w

Build a router table

into your tablesaw, p. 50

TS
Turn any garage
A N N UA L I S S U E

into a great workshop

Classic chest
for hand tools
TOOL TEST
Big bandsaws
for less
Cutting-edge
first aid kit
How many routers
do you need?
Roy Underhill’s
favorite tools
Winter 2010/11 No. 216
U.S. $8.99/ Canada $9.99

4 steps to a warmer,
brighter shop, p. 28
A Taunton Publication
 H O U R
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N G S A L E S E V E N

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W TS WINTER 2010/2011 ■ ISSUE 216

features
28 Turn Your Garage Into a Real Workshop
COVER Make it comfortable and you’ll spend more time there
STORY
BY MICHAEL PEKOVICH

14
SUPPORT FOR
36
TOOL
Step Up to a Serious Bandsaw
A powerful, solid saw with big cutting capacity is more
TEST
LONG BOARDS affordable than ever
BY ROLAND JOHNSON

up front 42 The North Bennet Street Tool Chest

6 On the Web Learn what the students learn as you build a handsome
home for your hand-tool collection
8 Contributors BY STEVE BROWN

10 Letters
50 Space-Saving Router Table
12 Methods of Work It’s the old tablesaw extension trick, but done right this time
■ Overhead rack for project lumber BY JOHN WHITE
■ Easy way to support long boards
Knee paddle cuts power safely
56 Cutting-Edge First Aid
■

18 Tools & Materials ER doctor: Throw away your old kit and forget what
you’ve been told
■ Everything you want in a drill press
B Y PAT R I C K S U L L I VA N
■ Better mounting plate for router tables

22 Fundamentals 63 How Many Routers Does Your Shop Need?

A drill press will make you a better For most people, the answer is three
woodworker BY JEFF MILLER

68 Make a Bargain-Basement Plane Perform

Like Royalty
Even a pauper can own a prince of a plane
BY ROLAND JOHNSON

74 Treat Your Feet

Anti-fatigue mats are an affordable cure for concrete floors
BY STEVE SCOTT

22 DRILL-PRESS
FUNDAMENTALS
Pp Cover photo: Patrick McCombe
S
42 NORTH
BENNET
TOOL CHEST
36
SERIOUS
BANDSAWS

50 SPACE-SAVING
ROUTER TABLE
in the back
78 Shop Design
Think your shop is small?

82 Q & A
■ The right bit for template routing
■ Best plane for gnarly grain
■ How to clean an oilstone

88 Handwork
The Woodwright’s favorite tools

98 How They Did It

The back cover explained

Back Cover
A Case for Apprenticeship

56
CUTTING-EDGE
FIRST AID
on the web THIS MONTH ON FineWoodworking.com/extras
Visit our Web site to access free Web tie-ins, available October 28. While you’re there, don’t miss our
collection of free content, including tool reviews, an extensive project gallery, and must-read blogs.

Before
Editor Asa Christiana

Art Director Michael Pekovich

Managing Editor Mark Schofield

Senior Editor Thomas McKenna

Associate Editors Steve Scott

Anissa Kapsales
Matthew Kenney
Patrick McCombe

Senior Copy/ Elizabeth Healy

Production Editor

Associate Art Directors Kelly J. Dunton

John Tetreault

Administrative Assistant Betsy Engel

After
Shop Manager William Peck

Free eLetter Contributing Editors Christian Becksvoort

Get free plans and mo
re by VIDEO: Shop Makeover Tour Garrett Hack
signing up for our eLetter
/ Tour Michael Pekovich’s revamped garage shop (p. 28) Roland Johnson
at FineWoodworking.com
newsletter. and scope out other great workspaces in our gallery of Steve Latta
shops from around the world. Michael Fortune

Consulting Editor Jonathan Binzen

VIDEO: Frame Pictures Like a Pro
November 22: Whip out custom picture frames with tips Methods of Work Jim Richey
from our free video series—just in time for the holidays.
FineWoodworking.com
Shop Questions: Ask John White
Senior Web Producer Gina Eide
Our shop guru is on tap to answer your questions Web Producer Ed Pirnik
about tools, maintenance, and even his new router
table (p. 50).
Fine Woodworking: (ISSN: 0361-3453) is published
bimonthly, with a special seventh issue in the winter, by
The Taunton Press, Inc., Newtown, CT 06470-5506.

Become an online member Telephone 203-426-8171. Periodicals postage paid at

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Access more than 500 exclusive project and technique videos by subscribing to FineWoodworking
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6 FINE WOODWORKING
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Big News From Forrest

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www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com Tools & shops 2011 7

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© 2010 Forrest Manufacturing Code FW
contributors
Roy Underhill (Handwork: “The
Woodwright’s Favorite Tools”) is
the host of the PBS series The Advertising Senior Stephen Giannetti
Woodwright’s Shop, now in its 30th Vice President 203-304-3569
sgiannetti@taunton.com
season. He’s also the author of many
Advertising Director Peter Badeau
books on traditional woodworking, 203-304-3572
most recently The Woodwright’s pbadeau@taunton.com
Guide: Working Wood with Wedge Senior National Linda Abbett
and Edge (The University of North Account Manager 203-304-3538
labbett@taunton.com
Carolina Press, 2008). A former
Associate Account Kimberly Parrilla
master craftsman at Colonial Manager 203-304-3590
Williamsburg, Underhill recently kparrilla@taunton.com

opened The Woodwright’s School in Advertising Heather Sims

Sales Assistant
Pittsboro, N.C. (woodwrightschool
Director of Kristen Lacey
.com). For the past year he has been restoring an old mill where he plans to Advertising Marketing
continue his lifelong love of working wood using the old hand ways. Senior Marketing Karen Lutjen
Manager, Advertising
Marketing Associate Megan Kolakowski
Roland Johnson (“Step Up to a Serious Bandsaw”) is a passionate,
Member Audit
self-confessed gearhead who’s drawn to iron. But that magnetism Bureau of Circulation
isn’t just for power tools; he’s been known to cling to old hand tools
as well (“Make a Bargain-Basement Plane Perform Like Royalty”). A Senior Consumer Beth Reynolds, ProCirc
Marketing Director
professional woodworker for more than 30 years, Johnson’s been a
Senior Consumer Melissa Robinson
contributing editor to the magazine for six years, and specializes in Marketing Manager
tool tests and evaluations. Senior Manager Robert Harlow
Web Marketing

Working in small spaces comes naturally to Stelios L.A. Senior Online Michael Stoltz
Product Manager
Stavrinides (Shop Design: “Think your shop is small?”). The Web
graphic designer lives in Nicosia, on the Mediterranean island of
Cyprus—one of the world’s smallest nations. Stavrinides, who
describes himself as a self-taught, weekend woodworker, says he
hopes to one day build a 300-sq.-ft. “dream shop” that he envisions
as both workspace and teaching facility. Now that’s a big idea. Independent publishers since 1975
Founders, Paul & Jan Roman

Steve Brown (“North Bennet Street Tool Chest”) is a 1990 President Suzanne Roman
graduate of the Cabinet and Furniture-Making program at the EVP & CFO Timothy Rahr

venerable Boston school. He spent nine years as head of the SVP & Chief Paul Spring
Content Officer
department and is starting his 12th year as an instructor. He SVP, Creative Susan Edelman
is an adviser and will be an occasional guest on the new PBS SVP, Advertising Stephen Giannetti
woodworking show Rough Cut—Woodworking with Tommy Mac. SVP, Technology Jay Hartley
Brown lives in Manchester, Mass., with his wife and sons. SVP, Operations Thomas Luxeder
SVP, Taunton Interactive Jason Revzon
Patrick Sullivan (“Cutting-Edge First Aid”) started his career in VP, Digital Content Anatole Burkin
emergency medicine and migrated to internal medicine. Before VP, Editorial Development Maria Taylor
retiring last year, he served as chief of medicine and chief of staff at VP, Single Copy Sales Jay Annis

two hospitals. A lifelong woodworker, he is building an entertainment VP & Controller Wayne Reynolds
VP, Finance Kathy Worth
center and a fireplace surround for his new house in California, but
VP, Human Resources Carol Marotti
still has not found a permanent home for all his tools. And in case
VP, Fulfillment Patricia Williamson
you’re wondering, he does indeed patch up his own injuries at home.
VP, Digital Marketing Nick Rozdilsky

We are a reader-written magazine. To Publishers of magazines, books, videos, and online

For more information on our contributors, Fine Woodworking • Fine Homebuilding
learn how to propose an article, go to Threads • Fine Gardening • Fine Cooking
go to FineWoodworking.com/authors.
FineWoodworking.com/submissions. www.taunton.com

8 FINE WOODWORKING
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www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com Tools & shops 2011 9

letters Overall winner in “Heavy-Duty Plunge
Routers, FWW #214), I would graciously
accept it, but if the gift took the form
of the $1,100 it would take to buy the

Spotlight
Festool, I’d sooner buy the DeWalt DW625
and, perhaps, three fine handplanes. By
the way, the excellent Bosch edge guide,
which you recommend as a $40 option,
Issue No. 211 fits the DeWalt just fine. As for your Best
March/April 2010 Value recommendation of the Hitachi,
p. 38 how many woodworkers old enough to
drive really want a tool that looks like a
NO RIGHT OR WRONG WAY preview for the next Transformers movie?
TO USE CONTRASTING WOODS —H OWA R D SK I L L I N G TO N , Winston-Salem, N.C.

I am a longtime reader of the magazine and Web site. I have always valued FWW Correction
as a skill-builder and a technical resource. But I was disappointed with you for the In a chart in “Tool Test: Air Filters” (FWW
first time when I read Garrett Hack’s article on how to use contrasting woods. I have #213) we gave misleading information
about the total amount of dust in the air,
a fine-art background, and in art, there is no right way—only a critic’s opinion. When
and thus the overall performance of the
I read the article, I felt a wet blanket being spread over a large group of up-and- units. Our meter measured only the dust
coming woodworkers. Never once did I read “in my judgment” or “it is my opinion.” from 0.1 to 10 microns in size, nothing
—KE N N Y B O N D, Madison, Wis. larger. So after using the tablesaw, router,
and sander with no dust collection in
Editor replies: Please accept our apologies if Hack’s advice came across as place, it stands to reason that there was
more critical than constructive. You can blame us editors for that. We write all much more dust in the air than the 3 to
the headlines, for example, and we sometimes get carried away trying to grab 5 mg/m3 shown in the chart. In retrospect,
we should have tested for the total amount
people’s attention. I know that Hack’s intention was to be helpful and thought- of dust, in order to give a more complete
provoking rather than rigid and dogmatic. And I’ll bet we cut a few “in my assessment of these units.
opinions” and such out of the text in our usual effort to tighten things up. Bottom line: While these units reduced
In general, readers should take each article as one person’s opinion. We use the levels of airborne dust in our tests,
they did not bring it down to safe levels.
more than 100 different authors each year, and they don’t always agree. In fact, So labels and headlines in the article that
that variety of perspectives is one of FWW’s strengths. read “Clear the air and protect your lungs”
and “Air filters get the job done” were
misleading. Proper dust collection at the
source is the only way to reduce airborne
Please investigate manufacturers’ This doesn’t need to be done for every dust to a safe level, and we regret giving
technical support tool you test, but it would be a good idea any other impression. We have reworked
I enjoy your tool reviews, but one thing for the costlier items. the online version of the article to correct
you never cover is a company’s technical- —A N G E L A W E E KS, Burbank, Calif. these mistakes.
support service. They might make a great
tablesaw, but if you can’t get technical Editor replies: You are right. Technical Assistant/Associate
support from them several years down
the road, is it really the best saw? Why
support is very important, and some
companies do it better than others.
Editor wanted
not compare a company’s daily hours of I don’t know if we could follow the Fine Woodworking magazine seeks a
journalist with a passion for woodworking.
technical support versus their customer technical support for several years after
You’ll be based in our Connecticut
service, or find out if the support is easy a tool is introduced, but many of your headquarters, but you’ll travel monthly to
to access? For example, is it a toll-free other suggestions are very feasible. We’ll visit talented furniture makers around the
number? How about trying to contact consider all of them for future tool tests. country. Photography and video skills are
various well-known companies and see a plus. Go to http://careers.taunton.com
to apply. Attach a cover letter, resume, and
how successful you are at obtaining Festool is good and expensive
pictures of your woodworking projects and
technical support, or how easy it is to find If someone were to give me the Festool shop space.
out how to get a tool serviced in your area? OF2200 router and accessory kit (the Best

10 FINE WOODWORKING
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Visit: workshops March through November 2011
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Call us toll-free at 866-505-4674, or TRULY - leave NO scratches!
• Premium abrasive belts included: Coarse P120,
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The Taunton guarantee:
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If at any time you’re not completely satisfied
with Fine Woodworking, you can cancel your • Stainless steel for long life.
subscription and receive a full and immediate • Individual or 4 piece set.
refund of the entire subscription price. No • Clutch action polymer cap.
questions asked. “…excellent chip-clearing capability”
“Every hole was drilled cleanly in one shot…”
Fine Woodworking Tools and Shops Winter 2008-09
Copyright 2010 by The Taunton Press, Inc. No Patent #5,795,110, other patent pending.
reproduction without permission of The Taunton 1-800-321-9841 (Mention Code fwwts10) worksharptools.com
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Tools & shops 2011 11

methods of work E D I T E D A N D D R AW N B Y J I M R I C H E Y

Fixed member
stays attached Removable member
to ceiling. is screwed into
dovetailed housing.

Dovetailed housing
is glued and screwed
to ceiling cleat.

This part can

be removed
and stored.

Half-lap connects
vertical to
horizontal piece.
Racks are made from
¾-in. plywood.

Ceiling cleat is
screwed to joists.

Best Tip Overhead rack for project lumber

I needed additional lumber storage for a large pieces of plywood, and I used a half-lap
project, but the existing storage in my small where the horizontal piece meets the vertical
shop was full. To get around the problem, I piece, gluing and screwing them together.
designed and built a temporary rack for the The rack holds a lot of weight but can be
project wood. It allows easy access to the easily removed and stored when not in use.
lumber without being in the way, and it can —JIM WHETSTONE, New Cumberland, Pa.
be removed and put away until needed again.
In his 44 years The rack has two main parts: a fixed
woodworking, Jim member that consists of a dovetailed housing A Reward for the Best Tip
Whetstone has made and a mounting cleat, and a removable
member that holds the wood. The fixed Send your original tips to Methods
1,127 pieces using of Work, Fine Woodworking,
wood from all over the member is screwed to the ceiling joists PO Box 5506, Newtown, CT
world. His basement and the removable member fits into the 06470, or email fwmow@
workshop is small, but dovetailed housing and is screwed in place. taunton.com. We pay for
he manages to get the The 22-in.-wide, 12-in.-tall rack is every tip we publish; the
most out of the space laminated from 3⁄4-in. plywood. The fixed best tip also wins a
Forrest Woodworker II
(see FWW #91, member is a three-piece lamination. The combination blade.
pp. 58-59). removable member is laminated from two

12 FINE WOODWORKING
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methods of work continued

Use dogs and a bench jack

to support long boards
A row of dog holes drilled in the side
of a workbench provides a quick and
solid way of supporting long boards
for edge-planing. Simply install a
benchdog or two in the holes, clamp
the workpiece in the front vise, and
you’re ready to go. Dogs in apron
support
You can also use the dog holes to narrow, long
install a plug-in bench jack, which work clamped
is simply a vertical support piece in front vise.
with a series of dog holes on its
face. The bench jack provides a way
of supporting wider items, such as
doors for edge-planing or hinging. Row of benchdog
holes along front
—TIM NOTT, Planioles, France Bench jack can apron of bench
handle wide work.

Knee paddle cuts power safely

One day after having a board bind up the existing switch housing. This concept bumper (available at most hardware
in my tablesaw and almost kick back, should work with almost any push- stores) installed over the OFF switch
I looked into installing a paddle-style button switch as long as you can find a ensures that the paddle hits the switch.
shut-off switch, sometimes called a panic convenient place to attach the paddle. I installed similar switches on my
switch. A commercial version I found It’s very easy to operate. At the end of jointer, router table, and bandsaw.
would have required major alterations and a cut, a mere flick of my knee cuts off —ANDREW JOHNSON , Boise, Idaho
rewiring. So I built this oversize maple power with both hands still safely above
paddle and attached it to the saw above the table and on the workpiece. A rubber

Piano
hinge

Sheet-metal
screws attach
piano hinge
to fence rail.

Maple,
¼ in. thick

Paddle-style
shutoff ON button
switch at is easily
knee height accessible.

Rubber bumper
engages OFF switch
with a flick of the
knee.

14 FINE WOODWORKING
Request product information online: Go to finewoodworking.com/marketplace or call 800-719-6906

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methods of work continued

¼-in.-dia. rod Swing arms

1-in.-dia.
spacers

Dowels fit through Parallel-jaw

holes in bar clamps. Bracket clamps
mounts to wall.

Rack for storing parallel-jaw clamps

In my small basement shop, I had to find a way to store some Bessey clamps without
taking up too much space. Because Bessey-brand clamps (and some similar parallel-jaw
clamps) have a large hole through the end of the bar, it occurred to me that a swinging
arm would be an efficient means to hold them. I built a rack, and it works quite well.
The rack consists of several arms that are strung together like beads on a metal rod.
The arms are spaced apart on the rod with center-drilled 1-in.-dia. dowels, and the
1⁄ 2-in.-dia. dowels in each arm fit the holes in the clamp bars. The entire assembly is

supported by wooden brackets. To remove a clamp, grab the bar, lift the swing arm
away from the others, and slide the clamp off the dowel.
—DAVID UNDERWOOD, Wellesley, Ont., Canada

Quick Tip
It is common practice
to make a new zero-
Cabinet made Storage trays and
clearance tablesaw insert
from a factory insert with
of Baltic-birch
plywood
cabinet for router bits
a pattern-following bit in This quick project provides
a router. Most articles compact, convenient storage
recommend joining the for router bits. The cabinet
old insert to the new is made from Baltic-birch
blank with double-sided plywood. The trays are
tape. I find it a lot easier made of 1-in.-thick pine,
to attach the two pieces with the front edge shaped
Removable tray
with four screws through made of to form a pull. You can
the leveling holes. This 1-in.-thick pine
easily withdraw a tray for
approach is quicker individual bit selection or
and cheaper, and it also pick up the entire cabinet
marks the new insert for when working at another
its own leveling holes. location.
— KO N R A D P L AC H TA ,
—RICHARD BOWEN,
Tasmania, Australia
Seymour, Conn.

Pull shaped
on front

16 FINE WOODWORKING
1.5 HP Air Compressor
This standard-duty air compressor kit is
ideal for those small jobs around the house,
garage or worksite. The oil lubricated pump
helps keep the noise levels in check and
reduce vibration for cooler, trouble-free
performance. This compressor is lightweight,
portable and easy to carry. Comes standard
with an assortment of accessories, which
allow you to power nailers, inflate your
favorite toys or camping gear, or blow the 150991
dust off that old project.

• 1.5 HP, 11 Amp.,120V, 1 ph Oil Lubricated Pump • Air Pressure Regulator And Easy To Read Pressure Gauges
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• ASME Safety Valve And Needle Inflators
• Thermal Overload Protector And Reset
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For A Free Catalog Or To Find Your Local Woodcraft Store,

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tools & materials QUICK-RELEASE
TENSION LEVER
Speed changes
■ MACHINES are a breeze.

Everything you want

in a drill press

QUICK-RELEASE DEPTH STOP

No need to waste time spinning the
depth stop up and down the post.
Simply depress a quick-release
button and slide it into position.

LARGE TILTING TABLE

6-IN. QUILL STROKE
The table is big (14 in.
Allows drilling through
deep by 20 in. wide)
about 5½-in.-thick
and tilts forward as well
stock.
as side to side.

T
HE DRILL PRESS forward to 48°, hard maple in just 8
HASN’T CHANGED offering the added seconds. The quill
MUCH since the first convenience of be- stroke on this
electric-powered ing able to drill machine is a
one was built in the early at compound very generous
20th century. So I was hap- angles—a plus for chair- 6 in. Most drill presses have a
pily surprised to see several makers. stroke that’s less than 41⁄ 2 in.,
key innovations on Delta’s Although it doesn’t forcing you to position the
new 18-in. drill press, model offer variable speed, DELTA 18-900L table twice for deep holes.
18-900L. the machine makes it Street price: $830 A spring-loaded depth stop
In a nod to woodworkers, easy and fast to change Motor: ¾ hp is another clever touch. Set-
they improved the table’s between the 16 speed Chuck: 5 ⁄ 8 in. ting the stop is quick, easy,
capacity and holding power. options. In an improve- Chuck to post: 8 in. and accurate. The same type
The extralarge rectangular ment over the pulley Quill stroke: 6 in. of stop locks the quill in
table is better than the typi- systems typically found Speed range: place.
cal small, often round tables on drill presses, on the 170–3,000 rpm The machine also has a
favored mostly by metalwork- Delta you just slide a Runout: 0.001 in. very accurate laser system,
ers. T-slots in the table accept lever to the right to Speed change: Very easy which helps you align the
hold-downs (not included) release the belt ten- Depth set: Very easy bit with a layout mark on the
that make it easier to clamp sion. To change speed, workpiece.
workpieces. A fairly gener- slip a pair of belts For more information, go to
ous flat area underneath the onto the appropriate pul- deltaportercable.com.
perimeter better accepts the leys, then release the tension —Tom Begnal is a
jaws of woodworking clamps. lever, which automatically retired associate
The table has another re-tensions the belts. editor of Fine
strong feature. Like most Model 18-900L has plenty Woodworking
Woodworking.
drill-press tables, it tilts 90° to of power: I was able
the left and right for angled to drill a 2-in.-dia. by
drilling. But this one also tilts 3⁄4-in.-deep hole in

18 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: staff

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www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com Tools & shops 2011 19

tools & materials continued

■ ACCESSORIES

A better mounting
plate for router tables
IF YOU’RE BUILDING A ROUTER TABLE,
one of the most important pieces of hardware
is the table insert, which is designed to hold
the router and provide a smooth, level surface
to guide the workpiece into the bit safely. for any minor mistakes made
The problem with most of these plates is the while routing the rabbet for the
insert rings, which you have to change when plate. You can also level the
you use different-size bits. Some models use a insert rings easily, if needed.
plastic wrench to lock and unlock the ring with The plate is made to fit a num-
a twist. On others, you have to screw the ring ber of routers, but you’ll have to
into place. Not very convenient. drill the access hole for above-the-
Incra’s MagnaLock mounting plate makes table height adjustments. You also
things much easier. The MagnaLock harnesses could buy a blank plate and drill your
the power of rare-earth magnets to hold the own mounting holes. Both options sell
insert ring in place. You just pop in the ring for $77 each (woodcraft.com). For more
and remove it by levering up an edge with an information, visit incra.com.
Easy in, easy out. Rare-
Allen key. —Tom McKenna is senior editor. earth magnets lock the
The aluminum plate itself is thick (a full insert ring in place. To
3 ⁄ 8 in.), strong, and perfectly flat. It comes with remove it, just lever up the
nine leveling screws that allow you to correct ring with an Allen key.

■ HAND TOOLS

Nimble dovetail saw makes extrafine cuts

THE BIG NEWS HERE is not that Lie-Nielsen is selling a new dovetail saw, but that the saw’s blade is just
0.015 in. thick. That’s not much thinner than Lie-Nielsen’s standard dovetail saw (0.020 in. thick), but the
difference is noticeable.
Less effort is needed to use the thinner saw and it cuts quicker. I hand-cut dovetails with tiny, delicate
pins—there is usually less than 1⁄ 8 in. between the tails. After cutting one side of the pin socket with a
normal dovetail saw, I’m left with no end grain to cut into, which makes it tricky to start the cut.
However, with Lie-Nielsen’s thinner saw, I can easily fit two kerfs into the end grain between the
tails. That makes for more accurate and less finicky dovetailing. Note that because the saw’s blade is
so thin, it’s critical that you use solid sawing technique with it. If you use a gorilla touch, you could
kink the blade and ruin it. You can buy the Thin-Plate Dovetail Saw at
Lie-Nielsen.com ($125).
—Matt Kenney is an associate editor.

20 FINE WOODWORKING
■ BITS & BLADES

Smart Bit makes

screw-and-plug
joinery faster, easier

T
HE SMART BIT TOOL from Starborn Industries can help
you bang out counterbored holes in a jiffy. It comes
with three 1⁄ 8-in.-dia. bits, a stub bit, and the counter-
boring tool with hex shank.
The Smart Bit is designed to make screw-and-plug joinery
even faster. And it succeeds. The tool cuts an 8.5-mm-dia.
(about 5⁄16-in.) hole, which is perfect for most wood and dry- collar to fuss with to adjust the depth. Instead, it has an inte-
wall screws, and it leaves a very clean rim. grated stop collar that stops spinning when you’ve reached full
Although the Smart Bit is designed to work with the Pro Plug depth. The stop collar can’t be adjusted, but it’s just right for
System (a separate kit that includes fasteners and plugs; $41), 3⁄4-in. stock, even with shallow dadoes.

it’s much cheaper to make your own plugs. Cutting your own The Smart Bit Tool sells for $20 (Amazon.com). For more
plugs also makes it a breeze to get seamless grain matches, if information about the complete Pro Plug System, visit starborn
that’s what you’re after. industries.com/smart-bit.
What I love about this tool is the fact that there’s no stop —T.M.

the WoodRat
®
You Did It Yourself!
is not just there for the
dovetailing

Raised Panel Doors,

Dovetail Drawer Boxes, or
Complete Cabinet Kits
from

The MR4 Mortise rail clocks in the size and position

of any number of mortises, on up to four stiles in one (701)839-3384
email: info@scherrs.com Fax(701)852-6090

www.scherrs.com
quick and accurate set-up. It makes a perfect fit for
the round ended tenons.
go see the movie - www.woodrat.com
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www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 21

fundamentals
A drill press will make you
a better woodworker
A hAndheld drill cAn’t mAtch its power And AccurAcy

T
B y A s A C h r i s t i A n A
here’s no disputing
the usefulness of
a handheld drill.
It’s perfect in
situations when
you need to bring
the tool to the work. It can drill
pilot holes and drive screws at
the bench or inside cabinets.
But that flexibility comes at a
cost. A handheld drill is prone
to tearout and lacks the power
to drive larger bits. And even with
careful layout, drilling in exactly the
right place at the right angle can be
hit-or-miss.
To do your best work, you need a
drill press.
The drill press is all about control.
It lets you precisely determine the
placement and angle of the hole
as well as its depth. It also provides
power and leverage to drive the
bit easily, even in hard stock, and
it lets you raise and lower the bit
repeatedly without altering the
Start by expanding the work shape of the hole.
surface. A larger table will give The table supports the workpiece
you plenty of room for bigger nicely, and makes it easy to place a
workpieces. Store-bought
backer board below the hole, which
versions include a fence.
prevents ugly blowout on the bottom
side. You’ll end up with perfect
holes, plus counterbores and
countersinks that are precise and
chatter-free.
The drill press is a useful machine,
but not an especially expensive
one. It’s designed for metalworking,
so even the less-expensive models
have plenty of power and stability
for woodwork. And they are hard
to damage, so it is easy to find a
good used one. I bought a big,

22 FINE woodworkINg Photos, except where noted: Steve Scott

strong benchtop model out of the local
classifieds for $100.
You won’t want to throw out your Setting up
cordless drill, but once you have a drill
press in your shop, you’ll appreciate the 1. AdJust the tAble height
power, accuracy, and control of a real
drilling machine. You can raise or lower the
table to accommodate any
drilling task. Set the height
First things first so you’ll have enough room
The first thing to do with a new drill for the bit to clear the work,
press is to fit it with an auxiliary table. but not so much travel that
That’s because the typical drill-press table it makes drilling inconve-
is too small to support big workpieces. nient.
The stock table also has a big hole in the
center for bit clearance. That big opening
allows far too much tearout on the
bottom of the workpiece.
To eliminate that problem, and to give
yourself plenty of room to work, you can
install one of the snazzy auxiliary tables
2. set the drilling depth
available in woodworking catalogs.
These typically feature accessories like A stop on the drill-press
zero-clearance plates in the middle, and column (far left) lets you
handy fences that lock down quickly and make repeated cuts at
accurately. Or just make your own table. the same depth. Mark the
desired depth on the side
It can be as simple as a piece of MDF,
of the stock, plunge the bit
with the occasional fence clamped on for to that point, then adjust
repetitive work. Two other accessories and lock the depth stop.
you’ll love are a clip-on light (the top Plunge the bit once more to
of a drill press tends to cast a shadow be sure it stops at the right
on the work area), and a foot-activated spot.
switch.

Know the controls

The three adjustments you’ll make most
often are speed, table height, and plunge
depth. Each of these takes less than a
minute.
You can buy a variable-speed model 3. Add A Fence For Alignment
for on-the-fly speed changes—and
spend a lot more money—but I think
the old-fashioned pulley-style machines
offer plenty of speed settings for
woodworking tasks.
On pulley-driven drill presses, you’ll
find a speed guide somewhere near
the top of the machine, often inside
the pulley cover. The recommended
speed varies with the size of the bit. To
quote FWW contributing editor Roland
Johnson, “Basically, you should not run Once you’ve established the dis-
tance between the bit and the edge
any bit faster than 3,000 rpm, and you
of the workpiece, you can lock
should slow the speed considerably for down the fence and drill dozens of
bigger bits. For example, a 1-in.-dia. bit holes in a row.

TOOls & shOps 2011 23

fundamentals continued

Drilling tips chuck-key holders, using magnets,

pen caps, etc.
Now, with the bit in place and the
workpiece on the table, you’ll know
where to set the table’s height. For
deep holes, you want the tip of the bit
just above the workpiece so you can
take advantage of the drill press’s full
plunge depth.
Finally, if you are not drilling all the
way through the workpiece, you’ll need
to set the depth stop. This is easy, too:
Mark the desired depth on the side of
the stock, plunge the bit down to that
point, spin the depth stop down until it
is snug, and lock it there. Plunge the bit
once to be sure it stops at precisely the
right spot, and you are set.

How tearout happens. If the surface fibers Prevention is painless. Placing a backer Location, location
are unsupported where the bit exits the work, board underneath the workpiece supports Another great thing about a drill press
you’ll get tearout on the bottom of the piece. the surface fibers, resulting in a cleaner rim is that you can put a fence on it. This
(Board is inverted to show tearout.) at the exit. means that once you’ve dialed in the
distance between the bit and the edge
A tip for efficient
of the workpiece, you can lock down
drilling. Most bits tend
to clog with chips. To pre- the fence and drill dozens of holes in a
vent this, pull the bit par- row. Add a stop block to the fence, and
tially out of the work to you’ve locked in the hole location in both
clear the chips. But don’t directions.
bring the bit all the way I still recommend laying out the holes
out of the work or you carefully (or at least the first one in
risk tearing the rim.
a series) using a crisscross mark, and
sighting carefully along both axes as you
bring the tip of the bit down. When it
looks perfect, turn on the machine, and
touch the tip down lightly to double-
check the position. Fine-tune the fence
or the stop if necessary.
Even if I have only one hole to drill,
I still use the fence in most cases. If
nothing else, it keeps the stock from
spinning when the going gets tough. By
the way, the lower the fence the better;
tall fences sometimes get in the way of
should run at 300 rpm to 500 rpm in The chuck is self-centering, meaning the crank handles.
hardwood.” that all three jaws move in unison
After setting the speed, put the bit in when the key is turned. This means How to drill clean holes
the chuck and tighten it. Unlike modern it is not necessary to tighten each jaw Even with all this heavy-duty drilling
handheld drills with keyless chucks, individually. Always remove the chuck hardware at your fingertips, getting the
most drill presses still use a keyed chuck key right away! You don’t want any best results calls for some attention to
that must be tightened manually to hold surprises when you hit the “on” switch. the details.
the bit in place. Be sure the bit isn’t Also, find a way to keep track of the To avoid burning the stock, be
bottomed out in the chuck, or hung up chuck key. Mine hangs on a chain, sure to use a sharp, high-quality bit.
between two of the three jaws. but I’ve also seen lots of ideas for Also, don’t set the bit speed too

24 FINE WoodWorkINg
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fundamentals continued

Bits matter, too fast or lower the bit into the work
too slowly.
Clogged chips are the only other
thing that will cause burning. The
solution is simple: As you feel the bit
start to hesitate in the hole, withdraw it
momentarily to allow the flutes to clear
themselves. But here’s the trick: Don’t
bring the bit all the way out of the hole.
If you do, it will sometimes tear the rim.
Just bring it up high enough to let the
packed chips fly free.
Tearout is more of a problem on the
bottom of the workpiece, but again
prevention is painless: Make sure
there is a fresh wood surface under
Get a set of brad-point bits. Brad-points cen- And a set of twist bits. You’ll need them to drill the workpiece at the exit point. Some
ter easily on a mark, tend not to wander, and metal and plastic. They also stay centered well auxiliary tables have removable panels
will handle most of your drilling tasks in wood. when drilling a small hole below a larger one.

Cleaner countersinks. The drill press makes Fun with Forstners. With the drill press’s control over location and depth, it’s an ideal setup for
it easy to bore even countersinks of precise mortising with a Forstner bit, which can drill partial or overlapping holes (left) without wandering.
depth. The single-edge type with a diagonal The drill press also handles large Forstner bits, making it easy to drill holes as large as 21 ⁄8 in.
hole through the tip makes chatter-free cuts. diameter. The hole’s flat bottom makes it ideal for applications like this hardware mortise (right).

in the middle, and these can be flipped

around to find a fresh surface. Or you
can loosen the drill-press table and shift
it sideways.
A simpler approach is just to keep a
big piece of MDF or plywood on the
table, shifting it around to find a fresh
surface. When it becomes riddled with
holes, you can just replace it.
There are lots more things you can do
with your drill press, like tilting the table
or making ramp-like jigs to drill angled
holes, but I’ll leave it to you to discover
those. •
How to use a plug cutter. Use a thick board so the cutter doesn’t go through (left). Then use the
bandsaw (right) to free the plugs. A piece of tape keeps the plugs on the table. Asa Christiana is editor of Fine Woodworking.

26 FINE WOODWOrkINg Photo, center right: Asa Christiana

 W
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 Turn Your Garage
Into a Real Workshop
Make it comfortable and you’ll spend more time there
B Y M I C H A E L P E K O V I C H

28 FINE WOODWORKING
 I set up shop in the two-car garage of my Connecticut
house when I started at Fine Woodworking 13 years
ago. Coming from California, I wondered why so
many folks in this area chose to work in their cramped
basements rather than their spacious garages.
But when November came around, I understood. The
propane heater I had installed was no match for the un-
insulated roof and walls, cold concrete floor, and leaky
garage doors. After emptying a 60-gal. propane tank in
less than a month, my shop quickly became a three-
season workplace and its floor space was increasingly
devoted to bikes, camping gear, and chicken feed.
With access to the Fine Woodworking shop at work,
I asked myself if I even needed a home shop, but after
sharing the shop for years and watching rust develop
on my woodworking machines at home, I finally de-
cided I really needed my own heated workspace. This
meant insulating the floors, walls, and ceiling, hanging
and finishing drywall, and installing new doors. I also
bought a manufactured shed to house all of the non-
woodworking items that had been slowly encroaching
on my workspace.
I’m a woodworker, not a carpenter, so a lot of the
tasks on this project were new to me. Fortunately,
with the folks at Fine Homebuilding just down the
hall, I had access to decades of collective building
knowledge. Admittedly, some of the building solu-
tions I came up with might not be realistic on a typical
building site where speed and efficiency dictate how
to accomplish every task, but they made sense to me
as a woodworker on a very tight budget. I hope they
make sense to you, too.

Two garage doors—two different approaches

It was easy to see I was losing many of my heating
dollars through the gaps in the garage doors. Weather-
stripping and insulation kits are available for doors in
good repair, but my old rotting doors had to go. The
question was how to replace them. I thought about a
set of steel insulated doors, but I didn’t like the idea
of hoisting open a roll-up door in the middle of winter
and letting the cold air rush in.
Instead, I decided to replace one of the overhead
doors with a normal walk-out door. This would

4 steps to a warmer shop

1. Install new doors 2. Add a wood floor 3. Finish the ceiling 4. Insulate the walls

TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 29

THE BIG PI CTURE
With its drafty doors and concrete floor, Pekovich’s uninsulated shop was limited to warm-weather woodworking.
Even in the summer, the low ceiling, dark walls, and minimal lighting made the space feel cramped and dreary.
By adding insulation, improving the lighting, and replacing the garage doors with shopmade carriage doors, he
transformed the space into a comfortable, year-round workspace.

Nine 4-bulb fixtures

Three 8-ft. lights
Uninsulated ceiling
AFTER
with exposed framing

Drywall ceiling

BEFORE

Drafty doors
Block walls

7½-ft. ceiling
height Concrete floor

provide easy entry and create a few extra feet of much-needed

wall space. I did this by framing in a pair of narrow panels that
would flank an inexpensive, prehung steel entry door. Carriage doors
Each panel consists of a 2x4 frame faced with CDX plywood
(rated for exterior use). The frame is filled with rigid insulation
and covered with drywall on the interior face. To dress up the
exterior, I glued and nailed pine boards to the plywood for a
frame-and-panel look. Windows with square corbels below the Online Extra
For more details on this shop,
sill added an Arts and Crafts element that would complement my including a video tour, go to 3-ft. walkout door
home’s bungalow style. FineWoodworking.com/extras.
For the second bay, I needed a different approach. Even though
I never intend to park a car in the space, I still wanted to leave
a door wide enough to drive through in case we ever decide to way to accomplish any of those tasks. Instead, I chose a torsion-box
sell the house. I also like the idea of having a large opening for design consisting of a solid-wood frame with plywood on each face,
machinery and lumber, and letting in sunshine on nice days. similar to the way a hollow-core door is made. This would create a
Instead of a roll-up door, I opted for a pair of swing-out carriage very rigid structure with plenty of room for insulation.
doors. I thought the carriage doors would be easier to weather- I started with a 11⁄ 2-in.-thick poplar frame joined with stub ten-
seal and would offer more insulation. Eliminating the garage ons. Long tenons aren’t necessary; in fact, biscuits would work
door’s overhead tracks would also give me additional headroom fine, because all the strength comes from the plywood skins. I
and provide greater flexibility with the lighting layout. After get- used a dado blade to cut a 1⁄ 2-in.-wide by 1-in.-deep groove in
ting a quote of $4,000 for professionally made doors, I decided I the frame parts. I also used the dado blade to cut stub tenons on
could make my own. the ends of the parts to fit the groove. The frame was glued and
Carriage doors anyone can build—I wanted the doors to be screwed through the tenons.
lightweight, well insulated, and really rigid to resist sagging over I filled the cavity with rigid insulation and glued and nailed ply-
time. True frame-and-panel construction didn’t seem to be a good wood to each face. This created a very rigid torsion box that should

30 FINE WOODWORKING Drawings: John Hartman

 1/2-in. OSB attic floor
with folding ladder
for access

Open-cell spray
insulation on roof
and gable ends

9-ft.
ceiling
height Insulated
plywood floor

Insulation and
drywall on walls

I attached the hinges to the doors with lag screws. Then I set the
doors in place using shims to locate them properly. With consistent
gaps all around, I bolted the hinges to the door frame.

A wood floor is warm and easy on the feet

resist sagging for many years. The outer face is 1⁄ 2-in. plywood For the floor, I took a cue from an article on shop flooring by Scott
while the inside face is 1⁄4-in. plywood to help keep the weight Gibson (“Low-Cost Shop Floor,” FWW #160). I glued and nailed
down. I added windows and framed the outside face with 3⁄4-in.- pressure-treated 2x4s to the concrete floor, placing rigid insulation
thick lumber for a frame-and-panel look similar to the other bay. in between. The insulation I used was the same thickness as the
The final result is 48-in.-wide door that weighs less than a typical 2x4s, so I spaced the sleepers 24 in. on center. Normally a spac-
solid-oak entry door, and at $300, is far cheaper than a custom-built ing of 16 in. would be necessary to prevent the floor from sagging
door. The guys at Fine Homebuilding were impressed. under the weight of heavy machines, but since the rigid insulation
I mounted the doors with long strap hinges that are plenty has good compressive strength, 24 in. is fine. Before screwing
strong and look great. They were also very easy to install. First, the 3⁄4-in T&G (tongue-and-groove) plywood in place, I stapled

TooLS & ShopS 2011 31

 two options for drafty garage doors
Make lightweight carriage doors
Filled with rigid insulation and covered with a frame-and-panel treatment, Pekovich’s
shopmade carriage doors are an attractive and energy-efficient upgrade over
conventional overhead garage doors. Torsion-box construction makes them lightweight
yet very strong—and simple to build.
Groove, 1/2 in. wide
by 1 in. deep
11/2-in.-thick
poplar frame

11/2-in. rigid
insulation

3/4-in. pine
Window
frame

1/2-in. CDX
plywood

Angled sill

Glass stop Divider

1/4-in. plywood
1-in.-thick
stub tenons

Water-shedding Stop
3 strap hinges pressure-treated
lag-bolted to threshold Raised
door and post plywood floor
3x3 post 2x6 pressure-
lag-bolted treated
to framing bottom plate

Shims
Concrete

Poplar frame, plywood skin. A groove in the center of the 11/2-in. thick poplar stock receives stub Pine dresses up the plywood. Pekovich
tenons formed on the ends of the rails with a dado set (left). Although most of the strength comes applied flat pine pieces to create a frame-and-
from the plywood skins, stub tenons help keep everything square during the large glue-up (right). panel effect and an Arts and Crafts look.
Once the glue dries, the interior compartments are filled with 11/2-in.-thick rigid insulation.

32 FINE woodworkINg Photos, except where noted: rachel Barclay; this page (top) and p. 28: Patrick McCombe
 FRAME IN A WALKOUT DOOR
Compared to a garage door, a 3-ft. (prehung) steel entry door makes it easy to come and go and its
smaller opening reduces heat loss. Side panels flanking the walkout door were used to shrink the
garage’s original 8-ft. opening. They also provide additional light and boost curb appeal.

¾-in. pine 2x4s

Side panels
nailed to header
and concrete slab
Glass
stops

Angled
sill

Corbel

1½-in. rigid ½-in. drywall

insulation
½-in. CDX ½-in.
plywood drywall
½-in. CDX
plywood
1½-in. rigid
insulation

6-mil plastic over the insulation to act as a vapor barrier, just as felt more cramped and claustrophobic. My first thought was to
Gibson recommended. spray insulation on the underside of the roof and leave the ceiling
I moved as much as possible out of the shop by filling an 8-ft. joists open. The insulation contractor said I’d still need to cover the
by 12-ft. portable storage container (pods.com) that was dropped insulation with plywood or drywall if the joists were left open, so I
off in my driveway before construction started. Unfortunately, decided to look into raising the joists and enclosing the ceiling.
some machinery didn’t fit, so I had to install the floor in two parts, I spoke to the local building department about my situation
moving the equipment from one side to the other. Installation and an engineer in the department concluded I could raise the
would have been easier in an empty shop, but I was able to get ceiling joists 2 ft. without creating structural problems. I had al-
the entire floor done in a day. The new floor is warmer, easier to ways thought of building inspectors as something best avoided
sweep, and much kinder to my feet and joints. on small home-improvement jobs, but on this project, they were
a big help.
Enclose the ceiling for a brighter, warmer shop Again, I’m a woodworker, not a carpenter, so the idea of rais-
The ceiling posed a challenge. I like the looks and reflected light ing ceiling joists was a little scary. Fortunately, the actual process
provided by an enclosed ceiling, but the bottom of my ceiling wasn’t that bad. I was able to reuse the existing joists by cutting
joists were now only 71⁄ 2 ft. off my new plywood floor. The space them one at a time and nailing them in their new location (some

TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 33

PLYWOOD FLOOR ADDS WAR M TH AND COMFORT
A plywood floor installed over rigid insulation is easier on the knees and helps dampen
noise and vibration from shop machines. Three coats of polyurethane protect the plywood ¾-in. tongue-
from spills and wet shoes and make sweeping easier. and-groove
plywood

6-mil
polyethylene
sheeting
(moisture Blocking was installed at
barrier) the workbench location to
ensure a solid footing.

1½-in. rigid
insulation
2x4 pressure-treated
sleeper glued and nailed
to concrete 24 in. on
center

local codes don’t allow the reuse of materials, so check first). One
smart thing I did was to rent a cordless Paslode framing nailer
from my local home center.
The final ceiling is a lofty 9 ft. While the floor plan didn’t grow,
the shop now has a more spacious feel and by adding some
1⁄ 2-in OSB (oriented strand board) on top of the ceiling joists,

I have some much-needed storage above the ceiling. To access Simple process. Working from one wall toward the opposite wall is
that space, I installed a fold-down attic ladder and wired a light an easy way to ensure the 2-ft. by 8-ft. foam panels and 2x4 pressure-
in the attic. For insulation, I decided to spray the underside of treated sleepers fit tightly together. After applying a generous bead of
construction adhesive (left), Pekovich uses fasteners from a powder-
the roof with open-cell foam insulation. Since my rafters are only
actuated tool to keep the sleeper in position while the glue sets (right).
6 in. deep, I only was able to achieve an R20. But since foam Then the whole floor is covered with a layer of 6-mil polyethylene and
practically eliminates air movement, which experts say is the real ¾-in. tongue-and-groove underlayment-grade plywood (bottom).
nemesis in heat loss, it should perform very well.
When it came time to reinstall the lights, I decided on an up-
grade. I replaced my three old 8-ft. two-bulb fixtures with nine
4-ft. four-bulb fixtures, effectively tripling the amount of light in
the shop. With the addition of the white ceiling and walls, my
shop now glows like a beacon.

Basement approach to wall insulation

The walls of a typical frame-construction garage are easy to in-
sulate. But the walls of my shop are concrete block, so I used
an insulation method more suited to a basement shop, but with
a modern twist. Rather than frame out the concrete wall in the
typical fashion with studs on edge and the insulation in between,
I took a different approach.
On the advice of Rob Wotzak, an expert on green construction
at Fine Homebuilding, I started by covering the masonry wall

34 FINE WOODWORKING
HOW TO I NSULATE CONCR ETE WALLS
To get the maximum insulation value, the first layer of
insulation spans the wall without interruption and a second
layer is fit between studs. Finally a layer of ½-in. drywall
painted white was placed on top, creating
a bright and inviting workspace.

2x3s nailed to
cinder block wall

1x3 pine trim

Outlet box
extension

First layer of 1½-in.

rigid insulation

Insulation notched
for conduit ½-in. drywall
is the last
step before
trim.

2x4s
nailed flat Second layer of 1½-in.
to 2x3s, rigid insulation
24 in. on
center

with a continuous layer of rigid insulation, wedging it between a

top and bottom plate that I nailed to the block wall. Over that, I
attached the studs flat against the insulation, nailing them to the
plates. From there, I installed a second layer of insulation between
the studs and finished with drywall. Installing the studs on edge
would have created a thermal bridge from the block wall to the
drywall, reducing the insulating properties of the wall. The con-
tinuous layer of insulation between the block wall and studs acts
as a thermal break and should result in lower heating bills. The
finished wall is only 31⁄ 2 in. thick but boasts an R-value over 20.

A true transformation
What started as a long-overdue insulation job ended up as com-
pletely transformed workspace. In replacing the doors, I wasn’t
looking to beautify my home, but the result is a quaint backyard
shop that’s bright and inviting.
It’s not just the shop that has had a makeover. I’ve also picked
up a few new skills. I’ve done some serious framing and remodel-
ing. I’ve acquired new drywall skills and an appreciation for those
people who do it well. Basic wiring is no longer a mystery to me.
Wall insulation in two layers. With 2x4 nailers already installed top
But, as much as I’ve enjoyed the new challenges, I’m happy to and bottom, the first layer of insulation is put up horizontally and then
put my tool belt aside and get back to woodworking. • studs are turned sideways and placed on top. A second layer of insulation
is fit between the studs. Use spray foam to seal any gaps between the
Michael Pekovich is Fine Woodworking’s art director. framing and insulation.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 35

T O O L T EST

Step Up to a Serious

A powerful, solid saw with

big cutting capacity is more
affordable than ever
B Y R O L A N D J O H N S O N
Bandsaw
Benefits of a bigger saw
Even though you can boost a 14-in. bandsaw’s
resaw capacity to 12 in. with a riser block, a
bigger saw will still outperform it in a number
of key areas.

BIGGER WHEELS
The bigger wheels not only provide
greater throat capacity, but they also have
more inertia for smoother operation and
less bogging down. The larger diameters
also mean you can use bigger, thicker
blades.

BEEFIER GUIDES
Larger roller guides and Laguna’s
ceramic guides provide more
surface area and better control for
larger blades.

LARGER TABLE
Tables are larger, generally about twice as
big as the table found on a 14-in. machine.
This means better support for all kinds of
cutting tasks.

STRONGER FRAME
A sturdier frame is especially
valuable for ripping large stock
and resawing. All the machines
tested weigh close to 400 lb. or
more, which is twice as much as an
ordinary 14-in. machine.

MORE POWER
All the saws in the test have large
motors rated between 1 1¾ and 3 hp,
compared to the ¾ hp or 1 hp motors
found on most 14-in. saws.

I ’m sure you had great expectations when you added a riser

block to your 14-in. bandsaw, but a riser block doesn’t provide
additional power for big resaw cuts, or stiffen the saw’s frame,
or help with an undersize table. Fortunately, I discovered several
steel-frame bandsaws priced under $1,600 with 12 in. of resaw
one, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without
it. In fact, one of these extra-capacity machines will likely
be the last bandsaw you’ll ever need.
Resawing 12 in. requires plenty of power, so we chose eight
models with at least 13⁄4 hp. I put them through a series of tests
capacity while researching my new book on bandsaw techniques to judge their power, cutting ability, and build quality.
and maintenance (Taunton’s Complete Illustrated Guide to Band-
saws, on sale in November 2010). Sturdy guide post equals a straight cut
With these new, bigger machines, you can realize your dreams of The first thing I check when evaluating a bandsaw, particularly
making big book-matches and large veneers. And once you have one with big resaw capacity, is the rigidity of the upper guide

Photos, except where noted: Patrick McCombe; facing page: Michael Pekovich TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 37
 Big saws: The important things
guides

Some guards get in the way. A little pinch. Designed to run with slight
Blade guards on the Grizzly and pressure on the blade, Laguna’s ceramic
Shop Fox saws partially obscure side guides are easy to set and give excel-
the thrust bearing, making it more lent blade support.
difficult to set the right gap.

Tool-free is faster. Jet’s easily adjustable roller guides move

without tools and stay put when locked down.
post. If the guide post flexes, the blade will twist and bind, result-
ing in a wandering cut. Other than a dull blade, this is the number
one cause of bad bandsaw cuts.
To measure guide-post flex, I placed the guides 9 in. above the
Tables table to simulate an average resaw height. Then I applied 6 lb. of
force to the blade and measured the deflection. While zero de-
flection is the goal, I’ve found that a sharp blade and a moderate
feed rate can compensate for about 0.005 in. of flex.
Straight post is important, too—For good blade support, the
upper guides should always be kept close to the workpiece. But if
the upper guide post isn’t parallel to the blade, the guides will have
to be readjusted every time the guide post moves up or down. So,
after checking the guide posts for flex, I used a dial indicator to
measure the position of the guides at the top and bottom of their
adjustment, both front to back and side to side.

It should be easy to adjust blade guides and fences

With the exception of the Laguna’s ceramic guides, all the saws
in the group have heavy-duty roller guides. I like that Laguna’s
ceramic guides can be in direct contact with the blade, making
setup easy and quick. Roller guides need to be a couple thou-
sandths of an inch away from the blade to keep the rollers from
constantly spinning. On the downside, the upper Laguna thrust
guide requires a wrench for adjustment and you need two differ-
ent wrenches to adjust the lower guides.
The Jet’s guides are a favorite too, because they can be adjusted
without tools and they stay in position as you tighten their mounts.
Crank it up. About 20 percent larger than its closest competitor, the Grizzly’s guides adjust with a single wrench and stay put during
19-in. by 27-in. table on the larger Grizzly saw is easy to tilt thanks to a tightening. Unfortunately, both the Grizzly and Shop Fox saws
rack-and-pinion mechanism. partially obscure the upper thrust guide behind the blade guard.

38 FINE WOOdWORkING
 Fences
Back to basics.
Jet’s fence is
sturdy but low-
tech: Truing and
drift adjustments
require a wrench,
but the fence
stays put and
slides easily.

Get my drift? With star knobs holding a thick bar that turns on a pivot,
both Grizzly machines make it easy to angle the fence to correct for drift.

Steel City’s blade guard makes it tough to see the thrust and the ing field, we equipped all of the saws with SuperCut 3⁄4-in.-wide,
side guides. Last, I found the Rikon, Shop Fox, and Steel City 0.032-in.-thick, 3-tpi hook-tooth blades (supercutbandsaw.com).
guides tedious to set because they move as they’re tightened. All the saws handled this task with ease. Even the 13⁄4-hp Jet did
With an easy adjustment for drift and a two-position auxiliary a good job, despite my overly aggressive feed rate.
fence mounted to a cast-iron primary fence, Grizzly’s two models To test the saws’ ability to cut curves and the performance of
easily have the best fence setup. I also liked Laguna’s two-position their side blade guides, we switched to SuperCut 1⁄4-in., 6-tpi hook-
fence. Rikon has a two-position fence too, but even in the tall tooth blades and made a series of long, sweeping cuts and tight
position it’s too short (21⁄ 2 in.) for resawing. S-curves. All of the saws and guides handled the task with ease,
but the blade guards on the Jet saws, the Rikon, and the Steel
All offer plenty of power and control City slightly obscure the cut line with the guides set close to the
To gauge the power of these machines, we resawed 8-in.-wide by workpiece. Steel City and Rikon tried to improve cut-line visibility
2-ft.-long maple blanks into 1⁄8-in.-thick veneers. To level the play- through their guard with little plastic windows, but distortion and

cutting
Great resaw cuts
all around. All the
saws had no prob-
lem splitting 8-in.
Where’s the line?
blocks of 8/4 soft
Compared to the
maple into per-
wide-open view
fect 1 ⁄8-in. slices
on the Laguna
of veneer. Before
saw (top), visibility
cutting, Johnson
of the cut line is
aligned the blade
hampered on the
and guides prop-
Steel City saw (bot-
erly, and trued the
tom), despite the
fences by setting
acrylic window that
them parallel to
is meant to help.
the blade.
The Jet and Rikon
saws had similar
problems.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com TooLS & ShopS 2011 39

 Head-to-head
ONE LAST TOUGH TEST

GRIZZLY GO514X2B

The big Grizzly has a

powerful motor, a huge
table, and an electronic
motor brake. The guides are
also very good and its two-
position fence is the best of
the bunch. It would be nice
if the tires were white or
yellow to aid blade tracking
without opening the door,
but that’s nitpicking.

Street price: $1,495

Motor: 3 hp, 240v
Push on the post. Johnson used a push-pull gauge to apply 6 lb. Fence: Two-position,
of force to the upper guide post and measured the deflection with 6 in. / ½ in. tall
a dial indicator. All the saws passed the test, which is probably Wheel size: 19 in.
why they handle big resaw cuts so well. Table size: 19 in. by 27 in.
Guide-post flex: 0.004 in.
Source: grizzly.com
dust make them tough to see through. Laguna, Grizzly, and Shop
Fox provide a wide open view of the cut line.

Brakes and tension scales are nice perks

Bandsaw brakes are a good idea, because big bandsaws can take
the better part of a minute to come to a stop. Both Grizzly saws
have electronic motor brakes that stop the blade within 2 seconds.
The Laguna and Steel City saws have mechanical brakes actuated
by a foot pedal. Laguna’s foot brake also has a switch that kills the GRIZZLY GO513X2B
motor. The Jet, Rikon, and Shop Fox saws don’t have brakes. The 17-in. Grizzly is a very
The Jet, Rikon, and Steel City saws have blade-tension gauges good value. It has a smaller
that show the right setting for specific blade sizes, and they proved motor, table, and wheel size
accurate. The Grizzly saws, the Laguna, and the Shop Fox have a than its bigger brother, but
graph that doesn’t directly relate to blade size, but it does provide the saw works well and has
a way to record the settings after you’ve worked them out. the same great fence as the
larger Grizzly.
The saws I like best
While all of the saws are capable machines, I pick the Grizzly
Street price: $1,100
G0514X2B as best overall. It has good power, a huge table with
Motor: 2 hp, 240v
sturdy trunnions, a great fence, and an electronic brake. I also
Fence: Two-position,
really like the Jet saws with their smooth power, easily adjustable 6 in. / ½ in. tall
blade guides, and rigid frames. If you don’t have 240-volt power, Wheel size: 17 in.
the 13⁄4-hp Jet is an excellent choice. The Laguna is also a capable Table size: 17½ in. by 24 in.
saw with great guides, but given its 14-in. wheels, it doesn’t have Guide-post flex: 0.004 in.
the throat capacity of the other larger saws. Source: grizzly.com
The best value was an easier choice. The Grizzly G0513X2B has
the same features as its big brother, except a smaller table and
throat width and a motor that’s 2 hp instead of 3 hp. I think the
motor size is a non-issue. For $1,100, it’s a whole lot of saw. •

Roland Johnson is a contributing editor.

40 FINE WOODWORKING
JET JWBS 18QT JET JWBS 18QT3 LAGUNA LT14 SUV

Jet’s saws Jet’s 18QT3 is This is the only

have excellent nearly identical 14-in. machine in
tool-free roller to the 18QT, the test, and its
guides and but it has a small footprint
sturdy frames. 3-hp motor and would be an
But there’s no an illuminated advantage in
brake, which power switch. smaller shops. The
will slow you All the other saw cuts well, and
down between features and has the only motor-
cuts and setups. specs are the connected foot
This is the only same. This is brake in the group.
120-volt machine one of the two The guides are
in the test and it most expensive Johnson’s favorite.
performed just machines in the It also includes a
fine, even when test. mobility kit.
resawing.
Street price: $1,495
Street price: $1,500 Street price: $1,600 Motor: 3 hp, 240v
Motor:1¾ hp, 120v Motor: 3hp, 240v Wheel size: 14 in.
Wheel size: 18 in. Wheel size: 18 in. Fence: Two-position,
Fence: Single-position, 3½ in. tall Fence: Single-position, 3½ in. tall 31 ⁄ 8 in. / ½ in. tall
Table size: 19 in. by 19 in. Table size: 19 in. by 19 in. Table size: 16 in. by 20 in.
Guide-post flex: 0.003 in. Guide-post flex: 0.005 in. Guide-post flex: 0.002 in.
Source: jettools.com Source: jettools.com Source: lagunatools.com

RIKON 10-345 SHOP FOX W1707 STEEL CITY 50250

This machine This saw The Steel City

has yellow tires shares a strong is a capable
for easier blade resemblance and basic machine.
tracking, and many features Unfortunately, it
good-looking and parts with has a short rip
metal handwheels the smaller fence and the
for guide-post Grizzly. But it table tilts when
and tension doesn’t have a it’s banged with
adjustments. brake or Grizzly’s a large board. It
Drawbacks excellent rip is one of the two
include a short fence, and the most expensive
fence and blade table wouldn’t machines in the
guides that are hold its position test.
a little finicky to when bumped
adjust. with a big board.
Street price: $1,400
Street price: $1,065 Street price: $1,600
Motor: 2½ hp, 240v
Motor: 2 hp, 240v Motor: 2 hp, 240v
Fence: Two-position,
2½ in. / ½ in. tall Fence: Single-position, 4 in. tall Fence: Single-position, 2½ in. tall
Wheel size: 18 in. Wheel size: 17 in. Wheel size: 18 in.
Table size: 19 in. by 21 in. Table size: 17½ in. by 24 in. Table size: 20 in. by 20 in.
Guide-post flex: 0.007 in. Guide-post flex: 0.003 in. Guide-post flex: 0.008 in.
Source: rikontools.com Source: woodstockint.com Source: steelcitytoolworks.com

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 41

The North Bennet Street
Tool Chest
Learn what the students learn as you build
a handsome home for your hand-tool collection
B Y S T E V E B R O W N

O
riginally conceived simply as on the craftsmanship and not the overall through-dovetailed carcase with dovetailed
a place to put your tools, the design and dimensions. Primary woods drawers running on mortise-and-tenoned
tool chest project has become can be maple, cherry, walnut, or mahoga- divider frames. (For a complete article on
a familiar step in the two-year ny. Choices for secondary woods are soft our method for dovetailing and also mak-
Cabinet and Furniture Making curriculum maple, poplar, and pine (for drawer parts ing drawers, see former instructor Janet
at the North Bennet Street School. Though only). We allow students to use highly Collins’s article in FWW #157). The lid pro-
simple in design and appearance, it chal- figured woods only for the panels. This vides a means of locking the box as well
lenges our students in genuine and surpris- tool chest (16 in. deep by 24 in. wide by as an introduction to setting a full-mortise
ing ways. They learn the value of planning 14 in. tall) is at the small end of our size lock. Above the top divider is a space to
the order of tasks; fitting the actual pieces, range, but students can build them up to put the lid when the box is unlocked.
not just working from the drawing; and 18 in. deep by 30 in. wide by 17 in. tall. Although every aspect of building this
choosing between various methods and Drawer size and configuration is another tool chest—from the dovetails to the ship-
techniques. place where individual designs vary, and lapped back—creates a valuable learning
This tool chest is the students’ first ma- so is the frame-and-panel lid. experience, I can’t go into all of it in one
jor project, so we’ve narrowed the para- The typical chest starts with a draw- article. Here, I’m going to focus on ma-
meters to make sure that the focus stays ing, scaled or full-size, and consists of a chining the dadoes and rabbets, fitting and

LId stows away

A secure lid. A lock mortised into the top Dedicated storage space. When not locked in place, the lid tucks neatly away in the space
edge and two pins on the bottom hold the lid between the top drawer and the top of the chest.
in place.

42 FINE WOODWOrkINg Photos, this page and facing page: Michael Pekovich
ToolS & ShopS 2011 43
DOVETAILED TO OL CHES T
Through-dovetails are an attractive, traditional joinery option for this tool chest, but the lesson
doesn’t end there. Mortise-and-tenoned dividers, a dovetailed partition, and a frame-and-panel Top and bottom, ¾ in. thick by
lid round out the list of furniture fundamentals you’ll learn as you make the chest. 16 in. wide by 24 in. long

Dadoes, 3⁄16 in. deep

by 1⁄2 in. wide Rear rails, 1⁄2 in. thick
by 13⁄4 in. wide by
Rabbet, 3⁄8 in. 227⁄8 in. long
Glue brackets to front by 3⁄8 in.
of top frame rail.

Notch, 3⁄16 in. deep

by 1⁄4 in. long

Partition, ½ in.
thick by 2 in. wide

Front rails, ½ in. thick

Stiles, ½ in. thick
by 21 ⁄2 in. wide by
by 1¾ in. wide by
227⁄8 in. long
107⁄16 in. long
Door stop,
1 ⁄2 in. thick by

21 ⁄2 in. wide by Drill hole for socket Tenons, 3⁄16 in. thick
221 ⁄2 in. long in case bottom. by 13⁄4 in. wide by
Drawer runner 7⁄16 in. long

blocks, 1 ⁄2 in. thick

HALF-BLIND DOVETAILED DRAWERS by 13⁄4 in. wide
Drawer bottom, 3 ⁄ 8 in.
Wait until the case is completed before thick, beveled to fit
building and fitting the drawers. 1⁄8-in. groove

Drawer sides
and backs, ¾ in.
3⁄8 in. thick
⁄
13 16 in. ⁄
1 16 in.

½ in.
⁄ in.
14

Brass knob, Drawer fronts,

5 ⁄ 8 in. diameter
⁄ in. thick
34
DOOR-STOP DETAIL

44 FINE WOODWORKING Drawings: Bob La Pointe

 2 in. installing the horizontal dividers, cutting stopped dado. Because the front is already
and fitting the vertical dovetailed partition, flush, the front edges of the divider and the
¾ in. and installing the lid and its hardware. Not drawer fronts will lie in the same plane, in
designed to be portable, the chest looks front of the stopped dadoes. The dado will
great on a countertop, or fits neatly under run out the back edge, so it will show in
BRACKET DETAIL a typical workbench. the rabbet until it is covered by the ship-
lapped back.
Shiplapped back boards, Plenty of learning opportunities Once the dadoes are laid out, I cut them
3⁄8 in. thick by 23 1⁄4 in. long There is nothing stronger than a dovetailed on the tablesaw with a 1⁄ 2-in.-wide dado
carcase, and dovetails are one of the fun- set because it’s faster and easier than cut-
Secure back boards damentals of woodworking. So the choice ting them with a router. One of the most
with round-head screws. for the carcase joinery is a natural. With the important safety rules in the NBSS shop is
panels cut to length and width, the dove- that we never do stop-cuts on the tablesaw
tails can be laid out, cut, and fitted all by without a clamped block backing up the
hand. At NBSS, we start with pins and then workpiece. The process requires careful
scribe and fit the dovetails. Once all four layout, labels to help with orientation, and
corners are dry-fit, we check the case for mental focus. Because you are working
square before laying out the dadoes and on the two opposite sides and it’s safest
rabbets. A very important component of the to keep the end of the panel closest to
layout is that the front and back edges of the dado against the rip fence, each pair
the case must be flush to serve as consistent of dadoes involves one plunge and one
reference surfaces. (For more on through- stopped cut. So for every dado you are
dovetails, see Christian Becksvoort’s “My either plunging in at the front and running
Favorite Dovetail Tricks,” FWW #171.) out the back, or starting through the back
How to cut stopped dadoes safely on and stopping at the front. Mark the fence
the tablesaw—The dadoes hold the di- to show the extent of where the blade will
vider frames securely. But they also provide cut to know where to stop and start.
the opportunity to learn layout principles We finish the dadoes with a router plane
and techniques, as well as safe and effective for consistent depth, and square up the
ways to make plunge and stopped cuts. ends to the layout lines with a chisel.
The key is to reference from the inside Rabbets are the next step—After the
surfaces of the case while it is dry-fitted, dadoes, cut the rabbets for the case back.
with joints closed and the case square. From The rabbets in the top and bottom run
the inside face of the case bottom, use a all the way through. I lay out my pins so
marked story stick to transfer the dado loca- they are at least as wide as the rabbet, and
tions to the inside faces of the case ends. that allows me to run the rabbet through
Use a marking gauge off the front edges them. The sides get stopped rabbets on
of the case to lay out the front end of the each side. I cut them on the tablesaw as

Leave ¼ in. clearance

between divider frame
and back.
4 in. ⁄
13 16 in.

211⁄16 in.

14 in. 3¼ in.

3¾ in.

Sides, ¾ in. thick

by 16 in. wide by
14 in. tall 24 in. 16 in.

FRONT VIEW SIDE VIEW

TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 45

A lesson in drawer dividers TIP EASY LAYOUT
Dry-fit and use a
story stick for layout.
North Bennet method The story stick has one
clean end and knife
STOPPED DA DOE S nicks along the edge
ON TH E TA BLES AW to indicate the dadoes.
Reference from the
Most woodworkers do these with a plunge inside faces of the sides
and the bottom. Then
router, but a dado set is faster. To keep the carry the marks to the
same reference end against the rip fence, back of each side.
make these stopped cuts in both directions.

LEFT-SIDE DADOES: RIGHT-SIDE DADOES:

CUT THEN LIFT DROP THEN CUT

Go then stop. Start cutting into the side. When the end mark on the Stop then go. The opposite dado cuts begin with a plunge cut. With
workpiece meets a mark on the fence, use the miter slot to reach an L-shaped stop block backing up the workpiece, pivot down into the
under the workpiece and lift it off the blade, keeping the pressure moving blade and then cut through the back of the side.
against the fence.

I would the dadoes. The only difference ers to ride, and the top one creates a spot After gluing up the frames, clean up the
is that each piece has a plunge cut and a for the lid when it’s tucked away. Simple glue, flush the joints, and skim any mill
stopped cut instead of one or the other. mortise-and-tenon joints keep them to- marks with a handplane. Check the length
gether. We use a router table with a 3⁄16-in. of the frame to the space from dado to
Drawers run on bit for the mortises and cut the tenons on dado. Trim the frame if needed. Test-fit
mortise-and-tenoned frames the tablesaw. When milling the parts, leave the thickness of each frame to its dado. If
The drawer dividers live in the dadoes in them slightly thick so their fit in the dadoes the frame has been skimmed, plane only
the sides and provide a place for the draw- can be fine-tuned with a handplane. the bottom of the frame to fit. Once each

46 FINE WOODWORKING Photos, except where noted: Anissa Kapsales

 F it t h e d iv id e r F r am es
Simple mortise-and-tenon frames are carefully fit into the dadoes and notched
at the front, but not glued in until later.

Hand tools complete the dadoes. Square the

end of the dado with a chisel, and clean out the
bottom with a router plane.

frame fits in its dado, skim the front edge

of each frame with a handplane, and then
lay out the notch and trim with a handsaw.
Check the front edges for alignment rela- Test-fit the dividers.
tive to the case front. If both the stopped If the fit needs adjust-
dadoes and the frame notches were laid ment, plane the bottom
out and executed carefully, the frames’ face of the frame to
fit. That way, if there is
front edges should lie in a plane. If not,
tearout or any other is-
adjust them. sue, it won’t be notice-
The top drawer divider is laid out so able. With the dividers
there is enough space above it to store pushed up against the
the lid. It also has brackets attached to end of the dado (far
the front, which act as a stop for the lid. left), lay out the notch
They lie in the same plane as the stepped and use a handsaw and
chisel to cut it (near
stop at the bottom of the case, which I
left).
make by gluing a slightly oversize block to
each side of the front of the divider, shap- ad d b r ac k et s t o t h e
ing it at the bandsaw, and cleaning it up
at the bench.
t o p d r aw er d iv id e r
Bottom drawer runs on a different
system—You’ve created the spaces for the
lid and most of the drawers, but the bot-
tom drawer space isn’t complete. The bot-
tom drawer rides on a stepped stop (which
is also a transition from the plane of the
drawer fronts and door stop) and blocks
glued in behind it. The dimension be-
tween the front edge and the top fillet
or step has to be accurate, as does the
position of the piece in the case. An ef-
fective way to guarantee this is to make
Glue, then shape. It’s easier to glue
the distance between the steps a hair oversize blocks to the frame and then
larger than needed. Dry-clamp the stop shape them than it is to shape tiny pieces
in place, according to the back step. Then on the bandsaw and then try to clamp
glue in the first block behind the stop, these irregular parts to the divider.

Tools & shops 2011 47

Dovetailed partitions by hand making sure not to glue the stop yet. Now
you can check and adjust the front step
When there are only one or two vertical partitions, Brown cuts their small as needed and accurately position it when
dovetails by hand. gluing it in.
Dovetailed partition—A requirement of
North Bennet method the project is that one level of drawers be
divided by a vertical dovetailed partition.
Before gluing the divider frames in, lay out
and fit the dovetailed partition. Again, use
a story stick to establish its location. Often
a student’s first inclination is to align one
divider with the other and mark the top
and bottom of the partition. Our method is
to use a story stick and reference off one
of the inside faces of the case. The results
are more consistent this way.
Locate the first side of the dado for the
partition. The shoulders of the dovetail are
sunk into a 1⁄ 8-in. dado in the dividers. This
registers the partition and gives it rigidity
that the dovetail alone doesn’t.
After notching the partition so that the
shoulders bottom out in the dado, the front
1⁄ 2 in. of the partition becomes the dove-

Dry-fit and use a story stick. Use tail. Make the dovetail and, using a sharp
the story stick to mark the near pencil, scribe the socket lines onto the di-
side of the partition (above) and viders. These lines are transferred to com-
then the actual partition to mark plete the socket layout. Once sawn and
the far side. Now remove the two pared to the lines, the dovetail is test-fitted
dividers and cut the shallow dadoes
to the socket. If adjustments are needed,
in them. Before fitting the partition
into its dadoes, clamp in a spacer
do them to the socket.
block (right). Base it on the space at With dividers and partition fitted, dry-
the ends of the drawer pocket. clamp everything so you’ll know your pro-
cedure and what clamps are needed. Glue
is only applied to the front 3 in. to 4 in. of
the dado. The rest of the frame needs to
be free enough for the case to expand and
contract. The clamps should be ready to
⁄
5 16 in. pull the frame tight to the front given the
⁄
1 16 in. real possibility of the joint grabbing before
it closes fully.

A handsome lid and well-fitted drawers

Size the lid frame to fit the lid space
created in the front of the case. After
making the frame, dry-fit it and mark the
½ in. groove depths on the face of the frame to
outline the panel sizes. This provides the
exact size for the panels.
Raise the panel on the tablesaw and then
fit it by hand with a rabbet plane. Pre-
finish the panels before gluing them into
the frames.
A well-fitted drawer is a hallmark of our
program. We want a drawer that slides
Angled guide block makes the dovetail easy. Chop the in and out easily and quietly, with only
DOVETAILED dovetail, transfer the location to the divider, and cut the enough clearances for its function and
PARTITION socket. wood movement.

48 FINE WOODWORKING
 Lid is a good place to show off grain
The panels are the only place where students are allowed to use highly figured wood,
and these molded panels are an ideal place to showcase beautiful grain.

Upright piano lock kit

(schaffpiano.com;
No. 553B) Top rail, ¾ in. thick
by 1½ in. wide by
22½ in. long

Tenon, ¼ in. thick

by 3⁄4 in. wide by
1 in. long

Groove,
¼ in. wide by
¼ in. deep

Haunched tenon,
¼ in. thick by
1 in. wide by
1 in. long

Prefinish the panels. Brown applies the

polyurethane finish to the panels before gluing
them into the frames so seasonal movement
doesn’t expose unfinished wood.

Insert pins
into lid
bottom.

Panel, ½ in. thick

Bottom rail, ¾ in.

thick by 1¾ in. wide
by 22½ in. long

Inner stile, ¾ in.

thick by 11⁄4 in. wide
Pins and sockets keep the lid in place. Ba- by 11¼ in. long
sic brass hardware (rockler.com; No. 32334) is Stile, ¾ in. thick
pressed into holes drilled into the case and lid by 1½ in. wide
bottom. by 11¼ in. long

First, fit the drawer parts to their cor- Add the hardware and finish Before applying finish I handplane,
responding spaces. You want no gaps at The lid is held in place by pins and sockets scrape, and sand the chest up to P220 grit.
this point. I cut the drawer back 1⁄ 32 in. on the bottom edge and the full-mortise I use shellac and wax on the interior and
shorter than the front to aid in the fitting lock in the top edge. I put the lid in place areas of sliding contact. On the exterior,
process. Once the drawer is dovetailed and to lay out the location of the pins and I wipe on Minwax Fast-Drying Polyure-
glued up, check it for wind by setting it on sockets and drill the small holes, and then thane. After the first coat, I sand with P400
a flat surface. If needed, correct it with a the hardware simply presses into place. grit. After the second coat, I smooth the
smoothing plane before fitting. The lock set is a matter of a deeper mor- surface with steel wool and wax with Bos-
As for the back of the chest, I make the tise with a shallow hand-cut mortise so ton Polish butcher’s wax. •
shiplapped parts on the tablesaw with a the whole piece sits flush in the lid, and a
dado set and install them by counterboring shallow strike plate mortised in the top to Steve Brown is the head of the woodworking
and using round-head screws. catch the bolt. department at NBSS.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 49

 Space-Saving
Router Table
It’s the old tablesaw extension trick,
but done right this time
Versatile fence
B Y J O H N W H I T E

Great dust collection

Up-top adjustability

50 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: Matt Kenney

 I ’ve seen many tablesaw extension
wings turned into router tables,
and it’s not a bad idea on paper.
You get an indispensable woodwork-
ing machine without consuming an
extra inch of shop space. And, you
can take advantage of the solid,
accurate fence already in place
on the saw (or so you think).
But it’s not enough to sim-
ply drop a router plate into
the melamine extension
wing. For one thing, the rip
fence is not ready for rout-
ing. Not only is it too short
for vertical jobs like sliding
dovetails, but the bit must
be buried in the fence for
most tasks, and screwing a
couple of scraps to the back
of the rip fence just doesn’t
cut it. Dust collection also is
a problem, because there’s
no efficient way to collect
from above the table. And
single-layer tables eventu-
ally begin to sag under the
weight of the router.
This router table solves
all of those problems and
a few more. First, it has a
simple but effective fence that
is tall enough for vertical routing.
There is a replaceable insert, so
you can bury bits in the fence and
get zero-clearance routing when
you need it. The fence clamps to the
tablesaw’s rip fence, so adjustments
are easy. Plus, it’s a snap to put on
and take off. Above-the-table dust col-
lection is integrated into the fence—and
it really works. Finally, a rigid plywood
frame under the table eliminates sag.

The router matters, too

I chose the Triton TRC001 router, because
it specializes in table-routing and has im-
pressed editors in past tool reviews. It al-
lows above-the-table bit changes and height
adjustments, which will save you hours of
hassle. It also has great dust collection of its
own, so you can catch dust from beneath
the table, too, making most jobs practically
dust-free. To avoid the hassle of attaching
the router directly to the table, I used a
predrilled router plate from Rockler (rockler
.com, $60). I used Baltic-birch plywood for
the table’s support frame and fence because

TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 51

 JU S T S C R E W S Rib, 3½ in. tall by
Tool storage, 5½ in. square, with
dadoes for the height-adjustment
A N D PLY WO O D 9 in. long and collet wrenches

Use lightweight MDF for

a flat, smooth top and Dust-box cover, 5½ in. wide
by 103 ⁄ 8 in. long
plywood for everything
else, assembling the
pieces with drywall Fence face, 5½ in.
tall by 10½ in. long
screws. A dust box
beneath the table
connects to one in the
fence, so you can attach Replaceable
Bit opening, 2 in. insert, 5½ in. tall
a shop vacuum below but Slot for clamp
tall by 3 in. long Sub-fence (front and back), 3½ in. by 10 in. long
collect dust from above, bar, 3 ⁄16 in.
wide by 9⁄16 in. tall by 29 in. long
too. Replaceable inserts Dust-port cover
and faces will add years deep
to the fence’s service. Router plate

Top, made from

¾-in.-thick
lightweight
MDF, sized to fit
between fence
rails

Dust port, 2 in. wide Flange,

by 3 in. long 1½ in. wide Opening for router
91⁄ 8 in. 9¾ in. plate, 8¾ in. wide
by 11¾ in. long
Opening for shop- Screws allow
vacuum hose, leveling of
⁄ -in.
11 16
2½ in. dia. router plate.
offset Flange for router
plate, 2¼ in. wide
by 10 in. long

Frame, 5 ⁄ 8 in.
narrower and
3 ⁄ 8 in. shorter

Frame part, than top

2½ in. tall

Allen-head screws
level the table.

Opening for hose Top

from router, TOP VIEW
1½ in. dia. 205⁄ 8 in. 10 in.
Dust-box bottom,
6¼ in. wide by
7½ in. long

17⁄ 8 in.

28 in. 9 in. 6¼ in. 13¾ in.

Note: Frame
members are
fastened with 2-in. Hose from ⁄ in.
58

drywall screws; router to Plywood

flanges, top, and dust box shelves
dust-box bottom are bolted to
attached with 1¼-in. Screws driven through frame
rails
drywall screws. flanges attach the top.
41 in.

52 FINE WOODWORKING Drawings: Jim Richey

it is stable and holds screws very well, and butt-joined and held together with 2-in.- shop vacuum can collect dust from above
I used lightweight MDF for the top because long drywall screws. The joint is strong the table (through a port routed in the top)
it routs well and makes a smooth, durable and no glue is needed. After assembling and below it without joining three different
work surface. One sheet of each is more the basic frame, attach the flanges. Use hoses to one another.
than enough to make the entire table. 11⁄4-in. drywall screws, driven in from the You’ll need to rout two openings in the
outside of the frame, and pre-drill clear- table, one for the router plate and one for
Make the table first ance holes and countersinks. Finally, as- the dust port, but neither is difficult. Begin
The table has two parts: a large top and semble the frame for the dust-collection by laying out their locations on the under-
its underlying frame with integrated dust box. The box’s bottom gets two holes: side. For the dust port, simply attach tem-
collection and support for the router plate. one for the hose that runs to your shop plate strips on your layout lines, rough-cut
Make the frame and then the top. vacuum and one for the hose that runs the opening, and rout it flush to the strips.
The frame is a simple affair. Strips of ply- from the router to the box. Running both The opening for the router plate must be
wood—all ripped to the same width—are hoses into this box means that a single more precise, but I have a great trick for

MA K E A N AC C U R AT E O P E N IN G FOR TH E RO UTER PLATE

¾-in.-dia. flush-
trimming bit Router table

Rout the opening flush to the

template. Cut away most of the
waste with a jigsaw, leaving about
¼ in. to be removed by a bottom- Template strips
attached to
bearing, flush-trimming bit. Use
underside of table
a ¾-in.-dia. bit so that the corner
Build a routing template around the plate. Press the plate firmly radius matches the radius on the Bearing rides on
against two sides, but use business cards between the plate and the oth- plate’s corners. template strips.
er two sides. The extra space makes it easier to get the plate in and out.

A D D LE G S F O R S U P P O R T
HAVE A SMALLER TABLESAW EXTENSION?
If your extension table doesn’t have If your saw has Shrink the area Keep dimensions Drill a hole in the
legs already, you might need to add 30-in. rails, behind the plate so from the router plate dust-collection box
some. The table’s cantilevered weight that the table fits forward the same as cover for the shop-
there won’t be
could be enough to make your saw the shorter rails. for the larger table. vacuum hose.
enough room
prone to tipping over. to fit a dust-
collection box
behind the
opening for the
router plate.
Instead, collect
dust from the
top of the fence.

*For this version,

don’t rout the small
dust-collection port
in the table.

Add lag bolts on the

bottom of the legs to Top
adjust the height.
SMALLER TABLE MODIFIED FENCE

TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 53

 that (see p. 53). After both openings are
routed, attach the frame to the top.

Make the fence and install the table

The fence is assembled just like the frame,
with butt joints and screws. Before you
screw it together, cut a bit opening in the
front sub-fence and slots for the clamp bars
in the rear one. The fence faces are screwed
to the sub-fence with 11⁄4-in. drywall screws,
six per face. The replaceable insert fits be-
tween the two faces and is screwed in place.
To create suction at the bit opening, attach
a cover over the center bay created by the
ribs, which sits over the dust port. Finally,
cut two dadoes in a square of plywood—
for storing the wrenches—and screw it to
the cover.
M a k e t h e f r aM e To ease installation, I bolted plywood
a n d at tac h t h e t o p shelves to the underside of the fence rails.
Next, I drove four Allen-head screws up
Solid assembly. The flanges serve double duty here. Not only do you screw through them, but
through the shelves—one for each corner
they also provide a good bearing surface for the top, which helps to keep it flat.
of the table—and set the table in place.
I then laid a 6-ft. level across the saw’s
table and the router table and adjusted the
screws until they were level. I leveled the
router plate in a similar way, resting its
corners on the heads of drywall screws
driven into plywood flanges at either end
of the opening in the table. After attaching
the plate to your router and dropping it
in place, attach the dust-collection hoses,
clamp the fence to the saw’s rip fence, and
you’re ready to do great work and do it
faster. •
Plywood shelves support the table. Use nuts and bolts to attach the plywood shelves to the
fence rails (left). Lower the table into place (right). It rests on the plywood shelves and gravity
holds it in place. John White is a former shop manager at FWW.

A screw in each corner fine-tunes the height. A long level lets you know when Same trick for the router plate. To level the router plate,
you’ve got it right. White filed a notch in the tip of an extra screw to cut threads White uses a drywall screw in each corner. The drywall screw
in the plywood. will thread its own hole.

54 FINE woodworkINg
 A S S EMB L E T H E F E N C E

Ribs make the fence rigid. Clamp a plywood spacer next to the rib so Insert is replaceable. Four screws hold it in place from behind. Make
that it remains vertical as you screw it in place. one for each of your most common bits to eliminate tearout. The tall
fences on both sides can be replaced, too.

IN S TA L L T H E RO U T E R
AND COLLECT THE DUST
Screw the router to the plate
and just drop it in. Gravity will
hold the plate in place.

Hook up the dust collection. A shop vacuum

is strong enough to collect dust from above the
table and from the router at the same time,
leaving very little behind.

DUST COLLECTION
Dust box
Dust box in fence
under table

Hose
to shop
Online Extra vacuum
Expert answers to all your workshop
questions are only a click away.
Ask shop guru John White at
Hose from
FineWoodworking.com/extras.
router

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 55

Cutting-Edge First Aid
ER doctor: Throw away your old kit and forget what you’ve been told
B Y PA T R I C K S U L L I V A N

W oodworkers spend a lifetime handling razor-sharp tools, pow-

er equipment with exposed blades, and boards that harbor
splinters and fasteners. In this environment, there’s always the risk
of an injury.
Usually woodworkers cut their fingers, and occasionally the palms of their
hands. Although the hand often will recover from minor injuries even if it
receives no care at all, recovery is faster with less scarring and less risk of
infection if it’s treated properly. For more serious cuts and eye injuries, how-
ever, what you do first can have an impact on the rest of your life.
As a woodworker and physician, I understand the types of injuries that are
common in the shop, and I know how they
should be treated. Forget the first-aid kits of-
fered in drug stores. Forget much of the

3
2

10

56 FINE WOODWORKING
 Build a custom kit
A first-aid kit for woodworkers looks very different from the kits 1. Coban tape 7. Magnifying lens
sold in drugstores. It contains materials for closing cuts, flexible 2. Glue syringe 8. Steri-Strips
coverings for wounds, tools for removing splinters, and eye wash. 3. Eye wash 9. X-Acto knife
Many of these products are available from 4. Tegaderm bandages 10. Krazy Glue
multiple manufacturers. 5. Band-Aids 11. Scissors
6. Examination gloves 12. Tape
13. Tweezers

6 7
5
10.

13
11

misguided advice found in popular manuals. The woodworking environ-

ment is unique, and I’ll tell you about some specialized equipment and
12 supplies that work well there. I’ll also show you a few tricks on treating
wounds—from stopping bleeding to cleaning to bandaging—based on proven
medical principles. In the end, you’ll learn how to treat injuries in a way that
gets you back to work as soon as possible.

Patrick Sullivan is an internal medicine specialist with extensive emergency room

experience. Now retired from his medical practice, he has more time for woodworking.

Photos: John Tetreault TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 57

Do you need a doctor? How to handle most cuts
VULNERABLE AREAS OF THE HAND
Areas highlighted in green contain very few
vulnerable structures, such as tendons. Unless
the wound obviously penetrates into a bone or
joint, cuts here typically can be treated easily
at home.
1 SOAP AND WATER

The enemy of healing is infection. The germs that live on lumber

and tools generally do not cause disease; essentially, all the risk
is from bacteria you already carry on your skin. A wound allows
those skin germs to reach the more vulnerable tissue beneath the skin. The prob-
lem gets worse if there is dirt, sawdust, debris, or dead tissue in the wound.
The most effective treatment for all wounds is immediate washing with soap
and clean water. (You can skip this if you need to go to the emergency room, be-
cause they will clean it there). Washing drastically reduces the number of germs,
and takes away dirt and debris in which bacteria can hide and multiply.
I have seen several Internet pictures and videos that show first-aid techniques
in which they advocate wiping the wound clean with a damp paper towel or gauze
pad. This is the most ineffective way to wash a wound.
The surest way to clean a wound is to hold the cut under running water for
several minutes and lather thoroughly. If soap is not available, plain water will
do a credible job. Wash every wound, whether you can see contamination or not.
Areas in red, however, contain tendons. Deep Waterless hand cleaners and antiseptic solutions may be better than nothing, but
cuts in these areas are likely to have damaged
the tendons or tendon sheaths and should be they are not a proven substitute for washing. If you can wash effectively, you do
examined by a doctor. not need these products.
Doctors and first-aid manuals in the past have routinely recommended the use
IF THE CUT WON’T CLOSE, GET IT STITCHED
Cuts that do not slice all the way through don’t
of an antibiotic ointment, but recent surgical research proves that clean wounds
require stitches because the lower layer of need no antibiotic if they are washed well and closed promptly. Moreover, the oint-
skin keeps the wound reasonably closed. ment preparation discourages the formation of a scab, which is the most effective
wound closure available. Skip any antibiotic ointment unless dirt and debris were
driven into the wound and cannot be washed out.

The cut on the right penetrates all the way

through the skin, revealing the fat beneath. A
deep cut like this that’s under 1 in. long usually
can be treated at home; if it’s longer than 2 in.,
the wound needs to be stitched. In between
1 in. and 2 in., the decision to get stitched
depends on the location of the wound (see
below).

The cut on the thumb The cut on the palm LATHER UP

can be treated at and index finger begs Wash both hands vigorously enough
home. It is short, and for stitches. It is long to generate lots of lather under a
although deep, tends and deep and in a strong stream of warm running water
to close itself. Normal location where every for several minutes. While washing,
hand movements will hand activity will hold the cut open and flush the
not apply stress to the stretch the wound wound for at least a minute. Ignore
wound. apart. any bleeding this may cause. Dry
both hands on a clean paper towel.

58 FINE WOODWORKING Drawings: Christopher Mills

 2 FIVE MINUTES OF PRESSURE

After washing the wound, you need to stop the bleeding. Apply pressure directly over the wound for five minutes without
interruption to help form a clot. If you peek, the clock starts all over again.

WRONG RIGHT WHEN YOU CAN’T

TIP STOP WORKING,
USE A GLOVE
If you get a minor
cut, say, while you’re
in the middle of a glue-
up, you don’t have to
stop working. Put on
an examination glove,
and wrap masking
tape snugly around the
finger directly over the
cut. The glove keeps
blood off the woodwork,
and pressure from the
tape will usually stop
the bleeding in 5 to 10
minutes. After removing
the tape and glove, wash
your hands thoroughly,
BE DIRECT and close and dress the
Don’t be afraid to touch the cut. Apply pressure directly over the wound.
wound (right), not below it (left).

3
CLOSE THE WOUND BEFORE BANDAGING

When you get cut, keeping the two edges of the

WRONG
wound firmly closed will help it heal rapidly. Cuts from
sharp tools penetrate cleanly, which makes them
easier to close and faster to heal. Wounds with frayed
or crushed edges (such as those made by a spinning tool)
take a bit longer to heal. In either case, you want to wash
and close the wound to pull the sliced skin back together.
Standard adhesive bandages cover the wound but don’t securely
close it. As soon as you start using your hands, skin movement will reopen
the cut. Hospitals often use a specialized tape product called Steri-Strips, which
you can buy without a prescription in most drugstores or online.
It is also possible to glue wounds closed with ordinary cyanoacrylate glue.
RIGHT
Both methods work better if you have a helper to either hold the
wound closed or to apply the Steri-Strips or glue.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF GLUE-UP

Cyanoacrylate glue works for closing a wound.
But the job is not like butting two boards together.
Do not apply glue inside the wound. Instead, push
the skin edges together and spread a thin layer
of glue across the top of the skin, interrupting the
glue at short intervals to preserve flexibility. Don’t
ADHESIVE-BACKED STERI-STRIPS KEEP CUTS CLOSED use the activator spray that comes
Dry the skin around the wound, then cut the strips to length. Remove the paper backing, with some glues.
and apply. Adhere the strip to one side of the cut, push the wound edges together so they
just meet, and stick the strip down on the other side.
Cuts continued
4 SMARTER BANDAGES

If you go to an emergency
room with a hand injury,
you’ll come home with a huge, fluffy ban-
dage that will attract a lot of sympathy
but render you unable to work. Emergency
rooms use gauze as the main element of
bandaging. Gauze is light as air, extremely
flexible, and breathes like it wasn’t there
at all. However, you cannot work wood BETTER THAN A BAND-AID
while wearing gauze. After closing the wound with a Steri-Strip,
apply a Tegaderm bandage. Put on the
Woodworkers need bandages that are bandage and then peel off the paper frame.
flexible, thin, and tough. It is also conve- If you need to cut the bandage to a smaller
nient to have bandages that shed water, size, do it while all the backing paper is still
in place. The bandage is thin and flexible,
sawdust, and glue, and yet breathe so the allowing nearly full knuckle movement.
skin stays dry. Here are two bandages that
you can use after you’ve closed the wound
or after you’ve come home from the ER.
The first option is to cover the area
with a Tegaderm dressing. Tegaderm is
a transparent medical dressing (made by WHEN YOU NEED
3M) that’s flexible, tough, and stretchy. It MORE HOLDING
POWER, USE
is great for hand wounds because it can be COBAN TAPE
conformed to a number of shapes and is so It’s hard to keep a
bandage in place
smooth that it won’t catch on any sharp
on the palm of your
edges, like an adhesive bandage can. This hand, so wrap the
product is available with and without a dressing with Coban
tape (1 in. wide
non-stick, absorbent pad in the center. usually is sufficient).
Many wounds will seep a small amount of First take a couple
of wraps around the
serum in the first few hours after bandag- wrist. This serves
ing, and the absorbent pads are useful to anchor the whole
bandage. Then
then. Later, they may be unnecessary. continue with several
This might be all you need. If you have wraps around the
palm. End the Coban
to handle rough lumber, or do work that
on the back of the
applies a lot of friction or abrasion to your hand or wrist, where
hands, consider wearing leather or fabric it will receive the
least rubbing.
gloves to protect the dressing.
Injuries that involve the palm or the
webs between the fingers are very hard to
bandage. For these areas, cover the closed
wound with Tegaderm, and then wrap Co-
ban around the hand as necessary. Coban
is a very stretchy bandage that sticks to
itself, but not to anything else. It is excel-
lent for bandages involving the palm or
wrist, because it
stretches great-
ly, but always
remains snug.

60 FINE WOODWORKING
Punctures
WASH AWAY DEBRIS DEEP CLEANING
As you wash, open
Punctures from clean, sharp tools like narrow the wound as much
chisels, scratch awls, and marking knives as possible, and
squirt water in with
should pose very little hazard and a squeeze bottle
require very little treatment or a glue syringe.
Don’t be bashful
(unless they penetrate into about the amount
joints or cut tendons). of water. You want
to flush the wound
The wounds tend to close vigorously enough to
themselves. Wash thoroughly get rid of any debris
and apply a small bandage at the bottom of the
puncture.
until bleeding stops.
If you have a puncture wound
caused by a dull tool, you have an increased
chance of infection (see drawing, right). First wash
the area thoroughly. As you wash, flush out the wound with water using a
squeeze bottle or glue syringe. Apply Tegaderm with an absorbent pad. If the
wound becomes more puffy and painful over a period of several days, have it
seen by a doctor.
DULL TOOLS CAUSE MORE HARM
Puncture wounds carry a very small risk of tetanus. You were Punctures from dull tools like screwdrivers leave more
immunized against tetanus in childhood, but your crushed and damaged cells, and the dull edge often pushes
the skin, dirt, and debris back into the wound, creating more
immunity needs a booster every 10 years. chance for surface skin bacteria to be lodged in underlying
Keep this up to date. tissue. These wounds really need to be flushed out.

Splinters
PULL OR SLICE THEM OUT
Everyone who works with wood has had splinters
in their skin, and virtually everyone has struggled
to remove them. If you have trouble seeing the
splinter, use magnifying glasses, whether it’s a
pair of inexpensive reading glasses or visor-type
magnifiers that you can wear over eyeglasses.
These magnifiers may come in handy for other
shop uses, too, like working with small parts
or chiseling to a line in tight spaces between
dovetails.
Usually you can pull out the splinter with a pair
of tweezers. However, if a splinter has tunneled a
long distance under your skin, you’ll have to gently
slice the skin to reach it using a No. 11 blade in
either a disposable scalpel or an X-Acto knife.
After slicing, pull out the splinter with tweezers.
Be sure to wash your hands and the blade
thoroughly before you probe around in the skin.
Sterility is not necessary, but cleanliness is very
important. Usually no dressing is needed; but if STUBBORN SPLINTERS NEED TO BE SLICED OUT
To reach long slivers that tunnel through the skin, use an X-Acto knife with a No. 11 blade.
you had to dig so deeply that the wound bleeds First wash your hand and the blade. Insert the back of the blade along the top of the
significantly, then dress this as you would a cut. splinter, and gently slice open the skin with the tip of the blade. Slice along the splinter’s
length to expose it as much as possible, then pull it out with tweezers.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 61

Eyes
RINSE CAREFULLY OR SEE A DOCTOR
When you cut wood, especially with a router or
tablesaw, sawdust (and sometimes other ma-
terial) will fly. If some of that small debris ends
up in your eye, your natural tears will usually
wash it away. If the debris digs in and resists
being washed away by tears, the best answer
is to retract the eyelid away from the eyeball,
RINSE AND REPEAT
and flush the eye with an eye-wash solution.
The safest and easiest
Get someone to help you. Lie on your way to remove foreign
back—it is hard to flood the eye with solution particles in the eye is
to rinse them away with
while you are upright. Have your helper put on a spray of eye wash.
your magnifiers and look in your eye for the Lift the eyelid and spray
vigorously. If necessary,
debris. Regardless of whether they see the repeat several times.
offending particle or not, have them squirt the
solution under both lids. Use towels or tissues
to sop up the excess, and use plenty of liquid.
If that does not work, do it again. If repeated
irrigation of the eye does not dislodge the
particle, seek professional help. Never use If particles embed themselves in this area,
it is safe to try to wash them out at home.
tweezers or hard instruments in the area
of the eye.
If there is so much spasm of the eyelids If particles embed themselves in the clear
layer over the iris and pupil (the cornea),
that you cannot open the eye enough to see have the eye examined by a doctor. Even
what is going on, that suggests a more serious tiny scratches in the cornea can lead to
vision impairment.
eye injury, and you should get immediate
professional help. If particles embed themselves in this area,
it is safe to try to wash them out at home.

Serious injury?
WHAT TO DO AS YOU HEAD TO THE HOSPITAL
Some woodworking injuries demand professional care. Cuts seal the amputated part in a zippered plastic bag, and get to
that are deep enough to obviously penetrate into joints or the hospital fast. Don’t try to drive yourself. If that trip is going
bone, or that appear to cut tendons, should be treated by a to take more than an hour, carry the plastic bag in some ice or
doctor within a couple of hours. These injuries require the cold products from your freezer. Amputated fingers can survive
removal of foreign material embedded at the bottom of the for more than six hours.
wound, and may require special suturing. They also carry Any kind of injury to the eyes is scary. Any injury that
greater risks of infection, and preventive antibiotic treatment penetrates the eyeball or cuts through the eyelid must be
is sometimes needed. For these wounds, stop the bleeding by seen by a specialist. If tiny flecks of wood or metal embed
applying pressure with a gauze pad or a clean paper towel and themselves in the cornea (the clear layer overlaying the
have someone drive you to the emergency room. iris and pupil) have them removed in the ER. When in doubt
If you tangle with a power saw, that is going to mean a trip about any eye injury, you should have the eye examined
to the hospital. There is little that can or should be done in the by a pro. Tape a gauze pad or a tissue over the closed eye
shop, other than applying pressure to the wound and arranging while you are on your way to the hospital. This discourages
for rapid transportation to the hospital. If you cut off some part the eyelids from moving, which usually reduces any
of your hand, press directly on the wound to stop the bleeding, discomfort.

62 FINE WOODWORKING
 How Many Routers
Does Your Shop Need?
For most people,
the answer is three 1 One in a
router table
B y J e f f M i l l e r Whenever possible, you
should do your routing
on a table. Moving the
workpiece against a solid
fence and table is simply
more accurate than moving

D oing a quick inventory of my the router.

shop recently, I discovered that
over the years I have accumulated
nine routers. Nine! How did that happen?
Does the average woodworker really need
that many routers?
The short answer, happily, is no. Still, the
argument for having more than one router
is powerful. You can leave one in your
router table and have another for hand-
held work. Second, adding a router with
2 One that
particular strengths can make certain tasks can plunge
much more convenient, whether you’re There are lots of tasks
cutting edge profiles with large, heavy that can’t be done on a
bits or routing shallow hinge mortises on router table, such as most
narrow stock. stopped cuts, and cuts in
There are many router types available, the middle of large sur-
faces. For those jobs you’ll
but which ones do you really need? I’ll
need a handheld router,
suggest two approaches. Either one will
and a powerful plunge
tackle a wide range of work, but the first router will handle them all.
is kinder to your wallet.

For good value, start with a combo kit

A combination router kit (we reviewed
them in “Router Combo Kits,” FWW #173),
is a very cost-effective way of setting up
your shop for both table and handheld
routing. The kit comes with one router mo- 3 And one
tor and two bases—one fixed, one plunge. in the hand
This lets you mount the fixed base in a
While you can live
table and keep the other for topside use.
without a small “trim”
I recommend putting the fixed base router, the truth is that
in the table, mainly because the plunge many routing tasks
base is so much more versatile for topside are light ones, and this
use. Second, when the router is mounted compact tool acts like an
in the table, it’s often easier to adjust bit extension of your arm.
height with the fixed base than it is with

63
 Kill two birds with one combo kit
A combination kit will handle both table and topside routing and costs
much less than two separate routers. So you’ll have plenty of money left
over for a good-quality trim router. Also called laminate trimmers, these
small, simple, one-handed routers are easy to set up and even easier to use.

Combination kit
handles table and
handheld routing

Trim router is great

for detail work

Plunge base
Fixed base

One in the table

The fixed base lives in the table. Attach the base to the router-table insert (left). Look for a
combination kit that offers through-the-table height adjustment (center). The table’s flat surface
and square fence simplify dozens of tasks, like routing precisely along a narrow edge (right).

64 FINE WOODWORKING Photos, except where noted: Steve Scott; product shots: Michael Pekovich
One that can plunge

The plunge base is best for handheld routing. The motor switches
quickly between the two bases for topside use (above). The plunge
function lets you lower the bit safely into the work while the tool is
running. This allows you to make stopped cuts like the dadoes at
right, and do them in several passes.

the plunge. This makes for an economical

choice—you can find a good combination
kit for around $200, saving $50 to $100 or
more compared with the purchase of two in-
dividual routers of a similar size and power.
To the combo kit, add a trim router. Al-
though its limited horsepower confines it to
lighter-duty tasks, it is much easier to con-
And one
trol than a larger router. It is also limited to in the hand
working with 1⁄4-in.-shank bits, but its low-
Hinge mortises
er torque and one-handed size are perfect
and much more.
for hinge mortising, inlay, and small edge The easily balanced
profiles like chamfers and roundovers. It’s trim router is perfect
great for any task that doesn’t call for large for this applica-
bits, deep cuts, or lots of horsepower. tion, which requires
With this package of routers, you can delicate control
tackle almost everything. and good visibility.
You’ll also love it for
flush-trimming face
Stepping up frames, inlay work,
The combination kit is a great value, but and when you need
it does force a few compromises. For one, to chamfer or round
switching one motor between table and over all the edges on
topside is much less convenient than hav- a project.
ing two individual routers. Second, in most
combination kits, the motor is limited to
2 hp or 21⁄4 hp. If you cut deep mortises
with your router or work with large shaping
or panel-raising bits, you should consider
investing in more horsepower. A heavy-

TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 65

 Stand-alone routers are a heavy-duty upgrade
A router combo kit will cover your table- and heldheld routing needs, but not as well as two separate routers
will. A router designed for table use makes above-the-table bit changes and height adjustments easier, and
also collects dust efficiently. A dedicated plunge router offers better height and plunge adjustments. And both
offer bigger motors for smoother cuts.

Large router designed Large plunge router

for router tables for handheld routing

Trim router
for detail work

One in the table

Easy adjustments.
This Triton router
(TRC001) was a
favorite in past
reviews of table-
mounted routers.
It includes an
automatic spindle
lock that makes
above-the-table bit
changes a breeze.

Bigger bits.
In addition to
more convenient
features, a heavy-
duty table router
easily removes a
lot of stock safely
in one pass, as with
this panel-raising
bit.

One job to do. A dedicated table router stays put, ready for action at a moment’s
notice.

66 FINE WOODWORKING
 Still not satisfied?
There’s always
room for more
Even with three versatile routers
in your shop, there are some
situations when it can be nice
to have another router or two
dedicated to specific tasks. Many
woodworkers, especially pros,
settle into patterns of work, and
do certain jobs over and over.
A fixed-base router makes a
great fourth router because it’s
less expensive and very simple to
operate. The assembly typically Add a fixed-base router. An extra router can
has a low center of gravity and be dedicated to a single task. Miller keeps an
handles easily. The motor also offset base on one of his routers for better
slides into the base in a way that balance when molding edges.
makes depth adjustment simple.
In my case, I often cut edge profiles with larger bits. So I keep a fixed-base
One that can plunge router set up with an extrawide base that has a handle to help prevent tipping. I
don’t use it for anything else.
Or suppose that you regularly cut dovetails with a jig or cut sliding dovetails
Serious power. These maple bed posts require with an edge guide. You might want to have a router set up with a straight bit to
a mortise ½ in. wide and 1¼ in. deep. Tasks like
clear the waste and another one set up with the dovetail bit to cut the socket.
this call for serious routing power, and extra heft
helps too. A router for every router bit? Now that’s excessive.

duty plunge router like those reviewed in

FWW #214 (“Heavy-Duty Plunge Routers”)
will typically come with better features than
the plunge base in a combo kit. You’ll get
height adjustment that is easier and more
accurate, a smoother plunge mechanism,
and a handle-mounted power switch. Also,
the 31⁄4 hp motor will provide smooth, ef-
fortless action on the heaviest cuts.
As another step up from the combination-
kit approach, I’d recommend getting a
If one is good,
router built to be installed in a table. Rout-
two are better.
ers of this type—all of which come with You will simplify
a through-the-table lift—were reviewed in tasks that re-
FWW #189 (“Routers for Router Tables”). quire two bits,
This lets your router table become a dedi- like sliding dove-
cated shop tool with excellent controls, tails, by using a
like a tablesaw, instead of something you pair of routers.
In this setup,
have to fuss with for 15 minutes just so you
with the router
can spend 30 seconds cutting an edge. base riding a
Again, add a trim router to this combina- fence, the rout-
tion and you’re set to tackle the full range ers should be
of routing tasks. • identical.

Jeff Miller (furnituremaking.com) builds furniture

and teaches woodworking in Chicago.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 67

 Make a Bargain-Basement
S moothing a board with a handplane is one of the most plea-
surable processes in a woodworking shop. I love the feel of
a well-tuned plane gliding across the surface, with whisper-
thin shavings rising from the tool’s throat. And there is no faster
way to create a glass-smooth, dead-flat surface for finishing.
A common misconception among many new woodworkers is
that you need an expensive plane to get the job done. But you
don’t need to spend a fortune to catch the hand-tool wave.
Rejuvenating an old Stanley Bailey plane, whether it’s a garage-
sale find or an eBay purchase, is a great way to get started hand-
planing without breaking a slim woodworking budget. Tearing a
plane down to its bare chassis and building it back to blueprint
specs not only creates a great performing plane, but also gives you
an insight into how these wonderful bench mates work.
I have rebuilt dozens of Bailey planes for friends and for
myself, and I’ve given more than 100 seminars on the
subject. With my step-by-step approach, you’ll turn
a clunker into a classic. Best of all, you don’t need
special tools to get the job done.

Why Baileys are a bargain

Stanley was making two styles of bench
plane in the late 19th and early 20th
centuries: the Bailey and the Bed-
rock. The Bailey came first. It was
considered a working-man’s plane,
so it was produced in significant
numbers and had a lower price
point. The more refined Bed-
rock followed and because
there were fewer made, the
tool was more expensive
than the Bailey. Today,

Even a pauper can own

a prince of a plane
B Y R O L A N D J O H N S O N

68 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: Thomas McKenna (action); John Tetreault (planes)

Plane Perform Like Royalty
that price differential remains. While you’d be hard-pressed to get Lever cap
a Bedrock for under $100, you can purchase a restorable Bailey ANATOMY OF A BASIC BAILEY
plane for under $40, including shipping. So with a small invest-
ment in labor, you end up with a great tool at a great price. Chipbreaker
Blade
When a bargain becomes a bummer—A used handplane is
a bargain only if it’s serviceable. Inspect the plane for obvious
flaws. Buying from an online source such as eBay is tricky because
you have to rely on photos and the honesty of the seller. Some
Lateral adjustment lever
damaged or missing parts, such as knobs, totes, chipbreakers,
and lever caps, can be replaced easily (see “Where to buy,”
below). A lot of the tools will have some rust, which often is Tote
easy to remove and repair. But if it’s so bad that parts have
seized up or are seriously pockmarked, you may want to pass
on the tool. Frog
Take a close look at the castings. If you see cracks in the plane
body, especially on the sole in the area around the throat, walk
away from the tool; it will be more useful as a paperweight.
You also should be real cau-
tious about buying a plane in Depth-
which the body has obvious adjustment
WHERE TO BUY Lever-cap knob
welds or repairs. screw
REPL ACEMENT
Small nicks around the
throat are signs of normal PA R T S Body
aging and wear and are easy HIGHLANDWOODWORKING
to file away. But avoid a tool .COM
Blades, chipbreakers,
that has nicks larger than, knobs, and totes
say, 1⁄ 8 in., because the plane Knob
ANTIQUE-USED-TOOLS.COM
body is probably toast. A wide assortment of
original and replacement
Start with a cleaning Stanley parts
Sole
You can get that used Bailey STJAMESBAYTOOLCO.COM/
performing like a star with STANLEY.HTML
Reproduction Stanley Throat-adjustment screw
just a few hours of work. Start plane parts
Throat

TA KE I T APART
A ND C LE AN IT UP

Naval jelly sinks rust. Be sure to get it into crevices and even threaded Follow with an alcohol bath. Soak and scrub all the parts in denatured
areas. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse off the parts in water. alcohol. Dry and then lubricate threaded parts with camellia oil.

Drawings: Kathleen Rushton TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 69

 by dismantling the plane. If the plane is rusty,
slather on some naval jelly (Amazon.com), a rust-
removal product. Then give all the parts a thor-
ough washing and scrubbing in denatured alcohol.
Let them dry, and then coat them with a light oil
such as camellia oil.
You can refinish the knob and tote, if they are
in a bad way. I use shellac, simply because it is
easy to repair or refresh and wears well.

TUNE U P Solid frog makes a solid plane

The frog of a bench plane supports the blade assembly in the
THE FRO G plane body. The frog in a Bailey-style plane rests on four points.
If there is any inaccuracy in the machining of the frog or the
SEAT IT plane body, the frog, and in turn the blade assembly, will
not be fully supported and could move slightly under
cutting pressure, which will cause blade chatter.
To seat the frog precisely and firmly to the bed of
the plane, first coat the mating surfaces of the frog

FLATTEN THE TOP

Seat the frog on the body. Apply

valve-grinding compound to the
four mating surfaces where the
frog meets the body (left). Rub the
frog fore and aft (above).
A flat frog is
a good frog.
Flatten the area
from the lever-
cap screw to the
bottom. Johnson
starts with
120-grit paper
glued to a granite
plate with spray
adhesive. He
works through to
220 grit until all
the high spots are
removed.

Grind until it shines. Check your progress as you go. You’re finished
lapping when an even rub pattern shows on all the contact points.

70 FINE WOODWORKING
and the plane body with valve-grinding compound (Permatex
80037, available at most automotive-supply stores). Then simply
rub the frog fore and aft in the plane body, keeping even, mod-
erate pressure on the frog, until all four points mate evenly and
firmly. Clean off the grinding compound using denatured alcohol
and a small, stiff brush.
The frog also must be flat across the top. The best approach to
flattening it is to rub it on sandpaper adhered to a dead-flat sur- WHERE CHIPBREAKER
face, such as a granite block, a piece of plate glass, or a cast-iron MEETS BLADE
tabletop. Begin with 120-grit paper and work through to 220 grit. Chipbreaker, set back 1 ⁄ 32 in.
If needed, you can start with a more aggressive sandpaper and to 1 ⁄16 in. from tip of blade
work up through the grits.
Use compressed air to blow out POLISH THE Critical
any filings or grit from any thread-
ed holes (do this after you flat-
CHIP BR EA K ER contact point Blade

ten or bed any parts to prevent

debris from ruining threads as
you reinstall the screws). Coat
the fresh surfaces and thread-
ed parts with camellia oil and
wipe off the excess. Now you
can reinstall the frog on the
plane body.

Flatten and sharpen

the blade
In my experience, the blades
on these planes are good qual- Mind the gap. Any gaps between the chip-
ity steel. Most often you just breaker and blade (left) will catch and jam
need to clean them up and chips. Holding the chipbreaker so that its end is
sharpen them. But if the blade below the tip, rub the bottom of the front edge
is really beat up, particularly if on 220-grit sandpaper adhered to a flat surface
(above). The goal is a knife edge that meets the
it has lots of deep rust pock-
back of the blade all the way across (right).
marks, forget the salvage job
and buy a replacement. Note
that a replacement blade may not fit correctly in a Bailey plane,
so check with the blade manufacturer for tips on fitting their
blade to your plane.
Flatten both sides of the blade and then sharpen it. When flat-
tening the back, or heel side of the blade, you don’t need a
polished finish. I usually start with 120-grit paper and work up to
320 grit. Concentrate on the area from the keyhole to the bevel.
The front, or toe side, of the blade should be polished to as fine
a surface as the bevel.

Fine-tune the chipbreaker

The chipbreaker does just what its name implies—it breaks chips.
Positioned directly behind the cutting edge, the front of the chip-
breaker forces the shavings to break or curl up and away from the
throat, preventing them from clogging it. The constant breaking/
curling action also works to prevent tearout.
For it to work properly, the chipbreaker must be tuned to meet
the back of the blade perfectly. The goal is a knife edge so that
the chipbreaker body exerts maximum spring pressure along the
entire width of the blade when the chipbreaker and blade are
secured together.
Start tuning by sanding the bottom of the front edge flat. I use Smooth the curve. Polishing the top front of the chipbreaker helps
220-grit sandpaper on a granite stone. If the bottom is in bad chips slide by smoothly.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 71

 shape, you may have to start with coarser paper. To check
your progress, put the blade and chipbreaker together and
hold the assembly in front of a white sheet of paper or
light background. Look for any gaps between the blade
and chipbreaker; keep working until they are gone.
Once you’re finished working the bottom, polish the top
FLATTE N front of the chipbreaker, which will help the curls of wood glide
over the curved surface.
THE SOL E
Reassemble and
Tweak the lever-cap screw
lube. Assemble the Make sure the bottom surface of the head on the lever-cap screw
plane before you is smooth. Often a pair of pliers has been used on the screw
flatten the sole. sometime during its life, creating a rough edge. Remove any small
Be sure to lubricate burrs; otherwise, the lever cap won’t slide easily past the screw
threaded parts and nor will the head hold the lever cap accurately. After smoothing
the lever cap as out the burrs, lubricate the parts with camellia oil.
you go.

Tension the plane before truing the sole

The final steps are to flatten and fix up the sole of the plane. At
this point the plane should be completely assembled; be sure the
Rub-a-dub-dub. Retract blade is backed off inside the body. Cast iron is slightly flexible and
the blade so it doesn’t pro-
can move a bit from pressure exerted on it, so having the plane
trude, then run the sole of
the plane over sand- assembled and “tensioned” will ensure accuracy during this step.
paper glued to a flat Get the sole flat by running
substrate. Skew the plane over sandpaper glued
the plane both to a flat substrate. If the bottom
ways as you is scarred and badly out of flat,
work. start with 80 grit. Otherwise,
begin with 120 grit, then move
up through the grits to 400.
Once you have the sole flat,
ease all of the edges with a mill
bastard file.

Rough throat?
Smooth it with a file
The throat area must be flat
with a crisp, straight edge to
help hold down the grain of
the board in front of the blade
Progress is easy to see. Work
while making a pass. If the
the sole until all high spots
(above) are removed. When you’re plane has small nicks or a wear
finished (below), lubricate it with a curve at the front edge of the
light oil, such as camellia oil. throat, the blade could lever up
the grain, causing tearout.
Use a mill bastard file to
dress the edge flat, carefully
holding the file perpendicu-
lar to the bottom of the plane
body (sole).
Once that’s done, add a light
coat of camellia oil on the sole,
which will keep the new sur-
face slick and free of rust.

Some tips on setup

After you’ve finished rehab-
bing the plane, hone the blade

72 FINE WOODWORKING
R EFINE th E
ROU Gh S PO tS
Remedy for a
rough throat.
If the throat
has small nicks,
dress the edges
carefully with a
mill bastard file.
Be sure to hold
the file perpen-
dicular to the
sole.

Soften the edges. After flattening the sole,

ease the corners with a mill bastard file.

RE ADY
FO R tAK EO FF All the work pays off.
Carefully adjust the
Dial in the throat depth of cut to create
opening. When feathery shavings. Now
reassembling you have a tool that
the plane, adjust performs perfectly, and
the frog to create you didn’t have to take
a tight opening out a loan to get it.
between the blade
and the front of
the throat. For
most work, 3 ⁄ 32 in.
is plenty.

to perfection. When reassembling the blade and the chip-

breaker, set the chipbreaker about 1⁄ 16 in. or less from the tip
of the blade.
Now adjust the throat opening. First, just break the screws loose
so that the frog can move. Place the blade assembly on the frog,
and add the lever cap with the lever in the down position. Tighten
the lever-cap screw until it just touches the lever cap, and then
give it about a quarter turn more. The lever should be easy to
open and close but will still offer sufficient pressure to keep the
blade assembly in place.
Now turn the frog-adjustment screw, which is located behind
the frog, to move it forward or backward. For most work, a throat
opening of about 3⁄ 32 in. between the tip of the blade and the front
of the throat will be sufficient. A narrower opening will help you
tackle more difficult woods. When the desired opening is reached,
remove the lever cap and blade assembly and tighten the frog-
holding screws just enough to hold the frog securely in place.
Now, with a carefully restored plane and a razor-sharp blade,
you’re ready to tackle any wood like a pro. And you’ll have
a reliable tool for life. (For more tips on setting up and us-
ing a smoothing plane, see Fundamentals: “Handplaning 101,”
FWW #204.) •

Roland Johnson is a contributing editor.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com Tools & sHoPs 2011 73

 Treat
Your
Feet
Anti-fatigue mats
are an affordable
cure for concrete
floors
B Y S T E V E S C O T T

COMFORT
Anti-fatigue mats offer a range of
benefits. Mainly, they help cushion
your feet and prevent pain and aches.
Some say they do this by encouraging
subtle movements of your feet and
legs that improve circulation.

74 FINE WOODWORKING
A
ny woodworker who spends the Taunton Press credit card, I did a bit of In any case, anti-fatigue mats have be-
long afternoons on a concrete research to see what the experts say. come a staple of workplace design, said
floor in the basement or garage Tom Waters, a senior safety engineer at the
knows there is a physical price They really do work National Institute of Occupational Safety
to pay for enjoying one’s hobby. Research There are no standards—industry, govern- and Health. The mats are recommended
confirms that standing on a hard floor for ment, or otherwise—for what constitutes for grocery checkers, assembly-line work-
hours at a time will leave you with achy an “anti-fatigue” floor mat. In general, they ers, kitchen staff, operating-room nurses—
feet, legs, and back. Concrete is a punish- are made of rubber or closed-cell foam just about anyone who spends most of the
ing surface. and they range from 3⁄ 8 in. to 1 in. thick. workday standing in one place.
The solution is to put something more But studies show that these mats do pre- Woodworkers swear by them, too. Marc
forgiving between your feet and the con- vent pain in the feet and legs. One re- Adams spent nearly $4,000 to put mats on
crete. In FWW #174, we looked at a variety cent study at the University of Pittsburgh the concrete floor at each of his school’s
of shop flooring options including inter- concluded that anti-fatigue mats made a 65 student benches. He credits the mats—
locking tiles of PVC or wood composite. significant difference, and especially so made of 1⁄ 2-in.-thick foam—with making a
And in this issue, art director Michael Pek- when the test subjects stood for more than full day at the bench much less taxing.
ovich shows how to install a shop floor of two hours. Deneb Puchalski considers a mat es-
3⁄4-in. plywood over 2x4 sleepers. Exactly how they work is a bit of a sential for the hand-tool demonstrations
But what if you don’t want or can’t afford mystery, however. Apart from providing he does for Lie-Nielsen Toolworks. The
a whole new shop floor? The common an- a simple cushion between foot and floor, demos typically take place in convention
swer for most people is anti-fatigue mats, one theory holds that the mat’s resilience spaces with concrete floors. Before he be-
those rubbery slabs that go underfoot encourages subtle movements of the feet gan using the mats, he says, “my feet and
where you spend the most time standing. and legs that help promote circulation. legs would be a mess.”
With a little digging, I uncovered a wide This keeps the blood from settling uncom-
range of choices. But before whipping out fortably in your lower limbs. Steve Scott is an associate editor.

PROTECTI ON I NSULATION

SuperSponge 3x5 Smart Diamond Plate 2x3

$50, woodworker.com $25, allmats.com

Soft landing. A mat’s cushioning helps prevent serious damage to chisel Cold floor, warm feet. A mat is a barrier between your feet and
edges, squares, and other tools. a chilly concrete slab.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 75

What to look for
Once I found out that mats really work, the next step was to find out whether some work better than others.
They do. The good news is that a ½-in. foam mat will probably work just fine for you. Here’s what to look for.

MATERIAL THICKNESS
RUBBER Mats are most often made Mark Redfern, an ergonomics
either from solid rubber or researcher who authored the
Solid rubber mats are
from closed-cell foam. For Pittsburgh study, suggests
extremely durable, but
the home shop, foam is best. looking for a foam mat
most don’t provide as
Solid rubber offers terrific that’s ½ in. thick or so
soft a cushion as
durability, but is quite firm and relatively firm.
foam.
underfoot and heavier than A mat that’s too
Modular Diamond Plate 3x3 foam. These attributes are thin or soft
$44, allmats.com great for constant use in will bottom
an industrial setting, but out, com-
less crucial in a garage pressing
or basement. A foam mat so much that
provides a better balance of your foot is basically
support and cushioning for resting on concrete again.
less-intensive use. A mat that’s too thick and soft,
he suggests, can make for unsteady
footing. Regardless of thickness, experts agree
it’s worth looking for a mat with gently beveled
FOAM edges, which are less likely to catch a toe and
send you sprawling.
A good foam mat has a little
more “give” than solid rubber,
but enough resilience to
prevent pain and fatigue. TOO THIN
Comfort King Supreme 3x4
$63, woodcraft.com

COVERI NG
The sponge at the heart of most foam mats wouldn’t stand up long to abrasion
caused by shoes, dust, sharp chips, and tool edges. For this reason, the sponge is
typically bonded to an outer skin of textured vinyl. Marc Adams reports that the
vinyl-covered mats in his school have stood up to more than four years of heavy
use with no serious damage. Still, for greater protection, some manufacturers offer Not enough cushion. At ¼ in. thick, this yoga mat
mats with an armor-like layer of rubber or semi-rigid plastic. These are pricier but doesn’t put enough foam between you and the
easier to sweep off. concrete.

SOFT SHELL HARD SHELL

A soft vinyl cover keeps the foam free A layer of rubber or flexible plastic TOO THICK
of dust and safe from abrasion by shoe about 1 ⁄ 8 in. thick gives the foam
treads. It should be fine for better protection against sharp edges
most shops. and abrasion.

Anti-fatigue mat 2x4

$27, rockler.com

Foam at heart. The Overkill. An extra-beefy mat like this 1-in.-thick model
rubber covering is durable isn’t dramatically more comfortable than a ½-in. or
Invigorator 2x3 and creates a nicely 5 ⁄ 8-in. mat. But it will make your footing less stable.

$39, matsmatsmats.com beveled edge.

76 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: Kelly J. Dunton

What size
and where
to put them
The cost-conscious among us
may be drawn to a small mat,
and this is fine. A well-made
2x3 mat—the smallest com-
monly available—will cushion
your feet just as effectively as
a larger one. But a larger mat
offers much more maneuvering
room. A 2x3 mat might be per-
fect at the drill press, but it’s
not the most adequate runway Supreme SlipTech 2x3
for the back-and-forth travel $47, matsmatsmats.com
you’ll do at your bench.
If you had enough money,
you could put one of these
mats at every workstation in One for the bench. A long mat like this one from And one for the tablesaw. This 2x3 mat offers plenty
the shop. But let’s assume Woodworker’s Supply (see p. 75 for source informa- of standing surface for stationary tasks like cutting join-
you’re working on a budget tion) offers support for tasks like planing long stock ery or trimming parts to final size.
that require the full length of the bench.
and will be doing this one
piece at a time. Consider the
type of work you do and where
you spend the most time in Router table Drill press
the shop. Here are our sugges-
tions, in order of priority: Bench

2
The bench—This is a natu- 2X5

X
2X3

3
ral starting place. Any work
you’ll do at the bench is typi- Jointer
cally slow-paced (fitting join-
Planer
ery, surfacing by hand, etc.) Bandsaw
2X3
and requires a lot of time and
attention. Because you’ll move
back and forth from front vise
to end vise, a 2x5 or larger
mat is a good size. 2X3
The tablesaw—The saw’s Tablesaw
Note:
versatility for both milling and The jointer and planer
joinery means it’s in use nearly need no mat because
Lathe
users are in motion
every time I visit the shop. But 2X3
while operating them.
it’s the joinery cuts—small
scale and repetitive—that will
have you standing at the saw
for a long time. For those, a
2x3 mat fits the bill. PLACING MATS AROUND THE SHOP
Other tools—Share a A mat comes in handy anyplace in the shop where you stand still for extended periods of time
smaller mat, or place individual while working. The top priorities are the bench and tablesaw, but you should also consider putting
mats at the bandsaw, router mats at the bandsaw, drill press, and certainly the lathe. They are less crucial at the jointer or
planer, where you walk back and forth during use.
table, chopsaw, and drill press.

TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 77

shop design
Think your shop is
small? Think again
B Y S T E L I O S L . A . S T A V R I N I D E S

A
t the very least, starting a woodworking shop requires
two things: good woodworking tools and adequate
space. Where I live, on the Mediterranean island of
Cyprus, both are in short supply.
But I love woodworking, and I didn’t want to let
these problems stand in my way. So, using SketchUp, I
designed a fully functioning shop that would fit into a 5-ft. by 5-ft.
storage room when not in use.
To make it work, I converted the portable power tools I already
had into stationary machines, mounting them on a compact,

Rolling workstation
is the key
The power-tool station rides on casters,
so it rolls easily out of its storage area.
After connecting to a nearby power
outlet, Stavrinides is ready to begin
work on any of five power tools
(see p. 80).

78 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: Stelios Athrakiotis

HOW TO FIT
A WHOLE HOBBY
INTO A 5X5
CLOSET
CLAMP STORAGE
Stavrinides packs all of A section of upper
his woodworking tools and shelf serves as a
supplies into this storage rack for C-clamps
room in the parking and small pistol-
grip clamps. Larger
area of his apartment
pipe clamps and
building. The room parallel clamps are
measures approximately stored flat on the
5 ft. square and 8 ft. shelf itself. In all,
high—a little more than the space holds
about 65 clamps of
twice the volume inside varying types.
Volkswagen’s modern
Beetle.

CABINETS
An old, narrow
bookcase mounted
horizontally and fitted
with doors holds
fasteners, glue,
finishing supplies,
and safety gear. The
larger, wall-mounted
cabinet is stocked
with router bits,
featherboards, hold-
down clamps, and SHELVES
miscellaneous gear. Three levels wrap around
three walls to provide
storage space for lumber,
THREE-DRAWER CHEST hardware, supplies, a first-
The top drawer is for aid kit, and other tools
sketches, computer including power drills,
printouts, and a biscuit joiner, and a
woodworking plans. The mortising attachment for
middle drawer holds the drill press.
tool manuals and small
accessories that come
with the tools. The
bottom drawer provides LUMBER STORAGE
storage for sandpaper of A narrow box with an
all types–sheets, circular ROLLING WORKSTATION angled, open top holds
pads, and rolls. One end of the cart is cutoffs of varying
angled to allow access into lengths and tucks
the space. under the lower shelf.

rolling bench. This bench houses five major tools:

tablesaw, router table, jigsaw, drill press, and disk A CABINET
IN A CABINET
sander. And it leaves plenty of space in my store room
Interior doors
for lumber and other tools. provide space
Of course, the shop has limits. I don’t have a jointer to hang more
or a planer, so I have to start with stock that is already tools inside this
rolling storage
jointed flat and milled to thickness. Also, the tools piece, which
must be rolled out into the covered parking area of measures 32 in.
my apartment complex for use. It’s not good for cold square by 13 in.
deep. To get
weather, but fortunately, we have very little of that here. the most out
Apart from those drawbacks, my little shop can do a of the space,
lot of woodworking. Here’s a look at how it works. Stavrinides
planned the tool
layout on paper
Stelios L.A. Stavrinides is a graphic Web designer and woodworker first.
in Nicosia, Cyprus.

SketchUp drawings by author; final renderings by Dave Richards TOOLS & SHOPS 2011 79
shop design continued

FOR CUTTING CURVES

Stavrinides uses a
bench-mounted jigsaw RIP FENCE
instead of a bandsaw The rip fence is
or scrollsaw. An arm- shopmade of MDF
mounted guide uses a and serves both the
pair of roller bearings TABLESAW
tablesaw and the
to keep the blade from A 7¼-in. circular saw
router table. Separate
wandering in the cut. is bolted under the
fence faces for the
bench, but can be
router are secured
removed to handle
with fence clamps
large sheet goods.
(rockler.com) and
removed for tablesaw
use.

STORAGE
COMPARTMENTS
The built-in bins
underneath
provide space for
tool accessories,
extension cords,
and small pieces
of lumber.

DISK SANDING ROUTER TABLE LIFT

The disk-sanding The scissor jack from the author’s
attachment is powered Alfa Romeo serves as a router-lift
by an electric drill mechanism that is precise to a
with its controls (on/ millimeter. The wooden pad on which
off, forward/reverse, the router rests is relieved slightly to
variable speed) rewired let air circulate over the motor vents.
to a bench-mounted
control panel.

WHAT’S
UNDER THE
ROLLING WORKSTATION: HOOD?
THE BIG IDEA INSIDE THE SMALL SHOP A table-mounted
array of
Stavrinides designed this power-tool bench on wheels to serve portable power
multiple functions and fit inside his storage space. The bench, tools serve as
20 in. wide by 59 in. long, is built on a frame of 2x4 and 2x2 standard shop
lumber, with a plywood skin and a ¾-in. MDF top surfaced machines.
Shown here
with plastic laminate for durability. In addition to the power
are the jigsaw,
tools, the bench also features a vise, five small drawers for circular saw,
accessories, and eight electrical sockets. and router.

80 FINE WOODWORKING
 The power-tool bench at work
For this article, Stavrinides used the tablesaw, jigsaw, and sanding station in his rolling bench to create a router
template for a decorative drawer front. He then used the template to shape the workpiece on the router table.

The circular saw yields straight, clean cuts. Note that the rip fence For curves, the inverted jigsaw. Stavrinides recommends investing
doubles as a router-table fence and includes dust collection. in high-quality blades. His shopmade guide assembly keeps the blade
straight and vertical during the cut.

Fair the curve at the sanding station. A flip-up table supports the Shape the workpiece at the router table. The author’s version
work. The sanding attachment uses hook-and-loop pads and is pow- doesn’t have through-the-table height adjustment, relying on automo-
ered by a variable-speed electric drill. tive technology instead (see drawing, facing page).

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com Tools & shops 2011 81

Q&A
Use a bottom-
bearing bit for
template routing
Q: I use a top-bearing, flush-trimming
bit for template routing, but it keeps
digging into the workpiece. What can
I do to prevent this?
— R O N E D W A R D S , Santa Monica, Calif.

A: HERE’S THE SHORT ANSWER: Use

bottom-bearing bits. They have a
distinct advantage over their top-
bearing cousins. As the router moves Routers can be unstable when template routing. Because its cutters are pulled away from
around the template and workpiece, the workpiece if the router tilts downward, a bottom-bearing bit lessens the chance of damage
(see below).
there is a chance that the router will tip Template
outward as you shift your grip, because
the power cord snags, or because it’s TOP-BEARING
BITS CAN DAMAGE
just not your day in the shop. If that WORKPIECE
happens when you’re using a top- When the router
bearing bit, the cutting edge is forced tips over the edge
into your workpiece, taking a divot of the template, the
bit is driven into the
from its edge and ruining it. If the workpiece, ruining it.
same thing happens with a bottom- Bearing
bearing bit, there is no harm because
the cutting edge moves away from the Router bit
workpiece.
Another good tip for template work Workpiece
or edge-profiling is to use a D-handle
router base or a wider baseplate that
Workpiece
lets you concentrate more pressure on
the side of the router that is supported. BOTTOM-BEARING
—John White is a former shop manager BITS TIP AWAY
at Fine Woodworking. FROM TROUBLE
Because the
cutters are above
the bearing, they
move away from the
workpiece when the
Ask a question router tips over the
Do you have a question you’d like edge. The workpiece Router bit
us to consider for the column? Send isn’t damaged.
it to Q&A, Fine Woodworking, 63
S. Main St., Newtown, CT 06470, or Bearing
email fwqa@taunton.com.
Template

82 FINE WOODWORKING Photos and drawings, except where noted: Kelly J. Dunton
Request product information online: Go to finewoodworking.com/marketplace or call 800-719-6906

card #13 | finewoodworking.com/marketplace | 800-719-6906 x7013

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www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com Tools & shops 2011 83

Q&A continued

Smoothing plane is first

choice for gnarly grain
Q: I have some A: A SMOOTHING PLANE is the
figured hardwood better choice, so give yours
that I’m having another chance first. Sharpen
trouble planing with the cutting edge, then hone it
my No. 4 smoother. on an 8,000-grit stone. Close
Would I be better the plane’s throat tightly, leav-
off using a scraper ing just enough room for very
plane? thin shavings. This should
—ALLEN WINSTON, work with most figured woods.
Kennewick, Wash. When it doesn’t, increase the
blade’s cutting angle. For most
planes, that means honing a 5°
to 10° back bevel on the iron.
With a Lie-Nielsen smoother,
you could change to a higher-
angle frog instead. If you are
still getting tearout, then resort
to a scraper plane or card
scraper, which because of their
very high angle of attack do
not cause tearout.
—Deneb Puchalski teaches
plane use and sharpening for Standard smoothers are up to the job. Even on grain prone to tearout,
Lie-Nielsen Toolworks. a No. 4 smoother with a sharp blade leaves a finish-ready surface.

Moisture meter tells when

lumber can be used
Q: How do I know A: FIRST, YOU NEED A MOISTURE
if the kiln-dried METER, so buy one if you don’t
lumber I order from have one already. Then, find
out of state needs a piece of lumber that has
to acclimate to my been in your shop for at least
shop before use? a year and use the meter to
—JOSEPH ZEH, determine its moisture content.
Worthington, Mass. Next, determine the moisture
content of the delivered wood.
If the difference between them
is more than 2% to 3%, the
Moisture meter removes doubt. Ideally, the moisture content of new
delivered wood needs to lumber should match the moisture content of wood already acclimated
be acclimated to your to your shop.
shop. How long de-
pends on how great the However, if you work in an air-conditioned house).
difference is. A difference less-than-ideal conditions, like Letting wood acclimate to a
around 5% should disap- a damp basement or unheat- damp space with 12% to 14%
pear in just a few weeks. ed garage, you should use the MC will only make things
Check the wood weekly, and new wood immediately and worse in the long run.
use it when the difference is get the finished piece into —Christian Becksvoort is a
around 2% to 3%. a kinder environment (like contributing editor.

84 FINE WOODWORKING
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Q&A continued

Flatten an oilstone to clean it

Q: My oilstones no A: EVENTUALLY, ALL OILSTONES
longer sharpen as CLOG with bits of worn grit
effectively as they and steel, and that keeps
once did, and seem them from sharpening. To
to be clogged. How undo the clogging, lap your
can I rejuvenate stone on a flat, abrasive sur-
them? face, like a coarse diamond
— BILL PLANTZ, plate or some P-180 grit wet-
Westlake, Ohio or-dry sandpaper on a piece
of thick glass. Use a lot of
lubricant. I prefer kerosene,
because it does a good job
flushing away swarf and worn
grit. I watch for the color to
brighten over the entire stone
to know when I’m done, but
you also could draw a cross-
hatch over the stone’s surface.
When all of the pencil lines
are gone, you’re done. Final-
ly, flush the stone well with
Don’t toss your old stones. kerosene. A little elbow grease. Use kerosene as a lubricant and flatten the stone
Instead, take a few minutes to —Garrett Hack is a on a coarse diamond plate. The stone will work much faster and produce
flatten and clean them. contributing editor. perfectly straight edges.

For veneering, MDF is better than plywood

Q: Following A: MEDIUM-DENSITY FIBER-
Thomas Schrunk’s BOARD (MDF) is the best mate-
advice on shopmade rial for veneering, because it
veneers (Q&A, is uniform in thickness and
FWW #210), I am density, and does not con-
making a table with tain any internal voids. With
a veneer top. What’s MDF, what you see is what
the best material you get.
for the substrate? That’s not the case with Use MDF
instead of
—NIC BEAUMONT, plywood. The plies used to
plywood. It’s
Cleveland, Ohio make the core are rotary- more stable and
sliced—a knife cuts a thin, doesn’t have any
continuous sheet of wood voids or defects.
from the circumference of
the log as it is turned on a
giant lathe. Rotary-cut plies
create two problems. First, of a rotary-cut ply is largely eventually could tele-
because the density of a plainsawn, which means it graph through the outer ply
tree’s grain can vary from is more prone to move with and show up in the veneer.
one side of the tree to the changes in humidity and is —Thomas Schrunk works
other, the strength and den- less stable as a result. with exotic veneers in
sity of the resulting ply is in- The internal plies also might Minneapolis, Minn.
consistent. Second, the grain contain voids and defects that

86 FINE WOODWORKING Photo (top): Matt Kenney

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handwork
The Woodwright’s
favorite tools
‘If I were a VIkIng,
these are the tools
I’d be burIed wIth’
B y R o y U n d e R h i l l

O
ver three decades of teaching
traditional woodworking, I
have adopted a big, quirky
orchestra of tools—all
beechwood and brass,
rosewood and steel. I have
great regard for them all, but I’d be lying
if I didn’t confess to having favorites.
All of my favorites are brilliant work
partners, but each does a little bit more
for me than just get the job done. I can’t
help but smile when I pick up an 1875
D-9 ripsaw and hear its crisp basso
continuo as it carries its kerf down the
length of a plank. Other tools speak
to me of days of hard labor—the raw
handprint worn into the beech of an old
plane that is otherwise black with tallow
and linseed oil.
Nothing holds like a holdfast
Some of these classic hand tools are The holdfast is a versatile bench helper. Set it in a benchtop hole, slide the work
unique and some are cookie-cutter under it, give it a whack with a mallet, and all the force of the blow is captured,
castings. Some you can buy with a card locking the wood to the benchtop. When your work is done, a tap on the back of
and a click, and some, like the shaving the holdfast springs it free.
horse and spring-pole lathe, you’ll have The delightful holdfast works as well today as it did when the venerable
to make for yourself. Each one is a noble
Joseph Moxon described it in 1678 in his book Mechanick Exercises: or the
instrument of long service that would
Doctrine of HandyWorks: “Its office is to keep the Work fast upon the Bench,
certainly serve you equally as well, but if
whilst you either Saw, Tennant, Mortess, or sometimes Plain upon it.”
I were a Viking, these are the ones I’d be
buried with. The “sometimes plain” qualification comes from the fact that the holdfast
bears down on the very surface that you probably want to plane. For chamfering
Roy Underhill, star of PBS’s The Woodwright’s or rabbeting the edge of a piece held on the benchtop, though, it does just fine.
Shop, also runs a woodworking school in You also can bore holdfast holes through the front legs and skirt of your bench.
Pittsboro, N.C. (woodwrightschool.com). One or two holdfasts can then position a plank perfectly for edge-jointing.

88 FINE wOODwOrkINg Photos: Matt kenney

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handwork continued

The Buck Rogers smoother

is an outrageous plane
When I’m not using respectable beech, coffin-shaped smoothing
planes, I smooth with an outrageous plane—a tuned-up 1955
Millers Falls, red-knobbed, No. 709—the legendary “Buck Rog-
ers.” Designed in 1948 by the Huxtable brothers and sold by
the Millers Falls Co., the Buck Rogers smoother was intended
not for the hands of fine furniture makers but for returning GIs
in the post-war boom years. The body is cast iron, and the one-
piece frog and handle assembly are of tough aluminum alloy. The
bright red fore and aft grips are “unbreakable” Eastman Tenite.
For leveling a board, As well as the frog and handle assembly that renders the iron

I like the hungry scrub plane dead solid, it has a huge depth-adjustment wheel. Just sitting
on my bench, the Buck Rogers looks like it’s going 300 miles an
Some say flattening a board by hand is drudgery. I’m different. hour. It’s a strange visitor amid the Victoriana of the other vin-
I savor the task. For leveling a board, no hand tool tops a scrub tage hand tools I own—and it works like a jet-age charm!
plane. The rounded iron shaves a trench across the grain and
cuts very, very fast. Working back and forth in short strokes
with the cool, splintery shavings spewing up over your hands
as the plane hogs away wood, you look as if you were scrub-
bing a floor—and soon feel like it, too.
I own several scrubs, but I favor an ancient wooden jack
plane that was forced into a lifetime of scrubbing long before it
came to me. It probably dates from the 1830s because it has
a single laminated iron made by William Ash, an English maker.
Perhaps the beech body is English too, but it is far too bat-
tered to tell. In any case, it’s thoroughly American now. When
the original tote broke, the user replaced it—not with a sawn-
out piece of beech, but with a piece made from the crotch of a
dogwood branch. American dogwood is tough enough anyway,
but choosing this crotch with the grain flowing around it like a
ship’s knee has to be the work of a fellow countryman.

For rabbeting, the moving fillister plane

is a champ
Despite the temptations of metal planes, I have never used anything that
cuts a cross-grain shoulder as well as a wooden moving fillister—a 19th-
century gem made by H. Chapin and Sons.
The skewed iron shaves the cross-grain with a shearing cut and draws
the fence tight to the edge of the wood. The fence exposes only the width
of the blade that you need. Riding just ahead of the iron, a little vertical
nicker severs the cross-grain to keep a clean shoulder, and the shoulder of
the plane is made of hard boxwood inserted into the beech body. A brass
depth stop controlled by a screw completes this marvelous instrument.
The moving fillister won’t cut end grain like a shoulder plane, and the
fence makes it difficult to use on the cheeks of tenons. But for rabbeting,
along or across the grain, the moving fillister is a champ.

90 FINE woodworkINg
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handwork continued

Drawknife and shaving horse,

an inseparable pair
There are few more personal tools than your shaving horse and
drawknife. They’re a fast pair, too. The horse is essentially a

Spofford brace and center bit foot-operated vise that allows you to reposition the wood as you
work. And where a handplane takes the same metered shaving
bore holes with style with every stroke, the drawknife is a free blade, controlled only
by constant feedback and minute muscular adjustment through
A Spofford-chucked bit brace is cool. While other bit braces
every stroke. Sitting on a shaving horse with a drawknife in
rattle, ratchet, and reverse with nickel-plated knurling on their
your hands, you can get talking with someone, look down, and
screw-barreled chucks, the Spofford brace just clamps your bit in
discover that you’ve made a chair by mistake.
clamshell jaws with detached self-confidence. Made by the Fray
I work with a variety of drawknives and use both the solid-
company of Bridgeport, Conn., in the late 1800s, the Spofford
headed shaving horse favored by coopers, and the gate-headed
brace is defined by the forged, split jaw tightened by a single
“bodger’s horse” (shown here) used by chair makers. In both
transverse thumbscrew. It’s a clean forging, but Spoffords are
forms, the harder you pull, the firmer the grip. The power flows
not just iron and irony—the rosewood pad and the pewter rings
from the drawknife into your hands, through your body and down
on the crank handle give these braces an effortless, understated
to your feet, up through the lever of the shaving horse, and then
panache. When you have a boring job to do, it sure helps if you
back into the blade. It’s a full circle of strength, and even if there’s
have a cool tool working along with you.
nothing mystical about it, no one can deny that it’s wonderful.
Chuck up a center bit in a Spofford brace, and you’re work-
ing with elemental efficiency. Ideal for boring shallow holes, the
business end of the bit has just three simple elements: a central
pike, a cross-grain scoring spur, and the main blade. The pike
spears the wood and drills in as you crank the brace.
The spur strikes next, scoring the circumference of
the hole, severing the cross-grain fibers so the
blade can shave its way down into the wood.

92 FINE WOODWORKING
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handwork continued

Disston ripsaw sings as it cuts

In every young person’s life, if they’re lucky, they’ll light on a
tool that just clicks with them. My epiphany came while I was
ripping pieces of oak flooring with a Disston saw, found at a
flea market for a few dollars. The speed and ease of the saw
impressed me first. But then I listened. On every downstroke,
it spoke out with a crisp, rising burr; on every upstroke, it
rang with a faint echo of the moan the saw makes when bent
into an S and plunked with my thumb. It was speaking to me,
singing to me—all I had to do was work and listen.
The points create a slightly finer cut at the toe, giving it an
easier start and accounting for the rising note of each stroke.
Even the applewood handle is special—the large opening
gives you a grip for two-handed use—something you might not
appreciate for the first 5 ft. of ripping.
It sings, it talks, it even cuts wood. To many, it may seem
a sorry fate to discover that your tool of destiny is a big hand-
saw, but 35 years later, I’ve got no complaints.

Pole lathe is a powerful,

precise turning tool
Properly built, a spring pole lathe is a powerful and
precise machine—a reciprocal tool with a cutting
stroke and a return stroke—just like a plane or a
handsaw.
But you can’t just cobble one together. The
frame must be solid, the centers polished, and
the spring pole lively. The downward push of your
foot on the treadle pulls the cord wrapped around
the work, giving it the forward spin for the cutting
stroke. Raising your foot then lets the spring pole
rewind the cord, ready for the next cut. With the
tension adjusted properly, the spring pole does not
excessively resist your down stroke, yet spins the
work quickly back, even giving your foot a little lift.
The lathe I built, based on a design I found in a
17th-century German technical encyclopedia, is
solid, compact, and infinitely adjustable. Sliding
the collar joining the two ash poles back and forth
quickly changes the tension from wimpy to wow!
This little lathe is a rock-steady workhorse with
the added benefit of the delighted look on people’s
faces when they try it for themselves—another true
believer born every time.

94 FINE woodworkINg
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977 937

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F. Total distribution 219,821 213,166
G. Copies not distributed 113,301 116,273
H. Total 333,122 329,439
I. Percent paid 98.84 98.99
3ELLING 4HE 7ORLDS &INEST 6ENEERS )SNT /UR *OB )TS /UR 0LEASURE
16. Publication of statement of ownership: Tools & Shops 2010-11.
# 69-?=> 2366 <9+. f 1</+> ,+<<381>98 7+  f SXPY*LO\U]RS\O`OXOO\MYW 17. Signature and Title: Timothy Rahr, Chief Financial Officer
>966 0<//$ "!!" !# f 0+B$  #

FW-FH-FC 2in MP 14p3 x 12p

96 FINE woodworkINg
WOODWORKERS MART See advertiser index on page 99 for more information.

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www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com Tools & shops 2011 97

 SECRET DRAWER

how they did it False rail is friction fit

and held in place by
two bullet catches.
Open lower drawer
to remove rail and
access hidden

An A+ tool chest drawer.

B Y A N I S S A K A P S A L E S Hidden drawer

CASE JOINERY
Hand-cut dovetails SHELVES
are left proud. Through-mortise-
and-tenon joints
Upper sliding
door section

SLIDING DRAWER
DOORS RUNNERS
Doors ride on Dovetailed
their rabbeted drawers ride
lower edges. on runners
screwed into
the partitions.

PARTITIONS
Tapered
sliding

T
dovetails

revor drawers, adding more of a particular depth

Hadden’s and fewer of another. Hadden used traditional
training with Michael Cullen doors in the middle but sliding doors below and above to avoid
not only yielded the woodworking knowledge the opening and closing arc. However, he didn’t veer from
and skills he needed to go it on his own, but also tradition in the construction, using hand-cut dovetails, mortise-
culminated in the Arts and Crafts tool chest seen and-tenon joinery (through and hidden), wedged tenons, and
on the back cover. The design is loosely based on Cullen’s, but tapered sliding dovetails to keep the case solid and functioning
Hadden tailored the anatomy to his own tools, enlarging some smoothly for years to come.

98 FINE WOODWORKING Drawings: John Tetreault

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INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
For quick access to advertisers, go to www.finewoodworking.com/marketplace or call 800-719-6906
Reader Reader Reader
ADVERTISER Service page# Ext ADVERTISER Service page# Ext ADVERTISER Service page# Ext

Adria Toolworks, Inc. 3 p. 95 7003 Furniture Institute of Massachusetts 28 p. 96 7028 Phase-A-Matic, Inc. 52 p. 91 7052
Affinity Tool Works 61 p. 15 7061 Goby Walnut Products 2 p. 96 7002 Philadelphia Furniture Workshop 25 p. 96 7025
Akeda Jig p. 13 Groff & Groff Lumber 34 p. 96 7034 Powermatic 21 p. 2 7021
Allred & Associates, Inc. 29 p. 97 7029 Guillemot Kayaks 58 p. 95 7058 Quality Vakuum Products p. 13
Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts 19 p. 11 7019 Hearne Hardwoods, Inc. 20 p. 19 7020 RadarCarve.net p. 15
Banner Hill School of Woodworking 31 p. 95 7031 Heritage School of Woodworking 84 p. 95 7084 Rare Woods USA p. 3
The Beall Tool Co. 55 p. 97 7055 Highland Woodworking 77 p. 3 7077 RichLine Wood Working Machines p. 9
Berea Hardwoods Co. p. 9 Highland Woodworking 78 p. 15 7078 Rockler Woodworking and Hardware 50 p. 25 7050
Berkshire Products 35 p. 95 7035 Highland Woodworking 70 p. 89 7070 Rockler Woodworking and Hardware 48 p. 85 7048
Berkshire Veneer Co. p. 96 Inside Passage School of Fine Rosewood Studio 73 p. 19 7073
Bowclamp 43 p. 95 7043 Woodworking 47 p. 91 7047 Router Bits Online p. 95
CMT USA, Inc. 38 p. 85 7038 Jevons Tool Co. p. 95 RouterBits.com 36 p. 91 7036
C.R. Muterspaw Lumber 40 p. 95 7040 Kay Industries 56 p. 13 7056 SawStop 46 p. 19 7046
Cabinetparts.com 49 p. 96 7049 Keller & Company 14 p. 96 7014 Scherr’s Cabinet & Doors, Inc. 5 p. 21 7005
Center For Furniture Craftsmanship p. 89 Kreg Tool Company 13 p. 83 7013 Scott Horsburgh Fine Furniture p. 9
Certainly Wood 6 p. 95 7006 Laguna Tools 80 p. 13 7080 Titebond Wood Glue 22 p. 15 7022
Chidwick School of Fine Woodworking 57 p. 96 7057 Laguna Tools 79 p. 89 7079 Vacuum Laminating Technolgy p. 19
Classic Designs by Matthew Burak 51 p. 11 7051 Leigh Industries p. 3 Vacuum Pressing Systems 32 p. 89 7032
Connecticut Valley School of Leigh Industries p. 91 Whiteside Machine Company 9 p. 87 7009
Woodworking 82 p. 3 7082 Lie-Nielsen Toolworks 67 p. 83 7067 Wood Stream Services p. 95
Contempo Living 62 p. 95 7062 Lignomat 1 p. 3 7001 Woodcraft Supply 4 p. 17 7004
Corradi Gold 33 p. 11 7033 Luthiers Mercantile Intl. Co. 17 p. 95 7017 Woodfinder p. 95
Diefenbacher Tools 16 p. 95 7016 Makers-Marks p. 95 Woodmaster Tools 8 p. 91 7008
Eagle Woodworking 23 p. 97 7023 North Bennet Street School 63 p. 96 7063 Wood-Mizer 15 p. 96 7015
Felder Group USA 71 p. 87 7071 NorthWest School of Wooden Woodrat 65 p. 21 7065
Fine Woodworking Online Store p. 27 Boatbuilding 10 p. 96 7010 Woodworkers Source 26 p. 95 7026
Fine Woodworking Survey p. 87 Northwest Woodworking Studio 11 p. 95 7011 Woodworker’s Supply 41 p. 11 7041
FineWoodworking.com p. 93 Oneida Air Systems 72 p. 83 7072 Woodworker’s Supply 42 p. 91 7042
The Finishing Store 74 p. 9 7074 Osborne Wood Products 18 p. 85 7018 Work Sharp Tools 59 p. 11 7059
Forrest Manufacturing 12 p. 7 7012 Peck Tool Company 44 p. 96 7044 Yestermorrow 60 p. 15 7060
A Case for Apprenticeship
Trevor Hadden was seven months into a two-year
apprenticeship before he was allowed to use power
tools. For the first month, he had practiced at flattening,
tuning, and sharpening his planes, chisels, and saws.
Then came six months of exercises and projects
performed solely with these tools, before he
flipped the switch on his first
machine. Hadden’s exacting
tutor was California furniture
maker Michael Cullen, who
based the program on his own
training under Englishman
David Powell, who himself
had trained in the workshop
of the legendary English Arts
and Crafts furniture maker
Edward Barnsley. For the final
project of his apprenticeship,
Hadden designed this tool chest, which pays
tribute to the legacy of craftsmanship he
inherited. The chest’s octagonal raised panels,
protruding dovetails, and sled feet are inspired

by details Hadden admired on Barnsley furniture. And

the layout of the interior combines elements from the
tool chests of both Cullen and Powell. The skilled
student used air-dried claro walnut for the case, blue
gum eucalyptus for the drawer fronts, and ebony for
the turned drawer pulls.
—Jonathan Binzen
Photos: Don Russel

How They Did It Turn to p. 98 to see a detailed drawing of Pro Portfolio For an audio slide show tracing the origins of Hadden’s
Hadden’s tool chest and learn about the joiner y. tool chest, go to FineWoodworking.com/extras.