Modular HAND TOOL Storage p.

47

Projects, Techniques, and Products

Coopered Café
TABLE

VOL. 18/NO. 106 APRIL/MAY 22

More great projects
and techniques:
■ Mid-century plant stand
■ Faceted flatware caddy
Display until May 17, 2022 ■ Bench chisel basics
 Table of Contents

April/May 2022 | Issue 106

21 40 47

32
Features
21 Mid-century Modern Plant Stand
An elegant and functional plant stand
doubles as a lesson in simple joinery.

26 Bevel-edge Bench Chisel Basics

Hone your knowledge of perhaps the
most versatile tool in your shop.

32 Coopered Café Table

Bevel and taper your way to
intimate outdoor dining.

40 Flatware Caddy
Transport your tableware in style with
this captivating coopered carrier.

47 Tool Storage Wall

Customize a modular mounting system
for an expanding hand-tool collection.

2
 26

Departments
04 Getting Sharp
• What’s on your bench?

06 News & Views 12 14

• Drawing on experience
• Jatoba jewelry box
• Giant loss to woodworking
• Big feet
• Puzzling offcut
• Like oil and water
• Less stuck in web

12 Reader Showcase

14 Tool Reviews
• Laguna JX|8 ShearTec II Jointer
• Laguna PX|20 ShearTec II Planer
16 54
16 Tips & Tricks
• Easy outfeed support
• Stop collar for Forstner bits
• Router power lift
• Large-scale center finder
• Protecting tool rolls

54 Woodsense
• Black Locust

56 Great Gear
• Mullet M5 Dust
56 64
Cyclone Collection
• Evapo-Rust Rust Remover

62 Buyer’s Guide/Ad Index

64 Expert Answers
• Repairing scars on
finished work

Cover photo: Ken Burton April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 3

Getting Sharp Share your ideas.
We love hearing from readers! And there are all
kinds of reasons to get in touch with the crew at

What’s on your bench? Woodcraft Magazine. Check out the details below.

General information:
4420 Emerson Ave., Suite A

A mong the many perks of work-

ing at a woodworking magazine
is interacting with accomplished
content. There, you’ll also find occa-
sional corrections to the inevitable
errors that creep into any magazine
P.O. Box 7020
Parkersburg, WV 26102
800-542-9125
craftspeople. A few of these makers that’s so jam-packed with information. Share a slick tip to win cash or a prize.
I’m lucky enough to meet in the The pages ahead reveal what we’ve Here’s your chance to help someone become
flesh and perhaps even work with been up to. Our lovely, technique- a better woodworker and get rewarded for the
effort. Published tips become the
shoulder-to-shoulder. Of the wood- laden café table cover project fea-
property of Woodcraft Magazine.
workers I can’t meet in real life, I tures a round top with a tapered
Email us at tips@woodcraftmagazine.com and
have the good fortune to correspond coopered base (p. 32). Continuing
put “Tips & Tricks” in the subject line or visit
with via email or even with good the coopered theme, we offer an woodcraftmagazine.com, and click on Contact.
old-fashioned handwritten letters. elegant caddy for carrying cutlery
Important: Please include your phone number,
I’ve learned a lot in this way and have from kitchen to cookout (p. 40). On as an editor may need to call you if your
been able to give back by sharing page 21, you’ll find a modern stand trick is considered for publication.
the knowledge I’ve amassed over to display your potted plants. For Have a tough woodworking question?
the years. You’ve no doubt discov- the shop, there’s a clever, customiz- We’ll do our best to find the expert and provide the
ered much in your own woodwork- able storage solution for an ever- answer. Email us at editor@woodcraftmagazine.com
ing journey, and I welcome you to changing hand-tool collection (p. and put “Expert Answers” in the subject line.

share those experiences with your 47), as well as a breviloquent look News & Views:
fellow Woodcraft Magazine readers. at bevel-edge bench chisels (p. 26). This catch-all column is where we do our best
to correct mistakes, publish feedback from readers,
There are myriad ways to join in. So what are you up to? Consider
and share other noteworthy news items. It’s easy to
Consider submitting to Tips & Tricks this an invitation to share what’s on participate in this discussion. Just email us at
(p. 16) to elevate efficiency and safety your bench and to tell us what kind editor@woodcraftmagazine.com and
for woodworkers ranging from new- of work you do and how you do it. put “N&V” in the subject line.

bies to veterans. Our Q&A section (p. RSVP in any way you like (see sec- Submit an article idea:
64) provides expert answers to your tion at right). While you’re at it, hop Do you have a story idea? We’d love to hear about it.
To find out how to submit an article, email us at
woodworking questions. And there’s online for submission guidelines and
editor@woodcraftmagazine.com and put
the gallery, where you can showcase free tips such as how to take great “Submission” in the subject line.
your skills through photos of your smartphone photos of your work.
Share photos of your projects:
finished projects (p. 12). The News & Hope to hear from you soon! ■ We’d like to see what you’re building. To show off your
Views column (p. 6) offers a curation work send your photos to editor@woodcraftmagazine.com,
of interesting tidbits from the wood- or find us on social media.
working world at large and serves as
a platform for your opinions on our

Subscriptions: (U.S. and Canada) Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608
One year: $19.99 Canada Returns to be sent to Pitney Bowes,
Single copy: $7.99 P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2
customer_service@woodcraftmagazine.com
April/May 2022 Vol. 18, Issue 106 (800) 542-9125 ©2022 by Woodcraft Supply, LLC. All rights reserved.
Woodcraft Supply, LLC allows the purchaser of this magazine
Chief Editor: Chad McClung Woodcraft Magazine (ISSN: 1553.2461, USPS to photocopy the included projects and techniques solely for
personal use. Any other reproduction of these projects and
Senior Editor: Ken Burton 024-953) is published bimonthly (Dec/Jan, Feb/Mar,
techniques is strictly prohibited.
April/May, June/July, Aug/Sept, Oct/Nov) by Woodcraft
Associate Editors: Sarah Marriage, Derek Richmond
Supply, LLC, 4420 Emerson Ave., Suite A, Parkersburg, WV
Art Director: Brad Weekley Safety First! Working wood can be dangerous. Always make
26104. Tel: (304) 485-2647. Printed in the United States. shop safety your first priority by reading and following the
Publisher: Beth Coffey Periodicals postage paid at Parkersburg, WV, recommendations of your machine owner’s manuals, using
Advertising Sales Manager: Vic Lombard and at additional mailing offices. appropriate guards and safety devices, and maintaining all
Circulation Support: Christie Wagner, Rachel Herrod your tools properly. Use adequate sight and hearing protection.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Please note that for purposes of illustrative clarity, guards and
Circulation: NPS Media Group Woodcraft Magazine, P.O. Box 7020, other safety devices may be removed from tools shown in
Video Producers: Kevin Reed Parkersburg, WV 26102-7020. photographs and illustrations in this publication.

4
Tips &&Tricks
News Views

Drawing on experience
David Heim, author of “SketchUp Success for Woodworkers”
recently released a series of nine self-guided video lessons
on making the 3D design and modeling program work
for woodworkers. The course runs 90 minutes and
includes topics such as generating measured drawings
and cut lists, and best practices for using SketchUp.
The course is available at sketchupforwoodworkers.com
for the cost of $49. Heim has taught SketchUp at the
Brookfield Craft Center, Connecticut Valley School of
Woodworking, and the Austin School of Furniture.

Jatoba jewelry box

I’m drooling over the cylindrical chest
of drawers shown in last issue’s Wood-
Sense (pg. 55, Feb/Mar 22). I can usu-
ally figure projects out on my own, but
this chest has me going in circles. Are
there plans for it? Or plans for plans?
—David Miller, Golden, CO

Senior Editor Ken Burton replies:

That jewelry box graces the
cover of my book, Table Saw
Projects with Ken Burton, and
plans for it are inside. You
can still find the book online or at used book sellers.
And we will be featuring a similarly cylindrical jewelry
box in an upcoming issue of Woodcraft Magazine.

How to reach us
Email editor@woodcraftmagazine.com
Important: Please include your full name, address, and phone
number. Published letters are edited for length and clarity.

6
Tips News
& Tricks
& Views

Giant loss to woodworking

Garry Knox
Bennett passed
away on January
28 at the age
of 87. Bennett
began his art
career as a painter
and sculptor
before teaching himself
woodworking and furniture-
making, as well as metalwork.
Bennett cut an imposing
figure in the woodworking
community due not only to his
6-foot-9 frame, but also to his
experimental combination of
fine woodwork with metal and
more unconventional materials. He famously drove a 16d
nail into the door of a finely finished padauk cabinet as an
irreverent statement on the nature of studio furniture.

1 square = 1⁄4"

Big feet
The dimensions listed in the Keepsake Box drawing
(p. 33, Dec/Jan 22) incorrectly showed the length
of the feet to be 31/2". That length should be 3", as
shown in the Foot Pattern template above.

Puzzling offcut
Making some of the cuts on the burr puzzle (Dec/Jan 22) left a
small offcut trapped under the saw blade. I found that drilling
a hole in the cradle gave that piece a place to go, preventing
potential kickback.
—Ted Garrett, Dayton, OH

8
Tips News
& Tricks
& Views

Like oil and water

I went to my local craft supply store for paint markers to decorate
the Turned Christmas Tree (Dec/Jan 22) and discovered there
are two types. Oil- and water-based paint markers. Is there an
advantage to one over the other?

Author Jim Kelly replies:

We’ve used both oil- and water-based paint markers
successfully on the tree. Like acrylic paint, the water-
based markers are water-soluble when wet but not
when dry, so they’ll play nice with finishes such as
water-based polyurethane. If you’re worried, virtually
any finish can be made fast with a coat of spray
shellac before applying paint. And of course, it’s
always a good idea to test your finish combinations
on scrap before applying them to your workpiece.

Less stuck in the web

The tip about attaching plywood fillers to the underside of tool
tables to create a better clamping surface is great (Feb/Mar 22),
but why epoxy the clamp blocks in place permanently? Instead,
I counterbore the plywood and epoxy rare earth magnets into it.
The magnets hold the plywood blocks in place but make them
easy to remove and replace if they get damaged or worn out. ■
—Kory Bricker, Loveland, CO

10
 Reader Showcase

BARRY L. EDZANT,
VALENCIA, CA
A river runs through it. Drawing on memories of the southwest, Edzant poured resin between
two slabs of live-edge, big leaf maple to make the top for his new table. The tabletop is
undergirded by a steel support structure which rests on cherry legs and feet. He used a template
to rout cavities in the legs and filled them with resin to complement the top, then inlaid ebony
in the feet. Overall dimensions are 21 × 36 × 60". Edzant says the tabletop reminds him of the
Colorado River running through the Grand Canyon. We say his river table is absolutely gorges.

JOHN GONDEK, ROY HUNTINGTON,

PLAINVILLE, CT JOPLIN, MO
Tiger king. Retired Air Force veteran John Cherry on top. Long-time subscriber
Gondek spent nearly three months of shop Roy Huntington crafted this keepsake box
time designing and making this intarsia white for a friend’s wedding anniversary. The
tiger. The light areas are poplar, while the purpleheart top is adorned with brass knobs
stripes are cocobolo and bocote scraps sawn and a hand-carved cherry blossom relief
STUART LORD, to fit into hand-routed cavities. After sanding in walnut. A first-time carver, Huntington
SILVER LAKE, NH and scraping to give the tiger’s face some hopes to incorporate carving into future
Not his grandfather’s clock. Inspired by a depth, Gondek finished the ferocious feline projects. The box sides are made of padak
clock-making 18th-century ancestor, and aided with spray polyurethane. The tiger measures and osage orange with simple joinery
by his own thirty years repairing clocks, Lord built about 7 × 7". We think it’s the cat’s meow. to keep the design uncluttered. ■
this magnificent Roxbury-style tall case clock.
The timepiece measures 91⁄2 × 21 × 96". The Show off your work!
case features figured mahogany with inlays of
cherry, holly, ebony, canarywood and bloodwood. Email Direct Mail
Woodcraft Magazine,
The spiral trim around the lower case pays editor@woodcraftmagazine.com
4420 Emerson Ave., Suite A, Box 7020,
homage to a similar detail on a clock built by Parkersburg, WV, 26102-7020.
his forebear circa 1805. Lord also handcrafted
Go to woodcraft.com/gallery for submission instructions.
the brass clock movement and dial assembly.

12
 Tool Reviews

A dynamic duo for dressing lumber

Laguna JX|8 and PX|20 with ShearTec II

Emergency shutoff Retractable

infeed roller
On/Off button

Twist lock Bevel knob

table adjustment Fence adjustment
knob and lock.

Table lock

6-row carbide insert cutterhead

(54 × 4-Sided cutters)

More foot room

Laguna JX|8 8" Jointer Knee bar shutoff

#178948, $3,199

Laguna tools introduced a new lineup sided angled carbide insert knives hand travel when edge jointing wider
of jointers and planers in 2021. As that can be rotated or replaced as boards. And although it’s 38" long,
part of this launch, they’ve redesigned needed. It produced a clean sur- typical of jointers of its ilk, I’d like to
their machines and reworked face even during deep cuts, and the see a longer fence on a machine at
their cutterheads—the QuadTec I machine remained relatively quiet. this price. But at $3,199, it’s priced
(segmented) and ShearTec II (spiral). Cast-iron parallelogram tables are competitively in its class and well
I had the opportunity to test the JX|8 solid, smooth, and easy to adjust worth it if you’re in the market.
ShearTec II, an 8-inch jointer, and with a twist-lock handle that doubles The PX|20 planer’s ShearTec II
the PX|20 ShearTec II, a 20" planer. as a depth gauge on the infeed side. cutterhead boasts 138 carbide inserts
The first thing I noticed is how cool A pullout support roller helps with in a six-row spiral configuration.
they look with their matte black skin, feeding longer boards. Other novel Aside from its impressive teeth, the
modern design, and impeccably- additions to this machine include a clear advantage of this planer is its
machined cast iron surfaces. Upon tapered body for more foot room, capacity—up to 8"-thick timbers and
further inspection, I found that an emergency knee stop—a feature I 20"-wide panels. I rarely need to plane
these machines are not just pretty; really like—and built-in casters. The boards of that size, but the ability to
they also do their jobs very well. cast-iron fence is solid and easy to run multiple narrow boards simulta-
The JX|8 jointer’s ShearTec II 81/8" adjust with its star knob and lock. neously really speeds up production.
wide, 5500 RPM cutterhead features It tilts to 45° in both directions, but But what makes this planer really
six spiraled rows totaling 54 four- the bevel knob can get in the way of interesting is its small-shop appeal.

14 Prices subject to change without notice.

 Emergency shutoff
On/Off button
Integrated Wixey DRO

Speed control

Integral roller
Table adjustment handwheel

6-row carbide insert cutterhead

(138 × 4-Sided cutters)

Laguna PX|20 20" Planer

lagunatools.com, $5,499

Woodworkers with limited space tive integral Wixey digital readout JX|8 Overview
looking to upgrade from a 12" or 13" (DRO) is a welcome addition and • 220V, 3HP, 1 phase, 60 H/12amp
benchtop model, take notice. The was easy to calibrate to the analog • Bed size: 8" × 72" w/8" infeed roller support
PX|20 has big capacity in a small gauge on the face of the machine. • Fence size: 38" × 43⁄4", tilt: ±45°/90°
footprint. The beds are short but It’s nice to dial in precise thickness • Bed adjustment: parallelogram
come with 4" retractable infeed and without breaking out the calipers. • Max. depth of cut: 1⁄8", rabbeting capacity: 1⁄2"
outfeed rollers. When retracted, the Neither machine comes with • Knee bar shutoff
planer takes little more space than instructions; you’ll have to down- • 4" dust port
a benchtop model. And at 85dB, it’s load them ahead of time as they
only about as loud as a random orbit contain helpful unboxing directions.
sander. Your neighbors will thank This and the aforementioned minor PX|20 Overview
you. The unit can take a 1/4" deep cut inconveniences aside, these are great • 220V 5HP 1 phase motor
at a time at either 16 or 28 feet per tools. They are pricey, but you get • 20" bed width
minute. A serrated infeed roller and what you pay for here—machines • 1
⁄4" max depth of cut, 16 and 28 FPM
pressure bar help with snipe. The that look great and work smart. ■ • Wixey DRO
top opens easily to access the cut- —Chad McClung • Retractable infeed and outfeed rollers
terhead and for clearing chips that • Serrated infeed roller
annoyingly build up in one corner, • 4" dust port
a seeming design flaw. The innova-

Photos: Chad McClung April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 15

 Tips & Tricks

Easy outfeed support

I developed this simple outfeed extension for
my band saw to provide extra support while
resawing. The fixture consists of a 1/2" MDF panel
SIDE SUPPORT
screwed to two dressed hardwood side supports
that clamp to the saw’s table. A hardwood
crossbar provides added support and helps
to keep the panel flat. Unlike outfeed rollers,
my system automatically aligns with the table,
reducing setup time. And having the workpiece
glide over the flat surface means I don’t have
to worry about a roller leading it astray.
—Dwayne Smyth,
West Springfield, Massachusetts CROSSBAR
1
⁄2" MDF PANEL

Large-scale center finder

Plastic center finders are great for spindle turnings and
smaller bowl blanks but won’t work for larger blanks such
as those for platters. For those, I make a bigger version
by clamping a combination square to a framing square
with the combo-square’s blade aligned with the vertex
of the framing square as shown. Draw two intersecting
lines along the combo-square’s blade to mark the center.
—Richard Entwistle
Highland Lakes, New Jersey

Share a Slick Tip. Win Cash or a Prize!

Here’s your chance to Send your ideas to:

help someone become Tips & Tricks, Woodcraft Magazine,
a better woodworker P.O. Box 7020, Parkersburg, WV 26102-7020
and get rewarded for -or-
$250 the effort. The winner visit woodcraftmagazine.com, and click on “Contact”.
of next issue’s Top Tip award will receive a Woodcraft
Gift Card worth $250. All others will receive $125 for a Important: Please include your phone number,
published illustrated tip, or $75 for a non-illustrated tip. as an editor may need to call you if your
Published tips become the property of Woodcraft Magazine. tip is considered for publication.

16 Illustrations: Christopher Mills

Tips Tips
& Tricks
& Tricks

Power screwdriver

Router power lift

As I was cranking up my router for
what seemed like the hundredth bit-
change of the day, it dawned on me
that the drive on the lift was the same
hex drive as on my small cordless
screwdriver. Now I can power the lift
up and down at the touch of a button.
When I get close to the desired setting,
I lock the screwdriver in manual
mode to make the final adjustments.
—Ron Moss
Statesboro, Georgia

Stop collar for Forstner bits Protecting

For projects requiring several tool rolls
different-sized holes drilled to
precise depths, I like to set up stop The sharp edges of my
collars on the bits required rather turning tools kept cutting
than constantly changing the depth the interior of their canvas
stop on my drill press. The collars carrying pouch. As a
work well on regular drill bits, but remedy, I cut the fingers
their outer diameter is often too Stop collar off of a pair of inexpensive
small to work with a Forstner bit. leather work gloves,
I’ve found that drilling a hole in a 1/4" yielding ten protectors
plywood “washer” and sliding it to to fit over the business
the desired depth between the collar end of the cutters. ■
and the bit’s cutting end works —Linda Halligan
with even the biggest of Plywood washer Livonia, New York
my collection. This trick
also works well when using
Forstner bits on the lathe.
—Jeff Peters
Redgranite, Wisconsin

18
April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 19
 Basic Mid-century
BUILDS
Modern
PLANT STAND
Prop up your houseplants in style
By Ellen Kaspern

I
’ve always been drawn to the clean lines, gentle
curves, and obvious functionality of mid-century
modern furniture. This plant stand incorporates
all three attributes in its simplicity and usefulness.
I designed it as a teaching tool for the two basic
woodworking joints it includes: the mortise and
tenon and the lap joint. The project is easy enough
for a beginner to make in a day while learning valu-
able woodworking skills and getting time on two
of the most-used shop machines: the table saw and
the router table. And even if you’re an experienced
woodworker, the aesthetically pleasing stand will
look good in any home. As shown, the design fits a
10" round planter, but you can adapt the dimensions
to fit nearly any size pot.

About the Author

Ellen Kaspern is a
graduate of the
North Bennet Street
School’s Cabinet &
Furniture Making pro-
gram. She owns Ellen
Kaspern Design and
is a member of the
Charlestown Furni-
ture Makers coopera-
tive in Boston, MA. In
addition to designing and building custom furniture,
she has been teaching woodworking and furniture
making for over 15 years. This is her first article
with Woodcraft Magazine.

April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 21

 Simple connections for a strong base
The plant stand, made from mahogany, consists of four rounded on their outer edges to soften their look and
legs with two rails crossing between. The rails connect add a touch of flair. The dimensions are based on a
to the legs with mortise & tenon joints and have a lap 10" tall planter, 10" in diameter. Purchase the planter
joint in the center where they intersect. The legs are first so you can adapt the dimensions as necessary.

⁄8" roundover
3

Mortise
⁄4 × 1 × 3⁄4" d
1

LEG
3
⁄4 × 1 × 143⁄8"**

RAIL
3
⁄4 × 11⁄4 × 115⁄8"*

1
⁄8"

41⁄8"

⁄4"
1

Half lap
⁄4" × 5⁄8", centered
3

*Dimension shown for 10"

pot, size rail to fit your pot.
Order of Work onlineEXTRA **Size legs so that pot sits
• Mill the legs and rails • Go online for a full cut list. about 1" higher than legs.
• Rout the mortises
• Cut the half laps and tenons
• Assemble and finish

22 Photos: John Hamel; Illustration: Ryan Tanguay

Make the parts and rout the mortises
Mill stock to the thicknesses and widths
specified in the drawing on the facing page,
adjusting their lengths to suit your pot. Mill
extra for test cuts. Lay out the mortise on one
leg and transfer the lines to its outside face.
Mount a 1/4" straight bit in your router table
and set its height to 1/4", adjusting the fence to
center the mortise on the leg. Mark the bit’s
location on the fence, then set stop blocks to
control the length of the mortise. Place the
marked leg against the fence with its bottom
end to the left. Align the mark for the mortise
bottom with the bit’s left location line, and
clamp the first block at the end of the leg to the
right. Repeat the process with the mortise’s top
mark and the bit’s right location line to locate
the left stop block. Using stop blocks ensures
consistent mortise length without having
to lay out each mortise. Rout the mortises
to their full depth in three successively
deeper passes. Switch to a 3/8" roundover Locate the bit. Hold the head of a square against the fence’s face and the
bit and shape the outer edges of each leg. bit’s cutting flutes, and mark the location of both sides of the bit on the fence.

Rout the mortises. Hold the

leg against the right-hand stop
and pivot it down the fence
onto the spinning bit to start the
cut. Push from right to left until
you reach the left-hand stop.

Stop block

April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 23

 Cut the lap joints
Lay out the lap joint notch at the center of a rail.
Rather than trying to set up the dado blade to the
perfect width, I prefer to make the notch in two
passes, using both ends of the rail as reference to
center the cut. Set the dado to 5/8" wide and just
under 5/8" high. Attach a wooden auxiliary fence
to your miter gauge to support the rail and help
prevent tearout. Clamp a stop block to the auxiliary
fence aligning the edge of the blade with the layout
line nearest the block. Make the cut then flip the leg
to widen it, checking the fit against the thickness
Two-pass notch. Saw the rail’s lap joint in two passes, rotating of the other rail. Adjust as necessary. When you
it end for end between cuts. To make fine width adjustments, add have a good fit, adjust the blade height as needed
layers of blue painter’s tape to the stop block as needed. to make the tops and bottoms of the rails flush.

Set-up leg for testing joint fit. Saw the tenons

Make a follower block from a piece of 3/4"
plywood about 61/2" wide by 8" long. Clamp
a wooden auxiliary fence to your rip fence.
Follower block Set your dado to about 13/16" wide and bury
it under the auxiliary fence with 11/16" of the
blade exposed. Set the blade height to about
3/16". Make the cheek cuts as shown. Check the
fit and raise the blade as necessary, cutting
both sides after each adjustment. The tenon
should slide into the mortise with a little
hand pressure. If you have to hammer it
Cut the cheeks. Make the cheek cuts with the in, it’s too tight, but it shouldn’t fall out
rails held flat on the saw table and their ends butted either. Make the cheek cuts on all the
firmly against the auxiliary fence. Guide them through tenons then reset the dado height to saw the
the cut with a follower block run along the fence. tenon shoulders using the same technique.

Cut the shoulders. Reset the dado height to a

little less than 1⁄8" to cut the shoulder. Incrementally
raise the blade and make light passes until
the tenon fits its mortise. Despite the gaps to
accommodate the round mortises, there is plenty
of long-grain contact to ensure a strong joint.

24
Fine tune, assemble, and finish
Trim the rails flush to each other as
needed with a hand plane. I also use
a hand plane instead of sandpaper
to remove the mill marks, as it’s less
likely to distort the shape of the parts.
Dry clamp the assembly to make
sure all joints close. Tweak the fit of
the joints by paring the tenon cheeks
with a shoulder plane or a 1" chisel.
Apply glue to the notches in each
rail—a tight joint may not require
a clamp. Brush glue in the mortises
and on the tenons, and attach the
legs. When the whole piece is dry,
check it for level. If it rocks, sand
the feet as shown. Finally, sand the
piece through 220 grit, and apply
two to three coats of your favorite Plane to perfection. Making the rails dead flush to each other
finish. I used wiping varnish. may require a swipe or two from a hand plane.

Pull it together. Get your glue-up supplies Level the legs. If you find your stand rocks slightly, level
ready first, then draw the joints together with the legs by taping squares of sandpaper to a piece of MDF
clamps. Wipe away any glue squeezeout. and scrubbing the stand back and forth across them. ■

April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 25

Bevel-edge
BENCH CHISELS
Getting started with the workhorse of the chisel family
By Chad McClung

S
harp chisels are critical to qual- delicate paring. And their angled edges, article a refresher on anatomy and basic
ity work. But what do you really opposed to the square edges of firmer usage technique. Finally, check out p. 47
need? For general shop use, I sug- and mortise chisels, allow access into for a handy chisel holder along with other
gest you start with a good set of four angled corners. Beyond the tool’s spe- tool storage ideas.
basic, Western-style, bevel-edge chisels. cific uses, if you want to do better work,
These versatile shop workhorses can you need to keep your chisels sharp and
perform a multitude of chores from practice good technique, both of which onlineEXTRA
chopping dovetails and fitting joints to are discussed here. • Put your bench chisels to use with a
trimming plugs flush. If you’ve been getting by with a few free article download: Chisel Techniques
Unlike the stubby butt chisel, bevel- inexpensive chisels, here’s your guide • Or find the right tool for the job
edge chisels have longer blades that to stepping up to a quality set. If you with Specialty Chisels
provide more control for tasks such as already own good chisels, consider this

26
 Anatomy of a bench chisel
A chisel is a simple tool, essentially lighter and better balanced. Plastic/ ferrules and occasionally steel
a blade with a sharpened end and composite handles are heftier for hoops to prevent splitting. Some
a handle. The handles are typically heavy chopping and can really chisels are also capped with strike
made from wood or plastic and take a beating. Wooden handles plates that take the brunt of your
connect to the blade in one of attached with tang construction are mallet blow. An added benefit of a
two ways: via a socket or a tang. more likely to split than those that socket chisel is that you can easily
Wood handles are available in fit into sockets. To counter this, replace a damaged handle or make a
numerous shapes and are usually tang-style handles often feature customized one to suit a specific task.

SOCKET HANDLE

SOCKET

SHOULDER

HEEL
TANG HANDLE

BEVEL-EDGE FERRULE

CUTTING BEVEL TANG

CUTTING EDGE
NECK

BOLSTER

SIDE
BACK OR FACE
Strike Plate Steel Hoop

Photos: Doug Loyer; Illustrations: Scott Wynn April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 27

 What chisels to buy first
I suggest starting with a new set of resulting in faster sharpening and/or don’t know what a flat, sharp chisel is
four (1/4", 1/2", 3/4", and 1") western-style longer-lasting keen edges. If you can, like, then you’ll have a rough road ahead.
bevel-edge bench chisels such as the get your hands on a few different kinds Try using a well-tuned chisel from an
ones shown here. You can purchase of chisels to see how they feel in your experienced woodworker first, or start
a decent set starting around $50. If hand. Check the weight and balance; the with a quality set such as one of these.
you tune them up and maintain them chisel should feel like an extension of
well, they’ll likely outlast you. Pricier your hand. You can indeed buy and tune
chisels usually come with better steel, up a used or antique chisel. But if you

Narex Classic Chisels

Tang style with stained beech
handle and steel hoop.
leevalley.com, $62.50

Inconsequential
high spot

Some manufacturers Polished back

dip their chisels in
lacquer to prevent rust.
You’ll need to remove
it before sharpening.

Polished heel and cutting

edge after hollow grind

Irwin Blue Chip

Chisels Set
Tang style with
polypropylene handle.
#111165, $49.99

Factory grind marks

Factory grind marks

28 Prices subject to change without notice.

Hirsch Chisel Set
Tang style with octagonal
hornbeam handle and steel
hoop and strike plate.
higlandwoodworking.com,
$109.99

Mirror-buffed blade
from manufacturer still
needs to be flattened
out of the box.

WoodRiver
Socket Chisels
Socket style with bubinga handle.
#161640, $179.99

Needs more polishing.

What to buy next

Depending on the kind of work 11⁄2" Two Cherries
you do, you may want to go wider (similar to Hirsch), $70.44
with a 11⁄2" or smaller with a 1⁄8". twocherriesusa.com
Later, you can fill in with sizes such
as 3⁄8", 5⁄8", and so on. I found the
former to be more useful early on
than the latter. From there, you
should know enough about your
woodworking to select your first 1
⁄8" pfeil
specialty chisel. See online extras #162515, $38.99 3
⁄8" WoodRiver
for a free article on this topic. #161643, $39.99

April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 29

Sharpening a chisel
For a fresh-out-of-the-box chisel to oxide wheel to shape the bevel. Color Return to the waterstones to hone your
work well, it must first be sharpened. the bevel with a marker to track your freshly-ground edge. Mount the chisel
The process I use involves flattening the progress. Most new chisels come with in a honing guide and rest the two
back using a medium grit waterstone a 25° bevel angle, a good compromise points of the hollow-ground bevel on
and then honing it to a mirror polish for general woodworking. Set the tool a 1000-grit stone before locking it in
on a fine-grit stone. (For more rest so the wheel makes contact in the place. Pull toward you at first, and then
information, see Buyer’s Guide, p. 60.) center of the chisel’s factory bevel. Pinch glide the chisel back and forth over the
Apply firm finger pressure to the end the chisel below the tool rest and, using waterstone until you’ve honed uniform
of the chisel to keep it flat and work your finger as a guide/stop, slide the flats across the heel and the entire width
the entire surface of the stone. Your chisel side to side. Keep moving and use of the cutting edge. Move to your fine-
waterstones will need to be dressed a light touch to prevent bluing the tool. grit stone and repeat the process until
regularly with a flattening stone. Check your progress often, and give the flats are evenly polished. Remove
Move to your slow-speed grinder the steel time to cool between passes any burr from the tip by alternately
outfitted with a 150-grit aluminum without losing your pinched position. stroking the chisel’s back and bevel.

Flatten the back. After achieving a

consistent scratch pattern on the first
inch or more of the back with a 1000-grit
stone, hone it on an 8000-grit stone as
shown. You’ll know you’re done when the
polish reveals a clean reflection (inset).

Honing guide

Hone the bevel. First, pull the chisel toward you. Then, go Check for sharpness. A sharp
back-and-forth a few strokes, maintaining pressure at the chisel will produce a clean curl of
tip. Once you have narrow flats across the cutting edge and end-grain pine without a fight.
heel (inset), repeat the process on the 8000-grit stone. Flats

30
Putting your chisels to use
Your sharp chisel is designed to both clean up tenons, as shown here. Learn the blade flat on the work surface as
quickly chop the waste away from a few basics maneuvers and practice. your upper body transfers force to your
joints and then finely pare for fit. When In general, always secure your work, other hand on the handle. Lock your
chopping, you typically drive the chisel keep your chisels sharp, and make light elbows and rely on your upper body
into the wood with a mallet. Paring, cuts to ensure clean, square work. to make paring cuts. For paring in the
usually powered by your hands, consists When chopping, don’t ask too much of center of surfaces where you can’t hold
of slicing away thin layers of wood with your chisel. Removing a lot of material the chisel flat, use the bevel edge down.
the bevel up or down—a much less at once and really banging on the For the smoothest and the most precise
aggressive cut. For example, you can handle can dull your tool by rolling cuts, pare across the grain in multiple
use your chisel to chop out the waste back the edge. And you risk cutting shallow passes. In addition to what
from between the pins and tails for past your baseline as the force from a you see here, you can also accomplish
dovetails and then finesse the joint’s heavy mallet blow can kick the chisel many other tasks such as paring tenons
fit through paring. You can also pare edge backward. When paring a plug and splines, and cutting mortises for
plugs flush, square routed corners, and flush with a surface, one hand holds hinges, see onlineEXTRAS for more.

Dovetail detail. Start chopping a scant 1⁄16

16" in front of Paring plugs. Rest the back of the chisel on the work’s
your scribe line. Remove the bulk of the waste before surface (bevel up) when paring. Take small slices
cutting on the line. Cut halfway through, then flip the board with the grain of the plugs to prevent tearout.
over and repeat the process to meet in the middle.

Squaring a routed corner. After scribing your layout Pare tenon shoulders. Start with light cuts, registering the
lines, chop away the waste. Clean up the corner of any chisel’s back on the section you just cut and pivoting into the area.
leftover wood fibers with the bevel down as shown. Then push the chisel toward the tenon, taking thin slices. ■

April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 31

COOPERED
Café Table
An intimate outdoor
setting loaded
with lessons
By Ken Burton

Order of Work
• Make the staves

A
h, Paris in the spring. A stroll along you to try your hand at coopering as you bevel • Glue up the base
the Seine followed by a warm baguette the staves from which it is made. After gluing • Shape the base
and a cup of coffee at a sidewalk café. the staves together, rout the base round using a • Make the cross braces
While it won’t get you to France, this delightful, fixture that serves as a large lathe. Then use the • Make the top
counter-height café table will help you simulate same fixture for routing a series of V-grooves • Finish and assemble
that experience in your own home. Its 30" to add a certain je ne sais quoi. While I made
diameter top is just right for breakfast for four my table from black locust, a tough wood onlineEXTRA
without taking up too much of your outdoor that lasts practically forever outside, other • Router Trammel free
space. The tapered cylinder that makes up the weather-resistant species such as white oak project download
base provides a solid anchor against windy would also be appropriate. (See page 54 for • Full-size indexing wheel layout
days and presents an excellent opportunity for more information about black locust.) • Plan for a shop-made edge guide

32
A table with a tapered coopered base TOP
⁄8 × 30" dia.
7
The table’s base is a truncated cone ⁄4" roundover
1

sitting on leveling feet and is made

of eight tapered staves cut from 8/4
black locust and edge-glued together.
A series of tapered V-grooves adds
visual interest and texture. Deep 3
⁄8" chamfer
notches in the top end of the base #8 × 31⁄2" deck screw
hold a pair of half-lapped cross braces
that screw into the edge-glued top. CROSS BRACE
11⁄4 × 2 × 28"

Notch
1 × 11⁄4"
Stave End View 2" radius 5
⁄8" counter bore,
11⁄2" deep
13⁄4" 67.1°*

#8 × 21⁄2" Deck screw

*Adjust to suit your staves.

Notch
11⁄4 × 2"
Stave Detail
33⁄4"

STAVE BLANK BASE

13⁄4 × 61⁄4 × 343⁄4" 15" dia. × 34"

343⁄4"

Tapered V-groove

T-nut
61⁄4"

Leveling glide

Photos: Ken Burton; Illustrations: Christopher Mills April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 33

 Bevel and taper the staves
Mill stock for the staves so that all the stop block as shown in Configuration side of each piece. Reposition the stop
pieces are consistent in size, as shown A below. Tilt the blade on your table and fence as shown in Configuration
in the Stave Detail on page 33. Mill the saw to approximately 67.1° and load the B and taper the second side of each
stock for the tabletop, too (you’ll need staves onto the tapering sled with their piece with the blade at the same
enough material to make a 30" diameter bottom end against the stop. Clamp angle. A number of variables are at
circle). Set that aside for now. Make the them in place with two toggle clamps play here, and your bevel angles and
tapering sled, positioning the fence and attached to the fence and cut the first tapers may not match mine exactly.

Bevel and taper.

After ripping the
first edge of each
stave with the jig
in Configuration A,
set up the jig for
Configuration B.
Rip each stave as
before, only this
time with the top
end against the stop
as shown here.

Tapering Jig Configuration A

FENCE
11⁄4 × 21⁄4 × 30"
X
STOP
1
⁄2 × 2 × 8"
BASE
3
⁄4 × 9 × 40" 53⁄8"
4 5⁄16"

23⁄4"
61⁄2"
361⁄2"
Using the
tapering jig Tapering Jig Configuration B
1. Screw fence to base
as indicated. X
2. Position stave against
fence with its end
aligned with the 5"
base at point X. 27⁄8"
3. Screw stop in place
against the end 31⁄4"
43⁄8"
of the stave. 34 5⁄16"

34
Glue up the cylindrical base
Once the staves are cut and tapered, but regular wood glue will suffice. T-bevel (or angle gauge) can help make
dry-fit them to check the bevel angles. After dry clamping, tweak the bevels fractional degree adjustments easier.
Glue three clamp blocks along the on the jointer to fine-tune the fit. As When you are satisfied with the fit,
face of each stave to help keep the you’ll be cutting all sixteen bevels, any glue the staves together. Be sure to use
band clamps from slipping. I used adjustments you make will likely be waterproof glue such as Titebond 3 for
superglue to expedite the process, half a degree or less. Here, a digital all the glue joints throughout the build.

A dry run. Dry-fit to check the angles. Tighten Tweak the bevels. If the joints don’t close, finesse the fit by
band clamps around the staves to draw the joints running the pieces over the jointer. Have the machine set for a
closed. Thump them with a soft-faced mallet to light (<1⁄16
16") pass, as one of the two cuts you’ll be making on each

bring the corners into alignment, if necessary. piece (the one with the top end leading) will be against the grain.

April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 35

 Make the fixture to shape the cylinder
To make the base round and then to base as shown. Slide the axle through place laterally. Attach the rails to the
rout the decorative V-grooves, you’ll the fixture’s short end and the upper top of the fixture and rout the base
need to hold it so that it pivots around and lower mounting blocks. Then slide round. Add a spacer under the rails at
its central axis as you cut it. While you on one of the collars and screw it to the their low ends and swap bits to rout the
could turn it, the base is too big for lower mounting block and the axle to tapered V-grooves. Space them with
all but the largest lathes. So instead, lock the pieces together. Slide the tall help from the indexing wheel—I used
I devised the fixture shown here to end on the axle and screw it in place every other division. Remove the rails
make these cuts with a router. Build the to the sides and bottom. Then add the and sand the base smooth. Level the
fixture leaving the tall end off for now. indexing wheel and the remaining two router and true the top and bottom
Add mounting blocks to the ends of the collars to the axle to lock the base in of the base with a long straight bit.

Router Fixture
#8 × 13⁄4" FH screw #8 × 21⁄2" FH screw
RAIL
1 × 11⁄2 × 42"
#8 × 11⁄4" FH screw 11⁄2" dia. through hole
UPPER MOUNTING BLOCK
SPACER 3
⁄4 × 21⁄2 × CTF*
3
⁄4 × 1 × 9"
SHORT END
INDEXING WHEEL 3
⁄4 × 111⁄4 × 16"
3
⁄4 × 8" dia.
COLLAR
3
⁄4 × 21⁄2 × 21⁄2"

HANDLE
3
⁄4" dia. × 21⁄4"
AXLE BOTTOM #8 × 21⁄2" FH screw
1
⁄4 × 31⁄2" carriage bolt 11⁄2" dia. × 42" 3
⁄4 × 16 × 38"
w/washer and nut
SIDE
TALL END 3
⁄4 × 8 × 38"
3
⁄4 × 141⁄2 × 16" LOWER MOUNTING BLOCK
3
⁄4 × 4" × CTF
Screws to inside of base, see text. *Cut to fit

Bits for the base Indexing Wheel

You’ll need these
three bits to
round, groove, 11.25°
and trim the
base: a 11⁄4" tray
bit, a 1" Vee bit,
and a long 1⁄2"
straight bit. See
the Buyer’s Guide
on page 60 for
more information.

36
Mounting support. Bevel the ends of 3⁄4"-thick
mounting blocks to match the taper of the sides,
and drill 11⁄2" holes in their centers before pocket
screwing them inside the base. Mount them
1
⁄2" in from the rim of the top and bottom.

Rout the round. Mount your router to an auxiliary base

that spans both rails. Attach a fence to the auxiliary
base to guide the router along the rails. Rout the table
base round using a tray bit. Rotate the base slightly after
each pass and steady it with your hand as you cut.

Spacer

Leveling shims
Reference mark

Tapered groove. Switch to a V-bit to rout the grooves. True the cylinder. Shim the router’s auxiliary base level
Add a 5⁄8"-thick spacer under the rails at the short end of with your bench and clamp it to the rails with the bit
the fixture to taper the grooves’ width toward the top of positioned to trim the bottom of the table base. Rotate
the base. Use the indexing wheel to space the grooves the base to trim the bottom in six to eight shallow passes.
and a clamp to lock the base in position for each cut. Repeat the process to trim the top end of the base.

April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 37

Make and notch the cross braces
Size the cross braces and radius counterbores from the topside to assembly on the base to mark its
their ends. Cut the centered half-lap allow room for the screws to shift notches. Screw two 16" lengths
notches at the table saw. Drill the as the top expands and contracts. of plywood to the top of the base
mounting holes and countersinks Round over the bottom edges, to create a platform for your
near the ends of both pieces. sand the pieces and glue them router. Guide your router along
Also, drill 5/8" diameter, 11/2" deep together. Position the cross brace the plywood to cut the notches.

Shims

Saw half-laps. Set up a 3⁄4" wide dado on your table saw. Lay Measure and mark. Measure in along all four
out the notch on one of the cross braces. Set a stop on the miter arms to center the cross braces on the top of
gauge fence to cut the left side of the notch. Spin the brace end- the base. Pencil the base on each side of the
for-end to widen the notch using shims as needed. braces to mark where to cut the notches.

Rout the notch. Align one piece of plywood

along one edge of the first notch. Set up an
edge guide for the bit to follow right along
the plywood’s edge. Rout to the full depth
in several shallow passes. Adjust the edge
guide to remove the center of the notch
and repeat. Reset the guide to align the bit
with the opposing line and finish the notch.

Opposing line
Align plywood with
layout line
Feed

38
Make the top, finish, and assemble braces
Arrange the pieces for a harmonious sanding. I used a 1/4" roundover bit rest it on the top, centered. Drive
grain match, then edge-glue them on the top edge and a 45° chamfer screws through the holes in the
to form the panel. Make the circular bit on the underside. Finish the cross braces into the top and add
cut with a jigsaw, following up with parts with a suitable outdoor finish the leveling feet to the base. Place
a router at the end of a trammel (see (I used Osmo’s UV Protection Oil). the table base-side down on your
onlineEXTRAS on page 32, for a Then screw the cross braces to patio and serve up a nice café au
free plan). Profile the edges before the base. Invert the assembly and lait et croissant. C’est magnifique!

Router follow-up. Cut the top roughly to shape with a jigsaw, then trim it
to its final size with a router attached to a trammel in a few passes.

Profile the edges. Switch to a trim router to round Center the base. Draw a circle on the underside of the top slightly
over the top edge, then chamfer the underside larger than the diameter of the base’s top to help center the base. Then
measure to double-check before screwing everything together. ■

April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 39

Flatware CADDY
A small container
with big techniques
By Sarah Marriage

A
s the sun returns and spring blooms, my thoughts turn each stave. Luckily, that’s not as fussy as it sounds. There are
to heading outdoors and sharing meals with friends 20 staves but only five bevel angles that repeat around the
and family. But carrying all the accouterments of a ellipse. The trick is to bevel long strips of stave stock first,
backyard feast can require a lot of trips in and out of the then crosscut them to length, ensuring all your angles match.
house and result in a pile of cluttered cutlery. This flatware The compound curve on the top edge of the caddy is made
caddy provides a solution for organizing, transporting, and easy by bandsawing the shape onto the staves while they
displaying your dining supplies in a simple design inspired are laid flat and then fairing out the curve after gluing up.
by the curve and overlap of garden leaves. The container’s interior is organized with removable,
The basic construction draws inspiration from historic half-lapped dividers, making clean-up easier in the event
coopered vessels, but I elongated the traditionally circular of messy condiment spills. And the steam-bent handle,
footprint to create an ellipse. The caddy achieves this elliptic attached with brass barrel screws, swivels out of the way
shape by carefully adjusting the coopering angle between for easy utensil access.

40
An elegant, convenient solution for carrying cutlery
An elliptic bottom panel of 1/4"
HANDLE
Baltic ply floats inside dadoes 1
⁄8 × 7⁄8 × 201⁄2"
sawn into the caddy’s staves. The
removable compartment dividers
connect with half-lap notches.
They are trimmed to a slightly
Brass barrel screw
loose fit inside the container to 8-32 × 5⁄8"
allow easy removal and avoidance
⁄32" dia. hole
7
of interference with the coopered
walls during seasonal changes.
The staves and dividers are ⁄4" chamfer
1

made from paulownia, but any

lightweight wood will do. The
LONG DIVIDER*
handle attaches to the caddy via 1
⁄4 × 61⁄4 × 103⁄8"
barrel screws. Walnut is used to
provide contrast and an amenable ⁄4"
3

Notch
species for steam bending. ⁄4 × 21⁄8"
1

SHORT DIVIDER*
23⁄8" 1
⁄4 × 4 × 53⁄8"
onlineEXTRAS
• The patterns on page
46 are available on our Notch** STAVE***
1
⁄4" w 9
⁄16" t
website at full-size:
 bottom panel
 caddy wall profile curve
 short and long dividers
 steam bending form
• Read a free article on ripping
bevels at the table saw. 31⁄2"

Dado
1
⁄4" w × 1⁄4" d
Order of Work 1
⁄4"
• Make the staves
• Make and fit bottom panel
• Assemble and glue-up
• Make removable compartments
• Steam bend handle
• Attach handle

BOTTOM* * Nominal dimension

⁄4 × 6 5⁄8 × 11"
1
provided; cut to fit.
** See pattern
*** See Coopering Angle Diagram

Photo: Ken Burton; Illustrations: Dan Thornton April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 41

Making an ellipse
Mill several long strips of stave stock to 2" wide.
You’ll need two strips (A and F) at 15" long, and four
Coopering Angle Diagram
strips (B through E) at 36" long, plus extras for table
F
saw set up. Tilt your table saw blade to 17°, and bevel E E
both sides of strip F and one side of strip E. Then
set the blade to the next angle in the diagram, and D D
so on. After all six strips of stave stock are beveled,
crosscut the strips into individual overlong staves C C
and cut the dado for the bottom panel, as shown. Quantity
A–2
B B–4 B
C–4
D–4
A A
E–4
F–2
B B

C A-E: 9⁄16
16 × 1 ⁄2"
1 C
F: ⁄16
9
16 × 1 ⁄4"
3

D D
E E
F

A B C
86° 86° 86° 85° 85° 82.5°
Bevel the stave stock. Before you rip the second bevel on
each strip of stave stock as shown, use your set up stock to
dial in the fence to the correct final width. Mark one end of D E F
82.5° 78.5° 78.5° 73° 73° 73°
your pieces with their part letters (A-F) and bevel angles.

Regular kerf blade

Set up stock
Cut staves overlong. Return your table saw blade to 90° and Brain-teasing dadoes. Use two stop blocks clamped to your
crosscut the beveled stave stock to 7" lengths. Mark each crosscut sled to set the width of the bottom panel dado. Set the
piece with its part letter and bevel angles on one end only blade height to a 1⁄4" above the sled’s bed. Be sure to place staves
(critical for the next step). This will result in two staves bevel side down when cutting. Group the staves in two halves. Saw
each of A and F and four staves each of B through E. the dado toward the unmarked end of one half of A through F,
then toward the marked end of the other half, as shown.

42
Assembling the container
Arrange staves in order and apply a few strips of painter’s Print the Caddy Wall Profile Curve half pattern and make a
tape to keep them assembled. Lift up the assembly and template. Draw the curve on the still-taped staves, flipping
roll it into an ellipse. If there are gaps, carefully adjust one the template to complete the shape. Then bandsaw to the
joint to bring the assembly home. Print the Bottom Panel waste side of the line. While still on the backer board, drill
pattern and adhere it to the panel before bandsawing it to the holes for attaching the handle. Prefinish the bottom
shape. Trim it as needed to fit the ellipse assembly. Unroll panel and the inside of the ellipse. Assemble, and glue up.
the assembly and lay it flat on a 1/4" plywood backer board.

Tape it up. Using a straight-edge clamped

to your bench to register the bottom edges,
arrange staves in order, bevel side down.
Apply painter’s tape as shown, creating a
tape clamp, and dry-fit the ellipse (inset).

Cut the caddy wall curve. A backer board Glue up the container. Apply glue between each stave,
supports the flexible stave assembly, keeping but let the bottom panel float freely inside its dado.
it flat and manageable at the bandsaw. Painter’s tape works well to clamp the assembly, but you
could use lightweight band clamps for more force.

Photos: Greg Pease Photography April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 43

Dividing the interior
Mill stock for dividers and cut template blanks of the Once the divider assembly fits easily in the caddy, remove
same size from 1/4" ply. Use the Short and Long Divider it to clean up all top edges of the container. Remember
patterns to make plywood templates. Cut the half-lap this is coopered, so the top edge of the caddy wall is
joinery at the table saw first. Then bandsaw the profile all end grain: here a sharp spokeshave is your friend,
curves on the dividers as shown. Assemble them outside and uphill is actually downhill. Once you’ve finished
of the caddy, as they will be too big to drop down into the the outer top edge, use a spokeshave or file to clean up
piece at first. Mark out where trimming is needed and the curves of the dividers, making sure they fit well in
mark the joints for orientation on the divider’s undersides. relation to the caddy and each other. Sand and finish
Then disassemble, and trim them on a shooting board. top and outside of caddy. Sand and finish dividers.

Cut the joinery first.

At the crosscut sled,
raise the table saw
blade to the depth of
the half lap notch and
use two stop blocks to
set the width to match
the thickness of your
divider material, taking
multiple passes to
nibble away the notch.
Flip the piece and cut
the second notch.

Add curves. After tracing the curves from your plywood Clean up top edges. Quick-grip clamps are a handy
templates onto the dividers, bandsaw them to shape. way to secure this irregular object to your work surface
while you fair the curve along the top edge.

44
Fashioning a handle
Print the Steam Bending Form pattern. Cut it from thick blank. Clamp until fully dry, at least 24 hours. Transfer the
stock or stacked plywood. I used 8/4 pine. Fair out any cut marks from the bending pattern to the handle before
bumps on your form; they’ll show up in your handle. Cut removing it from the form. Cut the handle to the marked
the handle blanks overlong by 6" for clamping. Steam length. Drill holes in the handle and chamfer the corners
the blanks for 15 minutes. Then remove one and bend it with a block plane. Sand and finish the handle, install the
around the form. If it breaks, discard and bend the next barrel screws, drop in the dividers, and start caddying!

Extra blanks
Cut marks

Bend the handle. Holding Attach handle. A short flat-head screwdriver on the screw
the piece toward its ends, side of the barrel screw and light hand pressure on the
gently coax the steamed barrel side is all you need to tighten these fasteners. Apply
stock over the form. Secure a reversible thread locker to keep everything in place. ■
in place with one clamp.

Small-scale Steam Bending

Steam bending might seem risky. Building a form, making Making a steam
a compression strap, and spending hours steaming thick box. My system is
timber can end in heartbreak when you hear a loud crack easy to replicate.
as you finish clamping the piece around the form. But You need an Earlex
starting at a small scale is much more forgiving. And once steamer (See
you get a feel for small bends, it’s easy to scale up. Buyers Guide, p.
Once your setup is running (see photo at right), fill 60), water, a shop-
the Earlex with water, plug it in, and wait. Keep an eye made steam box,
on your thermometer as the steam starts to flow. When and a digital meat
the temperature passes 210°F, load your blanks into thermometer. Screw
the box. The temperature will drop when you open the together a narrow
door, so wait until it reaches 210° again before you plywood box with
start timing. The rule of thumb is one hour per inch of a front door that hinges at the top. Elevate the front. Drill a hole
thickness, but I err on the side of extra steam. I steamed in the center of the bottom to attach the fitting that comes with
the 1⁄8" thick caddy handle for 15 min. It’s possible to the steamer. Drill another hole at the rear end of the bottom for
oversteam, but the benefit of starting small is that you get drainage, one in the top to fit your thermometer, and several along
to experiment quickly to get a feel for different factors. the sides to run dowels across, creating interior shelving.

April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 45

Patterns
All patterns shown at 50%.
Caddy Wall Curve Pattern

Short Divider Half Pattern

2"

Edge of stave E 17⁄8"

Centerline
of stave A

Bottom Panel Quarter Pattern Steam Bending Half Pattern

Long Divider Pattern

Cut mark for handle

after bending

46
TOOL STORAGE
Wall
A modular system
built for an expanding
tool collection
By Derek Richmond

F
or efficient woodworking, having best, utilitarian in appearance. Instead Knurled knobs lock the brackets in place.
your hand tools organized and stored of taking either of these approaches, I As my collection grows, I can craft new
close to your bench is ideal. But how wanted my storage system to strike a bal- brackets and slide my current arsenal
best to do this, especially if you’re still ance: good-looking custom brackets for around to make room. The order gives
building to your collection? A dedicated the hand tools I use most often along me a sense of peace in the workshop, and
hand-tool cabinet looks great, but adding with the flexibility to rearrange them as makes me a more efficient woodworker.
a new tool may be difficult. Tool hangers needed. I devised individual tool brackets I suspect observant readers will be able
attached to French cleats provide versatil- outfitted with 13/4" T-bolts that slide into to watch as my tool collection evolves in
ity and flexibility, but those cleats are, at slots routed in a 4 × 4 sheet of plywood. issues to come.

Photos: John Hamel April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 47

 A slotted panel with simple brackets
The tool panel is 3/4" maple plywood wrapped in 1/2" you some ideas, but build brackets to suit your own tool
hardwood edging, with horizontal T-slots spaced every 4". collection. The larger units are designed to keep similar
Regularly-placed access holes in the slots make adding and tools grouped together. In this case, one holds planes,
reorganizing the custom tool brackets easy. The brackets while the other corrals layout tools. When attaching
are hardwood and attached with T-bolts and knurled the board to your shop wall (I used French cleats), add
knobs (see Buyers Guide on page 60 for details). A few a 11/2"-thick spacer at the bottom end to give the entire
small, single-tool brackets are illustrated here to give panel a slight lean, to help the tools stay in place.

TOP/BOTTOM EDGING ⁄8" dia. access hole

5
2"
1
⁄2 × 3⁄4 × 48" 11"
1
⁄4" T-slot
3
⁄8" deep 2"
TOOL PANEL
3
⁄4 × 48 × 48" 4"
Scraper Bracket
SIDE EDGING
1
⁄2 × 3⁄4 × 49"
Bandsaw kerf
3
⁄8" deep

70° angle

SCRAPER BRACKET
3
⁄4 × 11⁄4 × 6"

Order of Work
• Rout and edge panel
• Build custom tool brackets
• Build plane holder
• Build layout tools holder

48
 Make the panel
Handsaw Bracket Size the plywood panel, then lay out horizontal slots
every 4", stopping them 2" from the sides. Routing the
Magnet counterbore T-slots is a three-step process. First, use a plunge router
⁄4" dia. × 1⁄8" d.
1
with a 1/4" straight bit to rout slots halfway through the
HANDSAW BRACKET panel’s thickness. Second, repeat the process with the
CTF × 1⁄2" × CTF* T-slot cutting bit. Finally, plunge-cut the access holes
at 11" intervals as shown to create the openings for
adding and removing tool holders. Cut the hardwood
edging strips 1/16" wider than the panel’s thickness,
and attach them with glue and brads before routing
them flush with the panel’s surface. Mount the panel
on the wall with appropriate hardware. Then turn to
making tool brackets, customizing them to suit your
tools. The shelf bracket, shown lower left, for example,
BACK SUPPORT can be slotted for files, or drilled for screwdrivers.
⁄4 × 1⁄4" × CTF
3

DOWEL
r = half width ⁄8" dia. × 11⁄2"
3

of bracket.

Chisel Bracket Fence

All slots ⁄4" deep,
1
1
⁄4"
space to suit.
⁄2"
1 ⁄8" r
5
⁄4"
3
1"
Three-step T-slot. After routing the
slots with a 1⁄4" straight bit, plunge in at
2"
one end of each slot and rout the full
⁄4" dia.
1
length of the slot. Return to the start to
CHISEL BRACKET raise the bit. Then plunge at the other
11⁄4 × 3⁄4 × 8" end and at regular intervals along the
slot to cut the access holes as shown
here. Cutting up from within the slot
Shelf can ruin the veneer on the plywood.
SHELF
#6 × 2" trim-head screw 3
⁄4 × 41⁄2 × 8"

Nuts and Bolts.

The bolt head fits
into the routed slot
SHELF MOUNT through the access
3
⁄4 × 2 × 8"
holes. Tighten the
1"
6" 1" r knurled knobs
against the bracket
*Cut to Fit to hold it in place.

Illustrations: Greg Maxson April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 49

Build the handplane holder
Size the panel to fit your handplanes TOP EDGING
including a 1/2"-wide spacer between
1
⁄2 × 1" × CTF
each, but leave the panel about PLANE PANEL
1/2" oversized in width to allow for 3
⁄4 × 14 × 19"
trimming later. Lay out and rout
T-slots for adjustable shelves to hold
block planes. Attach the top edging
flush to the back of the panel using
glue and brads, then trim the panel BLOCK PLANE SHELF
to final width as shown. Screw the 1 × 23⁄4 × 71⁄2"
lower shelf to the panel from behind,
countersinking the screws. Attach
the side edging, then locate and pin SIDE EDGING
the spacers in place. Finally, drill
1
⁄2 × 1 × 191⁄2"
mounting holes for the T-bolts in the
panel and the block plane shelves.
SPACER
⁄2 × 1⁄4 × CTF
1

#8 × 2" wood screw

STOP
SHELF 11⁄4 × 1⁄4 × 14"
1 × 2 × 14"

Trim the plane panel. Trim the

panel and top edging to width
at the table saw, leaving a flush
edge to attach the side edging.

Pin in place. Use your handplanes to locate the spacers

on the panel, adding a few playing cards to allow
clearance. Fasten the spacers in place with pins.

50
Build the layout tools holder
After cutting the parts to size, attach TOP EDGING
the top edging to the panel. Screw
1
⁄2 × 3⁄4 × 113⁄4"
the bottom shelf in place and glue on
LAYOUT PANEL UPPER SHELF
the sides. The bottom shelf ’s front is ⁄4 × 31⁄2 × 101⁄4"
3
3
⁄4 × 101⁄4 × 18"
curved to provide room for tool holes
or slots to be added, while the large
sides provide plenty of real estate for
hangers such as dowels, cup hooks,
and the combination square bracket 41⁄4" r 45°
(shown below). Lay out and cut the
curves in the pencil-holder, that also
holds chalk, markers, small rulers,
COMBINATION
and similar items) and glue in place. SQUARE BRACKET
After sizing the upper shelf, cut slots 3
⁄4 × 11⁄4 × 3"
in one end to suit the blades of your
squares. Then drill holes to hold tools
such as marking gauges and knives,
calipers, and awls. Screw the shelf
into place from behind sans glue so
it can be removed and revised later.
BOTTOM SHELF
⁄4 × 41⁄4 × 101⁄4"
3

PENCIL HOLDER
SIDE 11⁄2 × 3 × 101⁄4"
3
⁄4 × 41⁄4 × 18"

Curves add style. Lay out the gentle curves on the

front and top edge of the pencil-holder block, then
drill a variety of holes to suit your storage needs.
Cut the top curve at the bandsaw, then double-face
tape the cutoff back in place to cut the front curve.

Combo-square bracket. Bevel one end of a

length of stock, then kerf the unbeveled edge.
The kerf holds the blade of a combination square
while the square’s angled shoulder sits on the
bevel. Cut away the waste at the band saw. ■

April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 51

52
WoodSense

BLACK LOCUST
Hard, durable, and controversial
By Ken Burton

I
n some ways, black locust might be But black locust has a sinister side. When centuries. Sadly, little of that is imported
considered a superhero (or maybe planted, it can quickly gain a foothold to the U.S. What you’re likely to find
a supervillain). The tree the lumber and crowd out other native species. It here comes from small (60-70' tall,
comes from is one of the fastest-growing also grows back quickly from stumps 15-20" diameter) hedgerow trees. As a
hardwoods, and the wood is one of the and roots after being cut down making fast-growing “weed” tree, black locust
hardest, stiffest, and most rot-resistant it hard to eradicate. Because of these is not listed on the CITES or IUCN
species native to North America. It’s aggressive tendencies, some areas and Red List and is considered a species of
rapidly gaining traction as a “greener,” even states consider it an invasive spe- least concern.
more sustainable alternative to both cies and outlaw its propagation.
pressure-treated lumber and many of History in woodworking
the rainforest species imported for deck- Where the wood comes from Black locust’s desirable characteristics
ing. When properly dried, the wood is To the best of our knowledge, black have been known for centuries. When
quite stable and relatively easy to work locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is native the first Europeans crossed the Atlantic,
given its hardness. Even as firewood, to the Appalachian region. But Native they found Native Americans utilizing it
black locust stands out as having one Americans saw the benefit to this spe- for hunting bows made from the strong
of the highest BTU values of any North cies and transplanted it throughout yet springy wood. These early colonists
American species. The tree is also quite what would become the coastal plains soon took advantage of the wood’s rot
hardy and adaptable to many climates. of Virginia long before Europeans resistance, using it for the foundations
Strong, resilient, easy to work—super. began colonizing. Since then, the tree of their houses in Jamestown. Later,
has spread across North America and during the War of 1812, one reason
around the world. In fact, some of the the Americans bested the English in
finest black locust lumber comes from the decisive battle of Plattsburg Bay
plantations in Hungary, where the spe- on Lake Champlain had to do with
cies has been selectively cultivated for black locust. The U.S. warships were
held together with black locust trunnels
Whistle while you turn. (“tree nails”) that withstood cannon
These small black locust fire much better than the British ships
whistles proved to be a fun with their oak trunnels. Afterward,
project for my beginning Britain began importing thousands of
spindle-turning students. black locust trunnels to refit its naval
Everyone smiles after vessels. Since then, the wood has been
their first tootle. Despite its hardness, the wood used for everything from fence posts
turns well even when cutting against the grain. to furniture.

TEXTURE TOXICITY ROT/INSECT RESISTANCE STABILITY HARDNESS DENSITY

MEDIUM LOW-MEDIUM HIGH MEDIUM VERY HARD 48 LBS./CU. FT.

54
Natural sapwood Steamed sapwood 100% unsteamed
heartwood

Sapwood with
insect damage

Misnomer. Despite its name, black locust is more tan with a greenish-yellow
cast. Its wide growth rings give the wood a bold, somewhat streaky character. Its
heartwood is quite durable, but the sapwood quickly succumbs to insects and rot.

Working and finishing A black locust adventure

Black locust is primarily sold as
solid lumber, though some veneer In early November, as I developed my outdoor café table (see p. 32), making it from
is available. The trees are small and black locust seemed like a good idea. My lumber dealer had plenty of 4/4 in stock
grow crookedly, yielding boards but no 8/4 for the base. “No problem,” he said, “I just got a couple black locust
typically shorter (8-12') and nar- logs and can cut what you need. I can dry it and have it for you by Christmas.”
rower (<10") than many other spe- When I picked up the order, I was a bit dismayed at how bowed many boards were.
cies. For best rot resistance, seek According to the sawyer, some of the boards dramatically peeled away from the
lumber without sapwood and early blade as the logs were sawn. After several weeks of acclimation time in my shop,
growth, as these parts of the tree I crosscut the pieces to rough length. By the next day, every board had developed
will decay. Pricing ranges from end checks. It was discouraging. My supplier said, “In hindsight, it probably would
$5-7 per board foot. Once dry, the have been better to let those logs air-dry for several months before attempting to cut
wood is reasonably stable. But as and dry them.” Lesson learned. But what about my table? A week passed before I
the trees are crooked, the boards summoned the courage to cut the stock to its final size. Milling went well; the hard
tend to warp when cut. (For more lumber didn’t even do appreciable damage to my steel jointer knives. Even better, the
about this, see sidebar at right.) So end checks proved to be surprisingly shallow, less than
you’ll want to sight down the edges an inch deep in most cases. As I write this several
of your boards to find the straighter days later, the checks haven’t reappeared
pieces. Black locust lumber is quite (knock on, well, wood). Even more impressive
hard and dense, but it mills and was how the wood behaved as I beveled the
saws well. Standard precautions tapered staves that make up the table’s base.
such as predrilling for fasteners are To adjust the bevel angle, I ran the staves over the
in order. The wood accepts both jointer. The cut on the first edge of each piece was
glue and finishes readily. It is also a with the grain, but when cutting the second side,
good choice for bending with either the grain was definitely against me. Amazingly,
steam or lamination. even on the uphill cuts, the wood didn’t tear out
at all. Nice. In the meantime, I had made the
whistles and the stool shown here. I think locust’s
hardness works in its favor when milling and
making shear cuts on the lathe. Sharp spindle
gouges and skews left a highly burnished
surface requiring little sanding. And the lack
of tearout was just shy of miraculous. ■
Black Locust Uses
• Fence posts Graceful integrity. Locust is an ideal wood for
• Decking three-legged stools. Its exceptional strength
• Furniture allows you to size the parts to look graceful
• Turnings without compromising structural integrity.
• Veneer

Photos: Ken Burton April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 55

Great Gear

Mullet dust separator

Cyclone dust separators for shop vacuums have been around for
a while. They excel at keeping the vac’s filter clean by dropping
debris out of the airstream ahead of the filter. The folks at
Mullet have taken this basic idea and improved it by making
the connection between their separator and the vac rigid.
This means the two units move as one when you tug on the
hose—a welcome convenience when cleaning up the shop.
I’ve been using the U.S.-made Mullet for several months now and
like it a lot. As advertised, it keeps my vac’s filter clean, and the suc-
tion strong. Their instruction manual was clear and actually fun to
read with some Texas humor thrown in for good measure. The initial
setup took about 10 minutes, the included adaptors mating perfectly
with my Craftsman vac. (Mullet includes adaptors for all the major
brands.) The clear plastic lid and the translucent hopper make it easy
to tell when it’s time to empty the canister, which is a fast, easy, tool-
free operation. The only troubles I’ve had have been a couple of clogs
after sucking up too many hand-plane shavings. I can live with that. M5 Dust Cyclone Collection
—Ken Burton mullettools.com, $229.99

56 Prices subject to change without notice. Photo: Ken Burton

April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 57
Great Gear

Better rust-buster
Until I inherited them, my dad’s hand tools sat unused for 20
years in the heat and humidity of his Florida workshop. They
were rusty, to put it mildly. Obliged to recondition them, I took
a friend’s recommendation and soaked the still good tools in
Evapo-Rust. Immediately, I noticed that rust began dissolving,
and within 20 minutes, knobs and screws could be loosened. I
soaked chisels and plane irons for an hour, wiped them down,
and they were ready to sharpen. Inspired, I set about de-rusting
the rest of my shop. I dipped old saws in a bath of Evapo-Rust;
I soaked a rag in the liquid to wrap around turning tools and
plane bodies, and used another to wipe machine tables. And
because it’s re-usable, I’m still on my first jug. Best of all it,
it attacks the rust but not the metal beneath. I accidentally
left a rusty old square soaking all weekend, but when I saw
it again on Monday morning, it was rust free and intact. To
top it off, Evapo-Rust is non-toxic, non-corrosive, contains
no acids or bases, and doesn’t produce harmful fumes. ■ Evapo-Rust
—Derek Richmond Evapo-rust.com, $8.99/qt.

58 Prices subject to change without notice. Photo: Derek Richmond

April/May 2022 | woodcraftmagazine.com 59
Buyer’s Guide
Tool Reviews (p. 14) Coopered Café Table (p. 32)
1. Laguna JX|8 8" Jointer with ShearTec II ......................................... #178948, $3,199.00 1. WoodRiver Low Silhouette Toggle Clamp.............................................. #143933, $23.99

2. Laguna PX|20 20" Planer with ShearTec II ............................ lagunatools.com, $5,499.00 2. Whiteside Bowl and Tray Bit, 11⁄4" D, 1⁄2" CL, 1⁄4" R, 1⁄2" SH.......................#24B86, $30.99
3. Whiteside 90-degree V-Groove Bit, 1" D, 1⁄2" P, 1⁄2" SH .........................#842400, $48.99
Mid-century Modern Plant Stand (p. 21) 4. CMT Straight Bit, 1⁄2" D, 2-1⁄2" CL, 1⁄2" SH ............................................. #403379, $41.20
1. SONGMICS 10-Inch Ceramic Plant Pot ............................................ amazon.com, $49.99 5. Whiteside Chamfer Bit, 7⁄16" CH, 5⁄8" CL, 1⁄4" SH ....................................... #24L08, $28.99
2. Whiteside Straight Bit, 1⁄4" D, 1" CL, 1⁄4" SH ...........................................#819072, $15.99 6. Whiteside Roundover Bit, 1" D, 1⁄2" CL, 1⁄4" R, 1⁄4" SH............................... #24B94, $24.99

3. Whiteside Roundover Bit, ⁄8"R, 1 ⁄4" D, ⁄8" CL, ⁄4" SH............................. #24B96, $27.99
3 1 5 1 7. Titebond III Waterproof Glue, 16 oz. ....................................................... #145562, $9.99
8. HIGHPOINT T-Nut Levelers, 4 pc. ...........................................................#160701, $9.49
Bevel-edge Bench Chisels (p. 26)
1. WoodRiver Socket Chisel, 4 pc. ..........................................................#161640, $179.99
Flatware Caddy (p. 40)
1. Earlex Steam Generator for Bending Wood ........................................... #851322, $79.99
2. WoodRiver Socket Chisel, 3⁄8"............................................................... #161643, $39.99
2. Brass Low-profile Binding Barrel and Screw,
3. Pfeil Swiss Made 4mm ( 5⁄32") Beveled Edge Chisel ................................#162515, $38.99
8-32 × 5⁄8", 10 pc. ................................................. mcmaster.com, #93813A336, $11.89
4. Irwin Blue Chip Chisel Set, 4 pc. ........................................................... #111165, $49.99
5. Bevel Edge Chisel with Octagon Handle, Tool Storage Wall (p. 47)
40mm (11⁄2").......................................................... twocherriesusa.com #4001440, $70.44 1. Whiteside Small T-Slot Bit, 5⁄8" D, 3⁄16" CL, 1⁄4" SH .................................. #128256, $20.99

6. Narex Classic Bevel Edge Chisel Set, 2. Whiteside Straight Bit, 1⁄4" D, 1" CL, 1⁄4" SH ...........................................#819072, $15.99

4 pc. ............................................................................ leevalley.com #10S0976, $62.50 3. WoodRiver T-Bolts, 1⁄4" × 20 TPI, 13⁄4", 10 pc. ........................................ #130435, $8.99
4. WoodRiver T-Bolts, 1⁄4" × 20 TPI, 31⁄2", 10 pc. ....................................... #130437, $11.99
7. Hirsch Bevel Edge Chisel Set, 4 pc. ...........highlandwoodworking.com #449710, $109.99
5. WoodRiver Knurled Thumb Nut Knobs, 1⁄4" × 20 TPI, 6 pc. ..................... #172005, $9.99
8. Norton Combination Waterstone, 1000/8000 Grit................................#830575, $99.99
6. WoodRiver Rare Earth Magnets, 1⁄4" × 1⁄10", 10 pc. .................................. #150949, $5.49
9. WoodRiver Honing Guide ........................................................................#03A21, $17.99
10. WoodRiver Stone Holder .........................................................................#09T12, $21.99 Great Gear (p. 56)
11. DMT Dia-Sharp Coarse Diamond Bench Stone 8" × 3" ........................ #147303, $62.99 1. Mullet M5 Dust Cyclone Collection............................................ mullettools.com, $229.99
12. Norton Aluminum Oxide 8 × 1 × 1" Wheel, 150 grit ............................. #163282, $42.99 2. Evapo-Rust Remover, 1 qt. .......................................................... evapo-rust.com, $8.99

Items above available at Woodcraft stores, at woodcraft.com, or by calling (800) 225-1153, unless otherwise noted. Prices subject to change without notice.

Ad Index
ADVERTISER WEB ADDRESS PAGE ADVERTISER WEB ADDRESS PAGE
Amana .................................................amanatool.com ...................................................7 Oneida .................................................oneida-air.com.............................................. 8, 57

The American Woodshop .......................wbgu.org/americanwoodshop ............................19 PS Wood ..............................................pswood.com .....................................................59

Bow Products .......................................bow-products.com ............................................63 Rikon ...................................................rikontools.com ....................................................1

Bosch...................................................boschtools.com ..................................................5
Robert Sorby.........................................robert-sorby.co.uk...............................................6
Carter...................................................carterproducts.com .............................................9
Rogue ..................................................rogue-industries ...............................................52
Connecticut Valley School of WW ...........schoolofwoodworking.com ................................59
Rustoleum ............................................rustoleum.com .................................................56
Freud ...................................................woodcraft.com/Freud ....................................... IFC
Satellite City .........................................caglue.com ......................................................10
Howard ................................................howardproducts.com ........................................59
System Three........................................systemthree.com ..............................................17
JessEm ................................................jessem.com ......................................................13
Thomas Flinn & Co................................flinn-garlick-saws.co.uk ....................................59
King Arthur’s Tools ................................katools.com......................................................52
Triton ...................................................tritontools.com..................................................19
Kutzall ..................................................kutzall.com .......................................................11
Whiteside Machine................................whitesiderouterbits.com ...................................IBC
Laguna.................................................lagunatools.com ............................................ OBC

Lignomat ..............................................lignomat.com ...................................................10 Woodcraft Franchise .............................woodcraftfranchise.com ....................................20

Mercury Adhesives ................................mercuryadhesives.com .....................................19 Woodcraft Magazine .............................woodcraftmagazine.com ................. 52, 57, 59, 62

Milescraft .............................................milescraft.com..................................................56 Woodcraft Supply ..................................woodcraft.com............................................ 53, 61

60
Expert Answers

Repairing scars
on finished work
Before After
I was using plastic pyramid risers to support a
large walnut tabletop that I was varnishing, when
I accidentally shifted the panel a few inches. After
turning it back over, I noticed a narrow, shallow scar near Perforate. Use a
each corner created by the pyramid tips pressing into the narrow-tipped craft
finished surface. I’m heartsick. Is there any way to fix knife to poke a
these, short of sanding down and refinishing the areas? series of tiny, closely
spaced slits into
the scar, orienting
Mack Berger them in the direction
Phoenix, Arizona of the grain.

I feel your pain. I’ve found that such pyramids

are fine for smaller work, but not heavy stuff.
However, take heart; you can probably fix the Steam. Slowly drag
damage fairly easily using a modified version of the old a wood-burning
“wet cloth-and-iron” trick used to repair dings on raw tool over a sopping
wood. The technique works great on solvent-based wet strip of cloth
finishes; I haven’t tried it on water-based products. laid over the scar.
The first order of business is to perforate the finish at the This will cause
scar as shown. Don’t overdo it: just barely break through the perforated
the finish layer, and don’t make too many slits at first. Try to area to swell up.
mimic the spacing of the adjacent wood pores if possible.
Next, lay a wet strip of cloth such as a cotton T-shirt hem
over the scar and let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes. Then steam
the area with a wood burning tool. Afterward, inspect the
scar to see if it has filled out. If not, repeat the water and heat
applications until the affected area has swollen slightly above Scrape. Flex a
the adjacent surface. If necessary, poke more slits. Then let brand new single-
the water completely evaporate from the uncovered scar. edged razor blade
Finally, scrape the raised area with a razor blade as you would a
to level it, then follow up by sanding the area with card scraper, and
400-grit paper. After applying varnish, the completed scrape the swollen
repair should be barely discernable, if at all. n scar to level it out.

Have a tough woodworking question?

Paul Anthony
former senior editor We’ll do our best to find the expert and provide the answer.
Woodcraft Magazine Email us at editor@woodcraftmagazine.com,
and put “EXPERT ANSWERS” in the subject line.

64