Popular Woodworking

TOOLS RUN BETTER ON 240-VOLT POWER – WE PROVE IT
SPECIAL BONUS SECTION: COMPLETE GUIDE TO PLUNGE ROUTERS

NOVEMBER 2003
ISSUE #137
PERFECT
TABLE SAW
19 Simple Steps
to Better-than-new
Performance
Arts & Crafts
Occasional Table
Crazy Rabbet Joint is
Your Secret Weapon
PLUS
•Why You Need a Shoulder Plane
• 5 Easy Finishes for Feisty Pine
• We Make the Case for Wine
popwood.com
$4.99 U.S. $7.99 CAN
1 1> TOOL TEST:
We Punish 12 Jigsaws;
3 Live to Tell the Tale
0 71486 01355 6
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• PRECISION GROUND CAST IRON TABLE: 14" X 14" 2 HP, SINGLE-PHASE, 60 HZ, 110V/220V TEFC CAPACITOR START INDUCTION,
• 2 SPEEDS: 1500 & 3200 FPM • PRECISION GROUND CAST • PRECISION GROUND CAST IRON
• CUTTING CAPACITY/THROAT: 131⁄2" IRON TABLE: 17" X 17" X 11⁄2" THICK TABLE: 19" X 19" X 11⁄2" THICK
• MAXIMUM CUTTING HEIGHT: 6" • CUTTING CAPACITY HEIGHT: 12" • CUTTING CAPACITY LEFT OF BLADE: 181⁄4"
• CUTTING CAPACITY LEFT OF BLADE: 161⁄4" • CUTTING CAPACITY HEIGHT: 12"
• QUICK CHANGE BLADE
• WHEELS ARE FULLY-BALANCED CAST • 2 SPEEDS: 1700, 3600 FPM
RELEASE/TENSIONING
ALUMINUM WITH RUBBER TIRES • BLADE SIZE: 143" X 1⁄8" - 11⁄4"
• TABLE TILT: 45° RIGHT, 10° LEFT • DELUXE EXTRUDED ALUMINUM RIP FENCE • QUICK CHANGE BLADE RELEASE/TENSIONING
• FENCE: DELUXE EXTRUDED ALUMINUM • BLADE GUIDES: EURO-STYLE ROLLER DISC • WHEELS ARE FULLY-BALANCED CAST
• WHEELS: FULLY BALANCED CAST • BLADE SIZE: 132" X 1⁄8" - 1" (STANDARD 1⁄2") ALUMINUM WITH POLYURETHANE TIRES
ALUMINUM WITH RUBBER TIRES • 2 SPEEDS: 1600, 3300 FPM • DELUXE EXTRUDED ALUMINUM RIP FENCE
• BLADE SIZE: 921⁄2" - 931⁄2" • 4" DUST PORT X 2 • BLADE GUIDES: ROLLER DISC
(1⁄4" TO 3⁄4" WIDE) • TABLE TILT 10° LEFT, 45° RIGHT • BLADE TENSION INDICATOR
• BALL BEARING BLADE GUIDES • QUICK CHANGE BLADE RELEASE/TENSIONING • MICRO ADJUSTING GEAR TABLE
• 4" DUST PORT WITH BLADE TENSIONER INDICATOR • 4" DUST PORT X 2
• HEIGHT FROM FLOOR TO TABLE: 371⁄2" • TABLE TILT 10° LEFT, 45° RIGHT
• INCLUDES ONE 3⁄8" BLADE
• APPROXIMATE SHIPPING WEIGHT: 321 LBS. • APPROXIMATE SHIPPING
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• MAX. CUTTING WIDTH: 121⁄2" • CUTTERHEAD SPEED: 5000 RPM • NUMBER OF KNIVES: 3 HSS • CUTTERHEAD SPEED: 4833 RPM
• MAX. CUTTING DEPTH: 1⁄16" • RATE OF FEED: 16 FPM & 20 FPM • ALL BALL BEARING CONSTRUCTION • RATE OF FEED: 16 FPM & 20 FPM
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• REQUIRES SINGLE-PHASE, 220V • TABLE SIZE: 201⁄4" X 18" • 3" SPINDLE TRAVEL
ELECTRICAL AND 50-70 PSI AIR. • SPINDLE OPENINGS: 13⁄8",
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2003 GRIZZLY CATALOG!
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contents
IN EVERY ISSUE
18 Filtering Without Fumbling

TRICKS OF THE TRADE
A coffee maker inspires the perfect way to filter finishes.
Also, find out the ideal way to make a zero-clearance
throat insert, and learn how to make the ultimate tool for
cleaning the bottoms of your mortises.
26 Low-angle Jack Plane

ENDURANCE TEST
26 This Lie-Nielsen tool is well-made, simple to set up and 18
quite possibly the perfect plane.
28 Fisch’s Belt/Disc Sander

TOOL TEST
This machine is designed for woodworking, not metal-
working. Also reviewed: new Ashley Iles chisels and
Festool’s mini-vacuum.
32 Heading for the Hills

GREAT WOODSHOPS
After years of teaching at a prominent woodworking
36 school, Lonnie Bird opened his own school at the foot
of the Great Smokey Mountains.
36 Living on the Edge

POWER-TOOL JOINERY
The edge joint is simple to learn, easy to master and one
of the most fundamental joints to all woodworking.
By Bill Hylton
28
40 Wooden Spokeshaves
FROM THE BENCH
These tools are unbeatable at smoothing curves. Learn
how to buy a vintage tool and set it up properly.
By Don McConnell
49 Plunge Routers
WOODWORKING ESSENTIALS
Our seven-part series on routers continues with every-
thing you need to know about choosing and operating
a plunge router. Second of seven chapters.
By Nick Engler
32
Popular Woodworking (ISSN 0884-8823, USPS 752-250) is published seven times a year in February, April, June, August,
October, November and December by F&W Publications Inc. Editorial and advertising offices are located at 4700 E. Galbraith
Road., Cincinnati, OH 45236; tel.: 513-531-2222. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and artwork should include ample
postage on a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE); otherwise they will not be returned. Subscription rates: A year’s
subscription (7 issues) is $28; outside of U.S add $7/year ■ Canada Publications Mail Agreement No. 40025316. Canadian return
address: 2744 Edna St., Windsor, ON N8Y 1V2 ■ Copyright © 2003 by Popular Woodworking. Periodicals postage paid at
Cincinnati, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send all address changes to Popular Woodworking, P.O. Box 40
5369, Harlan, IA 51593 Canada GST Reg. # R122594716 ■ Produced and printed in the U.S.A.
popwood.com 3
PROJECTS, TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
44 Limbert Tabourette
This historical reproduction of a rare table
is easier to build than it looks, thanks to an
unusual rabbet.
44
ON THE COVER
57 Table Saw Tune-up
Make your table saw better than factory-fresh
with our easy-to-use guide to tweak your
The curves and cutouts machine to perfection.
of the Limbert #238 By Paul Anthony
occasional table
suggest it’s a project
best left to the masters.
64 Hanging Cupboard
Mix an 18th-century design with some finely
But don’t believe it. A crafted details and you have a great project
dose of cleverness and for almost any skill level of woodworker.
a nail gun can take you By Glen Huey
a long way with this
fun project.
57
Cover photo by Al Parrish
DEPARTMENTS
70 Essential Shoulder Plane
Learn to set up and use one of the greatest
joint-fitting tools ever made.
8 Out on a Limb By Lonnie Bird
Congratulations!
You’re an Artist!
74 A Case for Wine
10 Letters Using CAD software, dovetails and some
Mail from readers creative half-laps, we found a way to get the
most wine storage out of the smallest space.
14 Q&A
We answer readers’
most difficult questions 78 The Truth about 240V
Finally, the last word in the raging debate about
98 Flexner 240-volt power. This short article is all you’ll
on Finishing ever need to know.
The Pine Problem By Kara Gebhart & Greg Hyland
101 Caption
the Cartoon 74
Win an Amana
slot-cutting system
104 Out of the 82 Orbital Jigsaws

Woodwork
Hands and Mind
We took 12 saws around harsh curves and
by Gerry Holzman down brutal straightaways to find the
smoothest, most-powerful tool.
90 Bowls Without Turning

An egg slicer and a little work in CAD inspire
an easy-to-build and eye-catching bowl – all
without a lathe!
By Kara Gebhart & John Hutchinson 82
4 POPULAR WOODWORKING November 2003

MEASURE. SQUARE. MEASURE. CUT.
Or get a Biesemeyer fence and just cut.
When it comes
to speed and
accuracy, nothing
beats a Biesemeyer.
Our fence is accurate to
1/64", and cuts sawing time
by nearly 80%. So if more work
with less guesswork sounds good
to you, remember the fence famous
for precision and dependability.
BIESEMEYER
WWW.BIESEMEYER.COM • 1.800.782.1831
®
November 2003, Vol. 23, No. 6

popwood.com
Editorial Offices 513-531-2690
Editor & Publisher Steve Shanesy
ext. 1238 • steve.shanesy@fwpubs.com
Art Director Linda Watts
ext. 1396 • linda.watts@fwpubs.com
Executive Editor Christopher Schwarz
ext. 1407 • chris.schwarz@fwpubs.com
Senior Editor David Thiel
ext. 1255 • david.thiel@fwpubs.com
Associate Editor Kara Gebhart
ext. 1348 • kara.gebhart@fwpubs.com
Associate Editor Michael A. Rabkin
ext. 1327 • michael.rabkin@fwpubs.com
Project Illustrator John Hutchinson
Photographer Al Parrish
Contributing Editors
Nick Engler, Bob Flexner, Glen Huey,
Don McConnell, Troy Sexton
Magazine Group Head David Hoguet
Executive Vice President Magazine Advertising
Jim Gleim
CIRCULATION
Lynn Kruetzkamp, Group Circulation Manager
PRODUCTION
Barbara Schmitz, Vice President
Vicki Whitford, Production Supervisor
ADVERTISING
Don Schroder, Advertising Director
331 N. Arch St., Allentown, PA 18104
Tel. 610-821-4425; Fax 610-821-7884
d.schroder@verizon.net
Marketplace/Classified Advertising Sales
Barbara J. Gasper
6552 Kings Highway S., Zionsville, PA 18092
Tel./Fax 610-967-1330
bjgasper@entermail.net
Advertising Production Coordinator
Debbie Thomas, Tel. 513-531-2690 ext. 1219
debbie.thomas@fwpubs.com
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES: Subscription inquiries,

orders and address changes can be made at
popwood.com (click on “Subscriber Services”).
Or by mail: Popular Woodworking, P.O. Box 5369,
Harlan, IA 51593. Or call 800-888-6880 or 515-280-1721.
Include your address with all inquiries.
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Send check or money order to: Popular Woodworking Back Issues,
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SAFETY NOTE:
Safety is your responsibility. Manufacturers place
safety devices on their equipment for a reason. In
many photos you see in Popular Woodworking,
these have been removed to provide clarity. In
some cases we’ll use an awkward body position so
you can better see what’s being demonstrated.
Don’t copy us. Think about each procedure you’re
going to perform beforehand. Safety First!

CUT. GLOAT. REPEAT. INTRODUCING OUR TWINLASER MITER SAW
For precision and speed, nothing can touch our new TwinLaser™ Compound Miter Saw. Because the TwinLaser™
system shows the exact line of cut on either side of the blade kerf, at any angle, with or without the blade in
motion. It’s even bright enough for outdoor use. You might have even seen it on New Yankee Workshop with
Norm Abram. Call 800-438-2486 (US), 800-463-3582 (Canada) or visit deltamachinery.com for a free catalog.
Your achievement. Our tools.

OUT ON A L IMB CONTRIBUTORS
PAUL ANTHONY
A woodworker for almost 30 years, Paul
Congratulations! Anthony got his start making router-carved

wall mirrors and planter boxes on a show
circuit in San Diego. The Pennsylvanian
is now working on a “hybrid traditional
You’re an Artist bench” for his 700-square-foot shop be-

cause he not only works
there, but he teaches
classes as well. He is
putting an end vise with
I n case you don’t follow the New York mu-

seum world, the American Craft Museum
recently changed its name to the Museum
“art” or “studio” furniture. At the very least,
the new label has probably helped some com-
mand a higher price for their work.
the wooden jaw ex-
tending completely
across one end of the
of Arts and Design (MAD). And that’s how Interestingly, Sam Maloof, an American “heavy mother” of a
I felt (MAD) when I read about it. icon of finely crafted furniture, has openly bench, and converting a face vise for the
I always thought art was art and craft was rejected the title “artist” or “art furniture” other end. For his students, though, he
craft and there was a real distinction. I was to describe his work. When referred to as an has another project lined up. “One of the
perfectly willing to accept my work as craft, “artist,” Maloof respectfully expresses his first things that I always have my students
even defend it, leaving art to reach for, if not preference for the moniker “woodworker,” make is a crosscut sled, because the stock
always attain, a higher plane. a modest title he wears with pride. (Maloof miter gauge that comes with most table
But the people who now run MAD have was a long-time associate of the museum and saws just doesn’t do it.” Check out Anthony’s
concluded that art has evolved and the expressed dismay at the name change.) advice about what every table-saw owner
distinction between art and craft has blurred. Reading about the name change made me must do to keep the machine in tip-top
They may be right, and I’ll leave the aca- sad and mad because it’s another nail in the shape in “Table Saw Tune-up” on page 57.
demic and semantic debate to those who coffin of the respectability of craft.
know more about the subject than me. Instead of getting angry, perhaps we wood-
But I think there may be other things at workers also should “evolve” and adopt the
LONNIE BIRD
Lonnie Bird, who specializes in period fur-
work in the name change. I wonder if in title of artist. Some real good could come of
niture, has been woodworking for about
today’s world “craft” has come to mean some- it. Strangers who learn that we are artists
30 years. His first piece of furniture (a jun-
thing a little too shabby, a little too “crafty” might wander up to us at parties or backyard
ior high school shop project) was a little
for the people operating the museum. Do barbecues and ask our thoughts on impor-
stool built out of solid
they believe a museum dedicated to art and tant, esoteric subjects. Members of the op-
white pine with splayed
design (even though the museum collections posite sex might look at us in a whole new
legs. Today, he’s build-
and exhibits won’t change) will sell more way. It could be great. But what I haven’t fig-
ing a reproduction 1810
tickets? Unfortunately, they probably will. ured out yet is how wearing black clothes all
turned-post bunk bed
Not that it’s all their fault, but as an institu- the time will ever work in a dusty shop. PW
(yes, bunk beds exist-
tion supporting craft, they failed to defend
ed back then) for his
“craft” as something worthwhile.
daughters. He’s also
Some in our woodworking community
building each of them a chest of draw-
have contributed to the demise of the term Steve Shanesy
ers. When asked how large his shop is, he
craft, feeling the need to label their work as Editor & Publisher
says “To be quite honest, I just don’t know.”
[Editor’s note: It’s huge.] When building
projects, his favorite tool to work with
Come Visit our Booth at the WoodWorks 2003 Shows this Fall and Winter
is his Lie-Nielsen No. 41⁄ 2 bench plane
We’re packing our tools and country’s top woodworkers with a York pitch (50°). “The Essential
heading to the WoodWorks (such as Frank Klausz, left). Shoulder Plane” begins on page 70.
shows. The first event starts Also, many exhibitors actively
Oct. 10 in Indianapolis. Come demonstrate the newest
by our booth, check out some products right in their booth. Our Privacy Promise to You
great deals on woodworking You can’t help but learn a lot We make portions of our customer list available to
books and then sign up to and have a good time. Be carefully screened companies that offer products
win a great prize! sure and bring a buddy. Visit and services we believe you may enjoy. If you do
What makes WoodWorks woodworks2003.com for a not want to receive offers and/or information,
events special (in addition to the great deals complete rundown on the shows, dates and please let us know by contacting us at:
List Manager, F & W Publications,
on tools) are the free demonstrations by the free demonstrations. See you there!
4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236

LETTERS
Haven’t We Seen
That Trick Before?
T
here’s a
Woodcraft University
Sure It’s a Nice Trick, But Didn’t
Someone Else Write About it Once?
able cost, but the engineer said he could
do it himself. So he measured the depth of
Your winning Trick of the Trade “Make Your the carpet to see how much he would need
location near you Table Saw Double as an Edge Jointer” (August to trim off the door, took the door down,
Alabama New York 2003), submitted by Cory Torppa, was ac- measured the amount and drew a line.
Birmingham Area Rochester
North Carolina
tually first published in the January/February He remembered that if you took a sharp
Arizona
Tempe Charlotte Area 1992 issue of ShopNotes magazine. Assuming instrument and scored the line, the veneer
Tucson Raleigh
Ohio
this is merely a coincidence, I don’t think wouldn’t splinter. He made his cut – no splin-
California
Sacramento Cincinnati Area he should profit by winning a piece of ex- tering this time. Good!
San Francisco Bay Area Cleveland Area
Santa Rosa Columbus Area pensive equipment. If I, as a casual reader of He re-hung the door and swung it open,
Colorado Dayton woodworking magazines, could spot this du- but it still dragged on the carpet. He took
Colorado Springs Oklahoma
Denver Oklahoma City plication, then shouldn’t your editorial staff the door down again and went through the
Connecticut Tulsa be able to pick it out as well? same procedure again and removed anoth-
Hartford Area Oregon
New Haven Area Eugene Keith Ferguson er strip of wood.
Florida Portland Area Vancouver, British Columbia He re-hung the door again and guess what?
Casselberry Pennsylvania
Clearwater Harrisburg It still dragged the same amount.
Jacksonville Philadelphia Area Editor’s note: You obviously have a sharp eye He stepped back and asked himself, “What
Georgia Pittsburgh Area
Atlanta Area Rhode Island
and memory. If you’ve been reading wood- did I do wrong?” Then he noticed the gap at
Hawaii East Greenwich working magazines that long, you’ve probably the top of the door. He’s never lived this down.
Honolulu South Carolina
Charleston
seen how few new “tricks” there are in the world. Edward H. Daniel Jr.
Idaho
Boise Tennessee There is some duplication and repetition, but I Davenport, Iowa
Knoxville
Illinois
Nashville
doubt there is outright plagiarization.
Palatine
Peoria Texas Mr. Torppa’s trick is one I’ve seen suggest- Drilling Correct Size in a Scrap Piece
Austin
Indiana
Dallas Area
ed before. And as it is akin to offsetting the out- Can Help Enlarge that Hole
Evansville
Indianapolis Fort Worth feed fence on your shaper or router table, it would I enjoyed your article “The 16 Dumbest
Houston
Iowa San Antonio be no surprise if several people came up with the Woodworking Mistakes,” though I haven’t
West Des Moines
Utah same idea for their table saw independently. It ever made any of them. Here’s another way
Kansas Salt Lake City Area
Lenexa
Virginia
was the best trick among the entries submitted to correct #9 (“You Drill a Large Hole that
Kentucky Richmond for that issue and we have no reason to think is Too Small”): Drill a piece of scrap with the
Louisville Washington D.C. Area
Maryland Washington
Mr. Torppa lifted the idea from another maga- continued on page 12
Towson Seattle zine, so his winning entry stands as-is.
Massachusetts West Virginia
Woburn Parkersburg
— Christopher Schwarz, executive editor
Michigan Wisconsin WRITE TO US
Canton
Sterling Heights
Appleton/Fox Cities Area
Madison
Yet Another Dumb Mistake – Make Popular Woodworking welcomes letters from
Minnesota Milwaukee Area Sure You Know Top from Bottom readers with comments about the magazine
Bloomington Woodworker’s Club: I have a 17th item to add to your article, or woodworking in general. We try to
Missouri Connecticut
St. Louis Area Norwalk “The 16 Dumbest Woodworking Mistakes” respond to all correspondence. Published
New Hampshire Maryland (August 2003). letters may be edited for length or style. All
Portsmouth Area Rockville
New Mexico A co-worker of mine (an engineer) was letters become the property of Popular
Albuquerque telling me about his weekend project re- Woodworking. How to send your letter:
cently. He had new carpeting installed in his • E-mail: popwood@fwpubs.com
• Fax: 513-891-7196
living room, but the front door dragged on
• Mail carrier:
the carpet and, if left that way, it would even-
For your local woodcraft store, Letters • Popular Woodworking
tually wear on the carpet. 4700 E. Galbraith Road
visit www.woodcraft.com,
The carpet installer said he knew some- Cincinnati, OH 45236
or for a free catalog, call
one who could modify the door at a reason-
800 542-9115
Dept.03PW11BE
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LETTERS
continued from page 10
larger size bit. Eyeball the new hole exactly

concentric to the smaller hole and clamp
it to your workpiece. Then use the scrap as
a “drill bushing” to drill your new bigger hole.
This method avoids messing around with fit-
ting a plug and marking the center.
Paul M. Burri
Goleta, California

Editor’s note: This tip lets you fix the mistake
rather quickly. We’ve even done it this way be-
fore. But if you need your hole to be precisely
located, we still prefer our method of cutting the
square plug (which you can easily mark the cen-
ter of) and pounding it into the hole.
ET200™
My Jointer is Missing the Safety Guard;
Is it Possible to Get a Replacement?
DRIVES 4 SIZES Someone recently gave me an Atlas 6" join-
ter built by Atlas Press Co. in Kalamazoo,
OF NAILS WITH Mich. I’m not sure when it was made, but it
NO EFFORT is old. The model number is 6001 and the

serial number is O13640. To get it running
required only a new switch.
䡲 Comfortable But it is missing the safety guard. Can I
Ergonomic
Styling with DRIVES4
DIFFERENT SIZE
find an original safety guard or would one
Cushioned BRAD NAILS UP TO from another brand work? Also, are the knives
Non-Slip
Grip. 11/4”LONG standard or will I have trouble finding them?
Levon Doggett
Tifton, Georgia
Editor’s note: With the large number of older

machines (and bargains) available, it’s nearly
impossible to have information on all the brands.
When a question such as yours comes up we rely
䡲 Trigger and on a large pool of your fellow woodworkers who
Surface frequent a web site and discussion group called
Safety Locks. 䡲 New Heavy Duty
Old Woodworking Machines. We’ve had great
Nail Driving success finding information on obscure machines
Power with
䡲 Non-Marring Built-in 10’ Cord. and parts, and we’re sure they’ll be able to help
Bumper. you online at oldwwmachines.com.PW
CLARIFICATION
Popular Woodworking corrects all significant
errors. For a list of corrections to the
Available at home centers, lumber yards magazine, or to report one, please visit our
and hardware stores, wherever fine tools are sold. web site at popwood.com and click on
“Magazine Extras.”
• In the “Lusting for Lumber” article (August
2003) we mentioned a special paint that
reduces checking in wood as it air-dries. This
sealer is item #125305, available from
Arrow Fastener Co., Inc., 271 Mayhill Street, Saddle Brook, New Jersey 07663 Woodcraft, 800-225-1153 or woodcraft.com.
Canada: Jardel Distributors, Inc., 6505 Metropolitan Blvd. East, Montreal, Quebec H1P 1X9
United Kingdom: Arrow Fastener (U.K.) Ltd., Unit 5 ZK Park, 23 Commerce Way, Croydon CR0 4ZS, Surrey
www.arrowfastener.com Rev.1002

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Q&A
Left-tilt Table Saws:

Are They Just Hype?
Gorilla Brand Premium Glue is the all Is There Any Reason to Buy a Left-tilt
purpose, interior/exterior glue ideal for Table Saw Instead of a Right-tilt One?
most repair and bonding needs. It’s I’m finally taking the plunge and getting a
great for indoor/outdoor table saw and have noticed many of the
furniture repair, woodworking higher-end saws offer a left-tilt version.
projects, as well as general
What are the major advantages/disad-
repairs around the house.
vantages of a blade that tilts left instead of
Bonds wood, stone, metal,
ceramic and more!
right? I assume there is a big safety advan-
Incredibly strong and tage because the blade will tilt away from
100% waterproof. the fence, right?
Jay Oppenheim
Columbia, South Carolina
Illustration by Hayes Shanesy

Tilting the blade away from the fence is one
advantage, but it actually presents itself as a
safer way to work because of where your
waste piece falls when making a cut with the
blade at an angle. When using the rip fence
(and working on the left of the fence) to make
a bevel cut, a left-tilt saw will allow the waste
to fall below the blade, while a right-tilt saw
will leave the waste resting on top of the blade,
where it could get thrown back at you.
Another advantage of left-tilt saws comes
when ripping bevels on two edges of your
material. With a left-tilt saw, the rip will be more accurate because the point of your bevel
won’t slip under your rip fence.
That said, when you use your miter gauge
WRITE TO US on the left side with the blade beveled, the
Every day we get questions from readers on situations are reversed, with the right-tilt saw
all subjects about their woodworking. Some being safer.
are letters; many are e-mail messages. We In all honesty, with the newest rip fences
are more than happy to share our wood- (the Biesemeyer-style, as well as the
working experience with you by answering Unifence) available on almost every table
your questions or adding some clarity to saw, you can work from either side of the rip
whatever aspect of the craft you are unsure
fence, though the rip capacity with your fence
about. In addition to the hundreds we an-
on the left side is usually limited to about 12".
swer privately every month, we want to
share the best questions here with readers. What it all really comes down to for me is
Send your questions via e-mail to that I’m right-handed, which means that it’s
popwood@fwpubs.com, or by mail to: easier for me to change the arbor nut on a left-
Popular Woodworking, Q&A tilt saw than on a right-tilt.
4700 E. Galbraith Road — David Thiel, senior editor
for retailers near you: Cincinnati, OH 45236.
www.gorillaglue.com continued on page 16
1-800-966-3458
Some dovetail Q&A
jigs promise you continued from page 14
everything…
Questions About QuickCAD I’ll summarize by saying that the
The Keller Dovetail I really enjoyed your article about AutoCad’s QuickCAD program will always be my
System only promises QuickCAD (June 2003) and I have pur- software-of-choice in its price range.
what it can deliver. chased the software. I’m very computer lit- — John Hutchinson, project illustrator
erate and also did some detailed drafting a
Fast setup. No test cuts. Precision
joinery. Unlimited widths. Classic couple of years ago, but I have no CAD ex- Why are Some Planes So Expensive?
and variable spacing. Compound, perience. I intend to learn to use QuickCAD I’d like the straight poop on handplanes. I
acute and obtuse angles. Curved and create detailed plans of projects that remember getting instruction on the use of
dovetails. Box joints. Made in USA
since 1976. 20-yr. warranty. 30-day will be somewhat complex, such as an ex- them during woodshop class in junior high
money-back guarantee. ecutive desk and credenza. I intend to mar- school back in the early 1970s. I can guar-
ket the plans, so they must be very profes- antee you the school system did not shell out
“Your best choice. sional and a cut above the average in clar- big bucks for those planes. When I go to
It’s the easiest of all the
ity and ease of comprehension. Lowe’s, I see Stanley planes for anywhere
jigs to use and great for
My questions are: from $20 to $50. In woodworking magazines
production use.”
–Woodworker’s Journal 1. Is QuickCAD everything I need for I see all these fancy planes selling for any-
plans of this type? where from $60 to hundreds of dollars. What’s
VIDEO: $8.95 + $2 P/H
2. Is QuickCAD easier to learn than the deal with these expensive planes? I think
KELLER & CO. AutoCAD’s higher-end software? having a block plane for my projects would
1327 ‘I’ Street, Dept. P113
Petaluma, CA 94952
3. Does QuickCAD print to large-format be a good idea, but I sure can’t see spend-
1-800-995-2456 printers as well as the small-format ones that ing hundreds on one.
707-763-9336 you applauded in your article? Why are the expensive ones so much bet-
www.kellerdovetail.com Ed Hobbs ter than a low-cost Stanley plane? I can’t
Keller Dovetail System Houston, Texas imagine it being worth the extra money
Simple. Fast. Accurate. Enjoyable! for occasional use on small projects. What
CIRCLE NO. 128 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD. QuickCAD is no more or less difficult to is your opinion?
master in the realm of two-dimensional Lane Wallace
drawings than AutoCAD. You’ll have to Knoxville, Tennessee
remember, however, that QuickCAD is only
a 2-D program. You can create isometric A sharp well-tuned block plane is an asset in
drawings that appear three-dimensional, but any shop. But if you’re not building a lot of
they’re still just static 2-D illustrations. The furniture, your best bet is to find an older
isometric drawings I did for the article were block plane at a flea market. Inexpensive new
done independently of the 2-D straight plan planes are poorly made and require more
drawings. I’ve been bombarded with e-mail tuning than vintage ones. Look for an old
messages asking where the magic button is Stanley, such as a 601⁄ 2, with no chips, cracks
that will snap everything into a 3-D drawing. or major rust. These are pretty common and
Unfortunately, there isn’t one. To get that inexpensive ($5 to $15). You can read about
option, you need to move up to something every plane Stanley made at Patrick Leach’s
such as TurboCAD. excellent web site, www.supertool.com.
QuickCAD will print to any plotting For woodworkers who expect to use their
device. The in-depth instruction manual planes a lot, a vintage plane is still a good
should be able to give you guidance there. option, though you have to learn to restore it
I can’t really answer your question about before you can use it – which is an obsession
QuickCAD being “good enough” for what unto itself. I’ve brought a lot of old planes
you want to do because the phrase “good back to life in my time, but some years ago I
enough” is so subjective. I use AutoCAD decided I liked woodworking more than fixing
2000 for all of my magazine illustrations. The old tools. I switched to the more expensive
ability to run 2-D and 3-D simultaneously is new tools and have never regretted it.
a delight. It does, however, come with a price. Tools made by Lie-Nielsen, Veritas,
The cost of the current edition of AutoCAD Clifton and others are better-made, better-
is $3,595. Yikes! I use it only because I’m an machined and work extremely well. After a
architect (illustrating is my second job and couple of years, you’ll forget what you paid
passion) and AutoCAD is the universal for it and just be glad you own it. PW
language of architecture. — Christopher Schwarz, executive editor

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The Amazing TRICKS OF THE TRADE
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3 second blade change I filter quite a lot of finishes to prepare them Top and bottom
Automatic blade Drill a hole in the
tensioning for spraying, as well as to clean the shellac are 7" x 7" x top surface for a
3⁄
4" thick stirring stick
I make from flakes. I found it awkward hold-
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diameter hole in the top and chamfered the
top edges to accommodate a funnel filter.
To easily position my containers, I marked
concentric rings on the bottom piece to
match the diameters of my spray cups and
Illustrations by Matt Bantly

commonly used jars. I also drilled a couple Back is
of small holes through the top to hold the 9" high
dowels I use for stirring finishes. Concentric circles
Keith Mealy drawn on base help
locate spray gun can
Cincinnati, Ohio
continued on page 20
CASH AND PRIZES FOR YOUR TRICKS AND TIPS!

Each issue we publish useful woodworking tips and
tricks from our readers and staff members. Next issue,
the reader with the winning tip or trick will receive a
Porter-Cable 893PK router (shown). The 893PK is
one of six router designs in the new 890 series de-
signed for maximum performance and ease of use
either freehand or in a router table. The heart of the
series is the 21⁄ 4-horsepower, variable-speed motor
with soft-start and electronic feedback to maintain
constant speed during operation.
Runners-up each receive $75.
When submitting a trick (either by mail or e-mail) you must include your complete mailing ad-
dress and a daytime phone number. If your tip is selected for publication, an editor will need to
contact you. You can send your trick by e-mail to popwoodtricks@fwpubs.com, or mail it to: Tricks
of the Trade, Popular Woodworking, 4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236.

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TRICKS OF THE TRADE
Tricks to Making a Zero-clearance Throat Plate

The metal throat plate that comes stock on
most table saws has a wide blade opening to Spacer block
allow the blade to tilt. Unfortunately, this Clamp board over plate
allows narrow workpieces to fall through the to cut blade slot
opening and doesn’t provide any back-up
support for the workpiece, leading to un-
necessary exit tear-out. Auxiliary
It’s easy to make your own auxiliary zero- throat
Spacer block plate
clearance throat plate from any straight-
grained hardwood. Begin by ripping a length
of wood to a width that exactly matches the
width of your throat plate opening. Then
plane it to a thickness that matches the depth
of the opening. (If you overcut, you can sim-
ply shim the underside of the plate with mask-
Saw table
ing tape later.) Using your stock throat plate
as a pattern, trace the rounded ends onto
your auxiliary throat plate blank; then cut Retract adjustment screws
just a small amount outside the line with a to recess stock plate
band saw or jigsaw. Power-sand the edges to
a snug final fit in the opening. diameter blade, then finish the cut with a en plate in place. I clamp the plate down
The tricky part is cutting the initial blade full-sized blade. But there’s a better way. I with a long piece of thick stock, then raise
slot. Because a fully lowered blade typical- fully retract the height-adjustment screws the blade partially through the plate. I fin-
ly reaches almost to the level of the table- in my stock throat plate, then place it in ish the cut after placing the wooden plate
top, you can’t just seat the new throat plate its opening. With the screws retracted, the fully in its recess, again with it clamped down.
and raise the blade through it. One approach stock plate sits about 1⁄16" below the saw table, Paul Anthony
is to cut a preliminary slot using a smaller- which is enough of a recess to hold the wood- Popular Woodworking contributor
Shop Vacuum Accessory is Perfect for

Collecting Dust from Your Router
I was looking for a way to outfit my router Stock router
with dust collection for edge routing and cut- sub-base
ting dovetails. It occurred to me that the
floor-sweep fitting on my shop vacuum would
make a nice dust pickup for those jobs, and Shop vacuum
I could attach the fitting to an auxiliary sub- floor sweep fitting
base for my router. I decided to install the
auxiliary base under my stock router sub-base Acrylic auxiliary
so I could still easily attach a template guide sub-base 1⁄ 4" thick
to the latter for routing dovetails.
To connect the fitting, I first made a
U-shaped auxiliary router sub-base from a
piece of 1⁄ 4"-thick scrap acrylic, tracing its stock sub-base. At that point, it was a sim-
rounded half and its screw pattern from my ple matter of attaching the two sub-bases to
router’s stock sub-base and cutting a gener- the router with machine screws long enough
ous sized opening for collet nut access. I then to penetrate both.
bolted this auxiliary sub-base to the edge Gabriel Castro
of the shop vacuum fitting, cutting a small Victorville, California
arc in the fitting to accommodate the router’s continued on page 22

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TRICKS OF THE TRADE
A Story Stick for Turning

I recently had a commission to turn a fair
number of identical spindles. To do the job
more efficiently, I made a story stick with all Master spindle
the key measurements laid out along its Push nails against
length. At each feature or change in diam- spinning work piece Story stick with nails
eter, I drove a nail through the stick so the
point stuck out the other side. After round-
ing the spindle blanks, I marked them by
steadying the story stick against the tool rest
while gently pushing the nail tips against the
spinning workpiece.
Ken Burton
New Tripoli, Pennsylvania
Shedding Light on the Subject Hand-drilling with Forstner Bits

Proper lighting can make all the difference when it comes to clean, Forstner bits and multi-spur bits typically have to be used in a drill
careful results with some woodworking operations. For example, press because these large-diameter bits will wander all over the
when hand-planing or sanding workpieces, a strong, glancing side- place if you try to guide them with a portable drill. However, I’ve
light placed almost parallel to the work surface will dramatically found that there are times when I need to drill a large diameter
highlight any machine marks, tear-out, glue spots or other defects. hole in the middle of a workpiece panel or some other location
When hand-cutting dovetails, a light playing sideways across your that can’t be reached using a drill press.
scored layout lines will create clear shadow lines to guide your cut. In those cases, I first use the drill press and my chosen bit to
Of course, the light will be most effective in an otherwise dimmed bore a guide hole in a 3⁄ 4"-thick scrap panel. I then secure that
shop. To appropriately direct the light, I use a clamp-on light fix- panel to my workpiece with clamps, screws or double-sided tape,
ture judiciously located on a portable post. locating the guide hole over my drilling location. After switch-
Ric Hanisch ing the bit over to a portable drill, I can now bore the workpiece
Quakertown, Pennsylvania hole much more safely and accurately.
Susan Slutske
Tucson, Arizona
Quick-connect Dust Collection Fittings

Because I’m constantly hooking up my
portable dust collector to different machines, Hose clamp Flexible hose
I need a quick, easy way to remove and Cut duct to length
attach the flexible hose to the 4"-diameter before connecting seam
dust port on each machine.
To do this, I first used tin snips to cut a
piece of 4"-diameter metal duct 8" long, keep-
ing the crimped end. I secured the crimped
end to my dust collector’s flexible hose using
a hose clamp. Now, to make the connection
to any machine, I simply slip the metal duct
onto the tool’s dust collection port.
Paul Anthony
Popular Woodworking contributor To machine port To dust collector
continued on page 24

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THE KIT CONTAINS: THE DOW’L SIMP’L KIT

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3/8” Step Drill Bit
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Hex Wrench for Collar & RIGHT ANGLE
Square Drive Screws DOWELING
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TAKE IT HOME
AND MAKE JOINTS - IN THIS KIT:
NOTHING MORE TO BUY. Jig with Clamp
3 Brad Point Bits
3 Drill Bushings
A supply of Dowels
A Tube of Wood Glue
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TRICKS OF THE TRADE
Dowels Focus Your Clamping Pressure Tape Makes the

Pipe clamps are great for panel-and-frame A good solution is to place dowels be- Tightest Plane Mouth
clamp-ups because they’re strong and rel- tween the clamp heads and the edge of the
Setting your plane for fine smoothing cuts
atively inexpensive. The problem is that assembly. Using a dowel whose diameter
sometimes requires a really tight throat (the
unless the clamp screw is aligned with the matches the thickness of the workpiece
opening between the body of the plane and
center line of the workpiece edge, the clamp centers the clamping pressure on the edge
the cutting edge of the iron). With most
head can cock the outer workpieces out of of the workpiece, keeping everything bet-
bench planes you adjust this by moving
line, causing the assembly to buckle under ter aligned. It’s easiest to lay long dowels
the frog of the tool forward. But how do you
pressure. This buckling can be minimized across the clamps rather than trying to bal-
get really close (within a few thousandths of
by alternating clamps over and under the ance one short piece per clamp.
an inch) without choking the throat with
assembly, but that isn’t always practical, Odie Bloss
shavings? Trial and error can be tiresome
especially when gluing up face frames and Medford, Oregon
I picked up this tip on the Internet last
similar constructions.
year and it works great. First wrap a piece of
Workpieces Match dowel diameter to masking tape around the cutting edge of the
workpiece thickness iron. Then install the iron in the plane
and adjust the frog until the masking tape
just kisses the body of the plane. Screw the
frog down tight at that location. Remove the
iron, take off the tape and reinstall the iron.
Set the plane to take the finest cut possible.
I think you'll be amazed.
Christopher Schwarz
Popular Woodworking executive editor
A Mortise Cleaning Tool

When making mortises I found it difficult For a handle, drill a hole in a piece of
3⁄ Grind top flat to create
to remove wood shards left at the bottom 4"-diameter hardwood dowel, then tap the
a 30° cutting angle
of the mortise by my hollow-chisel mortis- Allen wrench into the hole. You now have
ing bit. Prying them out with a bench chis- a tool that works well for cleaning mor-
el often damaged the shoulder of the mortise slots 1⁄ 4" wide and up. If you cut a lot of
tise and was not particularly kind to the cut- larger mortises you may want to use a larg-
ting edge of the chisel. I needed a tool with er Allen wrench. PW Hacksaw short
end of wrench
a right-angle cutting edge that would allow Mike Callihan at 45°. Grind
me to scrape the bottom of the mortise right Burnsville, North Carolina cut face flat.
up to the corners, then pull the shavings
out. I figured out how to make one from a 7⁄
7⁄ 32" Allen wrench
32" Allen wrench. Here’s how:
With a hacksaw, cut the short leg off at a 3⁄
4"-diameter
45° angle, leaving about 3⁄4" of length on that dowel
leg, then grind the face of the cut flat. Next,
grind the top of the short leg flat to create
a 30° cutting edge at the intersection with
the first cut. The exact angle isn’t critical.
You just want it sharp enough to cut well,
but sturdy enough to withstand the prying
action. Go easy with the grinding, cooling
the metal frequently in water. If you over-
heat it while grinding, it will lose its temper
and dull quickly in use.

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ENDURANCE TEST
Lie-Nielsen
Low-angle
Jack Plane
Photo by Al Parrish
Quite possibly the perfect plane.
SPECIFICATIONS
I ’ve used many different planes, but none

is as versatile, easy-to-use and robust as the
Lie-Nielsen low-angle jack plane.
do is unscrew the front knob a bit and adjust
a lever to open or close the mouth.
Another advantage of the low-angle jack’s
Lie-Nielsen Low-angle Jack Plane
Street price: $225
This 14"-long plane is based on the col- design is that the cutting bevel of the blade Nice features: Easily adjustable mouth;
lectible Stanley #62 plane, which has not faces up, unlike a bench plane where the exceptionally durable ductile-iron body; and
been manufactured since the 1940s. Unless bevel faces down and has a chipbreaker. the tool can be modified easily to do many
you’re a collector, there is little reason to If you purchase a couple of replacement different workshop operations.
seek out the old Stanley version because it’s blades for this plane, you can grind different Recommended modifications: Buy a
more expensive and less durable than the cutting angles on the blades to make your couple of extra blades to see what this tool is
Lie-Nielsen, which sells for $225. plane do some amazing tricks. The stock capable of with different cutting angles.
Essentially the low-angle jack plane is blade has a 25° bevel and sits in the plane at
Lie-Nielsen Toolworks: 800-327-2520 or
what would happen if you wedded a block 12°. Add those two numbers together and lie-nielsen.com
plane with a bench plane. You have the mass you have a 37° cutting angle (also called the
and length of a jack plane, but you also have “pitch”). This pitch is great for end grain and
the simpler mechanism, adjustable throat decent for most long-grain planing.
and bevel-up blade design of a block plane. Grind a 33° bevel on the blade and the your lumber with a power jointer as well as
For beginners especially, the combina- plane will have a standard 45° pitch (33° a planer, it’s flat enough for this plane to work
tion is hard to beat. Here’s why: plus 12° equals 45°). Grind a 38° bevel rather well as a smoother.
The standard Bailey-style bench plane and you have a high-angle pitch of 50°, which No matter how you use this plane, you’ll
has more adjustments than the low-angle is great for planing difficult woods. Grind off find that it exceeds your expectations. The
jack. While these adjustments allow for more the bevel entirely at 90° and you have a machining is impeccable. The cherry knob
finesse among advanced users, they also make scraper plane. There’s no way you could do and tote are perfectly formed and comfort-
the tools more difficult for beginners to use. that with a Bailey-style bench plane with- able to use. And the exceptional way the
For example, if you’re working with fig- out some major modifications. blade has been heat-treated allows it to take
ured wood and want to close up the mouth So what can you use this plane for? In the and keep a superior edge. The body is made
of a bench plane to reduce tear-out, you have modern power-tool workshop, this plane can of unbreakable ductile iron (standard gray
to adjust the plane’s “frog” forward. (The frog handle a lot of chores. It’s great for planing iron planes can shatter if you drop them) and
is the chunk of machined metal that sup- down doors and drawers to fit (the low pitch the blade cap is bronze.
ports the tool’s blade.) This operation in- of the blade is great for the end grain of door With almost every tool I own there is al-
volves a screwdriver and sometimes requires stiles and drawer fronts). You can remove ways something small I wish was improved
disassembling the tool. With the low-angle saw marks from the edges of boards. or a bit different. But that’s not so with the
jack plane, there is no frog to adjust. All you You can even use it as a smoothing plane low-angle jack, which I’ve been using for
to remove the machining marks from the more than three years. As the handles of this
faces of your boards. Hand-tool purists might tool patinate with age and the blade gets pro-
ABOUT OUR ENDURANCE TESTS Every
turn up their noses at this notion and say you gressively shorter, I find it more and more
tool featured in our Endurance Test column
has survived at least two years of heavy use
need a shorter smoothing plane for this useful. And I occasionally wonder how I ever
in the Popular Woodworking shop. operation because it gets into the hollows of did without it. PW
the board. But I’ve found that if you surface — Christopher Schwarz

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TOOL TEST
Fisch Oscillating Belt/Disc Sander – No Burns, No Dust
M ost woodworkers are familiar with the

value of a belt/disc sander. They’re also
familiar with the problems of belt/disc sanders
Of course, this is a quality sander in its
own right, with a 11⁄ 2-hp motor that doesn’t
bog down under tough sanding. The beefy
that are designed for metalworking and run cast-iron tilting tables are ample to sup-
at speeds that are too high, burning the wood port the work, with the belt table measuring
they’re shaping. Fisch Precision Tools has 6" x 10" and the disc table is 7" x 16".
an answer that goes a step further. The belt sander transitions smoothly be-
The new BDS-612001 Multi Sander of- tween either a horizontal or vertical stance.
fers the traditional 6" x 48" belt sander and A wrench is required to make the transition,
12" disc sander. But the designers also slowed and while we would have liked to have seen
the motor down to woodworking speeds, this a toolless operation, the positive lock-
making burning wood nearly impossible. down of the wrench will keep the arm from
They’ve also added a very nice innovation moving out of position.
to the belt sander by including an oscilla- The base is an enclosed cabinet with the
tion mechanism to move the belt 3⁄ 4" back motor mounted inside (but still easily ac-
and forth, further reducing the chance of cessible). At 189 pounds, you won’t have to SPECIFICATIONS
burning and extending the life of the belt. worry about pushing the machine around
Fisch BDS-612001 Multi Sander
There’s one other thing woodworkers ex- your shop while you are sanding. Street price: $700
pect from a belt/disc sander – a lot of dust. The Fisch Multi Sander is priced to com- Surfaces: Belt - 6" x 48"; Disc - 12"
While many manufacturers have added dust pete with other belt/disc sanders. But when Motor: 11⁄ 2 hp, 3,400 rpm
collection ports, they don’t really seem to do you take into consideration the woodwork- Oscillation travel: 3⁄ 4"
the job. Fisch has added two ports, positioned ing-friendly speed, oscillating mechanism Speeds: Belt - 1,570 square feet per minute;
correctly to do the most good. While you do on the belt sander and the efficient dust col- Disc - 2,000 rpm
have to move the hose connection from port- lection, we see the Fisch as an obvious choice. Performance: ●●●●●
to-port or use two separate hoses, working — David Thiel Price range: $$$
dust-free is worth the effort. For more information, circle #175 on Free Information Card.
Fisch Precision Tools: 724-663-9072 or
fisch-woodworking.com
Ashley Iles American-pattern Bevel-edge Chisels

When we tested 20 brands of bench chis- face of the blade (sometimes called
els in 2001, the staff favorites – far and away the back) required very little work
– were the British-made Ashley Iles chisels. to get it flat and mirror-polished.
The steel took a keen edge and kept it through The chisels have obviously been
many abusive rounds of chopping out dove- carefully heat-treated because they
tail pins in white oak. were both hard (we measured 59
The only complaint among some testers on the Rockwell “C” scale) and
was that the handle was a bit beefy and bul- tough – they hold an edge like a
bous. After two years of daily use in my shop Japanese chisel.
at home, I sometimes wish the tools were a The handles are nicely turned
bit shorter when doing fine work. and the bubinga is tough enough SPECIFICATIONS
I got my wish. The new bench chisels for the mild sort of mallet work that bench Ashley Iles American-pattern
from Ashley Iles are made using the same chisels are designed for. But perhaps most Bevel-edge Chisels
tough steel, but these are a bit shorter and amazing is the price of these beauties. A Street price: Set of six costs $100.82
have smaller-size bubinga handles. As a reset of six chisels (1⁄4" wide to 1") is just $100.82. Sizes available: 1⁄ 8" to 2"
sult, these chisels feel better in medium- and A complete set of 11 chisels (1⁄ 8" wide to a Hardness: 59 Rc
small-sized hands and are well-balanced for whopping 2") is only $211.55. Handles: Bubinga
Performance: ●●●●❍
precision work, especially when removing You could pay more money and not get
Price range: $$
waste between dovetail pins and tails. chisels of this quality. We’re impressed.
Tools for Working Wood: 800-426-4613 or
Like their bigger brothers, these American- — Christopher Schwarz toolsforworkingwood.com
pattern chisels are well-manufactured. The For more information, circle #176 on Free Information Card.

STEVE WALL LUMBER CO. *NOW AVAILABLE*
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Above prices are for 100 quantities of kilndried rough Above prices are 20 bd. ft. bundles of clear kilndried
lumber sold by the Bd. Ft. FOB Mayodan, NC. Call for lumber 3"-10" wide 3 -7 long (Random widths & Send $1.00 For Lumber Catalog
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If you are in a
woodworking
business...
this could be the Please refer to your power tool owners
manual before operating power tools.
most valuable tool
in your officesm. Experience Amana Tool’s®® superior quality in your own workshop!
Please call Amana Tool®® products are available at an authorized dealer near you.
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TOOL TEST
Amana E-Z Dial Slot Cutter

If you use splines, you’re going to love this tool.
Traditionally you would use your standard spline
cutter to make the necessary slots, then you spend a
lot of time fitting the spline thickness to a snug fit.
With Amana Tool’s new E-Z Dial slot cutter, it does-
n’t matter what thickness your spline is, you just ad- NEW FROM RIDGID
just the slot to fit. And the adjustment is as simple SPECIFICATIONS Ridgid stationary and benchtop machines have
as loosening a nut and dialing in the proper size. Amana E-Z Dial Slot Cutter been available at The Home Depot for a few
The E-Z Dial is available in two models offering Street price: $150 years now, but the company has just
1⁄ 1
4" or ⁄ 2" thickness. Each full revolution of the ad- Size: Model 55500: 1⁄ 8"-1⁄ 4" announced an entire line of new portable
justing dial changes the thickness of the cut by 1⁄ 32", Model 55510: 1⁄ 4"-1⁄ 2" power tools designed to compete with the
making precision set-ups easy. Adjustment: One full turn = 1⁄ 32" best-known power tools on the market.
The E-Z Dial isn’t the least expensive piece of router Performance: ●●●●● The new product line includes two levels –
tooling you’ll buy for your shop, but the time and frus- Price range: $$$$$ professional and consumer – of cordless tools
tration you’ll save is worth a lot more. — DT Amana Tool: 800-445-0077 (drills, circular saws and reciprocating saws) in
or amanatool.com 12, 14.4 and 18 volts, with 20- or 30-minute
For more information, circle #177 on Free Information Card.
recharge times. The corded line includes 3⁄ 8"
and 1⁄ 2" drills, hammer drills, circular saws,
sanders, reciprocating saws and jigsaws (see
Festool CT Mini Vacuum our review of the new Ridgid jigsaw in “Orbital
Jigsaws” on page 82).
While some woodworkers simply need a vacuum to All the tools in the line are the result of two
pick up dust, for those who need all the bells and whis- years of exhaustive research of marketplace
tles, the Festool CT Mini is the one to choose. trends and extensive design and testing. These
The Mini features a tool-triggered or manual on/off tools are designed to compete both in per-
switch with a time-delay feature to clear the hose when formance and price. From our initial brief look
you turn off your sander or router. The vacuum power at the tools, the time and effort spent have
produced some rugged, well-designed tools.
(rated at 99 cfm) can be regulated by a variable switch
SPECIFICATIONS Each tool will carry a 90-day satisfaction
for finesse work. The 10-amp motor, in conjunction
guarantee and a three-year warranty against
with the 1"-diameter, 10' hose, does an admirable (and Festool CT Mini defects. As an introductory offer, through
quiet, 72dB) job of removing dust beyond what you Street price: $250
December 2003 each new tool sold will carry a
would expect from its size (weighing only 21 lbs.). CFM: 99, 80" of water lift
lifetime warranty against defects.
The CT Mini sports a replaceable two-gallon Motor: 10 amp
The entire line will be available in The
Performance: ●●●●❍
bag filter (rated at 3 microns) as well as an integrated Home Depot (along with its existing line of
Price range: $$$$$
filter cleaner. So if you need the coolest vacuum on stationary tools, including miter saws, jointers,
Festool: 888-337-8600
the block, we suggest you get the CT Mini. — DT planers, table saws and more, all with planned
or festool-usa.com
For more information, circle #178 on Free Information Card. upgrades within the year) and also at a num-
ber of national smaller retail outlets.
For more information on the complete line,
visit Ridgid’s web site at ridgid.com – DT
FastCap’s AccuScribe
Last February I told readers about the many wonders
of the McGrath Scribe and Profile Gauge for installing
built-in cabinets. Then the product disappeared after TOOL RATINGS
the death of its inventor. Performance is rated on a 1-5 scale. You
Good thing there’s the AccuScribe. This scribing won’t see a low rating (“1” or “2”) because
we don’t publicize inferior tools. A rating of
tool does everything the McGrath did – plus it’s virtu- “5” indicates the leader in the category. Five
ally indestructible. The tool excels at fitting built-ins,
SPECIFICATIONS
dollar signs indicates highest price in the
backsplashes, mouldings and countertops. The manu- AccuScribe category. Three indicates an average price.
facturer plans to soon offer the tool with a small rabbet Street price: $16 If you have tool questions, call me at 513-
Performance: ●●●●❍ 531-2690 ext. 1255, or e-mail me at
on the end of the “feelers” to allow you to mark off-
Price range: $$$ david.thiel@fwpubs.com. Or visit our web
sets on curved work. There are more expensive scribes site at popwood.com to sign up for our free,
Fastcap: 888-443-3748 or
out there, but most of us need only this tool. — CS www.fastcap.com e-mail newsletter.
For more information, circle #179 on Free Information Card. — David Thiel, senior editor

Turn your MultiMaster
into a profile sander.
crown molding mantles
cabinets dentils
molding
windows countertops
stair rails
chair rails frames
furniture
knobs
baseboards
Congratulations. Your MultiMaster just became a profile The FEIN MultiMaster Profile Sanding
sander. Not just a profile sander, the very best profile kit contains a holder, six inserts that
sander available anywhere. And you thought the mold to form fit your profile, and 5
MultiMaster was already the most versatile power sheets each of 80, 120 and 180
tool you could own. grit sandpaper. It fits every
MultiMaster ever made. See it at your favorite dealer
The FEIN MultiMaster Profile Sanding kit far outper-
mid-August. What a great add-on!
forms any of the “dedicated” profile sanders now on
the market. It sands 3 to 5 times faster, with no Call 1-800-441-9878 for more details and a dealer
vibration to hurt your wrist or mar the finish. near you, or visit us at www.feinus.com.
Fein
Finishing
is just
Flat V-Shaped Trapezoidal Concave Small Convex Large Convex the beginning
GREAT WOODSHOPS
Heading
for the
Hills
After years of teaching
woodworking in Ohio,
Lonnie Bird has moved
to the Smokies to teach,
write and build.
Photos by Al Parrish
F or 13 years Lonnie Bird was the head in-
structor for southeastern Ohio’s University
of Rio Grande woodworking program. He
taught, built furniture and wrote books (all But about two years ago he and his fam- sparked an interest in period furniture and
for Taunton Press) including “The Shaper ily decided to chuck it all and build their from that point on, he started building things.
Book,” “The Bandsaw Book” and “Taunton’s dream home at the base of the Great Smokey He took a junior high shop class, which he
Complete Guide to Shaping Wood.” He was Mountains in Dandridge, Tenn., which would says he enjoyed tremendously. His parents
recognized several times as one of the best include a woodshop where Bird could start weren’t woodworkers, but they supported his
craftsmen in the country by Early American a woodworking school. A risky venture, yes. interest, allowing him to transform their
Life Magazine. He led a good life. But today, Bird thrives. basement into what he calls a “dusty, dirty
Nestled on 12 acres of rolling farmland, shop.” In high school, Bird made money
the Birds’ home and woodshop seem far away by repairing antique furniture that was, lit-
from the neon-infused roadside warehouses erally, in pieces. Neighbors would buy old
selling fireworks and billboards advertising chairs and tables for little money, knowing
outlet malls one sees while driving there. he would be able to fix them.
Directions to his house include lines such as Although his gig at University of Rio
“turn left after Grace Baptist Church” and Grande has ended, Bird’s prominence has
“cross the creek at the bottom of the hill.” only grown. He continues to write. His lat-
Bird and his wife, Linda, chose Dandridge, est, “Taunton’s Complete Illustrated Guide
which is about 20 miles east of Knoxville, to Period Furniture Details,” hits bookstores
for a couple of reasons. One, they love the this fall. A book about tool techniques is
mountains. Two, Knoxville is within a day’s scheduled to be released next year. He con-
drive for 70 percent of the U.S. population. tinues to build furniture for clients and his
The home and woodshop are remote, yet ac- classes book months in advance. Bird calls
cessible – an ideal location for a school. his shop a flexible shop. Always a woodshop,
it also serves as a school and photo studio.
Historical Context
Bird, a furniture maker for almost 30 years, by Kara Gebhart
Lonnie Bird’s woodshop (front) is at the base of the
Great Smokey Mountains in Dandridge, Tenn., and is remembers clearly his first visit to Colonial Comments or questions? Contact Kara at 513-531-
connected to his home via a screened-in breezeway. Williamsburg. He was 8 years old. The trip 2690 ext. 1348 or kara.gebhart@fwpubs.com.

Bird stores his
Home and Shop Together collection of hand
The woodshop is connected to the Colonial- tools in a traditional
style home via a screened-in breezeway. In 18th-century wall
the office Bird shares with Linda is a stun- cabinet (that he
built), complete with
ning 18th-century reproduction slant-front
tombstone doors.
desk, which Bird built. Next to this is an
18th-century reproduction Pennsylvania
armchair, which Bird also built. They’re time-
less pieces so beautiful you wonder why ac-
cess to them is not limited by a velvet rope.
The furniture contrasts greatly to the gray
Office Depot-esque computer desk that holds
two computer monitors and a split, ergonomic
keyboard – perhaps the only mass-produced
piece in the Bird family’s home. Currently
Bird is building an 1810 reproduction turned-
post bunk bed. This replica of a museum-
quality piece is where his daughters, Rebecca,
11, and Sarah, 7, will sleep.
The outside of Bird’s three-story wood-
shop is similar to his Colonial-style home.
Inside, the first story is a shrine to modern
machinery and power while the second story
is a hand-tool woodworker’s dream. (The
third story is used for storage.) Bird’s skillful keeps Bird and his students out of the house. line the southwest wall and a large bay win-
use of powerful machines and quality hand Thousands of board feet of lumber stay dry dow at the front of the shop. On a sunny day,
tools, along with his careful eye for line and in a large barn at the edge of the property, the room fills with natural light.
proportion, allow him to create fine pieces which is also where Linda keeps her horses. Eight workbenches, each with its own
of reproduction period furniture. vise and anti-fatigue mat, face Bird’s bench,
Bird purposefully designed his woodshop The Bench Room which is silhouetted by the bay window. Bird
with three floors, keeping the machine room You can climb a few stairs and enter the wood- allows up to nine students in each class, often
in a walk-out basement (the first floor). This shop’s bench room via the shop’s front door. giving up his own bench for a student to use.
way the bench room, which is on the second Or you can enter via the breezeway, which Hand-screw clamps, calipers and spokeshaves
floor, stays quiet and clean – ideal when try- is part of the house’s wrap-around porch. frame the bay window, and chisels and carv-
ing to carry on a conversation or teach a class. There’s also a door at the back of the shop. ing tools kept in a block of wood line the
The third floor is used for storing jigs and fix- There are seven windows in all, including a window’s seat. Examples of his work hang
tures. There’s also a bathroom up there, which window in each door, three windows that on the wall (as you can see below left).
Bird’s tool cabinet is a traditional 18th-
century wall cabinet with tombstone doors.
Inside is his collection of hand tools: bench
planes, shoulder planes, a set of hollows and
rounds, and dovetail saws.
There is a chop saw, mortiser and drill
press in the bench room – three excep-
tions to the “no machines allowed.” Because
the machine room is downstairs, these three
machines in the bench room help limit
up-and-down trips. At the back of the room
is a complete sharpening station. Next to it
is a small refrigerator, which Bird keeps stocked
with bottled water. Overhead fans, along
with air conditioning, keep the room cool
in the summer. A heater keeps the room
Bird’s bench room features lots of windows, nine sturdy workbenches, a sharpening station and a few machines. warm in the winter.
popwood.com 33
GREAT WOODSHOPS
The Machine Room

The machine room is downstairs. A garage
door and a set of French doors provide easy
access for lumber and new machines – Bird
says he’s constantly upgrading his machin-
ery. The machines are arranged almost two-
by-two in angled rows. There are two 10"
table saws, a Delta Unisaw and a Powermatic
66. There are two Laguna band saws, one
18" and the other 24". There are two joint-
ers, a Delta 12" and a World War II-era Yates
American 16". There are two shapers, a Delta
and a Jet. And there are two router tables, a
Bench Dog and one he built himself. In each
router table is a Porter-Cable router.
Most of Bird’s machines come in sets of two (which means less waiting around for his students) and he keeps
He has a Jet planer and a Performax drum them in angled rows for easy access.
sander. A Delta central dust-collection unit,
along with Delta ambient cleaners hung on
the ceiling, keep Bird’s shop almost dust-free. When discussing chairs, or any piece of Of course, with a little pulling, Bird will
Outside the machine room are several large period furniture, Bird talks a lot about line admit that natural ability does play a part in
plastic trash cans – perfect for throwing away and proportion. He talks about sensuous building a quality piece of furniture. But more
unusable offcuts. He is a stickler for cleanli- curves that flow the way they should, mak- importantly than having natural ability is
ness, and it shows. Like the bench room, the ing two individual pieces of wood look like being able to develop that ability, he says.
machine room is temperature-controlled alone with no dead spots. He talks about tech- Using baseball as an analogy, Bird says study-
lowing Bird to work year round. nically challenging pieces that require not ing and building period furniture is a lot like
only a strong knowledge of joinery but also hitting a baseball. You might have a natural
Chairs, Baseball and Family carving, inlay and creating curved shapes. swing and a natural follow-through, but you
An intimate setting for a woodworking Bird’s understanding of line and pro- still need a batting coach or whatever it takes
school, the woodshop is quite spacious for portion comes from studying period furni- to practice and develop your ability.
Bird’s personal projects. Although he says ture in places such as Colonial Williamsburg, Bird likes baseball. He’s been known to
he enjoys building period casework, it’s ba- museums and books. His favorite book, pub- to attend Smokies baseball games (a class
sically dovetailing and constructing boxes lished in the 1950s, is Albert Sack’s “Fine AA minor league affiliate of the St. Louis
within boxes. Building chairs (like the ones Points of Furniture.” Although it’s out of Cardinals) three times a week with his fam-
below) is Bird’s true passion. print, Bird says you can find some copies. ily. Bird values time with his family more
than anything else. They’re constantly to-
gether. Bird and his wife home-school their
daughters who also help out with lunches
for students in Bird’s classes. The Birds spent
their summer rafting in the rivers that flow
through the mountains, traveling to
Charleston, S.C., and, of course, hitting
the books. “We work together, play together
and learn together,” Bird says. “I feel like
we’re really close-knit.”
Driving out his gravel driveway, over the
creek and keeping an eye out for Grace Baptist
Church, you begin to realize why Bird and
his family chose such an open, idyllic setting
for their home, woodshop and new school.
Photo by Lonnie Bird
It’s inspirational, a word Bird uses often when

describing the area. A quick look at the spice
cabinet Bird fetches from his home for our
opening shot, and you can see that the set-
Bird’s classes (offered from early spring to late fall) are limited to nine students. Check out lonniebird.com. ting has inspired him, too. PW

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POWER-TOOL JOINERY
Living on
the Edge
The simple edge joint
is one of the easiest
to learn and one of
Photos by the author

the most essential for
almost any project.
Glue up a panel with clamps across the top and bottom to keep the assembly flat. Make sure you use plenty of
clamps on your workpiece to spread enough pressure across the entire joint.
T he edge joint may be the most funda-

mental joint in woodworking. Any time
you need a solid-wood panel more than 6"
or both. You may not have the flattest stock
to work with, and a spline or some biscuits
can help you line up a slightly bowed board
to the ends, alternating from one side to the
other. To keep the panel flat, I set alternat-
ing clamps across the top surface of the panel.
wide, you likely create it by gluing boards with its mates during glue-up. Spread your glue, set the boards on the
edge-to-edge. Casework, tabletops, door pan- bottom-side clamps and move the top-side
els, drawer fronts, shelves, headboards and Butted Edge Joint clamps into place. As you tighten each clamp,
footboards all require boards or panels of a Whether it’s for a dining table’s top or a small make sure the faces are flush by rubbing your
width that outstrips available stock and the door’s panel, jointing the boards and gluing thumb over the seam.
capacity of home-shop machinery. up a panel follow the same routine. If you’re uncomfortable trying to moni-
The most widely used type of edge joint First lay out the dressed stock and find tor two or three seams at once, which you
couldn’t be simpler – just two boards with the arrangement that pleases you. Mark the must do if you’re gluing up three or four boards,
straight, square edges and some glue. A prop- stock so you can remember the arrangement, you will need to do more than one glue-up.
erly fitted glue joint is stronger than the wood, then gather up the boards and joint the edges, First do two glue-ups of two boards each, wait
so if you assemble this joint correctly the making them straight, smooth, true and, of about half an hour for the glue to set, then
boards will split before the joint ever will. course, square to the faces. Then put together do a third glue-up joining them together.
So why are there so many variations – your panel on a flat surface. If your assembly
splines, biscuits, interlocking profiles – that table is bowed or twisted, you’ll have diffi- Using a Router Table
add complexity and additional parts? Well, culty creating a flat glue-up. If you don’t have a jointer, you can substi-
sometimes woodworkers can’t accept that a Do a dry-fit first. Set out the clamps, po- tute a router: Either set up a router table
simple joint is better than one with a bit more sition the boards and cauls, and run through for jointing or you can produce an excellent
mechanics to it. Often, splines and biscuits the clamping. The joints must close with butted edge joint using a hand-held router.
can be assembly aids. moderate pressure. If you need to really crank But keep in mind that router setups are not
Getting the stock flat, square and true to close the joints then you know you need ideal for handling rough lumber.
is the biggest task to making a good edge to rejoint the edges first. On the table, you need a fence with a
joint. Master that and you’ll have no trou- I use an odd number of clamps and begin slight offset between the infeed and outfeed
ble constructing strong, simple edge joints. tightening the center one before I work out halves – just like the tables on a jointer – so
But to do a proper job dressing stock, you that the work will be supported before and
need three machines: a jointer, a thickness by Bill Hylton after the bit trims away stock. If you use a
planer and a table saw. Together, they can fence with split faces, you can shim the out-
Bill Hylton is the author of several books on router
represent a significant cash outlay. woodworking and furniture making. He will be giving feed half with cards or plastic laminate. This
The upshot is that you may be able to seminars at select WoodWorks 2003 shows. See would apply to most commercial fences.
work around the lack of a jointer, a planer woodworks2003.com for more information. I’ve made a simple fence that I can use

4"
See detail below
on any of my router tables. It’s just two strips for bit opening
of 3⁄ 4" medium-density fiberboard glued to-
gether with a piece of laminate attached to 36"
the outfeed side. The bit cutout is large enough
to accommodate my glue joint bit, so I can
use it with that bit or a straight bit. Just se-
cure it to the table with clamps. Glue plastic laminate
Lock down one end of the fence, leaving to outfeed side only
the other end free to allow for slight move-
ment. Hold a straightedge against the out-
feed side of the fence, extending it across the Straight bit Bit clearance hole
bit. Adjust the fence so the bit’s cutting edges
are even with the straightedge. Glue two strips
Then make a test cut by jointing the first of 3/4" MDF
5" of a 12" scrap. If the cut stalls when the
scrap hits the edge of the outfeed section, Jointing fence
increase the bite. If the jointed stock isn’t
supported – if you can slip a piece of paper
or a feeler gauge between the stock and the
outfeed facing – you need to reduce the bite.
The ideal bit in these cases is a fairly heavy Align face of plastic laminate
but well-balanced 1⁄ 2"-shank straight bit. with cutting diameter of bit
Bit opening detail
Using a Hand-held Router
In this case, clamp a straightedge atop the
first workpiece and, guiding the router base feed on the first board is right-to-left, while Dowels, on the other hand, are not a good
against the fence, trim about 1⁄ 16" from the it is left-to-right on the second. option. It’s difficult to drill matching holes
workpiece. Then secure the second work- in the mating boards. Unlike biscuits, dow-
piece directly opposite the first. Adjust the Biscuited Edge Joint els offer no margin for error. On top of that,
gap between it about 1⁄ 16" less than the di- Despite the strength of the glued edge joint, dowels introduce a cross-grain element to a
ameter of the bit. By guiding the router along many woodworkers opt to embellish it with long-grain joint – if the wood shrinks, the
the same fence – you haven’t moved it – biscuits, splines or dowels. Machining the dowels can push the joint apart.
trim the second workpiece and produce boards for these elements can be extra work, Splining an edge joint was covered in the
an edge on it that’s a negative image of but when the assembly is complex or the October 2003 issue (available online at pop-
the edge milled on the first workpiece. The wood is mildly bowed, biscuits and splines wood.com), so I won’t repeat that.
two boards should fit together perfectly. can help create a flat glue-up. Biscuits are an excellent alternative, and
Because you’re cutting positive and neg-
ative contours of the fence, it doesn’t need
to be perfectly straight. In fact, you can pro-
duce slightly curved edge joints this way.
To do this, you will need to elevate both
boards slightly so the router bit doesn’t groove
your workbench. Both boards should be in
the same plane so the router can remain
square to the edges throughout both cuts.
Make sure you work out a placement that
allows you to secure both workpieces, such
as orienting them across the benchtop.
Feed direction is important, and the di-
rection that’s correct is different for each
board. You’ll be cutting one board on the
Rout the first half of an edge joint by guiding the Position the mating board opposite the first, with a
first pass, the other on the second. Don’t cut router along a fence clamped atop the workpiece. The gap just smaller than the diameter of the bit between
both at the same time. If you stand where feed direction here is right-to-left (moving away from the two workpieces. The feed direction when routing
the fence is between you and your router, the the camera). the second edge is left-to-right.
popwood.com 37
POWER-TOOL JOINERY
pretty easy to accomplish. Cut a series of slots

in the mating edges with a biscuit joiner. As
you glue up the joint, insert a football-shaped
biscuit into each pair of slots. The biscuits
register the surfaces, but allow a degree of
end-to-end adjustment. Accurate alignment
during glue-up is virtually foolproof. Butted edge joint Splined edge joint
Biscuit slot layout is simple. Line up the
boards as you want to assemble them and
then mark a line across each joint every 6"
to 8" where your slots will go.
Routed Glue Joint

This industrial joint was developed for high-
volume production glue-ups. In that setting,
the stock is propelled across a shaper with
a power feeder and the cutter simultaneously
joints and profiles the edge in a single pass.
One edge is milled with the face up, the other Biscuited edge joint Doweled edge joint
edge with the face down.
Long ago, the cutter was scaled down for
use in a router table. Because it’s typically flush. Because of the interlock, the fit is a to be offset from one another (just as you
less than 2" in diameter, it can be run at full cinch; the boards can’t shift up or down. The set the tables on your jointer).
tilt (22,000 rpm). But because it’s a substantial gluing surface is expanded, too.
bit and removes a major amount of stock, But the setup is easier explained than Setup Sequence
lots of horsepower is a prerequisite. dialed in. (Once you’ve done it, it’s easier • Eyeball a bit-height setting. I do this by
The concept, of course, is that you have to repeat.) The center of the profile must marking the stock center line on a setup sam-
a single setup of bit height and fence posi- fall on the center line of the stock or the ple and setting it beside the bit. Then I raise
tion. One board is routed face up, the other faces won’t assemble flush. Also, milling and lower the bit to visually align its cen-
face down. If the setup is correct, the two the stock’s full edge with the bit requires ter point as best I can with the mark. I use
boards will come together with their faces the infeed and outfeed halves of the fence this setting to set the fence, then come back
to the bit and fine-tune its elevation.
• Next, shim the outfeed half of the fence.
I usually use two or three thicknesses of index-
card stock. The shims go between the fence
and its facings. If you use the jointing fence,
shimming isn’t necessary, as the infeed-out-
feed offset is established.
• Align the outfeed half of the fence with
the small-diameter cutting edge. Lock down
one end of the fence and adjust it by swing-
ing the free end back and forth. Align the
fence visually, then check it with a straight-
edge held against the outfeed side and across
For the routed glue joint, mark the center of the work Align the outfeed side of the fence even with the the cutting edge. Clamp the free end. Confirm
and align the sweet spot on the glue-joint bit with cutting edges of the bit’s smallest diameter. Use a the setting with a partial test cut. Begin the
your mark. It probably won’t be perfect, but it’ll get straightedge and turn the bit by hand to find the
cut and feed several inches beyond the bit.
the setup process started. correct alignment.
Switch off the router and check if the edge
Check the fit of the joint. contacts the outfeed side of the fence.
You want the faces to be • Finally make a test cut on a short piece
flush. If you are milling
of the working stock. Cut the piece in half
both edges of a work-
piece, alternate the and fit the parts together to assess the fit. If
profile from edge to edge, the faces are not flush, you need to change
as shown. the bit height by half the offset. PW

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FROM THE BENCH
Wooden Spokeshaves
Pick up an antique
version (or make your
own). These tools
are unbeatable
for curved work.
M any woodworkers might find the tra-

ditional wooden spokeshave invalu-
able for working curved and shaped surfaces.
But many others often overlook this useful
tool, despite its having undergone something
of a revival among Windsor chairmakers dur-
ing the past several years.
The wooden spokeshave’s association
with a fairly specific type of work (spindles,
spokes, etc.) may help explain this oversight,
but I suspect it’s mostly because of some un-
certainty about how the tool is supposed to
function and wondering how to sharpen and Spokeshaves excel at shaping curved surfaces and can be either pushed or pulled over the work. Wooden tools,
tune it. I hope to dispel some of the mystery such as the one shown here, can be constructed easily yourself, or you can purchase a vintage one.
surrounding wooden spokeshaves and en-
courage you to discover that they can be ideal At first glance the lower face of the blade hind the cutting edge would tend to push
for shaping and cleaning up a wide range appears parallel, front to back, with the mouth the blade up off the material if there was no
of circular and curved work. plate, or sole of the shave. In fact, it could be relief angle. While learning to use a spoke-
Chairmakers can use them to shape their mistakenly assumed that the lower face of shave, it is helpful to be conscious of regis-
spindles and chair seats. Cabinetmakers can the blade is intended to function as the rear tering the sole, rather than the blade, on the
use them to fair curves or shape complex sole of the tool. However, my examination material to maintain this relief angle.
work, such as cabriole legs. In short, any of little-used older spokeshaves reveals that This orientation of the blade also means
woodworker who does any curvilinear work the lower face of the blade is slightly cant- it has a low cutting angle – roughly equal to
will find them useful. ed (I’ve observed 5° to 9°) from the sole of the amount of cant, or clearance angle, plus
the shave (see the drawing on the next page). the angle of the cutting bevel on the blade.
How a Spokeshave Works This slight cant provides a clearance angle This unique feature results in a very sweet
Though it has some unique features, the for the blade, which is required of every plane. cutting action when working with the grain,
spokeshave has a key characteristic that iden- There is a slight compression of the materi- especially on end grain. Predictably, this is
tifies it as a type of plane, albeit a very short al being worked under the focused pressure less than ideal for working against the grain
one. Namely, it has a blade secured in a wood- of the cutting edge. The spring-back just be- or if there are unpredictable grain reversals.
en stock (the body of the tool) and the stock Luckily, in doing curved work, grain di-
regulates the cutting action. by Don McConnell rection is generally more pronounced and the
Many of the tool’s more unique features direction you are working in can be adjusted.
are fairly obvious and require no addition- Don McConnell builds furniture and does ornamental Because the spokeshave can be used by either
carving in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Formerly at the
al comment. But the significance of some as- cabinetmaker’s shop at The Ohio Village, he remains
pushing or pulling you can accommodate these
pects of the blade and its relationship to the an avid student of the history of the trade, changes in grain direction without having to
stock may not be quite so apparent. tools and shop practices. change position or turn the work around.

Wooden spokeshaves
Buying a Vintage Spokeshave come in a variety of sizes
If you decide to look for an older spokeshave and configurations. From
to use, you will discover a number of varia- the top are: a traditional
tions. The majority of older spokeshaves were shave with square tangs
set into a wooden stock;
made from beech, though boxwood also is
a shave with a blade that
common. Spokeshaves also come in a vari- is adjustable by the
ety of sizes for different types of work. thumbscrews on the top;
The earliest form (which endured through- a shave with a traditional
out the period when wood spokeshaves were wooden stock; a new
user-made shave with a
commercially produced) has simple tapered
piece of persimmon inlaid
tangs that wedge into holes bored into the in front of the blade; a
stock. These require some finesse because vintage shave with a
adjustment is achieved by hammer taps. If brass-wear plate.
overdone, the stock can split or the fit can
become too loose to secure the blade in
the needed position. The latter can be reme-
died with slivers of veneer or blunted set
screws inserted from the front of the stock
(see the illustration below). When looking
for an older shave, it’s probably best to avoid
examples that are already loose or showing tion of the blade is shortened with repeated Many people today are making their own
signs of splits in the tang holes. sharpenings. This inevitably leads to the spokeshaves. Though not identical to the
Other spokeshaves have threaded tangs opening of the mouth, which can’t simply older ones, there are new blades suitable for
that are held and adjusted with captured be corrected, though one occasionally runs wooden spokeshaves that are available; and
thumbscrews at the top of the stock. These across an older spokeshave that has had a the process of making one is an enjoyable
seem more user-friendly, though you have to new mouthplate installed to address this con- and instructive experience.
watch for thumbscrews with noticeable wear dition (and possibly to fix a shave where the
where they are captured in the brass plate. stock has worn away from use). The Trick to Sharpening the Blade
Wear allows the blade to shift during use, re- Often, older shaves have seen hard use, If you’ve acquired a wooden spokeshave to
sulting in erratic cutting action. with the sole or mouthplate showing signif- use the next task is to sharpen it. Obviously,
Some older spokeshaves have straight icant wear and the blade all but used up. the two tangs limit your options and you’ll
blades while many, if not most, have a slight While this is ample evidence of past utili- need to work around them.
bow, or curvature, along the blade. The pur- ty, it’s better to find a little-used one. There If the blade is straight, it’s possible to lay
pose of this bow isn’t immediately obvious, are still enough of these around that a lit- your sharpening stone on edge, providing
but it may be to ensure that extraneous areas tle patience is usually rewarded. clearance for the handles while you hone on
of the sole don’t interfere with the function
of the shave on irregular surfaces.
Another feature of older blades is the hol-
low forged into the upper bevel, reminiscent Screws can be added to
of old straight razors. This provides guidance tighten a loose blade
for honing the bevel while minimizing the
amount of steel needing to be moved.
Finally, older spokeshaves may have a
brass mouthplate. It is assumed this was in-
tended to reduce wear, though brass doesn’t
Sections taken from center
seem to be a great choice for this purpose. of spokeshave body
Indeed, wear can be an issue for wooden Tang Tang
spokeshaves because they are often used on
narrow surfaces, which tends to localize and
Illustrations by Matt Bantly
accelerate wear. People making their own Mouth plate Blade Mouth plate Blade
wooden spokeshaves today often prefer to
Cant angle
use a small piece of hard, dense wood instead.
Clearance angle
One unfortunate result of this unique
blade arrangement is that the working por- Correct blade section Dubbed blade section
popwood.com 41
FROM THE BENCH
Wooden-bodied spoke-
shaves have a very low
cutting angle, which
excels at slicing end
grain. Shown here is a
ribbon of unbroken
walnut end grain taken
with this shave.
Sharpening the blade is

much simpler with it
secured in a handscrew
clamp. The metal rib
behind the hollow
that’s forged into the
blade helps guide your
slipstone as you hone
the bevel.
the stone’s edge. Or you can elevate the stone the blade is mostly straightforward. But it’s As to setting the blade for use, people
on another stone or block of wood so you important not to “dub over” or round over doing spindle/spoke work seem to prefer cock-
can hone on its face. At this point, you’ll ap- the blade front to back in an effort to speed ing their blades so that one side takes a heav-
preciate the advantages provided by the the process. This would quickly compromise ier cut than the other. For general curved
forged hollow because it guides your honing. the slight relief angle provided by the rela- work, I find a uniform set to be more useful.
If your blade is bowed, however, the bevel tionship of the blade to the sole. Whether you decide to buy or make a new
face will be slightly concave. That means you Unfortunately, this is an ongoing issue. spokeshave or refurbish an older one, I be-
can’t hone on the flat edge or face of a bench The bottom surface, just behind the edge, lieve you’ll find it a satisfying and versatile
stone. The best method I’ve found for this is comes in for a fair amount of wear. So while addition to your woodworking. PW
to trap the blade, bevel up, between the jaws you will probably do your primary honing
of a handscrew – which, in turn, is being held on the bevel, some secondary honing of the
in my bench vise. This brings it up to a com- lower face usually needs to be done. It will SOURCES
fortable working height and provides good be tempting to concentrate your honing ef-
Older wooden spokeshaves:
visibility while I hone with a slip stone. forts toward the edge, which, if you’re not Auctions, flea markets, antique dealers, yard
Honing and polishing the lower surface of careful, could easily result in dubbing it over. sales, etc. Also, don’t overlook national and
regional tool collectors' association meetings
where members often have tools for sale.
Blade has a forged
Blade hollow behind Make your own wooden spokeshaves:
cutting edge New blades:
Hock Tools
Tang
16650 Mitchell Creek Drive
Fort Bragg, CA 95437
Mouth plate View of 888-282-5233 or hocktools.com
bevel side
Instructions:
of blade John Gunterman’s online tutorial:
www.shavings.net/teachshave.htm
New wooden spokeshaves, kits and

blades:
Dave Wachnicki
Dave’s Shaves
Escapement area P.O. Box 980
North Conway, NH 03860
603-356-8712 or
ncworkshops.com/index.html

Glen-Drake Toolworks
!
W
E
N
Tite-Mark™
Set it close Unique patented guide system • Joints from a tiny 1⁄ 16" x 3⁄ 32" to 1⁄ 2" x 5" in stock
and dial it in up to 3" x 5 1⁄ 2" • Easy fingertip adjustment of joint tightness, recordable and
repeatable • Make angled and compound angled joints • Rout perfectly aligned
double, triple and quadruple joints • Use virtually any plunge router • Uses 1⁄ 2" shank
Precise, cutters • Cam-action speed-clamps • Integral dust port for vacuum
repeatable
settings
1-800-961-1569 • glen-drake.com
Call For Your Free Leigh FMT Brochure Today! 1-800-663-8932

Leigh Industries Ltd., PO Box 357, Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada V3C 4K6
Tel. 604 464-2700 Fax 604 464-7404 Web www.leighjigs.com Joining Tradition With Today
Tear vs. Cut

Sanding wood tears
the fibers as well as packing pores
with dust, leaving the wood with a slightly muddy
appearance. A sharp scraper shears the fibers, leaving a clean-cut
reflective surface. The Veritas® Scraping Plane is the ideal tool for final smoothing of large
surfaces prior to applying a finish. Nothing does a better job on difficult grain or highly figured woods.
The adjustable-tilt frog combined with our unique blade bow thumbscrew lets you select the perfect cut angle and
blade flex to eliminate blade-corner ridges in the work surface while giving a mirror-like finish. The large sole ensures
an accurately flattened surface and the generous knob and handle make this tool comfortable to use for extended periods.
Patent pending. 05P29.01 Scraping Plane $129.00 Shipping & NY sales tax extra.
1-800-683-8170 www.leevalley.com
Lee Valley Tools Ltd., 814 Proctor Ave., Ogdensburg, N.Y. 13669

Limbert Tabourette
This historical reproduction

is easier than it looks,
thanks to a tricky rabbet.
T
he curves, cutouts and captured shelf of this
small table make it look like a daunting proj-
ect for the beginning woodworker. But thanks
to some sharp design work from our project illus-
trator, this tabourette actually is duck soup.
Or, should I say, “rabbet” soup.
At the core of this table is an unusual rabbet
joint that joins the four legs of the table. The rab-
bets nest inside one another and, when assembled,
look like a pinwheel when viewed from above. As
a bonus, this joint allows you to make all four legs
from one simple template.
But how do you clamp such a curvy form with
this unusual joint? If you own a nail gun, then you
already have the answer.
This noteworthy joint might be the only thing
that separates my reproduction from a museum
original. Using historical photographs, we went
to great pains to ensure this tabourette looks ex-
actly like the table that appeared in Charles P.
Limbert Co.’s 1905 furniture catalog. If you are
unfamiliar with Limbert furniture, you should know

that this Grand Rapids, Mich., company produced
Arts & Crafts furniture with a European flair.
Instead of straight lines and massive propor-
tions, Limbert preferred curves. The furniture re-
by Christopher Schwarz
Comments or questions? Contact Chris at 513-531-2690
ext. 1407 or chris.schwarz@fwpubs.com.

mains popular to this day. The shoulder plane (see “The Essential out the legs on three sheets of 3/8"x 3/8" rabbet
#238 sold for $7 in 1905; a re- Shoulder Plane” on page 70). letter-sized paper and stick them
cent example fetched $1,600 directly to your plywood with a
at auction. Constructing this One Template, Four Legs spray adhesive. (There also is a
replica, as you’ll see, is easier than With the rabbets cut, it’s time to full-size pattern of this table’s
affording an original. make the plywood template that shelf on our web site.) To make
will shape the legs. You can use the template, you can use thin
1⁄
Start With the Legs the scaled diagrams we’ve pro- 4" plywood if you like, though
You can build this project with vided, or you can download a full- thicker plywood, such as 1⁄ 2" or
3⁄
just two 8'-long 1x8s, making it size drawing of one from our web 4", will make your routing eas-
affordable and easy to build – even site at popwood.com. Click on ier, as you’ll see later on.
if you don’t have a jointer or a “Magazine Extras” for details. Using your band saw or jig-
planer in your shop. Limbert’s The file will allow you to print saw, cut slightly wide of the line.
company built this table in quar-
tersawn white oak, though we’ve 25 1/4"
An accessory fence
also built it in walnut and cher- allows you to cut
ry for a more contemporary look. rabbets on your 3/4"
The first order of business is, table saw with just
as always, to get your stock flat one pass. And a
featherboard
and true. Cut all your pieces to
makes this joint
length and true one long edge of accurate and safe.
1 1/16"
each board. Set aside the four
Featherboard
boards for the legs and glue the
8 7/8"
remaining boards edge-to-edge
Dado stack
to create the panels you will need
for the top and shelf. Accessory fence
You’re going to make the legs
using a plywood template, a router
and a pattern-cutting bit. But be- 1" grid
fore you start cutting curves, you Leg pattern
should first cut the 3⁄ 8" x 3⁄ 8" rab-
bet on your four legs that will join
the four pieces together.
This rabbet is the most criti-
cal part of the project. It needs
to be precise to ensure the legs
nest together seamlessly, so check
your work carefully as you go. An
inexpensive dial caliper will make
the work easier.
I like to cut my rabbets on the
table saw using a dado stack that’s
buried in an accessory fence. This
allows me to cut my rabbets in
one pass and has given me con-
sistent results – especially when
I add a featherboard to the setup,
as shown in the photograph.
With your rabbets cut, fit the
four pieces together to check your
work. Tweak your saw’s settings
With the patterns taped together, attach it When trimming your pattern to rough size, cut as close to the line as you dare.
until everything fits. You’ll be to a piece of plywood using a spray adhe- The closer you are now, the less you’ll labor your router later. But if you go over
able to tune up your joints by hand sive. This 3M product is available in the glue the line, you’ll be in trouble.
later if you know how to use a section of most home-center stores.
popwood.com 45
Leave a small nib of waste at the To rout the shape of the legs, There are a couple of ways to clamp the pattern to your bench
foot and the top of the leg that first lay the pattern on your work rout the legs. You can do the op- using a vise and bench dogs –
will allow you to screw this tem- and line up the long, straight edge eration on a router table, if your make sure your bench dogs don’t
plate directly to your lumber. of the pattern with the rabbeted table is big enough. Or you can interfere with the bearing on the
Clean up the curves on your edge of the piece. Trace this shape clamp the work to your bench end of the bit. Affix the work to
template using sandpaper or files. onto your wood. and use a hand-held router. the pattern with screws and dou-
Make the curves as smooth as pos- Remove the pattern and trim The real trick is the router bit ble-sided tape and rout it to shape.
sible. To ensure your curves are your leg close to this line using itself. There are two kinds of pat- With the shape routed, you’ll
fair, I recommend you shape a a jigsaw or band saw – get with- tern-cutting bits: One has the immediately see that the notch
piece of scrap with your template in 1⁄ 16" to make it easier on your bearing at the end of the bit; the that holds the shelf will need some
before you move on to the real router and pattern-cutting bit. other has the bearing above the additional work. The round router
thing. A trial run will point out Save your fall-off pieces because cutting flutes. I generally prefer bit won’t cut that area square, so
rough spots or bumps that need they can help you clamp the legs bits with the bearing on the end, square out this section with a jig
more attention with the file. together later in the game. especially when working with a saw, band saw or even a handsaw
hand-held router. That’s because and chisels – whatever works for
you can work with the pattern you. This also is the time to re-
clamped to your workbench (if move the small pieces of waste
your pattern is thick enough). that you used to screw the work
If this is the route you choose, to your template.
Leg
A template for the shelf can simplify things if you’re making several tables. I cut the
notches on each edge of the pattern with a table saw and cleaned out the interior
waste with a chisel. Double-sided tape held the shelf on the pattern during routing.
Pattern
Move the router around the piece in
a counterclockwise pattern. As the
Scrap plywood grain changes direction in the piece,
you might want to climb-cut a bit in
Bench dog places (cutting clockwise) for a
cleaner cut. Just keep a firm grip on
the router when you do this.
I nailed my pattern to a piece of scrap plywood and clamped

that to my bench. This made routing the leg a simple opera-
tion that could be done in one pass.

Shape the other three legs in tools you used to clean up the
the same manner. Remove all the notches in the legs.
machining marks with sandpa- You can round the top in a va-
per or hand tools (a spokeshave riety of ways depending on what
and smoothing plane would be sort of tools you have. A circle-
appropriate). Then move on to routing jig like the one featured
the shelf, top and assembly. in our October 2003 issue (“The
Magic Trammel Jig”) is ideal. You
The Other Curves also could cut it close on a band
After shaping the legs, the top saw or jigsaw and sand it round
and shelf are pretty simple. The on a disc sander.
lower shelf requires notches on This is the best time to finish
the four sides and round corners, the table’s parts. Begin by sand-
as shown below. You can make a ing all the surfaces. Start with Nail one leg to the other so that the nail holes will not show when the piece is
template for this operation, too. #100 grit, then move up to #180 together. It’s easy to do, but it’s also easy to make a mistake. Use the diagram as a
Cut the notches with the same or #220. I’m a hard-core hand- guide and an extra set of hands helps immensely.
10 1/2"
Pinwheel rabbets
11/2"r. 11/8"
3/4"
Top attachment plate
Plan, top removed

16"
25 1/4"
Exploded view
LIMBERT TABOURETTE
NO. ITEM D I M E N S I O N S ( I N C H E S ) M AT E R I A L
T W L
❏ 4 Legs 3⁄
4 8 26* White oak
❏ 1 Top 3⁄
4 16 16 White oak
❏ 1 Shelf 3⁄
4 101⁄ 2 101⁄ 2 White oak
Elevation * Item is slightly oversized for pattern-routing
popwood.com 47
I made clamping
cauls using the is dry, then attach the top. I used
patterns for the brass mending plates that have
legs. Sand the two screw holes bored in them.
edges of the cauls These simple bits of hardware
to avoid marring
allow the top to move with the
your finished
edges. I also taped seasons. To install them on the
the cauls to my table’s base, use a chisel to make
clamps, which a notch that’s just a little bigger
made them easy than the mending plate. The plate
to get in position
needs to pivot a bit when the top
without help.
Cauls expands and contracts. (If you
don’t want to use mending plates,
the “Supplies” box tells you where
to get desktop fasteners, which
function similarly.)
The notches shown in the
photo are 3⁄32" deep x 5⁄8" wide and
are 11⁄ 8" in from the outside edge
The shallow notch together. You read that right, nail of each leg. Screw each plate to
at the top of each it. I’ve used a 23-gauge pinner the base. Once you install all four,
leg holds the
and an 18-gauge nailer for this screw the base to the top.
mending plates
($1.50 for a set of operation. Both fasteners work, Now that you’re done, be sure
four from my local but the smaller pins are less like- to save your templates and clamp-
home-center ly to split the wood. ing cauls. Because you’re ready
store). Make the Place the fasteners so that to go into production. PW
notch a bit wider
when you assemble the entire
than the plate to
allow it to pivot. table the nail holes will be cov-
This allows the top ered by the other rabbets.
to expand and Now add a third leg to your
contract with the first assembly in the same way.
SUPPLIES
seasons.
What you have left is what Woodworker’s Supply
you see in the construction draw- 800-645-9292 or
ing: A three-legged table with a woodworker.com
groove running down the assembly. 1 oz. • J.E. Moser’s golden
And you have a fourth leg with amber maple water-
tool enthusiast so I skip the sand- water-base aniline dye. After that’s its mating rabbet. Attaching this based aniline dye
paper and use a smoothing plane dry, wipe on a coat of Valspar leg is a bit of a trick. I recommend #W14901, $6.29
and a card scraper to prepare my warm brown glaze. Then add a either band clamps or making Woodfinishingsupplies.com
wood for finishing. Either way is topcoat finish – we spray lacquer. clamping cauls. 866-548-1677
fine. Once your wood is perfect, The finish takes some time, but If you want to make clamping
1 qt. • Valspar warm brown
tape off all your glue joints with it’s worth the effort. See the cauls (as shown above) you can glaze, $10.99
blue painter’s tape. “Supplies” box for ordering what use the fall-off pieces from band-
I use a tried-and-true finish- you’ll need for this finish. sawing the legs to shape. These Rockler
ing process we’ve developed in work, but they won’t mate per- 800-279-4441 or rockler.com
our shop that emulates the deep Assembly fectly. The better way is to print 1 pkg. • 8 desktop fasteners
reds and browns of a fumed am- Putting the base together is eas- out another copy of the leg pat- # 21650, $3.99
monia finish without the down- ier than it looks; the trick is to do tern and use that to saw and sand
sides of that dangerous chemical. it in stages. First study the pin- a set of cauls. To make the cauls
We explained the entire process wheel rabbet in the diagram. Then easier to clamp to your project,
in detail in our June 2002 issue take two of the legs and join them tape the cauls to your clamps’
(“Arts & Crafts Finish,” avail- at a 90° angle as shown in the il- heads. This allows you to assem-
able for sale at our web site). lustration. Here’s how: Put glue ble the project by yourself.
Essentially, you dye the proj- in the rabbet, put the lower shelf Using your cauls, clamp the
ect with a reddish half-strength in place and nail the two pieces fourth leg in place until the glue

WOODWORKING
ESSENTIALS BY NICK ENGLER
CHAPTER
2 Plunge Router
hile a fixed-base router is a very Similar to fixed-base routers, plunge- Most larger plunge routers have found
W versatile tool, there are still

some operations that require
different abilities. This is where a
base routers are available in multiple
sizes and power. Most will accept both
1⁄ 1
2" and ⁄ 4" collets.
happy homes in router tables (we will
discuss router tables in Chapter Three),
and that’s where they belong. They’re
plunge router proves valuable. honestly too large for convenient hand-
For example, some operations re- Choosing the Right Size held routing operations. They can be
quire you to rout the interior of a board For Your First Router used this way, but the smaller plunge
without cutting in from the edge. When Plunge routers are available in two main router is more likely the better choice
you rout a mortise, it’s best to first make sizes: either a 2-horsepower (or slightly for hand-held routing.
a small hole in the interior of the work- less) or a 3-hp (or slightly more) model. The smaller plunge routers are easier
piece, then enlarge it. To make this
starter hole, you must lower – or
“plunge” – the bit into the wood. While
you don’t need a plunge router to do
this (woodworkers have been plunging
with standard routers for years), it does
make the operation safer and can be
accomplished with greater precision.
The main difference between plunge
and fixed-base routers (which were dis-
cussed in Chapter One of this series) is
that plunge routers can make interior
and stopped cuts much more easily. The
plunge-base motor is mounted on two
spring-loaded posts above the base,
which let you position the motor above
the work, then lower the bit straight
down into the wood and begin cutting.
PRO TIP:
How Much is Enough?
To make sure the collet is safely gripping a router bit,
insert 3⁄ 4" of the length of a 1⁄ 4" shank bit into the
collet and insert a full 1" of every 1⁄ 2" shank bit.
TIPS & TRICKS
PRO TIP:
Use Ball-bearing Guided Bits
Instead of Template Guides
to Protect the Wood
Ball-bearing
guide
Metal template guides can burnish the

wood, crushing the fibers. This prevents There is quite an array of router choices. At left, originally designed as a laminate trimmer, this
stains and finishes from penetrating the smaller router is used very effectively for a variety of applications. Offering good power and
wood evenly. To prevent this, purchase a using standard 1⁄ 4"-diameter bits, it offers many of the benefits of a larger router with easier
maneuverability and convenient size. Kits for the trimmers offer fixed- and beveling-base op-
set of ball-bearing guides, available from
tions. The standard fixed-base router in the 11⁄ 2-horsepower range (middle) will accept 1⁄ 4" and
any router-bit distributor. 1⁄ 1
2" bits and do almost everything you could need out of a router. The plunge router in the 2 ⁄ 2-hp
range (right) is able to do everything a fixed-base router can do and more, with extra torque for
larger profile work such as frame-and-panel doors.
GREAT TIP:
Make Sure You Use
Plenty of Protection to use hand-held and will provide an router will better meet your needs. This
astonishing amount of power for almost also will indicate that the operation is
Always wear eye and ear protectors
all operations. Today’s plunge routers best performed in a router table. These
when routing. The need for eye protec-
often come equipped with variable operations include rail-and-stile applica-
tion should be obvious – the router speed. This is good because the larger- tions for doors, panel-raising for doors
throws wood chips everywhere. But the diameter bits cut better when run at and frame-and-panel cabinetry, and
need for ear protection is just as neces- slower speeds. Also, many variable-speed large profile work, such as in crown
sary. A high-speed router motor gener- routers now offer a type of turbo-boost moulding, base moulding or banisters.
ates high frequency noise, which can called electronic feedback control. This In fact, the design of the tool will
damage your hearing a tiny amount with feature allows the motor to maintain the help you make that decision, too. Most
each exposure. You won’t notice any revolutions per minute when the router smaller plunge routers will not have an
loss after just one routing session, but is in use, meaning there’s no slowing or opening in the base that is large enough
over time your hearing will grow worse. stalling during a cut. to accommodate a large-profile bit. If the
So smaller is best when the tool is bit won’t fit, you’ve probably grabbed the
used outside of a table and larger is likely wrong router for the application.
GREAT TIP: better for router-table use.
Make Sure You Get Good Height-adjustment Features
Choosing the Right Size With fixed-base routers, the depth of cut
Up-and-down Movement For Routing Specific Projects usually is set and adjusted manually by
When plunging, some routers will jam if As mentioned above, certain diameter sliding the motor up and down in the
you grasp only one handle, which is OK bits perform better at certain speeds. base. Some motors will rotate to adjust
because you should always use two While variable speed can give you a the height, while others slide straight up
hands. But if pushing both handles does certain amount of leeway in your routing and down. When the height is set, the
not result in a smooth glide to full ex- abilities, there are places where the size motor is locked in the base and the work
tremes, you should pass on that router.
of your router makes a difference. proceeds. With plunge routers, the depth
In particular, when performing any of cut also is set by sliding the motor in
process that removes a large amount of the base, but there are a variety of ways
material in a single pass, a larger plunge to set, adjust and fine-tune that height.
POPULAR WOODWORKING
Should You Buy Two Routers?
Considering the versatility of a plunge
router, why should anyone buy a fixed-
base router? Simply put, with fewer mov-
ing parts and a less-complicated depth
adjustment, it’s a simpler tool. A fixed-
base router is best used for making edge
cuttings of a single depth, while the
plunge router is built for depth changes
and is best for multi-depth interior cuts,
such as mortises.
Certainly, a plunge router can be
modified or placed in a jig for nearly any
cut that you’d want a fixed-base router to
The 11⁄ 2-hp router, left, has a base opening that is sized for bits appropriate to that size motor. do, but that doesn’t always make sense.
The larger plunge router, right, has a 3-hp motor, appropriately sized for larger bits for panel When in doubt, just keep it simple and,
raising or large profiles. This base has a larger opening to accommodate those bits. in the best of all worlds, both a fixed-
base and a plunge router should find a
home in your shop.
Because the plunge router is designed and the motor by taking no more than a
1⁄
to slide out of the cutting position and 4"-deep cut at one time.
then return to the proper depth with a There are a variety of designs for the
plunge, a repeatable and reliable depth plunge-rod/depth-stop arrangement, but
stop is required. The most common and turret depth stops are the most common
simplest repeatable depth stop on plunge height-adjustment system. Many newer Fine adjustment knobs
routers is called a “turret stop.” plunge routers also offer fine adjustment
A height-adjustable rod is mounted to the depth setting.
to the motor housing and aligned paral- This is accomplished either by adding
lel to the direction of the plunge. a fine-thread screw mechanism to the
Mounted to the base is a rotating dial depth rod or by adding a fine-thread
with usually three (but this can vary) screw adjustment to the top of one of the
stepped-height stops. The depth rod is depth rests on the stop itself. Fine adjust-
plunged against the lowest position for ment can be very helpful during the
the proper height, then locked in place. initial depth setup, as you frequently can
The other two stops come into play find yourself fighting a balancing act
when you are making deep cuts in multi- between gravity and the tension of the
ple passes to reduce the strain on the bit plunge springs to get the setting right.
The fine-adjustment feature also
makes plunge routers a good choice for
edge routing and profile work, applica-
tions typical for a fixed-base router. In
fact, many woodworkers when faced
with using only one router (thankfully
Turret stop with
fine adjustments that’s not too often) will choose a plunge
router, since it is more versatile.
But can’t a fixed-base router be used
to make plunge cuts? Sure, but it’s not
recommended. It’s a hazardous operation Fine adjustment rod
because the base is supported on only
one tiny edge while you tip the tool to
plunge. If all you have is a fixed-base Turret stop
router, there are ways to get the job
done, but for most people who will be
The turret stop is the most common depth making more inside cuts, it’s well worth The fine-adjustment knobs make the depth as
stop in plunge routers. it to get that plunge router. accurate as possible.
popwood.com
TIPS & TRICKS
PRO TIP:
Precise Setups with
Feeler Gauges
One of the difficulties when setting up
your plunge router for a cut is fine-
tuning the setting in small increments.
The most precise way to change your
setting is to use a set of automotive
feeler gauges. These thin strips of metal
are marked with their precise thickness-
es. When you want to adjust your bit up
.005", simply place the appropriate feeler
gauge between your turret depth stop
Illustrations by Mary Jane Favorite

and the tool’s adjustment rod. Plunge the
tool and lock it in place. Remove the
Template guide
feeler gauge and move the adjustment
Template
rod down until it contacts the turret
Work
depth stop again. Bingo. Now your cut is
.005" shallower.
Template guides are designed to follow templates. As the guide traces the shape of the tem-
plate, the bit cuts a similar shape in the workpiece. The routed shape may be a little larger or
GREAT TRICK: smaller than the template, depending on the relative diameters of the bit and the guide.
Use a Thick Scrap to Keep
Your Router in Balance
Base-mounted Guides and Don’t forget the most simple of router
Template Guides guides – a straightedge clamped to the
Base-mounted guides are available as material you’re cutting. This can be a
accessories for most fixed-base and simple piece of scrap found in your shop
plunge routers. The guide follows the or one of a number of commercially
Scrap edge of the wood and you can use it available guides that have built-in
rather easily. Instead of holding both clamping, making their use a lot easier.
router handles, grasp one handle and
hold the end of the guide with your
other hand. As you cut, keep the guide
pressed firmly against the edge of the
workpiece. Then just feed the router
slowly and easily for a smooth cut.
Template guides attach to the base or
sole of the router and follow a straight or
contoured edge. These round guides
surround the bit and the bit protrudes
out through the hole. While template
guides can be used to follow along the
If you’re routing the thin edge of a edges of a workpiece, they were designed
workpiece, or if the workpiece is too to follow templates.
narrow to balance the router easily, When using template guides, make
clamp a thick scrap to the work to sure the bit does not rub the inside of the Most base-mounted guides will follow either
provide more support. collar. That wear could ruin both the bit straight or contoured edges, depending on the
and the collar. Also, keep the guide shape of the guide. Here, a straight guide –
pressed firmly against the edges of the which looks like a small fence – rides along
template as you cut. the edge of a board.
POPULAR WOODWORKING
How to Rout a Mortise
Routing a mortise with a plunge router is
an easy operation. First mark the loca-
tion of the mortise and set up whatever
guide system you choose. Your guide
system can be as simple as an edge guide,
as shown at right, or a jig, as shown in
the photo below.
Begin the mortise by making a start-
ing hole. Just position the bit over the
work, then push down. Next, enlarge
(or elongate) the hole to complete the
mortise by moving the router.
Cutting a mortise with the standard
fixed-base router is more difficult be-
cause you must “rock” the bit into the To rout a mortise with a plunge router, clamp a straightedge or guide to the workpiece and
workpiece before you can cut. You also adjust the depth stop. (You also may use a base-mounted guide attached to the router.) Position
can cut a mortise with a table-mounted the router over the work, holding the base against the straightedge (or the guide against the
fixed-base router, but the procedure work). Release the height clamp and push the bit into the wood.
requires careful layout work. You have to
mark both the router table and the work-
piece to know when to start and stop ■ Deep or Large Cuts
cutting. That’s why the plunge router is If you have a deep cut that is going to
perfect for this job. be more than one pass or is larger than
your bit, break out the plunge router.
Other Applications Even if it means building up support on
Along with mortising, there are some the outboard side of the router’s base to
other operations that plunge routers are prevent tipping, it’s almost always better
ideally suited for: to use the plunge router.
■ Circles and Ellipses ■ With a Router Table
Because cutting these pieces is usual- Plunge routers are the most popular
ly a multi-stage task, the plunge router choice with a table because there are
works best because it can be lowered more options in the 3-hp range than
gradually to make the cuts. You could fixed-base routers. They’re also relatively
use a fixed-base router, but it usually inexpensive, but there are some prob-
takes up more time, or even a band saw, lems to be aware of. Because the router’s
which can be more efficient but won’t motor is inseparable from the rest of the The depth stop will halt the bit at the proper
give you the precision or finished quali- tool, you can’t change the bit easily if depth. Secure the height clamp and rout the
ty of a plunge router. the tool is fixed to the tabletop. mortise, keeping the router against the guide.
A mortising template can be nothing more

than a hole cut in a piece of plywood or
particleboard. The size and shape of the hole
depends on the size and shape of the mortise
you wish to cut, the diameter of the template
guide in your router and the diameter of the
bit you are using. When you make the
template, cut it large enough to support the
router base. You also may want to fasten it to
one or more mounting boards to help position
the template and provide an easy way to
clamp it to the workpiece.
popwood.com
TIPS & TRICKS
PRO TIP: Router Maintenance seated properly and cleaned regularly.
Like many modern portable power tools, • Brushes are blocks of carbon that
Sharpen Cutting Flutes by
the router is a mostly maintenance-free ride and wear against the commutator in
Using a Diamond Stone tool. There are, however, a few things all router motors as part of the motor
you must do to keep it in good working function. Over enough time, the brushes
order. In particular: can wear down enough to require com-
• Keep the motor free of dust. Use plete replacement. Some, but not all
compressed air or a vacuum to clean out routers, make this a simple task by mak-
the housing. Otherwise, the dust will get ing the brushes accessible from the out-
into the bearings – even permanently side of the router housing.
sealed bearings – and cause them wear Sparking from the motor that is only
prematurely. The dust also can damage getting worse is a good indicator that it
the commutator (a part of the router’s may be time to replace the brushes. This
universal motor that conducts current) usually is a simple task that requires
and field of the motor. removing the brush cover, removing the
• Keep the collet dust-free. Dust in a brush, spring and wire and inserting a
If your cutting edges seem dull, touch up collet is the most common cause of bits new brush. Properly aligning the brushes
the carbide flutes on a diamond stone. slipping. If you don’t keep it clean, the and leaving proper “play” in the spring
Sharpen only the inside (flat) surfaces of collet also can show wear prematurely. will ensure a good fit.
the flutes, leaving the outside (curved) • Replace the collet immediately if There likely will be a short period
edges alone. If you try to sharpen those, it shows signs of wear. A worn collet where sparking will continue as the new
you might change the diameter of the bit. changes the shanks of router bits. This square brush shapes itself to the surface
may ruin the motor shaft, requiring you of the round commutator, but after that
to replace the entire armature. there should be no problem.
GREAT TIP: • Wax and buff the base plate and • Many switches included on routers
the surfaces of the tool that slide to- today are sealed against dust. This makes
Wax That Tool; Don’t Worry
gether (such as the plunge bars). This maintenance on them unnecessary. If
About Wax on Wood simple act will help these parts move you happen to have an older or less-
There is a common misconception that if freely and keep the router gliding expensive router, you may want to take
you wax a woodworking tool the wax will smoothly across the work. a look at the switch occasionally as well.
rub off onto the wood and interfere with • Specifically with the plunge router, After unplugging the router it’s simple
a finish. This is not true, as long as you you need to make sure that the plunge enough to remove the switch from the
buff the wax after it dries. Once buffed, bars and sleeves are correctly aligned. If housing and use a soft toothbrush to
the layer of wax remaining on the tool is
the router is dropped, these parts might clean any accumulated dust from the
need to be inspected. In some routers, switch and the switch terminals.
only a few molecules thick – enough to
the return springs are inside the plunge Compressed air is another option for
protect and lubricate the metal but not
bars; in others, the spring is fitted exter- cleaning out the switch. Put things back
enough to ruin the finish. nally. Either way, the springs need to be together and you’re ready to go.
GREAT TIP:
Remove Your Plunge Springs
When Routing in a Table
One of the most frustrating things about At right is the motor’s brush with Mounting hole
using a plunge router in a router table is spring and connecting wire, the cap
and the hole in the housing where Connecting
that the plunge springs work against you wire
the brush goes. You can see that
as you try to increase the height of the the surface of the brush is slightly Spring
bit. Many plunge routers allow you to concave to form to the cylinder of
easily remove the springs. Give it a try. the commutator. When replacing a
brush that is already broken in, the
shape should be properly oriented Brush
Brush cap
to match the motor’s round
commutator.
POPULAR WOODWORKING
A BIT OF ADVICE
Bit Maintenance A router bit consists of a cylindrical
Clean and maintain the router bits, not shank (usually 1⁄ 4" or 1⁄ 2" in diameter) and
just the machine itself. After all, a bit is one or more flutes or cutting wings,
the most important part of your routing usually comprised of a piece of carbide
system. Here are some tips: brazed to the metal body of the bit.
• After each use, remove dust and Throughout this series, we will be pro-
built-up pitch. Then polish the shaft
viding a closer look at a many of the
with a piece of steel wool or 3M Scotch-
most common (and some specialized)
Brite. This will not affect the diameter of
the shaft – the tool materials are a lot bits that you can use with your router.
harder than steel wool and Scotch-Brite. These four bits are great for making
• If there are any burrs or galling interior patterns.
(rough spots) on the shaft of the bit,
sand the entire shaft smooth with
emery cloth. Carefully check the collet
Round Nose Bit
for dust or any signs of wear. Burrs and Provides a perfect radius
To remove the pitch from a router bit, soak it
galling are sure signs that the bit has in lacquer thinner or spray it with oven clean- groove and is most com-
slipped while you were cutting. er. Give the solvent a moment or two to work, monly associated with
• Lubricate pilot bushings and bear- then wipe off the bit with fine steel wool. producing fluted millwork,
ings after every one to two hours of use. signs and decorative
Wax and buff the bushings. Apply a dry designs in cabinet doors.
lubricant, such as powdered graphite, to When you set the depth of cut, the pilot
the bearings – do not use oil or sprays. must solidly contact the wood surface. Beading Bit
These mix with sawdust, forming a • Anticipate the curves and corners A bead is different than a
gummy paste that can ruin the bearing. of your work to keep the pilot pressed roundover in that it has a
firmly against the board’s edge. shoulder that transitions
Using Piloted Bits • Treat the pilot as if it was a small
into the round. Used for
A piloted bit has either a ball bearing or straightedge or fence when trying to
decorative edges, it can be
a bushing to guide the cut. These pilots decide which way to move the router or
follow the surface of the work (or the feed the work. With a hand-held router used on one side (often
template) and keep the width of the cut right-side up, cut counterclockwise with a bearing guide) or
consistent, just like you do when using a around the outside of your workpiece. two sides to make a double bead.
base-mounted guide. (With the router mounted upside down
Usually they’re mounted to the ends in a table, feed the work clockwise V-groove Bit
of the flutes, but some are positioned around the bit.) This decorative bit allows
between the shank and the flutes (called • The diameter of the pilot controls you to cut deep or shallow
“over-bearings”). the width of the cut. Some piloted bits grooves by adjusting the
When using piloted bits: have interchangeable pilots for you to cutting depth. Ideal for
• Remember that the pilot is meant change the diameter, but not all do, so making signs and adding
to follow the contour of the board. make sure you’re prepared for this. decorative accents to
furniture and plaques.
Keyhole Bit
This is a very specialized bit
For best results, use pilot that allows you to cut keyhole
bearings, rather than bush-
openings for hanging pictures
ings or pins, which turn at the
same speed as the bit and and plaques. Perfect for use in
rub the edge of the work- plunge routers.
piece. The friction causes
Cuts access hole and
them to heat up and burn the
space for the nail or
wood. Bearings turn inde- Cuts space
screw head
pendently of the bit and for the shank
won’t rub or burn the wood.
popwood.com
Everything you need
JIG JOURNAL to know about
the router in our
Circle-cutting Jig special series!
For many woodworkers, one of their
first tools is the router, but there
often isn’t enough instruction about
how to use it. This series aims to fix
that by giving you everything you
ever wanted to know.
Chapter 2
Plunge Router
An in-depth look at versatile
plunge routers and loads of
information about router
maintenance and more.
COMING IN FUTURE ISSUES

Chapter 3
The Router Table
Which routers work best
in a table? Plus lots of
The distance from the pivot hole to the nearest edge of the router bit determines the diameter table tricks.
of the circle. Put a scrap of plywood under the workpiece so you don’t cut into your workbench.
Chapter 4
Router Joinery
A great tool for joinery, we
any woodworkers use a router, a To cut a circle, drive a nail or screw
M
tell you how to rout all kinds
straight bit and a circle-cutting into the workpiece to make a pivot – of tight joints.
jig to make circles. And, natural- make sure you drive the pivot nail into
ly, there is an easy-to-build and easy-to- the bottom or inside surface of the work- Chapter 5
use jig that will help you make these piece, because you don’t want the hole Use Your Router
perfect pieces. This jig is just an elongat- to show on the assembled project. Then to Build Drawers
ed router sole that you can attach to your just drill a hole in the small end of the An excellent application for
hand-held router’s base. Make the jig jig, place the hole over the pivot and a table or hand-held router.
from plywood, hardboard or clear Lexan. swing the router around the pivot. Chapter 6
Edge & Surface
Treatments
Radius to fit Spice up your projects with
1⁄ router base these special edge shapes.
4"
plywood,
hardboard or
clear Lexan 1" dia. thru Chapter 7
Drill pivot holes Advanced
anywhere along Techniques
centerline We comb our resources to
Variable 3⁄
16"
through give you some special tips
with countersink and projects to work on.
to fit router
IN PAST ISSUES
Chapter 1
Fixed-base
CL
Circle-cutting jig Router
11⁄ 4" radius The basics of router
set-up and rules every
woodworker should
know.
POPULAR WOODWORKING
headline
deck
Table Saw Photo by Al Parrish
TUNE-UP
For little money down and o you suspect that your table saw accidents are caused not by operator error,
a few easy installments D isn’t producing the kind of qual-

ity of work that it should? Are
you getting rough, burned cuts that aren’t
but by poorly set-up, ill-equipped machines.
We’re not talking just about old ones –
you can’t trust a brand-new saw to be tuned
of elbow grease, you can perfectly straight or square? Does your up and aligned properly.
saw vibrate or bog down? Do you suffer But not to worry: Tuning up your table
turn your table saw into a from “kickback anxiety?” saw isn’t difficult, and it can make a world
If so, you’re not alone. The truth is that of difference in the quality and enjoyment
powerful and precise most table saws are not operating as well of your woodworking. In just a few simple
as they should. In fact, many miscuts and steps, you’ll learn how to fine-tune your
cutting machine. by Paul Anthony
Paul Anthony is a 10-fingered woodworking author and teacher living in Riegelsville, Pennsylvania.
Anthony will give seminars on table saw tune-up and techniques at the WoodWorks 2003 shows in
Indianapolis; St. Paul, Minn.; Fort Washington, Penn.; Columbus, Ohio; and Springfield, Mass.
popwood.com 57
ings. Firmly pull up and down on in place near the flange (See “Dial
the arbor shaft, then try to push Indicators” on page 60). The eas-
it in and out. There should be no iest way to do this is to use a mag-
play in the shaft and no clunk- netic base, but you also could
ing sounds. Also, turn the arbor screw the indicator to a length of
slowly by hand while listening wood clamped to your table.
for any grating sounds that may Remove the saw blade, then
indicate worn bearings. crank the blade carriage to 45°.
A loose arbor or worn bear- Use steel wool to clean any crud
ings are unlikely except on old from the flange, then position the
saws. But mistakes can happen. dial indicator near the perime-
If your saw has this problem, you’ll ter. “Pre-load” the plunger by ap-
have to replace the bearings to plying enough pressure against
correct it – a fairly major repair. the flange to ensure it will main-
There’s little sense going ahead tain contact throughout rotation,
with the tune-up until that is fixed as shown on the previous page.
because you’ll get rough cuts from To measure the runout, turn
the resulting slop in the blade. the arbor slowly by hand while
Once the arbor is OK, check watching the movement of the
the arbor flange for runout (wob- dial needle. If the runout is ex-
Photos by the author
ble caused by a flange that isn’t cessive, sorry about your luck; it’s
flat). Whatever runout exists in not a simple repair. You’ll have
the flange translates to increased to either live with it or replace
runout at the blade’s perimeter. the arbor, which is a lot of work.
None of the tools needed to tune up your table saw are expensive. Here I’m check- For example, .001" (one-thou-
ing the parallelism of the fence to the miter gauge slots using a $14 dial indicator. sandth of an inch) of runout at Align the Blade & Table Slots
the edge of the flange can result For clean, accurate crosscuts, your
saw to bring out its maximum po- essary. But to be on the safe side, in several thousandths of an inch workpiece must travel exactly
tential. All the adjustments de- you should perform all the checks of runout at the rim of the blade. perpendicular to the blade.
scribed here apply to portable to determine where you may have No flange is perfectly flat, but Otherwise the front and rear teeth
“benchtop” saws, contractor saws problems. And please be sure to you’ll want to make sure yours is attack the piece at an angle – a
and cabinet saws. unplug your saw before you start. within acceptable limits. The best condition called “heeling,” which
You might not need to per- manufacturers aim for less than results in rough cuts that may be
form all the adjustments we talk Arbor, Bearings and Flange .001" of runout. To check the out-of-square. To correct this, the
about here because you may find The first thing to check is the in- runout, you’ll need a dial indi- miter gauge slots must be aligned
that in some cases, no fix is nec- tegrity of the blade arbor and bear- cator and some way to secure it exactly parallel to the blade.
CHECKING PARALLELISM OF BLADE TO TABLE SLOTS
1 Mark the blade and rotate it fully forward to 2 Rotate the blade mark to the rear, then slide 3 As a low-tech alternative to a dial indicator, you
pre-load the dial indicator plunger against it. Then the dial indicator back until the plunger rests against can use an automotive feeler gauge to check the gap
zero out the dial indicator. the mark. between the blade and a screw driven into the jig.

Splitter
The easiest and most accurate

way to check this is to use a dial
indicator screwed to a simple Rear trunnion
shop-made, cross-shaped jig that Drive pulley
rides in the miter-gauge slots (see
“Checking Parallelism of Blade
to Table Slots” on the previous
Motor Arbor bearings
page). The jig consists of a 3⁄ 4"- Drive belt
thick crossbar glued to a
hardwood run-
Arbor pulley
ner that fits
snugly in the Front trunnion
Arbor
slot with no Trunnion bolt
side-to-side play.
Wax the runner, Arbor flange
as it needs to slide to take Arbor bracket gear Miter slot
the measurement. If you’re Worm gear
one of the lucky few whose Trunnion gear
stock miter-gauge bar fits snug- Stop bolt
Illustration by Mary Jane Favorite

ly in its slot, screw the dial indi- Worm gear
cator to a stick clamped to the
Saw table
miter-gauge head. Then position
the dial indicator on the cross-
bar so the plunger is slightly pre-
loaded against the blade. Extension
Raise the blade all the way. table
Make a mark on the blade body
behind a tooth. Rotate the blade
so the mark is 1" above the table. ference exceeds .003", you should
Place the plunger against the mark adjust for parallelism.
and zero out the dial indicator by To make the adjustments on INTERNAL MECHANISMS OF A CONTRACTOR’S SAW
rotating the dial face to align the a contractor saw or a portable saw, Regardless of the type of table saw, the internal mechanisms are basically the same.
The blade carriage consists of a pair of tilting trunnions and an arbor bracket that
“0” increment with the needle. you’ll need to change the posi-
raises and lowers the blade. On contractor saws and portable saws, the trunnions
Rotate the saw blade so your tion of the trunnions, which are attach to the saw table. On cabinet saws, they attach to the cabinet.
mark is 1" above the table at the bolted to the underside of the
opposite end of the blade. Position table. Loosen all four trunnion
the dial indicator against the mark bolts, leaving one of the bolts in If you fully tighten one bolt at a Cleaning Out the
there and note the difference in the front trunnion snug but not time, you risk shifting the trun- Internal Mechanisms
measurement from the first loca- tight. This is your pivot point. nions or tabletop. Be sure to For the easiest and most accurate
tion. The reason for rotating the Next, use a plastic or rubber recheck the parallelism after tight- operation of your saw, the pivot
blade like this is to eliminate any mallet to tap the rear trunnion ening all the bolts. points, trunnions and gears need
blade warp from the equation. bracket right or left as neces- This can be a fussy procedure to be cleaned, lubricated and kept
A low-tech alternative to using sary to bring the blade in align- and it may take you a while to free of oily sawdust that can gum
a dial indicator is to use a round- ment with the miter gauge slots. make the measurements match up the works.
head screw and an automotive Making the adjustment on a at the front and rear of the blade. Begin by blowing out the in-
feeler gauge. Drive a 11⁄ 2" x #8 cabinet saw is easier because the But be patient – it’s worth it. Your terior of the saw using compressed
roundhead screw into the end of trunnions are attached to the cab- cuts will improve and you should air if you have it. If not, brush
the crossbar, which should ex- inet itself. Therefore, all you have only have to do this once. (If you away the sawdust as much as pos-
tend to within about 3⁄ 4" of the to do is loosen the four bolts that intend to clean the internal mech- sible. To access the internal parts
blade. Adjust the screw in or out attach the saw table to the cor- anisms of a cabinet saw, you may on a contractor’s saw, remove the
so it’s about .005" from the blade. ners of the cabinet, then shift the want to adjust for parallelism after motor and lay the saw on its side
Using the feeler gauge, measure table by tapping it with a mallet. cleaning the interior, as remov- or upside-down on a low bench.
the gap, positioning the screw at When retightening the bolts, ing the top allows for the best ac- The easiest way to get to the
two points as before. If the dif- snug them up gradually in turn. cess to the internal mechanisms.) guts of a cabinet saw is to remove
popwood.com 59
A long jointed board serves as a great straightedge to help you level the extension tables.
Jam nut
the saw table. But if yours is aligned and the points where the hand- Adjust the blade
angle stop by
to the blade, you may not want wheel shafts enter the cabinet loosening its jam
to do this. Instead, work through walls. Don’t use oil on the gears nut, then turning
the access door below. You can or trunnions, as it can collect saw- the screw in or
temporarily remove the motor to dust. Instead, use a silicone-based out as necessary.
get it out of the way. lubricating spray or similar prod- After retightening
the jam nut, make
Use mineral spirits to clean uct. Graphite also works well. a test cut.
away dirt and grease. To clean the Avoid getting lubricant on the
gear teeth, I use a stiff-bristle belts or pulleys.
toothbrush, continuously dipping are level with the main table. on cabinet saws typically are bolt-
it in mineral spirits. To expose the Improve Extension Tables On a typical contractor saw, ed only to the main table. If an
trunnion brackets for cleaning, and the Throat Plate the extensions usually are bolt- extension droops at its outer edge,
crank the blade carriage all the Level the extension tables using ed to the saw table and the fence raise it the necessary amount by
way one direction, then the other. a straightedge. First flush up the rails. If necessary, just loosen the inserting a couple of shims at the
Use a thin penetrating oil, joints where the side extensions bolts, level the extension and underside of the joint. You can
such as WD-40, to lubricate the attach to the table. Then make retighten the bolts. make your own shims from paper,
arbor shaft, the arbor bracket pivot sure the far ends of the extensions The solid cast-iron extensions plastic or even from aluminum
cut from soda cans. If the outer
edge of the table is too high, just
DIAL INDICATORS insert the shims inside the joint
near the top edge.
When it comes to checking the accuracy of your magnetic base for convenient use on metal surfaces.
If you use an outfeed table be-
table saw, drill press, jointer or other machines, it’s Alternatively, you can screw through the lug hole into
hard to beat a dial indicator. This simple tool con- an appropriately sized piece of scrap wood that you hind your saw, make sure it’s set
sists of a spring-loaded plunger have clamped in place. about 1⁄8" below the surface of the
whose in-and-out movement is You don’t need an expensive dial main table to prevent a workpiece
indicated by thousandths of an indicator to measure most equip- from catching on it. Use your long
inch on the face of the dial. It ment. You can get a 21⁄ 4"-diameter straightedge to ensure that the
can be used to determine the dial indicator with 1" of travel for entire surface of the outfeed table
concentricity of shafts, flanges, $12.95 from Grizzly Industrial is parallel to, but below, the main
blades and drill press chucks, (800-523-4777 or grizzly.com – item table. I drove 1⁄ 2"-diameter lag
as well as the height of jointer #G1479). You should get a magnetic screws into the bottoms of my
and planer knives. base, too, because of its convenience.
outfeed table legs to allow per-
To use the tool, fix it in Grizzly sells a good-quality combina-
fect leveling all around.
place next to the part you’re tion kit that has both a dial indicator
measuring. A lug on the back and nice magnetic base for just Adjust the height of your throat
allows for attachment to an $19.95 (item #G9849). It’s a small plate using its leveling screws.
adjustable boom arm on a price to pay for accuracy. Lay a small ruler or other short

Splitter
Straightedge
A 45° drafting triangle, which you can find easily and is affordable, is a great tool for
adjusting blade tilt stops.
To align a splitter, place a straightedge against the teeth on the right side of the
blade, then adjust the splitter side-to-side to bring it against the straightedge. Use a
small square for vertical alignment.
blade stop. Loosen the jam nut the same plane. If necessary, ad-
on the stop and place an accu- just the motor position to bring
rate square on the saw table against them in line with each other.
the blade. Drive the stop screw Don’t try to correct the problem
in or out as necessary to correct by simply moving the motor pul-
the blade angle, then crank the ley to the end of its shaft, as this
carriage against the stop again can strain the shaft.
Replacing the stock rubber belts on a contractor’s saw or cabinet saw with a link
and recheck the blade angle with Excessive saw vibration often
belt (available from Woodworker’s Supply, 800-645-9292 or woodworker.com) can
reduce vibration, as can replacing die-cast pulleys with machined ones. the square. When the stop is set is the result of “belt slap” caused
correctly, tighten the jam nut. by the rubber drive belt’s “mem-
Then make another test cut. ory” of its oblong packaged shape.
straightedge over the plate open- 18" long that you’ve dressed To check the 45° stop, crank Replacing the rubber belts with
ing as you make the adjustments. straight and square. This is a bet- the blade carriage against its 45° “link” belts greatly reduces vi-
Better yet, make yourself a zero- ter initial test than measuring the stop and cut a bevel on each end bration on contractor’s saws and
clearance throat plate. [Editor’s angle of the blade to the table. of your test piece, feeding the cabinet saws. The die-cast pul-
note: For details, check out “Tricks To check the 90° position, workpiece with your miter gauge. leys that are included with con-
of the Trade” on page 18.] This will make sure the blade is vertical If you don’t have an accurate miter tractor saws can cause vibration
minimize exit tearout and pre- and fully cranked against its stop square to check the cuts, you can because of non-concentricity.
vent narrow strips of wood from without using excessive pressure. place two bevel cuts together and They can be replaced by machined
falling into the saw. Using your miter gauge, crosscut check the resulting 90° angle with steel pulleys available from most
about 1⁄ 4" from each end of the a regular square. If the bevels aren’t supply catalogs.
Adjust the Blade Angle Stops test piece. Don’t simply shave a accurate, adjust the 45° stop in Also, if your saw isn’t stand-
Most saws include adjustable stops slight bit from the end, as this can or out in the same manner as being solidly on the floor, shim it as
for setting the blade at 90° and cause the blade to deflect slight- fore. To set the angle of the blade, necessary to prevent rocking.
45°. These stops typically con- ly, yielding an inaccurate cut. I use a 45° drafting triangle.
sist of a bolt or screw that is locked Next, check the cuts using an Align the Splitter
in position with a jam nut. Refer accurate square. Don’t trust your Reduce Vibration A properly aligned splitter is an
to your manual for the location store-bought combination square; Misalignment of the arbor and absolute necessity to prevent kick-
of the stops on your saw. If you it’s likely not very accurate. You motor pulleys on a contractor’s back, which is the primary cause
don’t have a manual, don’t worry can buy a good 4" machinist’s saw can cause vibration and power of table-saw accidents. Kickback
– the stops should be evident square for about $10 from many transmission loss. To check the is the result of the workpiece wan-
when you crank the blade over. woodworking supply catalogs. pulley alignment, hold a straight- dering away from the fence and
Begin by measuring cuts made If neither of your test cuts are edge against the outer faces of the into the rising rear teeth of the
on a piece of thick scrap about square, you need to adjust the pulleys to make sure they’re in blade, then being thrown upward,
popwood.com 61
incorporates. As a test, rip a length THE IMPORTANCE
of wood, then inspect the cut edge OF GOOD BLADES
under a strong sidelight.
Just as you wouldn’t mount cheap
The cut should show inter-
tires on a Ferrari, you don’t want
secting arcs from the saw blade’s
to use a second-rate saw blade if
teeth. If the arcs run in only one you’re looking for ultimate per-
direction, that means that your formance from your saw. Even a
fence is not in proper alignment. perfectly tuned saw will not yield
With the fence adjusted, turn excellent cuts when outfitted with
your attention to the miter gauge. a poorly manufactured blade.
For accurate crosscutting with a Without getting into the
miter gauge, its bar must fit snug- intricacies of design, a premium
A properly adjusted fence will result in a cut with cross-hatched tooth marks. The
ly in the table slots with no side- blade is made from a flat plate
board in front was cut with a 24-tooth rip blade. The board in back was cut with a
to-side play. The miter gauge head with very little warp, or “runout.”
premium-quality 40-tooth blade.
The best manufacturers maintain
also must be aligned perfectly
a maximum .002" runout toler-
square to the blade.
ance on a 10"-diameter blade.
The time-honored trick that Slowly rotate the blade against a
I use most often to correct the fit dial indicator to check runout.
of a loose bar is to dimple its edges The teeth are precisely ground
with a metal punch to expand from fine-grain carbide and the
the metal a bit. If you pound too arbor hole is machined to an
aggressively, causing the bar to accurate diameter, preventing
stick in its slot, you can simply galloping on the arbor. Expect to
file back the edges to fit. spend about $60 to $100 for a
Once the bar fits well, just good-quality 40-tooth all-purpose
blade that will do a fine job when
use a drafting triangle to set the
ripping or crosscutting most
head so that it is perpendicular
woods you’ll use.
to the blade. Then adjust the 90° To produce the best cuts, clean
stop on the miter gauge head. your blades regularly to keep
You also can use the triangle to them free of pitch, which can
set the 45° angle stops. overheat and burn your wood. I
After adjusting the miter gauge square to the blade, set the stop on the gauge for use a citrus-based cleaner/de-
accurate repeatability. A sandpaper-faced auxiliary fence allows for greater control Work Surface Maintenance greaser available at most home
when crosscutting. Clean the saw table and fence supply stores. Just spray or brush
rails with mineral spirits. Scrub the cleaner on the blade, let it sit
over the blade. A properly aligned Align the Rip Fence and away any light rust using fine steel for a few minutes, then lightly
scrub away the softened pitch
splitter denies the workpiece ac- Miter-gauge Stops wool lubricated with mineral spir-
with a brass-bristled brush.
cess to the rising rear teeth, ef- For clean rip cuts, the rip fence its. For heavier rust, use the finest
fectively preventing kickback. must be adjusted parallel to the grit of silicon carbide wet/dry
It’s no secret that stock split- blade. Measure this parallelism paper possible, again lubricated
ters are a pain. They don’t remove using your dial indicator jig. with mineral spirits.
and attach easily. A variety of eas- Place the jig in the left-hand After wiping away the min-
ily removable aftermarket split- miter gauge slot, with the fence eral spirits, apply a coat of paste
ters are available for many saws to the right of the jig. Bump the wax to the tabletop, the rails and
and are a great improvement. fence against the plunger slight- any areas where the fence con-
Regardless of the type of split- ly to pre-load it. Now slide the tacts the rails. Also wax the faces
ter that you use, it needs to be dial indicator jig to the front of the saw’s fence.
properly aligned. Place a good of the saw table and zero out the After the wax hazes, buff it
straightedge against the right- mechanism. Then slide the jig well with a soft, clean cloth. I’ve
hand face of the teeth, then align to the rear of the table to com- tried various sprays marketed as
the splitter against the straight- pare the measurements. a protectant for machine surfaces
edge. Use a small square to en- Align the fence to the table and they seem to work fine.
sure that the splitter is square slots using whatever adjustment However, I’ve not found them to
to the tabletop, too. mechanism your particular fence be any better than paste wax. PW

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Mix a basic
design with some
ambitious details
and you have a
great project for
any skill level
woodworker.
18th Century
T his piece first caught my

Hanging
Cupboard
eye a few years back. I was
particularly captivated by
the tombstone style of the doors
(the arched glass panels) that
Photo by Al Parrish
draw you to the display area be-
hind – perfect for showing off one
or two prized antiques.
Believed to be from the first
half of the 18th century (circa
1730), this wall cupboard has a techniques, you’ll have no prob- of the backboards, nailing strips through-dovetails at the corners.
revered history. Although this lem. If you’ve been looking for and shelf. The widest lumber need- It’s up to you to decide which
is a rather beautiful piece, it ap- an opportunity to try some new ed is 91⁄ 4", so if you’re a careful method you use to complete the
pears to be one of a kind. techniques, this can be a valu- shopper you may be able to make dovetails, but I opted to go the
The simplistic design and able learning project. the piece without having to glue hand-cut route.
some challenging construction up any boards. If not, choose your If you look closely at Photo 1,
details make this a piece that you Dovetailing the Carcase wood carefully, matching grain you’ll see that I’ve actually thinned
will want to create, but this proj- Start the cabinet by selecting your and color to make your cabinet down the pins on the top and bot-
ect requires a certain amount of wood. The cabinet shown here is as dramatic as possible. tom pieces to 5⁄8" and made a rab-
skill. The joinery is tradition- solid walnut, with the exception The case is assembled with bet on the inside surface of both
al, using through-dovetails, mor- the top and bottom that is the
tise-and-tenon joints, some by Glen Huey length of the pins. I do this for
haunched tenons, a couple of two reasons: When I apply the
Excerpted from "Building Fine Furniture" copyright 2003 by Glen Huey.
raised panels and a few rabbets Used with permission of Popular Woodworking Books, an imprint of F&W
mouldings to the case, they tra-
tossed in for good measure. Publications Inc. Visit your local bookseller, call 800-448-0915 or check out the ditionally cover the dovetail.
If you’re well-versed in these Bookstore at popwood.com to obtain your copy. With a smaller piece such as this

cupboard, a full 3⁄4" revealed dove-
tail forces the moulding to over-
lap the sides by almost an inch. I
can make the moulding more del-
icate-looking by reducing the Dado for shelf (started)
thickness of the pins. In addition,
Step photos by the author

adding the rabbet makes this strong Rabbet for back
joint even stronger.
Cut all your dovetails and test-
fit the pieces, but don’t assemble
the case. You still need to cut rab- 2 With your dovetail joints complete, cut the 1⁄ 2" x 1⁄ 2"
bets in both sides of the case to rabbet for the backboards, then locate and create the
accept the 7⁄16"-thick backboards. 1 Using the pins, lay out and then cut the corresponding 1⁄ 3
4"-deep x ⁄ 4"-wide dado for the shelf. Once you have these
You could cut rabbets in the top tails into the side pieces. complete, you should be able to assemble the dovetailed box.
and bottom to house the back,
but I opted to add backboard nail- Using glue and
ers. They give you more room to
3 plenty of clamps,
attach the
attach the backboards and dou-
face-frame
ble as hanging strips when mount- assembly to the
ing the cupboard to your wall. dovetailed box.
Before assembly, use the il-
lustration to locate the dado po-
sition for the shelf. The rabbets
and dados can be made on the
table saw or with a router and
guide, as I’ve done in Photo 2.
Traditional Face Frame

While the dovetailed box is like-
ly stout enough, the design of this
cabinet calls for a face frame ap-
plied to the carcase. The face
frame serves two functions: it
keeps the box square and it adds
extra strength and rigidity. After When the clamps come off Slide the shelf into
all, it holds heavy dishes, right? the case, slide the shelf in from
4 place and, using
1⁄
4" square pegs,
The best way to make the the back of the cabinet and lock
affix the shelf. I
frame strong and square is by using it in position by drilling 1⁄ 4" holes prefer to use red
mortise-and-tenon joints at the through the sides into the shelf, oak for the pegs.
corners. I cut 3⁄ 8"-thick x 1"-long then pegging the shelf with 1⁄ 4"
tenons on the face frame rails square pegs, seen in Photo 4. Add
(11⁄ 8"-wide for the top rail and a little glue for good measure.
21⁄ 4"-wide for the bottom rail).
Mill the mortises in the stiles and Making Fancy Doors
assemble the face frame. The doors on this cupboard re-
With the face frame assem- ally make the piece, so it’s not too
bled and sanded, simply apply surprising that there’s a lot of work
some glue to the front edge of the involved to get them just right. coped moulding on the inside you go any further. Use the illus-
carcase and clamp the frame in Start by milling all the pieces edge of all the door pieces, some tration to lay out the radius, then
place, as shown in Photo 3. The to size as given in the cutting list. extra steps are required. cut and sand the shape.
frame should be flush to the cab- Essentially, the door is a mor- After milling the pieces, set Now it’s mortise-and-tenon
inet on all four edges. Check to tise-and-tenon frame similar to aside the top rail for each door. time. Refer to the illustration
make sure the cabinet is square the face frame on the carcase, but These two pieces need to be cut to mark, then cut the mortises for
while clamping up the front. because of the middle rail and the for the cathedral opening before the three rails in each stile. With
popwood.com 65
Top (B)
Backboard (Q)
Backboard nailer (P)

Face-frame top rail (E)
Face-frame stile (D)
Crown
moulding (L)
Shelf (C)
Backboard nailer (P)

Side (A)
Bottom (B)
13"
Face-frame
bottom rail (F)
Base
moulding
stage 1 (M) Base Cupboard - exploded view
moulding
stage 2 (N)
10 1/4"
2 1/2"
Rabbeted
area for
2 3/16" glass panel
radius
6 1/8" Door top rail (H)
6"
Door middle rail (J)
Illustration by Len Churchill
Base Base 2 1/8"

moulding moulding
stage 2 (N) stage 1 (M) Door stile (G)
Moulding profiles 6 3/4"
2 1/8" Door panel (K)
Door bottom rail (J)
Door elevation Door - exploded view

the mortises cut, use a 3⁄ 16 "
roundover bit to shape the front
inside edge of the door pieces,
then head back to the saw.
Because of the roundover de-
tail, the stiles need to be trimmed
flat at the roundover to make the
appropriate mating point with
the rails. Follow Photos 6, 7 and
8 to first notch the stiles at a 45°
angle, then trim the roundover 5 Cut the door pieces to size, lay out the radius on the top 6 Set the saw blade to 45° and cut to the shoulder of the
from the stiles. rail and create the tombstone effect. To do this, you will want roundover location. There is one cut each for the top and
The tenons on the rails are to use a 3⁄ 16" roundover bit on the inside edges of your pieces, bottom rail and two cuts for the middle rail. The area for the
making sure to run both edges on the middle rail of each door. middle rail is nibbled away and cleaned up with a chisel.
next. Use the mortises in the stiles
and the illustration at left to lay
out the tenons, then follow Photos SOURCES
9 and 10 to create them. Don’t
forget that the top and bottom 45° cut Horton Brasses
rails will require haunched tenons 800-754-9127 or
to hide the groove for the panel horton-brasses.com
you’ll cut next. 2 • pairs of 2" x 2" wrought-
The grooves for the glass in iron butterfly hinges
the upper section and for the pan- #HF-12, $29/pair
els in the lower sections are 1⁄ 4" 1 • Brass half-mortise cabinet
wide x 3⁄ 8" deep. They run on the 90° shoulder cut lock #LK-9, $9
1⁄ 1
inside edge of all rails and stiles 4 lb. • 1 ⁄ 2" clout nails
and on both edges of the center rails. #N-7, $2

8 Create the same 45° cut in each
The door panel is best cut to 7 Use a tenoning jig to remove the rail at the required location, then reset Bendheim Restoration Glass
fit the actual doors, so go ahead waste material where the top and the blade to 90° and complete the cut bendheimrestorationglass.com
and dry-fit the doors, fine tuning bottom rails meet the stiles. that defines the shoulders. 800-221-7379 (East)
800-900-3499 (West)
2 • pieces of full-restoration
18TH CENTURY HANGING CUPBOARD glass, cut to fit
NO. LETTER ITEM DIMENSIONS (INCHES) M AT E R I A L C O M M E N T S
T W L Olde Century Colors
Case 800-222-3092 or
3⁄
❏ 2 A Sides 4 91⁄ 4 24 Walnut 1⁄
4"-deep shelf dado oldecenturycolors.com
3⁄
❏ 2 B Top and bottom 4 91⁄ 4 241⁄ 2 Walnut 1 qt. • Brierwood Green
3⁄
❏ 1 C Shelf 4 83⁄ 4 231⁄ 2 Poplar acrylic latex, $13.60
3⁄
❏ 2 D Face-frame stiles 4 2 24 Walnut
❏ 1 E Face-frame top rail 3⁄
4 15⁄ 8 221⁄ 2 Walnut 1" TBE Woodworker’s Supply
3⁄
❏ 1 F Face-frame bottom rail 4 23⁄ 4 221⁄ 2 Walnut 1" TBE 800-645-9292 or
Doors woodworker.com
3⁄
❏ 4 G Stiles 4 21⁄ 8 195⁄ 8 Walnut 1 • Button lac shellac
3⁄
❏ 2 H Top rails 4 21⁄ 2 81⁄ 2 Walnut 11⁄ 4" TBE #848-824, $18.99
3⁄
❏ 4 J Middle and bottom rails 4 21⁄ 8 81⁄ 2 Walnut 11⁄ 4" TBE
❏ 2 K Panels 5⁄
8 65⁄ 8 73⁄ 8 Walnut 5⁄
16" TAS
Woodcraft
Mouldings 800-535-4482 or
❏ L Crown moulding 3⁄
4
3⁄
4 5 lf Walnut woodcraft.com
❏ M Base moulding, Stage 1 5⁄
8 13⁄ 4 5 lf Walnut 1 • Behlen Wool-lube
❏ N Base moulding, Stage 2 5⁄
8 1 5 lf Walnut #18y61, $6.99
5⁄
❏ 2 P Backboard nailers 8 13⁄ 4 227⁄ 8 Poplar Prices as of publication deadline.
7⁄
❏ 1 Q Backboard 16 24 221⁄ 2 Poplar Multiple pieces
1⁄ 3⁄
❏ 1 R Door catch 2 4 3
1⁄ 3⁄
❏ 1 S Lock catch 4 4 2
Note: TBE = tenon both ends; TAS = tenon all sides; lf = lineal feet.
popwood.com 67
9 Next, adjust the blade height to 3⁄ 8" and make the cut that defines the shoul- 10 Return to the tenoning jig to complete the cuts for the tenon.
ders, remembering that this is a haunched tenon (offset the tenon by 3⁄ 8").
11 With all the mortises and tenons finished, set the blade to cut a 1⁄4"-wide x
3⁄
8"-deep groove on the inside of all pieces and on both sides of the middle rail.
the joints as you go. Then take to fit the cathedral opening,
the measurement for the panel straight lines are used.
sections and add 5⁄ 8" to both di- With the glass space routed 12 Dry-fit the door pieces and make any necessary adjustments. Take the meas-
mensions to accommodate for in the doors, you can now move urement for the panels and cut them to size, adding 5⁄ 16" on all sides. Moving the
the panel’s “tongues.” Cut the on to the rest of the project. The fence to the left side of the blade, set the blade angle to 12° and make the cut that
creates the raised-panel effect. You can see that I raised the blade through a scrap
panels to size, then set your table glass can be installed after the fin-
of plywood for safety. The lower edge has to be able to fit into the 1⁄ 4" groove
saw blade to a 12° angle. Run all ish is applied. Use either a water created in the stiles and rails, and not fall into the saw’s throat plate.
four edges of the panel to form the putty to glaze the panes of glass
“raised” effect. in place or strips of wood nailed
Glue up the doors (without in behind the glass. to match the mouldings, or use Hardware and
putting glue on the panels; they whatever router bits or shaper Hanging the Doors
need to float in the grooves to Trimming Out the Cabinet profiles you have on hand to cus- I used traditional hinges and a
allow for wood movement from With the doors complete, turn tomize your cabinet. lock set for this cupboard. If you’re
humidity). Once the glue is cured, your attention back to the cabi- The mouldings are mitered at using the same hardware I did,
use the illustration and Photo 13 net to add the trim. The lower a 45° angle at the front corners follow Photo 15 and the instruc-
to help you rout the back of the trim is a two-piece moulding, held and are cut flush to the back edge. tions provided with the hardware
doors for the glass. Essentially flush to the bottom of the cabi- Use nails to attach the mould- to notch the stiles for the lock
you’re making a rabbet to fit the net, while the upper moulding is ings. This is done to help you set. The door latch and handle
glass into, but rather than go to a single detail piece. avoid any wood movement prob- are explained with more detail
the trouble of shaping the glass Take a look at the illustration lems that may arise. in Photo 17. The hinges are

14 Using a 1⁄ 2" beading bit to form the edge of 15 Install the lock into your door, then fit both
the Stage 2 base moulding, create the piece and doors into place and install the hinges, making sure
13 This is how the glass area should look after routing. nail it to the Stage 1 moulding. to allow equal spacing around the doors.
Catch nests into

slot in shelf
16 The backboard nailers are glued and nailed to the top and bottom of the case. 17 Using a biscuit joiner, make a groove in the bottom edge of the shelf, just
Here you can see a groove cut into the bottom of the nailers, which will make sure behind the stile and 1⁄ 4" from the shelf front, to accept the door catch. Next, mark
to eliminate any glue squeeze-out. the location of the lock strike and create a catch. It is also possible to purchase an
angled strike plate from the lock supplier to eliminate this procedure.
wrought-iron butterfly hinges and If you’re painting your interi-

though the doors should be care- or, or if you’re applying a clear-
fully spaced while hanging, they’re coat finish, you should leave the
not too complicated. back pieces out until after fin-
ishing. It makes things a lot eas-
Adding a Back and a Finish ier in the long run.
The back is made up of three I used a clear-coat finish for
shiplapped boards. These are the exterior of this piece. The
nailed into the rabbets on the side walnut was just too pretty to even
pieces and into the added nail- bother adding a stain. The in-
er boards at the top and bottom terior is finished with two coats
of the cabinet. The back should of a green latex paint.
not be glued in place; rather, a And there you have it – a
single nail in each board (top and nice-looking cabinet that not
bottom) should be used to hold only looks good, but also can teach 18 Install the glass. Reattach the hinges, reinstall the lock and apply a coat of
the boards in place. you a thing or two. PW paste wax. And with that, your cupboard is done.
popwood.com 69
TH E E S S E N T IA L
Shoulder
Plane Learn to set up and use this great joint-fitting tool.
For fine-tuning joints, the versatile shoulder plane is a must-have tool in your shop.
t’s hard to imagine woodworking without planes; The shoulder plane is the only tool that will
I I use a variety of planes on almost every job

for smoothing, shaping and fitting. A sharp,
finely tuned bench plane will smooth away the mill
take thin, delicate shavings from the tough end-
grain shoulders of tenons. But it’s not limited to
trimming shoulders. The shoulder plane’s open
marks left behind by machines and create a dis- sides, fine mouth and low bed angle make it useful
tinctive surface that says “handmade.” A set of hol- for a variety of tasks – essentially anytime you might
low and round planes will shape a large crown want to take fine, controlled cuts into a corner.
moulding that would otherwise require a heavy- Whether it’s shaving the cheek of a tenon for a
duty industrial shaper and a power feeder. And snug fit within a mortise or fine-tuning a drawer
when carefully fitting tenons to their respective runner deep inside a case, a shoulder plane is up to
mortises, I reach for a shoulder plane. the task and will give you good results every time.
by Lonnie Bird
Lonnie Bird is the author of “The Complete Illustrated Guide to Shaping Wood” (The Taunton Press)
and teaches woodworking. You can learn more about his woodworking classes at lonniebird.com.

Some shoulder planes, such as the Stanley #92 shown here,
feature a removable front piece, which transforms the tool
into a chisel plane.
Because the sides of a shoulder plane are open, it’s easy to trim into corners of rabbets.
It’s Not a Rabbet Plane has features that most other types of rabbets, tenon faces, shoulders cate shavings – just what is need-
I’m not one to get stuck on ter- of planes lack. First, the sole of and practically anywhere else a ed when fine-tuning joinery.
minology, but it’s pretty easy to shoulder planes are ground ex- fine, controlled cut is required.
get confused when shopping for actly 90° to the sides. This helps Some shoulder planes, such as Tuning a Shoulder Plane
a shoulder plane because many ensure square, accurate cuts. The the Stanley #92, also feature a re- For any plane to perform as ex-
woodworking catalogs label these iron is usually bedded at about movable front piece that quick- pected it must be tuned proper-
tools as rabbet planes. While rab- 20° and ground between 20° and ly transforms the tool into a chis- ly and the shoulder plane is no
bet and shoulder planes both have 25°. This yields a cutting angle el plane, another useful tool. exception. However, because a
open sides for cutting into cor- of 40° to 45°, effective for thin To eliminate chatter, the bed shoulder plane doesn’t have near-
ners, there are some distinct dif- cuts on end grain. of a shoulder plane supports the ly as many working parts as a bench
ferences between the two that af- Of course, like a rabbet plane, iron almost to the cutting edge. plane, it’s not quite as time-con-
fect how they are used. the sides of a shoulder plane are This feature, combined with the suming to tune. Also, most shoul-
Basically, rabbet planes are de- open. This unique feature allows extremely narrow mouth, allows der planes are manufactured to
signed for cutting rabbets while the plane to trim into corners the plane to remove thin, deli- more precise tolerances than
shoulder planes are designed for
trimming. Rabbet planes usual-
Your iron should
ly come equipped with a fence be .006" to .010"
and a depth stop to guide the plane wider than the
and control the dimensions of sole. To get your
the rabbet. Embedded in the sides iron to this width,
carefully work the
of most rabbet planes is a “nick-
sides of the iron
er” or spur that severs the fibers with a coarse
ahead of the iron when cutting bench stone.
across the grain. Shoulder planes Check your
lack these accessories. Because progress with a
dial caliper.
they are used for trimming, shoul-
der planes are guided by surfaces
previously created by other tools.
However, the shoulder plane
is a much more refined tool than
its coarser cutting cousin. Don’t
forget: These finely tuned planes
excel at trimming and refining
surfaces. To perform these func-
tions well, a quality shoulder plane

bench planes, so they don’t re- Although you can loosen the
quire the extensive reworking lever cap and pivot the iron slight-
that many new bench planes do. ly, this technique will allow for
To begin tuning a new shoul- only a small adjustment. You’re
der plane, first check the body of better off grinding the iron square
the plane to see that the sides are to begin with. Grind the edge to
90° to the sole. Fortunately most 25° and, as always, make sure you
are, but if yours isn’t, return it and don’t let the steel overheat.
request a new one. As you might Before honing the edge, com-
imagine, reworking the sides to pare the width of the iron to the
correct any deviancy from 90° is body of the plane. The iron should
extremely difficult and labor in- be slightly wider than the sole,
tensive. Let the plane manufac- at the most .006" to .010" wider
turer correct this problem. (.003" to .005" on each side). If
Next, check the sole for flat- the iron is too wide (as it some-
ness. If the plane has an adjustable times is) it will gouge the face ad-
nose piece (which allows for ad- jacent to the one you’re planing.
justments to the mouth of the If necessary, slowly and carefully
plane) make certain that the screw work the sides of the iron with
that fastens this piece is secure a coarse bench stone. Be careful
before checking the sole. If the and don’t overdo it. Otherwise
sole is slightly out of true, you can the iron will not cut into the cor-
correct the problem by lapping ners. A dial caliper works well to
it on a diamond plate. check your progress.
The next step is to sharpen After honing, install the iron
the iron. It may be necessary to and adjust it for a very light cut.
grind the iron; check to see that Next, sight down the sole of the
the edge is 90° to the sides. Unlike plane and slowly advance the iron
Once your iron is ready for cutting, install it in the plane and adjust it for a very
bench planes, shoulder planes until you can see only the edge. light cut. Simply sight down the plane and slowly advance the iron until you can
don’t come equipped with a lat- Finally, adjust the mouth of the see just the edge.
eral adjustment lever so there is plane so that only the thinnest
little you can do to compensate of shavings can pass through. Your
for an edge that is out of square. shoulder plane is tuned. Using Your Shoulder Plane and grasp the plane with both
Most shoulder planes, small or hands for the best control.
large, can be used one-handed. I After a short time, you’ll find
use my other hand to grip the the controlled, precise cuts you
workpiece and position it against get with your shoulder plane to
a bench stop. When planing long be addictive – and you’ll find your-
grain, such as when fitting the self using it often. PW
face of a tenon to a mortise, you
can effectively plane all the way
across the stock. However, when
SOURCES
planing end grain, such as the
shoulder of a tenon, planing all Lie-Nielsen Toolworks
the way across risks splintering 800-327-2520 or
the grain at the trailing corner of lie-nielsen.com
• Large shoulder plane
the stock. Instead, plane from
#073, $225
both directions and allow the cuts
to meet near the middle. Highland Hardware
When planing a wide shoul- 800-241-6748 or
der, such as the end of a tabletop tools-for-woodworking.com
to receive a breadboard end, I • Stanley #92 shoulder plane
When planing end grain, as I’m doing here, be careful of splintering the grain at the #031804, $84.99
trailing corner of the stock. To avoid this, simply plane from both directions and reach for a large shoulder plane.
allow the cuts to meet near the middle. Clamp the work to the benchtop Prices as of publication deadline.
popwood.com 73
ACase for Wine
Most boxes of
wine aren’t a good
thing, but we’re
sure this project is
of good vintage.
O
nce upon a time, I was a
beer guy. Most wood-
workers are, I suppose,
and I still enjoy a good brew. But
recently I’ve also learned to ap-
preciate a glass of good wine.
Usually a bottle or two of red wine
in the house is adequate, but as
my interest in wine has grown,
so has my interest in having a se-
lection of wines available. So I
decided I needed a wine rack.
I don’t have a lot of room in
my house, so I turned to my
computer-aided design program.
After carefully measuring a vari-
ety of bottles (between sips) I cal-
culated the best way to maximize
my bottle storage in the smallest
amount of space. The rack shown
here is my best effort, with stor-
age for 24 bottles (two cases) in
a 20" x 20" x 14"-deep space.
By David Thiel
Comments or questions? Contact David
at 513-531-2690 ext. 1255 or
david.thiel@fwpubs.com
Photo by Al Parrish
This design allows for an effi- router bit in my router table to To locate the four smaller di-
cient cutting list and an efficient make the 3⁄ 8"-deep grooves. vider locations, start by marking
use of space. I was able to de- With the spacing I used on my the center line on each of the four
sign the rack using 11 pieces of dovetails, the grooves in the top sides. This mark is where the pieces Stopped
wood in only four sizes. Maybe and bottom pieces are able to run will meet at 45° angles. Measure groove
that’s why I decided to compli- the entire length of the piece the necessary lengths of the four for back
cate it by adding dovetails to the without interfering with the dove- pieces (hopefully these lengths
solid mahogany box. That, and tail pattern. However, on the side are the same) and then cut the
the need for reliable strength – pieces I had to use a stopped groove four pieces to length, adding 45°
24 bottles of wine are heavy. to avoid seeing the groove in the bevels at all the ends.
The interior dividers are assembled box. Next, remove the front diag-
eggcrate-joined Baltic birch with After running the stopped onal divider and fit two of the
veneer tape applied to the front grooves, use a chisel to square out short dividers in place at the top
edges. Designed to hang on a wall the ends. Next dry-assemble the left and bottom right corners of
with a hidden French cleat, the box with the back in place to make the rack, parallel with the re-
box could be easily adapted for sure everything fits well. maining long divider. Place the
The box itself is dovetailed together.
floor use with a simple base and front long divider back in its place, When laying out your dovetails, make
maybe a drawer added above the An Interlocking Complexity and again mark the notch loca- sure the back groove falls between the
box itself. It’s a reasonable week- The divided interior of the box tions on all the dividers. tails and the pins on the sides so the
end project with some time left is formed from just six pieces of The notches should be cen- groove won’t show at the top. I had to
1⁄ run stopped-grooves on the sides to
over to have a glass of wine and 2" plywood, notched to inter- tered on the short dividers, but
avoid the groove showing from the
appreciate your work. lock with one another. it’s best to check the location outside. All you have to do is stop the
Start by measuring from one against the actual pieces. Make cut, then use a chisel to square out the
Building the Cabinet inside corner of the box to the your notches, then repeat the end of the groove.
Start construction with the out- opposite corner. While a meas-
side of the case. The four pieces urement for the length of these
are exactly the same, 14" x 20", pieces is provided here, it’s a good
but because this is a simple piece, idea to double-check the di-
an attractive grain pattern can mensions against your project.
go a long way to make it more Your dimensions for the two
dramatic. I was lucky to have a long dividers should be the same,
slab of mahogany tucked away in but if they’re not, cut the pieces
the shop that was actually 141⁄ 2" to the required lengths, then use
wide, which allowed me to avoid your table saw to bevel both sides
any glued-up panels. of each end at 45° to form a point
After choosing the most at- on each. Cut them a little long
tractive faces of the boards for at first, then fit the pieces so they
the exterior, start laying out the slide snugly into the case.
dovetails. Everyone has their own When the pieces fit, slide one
method of making dovetails, and all the way in, then slide the other
you may choose to cut yours by in against the first. Mark both to
hand to get a more unique spac- indicate the intersecting spot, as
ing pattern. I chose the easy shown in the photo at right.
plugged-in route and used a model Take the pieces out and use a
2200 Keller Jig (kellerdovetail.com, try square and the intersection
$219) to cut through-dovetails. marks to lay out the 5" x 1⁄2" notch-
es on each piece. Then head to
Keep On Groovin’ the band saw and cut out the
With the dovetails cut and fit, notches. Don’t worry about being
you will need to cut grooves for too neat, but cutting close to the
the back in all four pieces. Because inside of the lines allows for fine-
To fit the interlocking dividers to one another, start with the two long dividers. First
I was hanging my rack on the wall, tuning the fit. Test the two pieces fit them between the corners of the box, then mark the overlapping locations of the
I allowed a 3⁄ 4" setback from the in the case and move on to the two pieces. The eggcrate notches are cut at the mark. Follow this same process to fit
rear of each piece and used a 1⁄ 2" last four dividers. and notch the four smaller dividers.
popwood.com 75
Veneer tape process with the short dividers Color and Character
added to for the bottom left and the top Before gluing up the case, decide
tighten fit right corners. With everything how you’re going to finish it. I
fitting snugly in place, I added opted to leave the birch plywood
some birch veneer tape to the pieces natural, but I used Moser’s
front edges of the dividers to hide water-soluble Light Sheraton
the layered plywood. Mahogany aniline dye (Woodwor-
ker’s Supply, 800-645-9292 or
woodworker.com, item #W13301,
$6.99 for 1 oz.) on the mahogany
This photo (with the dividers removed
box. Because the back is birch
from the box) gives a better example of
how the dividers all fit together. If you plywood, I’d have trouble dying
look closely at the right edge of the piece the box after assembly without
being dropped into place, you’ll see a coloring the back, too.
trick I had to use to fix a “too-loose” My solution was to give the
divider. By adding veneer tape to the
back a few coats of a clear lacquer
beveled end I was able to fix the fit.
Veneer tape added to the front of the finish prior to assembly. Then,
divider after the fix made the fix when the dye is applied to the
virtually invisible. mahogany, any errant dye that
Attach cleat
to case
Attach cleat
to wall
20"
1/2"
10"
1/2" 3/4"
5/8"
3/4"
3/8" 1 5/16"
20" 14"
Elevation Profile/section
26 3/16" 13 1/16"
1/2" 1/2"
6 5/16"
10"
5"
Long divider plan & section Short divider plan & section

gets on the back simply can be
wiped off the lacquer finish. STORING WINE
After sanding the interior of So now you have this great wine
the project, it’s time to move on storage box, but what do you need
to the glue-up stage. Make sure to know to properly store all of your
the dovetails are pulled up tight wine? Well, wine is perishable, so
and the case is square. you must keep it at a stable temper-
ature and serve it at a temperature
Measure from corner to cor-
that best shows off its specific
ner in both directions and make
characteristics.
any necessary adjustments. As you can tell, temperature is
After the glue is dry, take the the most important factor when
case out of the clamps and flush storing wine. The “golden tempera-
up the pins and tails. This may ture” for storing wine is 55° Fahren-
require sanding or you may choose heit, although a range of 45°-65°F is
to use a sharp low-angle block fine. But what hurts wine the most is
plane to flush the sides. fluctuation. If the temperature
wavers, the cork gets pulled in and
Marrying the Rack to a Wall out, giving air a good chance of
getting into the wine and ruining it.
To hang the rack, I used a French
A colder storage temperature
cleat. This is so simple I’m sur-
will cause the aging process to slow
prised it doesn’t get used more down, preventing proper aging,
often. The cleat is made by cut- Exploded view while a warmer temperature can
ting a 5"-wide piece of 3⁄ 4" ply- cause premature aging.
wood to fit between the two box Also, don’t just store a bottle of
sides. Then simply set your table- champagne in your refrigerator,
saw blade to a 45° angle and rip WINE RACK waiting for the perfect day to drink
the piece in half lengthwise. NO. ITEM DIMENSIONS (INCHES) M AT E R I A L it. When that day comes, the wine
T W L
By attaching the top half of will be too cold to enjoy. You can
❏ 4 Sides 3⁄
4 14 20 Mahogany
the cleat (widest-width facing temporarily store wine in the fridge
❏ 1 Back 1⁄
2 191⁄ 4 191⁄ 4 Birch plywood
to cool it off, but if you need it stored
out) to the case and the lower ❏ 2 Dividers 1⁄
2 10 263⁄ 16 Birch plywood
longer, keep it out of there.
half to your wall (use drywall an- ❏ 4 Dividers 1⁄
2 10 131⁄ 16 Birch plywood
Humidity fluctuations aren’t
chors if that’s not possible) you ❏ 2 Cleats 3⁄
4 21⁄ 2 181⁄ 2 Plywood
nearly as bad, but they should be
simply can slide the case down watched. A high humidity hurts the
onto the wall cleat using the 45° labels, while a low humidity dries
angle and lock it tightly in place. out the cork, letting oxygen in, even
if the bottle is properly stored on its
A Strong, Woody Finish side to keep the cork moist.
Remove the dividers one last time So throw out the old “refrigerate
and finish the box as you see fit. all whites, drink all reds at current
A coat of clear lacquer on the di- Mount room temperature” adage.
to box According to wine.about.com,
viders will protect against time
generally accepted wine-serving
(and unsightly red wine spills)
temperature guidelines are: vintage
and make it easier to slide the port (66°F), bordeaux and shiraz
bottles in and out of the rack. (64°F), burgundy and cabernet
When the dividers are again (63°F), pinot noir (61°F), chianti
reassembled in place, a couple of and zinfandel (59°F), beaujolais
accurately placed nails through and rose (54°F), chardonnay (48°F),
the back into the dividers will Mount riesling (47°F), champagne (45°F).
hold them firmly in place. to wall Remember, though, the room
Seeing so many interesting temperature is usually higher than
opportunities for taste-bud tit- these “ideal” temperatures. A refrig-
erator can cool the wine, but to
illation tastefully displayed in my
warm it, just hold it in your hands.
house is almost as gratifying as To hang the box on a wall I used a French cleat. The photo shows the two parts of — Michael A. Rabkin
the project itself. PW the cleat pulled away from the recessed back of the box. Trés simple!
popwood.com 77
The TRUTH
about 240V
Frankly, we’re tired of the debate. So, we’re ending it here.
abinet vs. contractor, metric vs. English, Electricity 101
C hand tool vs. power tool (yawn). When

you’re in the mood for a real debate, just
bring up 120 volts vs. 240 volts among a group of
Before we dig into the debate, you must first learn
how electricity reaches your home. Check out the
glossary at right to make sure you understand these
woodworkers. Tempers will flare, arguments will terms before we move on.
ensue, indignation will linger. Now then, your utility company distributes elec-
We’re passionate about our voltage and rightly trical energy in your neighborhood through high-
so – it’s the lifeblood of our motors. Its importance voltage conductors (what many people call wires)
necessitates you know the facts. So here you go: that terminate on step-down transformers. These
You won’t save a dime and your motors won’t be transformers change the voltage to single-phase,
more powerful if you switch to 240V. But, if you’re three-wire, 120V/240V electricity, which is what
running multiple motors at the same time or you’re you need in your home. From the transformer, three
using the pre-existing wiring in your house, switch- conductors (two hots and one neutral) supply your
ing to 240V will eliminate voltage drops and stalling, home with electrical energy.
as well as lengthen the life of many of your motors. In a residential electrical service, the two hot
In almost all cases, 240V is the better deal. conductors are designated L1 and L2 and can be
Before you pick up the phone, ready to give us any color except white, gray or green. L1 and L2
an earful, read what we have to say. We’ve done each have 120V potential. The neutral conductor
our homework – the information here is backed up is intentionally connected to the ground and also
by facts, experts and experience. can be referred to as the grounded conductor. Neutral
by Kara Gebhart & Greg Hyland

Greg Hyland is president of Cincinnati-based Cooper Electric. He has been in the electrical trade for 33 years and holds
Electrical Contractor licenses in Ohio and Kentucky, as well as Master Electrician licenses in five local jurisdictions.
Comments or questions? Contact Kara at 513-531-2690, ext. 1348 or kara.gebhart@fwpubs.com.

GLOSSARY
• amps: Measurement of the amount
of electrical current flowing through
the circuit or conductor. (Comparable to
conductors can be white or gray Now take a look at the pic- have two conductors connected gallons per minute in a water-system
and in some limited uses can even ture below. Three conductors (L1, to a double-pole breaker and no analogy.) Amps = watts/volts.
be bare. It has zero Vof potential. L2 and neutral) enter the circuit neutral conductor. • cable: Conductor covered by an
The neutral shouldn’t be con- breaker panel via the service en- You don’t need the neutral outer metallic or non-metallic jacket.
fused with the equipment ground trance cable. L1 and L2 connect wire for a 240V circuit because • circuit breaker panel: Breaker box
conductor, which primarily is used to the main circuit breaker inside there’s already a difference in po- or load center.
for safety. The equipment ground the service equipment load cen- tential. (Remember the sibling • conductor: Material that carries
conductor connects the metal ter. The neutral conductor con- analogy?) But, you must have the electricity; often called wire.
parts in the electrical system that nects to the solid neutral bar. neutral wire in a 120V circuit to • current: Flow of electricity measured
don’t carry current to the neutral create a difference in potential. in amps.
conductor. The equipment ground A Switch of a Wire
• equipment ground conductor:
conductor can be bare or green. The difference between 120V Let’s Talk Amps Safety wire that keeps non-current-
The voltage, or electrical po- and 240V in your circuit break- The difference between 120V and carrying metal parts of an electrical
tential, measured between L1 and er panel is, literally, a switch of a 240V has almost everything to system from being accidentally ener-
L2 is 240V. The voltage meas- wire. In this panel, there are sin- do with amps. Amperage is the gized. Bare with no insulation or col-
ured between L1 or L2 and neu- gle-pole and double-pole break- measurement of the amount of ored green. Doesn’t carry current under
tral is 120V. The voltage meas- ers. Single-pole breakers serve current flowing through a con- normal operation.
ured between L1 or L2 and the 120V loads, while double-pole ductor. The National Electric • general-purpose branch circuit:
equipment ground conductor is breakers serve 240V loads. The Code (NEC) requires all homes Supplies two or more receptacles or
120V. No voltage should be able breakers in the panel are arranged built today to be equipped with a outlets for lighting and appliances.
to be measured between the neu- like this: minimum 100-amp main electric • hot: Supply conductor that carries
tral and the equipment ground L1 L1 service. Some new homes have electricity. In residential electrical
conductor because they are L2 L2 services that are 200 amps or more, system, designated L1 or L2. Can be
grounded to the earth, which is L1 L1 while older ones can have as lit- any color except white, gray or green.
considered to be at zero V. L2 L2 tle as 60 amps. In your home, a • load: Anything that utilizes electricity.
Note: Even though L1 and L2 A single-pole breaker is plugged general-purpose branch circuit • neutral: Conductor that is intention-
have the same 120V potential to into either L1 or L2. A double- provides 120V and 15 amps. ally grounded or connected to the
the neutral conductor, they are pole breaker plugs into both L1 The size of a conductor de- earth. Carries zero V of potential. Never
still different. To avoid going into and L2. The 120V circuits have termines the number of amps it connected to a circuit breaker or
lots of detail here, think of L1 and one conductor connected to a can safely carry. A #14 American switch. Colored white, gray or bare.
L2 as siblings: A brother and sis- single-pole breaker and anoth- Wire Gauge (AWG) copper con- Combines with one hot conductor (L1
ter have the same parents but yet er conductor connected to the ductor will carry 15 amps. A or L2) to create 120V potential.
they’re different. neutral bar. The 240V circuits #12AWG copper conductor will • ohm’s law: States that it takes 1V of
carry 20 amps. A #10AWG cop- pressure to push one amp of current
per conductor will carry 30 amps. through one ohm of resistance.
Service entrance cable Neutral or Volts = amps x ohms.
Unless you or someone else has
grounded conductor • potential: Electrical pressure, which
rewired your shop, we’re betting
L1 conductor your cables aren’t #10AWG cop- determines the flow of current through
L2 conductor
a given load.
per or larger.
Solid neutral bar • power equation: Watts = volts x
Grounding amps.
electrode Equipment ground
Common 240V Myths
conductor conductor This, you should know: You won’t • resistance: Opposition to flow of
save a watt of energy or a single electrical current; measured in ohms.
Current flows through path of least
resistance. Ohms = volts/amps.
Pictured here is a typical residential • voltage: Force that pushes electrons
circuit breaker panel – what many through a conductor. Referred to as
people call their breaker box. We’ve electrical pressure. (Comparable to
labeled several of the conductors so that
pressure in pounds per square inch in
Single-pole they’re easier to distinguish.
Main circuit water-system analogy.) Volts =
breaker breaker watts/amps
Double-pole • watts: Measurement of the amount
breaker
of power used in a circuit. At
100 percent efficiency, there are
746 watts in one horsepower.
1 kilowatt (kw) = 1,000 watts.
popwood.com 79
dime by switching to 240V, peri-
od. Whether you’re running a Bare equipment
motor using 120V or 240V, the ground conductor
horsepower of the motor stays the
same. Remember: One horse-
power equals 746 watts and watts
= volts x amps. If your volts go Neutral conductor,
up, your amps go down. If your white L1 conductor
volts go down, your amps go up. Neutral conductor
(Watts always stays the same.)
The utility company charges you
Single-pole
for the number of kilowatt hours breaker
you use – not amps or volts.
Whether you’re running a
motor using 120V or 240V, the L1 conductor,
motor’s revolutions per minute black
Bare equipment
will stay the same. The only way 120V receptacle
ground conductor
you can change the speed of an
alternating-current (AC) motor
This is a circuit breaker panel set up for a 120V circuit.
is by adjusting the frequency of
the sine wave of the electrical en-
ergy supplying the motor. (Remember, 120V requires L1
and a neutral or L2 and a neutral L1 conductor
Why 240V is Better while 240V requires L1 and L2,
If you’re not going to save ener- and no neutral.)
gy or make the motor more pow- Now, if you connect the same
erful, why switch to 240V? Here 10-amp load at 240V, five amps
are five good reasons: would flow through L1 and five Double-pole
• By connecting a motor at amps would flow through L2 – breaker
240V you’ll evenly distribute the you’ve only taken up five percent
load across both L1 and L2. For of the capacity of your electrical L2 conductor (what was
once neutral conductor,
example, let’s say your electric system. Distributing the current re-identified with red tape)
service provides you with 100 like this keeps the load on the
amps. If you connect a 10-amp electrical service balanced, which
load at 120V, you’ve taken up 10 is good engineering practice.
percent of either L1 or L2. • Switching to 240V reduces
your current flow (remember, if
Electrician Greg Hyland is changing the above 120V circuit to a 240V circuit. He has
volts go up, amps must go down).
replaced the single-pole breaker with a double-pole breaker, which L1 is now
If you’re running a 20-amp ma- connected to. He removed the neutral conductor from the neutral bar and re-
chine at 120V, you’re using 2,400 identified it with red electrical tape. Here he’s ready to connect what is now the L2
watts of power. If you run that conductor to the double-pole breaker.
same machine on 240V, it will
only draw 10 amps, which is also the effect of electrical sags in your When started, the motor can put
2,400 watts of power. system. (If your lights have ever a draw on your system of a whop-
Reduced current flow creates dimmed after starting up a ma- ping 80.5 amps. When you do
less heat, which permits the motor chine, you know what we’re talk- this, a sag is created in the rest of
to run cooler. Heat is a motor’s ing about.) An electric motor the system because the system is
deadliest enemy. A common rule started from rest creates a demand being deprived of power. Your
of thumb in the motor industry on your electrical system of 6-7 lights blink, your computer locks
is that a sustained temperature times the magnitude of the full- up and your family begins hol-
rise of 18° Fahrenheit in the wind- load running amp capacity. lering. Now, if you connected this
This nameplate is on our band saw’s
motor. Note that at 115V, this motor ings of a motor will cut the rated For example, let’s say your band same motor at 230V it will draw
draws 11.5 amps. At 230V, it draws half motor life in half (no joke). saw’s 11⁄ 2-hp motor has a name- 5.8 amps at full running load and
the amps: 5.8. • Reduced current flow lessens plate rating of 11.5 amps at 115V. only about 40.6 amps when it

Where the
switch takes
place
L1 conductor,
black
Switching from
120V to 240V
L2 conductor, instructions
red
Double-pole
240V receptacle Most motors have a label that shows
breaker
you how to switch it from 120V to
240V, as shown here.
This is a circuit breaker panel set up for a 240V circuit. Receptacles use different

colored screws to help with proper identification. Hot conductors always connect to
dark or brass screws. The equipment ground conductor always connects to a green y axis (magnitude)
screw. The neutral conductor always connects to a silver or light-colored screw.
+
x axis (time)
starts – that’s a big difference. at 115V and 5.8 amps at 230V? –
One thing to keep in mind: Let’s say the saw is 100' away from
Manufacturers use nominal volt- the circuit breaker panel and is
age ratings on their nameplates. supplied from a #12 AWG cop- Sine waves are a mathematical representation of electrons’ movement. The blue
If you consult the equipment per conductor good for 20 amps. sine wave represents an L1 conductor and the red sine wave represents an L2
conductor. Even though both carry 120V, they are always out of phase with each
specifications you will probably Using the formula from the
other, meaning there’s a difference in potential.
find an operating voltage range American Electricians Handbook
of 115V plus or minus 10 per- (we won’t bore you with the de-
cent, which would mean the tails) you would calculate that the voltage drop at 115V really branch circuit. (Proper identifi-
equipment will operate on any the motor at 115V would have a starts to get ugly at 7.22V, or cation allows future homeown-
voltage from 103.5V to 126.5V. voltage drop of 4.54V, or 3.95 per- 6.3 percent. However, the volt- ers to know what voltage to ex-
Some manufacturers do this be- cent. If the same motor is con- age drop at 230V is 3.64V, or pect from their receptacles.)
cause the voltage in the system nected at 230V the voltage drop 1.58 percent, which is still with- The truth: Switching to 240V
constantly changes based on the is 2.29V, or just less than 1 per- in the recommended NEC limit will increase your electrical sys-
load in the electrical system. Also cent. The band saw will perform of 3 percent. The money you tem capacity, reduce heat, length-
keep in mind that just as the volt- better and last longer connected saved on cable could buy an extra en the life of your motors and
age changes constantly, so will at 230V with less than 1 percent saw blade or two. in general make your shop more
the current flow. voltage drop. Period. efficient. Make the switch. You’ll
• Using 240V helps eliminate • 240V’s lower current flow The Switch is Easy be glad you did. PW
voltage drops. The NEC recom- will frequently permit you to save Switching from 120V to 240V is
Special thanks to Franklin M. Barker
mends that a branch circuit should money because you’re able to in- surprisingly easy, but if you’ve
for his assistance with this article.
have no more than a 3 percent stall a smaller, less expensive never dealt with electricity
Barker, a curriculum and instruc-
voltage drop at the farthest out- conductor to feed the load. In (rewiring a lamp doesn’t count),
tional specialist at Cincinnati-based
let of power from the source. the previous example the motor you need to contact a local elec-
Great Oaks Institute of Technology
Voltage drop is a combination was fed with a #12 AWG copper trician who knows what he or she
and Career Development, previ-
of four factors: the load in amps, conductor good for 20 amps. The is doing. An electrician will be
ously served as an electrician for 30
the voltage, the length of the cir- NEC would permit the use of a able to make the switch safely at
years. He taught electricity at Great
cuit and the size of the conduc- smaller #14 AWG copper con- both the circuit breaker panel
Oaks for 22 of those years.
tor supplying the load. Remember ductor good for 15 amps to feed and at the equipment. He or she
the 11⁄ 2-hp band saw motor with the band saw. must properly re-identify every
a nameplate rating of 11.5 amps Using the smaller conductor exposed conductor along the
popwood.com 81
Orbital JIGSAWS
There are a bunch of quality saws out there,
but not all can pass our test.
T
he circular saw is the cut. The aggressiveness of the orbit that they all have a 1" stroke (the the blade is locked – a system
power tool that belongs can be adjusted as the needed. distance the blade moves up and Bosch still uses.
in every contractor’s tool- There are many jigsaws that down). The one feature that Other manufacturers have
box. In a woodshop it’s the jig- don’t offer orbital action, but this helped separate the crowd is the moved beyond to what we refer
saw. For straight, curved, fine or flick of a switch allows you to blade-changing mechanism. to as a lever release. Depending
rough cuts, the jigsaw makes every choose either a quick-cutting tool Interestingly, many of the saws on which design it is, this system
task manageable. And you can or a fine-cutting tool, so we think owe their blade-changing designs can be good, somewhat con-
use it for a variety of projects, from it’s an important attribute. to Bosch, the inventor of the jig- founding or, in a few cases, per-
crosscutting a 4' x 8' sheet of ply- saw. The Grizzly saw uses an old fect, thanks to the assistance of
wood to shaping a scrolled arch Different Features Bosch system that requires a screw- an extra lever. (See “Toolless
on a Chippendale highboy. Prices and features vary across driver through the saw body. Blade Releases” at right.)
For this test, we selected 12 the 12 saws, but there are many DeWalt and Craftsman have a Also, many manufacturers
jigsaws that have orbital cutting similarities, including the fact top-knob system that clicks when offer saws with both a top-han-
action, which means the blade dle and a barrel-grip design. We
moves forward during the upward by David Thiel frequently find the barrel-grip
cut, then returns to a straight up- Comments or questions? Contact David at 513-531-2690 ext. 1255 or saws easier to control because of
and-down motion on the return david.thiel@fwpubs.com. the lower center of gravity, but

this is a personal preference. While itors, both at the most-aggressive white oak. We ran the saw at its
we tested barrel-grip models when and least-aggressive orbital set- top speed with a first-position or-
we could, we didn’t skew our re- tings. We then averaged the re- bital setting and measured the
sults by body design. We includ- sults and included them in the deflection from perpendicular on
ed pricing on the alternative body attached chart on page 86. the furthest points of the interi-
styles in the individual listings For vibration we went a bit or and exterior turns.
where applicable. more unscientific, relying on the
You also should note a couple feedback provided by the testers Some Favorite Features
While not totally scientific, we got an
of dopplegängers in the crowd. and a black felt-tip pen. We We prefer a toolless shoe-bevel interesting indication of the vibration
The new Ridgid saw is built in mounted the pen on the nose adjustment because we just hate exhibited in each jigsaw by attaching a
conjunction with its European of each jigsaw, then let it run (at looking for a wrench. The best marker and letting them run.
partner, Metabo, making the tools the least-aggressive orbital set- shoes in the test were those that
very similar. And the Craftsman ting, without a blade and at the offer positive stops at the varied split-bearing guide to support the
saw owes a significant amount of highest speed) on a sheet of 11" angles and a design that allowed rear of the blade and help main-
its parentage to Bosch. x 17" paper. We tied the cords di- you to slide the shoe back for tain a perpendicular position.
rectly above the saws to remove close-to-the-wall work. Two of them use what we refer to
The Testing influence from them and stopped When considering a barrel- as side guides, in addition to a
Three things are important in de- the test after 30 seconds. We then grip or top-handle design, one rear-bearing guide, offering su-
termining a jigsaw’s performance: recorded the linear distance trav- feature to consider is the location perior blade control.
its power during a cut, the amount eled by each saw. In more than of the speed control. On barrel- We found it difficult to de-
of vibration and the blade de- half the cases, the saw made its grip saws it is typically on the rear termine if dust blowers are real-
flection during curved cuts. way off the paper before time ran of the motor housing; with top- ly vital to any jigsaw. In some
While all of the jigsaws come out, so we noted the “time in the handle models, the speed control of the designs they can be an-
complete with their own blades, ring” in the chart as well. is frequently located on or near noying, and some saws without
we decided that to be fair we’d For blade deflection, we pushed the trigger. While this places the blowers perform just as admirably.
use one brand of blade, selecting the tools to their limits by cut- speed control within easy reach, You’ll have to make that deci-
Bosch Progressor T234X blades. ting 3"-radius S-curves in 15⁄ 8"- it also leaves open the possibili- sion for yourself, but one thing
Photo by Al Parrish
We tested for power by tim- thick white oak. This is a tough ty that you could change the speed we can recommend using is a vac-
ing repeated 4" straight cuts in test for a jigsaw, and we’d usual- accidentally during a cut. uum connection to keep your
3⁄
4" plywood made by multiple ed- ly turn to a band saw to cut thick Most of the saws tested use a workpiece clean as you cut. PW
TOOLLESS BLADE RELEASES Lever moves the action to a

DUAL-ACTION LEVER-STYLE
The Festool (left), Makita, Milwaukee
The one area that quickly defines how much we like a more convenient location
and Hitachi jigsaws all use a lever
jigsaw is how easily we can change the blade. Jigsaws release with a twist – literally. They all
have made great strides in the past few years, but have a plastic arm mounted to the
there are still a variety of styles to consider. Seen here front of the saw to add a lever-assist to
are the three most-common – the top-knob, the lever- the mechanism. When you pull the
style and the dual-action lever-style. (With one model lever the blade moves forward, making
that we tested – the Grizzly – you need to use a it easier to grasp. In some cases, a
collar twists over the blade’s tangs to
screwdriver included in the package through the body
lock it in place in the saw, too. We liked
of the jigsaw to change the blade.) this design the best.
TOP-KNOB LEVER-STYLE
The DeWalt (shown), The Ridgid (left), Freud, Porter-Cable
Craftsman and Bosch and Metabo models use a simple lever-
models all employ a style release. A spring-loaded lever
blade change that works near the jaws is pulled away from the
by turning a knob at the blade to release the jaw mechanism.
top of the housing until That mechanism differs from model to
you hear a click to open model, but all are essentially the same.
and close the jaws on the This is a much-faster design than the
Top knob rotates
blade. While not a bad top-knob system, but you might need
to open and
Jaws system, it is slower than Lifting the lever to practice a few times to get comfort-
close the jaws
others tested. opens the jaws able with it.
popwood.com 83
Bosch 1584AVS
This saw made nice cuts in the speed tests, but required designed that way, but it comes off a little too easy for
more effort than expected and we noticed surprising our taste. The saw is sold in a top-handle (1587AVS,
vibration in the rough cut. It handled the curve cuts well $127) or barrel-grip design, so there’s something for
enough with acceptable blade deflection. It’s a shame everyone. The shoe is marked for bevels at 15°, 30° and
that Bosch’s latest design wasn’t ready for testing (see 45°, but includes a positive lock only at 0° and requires
“Looking Ahead” on page 86), because the 1584AVS a wrench to make the change. The Bosch is a workhorse
suffered from its outdated blade-changing system. We and the progenitor of many of the tools tested here, but
also ran into some problems with the knob on the we’d suggest waiting for the next generation.
blade-changing system popping off the saw – it’s (boschtools.com)
Craftsman 27719
Made for Craftsman by Bosch, the 27719 essentially is the quietest noise levels in the test. It uses the same
the top-handle version of the above saw. There were no shoe and beveling design as the Bosch and shares the
problems with the blade-change system, but it’s still single positive-stop location and necessary wrench. The
awkward compared to the newest lever designs. variable-speed control is mounted on the trigger. It’s a
Performance was good with worse deflection scores good tool but if you check prices, the top-handle Bosch
than the Bosch. The Craftsman performed comparably (1587AVS) costs about $20 less than the Craftsman for
with the Bosch through the curves and registered one of essentially the same tool. (craftsman.com)
DeWalt DW321
Similar in design to the Craftsman, the DeWalt adds a toward the operator, which is a pet peeve with us.
toolless shoe-bevel adjustment and a three-position Variable-speed controls are on the trigger. The shoe is
blower. The blade-change system is similar to the marked (but there are no positive stops) for 15°, 30°
Craftsman, but the locking mechanism is a retracting and 45° bevels and employs a toolless adjustment lever.
clamp system rather than the turn-and-lock system, One nice thing is the ability to lock the shoe in a set-
keeping the blade oriented straight ahead. The DeWalt back position for close-to-the-wall cuts. In the end, the
did well in the speed cutting tests, but showed some DeWalt is an acceptable tool that is comparable with
difficulties in cornering and worse deflection scores. We the Bosch in price, offering better performance and a
noticed some problems with the blower sending dust couple of extra features. (dewalt.com)
Festool PS300EQ TRION

The Festool is a nice saw, and it’s priced accordingly. quality, extra long and is
Available in a barrel-grip or top-handle (PSB300EQ, a nice upgrade for
$250) design, the saw proved smooth and strong in the replacement concerns and even
speed tests, but fought with us a little in the corner test. for storage and blade changes. The shoe, which was
The forked-guide system with its adjustable carbide difficult to adjust, is marked (but has no positive stops)
pads and rear-bearing support gives superior blade for 15°, 30° and 45° and requires a wrench to make the
support. The lever-assisted toolless blade-change chnage. The Festool is the lightest saw in the test and
system is our favorite, requiring little effort and no was one of our favorite tools to use. That’s why it gets
learning curve. The detachable 13' rubber cord is high an Editor’s Choice award. (festool-usa.com)
Freud FJ85
The Freud is a strange mix of good and not-so-good at a frustrating until you figure it out. The shoe adjustment is
nice price. It performed well in the corner tests and had accomplished with a wrench and offers a single positive
decent cutting speed. It did vibrate a bit much, had a stop at 0°. The air exhaust seems excessive and poorly
drift problem during the cut and was fairly loud. It directed at times, but a dust wand attachment is includ-
features a lever-style toolless blade change, but again ed for use with a vacuum. There are some slight fit and
there’s a good/bad mix: The blade must be pushed finish concerns (the guide was off-center to the blade in
against a spring in the holder to engage the lock, the tool we tested), but the saw provided a good cut
allowing it to be ejected when changing, but the neces- with a nice blade change at a reasonable cost.
sary “push” isn’t mentioned in the manual, making it (freudtools.com)

Grizzly G8994Z Best Value
Even though the Grizzly didn’t perform remarkably well tear-out problems. It also
in any category, it’s very affordable and does an ade- proved to be seriously under-
quate job for the occasional user. Built on a 10-year-old powered in the curve test. The variable-speed motor
Bosch design, the blade change requires a special screw- (trigger-mounted switch) had trouble maintaining
driver inserted through the top of the saw and is awk- torque and fought the curves. The shoe requires an Allen
ward. The shoe is a reinforced stamped-steel plate, wrench to adjust and can interfere with the blade when
unlike the majority of cast aluminum/steel shoes on the set to 45°. So it’s not great, but if you need a jigsaw only
others. It performed slowly in the speed test and had occasionally, it’s a bargain. (grizzly.com)
Hitachi CJ120V
The Hitachi proved to be a better-than-average per- the top-handle model and at the rear of the pommel on
former with low vibration, very good performance in the the barrel-grip model. The saw doesn’t have a blower,
curve test and an amazingly good time in the speed test, but includes a vacuum wand attachment. The saw is
but at the cost of some terrible tear-out. It has a nice pleasant to use, performs well and has no serious flaws.
dual-action lever-style blade release. The one-piece cast Unfortunately, it has some tougher competition in the
shoe has a positive lock at 0° with a set-back stance for Makita and Milwaukee that shine slightly brighter,
tight cuts. The variable-speed control is on the trigger in keeping this one from our top accolades. (hitachi.com)
Makita 4341FCT
The Makita has a great dual-action lever-style blade- includes a positive lock only
change system, a soft-start motor to avoid accidents and at 0° and requires a wrench
electronic feedback to maintain torque in the cut. It’s to make the change. It does offer a set-
also available in a top-handle design (4340FCT, $160). In back stance for tight cuts. The variable-speed control is
our tests the Makita offered a smooth cut and handled mounted at the rear of the motor housing and the tool
the curves with little effort. Also included is a task light, offers no blower, though a dust wand is an optional
mounted to shine on the cut. This might sound like a accessory. It’s priced a little higher than most of the rest
throwaway feature, but it actually proves very beneficial. of the pack, but the features and performance made it
The shoe is marked for bevels at 15°, 30° and 45° but our favorite in the affordable price range. (makita.com)
Metabo STE105 Plus

The Metabo also sports the nice lever-style blade-change trouble handling the saw through the curves. The shoe
system, but it hasn’t been updated with the dual-action (adjusted using an Allen wrench) is the most unique that
system to make it even nicer. Available in a barrel-grip we saw, offering positive stop locations for 0°, 15°, 30°
and top-handle (STEB105, $174) design, it has a soft- and 45° bevel settings – very nice. No blower is includ-
start motor that incorporates the electronic feedback, ed, but a dust collection wand is. The Metabo also offers
assisting with torque maintenance during heavy cuts a five-position orbital setting, as with Ridgid, giving us
(though it didn’t test that way). Performance in the more choices for aggressive cuts. This is a good saw, but
speed test was good with little vibration. We had some not good enough to pull top honors. (metabousa.com)
Milwaukee 6267-21
Milwaukee has put together a nice jigsaw. We tested the housing. It offers a very easy dual-action lever-style
barrel-grip design, but it’s also available in a top-handle blade change. It had one of the best quality cord sets,
(6266-22, $140) design. The performance of this saw but also tested out as the loudest one. Priced competi-
was OK in the speed test (with some vibration) but did tively with the Metabo and Makita, we think the fea-
better in the cornering test, with a nice cut and not much tures and performance make this a saw worth serious
hesitation. It offers a toolless shoe adjustment that we consideration (even more so in the more affordable top-
like, with positive stops at 0° and 45°. The tool includes handle version ). But taking everything into considera-
a 10-position blower (nice!) and a wand for vacuum tion, it finishes a whisker away from our top honors.
connection. Variable-speed adjustment is in the motor (milwaukeetools.com)
popwood.com 85
Porter-Cable 9543
The Porter-Cable model 9543 jigsaw is a victim of a split-rod blade guide with rear-bearing support,
progress, just like the Bosch. Introduced as an innova- similar to the Festool, for very nice blade guidance. One
tive design a few years ago, the toolless blade system is annoying problem is the dust. Even with the three-
now cumbersome and not all that user-friendly com- position blower (with a knob so small it’s difficult to
pared to its rivals. The toolless shoe adjustment is still adjust) the dust managed to always be blowing right in
the best, with preset detents at 0°, 15°, 30° and 45° our face. Moderately priced, the Porter-Cable cuts well,
and a lever that locks down very positively. The saw but needs an upgrade to improve the blade change
performed average in the speed test, but better in the system and the blower problems need attention.
curve test, with little deflection concerns. It incorporates Though a good saw, it falls short. (porter-cable.com)
Ridgid R3120
Ridgid is a new name in portable power tools, but 0°, 15°, 30° and 45° bevel settings. The cord is good-
there’s good pedigree behind this saw. Made in con- quality rubber and includes a nice hook-and-loop cord
junction with Metabo, there are a number of similarities wrap and an illuminated plug to indicate when the
between the saws. The performance in testing was OK power is on. No dust blower is included, but a wand for
in speed, but it had some difficulty in the curve test, vacuum hookup is. The Ridgid is only available as a top-
wandering more than expected. The lever-style blade handle design and is a nice jigsaw that offers a tad
change is fairly easy, but it could benefit from a dual- more features than the Metabo for $15 less. There’s
action release. As with the Metabo, the shoe (Allen nothing bad about this saw, but it’s edged out by a few
wrench required) has a nice positive stop design at the competitors. (ridgid.com)
ORBITAL JIGSAWS
Manufacturer Bosch Craftsman DeWalt Festool Freud Grizzly Hitachi Makita Metabo Milwaukee Porter-Cable Ridgid
Model 1584AVS 27719 DW321 PS300EQ FJ85 G8994Z CJ120V 4341FCT STE105 Plus 6276-21 9543 R3120
Price $148 149 139 250 108 60 138 169 174 174 148 159
Weight 5.5 lbs. 7.0 6.4 5.1 5.4 5.5 5.5 5.3 6.2 5.7 6.5 5.7
Speed* 500-3,100 500-3,100 500-3,100 1,000-2,900 500-3,000 0-3,100 850-3,000 800-2,800 1,000-3,000 500-3,000 500-3,100 1,000-3,000
Cord length** 14'-R 8'-R 8'-R 13'-R 7'-P 7'-P 8'-P 9'-R 14'-R 13'-R 10'-R 11'-R
Dust blower 3 positions 3 pos. 3 pos. No No 3 pos. No No No 10 pos. 1 pos. No
Decibels*** 95 91 96 95 95 94 94 93 96 97 95 91
Stated amps 5.0 5.0 5.8 6.0 6.0 5.0 5.8 6.3 6.0 6.2 6.0 6.0
Amps no load 3.07 2.86 3.05 3.29 3.60 2.40 3.27 3.70 2.90 3.18 3.10 2.90
Amps load 3.86 3.77 3.68 4.24 4.57 3.00 3.96 4.86 3.58 3.65 3.78 3.83
Speed (0)† 5.69 4.88 3.40 3.12 4.21 5.04 3.66 4.50 4.26 5.11 5.59 4.95
Speed (3)† 3.38 2.59 2.14 2.78 2.78 3.38 1.79 2.78 2.11 2.61 2.67 2.84
Deflection†† 5⁄
32,
3⁄
32
3⁄
16,
5⁄
32
3⁄ 1
16, ⁄ 8
3⁄ 1
16, ⁄ 16
7⁄
32,
5⁄
32
1⁄ 1
8, ⁄ 32
5⁄
32, 0 1⁄ 1
8, ⁄ 16
1⁄
8,
1⁄
8
1⁄ 1
8, ⁄ 32
5⁄ 1
32, ⁄ 8
3⁄ 1
16, ⁄ 16
Vibration††† 10" 19" 8"/:13 13"/:12 11"/:10 12"/:20 14"/:14 4" 13 2" 1⁄
10"/:05 24"/:28 14"
KEY * Speed in strokes per minute (spm) † Cutting speed settings – (0) = no orbit, (3) = maximum orbit; speed is in seconds
** R = rubber; P = plastic †† Blade deflection in inches from S-curve test; exterior is listed first
*** Decibels recorded from 2' away ††† If the jigsaw vibrated off the piece of paper before the 30 seconds was up, we note how long it took
LOOKING AHEAD ...

Set for a February 2004 introduction, the Bosch 1590EVSK jigsaw will be the
next generation. It will feature a 6.4-amp variable-speed motor (500-2,800
spm) with soft-start and constant-response circuitry to resist stalling. Bosch
representatives tell us that it has a precision-control blade-guide system to
virtually eliminate any blade wander. The One-Touch Blade Change system
is expected to provide simple one-handed blade insertion and lever-blade
ejection. The saw also will feature a toolless shoe bevel. Expected to weigh
6 lbs., the 1590EVSK will retail for about $170. We can’t wait to see it.

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Photo by Tim Grondin; step photos by Al Parrish
Fruit Bowl
An egg slicer and a little ecause my duties at Popular Woodworking include ensuring
work in CAD results B the construction drawings match the photos and text, I usu-
ally know what to expect from John Hutchinson, the mag-
azine’s project illustrator. But occasionally he slips in one of his
computer-generated brainstorms along with the projects scheduled
in an interesting for publication. His latest “slip” was the fruit bowl shown here.
and easy-to-build bowl
by Kara Gebhart & John Hutchinson
(without a lathe). Comments or questions? Contact Kara at 513-531-2690 ext. 1348 or
kara.gebhart@fwpubs.com. Contact John at jhutchi2@columbus.rr.com.

John was in a kitchen supply ed in the cutting list to allow for
store, spotted an egg slicer and registration holes in the corners.
thought it could be transformed Organize the slats into eight pairs
easily into an interesting bowl and let the ninth, or center slat,
Applied pattern
with a little help from his com- sit by itself. Because the #1 slats
puter-aided design software (see for the ends of the bowl are uncut,
“Creating the Fruit Bowl with set that pair aside. After making
CAD” online at popwood.com nine photocopies of the slat pat-
by clicking on “Magazine Extras”). tern using the drawing on page Slat pair
Although he quickly rejected the 93, glue them with spray adhe- Backer
notion of building a soup tureen sive to the top member of pairs board
this way, the ventilation provid- #2 through #8 and the solitary
ed by the open slats made this #9. Clamp the stacked pairs to-
Registration
bowl a natural for storing fruit. gether on the drill press and bore
dowel 9 3/8"
After crafting it electronical- the registration holes in the notch
ly, John asked me if I’d be inter- waste area where indicated on
ested in translating it into reali- the patterns. I used 3⁄ 16" dowels
ty in the Popular Woodworking for registration pins – use what-
shop. I liked the contrast of the ever you have.
straight lines and curves, so I To keep the slat pairs aligned
Slat alignment, cutting and sanding jig
agreed to the joint venture. during the cutting and sanding
As I worked my way through operations, and to provide a backer
the project, I found that it has board to prevent tear-out, John
many things going for it: came up with a simple jig, seen
• It’s functional art. in the photo at right. Build the
• Building the project requires jig by applying a slat pattern to a
little material: one 2' x 4' sheet of scrap of flat stock. I used 1⁄2" medi-
Baltic birch plywood, two scraps um-density fiberboard. Now drill
of plywood or hardwood for the the registration holes and glue in
base and some clear finish. (One the dowels, letting them stand
bowl will set you back about $12.) about 3⁄ 4" proud.
• You can build the bowl, start Stack the #2 pair of slats on
to finish, in one day with little the jig and head to the band saw.
woodworking experience. Follow the #2 path, cutting slight-
• It’s ideal for production runs, ly short of the line. You’ll be re-
so it’s a great gift for loved ones. moving a chunk of your jig as you
This project requires only one cut but it will continue to serve
type of joint, coincidentally called you well through successive cuts A pattern and jig allow you to cut smooth arcs on your slats. Cut slightly wide of the
the eggcrate joint (think modi- because the registration pins re- line – a spindle sander will clean things up, as shown below.
fied lap joint). A band saw and a main intact and you’ll always have
spindle sander are all you really backer material below. After you’ve
need, but a table saw makes cut- made the cut, take the whole as-
ting the notches in the slats and sembly to the spindle sander and
bottom rails a little easier. Cut sand to the line. When you’re sat-
the curves with your band saw, isfied with the smoothness of the
nibble away the notches with your arc, remove the pair from the jig,
table saw, dry-fit the project and number it and repeat the process
finish. It’s that simple. on each successive pair. Although
slat #9 is a loner, it also should be
Curves Over Easy cut on the jig to avoid tear-out.
First cut the parts to size. This in-
cludes 17 slats (cut a few extra, Eggcrate Joint
just in case) and two bottom rails. Once all the slats are machined,
Cut the rails 1" longer than stat- it’s time to cut the eggcrate joint.
popwood.com 91
Grab one of the #1 slats and ad- might be a better choice. If your
here a pattern. The hatched areas joints are tight, the maple rail’s
on the pattern indicate the size horizontal grain direction can
of notch you need to cut. Now cause the joint pieces to snap off
gang all your slats together and during assembly. With plywood,
clamp them tight. Make sure grain direction isn’t an issue.
all your parts are square and flush. First, hold the oversized strips
Attach a backing board to your together, drill 3⁄ 16" registration
miter gauge to minimize blowout. holes in the top corners and thread
Carefully nibble away at the slats in two dowels. The dowels will
until the appropriate amount of hold the strips together and en-
material is removed. sure alignment of the notch pairs.
Backing
board
Now you need to cut the Enlarge the half-size rail ele-
notches in the bottom rails. I used vation drawing and use it to lay
maple, but Baltic birch plywood out the notches. With the back-
You can cut these notches on your band ing board still attached to your
saw but it’s much easier to gang all the miter gauge, begin cutting away
slats together and nibble away at the
the notches on your strips.
notches using your table saw.
Be careful: Cut too big of a
notch and you’ll end up with some
conversation-piece kindling. Cut
too small of a notch and your bowl
won’t go together – especially
after you add a finish. Don’t rely
solely on your pencil marks. Cut
a 1⁄2"-wide x 21⁄2"-long spacer from
some of your leftover Baltic birch
plywood and use that to con-
Spacer
The spacer shown at right allows you to tinuously check the fit of your
continuously check the back rails’ fit. joint. Once all your notches are
It also keeps the back rails aligned complete, cut the bottom rails to
while cutting future notches.
their final size.
No Scrambling Required
Once your bottom rails are com-
plete, dry fit everything togeth-
er. If you’re happy with the fit,
take the bowl apart, sand all your
parts and break the edges.
I like the natural look of wood
(even Baltic birch plywood) so I
sprayed my bowl’s parts with three
coats of lacquer. A paint job also
would look nice. Do yourself a
favor and cut two strips of 1⁄s" scrap
wood that fit in the notches on
the slats to hold the slats upright
while finishing – this cuts your
Assembly simply requires a rubber

mallet (be gentle). A little filing inside
the notches helps tight joints, and a little
glue helps loose ones.

finishing time in half because you notches in the slats. Take your FRUIT BOWL
can coat both sides at once. time and use a rubber mallet if NO. ITEM D I M E N S I O N S ( I N C H E S ) M AT E R I A L
T W L
Once the finish dries, it’s time some joints are being ornery.
❏ 17 Slats 1⁄
4 37⁄ 8 117⁄ 8 Baltic birch
for final assembly. The bowl should And now your bowl has
❏ 2 Bottom rails* 2 21⁄ 2 131⁄ 4
1⁄
Maple
go together without glue, so there’s reached fruition. I keep mine filled *Cut 1" long to allow for registration holes.
no need to rush. However, if some with fruit on my kitchen table.
of your joints are loose, a little And every time I grab an apple,
glue will tighten them up. And I wonder what John’s next shop-
if your joints are too tight, file the ping trip will inspire. PW
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
1"
1"
1/2" 1/2"
1/4" typ. 1/2" typ. Notch hatched areas
13 1/4"
Half-size rail elevation
11 7/8"
6 5 4 3 2 1
3 7/8"
1"
2 1/2"
1"
9 8 7
1/2" 3/16"plate
Notch hatched areas
registration hole
1/2"
1"
Half-size slat elevation
popwood.com 93
Build it yourself
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INDIANA MINNESOTA TENNESSEE PENNSYLVANIA OHIO MASSACHUSETTS CALIFORNIA ARIZONA
OCT. 10-12 OCT. 17-19 OCT. 24-26 OCT. 31 - NOV. 2 NOV. 21-23 JAN. 16 - 18 JAN. 30 - FEB. 1 FEB. 6 - FEB. 8
2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2004 2004 2004
PRODUCT INDEX
PAGE # CIRCLE # WEB ADDRESS PAGE # CIRCLE # WEB ADDRESS
ADHESIVES POWER TOOLS
Gorilla Glue 14 120 gorillaglue.com RB Industries 35 141 rbiwoodtools.com
Polymeric Systems 103 164 epoxysticks.com Ridgid 2 142 ridgid.com
Ryobi 19 144 ryobi.com
BITS, BLADES & CUTTERS Sears Craftsman C3 145 craftsman.com
Amana 29 102 amanatool.com
Wilke 21 149 wilkemach.com
CMT USA 35 108 cmtusa.com
Woodstock Int’l 25 151 woodstockinternational.com
Forrest Mfg. 63 116 stores.yahoo.com/forrestman
Freud 9 117 freudtools.com SAWMILLS & KILNS
Infinity Cutting Tools 18 122 infinitytools.com Nyle 97 136 nyle.com
Librawood 102 162 librawood.com
Olson 87 137 olsonsaw.com SHOP ACCESSORIES
Ridge Carbide 102 165 ridgecarbidetool.com Airware America 103 156 airwareamerica.com
Routerbits.com 102 166 routerbits.com JDS Company 23 124 thejdscompany.com
Woodline USA 6 154 woodbits.com Modine 29 135 modine.com
Oneida Air Systems 29 138 oneida-air.com
BOOKS Woodpeckers 103 172 woodpeck.com
Cambium Books 103 158 cambiumbooks.com
Woodworker's Book Club 88-89 — woodworkersbookclub.com TURNING SUPPLIES
Craft Supplies USA 43 109 craftusa.com
FASTENERS Packard Woodworks 102 163 packardwoodworks.com
Arrow Fasteners 12 105 arrowfasteners.com
DowelMax 35 112 dowelmax.com WOOD & VENEERS
McFeely's 27 133 mcfeelys.com Newton Woods 102 — walnutwoods.net
Miller Dowel Co. 27 134 millerdowel.com Wall Lumber 29 147 walllumber.com
West Penn Hardwoods 29 — westpennhardwoods.com
FINISHES & SUPPLIES Woodfinder 102 — woodfinder.com
Waterlox 102 170 waterlox.com
WOODWORKING CATALOGS
FURNITURE & PROJECT PARTS Amazon 87 103 amazon.com
Adams Wood Products 16 100 adamswoodproducts.com Lee Valley Tools 43 130 leevalley.com
Osborne Wood Products 97 139 osbornewood.com Rockler 21 143 rockler.com
Woodcraft 10-11 150 woodcraft.com
HAND TOOLS Woodworker’s Choice 102 173 thewoodworkerschoice.com
Adjustable Clamp 39 101 adjustableclamp.com Woodworker's Supply 29 153 woodworker.com
Adria Toolworks 102 155 adriatools.com
American Clamping 35 104 besseyclamps.com WOODWORKING SHOWS
E. Emerson Tool Co. 39 113 allinoneclamps.com Woodworks 2003 95, 100 — woodworks2003.com
Glen-Drake Tool Works 43 119 glen-drake.com
Japan Woodworker 39 123 thejapanwoodworker.com
Lie-Nielsen Toolworks 12 131 lie-nielsen.com
Tools For Working Wood 102 168 toolsforworkingwood.com
HARDWARE
Whitechapel Ltd. 35 148 whitechapel-ltd.com
See something you
Woodworker’s Hardware 87 152 wwhardware.com
KITS & PLANS
Shortridge Co. 102 167 shortridgeltd.com
want?
U-bild.com
Woodcraft Plans
Woodprojects.com
102
103
102
169
171
172
u-bild.com
woodcraftplans.com
woodprojects.com
Need more
MISCELLANEOUS
Dakota Alert 103 160 dakotaalert.com
information?
Use the Free Information Card in this issue to receive
POWER TOOL ACCESSORIES free advertiser information.
Beall Tool 102 157 bealltool.com
Bench Dog Tools 87 107 benchdog.com For faster service, go online at www.popwood.com
Biesemeyer 5 110 biesemeyer.com and click "FREE INFORMATION" or fax the card to
Craftsman Gallery 102 159 thecraftsmangallery.com (585) 321-0043.
Jointech 21 127 jointech.com
Keller Company 16 128 kellerdovetail.com
Leigh
Simp’l Products
27, 43
23
—
146
leighjigs.com
woodjigs.com
Win A Kreg Jig
POWER TOOLS K2000 ProPack
Ashman Technical
Delta Machinery
35
7
106
111
woodworktools.com
deltamachinery.com
Pocket Hole
Fein Power Tools
Fisch
31
39
114
115
feinusa.com
fisch-woodworking.com
System
General Mfg. 23 118 general.ca When you request infor-
Grizzly Industrial C2-1 121 grizzly.com
JET Tools 15 125 jettools.com mation, you're automati-
JET Tools 17 126 jettools.com cally entered in our
Laguna Tools C4 129 lagunatools.com drawing to win a Kreg
Legacy Woodworking 103 161 legacywoodworking.com Jig K2000 ProPack
Makita 13 132 makitatools.com
RB Industries 18 140 rbiwoodtools.com
ADVERTISER INDEX
ADVERTISER PAGE # CIRCLE # WEB ADDRESS
Adams Wood Products 16 100 adamswoodproducts.com
Adjustable Clamp 39 101 adjustableclamp.com
Adria Toolworks 102 155 adriatools.com
Airware America 103 156 airwareamerica.com
Amana 29 102 amanatool.com
Amazon 87 103 amazon.com
American Clamping 35 104 besseyclamps.com
Arrow Fasteners 12 105 arrowfasteners.com
Ashman Technical 35 106 woodworktools.com
Beall Tool 102 157 bealltool.com
Bench Dog Tools 87 107 benchdog.com
Biesemeyer 5 110 biesemeyer.com
Cambium Books 103 158 cambiumbooks.com
CMT USA 35 108 cmtusa.com
Craft Supplies USA 43 109 craftusa.com
Craftsman Gallery 102 159 thecraftsmangallery.com
Dakota Alert 103 160 dakotaalert.com
Delta Machinery 7 111 deltamachinery.com
DowelMax 35 112 dowelmax.com
E. Emerson Tool Co. 39 113 allinoneclamps.com
Fein Power Tools 31 114 feinusa.com
Fisch 39 115 fisch-woodworking.com
Forrest Mfg. 63 116 stores.yahoo.com/forrestman
Freud 9 117 freudtools.com
General Mfg. 23 118 general.ca
Glen-Drake Tool Works 43 119 glen-drake.com
Gorilla Glue 14 120 gorillaglue.com
Grizzly Industrial C2, 1 121 grizzly.com
Infinity Cutting Tools 18 122 infinitytools.com
Japan Woodworker 39 123 thejapanwoodworker.com
JDS Company 23 124 thejdscompany.com
JET Tools 15, 17 125, 126 jettools.com
Jointech 21 127 jointech.com
Keller Company 16 128 kellerdovetail.com
Laguna Tools C4 129 lagunatools.com
Lee Valley Tools 43 130 leevalley.com
Legacy Woodworking 103 161 legacywoodworking.com
Leigh 27, 43 — leighjigs.com
Librawood 102 162 librawood.com
Lie-Nielsen Toolworks 12 131 lie-nielsen.com
Makita 13 132 makitatools.com
McFeely's 27 133 mcfeelys.com
Miller Dowel Co. 27 134 millerdowel.com
Modine 29 135 modine.com
Newton Woods 102 — walnutwood.net
Nyle 97 136 nyle.com
Olson Saw Co. 87 137 olsonsaw.com
Oneida Air Systems 29 138 oneida-air.com
Osborne Wood Products 97 139 osbornewood.com
Packard Woodworks 102 163 packardwoodworks.com
Polymeric Systems 103 164 epoxysticks.com
RB Industries 18, 35 140,141 rbiwoodtools.com
Ridge Carbide 102 165 ridgecarbidetool.com
Ridgid 2 142 ridgid.com
Rockler 21 143 rockler.com
Routerbits.com 102 166 routerbits.com
Ryobi 19 144 ryobitools.com
Sears Craftsman C3 145 craftsman.com
Shortridge Co. 102 167 shortridgeltd.com
Simp'l Products 23 146 woodjigs.com
Tools for Working Wood 102 168 toolsforworkingwood.com
U-bild.com 102 169 u-bild.com
Wall Lumber 29 147 walllumber.com
Waterlox 102 170 waterlox.com
West Penn Hardwoods 29 — westpennhardwoods.com
Whitechapel Ltd. 35 148 whitechapel-ltd.com
Wilke Machinery 21 149 wilkemach.com
Woodcraft 10-11 150 woodcraft.com
Woodcraft Plans 103 171 woodcraftplans.com
Woodfinder 102 — woodfinder.com
Woodline USA 6 154 woodbits.com
Woodpeckers 103 172 woodpeck.com
Woodstock Int'l. 25 151 woodstockinternational.com
Woodworker's Book Club 88-89 — woodworkersbookclub.com
Woodworker's Choice 102 173 thewoodworkerschoice.com
Woodworker's Hardware 87 152 wwhardware.com
Woodworker's Supply 29 153 woodworker.com
CIRCLE NO. 139 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD. Woodworks 2003 95, 100 — woodworks2003.com
FLEXNER ON FINISHING
The Pine
Problem
Strategies to make this
blotchy wood behave.
P ine is the first wood used by most begin-

ning woodworkers. It is widely available,
relatively inexpensive and one of the easi-
est woods to cut and shape using common
woodworking tools.
But pine may be the most difficult wood
to finish. So what begins as an enjoyable craft
experience, making some type of decorative Pine is notorious for the uneven way it takes stain. Here we hand-planed a board of Southern yellow pine to
perfect shimmering flatness and applied a walnut stain. This board experienced both grain reversal and signifi-
or useful object, all too often ends up as a
cant blotching. In other words, the problems occur with even the most careful preparation.
nightmare. It doesn’t have to be this way, of
course, but it does require some knowledge
of the peculiar characteristics of pine and • Uneven coloring shows up much worse • Unfortunately, there’s no good solu-
how to handle them to avoid it. in the form of “blotching,” which is uneven tion for avoiding the development of color
Pine is difficult to finish nicely for the stain coloring spread randomly over the differences between pine and a filling, other
following five reasons: wood. Blotching is easily the most serious than to not fill at all. Even stained pine will
• The near-white, spring-growth wood is problem in wood finishing because it’s darken some. You can always color your fill-
much softer than the orange, summer-growth the only problem that can’t be fixed – even ing a little darker so it won’t stand out as
wood. So hand-sanding without backing the by stripping and starting over. And pine much after a few years, but then it will stand
sandpaper with a flat block “grooves out” the is one of the worst woods for blotching. out at the beginning.
springwood and creates ridges that aren’t eas- The last two problems, grain reversal and
ily visible until after the finish is applied. The Solutions blotching have similar causes – the stain pen-
• Because of its lower density, the spring- The solutions to the first three problems etrating more in some areas of the wood than
wood absorbs much more finish than the listed above are pretty obvious. others – so they have similar solutions. The
summerwood, so an extra coat or two of fin- • To avoid grooving, use a flat cork, rub- three best solutions are to use a gel stain, wash-
ish often has to be applied to get the sheen ber or wood block to back your sandpaper, coat the wood before staining or spray a toner
even – especially when you are using non- or use a pad or random-orbit sander. On non- after sealing the wood.
film-building finishes such as oil. flat surfaces that have to be sanded by hand,
• As it ages, pine darkens to a warm or- use the thickness of folded sandpaper to help Use a Gel Stain
ange color, so colored wood-putty and wax avoid grooving out the springwood. For all non-production situations, using a
fillings that originally matched perfectly • To get the sheen even between spring- gel stain is, by far, the easiest and most pre-
stand out noticeably after a year or two. wood and summerwood, you may need to dictable method for avoiding blotching and
• The different densities of the spring- apply more coats of finish than you do to most grain reversal.
wood and summerwood impact the color- other woods. If you sand the early coats smooth Gel stains are regular stains that have
ing of a stain. The soft springwood absorbs using fine-grit sandpaper, you’ll achieve an been thickened so they don’t flow readily.
stain easily and can become quite dark, even sheen quicker. As a result, all of the stain stays near the sur-
while the dense summerwood absorbs al- face of the wood so the coloring comes out
most nothing and stays about the same color. by Bob Flexner fairly even. You still need to wipe off the ex-
The result is “grain reversal” that can be Bob Flexner is the author of “Understanding Wood cess, of course, just as you do with liquid
quite unattractive, depending on the spe- Finishing” and a contributing editor stains, or you’ll get an uneven coloring caused
cific boards or veneers being used. to Popular Woodworking. by the stain itself rather than the wood.

Liquid stains penetrate
Gel stains have an interesting and amaz- unevenly into pine and
ing history. They’ve been around for half a produce a blotchy ap-
century, but the few manufacturers that made pearance (left). Gel stains
them didn’t realize their benefit. Despite these don’t flow or penetrate
readily, so they stay near
stains being relatively messy to use (com-
the surface and produce a
pared to liquid stains), they were marketed more even coloring
as “easy to use” and that was it – never a men- (right).
tion about avoiding blotching.
About a decade ago, some woodwork-
ing magazines began publishing articles pro-
moting gel varnishes and gel stains as being
easy to use, creating a large market for these
products. Many more manufacturers then
began making gel stains, and they’re now
widely available. But, incredibly, there’s With some experimenta-
still not one manufacturer that states on tion using a wood condi-
tioner, I was able to
their containers that this stain solves the
prevent most of the
blotching problem! blotching (right), but I
To add confusion to the issue, a number also lost most of my
of magazine articles have suggested several coloring. I applied the
additional steps be taken before applying the same stain over the wood
conditioner and directly
gel stain. These steps don’t hurt anything,
to the wood (left).
but they aren’t needed. Unless you have a
reason to use one of the methods described
below, you’ll find that a gel stain used by it-
self is your best bet for staining pine.
Use a Washcoat
A washcoat is any finish that is thinned fair-
ly significantly and applied as a first coat to Blotching can be avoided
partially seal the wood and retard stain pen- entirely by toning the
wood, but toning (right)
etration. Commercial products called “wood
produces a very different
conditioners” are washcoats. appearance than staining
In the furniture industry, washcoats are (left) because toning
usually thinned lacquer or sanding sealer. places the coloring above
Experimentation is done to determine how the wood, not in it. I used
the same colorant on
much to thin and how much to apply so the
both sides.
stain produces the desired appearance. If
you don’t also experiment yourself, you won’t
be successful at preventing blotching using
a washcoat. If you’ve ever used a wood con-
ditioner, especially if you’ve followed the
directions, you know what I mean.
Wood conditioners aren’t necessary be-
cause they’re designed for non-production surface – that is, over at least one full coat ning it enough (usually about four-to-six parts
situations, and gel stains work much bet- of finish. (If you were to apply a toner di- thinner) so you have control and can build
ter. Many finish manufacturers now make rectly to the wood, it would be staining.) the color slowly. Otherwise, you might cover
both products. I believe they should remove Toners cause no blotching or grain reversal so quickly that you are, in effect, painting.
wood conditioners from the market and because all of the color is blocked from the Toners usually have to be sprayed because
promote gel stains instead. wood, but toning looks different than stain- it’s very difficult to avoid noticeable brush
ing because the figure of the wood is hidden marking. If you don’t have a spray gun, you
Spray a Toner to some degree, rather than highlighted. can use an aerosol toner (see “Aerosol
A toner is a finish with a little pigment or You can make your own toner by adding Finishing” in the October 2003 issue of
dye added. Toning is always done over a sealed pigment and/or dye to any finish and thin- Popular Woodworking). PW
popwood.com 99
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woodworkers of all skill levels. Shop for the newest tools and supplies you won’t find
in retail stores, watch and learn from experts who come from around the world or
be inspired as you wander through exhibition galleries of fine work. WoodWorks is
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Work safely & see you on the Road!
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VISIT OUR WEBSITE: WOODWORKSEVENTS.COM 310.917.4408
INDIANAPOLIS ST. PAUL NASHVILLE FT. WASHINGTON COLUMBUS SPRINGFIELD ONTARIO PHOENIX
INDIANA MINNESOTA TENNESSEE PENNSYLVANIA OHIO MASSACHUSETTS CALIFORNIA ARIZONA
OCT. 10-12 OCT. 17-19 OCT. 24-26 OCT. 31 - NOV. 2 NOV. 21-23 JAN. 16 - 18 JAN. 30 - FEB. 1 FEB. 6 - FEB. 8
2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2004 2004 2004
Illustrated by Bob Rech
CAPTION THE CARTOON bobrech@juno.com
#62
Customer Service
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popwood.com 103
OUT OF THE WOODWORK
Hands and Mind

The art of becoming a master carver.
“D on’t be afraid to toss it around,” Gino

said. “That’s the best way to shape
hair. Create flowing curves that chase each
other and graceful lines that dance.”
Gino Masero, a member of the English
Association of Master Carvers, was my teacher,
mentor and friend. In addition to teaching
me the ordinary, everyday skills such as carv-
ing hair and sharpening tools, he bestowed
a much more important gift – he generous-
ly opened a window into his soul. And what
I saw there, combined with what I learned
at his workbench, made it possible for me to gression. One day I was guiding the gouge become a link in an ancient continuity so
become a professional woodcarver. through the wood and the next day the tool you have a responsibility to learn from those
The first thing you noticed about Gino seemed to know the way by itself. I belonged chaps who were here before us. I think it’s
was his hands. They were massive, strong to the gouge as much as it belonged to me. time you got to know some of them.”
and competent with fingers so thick that his In a near-mystical transference, which per- The next morning, we caught a train to
son can recall a time when he was unable to haps only a fellow craftsman can understand, London and spent the day at the Victoria
encompass any one of them with his fist. the tool had become me. and Albert Museum. He stood me in front
They were hands that knew what they were After I had crossed that extraordinary of Gibbons’ relief masterpiece, The Stoning
about and they showed not the slightest hes- threshold and Gino was satisfied with my of St. Stephen. “See how subtly Gibbons
itation while doing their work. His hands hands, he then concentrated on a far more guides the viewer’s eye by carving those di-
were so proficient and confident that I some- difficult task – he went to work on my head. agonal lines. And see how he adds interest
times imagined them coming to the shop by He set standards, confident now that I to the lines by gently beveling them. He com-
themselves, fully capable of meeting the day’s had the physical skills to meet them. “And mands us to look at St. Stephen. Gibbons is
challenges without Gino being there. it has to look right no matter where you stand. dead some 300 years but he’s still commu-
At my first lesson, Gino had me place my Don’t be careless with one spot just because nicating. Never forget that, Gerry – com-
short, stubby hands on the workbench. He it’s on the bottom or in the back. It doesn’t municating, that’s what we’re about.”
studied them for a moment and then solemn- matter if other people won’t notice it; you’ll Gino died in 1995 at the age of 81. His
ly told me that I had “carver’s hands.” He know it’s not right, and so will your God.” work, including a seven-foot tall Christ in
pronounced them large enough to comfort- He wanted me to see what he saw when London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral, can be found
ably grasp a carving gouge and strong enough he looked at a piece of wood. He wanted me throughout England. He loved to carve and
to control it. That was one of the reasons he to see what Michelangelo, Tilman he communicated that love to all those who
took me on as a student, he said. Riemenschneider and Grinling Gibbons had worked with him and even to some who sim-
“But you won’t become a woodcarver,” seen. Books, museums and cathedrals be- ply watched him. I still remember the day
he continued in his serious tone, “until the came as important a part of my life as the he explained how he felt about his profes-
gouges become extensions of your hands. gouges and sharpening stones. sion. He graciously used that explanation to
When that moment comes – and you’ll prob- One afternoon, as we were finishing up, welcome me into the carving brotherhood.
ably not even be aware that it has come – he gently chided me. “You’re soon going to “It’s a grand job, isn’t it? You get to do
when the carving tool becomes a part of your something you love to do and …” He paused
hand and you forget that you are holding a by Gerry Holzman with a look that somehow combined be-
tool – then you’ll be a woodcarver.” musement and bewilderment, “… and, they
Gino was right; that moment did even- Gerry Holzman, a specialist in the creation and pay you lots of brass to do it.” Then, with a
restoration of carousel art, has just finished a 20-year
tually come – and yet I don’t remember it. project – the carving of a full-size, operating carousel
characteristic twinkle in his eye, he looked
There was certainly no drum roll or flashing based entirely on the theme of New York state history me full in the face and said, “Gerry, we’re
lightbulb. It just seemed part of a natural pro- and culture. Check out empirestatecarousel.org. lucky fellows, us carvers, aren’t we?” PW

NO JAW CLENCHING, TEETH GRITTING
OR PRIMAL SCREAMING REQUIRED.
If you’re one of those guys who’s getting by with jaws are designed so that they always remain
using traditional pliers, you’re probably familiar with parallel to each other, which helps prevent shifting
the following scenario: you squeeze the handles during use. Each jaw also has a These pliers deliver
130% more jaw pressure
as hard as you possibly can in a special V-cut notch, which gives than our ordinary 8-inch
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valiant effort to loosen or you a better grip on whatever Isn’t physics great?
tighten a bolt, you happen to be grabbing. And, in the unlikely
only to have them case that all else fails, you can turn these
slip anyway. It’s enough pliers into locking pliers with the
to make a grown man flick of a handy 2-in-1
scream. Well, there’s no switch. Of course,
reason to experience that kind as with some
of frustration any longer—not with a 1,600 other
pair of Craftsman® Grip Master™ pliers in your Craftsman hand tools, our
hands. In fact, there are several ways this Grip Master pliers are made in America
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© 2003 Sears Brands, LLC

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4 POPULAR WOODWORKING November 2003

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