PURVEYORS OF FINE MACHINERY, SINCE 1983!

OVER A MILLION SQUARE FEET PACKED TO THE RAFTERS WITH MACHINERY & TOOLS
2 OVERSEAS QUALITY CONTROL OFFICES STAFFED WITH QUALIFIED GRIZZLY ENGINEERS
HUGE PARTS FACILITY WITH OVER 1 MILLION PARTS IN STOCK AT ALL TIMES
Summer Sale March 31 - July 31 TRAINED SERVICE TECHNICIANS AT ALL 3 LOCATIONS MOST ORDERS SHIP THE SAME DAY

30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION ULTIMATE 14" BANDSAW 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
14" DELUXE BANDSAW EDITION 17" BANDSAW

Motor: 1 HP, 110V/220V, CAST Motor: 1 HP, 110V/220V, Motor: 2 HP, 110V/220V,
single-phase, TEFC IRON single-phase, TEFC single-phase, TEFC
Precision-ground cast WHEELS Precision-ground cast Precision-ground cast
iron table size: 14" sq. iron table size: 14" sq. iron table size: 17" sq.
Table tilt: 45 R, 10 L Table tilt: 45 R, 15 L Table tilt: 45 R, 10 L
Cutting capacity/throat: 1312" Cutting capacity/throat: 1312" Cutting capacity/throat: 1614"
Max. cutting height: 6" Max. cutting height: 6" Max. cutting height: 1218"
Blade size: 9212"9312" L (18"34" W) Deluxe extruded aluminum fence Blade size: 13112" L (18"1" W)
Blade speeds: 1800 & 3100 FPM Blade size: 9212"9312" L (18"34" W) Blade speeds: 1700 & 3500 FPM
Approx. shipping weight: 247 lbs. Blade speeds: 1500 & 3200 FPM Quick release blade tension lever
Approx. shipping weight: 196 lbs. Approx. shipping weight: 342 lbs.

INCLUDES DELUXE EXTRUDED

177335
252923
ALUMINUM FENCE, MITER GAUGE
G0555LANV and 12" BLADE
$
79 $
79 $
99
SALE
$
52500 shipping
lower 48 states G0555P SALE
$
52500 shipping
lower 48 states G0513ANV SALE
$
82500 shipping
lower 48 states

10" LEFT-TILTING TABLESAW 10" CABINET TABLE SAW 3 HP DUST COLLECTOR

WITH CAST IRON ROUTER TABLE WITH RIVING KNIFE & EXTENSION RAILS
Motor: 3 HP, 240V, single-phase Motor: 3HP, 240V, single-phase, 3450 RPM, 12A
Motor: 3 HP, 220V, single-phase, 12.8A Air suction capacity: 2300 CFM
Cutting capacity: 8" left, 2558" right of blade
Blade tilt: Left Table height from floor: 34" Static pressure: 16.7"
Maximum depth of cut @ 90: 3"
Table size with extension: 27" x 7434" 7" inlet has removable "Y" fitting
Maximum depth of cut @ 45: 218"
Arbor speed: 4300 RPM Arbor size: 58" with three 4" openings
Assembled table size: 48" W x 27" D
Maximum dado width: 1316" Impeller: 1234" cast aluminum
Base dimension: 2012" x 2012" 177335
Maximum depth of cut @ 90: 318" Bag capacity: 11.4 cubic feet
Precision-ground and
Maximum depth of cut @ 45: 2316" Standard bag filtration:
heat treated
Maximum rip capacity: 50" 2.5 micron
solid cast iron table
Distance from Portable base size:
T-slot miter gauge
front of table 2112" x 4912"
247570
Dust port: 4"
to center of Bag size (dia. x depth):
Magnetic safety switch
blade: 1714" 1912" x 33" (2)
One-piece steel cabinet
Overall dimensions: Lower bags: Plastic
type stand
40" H x 41" W x 82" L Powder-coated paint
Poly-V serpentine drive belt
Approximate Height with bags
CSA certified
shipping weight: 557 lbs. inflated: 78"
All sealed ball bearing construction 232857
Approximate shipping weight: 550 lbs. Approximate shipping
weight: 170 lbs.
$
150 $
150 $
79
G1023RLW SALE
$
132500 shipping
lower 48 states G0691 SALE
$
152500 shipping
lower 48 states G1030Z2P ONLY
$
42500 shipping
lower 48 states

24" DRUM SANDER 8" JOINTERS 15" PLANERS

Motor: 5 HP, 220V, single-phase
drum motor drives 2 aluminum sanding drums Motor: 3 HP, 220V, single-phase, TEFC Motor: 3 HP, 240V,
Surface speed of drum: 2300 FPM Precision-ground cast iron table size: 9" x 7212" 3 HP single-phase
Handles stock up to 2312" wide and 414" thick
14 HP conveyor motor provides 11 FPM feed rate
Max. depth of cut: 18" Max. rabbeting depth: 12" MOTOR! Precision-ground cast iron
Cutterhead dia.: 3" Cutterhead speed: 4800 RPM table size: 15" x 20"
Sandpaper installs easily onto the drums Cuts per minute: 20,000 (G0656P), 21,400 (G0656PX) Min. stock thickness: 316"
All steel and ball bearing construction Approx. shipping weight: 500 lbs. Min. stock length: 8"
Sandpaper size: 6" x 9512" Max. cutting depth: 18"
Two 4" dust ports for easy Feed rate: 16 & 30 FPM
hook-up to a collection system Cutterhead speed: 4800 RPM
State-of-the-art computer Approx. shipping weight: 666 lbs.
FREE SAFETY
balanced drums
PUSH BLOCKS
Powder-coated paint
Approximate shipping CHOOSE EITHER
weight: 442 lbs. 4 HSS KNIVES OR 208624
SPIRAL CUTTERHEAD
DRUMS ARE MODEL
208624 3 HP BUILT-IN
MOBILE BASE
NON-RUBBERIZED! BUILT-IN MOTOR!
MOBILE BASE

4 KNIFE CUTTERHEAD 3 KNIFE CUTTERHEAD

G0656P ONLY 79500

$ G0453P ONLY 109500
$
99
$ SPIRAL CUTTERHEAD $
150 SPIRAL CUTTERHEAD 150
$

165000 ONLY 1225 ONLY 1695

$ $ 00 $ 00
G1066R G0656PX
shipping shipping shipping

SALE lower 48 states lower 48 states

G0453PX lower 48 states

14WOODM
TECHNICAL SERVICE: 570-546-9663 FAX: 800-438-5901
VIEW VIDEOS AT
3 GREAT SHOWROOMS! FOLLOW
16301R grizzly.com
BELLINGHAM, WA MUNCY, PA SPRINGFIELD, MO US:
September 2014 Issue 227
60
In this issue
PLANS
14 Shop Project: Miter-sanding Jig
28 Basic-Built Grilling Center
Turn your charcoal griller into an outdoor kitchen
with this easy-to-build enclosure.
34 Smoothing Plane
38 Heirloom Workbench
50 Tapered Hall Bench
Its contemporaryand comfortablewith
deceptively simple joinery.
60 Stand-up Chessboard
66 Darling Doll Chair
TECHNIQUES
6 Avoid Common Sharpening Mistakes
8 Tool School: Router Basics
32 Craft a Concrete Countertop
Use your woodworking tools to fashion a tough
topper for cabinets or the Grilling Center.
46 Great Finishes That Arent Poly
Take a pass on the polyurethane with these
three less-finicky finishes.

54
64 Best Break-down Tips for Sheet Goods
T O O L S & M AT E R I A L S
16 Buy the Right Bench Dogs
54 Shop Test: 15" Planers
Ready to dump your lunch-box planer for a big-

32
boy model? Heres what you need to know first.
74 Wise Buys: Aluminum Bar Clamps
74 Shop-Proven Products
Precise pinners, dead-on doweling jig, and more
D E PA R T M E N T S
The WOOD magazine difference:
3 Editors Angle We build every project, verify
4 Sounding Board every fact, and test every
12 Unvarnished reviewed tool in our workshop
to guarantee your success and
Harvesting urban lumber complete satisfaction.
18 Shop Tips
70 Ask WOOD
76 Advertiser Index

50
80 Whats Ahead

38
woodmagazine.com
 Better Homes and Gardens

On our website

woodmagazine.com September 2014 Vol. 31, No. 4 Issue No. 227

EDITORIAL CONTENT CHIEF DAVE CAMPBELL
LET US PAY $5,000 FOR YOUR DEPUTY EDITOR CRAIG RUEGSEGGER
WORKSHOP WORKOVER! ART DIRECTOR KARL EHLERS
Bring your shop up to date with flooring, new cabinets, a heater, upgraded tools,
DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER LUCAS PETERS
or whatever you need. Enter daily at woodmagazine.com/5Kworkover to
increase your chances of winning $5,000 for the job! See details on page 76. SENIOR DESIGN EDITOR KEVIN BOYLE

DESIGN EDITOR JOHN OLSON

TOOLS EDITOR BOB HUNTER

GENERAL-INTEREST EDITOR NATE GRANZOW

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT SHERYL MUNYON

1,000 VIDEOS BY WOODWORKERS,
FOR WOODWORKERS, ALL FREE CONTRIBUTING CRAFTSMEN JIM HEAVEY, ERV ROBERTS, BRIAN SIMMONS, MARK LANE,
BOB BAKER, TOM BRUMBACK, BOB SAUNDERS, STEVE FEENEY, MATT SEILER, DOUG LEY
Learn new tips, tricks, and techniques, and watch projects come together at PHOTOGRAPHERS DEAN SCHOEPPNER, JASON DONNELLY, JAY WILDE
CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS TIM CAHILL, LORNA JOHNSON
WOODtube: woodmagazine.com/woodtube PROOFREADERS BABS KLEIN, BILL KRIER, IRA LACHER, JIM SANDERS

ADVERTISING AND MARKETING

VICE PRESIDENT/GROUP PUBLISHER TOM DAVIS
DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE LISA GREENWOOD
ONLINE MEDIA KIT woodmagazine.com/mediakit

BUSINESS MANAGER DARREN TOLLEFSON CONSUMER MARKETING DIRECTOR LIZ BREDESON

CONSUMER MARKETING MANAGER BLAINE ROURICK RETAIL BRAND MANAGER-NEWSSTAND TAMMY CLINE
PRODUCTION MANAGER SANDY WILLIAMS ADVERTISING OPERATIONS MANAGER JIM NELSON

MEREDITH NATIONAL MEDIA GROUP

PRESIDENT TOM HARTY

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTS

PRESIDENT, MEDIA SALES RICHARD PORTER PRESIDENT, PARENTS NETWORK CAREY WITMER
PRESIDENT, WOMENS LIFESTYLE THOMAS WITSCHI PRESIDENT, MEREDITH DIGITAL JON WERTHER
PRESIDENT, MEREDITH HOME GROUP JAMES CARR CREATIVE CONTENT LEADER GAYLE GOODSON BUTLER
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER NANCY WEBER CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER MICHAEL BROWNSTEIN
GENERAL MANAGER DOUG OLSON
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER JACK GOLDENBERG
Steve Carmichael shows how to build CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER ANDY WILSON DIGITAL SALES CAROLYN BEKKEDAHL
and tunea tongue drum at RESEARCH SOLUTIONS BRITTA CLEVELAND
woodmagazine.com/tonguetune VICE PRESIDENTS
BUSINESS PLANNING AND ANALYSIS ROB SILVERSTONE CONSUMER MARKETING JANET DONNELLY
CORPORATE MARKETING STEPHANIE CONNOLLY COMMUNICATIONS PATRICK TAYLOR
HUMAN RESOURCES DINA NATHANSON CORPORATE SALES BRIAN KIGHTLINGER

WRAP UP SUMMER WITH THESE

DIGITAL VIDEO LAURA ROWLEY DIRECT MEDIA PATTI FOLLO BRAND LICENSING ELISE CONTARSY
STRATEGIC SOURCING, NEWSSTAND, PRODUCTION CHUCK HOWELL

LABOR-SAVING HELPERS
With September comes the unofficial end of summer (and no more white shoes in CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER STEPHEN M. LACY
PRESIDENT, MEREDITH LOCAL MEDIA GROUP PAUL KARPOWICZ
the shop). For many woodworkers, its also time to switch from outdoor activities
back to full-bore woodworking. Let us help ease you back in with less effort. VICE CHAIRMAN MELL MEREDITH FRAZIER
IN MEMORIAM E.T. MEREDITH III (19332003)
Make cabinet doors in 30 minutes
woodmagazine.com/frameandpaneltips
Free time-saving jig plans
woodmagazine.com/freejigplans facebook.com/ twitter.com/ pinterest.com/
woodmagazine WOOD_magazine woodmagazine
Cut flawless miters the first time, every time
u For woodworking advice: Post your questions at woodmagazine.com/forums. Or drop an e-mail to
woodmagazine.com/perfectmiters [email protected].
Tablesaw accessories that speed up work u To contact the editors: E-mail [email protected]; post at facebook.com/woodmagazine;
woodmagazine.com/toptsacc write to WOOD Magazine, 1716 Locust St., LS-221, Des Moines, IA 50309; or call 800-374-9663, option 2.
Build a dovetail box in 12 minutes u To find past articles: Search the online article index at woodmagazine.com/index. For a listing of corrections in
dimensions and updated buying-guide sources from issue 1 through today, go to woodmagazine.com/editorial.
woodmagazine.com/12mindovetails u To order past issues and articles: For past issues of WOOD magazine (print or digital), visit woodmagazine.com/
Add a bandsaw riser block the easy way backissues. For downloadable articles, search woodmagazine.com/store.
woodmagazine.com/riserblock u Subscription help: Visit woodmagazine.com/help; e-mail [email protected]; write to
PO Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037; or call 800-374-9663, option 1. Include your name and address as shown on the
magazine label, renewal notice, or invoice.
Save money! Get WOOD on your iPad!
Try a FREE sample of the digital edition of WOOD magazine on your iPad at Our subscriber list is occasionally made available to carefully selected firms whose products may be of interest to you.
If you prefer not to receive information from these companies by mail or by phone, please let us know. Send your request
woodmagazine.com/trydigital along with your mailing label to Magazine Customer Service, PO Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508. xx
Copyright Meredith Corporation 2014. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

2 WOOD magazine September 2014

 Editors Angle

Learning
lessons
L
ast spring was a tough one in the Campbell household,
as we sent our baby girl across the stage to collect her
diploma. Its the end of high-school drama for her,
and the start of her college career. And a new beginning for
my wife and I, too, as we join the ranks of empty-nesters.
One of the rewards of parenthood Ill miss most is seeing
the light come on in my childs eyes when she suddenly
understands a new concept. As a dad, I managed to connect
the dots for her, and each time, in some small way, I hope it
changed her life forever.
Fortunately, I still enjoy that experience at Weekend
With WOOD every time a great woodworking educator,
such as Marc Adams or Jim Heavey, connects the dots for
the woodworkers in their classes. The smiles and nods from
attendees confirm that, suddenly, they get a concept they
struggled with previously. Ive recognized that look on the
faces of even the most seasoned woodworkers who attend,
proving youre never too old or too smart to learn.
We had a sellout crowd of hungry learners for Weekend
With WOOD this year, and, sadly, had to turn away many
who waited too long to register. So if youd like to bone up
on your woodworking skills, learn new ones, and hang out
with some of Americas best craftsmen, watch upcoming
issues for details about the next Weekend With WOOD in
spring 2015. And register early to ensure your spot!

See you in the shop!

Dave Campbell
[email protected]

3
 Sounding Board Our bulletin board for letters, comments, and timely updates

Unvarnished column sparks safety concerns

Having six grandsons, I read with Theres nothing wrong with a blanket rule
interest the article Passing Along the about wearing safety gear all the time in
Craft on page 24 of issue 224 (March the shop. However, the children pictured
2014). I was concerned to see that none are working with an eggbeater hand drill, a
of Steve Schulers children are wearing carving gouge, and a handsaw. Using those
eye protection while working with tools, youd be hard pressed to throw chips
tools. If we are going to pass along the that could cause eye injury. If my children
craft, shouldnt we also pass along safe happen to be present when Im using power
work practices? tools, they wear the same safety gear I do.
John Freburger, Bristol, Maine Read more about my take on shop safety
with children at
I just received issue 224 and was woodmagazine.com/SteveSchulerSafety.
appalled at the pictures in the Steve Schuler
Unvarnished column. No one is
wearing safety glasses. Theres no
excuse for not wearing protective
eyewear, and no excuse for WOOD to

Steve Schuler dedicates an area of his house

publish the pictures.
Rick Rule, Rittman, Ohio
for hand tools onlya safe, supervised
place for his children to learn woodworking.
u

Blanket chest nets big Article Updates

haul for Relay For Life
I made a blanket chest from u Adjustable-arm Floor Lamp
the plans in issue 175 (March In issue 225 (May 2014), the wiring
2007), using red oak instead diagram on page 38 and the video listed
of pine. Upon completion, I under More Resources suggest using a
donated it through Brooksville rayon-braided, cloth-covered wire.
Regional Hospital to the local The UL advises against this wires
Relay For Life, where hospital use with floor lamps. The lamp kit
team members raffled it off, (woodmagazine.com/lampkit) includes
raising more than $700 for the UL-approved wiring.
American Cancer Society event.
Tracey Dellea, shown left, was
thrilled with her prize.
Keith Wetherington, Spring Hill, Fla.

Beanbag board
add-on scores big
For a simple way to keep track
of the score when playing
with the Beanbag Game
Boards featured in issue 220
(September 2013), drill 21
3 16" holes in the frame rail (B)

nearest the legs. Then, stick in

golf tees for score markers.
Dave Doty, Lake Placid, Fla.

4 WOOD magazine September 2014

 introducing
W1833
Pocket Hole MacHine
Our new pocket hole machine has a patented NO ADJUST hold-down clamp. There has
never been a faster or easier-to-use pocket hole machine! Put any thickness material in from
1
2" to 112" thick and pull the handle. Youre done! No more wasting time and money adjusting
clamps for material thickness. Great for pro shops with multiple people using the same
machine! Great for hobbyists who like very little changeover between different
woodworking operations.

Manufactured Under License

U.S. Patent No. 7,140,813

FEATURES:
Two flip stops for drilling consistency
Auto start/stop motor actuation with just
a handle pull
Auto adjust clamping foot mechanism for
workpiece thicknesses between 12" to 112"
Cuts both diameter holes for pocket screws
at the same time

APPLICATIONS:
Face framing
Simple, effective joinery method for a wide variety Check out
of wood joints, such as furniture construction
our demo video at
shopfox.biz
W1833 List Price $810.00

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR CALL TOLL FREE TO FIND AN AUTHORIZED DEALER NEAR YOU.

SHOP FOX is a registered trademark of Woodstock International, Inc.

 Avoiding
Workshop Goofs

1. BE READY
The most common mistake? Not sharpening
at all. Like a pencil sharpener in a classroom, a
designated, always-ready sharpening station
encourages you to sharpen regularly.

Beat 5 Sharpening Mistakes

3. CHOOSE THE PROPER GRIT Polishes
If inspection reveals imperfections, use a coarse
abrasive first to re-establish the cutting edge.
Nicks Then hone your way back using finer grits.
When a blade stops cutting well, a quick Sharpens
touch-up with a too-fine grit (such as the
2. DONT CONFUSE 3-micron diamond paste, far right)
SHINY WITH SHARP seldom cures the problem.
A shiny bevel, like the one
at left, can give the illusion of
being sharp while still holding
imperfections, such as nicks or a
rolled edge. Examine the edge closely
with a magnifying glass after sharpening
to check for defects, above.

4. KEEP ABRASIVES
FRESH AND FLAT
Worn sandpaper cuts steel slowly, and
dished-out sharpening stones (right)
round a cutting edge. Replace
sandpaper frequently and lap
(flatten) your stones with a
Bevel angle diamond lapping plate. Uneven
marked on blade contact
across the
blade edge

Low spot Dished-out stone

(exaggerated for clarity)

u Find five chisel-sharpening troubleshooters at

5. WRITE THE RIGHT ANGLE woodmagazine.com/chiselgoofs.
Adjusting your honing guide or bench u Read reviews of grinders and sharpening systems at
grinders tool rest to the wrong angle wastes woodmagazine.com/grinderreviews.
time and steel, as you unintentionally reshape u Need an easy sharpening method? Watch this video:
the edge. Mark your blades with the correct bevel woodmagazine.com/sharpeningvid.
angle to ensure you set your guides to match.

6 WOOD magazine September 2014

Getting Started Develop Your
Shop Skills

with a Router F
or versatility, you cant beat a
router. Decorative edging, joinery,
trimming, and much more fall
within the routers capability. You can
build many projects with just a table-
saw and a router. Heres some advice to
Motor help you start enjoying this essential
tool today.

Switch
Take the plunge
Buying your first router? Consider one
with a plunge base, left. A plunge router
does anything a fixed-base router can,
and makes many tasks, such as cutting
Fine-
stopped grooves and dadoes, easier and
depth safer because you can keep the base
adjustment solidly on the workpiece throughout the
operation. With the router in position,
Plunge Base
lock you start the motor running. Then, you
push the plunge router down to start your
Depth scale cut and raise it to end the cut. Some
router kits include both fixed and
plunge basesan ideal way to equip
your shop.

Head in the right direction

The router bit rotates clockwise, as
Spindle lock viewed from the top of the router.
Always cut against the bits rotation by
Handle moving the router from left to right
with the bit cutting on its left side
Turret (viewed from behind the router).
Depth Rout counterclockwise around the ends
rod stop
Collet and edges of a workpiece. Move the
router clockwise around the inside edge
of a frame or cutout.
Bit
A ROUTER GOES ITS OWN WAY
Direction of
bit rotation

Router
track Direction
of router
movement

Begin with these

Read the owners manual for your router.
basic steps Intended
track

Secure the desired bit in the collet.

Adjust and lock the cutting depth. A
Set up a fence or edge guide if you arent routing with a piloted bit. Cutting forces and torque reaction cause a router
to veer to the left when you attempt to rout along a
Put on your safety glasses and hearing protection. Then, place the router base on the workpiece straight path without using a guide. In addition to
with the bit clear of the wood. damaging your workpiece, this can cause injury.
Hold the router firmly, start the motor, and feed the bit into the work. To rout all around a work-
piece, rout the end grain before the edges to minimize tear-out. continued on page 10

8 WOOD magazine September 2014

FINISH
IT.
The SprayStation HV5500

gives your project the

showroom finish it deserves.

The professional sprayer

and powerful turbine makes

finishing faster and easier

with precise control and

even coating distribution.

Find out more at earlex.com
 KEEP YOUR CUTS ON TRACK
Develop Your
Shop Skills
Clamp
Stay on course with a guide screws
Attempts to rout freehand generally
prove unsuccessful [Photo A]. Instead,
rely on one of these three proven
methods to maintain control of your
router: a straightedge guide attached to
the workpiece [Photo B], a router-base
edge guide [Photo C], or a piloted or
bearing-guided bit [Photo D].
A straightedge fence sits to the left of
the router base, while an edge guide Straightedge Direction
and piloted bit ride along the right edge guide of router Direction of
movement Edge guide
of the workpiece (as seen from behind router movement
the router) to keep the router on course.
B C
Big jobs call for big bit shanks A clamp-on guide provides positive control
for edge cuts, dadoes, and grooves. A board or
A base-mounted edge guide also works well for straight
edges. Attach the guide so it bears against the right
Youll find bits with 1 4" and 1 2" shank straightedge and some clamps work, too. edge of the workpiece in relation to direction of travel.
diameters, and many routers accept
both sizes. Smaller-shank bits usually
cost less and handle light- to medium-
duty routing, such as 1 8" or 1 4" round-
overs and ogee edges. For heavy
cuttinga 3 4" dado in hardwood, for
exampleopt for a bit with a 1 2" shank
if it fits your router.
Buy bits as you need them rather
than buying sets and winding up with
bits you never use. (Projects in WOOD

magazine specify bits needed.) Direction of router movement

Dont go beyond your depth Pilot tip

Check your routers instructions to see
how to adjust and lock the cutting
depth. A metal-rule depth gauge
[Source] enables you to make accurate D
adjustments easily [Photo E]. Dealers A piloted bit follows straight or curved edges. A plain pilot tip, as on this bit, can burn or mar the
also sell digital gauges. Make deep cuts workpiece. For best results, choose piloted bits with ball-bearing tips.
in several shallow (1 16"1 8") steps. SET BIT DEPTH ACCURATELY
Source
Depth gauge: Item no. 37429, $16.49, Rockler,
800-279-4441, rockler.com.

Find out more about routers

and routing with dozens of free videos
and ideas at
woodmagazine.com/routing.
Compare router features and
read editors and users router reviews at
Review-A-Tool:
woodmagazine.com/routerreviews
Build a bit-setting gauge that uses a
stainless steel shop rule for accuracy by
following the easy instructions at
woodmagazine.com/heightgauge. E
Measure from the router base to the end of the cutter on the bit to set the cutting depth. Make a test cut in
scrapwood to verify the setup before you rout your workpiece.

10 WOOD magazine September 2014

 Unvarnished
Straight talk from the WOOD-wide web

Finding
Urban Lumber
You dont need to see a forest for the trees.

nce upon a time, the path from What to expect

O tree to lumber mill to craftsman
and, ultimately, the end user was
rarely more than 50 miles. Nowadays,
The time from tree being felled to sliced
up, partially air-dried, and kiln-dried
can last six to nine months. But the
that path often covers a distance often-inexpensive yield comes with the
spanning half the globe. added benefit of custom sizes.
But it doesnt have to be that way. Urban wood is a lot like Forrest
You may have a ready source of materi- Gumps proverbial box of chocolates:
als right in your immediate area. Its You never know what youll get. Dont
called urban lumber, and it just takes a be surprised by high-end figure and
little ingenuity and logistics wrangling knock-back-your-eyeballs grain. Its not
on your part to bring it all together. as uncommon as you might think, and One benefit of urban-source lumber: sequentially
Urban lumber is anything sourced something that a lot of us dont cut flitches that would be nearly impossible to
from trees located in parks, parkways routinely get to work with. acquire at a lumber retailer
even backyards. The urban forest makes The stacks shown top right contain
up an estimated 20 percent of all of the silver maple, honey locust, cherry,
woodlands in the United States, and its Norway maple, and spruce trees that
a great source for local lumber. Trees came down from the same piece of
need to come down every day for a property. The owner and I have been
variety of reasons, and local municipali- pecking through this pile for the last
ties often look for ways to get this several years to create some of the
resource into the hands of people who finished projects pictured at right.
can upcycle it in the most positive way. If you happen to be working with
lumber from a persons own backyard
Get your hands on urban logs tree, converting it from a lifelong
Your best starting point for acquiring companion into heirloom furniture,
Echoes of the tree can be seen in these pieces that
local lumber is a city forester. His or her such as rockers or a bedroom set, youre celebrate crotch figure and bark inclusions, an
crew is out there every day and knows not just building a project. Youre opportunity afforded by custom-cut wood.
whats already cut and whats yet to building a story and a legacy for the
come down. The bonus: The species on family. Youre changing the way that
their menus range far wider than the they live and giving this precious
choices at your local hardwood retailer. resource a place within their lineage.
With a source for logs secured, you You just cant buy that at the store.
need a lumber milling service (which
may also have a kiln). Check with mill
manufacturers, such as Wood-Mizer When hes not in his brand new shop,
(800-553-0182, woodmizer.com), Logosol youll find Chicago-area professional
(877-564-6765, logosol.us), TimberKing woodworker Matt Seiler
(800-942-4406, timberking.com), and (woodmagazine.com/mswoodcraft)
dispensing expert advice on the Urban ash, as used in this showcase piece by
others. They can provide contact lists of WOOD magazine forums as the author, is becoming increasingly available
mill owners, and its pretty straightfor- moderator extraordinaire as cities remove trees affected by the emerald
ward to hook up with somebody in (woodmagazine.com/forums). ash borer (EAB). Learn more about the EAB at
your general area. emeraldashborer.info.

12 WOOD magazine September 2014

 QUALITY WOODWORKING TOOLS
SUPPLIES ADVICE

DREMEL Fortiex Heavy-Duty Flex Shaft Tool

The Fortiex is designed to be the ideal rotary tool for people engaging
in detailed projects that require both precision and power. The tools
powerful 2 amp (1/5 HP) motor provides high torque at low speeds,
making it perfect for power carving, shaping and grinding applications.

Includes: Dremel Fortiex, Motor Unit, Variable-Speed Foot Pedal,

Heavy-Duty Flex Shaft, Handpiece with Three-Jaw Chuck, Wall Hook,
Chuck Wrench, 21 Accessories and Owners Manual.

Specs:
Model Number 9100-21
Powerful 2 Amp, 120V (1/ 5 HP) High-Torque Motor
Speed: 0-23,000 RPM
Foot-Operated Speed Control
Can Be Used With All Dremel Tool Accessories
Cord Length: 8'
Height: 9"
Warranty: Two-Year Limited
159096

To Find Your Local Woodcraft Store Or For A Free Catalog, Visit woodcraft.com Or Call 1-800-225-1153.
For Information On Woodcraft Retail Franchise Opportunities, Visit woodcraftfranchise.com 14WI09H
 Great Ideas
For Your Shop

Dead-on
Disc-
Sander
Miter Jig
lamp this handy jig on your disc Position the fence atop the base, and Attach the fence to the base with the

C sanders table and use either the

90 or 45 side of the fence to
square up or miter boards.
drill and countersink the 1 4" pivot hole
through the fence and base, where
shown. Mark the two 11 2"-long slots
edges of the fence and base parallel.
Drill a 1 4" hole in the center of each
fence slot through the base, and then
To build it, begin by cutting the base 91 2" from the pivot holethese slots counterbore the holes and epoxy the
and miter-slot bar to size. Glue the allow for fine-tuning the fit of a miter. bolts in place. Reinstall the fence using
miter-slot bar to the base so the base Build a trammel for your router, below the T-knobs, machine screw, washers,
rests within 1 16" of the disc. Then, cut left, and rout the slots. and lock nut, and put this jig to use!
two 3 4" MDF triangles to closely match
the size and shape of a 45-90-45 acrylic T-knob " pivot hole " lock nut
woodworkers triangle (#33486, $15.99, " washer
800-279-4441, rockler.com). Stack and FENCE
glue the MDF triangles face-to-face to " " slots
make the fence. After the glue dries, " 1" long
double-faced-tape the woodworkers 11"
triangle to the fence and use a flush-
trim bit to rout the fence to final shape. " hole, countersunk
45 on bottom side
PLUNGE-ROUT ADJUSTMENT SLOTS 11"

"
R=9"
" axis pin
" holes,
counterbored 14"
9" on bottom side

BASE
" plywood x 11 x 23"

Given the fences thickness, youll have to rout from " hexhead bolts
both sides. Rout both slots, drill a 14" hole through 2" long
each slots end, flip the fence, and rout again.
MITER-SLOT BAR
38 x x 23"
" machine screw
u For a FREE video on template routing, visit 2" long
woodmagazine.com/templateroutingvid. #8 x 58" F.H. screw

14 WOOD magazine September 2014

 Tools & Materials
Mans best friend
in the shop:

Bench
Dogs
U
sed with a vise, bench dogs
provide a fast and simple way to
firmly hold a workpiece while
providing unobstructed access to its Planing Stops, a type of bench dog, come in various lengths to provide firm support along long edges.
surface. So when it comes time to sand,
rout, mortise, or hand-plane a surface, provide greater flexibility as woodwork- a small block of wood. (See bottom left
youll appreciate the zero-slip grip ing needs change. I can quickly drill photo.) The only problem: you cant
provided by a bench dog. When more round holes if I need them, he adjust the dogs height for project parts
choosing the top dog for your bench, says. Making new square holes takes a of varying thickness. Thats why Kevin
consider the following: lot of time and effort. and John both prefer dogs that utilize
On the other hand, John prefers springs that press against the holes to
Your first decision: bench dogs with square shanks. They hold the dogs at various heights. You
round or square cant pivot, he points out, while simply reach under the bench to push
WOOD project designers/builders admitting that attribute can be a them up, using a finger.
Kevin Boyle and John Olson differ in detriment when working on pieces with The innovative Prairie Dog from
their preferences for dogs that require curved edges. But, Im almost always Veritas (shown below, $26/pair) has a
round or square bench holes. Kevin working on square workpieces, and I coiled spring at its base, allowing you to
likes dogs with round shanks for their prefer knowing that my dogs wont pop it up 5 16" high, or down flush with
versatility. Youll find a tremendous move at all. He crafts his own bench the surrounding surface, by alternately
variety of dogs and other bench dogs (see instructions on page 42) from pressing down on its top. Kevin installed
accessories, such as hold-downs, that fit medium-hard woodssuch as mahog- a pair in his vises adjustable jaw, where
into " round holes, he says. I really any, cherry, or walnutthat will not typical dogs would not work.
like Veritas Planing Stops (shown above, damage his projects.
priced $23.50$34.50 in 925"
lengths) because they provide a wide To spring or not Source:
edge to prevent parts from twisting. Its simple to make effective bench dogs Veritas, available from Lee Valley, leevalley.com,
Kevin also finds that round holes from a length of dowel rod attached to 800-871-8158.

Spring

Dogs like the one at left rest at a fixed height. Adjustable-height dogs have Pop-up Prairie Dogs excel in stock thats so thick or wide (like this vise jaw), you
metal or wood springs that hold them at a desired vertical position. cant push them up from beneath. A quick finger press from above does it.

16 WOOD magazine September 2014

 We used to cut everything
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 Shop Tips Helping you work smarter, faster, and safer

Dowel gauge tells when dust bin gets full

Though I initially wanted to install a window in my cyclone dust collectors dust
bin to see the level of chips without taking the lid off, I figured out an easier
alternative: a dowel depth gauge. To install one, simply drill a hole in the separa-
tors lid to accommodate a rubber grommet that fits around a 12" dowel. Then, drill
a centered 12" hole 12" deep in a 4" length of 24, and epoxy in a dowel slightly
longer than your bin is tall. Slide the dowel through the lid, as shown. Then, with
the bin empty, mark the level on the dowel gauge.
After you resume using your dust collector, periodically lift the gauge up
through the dust and place it back down to check the level. When the bin fills to
capacity, mark the level on the dowel for later reference.
Bob Ryan, Coronado, Calif.

For sending this

Rubber- issues Top Shop Tip,
Wood-dowel grommet
depth gauge dust seal Bob receives a Jet
Benchtop Mortiser
worth $355.

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SHOP
TIP
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Send your tip, photos or drawings, and contact info to
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pad Shop Tips, WOOD magazine, 1716 Locust St.,
LS-221, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023.
Because we try to publish original tips,
please send yours only to WOOD magazine.
Sorry, submitted materials cant be returned.

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18 WOOD magazine September 2014 continued on page 20

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 Shop Tips
Shop-made honing guide flips to hit the correct angles
Using some scrap material, a wing nut, machine screw, and a pair of router-
bit guide bearings (316" I.D. replacement ball bearings, 16J95.05, $5.00 ea.,
800-871-8158, leevalley.com), I built this adjustable honing guide. Not only
can it accommodate blades up to 21 4" wide and any thickness up to 332", but
its design makes switching between 25 and 35 sharpening angles as simple
as flipping the jig around.
David Schaeffer, Spencer, Iowa

Plane iron
trapped in kerfs

" hardwood side

8-32 wing nut Thin blade kerf
532" deep (on both sides)

Note: All holes are 3/16 x " long dowels

3/16" through-holes.

8-32 x 3"
Recess for bearing machine screw
" diam. 3/16" deep

3/16 x 31/8"-long dowels

glued to one side

3/16" I.D. x " O.D. bearings

epoxied to dowels

FULL-SIZE PATTERN
Thin blade kerf
532" deep (on both sides)

3/16" holes
Recess " diam.
3/16" deep
35 25
continued on page 22

20 WOOD magazine September 2014

 Top Quality, Great Prices and Expert Advice!
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 Shop Tips
WIN
$5,000
TO TOOL-UP YOUR SHOP!
Enter
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Doghole adapter
makes light work
I use a lighted magnifying glass to

Workshop Workover
get a clear view of detailed work. But
finding a way to clamp the magnifi-
SWEEPSTAKES er to the bench was a real challenge.
So I drilled two holes in a hardwood
blockone to fit the magnify-
ing glass base pin and one to fit a
bench-dog holeand glued a dowel
Enter daily at woodmagazine.com/5Kworkover into the latter that extends about
See offical rules on page 76.
2" below the block. After fitting the
base pin in the other hole, I can now
secure the light in any doghole.
Charles Mak, Calgary, Alta.

Raise your work to a higher level!

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Pull the plug with

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I recently needed to remove button
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22 WOOD magazine September 2014
Rockler.com 1-877-ROCKLER
 Stack up strips to cut the cup
The feed rollers on a planer press down
so hard, they only temporarily flatten a
cupped board. So instead of a flattened
board, you end up with one thats
thinner, but still cupped. To truly
flatten cupped boards too wide to
face-joint with a jointer, shim under the
cupped face using veneer.
Stack 1"-wide strips of scrap veneer to
fill the gap, as shown. After planing the
top of the workpiece flat, remove the
veneer, flip the board, and plane the
opposite face as you normally would.
Wayne Burton, Stoney Creek, Ont.
Masking tape Veneer
strips

continued on page 24

woodmagazine.com 23

Wow! You made

Those Too?
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 Shop Tips
Drill-bit holder swings low, keeps bits close
At the drill press, I often use the same handful of bits
repeatedly. So why take the time to put them back in their
cases? Instead, I made this under-table scrapwood swiveling
bit holder. It holds a small assortment of Forstner and
brad-point bits securely and keeps them close at hand. A
recessed 4" T-bolt works as a pivot for the holder and wont
interfere with the tables operation.
John Stahr, Chicago

BIT HOLDER
DETAIL VIEW 4" T-bolt

Flat washer
x 1 x 1"
scrapwood
Through-holes as needed

Glue area

Flat washer
x 1 x 8"
scrapwood Stopped holes as needed Nut

Recess in top for T-bolt

Swivel bit holder under table.

Get a FREE daily Shop Tip at

woodmagazine.com/tips

24 WOOD magazine September 2014

 For the ROGUE PLUS
Portable Cigar Holder

Best Quality,
For Larger Cigars

Take the pain out of scrapes

Bending a card scraper and holding its Service & Design
Demand Berea
shape when using it can be hard on
your hands. End the pain with this
simple jig. To make one, cut a concave
arcI made mine 1 2" deep at the
Brand Kits. ROGUE
Portable Cigar Holder
curves apexin a wood block. Then,
drill a hole through its center and the To order go to our website at www.bereahardwoods.com or call 1.877.736.5487
center of the card scraper. Finally,
fasten the scraper to the block with a BereaHardwoods,
SINCE 1980
Co. Inc.
machine screw, washer, and wing nut. 18745 Sheldon Rd Middleburg Hts., OH 44130 bereahard aol.com Berea Hardwoods, Co. Inc.

Howard Albert, Longmeadow, Mass.

Card Wood block with

scraper concave cut

Machine screw

T-track nozzle mount puts

suction on target
Ive seen lots of drill-press dust-collection
tips over the years, but they all seem
kind of rickety, with all kinds of articu-
lated arms and such. I just wanted

EffortlEss
something simple. So, I drilled a hole in
the vacuum nozzle to fit the shaft of a
T-bolt. With the bolts head in the drill-
press tables T-track, a couple of quick
twists of the bolts knob secures the Easy-to-use wipe on stains and nishes.
nozzle wherever needed.
George Sicord, Port Elgin, Ont.
Visit myoldmasters.com for
T-track bolt, washer, and knob
great how-to guides and videos
or call us at 800.747.3436 for
troubleshooting and project help.

continued on page 26

woodmagazine.com 25
 Shop Tips
Router table keeps you working on the edge
Rather than build a router table as a dedicated stand or
cabinet, I made only a router-table top that mounts quickly on
the edge of my workbench. By mounting two support arms to
the router table, each
with a notch match-
ing the benchtop Cut notch to match
thickness of benchtop.
thickness, I can pull
the router table out of
storage, slide it over
the benchtop, and
clamp it in place.
Carl Didio, Chesapeake, Va.

Router-table
support arm
extends under
benchtop.

26 WOOD magazine September 2014

 Thanks for a Bigger & Better

...amazing amount of
information. ...speakers were simply awesome.
...a life-changing weekend...

A Special Thank You to our Premier Sponsors...

...and to our additional sponsors

Watch for info about the 2015 event soon at weekendwithwood.com!

 Deluxe
Grilling Center
Easy project. Instant party.

Lumber cost: $265

B
uild this low-dough weekend project completely from
TOOLS NEEDED home-center cedar or follow our easy directions for
replacing the top with a weather-impervious concrete
slab (see page 32). Either way, this mobile culinary station fea-
tures ample storage for supplies, expansive prep space, and
hooks for hanging accessories. You supply the kabobs, and the
aroma will produce plenty of friends.

Note: The Weber kettle grill we used (see Supplies on Demand) mea-
sures 22" in diameter. Measure yours and adjust the dimensions of
the parts as necessary to ensure it fits in the base and top. If your
grill doesnt have an ash trap, protect your deck by cutting a sheet
of galvanized roofing to rest on the lower frame beneath the grill.
28 WOOD magazine September 2014
 FLAT SURFACE = FLAT FRAME ADD CASTER SUPPORT

A C
A

C
C B B
B
C
A B
A

Bottom face
Hollow-core door
A B
Use a flat worksurface, such as your garage floor or this inexpensive hollow- With the bottom frame assembly (A/B/C) upside down, clamp each support
core door, to help you assemble a flat, twist-free frame (A/B/C). brace (C) flush with the bottom, drill pilot holes, and attach with 3" screws.
EVENLY SPACE THE SHELF SLATS SQUARE UP THE FRAME

A
E

D D D D
Edge of D flush
with edge of B
below
A
C D
With the ends and edges flush with the stretchers (A, B), attach the outer bottom Attach two outside slats (E) using one 114" screw on each end. Adjust the
shelf slats (D). Then evenly space the inner slats before attaching them. frames until the diagonals are equal. Then add a second screw to each end.

Build a beefy base

1 From 24 cedar stock, cut the stretchers (A), cross stretch-
ers (B), and the support braces (C) to length [Materials List,
Drawing 1]. Working on a flat surface, clamp the four
1 FRAME

outermost cross stretchers between two stretchers. *C

25"
Stand two support braces on edge between the 9"
B 54"
cross stretchers centered on their length; C 5"
then, clamp the assembly, drill pilot B 1"
#8 x 3" A
holes, and assemble with 3" flathead F.H.
screw
screws [Photo A]. Build a second frame *C
like the first. 22"

2 Attach the four remaining support

braces (C) to the bottom frame
assembly (A/B/C) to support the casters
#8 x 3"
F.H. screw
*B
*Note: For bottom
frame only.
1"
*C

[Photo B] and the remaining cross 9" 11"

stretcher as a lid retainer [Drawing 1]. From C
14 stock, cut the bottom shelf slats (D) to size A B
1"
[Materials List, Drawing 2]. Flip the frame rightside up
to attach the slats with 114" flathead screws [Photo C].

3
*C B
From 14 stock, cut the outside slats (E) and inside slats (F)
to size [Materials List, Drawing 2]. Lightly chamfer the edges
of the outside slats with a sanding block. Now, set the two 3"
frames on edge on the floor and attach an outside slat to each
end, flush with the edges and ends of the frames [Photo D]. #10 x 1" panhead screw
*3" swivel caster
woodmagazine.com 29
 NO-MEASURE NOTCH MARKING

Smooth edges make superior glue joints

Want perfectly edged boards for the strongest glue joints? A
well-tuned jack plane set to remove a paper-thin shaving makes an
inexpensive stand-in for a motorized jointer. Heres how: Draw a
B squiggly pencil line along the edge to reveal your progress. Then,
with the board secured to your worksurface, it only takes a couple
of passes to remove the pencil line along with any blade marks left
from your tablesaw.

A
F B

E L
With the top end of the inside slat (F) clamped flush with the cross stretcher (B),
use a square to transfer the cutline for the bottom of the notch.

58"
L

Attach the remaining outside slats to each side.

1" Screw the outside slats on each end in place with
their edges flush with the outside faces of the slats
33" on the sides. Then, set the base upright. (Enlist a
friend to help with the lifting!)
2 EXPLODED VIEW
4 Clamp an inside slat (F) next to the inside of the top
stretcher (A) to mark the length of the notch [Photo E,
Drawing 2]. Use a combination square to gauge the thickness
of the stretcher; then, use it to mark the width of the notch.
(Ours was 112312".) Jigsaw the notch. Repeat with the remain-
ing three notched inside slats. Attach the notched inside slats
with screws. Then, attach the remaining inside slats, spacing
them evenly between the notched slats.
G 11"
M
7" 1 x 3" notch 5 From 14 stock, cut the door slats (G) and door braces (H)
to size [Materials List]. Lightly chamfer the outside edges of
the door slats with a sanding block. Then lay out and assemble
E F two doors using 114" screws [Drawing 3]. Check the fit of the
M doors in the openings on the base.
K Quick Tip! There should be at least
E
F 18" clearance on the sides and top.
A
C Assemble first; then, trim the entire
B
3" 3" barrel bolt door at the tablesaw if necessary.
Set the doors aside for now.

6
E 116" chamfers
J From 14 stock, cut the
shelf boards (I) and shelf
E 10" cleats (J) to size [Drawing 4]
F
E and lay out and assemble two
shelves using 114" screws.
4" T-hinge
Attach the remaining shelf
116" 3" G cleats in each end of the base
chamfers E J
1 x 3" as shelf supports [Drawing 2].
notch

30" D
#8 x 1"
F.H. screw
3"
7 From 24 stock, cut the
grill supports (K) to size
[Drawing 5]. Lay out and jigsaw
3"
notches to fit the width and
thickness of the metal handles
30 WOOD magazine September 2014
 SCRIBE AROUND THE LID JIGSAW AWAY THE WASTE

F G
Set the compass to the width of the visible gap. (Ours was 112".) Scribe around Starting in a corner where the scribed line meets the outer gap, jigsaw around
the lid, keeping the compass points perpendicular to the lids curve. the curve to remove the waste. Repeat with all corners.

of your grill. (Ours had plastic grips that had to be removed

first.) Cut the notches to ensure that the kettle of the grill
doesnt touch wood. Center and attach the supports flush
8 Enlist help to turn the base over. Then, screw a 3" swivel-
ing caster in each corner, insetting the casters plates 14"
from the outside edges of the stretchers (A, B). Turn the base
with the top edges of the inside slats (F) using 3" screws. upright again.

3"
"
Two top options
3" Note: Follow the steps below to top the grilling center with wood. For
#8 x 1" a rock-solid, weather-impervious alternative, skip Steps 1 and 2 and
F.H. screw
see Cast a top in concrete, next page. And rather than securing
4" the concrete top with screws, use silicone caulk.

3"
H 1 From 2-by stock, cut slats for the top (L) to the sizes shown
in Drawing 6. If your tablesaw leaves a less-than-glue-ready
joint, see the Shop Tip, previous page, for a solution. Then, using
3" 21"
a waterproof type-3 woodworking glue, glue and clamp the
slats together and allow the assembly to dry. Scrape away any
G
3 DOOR squeeze-out and sand the top smooth,
3038" (Inside view) using a belt sander to remove any 5 GRILL SUPPORT
unevenness between boards and a DETAIL
1538" G "
random-orbit sander to smooth away 10"
4" 2"
scratch marks. 2"

H
2 Retrieve the grills lid and center it on
the top. Scribe around the lid [Photo F]
and cut the opening [Photo G]. Sand away
3" K
"

any saw marks; then sand a slight round- 1"

over on all the tops corners.
6 TOP
4" 58"
#8 x 1" F.H. screw
5" 26"
#8 x 1" F.H. screw 4 SHELF
J
(Bottom view) 5" L 22"
x 1 x 12"
1" 33"
5" 16"
5"
I
5" 22"
3"
3"
I 5" 26"
J
27" " 4"

woodmagazine.com 31
Cast a top in concrete
Topping the grilling center with concrete is surprisingly easy. You can find all of the supplies at a home
center: one 48' sheet of 3/4" melamine, a sheet of 11/2" rigid-foam insulation, 1" wood screws, silicone
caulk, four 8' lengths of " rebar, and two 80-lb. bags of concrete. (We used Quikrete concrete
countertop mix, no. 1106-80, which we special-ordered from a home center.) And other than a
handheld trowel, float, and caulking gun, the process uses common woodworking tools.
Start by building a form from screwed-together melamine to the dimensions shown in Step 1. From
112" rigid-foam insulation, jigsaw a circular knockout with a diameter 2" larger than the grills lid. Wrap
the edge in masking tape to smooth over any saw marks. Center and secure the knockout to the form
with double-faced tape. Then follow the steps below to create the top.
To install the top, apply a generous bead of silicone caulk along the top frame of the base. Enlist
friends to help lift the top in place, centering it on the base.

1 2

2"

24"
1"
32"

56"
58"
69"

To create rounded corners on the top, apply a bead of silicone caulk in all Mix one 80-lb. bag of concrete according to the instructions, and pour and spread
interior corners and around the knockout. Smooth the bead with a wet finger, it evenly in the form. Nestle two lengths of rebar into the concrete in each narrow
and allow the silicone to dry. area to the front and rear of the knockout and two in each of the wings.

3 4

From the other bag of concrete, set aside about 4 cups of dry concrete. Then Use a random-orbit sander with 220-grit paper on the bottom and sides of
mix the remainder and complete the pour. Use a scrap of wood to screed the the form and around the edge of the knockout to vibrate any bubbles to the
concrete level. surface. Then, smooth the surface with a float.

5 6

Once the concrete cures (we let ours set overnight), get friends to help turn Mix the concrete you set aside earlier into a thin slurry. Pour and spread this
the top over. Pry away the forms, break out the knockout, and use 150-grit over the top, rubbing it in with a damp paper towel to force the concrete into
sandpaper to round sharp corners and smooth rough edges. any holes created by bubbles.
32 WOOD magazine September 2014
3 Cut the top cleats (M) to size and glue and screw them to
the inside faces of the top stretchers (B) with their top
edges flush [Drawing 2].
Position and attach a 3" barrel bolt on the opposite side of
each door. We also added hooks to four outside slats (E) for
hanging utensils.

4 Apply three coats of spar varnish to the base, both inside

and out, as well as all surfaces of the top, shelf, and doors.
Allow the finish to cure completely.
6 Set the top (L) in place, centered on the base. Now, secure
the top to the base using 114" screws by screwing through
the bottom of the top cleats (M) into the top. Rest the shelves

5 Attach the doors to the base using T-hinges [Drawing 2].

Quick Tip! For easy hinge installation, clamp each door in
place, centered in its opening. Position the T-hinges over the door
(I/J) on the shelf cleats (J) behind each door. Finally, set the
grill (minus its included legs and plastic handle grips) in place
with the handles supported by the grill supports (K). Then,
braces (H), with the hinges barrels centered over the gap. Then, attach fire up the charcoal and send out invitations to your new-best-
them with screws. friend WOOD magazine editors.

Cutting Diagram Materials List

FINISHED SIZE
A C C Part T W L Matl. Qty.
1 x 3 x 96" Cedar (2x4) (4 needed) A stretchers 112" 312" 54" C 4
B B B K B cross stretchers 112" 312" 25" C 9

1 x 3 x 96" Cedar (2x4) (3 needed) C support braces 112" 312" 914" C 8

bottom shelf 34"
D D D D slats 3" 28" C 8
x 3 x 96" Cedar (1x4) (2 needed) E outside slats 34" 314" 3012" C 20
D E J J F inside slats 34" 312" 3012" C 16
x 3 x 96" Cedar (1x4) (2 needed) G door slats 34" 314" 3038" C 14
E E E H door braces 34" 3" 2134" C 4
x 3 x 96" Cedar (1x4) (6 needed) I shelf boards 34" 3" 2734" C 8
J shelf cleats 34" 112" 12"
F F F C 8
x 3 x 96" Cedar (1x4) (4 needed) K grill supports 112" 312" 10" C 2

G G G L* top 112" 33" 58" EC 1

M top cleats 34" 1" 1134" C 4
x 3 x 96" Cedar (1x4) (4 needed)
*Glue-up size listed. See the instructions for edge-gluing layout.
F F G
Materials key: Ccedar, ECedge-glued cedar.
x 3 x 96" Cedar (1x4) (2 needed)
Supplies: #83" flathead exterior screws, #8114"
H H I M flathead exterior screws, 3" swiveling casters (4), #10114"
panhead screws (16), 4" T-hinges (4), 3" barrel bolts (2).
x 3 x 96" Cedar (1x4) (2 needed)
Bit: 332" drill bit.
I I I Supplies on Demand:
x 3 x 96" Cedar (1x4) (2 needed) You can quickly and easily order the specialty supplies
needed for this project, including the grill, hooks, hinges,
L L L L and bolts, at woodmagazine.com/grillingcenter. Delete
any supplies you already have on hand before checkout.
1 x 5 x 96" Cedar (2x6) (2 needed)

L Produced by Lucas Peters with Kevin Boyle

L
Project design: Kevin Boyle
1 x 5 x 96" Cedar (2x6) (2 needed) Illustrations: Lorna Johnson

u Learn how to tune up a hand plane in u Check out your options in outdoor u Once you cook it, you need a place to
this FREE video: woods at eat it. How about here?
woodmagazine.com/planetuneup.html woodmagazine.com/outdoorlumber. woodmagazine.com/picnictable

woodmagazine.com 33
Heirloom-quality
Smoothing Plane Immensely useful, comfortable to hold,
and inexpensive to build, this beauty will
make you grin ear to ear the instant
you put it to work.

Overall dimensions: 218" W 7" L 3" H

Build up the body

H
igh-end infill planes can cost

1 Begin with a 2122389" maple

from a few hundred dollars to 14"-diameter, 1"-deep holes in the cor-
several thousand. This design blank. Transfer the vertical and ners of both sides [Photo A].
features similar lines to those planes,
but is smaller and handier, making it
better suited for detail work. Build this
angled lines from Drawing 1 to one side
of the blank and then extend the lines
around the three remaining surfaces of
2 Resaw the sides (A) from the blank
[Photo B] and redraw the angled lines
on the plane body. Cut along those
plane from inexpensive maple with con- the blank. Using your drill press, drill a markskeeping the blade to the waste
trasting cocobolo accents and a $25 14" hole through the center of the blank sideat the tablesaw to make the heel
plane iron [Source]. where marked. Then, drill the four (B) and toe (C) [Photo C].

DRILL THE ALIGNMENT HOLES RIP AWAY THE PLANE SIDES CUT IT DOWN THE MIDDLE

C
B
A

A B C
The holes in the body blank's corners allow for Use a simple pushblock made from a scrap of 26 To keep your fingers a safe distance from the
realignment of the parts for a precise glue-up after or 28 to control the blank during the cut and blade, and to ensure precise angle cuts, clamp the
it has been sawn apart. guide the 14"-thick sides (A) past the blade. workpiece to your miter-gauge extension.
34 WOOD magazine September 2014
ALIGN AND APPLY THE SIDES RESAW THE PLANES SOLE DRILL OUT THE MOUTH

14"-

A thick
spacer

C D
A
B

D
D E F
After applying an even coat of glue to the heel (B) The sole (D) blank overhangs the long edges of the Use a 316" brad-point drill bit to carefully drill
and toe (C), position the sides (A) and drive the 1" plane body, so double-faced-tape on a 14"-thick between the marked layout lines and clear the bulk
lengths of dowel into the corner holes. spacer to keep the plane level during machining. of the material from the planes mouth.

CLEAN UP THE OPENING GIVE THE PLANE ITS SWEEPING SHAPE FIT THE BLADE TO THE PLANE

G H I
Use the angles of the heel (B) and toe (C) to guide a Cut along the patterns dotted lines, removing the Remove waste from the mouth of the plane using
chisel through the mouth opening, cleaning up the doweled ends and shaping the plane. This also a bastard file, and then finish smoothing using a
edges and removing any remaining waste. gives better visibility when fitting the blade. smooth-cut mill file.

Join body and sole

1 Glue and clamp the sides (A), heel
(B), and toe (C) [Photo D]. After the
3 Mark the soles (D) 18" thickness with
a pencil. Bandsaw along the line
[Photo E]. Save the cutoff for making
2 Make a photocopy of Blank Pattern
[Drawing 1], enlarging it 140 percent,
and spray-adhere it to the side (A) that
glue dries, sand the bottom of the plane the planes wedge (E) later. Then, trim the matches its layout. Bandsaw the plane to
body flat. overhanging edges flush with the sides of shape [Photo H], and then enlarge the
Quick Tip! Apply a strip of self-adhesive the plane body. Remove any blade marks mouth so the full thickness of the blade
sandpaper to your tablesaws cast-iron top or and sand the planes sole flat as before. will just pass through [Photo I].
a pane of thick glass to flatten the bottom
face of the plane. Open your mouth Shape the plane and
2 To make the planes sole (D), glue
and clamp a 34214712" cocobolo
blank to the bottom of the plane body
1 Transfer the angled layout lines from
the sides (A) to the bottom face of
the sole (D). Drill out the mouth [Photo
add a wedge
1 Glue a 14" brass cross pin in place
[Drawing 2, Photo J] and file it flush
(A/B/C), centered. F] and clean it up with a chisel [Photo G]. with the sides (A). Then, make a copy of

1 BLANK PATTERN (Side view)

9"
7" 1"

"
"

2"
"
" hole " holes
Enlarge 140% for 1" deep
FULL-SIZE PATTERN
1"

50 65 " "

438" " 238"

D 18"

35
GLUE IN THE CROSS PIN MARK THE PLANES SHAPE SLICE OFF A WEDGE

Keep.
E Discard.
Sup
por
t bl
o ck

J K L
Apply cyanoacrylate (instant) glue to the top Use the Profile Pattern to pencil in the curves of the Mark a 10 angle from one end of the wedge blank.
portion of the pin holes so the brass pin pushes the plane from front to back. Hold the pattern tight to Tape the blank to a square support block, and
glue through as you drive it into place. the plane as you mark it. bandsaw along the marked line.

TAP TO CHECK THE FIT

the Profile Pattern [Drawing 3] and spray- Materials List
adhere it to a piece of card stock such as FINISHED SIZE
a manila folder. Cut it out along the Part T W L Matl. Qty.
14" E
lines and use it to mark out the shape of A* sides 218" 7" M 2
the plane [Photo K]. Bandsaw the plane B* heel 158" 218" 438" M 1
to shape and sand it smooth. C* toe 158" 218" 238" M 1

2 Mark and rip the wedge blank to

shape from the leftover stock from
the sole [Photo L]. Sand flat the angled
D* sole
E* wedge
18"

12"
218" 7"
1916" 234"
C
C
1
1
*Parts initially cut oversize. See the instructions. M
surface of the wedge (E), and check for Materials key: Mmaple, Ccocobolo. With the plane iron held in place, insert the wedge
fit in the plane [Photo M]. Sand or plane Supplies: Cyanoacrylate glue, 14" brass rod 218" long, 14" (not yet cut to final length) and give it a few light
as necessary to get a flat, tight fit against dowel 12" long. taps. Check for marks that show high spots.
the cross pin and plane iron. Note: Bits: 316", 14" brad-point bits.
Because scrub planes, like the one sourced, Source
come with a radiused cutting edge, be sure Scrub-plane blade: 05P35.04, $25.00 plus shipping,
to square the blade to its edges before sharp- leevalley.com, 800-871-8158.
u Like to build hand tools? Get plans here:
ening it to a 25 angle. We also cut the iron woodmagazine.com/handtoolplans.
to 334" long with a hacksaw and ground its u Rather buy than build? Find tool reviews:
top to match the wedges profile, but you can woodmagazine.com/handtoolreviews.
Blade
leave it long without affecting performance. u Learn to plane boards flat without power

3
316 x 1 x 4"
Cut the wedge to final length and tools at
shape [Drawing 4]. Then, round over E woodmagazine.com/flattenboard.
the top edges of the heel (B) and toe (C) 2 EXPLODED 10
to make the plane comfortable in your VIEW
hand. Sand all the plane parts to 220
B A
grit and apply a paste finishing wax. You
can tap the planes heel lightly with a
" brass pin
mallet to adjust the blade to a shallower 218" long C
depth, or tap the iron to move it right,
left, or deeper.
4 WEDGE
Produced by Nate Granzow with John Olson D "
Project design: John Olson A
E
Illustrations: Lorna Johnson 2"
" hole

1916"
3 PROFILE PATTERN

7"

36 WOOD magazine September 2014

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Ask for Forrest blades at a ne 1-800-733-7111
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Fine Woodworking Woodshop News Woodshop News Wood Magazine
 Built-for-the-ages
Craftsmans Workbench
Imagine the satisfaction of working at this incredible workbench. Now stop dreaming and start building oneyou deserve it!

Dimensions: 90" W 39" D 34" H

Worksurface area: 3285"
Materials cost: Lumber$950 typical retail;
we spent $600 by shopping at a local sawmill.
Vises, hardware$632

W 2
hatever you desire in a dream all adds up to a bench youll absolutely Cut the front edging (B) to size and glue
workbench, this one has it: At love to use. it to the front apron with their right
525 pounds it wont budge, ends flush. Clean any glue squeeze-out.
regardless of how hard you push on it.
Heavy-duty construction means it wont
rack and will readily absorb the heaviest
Tackle the top first
1 Laminate and mill the front apron
(A) to size [Materials List, Drawings 1,
3 Using the template provided with the
front vise (see Note below), mark and
drill the vise holes [Photo C, Drawing 1].
mallet blows. A tail vise, front vise, and 1a]. Then, into it rout "-wide, 158"-deep Note: This project is designed and dimen-
plenty of bench-dog holes give you all dadoes [Drawing 1a, Photos A and B]. sioned for front-vise and tail-vise hardware
the work-holding options youll ever Quick Tip! Screw together, but dont glue, from Lee Valley [Source]. These well-made
need. And a stout, yet beautiful, sup- the routing jig. You'll use it again on the tail vise, vises operate smoothly and come with thor-
porting cabinet provides storage. That which is wider than the front apron. ough installation instructions.
38 WOOD magazine September 2014
 5"

82"

24"
G
1 BENCHTOP 82"
C
2" D 4"
2"

10" 17" 24"

1" 1" 2"
21" A 66" E
B
" F
558" " 17"
17"
J 67"
6"
4"
1a FRONT DOGHOLE DETAIL
66"
3" " 4" " 2
" dadoes
158" deep
4" cut at 2 A

GET THE ANGLE ON DADOES THE TOOLS FOR CONSISTENT CUTS

A B
From scrap 24s and " material assemble a simple jig to rout the 2-angled Mill the dadoes in the front apron using successively deeper passes with a "
dadoes that will become dogholes. up-cut spiral router bit and " guide bushing.

4 Now, make the benchtop (C), the

face-vise filler (D), tail-vise filler (E),
tail-vise spacer (F), and back apron (G)
MANUFACTURER-SUPPLIED TEMPLATE EASES VISE PLACEMENT

[Materials List]. Then, glue the fillers, A B

spacer, back apron, and front-apron
assembly to the benchtop [Drawing 1].

5 Make the face-vise end cap (H) and

tail-vise end cap (I) [Drawing 2]. Cut
138" grooves 2" deep on one edge of
each end cap, and drill the " holes.
Quick Tip! For fast and clean grooves, remove
most of the waste with a dado blade, then clean
up the cuts at the router table.

6 Mill tongues on the benchtop assem-

bly (AG) ends to fit the grooves in
the end caps (H, I) by cutting 2"-wide
C
Place the front-vise drilling template on the front apron assembly (A/B) so the vise holes and dogholes
rabbets 1716" deep [Photo D]. dont intersect. Use an awl to mark the hole locations.

woodmagazine.com 39
 2 BENCHTOP 138" 2" rabbets 1716" deep
END CAPS 2"
on top and bottom " dowel 4" long
6" " slot 78" long "
hole
31" 6"
" slot
H C " long " slot
1" long
4" 29"
138" groove " slot 58" long I
2" deep,
3" centered B
"
2" rabbet hole
1716" deep 2"
3"
138" groove
2" deep, centered

TWO RABBETS = ONE TONGUE

7 Slide into place the face-vise end cap
(H) against the front edging (B), and
the tail-vise end cap (I) flush with the
the back of the benchtop [Photo G, Draw-
ing 2]. This accommodates seasonal
wood movement. Into the tail-vise end
H front edge of the benchtop (C). Mark cap (I) cut a 26" notch thats flush
locations of the " holes [Photo E]. with the bottom of the tail-vise spacer
Remove the end caps and at each marked (F) and the end of the tail-vise filler (E).
location on the tongue use an awl to
make another mark 116" closer to the
tongues shoulder [Photo F]. Mark parallel
9 Slide the caps (H, I) into place and
attach them by driving " hardwood
dowels through each hole. No glue
B
lines spaced " apart and " from each required. Cut the dowels flush on the
awl mark. top and bottom faces.
A G
8 Drill a " hole at each awl mark.
Starting at the hole second from the
front, enlarge that hole 116" to both sides,
Quick Tip! Cut the dowels extra long and sand
a tapered end on each to ease them through the
offset holes.
D staying within the marked lines, to cre-
ate a 58"-long slot. Repeat on the other Add the vises
1
Use an end cap as a straightedge to rout the
rabbets on the top assembly. Be careful to stop holes, elongating each an additional 116" From scrap, build a frame sized to
short of cutting into the front edging (B). in each direction as you work toward trap your router as you remove ma-
DRILL BITS MAKE HANDY MARKERS OFFSET THE DOWEL LOCATIONS TURN HOLES INTO SLOTS
Mark parallel
Shoulder lines " to
each side of
the awl marks.
Awl
A G

H Tongue

1/16" spacing between brad-point

mark and awl mark

A G
E F G
Use the tip of a " brad-point bit to transfer the By marking the locations of tongue holes 116" closer Use a round wood rasp to elongate every hole after
centerpoints of the holes in the end caps (H, I) to to the shoulder, the joint will draw tight when you the first one. Stay within the marked parallel lines
the tongue of the top assembly. drive home the dowels. to ensure a tight joint.
40 WOOD magazine September 2014
 3 TAIL VISE TAIL VISE

38-16 x 3" 58" hole

socket head
cap screw K

558" 2"
18"
58" plug
58" long 38" washer 3a TAIL-VISE BLOCK DETAIL
38" lock
washer " " dadoes
2" 3" 158" deep cut at 2
2
1" counterbore,
" deep with a
38" through hole
centered inside. K 558"
Note: Consult vise
instructions for
hole locations.
18"

terial from the face-vise filler (D) [Photo

H]. Position the void so it is 2" from the
front edge of the benchtop, and so its
3 Rout the ends of the face-vise jaw (J)
[Photo I] and attach the face vise to
the benchtop assembly following the
block (K) [Drawings 3 and 3a], followed by
38" through-holes in the same locations.

Next, clamp the edging to the block and

width falls centered on the large hole for instructions provided by the manufac- use a 38" bit to transfer hole locations to
the vise screw. turer. Add the supplied vise handle. the edging. Then, drill 58" holes in the

2 Cut the face-vise jaw (J) to size [Ma-

terials List]. Drill holes in the jaw
using the manufacturer-supplied tem-
4 Make the tail-vise block (K) [Materials
List]. Modify the jig you used earlier
and mill "-wide angled dadoes 158"
edging. Note: This process deviates slightly
from the vise manufacturers instructions,
and requires cap screws and washers not
plate used before, positioning the sup- deep [Drawings 3 and 3a]. included with the vise. Doing it this way
plied template so the end of the face-vise
jaw aligns with the end of the benchtop. 5 Cut the tail-vise edging (L) to size.
Drill 1" counterbores in the tail-vise
allows you to plug the screw holes rather
than have exposed bolt heads.

MAKE ROOM FOR THE VISE MOUNT THE FRONT VISE

A G
Routing frame
Back plate

H
J

Scrap block wedged D

in place with shims
provides router support.
" round-over
with " fillet
H I
Use a " up-cut spiral router bit to cut a 2141216" void to accommodate the Detach the vise back plate to fit the front vise into its opening. Then reattach
face-vise hardware. Move the scrap block as necessary to support the router. the back plate as the final vise-installation step.

woodmagazine.com 41
 46"
4 CABINET CARCASE T
3"
T
#8 x 1" F.H. screw

1" 2058" 48"

46"
O
U Q
32"
P 2058"
R
P 22" V 32"
R 1"

2" R P 2218"
2018"
2018"
Q
2" U
5" O
S

S #8 x 1"
F.H. screw
GLUE UP THE TAIL VISE

ATTACH THE SHORT STILES

down without undue effort, and stay at
L a set height. To learn more about bench
dogs, see the article Mans best friend in
the shop: Bench dogs on page 16.
K Cauls
On to the base AA
Note: Before building the base, measure and
CC
record the size of the opening on the under-
side of the workbench top. Keep that figure
V
in mind as you build the baseit should fit
J snugly into the opening. If the base doesnt
Carefully align the holes in the tail-vise block (K) fit, youll need to trim it and/or the top prior
and tail-vise edging (L), and apply an appropriate
to final assembly. K

1
amount of glue, to save on cleanup.
Cut to size the shelves (O), dividers (P), Use a pair of 24s jointed straight as cauls to clamp

6
the short stiles (CC) firm and flat to the back (V)
Glue the tail-vise edging (L) to the shelf edging (Q), and divider edging while the glue dries.
tail-vise block (K) [Photo J]. Clean (R) [Materials List]. Glue the edging to the
any glue from the bench-dog holes. shelves and dividers [Drawing 4]. Then, BENCH-DOG
7 Mount the tail-vise assembly (K/L)
and tail-vise hardware to the bench
glue and screw the shelf assemblies (O/Q)
to the divider assemblies (P/R).
PATTERN 158"

2
4"
according to the vise manufacturers Cut the lower blocking (S) and upper
instructions. Plug the cap-screw holes. blocking (T), and glue them to the
Add the manufacturer-supplied handle. shelf/divider assembly (OR). M

3
N
From " cherry plywood cut the sides
Make your own bench dogs (U) and back (V). Glue and screw the

1
After assembly,
Cut 17 bench dogs (M) and bench- sides to the base assembly (OT) first, trim 13 dogs 558"
dog springs (N) to size [Materials List]. then glue the back only. to 4" long for

4 Note: Before cutting the rails, stiles, and

We chose cherry for the dogs because it use in front
apron A .
will stand up over time yet not damage trim in the following steps, measure your
project pieces, and its color contrasts with actual base assembly to make sure the lengths
the white-oak top. Dense hardwoods, listed in the Materials List are long enough. Its
such as maple, make good springs. a good idea to cut parts WGG a bit long and

2 Use the Bench-Dog Half-Size Pattern,

right, to cut the dogs to shape. Glue
on the springs. Check the bench dogs
trim them to fit as you go. Cut the upper
front rail (W), lower front rail (X), and
front stiles (Y) [Materials List, Drawing 5].
Enlarge 200%
for full-size
for fit in their holes and trim if neces- Glue the upper and lower front rails to the pattern.
sary. They should go up or completely base, then the front stiles. Square=1"

42 WOOD magazine September 2014

 5 FACE FRAMES
41" Z
BB BB
DD 11516"
CC 1138"
BB CC 11516"
CC
22"
BB
4"
W
AA DD
32"
EE
U
6"
Y

BB

CC
5" Y BB
X
3"
EE
41"

6a BASE MOLDING DETAIL 17"

45 miter
3"
"

FF
6 EXPLODED VIEW
GG
4"

Touch
latches
38"
stopped
chamfer

5 Next, cut the

back top rail (Z),
back bottom rail
HH FF

(AA), long stiles (BB), II

GG
short stiles (CC), the
II
side top rails (DD),
JJ
and side bottom
rails (EE). Then, glue 5"
the back bottom rail GG
HH
and short stiles to " round-over 50"
FF
the back (V) [Photo with 18" fillet
K]. Glue the back top 25"
rail and long stiles to the back, followed
by gluing the side bottom rails and short
stiles to the sides. Finally, glue the side top
rails and long stiles to the sides. 7 From " cherry cut the side base
trim (FF) and front/back base trim
(FF, GG), and mark them inconspicu-
ously so you can return them to the

6 On the corners of the base rout 38" (GG) to length but 18" wider than shown
chamfers that stop where the rails in the Materials List. Then, rip a "
meet the stiles [Drawing 6]. strip from the top of the base-trim pieces
proper trim piece later. Finally, cut
through-dovetails where the base trim
meets [Drawing 6a].
woodmagazine.com 43
 7 DOOR (Back) Materials List
MITER THE BASE TRIM FINISHED SIZE
316" rabbets 316" deep Part T W L Matl. Qty.
No-mortise " rabbets
hinge 15716" " deep Benchtop
A front apron 212" 414" 6612" LWO 1
HH 34"
B front edging 414" 6734" WO 1

Touch C bench top 134" 24" 8234" WO 1

latches D face-vise filler 212" 24" 17" LWO 1
1538" E tail-vise filler 212" 1712" 17" LWO 1
II
FF F tail-vise spacer 14" 612" 17" WO 1
17916" 38" rabbet GG
316" deep G back apron 514" 414" 8234" LWO 1
II
JJ
H face-vise end cap 312" 414" 3134" LWO 1
" grooves I tail-vise end cap 312" 414" 2914" LWO 1
" deep, 2258"
centered J face-vise jaw 134" 558" 2112" WO 1
K tail-vise block 212" 558" 1834" LWO 1
L tail-vise edging 34" 558" 1834" WO 1
HH L
316" rabbets Before sliding together the dovetailed trim, youll Bench dogs
316" deep need to miter-cut the top ". You will round over M bench dogs 34" 158" 558" C 17
3" that same top " next. bench-dog
N 18" 34" 434" M 17
springs
Note: If you choose to simply miter the cor-
ners rather than join them with dovetails,
cut the trim to the width in the Materials List
3 Glue together the rails, stiles, and
panels. After the glue dries, check
the fit of the doors in the base opening
Base
O shelves 34" 2058" 4612" MP 2
P dividers 34" 2058" 2214" MP 3
and do not cut the " strip. If you need and trim if necessary. Then, rout 316316"
Q shelf edging 34" 112" 4612" M 2
instruction in cutting through-dovetails, see rabbets on the top and bottom inside
R divider edging 34" 112" 2214" M 3
More Resources below. door edges, and 38" rabbets 316" deep on

8 Without reducing their length, miter

the ends of the side base trim strips
only. Glue them back to their respective
the inside edges that meet each other
with the doors closed. Do not rabbet the
hinged edges. These rabbets provide
S
T
lower blocking
upper blocking
114" 514"
114" 334"
34"
4612"
4612"
P
P
2
2
U sides 2218" 3234" CP 2
side base trim. Then glue the unmitered enough space between the doors and V back 34" 48" 3234" CP 1
front/back base trim strips to the front/ base cabinet to enable the touch latches W upper front rail 34" 414" 41" C 1
back base trim. Miter the top " of the to function. For additional information 34"
X lower front rail 534" 41" C 1
front/back base trim to tightly fit the side on fitting and hanging flush-mounted 34"
Y front stiles 312" 3234" C 2
base trim by cutting it short of the mark doors see More Resources below.

4
Z back top rail 38" 414" 41"
and sneaking up on the exact fit with Mount the base doors using no- C 1
AA back bottom rail 38" 534" 41" C 1
fine cuts [Photo L]. Then, rout a " round- mortise hinges. Install the touch
BB long stiles 38" 312" 3234"
over with 18" fillet into the top of the trim. latches [Source]. C 6

9 Glue the base trim to the base. CC short stiles 38" 312" 2234" C 4
Screws or nails may be necessary if Plop the top in place DD side top rails 38" 414" 17" C 2
you skipped the dovetails and mitered
the ends of the base trim. 1 With the help of three good friends
with strong backs, lift the top and
place it onto the base. No need to secure
EE
FF*
side bottom rails
side base trim
38"

34"
534"
514"
17"
2512"
C
C
2
2

GG* front/back base 34" 514" 5014" C 2

Add the doors the top its weight and snug fit hold it trim

1 Cut the door rails (HH), door stiles

(II), and door panels (JJ) [Materials
List, Drawing 7].
in place just fine.

2 Break in the workbench by using it

to build your next project. Youll
Doors
HH rails
II stiles
34"

34"
3" 15716"
3" 2258"
C
C
4
4

2 Mill "-wide centered grooves "

deep on the inside edges of all the
door stiles and rails. Then, cut " tenons
enjoy the shop time like never before!
Produced by Bill Krier with John Olson
JJ panels 14" 1538" 17916"

*Parts initially cut oversize. See the instructions.

CP 2

Project design: John Olson Materials key: LWOlaminated white oak, WOwhite
" long on the ends of the rails. Illustrations: Roxanne LeMoine, Lorna Johnson oak, Ccherry, Mmaple, MPmaple plywood, Ppine,
CPcherry plywood.
Supplies: 38-16 tpi 3" socket-head cap screws (4), 38"
split lock washers (4), 38" SAE flat washers (4), #8114" F.H.
u Find a free article on using your
Materials List screws (56), " dowel rod 36" long (2).
This project requires 105 board feet of 8/4 white
router to cut through-dovetails: Blade and bits: Stacked dado set; " router bushing;
oak, 16 b.f. of 4/4 white oak, 3 b.f. of 4/4 maple,
" up-cut spiral, " round-over, and 45 chamfer router
woodmagazine.com/routeddovetails 16 b.f. of 6/4 pine (2x4s), 40 b.f. of 4/4 cherry, one
bits; 516", 38", and " brad-point, and 58", ", 1", and 112"
u Find a free article on hand-cutting sheet each of 34" maple and cherry plywood,
Forstner drill bits; 58" plug cutter.
through-dovetails: and a quarter sheet of 14" cherry plywood. Add
woodmagazine.com/handdovetails 2030 percent to the lumber for waste and Source
dimensioning. Download a free cutting diagram Vises/hardware: Veritas quick-release front vise, no.
u Learn free tips for fitting flush-mounted doors: 05G34.01, $299; Veritas quick-release sliding tail vise, no.
at woodmagazine.com/workbenchcd.
woodmagazine.com/fittingdoors 05G30.01, $289; Medium-duty touch latch, brown, no.
00S33.31, $3.50 each (2 required), 2" no-mortise hinge,
bronze, no. 02H12.32, $9.20 each (4 required). Lee Valley
44 WOOD magazine September 2014 Tools, 800-871-8158, leevalley.com.
 NOW AVAILABLE!

Put WOOD on your tablet, e-reader, or computer when you subscribe

to our digital edition. Get every project, shop tip, technique, tool review,
photo, and drawing the instant its published!
M
any woodworkers choose polyurethane as a go-to protection. But poly may not always be the best choice. Con-
finish simply for its familiarity. Easy to apply, it looks sider one of these three other clear finishes for your next
good on a variety of woods and provides plenty of project. Youll be glad you did.

Danish oil: Smooth and easy APPLY IT WITH EASE

When it comes to bringing out the natural beauty of a highly
figured piece of wood, such as quilted maple or quartersawn
oak, nothing beats a hand-rubbed Danish-oil finish. Typically
a Danish oil consists of a mixture of tung oil and varnish. It
penetrates into the wood, unlike a film finish, which sits on
the surface. That penetration gives a depth to the woods grain
thats hard to achieve with a film finish.
Applying Danish oil is simpleyou dip a cloth in the finish,
then use it to flood the woods surface [Photo A]. Let it soak in
for 15 minutes, and work more into areas that absorb the oil.
These spots will appear dull. Then, wipe off any excess because
puddles dry tacky. This bleedback occurs particularly in
open-grained woods, such as red oak.
Danish oil dries slowly, so wait overnight before recoating. A
And it goes on thin, so apply a minimum of three coats. You Danish oil goes on easily. Flood the surface with finish, let it soak in thoroughly,
dont have to worry about brush marks, but youll get an even and then wipe off the excess.

46 WOOD magazine September 2014

 How these finishes look on four common wood species
CHERRY Danish oil makes the curly grain of this cherry pop without adding color, compared with other finishes.

Danish oil Shellac Lacquer Polyurethane Bare wood

OAK Danish oil and shellac bring out oaks grain, while lacquer provides a more uniform coat.

Danish oil Shellac Lacquer Polyurethane Bare wood

PINE Shellac lets the grain of this pine show through uniformly without blotching like other finishes.

Danish oil Shellac Lacquer Polyurethane Bare wood

MAPLE Danish oil, shellac, and lacquer keep maple closer to its natural light color without the warm tone that polyurethane imparts.

Danish oil Shellac Lacquer Polyurethane Bare wood

smoother finish by lightly wet sanding between the second MAKE IT SATIN SMOOTH
and third coats. Use 600-grit wet-dry sandpaper and the Danish
oil as a lubricant [Photo B]. Any fine dust wipes off with the
excess oil. Wiping on a final coat adds to the luster.
Clean up any spills with mineral spirits and hang applica-
tion rags unfolded over the edge of a trash can, or laid out flat
on your shop floor. Danish oil generates heat as it dries, and a
wadded-up rag can spontaneously combust.
Because Danish oil doesnt build like a film finish, stick with
poly or choose lacquer (discussed later) for surfaces that may
be exposed to liquids, wear, or abrasion. Should a Danish fin-
ish suffer damage, reapply some oil with a little wet sanding to
restore its original luster.
Natural color Danish oil costs $10$16 a quart, slightly less B
than the $12$20 youll pay for a quart of oil-based poly. For an ultrasmooth, satin finish, apply some Danish oil to the surface and
wet-sand with wet-dry sandpaper. A final rubdown with a clean cloth removes
excess oil and sanding residue, leaving a lustrous finish.

woodmagazine.com 47
 SPRAY ON LACQUER
Lacquer: Fast and fine
Furniture manufacturers use lacquer on mass-production
assembly lines for a reason. It sprays nicely, imparts a warm
glow, goes on smooth and level, dries quickly, and builds fast.
This tough finish also polishes to a high shine and repairs
easily. Lacquer also works well on most types of wood, except
for oily exotics.
Lacquer comes in several types, with nitrocellulose the most
common. Nitrocellulose dissolved in lacquer thinner provides
a finish that deposits the cellulose fibers in a film as the thin-
ner evaporates. Subsequent coats dissolve into the previous
layer, so scratches repair easily with minor sanding and a
touch-up coat.
If you dont own a spray gun, aerosol cans [Photo C] provide C
an economical spray option for all but large furniture projects. Aerosol cans with tunable nozzles spray lacquer with good results. Adjust the
Spray lacquer dries within 30 minutes, so you dont need to spray pattern for horizontal (shown here), for large surfaces, or vertical for tall
pieces, such as the legs of a table.
wait long to apply additional coats.
Brushable formulas, with recoat times of about an hour, give BRUSH IT ON
good results as well, though you need to work quickly to main-
tain a wet edge and avoid brush marks [Photo D]. Because of
the strong solvents, apply lacquer with a high-quality natural-
bristle brush in a well-ventilated workspace.
Four to six coats create a thick film finish. You dont need to
sand between coats unless you have brush marks. If so, sand
the surface lightly with 600-grit paper and apply a thinned
(three parts finish, one part thinner) final coat or two to help
eliminate brush marks. Once the finish fully cures, it can be
buffed to a high sheen with #0000 steel wool and mineral oil.
Avoid applying lacquer on humid days. As the solvent
evaporates, moisture condenses on the cooling surface to form
a whitish film known as blush. Clean up brushes or overspray
with lacquer thinner. D
Lacquer dries quickly, so use long brush strokes to avoid overlapping fresh
At $18$20 a quart, and slightly more for spray cans, lacquer finish on places that have already begun to dry.
costs just a little more than polyurethane.

Not all foam is created equal

Price usually indicates the difference between a quality bristle brush much larger pores that leave a ragged edge and could even shed.
and a cheap one, but arent those disposable foam brushes all the The brush on the left, made with a finer-celled foam, will lay down a
same? We thought so too, until we ran across these two examples. As smoother finish. The kicker is that the brush on the right actually cost
you can see in this closeup of the edges, the brush on the right has us more!

48 WOOD magazine September 2014

 LAYERS BOND AS THEY BUILD
Shellac: The natural choice
This traditional finish comes from natural resins secreted by
the lac bug. These secretions are collected and processed into
flakes that dissolve in ethyl or denatured alcohol. You can
also buy shellac premixed at about $12$16 per quart, mak-
ing it slightly cheaper than polyurethane. Shellac flakes come
in various colors, ranging from orange/amber to light yellow
(super blonde), which lends a warm tone to the wood. A natu-
ral, nontoxic resin, shellac comes in a food-grade formula
used to coat many of the candies you snack on.
Shellac makes a great sealer for all types of wood, including
resinous pine and oily exotics that can pose bonding prob-
lems for other finishes. And you can top shellac with another
finish, such as poly. Although durable, shellac doesnt stand
up well to heat or alcohol. But it can be polished to a high E
gloss to enhance the depth of the woods grain. Shellac builds in layers, with each subsequent coat dissolving into the previous
one. Build layers; then top with a thinned coat to minimize brush marks.
Apply shellac with a high-quality natural or synthetic
brush [Photo E]. Foam brushes can be used on smaller pieces. Second, you can experiment with how thick or thin you make
(See Not all foam is created equal, previous page.) If you find that it. (See Understanding cut, below.) Several thinner coats typi-
youre leaving brush marks, thin the shellac with alcohol. But cally produce better results than a couple of thick coats.
realize it will take more coats to build a suitable finish. As Level out the finish using sandpaper backed with a hard-
with lacquer, dont apply shellac on humid days to avoid wood block. Change sheets often, as shellac will quickly clog
problems with blushing. sandpaper. For a glossier finish, buff out the shellac with
Mixing your own shellac, using flakes, offers a couple of #0000 steel wool and mineral oil, proceed to dry rottenstone
advantages. First, youre assured the finish is fresh. Once with a soft cloth, then top with a coat of hand-rubbed wax.
mixed, shellac has a limited shelf lifeafter a year it wont To clean up brushes, rinse out the excess shellac with dena-
fully cureso you can whip up only the amount you need for tured alcohol, then wash them in a 50/50 mixture of hot
a particular project and know the finish will cure properly. water and household ammonia.
Produced by Kerry Gibson

Understanding cut
The term cut refers to the number of pounds of shellac flakes mixed shellac flakes. (You can find inexpensive scales at office-supply stores.)
into one gallon of alcohol, so a two-lb cut has two lbs of flakes in a The finer the flakes, the easier they dissolve, so crush the flakes in a
gallon of alcohol. To make a pint of 2-lb-cut shellac, you need to do a clean cloth before adding them. Placing the container in a pan of hot
little math. There are 32 ounces in 2 lbs, and 8 pints in a gallon, so 32 water also helps speed the process. Once the flakes dissolve, use a
divided by 8 equals 4 ounces of flakes. paint filteravailable at paint stores or home centersto strain the
To mix your own shellac, pour a measured amount of denatured liquid into a clean glass jar. Label the jar lid with the cut information,
alcohol into a glass or plastic container. Weigh the proper amount of color, and date it was mixed.

To mix up your own shellac, start by determining how many ounces of Strain the shellac before using it to remove impurities and any
flakes you need to produce a certain cut, then weigh them out. undissolved flakes.

Find free articles on a variety of finishing techniques at woodmagazine.com/finishing.

Find a free article on applying traditional shellac finish with a pad at woodmagazine.com/shellac.
Learn how to choose the right brush for each type of finish and make it last at woodmagazine.com/brushwithgreatness.

woodmagazine.com 49
Rock-solid
Tapered-
seat
Bench
Contemporary yet
comfortable, light
in appearance but
rock-solid, with
seemingly complex
yet simple joinery,
this bench
beautifully blends
multiple contrasting
elements.

Dimensions: 44"W 17"D 17"H

Approximate materials cost: $85

Start by building the base

F rom the minute I began designing this bench, I knew the seats
would come from a couple of air-dried walnut planks that have
been sitting in my barn for years, awaiting the perfect project. When
1 From 34" stock, cut twelve 2141712"
leg (A) blanks [Drawing 1]. Mark four
of these as the center components for
I turned over the drawings and the boards to Kevin Boyle, our senior each leg assembly, and then crosscut
design editor, to start building the bench, he zeroed in on these four into one 1034"-long and two
highlighting the knotholes in each plank rather than using the 2"-long segments. Keep these shorter
blemish-free sections. As much as I hate to say Kevin was right...he John Olson pieces paired together for a perfect grain
was right. So look at your lumber with a fresh eye. We hope you Design Editor match when asssembled.
find inspiration among the treasured boards stashed away in
your collection. 2 Cut two 138"-wide spacers from scrap
stock and use them to help glue
together one outer leg (A) blank with the
center pieces [Photo A]. Repeat for all
remaining legs. (Save the spacers for use
again later.) After the assemblies have
50 WOOD magazine September 2014
FORM THE LEG MORTISES CUT THE RAIL TENONS... ...AND THE STRETCHER TENONS

Stopblock

B C

13/8"-wide spacers
A B C
Keep the edges and ends aligned as you glue and Hold a rail (B) blank on edge with its end touching Slide a stretcher (C) blank against the stopblock,
clamp the center and outer leg (A) blanks. Remove the rip fence, and saw away material in multiple and then cut the tenon shoulders. Slide the blank
the spacers and wipe away glue squeeze-out. passes to form a tenon on each end. and nibble away the rest of the tenon cheek.

dried, glue the remaining outer blank to the tenons on the stretcher (C) blanks DADO THE RAILS
each [Drawing 1]; clamp and let dry. [Photo C, Drawings 2, 2a].

3 From 34" stock, cut to size eight

11217" blanks for the rails (B) and
eight 11239" blanks for the stretchers
5 Lower the dado set for a 116"-deep
cut, but do not move the rip fence.
Using the same methods as in Step 4, cut
(C) [Drawings 2, 3]. the tenon faces on all rail (B) blanks and

4 Install a 34" dado stack in your table-

saw, set for a 38"-deep cut. Lock the
rip fence in place 214" from the farthest
stretcher (C) blanks [Drawings 2a, 3a].

6 Raise the dado set for a 38"-deep cut

and position the rip fence 514" from B
edge of the dado set, and cut the edges of the nearest edge of the dado set. Cut two
the tenons on the rail (B) blanks [Photo dadoes on each rail (B) blank [Photo D,
B, Drawing 3a]. Without moving the rip Drawing 3]. Next, reposition the fence so
fence, adhere to it about 5" in front of the farthest edge of the dado set com- D
the blade a stopblock made from a scrap pletes the 138"-wide dadoes. With the rail (B) blank butted against the rip fence,
of 34"-thick stock. Make the edge cuts in cut a one-pass dado, then rotate the workpiece and
repeat for the other end.

1 LEG ASSEMBLY
2" 2 EXPLODED VIEW
44"
E
E
17"

A 10" A A

18" round-overs B

532" C
shank hole
C
2" A
A
2" B
17"
2"
A C
116" #8 x 2" F.H. screw C
58" 116"
2a STRETCHER TENON
DETAIL A D
1" 38"
C 39"
B
"

38" D
woodmagazine.com D 51
 ASSEMBLE THE RAILS

Clean up tablesawn tenons with a shoulder plane

Cutting tenon cheeks with a dado set inevitably leaves uneven high spots and deeper
scoring marks (below) that, if left as is, compromise a snug-fitting, maximum-strength
mortise-and-tenon joint. Flatten the tenon surfaces with a shoulder plane (below) or
sanding block.

B
High
13/8"-wide spacers spots
E Scoring
Using the 138" spacers to align the dadoes, glue marks
together two rail (B) blanks. Clamp the assembly to
the bench to keep the edges aligned.

7 Before gluing together the rail (B)

and stretcher (C) blanks, clean up
one cheek of each tenon [Shop Tip] so
3 RAIL ASSEMBLY
that youll have smooth-walled mortises 17"
for the wedges later on. Note: Do not B
clean up the outer tenon cheeks at this
timeyoull do that after laminating the 1" 3a RAIL TENON
blanks [Photo E, Drawing 3]. Glue together DETAIL
the sets of rail blanks with the smooth " 38"
tenon cheeks facing each other. Then, "
3" 38"
glue together the pairs of stretcher 138" dadoes
38" deep B
blanks [Drawing 2] in the same way. 3"
2"
After the glue dries, sand all parts to 180 B 116"
grit. Drill countersunk pilot holes for the 3" 58"
screws in the upper rails where shown. 532" shank hole drilled

8
in assembled upper rails 116"
Make four 53216" blanks for wedges only and countersunk
(D): two from walnut (34" wide) and on bottom face
two from any hardwood (12" wide). Set
the walnut blanks aside for final assem-
bly later. Cut the remaining blanks into
2"-long temporary wedges for the split
tenons, and sand a slight taper on one
time to glue and clamp the base assem-
blies before the glue takes hold. If you
use a glue with at least a 30-minute open
9 Dry-fit the rails (B) and stretchers (C)
together; make adjustments as needed
to ensure tight joints.
face. (Using temporary wedges in the time, you can skip the temporary wedges Quick Tip! Once you pair up rails and
next step ensures you have adequate and use the walnut ones.) stretchers that fit together well, apply masking

TIGHTEN UP THOSE TENONS PLANE THE SEAT TAPERS... ...OR RESAW THE SEATS TO SHAPE

C
B
E

E
Temporary
wedges

F G H
To keep the tenon cheeks tight against the mortise With the jig seated on the planers bed and tables, After laying out the taper on one end and edge of
walls, tap in unglued temporary wedges; try to remove material in incremental passes to shape the seat (E) blank, tilt the bandsaw table until the
keep the edges from touching the mortise walls. the seats (E). blade aligns with the mark; then resaw the blank.
52 WOOD magazine September 2014
 4 SEAT PLANER JIG NOTCH THE SEATS
GUIDE
x 1 x 37"
Note: Adjust the jigs
length to match your
planers table-to-table MDF
length plus 2". x 10 x 37"
E
WEDGE
x 1 x 10"

"
1" MDF
x 10 x 37"
Note: Tapered face
must be in front.
CLEAT
58 x 1 x 10" I
After defining the notch by cutting to the left and
right layout lines, nibble away the remaining waste
tape to both components at the joints and each miter slot. Clean up the notches with repeated passes.
label them with matching numbers or letters with a chisel.
for easy reference when youre ready to glue
everything together.
Glue and clamp these two assemblies
5 Place the seats (E) on the base assem-
bly, and mark the final length of the
legs (A) [Photo J]. Disassemble the legs from
SCRIBE THE LEGS FLUSH
A

separately [Photo F]. When the frame the rail/stretcher assemblies (B/C), and cut E
assemblies are dry, remove the tempo- the beveled leg ends at the tablesaw.

6
rary wedges and sand the tenon ends Sand the legs (A) to 180 grit. Then, E
flush to the rails. glue the base together [Drawing 2]
A
using the temporary wedges again to
Now, construct the seat keep the tenon ends spread. Remove the

1 Make two 11281450" seat (E)

blanks. Note: We made the seat blanks
extra long to allow room to cut away
wedges when dry.

7 Retrieve the walnut wedge stock and

cut it into 16 lengths of 13 4". Sand a
inevitable planer snipe resulting from plan- slight taper on each wedge (D), glue it into
ing the tapers. a split tenon, and cut it flush. Repeat for

2 Build the jig [Drawing 4] to fit your

thickness planer. Then, plane the
the remaining tenons. When dry, sand all
tenon ends smooth and flush.
J
Scribe the legs (A) flush with the seats (E). Mark

8
taper on each seat (E) blank [Drawing 5, Rout 18" round-overs along the outer each leg and matching seat notch so you can
assemble them in the same order later.
Photo G]. If you dont own a planer, band- edges of the seats (E) [Drawing 5].
saw the seat blanks [Photo H] and smooth (Dont round over the leg notches.) Sand Produced by Bob Hunter with Kevin Boyle
them with hand planes or sanders. the seats to 180 grit, and attach them to Project design: John Olson

3
Illustrations: Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson
Cut the seat (E) blanks to length the base with screws [Drawing 2].
[Drawing 5]. Dry-assemble the legs (A)
to the rail/stretcher assemblies (B/C), cen-
ter each seat blank on the length of the
9 Apply a finish of your choice. We
used boiled linseed oil followed by
three coats of General Finishes satin
Materials List
This project requires 12 board feet of 4/4 ash, and 17
board feet of 8/4 walnut. Download a free cutting
base, and mark the locations of the legs. Enduro-Var water-base urethane var- Materials List
diagram at woodmagazine.com/taperedbenchcd.

4
FINISHED SIZE
Center and attach a 924" auxiliary nish. Rub out nibs between coats with a T W L Matl. Qty.
Part
fence to your miter gauge to support 320-grit sanding sponge. Now, have a
the seats (E) when cutting the leg seatyou must be tired! A* legs 214" 214" 17" LA 4
notches [Photo I]. Cut one notch from B rails 112" 112" 17" LA 4
C stretchers 112" 112" 39" LA 4

D* wedge stock 532" 34" 16" W 2

2" 2" TOP VIEW 2" 2"
E* seats 112" 818" 4414" W 2
2" 2"
*Parts initially cut oversize. See the instructions.
818" You will also need 2 blanks of any other species for temporary
E wedges.
Materials key: LAlaminated ash, Wwalnut.
44" Supplies: #8214" F.H. screws (4).
Blade and bits: Stacked dado set; 18" round-over router
END VIEW bit; 532" countersinking bit.
5 SEAT PART VIEWS
138" 18" round-overs
E 58"
818"
woodmagazine.com 53
15" Planers
If you work with a lot of rough lumber,
or plan to, get your hands on one of
these wood-chomping brutes.

B
uying a stationary planer for your home shop is like
buying a bass boat for fishing: You want to take your
experience to a level that cannot be achieved from the
fringes. To do that, you need to work with wood beyond
whats available in presurfaced thicknesses. A stationary
planer, such as the seven reviewed here, has the brawn to
help you quickly and accurately dimension stock over many
years of dependable service. Here, we compare five machines
equipped with carbide-insert helical cutterheads against two
more-traditional three-knife models.

Its all about the cutterhead

Aside from the top-mounted motor on the General Interna-
tional 30-115HC, these seven planers are similar in most
respects. All have 3-hp, 220-volt motors capable of hogging off
116" of 15"-wide hard maple at the faster of two stock-feed rates.

Most also handled a heftier 332" depth of cut at their top feed
rates, but three models (Grizzly G0453Z, Jet JWP-15HH, and
Shop Fox W1742S) bogged down during these cuts. All models
handled a 18" depth of cut on narrower stock (depth-of-cut
limiters in the center of each machine prevent full-width cuts
deeper than 332") at the slower 16-feet-per-minute feed rate.
So, with no significant power concerns, its the four differ-
ent styles of cutterheadstwo that use straight knives and
two helical designs that use disposable insert cutters (see
details on the next page)that truly distinguish these planers
from one another. Youre probably already familiar with
straight-knife cutterheads, as theyve been the de facto
design on benchtop and stationary planers up until the last
decade or so when helical cutterheads began to trickle down
from industrial woodworking to home-shop models.
Helical heads have several advantages over the traditional
design: cutter sharpness longevity from the carbide inserts;
almost no surface tear-out due to the shear-cut angle; reduced
noise; smaller chips (less likely to clog a dust collector or
ductwork); and easy maintenanceif a cutter gets nicked,
you simply rotate the damaged insert(s) to get a fresh edge.
We found that planers equipped with helical heads require
more amperage than their straight-knife counterparts
(because at least one cutter, no matter how small, is always
cutting wood), but we never popped a 20-amp breaker with
any machine during the course of our tests.
A helical head adds about a $500$750 premium compared
to a straight-knife planer, but the added cost doesnt stop
there. When it comes time to replace the carbide inserts,
expect to pay $50$75 per 10-pack. That can add up to as
much as $600 to replace all the inserts. By comparison, tool
WOOD magazine September 2014
 Four types of planer cutterheads
Cutterhead Resharpenable Disposable straight knives Helical with Helical with
type straight knives on quick-change square carbide inserts carbide knife inserts
on jackscrews registration pins

Description The traditional system where three Similar to a cutterhead in a benchtop Four or five rows of insert cutters Much like the previous helical
long single-edge knives span the planer, these disposable, double- twist around the cutterhead. The head, this model has four rows, but
width of the cutterhead, resting on edge knives register on pins mounted disposable carbide inserts have instead uses 3 cm-long (about 1 316")
spring-loaded jackscrews in channels. in the cutterhead channels and are four sharp edges, letting you rotate double-edge knives that mount on
Gibs secure the knives in place. You held in place with knife plates. These them individually as needed. The registration pins on each holder.
resharpen these knives when dull. are easy to change because you dont inserts have either straight or slightly
have to adjust their height. radiused edges.

Cut quality

Ridges

Smooth, consistent surface with Similar cut to traditional straight Consistent pattern of ridges and Ridges and grooves along the length
subtle scallop marks perpendicular knives on jackscrews. grooves along the length of boards, of boards similar to helical heads
to the workpiece edges; requires visible in a raking light or under with square carbide inserts, but
the least amount of sanding. Highly finish. Sanding or planing required to slightly less pronounced; also,
figured woods prove more prone to remove the ridges. perpendicular marks similar to a
tear-out, especially as the knives dull. straight-knife head

Bottom line Primary benefits: Lowest price for Primary benefit: Quickest knife Primary benefits: Noise levels Primary benefits: Low noise level,
the machine and replacement knives changes significantly lower than straight-knife long cutter life
planers, convenient cutter changes,
Primary detriments: Knife Primary detriment: Figured-grain long cutter life, less likely to tear out Primary detriments: Up-front cost,
resharpening and resetting time, tear-out figured grain cutter-replacement cost, longest
figured-grain tear-out cutter-replacement times
Primary detriments: Up-front
machine cost, cutter-replacement cost

Found on Grizzly G0453 Jet JWP-15DX Grizzly G0453Z, General

Jet JWP-15HH, International
Powermatic 15HH-PLNR, 30-115HC
Shop Fox W1742S

woodmagazine.com 55
shops will resharpen three steel straight
knives for about $25$40. (You should What type of planer best suits you?
keep an extra set on hand to avoid
downtime while your knives get sharp- Benchtop Stationary (15")
ened.) And Jets JWP-15DX planer uses Price $200$650 $1,100$3,000
double-edge disposable knives, which
cost about $130 to replace. Motor 110-volt universal 220-volt, 3-hp induction
Capacities Width: 1013" Width: 15"
Truth: You cant nip snipe Thickness: 46" Thickness: 68"
Despite making every possible adjust- Max. depth of cut: typically 116" full Max. depth of cut: typically 116332"
ment on each machine, we could not width, 18" partial width full width, up to 14" partial width
achieve a completely snipe-free surface. Cutterhead Disposable straight knives or Resharpenable or disposable
(Snipe is the deeper cut about 34" from helical head with steel inserts straight knives or
each end of a board.) But we got close. helical head with carbide inserts
Six of the seven planers left snipe no
deeper than .002", an amount that Chip collection 212" or 4" port 4" port
scrapes or sands away easily. The Gen-
eral International averaged .0035" of Chipbreaker? No Yes
snipe, but even that needed only power Pros Affordable; portable (50100 lbs); Handles aggressive cuts; longer
sanding to remove. easy access to change cutters; cutter life with carbide inserts; longer
smoother workpiece finish; preset machine/motor life; cleaner cut in
More chips to consider... thickness stops prevent planing figured woods (with helical head);
u Table rollers in each machine [Draw- boards too thin quieter cut (with helical head)
ing] reduce friction between the board
Cons Loud; need to take lighter cuts Cut quality and snipe not as close to
and table surface. We also found these finish-ready as from a benchtop unit
rollers help reduce snipe if raised a few
thousandths of an inch above the table.
u We like easy mathwho doesnt?so u All seven test planers have built-in dust collection hose from interfering
we appreciate that six of the planers casters, but only the Grizzly and Shop with a workpiece as it exits the planer.
change cutting depth in 116" increments Fox models have a swiveling caster for u All seven machines come with mag-
per turn of the handwheel. The General easiest maneuvering. netic power switches that prevent
International changes 18", so it makes u The General International, Jet, and accidental start-ups.
big changes fast, but its easy to go too Powermatic machines come with angled u None of the planers have onboard
deep as you zero in on a boards target dust chutes (below left) that keep the storage for included adjustment tools.
thickness.
u The serrated feed roller of each planer
leaves impressions on a workpiece as it
pulls it into the cutterhead. Usually this
gets cut away, but when you make a
A look inside a 15" planer
skim-cutting pass (removing about 164"),
these impressions tend to remain. So it
helps to remove 132" or so on your final
pass to avoid these marks. Serrated
infeed roller Cutterhead Outfeed roller
CLEARING THE WAY
Antikickback
fngers

Table Feed direction Chipbreaker

Table rollers

Not only does this angled dust port keep the flex- A serrated infeed roller grabs and pulls lumber into the planer and under the cutterhead (straight-knife
hose clear of workpieces, but it also effectively design shown) while the chipbreaker limits chip size to reduce tear-out. A smooth steel or polyurethane
clears chips (with adequate suction). outfeed roller pushes the planed wood out of the machine.

56 WOOD magazine September 2014

General International 30-115HC, $2,860
888-949-1161, general.ca

Thanks to the top-mounted motor, the cutterhead raises and lowers (instead of
the table) when you make cutting-depth changes. So the fixed table lets you set
up auxiliary infeed and outfeed supports for long stock when needed. This is the only
tested machine with a lockout key on its power switch.

The top-mounted motor also presents two drawbacks: First, you dont have
stock-return rollers on top to pass boards back across the machine after each pass.
And, the motor must be tilted out of the way to provide access (albeit limited) to the
cutterhead for changing cutters, adding time to this process. The 3cm-long cutter knives
have only two edges, so expect to replace them more frequently than you would with
four-edged, square carbide inserts. This planer sniped the most of those we tested, and
its workpiece-thickness scale proved the most difficult to read and use.

Grizzly G0453, $1,125

800-523-4777, grizzly.com

With a traditional three-knife cutterhead using jackscrew height adjustments, this

planer delivers a lot of performance for an attractive price. With sharp knives, it
cranked out surfaces as clean as any other tested planer, and its snipe tied with two
other machines for the shallowest. We like that its table locks are on the same side as the
cutting-depth handwheel. This is one of only two planers that came with a plug on its
power cord.

Setting the knife height after a resharpening can be tedious using the included jig.
The dust hood mounts to the planer cover with bolts and nuts, but should the
nuts ever work loose during use, they could potentially fall into the spinning cutterhead;
wed prefer threaded inserts or lock nuts to secure the hood. Setting up this machine
required extensive cleaning to remove the thick rust-inhibitor coating, and we also had
to add gear oil (not included) to the crankcase. Although it can plane a full 15"-wide
workpiece, its stock-return rollers mount
14" below the top of the posts that hold

them and can accommodate only a

1434"-wide workpiece.

Grizzly G0453Z, $1,850

This is essentially the same machine as the G0453, but with a pedestal-mounted
power switch and a helical cutterhead that produced the same minuscule snipe
and a quality of cut as good as its sibling (though leaving a different pattern on the
wood). This models cutterhead also generates less than half the noise of the straight-
knife model. (A three-decibel difference equates to doubling/halving the sound level.) It
has the same workpiece capacities, feed rates, and table locks.

This unit presents similar initial cleaning and setup issues as the G0453. Changing
all the cutters at one time can be tiresome, but turning just a few to counter a
chipped edgethe more frequent scenariotakes much less time.

woodmagazine.com 57
Jet JWP-15DX, $1,990
800-274-6848, jettools.com

With the quickest cutter changes among our test group, this machines disposable
knives resemble those used on benchtop planers, but theyre thicker
and more durable. Jets 5-year warranty is more than twice as long as other tested
planers (except Powermatic, which matches it).

At an ear-splitting 106 decibels when planing hard maple, this machine measured
loudest in our testing. The infeed and outfeed roller tables prove easy to adjust,
but the gaps between rollers present a finger-pinching risk as a board exits the planer.
Though called a 15" planer, this machines maximum workpiece width is actually 1/8" less
than that. Despite having four casters, this planer is cumbersome to roll around because
none swivel or roll smoothly.

Jet JWP-15HH, $2,750

Nearly the same machine as the JWP-15DX, this model upgrades to a helical
cutterhead and cast-iron infeed and outfeed tables, which add mass and a
smoother, continuous surface. The cutterhead contributed the quietest cut in our
test at a level signficantly quieter than its sibling. This was one of two machines with
the cutterhead aligned perfectly parallel to the table right out of the box, and it tied
the Grizzly planers for shallowest snipe. You also get the 5-year warranty.

This planer has the same

workpiece-width and
mobility issues as the
JWP-15DX.

Powermatic 15HH-PLNR, $3,000

800-274-6848, powermatic.com

This machine tied the Jet JWP-15HH for quietest cut, and comes with the same
5-year warranty. You can buy replacement cutters directly from Byrd Tool,
maker of this machines Shelix cutterhead, for half the price of some retail options, so
shop around.

Despite coming standard with a Shelix cutterheada $700 premium over

Powermatics base modelthis machines cut quality required the most post-
planing treatment to remove linear ridges. (Tom Byrd, president of Byrd Tool, said his
company is replacing this cutterhead with a new version that cuts more cleanly, due out
later this year.) Like the Jet models, its maximum width falls 1/8" shy of 15".

58 WOOD magazine September 2014

Shop Fox W1742S, $2,415 Our conclusion:
800-840-8420, shopfox.biz Invest in a helical planer
If we had to put our money on one planer,
Nearly identical to the Grizzly wed go with a helical-cutterhead model.
G0453Z, this machine weighs The Grizzly G0453Z and Jet JWP-15HH set
50 lbs less, yet displays no extra themselves slightly ahead of the others for
vibration. Its cutterhead was their combination of clean cuts and ability
aligned perfectly parallel to the table to control snipe. And although the Jet sells
right out of the box. for $900 more, it comes with a 5-year
warranty and makes about half the noise
Like both Grizzly planers, this of the Grizzly, a distinction you can
appreciate only when using both
unit required extensive initial
machines side by side. So the Jet earns
cleaning and filling the gearbox with Top Tool honors.
oil, and its stock-return rollers have the For less than half the price of that Jet,
same shortcoming. though, you can get the Grizzly G0453
straight-knife planer, our Top Value. This
machine cuts well with sharp knives and
barely snipes when fine-tuned.
Produced by Bob Hunter with Bob Saunders
Illustration: Tim Cahill

u Well be testing trim routers (aka laminate trimmers) for an upcoming issue, and wed like to hear
how your trimmer performs. Write a review of it at woodmagazine.com/trimrouter.
.

15" Stationary Planers: Get Thinner Faster

PERFORMANCE RATINGS (1) CAPACITIES, INCHES OVERALL
DIMENSIONS
CUT
QUALITY
TIME TO CHANGE ALL KNIVES/CUTTERS, MINUTES (3)
NOISE LEVEL PLANING HARD MAPLE, DECIBELS

PRICE TO REPLACE ALL CUTTERS/KNIVES (5)

STOCK-FEED RATES, FEET PER MINUTE

PER HANDWHEEL TURN, INCHES

MAX. WORKPIECE THICKNESS
MIN. WORKPIECE THICKNESS
MIN. WORKPIECE LENGTH

CUTTING-DEPTH CHANGE
CUTTERHEAD TYPE (4)
ABSENCE OF SNIPE (2)

MAX. WIDTH OF CUT

WARRANTY, YEARS
OBSERVED POWER

H x W x L, INCHES
SLOW FEED RATE

SELLING PRICE (5)

FAST FEED RATE

WEIGHT, LBS

BRAND MODEL
GENERAL INTERNATIONAL 30-115HC A A- B- C+ 80 96 H (42) 16, 20 15 61/2 1/8 65/8 1/8 451/4 293/4 475/8 587 2 $2,860 $380
G0453 A A- B- A- 40* 104 R 16, 30 15 8 3/16 8 1/16 45 321/2 421/4 655 1 $1,125 $52
GRIZZLY
G0453Z B A- B- A- 68 99 H (74) 16, 30 15 8 3/16 8 1/16 45 37 421/4 655 1 $1,850 $560
JWP-15DX A A- B- B 25 106 D 16, 20 147/8 8 3/16 63/16 1/16 431/2 32 48 475 5 $1,990 $130
JET
JWP-15HH B A- B- A- 60 93 H (68) 16, 20 147/8 8 3/16 61/8 1/16 431/2 32 48 520 5 $2,750 $385
POWERMATIC 15HH-PLNR A B C B+ 60 94 H (74) 16, 20 147/8 8 3/16 61/8 1/16 431/2 32 48 502 5 $3,000 $440
SHOP FOX W1742S B A- B- B+ 68 99 H (74) 16, 30 15 8 3/16 8 1/16 451/4 361/4 423/8 605 2 $2,415 $600

1. A Excellent 2. Average snipe at front and rear of workpiece. 4. (D) 3 disposable straight knives 5. Prices current at time of article production and do not include shipping,
B Good (H) Helical head (total number of carbide inserts) where applicable.
3. (*) Reflects only minor tweaking of jackscrews (R) 3 resharpenable straight knives
C Fair using knife-setting gauge; first-time setup
could require more time.

woodmagazine.com 59
 A winning,
wall-hung
Chessboard
Elegant? Check. Versatile?
Check. Fun? Checkmate.
Fit to grace a kings quarters,
this new layout of a classic
game allows for tabletop or
wall-mounted tournaments,
day or knight.

Cut the ranks and files

1 From 14" Baltic birch plywood, rip
four 31424" blanks for the dark tiles
(A) and six 224" blanks for light tiles (B)
[Materials List, Drawing 1]. Note: We chose
Baltic birch plywood because its thick face
veneer allows for chamfered edges and is
free of voids.

2 Glue the edge of a 3466" MDF

square to the face of a 342126"
piece of MDF to form an L-shaped cutoff
gauge like the one in Photo A. Clamp the
cutoff gauge just ahead of the leading
edge of the tablesaw blade, and use a
light-tile (B) blank to set the gauge for 2"
crosscuts. Then, cut 32 dark tiles (A) to
2" long [Photo B]. Set the remainder of a
blank used to cut the dark tiles next to
the blade to reset the cutoff gauge. Use
the same technique when cutting the 32
light tiles (B) to 314" long.

3 Slightly chamfer the top edges of all

the tiles (A, B) using a sanding block
or low-angle block plane. Then, dye and
stain the dark tiles. (See Stain the tiles,
next page.)

Lay out the field of battle

1 To determine the width of the back
(C), dry-fit four dark tiles (A) and
four light tiles (B), measure the com-
bined width, and add 12". From 14" MDF,
Overall dimensions: 1812" W 5" D 3434" H
Materials cost (not including game pieces): $55
60 WOOD magazine September 2014
 5" 18"
" 18"
Stain the tiles
To achieve a rich, dark color on light-
" H colored woods, such as birch or maple,
16"
without obscuring the grain, use a
"
38" coves
combination of dye and stain [Supplies on
A 3" F Demand, page 63]. Heres what we did for
3"
B B the dark tiles (A): Using a foam brush or
N B A " groove
B A 2" 2" " deep 16" cloth, flood the surface of the wood with
A 4" water-based Cuban red mahogany aniline
dye. Let the dye soak in; then, wipe off any
" D excess. The water will raise the wood grain,
so lightly sand the pieces with 320-grit
sandpaper before applying another coat of
D dye. After a few hours of drying, apply a
E
coat of walnut gel stain liberally with a rag.
C Wipe the excess off after a few minutes.
Allow the stain to dry overnight.

33"
E

1"

16" 16" "

G A
16"
"
1 EXPLODED VIEW 3" F
38" round-overs

cut the back (C) to size [Draw-

ing 1]. Mark lines on the back I Stain only
14"from the edge on the two 18"
long sides and one short side "
4"
to indicate the border of the
playing field. Glue on the first
row of dark and light tiles along the top on edge to the back (C), flush against
end of the back, starting with a light tile the first row of tiles (A, B).

3
on the upper left corner of the com- To help glue the next row of tiles Dyed and stained
pleted board [Photo C]. (A, B) in place, construct a clamp-

2 From 14" walnut, cut the seven ledges

(D) to size [Drawing 1]. Glue a ledge
ing block by gluing two 112318"
boards together at one end with a

SET THE STAGE WITH THE HELP OF A CUTOFF GAUGE GLUE AND CLAMP ON THE TILES

Top end

B A
C

A B C
Set a light-tile (B) blank against the side of the tablesaw blade and adjust the tablesaw fence until the Clamp the tiles (A, B) individuallyone clamp for
cutoff gauge rests against the blank, as shown left. Lock the fence, butt a dark-tile (A) blank against the each tilewith a straight scrap of MDF clamped
gauge, and crosscut 32 dark tiles to consistent length, right. along one edge to keep them aligned.

woodmagazine.com 61
 2 CASE SIDE 3 DRAWER "
K
4"
"
" "
N " rabbet "
3" " deep
45 L
3" 438"
1558" 1558" 1578"
18"
M
N L
J
" groove 16mm
" deep 18" rabbet knob
18" deep 778" 18" dado
2716" 18" 2316" 18" deep
K
E 33" 18" grooves 18" deep 31516" 18" hole
18" from bottom edge

" hole 1 4" deep, centered

" from bottom edge

3a DRAWER SIDE (inside view)

21116"
double thickness of 1413" MDF spacers 38"
between them [Photo D]. Continue to "
glue tiles and ledges (D) to the back (C) 18" grooves 18" deep
until the playing field is complete. Note: 18" from outside edges
Use a light coat of glue to prevent squeeze-
out that could cause the clamping block to
stick to the tiles.
3" K
Surround the board
1 From 12"
walnut, cut the sides (E),
top and bottom (F), center (G), cap
" dado
" deep (H), base (I), and drawer face (J) to size
18" dado 18" deep
[Materials List]. Cut a 14"-deep groove in 18" from bottom edge
the sides, top, and bottom to fit the back
(C) [Drawings 1 and 2]. Then, cut 12" rab-
38" bets in both ends of the sides.
" rabbet
" deep
5"
2 Place the back assembly (AD) in the
groove of a side (E), the top row of
of the center (G) [Photo E]. Cut a dado in
each side to accept the center.
" hole 1316" tiles (A/B) aligned with the shoulder on
the sides top rabbet. Mark the location 3 Dry-assemble the case to check for fit
by surrounding the back assembly

PUT THE SQUEEZE ON TILES MARK THE CENTER LOCATION ADD DADOES AND GROOVES

C E

K
D
D
C
B
B
A A
D E F
Slide the clamping block across the assembly Tile (A, B) or ledge (D) dimensions that vary from With one setup, you can cut the grooves in the
carefully, without moving any of the tiles (A, B), and those listed can alter the location of the center (G). drawer front and back (L) and the drawer sides (K),
clamp at both ends until the glue dries. Mark its location using the back assembly (AD). as well as the dadoes in the drawer sides.

62 WOOD magazine September 2014

(AD) with the sides (E), top and bottom Perfect your endgame 4 DRAWER ASSEMBLY

1
(F), and center (G). If you find the fit Rout 38"coves along the three
satisfactory, apply glue and clamp the outside-facing edges of the cap (H), G
case together. and glue it to the top of the case assem-
Quick Tip! This glue-up requires lots of bly [Drawing 1]. Rout 38" round-overs L
C
clamps, so consider breaking it into more along the bases (I) three outside-facing
manageable subassemblies: Glue the center edges and glue it to the bottom of the E
K
and back assembly to the sides first, and then case assembly.
slip in the top and bottom.

Build a drawer for

2 From 34" stock, make two cleats (N)
by ripping a 616" piece in half, the
blade tilted to 45. Glue one to the back
F
J

2" brass pin I

fallen pieces of the case [Drawing 2].

1 From 14" walnut, cut the drawer sides

(K), drawer front and back (L), and
drawer bottom (M) to size [Drawing 3].
3 Spray a clear finish on the chess-
board and drawer. We used Deft
semigloss wood finish. When dry,
" hole

Cut 18" grooves and dadoes in the drawer mount the drawer knobs.
sides and drawer front and back [Draw- Quick Tip! Before attaching the drawer Materials List
FINISHED SIZE
ings 3 and 3a, Photo F]. Then, cut 18" with brass rod, use lengths of wood dowel to
Part T W L Matl. Qty.
rabbets in the ends of the drawer front test the movement of the drawer. 14"
A* dark tiles 314" 2" BP 32
and back, and the ends and edges of the Cut two 3 4" lengths of 1 4" brass rod and
B* light tiles 14" 2" 314" BP 32
bottom. After checking the fit of these drive them through the sides (E), into the
C back 14" 1612" 3314" MDF
pieces, glue and clamp the drawer pivot holes of the drawer (JM). Finally, 1
together. mount the remaining cleat (N) to a wall D ledges 14" 134" 16" W 7

2 After the drawer (K/L/M) dries, tilt

your tablesaw blade to 35 and bevel
the top back edge of the drawer [Drawing
to hang the cabinet, track down some
chess pieces (3" tall or smaller; Sources),
and bring on the challengers!
E sides
F top and bottom
12"

12"
414" 3334"
414" 1612"
W
W
2
2
G center 12" 314" 1612" W 1
3a]. Reset the blade, retrieve the drawer 12"
H cap 5" 1812" W 1
face (J), and cut a 18"-deep dado down its Produced by Nate Granzow with John Olson
Project design: Kevin Boyle I base 12" 434" 18" W 1
center [Drawing 3]. Glue the drawer face
Illustrations: Lorna Johnson 12"
to the drawer front (L). J drawer face 438" 1578" W 1

3 Place the drawer (JM) inside the

case assembly (AG) and drill holes
for the pivot pins to be added later. To
K drawer sides 14" 312" 21116"
L drawer front and back 14" 312" 1558"
18"
W
W
2
2
M drawer bottom 2716" 1558" W 1
allow the drawer to pivot freely after Cutting Diagram 34"
N cleats 3" 16" W 2
installation, slide a 116" shim (we used a
*Parts initially cut oversize. See the instructions.
steel rule) under the drawer and wedge Materials key: BPBaltic birch plywood, MDFmedium-
the drawer to one side. Drill a 34"-deep density fiberboard, Wwalnut.
hole with a 14" brad-point bit [Drawing 4, Supplies: 14" brass rod 2" long.
Photo G]. With that hole drilled, repeat Bits: 18", 14" brad-point drill bits; 38" cove and 38" round-
the process for the other side. Drill 18" B B over router bits.
holes through the drawer face (J) for
A A
Sources
knobs [Drawing 3, Sources]. 16mm knobs: 01A02.16, $2.20 each plus shipping (2
needed), Lee Valley, 800-871-8158.
x 24 x 48" Baltic birch plywood
Chess pieces: SIMPLE, $20 plus shipping,
INSTALL THE DRAWER straightupchess.com, 720-837-0114
Supplies on Demand: Brass rod, cove bit, round-over
bit, Cuban red mahogany aniline dye, walnut gel stain,
and aerosol semigloss wood finish:
woodmagazine.com/227chess.

C
N
x 24 x 48" Medium-density fberboard x 3 x 24" Walnut (.7 bd. ft.)

E E H
x 5 x 96" Walnut (4 bd. ft.)

F F G I J
x 5 x 96" Walnut (4 bd. ft.)
G *M
Wrap a short length of blue painters tape around
the drills bit 34" from the tip. When the flag D D D D L K K
touches the board, youve reached your depth. x 5 x 96" Walnut (2 bd. ft.) *Plane or resaw to the thickness listed in the Materials List.

woodmagazine.com 63
 How to cut
sheet goods in
tight quarters

Does your claustrophobic shop

induce an irrational fear of cutting full sheets
of plywood, MDF, hardboard, and melamine?
Well, breathe easyhere are six prescriptions.

trong? Check. Flat? Check. Stable? Check. Pain in the

S neck? Check. In a small shop, sheet goods unwieldy size

can outweigh its many positives. Getting the sheet home
in pristine condition may seem easy compared to the edge-
dinging, veneer-scratching obstacle course presented by lawn
equipment, vehicles, and power tools. The solution: Do most
of the cutting outside the shop before moving it inside.

1 Cut up on aisle 12. Many sheet-goods retailers have a panel

saw in the back of the store and grant you a limited num-
ber of free cuts. Bring along your cut list and take advantage of
this service to break down your sheet goods into manageable,
slightly oversized chunks before you leave the store. Some
words of caution: The blade on the panel saw is likely well past
due for a sharpening. Allow enough in your rough dimensions
to account for splintering and under-trained sales clerks.

2 Vehicular circsawicide. Drive a pickup? Dont let the

sheet leave the safety of the bed before breaking it down,
as shown at right. Drive a smaller vehicle such as a minivan or
Back up, drop a sawhorse and some scrapwood supports from the tailgate to
the horse, and then ease the sheet out for crosscuts.
crossover SUV? Load it up with collapsible sawhorses and a ing lot, ensuring the cut pieces will fit in your vehicle. Ignore
few 22" furring strip supports, a cordless circular saw, and a the curious stares of other shoppers; theyre just jealous that
circ-saw guide. Then make your initial cuts in the stores park- they didnt think of it.
64 WOOD magazine September 2014
3 Poor mans panel saw. Build your own down-and-dirty ver-
sion of the home centers pro-level panel saw by attaching
short lengths of slotted steel angle to a pair of sawhorses, as
6 For in-garage cutting, gear up.
If you have no other option
than to manhandle full (or nearly
shown on the previous page. (Allow enough clearance below full) sheets in the shop, pick up a
them to accommodate your circ saw.) Rest the sheet on the steel low-cost, one-person panel handler,
angle, positioning the cutline between the steel angles. Clamp right. (See our review of a few at
the plywood to each horse to prevent binding during the cut, woodmagazine.com/panelhandlers.)
attach a straightedge guide, and cut. Or build a back-saving panel cart
like the Fold-flat Sheet Goods

4 Drop it in the driveway. Lay down a 11 24896" sheet of

extruded-foam insulation. (If your straightedge guide
requires clamps to secure it, cut the foam down 4" in length
Mover, below, from the March 2012
issue of WOOD magazine or at

woodmagazine.com/sheetmover.
and width to accommodate them.) Drop your plywood on
top, and add your edge guide. Set your blade depth to clear the Stanleys Panel Carry ($4.50, no. 93-301,
plywood, but miss the driveway, and cut away. woodmagazine.com/panelcarry) lets you
lift a sheet of plywood with one hand while
steadying it with the other.

An extruded-foam insulation sheet provides a sacrificial worksurface that

firmly supports sheet goods, but wont mar veneer.

This fold-up plywood hauling cart makes it easy to transport sheet goods into
and around the shop. And as a bonus...

The rigid insulation easily supports the weight of the sheet and will even allow
you to rest your weight on it as you cut.

5 Beef up for a breakdown with infeed, outfeed. If you still

have some unwieldy tablesaw cuts to make after your rough
breakdown, outfit your saw with infeed and outfeed to safely
support the workpiece through the entire length of the cut.

This low-dough, portable outfeed support consists of screwed-together ...the top tilts to position the sheet. Its casters lock when you need it for infeed
plywood, stepped for different tool heights, clamped into a portable workbench. support. And when youre finished, it folds up flat for storage.

woodmagazine.com 65
 Darling
Doll
Chair Add another piece to a
growing girls collection.

B
uilt to complement the doll bed in (A) and front legs (B) 14" longer than arch on the top where shown and cut
issue 223 (Dec/Jan 2013/2014), listed [Materials List, page 68]. Bring the and sand the arch to shape.
this chair will provide hours of
imaginative playtime. Simple butt-joint-
and-screw joinery makes it easy enough
legs to final length by cutting a 3 miter
on the bottom of the back legs and par-
allel miters on the ends of the front legs
3 To make the cap (D), start with a
11231134" poplar blank. Along the
bottom edge, make marks 114" in from
to build in a weekend. Dolls in the 18" [Drawing 1]. Sand or rout 18" chamfers each end [Drawing 2a]. Align the top
range fit perfectly. around the bottoms of all four legs and edges of the back (C) with these marks
sand the long edges to ease the corners. and trace the curve onto the blank
First, make the back Leave the top edges square. [Photo A]. Bandsaw and sand to the line.

1 From 1"-thick stock (laminate thin-

ner stock if needed), cut the back legs 2 Cut a 9141178" piece of 12" MDF for
the back (C) [Drawing 2]. Lay out the 4 To complete the cap (D), draw the flat
upper portion of the profile [Drawing
66 WOOD magazine September 2014
 1"
TRACE THE PANEL FOR A PERFECT FIT

C
1 SECTION VIEW
C
1a SIDE DETAIL
3 miter
" dowel 8"
4" long 1"
G D

B 4"
E E
158" 6" 3 3 A
A
F A spacer (hidden from view) under the back (C)
8" keeps the back level. Hold the back firmly in place
" 1" while you trace the arch.
3 3
DRAW A PARALLEL ARC
2a]. Then, trace along the arch with a Allow the glue to dry; then, glue the
compass to mark the upper portion of the cap (D) to the A/C assembly, centering
arch [Photo B]. Cut and sand the remain- its thickness on the thickness of the
der of the profile. Rout a 316" cove on the back legs.
bottom edge and a 14" round-over around
D
the top edges [Photo C]. Now take sides
5 To assemble the chair back, rest the
back (C) on 14"-thick spacers and
glue a back leg (A) to each edge [Photo D].
1 Cut the sides (E) to shape [Drawing
1a]. As you did with the back (C), rest
a side on a 14"-thick spacer, apply glue on
Align the top ends of the legs with the one edge, and clamp a front leg (B) to
end of the arch, and orient the cham- the side [Drawing 1]. Repeat for the other
fered ends to the bottom. side and front leg. B

2
Set a compass to a 1" gap. Then, guide the leg of
Quick Tip! The porous edges of MDF soak Cut the seat (F) to size [Drawing 3] the compass along the arc to draw a parallel arch
in a lot of glue. To get a good bond, coat the along with a second identically sized between the flat portions of the profile.
edge with a light layer of glue. Allow it to dry piece of MDF to use as a spacer later dur-
GET A GRIP FOR ROUTING THE ENDS
about 10 minutes to seal the edge. Then apply ing assembly. With a 12" Forstner bit, drill
a fresh coat of glue and clamp the parts. a 14"-deep hole in the seat where shown.

2 BACK ASSEMBLY 3 On the inside face of each side

assembly (B/E), mark a vertical line
158" from the bottom front corner of the D
side [Drawing 1]. To help with assembly
" round-overs D
in the next step, make two sets of spac-
ers: two 34114812" and two 341126".

316" coves 4 Retrieve the seat-sized MDF spacer

cut earlier. Stand the 112"-wide spac-
ers on edge and rest the seat (F) on them;
then, rest the side assemblies (B/E) on C
the 114"-wide spacers [Photo E]. Apply Secure the cap (D) in a handscrew to rout the
glue to the ends of the seat; then, clamp round-over on each end. Rout the long edges last
to clean up any chip-out.
C it to each side as shown.
R=658"
A
5 After the glue dries, drill and coun-
terbore screw holes through the sides
PUT YOUR BACK INTO IT

2a CAP DETAIL (Front view)

A 11"
5" " A
11" D
278" C
1" A
1" 14"-thick spacer

1" 9"
1" R=658"
" D
Resting the back (C) on 14"-thick spacers centers it
18" chamfers on the thickness of the back legs (A). Apply glue to
the edges of the back; then clamp the legs in place.

woodmagazine.com 67
 3 EXPLODED VIEW 38" plug " long

D #8 x 1" F.H. screw

3a TRAY DETAIL (Top view)
38" hole " deep with a
countersunk 532" shank G 38" hole " deep with a
" hole centered inside countersunk 532" shank
hole centered inside
11"
C " R=17"
" dowel
A 4" long " 58" 1"
A 5"
E R=" G 2"
" hole " deep
7" on bottom face
B 1"
358"
F
E 5" 178"
"
#8 x 1" "
F.H. screw B "

18" chamfers " hole " deep

(E) into the seat (F) and drive the screws rear edge of the tray onto the top of the Materials List
[Drawing 3]. sides. Apply glue to the area in front of FINISHED SIZE

6 Rest the seat assembly (B/E/F) on the marks and to the dowel holes in the Part T W L Matl. Qty.
both 114" spacers, and glue and tray and seat. Clamp the tray and dowel A* back legs 1" 1" 11" P 2
clamp the back assembly (A/C/D) to it in position, centered side-to-side. B* front legs 1" 1" 6" P 2
[Photo F]. After the glue dries, drill coun-
terbored screw holes through the back
and drive the screws [Drawing 3].
3 After the glue dries, drill counter-
bored screw holes through the tray
and drive the screws [Drawings 3 and 3a].
C
D* cap
back 12" 914"
112" 278"
1178"
1134"
MDF
P
1
1

4
E sides 12" 4 34" 812" MDF 2
Cut 38" plugs from scrap material
Make a tray and bring it all and glue one into each counterbore. F seat 12" 512" 714" MDF 1

together Cut and sand them flush. Lightly sand G tray 12" 512" 1112" MDF 1

1 Cut the tray (G) to size and shape

[Drawing 3a]. Drill the 12" hole 14"
deep on the bottom face. Lightly sand
any remaining sharp edges, remove the
dust, and apply a coat of primer. Allow it
to cure; then, paint the chair the color of
*Parts initially cut oversize. See the instructions.
Materials key: Ppoplar, MDFmedium-density
fiberboard.
the edges to ease the corners. your choice. (We sprayed on two coats Supplies: #81" flathead screws (12), 12" dowel 6" long.

2
Bits: 45 chamfer, 316" cove, 14" round-over router bits; 532",
Measure from the top edge of a side of Sherwin-Williams Dover White semi- 38" drill bits; 12" Forstner bit; 38" plug cutter.
(E) to the top face of the seat (F), add glass interior latex paint.)
12", and cut a 12" dowel to that length. This project requires a 2424" sheet of 12" MDF, a
Produced by Craig Ruegsegger with Kevin Boyle
Dry-assemble the tray (G) and dowel on 131224" piece of poplar, and a 11231212" piece
Project design: Kevin Boyle
of poplar.
the sides and front legs (B), and mark the Illustrations: Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson

SPACERS POSITION PARTS EASILY ASSEMBLE THE BACK AND SIDES

D
Check out this ultra-detailed dollhouse:
woodmagazine.com/dollhouse.
C Download the matching doll bed plan,
Spacer E A below, for a small fee at
woodmagazine.com/dollbed.
E
F B E

E
B B
B
114"-wide
spacer
114"-wide spacer
112"-wide spacers 114"-wide spacer
E F
Align the front edge of the seat (F) with the layout Apply glue to the ends of the sides (E). Then, center
lines on the sides (E). Use the seat-sized MDF spacer the seat assembly (B/E/F) from side to side while
to keep the sides parallel during glue-up. clamping the back assembly (A/C/D) to it.
68 WOOD magazine September 2014
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If You Buy Tools Anywhere Else,

You're Throwing Your Money Away
 Have a Woodworking Question?
Ask WOOD E-mail it to us at [email protected]. For faster feedback from
your fellow woodworkers, search for or post your question on one of our
Answers to your questions from topical woodworking forums at woodmagazine.com/askwood. Or snail-mail
letters, e-mails, and WOOD Online questions to Ask WOOD, 1716 Locust St, LS-221, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023.

True up an out-of-round tenon quickly

I rough-turned a green (undried) long as the wood has not cracked across With your lathe turning about 200400
cherry bowl, coated it with paint, and half or more of its diameter. (Better to rpm, check the bowl for wobble. Loosen
set it aside to dry for a year. When I got toss it in that case.) You simply start by the tailstocks live center and readjust
it out to finish turning it, the tenon was turning the tenon (or recess) round the bowl slightly to remove any wobble;
oval-shaped due to shrinkage. How can again. Heres how. then retighten.
I finish turning this bowl blank when Open the jaws of your chuck as wide Use a bowl gouge or square-tipped
my four-jaw chuck wont grip the oval as possible, but no wider than the bowls carbide tool to lightly remove material
tenon securely? inside bottom diameter. Place a piece of until the tenon is round again. Flatten
Chuck Perkins, Ithaca, N.Y. router pad or anything spongy inside the bowls bottom so the jaws will have
the bowl to add grip, and then trap it good purchase on both surfaces. With
That will often happen to green against the jaws. Slide the tailstock over that done, lock the tenon in your
turnings as they dry to a stable moisture and secure the bowl, applying pressure chucks jaws and finish turning the
level, Chuck. But its no big dealas against the chuck with the live center. bowl to shape.

Follow a popular path for

future pull replacement
I need to choose door handles (pulls) 2" pull
for the kitchen cabinets Im making,
but Im concerned about the hardware
looking dated 10 years from now. What
can I do now to minimize problems
when that time arrives?
Rick Williams, Douglasville, Ga.
3" pull
Select a traditionally popular size, Rick,
so replacements will be easy to find in
the future. Well wager that in a decade,
3" pulls (defined by the center-to-center
distance between screw posts) will still ranging from 21 2" to nearly 19", but 3" look for one close to 3" and with wide
be popular. Why? Amerock, a leading pulls account for about 60 percent of or large feet, such as that shown
cabinet-hardware manufacturer, carries todays total offerings. Come replace- above, to cover the screw holes from
more than three dozen widths, ment time, if you cant find a 3" pull, the original pull.
70 continued on page 72 WOOD magazine September 2014
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 Ask WOOD
Always test-cut and
fit plywood parts
Why dont your project
plans provide dimensions
that reflect the actual
thickness of plywood? I
Do You Use An Impact Driver? built a lingerie chest from
WOOD plans, but when I

Are Your Bits Constantly Breaking? cut tongues on the 3 4"-thick

NEW! Impact Drive Bits

plywood dust panelscut-
ting away 1 4" from each face
as stated in the planthe
S tongues were too thin for
the grooves in the sides.
Jerry McCullough, Athens, Ala.

The V5 Chrome Vanadium Steel offers 50% more life than standard drive bits Sorry for the confusion,
Jerry. But because sheet
MDF
F goods differ in thickness by
type, brand, and region, we
Now Stocking Torx Drive Screws cant precisely spell out the
Professional Solutions For Your Fastener Needs thicknesses of project parts
made from those products.
Warehouse Locations in: So we identify these parts
by their nominal thick-
nesses (1 4", 1 2", or, in this
Order Online @ case, 3 4"). Unfortunately,
www.quickscrews.com most plywoods measure
1 6 4 1 32" less than the stated

thicknesses. Some products,

such as medium-density
fiberboard (MDF) or
medium-density overlay
(MDO), typically are still
made to precise stated
thickesses. (See the photos
at right for three different

NEW! ULTIMATE PRECISION

SOLID ZINC HEAD
materials labeled 3 4" [0.75]
thick.)
So, how can you avoid
Plywood

problems with variances in

sheet-good thicknesses?
When cutting joinery or
Exact interior parts on any
replication
project, always cut those
Fastest parts to fit your project. To
Sharpening
help with this, make test
Cleanest
Edges cuts in scrap material of the
same thickness to dial in
machine setups (tenons to
fit in mortises, tongues in
NEW: Improved
design with all core grooves, as well as dovetails
elements in one solid and box joints) before
casting. cutting your actual work-
Add your choice of pieces to size.
jigs for the ultimate
compact sharpening
system!
Baltic-birch plywood
LEARN MORE AND SEE THE VIDEO: WWW.TORMEK.COM 72 WOOD magazine September 2014
US Importer: www.affnitytoolworks.com 1-800 586 7635
Which comes first,
Where Men Can Be Men. LIC ATI ON S
ST P UB
the tongue or the groove? WOOD S PEC IAL I NT ERE

When making a tongue-and-groove

Get it
before its
joint, does it matter which you cut
first, the tongue or the groove? 2014
Light em up
Tom Wells, San Francisco
Mantastic
15 gone!
Neon-Sign Buying 101 p. 48
Smokin for the Boys Room
You can cut either one first, Tom, Spaces World-Class BBQ Tips p. 78
and still get a good joint. But we including this
find it best to start with the groove Rock n Roll
and then cut a tongue to fit pre- Heaven! p. 10

cisely in that groove, no matter

whether youre making joints with Pick up a copy before
a tablesaw, router table, or hand
tools. Its easier to make fine
July 15 at Lowes,
adjustments to the height of a dado Walmart, Barnes & Noble,
blade or the cutting depth of a
router bit to dial in the thickness of Bar
Texas-Size SportsMan
How Many TVs Are Tooy?
p. 4 and more.
the tongue, rather than tweaking
ater
Throwback TheGold
Or get a digital issue
p. 24
the size of a groove. And a shoulder en Age
Recall Hollywoods
or rabbeting plane takes very fine
shavings for precise fitment. Make
3Guy-A0pp0ro + Olde English Pub p. 56

Complete with Suit of Armor anytime at

ved
Cave Ideas!
cuts in test pieces the same thick- and more!
nesses as your workpieces first to zinio.com/woodspecials.
fine-tune your setups before
turning to your actual pieces.

woodmagazine.com 73
 Shop-Proven Products We test hundreds of tools and accessories, but only those that earn
at least three stars for performance make the final cut and appear in
this section. The products shown here, and those that dont make
These woodworking wares passed our shop trials. the cut, are also reviewed at toolreviews.woodmagazine.com.
Prices shown are current at the time of article production and do
Pinner duo helps you precisely place headless pins not include shipping, where applicable.

As a finish carpenter, Ive used lots of

23-gauge pinners over the years, but
none as good as these from Senco. The
FinishPro 23SXP shoots 1 2 13 8" pins,
and the FinishPro 23LXP fires 1 2 2" 23SXP
pins. If you never shoot pins longer
than 13 8", opt for the smaller model. I
like the 23LXPs ability to shoot 2"-long
pins for jobs like tacking and gluing
crown molding to the ceiling around
cabinets. Both guns leave nearly
invisible holes that dont need filling, 23LXP
especially in coarse-grain woods, such
as oak. I also used them to attach
delicate bead molding around cabinets
with no problems.
The light weight of these pinners (less
than 3 lbs each) makes them easy to use
overhead when tacking up trim. And
the swiveling air-hose couplers prevent The front of each tool opens easily with 23-gauge pin nailers
the hose from dictating how you hold an included hex wrench, but neither Performance
the tool. Add to that the tiny nose on gun jammed during testing. Price FinishPro 23SXP $170
each tool, and its remarkably easy to FinishPro 23LXP $240
place a pin precisely where you want it. Tested by Jeremiah Barnett Senco
Although each nailer comes with two 800-543-4596; senco.com
no-mar nose tips, neither gun left an
indentation when used without the tip.

WISE BUYS: Aluminum Bar Clamps

This style of clamp provides a great balance between clamp- and carcase assemblies, its hard to beat aluminum bar
ing strength and light weightabout one-third that of clamps, especially when you need to lift a clamped assembly
comparable-length steel or pipe clamps for both aspects. Are off your workbench. After testing seven brands in our shop,
they the only clamps youll need? No. But for panel glue-ups we recommend these three.
Dubuque Clamp Works Universal Jorgensen Pittsburgh
Lengths: 24", 36", 48", 60", 72" Lengths: 24", 36", 48", 60", 72" Lengths: 24", 36", 48", 60"
Price range: $29$41 Price range: $41$81 Price range: $10$18
Available at Woodcraft, Pony Tool Co. Available at Harbor Freight Tools,
800-225-1153, woodcraft.com 312-666-0640, ponytools.com 800-423-2567, harborfreight.com
Our favorite in the category (made in Iowa); every part These Chicago-made clamps scored highest in fit and fin- This would not be our first choice based on performance
of each clamp, except for the steel handle screw, is ish, with smooth, polished components and no sharp in our testing, but if youre on a tight budget and need
aluminum, so its even lighter than the others. edges or corners. Their bars sit 3/8" higher above the to buy a lot of clamps, you can outfit a shop for
The tail-jaw notches sit 5/8" apart, giving you benchtop than the Dubuque clamps, and even one-third or less what it would take with the
more options, with less screw travel, when though the tail-jaw notches are located 1" other brands shown here. The bars flex
clamping. Because the head jaw doesnt apart, the head has greater travel than easily under pressure and the head jaws
wrap around the bar as with other the Dubuques to offset the difference. sometimes bind. And, unlike the
brands, it doesnt bind under This model achieves greater other clamps, the stated length
pressure. And the butterfly clamping force, but you have indicates the length of the bar,
handle works well when to watch that the bar not the clamping capacity,
applying pressure and doesnt flex and cant which is about 3"
unclamping. the jaws. shorter.

continued on
page 76

74 WOOD magazine September 2014

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76 WOOD magazine September 2014
 Shop Proven
Products
Drill press delivers in some T-slots for securing the fence (included)
areas, falls short in others and hold-downs (not included).
I really like a variable-speed drill press Although the table tilts 90 to each side,
because Im more likely to actually there are no positive stops and the scale
change speeds to match bits. This proved unreliable. Plus, you need a hex
PM2800B has a smooth-turning wrench to loosen the table bolt, and its
handwheel to change the spindle speed, not included.
ranging from 250 to 3,000 rpm, and the Twin LED lights in front and back of
digital readout lets you know the exact the chuck light up the work area well,
speed. Each turn of the handwheel and crosshair lasers make pinpoint
adjusts the speed 20 rpm, so it can take a accuracy possible. The keyless chuck
while for large adjustments. works nicely with small bits, but
The powerful 1-hp motor generates high-torque drilling had a tendency to
more than enough spindle torque to lock large bits in the jaws. I had to use
bore 3" holes in white oak with a adjustable pliers to loosen the
Forstner bit without stalling. You get chucks jaws to free the bits.
6" of up-and-down travel in one
rotation of the quill-feed handle, which Tested by Brian Simmons
can be positioned on either side of the
machine. (Lefties will appreciate that.) 18" Drill press (PM2800B)
The 1420" table provides ample Performance
workpiece support, holds solidly Price $1,400
without flexing, and comes with Powermatic
easy-to-clamp-to edges and parallel 800-274-6848; powermatic.com

woodmagazine.com 77

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80
Arts & Crafts classic
It looks as if it came straight
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it came right from your workshop.

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WOOD magazine September 2014

Better Homes and Gardens WOOD magazine (ISSN-0743-894X); September 2014, Volume 31, No. 5, is published 7 times a year in March, May, July, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec/Jan by Meredith Corporation, 1716 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023. Periodicals postage paid at Des Moines, IA, and at additional mailing offices.
Subscription prices, $28.00 per year in the U.S.; $41.00 (U.S. dollars) in Canada; $49.00 (U.S. dollars) overseas. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 707.4.12.5); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to Better Homes and Gardens WOOD, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508. In Canada: mailed
under Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40069223; Canadian BN 12348 2887 RT. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Better Homes and Gardens WOOD, PO Box 882 STN Main, Markham ON, L3P 9Z9. Meredith Corporation 2014. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
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