prevents the You can see how these elements come other side, place the sawbench to keep
workpiece from shifting during a cut. together when breaking down boards. the board balanced when it’s cut free.
WS231_054.indd 54 3/31/2017 9:50:07 AM

The lower left photo on the previous
page shows the arrangement if you only Align shoulder,
elbow, and
need to cut away a small amount. wrist with the
cutting line
SIMPLE LAYOUT. Breaking down boards
doesn’t require much layout, as shown
in the photo below. I’m not looking for Make straight
cutting strokes
exact lengths at this point. That being
said, I make an effort to make the cuts
as accurately as I can to practice good
form. If the board doesn’t have a straight
edge to register the head of the square,
simply use the ruler to create a line. { The thumb of your other hand accurately
BODY POSITION. With the workpiece set positions the saw blade right on the
up and marked, you can get into posi- layout line as you establish the kerf.
tion. Most of the time, I like to place one
knee on the workpiece to stabilize it. Then position yourself so that you can
The other leg tucks in right behind the clearly see the layout line.
board to prevent it from shifting. SAW TECHNIQUE. Now it’s time to start
A cutting
Optimum angle
The real key to making square, accu- moving the saw. I use the thumb of my of 45o toangle
cutting 60o
60º is optimal
is 45º to 60º
rate saw cuts is aligning your arm with non-dominant hand to align the blade,
the saw, as in the upper right drawing. as in the photo above. Then, holding 45º
the saw at a low angle, make several
short forward strokes to start the cut.
The idea is to apply as little pressure
on the saw as possible — as if you’re
trying not to saw. (The box on pages 56
and 57 shows several saw options.)
With the kerf established, you can your upper body, which introduces a
lengthen the strokes to use as much of side-to-side movement of the saw.
the blade as possible. Increasing the cut- A consistent rasping sound means
ting angle helps it cut more efficiently everything is going well. If you hear a
(detail at right). You don’t need to twang and see the tip of the blade flap-
{ Use a tape measure, combination square, worry about the speed of each stroke. A ping, something is misaligned. Check
and a pencil to mark clear lines for full stroke and steady rhythm is more your arm position and try again. I’ve
cutting with a handsaw. important to establish. Avoid twisting noticed that my elbow has a tendency to
drift away from my body, so I try to keep
it tucked (but not tight) against my side.
As you approach the end of a cut, it’s
time to slow your pace and drop the
blade angle to avoid causing a splinter.
RIPPING BOARDS. Crosscuts make up
most of the work I do with a handsaw.
However, there may be times when you
need to make a rip cut on a board. Mak-
ing a rip cut with a handsaw requires a
few slight changes.
The main differences have to do with
your orientation to the board and your
stance. Position the cut line directly
above the ripping notch for the best sup-
port, as shown in the left photo.
After just a handful of cuts, you’ll
notice a big improvement in the accu-
{ Stand with your body parallel with the length of the board. The knee on your dominant racy and ease with which you can make
side rests on the workpiece. If the cut is long, locate another sawbench just ahead of you. cuts. Then you can start applying those
This provides “outfeed” support for the board and prevents vibration. skills to other saw cuts.
WS231_054.indd 55 3/31/2017 9:50:30 AM

SAWING JOINERY the waste piece from breaking off pre- 1
Beyond breaking down boards, you can maturely, which could increase the work
use a handsaw to cut simple joints, too. of trimming the notch.
Notches are good examples of this. On With the panel saw shown here, stay
many projects, notches of some sort are just to the waste side of the layout line.
used where project parts meet or cross Work your way until the teeth of the saw
each other. You can cut these basic joints come to the intersecting line. As you
with a handsaw in short order. come to the end of the cut, raise the saw
I’ll cover two common notches and vertically to avoid cutting past the line.
how to cut them. Depending on the The crosscut goes pretty easily, as
saw you use and the visibility of the shown in Step 3. As I said before, you
joint, you may need to factor in some can use a chisel to pare away any { After drawing the line with a pencil, use
final cleanup work. remaining waste as well as remove the a knife to scribe the line. This defines the
CORNER NOTCH. Where the bottom panel saw marks from the edges. notch for cleaning up the saw cut.
of a case piece meets the legs, the cor-
ners of the panel are often notched 2 3
to wrap around the legs. With larger
panels, I like to make the cuts on a saw-
bench for better support.
Naturally, the starting point is a little
layout work. I prefer a two-step layout.
A couple of pencil lines help define the
notch clearly. Then I like to follow up
by scribing the notch with a knife, as
shown in Step 1. This serves as a guide
for cleaning up the cut with a chisel.
Two cuts define the notch: a crosscut { Cutting on the waste side of the line { The crosscut removes the remaining
and a rip cut. It’s a good idea to make means you can remove blade marks waste from the notch. Use chisels and
the rip cut first (Step 2). This prevents without making the notch too large. files to work down to the layout lines.
Handsaws: FOUR GOOD OPTIONS

The saw you choose to use at a sawbench requires a
Crosscut Handsaw
balancing act between two primary factors: speed and
quality of cut. If you don’t already own a handsaw, it
pays to think about how you would plan to use it and
11 T
11 TPI
PII
P
what expectations you have for the results.
The four types shown here provide a range of
options. Should you decide to perform more opera-
LLarge tteeth
th and
d gullets
ll t
tions by hand, you may end up getting more than one. are designed
CROSSCUT HANDSAW. The usual pick for breaking down for fast cutting
boards at a sawbench is a full-size crosscut handsaw

(upper right photo). A crosscut saw even works fine for
the occasional rip cut. The blade typically extends 26" - Panel Saw
28", with 8 to 11 teeth per inch, as shown in the inset
photo. The long blade combined with large teeth mean
these saws cut through all kinds of boards in short order.
The flip side of that speed is the quality of cut. The saw
leaves tearout on the back face of the workpiece. And
the cut edge will likely have noticeable blade marks. 8 TPI
Smaller teeth balance
PANEL SAW. The lower right saw looks a lot like the speed and smooth cutting
handsaw, but the blade on a panel saw is shorter (20" -
24") and has more teeth per inch (11-14). This means
the saw cuts a little slower than its big brother but
WS231_056.indd 56 3/31/2017 12:05:34 PM

1 2 3
{ Once the layout is complete, make two { Relief cuts divide the waste into smaller { Fine paring cuts made by pushing the
cuts to define the sides of the notch. Cut pieces. Use a chisel and mallet to chop chisel along the baseline and sides
on the inside of the layout lines. out the majority of the waste. create smooth, square joint surfaces.
EDGE NOTCH The next step is to make relief cuts It’s time to set aside the mallet and
A similar joint to a corner notch is cut- between the shoulders. This helps to pare away the waste down to the line.
ting a notch somewhere along the length speed up the process of removing the Rest the chisel on the workpiece and
of a board or on a panel. This can be used waste using a chisel. A few firm smacks place one hand on the blade. The other
to create a lap joint or provide clearance with a mallet frees blocks of waste, as hand is on the handle. Use your body
for a vertical divider. you can see in Step 2. To avoid going weight to press the chisel down with the
After taking care of the layout in the past the baseline, position the chisel to front of your shoulder (Step 3).
same way as the corner notch, define the remove about half the waste. Then repo- Even if you rely on power tools for
sides of the notch with a pair of saw cuts, sition the chisel to remove half of the most of your woodworking, learning
as you can see in Step 1. A fine-toothed remaining waste material. Repeat this hand sawing skills remains useful. Once
back saw allows me to cut much closer process until you are about 1⁄16" away you’ve mastered basic cuts, it opens the
to the lines and leaves a smooth surface. from the bottom of the notch. door for cutting fine joinery. W
leaves a much smoother edge. If you intend to do more than BACK SAW. The final choice, a back saw, may seem sur-
break down boards, this is a good all-around saw choice. prising. A back saw is usually used at the workbench for
TOOL BOX SAW. You’re sure to have seen saws similar to the one cutting joinery. But with large panels or long parts, it may
shown below at any home center. These plastic handled saws be easier to use the saw at a sawbench instead.
have blades that are 18" - 24" long. A back saw blade is 12" - 14" long. With 14 or more teeth
The teeth really set these saws apart. The aggressive teeth per inch, it cuts slower than the others but leaves a smooth
have several cutting edges. They’re induction-hardened, so surface that requires no further work. A back saw can be
they stay sharp a long time and work for a variety of tasks set up for ripping or crosscutting. However, I prefer a
like cutting plywood, branches, PVC, etc. These low-cost saws crosscut back saw for versatility. The heavy reinforcing
make quick but quite coarse cuts and are best suited for basic back limits the depth of cut, which means a back saw is
stock breakdown rather than cutting joints. best for cutting jointery and creating fine details.
Back Saw
Tool Box Saw
8 TPI Induction-hardened teeth

Lots of Small, fine teeth leave
stay sharp for years a smooth cut edge
WS231_056.indd 57 3/31/2017 12:06:00 PM

in the
shop
working with
Reinforced Veneer
In the past, I often used a lot of raw
wood veneer to dress up areas of my Raw
Paper-back veneer
veneer projects such as tabletops or door panels.
As the name implies, raw veneer is noth-
ing more than very thin sheets of wood.
You can buy larger pieces at specialty Reinforced
Two-ply
Tw
Two
Two
w o-pl
-p
ply retailers or make your own by slicing veneer
veneer
v
ve
ven
e
enneer
eer
er
thin layers of boards at the band saw.
THE POWER OF REINFORCEMENT. In recent
years, however, my attention has
been turning more toward reinforced
Polyback
Polyba
Pol
olyba
ybacck
k veneers. The “show” layer of these is available in a reinforced veneer
veneer
v
ven
en
neerr
veneers is the same as raw veneer — now. Plus, there are a range of backing
just a thin layer of wood. But each piece options, depending on your preference
is attached to some form of backing or intended use of the product.
layer, which gives the veneer a number Reinforced veneers are also available
of advantages over its raw counterpart. in sheets (or rolls) of many different
WHY REINFORCED VENEER? There are sev- sizes. So whether you want to veneer
PSA-back
veneer eral reasons why I seem to use this a small box or a large tabletop, you
type of veneer more often these days. should be covered. But perhaps most
For one, virtually any species of wood important, I just find this type of
WS231_058.indd 58 3/24/2017 10:02:32 AM

veneer easier to work with overall than
raw veneer, whether I’m cutting it or
applying it to a substrate.
The reinforcement layer makes it lie
flatter and smoother than raw veneer.
Plus, it’s much less prone to chipping or
curling. It also won’t show glue bleed-
through like raw veneer does. And the
application process is also a lot simpler.
TYPES OF REINFORCEMENT. Some of the dif-
ferent kinds of reinforced veneers are
shown in the bottom left corner of the
previous page. The most common is { Cutting reinforced veneer is a simple
paper-back veneer, which has a thin process. A utility knife or even scissors can
paper backing behind the veneer. This handle it with ease.
is probably the thinnest option, which
means the edges won’t show after Veneers reinforced with foil, plas-
application. There are also veneers tic laminate, and other, more durable
reinforced with a second layer of backers are available, but these are typ-
veneer, often called two-ply or wood- ically reserved for commercial use or
on-wood veneers. This type of veneer large-scale manufacturing jobs. Among
is stronger but also a little thicker. this category, though, there’s a fairly
new option that I was interested in
having a look at, and that’s polyback
veneer. This type of veneer has a poly-
mer resin backing, and many veneer
makers are viewing it as a replacement
for some of the other commercial forms
of veneer. Though it’s a bit thicker than
the other reinforced veneers, it’s very
durable, flexible, and strong.
Another great option is a paper-back
veneer with pressure-sensitive adhesive
(PSA) already applied to the backing. As
you can see at left, this can greatly ease
the application of the veneer.
{ Some paper-back veneers are available A WORD 0N THICKNESS. While some of the { The reinforcement eliminates the
with a self-adhesive backing. Simply peel thicker reinforced veneers are more possibility of chipout when flush-trimming
away the backing and press it in place. durable and flexible, they also can leave veneer. It routs smoothly and cleanly.
a visible edge when trimmed
flush with a surface. However, They also lie flat and smooth when
since the edges in most of my applied. Typically, reinforced veneer can
projects are covered with strips be applied with contact or spray adhe-
of edging or molding, this really sive, using dowels, strips of hardboard,
isn’t a problem. or other materials to keep the surfaces
WORKING WITH REINFORCED VENEERS. separated until you’re ready to adhere
With reinforcement added, these them (main photo, previous page). Then
veneers lend themselves to a lot the veneer can be smoothed out using a
more potential uses than raw roller (lower left photo). The reinforce-
veneer. For example, they can be ment also makes trimming the veneer
cut cleanly to virtually any shape flush with the surface a worry-free pro-
with utility knives, razor knives, cess after application (photos above).
or scissors (upper right photos). If you’d like to try reinforced veneer
{ A rubber J-roller is standard equipment for rolling This makes miters, inlay pat- for an upcoming project, check out
reinforced veneer smooth and flat to the substrate terns, and other elaborate shapes Sources on page 67 for your options.
after gluing it in place. easier to add to your projects. You’re sure to enjoy its ease of use. W
WS231_058.indd 59 3/24/2017 10:03:10 AM

w orking
wood ntials
esse
tips & tricks for

Buying Boards
As your interest in woodworking grows, list and cutting diagram for help in will help you determine how to make
most woodworkers find that a natural choosing boards for a project. Of course, these calculations correctly.
evolution occurs: The pursuit of lum- the reality is that you rarely find boards
ber for projects becomes more involved that look exactly like the ones shown in #2: DECIPHER LUMBERYARD LINGO
and elaborate. Beginners often start by our cutting diagrams. Unlike the uni- Once you have a rough idea of the spe-
perusing the limited options available at form boards you often find in home cies and amount of lumber you need
home centers but are eventually drawn centers, boards at hardwood dealers are figured out, you’re ready to head to
to the greater variety of species and typically random widths and lengths. the store to pick out boards. But you’ll
thicknesses available at lumberyards This can make finding what you need a likely run into a little confusion here:
or specialty hardwood stores. bit of a challenge. The boards in most woodworking
To successfully navigate a trip to the Considering this, the main factors to plans have thicknesses such as 3⁄4", 1",
lumberyard and end up with exactly keep in mind when determining your 11⁄2", and on. The boards at the lum-
what you need for your project, it helps to needs are the different thicknesses of beryard, on the other hand, are labeled
be armed with the necessary knowledge. boards, the species, and
Here are some hints to keep in mind as the overall board foot- FIRST: Make note of the
you get ready to round up the material age of each kind. (If the different thicknesses and
species needed
for an upcoming project. project calls for 1⁄2"-thick #/4"x 5" - 60" Poplar (2.1 Bd. Ft. each)
(or less) boards, this will
A A
#1: DETERMINE YOUR LUMBER NEEDS be calculated in square
The first consideration before heading footage rather than
to the lumberyard is doing some calcu- board footage.) Based
lations on your material requirements. on those numbers, !/2"x 2!/2" - 36" Poplar (0.6 Sq. Ft.)
Usually, you’re buying lumber for a spe- you can calculate what C C D E
cific project, so you should have a cutting types of boards you’ll
diagram to guide you on your way. need, and how many of SECOND: Calculate the board
(or square) footage of each
As loyal Woodsmith readers are aware, each you’ll want to buy. thickness and species needed
we provide you with both the materials The diagram at right
WS231_060.indd 60 3/24/2017 10:04:20 AM

6" x 12" - 2"
12" x 12" - 1"
according to the “quarter” system (4/4, Beyond thickness, you also
5/4, 8/4, etc.). The way this system need to pick boards of specific
works is that each quarter equals 1⁄4" lengths and widths to get the
on a roughsawn board. Of course, the sizes of parts you need from
actual dimension gets smaller if the them. For example, you’ll prob- NOTE: All three
boards contain
board is surfaced on one face (S1S), or ably want all the rails and stiles for your 1 board foot
both faces (S2S). S3S means one of the doors from the same board. So you’ll of material
edges is surfaced and ripped straight, need to choose boards that are wide and 4" x 36" - 1"
while S4S means both edges and faces long enough to give you these options.
are surfaced and ripped (photos, right). Most lumberyards have an associate on
Some woodworkers prefer to use #3: CALCULATE BOARD FOOTAGE hand to help add up board footage. As
roughsawn boards. This gives you more
Once you’ve found boards to your lik- you can see above, one board foot can
thickness to joint and plane the board
ing, it’s time to crunch the numbers look a lot different on different boards.
down to the desired size. It also can be
to make sure you’re getting what you It’s generally a good idea to get 20 to
cheaper to buy rough boards. At many
need. And that requires calculating the 25 percent more wood than a project
lumber centers, though, all you’ll find
board footage of the boards (or square calls for. This gives you a little “breath-
footage in the case of 1⁄2"-thick boards).
is S3S lumber or S4S lumber. So if you ing room” for mistakes or to find the
need 3⁄4"-thick parts, you’ll start with 4/4
So bring along your tape measure and perfect part on each of your boards.
lumber, which is about 13⁄16" thick after
calculator when selecting boards. You can always use any extra lum-
The basic formula for board footage
surfacing. The chart below provides the ber for a different project
is simple: It starts with multiplying the
actual thickness of many types of lumber down the road. W
width by length in inches, and then divid-
according to the quarter system.
S4S
ing by 144. You’ll
Hardwood Dimensional Lumber Sizes then multiply this
number by 1 for a
“Quarter” Rough Actual Surfaced S3S
4/4 board, 1.25 for
Designation Thickness Thickness
5/4, 1.5 for 6/4,
4/4 1 !#/16 - &/8 and so on. You’ll
5/4 1!/4 1!/16 - 1!/8 make this calcula-
Rough
6/4 1!/2 1%/16 - 1#/8 tion for each board
and add them
8/4 2 1#/4 - 1!#/16
together before
12/4 3 2#/4 - 2!#/16 checking out.
How-To: CHOOSE BEAUTIFUL BOARDS

The numbers involved with choosing boards are important, but see in the photos at right,
just as important to getting great-looking projects is the appear- these factors can vary quite
ance of the boards. There are a few factors to consider here. a bit, even among the same
COLOR & FIGURE. When it comes to finding nice-looking boards, species of wood.
it pays to look for consistency in grain and color. As you can Though boards with wavy,
cathedral grain may look
interesting on their own,
the reality is that they’re not
always the best choice for fur-
niture. If you build furniture { Not only is the grain pattern
out of wood with busy grain, significantly different, but the
you’re going to notice the color varies as well.
wood more than the project.
PLOTTING OUT PARTS. However, it’s important to note that all
your boards don’t have to be perfect to make great-looking
parts. You can always lay out your parts on the nicest-looking
areas of the board, as shown in the photo at left, and then cut
them free with a jig saw or band saw before continuing on.
WS231_060.indd 61 3/24/2017 10:04:40 AM

ring the
maste saw
table
simple & accurate

Compound Miters
Whether you’re building a stylish I provided the information for a couple
decorative box with flared sides or a of these in Sources on page 67. Going
freestanding project like the splayed- into a project armed with the right
leg sawbench on page 22, compound information is half the battle.
miter cuts add a certain amount of PROPERLY SIZED PARTS & LAYOUT. Regard-
complexity to your work. But that less of the project, you’ll typically
doesn’t mean you should shy away need to start with squared-up stock
from these types of projects. that is cut slightly oversized. Some
Most of the time, these cuts are easy good examples of this are the legs for
to make at the table saw with just a little the sawbench, as shown in the main
upfront planning. Using the table saw to photo above. These legs have com-
complete these cuts requires tilting the pound cuts at the top and bottom to
saw blade to the correct angle to account give the sawbench a stable footprint.
for the bevel cut. The miter gauge is With the squared-up blanks in hand,
rotated, as well, to accommodate the the next steps are to tilt the table saw
miter angle of the cut. blade for the proper bevel angle and
KNOWING THE ANGLES. If you’re working set the miter gauge for the miter angle
from a plan, the angles you’ll need to of the cut. It’s tempting to rely on the
set the blade tilt and miter gauge rota- built-in gauges on the table saw for
tion will probably be provided. But if this, but I find it more beneficial to use
you’re designing your own project, a bevel gauge to ensure the utmost in
{ A Bevel Setter gauge, like the one shown you might want to look up an online precision. But that often begs the ques-
here from Veritas, provides an accurate calculator specifically made for deter- tion, “How do you set the bevel gauge
means to lock in an angle. mining the angle settings you’ll need. to the appropriate angle?”
WS231_062.indd 62 3/28/2017 2:31:21 PM

{ With the bevel gauge stock flat on the table, tilt the saw blade { To set the miter gauge angle, position the bevel gauge so the
until it meets the blade of the bevel gauge. Be sure the blade rests stock is parallel with the miter track. Loosen the handle on the
against the body of the saw blade, not the tooth (inset). miter gauge and rotate the fence until it’s flush with the blade.
While a common protractor will organized while making the cuts,

work, there are specialty tools avail- as shown at right.
able, like the Bevel Setter gauge from CUTTING PARTS. Figure 1 below and
Veritas shown in the bottom photo on the main photo on the previous
the previous page. This ensures an page show the process of making
accurate bevel gauge setting. the first cut on one end of a saw-
SETTING UP FOR THE CUT. Using the bevel bench leg. After making the first
gauge to set the tilt of the table saw cut on one end of all four blanks,
blade is pretty straightforward (photo rotate the miter gauge in the oppo-
above). Just be sure the bevel gauge site position, as shown in Figure 2.
blade is resting flush against the body Then, flip the workpiece over and { Transferring the bevel and miter angles to the
of the saw blade and not against a tooth, end-for-end to make the cut. workpiece helps to orient the pieces when
as shown in the inset photo above. Use a stop block clamped to you’re ready to make the cuts.
Setting the angle of the miter gauge the auxiliary miter gauge for
is just as simple (upper right photo). the cut on the opposite end to ensure should have two sets of opposing legs
Since the sawbench legs are somewhat consistent part lengths. Just be careful that are ready for the dado and rabbet
long, an auxiliary miter gauge fence that your waste piece falls safely away operations. So be sure to label the parts
is a must to keep the parts fully sup- from the blade. to keep them organized.
ported throughout the cut. And as an Since one end of the workpiece is Making compound cuts at the table
extra measure of caution, I generally beveled and mitered, be careful to mea- saw is really not a complicated process.
transfer the miter and bevel angles to sure from the proper point when setting Just take things one step at a time, and
the workpieces themselves to help stay the stop block. When completed, you you’ll be miles ahead. W
1 2
NOTE: For the first cut, set Tilt
the miter gauge and blade blade NOTE: For the second cut, leave
angle. Then cut one end of 10° the saw blade at the same angle.
the workpiece Rotate the miter gauge in the
opposite direction, then flip
the workpiece over and
end-for-end
Workpiece Aux. miter Workpiece
fence
Aux. miter
fence
Stop
block
Rotate
miter Rotate miter
gauge 10° gauge 10°
WS231_062.indd 63 3/28/2017 2:36:14 PM

m
tips frop
our sho
Shop Notes
Shop-Made Bench Cushion
The empire bench on page 44 is a tra- own cushion is not too difficult and a thick piece of high-density foam, bat-
ditional heirloom project, so I wanted involves many of the same approaches ting to prevent the foam from slipping,
a classic cushion to finish it off in style. as woodworking — careful cutting, and the fabric (or, in this case, faux
You can seek out a local upholstery shop measuring, and attention to detail. leather). The dimensions for the ply-
to handle this task for you if desired. CUSHION BASICS. The built-up layers of wood panel and foam are provided on
In my experience, though, making your the cushion consist of a plywood panel, page 53 of the bench article.
CREATING THE CUSHION. The panel and
1 2 foam are the easy parts: They’re cut to

the same length and width and stacked
Cushion so the ends and edges are flush.
panel Cut batting flush
with panel surface The batting goes on next to fix every-
High-density FIRST: Wrap
thing in place before wrapping the cush-
foam batting flush ion with the faux leather. You can get an
with bottom
Batting edge of panel idea of how I cut the batting from Fig-
Cut out ures 1 and 2 at left. When it was ready,
square corners
SECOND: Staple I simply wrapped it around the foam
of batting
it in place and glued and stapled it to the ends and
edges of the panel as shown in Figure 2.
ADDING THE FAUX LEATHER. I trimmed the
faux leather so it would wrap the under-
3 FIRST: Pull edges 4 side of the panel with a 2" to 3" overhang.
taut and staple The basic idea is similar to wrapping a
Batting present, but with a little more precision.
You can start on the edges, pulling them
taut and stapling along the underside to
hold them in place. Then pull the excess
SECOND: Pull Pull end
excess taut up to form along an end and staple it in place as
Leather around end a clean corner shown in Figure 3.
and staple and staple ends
The final step is to create a clean tuck
at each corner and fold it neatly before
stapling it (Figure 4 and main photo).
This hides the folds behind the slats.
WS231_064.indd 64 4/4/2017 1:37:59 PM

Lay Out & Cut Large Arcs 1 Front/back 2
I often use a compass to lay out arcs before rail
cutting them. But in the case of a very
long arc (such as the one on the front and !/4"
hardboard
back rails of the empire bench), I rely on a 2" brad
slightly more convenient method.
SIMPLE LAYOUT METHOD. As you can see in a.
Figure 1 at right, this setup is a lot sim- TOP VIEW
Cut outside
pler than a super-size compass. Just tack a layout line,
brad at the centerpoint of the arc and bend then sand
Hardboard smooth
a thin strip of hardboard to meet the ends. Spring clamp aligns with
at each end outside corner of Waste
After laying it out, a simple band saw cut tenon shoulder
takes care of the rest (Figure 2).
1 2 Easy Mortise Strips

For parts that require a lot of mortises
(such as the rails of the empire bench),
it’s often easier to cut notches in a sepa-
Push
block rate strip, and then glue the strip into a
Rip
FIRST: Set rip fence for fence groove in the rail to form the mortises.
shoulder cut, then flip for
opposite shoulder Since these mortise strips are often
thin, you can make quick work of things
SECOND: Repeat Mortise by notching a wider blank first (Figure
for second strip
shoulder cut
1). Then, ripping the individual mortise
strips free from the wider blank will pro-
THIRD: Waste out
middle of notches
Waste vide all the parts that you need for the
project, as shown in Figure 2.
Routing Jig
The sawbench on page 22 has a narrow tool well on one side
Short
of the thick top. This well is formed by using a 1"-dia. bowl guide Long guide NOTE: Parts are held
together with glue
and tray bit in a hand-held router. But you’ll also need this
4
simple jig, shown at right, to guide the bit. Short
EASY TO BUILD & USE. In order to provide a surface for the guide
6
router bearing to ride against through multiple passes,
make the jig from 3⁄4"-thick MDF. Once you’ve constructed Long guide
the jig, clamp it in place on the sawbench’s top, as shown in 1#/4
Figure 1, below. Make shallow, clockwise passes, lowering 27#/4
the bit between each one. After the bit’s bearing reaches the NOTE: Guides are
bottom of the jig, remove the jig, readjust the bit, and use made from #/4"-thick MDF
the wall of the well to complete the final passes (Figure 2).
Clamp
1 2
NOTE:
1"-dia. bowl Remove jig
& tray bit for the final
passes
Clamp a. a.
Align one end of
the jig with square 1
end of sawbench top
#/4 SIDE
VIEW SIDE
SECTION VIEW
WS231_064.indd 65 4/4/2017 1:38:22 PM

Taper Jig 1 2 NOTE: Dimensions
for roof panel
Creating 16 identical tapered and bev- shown on page 32
eled roof panels for the martin house on
Taper jig R
page 26 presented an interesting chal- base
lenge. The solution is to make a pair of Bevel gauge
taper sleds for the table saw. marks blade
angle
The starting point is tilting the saw
blade and cutting a beveled edge on one
side of each of your sled bases (Figure 1). a. END Tilt a. 8°
These beveled cuts form reference edges VIEW blade
8°
for positioning the workpieces.
LAYOUT. Speaking of those workpieces, END
VIEW
after cutting the panel blanks to over-
all size, you need to do a little layout
on one of them. Figure 2 shows what’s
required. Marking a centerline helps sleds and align the marks on each end SECOND SLED. In order to cut the opposite
you lay out the taper along each side of of the panel with the reference edge of side of the panel, you’ll need the other
the panel. Then set a bevel gauge to the the sled, as shown in Figures 3a and sled. Here again, the piece with the lay-
same angle as the saw blade to mark 3b. At this point, you can attach the out marks serves as a setup gauge for
the taper on each end of the blank. two cleats to hold the blank in position. attaching the two cleats, as in Figures
SLED CLEATS. With the blank in hand, set Now it’s a simple matter of cutting one 4a and 4b. Then in 16 cuts, you’ll end
it in place on the base of one of your edge of all the roof panels (Figure 3). up with the panels perfectly sized.
3 4
R
R Align
Attach cleats workpiece on
along edge and jig and
1st at the end 2nd
Taper jig attach cleats
Taper jig
a. Side of panel b. Sides of panel a. FRONT VIEW b. BACK VIEW
FRONT BACK Layout Layout

VIEW VIEW line line
Platform Cutting Jig 1 Align layout

mark w/centerline
The platforms of the martin house have to cut a facet
30
16 sides in order to accommodate the
coopered staves that wrap around !/2"-dia. x Base
them. To save time, I devised a 1!/2" long
dowel
simple jig that allows you to cut all 10!/2
four platform blanks at once. 24 Platform
NOTE: Base blanks
SIMPLE JIG. As you can see at right, the jig is #/4"
plywood
is nothing more than a base that holds
the blanks with a runner to guide it in
the miter slot. A dowel in the base corre- a. FRONT VIEW a. END VIEW Waste
sponds with a centered hole in the blanks. 10!/2
To use the jig, align one of the layout A
lines on the blanks with the reference line
marked on the jig, and hold the blanks
firmly as you make a cut. Rotate the
blanks and repeat to cut all 16 sides. W
WS231_066.indd 66 4/4/2017 1:49:04 PM

hardware & supplies
Sources
Most of the materials and sup- SAWBENCH (p.22) REINFORCED VENEER (p.58) MAIL
plies you’ll need to build the The sawbench was painted with Reinforced veneers are avail- ORDER
projects are available at hard- two coats of General Finishes’ milk able from a number of different SOURCES
ware stores or home centers. For paint in “Summerset Gold.” specialty woodworking stores, Project supplies may
specific products or hard-to-find as well as online retailers. The be ordered from the
items, take a look at the sources MARTIN HOUSE (p.26) reinforced veneers shown in the following
listed here. You’ll find each part article were supplied by Rockler
companies:
• McMaster-Carr
number listed by the company Alum. Tubing . . . . . . . . 5177K67 and Wisewood Veneer. amazon.com
name. See the right margin for • Rockler Benjamin Moore
contact information. Turn Buttons . . . . . . . . . . 27912 COMPOUND MITERS (p.62) benjaminmoore.com
7" Finial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22657 • Lee Valley Fabric.com

NON-WOVEN ABRASIVES (p.10) The sides of the martin house are Veritas Bevel Setter. . . .05N66.01 888-455-2940
fabric.com
Non-woven abrasive hand pads painted in Benjamin Moore’s Regal Two online calculators for deter-
General Finishes
can be found at most hardware Select “Minced Onion” (low lus- mining compound miter angles 800-783-6050
stores and home centers, as well tre). The color for the roof, bal- can be found here: http://jansson. generalfinishes.com
as from woodworking retailers. conies, and perch rails is “Green us/jcompound.html and http:// Harbor Freight
For convolute deburring wheels Meadows” (low lustre). pdxtex.com/canoe/compound.htm. 800-423-2567
harborfreight.com
or non-woven abrasive belts or
discs, check with an industrial SHARPENING JIG (p.36) Home Depot
supplier such as McMaster-Carr • Peachtree Woodworking The Complete 800-466-3337
homedepot.com
or MSC Direct. 48” Miter Track Combo . . . 1036 Woodsmith Kreg Tool
• McMaster-Carr
VARIABLE-SPEED ROUTING (p.12) 2”-dia. Std. Knob . . . . 6085K160
Magazine Collection 800-447-8638
kregtool.com
• Harbor Freight 1 1⁄2”-dia. Std. Knob 60965K310 1979 to 2016 Lee Valley
1 800-871-8158
Router Speed Control . . . . . 43060 ⁄4" Lvl. Washers . . . 91131A028
 Access Every Issue, leevalley.com
2"-dia. Thrd. Knob . . 61135K35 Article, Photo, Lowe’s
KREG PROJECT CENTER (p.14) The Rikon 80-805 Low Speed and Illustration Ever 800-445-6937
The Kreg Mobile Project Center is Grinder is available from online Published! lowes.com
available from retailers such as retailers, including Woodcraft,  Every Plan, Tip, and McMaster-Carr
Amazon, Lowe’s, Rockler and more. Rockler, and more. Technique, Everything 630-833-0300
mcmaster.com
You’ll Ever Need!
COAT RACK (p.18) EMPIRE BENCH (p.44)  Instant Online Access on
MSC Direct
800-645-7270
• Rockler • Rockler Your Computer, Laptop, mscdirect.com
2" Z-clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46357 Cabinet Scraper Set . . . . . 45260 Tablet, or Smarphone! Peachtree Woodworking
• Home Depot • Fabric.com 888-512-9069
1⁄ " Steel Bar . . . . . . . . . . 802427 ptreeusa.com
4 Ostrich Faux Leather . . . 0430088 Item #WL06U
To stain the body of the coat The bench was stained with Woodsmith, Rockler
800-279-4441
rack, I used Watco’s Danish oil Varathane’s “Gunstock” oil- The Complete
rockler.com
in “Natural.” The hooks were based wood stain, then sprayed Magazine Collection
finished with Watco’s Danish with three coats of lacquer.

99
on USB Flash Drive...$ Rust-Oleum
(Varathane & Watco)
oil in “Dark Walnut.” rustoleum.com
Wisewood Veneer
855-883-6337
wisewoodveneer.com
Woodcraft
800-225-1153
woodcraft.com
WS231_066.indd 67 4/5/2017 8:55:58 AM

looking inside
Final Details
{ Coat Rack. At first glance, this weekend project looks like nothing
more than a piece of wall art. But flip down one or more of the five
hooks and you have an instant coat rack. Plans start on page 18.
>
{ Martin House. The custom

design of this birdhouse will be
the envy of the neighborhood.
And the birds will like it, too.
You’ll find plans on page 26.
{S Sawbench. Whether you build a pair or
just one, you’ll find plenty of uses for this
traditional sawbench. Turn to page 22
for step-by-step plans.
}S Sharpening Station. Turn a low-cost bench

grinder into an all-purpose tool sharpening
station with this simple shop project. We
explain how to build it on page 36.
{ Empire Bench. The legs and slats at each end of this handsome bench flow
outward in graceful curves. But don’t worry — there’s no bending of wood
involved. To learn the secret of how it’s done, turn to page 44. From there, we’ll
walk you through each step of the construction, from start to finish.
WS231_001.indd 68 4/5/2017 8:54:08 AM

Ench Rinder Rinder: Makeover

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Ench Rinder Rinder: Makeover

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GUILD  EDITION

Woodsmith.com Vol. 39 / No. 231

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CREATIVE HOME GROUP

EXECUTIVE ART DIRECTOR Todd Lambirth

2 • Woodsmith / No. 231

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from our readers

working with tools

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Win This Forrest Blade

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6 • Woodsmith / No. 231

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Size hole to fit

NOTE: Disc made

Dust Collector Handle Upgrade

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Mini Blind Drawer Slides

8 • Woodsmith / No. 231

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Pad Steel Wool

{ In addition to hand pads, non-woven abrasives Gray 00

10 • Woodsmith / No. 231

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A Closer Look: CONVOLUTE WHEELS Rotation Scotch-Brite

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choosing the right

12 • Woodsmith / No. 231

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14 • Woodsmith / No. 231

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16 • Woodsmith / No. 231

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4 5 Pivot a. Pivot block 6

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If you’re looking for a quick CONTROLLED CHAOS. Even though

18 • Woodsmith / No. 231

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LEFT END 12#/4

How-To: DRILL DOWEL HOLES Materials, Supplies & Cutting Diagram

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NOTE: Flip the blocks

Assembling the COAT RACK

How-To: SIZE BLOCKS & DRILL PIVOT PIN HOLES a.

20 • Woodsmith / No. 231

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22 • Woodsmith / No. 231

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#/4 NOTE: Taper legs

How-To: SHAPE THE LEGS

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TRAY & TOP SHORT

angle of the legs for a flush fit, as shown B VIEW !/2

How-To: MAKE THE TRAY

!/2 !/2 Tilt blade

24 • Woodsmith / No. 231

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ripping notch starts by accurately lay-

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Many people get their first taste of woodwork-

26 • Woodsmith / No. 231

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You can turn

Bead trim covers

NOTE: Central column slips

Perch rails are

Hole in door is sized to match

NOTE: For hardware sources

Airflow. To keep the compartments dry, holes

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