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1989 - Issues 1-6

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WOODWORKER PRO.JECTS, TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

6 The Rolling Tool Center 2 Today's Wood By Annette Weir and Gary Morin A brief look at Teak, one of the most

beautiful woods around. If you're like most home woodworkers, you've got a problem with space. The authors' tool chest and cart design is aimed at solving that problem once and for all.

3 On the Level A new magazine? Why now; why us? What's nexLand a few more questions and answers.

12 A Rotating End Table By Greg Kossow

4 Today's Shop Roger Cliffe offers ten tips for buying used tools.

5 What's In Store Insights into some new jigs, handy workshop knobs and Vix bits.

Reduce living room clutter with this popular rotating end table design.

17 Calendar Events of interest to woodworkers everywhere.

16 Family Bookshelf By Rick White

18 Tricks of the Trade Tips and techniques from our readers and friends.

19 Yesterday's Woodworker

~ .. A wall mounted bookshelf for all your household reference books -featuring sliding dovetail joints.

John Goff sings the praises of hot hide glue.

20 Finishing Thoughts Jerry TerHarlc compares dyes and stains .

• r TODAY'S WOOD .

Teak (tectona grand is) One of the world's premiere natural resources, true teak is harvested in commercial volumes in India, Java, Bur­ma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and the East Indies. Plantations have also been established in Latin America and Africa. Thailand continues to produce the most desired teak -a fact not lost on that country's gov­ernment, which imposed export restrictions in the early 1980s. Teak is expensive; there is a limit to supply levels and harvest costs are the highest of any wood fiber. Teak trees attain a height of 70-100 feet with a circumfer­ence of 5-12 feet. The weight of a mature tree is so immense that harvesters typically make a cut around each tree into the heartwood and let it die over a period of 2-3 years before felling. The tree is then light enough to be moved by elephant and floated to market.

The wood has an oily surface and an odd odor, (not

unlike old shoe leather), as the result of very high con­centrations of silica. Woodworkers often find the wood has a dulling effect on their steel hand tools, not found when using most other woods. Teak can be satisfac­torily finished and glued, but special products have been designed just for teak to aid in quality bonding.

When surfaced, teak reacts to steel and on occasion can take on a wide variety of colors, typically called speckle-butt -a yellow, orange, brown and black pattern. Over time, however, the wood will turn to the deep rich brown color that has made it a favorite among woodworkers for years.

Richard O. Jones

. January/February, 1989 '. . . ,

Volume "I, .Number .I · .-. LARRy N. STOIAKEN '

E.ditor .. ' ..

NANCY EGGERT :

,'. Production 'Mal/age'r . ". . ...

'.'

.. ': ~

JQHN KELLIHER ':Art Direr:tor '

JEFF ·J.~cbBSON '. Tee/mical Illustrator .

, . GORDON HANSON .. ' •. C~py~qJtor . '.

. , .. ANN JAC'KSON

. PII/Jlisli~'~ JIM EBNER ,

Di1'~ctor of Marlieti;lg

VAL E, GERSTING . Circulaiion Manage'; " . ,

'.! .;;

: ' . . NORTON ROCKLER

RIC.K WHITE . PAULTHOMS ' VERN~URNS .,

JACKHOLMBERG , Editorial Advisors . .

I,.' • .. : ' '"

" I .. ,. ,.r .

: ROGER W. CLIFFE' : JOHN' GOFF '

JERRY T: TERHARK : . COII.t;"ibuti~lg Edilor.;' :

': .. ~' .

-----:---'-__1_..-----. ,I

Today's Woodwork~r; (ISSN: 1Q41· 8113) is published bimonthly (Janu.iuy, .

. March, May, July, .September, Novem- .

. ber) by RQckler P.ress : Rogers, ' MN . ' 55374-0044. Today's Woodworker iii a tradel!larkof RbcklElr· Press, Copyright

,: 1.989: ' Sec<;>nd clas~;' ppstage paid at .. Rpgers, MN :55374', and at additional . ~ailing offices. .... . . ., , '.

, One .yea~ subscription price, $18.95 . . (W .S. a,n,d poss~ssions) : . . ~,

'Send new subscriptions ,to. the aitentiori . of the c.irculaticin department

Subs~rioers are welcome to submit their project. proposals, iips and techniques, fo ,the editor, Today's Woodworker, Rogers, '

'. MN 55374-0044. - "

"For ~urpos~s of . c l ~rity, ' illu'st~ations and photos are sometimes .shown ,Without proper protecti've guards in place'. Today's Woodworker ' recommends fol- . lowing ALL safety precautions wh(le in the shop. .'

Postm(!ster: ·P.leat'e. serid change of address to Today's vyoodworker, Roger,S, MN 55374-0044. , "

,Copyright 1989, by RockIer Press, , , All rights reserved,

TODAY'S WOODWORKER JAN/ FEB 1989

.. ______ ON THE LEVEL

A New Magazine With A 34 Year History

W elcome to the premiere issue of Today's Woodworker,

Why publish a new magazine for woodworkers now? Because wood­working is one of the fastest growing hobbies/crafts in the United States to­day, One recent survey claims that al­most 10 miIIion Americans now count themselves among the ranks of wood­workers.

What ties them all together? Go from the most rudimentary base­

ment shop to the fully equipp ed professional shop and you'll find out soon enough, It's the love of making things with your hands, It's the smell of sawdust, the occasional perfectly crafted joint, the relaxation and enjoy­ment that starts on the drawing board and continues long after the project leaves th e shop and heads for its home, And it' s finding just th e plane you always wanted at a garage sale for one dollar, or saving up all year for the lathe that will add a new dimension and level of excitement to your work

It's all of that, and one more very im­portant thing, It' s a love of learning, Woodworkers have an extraordinary passion for learning and sharing their ideas,

Here, more than anywhere else, is where Today's Woodworker fits in, Because while this is a new magazine, you could say it's been on the drawing board for over three decades, It was 34 years ago that Norton (Nordy) RockIer started up The Woodworkers' Store, It was just about that time that he found he was also in the field of an­swering questions, Woodworkers, he quickly discovered, ask a lot of ques­tions, Before long, he had written one of the earlier books on veneering tech­niques, The questions kept coming.

Today, The Woodworkers' Store is one of the largest suppliers of hard-

ware and woodworking materials in the country, The staff at the home of­fice includes a number of people with just one job -answering woodwork­er' s questions, And all nine of the re­tail stores now feature frequent semi­nars on everything from basic joinery to advanced turning techniques, And still the questions keep coming,

Three years ago, Ann Jackso n, chief executive officer of The Wood­workers' Store, came up with another idea, "Let's start a magazine," she said, "one aimed at providing a forum for all these questions, One that has no advertisements to clutter it up and maintains a tight focu s on projects, tips and techniques, "

You now hold the fruits of that idea in your hands, The RockIer Press was born and Today's Woodworker went into production, As this first issue goes to press, our foremost hope is that you, the reader, will continue ask­ing questions and sharing new tech­niques -and that you'll get actively involved with the magazine.

What proj ect skill leve l is most appropriate to you? Which technical areas are you most in need of help on? Today's Woodworker, due to its affil­iation with The Woodworkers' Store, has a vast network of woodworking experts that it can call on, They'll be covering all the innovations and new products available to woodworkers to­day -and sometimes reviewing tech­niques as relevant now as they were a hundred years ago,

We hope you enjoy this first issue of Today's Woodworker and promise bigger and better things to come. We'll be looking forward to receiving your ideas and comments ,

-

.. ______ TODAY'S SHOP

Ten Tips For Buying Used Tools By Roger W. Cliffe

People often ask me if there are any hard and fast rules for buying used tools. Being a woodworker I neve r think in terms of strict rules, but I can offer some buying tips based on past experiences.

These tips should help you buy used tools with less hassles and more val­ue . Reme mb e r, these are tips and there wi\l always be some exceptions to them. When in doubt, sleep on the deal and think it over. There is always some tool for sale.

Know The Market It's impossible to know a bargain or good price for a used tool if you don't know fair market value. If you've ever been to an auction and watched used (and beat up) clamps sell for more than list price, you understand what is meant by fair market value.

To know the market, you can study catalogs and mail order flyers to find the list price and sale price on a specif­ic tool. It' s common to see seasoned auction buyers carrying tool catalogs with them to check prices before bid­ding. Some people limit their bid to no more than 60% of list price. Decide on what you think is fair and stick with it!

Be Sure Older Is Better "They don't make 'em like they used to" is a favorite saying among wood­workers. In some cases, they don't "make 'em" that way because new technology has replaced the old tool. Electricity costs have made today' s motors much more efficient. Consid­ering th e increased elec tricity con­sumption and the increased weight, the old too l may not be a bargain unless the old motor can be replaced easily without modification . That will be discussed below.

Some woodworkers favor heavy cast iron tools because they resis t vibra­tion. The tole rances an d quality of today' s ma chining may make th e

added weight a liability rather than an asset. And remember the extra weight when you move the tool to the base­ment. Wi\I the steps support it?

Determine Your Need If you don't need the tool, it' s not a bargain at any price. Woodworkers are notoriou s for buying a tool because of its price. They don't con­sider need first. When you buy a tool, be sure you wi\l be able to use it. A tool that gathers dust in your shop wi\l eventually just become a "bargain" for another woodworker tomorrow. A home shop woodworker may b e tempted by the price on a mortiser, yet when need is considered, the mor­tiser is best left where it is. Why tie up about six square feet of floor space on a machine that will be used only a few times per year.

Best Deals Go To The Big Spenders During an estate sale, tools are often sold as a lot. The person who buys all the tools at one time usually comes out way ahead. Many times this buyer can sell individual tools , recoup his money, and keep just those tools he really wanted.

Bankers, insurance agents and tax agents all wish to settle quickly with one sale. Don't be afraid to find other willing woodworkers prior to the auc­tion and pool your money to buy all the tools offered. Two or three buyers and sellers can get rid of the excess tools much faster.

Be Sure The Tool Is Compatible No tool is a bargain if the electrical system is not compatible with th e power source. It is best to check your electrical source for volts, phase and amps before buying used tools. While it may be possible to change motors, some older tools had motor mounts that were unique to th e tool. Older tab le saws also had variou s sized

arbors. This means that your prized saw blade with th e standard 5/8" arbor hol e may not fit your "new" used saw.

Be Sure Parts Are Available Any tool, from the smallest hand tool to the largest stationary power tool , is useless without spare parts. Spare parts fall into two categories; standard hardware, like nuts and bolts , and replacement parts, like the beam on a compass or the blade of a combination square. Replacement parts can be a problem if they are no longer stocked. In some cases, they can be made by co mbining standard hardware parts, but in other cases, you 're out of luck.

Don't think you're saving money on a tool if you have to hire a machinist to make some parts for you. Unless you or so meo ne you know is a machinist, this is not a bargain. There may be some cases where you can buy a comparable part for the tool missing a part. For example, you might find a retrofit fence for an old table saw. The saw may work like new with that addition.

Let The Seller Find You Buying used tools usually begins with a search of the want ads. Individual ads and ads fo r auctions and estate sales lead all the readers to the tool. This means a single supplier and a much larger group of buyers - and higher prices. A better approach is to take out your own ad: ''Wanted to buy: woodworking bench vise; will pay fair price, cal1 _________ ." This ad sets you up as the only buyer, and the sup­ply is usual1y larger than the demand. I have bought air compressors and radial arm saws this way.

When someone sees your ad and remembers that old vise in the garage, basement or barn, they cal1 your num­ber. You are the only buyer, and have more leverage when it comes to di s­cussing the price.

Compare Apples To Apples If you are looking at more than one tool, be s ur e yo u ar e comparing apples to apples. For exa mple, one

JAN/FEB 1989 TO DAY'S WOODWORKER

table saw may have several blades and a dado head included in the package. These accessories can cloud the value of the tool. If you need the accessories, they can raise th e value of the table saw, but the table saw itself may not be as good in comparison. At this point, you have to ask yourself what you Ire buying, the table saw or the acces­sories.

In some cases, a matrix of features can be used to compare one tool to others. List the tools down one side, and list the features across the top. The matrix makes analysis and com­parison easy.

Consider The Previous Owner How the tool was used (or abused) by the previous owner can help you determine its valu e. Stationary tools that have seen 10-20 years in a school or cabinet shop will probably show signs of wear and abuse. Compare this to the tool that has been used by a hom eowner to build a garage and some kitchen cabinets.

One clue to how the tool was used or abused is the owner's manual. If it has greasy thumbprints and pencil marks on it, chances are there have been sev­eral repairs made. In fact, the pencil marks may tell you what parts have been replaced.

Hand tools hold up better than pow­er tools, so knowing the previous own­er is not as important. In fact, some hand tools are guaranteed for life regardless of who owns them. Guaran­tees vary from one hand tool to anoth­er, so check with the manufacturer.

Don't Be Afraid To Walk Away From A Deal Finally, once youlve decided on a pur­chase, don't be afraid to walk away if the deal changes at the last minute. If you find some unscrupulous seller try­ing the old "bait and switch" tech­nique; or arrive to make your purchase only to find that some accessories orig­inally included in the sale have myste­riously disappeared -that's a deal you should walk away from. The owner has told you enough about his character to bring the future potential of his tool into serious question . Don't let your ego trip your billfold!

• Dr. Roger Cliffe is the author of "Table Saw Techniques" and "Radial Arm Saw Tech­niques", published by Sterling Publishing Co. of New York, New York.

TO DAY'S WOODWORKER JAN/FEB 1989

r WHAT'S IN STORE

Improving Your Shop Jigs

The featherboard kit includes a five star knob, a threaded T -bolt and an adjustable featherboard.

The stop block kit, perfect for use on a drill press or router, includes a knob, T -bolt and a 2" rabbeted stop.

The hold down kit shown at left works well for applying down­ward pressure while ripping.

For centuries woodworkers have been relying on jigs in their shops to improve control and increase precision. While jigs tend to be personal, custom de­vices, The Woodworkers' Store (612-428-3200) has come up with a univer­sal T-slot jig system that provides a great foundation for an endless variety of jigs. Their jigs are only available as kits, allowing woodworkers to cus­tomize them for virtually any workshop application .

The key to the system is aT-bolt, similar to those that hold toilet tanks in place. The bolt travels in either a metal track or aT-slot routed into a wood base . This T-slot design securely holds the jig on track while allowing for incremental adjustments.

The line of T-slot jigs includes a hold down jig (perfect for benches , router tables, machine fences and miscella­neous jigs), a featherboard jig (great for improving safety around router ta­bles, drill presses and table saws), a master jig (the most complete kit with a stop assembly, clamp assembly and 40" T-bolt track) and a simple stop block. Router bits for cutting aT-slot and a metal track are also available .

Anyone who has struggled with those small wing nuts on home made jigs will also appre-ciate another new line from The Woodworkers'

Store, which seems to be intent on making . woodworking as easy and safe as possible for its' customers . Their new full size work­shop knobs and levers will cast your homemade jigs in an entirely different light. Star and T­knobs, which come in a variety of sizes, fit the hand comfortably. A push button ratchet lever is perfect where limited turning space makes the use of a star or T-knob impractical. A post handle is also available for applica­tions requiring lever action. The tall, slender shape allows for a secure grip.

Replace your wing nuts with a new line of workshop knobs and handles and add a new dimension to your jigs.

A slightly different take on this theme is offered by the Vick Compa­ny, which literally built a jig right into their product. Their self centering Vix Bits automatically center ar;ld plumb the drill through a hinge hole for per­fect hardware installation . Various size Vix bits are available, according to screw sizes.

As usual, success is breeding a number of foreign imitations. However, the genuine Vix bits, made in the USA, are definitely superior in performance and durability to the rash of imitators. Vix bits feature a hardened drill guide with a high speed drill adjustable for depth.

The Vix bit is a drill bit within a jig that

automatically centers the bit.

-

THE ROLLING TOOLCENTER A portable tool chest and cart design for the woodworker with limited space and good taste.

By Annette Weir and Gary Morin

IN the home woodworking shop, space is always at a premi um. This por­table tool ce nter is designed to roll out of

the way when the shop is closed and pro­vide quick and easy access to a wide array of tools when it's time to get to work. If it seems a bit fancy for the shop, consider that it will still be rolling and useful when your grandchildren cut their first mortise and tenon. Like most woodworkers, we believe in building projects that look good and last a long time.

Getting Started (1) Dimension all lumber to the width and thickness specified in the material list, jointing all edges square. If your plywood is undersized in thickness, be sure to reduce the thiclmess of all 3/4" wood edg­ing accordingly. (2) Cut the hardwood to length, adding a 1/ 4" to pieces 24, 25, 27, 28 and 29 to allow for final trimming after the rails have been glued to the panels. (3) Cut the 3/4" hardwood plywood to size, adding an additional 1/4" to the width of pieces 1, 2, 6 and 7 and the length of piece 9, to allow for final sizing after the rails have been glued on. (NOTE: When crosscutting plywood, avoid tearout by using a sharp plywood blade and masking tape over all cutting lines.)

To insure a square edge against the saw fence, (for final trimming), the plywood sides and backs are cut a 1/4" wide.

(4) Glue and clamp the cart and chest rails to plywood panels 1, 2, 6 and 7, leaving the rails just shy of flush at one edge (see fig­ure 1) to insure a square edge against the saw fence when trimming to exact size. (NOTE: Omit the chest's top front rail at this time.) (5) Size the end and back panels to exact widths. To avoid tear out on the rail ends, clamp a piece of 3/4" scrap to the back of the rail edge. (6) If necessary, belt sand the end and back panels to insure flushness of panels and rails . Be careful to retain flatness of panels to insure clean joints with the hori­zontal panels and rails. Finish sand the outside of the panels for the cart. (7) Using a 1/4" roundover bit, rout one edge of the 1"x3" stiles, (see figure 2), where the inside edge meets the panel. (8) Glue and clamp the stiles to the end panels. The cart stiles should be flush with the inside of the panel and 1/4" round on the outside. The chest stiles are flush on both sides. Using splines or a plate joiner is very helpful for alignment purposes on these steps. Take extra care to avoid glue squeeze-out on the outer surface of the cart panels . Any squeeze-out should be cleaned up with a sharp chisel before glue gets brittle. (9) Cut 1/ 4"x3/ 4" stop dados for the bot­tom and drawer rail in the side panels, and a full dado on the bottom rail of the back

Inside is flush

The inside edges of the stiles are routed with a 1/4" roundover bit prior to glueing and clamping to the panels.

panel. Be sure to size the dados for the actual thiclmess of the plywood. Repeat as appropriate for the chest. (See elevation drawing on page 11 for dado locations.)

Assembling The Cart (1a) Clamp the end panels together and, using a band saw, cut a 2" radius on the upper front corners of the cart stiles. Clean-up the cut using a file or belt sander. (2a) Before gluing the front rails to the horizontal panels, dry assemble the cart with clamps and check the fit of the rails.

Using a caul while clamping is recommended. Due to their slight arc, clamping pressure is distributed along the full width of the joint.

JAN/ FEB 1989 TODAY'S WOODWORKER

A challenging project, the authors' tool chest and cart design is not recommended for beginners.

Using a square, draw a pencil line across the rail and panel to mark the exact posi­tion for gluing. (3a) Rout a 1/4" roundover on the inside edge of the top rail. (4a) Glue the front rails to the horizontal panels and drawer rail, taking care to accu­rately align the pencil marks that you made in step 2a. (5a) Finish sand all panels to 150 g rit (leave edges until after assembly) . (6a) The carcass should be glued in two stages. First glue the top and bottom to the back panel, dry clamping the sides to assure proper alignment. Using cauls at this stage, (see figure 3), will aid in dis­tributing the clamping pressure along the joints. .

TODAY'S WOODWORKER JAN/FEB 1989

(7a) Glue the end panels to the shelf, back and drawer rail, again using cauls and pipe clamps. (8a) Mark the location for the end panel screws, centering 7/16" back from all edges. Drill holes using a fuller bit (coun­te rbore / bit combined) or counterbore with a 3/8" brad point bit followed by a 7/64" pilot hole [or #8xl 5/8" screws. Install the screws and walnut plugs, paring the plugs flush to the surface with a sharp chisel. (9a) Using a 1/4" roundover bit, rout all outside edges, including the bottom. (NOTE: Do not rout the edges of the door or drawer openings.) (lOa) Finish sand all edges, plugs, stiles (if marred by clamping) and soften the edges

The top front rail of the chest is cut into two pieces and routered with a cove bit. The two pieces are reassembled and glued to the front.

of the door and drawer openings. (lla) Rip the door panel to provide two pieces 11 7/16" wide, and crosscut the rails to 11 13 / 16" long. Mark th e cut edges of adjoining rail s and panels to assure proper placement, keeping grain patterns intact. Glue the vertical banding on the door edges using 1/4" at opening edges and 1/811 at hinge edges. Trim to the correct length , as discussed in step 5 on page six. Glue on the top and bottom rails, making sure to keep the ends flush with the door edges. Maintaining full width, trim a 4 0 bevel on the inside edge of doors to aid in fitting and to prevent binding. Belt sand all surfaces flush. (12a) Glue the back lip and front edge to the pull-out shelves, keeping edges flush at the side of the shelves. Using a 5/8" core box bit, rout the finger pull on top of the front edge, centering the cut 7/8" back from the edge. An alternative would be to cut a cove, using the table saw.

Assembling The Chest (NOTE: To assure that the lid will fit accu­rately, the chest should be built as a six sided box and the lid cut off after assem­bly.) (lb) Rip the top [rant rail, (piece 38), into two pieces: 113/16" and 9/16" wide. Mark mating edges to maintain the grain pat­tern. Using a 1/2" cove bit, rout the finger grip along the front marked edge of the wide piece and then sand the routed area. (2b) Glu e the 9/16" strip (unmarked edge) and 1/8" strip to the plywood front as shown in figure 4 above. Now glue the marked, routed edge of the 113/16" piece back onto the 9/16" piece (see figure 4). Trim the ends, sizing the panel to its prop­er dimensions. Belt sand to flush all sur­faces. (3b) Dry assemble the chest to check the fit and mark the location of the bottom front rail as described in step 2a on page 6. Disassemble and glue the rail to the bottom. (4b) Finish sanding all inside surfaces. Glue and clamp the back and front to the top panel , being very careful to keep edges flu sh and panels square. Slide the

MATERIALS LlST(, -These pieces shou ld be oversized by 1/4' to allow for final trimming.)

PLYWOOD 1 Cart Sides (2) 2 Cart Back (1) 3 Cart Top (1) 4 Cart Bottom (1) 5 Cart Door Panel (1) 6 Chest Sides (2) 7 Chest Back (1) 8 Chest Top (1) 9 Chest Front (1)

10 Cart Pull Out Shelves (2) 11 . Cart Drawer Rail (1) 12 Chest Bottom (1) 13 Chest Tray Bottom (1) 14 Cart Shelf Slide Spacers (4) 15 Cart Drawer Bottom (1) 16 Chest Drawer Bottoms (3) 17 Cart Drawer Sides (2) 18 Cart Drawer FronVBack (2) 19 Chest Drawer Sides (4) 20 Chest Drawer Sides (2) 21 Chest Drawer FrontslBacks (4) 22 Chest Drawer Front /Back (2)

HARDWOOD 23 Cart Stiles (4) 24 Cart Side Rails (4) 25 Cart Back Rails (2) 26 Cart Lower Front Rail (1) 27 Top Front Rail (1) 28 Cart Drawer Rail Banding (1) 29 Cart Door Rails (2) 30 Cart Door Edging (opening) (2) 31 Cart Door Edging (hinge) (2) 32 Cart Drawer Front (1) 33 Chest Side Stiles (4) 34 Chest Bottom Side Rails (2) 35 Chest Top Side Rails (2) 36 Chest Bottom Back Rail (1) 37 Chest Top Back Rail (1) 38 Chest Top Front Rail (1) 39 Chest Bottom Front Rail (1) 40 Chest Front Banding (1) 41 Chest Drawer Fronts (2) 42 Chest Drawer Front (1) 43 Chest Handle Stock (1) 44 Shelf Front Edge (2) 45 Shelf Back Lip (2)

HARDWARE 46 1112" Dia, Walnut Knobs (4) 47 1" Dia. Walnut Knobs (6) 48 Lid Supports (2) 49 6' Length 11 /2" Brass Piano Hinge (1) 50 18" Pull Out Shelf Slides (2 pairs) 51 18" Full Extension Slides (1 pair) 52 12" Full Extension Slides (3 pairs) 53 1 Pkg. Rubber Door Bumpers (4) 54 Cupboard Catches (2) 55 3" Industrial Swivel Casters (4) 56 5/16" x 1114" Carriage Bolts (16) 57 5/16" Flat Washers (16) 58 5/16" Self Locking Nuts (16) 59 3/8" Walnut Plugs (24) 60 #8 15/8" Wood Screws (24) 61 # 10-1 3/4" Machine Brass Screws (4) 62 1110-13/4" Brass Washers (4) 63 #10-13/4" Brass Nuts (4)

TX WX L *14+ X 26314 (Oak) '24+ x 26 (Oak) 19 x 243/4 (Oak) 19 x 24314 (Oak) 23 x 173/8 (Oak)

*9 1/4+ x 111 /4 (Oak) *223/8+ x 11114 (Oak) 121 /4 x 223/8 (Oak)

*31 /4 x 223/8+ (Oak) 3/4 x 229/16 x 159/16 (Particle Board) 3/4 x 3112 x 24 (Particle Board) 314 x 121 /2 X 227/8 (Particle Board) 3/8 x 123/4 x 227/8 (Birch) 3/8 x 1 x 18 (Birch) 3/8 x 1713/16 x 227/16 (Birch) 3/8 x 119/16 x 2013/16 (Birch) 1/2 x 37/8 x 18318 (Birch or Apple) 1/2 x 37/8 x 227/16 (Birch or Apple) 1-12 x 2318 x 121 /8 (Birch or Apple) 1/2 x 3318 x 121 /8 (Birch or Apple) 1/2 x 2318 x 207/8 (Bi rch or Apple) 1/2 x 33/8 x 207/8 (Birch or Apple)

15/16 x 3 x 323/4+ (Oak) *3/4 x 3 x 14+ (Oak) *3/4 x 3 x 24+ (Oak) 3/4 x 11 /2 x 24 (Oak)

*3/4 x 11 /4 x 24 ,(Oak) *3/4 x 1/4 x 24 (Oak) *3/4 x 3 x 23:t (Oak) 3/4 x 1/4 x 173/8+ (Oak) 3/4 x 1/8 X 173/8+ (Oak) 3/4 x 4 x 237/8 (Oak) 3/4 x 21 14 x 157/8 (Oak) 3/4 x 2114 x 91 /4+ (Oak) 3/4 x 23/8 x 91 /4+ (Oak) 3/4 x 21 /4 x 223/8+ (Oak) 3/4 x 23/8 x 223/8+ (Oak) 3/4 x 2518 x 223/8+ (Oak)

. 3/4 x 1112 x 223/8 (Oak) 3/4 x 1/8 x 223/8 (Oak) 1/2 x 2112 x 221/4 (Oak) 1/2 x 31 12 x 22114 (Oak) 7/8 x 1 x 9 (Walnut) 3/4 x 2 x 229/16 (Oak) 1/2 x 1112 x 229/16 (Oak)

Cart Chest Chest Chest Cart (Accuride C322-18") Cart (Accuride C3800-18") Chest (Accuride C3800-12':) Cart Cart Cart Cart Cart Cart Cart & Chest Carcase Screws Handle Fasteners Handle Fasteners Handle Fasteners

Cut a stop rabbet on the back edge of the chest and chest top to accommodate the piano hinge,

tray bottom into the dados cut earlier in step 9 (see page 6) to help square assem­bly. If the edges are not perfectly flush, carefully plane them flu sh when the glue dries. (5b) Due to limited space in the drawer compartment, the drawer slides are best in stalled at this point. Mark out the drawer sizes on the side panels, allow­ing 1/16" space between each one. Draw center line of each drawer and use this line for locating mounting screws. Fol­low the instructions supplied with your drawer slides. (6b) Glue and clamp the sides to the top and bottom assembly. (NOTE: Check for square by measuring diagonals.) (7b) Install screws and plugs as described in step 8a on page 7. (8b) Flush off all outside surfaces. (9b) Set the saw fence on your table saw to 1 3/4" and raise the blade to 1". Care­fully cut off the top of the box, one side at a time. For the third and fourth cut, insert 1/8" spacers in first two cuts and hold together with clamps. (NOTE: Be careful not to go so slowly that you burn the cut edges.) (lOb) On the back edge of the chest and lid cut a stop rabbet 5/64" x 21/32" wide, to accommodate the hinge. Run the rab­bet the full length of the rails (see fig­ure 5). Cut the piano hinge to the exact length of the rabbet and mount, using only two screws in each leaf. Test the alignment of the lid, adjusting if neces­sary, and install the rest of the screws and the lid supports. (lIb) Use a 1/4" roundover bit on all outside edges. Again, do not round the drawer openings. (12b) Using an orbital sander, finish sand the outside of the chest to 150 grit and soften the edges of the drawer com­partment and lid opening.

Chest Handles (NOTE: There are a variety of ways to construct these handles, as long as the weight of the full chest is considered in the selection process. We chose to make our's out of walnut to accentuate the wal-

JAN/ FEB 1989 TO DAY'S WOODWORKER

Chest is a six sided box; -top is cut off after assembly.

30

~ 31

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One door assembly is not shown for clarity.

TO DAY'S WOODWORKER JAN/ FEB 1989

•

End View

• The walnut chest handles are coved on their underside using an auxiliary fence on the table saw, set at a 25 0 angle to the saw blade.

nut plugs already being used. (lc) The chest handle is basically a rectan­gular piece of walnut which is coved on the underside using the tablesaw. To do this, set the saw blade 1/2" above the table. Clamp an angled auxiliary fence to the saw table at approximately 25 0 to the blade and about I" in front of the blade (from the point where the blade emerges from the table insert). Using a 7/8" x I" scrap at least 18" long, make a short test cut. Check the resulting profile and adjust the position of the auxiliary fence as need­ed, maintaining the fence angle, as shown in figure 6. (2c) Round over the corner (opposite cove cut) using a 3/8" round over bit. Cut two 4 1/2" pieces from machined stock and mark the screw holes with an awl. Drill the screw holes with a Fuller brand drill bit (with a 3/8" diameter countersink), set­ting the drill press stop so a 3/16" deep counter bore is obtained. Using the drill press, increase the diameter of the shank hole with a 3/16" bit. (3c) Complete the drilling operation by clamping the partially formed handles to the ends of the chest in their proper posi­tion (centered front to back, 2 1/4" down from the top edge, with lid open) . Now drill holes using the handle's holes to guide the hand drill. (4c) Remove handles from chest and shape ends using a belt sander in a station­ary jig or a wood rasp. Finish sanding and install on chest using 1 3/4" by #10 brass machine screws.

Drawer Construction Using Lip And Dado Corner Joints (ld) Adjust the table saw so 1/4" of mate­rial remains between the bottom of a dado cut in a scrap of 1/2" drawer stock and its outer face. (Note: If you just set the saw blade 1/4" above the table, you're likely to be left with a dado that's too deep and a

1/4"

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Drawer construction for this project involves the use of iip and dado corner joints. When cutting dados on 1/2" plywood, the key measurement is between the bottom of the dado and the outside surface, (see "A", above). This is due to the varying thicknesses found with plywood.

drawer that's too narrow, since most 1/2" plywood is really a little less than 1/2".) Now set the rip fence so dimension "B" (see figure 7) is slightly greater than the thickness of the drawer stock. After mak­ing satisfactory test cuts, dado all ends of the drawer sides. (2d) Leaving blade depth as set in step Id, set the rip fence at 1/8" and make test cuts in some scrap drawer stock until the lip fits snugly into the sample dado. Now make this cut in the ends of all front and back pieces. Next, set the rip fence so the rabbet shoulder is referenced to the bot­tom of the previous cut. Fine tune to pre­cise fit using a test piece, first making the cut slightly shallow, and then adjusting the rip fence away from the blade until all sur­faces fit well when squared. (3d) Dry assemble the drawers and make a pencil mark at the inside bottom edge of all drawer piece (as a reference for the next step) . Disassemble and cut a 1/4" dado 1/4" deep and a 1/4" up from the bottom edge of the chest drawers, and 3/8" up from the bottom of the cart draw­er. (4d) Rabbet the edges of the 3/8" plywood drawer bottoms to fit the 1/4" grooves in the drawer dados. (5d) Finish sand the interior surfaces of all drawers and dry assemble with clamps to insure good fits on all corner joints. (6d) Disassemble and carefully apply glue to appropriate joint surfaces, taking care to avoid squeeze-out on the inside corners. Reassemble and clamp each drawer on a flat surface, making sure each is resting on all four corners. Check diagonals for squareness, changing clamp positions if any discrepancy exists. When glue stiff­ens, remove clamps and scrape excess from all exterior surfaces. (7d) Before sanding the outside of the drawer boxes, mark a centerline along the length of the sides and mount the slide

members, setting them back from the front (follow instructions supplied with drawer slides). Be sure to use slotted holes for final adj ustment. Test fit the drawers and adjust until you have an even 1/16" between all drawers. Now remove drawers and clamp them to their fronts, staying flush on the top and bottom and exactly centered from side to side. Drill and install appropriate length screws (#8 x 3/4" on chest and #8 x I" on cart). Check the fit of the fronts and adjust if necessary. If you are very careful about side to side measurements, adjustment shouldn't be necessary. Mark and drill for knobs, coun­terboring if needed to accommodate the length of screws provided. Now remove knobs and install the fixed screws in slide members. Finish sand all boxes and fronts and soften all edges. (8d) You're now ready to install the pull­out slides in the cart, however, it's very important to install the bottom casters before starting this process. For mounting the pull-out slides, A 3/8" x I" shim is needed between the slide and case side in order to clear the hinges and doors. (NOTE: A thicker shim may be used if you prefer not to open doors completely in order to use the pull-outs). Drill mounting holes in the cabinet side and slightly over­size holes in the shims. Now drill mount­ing holes in the bottom of the shelves. Install in the cabinet, "dry fit" the pull outs, check movement and trim if needed. Install screws.

Hanging The Doors (Ie) Cut the two piano hinges 1/8" shorter than carcass. Install hinge on the 1/8" banded edge of the first door, an 1/8" from the inside door face. (2e) Install the t1rst door on the carcass, using a reference mark 5/8" from the front edge of the carcass stile. At this stage, use only two screws, second hole in

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from each end. Check the fit of the closed door (flush with face of carcass or slightly recessed, if you prefer) in reference to the carcass face. If adjustment is required, loosen screws and reposition and install two more screws in third holes from each end. (NOTE: We used a Vix bit, which makes alignment quite easy. Hopefully, you will achieve a good fit after one re­adjustment. If not, try again.) Repeat this step for the second door. (3e) After fitting the second door, close doors and determine if any planing must be done on the meeting edges. Also check the top and bottom clearances. Remove the doors, plane meeting edges to achieve 1/16" clearance and trim the top and bot­tom edges with a table saw to align.

TODAY'S WOODWORKER JAN/FEB 1989

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(4e) Rehang the doors with the four "cor­rect" screws and assess the need for any additional trimming. Repeat step 3e as needed until the fit is achieved. Finish sand to 150 grit. (5e) When the desired fit is achieved, drill the remaining holes for the piano hing (using a Vix bit if possible) and complete installation. (6e) Install the roller catches - starting with the male end on top of door edge. Place roller port right on this male end and close the door. Mark the placement of the roller with an awl while holding the door in the correct closed position. Install the roller (it can be adjusted slightly to correct any discrepancy that occurs in the process) .

.....

Finishing Up Give the project a final inspection, doing any last minute sanding required. We fin­ished the project using golden oak Watco oil, applying 3-4 coats, sanding with 600 wet dry for a smooth finish. After oil is thoroughly dry, you may wish to apply Watco satin wax for extra protection and a nice sheen.

• Annette Weir operates Weir Woodworks, building custom furnishings. She specializes in solid wood construction utilizing tradi­tional joinery Gary Morin describes him­self as "a social worker turned woodw01'ker tumed social W01'Iler/woodwo1'1wl: Gary and Annette now share a woodworking shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

ROTATING END TABLE This popular end table/bookshelf design offers a sure cure for living room clutter.

By Greg Kossow

What I really needed was a nice end table for the couch. Nothing fancy, just something to hold the ave rage couch overflow

... remote control, books, video tapes, and a cup of coffee or two. Adding up all that liv­ing room paraphernalia, however, present­ed a "big" problem.

And I didn't need a big table. Browsing through a number of catalogs

(a great place to get ideas) I came across several versions of a rotating bookshelf that would solve my problem without dom­inating the living room. My version uses cherry hardwood and plywood and rotates quietly on a slightly oversized lazy susan bearing. It neatly takes care of as many as 72 video tapes or books and provides plen­ty of surface space for all your evening refreshments.

Cutting Using the material list, cut all plywood, edge banding, vertical slats and base assembly pieces to size. I ripped both the edge banding and vertical slats from hard­wood, but used veneer edging on the divider pieces since they'll experience lit­tle wear and tear. To cut and apply the pat­tern for the veneer top, please refer to the box on page 15.

Assembly Glue and clamp the edge banding to the bottom she lf, middle shelf and sub top, making sure to position it so that the exposed endgrains will later be covered by

Make sure to position butt joints of banding so the vertical slats will cover exposed end grains.

the slats (see figure 1). Likewise, glue the veneer edging to the divider pieces. After veneering your top (this can be done later if desired) apply the 3/4" mitered edge banding. Here I used my new biscuit joiner so I could line up the edge banding and top exactly before the glue dried. If you don't have a biscuit joiner, glue and clamp.

Next, glue and nail (the nail holes will be hidden by your books or video tapes) one of the two divider assemblies together. To make things easier, I cut a piece of 6"xl0" scrap to use as a spacing guide (see fig­ure 2). Lay the dividers on top of one of the shelves and, using the spacing guide,

Use a 6xl0 scrap as a spacing guide to position the two divider assemblies.

This rotating bookshelf is designed to serve double duty as an end table for the living room couch. Small in stature, it nonetheless can hold a deceptively large number of books or video tapes. The author's version uses cherry stock and a unique eight piece reverse diamond veneer pattern for the top.

determine where each piece goes by work­ing your way slowly around the shelf.

When you have the dividers spaced exactly right, mark them and glue and nail them together. Repeat the procedure for the second divider assembly. It's critical that they be exactly the same so they line up perfectly when assembled.

You're now ready to nail the sub top to the top divider assembly. Carefully posi­tion one of the divider assemblies on top of the sub top and outline it in pencil (see figure 3). Using your spacing guide, put the assembly back below the sub top and position it. Then carefully nail through the

Before nailing the divider assembly into place use it to outline your nailing pattern.

JAN/FEB 1989 TODAY'S WOODWORKER

Front slats are not shown for clarity,

IYIATERIAL LIST TxWx L

Top (1) 3/4 x 17112 x 171 /2 (Plywood)

2 Sub Top (1) 3/4 x 16112 x 161/2 (Plywood)

3 Top Banding (4) 3/4 x 3/4 x 19 (Hardwood)

4 Dividers (8) 3/4 x 8112 x 10112 (Plywood)

S' Slats (16) 1/2 x 3/4 x 231 /4 (Hardwood)

6 Shelves (2) 3/4 x 161 /2 x 161/2 (Plywood)

7 Shelf Banding (12) 1/8 x 3/4 x 163/4 (Hardwood)

8 Mitered Base (4) 3/4 x 2 314 x 18 (Hardwood)

9 Base Nailers (4) 3/4 x 3/4 x 151 /2 (Hardwood)

10 Sub Base (1) 3/4 x 161 /2 x 161 /2 (Plywood)

11 Legs (2) 3/4 x 2 x 15 (Hardwood)

12 Veneer Top (8) 8 518 Right Angle Triangles (Vel'1eer)

13 Lazy Susan Bearing (1) 12"x 5/16

TODAY'S WOODWORKER JAN/FEB 1989 •

II

A framing square is used to insure that all four sides of the two major sub-assemblies are plumb and even.

Using nailers on the inside of the base assembly (to support the sub base) reduces the number of nail holes on exposed pieces.

Spring clamps and scrap wood are used on three sides while the fourth is drilled and toenailed.

When you're ready to attach the slats, nail the two outer pieces of each set first, using a square to maintain nice clean lines.

sub top (following the pencil outlines you just made) into the top divider assembly. Use the same procedure in reverse on the bottom shelf and divider assembly. However, before you nail these two pieces together use the bottom divider assembly to trace a nailing pattern on the top of the center shelf. Following your nailing pat­terns, attach the bottom and middle shelf to the bottom divider.

Stack the top divider assembly (now attached to the sub top) on top of the bot­tom divider assembly (now attached to the bottom and middle sheW. Using a framing square, line up the two major components so they're standing plumb and even on all four sides (see figure 4). When they're lined up exactly, clamp three pieces of scrap wood on the middle shelf to serve as stoppers. This will keep the two divider assemblies from moving while they're nailed together. Now start drilling and toe­nailing the top divider assembly to the middle shelf (see figure 5). Rotate and re-clamp your stoppers until all four sides are drilled and toenailed, being constantly on the watch to not move the two assem­blies.

Now cut and assemble the base. Glue and clamp the four mitered pieces and, using this assembly for a pattern, cut a piece of plywood for the sub base so it fits snugly into the opening (flush with top). I didn't want to put any more nail holes in the exposed piece than necessary, so I nailed and glued 3/4" by 3/4" nailers on the inside of the base and nailed the sub base down to these (see figure 6). Now screw the base assembly to the rest of the bookcase up from the bottom.

At this point I nailed the vertical slats on, nailing the end pieces of each set first -one directly on the corner of the cabi­net, the other directly in line with the dividers. Use a square to come off the divider edge to get the exact location, as shown in figure 7 . To position the two center strips, cut a spacer block to size by using a little math. Simply subtract the combined width of the two remaining slats from the distance between the two already up and divide this number by 3; that's the width of the spacer block that you' ll need for positioning.

Now screw the veneered top (see box, next page) on from under the sub top. Be

very careful that your spacing is the same Oil all four sides.

Finally, cut the legs out (see exploded view, previous page) and screw them to the lazy susan bearing. Center and screw this assembly to the sub base.

Finishing I used three coats of natural oil finish for this project, (two before assembly and one after), using a rag to wipe off excess after about 15 minutes. On the plywood and veneer I used 320 grit sandpaper to sand the oil in while applying the first coat. This creates a cherry colored "mud" which fills in cracks and provides a smooth surface. On the following coats I rubbed in the oil and wiped off all excess after ten minutes.

Filling in nail holes presented a bit of a dilemma, due to the varying color one gets when working with cherry. I experiment­ed with some filler on a scrap piece and ended up using a mixture of two parts light birch and one part che rry filler mixed together. To really do the job right you're better off us ing different colored fi lle r on different pieces, depending on their darkness.

JANUARY 1989 TO DAY'S WOODWORKER

.VENEERING THE TOP . ". . ,,'

For thi$ ~roject: I deCided ' to create a edge A of· both ' pieces meets on ' the hybrid ' reverse diamond by using eight pencil line (see figure 3) . Making sure

. pieces of veneer; ,cutting identical tri- edge A is right on the', pencil line, ' cut angles from two ·success,ive sheets for ' edge C '(refer to figure :1) for each· tri-.

, each quarter of the'; diamon·d. . . angle, following the pencil lines drawn Step '1: Careflllly cut Q. window in stiff in step 2. Lay these lWo matched cardb,oard in the shape of a ri'ght piece's asid,e; and ,repeat steps 1-3 angle . tria8gle ' vyith two sides 8 5/8" three more times to 'finish Gutting the long. Lay this over two stacked ' sheets pattern. I'n eac~ case, e9ge B is of veneer" at a 45· angle to the grain allowed to overhaRg the edge of , the

.: and ' search for an interesting visual top, to be trimmed after assemb'IY· pattern. Mark lightly' with pencil. Using Ste'p 4: When , all cuts are completed, a razor knife an.d straightedge, repeat- · layout ,the ·patte.rn' and : using

, edly cut edge A vyith light strokes (see gummed veneer" tape, iape all .. pjeces , figure 1) right on the line. Cut edge B ' , together on the side to be finished ; . and C. as well but leave an extra 1/4" first with short strips and then with·

. for tr'imminglater." ' , , ' . ' one long strip (see figure 4), Now fold '

Step 2:, Using , ~ pencil and straight- , the veneer back to expose . the edges 'd d' "d th '17 /4" t bl t P 't ,and , run beads of glue on all JOints, , e ge, IVI e e .1 a e a In Of ' ' I'd h ' t' f

' four quarters and divide each quarter ' o~mlng one so IS ee a "veneer. , into two triangles (see figure 2) . Wipe off all excess , Apply , a quality

, ' . . solvent ' based contact cement on t~e ; S,ep 3: Take the tyvo t~iangl E!ls o,f table fop, and on the back side' of the

yer;1eer cut in step 1, place on the veneer ' pattern arid let. it dry, (Qo, not , " tabl~' top and flip over the top pl'ece so ' , use a yvater-based . contact cement),

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TODAY'S WOODWORKER JAN/rEB 1989

The'n apply a second coat, let it set and carl"lfully lay the ven'eer jn place, Using two coats of contact cement serves to nelp retard the penetrati'on 'of the oil fin­ish, which' otherwi'se might affect bond­ing . , Use a veneer roller or smoothing blade to ass'ure a good bond, Before ap'plying oil" the top should be allowed to dry for another 48 hours' to allow all' the solvents in the glue to evaporate:

S,tep 5: Onc'e: th~ top' is d~y: remove ail overlapping edges (edge B, as shown in figure 3) to within 1/16", using a utility knife or plane, The rest ,can be taken off with fine sandpaper, Apply a very light first coat Qf oil, \Jsing 320 grit sandpaper to sand it iri (to fill in any cracks and holes). Wipe off after several minutes , Once the project is completely assem- ' bled" two additional coats 'can be applied" ' ' , ' •

, Greg Kossow of Milaca, Minnesota is 'a finish 'cmpenter who , recently attended wooden boat b'ttilding school-in Port Towns'end, Washington. "

, ,

FAMILY BOOKSHELF Sliding dovetails accommodate changing family needs.

By Rick White

The author's sliding dovetail bookshelf mounts conveniently in any room of the house. The weight of the books locks the bookends into place, assuring a safe resting place for all family reference books.

My search for the family dic­tionary one night turned into an exhausting hunt. Everyone in the house, it seemed, had a different

place to leave it once they were finished. After checking about five potential hiding places, I finally found it tucked away in my sonls room. Clearly, it was time to desig­nate a single place for storing this and oth­er commonly used household books.

A centrally located wall shelf, handy to all family members, would be a perfect solution. I wanted a shelf that would keep books erect, but wasnlt too thrilled over the idea of heavy bookends on a wall mounted shelf. The answer to my needs was a shelf with built-in sliding bookends that could easily accommodate an ever­changing number of books.

Preparing Materials The sizes on the materials list (see page 17) are for an average size shelf. You can easily customize this shelf by using a larg­er or smaller plywood panel for the basic piece. Cut the primary shelf plywood panel to size and then clamp and glue the 2"

hardwood strips on both ends and the front of the panel. Cut the hardwood for the two shelf brackets and two bookends to size. (NOTE: Use a minimum of 3/4" stock for the brackets to accommodate the width of the taper connectors to be attached later.)

Now make cardboard templates for the shelf panel, wall bracket and bookend design. Trace the patterns from the tem­plates onto the respective pieces, which can be cut with a band saw or scroll saw. (NOTE: to keep your pattern symetrical, fold your paper, draw on one half, and cut prior to unfolding.) Use a roundover bit in your router to soften the sharp edges cre­ated from the initial cutting.

Sliding Dovetails This design features sliding dovetails for both the bookends and brackets. Three dovetail grooves are cut in the shelf, and pins are cut in the bookends and brackets.

First, cut one dovetail groove from end to end on the top side of the shelf. This groove serves as the track for the dove­tailed bookends, and should be located about 3 1/2" from the back.

Second, rout two dovetail grooves on the shelf underside to serve as tracks for the wall brackets. Because the wall brackets will eventually be anchored into wall studs, positioning these two tracks depends com­pletely on the exact location of the studs on your selected wall.

Finally, dovetail pins should be cut in the bookends and brackets to travel within their respective tracks (see figure 1). The sliding dovetails for the bookend tracle must have a relatively tight fit to hold books firmly upright.

Finishing Considering the nature of a sliding dove­tail, I recommend that all surfaces be thor­oughly sealed with a finish . Finishing will inhibit swelling of the sliding dovetail com­ponents during periods of high humidity. In addition, if you are planning to stain the project prior to finishing, I recommend using an oil-based stain.

Wall Mounting Taper connectors provide strong, con­cealed joints for wall mountings. To install them, first rout a groove in the backside of each wall bracket slightly wider than the taper connectors being used. The depth of the groove should equal the taper connec-

JAN/FEB 1989 TODAY'S WOODWORKER

MATERIAL LIST

TxWx L

Shelf (1) 3/4 x 9 x 321 /2 (plywood)

2 Shelf Ends (2) 3/4 x 2 x 11 (hardwood)

3 Shelf Front (1) 3/4 x 2 x 361 /2 (hardwood)

4 Wall Brackets (2) 3/4 x 6 x 8 (hardwood) Taper connectors (below) are an excellent option for hanging heavy objects on a wall. To get a flush mounting, router a groove on the back of each wall bracket.

5 Bookends (2) 3/4 X 4112 x 5 (hardwood)

6 Taper Connectors (2) 4" (hardware)

II

A router table makes cutting the dovetails for this project easier.

tor's depth to achieve a flush mounting (see figure 2). Fasten half of each taper connector into the bracket groove, posi­tioning the closed end of the hardware just below the dovetail pin on the bracket. Fas­ten the companion pieces of each taper connector into the wall, making sure the hardware is anchored into the studs and properly aligned to receive the shelf brack­ets. Now simply slide on the shelf brack-

TO DAY'S WOODWORKER JAN/ FEB 1989

Groove

ets so that the taper connectors come together.

From here, the pieces dovetail together nicely. Slide the shelf onto the brackets and the bookends onto the shelf. To pre­vent the whole shelf from sliding off the brackets when pulling off the dictionary, I recommend securing the shelf onto the brackets by drilling a hole in each end of the shelf top leading into its respective bracket. Inserting a brad in each hole safe­ly secures the shelf.

• Rick White, a professional woodworker, sel'ves on the editorial advisory boaI'd of Today's Woodwo1'lw:

CALENDAR

POLISHED PERFECfIONj THE ART OF TURNED-WOOD BOWLS The collection of Edward (Bud) Jacobson will be on display in Madison, Georgia until March 26th. Contact Madison-Mol'gan Center, 434 So. Main St., Madison, GA 30650.

WOODWORKING WORLD SHOW The Woodworking Association of North America will hold their "Woodworking World Show" this year at the locations listed below. Shows include free semi­nars, demonstrations and sales: Washington, D.C. (Feb. 18-20) ; Houston, TX (March 3-5); Buffalo, NY (April 7-9); Toledo, OH (April 14-16); Boston, MA (April 28-30). Contact WANA, PO Box 706, Plymouth NH 03264. (603) 536-3876.

FLORIDA STATE FAIR WOODTURNERS COMPETITION The Florida West Coast Wood turners will cosponsor a turning competition in Tampa, Florida from Feb. 8-19th. Contact Larry Hasiak, 427 E. Lalle Dr., Laud 0 ' Lalles, FL 34639. (813) 996-3211.

ACC CRAFT FAIRS American Craft Enterprises will hold their craft fairs this year at the following locations: Baltimore, MD (Feb 17-19); St. Paul, MN (March 31-April2); New York, NY (May 4-7); Sptingfield, MA Oune 23-25); San Francisco, CA (August 11-13). Contact American Cmlt Enterprises, Inc., Box 10, New Paltz, NY 12561. (914) 255-0039.

WOODTURNING: The Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts will conduct four, one-week woodturning workshops, from Feb. 27-March 24 in Gatlinburg, TN. Contact ArrowJl/.ont, School Of Arts alld Cm/fs, Box 567, Gatlinbul'g, TN 37738. (615) 436-5860.

PROFESSIONAL CRAFT STUDIES The Worcester Center for Crafts will be holding special classes throughout the year with famous woodworkers. Contact Worcester Centel' for Cmlts, 25 Sagamol'e Road, WOl'cester, MA 01605. (508) 753-8183.

TAGE FRID WORKSHOP The Northwest Guild of Fine Woodwork­ers and The Center For Wooden Boats presents a Tage Fried Lecture and Work­shop, from April 14-16. Contact Tile Cel/tel' for Wooden Boats, 1010 Valley St., Seattle, WA 98103. (206) 382-2628.

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TRICKS OF THE TRADE

Tips And Techniques For Tool Maintenance And Improvement

Tighter Throatplates To get the best quality cross cuts (and also for safety) replace the throatplate on your table saw with a shop-built one of wood. The close fit will support the wood fibers as the sawblade cuts them on the underside of the board, resulting in less tear out. Here are the steps I recommend to put in your cus­tom throatplate. (1) Remove the sawblade and lower the carriage completely. (2) Using the metal or plastic throat­plate that came with your saw as a template , cut a replacement out of hardwood of slightly less thickness than the original. (3) Fit it carefully to the opening in your saw table so that it doesnlt move around (This is best done on some kind of edge sander or with a belt sander in a fixture.) (4) Drill a finger hole that wonlt inter­fere with the blade. (5) Mark the new plate where the metal tabs in the table saw opening support it. (6) Drill a pilot hole at each mark, countersink the holes, and install a 3/811 #6 flat head wood screw in each hole. (7) Level the throatplate with the saw table, turning the screws in or out as necessary. At this point, you may want to install some type of catching device at the front end to prevent kickback.

(8) Install a blade, and with th e carriage still completely lowered, put in the throatplate and carefully run the blade up through it to the height you plan to use it at. Watch your hands! (Use a 2x4.) Each time you have to raise the blade further, be sure to have it re-cut your plate first.

Make different plates for each dado size and

molding cutter as you need them, keeping the original throat plate for making bevel cuts.

Coming Unglued

Ted Gordon St. Louis Park, MN

• If youlve had the problem of a nicely done veneer job coming completely unglued after a couple of coats of fin­ish, herels a tip that may help. Typical­ly, the separation is caused by the stain (if used) or the finish penetrat­ing through the thin veneer and slow­ly releasing or diluting the contact cement. To solve the problem, I rec­ommend two coats of solvent based contact cement (allowing the first to completely dry), a nonpenetrating type stain, and very light coats of seal­er and finish until there is no danger of penetration of the top coats.

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Vern Burns Menomonie, WI

Trimming Plastic Laminate When trimming plastic laminate you have several options for carbide trim­ming bits to use. I have found that the solid carbide bits with self pilots work best. Use the flush bit when trimming laminate against particle board, and use the r bevel bit when trimming laminate against laminate. You can adjust the height of the 7' bevel bit so accurately that virtually no filing is

necessary. One of the drawbacks of using this r bevel bit is marring the piece of laminate that the pilot rides against. Most woodworkers solve this problem by lubricating the edge the pilot rides on with petroleum jelly. This is still not perfect. The method I use is to cover the edge with 3/4 11

masking tape and then lubricate the tape. Not only is there no marring but almost all of the lubricant comes off when you remove the tape.

• Easy Off

Bruce Kieffer St. Paul, MN

Creosote buildup on your saw blades can be a drag ... literally. Not only will your blades lose their edge quicker, but the buildup will quickly accelerate to a point where youlre putting unnec­essary stress on your sawls motor.

A trick I learned many years ago is to use oven cleaner to eliminate cre­osote problems. Spray it on, let it sit for 10 minutes and scrub off with 0000 steel wool. Then rinse off any excess oven cleaner with water and thorough­ly dry your blade.

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Tim Mauren Minneapolis, MN

Improved Bandsaw Bevel Indicator In the boatshop, where bevels are a way of life, we use this setup on our bandsaw. It enables the operator to check the saw angle without getting a stiff neck and also makes the cutting of swinging bevels possible. Swinging bevels, which change angles during the same cut, require two people, one to saw the piece and one to move the table to th e correct degree setting. While you may not need to cut swing­ing bevels , the large scale indicator might come in handy anyway. To add one to your bandsaw, cut a piece of wood to serve as the face of the gauge and bolt it to the bandsaw, (holes will have to be drilled and tapped into the

JAN/FEB 1989 TODAY'S WOODWORKER

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saw casting). The handle, which is also the degree indicator, is then bolt­ed onto the outfeed side of the saw table. A 6" square is placed on the table to line it up to ninety degrees to the blade. This point is then read off of the pointer and marked onto the face of the wooden indicator. Repeat the process and mark the gauge at forty-five degrees. Then lightly mark off, in five degree increments, the angles between, by using the mark­ings on the existing factory gauge -checking for accuracy with a set of dividers. This is critical in order to get an accurate gauge. Then divide the spaces between these into five equal parts and you are done. On myoid Rockwell I can get 48° overbevel and about 11 0 underbevel. Mark these on the new indicator face, using the same process.

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Greg Kossow Milaca, MN

Grinding Fine Tools Burned edges often result when using a grinder to sharpen high carbon and high speed steel tools. When a tool has been burned, it loses temper (hardness) at the affected area. You can prevent this, and prolong the life of your tools, by using the softer, white aluminum oxide wheels rather than the gray ones provided with new grinders. They cut quickly and effi­ciently, but also break down faster and cost more. Better them than your expensive tools!

Martin Daughenbaugh Minneapolis, MN

Today's Woodworker pays $30.00 for all Tricks of the Trade published. Send yours to Today's Woodworker, Dept. TIT, Rogers, MN 55374-0044.

TODAY'S WOODWORKER JAN / FEB 1989

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{3y John Goff ,.

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T he use of ho~ 'hid\3 glue in 'wood- ' brush in a strea\n wheh'the bru'sh i's , working is nearly as old as civilization held above the' .&Iu~ surface. To add " 'itself, . dating . back '. to ~(.ing water, I have been using a plastic 12 'Tutankha'men's reigrl'3000'years ago. cc medica1.syringe.· .". '.

,' Since th~ inventiop. or plastic glues, " . By now,' you're probably wondering '. however, hot hide glue has seen a . why gato 'all thetrouble . of'l)1easur~ . sharp decline in use in woodworking:. ing; coolciilg,rrwnitoringandaqjust- ;: , I first began using hot hide glueing: the 'cons,iste'ncy of hide g)ue '

· aln1.ost five year's ago when, faced when i~'s .much easier to just 'pick up . with a tricky 'veneering situation. : a bottle of modern ,plastic glue ' and. Sihce I "discovered" hot .hide 'glue, ·squeeze it 'Out? Following are the the ' advanfages it .·has o~.ie r plastic ' main reasons I've 'madehot hide glue

,' glue::;havemadeit'li1yglue :bfc,:hoi~e . myglueof .choice.",;: ':.'" J' '.

almost exclusively. , ..' "First, it's rev~rsible ., With the C;lppli- " To get st~l·ted, ypu will need a glue , caHon of,heat.and moistvre (stea.rn),' :

pot to heat the glue with water, turn- joints that ar'e, glued together -with, ' 'ing it irito a workableadhesi*i'e. I'hide , glue ca~ be disassembled 'for, '. ' qought an electl'ic ,glue pot ~hat has '~ repair .9r 'cbrr~ctio~" y,;ftho,~t' .. any ' , factbr;y adjusted temperature of abour destruction to the 'joint. Thi~ may be .' 140 degrees. Bowever, I'use the glUe one 'of the main reasons that 'chairs ,

'" pot as 'a double, boil,er by ,actuailx: built during the 18th Century'are·stlU ': warming my glue in a OI1,e pint pea,riut · $urviving and ,t.II~ctional today. , . ','

, Qutter 'jar. The jar sits inside the 'met- ' Second, l1ide' glue was 'used CJ,lmost'." : 'ai , gh.ie pot and is sur.rounded by. ~xc1usively" when ' the \ieneetingof , water. , This water is just the right .furniture wa!?~ a true artform. Furni- :

temperature to add to the' gl'ue as ' ture from this era, with loose orbIls­m;ce$sary 'a'nd isuse,dto clean exce$s i tered 'veI1~~r:can: be .r~paiied by ' ~ini- "

, glue froin aroun~ joi'nts when gl,ue- plY·,'adding 'new<. hothide ,glue , ,ing-up. ,:: . :: .' .:' ' ",:. b~.twegn th,e ve!1~erand suhstriHe , The glue I now use, unlike other and then clamping. 'Hide glue .als.o ' brands I've tt'ied, ha~ . a unifqrmcblor', makes .It ppssible 'Wapp\y ven'eer by. ' ,

· t? the pellets and seelJ!s to be m~.re using the ha:m'merveIl~eriI).g tech- " · sticky. Other brands have pel)e,ts. that ' nique. This te<::pnique makes it possi­

" vau' in '" color 'from ,li'ght- to ,dark : ,ble tbvdneercurved.odl<it'surfaces :: amber: This variation ' of. color has witho~t tising~press 'or caul.' ...'

always raised the::question' of. pU'ri.ty .. ,Third;:hot ,hide gl~e ddes .: to pro- ' and urt'ifonnity in my. mind: ' . vide a"rigid joint that won'h.:reep and ·

, ' I qave .. distovei·~d ' iwo advantages ·,catise .'a glue ·line to' ~ppear ~fter the ' to using a , pl~$tic conta,irier ,as a ' lid .. rr:oj'ect is: 'p6rri'pl~t~d. As.' with other . ,over my glue pot.. First"the lid causes gh,lE;s; ' the, bond between two pieces the glue to heat up fas,ter andit stays whe(l. Jo'in~d .'with hide: :glu:eis .:

, a little hotte r. This added temper'a- ,) ~tro!1ger-thill1 the wood it$elf. ' ture 'increases tlte amdunt of worlcing .. Fourth; hide glue won't ,show up as time bf the, glpe. Secondly, the ' U$~ of ·· a' white ,spot on , thEi ' surface of your ' a lid slows the ~vaporation' of water';' project should you ,fail to remove, all frori). the glue and illhlOSt stops the " squeeie out after . ght'dng-up'~ 'The

'. forming of.·a hard cr,ust on the ,sur- reason it accepts stain and finish is face ~fthe glue. , " because ' hide glue is ' organic )n

I keep an acid brush in my glue at nature,. much the same as wood all times. This brush serves' as a itself: " . good applicator for most ,gluing jobs , The last g~od \'eason' for using 'ho·t · 'and I use it .to stir th e glue when hide glue is that it gives you ' a good adding water to get the proper c0n- ' excuse to have that extra cup of cof- ' sistency. The best consistency seems . fee and plan yqur day while waiting to be when th~ glue runs .off the , for the gllje porto heat. .

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.-______ FINISHING THOUGHTS

Dyes Versus Stains By Jerry TerHark

Should I use a dye or a stain? This is a question asked at every level of fin­ishing and an area that is often mis­leading. First of all, what is a stain and what is a dye? According to the 1825 issue of the Cabinetmaker's Guide: "Staining differs from the process of dyeing inasmuch as it penetrates just below the surface of the wood, instead of coloUl:ing its substance through­out."

The stains covered in this article are oil based, but the ideas presented hold true for most solvent base stains as well. First of all, a stain has three com­ponents; a carrier, a binder, and a pig­ment. The carrier is the solution ' that makes the stain a liquid -typically mineral spirits. Next is the binder, which makes it stick to the surface. The most commonly used substance here would be oil modified alkyds. Last but not least is the pigment, or the color: This could be any solid material that can be reduced into a powder. For example, you could take some dirt out of your garden, grind it finely (pigment), add a little water (carrier), then add a little yellow glue (binder) and you have created a stain. Probably a pretty ugly stain, but a stain nonetheless

Chemical companies spend millions of dollars each year to produce quality

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products at a reasonable price, so it would not be practical or cost-efficient to make your own.

Dyes are soluble in water, alcohol and oil, and are usually classified according to solubility as well as color. A dye will actually be carried into the pores of the wood by the carrier, and when the solvent evaporates it will leave the color behind. Water soluble colors are known for their light fast­ness and clarity, alcohol soluble colors for their quick drying and penetration, and oil solubles for their penetration and ease of application.

Just to confuse the issue, there are a few products that are a little mislead­ing, such as the non-grain raising (NGR) stains. These usually consist of alcohol and dye but are called stains for marketing purposes. There are also some products that consist of both dyes and stains. They have an oil carrier and use an oil dye/pigmented oil stain combination.

When a student asks me whether to use a dye or stain, my answer depends on the piece in question. If it's a refin­ished piece, I typically recommend a stain -for two reasons. The first is based on the conservatory aspect of woodworking. Remember, the design­er of the piece chose a particular type of stain or dye, whether it was all that

The projects for the next issue of Today's Woodworker are already shaping up, but we want you to know that we're saving space in the departments for reader's reactions and ideas. How can you get involved? Here's four ways:

a If you have a reaction to this issue's contents (projects too easy, too hard .. .) drop a " Letter to the Editor, "c/o Today's Woodworker, Rogers, Minnesota 55374-0044.

a Have a "Trick of the Trade" you'd like to share? Send us a description and a rough sketch (we'll redraw it). If we use your idea, we'll pay $30.00.

a Have a new tool (or an old favorite) that you think warrants mention in Today's Shop? Let us hear about it.

a Have you ever used a photo from a catalog as the basis for a project? Send us a color slide of the piece and the appropriate page from the catalog. Add a brief description of the project and, if we use it in our "REPROs" department, we'll pay you $100.00. .

was available or all that the person could afford. We need to observe what was original on the piece of fur­niture and it is our job as finishers to try to preserve our heritage. The sec­ond reason I would choose stain for the piece involves application. A stain will apply a lot easier, and the clarity of the stains today is greatly improved over yesteryear. Dyes are not readily suggested for a refinished piece because the pores are not necessarily open to accept the dye.

On the other hand, alcohol dyes work great for touch-up. Say you have a piece of walnut that has been stained and the sap wood appears light. A mixture of dye with ,alcohol and 10 percent water applied over the finish in the light spot will darken it nicely. If water is not used, the alcohol will bite too quickly and there will be very little control. I want to stress that this procedure is used only over the finish. '

Now if the piece in question is the student's own creation, I tell him to put on whatever he wants -it's his­piece, and who's to say the choice is wrong. On my own pieces I usually prefer a dye because of the clarity and the depth achieved with this material.

Last but not least, always remember that dyes are permanent, as the result of their ability to penetration. They are impossible to remove completely, even with sanding. While there are some products available that claim to remove dyes, I have not experimented with them enough to see how well they work. If they live up to the manu­facturer's claims, this could be a great milestone for the wood finishing industry.

Until we meet again, remember, the project is never done until it's finished!

• Jerry TerHark, who lectures nationwide on 'Wood finishi11g, studied under master finish­er Ge01ge hank. Jerry is the head oj Dako­ta County Technical Institute's 'Wood finish­ing program in Rosemount, Minnesota .