Side table from
a single board,
p. 58
TAUNTON’S
Side table from
a single board,
p. 58
TAUNTON’S
Fine W oodw orking 243 Dec. 2014 No. 243 www.finewoodworking.comGreene and Greene
blanket chest
Tricks for tough glue-ups
Make custom
moldings by hand
Midsize routers
Build a desk
into any dresser
MASTER CLASS
An easier,
stronger
chair joint
TOOL TEST
ONE-BO ARD SIDE TABLE BLANKET CHEST T
OUGH GLUE-UPS DESK IN A DRA
WER R OUTER TEST No vember/December 2014 Dec. 2014 No. 243 www.finewoodworking.com
Greene and Greene
blanket chest
Tricks for tough glue-ups
Make custom
moldings by hand
Midsize routers
Build a desk
into any dresser
MASTER CLASS
An easier,
stronger
chair joint
S T A N D B E H I N D Y O U R W O R K
T M5 5 0 + S E R V I C E C E N T E R S N A T I O N W I D E I N D U S T R Y - L E A D I N G W A R R A N T I E S E X P E R T T E C H N I C A L S E R V I C E SEE MORE AT
JETTOOLS.COM/17
INTRODUCING THE 17"
WOODWORKING DRILL PRESS
DESIGN THAT
PERFORMS
5 INCH
SPINDLE TRAVEL
QUICK & EASY
SPEED CHANGES
INTEGRATED
DEPTH STOP
EFFICIENT
POLY-V BELT DRIVE
See the video
leighjigs.com
800-663-8932 Leigh FMT ProChairs?
No problem.
Leigh Mortise & Tenon Jigs make challenging joinery projects like chairs incredibly easy.
N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4
3
TOOL TEST
contents
up front
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014
■ISSUE 243
features
30
Build a Greene and Greene
Blanket Chest
It’s all about the details. Our expert shows how to get them right
B Y D A R R E L L P E A R T
38
Tame Tricky Glue-Ups
Custom cauls can handle every angle and curve
B Y M I C H A E L F O R T U N E
46
Desk in a Drawer
Add a pull-out desk to any chest of drawers
B Y C H R I S T I A N B E C K S V O O R T
52
Midsize, Fixed-Base Routers
Great combination of power and control
B Y M A R C A D A M S
58
Make a Table from a Board
Stylish side table is a great lesson in getting the most out of your lumber
B Y M I C H A E L P E K O V I C H
66
The Why of the Windsor
A veteran maker explains the roots, the rationale, and the powerful appeal of America’s classic chair
B Y C U R T I S B U C H A N A N COVER STORY
6
On the Web
8
Contributors
10
Letters
14
Methods of Work
■ Easy jig for squaring tablesaw
miter gauge
■ Rubber-band brush wiper
18
Tools & Materials
■ Stout contractor’s saw
with smart features
■ Self-cleaning vacuum is quiet
and efficient
■ Tenon saws are a great value
24
Handwork
Custom moldings with hand tools B Y C U R T I S B U C H A N A N
18
NEW TABLESAW FROM RIKONCover photo: Steve Scott
14
MITER-GAUGE SQUARING JIG
74
Readers Gallery
78
Q & A
■ Fix for a wandering handsaw
■ Router table is better for small shops ■ Seal your project with dewaxed
shellac
82
Master Class
Powerful new joint: Housed double tenons are strong and simple to make
90
How They Did It
The back cover explained
Back Cover
Chair Storyin the back
ONE-BOARD TABLE PROJECT38
CAULS FOR TRICKY GLUE-UPS52
MIDSIZE ROUTERS58
46
PULL-OUT DESK IN A DRAWERYour feedback is valuable to us LIKE THIS APP?
on the web
THIS MONTH ON
FineWoodworking.com/extras
Visit our website to access free online extras, available October 1. While you’re there, don’t miss our collection of free content, including tool reviews, an extensive project gallery, and must-read blogs.
Become an online member
Access more than 1,000 exclusive project and technique videos by subscribing to FineWoodworking .com. You’ll also get nearly 40 years of magazine archives at your fingertips, including 1,400-plus articles and project plans.
VIDEO WORKSHOP
Veneered Boxes with a Twist
Follow along as furniture maker Adrian Ferrazzutti creates dazzling patterns in veneer while making a custom box that’s sure to earn its stripes. In this eight-part series, Ferrazzutti takes you through every step of the process, including how to:
● Design and create your own geometric and
mosaic veneer patterns
● Build strong boxes quickly and efficiently
using simple rabbet joints
● Mount quadrant hinges and make your own
keyholes from solid brass.
Rethinking the Cabriole Leg
Learn how Michael Pekovich (p. 58) reimagined the classic cabriole leg, transforming it into a modern masterpiece with simple lines.
Chisel Tricks from a Master
Your chisels are a lot more versatile than you might think. Period furniture pro Philip Lowe demonstrates a variety of tips and tricks for this humble benchtop tool.
Get free plans, videos, and articles by signing up for our FREE eLetter
at FineWoodworking.com/ newsletter.
Free eLetter
Flawless Finish for
Greene and Greene
Unlock the secrets of Darrell Peart’s simple finish for Greene and Greene furniture (p. 30).
Editor Thomas McKenna Executive Art Director Michael Pekovich Special Projects Editor Asa Christiana
Senior Editors Matthew Kenney Jonathan Binzen Associate Editor Ben Blackmar
Assistant Editor Dillon Ryan Senior Copy/ Elizabeth Healy Production Editor
Deputy Art Directors Kelly J. Dunton John Tetreault Administrative Assistant Betsy Engel
Shop Manager William Peck Contributing Editors Christian Becksvoort
Garrett Hack Roland Johnson Steve Latta Michael Fortune Methods of Work Jim Richey
FineWoodworking.com Senior Web Producer Ed Pirnik
Web Producer Lisa Raleigh
Fine Woodworking: (ISSN: 0361-3453) is published bimonthly, with a special seventh issue in the winter, by The Taunton Press, Inc., Newtown, CT 06470-5506. Telephone 203-426-8171. Periodicals postage paid at Newtown, CT 06470 and at additional mailing offi ces. GST paid registration #123210981.
Subscription Rates: U.S., $34.95 for one year, $59.95 for two years, $83.95 for three years. Canada, $36.95 for one year, $63.95 for two years, $89.95 for three years (GST included, payable in U.S. funds). Outside the U.S./Canada: $41.95 for one year, $73.95 for two years, $104.95 for three years (payable in U.S. funds). Single copy U.S., $7.99. Single copy Canada, $8.99. Postmaster: Send address changes to Fine Woodworking, The Taunton Press, Inc., 63 S. Main St., PO Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506.
Canada Post: Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Fine Woodworking, c/o Worldwide Mailers, Inc., 2835 Kew Drive, Windsor, ON N8T 3B7, or email to [email protected].
Printed in the USA
Free eLetter
F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G
QUALITYWOODWORKINGTOOLS• SUPPLIES•ADVICE®
To Find Your Local Woodcraft Store Or For A Free Catalog, Visit woodcraft.com Or Call 1-800-225-1153.
14WW12D
SawStop’s new Sliding Crosscut Table attachment greatly expands the capability of existing SawStop Table Saws. SawStop owners can easily handle and cut large sheet goods with the sliding cross cut table that features a massive 55" travel, which gives the user 48" of crosscut capacity.
Features: •DesignedWithMultipleBearingsForSilky SmoothOperation •SlidingTableAndFenceMadeofT-6Aircraft-GradeExtrudedAluminum •43"-LongFenceCanExpandPast58”;Position AnywhereAlongLengthOfTable •ComesWith2LargeFlip-Stops,Scale,and MagniiedLensForAccurate,RepeatableCuts 861677
SawStopSlidingCrosscutTable
Vacuum Pressing Systems, Inc.
553 River Road, Brunswick, ME 04011 • 800-382-4109
vacupress.com
The leader in vacuum technology for woodworking offers innovative products for:
VENEERING • LAMINATING CLAMPING
Vacuum Presses, FlipTop Tables, Veneering Accessories and Videos
C
e n t e rf o r
F
u r n i t u r eC
r a F t s m a n s h i pRockport, Maine www.woodschool.org
Teaching Creative Excellence
Incredibly accurate
Wood Carving Duplicators
•Furniture •Gunstocks •Millwork •Decoys •Musical Instruments •Propellers •Carved Figures Thousands of uses! 505-948-0571
www.RadarCarve.net
www.RadarcarveR.com
N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 47
www.f i newoodwor k i n g.comGroup Publisher Anatole Burkin [email protected] VP, Advertising Sales Rick Straface
[email protected] Digital Ad Sales Manager Noelle Kennedy
203-304-3530
Custom Solutions Brenden Delaney
Manager 203-304-3590
[email protected] Senior National Linda Abbett
Account Manager 203-304-3538
[email protected] Advertising Sales Diana Mackey Assistant
Director of Advertising Karen Lutjen Sales Marketing
Advertising Marketing Laura Holt Associate
Member Audit Bureau of Circulation
Digital Marketing Sara Ezrin Larsen Director
Senior Director, Michael Stoltz Interactive
Web Design Director Jodie Delohery
Independent publishers since 1975 Founders, Paul & Jan Roman
President Timothy Rahr Chief Digital Oficer John Brown
Group Publisher Anatole Burkin Group Publisher Maria Taylor SVP, Creative & Editorial Susan Edelman
SVP, Operations Thomas Luxeder VP, Single Copy Sales Jay Annis
VP, Advertising Sales Rick Straface VP & Controller Wayne Reynolds VP, Human Resources Carol Marotti
VP, Fulillment Patricia Williamson VP, Product Engineering Nancy Kopfensteiner
Publishers of magazines, books, videos, and online Fine Woodworking • Fine Homebuilding Threads • Fine Gardening • Fine Cooking
taunton.com
contributors
We are a reader-written magazine. To learn how to propose an article, go to FineWoodworking.com/submissions. For more information on our contributors,
go to FineWoodworking.com/authors.
His earliest memories were of sawing and hammering, so it’s natural that Garrett Hack (Handwork: “Custom moldings with hand tools”) became a furniture maker. But first he studied civil engineering and architecture at Princeton University, and later attended Boston University’s Program in Artisanry. He is a contributing editor to FWW, former chairman of the New Hampshire Furniture Masters, and teaches throughout the United States as well as in Canada, England, Germany, Italy, Australia, Austria, and Japan.
Those who work with executive art director Michael Pekovich (“Make a Table from a Board”) at FWW know him as a talented furniture maker and graphic designer who is committed to bringing complicated subjects to our readers in the clearest way possible. He’s also the go-to guy for solutions to our own furniture-making snafus. But on his own time, Mike is building quite a resumé as a teacher. This year he’s taught a long list of classes, from weekend workshops on hand-tool skills to weeklong classes at Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking and the Marc Adams school. Our editors love visiting the expansive shop of contributing editor
Michael Fortune (“Tame Tricky Glue-Ups”), which sits on a quiet log-cabin homestead 100 miles outside Toronto. And everyone learns the rules. There are mandatory coffee breaks in the morning and afternoon, which include excellent cookies made by Michael’s wife, Janice. Coffee cups must be left by the shop door so they make it back to the house each night. And after all that coffee, if you need to head out the back door to the woods, you are not allowed back in without three pieces of firewood.
Curtis Buchanan
(“The Why of the Windsor,” How They Did It, and the back cover) makes chairs full time in the small shop he built behind his house in the heart of Tennessee’s oldest town, Jonesborough. He also tends a robust vegetable garden and occasionally sells some of his produce at the thriving weeklyJonesborough farmer’s market, which he co-founded. He and his wife, Marilyn, have two daughters: Summer, a key employee at the Jonesborough library, and Maria, a singer and actor in Asheville.
What advice do you give to aspiring chairmakers? “You can do it! Find yourself a small town and settle down right in the middle of it; they’ll be happy to adopt you.”
F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G
800-225-3982•whitesiderouterbits.com WhitesideMachineCo.
Claremont,NorthCarolina
“American Made for the American Woodworker”
“ULTIMATE” Flush Trim/Pattern Router Bits
“ULTIMATE” Trim Bits are perfect when working with templates or when using a router to flush trim match-ing wood surfaces. Whiteside’s compression spiral design, along with a ball bearing guide, makes this bit easy to use in the router and produces a superior quality trimmed edge. The “ULTIMATE” Trim series brings industrial engineered bits, previously manufac-tured for CNC machines, right into your shop.
154275 (A) Flush Trim 154276 (B) Pattern/Plunge 154274 (C) Combination
(C) (A)
7/
8" Diameter x 11/8" Cut Length x ½" Shank
ULTIMATE
Trim Bits
(B)
Introducing the SprayPort
®6000 Series
for a Flawless Finish
• Compact and robust 2 or 3-stage turbine • Pro-8™ non-bleed gun in gravity or pressure-fed
options for superior atomization • 25
• 25
6000
www.earlex.com
´ Lightweight and flexible HyperFlex hose ™
PROFESSIONAL HVLP
N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4
9
Festool coverage: Fair or foul?
I was pleased to see your recognition of the Festool Domino (“Domino Changes the Game,” FWW #242). In the past three years, I have seen many articles in many woodworking publications addressing methods of joinery. I couldn’t believe the Domino wasn’t mentioned again and again.
The Festool Domino has all the makings of a fantastic product when compared with other mortise-and-tenon techniques. It saves time. It delivers a more uniform, accurate result. It is quite easy to understand. And it enables joinery of large and small pieces.
Kudos for finally delivering a much overdue article on the Domino. — J AC K V I T E L L I , M e n d o t a H e i g h t s , M i n n .
A six-page ad for Festool? Really? Geez, you should have put them on the cover, too. Next time put an “advertisement” bug on each page.
— G E O R G E D E N N I S , D e nv e r, C o l o .
Nail drawbore offset with a punch I look forward to every opportunity to learn from Steve Latta, and his method for drawboring tenons was no exception (“Drawbore Your Tenons,” FWW
#241), but I might suggest one modest refinement. Rather than marking the offset hole in the tenon with the drill bit, and then having to eyeball a second mark with an awl, I make a single mark with a suitable size transfer punch. So, for example, if the dowel hole is 3⁄8 in. dia., I use a 19⁄64-in.-dia. punch, making sure it’s firmly pressed against the shoulder side of the hole. I then have a single mark that’s offset the “fat 32nd” Steve recommends. And I certainly agree that drawboring tenons makes glue-ups less stressful. I would be confident in the long-term integrity of those joints, even if I wasn’t sure I had remembered to glue them.
— H OWA R D S K I L L I N G T O N , W i n s t o n - S a l e m , N . C .
Anatole Burkin, Fine Woodworking’s publisher, has decided to leave the company and head back home, to the West Coast. Some people here speculate that he wanted to leave Connecticut before the next harsh winter hit, but the truth is he wanted a change and to be closer to family. Anatole has strong roots at the magazine, starting as an associate editor and quickly moving up the ranks to the chief editor position. As the lead editor, he noticed my interest in woodworking and encouraged me to take a chance and jump from copy editor to associate editor, a move that I’ve never regretted. He was a great mentor, and a strong leader and advocate for our franchise. Most of all, though, he is a friend who will be missed.
— T O M MCK E N N A , e d i t o r
FOND FAREWELL
When I was hired by The Taunton Press in 1996, I immediately hit the road, documenting the work of the folks who put the “fine” in Fine Woodworking.
Oh, it wasn’t all gossamer shavings and dust-free finishes, mind you. There were times when just getting to the author’s shop was a trial, be it from delayed flights, broken light kits, or poor directions (or sense of direction)—at least before we all had GPS in our pockets.
Capturing the detail of a woodworker’s progress required countless requests to make yet another spare part and one more awkward slow-motion movement to get just the right photo. Fair to say, on photo shoots patience was a virtue tested to the limit.
Imagine then coming back from the shoot and anxiously waiting for the film to be developed (in the old days when we used film) only to realize that the author was wearing orange and green plaid. My first art director thought I was color blind.
Paring the author’s precious words into an article that fit the constraints of a magazine wasn’t always a picnic, either. I still remember receiving a chilling fax message from an author with a drawing of Dirty Harry, revolver in hand, and the scrawled words: “Go ahead, make one more change!”
Well, it is time for one more change. I am leaving The Taunton Press and moving back to the West Coast, where I’ll put to good use all the tips and techniques provided by woodworkers patient enough to work with editors like myself.
Thanks for the memories.
— A N AT O L E B U R K I N , p u b l i s h e r
Spotlight
letters
F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G
To contact us: Fine Woodworking The Taunton Press 63 South Main Street PO Box 5506 Newtown, CT 06470-5506 Tel: 203-426-8171 Send an email: [email protected] Visit: inewoodworking.com To submit an article proposal:
Write to Fine Woodworking at the address above or
Call: 800-309-8955 Fax: 203-270-6753 Email: [email protected] To subscribe or place an order: Visit inewoodworking.com/fworder or call: 800-888-8286
9am-9pm ET Mon-Fri; 9am-5pm ET Sat
To ind out about Fine Woodworking products: Visit inewoodworking.com/products To get help with online member services: Visit inewoodworking.com/customerservice To ind answers to frequently asked questions: Visit inewoodworking.com/FAQs
To contact Fine Woodworking customer service: Email us at [email protected] To speak directly to a customer service professional: Call 800-477-8727 9am-5pm ET Mon-Fri
To sell Fine Woodworking in your store: Call us toll-free at 866-452-5179, or email us at [email protected] To advertise in Fine Woodworking: Call 800-309-8954, or email us at [email protected] Mailing list:
We make a portion of our mailing list available to reputable irms. If you would prefer that we not include your name, please visit: inewoodworking.com/privacy
or call: 800-477-8727 9am-5pm ET Mon-Fri For employment information:
Visit careers.taunton.com The Taunton guarantee:
If at any time you’re not completely satisied with Fine Woodworking, you can cancel your subscription and receive a full and immediate refund of the entire subscription price. No questions asked.
Copyright 2014 by The Taunton Press, Inc. No reproduction without permission of The Taunton Press, Inc.
For a store near you or free catalog:
Place your order at Rockler.com by entering promotion code 603 at
checkout or call 1-800-279-4441. Offer expires December 31, 2014. Free shipping offer cannot be applied to previous orders or combined with other promotions including Professional Catalog orders. Not valid at Rockler Retail Stores or Independent Resellers. Special shipping charges may still apply for Express, International, Alaska, Hawaii, and heavy/oversize items.
Have you ever struggled to clamp a board to your bench
and thought: “There has to be a better way”? Well, this is it.
With Rockler’s quick-adjusting Auto-Lock T-Track Clamp,
T-Track Tabletop and T-Track System stops and accessories,
you get a versatile system that adapts easily to hold most
any workpiece – while saving you time and frustration.
Auto-Lock T Track Clamp (58616) $29.99
FREE SHIPPING!
On orders of $25 or moreIntroducing the fastest
clamping system in the shop!
Rockler.com 1-877-ROCKLER
Featuring hands-on classes for all skill levels taught by nationally known craftsmen including
Will Neptune Steve Latta Peter Galbert Darrell Peart Christopher Schwarz and more! www.americanfabricfilter.com 800-367-3591
AMERICAN FABRIC FILTER CO.
UNIQUE SOLUTIONS
Free Design Assistance for All Custom Made Dust Bags
We Fix Dust Collection Problems!
Our Dust Bags Feature
Our Dust Bags Feature
•
•Optimum PerformanceOptimum Performance
•
•11--Micron FiltrationMicron Filtration
•
•Custom DesignsCustom Designs
•
•Cleaner AirCleaner Air
•
•Longer LifeLonger Life
•
•Proudly Made In USAProudly Made In USA
Other Products We Offer
Other Products We Offer
•
•66--mil Poly Bagsmil Poly Bags
•
•Quick Release Hose ClampsQuick Release Hose Clamps
•
•Self Adhesive Foam GasketSelf Adhesive Foam Gasket
•
•Custom Transfer SleevesCustom Transfer Sleeves
•
•Cartridge FiltersCartridge Filters
letters
continuedletters
continued Waterproofi ng Fortune’s chair Michael Fortune’s garden chair (“Comfortable Outdoor Chair,” FWW #241) is outstanding, quitebeautiful, and undoubtedly sturdy. One minor improvement I’d suggest is to coat the bottom of each leg and the chamfers with epoxy resin, such as West Systems or one of the many others. It makes the exposed end grain in contact with the ground waterproof and will prevent water migrating up the legs and deteriorating the wood.
— J A M E S S . WA L D R O N , S t . J o h n s R i v e r, F l a .
Keep wood out of the oven, or else I have been having troubling thoughts concerning a recent Q&A item (“Dry small parts in your oven,” FWW #243). Just wondered if Fine Woodworking is now offering marriage counseling and discount divorce lawyers as part of its customer service?
Use the oven for woodworking? For a few days? I shudder to contemplate the consequences.
— A L L E N N E F F, B r u n n e r, O n t . , C a n a d a
Rust attacks tools inside cabinet I built the hanging tool cabinet in Tools & Shops Winter 2014 (“A Cabinet for Hand Tools,” FWW #237). The cabinet is beautiful and improved my woodworking skills in many areas.
I did experience one problem. After finishing and hanging the cabinet, I placed my planes on the plane till. They all rusted. Fortunately, I was able to remove the light rust by sanding.
I finished the cabinet with boiled linseed oil and two topcoats of shellac. The cabinet hangs on a concrete block wall with the back contacting the blocks.
inhibitor (VCI) or desiccant inside the cabinet to fight moisture. With both VCIs and desiccants, you need to keep the cabinet closed; otherwise they lose their effectiveness fairly quickly. For more information on both, see “Other ways to manage moisture,” FWW #227, p. 34. Router bit for relieved rabbet
How did Gerald Curry make the “curved rabbet” on the drawer bottoms (“Build Perfect Drawers,” FWW #242, p. 43)? I assume that was a router bit, but I am not sure which type and size was used. By the way, that was an excellent article. I plan to study it thoroughly and put those techniques into practice.
— T I M O T H Y C A L D E R WO O D, C r o f t o n , M d .
Asa Christiana replies: Curry forms these curve-cornered rabbets with an old shaper bit that he custom-ground. But he says a router bit would also work, like one designed for dish-carving (Item No. 91144 from Rockler), or a panel-raising bit with a rounded profile.
Wrong price in sprayer article
The price listed for Apollo’s ECO-3 spray system with the E7000 gun was incorrect (“Spray for Less,” FWW #242). The price is $649.
The tools have never rusted in my garage workshop prior to placing in the cabinet.
Your advice is urgently appreciated.
— J O H N S C H E E S S E L E , P i t t s b u r g h , Pa .
Editor replies: It sounds like you’re locking the moisture inside the cabinet, where it can attack your tools. There are a few things you can try. First, you can treat your tools with a rust-proofer, such as CRC Industrial 3-36 or Moovit, which performed best in a test of a variety of products (“Got Rust?,” FWW #227). I’d also recommend using a volatile corrosion
About your safety
(or elsewhere) until you’re certain they are safe for you. If something about an operation doesn’t feel right, find another way. We want you to enjoy the craft, so please keep safety foremost in your mind. Working wood is inherently dangerous. Using hand or power tools
improperly or ignoring standard safety practices can lead to perm anent injury or even death. Don’t perform operations you learn about here
Revisions to robust table In the illustration on p. 71 of “Robust Kitchen Table” (FWW #241), the bit diameter should be 1⁄2 in., not 11⁄2 in. Also, on the same page, the slot in the template for the stretcher mortise should be 31⁄4 in. long to yield a flat that is 23⁄4 in. long.
The corrected drawing is shown here. Guide bushing, 1 in. dia. Straight router bit, 1⁄2 in. dia. 31⁄4 in. 23⁄4 in.
Two rust fighters. VCIs (left) emit molecules that settle on metal surfaces and form a protec-tive barrier against moisture. Desiccants (right) remove moisture from the air. VCIs have a shelf life and need to be replaced periodically while some desiccants can be recharged and reused.
About your safety
F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G
To order call:800-321-9841 or visit:woodworker.com/honemate-fa
FREE SHIPPING(Within the contiguous 48 states.)
FWA-420 Standard Honemate™ $26.79
FWA-889 Diamond Honemate™ $50.99
HONE-MATE
™KEEP YOUR JOINTER & PLANER KNIVES SHARP WITHOUT REMOVING THEM FROM THE MACHINE!
• Includes 180 & 400 grit hones. • Positive indexing system
maintains proper angle so hones do not bind on knife.
by Leigh
by Leigh
Router Table Dovetail Jig
• Through Dovetails
• Half-Blind Dovetails
• Box Joints
by Leigh
leighjigs.com 800-663-8932
The new Leigh RTJ400 — Quick • Easy • Precise
Fine Woodworking Classes
with Lonnie Bird
www.lonniebird.com
N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4
13
methods of work
E D I T E D A N D D R A W N B Y J I M R I C H E YI used to use a framing square against the blade to set my tablesaw’s miter gauge to 90°, but I found this method awkward because you have to rotate the blade or raise its height to make sure the square isn’t touching the teeth. This jig makes it easier.
Rip a snug-fitting runner for the right-side miter-gauge slot and attach it to a piece of 1⁄2-in. MDF that extends past the blade. Push the MDF through the saw to cut off the excess, and you have a perfect reference surface for setting the miter gauge. Now I use a large plastic drafting triangle, which is easier, lighter, and more accurate than a framing square.
You can use the same jig to adjust the rip fence parallel to the blade. Flip the jig around, bring the rip fence up against it, and adjust the fence until it is flush with the edge of the jig.
— L A R R Y S C H A L L E R , E d g e r t o n , W i s .
Easy jig for
squaring tablesaw
miter gauge
Larry Schaller has been a woodworker for 40 years. Self-taught, he loves making furniture for his family, including cradles for his grandchildren. His favorite tool in the shop? His tablesaw—a gift from his wife.
B
est
T
ip
Send your original tips to fwmow@ taunton.com or to Methods of Work, Fine Woodworking, PO Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470. We pay $100 for a published tip with illustration; $50 for one without. The prize for this issue’s best tip was a 48-tooth Forrest Woodworker II sawblade.
Rotate jig so reference edge is on right. Runner snug in slot. Use reference edge to square miter gauge with triangle. Cut off one side to
create reference edge.
Plastic drafting triangle 1⁄2-in. MDF, attached to runner Align fence with edge of jig. 1. CREATE ALIGNMENT JIG
2. ALIGN MITER GAUGE
3. ALIGN RIP FENCE
A Reward
for the Best Tip
F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G
3 GREAT SHOWROOMS!
BELLINGHAM, WA•MUNCY, PA•SPRINGFIELD, MO TECHNICAL SERVICE: 570-546-9663 • FAX: 800-438-5901
16662
14FINE
VIEW VIDEOS AT
grizzly.com FOLLOW US:
• OVER A MILLION SQUARE FEET PACKED TO THE RAFTERS WITH MACHINERY & TOOLS • 2 OVERSEAS QUALITY CONTROL OFFICES STAFFED WITH QUALIFIED GRIZZLY ENGINEERS • HUGE PARTS FACILITY WITH OVER 1 MILLION PARTS IN STOCK AT ALL TIMES
• TRAINED SERVICE TECHNICIANS AT ALL 3 LOCATIONS • MOST ORDERS SHIP THE SAME DAY
PURVEYORS OF FINE MACHINERY®, SINCE 1983!
CHRISTMAS SALE
PLEASE GO TO
GRIZZLY.COM® TO SEE ALL SALE PRICES
November 1
st-December 31
st• Motor: 3 HP, 220V, single-phase, 12.8A • Blade tilt: Left • Table height from floor: 34" • Table size with extension: 27" x 743⁄
4"
• Arbor speed: 4300 RPM • Arbor size: 5⁄ 8"
• Maximum dado width: 13⁄ 16"
• Maximum depth of cut @ 90°: 31⁄ 8"
• Maximum depth of cut @ 45°: 23⁄ 16"
• Maximum rip capacity: 50" • Distance from front of table to center of blade: 171⁄ 4" • Overall dimensions: 40" H x 41" W x 82" L • Approximate shipping weight: 557 lbs. G0691 $159500ONLY$
1525
00 G1023RLW$136000SALE$1325
00 G1066R$169500SALE$1650
00 G0555LANV $54500SALE$
445
00 G0513ANV $89500 SALE$825
0010" LEFT-TILTING TABLE SAW
WITH CAST IRON ROUTER TABLE
10" CABINET TABLE SAW
WITH RIVING KNIFE & EXTENSION RAILS
• Motor: 3 HP, 240V, single-phase • Cutting capacity: 8" left, 255⁄
8" right of blade
• Maximum depth of cut @ 90°: 3" • Maximum depth of cut @ 45°: 21⁄ 8"
• Assembled table size: 48" W x 27" D • Base dimension: 201⁄
2" x 201⁄2"
• Precision-ground and heat-treated solid cast iron table • T-slot miter gauge • Dust port: 4" • Magnetic safety switch • One-piece steel cabinet type stand
• Poly-V serpentine drive belt • CSA certified
• All sealed ball bearing construction • Approximate shipping weight: 550 lbs.
• Motor: 5 HP, 220V, single-phase
drum motor drives 2 aluminum sanding drums • Surface speed of drum: 2300 FPM • Handles stock up to 231⁄2" wide and 41⁄4" thick
• 1⁄4 HP conveyor motor provides 11 FPM feed rate
• Sandpaper installs easily onto the drums • All steel and ball bearing construction • Sandpaper size: 6" x 951⁄2"
• Two 4" dust ports for easy hook-up to a collection system • State-of-the-art, computer balanced drums • Powder-coated finish • Approximate shipping weight: 442 lbs. 24" DRUM SANDER • Motor: 2 HP, 110V/220V, single-phase, TEFC • Precision-ground cast iron table size: 17" sq. • Table tilt: 45º R, 10º L • Cutting capacity/throat: 161⁄4"
• Max. cutting height: 121⁄8"
• Blade size: 1311⁄2" L (1⁄8"–1" W)
• Blade speeds: 1700 & 3500 FPM • Quick release blade tension lever • Approx. shipping weight: 342 lbs.
INCLUDES DELUXE EXTRUDED ALUMINUM FENCE, MITER GAUGE,
and 1⁄ 2" BLADE 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION 17" BANDSAW ULTIMATE 14" BANDSAW 252923 • Motor: 1 HP, 110V/220V, single-phase, TEFC • Precision-ground cast iron table size: 14" sq. • Table tilt: 45º R, 15º L • Cutting capacity/throat: 131⁄2"
• Max. cutting height: 6" • Deluxe extruded aluminum fence • Blade size: 921⁄2"–931⁄2" L (1⁄8"–3⁄4" W)
• Blade speeds: 1500 & 3200 FPM • Approx. shipping weight: 196 lbs.
MADE IN TAIWAN
MADE IN TAIWAN
G0555P $54500 ONLY$
525
00 MADE IN TAIWAN30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION
14" DELUXE BANDSAW
177335
• Motor: 1 HP, 110V/220V, single-phase, TEFC • Precision-ground cast
iron table size: 14" sq. • Table tilt: 45º R, 10º L • Cutting capacity/throat: 131⁄2"
• Max. cutting height: 6" • Blade size: 921⁄2"–931⁄2" L (1⁄8"–3⁄4" W)
• Blade speeds: 1800 & 3100 FPM • Approx. shipping weight: 247 lbs.
CAST IRON WHEELS
G1030Z2P $43995 ONLY $
425
00• Motor: 3HP, 240V, single-phase, 3450 RPM, 12A • Air suction capacity: 2300 CFM
• Static pressure: 16.7" • 7" inlet has removable "Y" fitting with three 4" openings • Impeller: 123⁄
4" cast aluminum
• Bag capacity: 11.4 cubic feet • Standard bag filtration: 2.5 micron • Portable base size: 211⁄
2" x 491⁄2"
• Bag size (dia. x depth): 191⁄
2" x 33" (2)
• Lower bags: Plastic • Powder-coated finish • Height with bags inflated: 78" • Approximate shipping weight: 170 lbs. 3 HP DUST COLLECTOR • Motor: 2 HP, 240V, single-phase, 10.8A, 3450 RPM
• Precision-ground cast iron table measures 141⁄8" x 10" x 7⁄16"
• Max. planing width: 7" • Max. planing height: 71⁄2"
• Cuts per minute: 14,000 • 2 HSS knives • Approx. shipping weight: 324 lbs.
PLANER/MOULDER WITH STAND
DRUMS ARE NON-RUBBERIZED! W1812 $165000 ONLY $
1520
00 247570 11⁄2 HP CYCLONE DUST COLLECTOR 2 HP MOTOR! G0703P $82500 ONLY$795
00 $79 $79 shipping lower 48 states $79 $79 shipping lower 48 states $79 $79 shipping lower 48 states $79 $79 shipping lower 48 states $150 $150 shipping lower 48 states $150 $150 shipping lower 48 states $99 $99 shipping lower 48 states $99 $99 shipping lower 48 states $99 $99 shipping lower 48 statesMADE IN TAIWAN MADE IN TAIWAN
177335 177335 W OO D M A G AZI NE W OO D M A G AZI N E A P P R O V ED A P P R O V ED 232857 MADE IN TAIWAN MADE IN TAIWAN • Motor: 11⁄ 2 HP, 110V/220V, single-phase, TEFC, 3450 RPM • Air suction capacity: 775 CFM • Static pressure at rated CFM: 1.80"
• Intake port: 6" with included 5" optional port • Impeller: 131⁄2" • Height: 651⁄2" • Built-in remote control switch • Approx. shipping weight: 210 lbs.
FULLY MOBILE WITH BUILT-IN CASTERS MADE IN TAIWAN ONLY 651/2" TALL! ®
methods of work
continuedRubber-band brush wiper
When applying finish from a can, most of us dip the brush into the finish and then wipe off the excess on the edge of the can. This invariably leaves some finish in the rim. Not only does this waste finish, but the finish also hardens in the rim and prevents the lid from getting a good seal, which
speeds up the deterioration of the remaining finish.
Here’s a better way. Stretch a hefty rubber band around the open can so that it is taut and centered over the opening. Now you can wipe the brush on the rubber band, and the surplus finish will drip back into the can, keeping the rim clean.
— E L I S A D E C H E C A , B a r c e l o n a , S p a i n
Extra finish falls back into can, not into the rim. Stretch rubber
band over mouth of can.
Magnetic vise-jaw pads prevent bite marks
I use a cast-iron machinist’s vise for a lot of woodworking projects. To keep the steel jaws from damaging my workpiece, I always used a couple of pieces of scrapwood between the jaws. But I often fumbled to keep them in place while I secured the work.
To solve the problem, I cut two pieces of plywood, drilled two shallow 1⁄2-in. holes into each one, and glued in rare-earth magnets. Now the protective pads are held securely in place on the jaws while I’m working with wood, and can be quickly removed when I’m working with metal.
— B I L L W E L L S , O l y m p i a , Wa s h . Rare-earth
magnets hold pads in place.
Plywood pad keeps metal jaws from damaging woodworking.
Black walnut makes it hard to see pencil lines. White
address label
Address labels highlight layout marks on dark woods
Precise and clear layout lines are essential for crisp joinery. But layout lines are notoriously hard to see on walnut and other dark woods. To help, I attach an address label to the wood and lay out the joinery on that. The white label gives me a nice contrasting background to lay out my joinery, making it easy to read later on.
Address labels are cheap, come in a variety of sizes, don’t leave a residue on the wood, and can be found at any office-supply store.
— J AC Q U E S B R E A U , O t t a w a , O n t . , C a n a d a
F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G
Engrave stunning photos, text and graphics with a touch of a button.
888.437.4564 • [email protected] • epiloglaser.com/fww
Cabinet Inlays Customize Products Custom Birdhouse
Epilog Laser systems make it easy to take your woodworking shop to the next level by offering custom laser engraving and cutting services. //////////////////////////////////////////
//////////////////////////////////////////
1.877.943.9663
insidepassage.ca
“If I were starting my life today as
a craftsman, and needed to learn
what matters the most; my choice
would be Inside Passage School.”
— James Krenov
1-800-327-2520
www.lie-nielsen.com
Tapered Carcass Saw
®
Made in Maine
Only the 19-38 has these Excepional SuperMax Features!
Indexed alignment seing Easy height adjustments Extra-wide conveyor Drum will never go ˝out of alignment˝
More space for easy access to abrasive wrap
19-38 Drum Sander
The Only Award Winning Drum Sander!Th
S
ru
S
Only $1399 incl. open stand!
Check with your local dealer or order direct.
SANDING CAPACITY
Sand 19” in a single pass, 38” in a double pass Sand as thin as 1/32”, as thick as 4”, as short as 2-1/4”
Variable Speed Conveyor 0-10 FPM Drive Motor TEFC 1-3/4 HP Power Requirements 110V 20 amp
N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4
17
tools & materials
Big table. With 40 in. of cast iron, the saw’s table is wide enough to support just about every cut a furniture maker normally makes.
No-hassle throat plate. Held in place by magnets, the insert pulls up easily. And it’s 1⁄
2 in.
thick, so making shopmade inserts is no problem.
Quick-change riving knife. Accessing the mounting hardware is easy, and it’s a snap to switch to the guard assembly.
locks securely, and has an easy-to-read cursor. Dust collection was exemplary for a small contractor’s saw, with a dust port centered in the bottom of the enclosed cabinet.
There also are a bunch of convenient features such as storage for the T-square rip fence and blade wrenches on the base, a paddle switch that can be located anywhere along the rip fence rail, a built-in mobile base, and an easy-to-remove throat plate.
With its robust construction and smartly designed features, this saw is a great value.
—Roland Johnson is a contributing editor.
Stout
contractor’s
saw with smart
features
Tablesaw by Rikon
10-201 $1,000
■ M A C H I N E S
T
HERE IS A LOT TO LIKE about Rikon’s left-tilt contractor’s tablesaw. It has a big cast-iron table, a powerful motor, stout trunnions, a smooth belt-drive system, and a well-designed riving knife.The three-piece tabletop is 27 in. deep by 40 in.
wide with a rigid understructure that’s easy to adjust if you need to level the top (the saw I tested did not need to be adjusted after assembly). Under the table is a beefy arbor assembly and trunnions. A short flat-belt drive, much like you’d find in a cabinet saw, provides smooth, accurate power transfer from the 11⁄2-hp motor to the arbor. The motor has ample power, letting me rip a bunch of thick hardwood with a fairly brisk feed rate.
The riving-knife mount is easy to access and switching from the knife to the guard is painless. The T-fence moves easily,
F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G
For building cabinets and fi ne furniture, nothing beats Forrest saw blades.
Craftsmen appreciate the way our blades deliver smooth, quiet cuts without splintering, scratching, or tearouts. They know our unique grade C-4 micrograin carbide, proprietary manufacturing process, and hand straightening produce exceptional results. In fact, independent tests rate us #1 for rip cuts and crosscuts.
“From the fi rst cut on, I realized that this blade was a bargain at any price! Nothing else I have cuts comparably.”
Calvin Brodie, Spanaway, WA
Forrest Quality Shows
Woodworker II—Best rated,
all-purpose blade for rips and crosscuts.
Chop Master—Perfect for tight,
perfectly cut miter joints without splinters.
Order from any Forrest dealer or retailer, online, or by calling directly. Our blades are manufactured in the U.S.A. and backed by our 30-day, money-back guarantee. www.ForrestBlades.com 1-800-733-7111 (In NJ, call 973-473-5236) Woodworker II Fine Woodworking Chop Master Woodshop News Duraline Hi-AT Woodshop News Dado King WOOD Magazine © 2014 Forr est Manufacturing Code FW
Quality VAKuum Products, Inc. 74 Apsley St. Hudson, MA 01749
Phone (978) 562-4680 E-mail [email protected]
Instructional
800 547-5484
2 Hour DVD
Bags : Polyurethane and Vinyl Frame Presses Veneering Accessories Veneering Glue FREE
www
ua i
tyvak.com
q
l
VAKuum Pressing Equipment
Vacuum Pumps : Air-Powered and Electric
.
Furniture Design
Woodworking
Woodturning
Summer Workshops
Residencies
Visiting Artists Program
andersonranch.org
970.923.3181 Snowmass Village, COAndersonRanch
arts center
N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4
19
tools & materials
continuedcontinuedother units we tested. Convenient
features include a cord wrap, onboard storage for optional tools, and an effective hose wrap. The unit comes with a 15-ft., 11⁄4-in. inside-diameter hose but will also accept 21⁄2-in. and 11⁄2-in. hoses.
—Bill Peck is FWW’s shop manager.
T
HE NEW BOSCH VACUUM is a compact, efficient unit with airflow as good as the top-rated Bosch Airsweep from our most recent review (“Shop Vacuums,” FWW #223). We repeated the test used in the review, adding the optional HEPA filter ($106) and seasoning it before testing.The Auto Filter Clean feature activates automatically every 15 seconds and was very effective at keeping the airflow through the seasoned filter to about 70 cfm. This feature can be deactivated if the thumping noise bothers you, but don’t leave it off too long.
In Power Tool Activation mode, the vacuum runs for 7 seconds to clear the dust from the hose after the tool is turned off. The power draw was only 9.5 amps, leaving almost 5.5 amps for the onboard tool outlet, more than other units we have tested. A “power broker” feature allows you to dial back the vacuum power to 7.5 amps for use with a larger tool or if you don’t want to suck a sander down too tight.
The vacuum is quiet, too (77 db.), comparing favorably with
VERITAS IS NOW SELLING TWO
large tenon saws (16-in. blades), a 12-tpi crosscut
saw and a 9-tpi ripsaw. To test them, I used both to cut joints for a chest of drawers from white oak and yellow pine.
With both saws, the height of the saw plate helped me keep cuts plumb. The teeth have minimal set, which is a benefit when sawing accurately to a line, a crucial component of joinery work. I also successfully used the crosscut saw for general bench tasks such as cutting off excess stock length and
■ H A N D T O O L S
Tenon saws are a great value
mitering with my shopmade miter box.
Both saws, especially the crosscut, benefit from a light touch. Fortunately, the saws made quick progress through the work with minimal downward pressure. Overall, I was pleased with their performance. They are a great value.
—Zach Dillinger, a furniture maker in Charlotte, Mich., works exclusively with hand tools.
■ A C C E S S O R I E S
Self-cleaning vacuum
is quiet and effi cient
Tenon saws by Veritas
$119 for crosscut $119 for rip
Shop vacuum by Bosch
VAC090A $600
F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G
Call for FREE Buyer’s Guide!
TOLL FREE888-213-0394
DRleafvac.com
85019X © 2014LOWEST PRICE
EVER on DR
®Leaf
Vacuums!
Rated #1 in Vacuum Power Easy, 1-Hand Dumping Stores Flat in Minutes Converts to a Utility Trailer
85019X © 2014 Now Starting at $
1
,
299
99 PLUSFREE
SHIPPING! NEW MODELS!The NEW DR® Leaf
Vacuum is designed
from the top down to make yard clean up easier, faster, and more thorough than ever before. And for a limited time you can TRY ONE FOR
1 YEAR ON YOUR OWN PROPERTY!
FREE VIDEO AND DRAWINGS TO DOWNLOAD www.feldergroupusa.com
HOW TO ...
FELDER-GROUP USA Toll free: 866 792 5288 E-mail: [email protected]MAKE THIS
AMAZING
CHAIR?
If you are in a woodworking business… this could be the most valuable tool inyour officesm. Contact us to receive your
FREE
720 page Big Book of Woodworking 2014 catalogVisit pro.woodworker.com
or Call 800-321-9841
(Mention code fww14) 18745SheldonRd•MiddleburgHts.,OH44130•[email protected]To order go to our website at www.bereahardwoods.com or call 1.877.736.5487 To order go to our website at www.bereahardwoods.com or call 1.877.736.5487
Berea Hardwoods, Co. Inc.
Berea
Hardwoods,
Co. Inc.S I N C E 1 9 8 0
TM
Duck Call Kits
• Easy to make
• Allows you to create realistic duck sounds
These ads work as hard
as the woodworkers
that read them.
w
Advertise Here!
Call 800-309-8954
N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4
21
Match the centers. With the workpiece flat on the table, set the bit’s height by aligning the centerlines on the jig and workpiece.
Magnets hold fast. They’re strong enough to keep the jig on the bit, but not so strong that you can’t adjust it perfectly.
I HAVE USED LOCK-MITER ROUTER BITS for years. But setting up the cuts for this exacting joint requires precision. The workpieces must be perfectly flat and have perfect edges, and the router table must have very good hold-downs and perfect infeed and outfeed faces. Finally, the bit’s height and protrusion from the fence must be exact, and dialing it in requires a lot of trial and error, which eats up test pieces. Infinity’s Lock Miter Master Jig greatly simplifies the setup job. The jig, which attaches to the bit with magnets, has engraved lines that help align the centerline of the bit with the workpiece’s centerline for both horizontal and vertical cuts (a video on infinitytools.com shows clearly how to do this). You still need test cuts to dial in the setup to perfection, but Infinity’s jig gets you closer from the start.
The jig comes in two sizes. The smaller one (LMM-002) works with stock between 3⁄8 in. and 3⁄4 in. thick, while the larger jig (LMM-003) is for stock 5⁄8 in. to 13⁄16 in. thick.
—Peter Breu is a woodworker in Manchester, N.H.
tools & materials
continued■ A C C E S S O R I E S
Simple setup jigs for
lock-miter joints
Lock-miter jigs by Infinity
$30 each
Our experts, your topics!
Tune in to our Shop Talk Live podcasts to hear
our editors interview experts and answer
reader questions.
ShopTalkLive.com
© 2014 The Taunton Press
F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G
See what the publisher of
Fine Woodworking has in store
Books, ebooks, magazines, special issues, DVDs, and more
© 2014 The Taunton Press
POCKET HOLE
JOINERY
M A R K E D M U N D S O N
Bookshelf•Day bed•Mirror/picture frame Dresser•Bathroom vanity...AND MORE!
POCKET HOLE JOINERY
Paperback, Product #071463, $24.95 A Taunton Press Title
FINE WOODWORKING
CHESTS AND CABINETS
Paperback, Product #071502, $21.95 A Taunton Press Title
W
Chests
and
Cabinets
Editors of Fine WoodworkingBEAUTIFUL
BOXES
DESIGN and TECHNIQUE
Doug Stowe
BEAUTIFUL BOXES
Paperback, Product #071472, $24.95 A Taunton Press Title
You can also purchase our products from these providers:
www.TauntonStore.com/shopfw
Order by Product number. Phone orders: 800-888-8286 or 203-702-2204 international. Call Monday-Friday 9AM - 9PM ET, Saturday 9AM - 5PM ET. Use code M1800155.
Shop online anytime
WEEKEND
WOODTURNING PROJECTS
Paperback, Product #071515, $24.95 A Taunton Press Title
TURNING PENS
AND PENCILS
Paperback, Product #GM0074, $19.95 A Guild of Master Craftsman Title
TAUNTON’S COMPLETE
ILLUSTR ATED GUIDE
TO TURNING
Paperback, Product #071499, $27.95 A Taunton Press Title
Sharpening and Using Tools Basic to Advanced Techniques Spindle and Faceplate Work Turning Bowls and Boxes Turning Hollow Vessels
R I C H A R D R A F FA N
Turning
Taunton’sCOMPLETE ILLUSTRATED Guide to
WEEKEND
WOODTURNING
PROJECTS
25 SIMPLE PROJECTS FOR THE HOME
M ARK BAKER
A
pplied moldings have a long history in furniture making, and for good reason. A molding can be the aesthetic crown that tops a piece of furniture. Moldings create a play between light and shadow, adding visual interest. They also can serve as a visual grounding, or provide a sense of termination.Head over to your local home center and you’ll find a big selection of moldings, but those are all sized for architectural work. To get moldings proportioned for furniture, you need to make them. Perhaps the most common approach is to rout them, but then you’re stuck using the profiles and proportions of the bits.
A better solution is to forgo the router altogether and create moldings with hand tools. It’s not as hard as you might think.
With a few planes, you can easily create
graceful
and beautiful custom profiles for your furniture that would be difficult or impossible with router bits. And there is no size limit, which allows you to dial in the proportions to complement the piece of furniture perfectly.
For a piece of furniture, you probably won’t need more than several feet of molding. I’ve been making moldings this way for most of my career. Here, I’ll show you how I do it.
handwork
E L L I P S E O G E E A N D A H A L F - RO U N D 3 ⁄4 in. 11⁄ 8 in. C OV E A N D B E A D 15 ⁄16 in. 5⁄ 16 in. 23⁄ 16 in. 1 ⁄2 in. 3⁄ 16 in. 15 ⁄8 in. 1 ⁄4 in. 23⁄ 16 in. 7 ⁄16 in. 5 ⁄8 in. 3⁄ 16 in.Make custom moldings
WITH JUST A FEW PLANES,
YOU CAN CREATE BEAUTIFUL PROFILES
NOT FOUND IN THE ROUTER-BIT RACK
B Y G A R R E T T H A C K
F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G
Check the profile. To ensure consistency, Hack relies on a template made from a thin piece of wood. Lay out the profile. Hack does this on the
molding blank’s leading edge, so he can gauge his progress as he removes waste at the tablesaw.
Power up. Angle the tablesaw blade to remove as much waste as possible in a single pass.
Plane away the facets. Start with thick shavings along the grain, and finish up with light shavings, which create smaller facets, resulting in a smoother curve.
A block plane works great on convex curves. It’s the only tool you need to transform the common quarter-round into a graceful quarter-ellipse.
Elegant ellipse
with everyday tools
A block plane works great on convex curves. It’s the only tool you need to
Use hand tools where it counts The majority (if not all) of the moldings you’ll make will require you to remove a fair amount of waste material before you get to the task of shaping the profile. You could do that by hand, with a shoulder or rabbet plane, but I don’t recommend it. Instead, use your tablesaw. This will let you get to the important job—creating the graceful lines of the molding—much faster.
Begin with a blank wider than the molding (you’ll cut
Refine the cove with a round plane. Match the plane’s radius to the cove’s as closely as you can. If the cove’s radius changes across the profile, switch out planes accordingly.
More cuts remove more waste. Speed up the work by taking several cuts with a tablesaw. To keep the molding stable throughout the process, remove the large chunk of waste on the bottom last.
handwork
continuedBegin the bead with a block plane. Roughing out the outside edge this way greatly speeds up the process of cutting the bead. Hack works to a layout line to rough in the bead.
Complete it with a scratch stock. This is the most accurate way to form a small bead. The cove needs to end in a narrow flat, as wide as the cutter.
Clean up with a scraper. To remove any ridges or tracks left by the round plane, use a gooseneck (shown). Rotate and angle the scraper to match the cove’s curve.
Cove and bead
are a refined pair
All it takes is a scratch stock to give the common cove a bit of panache. Size the bead to complement the cove’s proportions.
the molding free after it’s made). After the tablesaw has eaten the waste, it’s time for the handplanes to turn the roughed-out shape into a beautiful molding. The easiest profiles to handle are fillets and convex curves. Fillets are really just rabbets, and you can clean them up with a rabbet or shoulder plane. The right tool for convex curves is a block plane. (I rarely use hollow planes. They’re troublesome to sharpen and set up.) Use a coarse setting to quickly remove material and get close to the final profile, and then switch to a fine cut, which leaves a smaller facet, making it easier to get a smooth curve from a tool that cuts flat surfaces.
Concave curves are no more difficult than convex ones, except that you need
All it takes is a scratch stock to give the common cove a bit of panache. Size the bead to complement the cove’s proportions.
F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G
This limited-time holiday offer
makes it easy to give a year-long
gift of Fine Woodworking:
●
Give a gift subscription for
just $25.00
●That’s
$9.95 off
the regular price of
every one-year (7-issue) print subscription
●
Tablet editions are included
FREE*
Give as many gifts as you like at this low
price but
don’t wait – order today!
Tablet editions are included
Give as many gifts as you like at this low
Give the gift of
Fine Woodworking
– just $25.00
Save $9.95 with our once-a-year holiday offer!
®
Give the per
fect gift
– and save!
FREE
tablet editions
included*
Gift giving is easy…use the attached card to order today,
or call toll-free 888-351-3610.
*Tablet editions available with paid subscription.
Above price for U.S. only. Payable in U.S. funds. Canadian customers, please call toll-free 888-351-3610. International customers, please call 203-702-1901 (M-F 9 am to 9 pm ET, Sat 9 am -5 pm ET). Offer expires 12/31/14.
©
2014 The T
aunton
Clean fillet. A rabbet plane removes machining marks left by the tablesaw blade and creates a crisp line where the fillet transitions to the ogee.
Prop up the molding. Resting the molding on a piece of scrap brings the cove section of the ogee closer to vertical, making it easier to plane.
handwork
continuedBack to the block plane. Fair the convex curve, and create a smooth transition into the concave section.
Make the half-round on a separate piece. This allows you to create the entire curve with a block plane, rather then needing a specialized plane or a very large scratch stock.
Glue on the half-round. Yellow glue and a few clamps are all you need. Hack glues the part together on a piece of plywood, making it easier to keep the two parts flat and properly aligned.
Beauty built from an
ogee and a half-round
a specialty plane to create them efficiently. Ideally, you’d use a round plane with a radius that closely matches the molding’s profile, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. Get as close as you can, and then use a gooseneck scraper to get the rest of the way. The trick with the scraper is to find the section that matches the profile most closely, and then rotate it on its vertical axis until the scraper’s edge is a perfect match. Or, if you’re up for it, file a scraper to match the molding.
Finally, hand-sand the molding to remove any facets or bumps that are left. □ Garrett Hack, a longtime
contributing editor, is a professional furniture maker in Vermont.
Step away from the standard ogee by varying the curve’s radius, and create greater depth by adding a half-round at the bottom.
F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G
The heaviest. The most powerful. The only saw with an active safety system and 99% dust collection.
Is it any wonder it has been the number one saw for a decade? Discover the pride of ownership.
Visit SawStop.com/10
Buy a new SawStop Industrial Cabinet Saw and receive a FREE Standard Brake Cartridge and TWO FREE SawStop Titanium Blades! Visit Sawstop.com/10 for details.
$200+
in FREE Essentials
Oct 1 - Dec 31, 2014
FIRST IN SO MANY THINGS
THAT MATTER.
AM ER I CA ’ S #1 C A BI N E T S A W 2 0 0 4 T O 2 0 1410
YEARSBuild a Greene and Greene
Blanket Chest
It’s all about the details.
Our expert shows
how to get them right
B Y D A R R E L L P E A R T
I
’ve long been drawn to the work of the brothers Henry Mather Greene and Charles Sumner Greene, the early 20th-century architects who designed and furnished some of the country’s most important Arts and Crafts bun-galows. Their furniture stands apart for its elegant fusion of Japanese-inspired detail with solid, practical Craftsman design.The brothers designed blanket chests for two California homes—the Pratt House in Ojai and the Thorsen House in Berkeley. When I designed my chest, I used details from each of these two pieces, including the proud, pegged finger joints and the lid with raised breadboard ends, along with one from a smaller piece by the Greenes—the Ford House letter case. On that piece, two leather straps wrap the bottom so it won’t scratch the table it sits on. I thought a similar detail, rendered in wood, could lend visual weight to my chest’s base. Taken together, these details make for a fun and beautiful project.
F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G
Edge-glue the strips. To assemble each template, clamp two straight cauls to the glue-up surface at a right angle to create a square reference corner (above). Spacer blocks help ensure that the finger sockets are uniformly deep. Apply clamping pressure on top of the glue-up (left) so the surfaces are flush for smooth router travel.
Router jigs nail the finger joints
M A K E T WO T E M P L AT E S
Peart glues up a pair of router templates, one for each half of the finger joint, from plywood strips. To ensure a precise friction fit, he carefully mills the strips for the finger sockets slightly wider than those for the fingers. Each template captures the workpiece between a pair of registration blocks that are screwed in place and provide a platform for toggle clamps. 1 in. Fence Use spacer blocks to align strips. Use clamps to hold workpiece for routing. 51⁄ 2 in. 15⁄ 16 in. 15⁄16 in. 119⁄64 in. 119⁄ 64 in. FOR CASE FRONT AND BACK FOR CASE SIDES
31
The case comes together with finger joints
To create the large finger joints on the case, make a pair of routing templates by edge-gluing strips of 3⁄4-in. Baltic-birch plywood or MDF. For a snug fit, cut the strips for the template fingers about 1⁄64 in. narrower than the strips for the gaps.
After the glue dries, the templates may need flat-tening with coarse-grit sandpaper. I use a wide-belt sander here, but a belt sander would also work. Then attach the registration blocks and toggle clamps that lock in the workpiece. Be sure to cut some test joints before using the templates on your project.
To start the joinery, mark the finger locations on the blanks and jigsaw away the bulk of the waste between them. Clamp each blank to the template and rout, using a 1⁄4-in.-dia. spiral flush-trimming bit with a bottom bear-ing. This leaves the inside corners on each finger with a 1⁄8-in. radius. To create a matching 1⁄8-in. roundover on the mating fingers, remove the workpiece from the template and rout the finger edges with a miniature bearing, 1⁄8-in.-radius roundover bit (Amana MR0112). The joints should close on dry-fit with medium clamp-ing pressure. If not, carefully clean up the inside corners with a rat-tail file.
The finger joints are reinforced with screws hidden by square ebony plugs. To cut the square holes, I use a hollow punch from Lee Valley. To help align the holes, I clamp a straightedge to the workpiece. After laying out the peg locations, register the punch against the straightedge and strike it with a steel hammer to set it in place. Then use a twist bit inside the punch and drill about 3⁄8 in. deep. Remove the bit and punch the tool to the depth of the drilled hole. You can re-insert the bit to remove debris, but don't make the hole any deeper.
Now sand the case parts to P220-grit. I bring the case together in stages, first assembling the two opposing
Punch the peg holes. To create
the square mortises for the decorative ebony plugs, Peart uses a hollow punch, which he aligns with a clamped-on straightedge. After seating the punch with a single strike, drill through it to the desired depth. Afterward, strike the punch again to drive it to the full depth of the mortise.
Cut the joints
Soften the edges. Peart uses a
bearing-guided roundover bit to ease the edges on each finger.
Rout the fingers. After removing the bulk of the
waste with a jigsaw, clamp the workpiece into the template jig and use a 1⁄4-in.-dia. flush-trimming bit to complete the finger pattern on the end of each piece. Flush-trimming bit 1⁄ 8-in. radius roundover bit Template Workpiece F I N E W O O D W O R K I N G
