Wood-127-2000-10

the edittrr's

a new series article we thinkyou'regonna'like Bill Hug,the first guest expert in our new series of articles,really knowshis way aroundthe wood lathe.

No.127 2000. Vol.17,N0.7' lssue 0CTOBER CLAYT0I'| EditorLARRY EditorJIMHARROLD Managing PETER J. STEPHAN0 Editor/Features Managing Assistant R. D0WNING EditorJAMES Design Senior EditorBILLKRIER Projects EditorJANHALESVEC Projects EditorDAVE CAMPBELT Products EditorJIMPOLLOCK Techniques l. HEDLUN0 Designer GHARLES ShopManager/Prolect KEVI!lBOYIE Builder Design Editor/Proiect Assistant CIOSNER ManagerMARGARET Production/0ftice MUNYot'l AssistantSHERYL Administrative HELPS BARBARA OtficeSecretary Art Business BEI'lVONRUDEN Reader-Contact Specialist [0RNAJ0HNSON, EditorsKIMDOWNING, Contributing 0DE, CARSON LeM0lNE, R0XANNE DAVE HENDERSON B0BMcFARHN, JIM HEAVEY Craftsman Contributing

Beginningwith this issue,we're introducinga brand-newcolumn titled "Be Our Guest(Expert)."To kick things off, we're featuringBill Hug, a talentedguy who hasturnedmore than 5,000vesselsin the last 18 years,many of them using wonderful-lookingexotic woods. We thoughtthat with all of Bill's experience,he'd be a natural to sharesomeof his turning wisdom with you (and us). If you take a look at page 18,you'll find out what his sevenfavorite turning woodsare as well as four typesof woodsthat give him trouble.In addition.he lists woods that often give woodworkersa rash,and tells aboutseveral woodsthat startout beautiful,but then disappoint

MASINI Direclor DANIEL Creative A. CIBULA An DirectorCHERYL Assistant MARKHAGEN Publisher WILLMURPHY Director Advertising KEMiIET ManagerMARLEN SalesandInternet Ancillary Ave.,Suite1500, Oftice: 333N.Michigan Advertising FAX:31?58G7906 Phone: 312853'2890 lL60601 Chicago, DAKIS CARoLYN Advertising DirectResponse LEE YUWEI Executive Account RONG0LMINAS Executive Account Manager JIMHUGHES Advertising LEGASPI Manager GERALLIE Marketing TRAVIS MARGARET SalesAssistant

when they oxidize. If you have expertisein a particularwoodworking subject,or you know someonewho has,write to "Be Our Guest(Expert)," WOODa magazine, 1716LocustStreet,GA310,DesMoines,IA 50309-3023.We'd be glad to hearfrom you.

R.REED PublishingDirectorWILLIAM PATHENDERSHOTT Manager Services Advertising LIZBREDESON Director Marketing Consumer PRIEN KATHI Director Marketing Associate Consumer ManagerDAVEHONOLD Marketing Assistant Consumer FEAR Manager CRAIG Business RICKGROW Product Manager Senior PUBLISHING GROUP MEBED]TH M.LITTLE CHRISTOPHER President WARD Publishing DirectorJERRY VicePresident ELLENDELATHOUDER Services Creative HESION BRUCE Manutacturing KARLAJEFFBIES Marketing Consumer KAPI-AN SalesJERRY Group DEANPIETERS Operations MAXRUNCIMAN Finance andAdminisfation

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with the latestonline happeningsand registerfor our monthlytool sweepstakesor our free dowloadablewoodworkingplans. Finally,check out our onlinesearchableWOODmagazineindexfor a completelisting of our projects,techniques,and tool reviews.JF

Customer Service Information: For serviceon your subscription,including changeof address,contactwww.wood' magazine.com/service or call 800/374-9003. SirUscription-mailing address: Better Homes and Gardens WOOD mafarine, P.O. Box 37439, Boone. IA 50037-0439. Piease enclose your address label from a recent issue.Editorial TheEditor, WOOD magazine,lT16LocustStreet.GA3 l0,DesMoines. IA50309-3023.Forquesmailingaddness: tions f6r our editorial staff. questionsabout how to reach an advertiser,or to place an advertisementin our magazine call 800/374-9663. To ordei back issues call 800/346-9663. For article reprints. write to the editorial address and enclose$5 per article.

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OCopyrightMeredithCorporation2000 Printedin the U.S.A. All rightsreserved. Better Hontes and Gardens@WOODo magazine(ISSN-0743894X) is publishednine times a year in February,March' April' May/June,July/August,September,October, November,and Deiember by Meredith Corporation, 1716 Locust St'' Des Moines, IA-50-309-3023. Periodicals postage paid at Des Moines,Iowa, and additionalmailingoffices.BetterHomesand Gardenstrademark registeredin Canadaand Australia. Marca Resistrada en Mdxico. ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION $27; Canada,$39; other PRICES: U.S. and its possessions, countries,$47. CanadaPost PublicationsMail SalesProduct Asreement No. 1369350.Canadian BN 12348 2887RT. CANADIAN RETURN ADDRESS: BetteT Homes and Gardens WOOD magazine, 2744 Edna Street, Windsor, Ontario.N8Y lV2. POSTMASTER: Sendaddresschangesto BetterHomesand GardensWOOD magazine,P'O. Box 37439'

Boone,IA 50037-0439.

I WOOD magazine

,lP^l October 2000

-!

;

this issus's

hts

hi hli

l I

October2000 lssue127

WOODo mdgoztne

www.woodmagazine.com

wopdWnrking

proiects

jig t6 greatideas:ball-drilling Use this simple project to bore perfectly centeredholes in woodenballs.

54 slidingtableadd-on Improveyour tablesaw'scrosscuttingcapacitywith this well-engineeredworkshopaccessory.

m

page54

Shaker-style blanketchest Createa family heirloomwith this handsome,fullsize storagepiece. Featuresinclude eye-catching box joints, two accommodatingdrawers, and a wraparoundprofile molding along the base.

66 big-timebox-jointjig Machineclean,accurate,box joints in large solid stock or plywood panelswith this handy clampon router fixture.

page66

74 clockworkunderglass Apply your craftsmanshipto this exquisitetall clock. Large glasspanelsframedin walnut provide a clear view of the brassmovbmentwithin.

80 toy floatplane Take off with this classicdesign,then give your favoritejunior pilot somethingto smile about.

page74

H?'L+ial"

22 dovetailbits

Rout snug-fittingdovetailjoints with thesespecialcutters.

70 dampnessdetectives Get an accurate reading on the moisture content of your hardwoods and softwoods with one of the 10 shop-tested meters found here.

86 quick-change artists Speedthe processwhen changingdrill bits by soupingup your portabledrill with one of theseshop-testedadd-onchucks.

sl

productsthat perform

This issue's cover wood grain: buckeye WOOD magazine

October 2000

???? Page 86

continuedon page6

Cover photograph: Baldwin Photography

5

this issue's

highlights

WOODomogdzine

Continued from page 5

October2000 lssue127

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tgBnftoues 30 makenewfurniturepartsfrom old See how we copied an existing furniture part to make a new replacementpart that blendsright in.

34 tips flom yourshopand ours 43 how to glue up a perfectpanel Learn a surefre way to make long-lasting,solid-stockpanels from contributingcraftsmanJim Heavey.

68 how to cut largebox joints Seehow easyit is to rout sizeablebox joints using the jig featuredon page 66.

featunes 2

the editor'sangle

I

talkingback

l4

page43

wood-wideweb businesssideof woodworking: Discoverthe many ways in which the internetand having an online store can help you sell your hand-and machine-madegoods.

page84

18 insightsfrom a woodturningmaster Find out from an expertwhich turning woodswork best.

m

WOODONLINEo

n

hot off the internet

4g segmentedbowlsfrom Sedona SeeArizona woodturnerGalenCarpenter'sapproachfor forming beautifulcreationsfrom wedgesof wood.

page68

84 masterfulwalkingsticks Meet five folk artistswho begantheir craft by providing help for others.

97 wood anecdote:rcd alder When this wood goesup in smoke,there'susually fish nearby.

ll2 finishingtouches

WOOD magazine

October 2000

-l tmilkilrt yourcomments, criticisms, TalkingBack We welcome yes, evencompliments,W00Dmagazine suggestions, and 1716LocustSt.,GA310 onlyletters of the Weselectandpublish greatest lA 50309-3023 DesMoines, to ourreaders. Writeto: benefit

A safer grooving cut

Mobile mitersaw center update Severalreadersnoted an error in the Bill of Materials for the Mobile MitersawCenterin Issue119.The thicknessof the sawtables(Q) shouldbe t3/to"as shownbelow. in laying out the two Readersalsohaverequestedassistance sheetsof plywood for this project.Here's a completecutting diagram.

Bill of Materials

Part L

Q sawtables

3/qx 31/zx 24" Pine

Vqx 5Y2x 48" Birch

3 / q x 7 Y ax 9 6 " B i r c h

3/qx 48 x 96" Birch plywood

Finished Size L T w t3Aa" 1 0 1 / r o 3134a"

G

=

In buildingthe NestingKnockoutsin Issue121,I followed the directionsas given exceptfor cutting the slat groovein the rails (B). The rails for the small tableare only 63A"long, and I was not comfortablepassingthese piecesover the dadoinserton my tablesaw.I cut the groovesin all the rails first, using two 3/cx2x24"preces for the small tablerails. After forming the grooves,I cut thesepiecesto length. -Robert Mueller. Mich. Menominee,

g

B/L 2

Glock finish reuealed After receiving a number of inquiries, we asked SeniorDesign Editor Jim Downing to elaborateon the finish usedon the maple Shakertall clock kit he built in Issuel23.Here is his process. Make 16 Sandthe wood with 150-gritsandpaper. oz. of dye, mixing one part TransTintDark Mission Brown no. 128486and two partsTransTintReddish Brown no. 128483,accordingto the directions. TransTint aniline dyes are availablefrom Woodcraft, call 8001225-1153. Thin 4 oz. of the dye mixture, I part dye to 3 parts water, and apply with a foam brush.This raisesthe grain and showsany glue smudges.Let the thinned coat dry overnight and sand with 220-grit sandpaper. Now coat the wood with the full-strength mixture, wiping up any excessdye with a cleanrag. Let dry Finish overnightand sandwith 320-gritsandpaper. with two coatsof Olympic Antique Oil no. 41004, following the directionson the can. Let the finish dry for 24 hours,apply pastewax with 0000 steelwool, and buff with a cleancottoncloth.

MORTISEDETAIL (rightrearleg) 3/a" / |

3/+x48 x 96" Birchplywood

r/16

Thble dimensions don't add up A readercalledto tell us that Ve"went AWOL from the Mortisedetail on the Nesting Knockoutsin Issue121.See the correcteddetail at left. Continued on puge I2

WOOD magazine

October 2000

tmEkfrnffi, Continued.f'ront puge 8

The great metric debate, part two With referenceto Melvin Brzostek'sletterin TalkingBack, Issue122,manypeopleadvocateuseof the metricmeasurement systemto facilitatemathematicalmanipulation. in inchesare not a problemif Conversionsof measurements you work in decimalsand not fractions.It doesnot take much effort to becomefamiliar with the decimalequivalentsof fractions.You mustthink of dimensionsin inchesanddeci-

Tiwo tips on wrestling with rust As a retiredmillwright and part-timefarmer,I've had a few experiences with rusty bolts.My bestsolutionis pouring white vinegaron the bolt. The vinegarquickly penetrates the threadsand rust. -Gordon Greniger, GrandRapids,Minn.

12

mals,ratherthan inchesand fractions,which are,by their nature,hard to manipulate. -William Dettmer, Ga. Crescent, Our designers know what you're talking about, Bill, because they use decimal equivalents when drawing with their CAD program. Here's the conversion chart they keep handy.

AskWOODo in Issue123 givesadviceon freeingrusted bolts. I own a constructioncompanythat specializesin steel buildingsand reinforcedconcreteand run into this predicament often.To loosena rustedbolt, I heatit with a torch until it is red hot, then quickly cool it with cold water.il -Roy Hester, Macon, Ga.

WOOD magazine

October 2000

%#ffiffidwrmrk$rxffi

Wood-lvide internet

The opens a worldof optionsfor selling yourwoodworking

Barkermayjustbea partl\ /Tunt IYltime woodworker in Charlotte, North Carolina,his hometown, yet the marketfor what he makesis the world. With a little moxie and a lot of research, he turnedhis website, Martyswoodshop.com, into the primary outletfor his sidelinebusinessof selling woodenwriting sets,boxes, shelves,humidors,and othersmallgift items.Besidesoperatinga boothat one outdoorcraft fair eachyear,he makes all the restof his salesonline.

A crafts show that never closes For woodworkerslike Marty, the World-Wide Web hasturnedinto a sort of non-stopcraftsshow.Even woodworkerswho makeexpensivefurniture and don't take ordersonline find the Web a valuablemarketingtool. For as little as $200to $300to start,and $20 to $50 a monthto maintain,a websitecan be an interactivebrochurethat never getsoutdatedand doesn'trequireany postageto reachthousands of people. Marty got about8,000visitsto his websitein the first yearfollowing setup in April 1999.Becausemany visitors simplye-mailquestionsto him about differentwoodsand woodworking, he's addeda sectionto his siteon wood selectionto help answerthem. Yet, he alsohassold severalthousand dollarsworth of goods.And Marty monthlyresubmitsnew information abouthis site to internetsearch engines,suchas Yahooand Altavista.

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That haspaid off by puttinghim amongthe top 50 siteswhen visitors entersearchtermslike "woodworkers" or "humidors."Marty learned aboutsitepromotionmainly online,he says,enteringthe term "site promotion"into search engines,and surfingthe results.

,-$

Expand new business horizons For Marty Barker,the web serves mainly as a convenience. But for Beth Antonsen,an art-furnituremakerin Ketchikan,Alaska,it's more a matter of keepingher businessgoing.After sellingall the furnitureshecouldto doctors,lawyers,and otherprofessionals in the hill-huggingcoastaltown of 13,000,shelaunchedher site, bethantonsen.com, lastJanuaryto find new markets.Her first inquiry came from Korea,and shethinks her furniture styleactuallymay play betterin Asia thanAlaska. Pennsylvania Windsorchair builder PeterWallaceseeshis site,Windsorchair.com,mainly as an online brochure."With traditionaladvertising, it's very time consumingto answera responseby sittingdown, writing a letter, and thenenclosinga brochure," Petercomments."Every year I probably changemy line about60 percent with new pieces.It's much easier-and lesscostly-to put new photographs on the websitethan to redo a brochure." Peteralsoutilizesa referencewebsite, a sortof onlineencyclopedia of all

thinssWindsor-chairrelated. Windsorchairresource s.comincludes links to chairmakers as well as inquiriesfrom would-bebuyers.

Credit cards cost money Surprisingly,Peterdoesn'tacceptcredit cards,as do most all websitesin e-commerce. Instead,he collectsa checkas depositwhen someoneorders and anotheras paymentin full before But woodworkshippingthe purchase. ers like Marty Barker,who take orders for smaller-ticket itemsboughton impulse,usuallyneedto acceptcredit cardsfor electronicpayment,even thoughit coststhema little money. Creditcardcompaniesgenerally chargefeesrangingfrom two to five percentof the transaction amount, accordingto Marty. And despitelosing $200to one fraudulenttransaction from EasternEurope,the North Carolinacraftsmansaysthe siteand creditcardsare still worthwhile."l tried a print catalog,but my products kept changingall the time," he adds. "So evenif I just usemy websiteas a catalog,it paysto haveit."lP Written by Jack Neff, a Batavia, Ohio, business writer and author of How to Make Your Woodworking Pay for ltself. lllustration: Jim Stevenson

WOOD magazine

October 2000

{,ii+*,#'e.reR $#"ffiffiffi

a simple design for a special task The tall clock project on poge 74 calls for drilling perfectly centered holes in hardwood balls. While you can hold a ball securelyin a wood handscrew, centeringit under the bit on your drill pressis difficult. Solve both problems with this quickto-build jig. To make it easy to clamp the jig to your drill press,make the length of the base the same as the

baseandcap.(SeetheJig Hole Guide on the drawing.)Insertthe boltsand centerthejig by loweringthe bit back into the hole,andholdingit therewhile you clampthejig to your drill-press table.Placetheball overthe hole,slide the cap down on the protrudingcarriagebolts,and tightenit onto the ball with washersandwing nuts.Chuckin the properbit and drill away.i

width of your drill-presstable. Drill the counterboredholes for the carriage bolts and the large holes in the

lllustration: Kim Downing; Lorna Johnson Photograph:Baldwin Photography

W O O D m a g a z i n e O c t o b e r2 0 0 0

)

be our guest expert insiohtsfrom a

master

woodturning

(Cocobolo, problems, sneezing Kingwood, African blackwood, etc.)

(Black,Claro, European)

no other way to say it: The turnings fhere's I from Bill Hug's lathe are breathtakingly beautiful.Since 1979,this Athens,Georgia, woodturnerhas createdmore than 5,000 pieces from more than 100 speciesof wood, many of them exotic. As Bill works with different kinds of wood. he keepsnoteson the characteristicsof each one and takesphotos.According to.him, some species,suchas lignum vitae and someebonies, are impossibleto cut on a tablesawor with hand tools, but work successfullyon a lathe. In the accompanyingtables,Bill sharessomeof his discoveries.i

nose,andthroat

Blacklimha

Zatre

Prized formanyuses,especially wellpieces. figured

lmbuya

Brazil

walnutwith Lookslikeblackwa finegrainandgreat

Brazil Santos rosewood

Morebrownfian ofier rosewoods, wih a somewhat widerstipe.

yeteasyto work. Europe Hardandheavy, Spanish Olive Southern Candisplaya tangleof darkstripes against a tanbackground.

Highly figured wood Roughturn thepieceandturnit again. lf he piece tearsoutorwarps, letit sitand furnit again whenit'sstable.

Extremely hardwood Useutmostcareandpatience, keeptools sharp, andavoidgouging wood.

(padauk) Shrbasbrightorange witt Vermillion

andwhitespob,changes toa

Osage orange

Spechcular dearyellowdims to yelloworange oryellowbrown.

"Be Our Guest Expen" gives accompli shed woodworker s a chnnce to share insights into their particulnr areas of expertise. If you'd like to be our guest,or know someonewho would, write to "Be Our Guest Expert," WOOD Magazine, 1716 Locust Street, GA3I0, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023.

WOOD magazine

October 2000

tU@@DoNLrNt www.woodmagazine.com

How to make friends andinfluence rkers otherwoodwo I ttfrougtrwoodworkingis a solitary ^{-I troUUyfor mostof us. thereare waysto enjoyyour hobbywith others. Hundredsof woodworkingclubsacross the countryoffer folks like us the opportunity to sharetips, learnfrom experts, and evenhavesomeeoodold-fashioned fun. If you'reinterested in joining a club, startinga club, seeingprojectsfrom otherclubs,or promotingthe meeting datesand activitiesof your own club, Membersof the DesMoines checkout the WOODworkingClubs (lowa)Woodworking Club sectionunderCOMMUNITY at the participate in an annual WOOD ONLINE homepage.Nearly potluckdinnerandshowand-tellin additionto regu- 200 clubshavebuilt a free homepage lar meetings, seminars, and in this section-it's easyto do. fieldtrips.

www. wo o dtnagazine. com/sc g7woodc lub/

Freetools?You'll findthemhere Eachand everymonthwe give awaya fi'eepowertool at WOOD ONLINE. To be eli-eiblefor a prize,all you haveto do is stopin and register.You can takepart in the sweepstakes everymonthby simply re-enteringyour usernameand password. Over the pastfew years,betweenour monthlygiveawaysand special woodworking-show sweepstakes, we've madeover a hundredwoodworkersquitehappywith everythingfrom tablesawsto cordlessdrills. Hereareiusta few recentwinners:

January: Tim Anderson, Maplewood,Minn., Bosch Jigsaw.

ffi ru

Getonthe \ Internet where toolreviews area street two-way

..+

lllt*-=*'

Havean opinionon moisturemetersor quick-connect drill If you would like to offer your accessories, or our own feedbackto the reviewsof reviewsof them in moisturemetersor quick-con- this issue?Thenbe heardonline.

nectdrill accessories in this

issue, you're in luck. Now you can share your tool experienceswith us and other woodworkers immediately and directly. No letters, no postage. And if you have tool-related questions for other online participants,you'll most likely get a responsewithin a day. We'll also encouragemanufacturers to share their opinions of our reviews, and add any information on new or updated tools. www.wo

odrnagazine.

com/ taW

Here'sa tipt Learnanf earnin this webgroup It's a fact-woodworkers love shoptips. No wonder then,that one of the mostfrequentlyvisitedspotsat WOOD ONLINE is the WoodworkingTips DiscussionGroup.You canreadhundredsof woodworkingtips posted by folks just like yourself.Or, you might line your pocketwith somecashif we publish your online tip in WOODa magazinaWe pay $75 for publishedtips,and if your tip is chosenas the Top ShopTip, you'll win a tool prize worth at least$250.t www.woodmagazine. co m,/ talJr/

Februaryi

March:

William Croft, Wooster, Ohio, Bosch Random-OrbitSander.

Mike Sistek, Scott Air Force Base, lll., Bosch Power Handsaw.

www.woodmagazine.com/members/toolsweeps.html

20

WOOD magazine October2000

router bit r8vrsw

to thequalityof thecase,box, thehand-cut dovr rtailjointhasstoodas a testament For centuries, woodor drawerthatbeheldit.Theseclays,thanksto routersanddovetailbits,evena beginning thisjointI to enhancethesimplestprojects. workercan incorporate Dovetail bits come in an array of cutting angles-usually 7-14"-and heights(seephoto,below),on both %" and Vq"shanks.Generally speaking,the greaterthe cutting angle, the stronger

ff the joint. But beware:The acute angles on the tails make them more fragile as the cutting angleincreases,and they can break more easily along the grain. Becauseof its opposing-wedge action,a properlyfitted dovetailjoint

: i ! i i

which is formed by two rails. Pins and tails are often confused,but there's an easyway to rememberwhich is which. If you look at the face of the workpiece and seebirdtail-shapedprotrusions, thoseare tails; if you seerectangles, you're looking at pins. The tails bearthe brunt of thejoint's stress,so when planning your project, point the tails in the direction of the stress.For example,openingand closing a drawer createsfront-to-rear stress on the drawer. Therefore,point the tails front and rear, which meanscutting the socketsin the drawer sides. Here in the WOODo magazineshop, we like to cut the socketsfirst, about Vzz"deeperthan the thicknessof the pins, using a dovetailbit in our router

table.Then, using a straightbit, we form the pins, leavingthemjust a hair wider than the sockets.This lets us gradually remove more stock from the pins until we get a good fit. Oncethe joint is complete,we sandthe tails flush with the pins. Making well-fitting dovetailjoints in boxesor drawersrequiresa high degreeof precision.That's why you'll find a covey of commercialjigs on the market today, eachdesignedto simplify cutting the pins and socketswith bearing-guidedbits. Less-expensive jigs make only half-blindjoints, where the dovetails are visible only from one side of the joint. With pricier models, you can cut through-dovetails, where Continued on page 24

self-tightens.This meansyou can useit to eliminatefasteners,suchas screws or nails. You shouldstill glue the joint, but you won't needclamps.

How to tell your pins from your tails You'll seethe threebasicpartsof every dovetailjoint in the Partsof a Dovetail Joint drawing at right.The pin is the part that fits into the socket,

22

WOOD magazine

October 2000

fl{}il".Fqi:*jF" t*:'ri.t Corttirtuerl.fi"ornpuge 22

both sidesshow (seeCommon Corner Joints drawing, belorr).

Beyond the box: Let it slide

A couple more key uses

Even without the use of expensiveji-us,

As yor.rcan see frorn the drawin-u

yoll can use dovetail bits to make other strong zrndattractivejoints. For exam-

beknr, dovetail keys add decoration and function to any number of joints.

ple. use a lon-edovetail slot (socket)

piece of The kcl is an hour-elass-shaped

inside a bookcuseor entertainlnet'tt

stock, often made from a contrasting species.that createsa mechanicaljoint

c e n t e r .t h e n m a c h i n ea l o n g t a i l o n each end of a shelf. as shown belotr joint. besidesaddin-e leli. The resultin-e

between two flat surfaces.

beauty to the case.also keeps the case

long key blank usin-ethe same dovetail

sidesfrom bowin-9.And. if yor"rdon't

bit. Then, set up the socket cuts in

-eluethe shelf in place, you can rcmove or replaceit at any tirne. O r . u s e a s l i d i n - qd o v e t a i lj o i n t

scrap to ensurea ,eoodfit. Slice individual keys frorn the blank (about %:"

insteadof a str"rb tenon for making rail

joint. tap the keys into place. then sand

and stile panels,as shown Ltelotrle.fi. Y o u ' l l s t i l l w a n t t o - e l u et h e j o i n t . b u t

thern flush with the workpiece.JF

Before cutting the key sockets,mill a

lon-eerthan the socket).assernblethe

again. yoll won't need clamps for this assen-rbly. Just be sure yoLu'panelsare in place prior to -eluingthe frame. One tip for cr,rttingslidin-sdovetails: The taperedsidesof the dovetail slot tend to trap chips in the slot as you cLlt. So precut the slot with your tablesaw, or a router and a straightbit, as shown belrnr. to remove as much material as yoLrcan before routing the dovetail. If pre-cuttingproves impractical.proceed s l o w l y w i t h t h e d o v e t a i lb i t , b a c k i n g i t completely out of the cut fiequently to clear chips and debris from the slot.

Writtenby Dave Campbell with Chuck Hedlund Baldwin Photography Photographs: Drawinqs:Brian Jensen

24

W O O D m a g a z i n e O c t o b e r2 0 0 0

I

tre internet Note:Wehaveeditedall entriesin theinterestof brevityandclarity 1pinions whilepreserving theintentof theoriginalmessage. herearethoseof ouronlineparticipants. expressed

What is whitewood? I owesandHomeDepotsell

l-what they call whitewood. Just what is this? | bought some to make shelves for my wife and picked the straightest boards I could find. By the time I made the shelves, they were crowned even more than those that I rejected at the home center. -W. C.TurnefHopkinsville, Ky o W.C., at my local Home Depot, the whitewoodsectioncontainslumber that is stampedwith its speciesname.It will

be eitherLP (lodgepolepine) or PP that could be any number of pine soft(ponderosapine). I have neverseen woodsfeaturinga light color. -HowardAcheson, Asheville, N.C. unstampedsoftwoodat this store. The grade of wood is somethingelse you needto be awareof when purchasing wood. Read R. Bruce Hoadley's Understanding Wood from Taunton Press.You can order this book at your local book store.At www.amazon.com the book sellsfor $24.46,plus shipping. It will tell you all you need to know about purchasingwood. Incidentally, Lowes' whitewood, according to a spokesperson,is a form of white pine

What's the best uray to stop burn marks in cherrV? Cr omeone told D *" I should adjust my tablesaw fence so the back of the blade is t/se"further away than the front of the blade to keep it from burning cherry as I cut it. Should I always make cuts with the fence on the same side of the blade?

! I i i i i i i ; i i

r I usea FreudGlueJointrip blade andu leavesanecigethathasno marks whatsoever. It cutshardwoods effortlesslyandalmostnoiselessly, too.It doesnot crosscut well,but is not designed for this,either.I havecut a lot of cherryon my Craftsmancontractor sawandhavehadonly a few instances of burning.I think yourblade is thecause,or youarefeedingthe woodtoo slowly,or both.Try replac-

i ing your blade with a dedicatedripping

i bna" of highqualityandseeif the ; burningstops.

Whichshould I adjust:the blade i or the fenceto be t/sz"further i

--Hugh Hadfield,FairviewHeights,lll,

away? By the wdy, I have the i r Firstmakesurethefenceis parallel Ridgid tablesaw, the one with i with theblade.Lock thefencein place *d measure the cast-iron wings. thedistance from the i -PhilPeterson, Paint,lnd. Crown i fenceto oneof themiterslotsat sever-

al locations.Now do the samewith the saw blade. Crank the blade all the way up, then measurefrom the miter slot to just inside the teeth on the front and back of the blade. Turn the blade a quarter of a turn and measurefrom the miter slot to the front and back of the blade again. Keep doing this until you completea full rotation of the blade. If there is variation in the measurement. then the blade might be bent or the arbor is out of alignment.Now run a piece of cherry or other wood through the saw; if the wood burns again check to seeif the fence is still parallel. Sometimesthe fence will move when you rip a piecebecauseit is not anchoredproperly. If the wood still burns, then get a dedicatedrip blade. -John Minichiello,Fairport,N.Y. Continued on page 28

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WOOD magazine

October 2000

Itr

E internet Continued from page 26

Urgently seeking a way to remove candle wax n 11y daughterburnedsome lUl candlesand left wax on my wood dresser-no finish,just stained-and I'm afraidto scrapeit off for fear of leaving scratchmarks.I havea large areaof dried candlewax.Any suggestions?

r Try putting ice on the wax. The cold will make it hard and shrink it slightly. This may be enoughto loosen it so that

YoucanmerelY t:; ffi;

",

ftamon, catir.

r Use someturpentineto soften the wax so you can take it off. It won't harm any finish, except a "wax finish." *Mac Simmons, Massapequa, N.Y

- CorinneDavidsan, PalosVerdes, Calif.

Build a seruiceable router table from materials you have on hand completedconstructinga I iust I router table and wanted to share my procedure.lf you have ever wanted a router table, but thought everythingout there was too small or too expensiven here's what I did. First, I made the carcase out ol 2x4s to give it strength and mass. This cost about $18. Next, I made a double-thick top out of 3/+"plywood 27x40" with a nice yellow Formicasurface.ljust happened to have these materials lying around. Most woodworkers will have access to these or get them free. Let's say the cost of these are $25. I wanted a quality router insert that hinged for ease of changing bits. I recommend the Excaliburmodel EXRTA.[SommervilleDesign has discontinuedthis product but a company representative says they plan to reintroduce a modified version by the time this article appears.Call 18.I 8A01357-41 The next step was to have a miter slot, I bought an aluminum miter track for $15. My fence is

28

(800/635-3416),installedan external power switch, and addeddust collection. There are lockablecasterson the standthat let it move in my small shop and also be usedlike yours as a tablesaw extensiontable.I did build my fencefrom someoak lumber I pur*DavidB.Gessner, Seattle chased.The fenceis facedwith sliding panelsmadefrom doublelayersof Vz" o I mademy routertable last year for Baltic birch plywood facedwith the about$10 in materials.The tabletop samelaminateas the top. They slide was a dumpster-divingfind, so my on T-Bolts. I took the basicfence costswere for the 2x4s to hold it designfrom one of the routerbooksin together,screwsand a few buckspaid my library and madesmall changesto to a glassshopfor a Vt" acrylicbase accommodatemv 36x24" table. plate for the router. It is definitely of Pa. JimBecketBensalem, the "glue and screw" side of woodworking-no fine caseworkthere.And r My shopis small (12x20'),so everyjob. it ain't pretty,but it doesa good thing hasto be mobile.I built my Looking back, I would buy Vz"acrylic routertable into my tablesawassemplasticinsteadof the t/+".lhave a small bly. First, I movedthe right table routerso it isn't a problem,but if I buy extensionto the extremeleft whereit fits nicely.In its place,I built my somethingbigger,it won't supportit. -Bill Schreiber. Litchfield, N.H. routertable of two 7+"MDF sheets with Formicatop, and fitted an extero I usedan old microwavestand/cabinal switch.This arrangementallows net for a supportstructure.It saveda me to usemy tablesawfenceand lot of tirne and providedstorage.My miter slots.It alsogivesme a full 70" top is two layersof -74"MDF capped of tabletopsurface,and savesme with laminateand edgedwith someoak room in the shop.l -GlynHowell, strips.I usedthe Rousseauinsert Fernie, B.C.

home-constructedfrom scrap materials.That's it! A huge router table that doubles as a tablesawextensiontable for $150.I looked for six years before building this project in only a weekend.

WOOD magazine

October 2000

-t

"dFAIFu$ihop

make new parts fromdld With basictoolsand patience, you can re-createwhat time and wear havestolenaway catcha glimpseof a wonderful V"" rocking chair at an auctionor in lold the back room of an antiquestore,and you get excited.When you look closer, disappointmentsetsin: One of the rockers is gone,or a slat, or a stretcher. Don't despair.A woodworkercan find a way to replacemost standardfurniture partsandsomespecializedones,too. In many cases,the pieceof furniture will have surviving pans that matchthe missingone.That's oftentrue with rockers,chair arms,knobs,or drawerpulls. Use one of thoseoriginals as a patternfor ftacing or measuring,aswe've donewith the chair arm in the photoshere. Sometimesyou canfiace a part without removingit. But if you haveto take it off, rememberthat denaturedalcohol dissolveshide glue, commonlyusedin preWorld War tr furniture. Vinegar or wann water helpsdissolvethe white or yellow gluefoundin newerjoints. If the missingpart wasthe only oneof its kind, that's anotherstory.You'll have to makean educatedguessaboutits 'dimensions andappearance. The design of the furniture shouldoffer someclues.

Varnishlinescansuggestthe missing part'sbasicshape.Also, you might find photosor illusftationsof similar piecesin furniture referencebooks. Here's oneexampleof how to copy a part that still exists.We madean arrn to replacethe onethat wasmissingfrom the simplerocking chair shownabove.These basicstepsand Similarprocedureswill get you throughmany suchrepairjobs. First,mill a pieceof stockthat'svery closeto the right thicknessand slightly

oversizedin the areaswhereyou'll cut it to shape.Next, form the tenonthatjoins the arm to the chair's back. You candrill into mating piecesandjoin them with a dowel,but you'll get a strongerjoint by cutting a tenon.We drilled into the end of our blank with a s/s"plug cutter mounted in the drill press,then cut awaythe waste at the bandsaw,asshownfu\ow. Carefully fracethe shapeof your template pieceonto your stockwith a sharp pencil. Cut closeto that line with a bandContinued on page 32

Onceyou'vepinpointed therightlocation for a tenon,themillingworkgoesquickly.

WOOD magazine

October 2000

Dust free

the furniture

repair shop Continuedfrom page 30

make new parts from trld

woodworking

FilterInside

FORONLY

$65900il#r:;; FlexHose& 35 gal.Barrel$29m Optionalwallmountbrackets$28m

Bandsaw closeenoughto tracedlinesto keep yoursanding timeto a minimum.

Oneida

saw,asin the photoabove,thensandto the line with a drum sander.We tapered the arm at the stationarybelt sander. Filter Efficiency The biggestchallengein this repair was 1-2microns99% 2-5 microns100% finding the correctanglefor the hole that over5 microns100% receivesthe supportpost.Again, we 1001W.Fayette (315)476-5151 NY13204Phone St. Fax(315)476-5044 relied upon the surviving arm. We placed it on a tilting table on the drill press,and kept adjustingthe table angleuntil a sl"

Call1-800-732-4065 vvvvw.oneida-air.com

Forstnerbit ran smoothlyin and out of the hole. Then we put the new arm on the tableanddrilled a hole,as seenbelow.If you don't havean adjustabletable,cut a wedgeof wood at the appropriateangleto supportthe workpiece. All that remainedwas to easethe edges with a /+" round-overbit in a router.A rubbermat on the workbenchheld the arm in placedtiring that operation.fl Written byJimPollock withBenVonRuden Photographs:Baldwin Photography

It takesa properlysized,properlyangledhole to produce a long-lasting tenonjoint.

WOOD magazine

October 2000

tips

*h*s *xss"q*r ^4. AsBrwf of hispeftnnance,Top ShW Tip winnerPaul Parter rcceiresa Hihrlri GI0FGD dualbevel compound mibrsaw. Ttunksfurfie lig Faul!

PaulFafiercrcsed a biryde seat p6t with a rurbr ald carm

upwith ttrisissn's TopShopfrp honorc. A fter earning his bachelor's degree from the .f-l,University of SouthwesternLouisiana and his master's from Texas A&M, Paul Parker's education is about to pay off. Sure, his job as a mechanical stressanalyst at Boeing in Houston, Texas, probably has its perks. But it was his senior project at USLbuilding a bicycle-that inspired the tip (at right) that won him this issue's Top Shop Tip tool pnze. "I don't do much woodworking myself, but when I do, I go over to my dad's place. He's got all the tools," he chuckles. Well, Paul, here's a mitersaw to get you started on your own shop. Thanks for the tip. You don't need to have a fancy diploma to win our Top Shop Tip honors, just a darned good idea. If we like your suggestion,we'll pay you $75 for it. If we really really like it, we could award you a tool prize worth at least $250. Send your tips, along with photos or sketchesand a daytime phone number to: Tips From Your Shop (and Ours) WOOD@Magazine 1716 Locust St, GA-310 Des Moines, IA 5030!r-3023 Or submit your tips online by posting them to our Top Shop Tip discussion group at www.woodmagazine.com. Sorry, but we can't return the materials you submit. And, we try to publish only original tips, so please send them only to WOOD magazine. Thanks!

D'-fu(

WOODWORKINGPRODUCTSEDITOR

lShbil \tin7

Seat-post haste inspires rapid router release

Ltt

While usingmy father'stable-mounted router recently,I grew frustratedwith the height-lockingknob.The routerusesa wing-boltand nut that clampsthe routerbaseto the motor,and I had to usea pliers to tightenand loosenthe bolt. Not an easytask,especiallyunderthe table. So I replacedthe wing bolt and nut with a seat-postquickreleasefrom a bicycle store,as shownbelow. (If you do this, makesureyou specifya seat-postquick-release, becausethe modelsdesignedfor attachingwheelsare too long.) Slip the quick-release's skewerinto the base,and fingertighten the nut until the handlesticks straightout in the unlockedposition.That orientationis important,becauseif the handleis too high, locking it down could damageyour router; if it hangs,the cam won't hold fast. -Paul Parker,WebsteLTexas

This tip doesn't even begin to scratch the surface When tacking the stops around a fragile pane of glass (in a cabinet door, for instance), it's not hard to scratch the glass, or worse yet, break it. To overcome this potential problem, I attach a piece of card stock to one side of my tack hammer with double-faced tape (as shown below). Not only does the card stock protect the glass, but by using different thicknesses, I can make the face of the hammer parallel to the nail head, lessening the likelihood of bending the nail. -R.8. Himes, Vienna,Ohio Tack hammer

Cardboard attached with double-facedtape Continued on page 36

34

WOOD magazine

October 2000

tips

sn*t] .ffi=:;"ilr

Continuedfrom page 34

s0uRsfftE,YOu GITGUSNOffiE]TIO ilIilPISO]PNUTGIS

thonghtfullyplacedon pegPoad

Auriliary mitersaw fence goes beyond

450

While installing cabinets, I neededto miter-cut some pieces to a 57" angle. Unfortunately,my mitersaw only goes to 45", so I had to find anotherway to get the angle. I made a jig in the shapeof a speedsquarefrom 34" plywood, and clamped it to my mitersaw fence, as shown below. My new auxiliary fence now allows me to cut anglesover 45o. The new fence is at a right angle to the saw's miter scale,so to get the correct angle,I subtracted57' (the angleI needed) from 90". I then setthe miter angleto that difference(33"), clampedthe stock to the auxiliary fence,and cut.

A neat way to fill nail dimples After I milled some custom oak molding, then stained and finished it to match the existing woodwork, I wanted to avoid the inevitable blemishes from wood filler used to hide countersunk finish nails. My solution: Place a small piece of masking tape at each point you want to nail. Drive and countersink nails through the tape,then apply wood filler. When you peel off the tape, you'll find a perfectly round spot, with no dulling of the surrounding area.This technique works anytime you need to nail prefinished wood. -Jams

Vasi, Williamsville, N. Y.

-Sfeye Hodge, Alexander City, Ala.

]loblfts and crafts. Twocraftprojectsare rarelythesame.The mwable side trEs are designedto adapt to best suit yourcunent prciect

Jig clampedto mitersawfence Stock clampedto jig

HoilE fixrp prutects. Younarer krpnt wtrichtools you'llneedforthe nextfixrpjob. So we've provided5 draners and 9,846 cu. in. of spaceto holda wide vadetyof tools, parts and supplies.

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3/+"plywood

THE GOOD LIFE ATA CREATPRICE GUARANTEEDs^'

Continued on page 38

36

WOOD magazine

October 2000

Continued from page 36

Scrollsaw patterns from the office supply store For makingyour own self-adhesive scrollsawpatterns,buy pressuresensitive label sheetsat the office supply store.They comein sizesfrom small mailing-labelsup to &Vzxll" solid sheets.Simply transferyour patternto the label sheet(by hand,photocopier,or computerprinter),cut it out, and affix it to your workpiece. And, if you havea computer,make sureyou take a look throughthe officesupplystore'sbargainbin while you're therepicking up the labels.You're boundto find dozensof clip-art CDROMs chock-fullof scrollsaw-ready drawingsfor next to nothing. -Ron Seto,fromtheWOOD OwLTNE@ group TopShopTipdiscussion

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