A Publication of August Home - MetosExpo

A Publication of August Home
looking inside
Table of Contents
from our readers
lie
Tips & Techniques .............. .4
Perfect Finger Joints ........... .39
With a shop-built jig and a dado blade, you can
cut tight-fitting finger joints on the table saw.
all about
Choosing Drawer Liners ......... .8
Here's everything you need to know to select the
best drawer liner for your next project.
working with tools
Troubleshooting Your Jointer . ... .42
We'll show you how to keep this essential power
tool cutting straight and true.
tools of the trade
7 Essential Layout Tools . ....... .10
An accurate layout starts with the right tools. All
it takes is this basic collection.
finishing room
Using Glazes . ................ .46
Learn how the technique of glazing can enhance
the color and .appearance of a project.
woodworking essentials
Gluing Up Strong Joints . ....... .12
When you follow a few simple guidelines, longlasting glue joints are a sure thing.
details of craftsmanship
Twin Tenons . ................. .48
When maximum strength is the goal, this timetested joint can't be beat.
techniques from our shop
Using Rail & Stile Bits . ......... .14
These handy router bits take the hard work out
of building great-looking frame and panel doors.
tips from our shop
Shop Notebook . .............. .28
in the mailbox
Q &A ........................ 50
hardware and supplies
Sources .......
I
•••••
I
••••••••
51
Display Shelf page 18
Folding Step Stool page 22
2
Woodsmith
o. 183
r
editor's note
Sawdust
S
everal years ago, I ran across a small, wooden tool chest - the
projects
weekend project
Display Shelf . ................ .18
If you're looking for a productive way to spend a
weekend, building this small display shelf might
be the answer. The ciassic design and straightforward woodworking add up to a great project.
designer series project
Folding Step Stool .... . ....... .22
Here's a project that will satisfy the "tinkerer"
in you. Using a combination of purchased and
shop-made hardware, this sturdy, practical folding step stool goes together in a snap.
kind that every machinist probably owned at one time. Now,
I've always admired these old to~l chests. The shallow drawers are
perfect for storing small tools. But I liked this particular chest for
more than just the purpose it served. The details on it reminded me
of the craftsmanship of a bygone era - the quartersawn oak, the
finger-jointed case, the decorative V-grooves on the drawer fronts,
and the frame and panel front and back.
For some time, I've wanted to feature a similar tool chest in
Woodsmith . But the problem was finding a source for the distinctive hardware. Recently, hbwever, I came across a company that
offers authentic-looking hardware, just like that used on many of
the original machinist's chests. Once we had the hardware in hand,
it was just a matter of working out all the construction details. If
you take a look at the photo below, I think you'll agree that the
finished result was well worth the effort. And it makes a great
heirloom project
Machinist's Chest ............. .30
Patterned after a classic tool chest, this project
is the perfect way to show pride in your tools, as
well as your craftsmanship. It's guaranteed to be
a treasured heirloom.
storage cabinet for more than just tools.
If you're looking for something a little less ambitious, we've got
two other projects in this issue that fill the bill. One is a simple display shelf. It's built with sliding dovetail construction and can be
put together in a weekend. You can read about it on page 18.
The other project in this issue is a folding step stool. The challenge
here was to come up with a sturdy stool that can be folded up when
not in use. After a few prototypes, we came up with a clever design
that uses common hardware and a few shop-made fittings.
The nice thing about these projects is that you won't need much
in the way of time or lumber to build either of them. And with these
two excuses out of the way, hopefully, you'll be inspired to get busy
building one of these great projects in your shop.
ets you know there's more information online at
There you'll see step-by-step videos, technique and
project anima
, bonus cutting diagrams, and a lot more.
Machinist's Chest page 30
Woodsmith.com
Woodsmith
3
from our readers
Tips&
Techniques
Digital Drill Press
Setting the depth on my
drill press using the factory installed gauge is
not very accurate. I like
to know the precise drilling depth before I turn on
the drill press.
So I installed a Wixey
Digital Readout gauge on
my drill press. This gives
me an accu rate depth
setting every time.
As you can see in the
photo at left and the drawing below, attaching the
gauge to the drill press
is a simple task. Fi rst, I
attached a mount i ng
Digital display
Digital display mounting
block attached to drill press
with rare-earth magnets
' ~·-lO
star knob
Arbor moun 'ng block
attached to stop collar
block to the stop collar
just above the chuck. To
do this, I drilled a hole in
the block to fit over the
collar. Then I cut a slot in
the front so I could pinch
it around the collar with a
bolt and threaded knob.
Finally, I screwed the
sensor scale to the edge
of the block. The display
and sensor are attached
to the drill press housing
with two magnets that
are mounted in woodblocks (drawing below).
To use the gauge, first
install a bit and then
lower it until it contacts
the workpiece. Without
moving the bit, zero out
the display. Then turn on
the drill press and lower
the bit. The display will
tell you exactly how
deep a hole it's drilled.
It's accurate even if you
lift the bit to clear out the
chips in the hole.
Now I can drill holes to
an accurate depth.
Brad Townsend
Byron, Illinois
4
Woodsmith
No. 183
No. 183
June/July 2009
PUBLISHER Donald B. Peschke
EDITOR Terry J. Strohman
MANAGING EDITOR Vincent Ancona
SENIOR EDITOR Ted Raife
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Dennis Perkins
ASSISTANT EDITOR Carol Beronich
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Bryan Nelson, Ph il Huber,
Randall A. Maxey
.. Magnets. Rare-earth magnets are
used to grip the sides of the can and to
hold the brush in place.
.. Less Finish. As the finish is used and
the level decreases, the brush holder
can be lowered into the can.
Jack Donahue
Thousand Oaks, California
EXECUTIVE ART DIRECTOR Todd Lambirth
SENIOR ILLUSTRATORS David Kreyling, Dirk Ver Steeg,
Harlan V Clark, Peter J. Larson, David Kallemyn
Adiustable Brush Holder
Sometimes, my work is interrupted
when I'm in the middle of applying a
finish to a project. I've never found a
good place to stash the brush while I
attend to the phone call or other distraction. So I made this handy adjustable
brush holder that keeps the bristles of
the brush immersed in the finish.
As you can see in the drawing at
right, rare-earth magnets are the key to
this simple holder. I used two magnets
on either side of the holder to pinch the
can between the inner and outer stabilizer blocks. The third magnet "grips"
the ferrule of the brush. The holder
separates for easy removal.
Now I never have to worry about the
brush drying out, getting finish on the
edge of the can, or messy clean ups.
EDITORIAL INTERN Catherine Seiser
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Bob Zimmerman
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Shelley Cronin
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ted Kralicek
SENIOR PROJECT DESIGNERS Ken Munkel,
Kent Welsh, Chris Fitch, Jim Down ing, Mike Donovan
PROJECT DESIGNER/BUILDER John Doyle
SHOP CRAFTSMEN Steve Cu rtis, Steve Johnson
14"-20
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Crayola England,
Dennis Kennedy
star
knob
ASSOCIATE STYLE DIRECTOR Rebecca Cun ningham
SENIOR elECTRONIC IMAGE SPECIALIST Allan Ruhnke
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Minniette Johnson
VIDEO EDITOR/DIRECTOR Mark Hayes, Nate Gruca
Woods mi th® (ISSN 0164-4114) is published bimonthly (Feb., Apr., June, Aug., Oct.,
Dec.) by Augus t Home Publishing Company, 2200 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312.
Woodsmith® is a registered trademark of A ugust Home Publishing.
Copyright© 2009 August Home Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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Woodsmith
5
more tips from our readers
114"-20 insert
SIDE VIEW
Grind end to
25° bevel
and hone
until sharp
a.
NOTE: 2° bevel allows
the blade to cut
Router Plane
Occasionally, I need to
clean up narrow dadoes
or grooves on a project. So I came up with a
simple shop-made router
plane that I can use for
this purpose. It's made
out of nothing more than
a few scra ps of wood and
an Allen wrench.
The body of the
router plane is made of
two separate pieces, as
shown above. After cutting the base and handle
to shape, they're screwed
together. Then a hole is
drilled through the body
for the cutter.
To make the cutter, I
used a grinding wheel
and sharpening stone to
form a bevel on the short
leg of an Allen wrench.
A thumbscrew and a
threaded insert holds the
cutter in place.
For just a few dollars,
I have a quality tool that
will last a long time.
photo above, I'm able to
sand consistent chamfers
quickly and easily.
The jig is just a base
with a dado cut in it to
hold a sl i ding sanding block. I attached a
fence at a 45° angle to
hold the workpiece.
The small workpiece is
held at the correct angle
by the fence. It works on
rectangular plugs as well
as square plugs.
The sand ing block
slides back and forth,
creating the chamfer on
the end ofthe workpiece.
To use the jig, I rotate the
workpiece 90° and sand
each edge to get even
chamfers on all sides.
Once the chamfers are
created, I just trim the
plug from the blank.
Jeff Webster
Lexington, South Carolina
Plug Sanding Jig
I needed a quick, easy
way to form a chamfer on the end of some
very small workpieces. I
intended to use them for
plugs (inset photo).
Working with sma ll
pieces is a challenge. But
with the jig you see in the
6
Woodsrnith
Jordan Hutchinson
West Des Moines, Iowa
No. 183
Quick Tips
Saving Wet
Glue Roller
When applying glue
to large areas, I find a
roller is an ideal tool.
And Ilike to have my
roller ready to go at a
moment's notice. So
I use a plastic container to keep my
glue roller fresh and
accessible, as you
see in the photo at right.
The air-tight container holds a plastic
paint pan and a foam roller. This roller
has a rust-proof stainless steel and plastic
handle. The glue stays moist and ready to
apply inside the container.The best part is
HAND PlANE PROTEalON
I don't have to bother with clean up every
time I glue something. This means I save
time, and I also don't wash good glue
down the drain during clean up.
George Peter Harvey
De Winton, Alberta
DannyComsa
Anaheim, California
Thin Strip Gauge
Cutting thin strips on the table saw is
always a challenge and sometimes a
safety issue. That's why I made this simple
gauge that let's me cut accurate thin strips
on the waste side of the blade.
The gauge is nothing more than a piece
of plywood with a hardwood runner that
fits in the miter gauge slot of your table
saw. Screws on one edge of the plywood
act as stops to set up for different thicknesses of strips.
With the gauge in the
miter slot, the screws
are adjusted referencing from the saw blade.
To use the gauge, place
the workpiece against
the appropriate screw
and move the rip fence
against the workpiece,
as shown at left. Then
remove the gauge and
make the cut.
Rod Enos
Chubbuck, Idaho
WiN ThIS
BOSCH
IMPACTOR DRIVER
That's right, send us your favorite shop
tips. If your tip or technique is selected as
the featured reader's tip, you'll win a Bosch
impact driver just like the one shown here. To
submit your tip or technique, just go online
to www.woodsmith.com and click on the
link, "SUBMIT A TIP:' You can submit your tip
and upload your photos for consideration.
Woodsmith.com
When it's time to use a hand plane
to smooth out a workpiece, I don't
like to set the plane directly on the
workbench and risk damaging the
cutting edge. So I cut a large piece
of carpet pad to work on.
I cut the pad so it's large enough
to hold my workpiece and rest the
plane. Not only does the pad protect the blade, but my workpiece
is protected from scratches that
could transfer from debris on my
workbench. Plus, the pad keeps
the workpiece from slipping.
The
Winner!
Congratulations to
Brad Townsend,
winner of the Bosch
Impactor driver. To
find out how you
could win a Bosch
drin:'l', check out
the
rmation
on the
Woodsmith
STUBBORN PHIWIIS-HEAD SCREWS
Sometimes when I'm trying to
remove a stubborn Phillips-head
screw, I have trouble with the
screwdriver slipping. That's when
I use a little trick I learned from an
experienced auto mechanic.
My mechanic told me to place
a tiny bit of valve grinding compound on the tip of the screwdriver. The compound grabs the
head of the screw and it will tum
without stripping the head.
Wayne Allison
Fredricksburg, Texas
PROTEa PlYWOOD VENEER
Plywood is a great building material for projects. But you alw ays
run the risk of scratching the thin
veneer, which causes extra sanding
on an already smooth surface.
To protect the veneer, I cover the
sheet with plastic, self-adhesive
carpet protector. It's the stuff that
builders use to protect carpeting
during remodeling projects. I've
found it at home centers in a couple different widths.
Once the plywood is covered,
you can machine it as you normally would. Then simply peel the
plastic off before assembly. It also
protects against tear out.
Don Grimaldi
st. Charles, Illinois
7
choosing
DralNer Liners
Whether you're storing tools or protecting fine jewelry, you have a
lot of materials to choose from when lining drawers.
Your project is built and now it's
time to add the finishing touches.
Most often that's a few coats of
finish. But if the project includes
drawers, you'll also need to choose
an appropriate lining. I like to make
the choice of which material to use
for the lining based on what I plan
to store in the drawer.
If the drawer is going to hold
tools or other heavy items, a durable liner is the best option. If it's
made to hold jewelry or silverware,
you might want to consider a soft,
plush fabric to line the drawers.
There are some materials, like felt,
that perform well for both uses.
FELT. Felt is an extremely durable
fabric. It's soft, it cushions well, and
it's inexpensive. When I use felt to
line a drawer, I usually apply it to
hardboard or heavy posterboard
with spray adhesive, as shown in
the main photo. You can cut the
lining to fit once it's attached to
the backing. Once it's mounted
to a backing, it slips in the drawer
and I can replace it later "ith ease.
Before you purchase felt for lining drawers, you should know that
not all felt is created equal. Look for
felt that's made from 100% wool.
It stands up to a lot of abuse and it
resists dirt and stains.
The felt you find in craft stores
is usually made from nylon, which
isn't as durable as wool felt. But it
is available with adhesive on the
back. An advantage if you don't
want to back the lining.
VELVET. Velvet is another choice for
fabric drawer liners. It's available
Open-Weave
Vinyl
~
.
;
~
No. 183
in a variety of colors with adhesive backing. I find this material is
best used for jewelry boxes or flatware storage. It's just not durable
enough for shop tools.
Like felt, I usually apply this
drawer liner material to posterboard backing. This way, it can be
easily replaced if it shows wear.
LEATHER AND SUEDE. If you want to
line drawers with a more rugged
material, nothing beats leather or
suede for holding up under heavy
use. These thick materials work
well for use with tools. Suede also
has non-slip properties to keep
items from shifting in the drawer.
It's not necessary to back
leather or suede, as it holds
its shape when you cut and
fit it. Plus, it resists dirt and
oil and cleans up easily. The
only drawback to this material is that it will cause silver
to tarnish, so you shouldn't
use it to line jewelry boxes
or silverware chests. But it
won't harm tools.
CORK. Cork is one of the
most versatile materials
made for lining drawers. This
material holds up best to sharp
tools and won't harm fine silver.
It's available in different thicknesses; with or without
an adhesive back, usually
in rolls. It cuts easily with
a utility knife, and you can
back it with posterboard
for easy replacement or
you can attach it directly
to the drawer, since it
doesn't shift or stretch.
VINYL Vmyl matting has
a variety of uses around
the shop. And lining
tool chest drawers is just
another great idea.
• Adhesive-backed fabric is available in
This material is made
several colors and adheres easily to in several finishes from
the drawer bottom or a backing.
textured to open weave.
i Drawer liner
Vinyl takes a lot of abuse from tools
and remains in good shape. I also
like it because I can cut it to fit the
drawer and just drop it ·in without
having to use a backing. And_since
it's a high-friction material, it won't
slide around. So you don't have to
worry about gluing it down.
FLOCKING. Spray-on flocking is
another good way to line drawers for storage. You can read more
about this product and how to
apply it in the box below.
Once you decide which of these
materials is right for your project,
you'll find more information about
where to find them in Sources on
page 51. In a short time you'll have
the finishing touches on your project and your tools or fine silver will
be safely stored. m
material can
be trimmed
using a
posterboard
ba.cki(tg as====
a guide.
How-To: Inexpensive Flocking
Spray-on flocking is in a class by
itself. This two-part drawer liner
goes on with colored adhesive as
the base coat and then tiny fibers
are sprayed directly onto the glue
to make a drawer liner that's perfectly formed to the drawer.
As a result, the application is
easy and accurate. You don't have
to spend time measuring or applying glue. Just apply the adhesive
.to the surface you want
to cover and use the
handy and inexpensive applicator
to apply the fibers
(photo at right).
This drawer lining material is available in a variety of
colors. It's great for tools as well
Woodsmith.com
as jewelry or fine silverware. Plus,
it adheres to any shaped form, so
you can make custom-fitting forms
and add the flocking to every nook
and cranny in your project (photo
at right). The flocking will dry overnight and any overspray can be collected for reuse.
Air Pump
Applicator
..J
One bag of flocking covers 8-10 square feet. The
flocking will dry overn ight and you can collect
the overspray for lat e r use.
Woodsmith
9
essentra I'"
Layout Tools
With a small collection of the right tools, you can handle just about
any layout task - efficiently and accurately.
Almost every woodworking task
starts with an accurate layout. Without these guidelines to follow, the
table saw, drill press, band saw, and
all your other cutting and shaping
tools aren't of much value.
Often, the first tools you pick
up when starting a project are the
ones used to layout the parts and
joinery. So having a complete set of
these essential tools is key to getting the job started down the right
road. Here's a short list of the basic
layout tools that I wouldn't want
to be without.
1
Combination Square
A high-quality, 12" combination square is surely one of the
most versatile layout tools you
can own. Not only can it be used
to mark accurate 90° and 45° lines
(photo at right), the sliding blade
can be used for measuring, as a
short straightedge, and as a layout
gauge. Don't skimp on this one.
Buy the best combination square
you can afford. It'll get used every
day and last a lifetime.
2
Tape Measure
For making large scale layout measurements quickl}~ a 12' or
16' steel tape measure can't be beat
(photo at left). The end of the
tape hooks firmly over
the end of a
workpiece
10
fo r easy outside measurements,
but also adapts to inside readings.
Look for a tape with a %"- or 1"wide blade that has fine, easy-toread markings, then take good care
of it. If the tape starts to wear or the
hook gets damaged, replace it.
No. 183
3
Ruler
A 6" steel ruler with etched
graduations comes in handy for all
sorts of precise layout tasks. The
advantage over a bigger rule is in
the compact size, thin blade, and
the distinct, easy-to-read markings.
You can use it lying flat, as shown
at right, or turn it on edge to get a
better read when necessary.
My rule earns its keep when laying out dovetails, mortises, tenons,
and any other joinery for which
dead-on accuracy is a must. I keep
it in my apron pocket at all times.
4
Straight~dge
Project parts (and the layouts needed to cut them to shape)
come in all different sizes. When
working on a project that requires
large panels, a 36" or 48'Laluminum=====
straightedge is invaluable.
The essential job of a long
straightedge is to connect measured marks with a layout line. For
this, you don't need an expensive
"machinist's-quality" tool. Just find
one that's straight and rigid.
6
5
Marking Knife
Compass
A pencil line is adequate for
many layout tasks, but for more
demanding work, the fine, incised
line made by a marking knife is
more accurate. A marking knife
is my choice for scribing dovetail
pins from the tails, or marking the
shoulders of tenons and the cheeks
of mortises, as shown at right.
The sharp line left by a marking knife leaves no doubt where to
make a cut. The shallow" groove"
created by the knife can even be
used to position a chisel when
cleaning up or fine-tuning a joint.
Not all woodworking is done
along straight lines. It's often the
graceful curves you add to a project
that attract the most attention. To
draw these arcs and circles easily
and accurately on a workpiece, you
need to keep a compass on hand.
The inexpensive compass shown
at right (my favorite) has springloaded arms and a screw adjustment that allows you to easily zeroin on a radius up to 4%". If your
projects often have larger curves,
consider adding a beam compass
to your tool collection as well.
7
Bevel Gauge
Whenever a project layout
calls for an angle other than 90
you'll find that a sliding bevel
gauge is indispensible. The slotted
blade on a bevel gauge can be
adjusted and locked at any angle,
as well as extended or shortened as
needed. I call on mine when laying
out dovetails or other angled joinery, and to transfer angles from part
part or shop dra",ings. m
0
,
Woodsmith.com
Woodsmith
11
"-1 oz.
" - I)
oz.
"- SOZ.
glU1ng u
"'' Strong Joints
Assembling tough, long-lasting glue joints is simply a matter of
"sticking" with a few of the tried-and-true fundamentals.
If you removed the glue from the
joints, most woodworking projects
would be reduced to a jumbled pile
of parts. Even the best-planned and
well-executed joinery wouldn't be
worth a nickel without the contribution of the glue.
However, when gluing up a joint,
it's pretty easy to take a good end
result for granted. The goal is simple - to get the best return on the
time spent laying out and cutting a
joint. But there's more to producing
a strong glue joint than you might
think. And to ensure that the glue
does its job, it's helpful to have a
basic understanding of a few simple gluing fundamentals.
HOW GLUE WORKS. Every woodworker knows from experience
that glue makes one piece of wood
adhere tightly to another. But not
many could tell you how. The truth
is, the way glue works isn't completely understood. But there's a
broad consensus that two different
mechanisms are responsible.
Although most woodworking
is done with yellow polyvinyl
acetate (PVA) glue, most glues
work in essentially the same way.
The glue creates both a mechanical
and a chemical bond, as illustrated
in the drawing above.
A mechanical lock is formed
when the glue finds its w ay into
the pores and around the fibers of
the wood and then dries hard. Like
a nail or screw, it forms a physical
bridge between the two pieces of
wood, holding them in contact.
But this mechanical connection is
actually the weaker force. A stronger bond is formed by a chemical
How Glue Works
------_.
...,..,.--- Glue line
12
- -- '
Highly Magnified
Glue forced into the
pores forms a relatively
weak mechanical lock. A
stronger bond is created
by a chemical attraction
along the glue line.
Woodsmith
or molecular attraction between the
glue and wood. The glue between
the two pieces of wood essentially
acts like a very powerful magnet to
bind them tightly together.
THIN GLUE LINE. For this chemical
attraction to be most effective, the
two pieces of wood need to be in
very close contact and the glue line
should be very thin. You won't
achieve a strong bond across a
wide gap in a joint even if there's
glue filling it. The excess glue will
simply act as a weak link to diminish the long-term strength .
THE THREE ESSENTIALS. So the next s
question is, what do I need to do
to make sure the glue gives me the
strongest possible bond? Basically,
there are three aspects to successfully gluing up a joint. And they're
pretty easy to grasp.
AGOOD fiT. First, the joint needs to
fit properly. The mating surfaces
should be smooth, flat and make
good contact. As I described, an
extra dose of glue won't make up
for sloppy joinery. And on the other
hand, a joint that fits too tight may
No. 183
not have space to establish a good
glue line. "Hand pressure snug" is
a good rule of thumb.
WHERE AND HOW MUCH? Second, you
need to add the right amount of
glue to the joint and put it where it
will do the most good. Use too little glue and you'll risk a "starved"
joint - too much, and the joint
may not close up tightly. The goal
is to end up with a continuous
layer of glue between the mating pieces. So the glue should be
spread in a way that ensures even
coverage across the joint.
CLAMP IT RIGHT. The final factor is
proper clamping pressure. Clamping a joint serves more than one
purpose. Obviously, the clamps
close the joint and hold the surfaces
in contact until the glue dries.
But just as important, the pressure applied by the clamps creates
a thin glue line and also helps the
glue penetrate and "wet" the wood.
So you need to think about both
the number of clamps you use and
where you place them. As a general
The close spacing
of the clamps on
this panel create
continuous pressure along the
glue lines.
Woodsmith.com
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rule, when gluing a joint, the more
clamps, the better.
SOME PRACTICAL EXAMPLES. So how
does all this relate to gluing up a
particular joint? Well, each type
of woodworking joint is a little
different. But a look at just a few
common examples will give you
a good general understanding of
how to tackle a particular joint.
MORTISE AND TENON. When assembling a mortise and tenon, the fit
of the joint and how you apply the
glue are foremost. A clamp will
close the joint for the best appearance, but doesn't really apply force
across the gluing surfaces.
The drawing and photo above
illustrate this point. To end up with
a thin, strong glue line, the tenon
has to fit snugly, but not too tightly,
in the mortise. The glue won't form
a strong bond across gaps between
the mortise and tenon.
And you'll notice in the photo
that glue is spread on both the end
of the tenon and at the top of the
mortise. As the tenon is inserted
into the mortise, the glue in the
mortise is forced down while the
glue on the tenon is forced back,
resulting in full, even coverage.
AN EDGE JOINT. The strength of an
edge joint is entirely reliant on
the action of the glue. So the fit of
the joint, how you apply the glue,
and clamping pressure all play a
pretty important role.
The edges to be glued
should be smooth and
straight so that you hav e
good wood-to-wood contact
all along the joint. A generous bead of glue should be
applied to one edge and
then spread evenly over the
surface (main photo on the
opposite page).
Finally, use closely spaced
clamps to ensure overlapping
Woodsmith
I
;
"cones" of pressure along the joint,
as in the lower left drawing and
photo. This last step is a big key to
creating the thin, "invisible" glue
line that yields a strong joint.
A LAP JOINT. Thanks to an abundance of gluing surface, a simple
lap joint can be very strong. But
here again, gluing the joint has
slightly different considerations.
In order to make the most of a
lap joint's gluing strength, you
need to start with smooth, flat surfaces. Ridges, grooves, and unevenness will prevent good contact and
greatly weaken the joint.
To assemble the joint, you'll simply lay one half over the other. So
unlike a mortise and tenon, you
can't rely on a "sliding" action to
produce a continuous layer of glue.
Instead, this is done by spreading
glue liberally over one face of the
joint, as in the photo below.
As with a mortise and tenon,
applying clamps along the length
of the pieces will pull the shoulders
tight, but this won't provide pressure across the gluing surfaces. To
do this, a clamp should be tightened
across the two halves of the joint, as
shown in the drawing below.
What all this comes down to is
keeping the basic goals in mind
and then tailoring each particular
glueup to achieve them. If you do
this, you really will be able to take
strong glue joints for granted. m
.. When gluing
up a mortise
and tenon,
spread glue on
the ends of the
tenon cheeks
and at the top
of the mortise.
, Spread the glue
thorough ly over
one face when
assembling a
lap joint.
13
makl
d
Rail & Stile Bits
Whether it's kitchen cabinets or an entertainment center; a set of
router bits offers an easy way to make the doors at the router table.
It's no secret that a well-built cabinet needs doors that complement
the overall style of the project.
But they also need to be
strong enough
to handle
.. Rail and stile bits
create interlocking joints
with a decorative profile.
14
years of use. So before building the
doors you'll need to consider the
design and joinery options.
Frame and panel construction is
a common solution. A hardwood
frame surrounding a hardwood or
plywood panel provides a lightweight and stable door. And simple stub tenon and groove joinery
provides plenty of strength for this
application. The only downside is
the straight prome of the frame can
be a bit, well, boring.
Adding a routed prome to the
inside edge of the frame gives a
more professional, finished look.
But creating it at the router table
and then cutting the joinery separately adds several steps to the
building process. Fortunately, you
Woodsmith
can accomplish the same result by
using a set of matched router bits.
A set of rail and stile cutters (often
referred to as "cope and stick" bits)
can take care of the joinery and the
decorative prome in one operation.
A stile bit cuts the prome and the
groove for the panel in the edge of
each of the frame pieces. A matching rail bit cuts a coped prome ahd
a stub tenon on the ends of the
rails. Since the bits are precisely
machined to match, you're almost
guaranteed a perfect fit.
These sets can be a bit pricey,
usually running anywhere from $80
to $100 for a set. But unless you're
running a production cabinet shop,
you can probably get a lifetime of
service from these bits.
No. 183
HOW THEY WORK. As you can see in
the photos at right, each bit mirrors
the other and the two fit together
precisely. On both bits, the profile
cutter is integral to the shank. The
slot cutter and bearing are attached
to the arbor with a nut.
The drawings below show a
sampling of the profiles commonly
available. From a simple bevel to
a an ornate French provincial profile, you can find a set to suit just
about any style of cabinet door.
See Sources on page 51 for where
to purchase a set of bits.
As an alternative to the two-bit
set, several manufacturers also
offer a sLT1.g1e-bit option. These bits
cut both the rail and stile profiles
by either reversing the cutters or
simply changing the bit's height.
I've included an example of each
and an explanation of how they
work on the next page.
GETTING READY
After choosing a set of bits, there are
a few things you'll need to take care
of before routing the door frames.
The first step is to mill your stock
for the frames. It's very important
to make sure it's all perfectly flat,
straight, and a consistent thickness.
Any bow or twist in the stock will
result in noticeable variations in the
profile and joinery cuts.
Stock thickness is also a big consideration. Most of these bits are
designed to work best with %"thick stock. But you have some
"wiggle room" here. Stock between
11;16" and %" will usually work.
While you're at it, take a minute
to make a few extra pieces specifically for testing your setups. I usually look for pieces with sapwood
or other areas on the board with
less desirable appearance for my
test pieces. But always mill them
along with your selected stock so
they'll give you an accurate result.
With the stock milled flat and
square, you can rip the workpieces
Rail Bit
• The rail bit cuts
the stub tenon
and the matching profile on the
ends of the rails.
length and the stiles a little oversize. You can trim the stiles to final
size after the door is assembled.
ROUTER TABLE OPERATION ONLY. I need
to emphasize that these bits are
only to be used in a router table.
Under no circumstances should
you attempt to use them in a
hand-held router. So the next step
is to inspect your router table.
Since these bits are larger than
many more commonly used bits,
it's important to make sure the
openings in the table and in the
fence can accommodate the size.
Then there are a couple of things on
the router to set up. I'll talk more
about them on the next page.
Stile Bit
• The stile bit cuts
the profile and
a groove for the
door panel and
the stub tenon.
Common Rail &Stile Bit Options
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Beading
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Woodsmith
15
SETUP TECHNIQUES
With the frame pieces milled
and cut to rough length, you're
just about ready to start making
cabinet doors. But before you can
begin, you'll need to finish setting
up the router and the bit.
SPEED. You don't need a big router
to use these bits - most 2 hp routers will work just fine . But it's
important to set your router speed
correctly. Although you can safely
run these bits at 18,000 to 20,000
RPM, I usually get better results
at a lower speed. Try starting at a
lower setting (about the halfway
mark on the speed-control dial)
and make a few test cuts. If you're
getting a good cut and no tearout,
, Tearout on the
then you've found the right setprofile can be
ting. If you get any burning, try
minimized by
turning up the speed and increasorienting the
ing the feed rate a little.
grain direction
RAILS FIRST. I prefer to cut the proof the workpiece file on the ends of the rails first.
so you're routing This way, I always have a square
"downhill."
edge against the router table fence
when cutting the profiles on the
edge with the stile bit.
Grain runs
"downhill"
16
Toggle clamp
Fence
(3V2" x 10" - V2" Ply.)
Base
(12" x 10" - ~" Hdbd.)
)
Coping Sled
Another advantage is that you
can clean up tearout from these
cuts later, when you rout the profile on the edges.
I also like to use a coping sled
to help keep positive control of
the workpiece when making these
cuts. The sled also allows me to
place a backer board between the
rails and the fence to help prevent
tearout. You can see an example
of a shop-made sled with a toggle
clamp in the photo above.
As a simpler alternative, you
could use a miter gauge with an
auxiliary fence or a simple plywood push block. Just make sure
the workpiece is square to the
router table fence and that you can
hold the rails firmly while keeping
your hands well clear of the bit.
BIT HEIGHT. Now you're ready to set
the bit height. This is where your
test pieces will come in handy.
Chances are it will take two or
three test cuts to nail the perfect
profile. A good starting point is
to raise the bit until the top edge
Woodsmith
of the slot cutter portion of the bit
is just above the top of the rail. (If
you're using a sled, remember to
make this measurement with the
workpiece in place on the sled.)
Now, slide the fence in position
by holding a steel rule on the bearing to make sure it's flush with the
fence. At this point, you can make
your first test cut and inspect the
coped end. You can judge the profile by looking at the narrow lip
that butts against the shoulder of
the stile. For most profiles, I like to
shoot for a lip on the coped edge
that's about %2" thick.
Of course, you're free to adjust to
your taste, but just make sure not to
let this edge get too thin or you'll
limit your options later, when you
sand the assembled comers flush.
Since this process is a bit finicky, it's
a good idea to keep your final test
piece to use for future setups.
CUT THE RAILS. When you've settled
on a good height, you can rout the
ends of all the rails for your project. Place the outside face of the
No. 183
You won't need the sled for these
cuts. Start with a test piece on the
table and "eyeball" the rough
height as shown in the drawings
at the bottom of the opposite page
and proceed with a test cut. For
these cuts, a featherboard might be
helpful to keep the workpieces flat
for a consistent result. You'll also
want to use a push block to keep
your hands clear. You can use one
of the finished rails to test the fit
and dial in a perfect-fitting edge.
rails down against the table and
the edge against the backer board
to make the cut. Then rotate the
workpiece end-for-end (keeping
the same face down on the table or
sled) and repeat. The finished rails
should have identical profiles and
be relatively free of tearout.
NOW THE STILE BIT. Although we
refer to this bit as the stile cutter, you'll use it on the edges of
both the stiles and the rails. Once
again, the bit setup comes first.
-----~
.
Assembly is a breeze with pe~ctlyffiatched
profiles on the rails gpG-st-rres.
--------
Then you can rout
the rails and stiles.
TEAROUT. A common problem when
routing the edges is
tearout. But you can minimize tearout by taking into account
the grain direction of the workpiece.
The photos in the margin on the
opposite page show you what
I mean. Adjusting. the router
speed (usually faster) can
also help get a cleaner cut.
PANELS. After completing the
edge cuts on the rails and stiles,
you're ready to make the panels.
You have a few options for the
panels as well. A simple plywood
panel is easy and quick. But taking
the time to make hardwood raised
panels can really give your project
a great look. The photos at right
give you an idea of the differences.
To assemble the doors, all you
need is a little glue on the mating
edges and a clamp at each joint.
The resulting doors are both attractive and strong. I think you'll agree
that the finished product easily justifies the cost of these bits. iW
A hardwood
raised panel
(top) adds
more depth
to the door
than the flat
plywood panel
(bottom).
S_in~g_
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Bi_
tO
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RAIL CUT
RAIL CUT
Rail cut made
with lower set
of cutters
STILE CUT
$65-$100
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Stile cut made
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Combination Bit. A one-piece combination bit can be used
for both the rails and stiles. All you need to do is raise or
lower the bit to access the appropriate cutters for each piece.
But they cost roughly the same as a two-piece set.
Woodsmith.com
$40-$90
Reversible Bit. The lower-cost option is a reversible bit. You'll
need to swap the position of the cutters to cut rails and stiles.
Using thin shims to adjust the fit makes this bit fussy to set
up a
can negate the value of saving a few bucks.
Woodsmith
17
dovetailed
Display
Shelf
The details give this shelf
its distinctive look and
offer some interesti ng
woodworking.
Just about everyone has some special treasures or unique possessions to display. This
handsome wall shelf is a great place to show
them off. In fact, this project may become a
special treasure of its own.
First of all, the shelves boast sliding
dovetail joinery. Second, the shop-made
molding is sure to draw attention in any
room. And finally, putting it all together will
expand your woodworking skills.
But this isn't a project that will overwhelm
you. With step-by-step details on cutting the
joinery and making the trim, you'll have this
beautiful shelf completed and ready for your
prized collection in no time at all.
Materials, Supplies & Cutting Diagram
A
B
Sides (2)
Shelves (4)
C
Filler Strips (3)
Frame Front (2)
o
lh x 4 1h - 26 14
lhx4 1h-16
lhx% -:'Wh
lh x 11h - 18 1h
E
F
G
H
Frame Sides (4)
Frame Back (1)
Front Molding (2)
Side Molding (4)
lhx 11h - 5 1h
lh x 11h - 16 h
'
%x % -18
% x34 - 5'4
Panels (2)
Hanging Cleat (1)
•
•
•
14 ply. - 3 h x 16 h
'
'
11/,6 x % - 15%
(16) #6 x 1" Fh Woodscrews
(2) #8 x 2" Rh Woodscrews
(12) 1" Wire Brads
'l'2" X 5W' - 72" Cherry (Two boards @ 2.8 Sq. Ft. each)
[ZZZZZZZZZZZZ;Z%ZZZ%zzzzzzlzzzzzz:zzzzzzzzjzzzzzzz:zzzzzzzz~
314 "x 4 "- 24" Cherry (0.7 Bd.Ft.)
EEE 1t1fiiD
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ALSO NEEDED: One - 24" x 24" sheet W' Cherry plywood
18
Woodsmith
No. 183
building the
a.
FRONT
VIEW
CASE
Assembling the case comes first.
It's basically made up of two sides
and four shelves. But before you get
started, I want to take a minute to
talk about the dovetail joinery used
to connect the sides and shelves.
DOVETAILS. Each of the shelves is
joined to the sides with sliding
dovetails (detail 'a'). A dovetail
joint is a strong, attractive joint. It
combines additional gluing surface with mechanical strength.
The result is a jOirLt that worL't pull
apart even if the glue fails.
Making a sliding dovetail joint is
pretty straightforward. Like most
joinery, it's all in the setup. For
details on cutting this joint, see the
How-To box below.
SIZING WORKPIECES. Getting the
workpieces ready is the first step.
As you cut the sides and shelves,
make them a little wide to allow
for tearout when routing the dovetails. Later, you can trim them to
final width, leaving a clean edge.
SIDES. As you can see in the drawings below, making a sliding dovetail is a two-step process. I start
by making the dovetailed slots in
the sides. The spacing is shown in
detail 'b' above right.
SHELVES. To make the dovetails on
the ends of the shelves, I used a
push block that rides on the fence
b.
SIDE SECTION VIEW
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Dimensions
locate
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There
are three other pieces
to add to the case
before it's ready to
be trimmed out. You
need to add a top
and two bottom filler
strips that serve two
purposes (main drawing). They add strength and stability to the case. And they provide
a base to attach the trim that you
will add to the shelf next.
FILLER
STRIPS.
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of my router table, as shown in
the box below. This will keep the
shelves stable and flat against the
table as they're being routed.
ASSEMBLY. Assembling the case is
just a matter of gluing the shelves
and sides together. Be sure to
spread glue on both surfaces of
the joint. And after tightening the
clamps, check the assembly for
square. Some glue squeezeout is
unavoidable, so you'll need to do a
little clean up after the glue is dry.
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How-To: Rout aSliding Dovetail Joint
END
VIEW
Sneak
Sides. When routing the sides, keep
the workpiece flat against the router
table to maintain a consistent depth.
Woodsmith.com
Shelves. To rout the dovetails on the shelf ends, clamp the
shelf to a push block. This will keep the shelf firmly against
the tabletop and prevent it from tipping.
Woodsmith
Fitting. The shelf should fit
snugly into the dovetailed
slots on the side.
19
#6 xl" Fh woodscrew
FRAME BACK
a.
NOTE: All
frame parts are
W' -thick stock
FRONT SECTION VIEW
c.
I
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(
NOTE: See
How-To box
below for
cutting tongue
I
NOTE: Only top frame back
is grooved
d.
SIDE SECTION VIEW
/
Frame is
attached with
screws into sides
NOTE:
Glue lower
frame back
to filler strip
#6x l '
Fh woodscrew
L-! !
trimming out the
WALL SHELF
All that's left to complete the shelf
is to add the trim on the top and
bottom. The trim is made up of
two separate pieces - a rabbeted
frame and an ogee molding.
FRAMES. The frame parts are flat
workpieces with rabbets on the
inside edge. The rabbets hold a
panel that you'll add later. You
can cut the rabbet on the table saw
using a dado blade (detail 'a'). I
found it easier to cut the rabbet
on a long blank and then cut the
pieces to length for the frames.
How-To: Cut the Notches
Notches on the Table Saw. Using a dado blade buried in an auxiliary
fence, cut a notch on each end of the frame back. This will allow the
piece to lap over the rabbets in the frame sides.
20
Woodsmith
Rabbet holds
bottom panel
MITERED JOINTS. The top and bottom
frames are mitered on the front
comers and joined with a lap joint
at the back. You can cut the front
frame piece to length first and then
miter the side pieces to fit. Finally,
cut the back piece to length and
then form the notches on the end
(How-To box on left).
GROOVE. The back piece of the top
frame has a groove cut in the bottom, as shown in detail 'b.' This
holds the hanging cleat that you'll
make later. You'll also need to cut
a slight chamfer on the back frame
piece (detail 'b'). This chamfer will
makes it easier to fit the shelf over
the cleat when it's finished.
ATTACH FRAME. Once you have all
the frame pieces shaped and cut
to fit, you can attach them to the
case. I used screws to attach the
front and side pieces of the frame
to the case (detail 'c'). The back of
the frame is simply glued.
OGEE MOLDING. The distinctive look
of this shelf is created by the details.
No. 183
And a big part of this is the
ogee molding. The molding is
made at the router table using a
%" ogee bit. Since the molding is
narrow, I found it easiest to cut the
profile on the edge of a wide board
and then cut the molding free, as
shown in the box at the bottom of
the page. Again, you can make one
long piece of molding and then cut
it into lengths as you did earlier
with the frame pieces. You'll find
more information about dimensioning the molding in detail 'a.'
ATTACH MOLDING. The molding is
mitered to fit around the bottom
of the shelf unit. As you can see in
detail'd,' it fits snugly irl the corners formed by the case and the top
and bottom frames. I used brads to
attach the side molding. This will
allow for wood movement.
ADD THE PANELS. Plywood panels
in the top and bottom frame complete the shelf. They give it a more
finished look. Plus, this creates
extra shelf space at the top.
The panels fit into the rabbets on
the top and bottom frames. Both
panels are glued in place.
CLEAT. To hang the shelf on a wall,
all you need to do is make the
cleat shown in detail 'b.' The cleat
has a rabbet cut on one edge that
creates a tongue. This fits in the
groove in the back frame piece.
You can cut the rabbet on the
table saw, as shown in the right
drawing below. I made the tongue
slightly smaller than the groove
in the frame, to allow for easier
installation. If you find it's a little
too large, sand the rabbet lightly.
a.
!ill
3'l'2 ~
END VIEW
3/32
t -I % I-
TOP PANEL
(!tJ" Ply.)
~
3/L J -
%
~
@@
T~%~
Top panel
fits snugly
into recess
#8x2"
Rh woodscrew
cI.
~~
--------------------/
SIDE MOLDING
(314" x 3M" - 5W')
~
THE FINISH. Once all
the details are completed,
you can apply your favorite
stain (see Sources on page 51
for the stain I used), or leave the
wood in its natural state. Either
way, three coats of finish will protect the wood from damage.
To mount the display shelf to the
wall, first use a couple of long
screws to attach the wall cleat, as
shown in detail 'c.' Then you can
lower the shelf over the cleat. All
that's left is add your favorite collectibles to the shelves. mJ
Rout the Molding. After installing a 1/4" agee bit in the router
table, cut the profile in both edges of a wide blank. Then cut the
molding pieces free on the table saw.
SIDE SECTION VIEW
1\3 I ! I~
Make the Molding &Hanging Cleat
Woodsmith.com
16'l'2
I
MOLDING
OGEE
AI?25i
NOTE: Attach front
ogee molding first
NOTE:
Glue front
molding
to case
Mitered comer
is glued
a.
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Aux.
fence
Push
block
END
VIEW
Make the Cleat. A dado blade will make short work of the
hang ng cleat. Use a featherboard to keep the workpiece snug
aga
the auxiliary fence while cutting away the waste.
Woodsmith
21
Designer Series Project
....
·~·III
§ :::.
folding
Step Stool
Easy to build, very sturdy, and
extremely practical - this
project has the whole package.
When folded,
the compact
stool can be
tucked into a
space that's
only a few
inches wide.
~
Nobody likes to climb to reach a
high cupboard or shelf. But unfortunately, sometimes it's necessary.
One way to make the trip up and
down safer and a little less arduous is to use a stable and sturdy
folding step stool - like the one
in the photo above.
When set up, the step stool is
solid as a rock. The upper rail of
22
the tall front frame provides a
convenient hand-hold to steady
yourself as you step up to reach for
the item you're after. Once you're
safely back to floor level, the stool
can be quickly and easily folded
into a compact profile. This feature
makes it easy to store in a handy
location - ready for the next time
you need a helpful boost.
Woodsmith
The clincher is that the stool goes
together in a snap. There are no
tricky "mechanics" to deal with.
Solid, straightforward joinery and
some common hardware are the
basic ingredients. And I guarantee
that when completed, this useful
project will earn its keep for years
to come. It definitely beats standing on a wobbly chair.
No. 183
OVERALL DIMENSIONS:
20%"W x 47"H x 17%"D (Unfolded)
20%"W x49"H x 2"D (Folded)
S
_ _- ; . _ _ _
TOP rail of tall front
frame makes convenient
hand-hold
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Frame built with mortise
and tenon joints
NOTE: Steel pivot pins
are solidly epoxied
into steps at final
assembly
Steps pivot
on heavy
steel pins
Wood buttons
cap pivot
pin holes
in uprights
Cutout in back step
section creates
hand-hold used to
fold stool
NOTE: Two-piece
bottom step pivots
on both frames
and folds in middle
NOTE: Two
sturdy frames
create solid,
folding
platform for
the steps
NOTE: Steps are installed
after frames are
assembled
NOTE: The
folded stool
has a very
narrow
profile
NOTE: Step stool
can be set up
or folded in seconds
FIRST: Lift top step
into frame to
engage catches
SECOND:
Reach
through
cutout and
pull up on
front section
of bottom
step
NOTE: When
set up,
footprint
of step stool
is wide
fot:::r::l:::z:i~=::::;::;~
and stable
Woodsmith.com
Woodsmi
23
a.
SIDE
SECTION
VIEW
Drill W' -dia. hole
centered on
length of rail
NOTE: Top
edge of lower
and middle
rails beveled
to 15°
NOTE: Top rail
and uprights are
shaped after
assembly
b.
SIDE VIEW
3fa" roundover sanded on
end of back uprights
Drill3fa" -dia.
through holes
for pivot pins
A
FRONT
UPRIGHT
c.
II
116
ij3
,
3116
73116 rl==::::==---~:r----i
~6
FRONT
VIEW
NOTE: All parts
cut from %" -thick
stock
making the
FRAMES
The support system of the step
stool is formed by two sturdy
frames - a tall front frame and a
shorter back frame. The two are
connected witn hinges to create a
stable folding platform for the two
steps. So building these frames is
your starting point.
THE BASICS. Take a look at the main
drawing above and you'll understand what's ahead. The front
frame is made up of two uprights
and three rails. The back frame
has two, shorter uprights and two
rails. Mortise and tenon joints offer
maximum strength and rigidity.
24
[V
18~6
Shape curve
after tenons and
bevel are cut
7'8
V8"-dia. hole for
magnet cup
~
3fa" -dia. through
hole for p ivot pin
NOTE: Lower mortise
locations on front and
back uprights are
identical
~~~_2,~_~__~~__~
l
3116
1
"""'<=i"--t---r-----i
Jl
r-L-----~----~
13fa
T
~6
and tenons are 3fa"
wide and 3fa" thick
UPRIGHTS. Since both frames use
the same general construction, it
makes sense to work on them at
the same time. I started by cutting the front and back uprights
to width and overall length. The
upper end of each rail can be cut
square at this point, but the lower
end is cut at a 15° bevel, as shown
in the upper right draw ing. This is
done so the frames sit flat on the
floor when the step stool is set up.
MORTISES. Next, I laid out the
mortises on the inside edges of
the uprights. The mortises are all
identical in size (detail 'e'). And
the mortises in the back uprights
and the two lower mortises in the
front upright are positioned identically. You can layout the mortises
by clamping all four uprights sideby-side and marking across them.
This will ensure that the mortises
are perfectly aligned.
Woodsmith
After completing the mortise layout, I took the uprights to the drill
press and used a 5/16"-dia. bit to
remove the bulk of the waste. Then
it was back to the bench to square
up the mortises with chisels.
PIVOT PIN HOLES. Now you'll need
to make a return trip to the drill
press to drill holes for the steel
pins that the steps pivot on (main
drawing). As shown in Figure 1 on
the opposite page, these holes go
through the width of the uprights.
This allows you to install the steps
and their pins after the frames
are assembled. The holes are then
plugged on the outside.
The pivot pins are 1f4" in diameter,
but I drilled %"-dia. holes through
the uprights. This extra clearance
for the pins allows the step to settie onto the rail beneath when you
stand on it. The rail helps bear the
weight, not just the pins and step .
No. 183
DETAILS. There are just a couple of
minor details to complete on the
uprights. The tops of both sets are
contoured. The back uprights are
simply rounded over, as shown
in detail 'h' on the opposite page.
I did this with a sanding block.
(The front uprights and top rail are
shaped later, after assembly.)
Finally, I drilled a hole in the back
face of each front upright, as you
see in Figure 2. These holes hold a
cup and magnet that are part of a
catch system for the upper step.
THE RAILS. Making the rails comes
next. You can start by cutting the
two lower, two middle and one
upper rail to overall size (detail Ie'
on opposite page). Then I replaced
the standard blade with a dado
blade in preparation for cutting
the tenons on the rail ends.
When making the tenons, you
need to stay on your toes. Even
though the mortises in the uprights
are all the same size, the layout of
the tenons on the top, middle, and
bottom rails is each different. Check
out detail 'c' on the opposite page
and you'll see how the top and bottom shoulder heights vary.
Since all the tenons are the same
thickness and length, this a good
place to start. I set up the saw and
cut the long cheeks and shoulders
on all the tenons first. Then I made
the top and bottom shoulder cuts,
starting with the shortest and working up to the tallest.
3fa" -dia. brad
point bit
Fence
Pivot pin
holes drilled
through width
of uprights
@
1f2-dia. rare-earth
magnet
BEVELS, CURVES, AND AHOLE. When the
tenons are completed, you can cut
the lower and middle rails to their
final shape. First, all four need a
15° bevel along the top edge. This
allows the steps to rest flat on the
rails when the stool is being used.
The lower rails also get a decorative curve that will complement the
curve you'll add to the top rail. You
can use essentially the same technique, shown in the box below.
After one more quick task, you
can begin assembling the frames.
I drilled a %"-dia. hole through
the top rail to act as a focal point
and for hanging the stool on a wall
(detail 'c,' opposite page).
ASSEMBLY. The two frames are
ready for glue and clamps. Just be
sure to put the rails in their correct
spots on the uprights and remember to check for square.
TOP CURVE. With the front frame
assembled, you can lay out the
top curve and cut it to shape. The
details are shown in the box below.
After smoothing the curve with
sandpaper, I added the final detail
- a Va" roundover on both edges.
How-Yo: Lay Out &Cut Curves
A Smooth Curve. A "bow" made from a
thin strip of wood and a knotted string makes
an easy job of drawing a smooth, even curve
Woodsmith.com
across the top rail and uprights. You want the
e corner of the
curve to barely clip the
uprights, as shown in the detail drawing.
Woodsmi
Remove the Waste. I took the
lightweight frame to the band saw
to cut the curve to shape.
25
a.
b.
SIDE SECTION
VIEW
Vs" roundover
NOTE: Install steel
pivot pins and
washers during
final assembly
~
2" brass
butt hinge
~
NOTE: Drill
Steel catch tab
attached to underside
of top step
W -dia.
holes for pivot pins
in ends of steps
(see opposite page)
Shop-made steel
catch tabs
Attach hinges with no
gap between step
pieces
Wood button
caps pivot pin
hOI')
SIDE SECTION
VIEW
(}l
lI.," -dia. steel
pivot pin
~\,
NOTE: Cutout in back step
piece creates hand-hold
for folding stool
e.
Pivot pin - 1 - - - '
epoxied
into step
at final
assembly
(L,rk~b==J:=t==-1
If'@
\V
FRONT
SECTION
VIEW
adding the STEPS
With the two frames completed,
the next step is to join them into a
folding platform by adding a pair
of hinges. Then the two, pivoting
steps can be made and added.
THE HINGES. If you look at detail' a,'
you'll see that the butt hinges are
simply sandwiched between the
two frames. You want to mount
them so that the lower, beveled
ends of the front and back uprights
are "flush." A simple trick makes
positioning the hinges easy.
First, I attached a hinge to each
back upright so that the barrel was
flush with the end. Then I aligned
26
the back frame on top of the front
frame, butted stop blocks up to the
hinged ends of the back frame, and
clamped them down. After removing the hinges from the back frame,
I used the stop blocks to position
and attach them to the front frame.
Reattach the hinges to the back
uprights and you're in business.
TWO STURDY STEPS. Now it's time to
add the all-important steps. The
upper and lower steps function a
bit differently, but making them is
pretty similar. So again, I worked
on both at the same time.
The lower step is made in h-vo
pieces so that it can pivot on both
frames and fold in the middle, as
you can see in the main drawing.
The sections are joined by two
heavy-duty strap hinges.
The rear section of the lower
step has a cutout at the joint line.
Woodsmith
This allows you to fold the stool
easily. After raising the upper step,
you simply reach through the cutout and pull up on the front section
of the step, collapsing the frames.
The upper one-piece step only
pivots on the front frame. When
folded down, it's solidly supported
by the back frame rail.
FIRST HSTEp'HI started by cutting the
top and two bottom step pieces to
finished size. You want to leave Va"
side-to-side clearance to accommodate washers between the steps
and frames (main drawing).
ROUNDOVERS. For the steps to pivot
smoothly over the frame rails, the
lower, outside edges of the pieces
need to be rounded over (details
'h' and 'c' above). I did this with
a %" roundover bit in the router
table. And while at the router
table, I also eased the remaining
long edges with a Va" roundover.
PIVOT PIN HOLES. The next step is to
drill the pivot pin holes in the ends
No. 183
of the steps. The upper drawing at
right shows the best way to do this
- with a doweling jig.
CUTOUT. Once the pivot holes were
taken care of, I laid out the cutout
in the rear section of the lower step.
It's simply a 2" radius centered on
the length of the step (detail 'd,'
opposite page). Then a quick trip
to the band saw and a little sanding will create a smooth contour.
HINGES. With the cutout completed, you can install the hinges
across the two,lower step sections.
I attached the hinges with no gap
at the joint line, as shown in detail
'c' on the opposite page. This will
prevent the step from bowing
when.you put your weight on it.
HARDWARE. At this point, the steps
are ready to go. But before they can
be installed, you have to fabricate
some simple custom hardware.
The steps require six, 2%" -long
steel pivot pins (detail 'e' on the
opposite page). I cut these from
a length of l;4"-dia. rod and then
ground a chamfer on each end.
I also made a set of longer, temporary pins from a 1;4" dowel. They'll
be easier to install and remove
when you initially assemble the
steps to the frames to complete the
final detail (lower left drawing).
MAGNETIC CATCH. The final task is to
finish up the catch that retains the
top step. The lower right drawing
above shows the mating half of the
catch - a steel tab on the bottom
of the step that engages the magnet installed in the front upright.
Shop Tips: Assembly Details
Self-centering
doweling jig
guides bit
when drilling
pivot pin holes
a.
NOTE: Pivot pin holes
are located in the
............ same position on all
ct 7.
step pieces
%
--
-~-
®
With top step folded,
locateJ~x2Y2"
a
t=1==~l=o;;(1
ve~r~ magnet in upright
..
and attach with #6 x
\12" Fh woodscrews
.~
NOTE: See page 29
for help making
catch tabs
Magnet
and cup
The catch tabs are simply short
pieces of %"-wide steel bar stock
with a pair of countersunk screw
holes. It' s easier and safer to drill the
screw holes on a longer piece, then
cut the tabs to length and smooth
the edges. You'll find a tip that will
help with this on page 29.
To locate the tabs, swing the
upper step into the frame and
"stick" a tab over each magnet.
When the tabs are positioned properly, mark for screw pilot holes on
the bottom of the step. Now you'll
have to remove the step to drill the
holes and install the tabs. Then you
can replace the step and give the
stool a "test fold."
FINAL ASSEMBLY. After the finish is
applied, you can install the steel
pins and washers. To make sure
the pins don' t work loose, glue
them into the steps with a good
amount of epoxy. Finally, glue the
finished buttons into the holes.
(detail 'e' on opposite page).
The only challenge left at this
point is finding a convenient spot
to store the step stool. It's sure to be
called to duty often. lW
Materials, Supplies &Cutting Diagram
A
B
C
0
E
F
Front Uprights (2)
Back Uprights (2)
Bottom Rails (2)
Middle Rails (2)
Top Rail (1)
Top Step (1)
x 2 - 48
3i4 x 2 - 30
3i4 x 2% - 17 112
% x2-17 1h
%x 2% -17 112
% x 8 - 15%
3i4
G
•
•
•
•
•
Btm. Step FrU Bk. (2) % x 515/16 - 15 7/8
(2) 2" Brass Butt Hinges w/Screws
(2) 4" Strap Hinges w/Screws
(2) W -dia. Rare-Earth Magnets
(2) 1;2" -dia. Magnet Cups w/Screws
(1) li4 "-dia. Steel Rod (24"long)
•
•
•
•
(6) li4 " Brass Washers
(1 ) 1Js" x % " Steel Bar (1 2" long)
(4) #6 x 112 " Fh Woodscrews
(6) % "-dia. Oak Buttons
3,4" X 5" - 84" Red Oak (2.9 Bd. Ft.)
l///////////??/////////;/??????????????????????!????/?/??????/;??z/??????????~
3,4" x 9" - 84" Red Oak (5.25 Bd. Ft.)
Woodsmith.com
Woodsmi
27
tips from our shop
SECOND: Set lid on
case and tap down
to transfer pin
location
Spacer
strip
FIRST: Attach
guide blocks
to side of case to
position lid
Precise Pin Placement
• A pair of Smm
shelf pins and
sleeves are
used to secure
the front panel
to the lid .
Installing the pins and sleeves in
the lid and front of the machinist's
chest on page 30 is pretty straightforward. You simply drill separate
holes for the pins and the sleeves
and press them in place. The challenge is in positioning the holes
so that the pins and sleeves are in
perfect alignment when the lid is
closed over the front paneL
To do this, I started by drilling
the 5 mm holes for the pins in the
edge of the paneL After pressing
the pins in place, gently clamp the
panel to the case to hold it in place,
as shown in the drawing at right.
Now, all you need to do to transfer the location of the pins to the lid
is set it on top of the case and press
down firmly. But before doing this,
I took a couple extra steps to make
sure everything was lined up.
SCRAP BLOCKS. First, to help position the lid on the case, I attached
some small blocks of wood to the
sides of the case with doublesided tape (see drawing).
NOTE:
Clamp
front
in place -
-+rn-::-
b.
SIDE
SECTION
VIEW
Pin
creates
a "dimple"
in lid
Guide
block
SPACER STRIP. I also cut a narrow
spacer strip to support the back
of the lid. It should be. just a hair
thinner than the exposed height
of the pin (detail 'a') and long
enough to span the width of the
chest, as shown above.
Setting the lid on top of the case
and giving it a couple of good taps
directly over the pins should create
a couple of slight depressions, or
dimples on the edge of the lid. This
will allow you to locate the holes
for the sleeves.
Drilling Pilot Holes
.l Snip the head
off one of the
escutcheon
pins to create
a "bit" for
drilling the
pilot holes.
28
The ring pulls used on the drawers
of the machinist's chest are held in
place with small escutcheon pins.
Because the pins are located close to
the edges, I was afraid they might
split the edge 6f the drawer front
when nailed in place. To avoid this,
I decided to drill angled pilot holes
for the pins first.
The only problem w as that I
didn't have a drill bit small enough
to match the diameter of the pin. So
instead, I made a d rill bit by simply snipping the head off one of
the escutcheon pins. With the pin
chucked in my drill, I was able to
make perfectly sized pilot holes.
Use pull as template
for drilling holes
Drill "bit"
made from
escutcheon pin
Woodsmith
a.
NOTE:
Angle
holes
slightly to
increase
holding
power
TOP VIEW
b.
END
SECTION
VIEW
Angle
pin inward
on shallow
drawers to
prevent
splitting
No. 183
Cove Panel
The machinist's chest features a
frame and panel front and back.
Both of these panels have a cove
profile around the edges. But you
don't need an expensive raisedpanel bit to make this profile.
Instead, I used a couple of commonly owned bits.
I created the rounded portion
of the profile using a core box bit
installed in my router table. As
you can see in the main drawing below and detail 'a,' I routed
across the ends of the panel first,
and then along the two sides.
This helps to prevent chipout.
-.- --.-- --
Fence
Front/back
panel
''''-
b.
END VIEW
"'----"'~~-
-....
To remove the remainder of
the waste around the panel, I
switched over to a straight bit
(detail 'b'). Again, I started at the
ends and finished up with the
edges. Then a little light sanding
is all that's needed to blend the
two cuts into a smooth profile.
END VIEW
Rout away
remaining
waste with
straight bit
----..
NOTE: Rout
cove on top and
bottom edges of
panel first
Rivet Installation
The hinges and handle of the
machinist's chest are held in place
with traditional split rivets instead
of screws. To install the rivets, start
by drilling pilot holes for the rivets,
using the hardware as a template.
Then, insert the rivets through the
hardware and holes.
The end of each rivet is split. You
can use a screwdriver to spread
the end apart. Then flatten the
end against the inside of the case
with a small hammer. The trick is
to make sure that the head of the
rivet is firmly backed up as you
peen over the split end.
To secure the hinge rivets in the
case, you can simply rest it on its
back, as shown in Figure 2. But to
install the rivets in the lid and the
handle clamps, you'll need to use
a block of wood to back up the rivets as you peen them over, just like
you see in Figure 3 below.
a.
NOTE:
I-'f"~...-j
Tap
rivets
into
holes
with
mallet
SIDE
SECTION
VIEW
Use scrap
piece to
back up
rivets
Use hinge
as template to lay
out hole locations
Hacksaw Jig
The Step Stool on page 22 requires
cutting some steel rod and bar
stock for the pivot pins and catch
tabs. To help hold the stock while
cutting the pieces to length with a
hacksaw, I made a simple jig like
the one shown at right.
It's nothing more than a block of
wood with a shallow groove to
hold the bar stock and a deeper
groove to hold the rod. A kerf helps
to guide the saw blade. lit
Woodsmith.com
a
NOTE: Jig is
made from
"two-by" stock
•
Shallow groove
holds bar
stock
Hacksaw
blade
Kerf for
hacksa
bla e
Woodsrruth
END VIEW
b.
Deep groove
holds rod
Hacksaw
blade
END VIEW
29
Heirloom Pro'
traditional oak
ly.~~~
I have to admit that I have a fascination with old tools and tool chests.
It's easy to see why. Most of these
designs have proven themselves
through the years to be the height
of craftsmanship. Beyond holding a
tradesman's tools, they displayed a
pride of workmanship characteristic
of that era. These old chests were the
inspiration for the machinist's chest
shown in the photo above.
This chest's drawers and lidded
storage till can hold a wide variety of
30
commonly used tools. From the basic
measuring and marking implements
to your favorite hand tools, this chest
will keep everything in its place.
You can also see why the design
is a classic. The case features solid,
finger-joint construction, and a frame
and panel back and front. These elements, combined with the vintage
hardware, lend authenticity to the
chest's antique appearance.
Woodsmith
You don't need to have a fondness
for antiques to appreciate how useful
the case is today. It's ideal for just
about any hobbyist or collector. The
slim profile of the drawers is perfect for organizing any small items.
And by simply closing the front of
the chest, the drawers remain secure,
making it easy for you to take it with
you. On top of all this, it's a great
skill-building project that's sure to
become a long-lasting reminder of
the value of solid craftsmanship.
No. 183
OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 17"W x 12'h"H x 8"0
Plywood panel fits in
grooves on the back and
sides to form bottom of
storage compartment
Hinged lid
also relies on
finger
joints for
strength
Felt drawer lining
is mounted on
posterboard for
easy installation
Locking rabbet
joints on the
drawers are both
strong and easy to
make
Drawers ride on
wood runners for
smooth-sliding
operation
Holes for drawer
pulls are routed to
avoid drilling
through thin stock
~,~",
Pins in the front
panel fit into holes
in the lid to secure
the chest and
drawers
"
"
~,
......... ~
,
Finger j oints provide
plen ty of strength to
hold the weight of
tools and the chest
Turn to page 39 for tips
and techniques for
making perfect-fitting
finger joints
Hardware protects
the corners from
damage, ensuring
years of service
-" ~
RUbber!u~
protect worksurface
from damage
SIDE SECTION VIEW
Front panel
slides into lower
compartment
.l With the lid closed, the front panel
holds the drawers in place, making it
easy to transport t he chest.
Woodsmith.com
Woodsmith
31
b.
SIDE SECTION VIEW
E
DRAWER
DIVIDER
CLEAT
NOTE: Drawer
divider cleats
are centered
front to back
under till
panel
I
I
I
® i
CASE SIDE
11
:i \;
,
.' I;
I
I
I
j
i
{
~
NOTE: Case sides,
7%
bottom, front rail,
~
and drawer divider
are made from \11" -thick
hardwood
NOTE: Trim case sides and
bottom to final width after
cutting finger joints
starting the CASE
The strength of the chest comes
from a solidly built case. As you
can see in the drawing above, finger
joints connect the sides and bottom,
providing a structural backbone
that virtually guarantees that the
case will be able to withstand the
rigors of daily use. A front rail ties
it all together and helps keep the
assembly square. The sides and
a center divider panel also hold
the drawer guides. Grooves in the
sides and the rail house a till panel
that forms the bottom of the upper
storage compartment.
SIDES & BOTTOM. I started by cutting
the sides and bottom to length.
Leave each piece wider than final
size so you can trim them after cutting the finger joints to end up with
a full pin or notch on each end.
Now, set up the table saw and cut
the finger joints. Refer to page 39
for an in-depth description of this
process. Then, cut the 1;4" groove at
the front edge of the bottom that
holds the removable front.
How-To: Stopped Grooves &Dadoes
NOTE:
Measure from
far edge of bit
to position stop
block
Groove for the Top Rail. Limit the
length of the groove by clamping a stop
block to the router table fence.
32
NOTE: Measure from
far edge of bit to
position stop block
Swap & Repeat. To rout grooves in the
other side of the case, reposition the stop
block and rout from the opposite side.
Woodsmith
NOTE: Measure
from far edge
of bit to position
' -_ _ _ _ _..t:S.==-'
stop block
Dado for the Till Panel. After switching to a
smaller router bit, use the same technique to
rout a dado on each of the case sides.
No. 183
STOPPED DADO & GROOVE. After cutting
the finger joints, you can move to
the router table and cut the groove
and dado for the till panels and
front rail. The box at the bottom of
the opposite page shows you how
1 used stop blocks to make these
cuts. Finish by squaring up the
comers with a chisel.
FRONT RAIL The sides and bottom form a three-sided assembly.
To stabilize and square the case,
you'll add the front rail. To create
a tongue on each end of the rail, 1
simply used a dado blade on the
table saw. Then all you need to do
is rout a groove for the till panel
(detail/a,' opposite page).
TILL PANEL The next thing to take
care of is cutting the till panel to
size. You'll also need to add some
cleats to the underside to hold the
divider panel you'll make later.
After marking the centerline of
the panel, you can use a square
to position the cleats and glue
them in place. A little tape will
hold them while the glue dries. To
complete the panel, drill two holes
for screws to hold the divider, as
shown in the main drawing.
DRAWER DIVIDER & GUIDES. The divider
panel hangs from the till panel
and has drawer guides to mirror
those on the sides (note that there
are a different number of guides
on each side). After cutting the
panel to size, cut the small notches
on the edges (details 'a' and 'h').
Then rout the shallow V-grooves
as shown in the Shop Tip at right.
Now you're ready to add the
drawer guides. The box at right
shows you how to do this.
ASSEMBLY. At this point, you can
assemble the case. I started by
gluing up the finger joints on the
sides and bottom. Then you slide
the front rail into the groove on the
sides and clamp up the assembly.
Finally, attach the drawer divider
to the till panel and slide the panel
into position after spreading a little
glue in the dado in the sides.
To complete the assembly, cut a
small plug (I used a scrap test piece)
and glue it in the hole left after cutting the groove for the bottom. See
detail'd' on the opposite page.
Woodsmith.com
Shop Tip: V-Groove
a.
END
I-----i VIEW
Divider Panel Grooves. After setting the bit height, all you
need to do is rout one side, then flip the workpiece and rout
the other side to keep the grooves evenly spaced.
0
A A 60 V-groove bit is used to
rout the shallow grooves
on the front of the divider.
How-To: Install the Drawer Guides
NOTE: Left side
of case requires
only four guides
Start Square. Place the two sides together
against a straightedge on the bench and use
a square to position the drawer guides.
Perfect Alignment. With the first side complete, use a square to align the guides on the
opposite side, as required.
F
~-=:::'--Top
of
divider panel
aligns with
bottom of
till panel groove
Top of
divider panel
aligns with
bottom of
till panel groove
A LEFT CASE SIDE
Use VB· -thick spacers under side
Divider Panel. Use a straight p ece of stock
milled to %" as a spacer to align the drawer
guides on the divider panel.
Woodsmith
Both Sides. Flip the divider over and make
sure the alignment is correct and matches the
proper side when the guides are installed.
33
Till panel groove
cut after assembly
b.
BACK
STILE
Drawer
guide
SIDE
SECTION
VIEW
. C~se bottom \\
®
FRONT
SnLE
1C.
--------,
Drawer
guide
a.
FRONT
BOTTOMRA/~
5
3 A6
V2"
SIDE radius
SECTION l-r-rf----~-~--_l
VIEW
:::>'" I
3~
"
1J~
~
~
, Case bottom
~'
CD
10%
NOTE: Rails and stiles
are made from W' -thick
hardwood. Raised panels are
made from 3fs" -thick hardwood
Lidpin'-..
d.
f'>
r5mm
1-,-1
FrC
rail
completing the CASE & LID
With the case partially assembled,
you can tum your attention to the
front, back, and lid. To build the
front and back, I used straightforward frame and panel construction.
The fixed back adds rigidity to the
chest while the removable front conceals and secures the drawers.
The front has pins on the top
edge that fit into sleeves in the lid to
lock it in position. Like the case, the
lid is assembled with finger joints.
.. -.
. >"
- ,-/" -. ~
It's also hinged to cover the open
storage compartment.
FRONT & BACK. Although they are
slightly different in size, the front
and back are both built using the
same frame and panel joinery
and building techniques. I'll go
through the process for the back
and you can apply those methods
to the front as well.
I began by cutting the rails and
stiles to final size. Then, using a
' . , ..
---.!
-~
-'
/
-C{
/ ®
K
'. 'L..L . "
....
£6.
+ 1;76
t
SIDE
SECTION
VIEW
dado blade, cut the %" groove for
the panel in each piece. Now reset
the dado to 1;2" and cut the tenons
on the rails. The box below shows
each of these steps.
To make the raised panel, I glued
up narrower stock and planed it to
a final thickness of %". You can find
the details for creating the raised
field on the panel on page 29.
After sanding the panel and
frame pieces, simply assemble the
How-To: Cut Rail &Stile Joinery and Rabbets
Cut the Grooves. With a dado blade in
Stub Tenons. Cut the stub tenon on each
Rabbet the Outside Edge. On the back,
the table saw, cut the groove on the inside
edge of the rails and stiles.
of the rails using a miter gauge equipped
with an auxiliary fence.
cut a rabbet on the stiles and bottom rail to
fit inside the back of the case.
34
Woodsmith
No. 183
frame with glue on the tenons and
add clamps. When the glue dries,
cut a rabbet on the sides and bottom
edge of the assembly. Then install a
regular blade and cut a groove on
the inside face for the till panel.
Finally, attach the drawer divider
cleats with glue. I just used tape to
hold them in place while the glue
dried. You can then fit the rabbets
on the back panel in the case (with
the till panel in the groove), glue it in
place and clamp the assembly.
To make the removable front, use
the same process. However, after
assembly, instead of a groove near
the top, cut a rabbet on the lower
edge to form a tongue that fits into
the groove on the case bottom.
THE LID. The next step is to make
the lid. A hardwood panel, rabbeted on each edge, fits over a
finger-jointed frame. You can start
by cutting the frame pieces to size.
Then, using the same method as
before, cut the finger joints on the
four workpieces. Be sure to check
for square as you assemble the lid.
Now you can move on to the lid
panel. I found it helpful to begin by
Secure lid to
case with tape
b~
Back panel
b.
FRONT SECTION VIEW
~________-4_9~~~~
@
cutting it slightly oversize and then
sneaking up on a perfect match to
the size of the frame.
Then I buried a dado blade in an
auxiliary fence to cut the rabbets on
all four edges. Size the rabbets so
the panel fits in the frame with a
1;16" gap all around. Then the panel
can be attached by spot gluing the
ends and adding a few brads. This
method allows for expansion and
contraction of the panel.
I finished by drilling holes for
the sleeves and secured them with
epoxy. (Details are shown in Shop
Notebook on page 28.)
ROUT THE EDGES. A decorative
rounded profile on the edges of
V4 V2
the case adds a distinctive detail.
Normally, this would be a pretty
straightforward operation at the
router table, but in this case you'll
first need to attach the top to the
case. Since the hinges would prevent the case from sitting flat while
routing, I simply used tape to hold
things in place while I routed the
edges. The illustrations below
show you the details of where to
start and stop the cuts.
When you've finished routing
the edges, the next step is to give
the case a good sanding. Take the
time to pay special attention to the
routed end grain of the finger joints
to guarantee a good finish later.
NOTE: Remove
front before
routing case edges
Case
side
\14" roundover on
all outside edges
Woodsmith.com
Round Over the Edges. Rout the stopped roundovers on all the edges of
the assembled case by simply marking the start and stop locations on the
router table and fence and aligning e corners with the marks.
Woodsmith
... Roundovers on
edges of case
and top add
a decorative
and softening
appearance.
35
NOTE: Drawer fronts,
backs, and sides are
planed to 3fs"thick from
112" -thick stock. Bottoms
are Ve" plywood
")
Felt over
posterboard
y
LARGE DEEP
DRAWER FRONT
NOTE: Size drawers
to fit case with
minimal gaps
NOTE: Apply felt to
posterboard with
spray adhesive,
then cut to fit
r-
building the DRAWERS
The chest is really taking shape
now. The next task is to add the
seven drawers. With two deep and
five shallow profiles, they're sure
to provide plenty of useful storage
for your valuable items.
DRAWER PULLS. As you can see in the
drawing above, the drawer pulls
are recessed in holes in the drawer
fronts. I didn't want to drill into
8~
the thin stock and risk the point
of the drill bit breaking through.
Instead, I routed the holes using
the simple jig and the techniques
shown in the box below.
LOCKING RABBETS. The drawers are
all assembled with locking rabbet
joinery and are grooved to hold the
Va" plywood bottoms. Grooves in
the sides allow the drawer to slide
How-To: Rout Drawer Pull Holes
Routing holes for the drawer
pulls is a pretty simple operation. All you need is a template
and a bearing-guided dado
clean-out bit.
The template is just a piece
of 1;4" hardboard with a hole
drilled to match the diameter
of the pull. A cleat acts as a stop
to ensure consistent hole locations. Then just add a couple
spacers, clamp it to your bench
and you're ready to rout.
36
on the drawer guides you installed
earlier. The process for building the
drawers is the same, regardless of
the size. The detailed instructions
on the opposite page will show
you how to proceed.
DRAWER LINING. Finally, I completed
the drawer by adding felt liners.
By gluing the felt to posterboard,
it's easy to get a good fit.
Woodsmith
Template
base
Template Routing. Using a template to rout
the drawer pull holes results in clean-cut, consistent holes for the hardware.
No. 183
How-To:
Drawer Joinery
It's tough to beat locking rabbet
joinery for building drawers. This
type of joint (shown in detail 'a' on
the opposite page) is mechanically
strong and can be made with a few
simple setups at the table saw.
START WITH LABELS. As you're cutting
the drawer parts to size, it's a good
idea to label each piece to avoid
confusion and mark the inside/
outside face as well. I also routed
the holes for the drawer pulls
before CUtfillg the jOirLtS.
The step-by-step illustrations at
right show you the complete process, but there are a couple things
I want to add. First, I used a push
block with a support cleat to cut the
ends of the drawer fronts and backs
(Step 1). This not only makes for a
much safer cut, but also reduces
errors caused by the workpiece
shifting during the cut.
The second thing I want to stress
is the importance of making a few
test cuts on extra stock. Spending
the time to fine-tune the joints on
scrap pieces will assure you of
tight-fitting, well-made drawers.
Finally, the photo below and Steps
7 and 8 show how the decorative Vgroove in the drawer fronts stops
near the drawer pulls on the shallow drawers. Accurate marks when
setting up to rout these grooves will
help you get this detail right. Then
it's just a matter of lowering the
workpiece onto the bit and
it off on the marks.
Slots. Using a push block with a cleat to
hold the workpiece square, cut slots on the
ends of the drawer fronts and backs.
Tongue. Form a tongue on the inside of each end
by trimming one of the cheeks. Sneak up on the
first cut, then set the rip fence as a stop.
Dado the Sides. To hold the tongues of the fronts
and backs, cut dadoes in the side pieces. Sneak up on
a good fit by raising the blade a little at a time.
Tall
auxiliary
fence
Outside Grooves. Make sure all the workpieces are oriented properly as you cut the
grooves for the drawer guides.
SECOND: Lower drawer
onto bit at start line and
finish routing groove
A On the shallow drawers,
the V-grooves stop on each
side of the drawer pulls.
Woodsmith.com
Grooves. A shallow groove on all four
drawer pieces will hold the bottom panel.
Use a push block to make the cuts safely
Technique. To rout the stopped grooves on
the shallow drawers, mark start/stop points on
the fence and then rout to the lines.
Woodsmith
Notch the Back. After assembling the drawers,
use the same table saw setup to cut a notch on the
drawer back to match the grooves on the sides .
. Lower
drawer at
start line
SECOND: Rout to stop
line and lift drawer
THIRD: Lower drawer
at start line and
complete groove
Change Layout Lines. For the longer drawer,
you 'll need to add more start/stop lines, but the
routing technique is the same.
37
attaching the
HARDWARE
• Split rivets are
used to attach
the hinges and
handle. See Shop
Notebook, page
28, for more
information.
All that remains to complete the
chest is to add a finish and the
hardware. Sources on page 51 has
all the information on both.
HANDLE & CHAIN. After finishing the
chest, it's time to install the hardware. And as you can see in the
photos throughout this project,
there's a lot of it. To complete the
hardware on the lid, you'll add a
handle and a chain to control the
opening (Figure 1). The chain is
simply attached with small screws.
The handle is a little more complicated. Instead of screws, it
attaches with a cotter pin and a
riveted "clamp" on each end. You
can start by centering it on the top
and marking the locations for the
holes. I found the cotter pins that
came with the handle too short, so
I replaced them with longer ones
from the hardware store. After
drilling the holes, carefully install
the clamps over the ends of the
handle with rivets.
HINGES. The hinges come next.
And they're installed using split
rivets. Shop Notebook on page 28
#4 x 3fs" _-----1'--t--tf-.....
Rh woodscrew
11"-long
chain
#6x !fl" Fh
woodscrew
has some tips for installing these
unique pieces of hardware. You'll
also find out how I installed the lid
pins and the drawer pulls there.
LATCH. Next, you can turn your
attention to the latch (Figure 2). The
thing to look out for here is getting
a tight fit when the lid is closed. I
installed the lower portion of the
latch first. This way, I was able to
adjust the position of the top to
make sure of a good fit.
CORNER GUARDS. The last major
hurdle is to add the comer guards.
You'll notice that the lower front
guards have only two tabs while the
rest have three. This allows room
for the removable front panel.
Installing the guards is pretty
straightforward, but you might
need to sand down the comers of
the box to get a good fit. Adding
rubber pads to the guards protects
worksurfaces from scratching.
The machinist's chest is now
ready to fill with tools, collectibles,
or any of the other valuables you
might wish to store. iD
Materials, Supplies & Cutting Diagram
Case Sides (2)
Case Bottom (1)
Front Rail (1)
Till Panel (1)
E Drawer Divider Cleats (4)
F Drawer Divider Panel (1)
G Drawer Guides (14)
H Back Rails (2)
I
Back Stiles (2)
J Back Raised Panel (1)
K Front Top Rail (1)
L Front Bottom Rail (1)
M Front Stiles (2)
A
B
C
D
'hx 7%-11
'/2 X 7% -17
'h x 2 '4 -16 'h
'18 ply. - 7 x 16 h
'
'18 ply. - % x 3
'h X 7118- 4
'h - 6%
lh x 3 -12
118 X
'12l 3 - 11
% X 11718 - 6
lh x 3 - 10 718
'h X 35116 -
10 718
lh x 3 - 10 111,6
w x 4 112" - 96" Quartersawn White Oak (3.0 Sq. Ft.)
A I A I A I A I
8
I 8
I
1,12" x
Front Raised Panel (1)
% x 10% - 5%
Lid Front/Back (2)
lh x 1'4 - 17
P Lid Sides (2)
lh x 1'4 - 8
Q Lid Panel (1)
lh x 8 - 17
R Small Drawer Fronts/Backs (8)
318 x 114 - 7%
S Shallow Drawer Sides (10)
318 x 114 - 6%
T Small Drawer Bottoms (5)
1~ ply. - 6% - 7%
U Small Deep Drawer Fronts/Backs (2)% x 21h - 7%
V Deep Drawer Sides (4)
% x 2 h - 6%
'
W Large Drawer Fronts/Backs (2)
% x 1'4 - 16
X- Large Drawer Bottoms (2)
1~ ply. - 6% - 15%
Y Large Deep Drawer Fronts/Backs (2) % x 21h - 16
•
(8) %" Wire Brads
N
o
• (1 set) Corner Guards w/Screws
• (9) Drawer Ring Pulls
• (1 pr.) Hinges w/Rivets
• (1 pr.) Latches w/Screws
• (1) Handle w/Clamps & Rivets
• (4) Rubber Foot Pads
• (2) 5mm Shelf Pins
• (2) Shelf Pin Sleeves
• (28) W' Ring-Shank Nails
• (2) #6 x %" Fh Woodscrews
• (1 yd .) Wool Felt
• (1) 11" Lid Chain w/Screws
• (1) Posterboard
~c
b//7221
4W - 96" Quartersawn White Oak (3.0 Sq. Ft. )
I Ft&rY5/t?B~+Jzzl
r:l(J;J
Y
NOTE: Parts J, N, R, S, U, If, VI/, and Yare planed to 3fs" thick
38
Also needed: One 24 " x 48" sheet of 1fBn Maple plywood
Woodsmith
No. 183
Attractive and strong, finger joints are also easy to make with nothing
more than a shop-made table saw jig and a dado blade.
When I need an extra-strong corner joint to handle a heavy load,
my first choice is a finger joint. The
interlocking pins create so much
glue surface that you're assured of
a long-lasting joint. And the evenly
spaced pins also give a great look
to many projects, like the machinist's chest on page 30.
But my favorite thing about the
joint is that I can make the perfectly
mated parts entirely on the table saw
with just a simple, shop-made jig.
IT'S ALL IN THE JIG. Of course, the
pieces must fit perfectly for the
joint to be effective, and that level of
accuracy usually means some careful setup. But by building
in a little adjustability to your jig,
you won't waste
a lot of time finetuning the fit. The key is
how you make the jig and
attach it to your miter gauge.
If you take a look at the main
drawing and the detail at right,
you can see that I've added a pair
of fences to the miter gauge.
Woodsmith.com
The rear fence mounts to the
miter gauge with screws. It also
features slightly oversize shank
holes used to attach the front fence.
These holes allow easy side-toside "tweaking" of the spaces' in
between the cuts.
The front fence is the business
side of the jig. It holds a hardwood
key offset from the blade by exactly
the width of the cut to control the
spacing of the pins. It also backs up
Front fence
(314" plywood)
the workpiece to prevent tearout
during the cuts. The jig is simple
enough that I usually just make
a new one for each project rather
than try to adjust it to accommodate different sized finger joints.
I'll go into the details of building the jig on the following page.
Then it's just a matter of following
a few simple guidelines and easy
techniques to tum out perfect finger joints, every time.
Rear fence
(%" -thick hardwood)
39
FIRST: Position
front fence
with spacer
against blade
making the JOINTS
You can start building the jig by
selecting straight, flat material (I
prefer Baltic birch plywood) for
the front fence. The rear fence
can be a piece of hardwood, also
milled flat and straight. To allow
for easy adjustment, drill oversize
screwholes in the rear fence using a
larger diameter bit than the screws
used to attach the front fence.
SmlNG UP THE CUT AND KEY. The drawings above show how to get started
setting up the jig. Begin by installing a dado blade set to match the
thickness of the pins for your project. In the case of the machinist's
chest, I chose ~"-wide pins for the
Yz"-thick workpieces.
With the dado blade installed,
set the height just below the thickness of the workpiece. Next, hold
the front fence in position (don't
attach it with screws yet) and make
a cut through the fence.
Now you'll need to cut a small
piece of hardwood for the key. It's
important to get a tight fit, but not
so tight you need to force it in to the
kerf on the fence. Make the piece for
the key long enough to allow you
to trim a bit off to use as a spacer.
Now slide the jig up to the dado
blade and put the spacer between
the outside teeth of the blade and
the indexing key. With the fence in
position, you can now attach it to
the rear fence with screws.
TEST CUTS. Using a couple of test
pieces milled to the same thickness and width as your project
workpieces, cut the first notch
with the edge against the key.
Then make each successive cut by
placing the freshly cut slot over
the key, as shown in the photos on
the opposite page.
Once you've cut all the notches,
flip the workpiece around and use
the first pin as a spacer. Butt the
mating workpiece against it and
continue cutting. When you're
done, check the fit. I like a tight fit,
but not one that requires more than
a light tap to seat properly. You can
fine-tune the fit of the pins by moving the front fence very slightly as
shown in the box below.
CUTTING THE JOINTS. Once you've
adjusted the jig for a good fit,
you're ready to move on to cutting
the project workpieces. But there
are a couple of things to keep in
How-Yo: Fine-Tune the Fit
If pins fit tight or
loose, adjust fence
slightly
Too Loose. If the joint has gaps
between the pins, adjust the fence to
move the key away from the blade.
Short Pins. Short pins are the result of
the blade being too low. Simply raise the
blade slightly to correct the problem.
40
Too Tight. If the joint requires too
much force, or won't go together at
all, move the key toward the blade.
If pins are too long
or short, adj ust
height of blade
Woodsmith
Long Pins. If the pins protrude too far
(more than 113/'), you'll need to lower
the blade for subsequent cuts.
No. 183
)
First Cut. Maintain a firm grip to keep the
workpiece squarely in position against the
fence and tight against the key
Cut and Repeat. As you move the workpiece after each cut, make sure the bottom
edge stays flat on the table saw.
Cut the Mating Piece. Flip the workpiece
around to act as a spacer to cut the initial
notch in the second piece.
Complete the Second Workpiece. After
you finish cutting the second workpiece,
test the fit and adjust the jig if necessary
mind while making the joinery
cuts. First, hold the workpiece
tight against the fence at all times.
In the case of larger projects, particularly those that have wide and
tall parts made of %"-thick stock,
you might even want to clamp the
workpiece to the fence for added
safety and accuracy.
The second thing to keep an eye
on is to make sure the end of the
workpiece is flat against the table
for each cut. It can be frustrating to
find out one of the pins wasn't cut
deep enough when you're in the
middle of an assembly.
With those things in mind, it's
just a matter of getting busy and
cutting the rest of the parts. It's
helpful to mark the workpieces
to make sure you're starting your
cuts from the same edge. I also
stop after each matching set and
make sure I'm getting a good fit
and that the jig hasn't "crept" out
of position. It only takes a minute
to check and it can prevent bigger problems down the road. But
as long as things are going well,
you'll find the work goes quickly.
ASSEMBLY. After you've completed
the cuts, you can move on to
assembling the project. Once again,
Woodsmith.com
if you've established a good setup,
this is where it will payoff.
Properly cut finger joints are
easy to assemble and keep square.
The biggest challenge is to work
quickly enough to assemble the
joint before the glue tacks up. A
small brush makes spreading a
thin coat of glue on all the mating
surfaces a little easier, but it can
still be a scramble to get things
together. Once the glue is spread,
all you need to do is tap the joints
together and clamp them up.
Trim to Fit. If needed, trim the workpieces
so that each one ends with a full pin or
notch for a more finished look.
CLAMPING. The photo below shows
how I clamped up the sides of the
machinist's chest. A couple of plywood spacers fit inside and keep
the assembly square as you apply
clamping pressure to pull the
joints tight. You can fully seat the
sides with a few taps on the ends
and then tighten up the clamps.
Once you've made a jig and
learned the ins and outs of using
it, chances are you'll find plenty of
applications for finger .joints in
your future projects.
m
Shop Tip: Glue-Up Tips
Add the Glue. A small brush makes spread-
ing glue a breeze. And painters tape on the
edge of the joint helps control squeezeout.
Woodsmith
a three-sided
assembly can be tricky, so I used a couple
pieces of plywood to keep things square.
Squaring Blocks. Clamping
41
troubleshooting
tips for your
Jointer
If your jointer is giving you fits,
try a few of these remedies for
some common jointer ailments.
The jointer is a deceptively simple tool. All there is
to using one is to turn it on and run your workpiece
over the top. If everything is adjusted properly, you
end up with a flat, straight edge (or face).
But when you don't get the results you expect,
tracking down the cause of the problem can be a
real exercise in frustration. This is because more
than most other tools, a jointer requires precise
alignment and setup in order to work properly.
Fortunately, most of the time the remedy is fairly
simple. But determining the problem is half the
battle. So here's a look at some of the more common jointer problems you may encounter and
some steps on how to go about fixing them.
No. 183
il'apered Cuts
When jointing the edge of a board,
a common problem is ending up
with a tapered cut. In some cases,
this can be caused by infeed and
outfeed tables that aren't parallel.
(See page 45 for more on this.)
But a more common (and easier
to fix) cause is an outfeed table that
is just a bit higher than the jointer
knives. As the board travels over
the cutterhead, the outfeed table
acts like a ramp, lifting the workpiece ever so slightly. After making
several passes, the board will start
to show a pronounced taper.
The solution is to lower the outfeed table so that it's level with the
height of the knives. To do this,
place a straightedge on the outfeed
table so it extends over the cutterhead (see main photo at upper
right). Then rotate the cutterhead by hand until one of the
knives is at top dead center.
Next, loosen the table lock
(usually found on the back of
the jointer) and tum the table
adjusting knob (or lever) until
the straightedge just barely
contacts the knife.
A straightedge
is used to check
the height of the
outfeed table.
An adjustment
knob raises or
lowers the table.
Snipe
An outfeed table that is too low can
lead to a different kind of problem
- snipe. In this case, the jointer will
work just fine through most of the
cut. But once the trailing end of
workpiece leaves the infeed table, it
"drops" onto the outfeed table and
the knives take a deeper cut along
the last couple inches, as shown in
the drawing at right.
Here again, you can verify the
problem by using a straightedge
to check the height of the outfeed
table in relationship to the knives.
If the table is too low, simply raise
it using the adjustment knob.
-----~
--------.------
Workpiece drops,
creating snipe
Scalloped Cuts
When properly adjusted, a jointer
should leave a straight, smooth surface that doesn't need any sanding
or touching up. But it's not unusual
to discover a series of scallops or
ripples along the freshly jointed
edge of a board. Dull jointer knives
can often be the cause of this. But
if your knives are sharp, there are a
couple of other things to look for.
FEED RATE. Each knife takes a small,
circular ''bite'' out of the wood.
Ordinarily, these bites
overlap so that you
can't tell where one
ends and the next one
begins. But if you run
a workpiece over the
jointer too quickly,
it can leave scallop
marks. So the first
thing to do is simply slow down the
feed rate to see if that
solves the problem .
.l To set the height of the knives on this
KNIFE HEIGHT. If slowjointer, loosen the gibs first. Then adjust ing down doesn't get
the jack screws to lower the knife.
rid of the problem,
Woodsrnith.com
Woodsrnith
chances are one of the knives is
sitting a little bit higher in the cutterhead than the others. With each
revolution of the cutterhead, the
raised knife takes a slightly deeper
cut than the others.
You can determine which knife is
the culprit by using a straightedge
and a set of feeler gauges. Then it's
simply a matter of loosening the
knife gib bolts and adjusting the
height of the knife, just as you see
in the photo shown at left.
.l A wavy or
High knife cut
Low knife cut
Uneven knives
scalloped
surface is
usually a sign
of a knife
that needs
adjusting.
43
Out of Square Edges
One of the primary functions of a
jointer is to create a straight edge
that is square with the face of the
board. A jointer that can't do this
isn't of much value.
Most out of square problems can
be traced to fence alignment issues.
The first step in fixing this problem is to do a simple check of your
fence. Using an accurate square,
check your fence at several points
along its length to make sure that
it's truly square to the jointer tables.
If it's not, adjust the stops on your
fence according to your owner's
manual until the fence is square.
Occasionally, you'll find a fence
that isn't flat. A slight bow or crown
in a jointer fence shouldn't really
affect accuracy. But a
jointer fence that's twisted
or warped will make it
nearly impossible to joint
a square edge.
You may be able to
take a warped fence to
a machine shop to have
it ground flat. But a less
expensive option is to add
an auxiliary face.
To do this, simply cut .. Check the fence at several points along
its length to make sure it's square to
a piece of %" plywood
the infeed and outfeed tables.
or MDF slightly longer
and taller than the fence
of your jointer. Then just attach it the face.) Then you can place paper
to the fence with bolts (lower left or cardboard shims behind the auxphoto). (You may have to drill a iliary face to square it up with the
couple of holes in the fence to attach jointer tables (right photo) .
• After drilling a couple of mounting holes in the
cast iron jointer fence, a plywood auxiliary face
can be bolted in place.
• To compensate for any twist in the jointer
fence, shim the auxiliary face with pieces of
posterboard or heavy paper.
Surface Ridges
Sooner or later~ you're going to get
a nick in your jointer knives, resulting in a ridge along the jointed surface of the workpiece. But rather
than resharpening the knives, there
are a couple of other options.
I
Nicks in
I (\ \
knives cause
I
I \
raised ridge L...-1----,,r--'""'-"-....
\ ....=J
onwo~
v
Jointer knives
44
If you're just edge jointing, it's
simple enough to move the fence
over so that you're using a different portion of the knives. But when
you're jointing the face of a board,
that isn't always possible.
!
I (\ \
I
I
I
\
\
Eliminate ridge by
offsetting knives
((
Jointer knives
Woodsmith
OFFSET KNIVES. In this case, you
can often eliminate the ridges by
slightly shifting one of the knives
in the cutterhead. This offsets the
nicks in the blades just enough so
that they're no longer lined up,
eliminating the ridge.
There's just one thing to be aware
of. If you use the rabbeting arm or
ledge on your jointer for cutting
rabbets, offsetting the knives will
affect the width and accuracy of
your finished rabbets. m
No. 183
How-To: Align the Tables
Most jointer problems can be remedied with a basic tuneup and some
routine adjustments. But on occasion, you may run into a problem
requiring more than a quick fix.
(OPLANER TABLES. In order for a
jointer to work properly, it's essential for the outfeed and infeed
tables to be perfectly parallel, or
"coplaner." If they aren't, you can
end up with one of a number of
problems, from tapered cuts to
cuts that are concave or convex.
Ideally, a jointer is checked for
coplaner tables D efore it leaves
the factory. However, over time,
it's possible for the infeed and
outfeed tables to sag out of alignment. The good news is that as
long as the table castings aren't
warped or twisted, most alignment problems can be remedied.
STRAIGHTEDGE. In order to check
your jointer tables for coplaner
alignment, you really need a quality, accurate straightedge - the
longer the better. (If you don't
have an accurate straightedge, see
our online tip for making one.)
Start by using the straightedge
to check each table individually.
Be sure to check at several spots,
both diagonally as well as along
its length. The goal here is to make
sure that both tables are flat.
To shim the table into alignment, start by loosening the
table lock and gib screws.
Woodsmith.com
Once you've finished with this
check, raise the infeed table so
that it's level with the outfeed
table. Now, place the straightedge
across both tables to see if they are
coplaner across the entire length.
(Here is where you really need a
long straightedge.) Again, make
this check near the edge of the
tables and in the center. Then
check diagonally as well.
If the tables aren't coplaner, you'll
notice gaps between the straight~dge and the surface of the table.
Sometimes this misalignment can
be caused by something as simple
as sawdust and debris that has built
up on the dovetailed ways that the
tables slide on. You can clean the
ways by lowering the tables and
brushing out the debris with a
nylon or brass bristle brush.
SHIMMING. On older jointers, it's
fairly common for the tables to
start to sag and droop over time,
usually at the ends. If this is the
case with your jointer, you can
bring the tables back into alignment by shimming.
To do this, you can use brass
shim stock (available from machinery supply dealers) or even aluminum cut from a soft drink can. Just
loosen the gib screws along the
edge of the table and slip the shim
stock in place between the table
casting and the dovetailed ways,
as shown in the photos below.
You'll need to shim the table
along both sides. To raise the end
of the table, place the shims near
the bottom of the ways. To raise the
table near the cutterhead, place the
shims near the top of the ways.
A machinist's
straightedge is
ideal for checking to make
sure the infeed
and outfeed
tables are in the
same plane.
For information on
making your
own shop-made
straightedge,
visit our website at
Woodsmith.com.
Brass shim stock (or a piece of aluminum cut from a soda pop
can) and can be inserted between the table and the base of the
jointer. Make sure to shim the table on both sides.
Woodsmith
45
Glaze left on
edges and in
recesses adds
artificial age
to a project.
o
Glazes
Deeper, richer, more natural color on your project benefit offered by the simple technique of glazing.
, A wide variety
of staining
products can
be used as
a glaze.
46
When it's time to apply the finish
to a project, the routine is usually
well set. You stain, then apply a seal
coat, followed by the topcoats. But
there are times when modifying
this order can offer a nicer-looking
end result. How about stain, seal,
'glaze, and finally, topcoat?
WHY USE AGWE? The glaze applied
in between the, sealer and topcoat
is essentially a second coat of stain.
And the list of
benefits that can
be derived from
adding this glazing step is surprisingly long.
A primary
reason for using
a glaze is to add
more depth and
richness to the
color of the wood. The glaze simply lies on the sealer giving you
an extra layer of color. The cherry
board on the opposite page and the
door above show this effect.
Along the same lines, you can
apply a glaze to adjust the color of
a stained project. If, after applying a
stain and sealer, the color isn't right,
a glaze coat can often improve it.
A glaze also works well to mask
color differences within boards or
between boards in a project. Since it
sits on the surface, a glaze will very
effectively hide a streak of sapwood
in cherry or walnut.
CONTRAST. The crown molding in
the margin on the opposite page
demonstrates how naturally finished oak benefits from a glaze.
The dark glaze lodges mainly in
the pores to add a subtle contrast.
Woodsrnith
that's the big
AGE A PROJECT. Finally, one of the
most cornmon reasons for using a
glaze is to give a traditional project
an authentic, aged appearance. The
door in the photo above is a good
example. This works in two ways.
First, the glaze helps reproduce the
rich, reddish-brown color of old
cherry. Second, traces of glaze left
on edges and in comers simulates
the accumulation of grime and
aging of the finish over the years,
as in the inset photo above.
WHAT DO I USE? There are a number
of products that can be used as a
glaze (margin photo at left). The
cornmon thread is that a glaze
should have a fairly thick consistency. This helps the glaze "cling"
to the sealed surface.
You can find formulations specifically designed for glazing.
No. 183
These are essentially thick oil stains
with a very slow drying time. This
makes them easy to apply and to
"manipulate" to the desired effect.
You'll also find that thicker types
of oil stains, as well as gel stains,
also work well for glazing. Waterbased glazes are available, but due
to their faster drying time, they can
be a bit trickier to use.
THE HOW-TO. Applying a glaze is
one of the easiest finishlng techniques in the book. Since the wood
has already been sealed, you have
great flexibility and control of the
final color and the overall appearance. If you don't like the result,
you simply use a rag dampened
with mineral spirits to remove the
glaze and start over.
SEAL FIRST. The box below shows
how to use a glaze to create an
"antiqued" look. The stain and
sealer (or just sealer) come first.
Here, you can generally follow
your normal routine.
You have a pretty wide range of
sealers to choose from. A glaze can
be applied over varnish, lacquer,
shellac, or water-based finishes.
The exceptions are oil or oil/ varnish mix finishes. They won't seal
out the glaze properly.
My personal preference is to seal
the wood with a couple of thin
coats of fast-drying shellac. Just
make sure you seal the surface
completely and evenly. Once the
sealer is dry, lightly "scuff" sand
with 320-grit sandpaper. This will
help the glaze adhere to the finish.
APPLY GLAZE. The glaze can be
brushed or wiped on - similar
to applying a stain. Your goal is
simply to cover the surface thoroughly - neatness isn't a concern.
And like a stain, you'll wipe the
excess glaze off before it dries.
.l The board above shows how a glaze can be used to give cherry
a rich, naturally aged color. The left half was simply stained and
sealed, the right half was stained, sealed, and then glazed.
So try to limit yourself to a
manageable area.
WIPE IT OFF. Before the glaze
tacks up, start wiping the surface with a clean rag. This step
is the key. You control the look
of the glaze by how aggressively you wipe. If your goal
is to add age to the project,
you can be less thorough
- leaving glaze -on edges
and in the recesses. When
simply trying to enhance the
color, wipe the surface clean
with the grain, leaving only a
thin film of glaze behlnd.
A TOPCOAT. Like a stain, a glaze
always needs to be protected
with a topcoat. This can be any
compatible finish. But when applying the topcoat, there are a couple
of things to keep in mind.
First, be sure the glaze is completely dry before finishlng over it.
The glaze is lying on the sealer, not
in the wood. If it's not dry, it can be
lifted into the finish. Second, apply
the first topcoat "gently." Avoid
vigorous brushlng that might pull
the glaze off the surface.
In a nutshell, using a glaze can be
an easy way to bring out the very
best in a project. And once you give
the technique a try, it's guaranteed
to become a standard in your bag
of finishlng tricks. m
! The glaze
settled into
the pores of
the upper
piece of oak
crown adds a
subtle contrast
not seen in
the unglazed
piece below.
How-Yo: Apply aGlaze
.l After applying the initial stain,
! Once the sealer is dry and the
seal the surface thoroughly with a
couple of coats of 1-lb. cut shellac.
surface lightly sanded, brush or
wipe on a liberal coat of glaze.
Woodsmith.com
Woodsmith
Use a clean rag to wipe the glaze
from the flat surfaces, while
leaving remnants in the recesses.
47
details of craftsmanship
when to use
TlNin
Tenons
When basic mortise and tenon
joinery won't give you a strong
glue joint, take a look at this
tried and true variation.
Mortise walls
are long grain
exposing maximum
gluing surface
A mortise and tenon joint is a
traditional way to join two workpieces at right angles. It's a strong
joint with a lot of gluing surface.
But depending on the orientation
of the workpieces, there are times
when a simple mortise and tenon
joint isn't the best choice. If that's
the case, using a twin tenon can create a much stronger joint.
HISTORY. The twin tenon has been
employed for several centuries.
It was first used in ship building,
where it was necessary to keep
large timbers from twisting or
splitting. With side by side tenons
in matching mortises, there's less
likelihood of the tenoned workpiece twisting or warping. Later
furniture craftsmen recognized the
value of this joinery and started
using it to join workpieces at right
angles, such as a rail to a table leg.
STRONGER JOINT. One of the best
reasons for using a twin tenon in
woodworking is to add gluing surHORIZONTAL TENON
VERTICAL TENON
face to the joint, since long grain or
face grain provides a better gluing
surface than porous end grain. In
a conventional mortise and tenon
joint, like the one shown in the
left drawing below, the length of
the mortise runs with the grain.
This allows for the maximum long
grain to long grain gluing surface
between the mortise and tenon.
But when I have a project that
calls for the face of a rail to lay
flat, I know that the long grain
TWIN TENON
Mortise walls are
end grain, limiting long
grain gluing surface
Rail ;s
installed
vertically
("099";0
on tenon cheeks
Vertical Tenon. A conventional mortise
and tenon is a good choice when a vertical
tenon is installed in a vertical mortise.
48
When a mortise is
placed horizontally in a workpiece, the end
grain gluing surface creates a weak joint.
Horizontal Tenon.
Woodsmith
Twin Tenon. Cutting two vertical tenons
creates multiple long grain gluing surfaces
for more strength.
No. 183
gluing surface will be limited.
When a horizontal mortise is cut
in the adjoining piece, it exposes
mostly end grain, as shown in the
center drawing on the bottom of
the opposite page. Since end grain
doesn't make good gluing surface,
the result is a weak joint.
MORE GLUING SURFACE. But a twin
tenon solves this problem. By cutting two vertical mortises in the
workpiece, you'll expose more
long grain. So the twin tenon has
four surfaces with long grain, as
shown in the right drawing on
the opposite page. This not only
gives you more area for glue, but
it keeps the part straight and true
for a stronger joint. A good use of
a twin tenon is shown in the main
drawing on the opposite page. The
rails need to lie flat to add support
for the weight of the drawers.
DRAWBACKS. With all these advantages of the twin tenon, you might
think this is the best joint to use
in any situation. But it has its
place, just like any joinery does.
For example, if the workpiece is
extremely wide, this puts the tenons further apart, which may cause
the part to split. Expansion, and
contraction in the wood will cause
both tenons to move in opposite
directions. When they move, you
may get the results that you were
trying to avoid. The rail may twist
and cause it to split.
A good rule of thumb when
using this joint is to keep the space
between the two tenons approximately twice the depth of the shoulder (right drawing). If using this
rule causes the tenons to be wide,
then you might want to use another
type of joinery for your project.
MAKING THE JOINT
When I use a mortise and tenon
joint, I like to make the mortises
first and then fit the tenons to the
them. This way you'll have a perfectly matched joint.
A twin tenon is cut almost like
a single tenon, as you can see in
the box at the bottom of the page.
The only difference is removing the
waste between the twin tenons. The
easiest way to do this is on the table
saw, using a tenon jig.
MEASURING AND MARKING. The key to a
good fit is accurate measuring and
marking. So to start off, I take time
to mark accurate layout lines.
CUTTING. Once the joint is measured and marked, I cut the cheeks
and short shoulders, as shown in
the left drawings in the box below.
Then it's just a matter of cutting a
wide slot down the center of the
tenon to create the twin tenons
(right drawing below). The final
step is to clean up any saw ridges
left on the bottom of the tenon in
the center and on the shoulders
using a sharp chisel.
NOTE: Width of
tenon should not
exceed height
Locating Tenons. The space between the tenons
should approximately equal the combined total of the
shoulders. In this case, that means a spacing of % ".
At this point, you can test the
fit of the tenons in the mortises.
If they're too tight, you can pare
off the waste on the cheeks using
a chisel. Your goal here is to get a
snug fit, leaving enough room for
a film of glue inside the joint. All
that's left is to fit the tenon in the
mortise and apply the clamps.
Mortise and tenon joinery is a
strong and lasting way to join two
workpieces. I think you'll find that
adding a twin mortise and tenon to
your woodworking skills will keep
the joinery on your projects holding
strong for a long time. m
How-Yo: Twin Tenon Basics
/
/
/
I
/
Auxiliary
fence
END
VIEW
'I
'I
II
I
F
I II
l
I
/
/
/
AJ,...
I
I
I
I
.L
I
~
t----'
Cheeks. Using a dado
blade will make short work
of removing the waste.
Woodsmith.com
/
I
fence
END
VIEW
I I r--f(l
\
I
i(j
'------'
Shoulders.
Flip the rail
on edge to cut the short
shoulders of the tenon.
Tenon Jig. Clamp the rail to the tenoning jig to accurately cut the
slot that creates a twin tenon. It's also important to apply downward
pressure on the j ig while cutting away the waste in the center.
Woodsmith
49
in the mailbox
Questions &Answers
Different Types of
Tool Steels
a
rm confused by the different
types of steel used by tool
manufacturers. I see high carbon
steel, high speed steel, and carbide.
Why are there so many types and
which is the best?
Bert Manning
National City, California
A
The answer to this question
really depends on what kind
of tool, blade, or bit you're talking about. But it hel ps to have
an understanding of the different
types of steel commonly used.
HIGH CARBON STEEL All steel is chiefly
an alloy of iron and carbon. But
the amount of carbon mixed in
with the iron makes a difference in
the working characteristics of the
steel. Steel with a relatively high
carbon content can be hardened
and tempered, and then honed to
an extremely sharp edge. For this
reason, high carbon steel (also
known as "tool steel") is used for
most hand tools like chisels, plane
irons, and carving tools.
HIGH SPEED STEEL One drawback to
high carbon steel, however, is that
it will lose its-temper if it's overheated. This isn't a huge problem
with tools like chisels or plane
irons. But tools that spin or travel
at high speeds, like drill bits and
saw blades, can quickly lose their
edge or become ruined if they're
allowed to overheat.
In the late 19th century, steel
manufacturers discovered that
by adding certain elements to
the steel (tungsten, vanadium, or
50
•
Depending on the intended use, you'll find tools, blades, and bits
made of high carbon steel, high speed steel, carbide, or coated
steel. Each material has its own, unique working characteristics.
molybdenum) they could create a
steel that would continue to h61d
an edge even at higher temperatures. This steel came to be known
as "high speed steeL"
High speed steel (HSS) is commonly used for drill bits, jointer
and planer knives, and blades for
jig saws and reciprocating saws.
And high speed steel has all but
replaced carbon steel in the manufacture of lathe turning tools.
CARBIDE. Another material often
used for cutting tools is tungsten
carbide (often referred to simply
as "carbide"). Carbide is not technically a steel. It's a compound
made of tungsten and carbon. It's
most often brazed or cemented to
the edge of a cutting tool. Carbide
is extremely hard and holds an
edge much longer than either carbon steel or high speed steel. And
it isn't affected by heat, either.
Woodsmith
Carbide has become the standard for circular saw blades and
router bits. You can also find carbide-tipped band saw blades and
carbide planer and jointer knives.
But the high initial cost of these
doesn't make them very practical
for use in a home shop.
COATINGS. There's one other thing
you're likely to run across when
shopping for tools. You may see
bits or blades that feature a titanium nitride (TiN) coating. (Drill
bits are a common example.) In
this case, the TiN coating is applied
over a high speed steel bit.
The coating helps reduce friction, thereby minimizing heat
build-up in the bit. It also protects
the cutting edge of the bit. According to some manufacturer's
claims, drill bits with TiN coating
can last up to three times as long
as uncoated bits. m
No. 183
hardware & supplies
Sources
DRAWER LINING
Adding a lining to a drawer is a
good way to dress up a special
project.You should be able to find
many of the drawer lining materials shown in the article on page
8 at local fabric or craft stores.
We purchased the wool felt from
Weir Crafts. RockIer also carries a
selection of felt, velvet, and vinyl
drawer liners, as well as the supplies and equipment for flocking.
bits and reversible bits shown on
page 17. Amana, CMT, Freud, and
MLCS are a few of the brands that
we've used in our shop.
DISPLAY SHELF
One of the nice things about the
display shelf on page 18 is that
you don't need any special hardware to build it - just a few woodscrews.The stain we used is a mix
rl.. ........... , C.,. ..... : ................ ..J
_of th ...n.1""I. _""r+,... 7 .......
V I U II V'C tJ0 1 lO:> Loal ...... ',f;:11
Y vlalll dilU
one part Jel'd Cherry Stain.
LAYOUT TOOLS
Most of the layout tools shown in
the article on page 10 are common
enough that they can be ordered
through just about any woodworking cata log. But the re are
a couple of items that deserve a
special mention.
When choosing a combination
square, it pays to spend a little
extra and get a high-quality tool.
Starrett, Brown & Sharpe, and
Mitutoyo are all top brands.
The compass shown in the article is one of my favorites. It's made
by General Tools, and can be purchased directly from the manufacturer's website (Item #842).
STEP STOOL
To build the step stool on page
22, you' ll need just a few pieces
of hardwa re. The brass hinges
(23590)' oak buttons (20503)'
ra re-earth magnets (30810), and
magnet cups (31668) all came
from RockIer. Lee Valley also
carries the rare-earth magnets
(99K31.03) and cups (99K32.52),
but not the hinges or buttons.
The strap hinges and steel rod
and bar stock used for the pivot
pins and catch tabs were purchased at a local hardware store.
The stain we used is General Finishes' Prairie Wheat Gel Stain.
RAIL & STILE BITS
MACHINIST'S CHEST
Most router bit manufacturers
offer a variety of rail and stile
bit sets, as well as the one-piece
One of the focal points of the
machinist's chest on page 30 is the
reproduction hardware. Most of
the hardware items, including
the pulls, corner guards, handle,
hinges, latches, and lid cha in
came from an online supplier MachinistChest.pom. They carry
the most authentic-looking hardwa re that I've been able to find .
But just to warn you, not all of
the items they offer are currently
displayed on t he website. They
plan to offer a kit that includes
most of the hardware used to
build the chest. (You may be able
to find similar versions of some
of these items at RockIer, Lee
Valley, Van Dyke's, or your local
hardware store.)
The only additional hardware
you'll need are some 5mm shelf
supports (00S10.01 ) used for the
lid pins and some matching
sleeves (00S10.61). These items
were purchased from
Lee
Valley. The chest was stained
with Varathane's Mission Oak
Stain, and then finished with two
coats of lacquer. ~
Onnne Customer Service
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MAIL
ORDER
SOURCES
Project supplies
may be ordered from
the following
companies:
Woodsmith Store
800-444-7527
Rocking Supplies,
Glazes, Layout Tools,
RQ/7 & Stile Bits
Amazon
am.azon.com
Layout Tools,
Rail & Stile Bits
Eneo
800-873-3626
use-encO.com
Combination Squares
General Tools
800-697-8665
generaltools.eom
Compass
Lee Valley
800-871-8158
leevalley.eom
Hinges,
Shelf Supports & Sleeves,
Magnets & Cups
MaehinistChest.eom
214-797-3943
machinistchestcom
Machinist's Chest Hardware
Rockler
800-279-4441
rockler.com
Brass Hinges,
Drawer Lining Material,
Rocking Supplies,
Glazes, Layout Tools,
Machinist's Chest Hardware,
Magnets, Oak Buttons,
Rail & Stile Bits
Van Dyke's Restorers
800-558-1234
a-VOLUME UBRARY SET
Get all 8 hardbound volumes of Wooclsmith
(Volumes 22 through 29). Each volume includes a year of issues,
plus a table of contents and a handy index.
vandykes.eom
Machinist's Chest Hardware
Weir Crafts
734-668-6992
weirdollsandcrafts.com
Wool Felt
Regular Price ................................... ~
Subscriber Discount Price .. .. .. $159.95 SAVE OVER $75
FREE SHIPPING on your entire order!
Woodcraft
800-225-1153
woodcraftcom
Individual volumes also available.
(Offer expires 7/31/09)
Go to Woodsmith.com
Rocking Supplies,
Glazes, Layout Tools,
Router Bits
or Call 1-800-444-7527 Today to Order Yours!
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Woodsmith
51