5 cool joinery techniques

Transcription

5 COOL JOINERY
TECHNIQUES
© 2014 August Home Publishing Co.
techniques from our shop
using
Pocket
Hole
Joinery
Fast, accurate, versatile, and
strong — do you need
more reasons to give this
joinery technique a try?
} A jig and a
stepped drill bit
(top) allow you
to drill a custom
hole for the
pocket screw
(bottom).
1
When it comes to designing and
building projects, I’ve never been
a woodworking purist. I usually don’t worry too much about
whether a joinery technique is
considered “traditional.” I try to
focus on a more important goal —
finding a good balance between
appearance, structural strength,
and efficient methods and techniques. In other words, will it get
the job done and will it hold up?
This is one reason why I’m not
the least bit reluctant to use pocket
hole joinery when building a project. It’s a quick, accurate, and
reliable way to join the parts
of a project together.
To reduce it to a basic level,
pocket hole joinery is simply assembly using screws.
But when you take a closer look,
there’s a bit more to it than appears
on the surface. This level of sophistication and ingenuity is what
makes pocket hole joinery such a
valuable technique for a range of
applications.
THE BASICS. In a nutshell, here’s
how it works. An angled pilot
hole is drilled into the face of one
of the mating pieces near the end.
The shallow angle of the pilot hole
allows the pocket screw to exit the
end of the workpiece and enter
the edge of the mating piece, pulling them tightly together. A quick
glance at the two photos at left will
give you the idea.
The key to this technique is the
ability to drill the angled pocket
holes accurately. This is accom-
WoodsmithPlans.com WSS810_5CJT
plished with the help of a pocket
hole jig. All you have to do is set up
the jig to drill the pocket holes and
then install the screws. The entire
operation can be performed in a
matter of minutes.
WHERE & WHY? Speed is just one
of the benefits of using pocket
hole joinery. Another advantage
is versatility, as illustrated by the
photos at the top of the opposite
page. You can use it to join two
pieces of wood in just about any
configuration — end to edge, end
to face, mitered — you name it.
Consequently, the uses of pocket
hole joinery in the construction of
a project are almost unlimited.
Assembling structural frames
and cabinet face frames is a common application.
©2014 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
{Joining pieces in just
{ With pocket screws, you
{Building face frames is
{Pocket screws can take
about any orientation is
easy with pocket screws.
can assemble a strong
mitered frame in a snap.
one of the best uses for
pocket-hole joinery.
the place of clamps in
plywood case assembly.
Another plus is that the bond created is immediate. Although clamps
are usually needed for assembly,
once the screws are inserted, the
clamps can be removed.
I like to take advantage of the
self-clamping feature of pocket
hole joinery by using it in conjunction with other types of joinery. The
far right photo above shows how
pocket screws can substitute for
clamps as well as add reinforcement to standard case joints.
WHAT ABOUT STRENGTH? In terms of
strength, a pocket hole joint performs quite respectably. Although
generally not as strong as a mortise and tenon or a comparable
glue joint, a pocket hole joint is the
equal of many of the other “quick
and easy” joinery techniques such
as a biscuit joint, a loose tenon, or a
stub tenon and groove.
The only real drawback to pocket
hole joinery is that the oval-shaped
pocket holes are visible on one face.
However, in many instances, the
holes can be drilled on an unseen
face. Or if not, they can be disguised with special plugs.
THE JIGS. As I mentioned, what
makes pocket hole joinery possible
is the use of a specialized jig (and
bit) to drill the holes. In order for
the screw to make the connection,
the pocket holes have to be drilled
at a precise angle of 15° (margin
photo on the opposite page). It
isn’t practical to attempt this freehand or even on the drill press. So
basically, a pocket hole jig acts as
a drilling guide. Depending on the
style of jig you use, the workpiece
is either clamped in the jig or the
jig is clamped to the workpiece
(box below). Then, a steel sleeve in
the jig keeps the bit on track while
drilling the angled hole.
THE BIT. A special stepped drill
bit is used along with jig. As you
can see in the margin photo on the
opposite page, in one operation
the bit drills a flat-bottomed counterbore for the head of the screw
and short pilot hole for the shank.
The pocket hole accommodates a
pocket screw (margin photo, previous). These are hardened, self-tapping screws with a wide washerhead and deep threads. Even
with fairly shallow penetration, a
pocket screw provides a remarkable amount of holding power.
There are a handful of pocket
hole jig makers, but one company
— Kreg Tool — dominates this field.
(A pocket hole jig is often simply
referred to as a Kreg jig.) As anyone
who’s used a Kreg jig will confirm,
their products are well-designed,
well-manufactured, and consequently, very easy to use. They offer
a range of models to suit any need
from very basic to full-featured, as
shown in the box below.
Jig Types: Simple to Full-Featured
Kreg makes a pocket-hole jig to
fit just about any building need
and budget. The basic, entry-level
model shown at near right features
just a single guide hole. To position
the jig for drilling a pocket hole,
you clamp it to the workpiece.
At the other end of the spectrum
is the deluxe model shown on the
far right. As you can see, this benchtop jig has the advantage of a builtin workpiece clamping system. It
also features a three-hole guide
block that can be quickly and easily
adjusted to accommodate different
thicknesses of workpieces.
2
{ This simple, one-hole jig is really all you need
{ This full-featured, “clamp-in”
to get started with pocket hole joinery. It’s very
inexpensive as well as portable.
jig offers greater versatility
and ease of use.
Bit guide
set for MAKING A POCKET HOLE JOINT
#/4" stock
There are really two operations
involved in making a pocket hole
joint. First, you drill the pocket
holes with the aid of the jig. The
Stopsecond
collar
stage is assembling the
set for
joint
with
the pocket screws. Both
correct
drill
depth
aspects
are
pretty straightforward.
Layout. The guideBut each has a few fine points that
lines for laying out
deserve some discussion.
the pocket holes are
few and simple.
POCKET HOLE LAYOUT. Before you drill
the pocket holes, you need to do
a little planning. The first thing
to think about is the orientation
and layout of the holes. The drawing at left illustrates a few simple
guidelines I like to follow.
Always insert
Notice that in the drawing
screws into edge
(and other examples) the
or face grain
screws exit the end grain
of one piece and enter the
Use at least two
screws per joint
edge (or face) grain of the
mating piece. This orientation of the joint gives the
screws a better bite.
Whenever the width of the
workpiece
permits it, you should
Locate holes
at least !/2"
install at least two screws across
from edge
the joint. This will prevent the
pieces from twisting out of alignment. This anti-twisting affect will
be greatest when the screw holes
have a wide separation.
This often means that you want
to position the holes near the edges
of the workpiece. But don’t get too
close. To avoid splitting either piece
or simply weakening the joint, I
locate the holes no closer than 1⁄2"
from an edge. In workpieces 3" or
wider, additional screws spaced
evenly between the outer screws
will strengthen the joint.
SETTING UP THE JIG. For the best
results, a pocket hole should be
Bit guide
set for
#/4" stock
Stop collar
set for
correct
drill depth
Bit guide
set for
1!/4" stock
Bit gu
set fo
1!/4" s
Jig raises
drill guide
for thicker
stock
Jig ra
drill g
for th
stock
Bit enters
stock at a
higher point
drilled so that its pilot section careful measuring and positionstops just short of the surface and ing of the jig.
You also need a way to drill the
the screw will exit near the center
of the edge (drawings above). To pocket holes to the proper depth.
get this right, you need to set up This is accomplished with the help
of a stop collar on the drill bit, as
the jig and the drill bit properly.
In most cases, the stock you’re shown above. You either measure
working with will be 3⁄4" thick. or use a set-up gauge provided
Many of the jigs are designed with the jig to lock the collar at the
around this fact. But when thicker correct spot along the bit shank.
Once the setup is completed,
or thinner stock is used, some
jigs can be adjusted to drill a hole drilling the holes is routine. Your
meeting the same requirements. only concern here is to be sure to
Essentially, depending on the drill them to full depth.
thickness of the stock, the
guide holes in the jig need to
repositioned so that the bit
enters the face closer to or
farther away from the end of
the workpiece. This is shown
in the two drawings above.
The newer model jigs
are easily adjusted to
accommodate different stock thicknesses. In
other instances, a spacer { Place a plywood spacer underneath
is inserted in the jig,
the table apron rail to create the
or you simply rely on
proper offset with the leg.
Shop Tip: Assembly Table
The simple assembly table shown at left can make
the task of installing the pocket screws quicker, easier,
and more consistent. The table is made up of a plywood platform with two fences attached at 90° to one
another. The fences provide accurate alignment of the
workpieces and also offer clamping options. Strips of
adhesive-backed sandpaper applied to the platform
also help keep the workpieces in place.
3
WoodsmithPlans.comWSS810_5CJT
Square
drive
for high
torque
{ Thread Type. Fine threads (top)
{ Head Style. Washer heads (top) are
{ Screw Length. Choosing the right
work well in hardwoods, coarse
threads (bottom) in softwoods.
for general use. Pan heads are best
(bottom) for very hard woods.
screw length depends on the
thickness of the workpieces.
ASSEMBLY. One of my favorite
aspects of pocket hole joinery is
that assembly is generally easy
and immediate. Unlike a traditional joint, there is no time wasted
waiting for the glue to dry. When
inserted properly, the screws play
the role of both glue and clamps.
CLAMPS FOR ALIGNMENT. On the other
hand, a pocket hole joint isn’t
self aligning. Until the screws are
installed, there’s no mechanical
connection. So the first goal is to
keep the pieces from shifting while
the screws are inserted.
The method you use to keep the
pieces aligned often depends on
the type of joint you’re assembling.
When assembling a simple frame,
you need to keep the surfaces flush
as well as in the correct side-to-side
position. Temporary clamping of
the pieces is an obvious solution.
Sometimes a single clamp
applied across the faces of the
workpieces will do the job. You
can use locking face clamps (margin photo) or standard clamps for
this. Clamping both pieces firmly
to a flat surface will usually keep
the pieces aligned.
At times, it’s also helpful to apply
a clamp across the two pieces to
pull them together while the screws
are driven (photo, opposite page).
This will prevent the screws from
bridging the pieces and causing
them to shift out of alignment.
ASSEMBLY AIDS. There are occasions
when you need more help than
clamps alone can provide. The
photo at lower right shows one
situation. The mating piece in this
T-joint is supported by a “backer”
while the screws are installed.
Using a spacer is another way to
guarantee consistent results when
assembling pocket hole joints. The
photo on the opposite page shows
a good example.
And if you find yourself relying
heavily on pocket hole joinery, you
might want to build an assembly
table like the one shown in the
box on the opposite page. It can
save you time and make the job go
smoother and turn out better.
DRIVE THE SCREWS. The final assembly step involves driving the
screws. But first you have to
choose the right type for the application. The photos across the top of
the page show the differences and
give you guidance on your choice.
All pocket screws are self-tapping. And the deep threads tend
to pull the screw aggressively into
the wood and hold tenaciously.
These two features along with a
square drive head (photo above)
mean that it doesn’t require a lot
of force to drive the screw.
A hand drill with a clutch is the
ticket. I start with the clutch at a
low setting and adjust up until the
screw seats snugly.
PLUGS. That leaves only one
detail remaining: What if the
screw holes are visible? The box
below presents some options for
dealing with this.
Once you try pocket hole joinery, I guarantee you’ll be hooked.
It’s a great way to get great results
with a minimum amount of work.
{ A locking face
clamp will keep
the faces flush
while installing
the screws.
{ Clamping this T-joint while the screws are installed
would be tricky. A backer solves the problem.
How-To: Hide the Pocket Holes
When the project design doesn’t allow the pocket holes
to be hidden, the next best option is to plug them. Wood
plugs (left) can be purchased in a variety of common
woods to match the wood in the project. Or you
can use a contrasting wood. You simply glue them
in place and trim them flush. The easy-touse snap-in plastic plugs shown at right
come in five different colors.
{Tapered wood plugs can
be glued into the pocket
holes and then trimmed
flush with the surface.
4
Plastic plugs are a good choice
for filling pocket holes in
melamine or painted surfaces.
>
Easy Drawer
Joinery
With a special bit and just two, simple steps at
the router table, you can create strong drawers.
When I need to build strong drawers for a project quickly, one option I turn to is the router
table. Using a single drawer joint bit at the
router table allows you to make a sturdy, interlocking joint, like the one shown in the photo above.
Best of all, you can master this technique in a snap.
The Bits. Before I get into the process of routing
the joinery, I’d like to talk about the bits and how
they work. You can see in the photo at left that the
bits come in a variety of sizes to accommodate
everything from thin stock to creating lipped
drawers. No matter what size bit you use, the
routing process is the same. First, you cut a stepped
profile in the drawer front and back with the
workpiece laying flat on the table, like you see in
the lower photo at right. Then a mating profile is
cut into each drawer side with the same bit — only
this time, the side is held vertically (photo on next
page). It’s a pretty simple process, but there are a
few tricks that will help you get first-class results.
TIGHT JOINT. The goal is to end up with a gap-free
joint. To accomplish this, you’ll need to focus on
three things: the bit height and two different fence
settings. Since the bit height remains the same for
each cut, that’s the place to start.
BIT HEIGHT. Because of the design of the bit, you
only have to set the bit height once to produce a
tight-fitting joint. (Some bits come with instructions
telling you the setting.) In general, I’ve found 3⁄8" is
a good starting point. It’s helpful to make and use
test pieces to get the setting right. This is really a
matter of trial and error. For a quicker way to set the
bit height, take a look at the box on the next page.
SET THE FENCE. Once the bit height is set, the next step
is to position the fence. And this is only a minor
challenge — I’ll explain a few shortcuts later.
One more thing: There’s a good chance the fit
won’t be perfect on the first try. That’s okay. If you
take a look at the troubleshooting tips on page 7,
you’ll find some common problems and solutions.
the sides. So here’s the first shortcut: To
avoid measuring errors, use one of the
side pieces as a set-up gauge, like you
see in the upper photo at right.
ROUTING. Once this is taken care of, you’re ready
to start routing. There are a couple of things to
keep in mind as you do this. First, you’ll want to
hold the workpiece flat against the router table.
Second, you should always use a backer board
behind the workpiece as you push it past the bit. (I
use a scrap piece of MDF.) It prevents chipout as the
bit exits the workpiece and it helps keep the workpiece square to the router table fence.
Hold the backer board tight to the workpiece
while pressing both lightly against the fence (lower
photo above). When you’ve made a cut in each end
of the front and back, you can move on to routing
the other half of the joint in the drawer sides.
Wide bit makes
it easy to rout
lipped drawers
Align drawer side
with outer edge
of router bit
First Fence Position. To get a perfect fit, you can use
one of the drawer sides as a set-up gauge to adjust
the position of the router table fence.
Standard bit
will handle
most tasks
THE FRONT AND BACK
With your stack of drawer parts ready (and a few
test pieces), you can begin routing the joinery on the
drawer front and back.
As I mentioned before, the important thing here
is to position the router table fence correctly. You
want the width of the cut to match the thickness of
5
Rout the Front and Back. A backer board keeps the
drawer front and side pieces square to the fence as
you rout the stepped profile on each edge.
Small bit
designed for
thin stock
Backer piece should
be same thickness
as drawer side
THE SIDES
Front holds
workpiece
tight to fence
Routing the drawer sides is a little different
than routing the front and back. The sides are
held vertically against the fence, as you can
see in the right photo below.
SET THE FENCE. Before you start routing the
drawer sides, you’ll need to readjust the
fence. (Remember the bit height stays the
same.) Your aim here is to create a notch on the
inside face of the drawer sides that fits snugly in the
profile you routed in the front and back pieces.
The goal is to set the fence so only the wide, upper
section of the drawer joint bit is doing the cutting.
In the left photo below, you can see a shortcut for
this setup. I use a straightedge to align the fence
flush with the lower cutting edge of the router bit.
Another option is to use a set-up block, like the
one shown in the box at the bottom of the page.
Second Fence Position. The only adjustment you
need to make to rout the sides is to move the fence so
it’s flush with the lower cutting edge of the bit.
Rout the Sides. Hold the sides vertically as you rout
a notch in each end. Use a push block (like the one in
the left margin) to help support the workpiece.
Drawer Joint Bit Set-Up Block
A quick way to set the height of the router bit and
the location of the fence is to use a set-up block.
The block shown here is a commercial version
made out of UHMW (ultra-high molecular weight)
plastic, but you can make your own out of MDF.
The block has two profiles routed into it. The
first one is used the set the height of the bit, as
6
shown in the left photo. Simply raise or lower the
bit until it fits into the profile routed in the block.
Next, with the set-up block standing on edge,
you can use it to position the fence for routing the
drawer sides. Just place the block against the profile of the bit and move the fence over until it rests
against the face of the block (right photo).
SUPPORTING THE WORKPIECE. Once you have the fence
positioned correctly, all you need to do is make a
pass across each end of the two side pieces. The
only catch is that holding a narrow workpiece
(like the drawer side) on edge can be tricky.
In order to solve this problem, I made a twopiece push block, like the one you see in the left
margin on the opposite page. The upright piece
keeps the drawer side square to the table and
backs up the cut to prevent tearout. This piece is
the same thickness as the drawer side to back up
the workpiece. The front piece of the push block
captures the workpiece and holds it against the
fence so it won’t tip away.
ROUTING THE SIDES. Using the push block, you can
rout the ends of each side piece. Just make sure to
keep the inside face of each piece against the fence,
as shown in the right photo on the opposite page.
FINAL STEPS. With the joinery wrapped up, you can
cut a groove on the inside face of all the drawer
pieces to fit the drawer bottom. Then all that’s left is
to add glue to the joints and apply the clamps.
I think you’ll find that assembling the drawer
goes pretty smoothly. The wedge-shape of the
joint causes it to pull the drawer sides up snug
with the drawer front and back as you tighten
the clamps. What you’ll end up with is a sturdy
drawer that will last a lifetime.
Getting a Perfect Fit: Troubleshooting
Front/back
Front/back
Side
ront/back
Side
Front/back
Front/back
Side
Side
Side
There’s a Gap. If you see a gap along the beveled
The Joint Won’t Close. The drawing above shows
faces, adjusting the bit height is the answer. In this
situation, the bit is set too low.
the opposite problem. If the joint won’t close
tightly, the bit is too high.
Front/back
7
Side
Front/back
Front/back
RecessedFront/back
Side. The problem here is with the fence
Proud Side. The fence is the culprit again. To get
position. Move the fence forward to make a lighter
cut when routing the drawer front and back.
the pieces aligned, the fence needs to be moved
back before routing the front and back.
Side
Side
Front/back
Side
ront/back
Front/back
Side
Side
Side
setting up a
Lock Miter Bit
A handy gauge takes the hassle out of setting up
this versatile bit in your router table.
Several years ago, I bought a lock
miter router bit, thinking it was an
ideal solution to strong, perfectfitting miter joints. The idea
behind the bit is simple and ingenious. With a single setup, the bit
allows you to rout both halves of
a miter joint that incorporates a
tongue and groove. This aligns
the joint for assembly and creates
an interlocking connection that
increases its overall strength. It
works great for everything from
boxes and cabinets to table legs.
(See the box on the facing page.)
A Sticking Point. The bit certainly lived up to the hype. But
there’s a downside. The setup
Large lock
miter bit
Large
gauge
Small
gauge
Rare-earth
magnets
8
{ Registration. The raised edge
of the gauge should be tight
against the cutting edge.
can be time-consuming. The reason is the bit height and fence setting work together and in turn,
depend on the thickness of the
parts being routed.
You could make a setup block
once the bit is dialed in. But
unless you’re using parts that are
exactly the same thickness, you’ll
still have some fine-tuning and
test cuts to make.
So despite my initial enthusiasm, my lock miter bit has been
sitting unused in my router bit
drawer for some time.
Setup Gauge. As it turns out,
all a lock miter bit needs is a sidekick. Infinity Cutting Tools recently
came out with a set of clever
gauges, as shown in the far left
photo. The gauges ($60) are sold
as a pair to work with either small
or large versions of any lock miter
bit. They transform the setup
from tedious to trouble-free.
{ Bit Height. Raise the bit so
the line on the gauge aligns with
the one on the workpiece.
{ Fence Setting. With the part
held vertically, move the fence
until the centerlines meet.
Using the Gauge. Magnets
in the gauge secure it to the bit.
The lower right photo on the facing page shows how to align the
gauge. Position the gauge so the
recess in the face is against the
angled cutting edge. The recess
should also be tucked against the
underside of the groove-cutting
portion of the bit.
Router Table Setup. With the
bit installed in the router table and
the gauge in place, the setup goes
pretty quickly. The first step is to
mark a centerline on the thickness
of one of your pieces. This line
corresponds with the longer horizontal and vertical lines on the
gauge. (The shorter lines are used
for creating offset joints.)
The upper left photo shows
how the bit height is determined.
With the workpiece flat on the
table, adjust the bit height so
the centerline on the gauge and
workpiece are aligned.
Setting the fence works about
the same. The only difference is
the workpiece is held vertically
against the fence (middle photo).
In order to get an accurate reading, you need to rotate the router
bit so the cutting edge (and
gauge) is square to the router
table fence, as shown in the main
photo on the opposite page.
Routing the Joint. From here,
you’re ready to rout a joint. The
photos above right show each of
the two types of cut. I like to use
a backer board to prevent tearout
as the router bit exits the cut.
The real payoff comes when
you assemble the joint. Right out
{ Face Down. Rout the first part of the joint with
the inside face of the workpiece down on the
router table. A backer board prevents tearout.
{ On End. The mating part of the joint is cut with
the workpiece held vertically against the fence.
The backer board helps keep it square.
of the gate, you get a tight-fitting,
good-looking joint. The setup
time you save means you’re
more likely to reach for your lock
miter bit on future projects.
grain matching with
One Bit Setup
The straight grain and ray flecks found
in quartersawn white oak are one of the
hallmarks of Craftsman-style furniture. But
when furniture legs are made from a single,
solid blank, you are typically left with quartersawn figure on only two faces of the leg.
The solution is to create legs from four
separate pieces. Each leg section has a profile that interlocks with the adjacent section. The Infinity gauge makes it easy to set
up for these cuts, just as shown above. Be
sure to alternate the profiles on each edge,
as in the near right photo.
9
jigs & fixtures
choosing the best
Doweling Jig
It doesn’t get much simpler than dowel joinery, but picking the right
jig for you is the key to success. Here’s a detailed look at the options.
} Doweling jigs
run the gamut
from simple to
very elaborate.
Dowelmax
jig
Spacer
Rockler
doweling jig
10
Let’s face it — you don’t have
to be a master woodworker to
understand a dowel joint. Drill
holes in one board with a doweling jig, drill matching holes
in another board, and
put the boards
Task selfcentering jig
together with wood dowels and
glue between them.
But this seemingly basic concept is often harder to pull off in
practice. Put simply, many doweling jigs just aren’t up to the task
of positioning multiple holes
accurately. The result can be misaligned holes and projects that are
difficult to assemble.
Ultimately, the doweling jig
that’s right for you comes down
to the types of dowel joinery
that you want to do, as well
as your budget. If you’re only
interested in basic joinery, for
example, a less expensive but
still well-made jig will probably
serve your needs fine. If you
want a jig that can do everything from reinforcing miter
joints to drilling mortises to
making cabinet assemblies, however, it might be worth investing
a little bit more money in your
doweling jig setup.
THREE JIGS. With that sentiment
in mind, let’s take a closer look
at three great options. Depending on the work you plan to do,
one of these three choices should
work well for you. (For more on
where to purchase any of these
jigs, see Sources on page 14.)
ROCKLER JIG. As far as simplicity
goes, it doesn’t get much more
basic than the Rockler doweling jig
($15). What you see in the photo
at left is essentially all there is to
it: A hardened steel drilling guide
attached to a plastic fence. The
fence has three layout lines: One
that’s centered on the jig, and one
centered on each of the two holes.
The Rockler jig comes in three
sizes for different sizes of dowels
and stock thickness — 1⁄4" holes
centered in 1⁄2" stock, 3⁄8" holes in
3⁄ " stock, or 1⁄ " holes in 1" stock.
4
2
The jigs are not adjustable for centering holes in other thicknesses.
If you commonly work with
woods of these thicknesses,
though, the jigs can handle most
dowel joinery with ease. You just
lay out the hole locations (or the
centerline) between two mating
boards, align the jig, and drill the
holes as shown at right.
TASK SELF-CENTERING JIG. For basic
dowel joinery in any stock up
to 2" thick, the self-centering jig
from Task is worth a closer look.
As the name implies, this drilling guide adjusts to center itself
on the workpiece.
The jig comes with three pairs
of bushings for drilling different
hole sizes (1⁄4", 5⁄16", and 3⁄8"). And
it features four holes for locating
the bushings, so you can add more
holes to a wide joint or vary the
spacing of the holes. The miter
joint shown in the main photo on
the opposite page is a good example of when this comes in handy.
The self-centering nature of the
jig also makes it great for some
other doweling tasks, such
as drilling holes in round
stock or roughing out holes
for a mortise. You can drill
off-center holes by simply
adding a spacer.
The jig can only be
clamped to the end or edge
of a workpiece, so you can’t
use it for assembling cases or
drilling a hole in the face of
a panel. Still, for around $60,
it’s a pretty good bargain for
a well-machined, accurate
doweling jig.
DOWELMAX JIG. The most versatile of all the doweling jigs is
unquestionably the Dowelmax. If
dowel joinery is your preferred
method of joining wood, and you
want to be able to use dowels in
almost any joinery situation, then
this is the jig for you.
Like the other jigs, the Dowelmax handles any edge or end
drilling with ease in its typical
configuration. But with a simple
adjustment to the jig, you can also
drill holes on the face of a workpiece for tasks like case joinery.
The Dowelmax comes with a
handy accessory called a distance gauge. This simple, adjustable arm makes dowel joinery a
{The Rockler
great method for joining boards
edge to edge to create gluedup panels. To use the distance
gauge, simply drill the first hole
in the edge of a board, then insert
the gauge in this hole to establish the location of the second
hole. It’s a foolproof method that
works great on mating boards, as
shown in the photo below.
Of course, all this versatility
comes at a price. The full Dowelmax system costs around $300.
But if you want a precision tool
that can handle virtually any
dowel joinery task you throw its
direction, then this jig is worthy
of your consideration.
doweling jigs
can handle
basic dowel
joinery in 1⁄2"-,
3⁄ "- , or 1"4
thick stock.
Build Your Own Jig
Another option for dowel joinery
is to simply build your own jig
with inserts and bushings from
Lee Valley (below). These inserts
press-fit into 5⁄8" holes drilled in
wood, and they accept screw-in
bushings for drilling holes that
range in diameter from 1⁄8" to 3⁄8".
You can make the jig any shape
or size you need.
} Separate inserts and
bushings make it easy
to customize your
own doweling jig.
{The Dowelmax distance gauge lets you
create evenly spaced holes along the edges
of boards for assembling a panel.
11
working with tools
dust off your
Biscuit Joiner
This versatile tool is as handy today as when it first hit the market.
And for many joinery tasks, there’s no better way.
About 25 years ago, the plate, or
biscuit joiner, was introduced and
took the woodworking world by
storm. It was a very innovative
tool that offered a variety of practical uses. Just about every woodworker either eventually bought
one or wanted to. But after the
initial excitement wore off, many
of these biscuit joiners were put
} A wide range
of biscuit
sizes allows
you to adapt
this simple
technique to
many tasks.
#0 (17⁄8" long)
#10 (21⁄8" long)
FF Mini (11⁄4” long)
#20
12
(23⁄
8”
long)
on the shelf to gather dust and
don’t see the use they once did. If
this description fits, you may be
overlooking a tool that can save
you a lot of time and effort and
improve the quality of your work.
WHY? In essence, a biscuit joiner
offers a quick and easy way to
make a spline joint. You use the
joiner to cut mating concave slots
and then simply install the specially shaped biscuits across the
joint. Depending on the application, the joint can be completed in
only a few minutes. For me, the
big selling point is that with just
a little care, perfect alignment of
the joint is just about automatic.
Now I’m not advocating that
biscuit joinery take the place of
all other types. It’s a matter of
choosing the most efficient and
appropriate joinery method for
the task at hand. And in many
instances using biscuit joinery is
a “no-brainer” — if you’ll pardon
the expression. It can earn its keep
by making otherwise tricky or
time-consuming tasks easy, fast,
and virtually foolproof.
KEEP IT SIMPLE. As I explained, one
of the advantages of biscuit joinery is that in its basic form, it’s
easy to master. That’s why I like
to keep it simple and use the tool
for jobs that don’t require fussing
with complicated setups.
However, there are a couple
things to keep in mind. First, you
always want to match the biscuit
size to the task (lower left photo).
A large biscuit (#20) will give
you more gluing surface and
produce a stronger connection.
A biscuit installed every
1
8" to 10" along the joints
can cure the problem,
as in the main photo on
the opposite page and
Figure 1 at right. In this
instance, I don’t even
bother to glue the bisNOTE: Biscuits
cuits into the slots. This
don‘t need to be
Biscuits keep
simplifies the glueup
glued into slots
faces of
while still guaranteeing
boards flush
NOTE: Install biscuit
a flat surface.
during glueup
every 8" to 10"
A similar application is shown in Figure
2 — wrapping a plywood panel
2
with a solid-wood border. Again,
the goal is perfectly flush surfaces. And in this case, cleaning
up an uneven joint can be pretty
touchy. Biscuits can be the answer.
A bonus is a good measure of
Biscuit joinery can make
Biscuits add both
strength added to the joint.
installing flush border
mechanical strength and
MITERED ASSEMBLIES. When buildaround panel easier
gluing surface to joint
ing an assembly with miter
joints, cutting and fitting the
miters accurately is only half the mitered surfaces aligned during
battle. Miter joints can often be glueup while adding significant
troublesome to glue and clamp. reinforcement to the joints.
Biscuits can
This effort-saving application
And even if you get past this
reinforce weak
miter joints
hurdle, the long-term strength of can be applied to a flat mitered
and help align
the joints can come into question. frame such as a mirror frame
surfaces during
Here, biscuit joinery can help you (Figure 3), or a “boxed” frame
assembly
on both scores — keeping the like that assembled for the base
of a cabinet, as in Figure 4. Just
remember that when installing
Always use multiple biscuits
a.
when appropriate
biscuits across miter joints, choosing the right size and placing
them correctly is the key.
FRAMES & CASES. There are probTOP
ably a hundred different ways
SECTION
VIEW
to join two square workpieces —
but maybe none faster and easier
Biscuits installed
than using biscuit joinery. Assemacross joint make
bling face frames, web frames,
clamping easier
casework, or anything requiring
moderate-strength joinery is fair
game, as shown in Figures 5 and
Use biscuits to
6
quickly join casework
6. Biscuit joinery can often take
in both solid wood
the place of more complicated
and plywood
and finicky joinery methods like
mortise and tenon, dowel joints,
Size biscuits
to width of
or tongue and dado.
workpieces
I’ll admit that biscuit joinery
isn’t
considered by some to be a
NOTE:
Assemble face
“traditional” woodworking techframes and
nique. But today’s innovation has
web frames
a way of becoming tomorrow’s
with biscuits
accepted practice.
However sometimes a small
biscuit (#0 or a “mini”) is a better
fit to the scale of the workpieces.
My second point is to always
use enough biscuits to get the
job done. In other words, if adding another biscuit or two will
strengthen the joint or aid in the
assembly, don’t hesitate. It’s a
snap and biscuits are cheap.
Now let me offer just a few
building situations in which using
biscuit joinery makes good sense.
EDGE JOINTS. Keeping edge-toedge glue joints in alignment can
be a challenge. Of course, one
such instance is during a panel
glueup. Once glue is applied
and the clamps are tightened, the
boards tend to shift, and you can
end up with an uneven surface.
3
4
Mitered
cabinet
base
5
13
MAIL
ORDER
SOURCES
Woodsmith Store
800-444-7527
Kreg Tool
800-447-8638
kregtool.com
Rockler
800-279-4441
rockler.com
Infinity Cutting
Tools
877-872-2487
infinitytools.com
Lee Valley
800-871-8158
leevalley.com
Project Sources
POCKET HOLE JOINERY
When it comes to pocket hole jigs,
the Kreg Tool Company wrote the
book. You can purchase Kreg jigs
through most woodworking dealers. Or view all the products Kreg
has to offer by taking a look at their
website, kregtool.com.
EASY DRAWER JOINERY
Rockler is a great go-to source for
woodworking tools, supplies, and
hardware. They carry the bits in the
article on page 5.
LOCK MITER BITS •Infinity Cutting Tools
Lock Miter Jig . . . . . . . LMM-002
DOWELING JIGS •Rockler
1⁄ ” Doweling Jig . . . . . . . . . 48169
4
3⁄ ” Doweling Jig . . . . . . . . . 47516
8
1⁄ ” Doweling Jig. . . . . . . . . . 40939
2
Self-Centering Jig . . . . . . . . 49221
Dowelmax Classic . . . . . . 1002683
•Lee Valley
Bushings & Inserts. . . . . . . Varies
Manufacturers and retailers will
periodically redesign or discontinue
some of their itmes. So you’ll want
to gather all the hardware, supplies,
and tools you need before you get
started. It’s easy to adjust dimensions or drill different-sized holes to
suit your hardware.
14

5 cool joinery techniques

Transcription

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