ShobNotes

Vol. 2 1~
. J Issue 12

a Shop-Built Disk Sander a Straight-Edge Cutting Guide

Tips on Using Dado Blades Changing Jointer Knives
 7,
EDITOR’S NOTE

SiopNotes.
Issue 12 November 1993
EDITOR Donald B. Peschke
electing hardware is an impor- This guide features a complete index

S
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Douglas L. Hicks
MANAGING EDITOR Terry J. Strohman tant part of every project that we to all of the projectsand articles that
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Richard S. Peters design and build. Whenever pos- have appeared in the past issues of
ASSISTANT EDITOR Tim Robertson sible we try to use hardware that is ShopNotes. And it includes descrip-
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Philip A. Totten readily available. But every now and tions of all the hardware kits that are
then we design a project around a spe- available to build the projects.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ted Kralicek
ART DIRECTOR Cary Christensen
cial piece of hardware. One example is Projects ,
Plans ,
& Techniques also

SENIOR ILLUSTRATOR Kurt Schultz the Disk Sander in this issue. contains an index of allthe projects
ILLUSTRATORS Will Niskanen DISK SANDER. From the beginning, I and articles that have appeared in
Roger ReiLand wanted to build a professional-quality Woodsmith magazine (issues 1- 89).
Mark Higdon disk sander. So I started with an extra- To receive your free copy of Projects ,

PHOTOGRAPHER Crayola England

large metal sanding disk and built the Plans & Techniques all you have to do
, ,

DESIGN DIRECTOR Ken Munkel project around it. The sanding disk is mail in the order card that's bound in

SENIOR DESIGNER Jan Hale Svec works great, but weVe only been able this issue. If the order card is missing,
DESIGNER Kent Welsh to find one mail-order source. (For you can also get a copy by writing to:
SHOP MANAGER Steve Curtis more on this, see Sources on page 31.) ShopNotes P.O. Box 842, Des Moines,
,

SHOP ASSTJFACILITIES Steve Johnson

FOOT PEDAL. Another project in this IA, 50304-9961.

CIRCULATION
issue that started with a unique piece of LUNCH with NORM. About a month
Circulation Director: Liz Bredeson Subscrip-
“hardware” is the Drill Press Foot ago Kent Buckton (Newsstand Sales)
tion Manager: Phyllis Jessen Circulation Ana- Pedal on page 8. This time we found told me that Norm Abram was coming
lyst Rod Cain Newsstand Sales: Kent A.
what we needed at a local bicycle shop to town for a woodworking show. Sev-
Buckton
PUBLISHING SERVICES
— a length of brake cable sleeve. eral people here (myself included) have

Associate Editor: Gordon C. Gaippe » Sr. But enough about the projects, I been watching Norm on public televi-
Gmphic Designer: Robert H. Whitmer Graphic want to bring you up to date on some of sion for years. (Norm Abram is fea-
Artist: Cheryl L. Cynor
the other things that have been hap- tured on The New Yankee Workshop
CORPORATE SERVICES
pening around here. and This Old House.)
Accounting: Laura Thomas Bookkeeping: Julie
Greenlee Info. Services Manager: Joyce Moore THE FLOOD. In the last issue ( Shop- Well, Kent wanted to invite Norm
Electronic Pub. Coordinator: Douglas M. Lidster
Notes No. 11), I mentioned some of the over to meet everyone. I thought it
Administrative Assistants: Cheryl Scott, Julia
Fish* Receptionist: Jeanne Johnson Building problems we had encountered due to sounded like a great idea. But I told
Maintenance: Ken Griffith flooding. Well Pm happy to report that Kent not to get his hopes up. After all,
the flood waters have receded. Clean- Norm was only going to be in town for
PROJECT SUPPLIES
up and repairs are complete. And one day, and he had a lot of things to do.
Marketing Director: Robert Murry Catalog Art
things are finally back to normal. Several days went by and I forgot
Director: Cindy Jackson Catalog Products
Manager: Bob Baker* Project Supplies: Linda It was impressive to watch such a big about the whole thing. But Kent didn't.
Jones Technical Support: Jeff Janes •Systems job get done so quickly. But what really After making dozens of phone calls, he
Operator: Linda Morrow
impressed me were the letters and finally arranged for Norm to come over
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Manager: Valerie Wiese Supervisor: Jennie Enos
phone calls we received from our read- for lunch and a short tour.
Customer Service Representatives: Jennifer ers. Your concern and understanding Now I was in a bit of a panic.
t
I didn't
Murphy, Joy Johnson, Sara Kono, Ami Blanshan,
Anna Cox, Chris Lo
was appreciated by everyone here. have a clue about what to do for lunch.
SHIPPING DEPARTMENT While the flood is something Til Luckily, Julia Fish (Administrative As-
Supervisor: Jerry Carson • Fulfillment: Gloria never forget, Pd rather tell you about sistant) came to my rescue. She took
Sheehan, Don McVey, Chuck Carlson, Sylvia Carey some of the other things that have been care of all the details and we all had a
going on. great time.
ShopNotes ® (ISSN 1062-9696) is published bimonthly
(Jan.,March, May, July, Sept., Nov.) by Woodsmith Cor- NEW INDEX. Over the last few weeks ADDITIONS. Since the last issue of
poration, 2200 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312.
ShopNotes ® is a registered trademark of Woodsmith Corp. weVe been putting the finishing ShopNotes we've added a couple of new
©Copyright
rights reserved.
1993 by Woodsmith Corporation. All
touches on a project that Pm very ex- faces. Steve Johnson will be helping out
Subscriptions: Single Copy, $4.95. One year subscrip- cited about. IPs a new reference guide in the shop. And Cheryl Cynor has
tion (6 issues), $19.95. Two years (12 issues), $35.95. Can-
ada/Foreign, add $4.00 per year. called Projects Plans & Techniques.
, ,
joined the Publishing Services team.
Second Class Postage Paid at Des Moines, IA and
at additional offices.
Postmaster: Send change of address to ShopNotes,
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Subscription Questions? Call 1-800-333-5854, 8am
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PRINTED IN U.S.A.

2 ShopNotes No. 12
 i

ISSUE NUMBER TWELVE

Contents
Straight-Edge Cutting Guide 4
A unique clamping system makes it easy to guide your
circular saw for straight and accurate cuts.
Cutting Guide page U

Drill Fress Foot Pedal 8

This foot pedal frees up your hands so that you can
accurately position a workpiece for drilling.

Dado Slades 10
A look at the different types of dado blades. Plus some
new variations on traditional blades.

Tips on Using Dado Slades 12

Tips and techniques to make clean and accurate cuts
with a dado blade.
Foot Pedal page 8
Changing Jointer Knives 14
All it takes to change and adjust the knives on your
jointer is a straightedge and a little patience.

Disk Sander 16
Get professional quality results with this shop-built
bench-top disk sander. It features a large, flat table that
tilts for angled sanding, and a built-in vacuum port.

Disk Sander Stand 25

This stand provides a stable foundation for the disk sander.
”
A hollow column can be filled with sand or bricks to anchor
",

the stand in place and reduce vibration.

Dado Blades page 10

Shop Solutions 28
Six Shop-Tested Tips: Knock-Down Sawhorse, Alter-
nate Bench Vise, Clamp Pad, Allen Wrench Organizer,
Tip for Cutting Metal Threads, and a Leather Strop Tip.

T-nuts 30
These inexpensive knock-down fasteners hold a project
together securely without stripping out. And best o f all,
they’re readily available at most hardware stores.

0 Sources
Hardware, project supplies, and mail order sources
31
for
the projects in this issue.
Disk Sander page 16

No. 12 ShopNotes 3
 Straight-Edge
Cuttin~
Straight, accurate cuts
with a circular saw. .

and no clamps
in the way.

S ometimes the
solution to one
problem just leads to another.
This lets you secure the guide to
a workpiece without having the
clamps interfere with the saw.
as the strips are added.
To provide room for the
clamping system and still be
For instance, clamping a fence to CUTOFF LINE. Another thing able to crosscut a full sheet of
a piece of plywood to get a that's handy about this guide is plywood, each strip is 56" long,
straight cut with a circular saw. it's designed so the edge serves as see Detail in Exploded View. Af-
The fence guides the saw for a the cutoff line for your circular ter cutting the strips to length,
straight cut, but the clamps al- saw blade. This way, all you need they're glued together with con-
ways seem to get in the way. So to do is align the edge with your tact cement so you don't have to
you end up having to stop and layout line, tighten the clamp, use a lot of clamps.
reposition them to complete the and make the cut, see inset photo. The only problem is it's hard to
cut. To prevent this, I made a cut- keep the edges flush and square.
ting guide with a built-in clamp- BASE As a result, when it's time to cut
ing system, see photo. I started work by making the the grooves that form the T-slot,
CLAMPING SYSTEM. The unique base (A), see Exploded View. It's there's no reliable edge to run
Hardware thing about this system is that it built up of three long strips of against the rip fence.
runs in a T-slot that's underneath VT'-thick Masonite. This allows REFERENCE EDGE. The solu-
• (2) #3 X 1V4"
the guide, see Exploded View. you to cut each part of the T-slot tion is to establish the edge of one
Fh Woodscrews
• (10) #3 x 1“ Fh
Wood screws NOTE:
MIDDLE STRIP OVERHANGS
• 5/16"x4"
(1) BOTTOM BY ABOUT V4"
Hex 3 olt BOTTOM

• (2) 5/ie" Lock CUT STRIPS T WIDE

Nuts REFERENCE
REFERENCE EDGE
• 5/i6"x13
(1) EDGE BOTTOM
MIDDLE
Threaded Insert
RIP CUT 5/ "-WIDE CUT 5/i 6 "-WIDE
n 6 RIP
• (1) 5/l6 Plastic FENCE GROOVE. GROOVE CENTERE
TOP
FENCE
” MIDDLE
T-Knob 3/16 " DEEP ON SLOT
• 5/w"x 1 3/4"
(1)
Toilet Bolt

• 5/w n Plastic
(1)
Wing Nut REFERENCE EDGE EDGE BOTTOM

4 ShopNotes No. 12
strip as a reference. This way, about Vi" so you maintain the
you can use it against the rip same reference edge, see Fig. 2.
FENCE
fence when cutting each part of Now it's just a matter of cutting With the waste trimmed off, the
the T-slot and when trimming another groove for the lower part next step is to add th e fence ( B).
the base to width later. of the T-slot in the bottom layer, This is a straight piece of hard-
To create this reference edge, I see Fig. 2a. wood (maple) that's cut to the
glued the bottom and middle trim WASTE. After completing same length as the base, see de-
strips together so there's about the T-slot, you'll need to use the tail in Exploded View and Fig. 4a.

Vi" overhang, see Fig. 1. Then I reference edge one more time — The fence ensures a straight
used the edge of the middle piece to trim the base to rough width, cut by guiding the base of the
as a reference to cut the groove see Fig. 3a. To provide plenty of circular saw. To attach the fence,
that forms the top part of the T- room for the base of my circular I cut a rabbet in the edge of the
slot, see Fig. la. saw, I trimmed it to a width of 7". base, see Fig. 4. Then, after cham-
TOP STRIP. The next step is to This produces a square edge to fering the top edges of the fence,
glue on the top strip. Here again, work off when adding the fence it's glued and screwed in place,
the idea is to offset this strip later, see Fig. 3. see Figs. 4 and 4a.

No. 12 ShopNotes 5
 JIGS & ACCESSORIES
Clamping System
The heart

of two
of this cutting guide is
the clamping system. It consists
clamp head and a
parts: a
0
stop block, refer to the Exploded
View on page 5.

CLAMP HEAD
The clamp head is made up of two
hardwood blocks: a front block
( C) that’s attached permanently
to the base, and a back block (D)
that applies pressure against the
edge of a workpiece, see Fig. 5.
This clamping pressure is pro-
duced by a hex bolt that passes
through a hole in each block, see
Fig. 5. The shank of the bolt
threads into an insert in the front
block. When you turn a knob on
FIRST: DRILL HOLE TO FIT
the end of the bolt, the back block 5
Ae"THREADED INSERT
presses against the workpiece.
The key to making this work is !
1
m T 1V2"
to get the holes in the blocks
aligned.To do this, I set up a fence
FRONT
SLOCK
Ttr
7 1
and stop block on the drill press, SECOND:
1
^ DRILL 5Ae"
and used a two-step drilling se- HOLES
quence, see Fig. 6. r 1

First, the hole for the threaded BACK

1

1 1
ll
l

1 T
1V2"
1

insert is drilled in the front block, BLOCK !

Jl
1

FRONT !

see Fig. 6a. Then the shank holes SLOCK 1" k*

are drilled in each block.

NOTCHES. After drilling the
holes, the next step is to cut a
notch in each block, see Fig. 7a.
The notch in the back block cre-
ates a recess for the head of the
bolt. And the notch in the front
block serves as a “pocket” for a
lock nut that holds the back block
on the bolt, refer to Fig. 5.
Safety Note: To safely hold the
blocks when cutting the notches,
Iclamped each one to an auxiliary
fence that’s screwed to the miter
gauge, see Fig. 7.

ASSEMBLY. To assemble the

clamp head, slip the bolt through
the hole in the back block, and
tighten on a lock nut, refer to Fig.
5. Note: The nut should be snug, knob from working loose, tighten clamp head. To do this, position
yet still allow the bolt to turn. itagainst a lock nut on the end of the front block so it’s flush with
Then install the threaded insert the bolt. the end of the base and centered
in the front block, and thread the INSTALL CLAMP HEAD. Now it’s under the T-slot, refer to Fig. 5a.
bolt through. Finally, to keep the just a matter of installing the Then glue and screw it in place.

6 ShopNotes No. 12
 JIGS & ACCESSORIES

STOP BLOCK
To make the cutting guide adjust- SANDPAPER-
able for different size work- NOTE:
pieces, the next step is to add a DRILL 5/i6 H -DIA.
HOLE
CUTTING GUIDE CENTERED ON BLOCK
stop block (E). This is a hardwood
block that slides back and forth in
the T-slot. To hold it in place once
it's positioned, the stop block locks
against the bottom of the base.
The key is a toilet bolt that I
picked up in the plumbing section 1 V i_ 1
at thehardware store, see Fig. 8. —j- STOP
The head of the bolt is captured
3/4"
r i
[
f BLOCK

in the T-slot, while the shank r M 4"

passes through a hole that's cen- PLASTIC WING NUT

tered on the stop block. Tighten-

ing a wing nut on the end of the
bolt draws the head against the
slotand holds the block in place.
ALIGNMENT keys. To keep the
stop block from spinning, I added
two keys (F), see Fig. 8. These
are strips of hardwood that are
glued in a shallow dado cut in the
top of the stop block, see Fig. 8a.
sandpaper. Next, to prevent
the stop block from creeping as
pressure is applied by the clamp
head, glued a piece of 80 grit
I

sandpaper to the top of the block,

see Fig. 8. Note: I also glued strips
to the inside edges of the stop block edge that's trimmed matches the lineson your workpiece.
and clamp head, see Figs. 5 and 8. cutoff line for the blade on your To secure the guide when trim-
TRIM EDGE. All that's left to do circular saw. This makes it easy ming the edge, I clamped it to a
is to trim the edge off the guide, see to set up a cut by positioning the bench, see Fig. 9a. Just be sure
Fig. 9. The idea here is simple. The edge of the guide on the layout the blade clears the bench.

Using the Cutting Guide

Setting up the cutting guide to
make a. cut is easy. Start by mark-
ing layout lines on the workpiece.
Then, since the edge of the guide
serves as the cutoff line for your
saw blade, position this edge on the
layout lines, see Drawing.
To secure the guide, lock the
stop block against one edge of the
workpiece, and tighten the clamp
head against the opposite edge. The fence doubles as a straightedge to
Then use the fence to guide your guide the base of your router. Since the
saw across the base. clamping system is beneath the guide, it
won get in the way of the motor housing.
’t

No. 12 ShopNotes 7
 3

Drill Press
Foot Pedal
wPi ike most wood- end of the top piece to keep your and the sleeve, see Fig. la. Note:
L;workers, I often foot from slipping off, and a hole I bought a sleeve for a brake cable

need a “third hand” around the drilled through the other end for from a local bike shop. (For a com-
shop when drilling holes in a large the cable to pass through. plete hardware kit, see page 31.)
workpiece. Two hands to hold the frame. To support the pedal, I COLLAR. To secure the other
piece in the correct position. And a built a simple frame. It consists of end of the sleeve, I fit a collar
third hand to operate the quill feed. two sides (C) screwed to the bot- around the drill press column that
To free up both hands, I added tom piece of the pedal and a top (D) supports another stop block. The
a foot pedal to my drill press. that holds the sides together. collar (F) starts out as a single
Basically, it works like the ac- Before attaching the top, I glued hardwood blank, see Fig. 2.
celerator pedal on a car. To on a lower stop block (E). A series After laying out a circle the
lower the bit, just step on of holes is drilled in the block and same diameter as your column,
the pedal. Easing off the through the top —
a large diame- the blank is ripped down the cen-
pedal returns the bit to ter hole for a spring added later, ter. Then the curved openings are
its starting point. and smaller holes for the cable cut, and holes are drilled in each
What makes this
work is a wire NOTE: CENTER BLOCK ON TOP LOWER STOP
1
cable that slides #0 x l!/2 " Fh WOODSCREW -
SLOCK
(1
3/4" X 1 3/4")
inside a flexible
a. DRILL 7/i6"-DIA. I)
“sleeve.” The COUNTERBORE,
*/&" DEEP
cable transfers 7/32n -DIA.

the movement
of the pedal di-
HOLE c I
1 ,,

/a -DIA.

rectly to the quill -ktA

*
L-HOLE CENTER V-DIA.
HOLE Vz u IN
feed on the drill press. to? 1^' FROM END
PEDAL. I started work by mak- '
DRILL y2 n -DIA.
COUNTERSINK
ing the two-piece pedal (A), see TO PREVENT CABLE
FROM BINDING )
Fig. 1. To maintain tension on the
cable, I used a pair of spring

hinges to connect the pieces.

There’s a cleat (B) screwed to one

Hardware
” 5
(2) IV16 x 1 /&" Spring Hinges
(2) #3 x IV4 " Fh Woodscrews
7/w" x 5“ Spring
(1)

(3) # x V/2 " Fh

Woodscrews
(2) V4" x 5V2" Hex Softs
"
(4) V4 Flat Washers
V " Hex Nuts
(2) 4
(1) 3V2"-Dia. Pulley w/ V2 " Sore SPRING HINGES
(1) ¥16 " Crimp-On Stop
(1) Vi6" Cable Clamp
n NOTE:
Vl6 -Dia. Wire Cable (14 feet) ALL PARTS MADE FROM
3/4"-THICK STOCK
Flexible Cable Sleeve (10 feet)

8 ShopNotes No. 12
 JIGS & ACCESSORIES

piece for a pair of bolts that hold

the collar in place.
The next step is to add the
upper stop block (G), see Fig. 2.
Here again, I drilled a counter-
bored hole for the cable and
sleeve, then glued the block to
the collar, see Figs. 2 and 2a.
PULLEY. After attaching the
collar, I added a pulley to the
shaft that runs through the quill
feed, see Fig. 3. This way, when
the cable is attached, the pulley
turns the shaft that raises and
lowers the bit. Note: Since my
drill press has a ^"-diameter

shaft, I used a pulley with a cor-

responding size bore, see Hard-
ware List on opposite page.
Regardless of the size, you'll
need to provide a way to attach
the cable to the pulley. To do this,
I drilled a small hole near the bot-

tom of the V-groove, see Fig. 3.

To make room for the pulley, I
removed the two nuts that hold
the return spring in place. Then
I filed a ‘‘flat" on the shaft, slipped

on the pulley, and tightened down

the Allen screw, see Fig. 3a.
INSTALL CABLE. Now you’re
ready to run the cable from the
pulley to the pedal. The thing to
be aware of is to make both the
cable and the sleeve long enough
so the pedal can be positioned in
a convenient location. (I used a
fourteen foot length for the cable
and a ten foot sleeve.)
Once the cable is cut to length,
start by inserting one end
through the hole in the pulley,
and attach a crimp-on stop, see
Fig. 3a. Then, after taking a cou-
ple of wraps around the pulley,
pass the other end through the
upper stop block, and slip the
flexible sleeve over the cable.
Next, to keep the cable from
kinking, I slid a spring over the
sleeve and pushed it into the
lower stop block, see Fig. 4a.
Then it’s just a matter of thread-
ing the cable through the pedal
and seeming it with a cable clamp.

No. 12 ShopNotes 9
 IN THE SHOP

Dado Blades
E very time I
open a wood-
working catalog,
it seems like there's

a new kind of dado

blade available. This
makes it a little con-
i' fusing if you're buy-
ing a new blade. But
when you boil down the
choices, there are just a
few things you need to look
for when selecting a dado blade.

What to look Basically, there are two types

of blades: stack dadoes and ad-
for when
justable dado blades. While both
buying a
of these blades are designed to
dado blade. make a cut that's wider than a
standard saw kerf, they go about
it in different ways.

STACK DADOES
A stack dado blade gets its name
from a set of individual parts that some combination of flat-topped Fig. 2. This means the tips of the
are stacked on the saw arbor. and beveled teeth. One thing I've teeth shear off the wood fibers at
These parts fall into two basic found is that the direction of the the edge of the dado and produce
groups —cutters and chippers. beveled teeth determines how a smooth-sided cut.
CUTTERS. To create the sides well the blade will cut. chippers. The second part of
of the dado (or groove), there's a To produce a clean cut, I look a stack dado blade are the chip-
cutter on each side of the stack, for cutters where the beveled per, refer to Fig. 1. All the chip-
see Fig. 1. Most cutters have teeth face toward each other, see pers do is remove the material
between the cutters.
Most stack dado blades have a
Safety Dado Blade set of four or five chippers that
vary in thickness. This lets you
This Freud dado blade is one of arrange them in different combi-
the oddest looking blades I've seen. nations to change the width of
That's because there's a tall cut. Note: With all the chippers in
“shoulder" that sits directly in place, you can produce a cut that's
13
front of each tooth, see photo. /W wide.
The shoulder limits the size of teeth. Regardless of the num-
the chip that each tooth cuts. all have one
ber of chippers, they
This prevents the blade from thing in common. To produce a
grabbing the workpiece and re- flat-bottomed cut, the teeth are
duces the chance of kickback. ground flat across the top.
This also makes it ideal for a The unusual thing is there are
radial arm saw where a dado blade only two to four teeth on each
has a tendency to “climb" the work- chipper. This allows the chippers
piece. (For sources, see page 31.) to remove a lot of material
quickly. The only difference I've

10 ShopNotes No. 12
 IN THE SHOP

found is chippers with four teeth

make a slightly smoother cut.
HOOK angle. Another thing
to keep in mind when selecting a
stack dado is the hook angle of the
teeth on the cutters and chippers.
If the teeth lean forward (posi-
tive hook), the blade pulls the
workpiece into it as you make a
cut, see Fig 3. This makes it easy
to feed the workpiece quickly
through the blade. The only prob-
lem is sometimes the blade can
grab the workpiece and make it
hard to control.
The other option is to choose a
blade where the teeth angle back-
wards (negative hook), see Fig. 3.
With this type of blade, you have
to feed the workpiece through
much slower. But since the teeth on top of these disks, the blade In theory, this sounds good. But
don’t have a tendency to grab, it’s tilts. The more the blade is tilted, when you 'fine tune” the width of
easier to control the workpiece. the wider the cut, see Fig. 4a. cut, I’ve found it’s easy to lose
Note: For information on a new Since the blade is tilted, it ap- track of how much you’ve moved
type of dado blade, see the box on pears to wobble in an hourglass the collar.
the opposite page. pattern as it spins. Because of this, vibration. Another thing
these blades are often called “wob- you’ll notice with wobble blades
ADJUSTABLE DADOES ble blades.” (For a different type of is they have a tendency to vi-
The alternative to a stack dado is wobble blade, see the box below.) brate. There are a couple of rea-
an adjustable dado blade. It uses a FINE AD JUSTMENT. Like a sons for this.
single blade instead of a set of stack dado, a wobble blade can be First, the blade is spinning off-
individual parts. adjusted to make a cut between center on the arbor. Second, most
The basic principle is simple. V4 "
and 13
/i 6
M
wide. You just “dial” wobble blades don’t have a lot of
An angled disk is built onto each the collar to the desired setting teeth. As a result, each tooth has
side of the blade, see Fig. 4. When on a scale that’s etched in the to remove a lot of material which
you turn a metal collar that rotates disk, see Fig. 4. can cause a rough cut.
BOTTOM PROFILE. There’s one
other thing you’ll have to learn to
Twin Blade live with if you decide on an ad-
justable dado blade. Because the
One variation of an adjustable blade is tilted, it produces a cut
dado blade is a twin wobble blade. with a rounded bottom, see Fig.
The biggest advantage of this 4a. This really isn’t a problem
blade over a single wobble blade when making a narrow cut. But
is ithas a lot more teeth. This the wider the cut, the more exag-
reduces the amount of vibration, gerated the curve.
so you end up with a crisper cut. CONCLUSIONS. So what’s the
(For sources, see page 31.) bottom line? That depends. A
To make it adjustable, the blades wobble blade is considerably less
ride in converging grooves that are expensive than a stack dado
set in amovable hub. Turning the blade. And for occasional use, it

hub the blades in a V-shaped

tilts works just fine. But if you’re look-
pattern which can be adjusted for ing for the best quality cut (and
cuts from V4 " to 13/i 6 wide.
M
price isn’t a factor), I’d go with a
stack dado blade.

No. 12 ShopNotes 11
 IN THE SHOP

Tips on Using
Dado Blades
U sing a dado blade is the fast-
est way I know
dado, rabbet, or groove. But like
to cut a
through the insert. Note: I set the
dado blade to the maximum
width setting ( 13/i6 H ).
any specialized accessory, there WIDTH OF CUT. Another con-
are some special requirements. sideration when using a dado adjust the width of cut without
In fact, there are a few things to blade is adjusting the width of cut removing it from the arbor. Just
consider before you even make to get a perfect fit. The basic idea loosen the arbor nut, and turn the
your first cut. is simple — adjust the width of collar. But fine tuning a stack
INSERT. Since the opening in the blade to match the thickness dado blade isn’t quite as simple.
the metal insert that comes with of the mating workpiece. shims. The problem is adding
the table saw isn’t wide enough This would be easy, except for (or removing) one chipper changes
for a dado blade, you’ll need a one thing. It never seems to fail the width of cut dramatically. The
different insert. Although you that the thickness of your work- solution is to adjust the width of
can buy a metal dado insert, I’ve piece isn’t a nice, neat increment the blade just a hair by slipping
found that the blade opening is too (V2 ", 5/8", 3/4 n and so on). Usually, one (or more) shims onto the ar-
,

wide. So I prefer to make my own. it’s just a fraction over or under. bor, see Fig. 2.
It’s nothing more than a piece trial AND error. Because of For years, I’ve used paper
of hardwood that’s cut to fit the this, the only way I’ve found to disks cut from a piece of light-
opening for the original insert, get a truly accurate setting is by weight cardboard for shims. This
see Fig. To cut the slot for the
1. trial and error. Make a test cut, works fine, but they tend to
blade, clamp a board across the check the fit, then readjust the wear out with use. So recently
top of the insert. Then turn the blade if necessary. when I saw some other types of
saw on, and slowly raise the blade With a wobble blade, you can shims, I decided to give them a

Shims

Brass:
Five different thicknesses let
you make precise adjustments to
the width of cut with these brass shims.

Plastic:
Color-coded by thickness,
fit on the arbor
these plastic shims
without disassembling the dado blade.

12 ShopNotes No. 12
 IN THE SHOP

try, see the box on page 12 and This prevents the sides of the SETUP. Besides mounting the
Sources on page 31. teeth from touching (and damag- blade correctly, there are a few
STAGGER CHIPPERS. Whether ing the blade). And it ensures other things to be aware of when
you use shims or not, just be sure that all the parts are flat against setting up a cut. Basically, they
that the chippers are staggered each other so the arbor nut can be depend on whether you're cut-
around the saw arbor, see Fig. 2. tightened securely. ting a dado, groove, or rabbet.

DADOES
When using the miter gauge to
cut a dado, it’s hard to position the
workpiece so the blade cuts ex-
actly where you want it
To solve this, I start by screw-
ing a tall auxiliary fence to the
head of the gauge. Then, with the
blade raised about V4 " higher than
the thickness of your workpiece,
cut a notch in the fence, see Step 1.

Now just use the notch to locate

the path of the blade, see Step 2.

GROOVES
Using the rip fence to cut a groove
with a dado blade presents a dif-
ferent alignment problem.
To indicate the path of the blade,
I make a test cut in a scrap piece
of wood. Then, after backing off
the scrap, the edges of the cut are
marked on the insert, see Step 1.
Now you can line up the layout
lines on your workpiece with the
marks on the insert, lock the rip
fence, and make the cut, see Step 2.

RABBETS
Cutting a rabbet on the edge of a CLAMP
AUXILIARY
board also requires using the rip FENCE TO
fence. But in this case, part of the RIP FENCE
AUXILIARY
blade is “buried” in an auxiliary FENCE-,
fence that's clamped to the rip
fence, see Drawing. The amount of WIDTH OF
RIP RABBET IS
blade that sticks out determines A FENCE DETERMINED
BY AMOUNT OF
the width of the rabbet, see Detail. BLADE THAT
Why not just move the rip - EXTENDS PAST
FENCE
fence away from the blade and
cut the rabbet on the opposite
edge? Because the workpiece can
0\ WORKPIECE
\
"

get pinched between the blade NOTE: -

RAISE BLADE TO "If

and the fence. This can cause the CUT RECESS IN
"
<

blade to grab the work and kick it AUXILIARY FENCE 1

back at you. J

No. 12 ShopNotes 13
 /•i

Changing
Jointer Knives
pushed across the cutterhead, a set MOVEMENT. The problem occurs
of knives (two or three) cut into the when these screws (or bolts) are
wood. The outfeed table supports tightened. As soon as you tighten

All it takes to
A friend of mine has the same
attitude about changing
jointer knives as he has about do-
the workpiece and prevents the
knives from taking too deep a cut.
The secret to getting a smooth,
them, the knives move. The trick is
to anticipate this
What I've
movement.
found works best is

change and ad- ing taxes. He keeps putting it off, square cut on a jointer is to keep to set each knife slightly below

just the knives

and putting it off — even when his the knives adjusted perfectly the outfeed table. To make sure
jointer knives are dull or chipped. flush with the outfeed table. The the knives stay parallel to the
on your jointer The good news is changing problem is every time you sharpen outfeed table, adjust the leveling
is a straight- knives isn't nearly as complicated the knives, it reduces their height. screws the same amount. (I use
edge and a lit- as taxes. There's really only one Which means you have to raise the slots in the screw heads or the
tle patience adjustment to be concerned with them up to compensate for the position of an Allen wrench as a
— the height of the knives. The
.

metal that was removed. visual reference.)

reason this is so important has to LEVELING SCREWS. Raising the All it takes is the slightest turn
do with the way a jointer works. knives is easy. All you have to do of a leveling screw — maybe just
JOINTING. In use, a workpiece isturn a pair of leveling screws to an eighth of a turn. Then, tighten-
is pushed along an adjustable in- push a knife up. (For more on ing the mounting screws will push
feed table that's set lower than this, refer to Step 3 on page 15.) the knife into adjustment. This
the knives. As the workpiece is But holding the knives at the cor- isn't difficult, it just takes patience.
rect height another story.
is To check to see if the knife is

Wedge. Tighten- HOLDING KNIVES. The method adjusted properly, I use an accu-
ing a pair of mount- for holding knives in place varies rate straightedge and listen for a
ing screws forces from jointer to jointer. But there “tick."(For more on this, refer to

the wedge-shaped are basically three common ways Step 3 on page 15.)
plate down into the to do this, see Drawings at left. SAFETY TIPS. Once you've ad-
tapered slot to hold The knives are either pinched justed all the double
knives,
the knife in place. against the sides of the slot in the check that all the wedge screws
cutterhead by a metal wedge and are tight. Then stand to one side
screws, or by a gib plate and and turn on the jointer. Finally,
Gib Plate. A set bolts. Or they're attached di- check to see how it cuts by joint-
of bolts threaded rectly to the cutterhead. ing the edge of a board.
intoa gib plate are
tightened to pinch
the knife between
the plate and the slot
in the cutterhead.

Bolts. On some
smaller (benchtop)
jointers, the knives
are slotted for ad-
justment ,
and bolt
directly to the cut-
terhead.

14 ShopNotes No. 12
 TECHNIQUE

Changing Knives Step-By-Step

Step Remove One Knife.
1:
To unplug your jointer and
start,

remove the fence. Then remove

the cutterhead guard (or wedge
it out of the way). Next, loosen the
mounting screws on one knife.
Lift and wedge plate
out the knife
and clean the parts and slot with
an oil-free solvent.
ShopTip: To keep my sharp-
ened knives from getting mixed
up with the dull ones, I mark each
dull knife with a felt-tip pen.

Step 2: Insert Sharp Knife.

Once all the parts are clean, in-
sert the wedge plate in the slot.

Then, with the beveled edge of

the knife facing the outfeed table,
place it between the wedge plate
and the front of the slot. Now
tighten the mounting screws just
enough to hold the knife in place.
ShopTip: If there are more than
two mounting screws, start in the
center and work toward the ends
to prevent the knife from twisting.

Step 3: Adjust the Knife.

Next, place a straightedge on the
outfeed table so it extends over
the knife. Then adjust the leveling
screws so the knife is just below
the straightedge. Now you can
tighten the mounting screws.
To check the adjustment, ro-
tate the pulley (or belt), and listen
for a “tick” that indicates that the
knife is just barely touching the
straightedge. (Check this at both
ends of the knife.)

Step 4: Test the Jointer.

After you Ve set all the knives and
checked to make sure they're
“locked" in place, replace the
cutterhead guard and fence.
Then make a series of test cuts
across the width of the table.
If the knives are too low, the

end of the workpiece will run into

the outfeed table. If they’re too
high, you’ll get a deeper cut
(snipe) at the end of the cut.

No. 12 ShopNotes 15
 FEATURE PROJECT

Disk
Sander
A professional-quality poiver tool for
your shop that combines heavy-duty
construction with easy-to-use features.

unique. First of all,it's larger than the tables found

on most sanders. This makes it easier to support

and accurately sand a large workpiece. And the
larger table allows you to use a full-size miter gauge
— not the scaled-down ones found on most other

A disk sander is something you usually find

only in a production cabinet shop. The
sanding surface and heavy-duty construction make
large
power disk sanders.
Another problem with the tables on most disk
sanders is you have to find a wrench when-
it ideal for quickly sanding to a line, chamfering, ever you want to tilt the table. To get around this,
mitering, or removing a lot of stock. I added a pair of knobs to make it easy to tilt and

An industrial-quality tool like this would be a lock the table firmly in place. And to make changing
great addition to any shop. But the high cost makes sanding disks a snap, the table lifts off to give you
ithard to justify buying one. So I decided to build total access to the disk.
my own and add a number of features to make it THE BASE. If space is limited in your shop, you
easy to use and improve accuracy. can add a pair of ‘feet” to the sander and clamp it to
THE TOP. The most noticeable design feature of your workbench, see photo above. Or you can build
this disk sander is the top. It’s curved to follow the an optional stand, see photo on the bottom of page
shape of the sanding disk. The top serves as a cover 17. The stand is wide at the base to provide a stable
for the motor and helps keep it free from dust. It foundation. And the column is hollow so you can fill
also protects you by covering the edge of the spin- it up with sand or bricks. This extra ballast helps to
ning disk. And at the same time, it directs sawdust anchor the sander and virtually eliminates vibra-
into a built-in vacuum port. tion. (For detailed instructions on how to build this
THE TABLE. The table of the disk sander is also stand, see the article on page 25.)

16 ShopNotes No. 12
 BACK
9

ELECTRICAL
SWITCH

FR0NT/E3ACK
EDGING

%" FENDER WASHER

Materials | KNOS
PLASTIC

CASE
A Sides (2) 3/4x6 3/4-12 ^
B Bottom (1) 3/4 x 13 - 3 plywood
11 /4
- 3
C Motor Platform (1) 11x13 /4 plywood
D Support (1) 3 V2 x 11
- 3/4 plywood

E Vacuum Plate (1) 4V2 x 13 -V4 Masonite

3/4 x
Hardware
F Front (1) 63/4 - 142/4

G Front Pest 3/4 X 3/4~ I 2 V2 x 14" Piano Hinge

(1) (1) IV2"

(14) No. 5 x 5/a“ Fh Woodscrews

TOP 3/a" x 4" Hanger Bolts
3/4 plywood (6)
H Face (1) I 2 V4 x 2fi/a -
3/a” Hex Nuts
(4)
1 Back (1) 12/4 x SP/a - 3/4 plywood 3
(4) /&" Flat Washers
J Cover (1) IIV4 x 27 (rgh/)- 3 plywood /4 3
(2) /a" Plastic Knobs
K Outer Strip (1) Va x IV2 - 27 (rgh.) 3
(2) /a" Fender Washers
L Inner Strip (1) Va x 3/a - 27 (rgh.)
(4) V4" x IV2 " Fh Machine Screws
TABLE (4) V4" T-nuts
M Core (1) 2 V2 x 20/4 - 3/4 plywood
I (26) No. 3 x V/2 " Fh Woodscrews
N Skins (2) I2 V2 x 20/4 - V4 Masonite (4) No. 3 x 2W' Fh Woodscrews
0 Fr./Sk. Edging (2) 3/4xlV4-21 3/4 5witch Box
(1)
P End Edging (2) 3/4 x IV4 - 14 Electrical 5witch
(1)

Q Tilt Plates (2) 3 V2 xIO - V4 Masonite (1) 5witch Plate

Optional Stand: If you prefer a sta-
R Tilt Slocks (2) X tN? 1 (1) Electrical Cord w/Plug
tionary tool, the disk sander can
*5 Feet (2) V/2 X V/2 - 1&
(4) Bolts Washers, Lock
, Wash-
be mounted to this shop-built stand.
* not required if you build the stand on page 25 ers and T-nuts to Mount Motor
(Formore on this, see page 25.)

No. 12 ShopNotes 17
 FEATURE PROJECT
The Caee
The Disk Sander is made up of
three main parts: a case, a top
cover, and an adjustable table. I
started by building the case. (Note:
This case is sized for a 12" sanding
disk, see Sources on page 31.)
The case is just a rectangular
box with tall sides, see Fig. 1. The
sides extend up to
hold the cover in place
when it's added later.
SIDES. To make the
case, start by cutting
a pair of sides (A) to size
M
from 3/4 -thick hard-
wood, see Fig. 2. Next, the
sides of the case are grooved to
accept a motor platform to hold
the motor. And rabbetted for a
plywood bottom, see Fig. 2.

In addition to the rabbet for

the bottom, you’ll also need to
rout a rabbet for a vacuum plate
that’s added later, refer to Fig. 4.

This rabbet on the back edge of

is

each side (A) between the rabbet

and groove, see Fig. 2.
While I was at it, I drilled two
holes in the front end of each side
piece, see Fig. 2. These will be
used later to attach the table to side edges of each side, see Fig. 2. thick plywood to the same length
the case. To drill these holes BOTTOM & PLATFORM. Once the (13"), see Fig. 3. But their widths
straight, I used a jig on the drill sides are complete, the next step (depths) are different.
press, see photo below. is to make the bottom (B) and the The motor platform (C) is cut
To complete the routed motor platform Both of 3
sides, I (C). A" shorter than the bottom (B),
a chamfer on the top and back out- these pieces are cut from 34"- see Fig. 3. This creates a pocket

Drilling Jig
To ensure straight
holes when drilling
into the end of a
workpiece, I use
this simple jig.
Wedge-shaped
supports keep two
scrap pieces of
plywood at a right
angle. And a cleat
serves to hold the
workpiece vertical.

18 ShopNotes No. 12
 FEATURE PROJECT

for the bottom half of the sanding

disk that's added later.
Before assembling the case,
you'll need to cut a dado down the
center of the platform and bottom
for a support piece, see Fig. 3.
After the dadoes are cut, glue
and screw the case together, see
Fig. 4. Note: The bottom (B) and
motor platform (C) are attached
flush with the inside edge of the
rabbets cut in the sides for the
vacuum plate, refer to Fig. la.
SUPPORT. Next, to prevent the
motor platform from bowing un-
der the weight of the motor, I
added a support. The support is To protect the full

just a piece of plywood cut to fit length of the

in the dadoes in the platform and threads on a

bottom, see Fig. 4. hanger bolt, I use

Position the support in the case a coupling nut. A

“
so it's flush with the front edge of 'jam ” nut prevents

the motor platform and screw it the coupling nut

in place, refer to Fig. la. from turning.

VACUUM PLATE. To allow a shop
vacuum to be hooked up to the
sander, a VT'-thick Masonite vac-
uum plate (E) is cut to fit be-
tween the rabbets in the sides
and flush with the motor platform
and bottom, see Fig. 4.
Once the plate is cut to size,
drill a hole in it to fit your shop

vacuum and screw it to the back

of the case, see Figs. 4 and la.
casefront.AII that's left to
complete the case is to add a hard-
wood front, see Fig. 5. The front
(F) covers the end of the case. And
it will be used later to attach and
support the adjustable table.
The width (height) of the front
M
isthe same as the sides (63/4 ). To
provide the necessary clearance
for the table ( 3/8" on each side), I

cut the front %"

longer (14 3/4 )
n

than the overall width of the case,

see Fig. 5.

front REST. To hold the front

in place and support the weight of glued in place, the front can be at- With the holes marked, drill over-
the table, I added a hardwood rest tached to the case, refer to Figs. 1 size CAo") shank holes in the front.
l

(G) see Fig.

,
5. This rest fits into and la. The first step is to transfer Then thread hanger bolts in the
a shallow groove that's cut on the the locations of the holes in the sides, see margin tip above. Fi-
inside face of the front (F). sides to the front. To do this, I used nally, slip on the front and secure it
ASSEMBLY. Once the rest is dowel centers, see Fig. 5. with washers and hex nuts.

No. 12 ShopNotes 19
 FEATURE PROJECT

To get identical
curves on the face
and back I used
,

one piece as a
template. And
trimmed the other
piece to match
with a flush trim bit.
Once the case is complete, the sides of the case and subtracting ming the other blank to rough
next step is to make a top cover V4 11

for clearance (I2V4"). size, then using a flush trim bit in

tofit between the sides, see Fig. The next step is to lay out the a router, see margin tip at left.

6.The top is barrel-shaped to fit top curve and cut these pieces to Once you’ve shaped both
over the motor and sanding disk. shape. To get a good fit when the pieces, all that’s left is to lay out
To create this shape, I bent a top cover is glued on later, it's and cut the curved opening in
piece of plywood over two U- important that these top curves each piece. The face (H) has a
shaped pieces, see Fig. 6. are cut identical. small opening for the motor shaft.
FACE AND BACK. These pieces, To do this, I started by laying And the back (I) has a large open-
a face (H) and back (I), are cut out and cutting the curve on one ing to allow air to flow over the
from two identical blanks of 3/4 "~ piece, see Drawings above. Then motor, see Drawings above.
thick plywood. The width of the Iused this as a template to shape COVER. With the back and face
blanks is determined by measur- the other piece. complete, the next step is to cut
ing the distance between the This is just a matter of trim- the top cover (J) from 3/4 "-thick
plywood, see Fig. 7. It’s IIV4 "-
wide and cut extra-long (27").
7 NOTE: CUT first kerf in ( RABBET DETAIL
^
Now, cut 3/4 "_wide rabbets
COVER AND THEN WORK
OUT TOWARD ENDS
THICKNESS OF along the length of the cover.
3/4” PLYWOOD These rabbets allow the face and
back to fit flush with the edges of
the top cover.
KERFS. Next, to get the ply-
wood to bend easily, I cut a series
NOTE: of uniformly-spaced saw kerfs,
CUT COVER FROM
see Fig. 7. To cut the kerfs, I use
3/4 M -THICK PLYWOOD
a simple jig that attaches to the
KERF PETAIL miter gauge on my table saw, see
box on opposite page.
Note: Since the sides of the
cover are straight near the bottom,
COVER
youil only need to kerf to within
3 V2 " of each end, see Fig. 7.

20 ShopNotes No. 12
 ^

FEATURE PROJECT

assembly. At this point the

cover can be glued to the face and
back. But instead of trying to
glue, bend, and clamp these
pieces together all at once, I used
a two-step process.
First, to keep the curved face
and back aligned with the edges
of the top, I glued the flat section
of each piece flush with one end of
the cover, see Fig. 8.

Then had dried,

after the glue
I used band clamps to pull the
cover tight over the face and
back. But there’s problem here.
Since the cover was cut extra-
long, it extends past the ends of
the face and back.
To prevent the band clamps
from crushing the edge of the ply-
wood, I temporarily tacked cleats
to the bottom of the face and
back, see Fig. 9.

With the cleats in place, wrap

the band clamps around the cover
and cinch them down. Then when
the glue is dry, trim the end of the
cover flush with a hand saw.
TOP STRIPS. To complete the
top, I added a pair of thin hard- (27") and then trimmed to exact marked the location of each end
wood strips to the front edge of length later. To get the strips to on the cover, refer to Fig. 6. After
the cover, refer to Figs. 6 and 6a. match the curve of the top, I pre- the strips are dry, set them on the
The outer (K) and inner strips bent them. This can be done by cover and transfer the marks.
(L) cover the exposed plywood first soaking them in water for an Finally, cut the strips to length
edge and help direct sawdust to hour. Then clamp them around and glue them in place. At this
the vacuum port. the top and let them dry. point you can set the cover aside.
These strips are cut extra-long While they were drying, I It’s attached to the case later.

Kerfing Jig
To cut kerfs in the top cover, I made this so the kerf you just cut fits over the
L-shaped jig, see photo. It attaches to indexing pin. Now make a pass.
the miter gauge on my table saw. Continue kerfing like this to within
The bottom of the “L” fits under the SVf of the end. Then flip the cover and
rabbet in the cover and holds an index- kerf the other end.
ing pin. This pin (just a screw with the
head cut off) automatically positions V.
the cover to cut evenly spaced kerfs. COVER
.(
The trick to using this jig
kerfing in the center and
is to start
work your LTl KERFING JIG

way out towards the ends. To do this, |! j

ij l| l j

ill!
first
cover.
cut a kerf in the center of the
Then place the cover on the jig i
' I i!

i
f
nr i

— INDEXING PIN
.

— ) |

\ r "il!/

No. 12 ShopNotes 21
 FEATURE PROJECT
Adjustable Table
Before adding the edging, I cut
two grooves in the bottom of the
table, see Fig. 11. These grooves
are V^'-deep, and they’re cut to
match the thickness of the tilt
plates added later (V4 "). The dis-
tance between these grooves is
the same as the length of the case
front (14 3/4").
EDGING. To cover and protect
the edges of the table, I cut front,
back, and end edging ( 0,P) to fit
and glued them in place, see Fig. 11.
Then I routed an V^'-wide chamfer
on the top and bottom edges.
MITER GAUGE. Next, to pro-
when sanding
vide better control
miters and small pieces, I cut a
groove in the table top for a miter
gauge. Cut the groove centered
on the width of the table top to fit
your miter gauge, see Fig. 11. (I
used the miter gauge from my
table saw.)
With the top cover finished, work wood, see Fig. 11. I started by CUT NOTCH. Also, I wanted as
can begin on the adjustable table, cutting a ^"-thick plywood core much support as possible when
see Fig. 10. The table provides a (M) to size, see Fig. 11. Then, cut sanding near the edge of the disk.
large, flat work surface for sand- two l^'-thick Masonite skins (N) So I cut a notch on the back edge.
ing. And it can be tilted for sand- slightly oversize and glued them This way the table "Waps” around
ing at an angle. to the core, see Fig. 11. the case, see Figs. 10 and 11.

TABLE. The table is made up of To get the edges flush, I used a To do this, cut a 2"-wide x 13"-

a plywood and Masonite “sand- flush trim bit in a router, refer to long notch centered between the
wich” that’s edged with hard- the margin tip on page 20. grooves for the tilt plates.

22 ShopNotes No. 12
 FEATURE PROJECT

TILT PLATES. To allow the table Once the slots are cut, the tilt (F), see Figs. 10 and 13. Holes
to be angled for sanding, two tilt plates can be attached to the ta- drilled in the blocks accept
plates (Q) made from V4 Ma-
"
ble. But first, place the table face hanger bolts that pass through
sonite fit into the grooves you cut down on a bench. Then to keep the tilt plates, see Fig. 14.
earlier in the table, see Fig. 12. the plates square to the table, at- The unusual thing here is the
To make identical plates, I car- tach the front (F) of the case to hanger bolts are installed before
pet-taped two pieces of V4 Ma-
"
the table with a piano hinge, see the tilt blocks are attached. This
sonite together and laid out the Fig. 12. (You’ll need to remove allows you to position (and glue)
curves. Then I cut out the shape the front from the case to do this.) the tilt blocks to the front (F)
with a band saw (or you could use To align the hinge, I use a sim- with the bolts centered in the
a sabre saw) and sanded the ple trick, see margin tip at right. slots, see Fig. 14a. This way the It’s easy to install a

edges smooth. Then after screwing the hinge to plates won’t bind on the bolts piano hinge when
Next, curved slots are cut in the table, I glued and clamped the when the table is tilted. you cut a shallow
the plates, see Fig. 12. These are tilt plates in the grooves using Plastic knobs thread onto the “alignment” rabbet
used later to lock the table at dif- the front (F) to square them up, ends of the hanger bolts and for it to sit in.

ferent angles. To cut the slots, I see Fig. 12. pinch the tilt plates against the
drilled a hole at each end of the TILT BLOCKS. Finally, to lock blocks to lock them in place. Once
slot and then removed the waste the table in place, I added a tilt the knobs are in place, re-attach
with a sabre saw. block (R) to each end of the front the front (and table) to the case.

No. 12 ShopNotes 23
Assembly
TOP COVER

15 FIFTH:
1
SCREW TO P CO VER TO
CASE (SEE DETAIL A) COVER

NOTE:
DISK SHOULD TURN V4 "
SECOND: COUNTERCLOCKWISE T-NUT
MOUNT SANDING DISK
TO MOTOR V4' x IV2" Fh
MACHINE
SCREW
CASE SIDE

THIRD:
POSITION MOTOR AND SOLT TO
PLATFORM (REFER TO FIG. 16)

FOURTH:
INSTALL SWITCH AND
ELECTRICAL WIRING

CASE
SIDE CHAMFER TOP FOOT (W x 1 V2 - 13")
FOOT CORNERS OF
FEET
f\\ N
/7\

#0 x 2V2" Fh
WOODSCREW
7} TILT
PLATE
FIRST: ATTACH FEET
#0 x 2 V2 " Fh WOODSCREW

(OR STAND ) TO CASE

The disk sander can be used on make sure that the direction and the motor on the platform (C)
top of a workbench, or it can be speed are correct. from side to side. Then slide it
mounted to a stand. (For more on The motor should turn coun- forward so there’s about Vs" of
the stand, see page 25.) If you’re terclockwise and run at 1725 clearance between the sanding
going to use it on your bench, RPM. This keeps the disk from disk and the notch in the adjust-
you’llneed to screw a pair offeet spinning too fast and reduces the able table, see Fig. 16.
(S) to the case so you can clamp chance of burning a workpiece. Now you can drill shank holes
the sander in place, see Fig. 15. To position the motor on the centered in the slots in the mo-
mount MOTOR. After attach- platform, you’ll first need to at- tor’s base. Then secure the motor
ing the feet (or stand), the next tach the sanding disk. It mounts with hex bolts, washers, lock
step is to locate the holes for directly to the 5/s" shaft of the washers, and T-nuts.
mounting the motor. The size motor and is locked in place with WIRING. Once the motor is in

(horsepower) of the motor can a set screw, see Fig. 16. place, the next step is to wire it

vary. The important thing is to With the disk in place, center up and an electrical
to a switch
cord. (Note: I used a sealed
switch box to keep out sawdust.)
Safety Note: Wiring a motor
can be a bit confusing. So if you
don’t feel comfortable doing this,
it’s a good idea to consult a li-

censed electrician.
COVER. All that’s left to com-
plete the disk sander is to add the
cover, see Fig. 15. It’s held in
place with machine screws and
T-nuts, see Fig. 15a. Position the
cover so the back edge is flush
with the rear of the case. Then
locate and drill four countersunk
holes, insert the T-nuts, and
screw on the cover.

24 ShopNotes No. 12
 FEATURE PROJECT

Disk Sander

Stand
CORNER POST
d

PANEL

UPPER BASE (gC

UPPERTRIM
LOWER 5ASE

%" x 1" LAG BOLT

LEVELER
LOWER TRIM
%" FLAT WASHER

EXPLODED VIEW LAG BOLT

T he Disk Sander shown on

page 16 can be clamped di-
rectly to a bench in the shop. Or
the base, see Fig.
of a lower and an
The construction
1. It's

upper
made up
section.
of each section
wood edging. The loiver (C) and
upper (D) trim pieces are cut to
match the height of each base (IV2 ").
you can build the stand shown is the same. They’re just two ply- To relieve the sharp edges, a 5/s"
here and turn the sander into a wood squares that are glued and chamfer is cut on the top of each
stationary power tool. screwed together. The only dif- piece. Then the trim pieces are
The stand consists of two main ference is their size. The lower cut and glued in place, see Fig. 1.
H
parts: a wide base that provides a base (A) is 20V2 square. And the ASSEMBLY. To complete the
stable foundation, and a column upper base (B) is 14V2" square. base, center the upper base on
that raises the sander up to a TRIM. To hide the edges of the the lower base and apply clamps.
comfortable working height. plywood, I wrapped each section Then screw them together up
THE BASE. I started by making with a band of 34"-thick hard- from the bottom, see Fig. la.

Materials & Hardware

A Lower base Fes. 20Vz x 20Vz 3
(2)
-
/4 ply
b Upper Ease Fes. 3
(2) 14Vz x 14Vz - /4 ply
C Lower Trim Fes. (4) 3/4x IV2 - 22
D Upper Trim Fes. (4) 5/4 x IV2 - 16
E Corner Fosts (4) IV2 x IV2 - 25
F Fanels (4) 7^/4 x 25
• (4) %” x 4" Hanger 3o\ts
-
% ply

• (4) 3/3 n Hex Nuts

• (3) %"
Flat Washers
• (4) 3/3"x 5" Lag 3olts
© (4) 3/3"x1 n Lag bolts
• (23) # 3 x 1 4 " Fh Woodscrews
• (4) #3 x 2V2 " Fh Woodserews

No. 12 ShopNotes 25
 FEATURE PROJECT
Column

After the base is complete, work these holes easy.) First, I glued up corner posts
can begin on the column. It’s ba- PANELS. After completing the and panels to form two sections,
sically a hollow tube made up of corner posts, the next step is to see Fig. 5.The important thing
hardwood corner posts and ply- cut four panels (F) from 3/4 "-thick here is that the panels end up
wood panels, see Fig. 2. The ad- plywood, refer to Fig. 2. These flush with the ends of the posts.
vantage to building a hollow panels form the walls of the col- Then when these sections were
column is that after it’s assem- umn and fit into the grooves you dry, I applied glue, assembled the
bled you can fill it with sand or cut in the corner posts. column, and held it together with
bricks to help anchor the stand Once the panels are cut to size, band clamps, see Fig. 6.
and deaden vibration. you can begin assembling the col-
corner posts. I started by umn. Instead of trying to glue FINAL ASSEMBLY
making the four comer posts (E), and clamp up everything at once, Once the column is complete, it
see Fig. 2. Each post is glued up I did this in two steps. can be attached to the base with
from two pieces of 3/4 H -thick hard-
wood. (I used maple.)
Then to accept the plywood
panels that are added later, V4 "-
deep grooves are cut in each post,
see Figs. 3 and 3a. Next, I cut a
3/ M -wide chamfer on the outside
4
comers, refer to Figs. 2a and 4.
To complete the posts, I drilled
5 ,L holes in each end,
/l6 dia. pilot
see Fig. These holes are for a
4.

set of bolts that are added later to

attach the base and disk sander to
the column. (See page 18 for a
shop-made jig that makes drilling

26 ShopNotes No. 12
 FEATURE PROJECT

lag bolts. You've already drilled ners of the base, see Fig. 8a. transfer the hole locations in the
the holes in the column corner These bolts serve as simple level- corner posts to the bottom of the
posts for the bolts. The tricky ers. This way you can adjust the 9. Note: The case is
case, see Fig.
part is transferring the locations bolts to compensate for any vari- centered on the column from side
of the holes to the base. ations in your workshop floor. to side and front to back.
To solve this, I used dowel cen- ATTACH THE SANDER With the Finally, drill four 3/s"-dia. holes
ters, see Fig. 7. First, insert the stand complete, all that's left is to in the bottom of the case, and at-
dowel centers into the bottom of attach the disk sander to the col- tach the case to the column with
the column. Then center the col- umn. Start by removing the front 3/8 m
hanger bolts, washers, and
umn on the base and press down. (F) from the case. hex nuts. (Refer to page 24 to
Once you've marked the hole Then I used dowel centers to complete the sander.)
locations on the base, the next
step is to drill the holes for the lag
bolts. The only problem is these
holes need to be counterbored —
from the bottom see Fig. 8a.
,

To transfer the hole locations

to the bottom, I drilled a V^'-dia.
reference hole through all four
layers of the base. Then it's just a
matter of counterboring and en-
n
larging the hole to 3/8 .

After the counterbored shank

holes are drilled in the base, bolt
the base to the column with 3/8"
lag bolts and washers, see Fig. 8.

To complete the stand, I added

four lag bolts to the bottom cor-

No. 12 ShopNotes 27
 TIPS & TECHNIQUES

Shop Solutions
Knock-Down Sawhorse

Like many woodworkers, I

have an occasional need for a saw-
horse. But the problem is, my
shop doesn't have a lot of extra
storage space for one —
let alone
DRILL 3/4 -
HOLE"
DIA.
n

two sawhorses. To get around T FOR KEY -

this, I made a pair of sawhorses b #
MORTISED DETAIL Q ..

that knock down for storage and CHAMFER

take up very little space.
VvtPPt?

CORNER 3V2 1
-A - MAKE
22V2° CUT
ON BOTH STRETCHER 1%"
Each sawhorse consists of four ENDS OF
identical legs and a stretcher, see LEG
Drawing. I started by cutting the LOCKING “KEY"
angled legs. 3"
The legs overlap at the top to
form an inverted “V.” A tenon is
cut at each end of the stretcher,
see Detail a. And the tenons pass vr 3/4"-DIA. dowel
through mortises cut in each leg,
see Detail b.
I used a keyed mortise and allows me to knock down and re- pered the key slightly so the joint
tenon joint (no glue or metal fas- assemble the sawhorse quickly. would draw in tight when it's
teners required) to hold the The “key” that's used to pin the wedged in place with a hammer.
stretcher and the legs together, joint is made from a 3/4 "-dia. hard- Milo C. Dvorak
see photo above. This joint also wood dowel, see Detail c. I ta- Garland Texas ,

Alternative Edge Vise

I read with interest the pipe

clamp edge vise tip published in

ShopNotes No. 10. I also don't
have a vise on my bench. To clamp
a board on edge, I use two hand
screws and two bar clamps, see
Drawing. The hand screws hold
the board on edge. And the bar
clamps prevent it from sliding.
William Rubin
Bethesda Maryland
,

ShopNotes No. 12
 TIPS & TECHNIQUES
Clamp Pads
When gluing up panels, iron
pipe clamps have a tendency to
stain the wood. And if the clamp-
ing pressure isn't centered on the
edge of the piece, the panel can
cup. To protect the panel and cen-
ter the clamping pressure, I place
dowels and small pads between
the clamp and the panel.
But rather than fumble around
for small dowels and pads during
glue up, I nail the pads to the
dowels, see Drawing. This way,
when the pad is in place, the
dowel stays put.
James L. Schenfield
Dayton Ohio
,
V J

Allen Wrench Organizer

Many adjustments on my
power tools an Allen
require
wrench. But when I need a par-
ticular wrench, it seems like I
have to dig for one. To avoid this,
I made a wall mounted organizer
that lets me quickly select the
correct wrench, see Drawing.
The organizer is cut from a
scrap piece of hardwood. A series
of holes, spaced 1" apart, are
drilled to fit each wrench. To keep
the wrenches facing forward, I
cut a slot centered over each hole.
Then I mounted the organizer
to the wall with two screws.
Stephen J. Sabo
Cleveland Ohio
,

Quick Tips Send iii Your Solutions

Occasionally, I cut threads in I like to use a leather strop af-
If you'd like to share your original
metal with a tap. But guiding the ter sharpening my chisels. To
solutions problems you've faced,
to.
tap in straight by hand can be avoid hunting around the shop for
send them to: ShopNotes, Attn: Shop
difficult. To solve this, I guide the the strop, I glued it to the top of
Solutions, 2200 Grand Avenue, Des
tap with the drill press. the box that I made for storing
Moines, I A 50812. (Or if it's easier,
With the tap in the chuck, pull my combination waterstone.
FAX them to us at: 515-282-6741.)
down on the arm of the drill press This way, everything required
We'll pay up $^00 depending on
to..
{power off). Then turn the chuck to sharpen a chisel is together
the published length. Please include
by hand to cut the threads. when I need it.
a daytime phone, number so we can
Felix Johnson William W. Price
call you if we have questions.
Waterbary Connecticut
,
Garfield Heights Ohio
,

No. 12 ShopNotes 29
 HARDWARE STORE

T-Nuts
A simple T-nut
T
when
here's something to be said
for simplicity. Especially
it comes to a piece of
part of the workpiece.
They won't strip out
like those cut by an

and ordinalnj “knock-down” hardware. ordinary woodscrew.

Take T-nuts for example. They And unlike a hex nut, a T-nut provide a couple of different op-
fasteners create
allow you to use an ordinary ma- won't fall off and get lost when tions for securing the nut.
a strong knock- chine screw or bolt to assemble a you take a project apart. The most common way is to
downfitting. project. And some of the
unlike drill pilot holes in the workpiece,
more specialized knock-down fit- THREE TYPES and attach the nut with brads or
tings, they're available at most There's a variety of T-nuts small screws. Or you can epoxy
hardware stores. (For other available. The three most com- the nut in a shallow counterbore.
sources, see next page.) mon types are pronged, round This creates a “pocket” so when
BARREL. What makes a T-nut base, and slab base, see Draw- the epoxy oozes through the
work is the threads are housed in ing below. holes, the nut is locked in place.
a barrel that fits in a hole drilled PRONGED. When working with SLAB BASE. A third kind of T-
in the workpiece, see Drawing softwood or plywood, I often use nut has a slab or rectangular
below. As a rule of thumb, the a pronged T-nut. The prongs act base. Like a round base nut, this
length of the barrel should be like small knives that bite into the type has mounting holes. But I've
slightly shorter than the thick- wood when you drive the nut in found it's handy when I don't
ness of the workpiece. with a hammer. This keeps the want the nut to be permanently
To make it easy to install, the nut from turning when tighten- attached to the workpiece.
barrels on some T-nuts are ta- ing a screw or bolt into the barrel. The trick is to keep the nut^
pered, The small end drops into a But a pronged nut isn't always from spinning when you tighten
hole that's sized to fit the large the best solution. The prongs can the screw — especially if it's not
end of the barrel. When you split a narrow or thin piece of easily accessible with a wrench.
“press fit” the nut into place, the hardwood. And it's hard to drive To do this, you can install a slab
barrel automatically centers it- them into materials like Masonite. base T-nut in a shallow groove (or
self in the hole. In this case, I use a different style. dado). This way, when you thread
PERMANENT THREADS. With ROUND BASE. Instead of using in the screw, the “corners” of the
the nut installed, the threads are prongs, a round base T-nut has base hit the sides of the groove
more or less a “permanent” holes in the flange. These holes and prevent the nut from turning.

30 ShopNotes No. 12
 PROJECT SUPPLIES

Sources
ShopNotes Project Supplies is of- the Stand shown on page 25.)
fering some of the hardware and DADO BLADES Note: The kit does not include
supplies needed for the projects The article on dado blades (shown the motor, switch or electrical
in this issue. on page 10) provides a look at the cord. Or the hex
bolts, washers,
We’ve also put together a list of various blades currently avail- lock washers, and T-nuts to
other mail order sources that able. Traditional stack dado sets mount the motor to the case
have the same or similar hard- and wobble-type blades can be (these are sized to fit your motor).
ware and supplies. found at many local hardware To build the disk sander, all you
stores and home centers. need is 3/4 n -thick hardwood and
FOOT PEDAL The new blades (such as safety plywood, and ^"-thick Masonite.
The Drill Press Foot Pedal blades. and twin wobble blades) And a 12" metal sanding disk. The
(shown on page 8) lets you use can be ordered from some of the sanding disk can be ordered from
both of your hands to accurately mail-order sources listed below. Woodworking Unlimited (for
position a workpiece on the table To “sneak up” on a perfect cut, I about $30), see below. (Twelve
for drilling. Then it’s just a mat- often use plastic or metal shims inch diameter sandpaper is avail-
ter of stepping on the pedal to with my stack dado set. They’re able from the sources listed below.)
drill the hole. available from some of the mail-or- S12-6812-200 Disk Sander
The secret to this jig is a length der sources listed below. Hardware Kit $12.95
of cable (similar to the brake ca-
ble on a bicycle) that runs be- DISK SANDER KNOBS
tween the foot pedal and the quill You can achieve professional In addition to the hardware kits
feed on your drill press. It trans- quality results with the shop- described above, some of the
fers the movement of the foot made Disk Sander shown on page plastic knobs we use often in our
pedal to the drill bit. 16. It features a large, flat table kits are available separately.
ShopNotes Project Supplies is that adjusts for angled sanding. ShopNotes Project Supplies is of-
offering a hardware kit for the There’s even a built-in vacuum fering them in packages of four.
Foot Pedal. The kit includes all port for dust collection. The Note: The Straight-Edge Cut-
the hardware necessary to build unique curved top also helps to ting Guide (shown on page 4) re-
u
the foot pedal for your drill press direct sawdust to the vacuum quires one each of the 5/i6 wing
n
(including approximately 14 feet port for dust-free sanding. nut and 5/i6 T-knob.
of cable). All that you need to sup- ShopNotes Project Supplies is 7016-120 Plastic Wing Nuts (4)
M
ply is the hardwood. offering ahardware kit for the 5/i6 -18 $7.95
S12-6812-100 Foot Pedal Disk Sander. (It also includes all 7016-210 Plastic T-Knobs (4)
M
Hardware Kit the hardware necessary to build 5
$19.95 /l6 -18 $7.95

MAIL ORDER SOURCES ORDER INFORMATION

Similar hardware and supplies may be found in the
following catalogs. Please call each company for a catalog BY MAIL BY PHONE
or for ordering information. To order by mail, use the For fastest service use our
Constantine’s Sears The Woodsmith Store order form that comes with Toll Free order line. Open
800-223-8087 800-377-7414 515-255-8979 the current issue. The order Monday through Friday, 7:00
Dado Blades T-Nuts
,
Tumi Wobble
Dado Blades
T-Nuts,
Plastic Shims
Dado Blades,
form includes information on AM to 7:00 PM Central Time.
Garrett Wade handling and shipping charges, Before calling, have your
800-221-2942 Trendlines Woodworker’s Supply
Plastic Shims 800-767-9999 800-645-9292
and sales tax. VISA, MasterCard, or Dis-
Highland Hardware T-Nuts, Turin Wobble Safety Dado Blades ,
order form is not
If the mail cover Card ready.
800-537-7820 Dado Blades Brass Shims, T-Nuts available, please call the toll
Safety Dado Blades Woodcraft Woodworking Unlimited free number at the right for 1 - 800 - 444-7527
anding Catalogue 800-225-1153 800-54 3-7586
:
more information on specific
800-228-0000 Dado Blades 12"-dia. Sanding Disk
charges and any applicable Note: Prices subject to change
12"-dia . Sandpaper and Sandpaper •

sales tax. after January 1 199U.

,

No. 12 ShopNotes 31
 Scenes From the Shop
Although these vintage hand-held power tools may not some of the tools shown here have over forty years of
be considered antiques they're still classics. With their
,
“experience. ” Yet when pressed into service these hard-
,

tough metal exteriors and heavy-duty construction, working old friends can still get the job done.