How Do You Turn .'our Home's Interior,From Ordinary To

?•

With Freud's ArchitecturalMillwork Router Bits!Turn your home's interior from ordinary to

EXTRAORDINARY by customizing your trim with Freud's

new Architectural Millwork Router Bits! With Freud's new

router bits, you will be able to completely customize any

room in your house with unique trim in your choice of high

quality, stain-grade wood for a truly exceptional, one-of- •

a-kind look!

Now anyone with a 2-1/4 HP router and router table can

make casing, wainscoting, chair rails, baseboards,

crown molding, entry & interior doors, French doors

and more from any wood species. Finally, you are able to

achieve the design profiles you want for a fraction of the

cost of molding from a custom millwork shop.

Don't settle for MDF moldings - Get the natural,

beautiful stain-grade wood you've always

wanted with the profile that matches

your style.

American-LiWoodworker

#145, December/January 2010

Features39 How To Build ATorsion Box

It's amazingly strong, light and cheap!

48 Adjustable Height Assembly TableLegs that ratchet up and down with ease.

S4 Greene and Greene Furniture DetailsAn expert woodworker talks about what really

gets him excited.

60 Office CabinetStore offic~ necessities in style.

66 Arts & Crafts Hall TreeOrganize your gear with an oak classic.

72 Etched Brass NameplatesPersonalize your woodworking projects.

DEC E M B E R I JAN U A R Y 2010 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 3

36 Tool NutOld machines often have advanced features.

82 Oops!A cabinet's back, put on the front.

76 Tool TalkNew tablesaw blade guards are easy to live with.

32 Great American WoodworkerA former minister discovers a new calling.

30 My ShopIt's as comfortable as a favorite tool.

20 Well-Equipped Shop23 new tools you should know about.

16 Thrifty WoodworkerMaking a marking knife from a bandsaw blade,

making a band clamp from a rubber band and

string, practicing on a turning's waste area, mak­

ing a corner clamping jig, using a featherboard

to index narrow rip cuts, plumbing with a water

jug, turning a planer knife into a drawknife, and

using soda caps as standoffs.

10 Workshop TipsMaking an indexed edge guide,

building a T-square jig for biscuit

joints, flattening warped boards

using a planer sled, steadying

molding for sanding, using two

handscrews to rout small parts,

identifying parts with tape, making

a perf-board template for shelf-pin

holes, and using a jig for routing

toe spaces in cabinet sides.

Departments

4 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 0 E C E M B E R I JAN U A R Y 2010

26357Four cookies,just $11.99

Lift, grip and protect your projectsOur new Bench Cookies are revolutionizing the workshop, allowing for stable routing,

sanding, carving and other tasks without traditional clamps. The secret? Non-marring

rubber pads that solidly grip both the bench and your workpiece. They also elevate your

projects for complete access to every edge, making finishing and edge work easy. Sturdy and

, simple to set up, Bench Cookies are guaranteed to help you Create with Confidence.

~ For a store ncar you or free catalog visit RockIer.com 11-877-ROCKLER

ART" DESIGN

Creative Director Vern JohnsonDirector of Photography Jason Zentner

Advertising Director Brian liftAd Sa es Manager Susan Tauster

Classified Advertising Rep. sam SelvaggioVice Presiden ~uetion Derek W. Corson

Production Manager Michael J. RueckwaldProduetior' Coordinator Kristin N. BeaudoinS~ Enqio"leer Denise Donnarumma

VP. Consur"""Ef Dennis O'Brien~ Susan Sidler

Newsstan<l TJ MontilliOnline Subscription Jodi LeeProduct MaIkeng Beth Dunham

Group Mat ;)irecJ)f en HigginsNew Business Manage!" e Valanzola

Renewal and - >age< ""era Dancy

G SALES

Back IssuesSome are"a:::;~:;~:~:~::ng and handling.Order at v. ..es

EDITORIAL

#145, Dec/Jan 2010

Issue #145.ArneR;;r~. ISSN 1074-9152. LlSP5 ;-]I!. Publishedbimonthly by~ MEda.. uc. 90 Sherman St..~ MA. 02140.Periodicals postag!!;:8C" 3osmn. MA and adcfrtional _ Postmaster:Send changed~n:DCE':DAmerican~ rr:b ~S,Palm

Coast,FL32142..Q2li~rates:U5.ClIle-year.S1.!...5B.~.$S.99,

Canada one-yea: S25.!£ SO;IIe<oPy $6.99 (U.s. Fu1c:s: '3: ~ :--22988611,Foreignsurface~£5.3B U5..funcls).U.s.news.stan: by CurtisGrculation~ -.:. NJ 07646. Canada :::.:s:~ MailAgreement N\IrtJer .!..~~ Canada Postmaster:: Se"IO iICI:2"5 ClangeS to:American Woodwrne' ;{) - 456. Niagara Falls. ON ~ _ -:... Send returnsand addres5 chirges iD <:"'BICafl Wood'NOrker-, P.O. Be.~ Coast. FL32142{)235.Pm:ec C 2009 NewTrack Media llC.' ~.

AmericanW~"91s:iarerioonationaboutyouWllh~~iesin

order for them to oIfer)lCl; PltIQ..m and servkes of interest10)0- JIClo. WOIAd rath­erwenotshare~ ~writetous at:American~ CustomerServiceDepal'1:rTe1l D 3o:I:.:Q013S. Palm Coast, Fl32142..c235 ~n:fudeacopy of your adl:k1:5s Iic:Jl;.

Subscribers: If the :loR aiertS us that your magazineii~we have no further oI:ligiiiD:lr~swe receive a corrected a:rr!55

one year.

Editorial Director/Associate Publisher Randy Johnson

Editor Tom CasparAssociate Editor Tim Johnson

Contributing Editors Brad HoldenDavid RadtkeAndrew Zoellner

Office Administrator Shelly Jacobsen

AlUerican~WoodworkerSubscribers to American Woodworker have

reported they've received renewal notifications,subscription offers, and invoices in the mail (aswell as by phone) from numerous companies

that are not authorized representatives or agentsof American Woodworker. We do not share

our mailing list with these companies. We onlysend invoices and renewals with the AmericanWoodworker name, and payments should only

be made to American Woodworker.If you have any questions about your invoice,

please call us directly at 800-666-3111.

ATTENTION SUBSCRIBERS!Make Time!( ey ur

W.141ne

( !

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MILESCRAFT-- . .

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MILESCRAFT.COM FOR EVERY SHOPSPEND MORE TIME MAKING CUTS, LESS TIME PREPARING FOR THEM

Keep a push stick,depth gauge,

and otherimportant table top

accessoriesclose at hand

Consistent cuts and

reduced kick·back on ~......"!any table saw, e

router table, or fence

From the Editor's Desk

Ask a Question -Get an Answer

WOODWORKING

Q&AAsk a QuestionGet an Answer

Online at AmericanWoodworker.com

BECOMING A SKILLED WOODWORKER requires practice, patience, and athorough understanding of numerous tools, materials and techniques. It'sa skill that's not mastered quickly or easily, but the satisfaction of work­ing wood and enjoying the final project is hard to beat.

Woodworkers love the challenge of solving problems. Yet, there aremany times when we end up scratching our heads and wondering if thereis a better way to do something (or worse, wondering if there was a betterway). American Woodworker receives lots of calls and letters from read­ers with questions about their projects, shops and tools, and it has alwaysbeen our business to provide useful information to our readers.

To contir:lUe this commitment, we've launched a new online Q&A forum.It's a place for woodworkers to interact, ask questions and share wood­working knowledge with each other. Even if you don't currently have aquestion, go online anyway and offer up your woodworking wisdom toothers who do have questions. You'llfind a link to the Q&A forum on thehomepage of the American Woodworker

website.While at AmericanWoodworker.com,

make sure to click over to the tip, project,technique, and tool stories. New ones areposted every week, and they're all freeand complete.

See you there,

Randy Johnson

DEC E M B ER I JAN U A R Y 2010 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 7

More On the Web at AmericanWoodworker.com

Office CabinetFor complete how-to on using drawer lock router bits,go to: www.AmericanWoodworker.com/145/DrawerLockBit

orsionB~

To see plans for a workbench using a torsion-box top, go to:www.AmericanWoodworker.com/145/TomsTorsionBoxBench

To read more of Mark Love'sthoughts on woodworking, goto: www.AmericanWoodworker.coml145/MarkLove

'I

Assembly TableTo see a video showing how these legs work, go to:www.AmericanWoodworker.comI145/AdjustableLegs

For an X-ray look inside Greene & Greene furniture, goto: www.AmericanWoodworker.com/145/GreeneAndGreene

~

Making Spirits Brighter15 Great Gift Ideas for the Woodworker

1. Veritas® Miniature Shoulder Plane 05P80.01 $29.50 2. Miter Hook 50N37.01 $8.95 3. Folding Dozuki 60T56.01 $29.504. Veritas® Beading Tool & 6 Cutters 05P04.50 $69.00 5. Spill Plane 15P15.01 $49.00 6. Universal Adapter & Bit Set 17K02.05 $10.907. Pocket Marking Gauge 15N02.01 $19.50 8. Knife Sharpener 70M46.50 $15.50 9. Veritas® Imp. Grad. Micro-Adjust WheelMarking Gauge 05N35.20 $38.50 10. Mini Dynamo Flashlight 45K18.47 $8.50 11. Veritas® Side Rabbet Plane 05P44.01 $129.0012. Painter's Pyramid, pkg. of 10 88K58.70 $6.50 13. Veritas® Small Shoulder Plane, A2 Blade 05P47.01 $169.0014. Veritas® Premium Dovetail Saw 05T05.01 $65.00 15. Veritas® Low-Angle Block Plane, A2 Blade 05P22.01 $139.00

To order these products, call or visit us online. You can request a copy of our free 1-800-683-8170gift catalog or browse it online. A gift card from Lee Valley is always welcome. www.leevalley.com

i LeeValley& veRItas® Ho;;d:;~;;~;;7ngMade Easy.

Workshop Tips Clever Ideas From Our Readers

Double-Duty Edge GuideINSTEAD OF MEASURING for my circular 5aw's offset each time I needto make a cut, I use a modified edge guide. I screwed two 3/4" x 3/4" x12" hardwood blocks to the front and back clamp bars of the guide andclamped the guide to a board.

Next, I placed the saw's base against the edge guide and made a cutthrough the blocks and the board. The end of each block now indicatesexactly where the saw will cut. I just line up the end of one block with a pen­cil mark on the panel, clamp the guide, and turn on the saw.

I also routed a dado in the other end of the hardwood blocks, using thesame method. Again, instead of measuring my router's offset, I just positionthe dadoes in the blocks next to a pencil mark on the panel, and rout away.

Brett Bateman

Terrific Tips Win Terrific Tools!We'll give you $100 for every original workshop tip

~ we publish. One Terrific Tip is featured in each issue.

The Terrific Tip winner receives a 12" Leigh Super Jig

with VRS (Vacuum and Router Support), a $239 value.

E-mail your tip to workshoptips@americanwoodworker.com or send it to American WoodworkerWorkshop Tips, 1285 Corporate Center Drive, Suite 180, Eagan, MN 55121. Submissions can't bereturned and become our property upon acceptance and payment. We may edit submissions anduse them in all print and electronic media.

10 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DEC EM BE RI) A N u A RY 2010

Universal Planer SledLET'S FACE IT: running a twisted board throughthe planer doesn't make it flat. The board willstill be twisted when it comes out. The trick is touse a sled that prevents the board from rockingas it's being planed. That's not a new idea, butI've made a sled that accommodates a board ofalmost any size, no matter how tWisted.

I made the sled 12" wide and 6' long. It can beglued up from narrow boards, made from MDF,or be a melamine shelf purchased from a homecenter. Whatever the source, it has to be flat.Glue a 1/2" thick stop block to the leading edge.Drill holes in the sled wherever needed and insertT-nuts from the bottom. Counterbore the T-nutsso their flanges don't catch on the planer's bed.

Next, mill a bunch of 1/2" thick hardwoodstrips. Bevel some of the strips' ends, and leaveothers square. Bandsaw adjustment slots downthe strips' centers. The wedges steady a wob-bly board, and the square-ended strfps hold it inplace. Secure the blocks and wedges by screwingpan-head machine screws and washers into theT-nuts. Make sure the screws don't stand proudof the board you're planing!

Wayne Clevenger

Two-Screw TechniqueAS HARD AS I TRY to avoid it, every now andthen I need to mill a small part on the routertable. I've learned the hard way that you shouldnever hold that part by hand, for three good rea­sons: first, your fingers would be way too close tothe bit; second, the part makes very little contactwith the fence; and third, small parts can easilybecome projectiles.

So here's how I do it: I lock the small part inthe jaws of a handscrew. To make a broader bear­ing surface, I clamp a second handscrew aroundthe first one, adjusting its position so that its tipsbear against the fence.

John English

SANDPAPER

DEC E M B E R I JAN U A R Y 20' 0 www..ll.mericaIlWoodworker.com11

Workshop Tips continued

Make Your MarksOn Painter's TapeINSTEAD OF WRITING directly ona project's parts, I stick a piece ofpainter's tape on each part, and putidentifying marks on the tape. NowI don't have to sand off pencil marksor stop during assembly to measureand make sure I'm using the rightpart.

AI Moreen

Toe SpaceRouter JigCUTTING TOE SPACES on thesides of base cabinets is lightningfast with this router jig. Make thejig from a 3/4" x 18" x 30" piece ofplywood. Layout a toe space on onecorner of the plywood, then cut itout on the tablesaw. Make the rip

cuts a bit extra-long to get a precisecorner-overcuts won't affect howthe jig works. Add 2" wide hard­wood stop blocks on the front andbottom edges of the jig. Center theblocks on the plywood, so you canposition the jig on either a rightor left cabinet side. To make a toespace in a cabinet's side, cut a rough

opening first with a saber saw.Clamp the jig to the workpiece andfinish the job using a router with atop-bearing pattern bit. The routerleaves a rounded corner, but that'seasily squared up with a chisel.

Mitch Palmer

12 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 0 ECE M BERIJAN UARY 2010

ProTop® Phenolic CompleteDurable one-piece, smooth-sliding3/4" table with built-in Dual Track.

Suggested retail price $499.99Mail-in rebate $50.99

Price after rebate $449.99Rebate offer expires December 31, 2009

ProLift®Superior range, speed and accuracyto .001". Makes bit changes easy.

Suggested retail price $329.99Mail-in rebate $50.99

Price after rebate $279.99Rebate offer expires December 31,2009

Find a dealer near you at benchdog.com or call 1·800·786·8902

BladeLoc®Protects your hands andblades to make bladechanges easy and safe.Fits all 10" table saws.

$9.99

BullNoseTrim GaugeMakes marking andtrimming 3/4" roundeddrywall corners easy.

$9.99

FeatherLoc®This featherboard locksin the miter slot to keepstock snug to the fencefor accurate work.

$19.99

og ret r n ar yo

OhioCincinnati Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

421 East Kemper Road (513) 671-7711Columbus WoodWerks Supply, Inc

www.woodwerks.com1181 Claycraft Road (800) 860-9375

Strongsville Cleveland Tool & Cutterwww.clevelandtoolandcutterinc.com14181 Foltz Pkwy (440) 238-5770

Washin t nSeattle Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

3823 Stone Way North (206) 634-3222Tukwila Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

345 Tukwila Parkway (206) 244-916

West Vir iniPrinceton Virginia Hardware

1411 NWalker St (304) 425-3570

Wi con inMilwaukee Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

845 North Mayfair Road (414) 774-1882

Wy minCasper Woodworker's Supply www.woodworker.com

1108 North Glenn Road (800) 645-9292

N wYorBuffalo Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

5085 Transit Road (716) 631-8922

North C rolinaGraham Woodworker's Supply www.woodworker.com

1125 Jay Lane (800) 645-9292

TexasArlington Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

4624 S. Cooper St (817) 417-0070Houston Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

3265 Southwest Freeway (713) 622-6567Mesquite Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

18661 Interstate Hwy. 635 (972) 613-8848San Antonio Otto Dukes Machinery

www.ottodukes.com600 San Pedro Ave (800) 333-8537

New Ha hiSalem Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

373 South Broadway (603) 898-5941

NewJ rUnion Force Machinery www.forcemachinery.com

2271 Route 22 (908) 688-8270

N IAlbuquerque Woodworker's Supply

www.woodworker.com5604 Alameda Place NE (800) 645-9292

. OregonPortland Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

11773 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy.(503) 672-7266

P nn Iy niPittsburgh Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

7402 McKnight Road (412) 364-7751Williamsport Hermance Machine Co.

www.hermance.com178 Campbell St (866) 326-8131

a B n h

lIIin ISchaumburg Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

253 West Golf Road (847) 310-0447

K nDerby Big Tool Store www.bigtoolstore.com

4640 E63rd. St South (800) 788-6505

In I nIndianapolis Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

8452 Castelton Corner Dr. (317) 578-9750

or ISandy Springs Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

6235 Roswell Road (404) 460-1000

Mi uriSt. Louis Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

11977 Saint Charles Rock Rd. (314) 209-1116

Minn 0Burnsville Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

2020 W County Rd. 42 (952) 892-7999Maplewood Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

1935 Beam Ave. (651) 773-5285Minneapolis Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

3025 Lyndale Ave S. (612) 822-3338Minnetonka Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

12995 Ridgedale Dr. (952) 542-0111

MineSouth Portland Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

200 Gorham Road (207) 761-4402

M' seachuseltsCambridge Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

2154 Massachusetts Ave. (617) 497-1136Fall River Burns Inc www.burnstools.com

350 Mariano S Bishop Blvd. (800) 341-2200

MichiganRoyal Oak Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

29918 Woodward Ave. (248) 543-5110

C lif 111Atascadero Outlet Tool Supply www.outlettools.com

7175 EI Camino Real (877) 886-1298Ontario Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

4320 E. Mills Circle Rd. (909) 481-9896Orange Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

1955 N. Tustin (714) 282-1157Pasadena Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

83 South Rosemead (626) 356-9663Pleasant Hill Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

541 Contra Costa Blvd. (925) 521-1800San Diego Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

8199 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. (858) 268-1005Torrance Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

20725 Hawthorne Blvd. (310) 542-1466

ColoradoDenver Rockier Woodworking and Hardware

2553 S. Colorado Blvd. (303) 782-0588

Conn c I utWaterbury Tools-Plus www.tools-plus.com

153 Meadow St (800) 222-6133

Alaska. Anchorage Hardware Specialties

424 West 54th Avenue (907) 563-1312riz n

Phoenix Rockier Woodworking and Hardware426 E. Thunderbird Rd.(602) 996-3488

M nt naBozeman Four Corners Hardware

www.fourcornershardware.com177 Garden Drive (888) 994-TOOL

Web OrderRockler.comRoutertabledepot.comTylertool.com

Thrifty Woodworker Handy Tips for Saving Money

Junk G mMlrklng KnlfOLD BANDSAW BLADES can eas­ily be recycled into useful markingor carving knives. One blade netsyou a slew of small pieces. Use a tinsnip to cut off a piece of the blade,grind off the teeth, and then grindthe profile. Quench the blade inwater quite often so you don't burn

. it; a thin pie~e of metal can heat upvery fast.

Next, file or grind the cuttingedge's bevel. Make a two-part han­dle from scrap wood and fasten theblade using epoxy or rivets. Finally,hone the edge.

Robbie Dotson

String B nd CI mpWFilbe MAKIN(j A liA§e f€lF a W€l€l€h~A Va§@/ I ~a~ t€l ~Iu@ UfJ a §ffiall €l€ta~=

€lAal §~afJ@: I ffia~@ t~i§ §iffi~l@ §aA~ €laffifJ ff€lffi a ~i@€@ €If §tFiAij aA~ a FU§=§@F §aA~: I=I@F@/§ ~€lW it w€lfk§! fiF§t, ti@ €lA@ @A~ €If t~@ §tFiAij t€l iR@ W§§@F§aA~ aA~ 1€l€lfJ t~@ §tFiAij af€lUA~ tR@ w€lfkfJi@€@i fl@ltt, FUfl tR@ §tFiAij tRf€lUij~

t~@ €ltR@F @A~ €If iR@ FU§§@F ~afl~ aA~ ~ulI it tiij~t: WR@fl )I€lU ~€!t t~@ Fiij~t

affi€lUflt €If t@fl§i€lfl, €Iaffi~ i~@ l€l€l§@ @A~ €If t~@ §tFiflij: F€lF ffi€lf@ €Iaffi~ifl~

fJF@§§UF@/ U§@ ffi€lF@ FU§§@F §aA~§

Turning rUnt-UPI CAN'T STAND THROWING AWAY goodwood. When I'm turning a goblet or any otherobject, I don't leave the waste areas blank. Ipick up a gouge or a skew and use the waste toperfect my turning techniques.

Bob Patros

16 WWW:Am@fiEiifiWee!iwem@f:EiefR DEC EM B E RI JAN U ARY 2010

F Itherbolrd Ripping StopI'M ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT for different ways to use thethings I already own. I found that I didn't need to buy or makean extra jig for ripping thin, uniform strips on my tablesaw, forexample. I use my featherboard.

The featherboard clamps into the saw's miter slot. I just turnit around, so the fingers point towards me, and temporarilyplace it next to the blade. I adjust the featherboard so that thedistance between its end and the'blade is the thickness I wantto cut. Next, I slide the featherboard so it's in front of the bladeand lock it in the miter slot. I set the stock against the feather­board, slide the fence up to the stock's right edge, and makethe rip cut. To make the next cut, I reset the fence.

The advantage to this method is that I can leave the guardon my saw; in this photo, I've lifted it out of the way so you cansee what's going on.

Jayne Thorson

Pllner Bllde DrlwknlfeMV PORTAIL!! PLAN!!R U5{!5 d15p05ilblti blild{!5. Wh{!nthl1! first 5tit got dull, I didn't throw th{!m ilWily=1 tUrlll1!dthe two blildes Into vl1!ry u5{,ful drilwknlv@s, I wrilpf)l1!dduet tilf)e ilround thti ends of the blild@s ilnd touehed upth{!lr euttlng edQ{!5 with il dlilmond pl1ddlti. fh{! nilrrowprofiles of th{!se tools ilrti perf@et for euttlng tight eurv{!s.

Howard Lambka

Sodl CIP t ndoffsWHEN FINISHING a flat panel, I use plastic soda bottle caps as stand­offs to raise the panel above the bench. First, I finish the back side ofthe panel. Then I set the wet side on the upturned soda caps and finishthe front side. One small problem-the soda bottle tops have a seriesof protruding points, from breaking the safety seal, which leave a smallring. But that ring is easy to sand out.

Rich Flynn

E-mail yourtiptothriftywoodworker@americanwoodworker.comorsendittoAmericanWoodworker.ThriftyWoodworker.1285CorporateCenterDrive.Suitel80.Eagan.MN55121. Submissions can't be retumed and become our property upon acceptance and payment We may edit submissions and use them in all print and electronic media,

18 WWW,Amllrlalll\Woollworkllr.aOm 0 E C E M B E R I JAN U A R Y 201 0

68"

nir·T8:h 15lHH i1050 Mnx ClM 12"

Remote ClJllrol t$,~~SJlL

3HP OusHorceI M~ron Canisters~500MaxCfM

$,1.~,'!Q;

I69"

I

The Well-Equipped Shop Our Pick of the Latest Tools

Pro SliderGENERAL INTERNATIONAL

HAS REDESIGNED their ,

Excalibur sliding table for its20th anniversary.

First and foremost, theymade the table more solidand stable by beefing up thecross bracing and adding anextra leg. A new brace boltsthe entire table to the back ofyour saw. To compensate for unevenfloors, they designed the legs to beeasily adjustable.

The new design ofthe slidingquick-mount bracket adds substan­tial crosscutting capacity, which isthe major benefit of a sliding table.You can crosscut or miter stock upto 49" wide with the fence at thefront of the table. You can cut stockup to 72" wide with the fence posi­tioned at the rear of the table.

General has also added positivestops for the fence at 15°, 22-112°, 30°and 45° to make setting up miter cutsquicker and easier.

The main table attachment

bracket has been rede­signed for easier mount-ing- it's now two pieces. The brack­et stays permanently attached tothe saw and allows for the table tobe detached and reattached with­out readjustment, which is great forsmaller shops that need a slidingtable but don't have the space tokeep it set up.

Problems caused by debris wear­ing down the sliding mechanism areeliminated by using bearings insteadof the Ultra-High Molecular Weight

(UHMW) runners used in previousversions. Brushes are also mountedwith the bearings to keep the slidingmechanism clean.

Getting the table parallel to thetablesaw is easier, too. On\=e thetable is level, you simply loosen thebolts holding the fence in place,move the table into alignment, andretighten the bolts.

Source: General International, www.

general.ca, (514) 326-1161, Excalibur Pro­

Series Sliding Table, 50-SLT60P, $1380.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •Powerful, Portable Dust CollectorTHE GRIZZLY 1-1/2 HP CYCLONE Dust Collector isa great combination of power andportability. Rated at 866 CFM, the unit provides excellent air flow for a portable unit.

The great thing about a cyclone design is that heavy chips and dust are separatedfrom the fine particles. Only the fine particles go through the impeller to the filter,which allows the motor and impeller to operate more efficiently.

One nice feature of this unit is that you can place a disposable bag in the dustbarrel. That's made possible by a small hose that connects the barrel to the cyclone.Suction from the hose keeps the bag secured and fully open. To remove the bag,simply unlatch the barrel, wheel it out from under the unit, and lift the bag out. It'smuch easier than trying to dump a 30-gallon steel drum into a trash can.

Another handy feature is the manual handle for cleaning the .2 micron pleatedfilter. A quarter turn of the handle shakes dust from the filter and keeps it clear ofsuction-slowing debris. The pleated filter provides more surface area for capturingfine particles than standard-sized filter bags-and in a smaller space.

Running at only 65 dB, this unit is perfect for woodworkers whose families likepeace and quiet. And, at just under 6' tall, it's small enough to fit in the basement, too.

Source: Grizzly Industrial, www.grizzly.com. (360) 647-0801, 1-1/2 HP Cyclone Dust Collector,

G0703, $825.

20 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 0 ECE M B ERI JA N U ARY 2010

First-Class PlanesAFTER AN ABSENCE of over fifty years, Stanley hasrejoined the ranks of premium plane makers. If you'reinterested in buying the best, they've just introducedfive new tools that are definitely worth a close look.

The five planes are: a No.4 smoother, a No. 62 low­angle jack, a No. 9-1/2 standard angle block plane, a No.60-1/2 low-angle block plane, and a No. 92 shoulder/chisel plane. The smooth, jack and block planes all have1/8" thick irons made from A2 steel, which holds an edge

longer than high-carbon steel. All of these planes alsohave Norris-style mechanisms, which incorporate depth­of-cut and lateral adjustments in one lever. The throatopening of each plane is adjusted by sliding a portion ofthe sole in front of the blade-a familiar feature on blockplanes and low angle jacks, but a novel one for benchplanes, like this smoother.

Source: Stanley Tools, www.stanleytools.com. (800) 782-6539,

#4 and #62, $179; #9-1/2 and #60-1/2, $99; #92, $149.

Souped-UpBandsawTHE LAGUNA 14X14 SUV

(Souped-Up Version) is a deluxe14" bandsaw that's the culmi­nation of Laguna's 25 years ofexperience in manufacturingbandsaws.

It offers an impressive14" of resaw capacity (most14" bandsaws have a 6" or12" capacity). With a 3 hpmotor, it has all the extrapower you need for resaw­ing wide boards. It's alsoloaded with helpful fea­tures like a rack and pinionmechanism to tilt the table(assisted by a gas cylinder), aquick release for blade tension,and a foot brake that also turnsoff the saw.

The saw weighs 380 Ibs. andhas a 35-1/2" high cast-iron tablethat is 15" square. It accepts a125" blade up to 1" wide, has athroat clearance of 13-1/4" andcomes with a high-quality fence.

Source: Laguna Tools, www.lagu­

natools.com, (800) 234-1976, 14x14

SUV 14" Bandsaw, MBANDl44200,

$1,495.

DECEM B ER/J A N U ARY 2010 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 21

High-Capacity Tool-Actuated Switch

Dedicated Bladesfor Better CutsTHE DEWALT PRECISION TRIM

SAW BLADE LINE features six10" thin-kerf blades, and most are

designed for a specific job. We had achance to try out each one and feltspoiled. It's a treat to use a blade that's

been engineered to perform one taskbetter than any other.

The 24-toorh blade is great for rip­ping. The 40-tooth blade is a general­purpose tablesaw blade. The 50-toothATB+R blade is a combination rip/

crosscut blade made for tablesaws.The 60-tooth ATB blade is designedfor smooth crosscutting on table ormiter saws. The 80-tooth ATB blade isdesigned for fine finish work on a tableor miter saw. The 80-tooth KG bladeis designed for non-ferrous metals,

plastics and fine trim on a table or mitersaw.

All of these blades have a laser-cuthardened steel plate that allows for

fast, smooth cutting with minimalmaterial waste, according to DeWalt.

Increased vibration dampening comesfrom expansion slots and harmonicslots cut into the body of each blade.This optimized plate design helps to

eliminate blade flex and makes theblade quieter.

The blades' teeth have more car­bide than standard blades, which

allows for more re-sharpenings. Theblades are also protected with an anti­

stick coating that decreases heat andfriction, resulting in cleaner cuts.

DeWalt also makes some of theseblades in 8-1/2" and 12" sizes.

Source: DeWalt, www.dewalt.com. (800) 433­

9258; 10" Precision Trim Saw Blades, $30-$60.

continued

TOOL-ACTUATED VACUUMS are very convenient, but most tool-actu­ated vacs have a 15-amp limit (the vac and the tool can't use more than

15 amps combined). This means you can't use tool-actuated vacuumswith power-hungry tools, such as a 3 hp router or a tablesaw. This unit is

different-it containstwo 12-amp circuits(and two powercords), so you can runa vacuum and thepower tool on differ­

ent circuits in yourshop without worry­ing about overload­ing the switch.

Source: MBright

Tools Inc., www.iVac­

Switch.com, (613)

826-2200, iVac Switch,

$39.50.

The Well-Equipped Shop

22 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010

FESTOOL'S T 12+3 AND T 1S+3 LITHIUM-ION

cordless drill/drivers combine interchangeablechucks with intelligent electronics, brush lessmotors and lithium-ion batteries for a great combination of powerand versatility. The T 12+3 uses a 12-volt motor to achieve the performance of a15-volt drill (12+3 = 15). The T 15+3 uses a 15-volt motor to achieve the perfor­mance of similar 18-volt drills (15+3 = 18).

Each drill can use five different chucks that can be changed quickly, withouttools. The standard set includes four chucks: a quick-release chuck, a standard1/2" chuck, a right-angle chuck and an eccentric chuck. A depth-stop chuck isavailable separately.

We really liked the versatility of these drills in the shop. The quick-releasechuck is great for situations when you need to change bits for different sizeholes or for going from drilling to driving. The eccentric attachment isdesigned for working in spaces that are unreachable by standard drills,like the inside corners of a cabinet. The right-angle chuck also allowsyou to drill or drive in a tight spot. The standard chuck can handle bitswith 1/2" shanks.

The drills' brushless motors have many benefits, including higherefficiency and reliability, reduced noise, and longer service life.Producing less friction, they make more efficient useof energy and allow a lower-voltage motor to delivermore power.

Each drill is available as a set that includes a charger,two 2.6 amp hour lithium-ion batteries and four chucks,packaged in a rugged case. The drills are 'also availablein a stripped-down version with a charger,two batteries, the quick release chuck anda standard 1/2" chuck in a rugged case.

Source: Festool, www.festoolusa.com. (888) 337­

8600, T 12+3 Set, $S2S; T 15+3 Drill Set, $575;

T 12+3, $400; T 15+3, $450; FastFix Depth Stop

Chuck, $98.

Four Powerful Drills in One

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •Inexpensive Shop AssistantMOST OF US KNOW all to well the hassles of working withlarge sheets of plywood. You get home from the lumber­yard, drag your sheet into your shop and lean it against thewall. When it comes time to rip that sheet into usable pieces,you drag the piece over to your saw, somehow maneuver iton to the table, start ripping and hope for the best.

Gorilla Gripper's Leg-Up makes life just a little easier. Itprovides extra support in just the right place. Put your sheetonto the Leg-Up, swing it onto the table and you're set togo. The Leg-Up then drops slowly to its original position.We found it really handy for cutting numerous sheets ofplywood. It attaches easily to your saw's table or fence railand is easy to remove so it's not in the way when you don'tneed it.

Source: Gorilla Gripper, www.gorillagripper.com. (800) 423-5008, Leg­

Up, 58008, $49.95.

DEC E M B E R I JAN U A R Y 2010 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 23

The Well-Equipped Shop- continued

cookies-no clamps-and fired up arouter to round over the edges. Thedoor didn't even move. The pressureof the router alone kept the doorfirmly in place. And with the doorelevated off the bench, I was ableto roundover all four sides withoutrepositioning it.

For less than the cost of a takeoutlunch, you could have a set or two.I'm still finding new ways to usethem.

Source: Rockier, www.rockler.com. (800)

279-4441, Bench Cookies (set of four),

#26357, $11.99.

THESE APTL Y NAMED BENCH

COOKIES are clever and inexpensiveproblem solvers. A set offour elevatesa board for sanding, routing or stain­ing, while firmly gripping the piecein place. The cookie is composed ofa plastic base sandwiched betweentwo pieces of rubber-like material(like a blue Oreo).

In the shop, I was surprised athow well this simple device reallyworked. I placed a door on the

Part Clamp,Part Cookie

Make Your Own Mini CycloneTHIS HANDY ATTACHMENT from Oneida allows you to add a cyclone toyour shop vacuum, making it a two-stage dust collector. The cyclone keepsyour filter clean, removing larger dust and debris before the air stream hits

the vacuum's filter. It also means your vacuum won't fill upas quickly-and a full vac can easily clog a filter.

The cyclone itself is injection-molded, static­dissipated material-in other words, dust won't clingto it. You connect the cyclone between your hose

and your vacuum. Larger dust falls intothe cyclone's bucket instead of gettingsucked into the vacuum canister or get­ting stuck in the filter.

The unit comes with two buckets.One bolts to your vac; the other nestsinside and collects dust and debris.If you'd prefer to buy or repurpose

your own five-gallon buckets, thecyclone is also available separately in a

D.I.Y. package.

Source: Oneida Air Systems, www.oneida-air.

com, (800) 732-4065; Dust Deputy D.I.Y., $59;

Dust Deputy Kit, $99.

24 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010

See the Videos at 'eighjigs.com

DovetailsMade Easy with Leigh Joinery Jigs

SlidingVariably SpacedHalf-Blind

12" Leigh Super12

leighjigs.com 800-663-8932

Leigh Router Joinery Jigs

Single PassHalf-Blind

Through

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

gives you bet-ter control, and the

Sanding/Grinding Guide, a fixed,straight-edge guide. It allows usersto guide a workpiece to a securelymounted rotary tool (similar to usinga router table) or guide the toolalong the edge of a flat or beveledsurface.

Source: Dremel, www.dremel.com. (800)

437-3635; Dreme14000, $79-$149.

Handy DrafterTHE FLAT LYING TRAMMEL SET fromM.Power Tools is a simple design that'squite useful for layouts. It's comprised oftwo heads that attach to any standard metalruler or square. The ruler stays in a horizontalposition, making it easier to draw circles andstraight lines.

It's more versatile than a compass fordraWing circles because the size of your circleis limited only by the length of your ruler.If you replace the pencil with the includedcutting blade, you can cut circles out of cardstock or veneer.

Another handy use is drawing parallellines. Attach one head to your square andyou can draw a line parallel to the edge ofyour board simply by running the squarealong the board's edge. Or, you could putpencils in both heads to draw two lines par­allel with each other.

Source: M.Power Tools, www.m-powertools.com.

(613) 525-3328, Complete Flat Lying Trammel Set,

$19.99.

continued

life and a larger fan motor keepsthe tool cool. Electronic feed­back control offers consistentpower. The tool senses work­loads and adjusts to maintaintool speed.

In addition, it's the only Dremeltool that interfaces with all previousDremel attachments, including themultisaw and planer attachmentsoriginally created for the 400 SeriesXPR tool. New attachments madespecifically for the 4000 include theDetailer's Grip, a pistol grip that

THE DREMEL 4000 is the compa­ny's most versatile rotary tool yet. Itwas designed to be easier to use-andlonger lasting than previous mod­els. It's recommended for carving,engraving, routing, grinding, sand­ing, cutting, cleaning and polishing.

The tool features a l.5-amp, vari­able-speed motor that runs from5,000 to 35,000 rpm. Replaceablemotor brushes extend the motor's

Most VersatileDremel Yet

The Well-Equipped Shop

Trusty GuideMILESCRAFT'S TURNLOCK CIRCLE/EDGE GUIDE is a great, inex­pensive way to cut circles, dados and grooves with a router. It's twoguides in one. I found the circle guide surprisingly helpful for cut­ting short arcs on small pieces and for making circular table tops.

The edge gUide allows you to cut grooves and dados. When partsare too large to cut on a router table, this is the way to go. If you don'thave an edge guide for your router, we'd certainly recommend one­and this guide will fit most any router.

To use the device, you remove the baseplate from your routerand install Milescraft's universal base (it's included with the Circle/Edge Guide). This base then snaps right into the Circle/Edge Guide;no tools are required. It's a very convenient system. Leaving theuniversal base on your router means that you can quickly go fromrouting edge profiles to cutting circles and back to edge profiles

again, all using thesame interchange­able parts.

Source: Milescrah, www.

milescrah.com, (847)

683-9200,TurnLock

Circle/Edge Guide,

#1203, $34.99.

26 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 0 EC EM B ERI JA N U ARY 2010

Small Shop. Big Ideas.

888·680-4466www.shopbottools.cominfo@shopbottools.com

More than 5,000 ShopBots aremaking money for individuals,small shops and large facilitiesaround the world. Give us acall or visit us online ro findour how you can put aShopBot ro work in yourshop. -=~~~~.-~.

To get you up and running as quickly as possible, we offer rraining ar ourheadquarrers or in your fa~iliry. And, with some of the best technical suppOrtin the industty and a worldwide peer network, help is never more than a phonecall or a mouse click away.

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Give your small shop the rools it needs to be competitive - withour bteakingyour budget.

OUf PRSalpha CNC systems offer professional-grade speed, power andaccuracy at a fraction of rhe COSt of the big iron machines. Wherher you're awoodworker gerting ready ro srarr a business or a small operarion rrying ro setyourself aparr from the competition, ShopBot has an affordable,American-made solurion for your production needs.

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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

continued

Mobile CycloneLAGUNA'S 2 HP MOBILE Cyclone

Dust Collector combines thebenefits of a cyclone with theportability needed for a work­shop without a central dust col­

lection system.Cyclone collection separates wood particles and dust from the air

_stream before going to the pleated cartridge filter. Dust and debris are col­lected in a 29-gallon metal collection drum which has a quick release and itsown casters for quick and easy emptying.

A motorized filter cleaner automatically shakes the filter after each use, keepingthe filter clean and clear of suction-robbing debris. The unit comes standard witha remote control so you can start the machine from anywhere in the shop. It's alsorelatively quiet, rated at 74 dB, protecting your lungs and your hearing.

Source: Laguna Tools, www.lagunatools.com. (800) 234-1976, Mobile Cyclone Dust Collector,

MDC0550-0145, $1,695.

The Well-Equipped Shop

One Battery­Many ToolsRYOBI HAS COMBINED THE LONG­

LASTING POWER of lithium-ion batterieswith a line of handy gadgets for woodworkersand hobbyists. All of the tools are based around theTek4 battery, a 4v lithium-ion rechargeable battery just 3"long and 1" in diameter. The Tek4 battery outlasts up to 6,000AA alkaline batteries and has over 2,000 recharge cycles, according to Ryobi.

The line includes the Self-Leveling Plumb Cross Laser, Professional LaserDistance Measure, Professional Digital Multimeter, Infrared Thermometer,DuraShot 8 MP Digital Camera, Motion Sensing Alarm, Digital Key Lock Box,LED Flashlight, Audio Plus Noise Suppression Headphones, Portable Powerpack and a wall charger, rapid charger and a USB-powered charger. We likedthe digital camera and noise suppression headphones the best.

The digital camera is handy for taking snapshots in the shop. It's durableand well protected, so youdon't have to worry about dustgetting into the controls. And,at 8 mega pixels, it has plentyof resolution to show off thedetails of your handiwork. Thenoise suppression headphonesare also quite nice for the shop.They reduce outside noise up to25 dB, but still let you listen toyour tunes via a 1/8" jack.

Source: Ryobi, www.ryobitools.com.

(800) 525-2579, $11.97 - $149.

28 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 0 ECE M BERI JAN U ARY 2010

Forrest Blades

Forrest Quality ShowsDuraline Hi-AT-Great for cuttingtwo-sided veneers and low pres­sure laminates.

Woodworker II-Best rated, all­purpose blade for rips and crosscuts.

Experienced woodworkers knowthat Forrest blades are ideal forremodeling high-end kitchens andbaths.

Forrest blades deliver smooth, Quietcuts without splintering, scratching,or tearouts. Our proprietary manu­facturing process, hand straight­ening, and unique grade of C-4micrograin carbide are perfect forcabinets, countertops, and flooring.In fact, independent tests rate us #1for rip cuts and crosscuts.

"Your blades are without questionthe best by miles, and I have triedthemal/."Bob Jensen, Fridley, MN

Dado KingWood Magazine

Order from any Forrest dealer orretailer, online, or by calling directly.Our blades are manufactured in theU.S.A. and backed by our 3D-day,money-back guarantee.

RRIIrn.. FIret~Clts.r-..~~'M

www.ForrestBlades.com1-800-733-7111(In NJ, call 973-473-5236)

Chop MasterWoodshop News

"."""",.,\;,-.,v .~.

~ II ':"'. ,~

',', ('/"".( ~~

Woodworker II

4=

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of any surface. Get an incredibly smooth finishand eliminate hours of laborious hand finishing.

1-800-942-1300 Tools TO Brillg Vour l/i5iOll TO Retllitv www.katools.com

My Shop Where Our Readers Live

RuralShopHAVING BEEN A WOODWORKER

for well over fifty years, I knew whatI wanted in a shop: an ample assem­bly area with plenty of natural lightand my tools close at hand.

As I live on a small farm, my shopalso had to provide room to workon my farm equipment and allowoccasional welding and metal fabri­cating. But beyond its functionality,I wanted my shop to feel more like afavorite tool than a building.

My shop is constructed of nativerough-cut lumber, much of whichcame from my own 55-acre farm.Its board and batten style exterior istopped with a metal roof. Woodensliding doors provide easy access,

and five wooden-frame windows thatwere reclaimed from an old schoolbuilding bathe the main shop areawith light. This main area measures720 sq. ft. and is complemented by a9 ft. ceiling. I use the ventilated atticspace above the main shop primarilyfor drying lumber.

I build most of my furniture

projects from local woods, some ofwhich I harvest right here on thefarm. I send the lumber to the localsawmill and then sticker it in theattic above the shop. Depending onthe species and board thickness, ittakes one or two years to dry to anacceptable moisture level.

My main shop area has an imagi-

30 www.AmericanWoodworker.com D ECE M B ERI JAN U ARY 2010

nary divider down the middle. I domost of my woodworking in the halfwhere the workbenches are located.All of the machines are stationary inthis area. In the other half, in frontof the sliding doors, the machinesare on mobile bases, so I can movethem out of the way to work on myfarm equipment.

I use two workbenches

for woodworking. One bench hastwo woodworking vises, but no tooltray, so I can keep it clutter-free. Thesecond bench has ten large drawers.It keeps my tools close at hand andworks great when I need a secondwork surface. I also have a thirdadjustable-height bench that I usefor planing and jointing.

The blower for mydust collection systemis located in the attic.It deposits sawdustdirectly into a small,specially-built trailerthat's located outsidethe shop. When thetrailer is full, I trans­port it to the barn,where I use the saw­dust for animal bed-ding.

Ed Grant

Ulster,

Pennsylvania

~ROCKLER'~ fiOOD'AC!RKING AND HARD""t-.11:E------------

Create With Confldenc.e-

This catalog could be the mostuseful tool in your shop. It'swhere you'll find rhat elusivehardware solution, rare piece ofhardwood, unique molding andinnovative tool or jig that takesyour project to the next level.You'll find over 10,000 items tochoose from - with new itemsbeing added every month!

Get your FREE catalog today atwww.rockler.comN0302 or

call 1-800-403-9736 (Code 155).

Tell Us AboutYour ShopSend us photos of your shop, a

layout drawing, and a descrip­

tion of what makes your shop

interesting. Tell us what you

make in it and what makes your

shop important to you. If "My

Shop" features your shop, you'll

receive $100.

E-mail your entry to myshop@

americanwoodworker.com with

digital photos attached. Or mail

your description with digital

photos on a disc to My Shop,

American Woodworker, 1285

Corporate Center Drive, Suite

180, Eagan, MN 55121. Please

include your phone number.

Submissions cannot be returned

and become our property upon

acceptance and payment. We

may edit submissions and use

them in all print and electronic

media.

o ECE M 8 ERI JAN U AR Y 2010 www.A.mericanWoodworker.com 31

A former minister discovers a new calling.

By Chris Cander

Mark Love

A Great American Woodworker

WHEN MARK LOVE delivered ser­mons in his Austin, Texas church,he hoped to inspire his parishionersto change their lives. But gradu­ally, Mark realized that he neededsomething more tangible than thejob of transforming souls. So afterfive years of ministering, he steppeddown from the pulpit and turned toanother passion: woodworking.

In the peaceful quiet of his shopin the Texas Hill Country, Mark hasdiscovered that the same qualitiesthat made him a caring minister­presistence, patience and an eyefor grace-make him well suited towoodworking. Just as he saw prom­ise in his parishioners, Mark nowsees the potential for beauty in eachpiece of raw wood.

From the Wordto woodworkingMark's journey to becoming a furni­turemaker began right after he fin-

32 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DECEMBERIJANUARY 2010

An Artisan's Life Story

ished seminary in 1994. Uncertainof his chosen career, he beganan apprenticeship with furniture­maker Michael Colea of Driftwood,Texas. "The first thing I learnedfrom Michael was that I had somuch to learn," Mark says. Despitea lifetime of interest-beginningwhen he was a child in his grand­father's workshop-Mark had noexperience with the precision andscience that went into furnituremaking. For example, he didn'tunderstand the properties of wood,or how environmental factors affectdesign. "The first thing I ever builtwas a rocking chair for my niece. Itwas beautiful in Texas, but in Ohio,where my niece lived, the increased'humidity caused the wood to swelland pop-the chair became a splin­tery hazard." Mark made another,more successful rocker later, afterfour years of working with Michael."My sister keeps them side by side,

to be strong, simple and quiet. On asubconscious level, I want them toinspire a sense of dependability andcomfort. But mostly, I want peopleto see the wood first. I hope to con­vey that something as familiar andordinary as wood is also unique andmajestic. It's a reflection of my spiri­tual journey. I want to honor what isprofound and mysterious about thewood itself."

The spirit in the tree"When you hold a piece of wood, itcan feel as though you're touchingthe earth itself," Mark writes. "Wood

Although Mark refers to the influ­ences of celebrated architects anddesigners-notably Charles andHenry Greene, Frank Lloyd Wright,and Charles Rennie Mackintosh-hedoesn't consciously apply theirdesign principles. Instead, Markabsorbs what he thinks are themost appealing aspects of eachmaster's design language into hisown unique style. "I love the ver­

ticality and use of organic formsby Mackintosh, and the strong,wide-open horizontality of Wright.I think my own pieces reflect someof that:' he says. "I want my designs

Reminiscent of classic Greeneand Greene design elementsand proportions, Mark'sWestmoreland table embracesthe Arts and Crafts ethic.

Echoing Frank LloydWright designs, this bed'sexpansive horizontal lines and low,stepped silhouette give it a calm, relaxingpresence.

This elegant mahogany watch­maker's desk stands tall, toprovide both comfort and closeviewing during the watchmak­er's delicate work.

and I still cringe whenever I see thefirst one."

Trusting his instinctsWhile honing his woodworkingskills, Mark realized that the processof refining rough lumber was similarto his earlier aim of helping parish­ioners discover their spirituality. Andhe considers the art of combiningform, proportion and detail to cre­ate a piece of furniture to be justas mysterious an undertaking. "Idesign by instinct," he says. "Thereare no rules in my head about how itshould be done. I ask clients to sendme photos of furniture or architec­ture they like, so I can understandtheir sense of aesthetic. I considerthe parameters they've given me interms of function or size, but therest is just intuition."

DEC E M B E R f JAN U A R Y 2010 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 33

A Great American Woodworker

The slatted lower shelf on this cherry and walnut sideboard is

intended to hold shoes. Mark designed this piece for a client who

was personally influenced by Japanese architecture and traditions.

continued

contains warmth, energy that onceshone as light from a generous sun,captured by broad, thirsty leavesand transferred into the dense fibersof branches, trunk and roots. Thisenergy waits, imperceptibly, forcalamity or decay to release andreturn it to the heavens whence itcame. In this way, perhaps, a treeis like us. Our bodies are vessels forsome mysterious bit of life, hold­ing a tiny portion of energy from

the universe, storing it briefly, thenreleasing it again when our time onearth is complete. Perhaps this iswhy we feel such a strong connec­tion to wood. Could it be that somepart of us recognizes an unbreak­able kinship with the tree?"

Answering his callMark builds about ten custompieces each year, working thought­fully to accommodate the unique

In grand Arts and

Crafts tradition,

the legs on this

white oak dining

table are con­

structed of four

mitered quarter­

sawn pieces, so

they match the

quartersawn top

from every van­

tage point.

wishes of each client. Although hispieces reflect his aesthetic, Mark'sdesigns are constantly evolving."I'm intrigued by many design tradi­tions," he muses. "There will alwaysbe things I haven't tried, and newthings to learn."

Mark says he doesn't miss theministry. "In designing and craftingpieces of furniture that I know oth­ers will enjoy," he says, "I've foundmy true calling."

To see more of Mark's work, visitwww.marklovefurniture.com.

Chris Conder is a freelance writer and novelist.

Prior to writing full-time, she was a marketing

and communications professional in the high­

technology industry. Currently, she is a con­

tributing editor to Oxygen, Clean Eating, and

Maximum Fitness magazines.

To read more of Mark's thoughts I-.a.-~

on woodworking, go to: www.AmericanWoodworker.com/14S/MarkLove

34 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DEC E M B ERI JA N U AR Y 2010

In the elder days ofArt,Builders wrought with greatest careEach minute and unseen part;For the gods see everywhere.-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

MARK HAS A DEEP AFFECTION forthe honesty and integrity celebratedby the Arts and Crafts movement,which valued individual craftsmanshipand sound construction over piecesthat were cheaply made and massproduced. A defining principle was toreveal rather than hide the structuralelements of the design. "It's full-dis­closure furniture making," Mark says."Exposing the joinery not only showshow the piece was put together, but itbecomes a striking part of the design."

In the Westmoreland table,shown here (Photo 1) and on page32, the four leaves store in plainsight. Their exposed ends add thick­ness to the center of the cantile­vered top, so it perfectly balancesthe mass of the base.

Exposed drawer runners addvisual interest to the watchmaker'sdesk shown here (Photo 2) and onpage 33. "They're also an exampleof form following function," Marksays. "Normally the runners wouldbe tucked inside, hidden behind thedrawer fronts. Exposing them helpsto identify the numerous drawersthat define this piece."

Mark's pieces often contain eleganthidden surprises, such as the hand­made extension rails and throughwedged tenon used to attach the cen­ter leg of the oak dining table shownhere (Photo 3) and on page 34. "Mostcraftsmen would use screws, becauseit's not part of the exterior presenta­tion of the table," Mark says. "But notonly is the tenon stronger in the longrun, it's a little reward for the personwho reconfigures the table for thedinner party."

DEC EM B ERI JAN U A RY 2010 www..lI.mericanW4odworker.com 35

Restoration Man

Atlas/Craftsman Tablesaw

Duro 12"BandsawI put a lot ofwork into thissaw, which datesfrom the 1930s. Irepainted it blueand built a newMDF base for it.That's right-whatlooks like steelis actually wood. After gluing the basetogether, I shaped the corners with a

. 1-1/4" roundover bit. I also added a pull­out handle and casters to the base, so thesaw can be maneuvered like a wheelbar­row. I'm pretty proud of that!

Although the machine looks like it'srunning in the photo, it's not. The wheelsare solid aluminum, with no spokes, andthe doors have circular cutouts in them.The wheels also have a built-in crown,rather than crowned tires. A crown helpsa blade track better-and with new tires,this saw runs as true as can be.

Tools Our Readers LoveTool Nut

I HAVE A SOFT SPOT for old wood­working machines. Many of themhave features that you rarely findon new equipment, and once youget past the chipped paint and rustymetal, you'll often find a real gem.Here are three of my favorites.

-Rick Barozinsky

Delta Drill Press

I bought this early-40s drill pressfrom its second owner. In thosedays, it was common for machinesto be purchased without motors;the user then added their own. Themotor isn't marked, but it's probablya Walker Turner. This model has anew feature that was introduced in'41: a center pulley, which gave themachine 12 speeds. Prior to that,similar Deltas came in two-pulleyHigh or Low-Speed versions. I'm SUH

you've noticed that this machine ha~

a foot feed, which was designed forproduction. I've found that it's per­fect for mortising.

I completely refurbished this drillpress, including all the bearings, andrepainted it Pontiac Engine Blue.

This beauty dates from 1939. The motor hangs off the back, like acontractor's saw, but the trunnions are bolted to the body, like acabinet saw. The body is all cast iron; I made the base below fromMDF. The saw weighs a hefty 330 Ibs., less the base. A heavy sawis just fine with me, because there's no substitute for mass when itcomes to dampening vibration.

Three other features are worth mentioning. First, under the table,the blade is surrounded by a shroud for better dust control. Second, thesaw has a blade height indicator, which works quite well. And third, thefence has a lead-screw micro-adjust mechanism. A 1/4 turn of the crankresults in the fence traveling a mere 1/64". It's not perfect, though-Ihave to help engage the mechanism by pinching it with my fingers, butwhen the fence moves, it's very sweet!

We'll pay you $100 to share your favorite tools, new or old, with fellow readers. Contact us bye-mail attoolnut@americanwoodworker.com. or mail us atAmerican Woodworker, 128S Corporate Center Drive, Suite 180, Eagan, MN SS121. If possible, please include digital photos of your tools.

36 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DECEMBERIJANUARY 2010

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ER/JANUARY 2010 www.11mericanWoodworker.com 39

Strong, But LightThis huge torsion box is 8 ft.long, but it easily holds 300

----Ilbs. of briEks and deflects less

than 1/2". It weighs only 30Ibs., and is made from inex­

pensive 3/16" hardboard.

Torsion Boxes-the Real Story"How can something made from such thin wood be 50 stiff?" That's what everybody

asks when they first meet a torsion box. The engineering principles behind a torsion

box are pretty simple; even 50, there's a lot of misleading information about torsion

boxes, particularly on the Internet. Without getting too technical, here's what you

should know:

• A torsion box works like an I-beam (see below). It's almost as strong as it would be if it

were made from solid material-but it's much lighter and less expensive.

• The thicker the torsion box, the stronger it will be-by a lot! If you increase a torsion box's

thickness by 25%, for example, it will be 100% stronger. If you doubled the thickness, it

would be eight times stronger. Strength increases by the thickness cubed.

• The stiffness of the skins isn't that important. A thick material, such as 1" plywood,

doesn't necessarily make a stiffer box than using thin material, such as 1/4" plywood.

Thickness does matter in another way, though: thin material will deflect more easily

where it's unsupported, in the spaces between the web pieces. If you'll be pounding on a

torsion box, clamping things to it, or setting heavy objects with narrow feet on it, a thick

skin is better than a thin skin. Or you could space the web pieces closer together.

• The thickness of the web pieces isn't all that important, either. They can be relatively

thin and lightweight, as long as they resist stretching and compression. For an MDF box,

such as the one in this article, I usually space the web pieces 6" to 8" apart. The web

pieces must be well-glued to the skins to prevent the skins from buckling, though. That

means that the web material shouldn't be too thin-it must be thick enough to have a

sufficiently wide glue surface. You don't need to use a special glue to assemble a torsion

box-a PYA (yellow) glue works fine. And to clear up two misconceptions on the Internet:

the webs don't have to look like miniature I-beams, nor do you have to cut dados in the

skins to receive the webs. Torsion boxes don't need to be that complicated!

Bow an I-Beam WorksWhen you press down on a solid

beam, you actually compress its top

section and stretch its bottom sec­

tion. These compression and tension

forces are neutral at the beam's cen­

ter.ln an I-beam, most of the center

is removed, to save material and

weight, but the forces still act in the

same way.

40 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010

ATORSION BOX is a

remarkable piece ofengineering. It's stable,light and uses a minimum

amount of material, yet it's extremelystrong. The idea has been around foryears, and you probably have one inyour house: hollow-core doors are tor­sion boxes.

Making a torsion box doesn'trequire any specialized equipmentor skills-a guy with a small shop anda decent tablesaw can easily handlethe job.

When I needed a flat, solid, durableand inexpensive top for an assemblytable, I planned on making it as a tor­sion box. I researched the subject andfound a lot of conflicting information.I also talked to some experts-andlearned a lot.

In this article, I'll show you how Ibuilt that assembly table top, but youcan use this method to build a torsionbox of any size or composition. If youstretch your imagination a bit, you canfind many ways to use torsion boxesin furnituremaking: they can be deskor dining table tops, pedestal ends,shelves and, of course, doors.

MaterialsA basic torsion box is composed oftwo types of parts: skins (the top andbottom) and webs (which form aninternal grid, and include the sides ofthe box). Skins are usually made froman engineered material, such as ply-

wood, MDF or hardboard. The websand sides may be made from engi­neered material or solid wood. Theweb pieces do not need to interlock,as mine do, but it is quicker and easierto make the grid that way. Plus, thebox will be stronger.

I used 1/2" MDF for all three parts.Though heavier than plywood, MDFhas a more consistent and uniformstructure. It is flat and stays flat, ifproperly stored. It has no internalstresses, resists compression and ten­sion along the surface, machines eas­ily, holds glue relatively well, and isrelatively inexpensive. Using the samematerial for all the parts minimizesthe amount of sheetstock you have tobuy, and gives you more flexibility incutting it up.

MDF that's 3/4" thick would work,too, but there's no significant advan­tage to it (see Torsion Boxes-TheReal Story, page 40). Material that's1/2" thick strikes just the right bal­ance, I think-it's thick enough so youcan safely nail into its edges, but thinenough to make a large table that'slight enough to move.

Cut the web pieces1. You will need only two sheets of

1/2" MDF to make the skins (A), webpieces (B and C) and sides (D and E).Break down the sheets into manage­able pieces (Fig. E), then cut all theparts to exact dimension (see CuttingList, page 44). Rip the web, sides andleg socket reinforcing parts (F) at thesame time to ensure they're exactlythe same width.

2. Set up your tablesaw to cut half­lap joints in all the web pieces (Photo1). First, adjust the width of a dado setto just a little bit over 1/2", or what­ever it takes so the parts will easilyslip by each other. Make an indexingjig to space the notches (Photo 2and Fig. B). The jig is just a fence foryour miter gauge with a small notchcut into it, plus a pin to fit the notch.Cut the notch after you've adjustedthe width of the dado set. Set thedistance between the indexing pinand the blade (for this web, it's 7-1/4").

1 Inside thistorsion boxthere's a gridof interlockingweb pieces.Adjust thewidth of yourdado set tomake thesepieces easy tofit together.

2 Make anindexing jig tospace the webpiece's notches.Adjust the dis­tance from thejig's pin to thedado set, thenfasten the jigto your mitergauge.

3 Cut equally­spaced notcheson the webpieces. Aftercutting eachnotch, pick upthe piece andreposition it onthe indexingpin.

DECEMBERIJANUARY 2010 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 41

/"WINDING'f STICK

42 www.A:mericanWoodworker.com DEC E MB ER/JANUA RY 2010

4 Makea dead-flatassembly plat­form to buildthe torsion box.Use a pair ofwinding sticksto check fortwist. If the topedges ofthesticks are paral­lel, you're goodto go.

5 Place thetop skin of thetorsion box onthe platformand cover itwith plastic,which preventsglue from stick­ing to the skin.Assemble thebox's framewith a bradnailer.

6 Constructthe grid by glu­ing one row ata time. Placeweights on thecompleted sec­tions to ensurethe grid staysflat as the gluedries.

Raise the blade to cut a notch 1/32"deeper than half of the pieces' width(for these 2" wide pieces, make thenotches 1-1/32" deep). You don't wantthe notches bottoming out when theweb is assembled.

3. Cut the half-lap joints (Photo3). Make the first cut with one endagainst the alignment pin. Slip thefirst notch over the pin and cut thenext one. Repeat the process untilall notches are cut in all web pieces.The distance between the last notchand the end of the web piece maybe slightly different than the spac­ing between the other notches, butthis is not a problem. Mark an "X" onall pieces at the end you started cut­ting from. Place all the "X" ends in thesame direction when you assemblethe web.

Build a construction platform4. To make a torsion box that's

flat, you must build it on a flat sur­face. The best strategy is to make atemporary construction platform thatyou can adjust to become absolutelyflat (Photo 4). All you'll need is a pairof sawhorses and some straight andknot-free 2x4s (Fig. C). Joint one edgeof all the 2x4s and run them throughthe planer so they're all the samewidth. Place the sawhorses approxi­mately 3' apart. Secure them to thefloor with screws, nails, hot meltglue-whatever-so they won't move.Add bracing, if necessary, to makethem stable and rigid.

5. Place the long 2x4s on the saw­horses, then use hot-melt glue toattach the short 2x4s on top. Make apair of winding sticks by jointing andripping two thin boards that are 2" to3" wide by 4 ft. long. Paint one boardwhite and the other black. Place thewinding sticks on the first and lastsupports. Sight across the windingsticks (a white backdrop helps) andinsert shims under the long supportsuntil the top edges of the windingsticks are parallel. Without disturbingthe platform, securely attach the long2x4s to the horses with hot-melt glue.

6. Place both of the skins (A) on the

r

platform-this will give you a large,flat area to glue up the web and sides.Cover the topmost skin with thin polysheeting to protect it from glue drips.Stretch the sheeting tight and anchorit with tape or thumbtacks.

Assemble the web and sides7. Join one short and one long side

(D and E) with glue and brads (Photo5). Align and clamp these two sides tothe edges of the skins. Place the longwebs on the skins with the notchesfacing up. Slip one or two short websin place to prevent the long websfrom falling over.

8. Glue the web, starting from oneend (Photo 6). Make sure the tops ofboth pieces are flush at each joint.Continue working towards the oppo­site end; apply glue and add one shortweb at a time. Place weights on theweb as you complete each row.

9. Once all the webs have beenglued, slide the grid away from thesides. Apply glue to the ends of thewebs and position the grid backagainst the sides. Shoot a few bradsthrough the sides and into the ends ofthe webs. Attach the remaining twosides with glue and brads. Removeany glue from the top of the webs,check that the grid is square, and letit dry.

Build leg sockets10. This is an optional step. There

are many ways to attach legs to a tor­sion box top-I chose to house them insockets built right into the top. Beginbuilding the sockets by adding rein­forcing pieces (F) to the web's sides(Photo 7).

11. When the glue is dry, temporar­ily place a leg in the socket and glueand clamp the remaining reinforcingpieces (Photo 8). Remove the legbefore the glue dries.

Add the skins12. Draw layout lines on the bot­

tom skin for attaching it to the gridwith brads (Photo 9). First, removethe grid and both skins from the plat­form. Replace the skin with plastic

7 This torsionbox has built­in sockets at

the corners forremovable legs(see Adjustable

HeightAssemblyTable, page48). Reinforcethe cornerswith additionalpieces of hard­wood.

8Temporarilyset a leg ineach corner. Fitadditional rein­forcing piecesaround theleg and gluethem in place.Remove the legbefore the gluehardens.

9 Place thebottom skinof the torsionbox on thegrid. Mark thecenterlines ofthe web piecesinside the boxto guide yournailing in thenext step.

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010 www.AmericaaWoodworker.com 43

Fig. A Exploded View

Fig. B Web Notch Layout Fig. E Plywood Cutting Diagram

A

a) Oversize. Trim after installationb) Cut to fit during installationc) Oversize, width and length. Trim length during installation. Trim flush with skins after installation.

Cutting List I Overall Dimensions: 3" TH x40-1/2" Wx63-1/2" L

Part Name Qty. Material ThxWxLA Skin 2 MDF 1/2" x40" x63" (a)

B Long web 4 MDF 1/2" x2" x61-1/2"( Short web 7 MDF I 1/2" x2" x38-1/4"

D Long side 2 MDF 1/2" x2" x61-1/2"

E Short side 2 MDF 1/2" x2" x39-1/4"

F Leg socket reinforcing * Hardwood 3/4" x2" x192" (b)

G Leg brace anchor pad 4 Hardwood 3/4" x4" x7-1/4"

H Long side facing 2 Hardwood 1/2" x3-1/16" x65" [cl

J Short side facing 2 Hardwood 1/2" x3-1/16" x41" [cl

K Laminate 1 45" x65" (a)

E

I

: cI

A :IIII

: 13

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~])

Fig. C Gluing Platform

44 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DE C EM B E RI JAN UARY 2010

on it and put the grid on top. On thegrid's sides, mark the centerlines of allthe web and reinforcing pieces. Markthe centerlines of each leg socket onthe sides as well (you don't want toshoot brads here). Place the remain­ing skin onto the grid and align twoadjacent edges of the skin with thesides of the grid. Transfer your marksfrom the sides onto this skin, then usea straightedge or large square to con­nect the marks. This skin will be thebottom of the torsion box.

13. Glue the skin to the grid (Photo10). To begin, remove the skin andplace masking tape inside the legsockets, to prevent glue from stickinghere. Apply a liberal amount of glue tothe edges of all sides, webs and rein­forcing pieces. Work quickly and don'tbe concerned about drips or using toomuch glue. Place the bottom skin onthe grid and align the same sides youused when laying out the nailing lines.Shoot 1-1/2" long brads, spaced every3", along the layout lines and alongthe sides (Photo 11). Place weights onthe skin to keep it flat.

14. Drill and rout the skin to openup the leg sockets (Photo 12). The topI'm making also required additionalpieces (G) to accommodate bolts thatsecure a set of leg braces (for moreinformation on the legs and braces,see Adjustable Height Assembly Table,page 48). To install these anchor pads,turn over the top and glue them tothe bottom skin. After the glue is dry,drill holes through the skin and padsand install T-nuts in the pads.

15. Remove the plastic from the topskin and mark it using the same pro­cedure as you followed for the bottomskin. Glue the skin to the grid. Use arouter and flush-trim bit to make bothskins flush to the sides all around.

~ To see plans""for a workbench

using a torsion-box top,go to: www.AmericanWoodworker.comJ14S/

TomsTorsionBoxBench

10 Apply aliberal amountof glue to theentire grid, theframe and theleg reinforcing

blocks. Workquickly so theglue does notharden beforeyou install theskin.

11 Placethe skin onthe grid, align

its edges andattach it withbrad nails.Using a routerand flush-trimbit, trim theskin so that it'seven with thesides.

12 Open theleg sockets.Drill an accesshole, then usea router with aflush-trim bitto define the

edges. Squarethe corners

with a chisel.Turn the assem­bly over andglue and fastenthe top skin.

o ECE M B ERI JA N UA RY 2010 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 45

46 www.Americ:anWoodworker.c:om DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010

13 Fastenhardwoodfaces on allfour sides ofthe box. Use ablock to alignthe top edge ofeach face withthe skin. Trimthe faces flushwith the bot­tom skin usinga router and aflush-trim bit.

14 Applyplastic lami­nate to the topskin. This makesan ideal work­ing surface­laminate issmooth, resistsscratches andis more durablethan melamine.You can pop offdried glue fromit with ease.

15 Drillholes throughthe faces andreinforcingblocks for boltsthat will fastenthe legs to thetop. The boltsthread intoT-nuts in thelegs.

Add the facing and laminate16. The torsion box is basically

complete at this point, but I addedhardwood faces (H and J) to the sidesand plastic laminate (K) to the top.You can butt the faces together, miterthem, or make box joints, as I did. Iattached the facing to the torsion boxwith glue and brad nails (Photo 13)and trimmed it flush to the top.

17. Glue on the plastic laminate(Photo 14). If you want to avoid work­ing with laminate, you could makethe top skin from 1/2" MDF withone melamine face. It's not quite asdurable as laminate, but better thanplain MDF.

18. Sand and finish the facing andthe bottom skin.

Add the legs19. The legs that I designed for

this table are removable. They're fas­tened to the top with bolts that passthrough the box's faces and reinforc­ing blocks. The bolts thread intoT-nuts on the back side of the leg.Make a drilling jig (Fig. D) to positionthe bolt holes and to ensure that theholes are perpendicular to the legs.The jig has two holes, one for eachside of the leg. Before drilling, markthe holes' locations. Counterborethe holes so the bolts' heads won'tprotrude. Then drill the holes for thebolts, going into the legs (Photo 15).Finish drilling the holes through thelegs at the drill press. ~

Alan Schaffter is a retiredNaval Officer and a lifelong wood­worker and tinkerer. He lives inWashington, North Carolina.

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Step on the cordto lower the top

•

DovetailsJoin thelegs

48 www.AmerlcanWoodworker.com 0 E C E M B E R I JAN U A R Y 2010

"An adjustable assembly table, huh?Well, you're wasting-your time unless it'sa simple design that's easy to operate."

That's what a fellow woodworker said when I described the latestscheme to improve my shop. I don't know how many times I'vewished for a worktable that was shorter, or taller, than what I had.

I took my friend's advice as a challenge and went to work. Hewas just as pleased as I was with the result: a huge, solid tablethat goes up and down with ease.

These two-part legs employ a system of notches and lockingarms (ratchets and pawls in engineering terminology) that allowyou to change the table's height in 1" increments. The weight ofthe table and the geometry of the mechanism firmly force the legsections together, so there's no wobble.

Operation of the legs is simple. To increase the table'sheight, just lift each end. As you lift, the ratchet arms move freely,"c1icking" from notch to notch. They lock automatically once youstop lifting. To decrease the table's height, you step on a bungeecord, lift the table slightly to unlock the pawls, then lower thetable. When you remove your foot from the bungee, the pawlsengage the ratchet and lock the legs.

DEC E M B E R I JAN U A R Y 2010 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 49

by Alan Schaffter

Make the ratchets1. I used white oak to make the legs, but any strong hardwood

will do. It's OK to glue them up from thinner pieces. Mill theupper legs (A) and lower legs (B) to size (see Cutting List, page52). These legs will make a table that adjusts from 22" to 35" high.If you'd like a different range of heights, make the legs shorter orlonger (see Leg Sizing Chart, page 53).

2. Begin making the ratchets in the upper legs (Fig. B) by cut­ting dadoes. Make an indexing jig for your miter gauge to ensurethat all the dadoes are accurately spaced (Photo 1). My jig is 3/4"x 3" x 24", but the exact size isn't important. Use a dado set tocut a 3/8" wide by 1S/32" deep notch in the jig's center. Glue a 4"long alignment pin in the notch-it should fit fairly tightly.

3. Position the jig on the miter gauge so that the distance fromthe dado set to the indexing pin is exactly 5/8". Make some testcuts to verify this spacing, then fasten the jig to the miter gauge.Raise the dado set 1/32" to cut a notch 1/2" deep.

4. Cut 14 dadoes down the length of each upper leg (Photos2 and 3). Cut 6 similar dadoes in a scrap piece to help set up thenext operation.

5. Cut the angled sides of the ratchets. First, remove the dadoset and install a crosscut or general purpose blade. Tilt the bladeto the 38° mark on the saw's bevel scale. Raise the blade to makea cut 1/2" high-the same as the notches. Reposition the indexingjig so that the blade cuts to the corner of the notch (Photo 4).

J

Make an indexing jig for cutting ratchets in the legs. Cut anotch in the jig using a dado set. Glue an alignment peg in thenotch and attach the jig to your miter gauge.

Use the jig to cut evenly-spaced notches in the upper sectionsof the legs. Place the bottom end of the leg against the side ofthe alignment peg to make the first cut.

Reposition the leg after each cut. Place the new notch over theindexing peg and cut the next notch. Repeat the procedure tocut all the notches.

Tilt the sawblade to cut a relief angle in each notch, making aratchet. Reposition the indexing jig and make test cuts-the spac­ing is correct when a 1/2" bolt bottoms out in the ratchet.

50 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DECEMBERIJANUARY 2010

(On a right-tilt saw, like mine, position the alignmentpin on the left side of the blade. On a left-tilt saw, posi­tion it on the right side.) Temporarily clamp the jig tothe miter gauge and make test cuts in your scrap piece.Check your accuracy by placing a 1/2" bolt in the ratch­et-it should nest in the bottom. When everything looksgood, fasten the jig to the miter gauge. Begin at th~top of the leg (Photo 5) and finish cutting the ratchets.

Cut sliding dovetails6. Large sliding dovetails keep the leg sections

together when you adjust the table's height (Fig. C).To help guide your cuts, draw tails on both ends ofone of the upper legs. Draw sockets on both ends ofone of the lower legs. My dovetails have an 8° anglebecause I have a large 8° router bit in my collection,but a different angle would work OK, too. Whateverbit you use, it must be large enough to cut a 3/4" deepdovetail. Begin by removing most of the waste on allof the legs using the tablesaw. Install a 3/8" wide dadoset in your saw and set its height to 11/16". Plow outthe waste from the center of the lower legs (Photo 6),staying 1/16" away from the dovetail layout lines. Forthe upper legs, reset the fence and remove most of thewaste in the same manner.

7. Finish the dovetails on a router table, begin­ning with the sockets in the lower legs. Raise the bit3/4" high. Position the fence to make a light cut, thenmake two passes, one from each side of the leg. Resetthe fence to make another light cut, and continue thesequence until you reach the layout lines.

8. Next, rout tails to fit the sockets. Lower the bit1/32" so there will be clearance between the tail andsocket. Before you begin, mark all the upper and lowerlegs in pairs: two A's, two B's, etc. Rout tails on eachpiece, again taking small cuts from alternate sides(Photo 7). Test the pieces as you go-you may have toremove more wood from some pieces than from oth­ers to get a good fit. The finished dovetails should slideeasily but have minimal freeplay. When you're done,apply paste wax to all the sliding surfaces.

Fit the legs9. My tabletop has sockets to receive the legs, but

you can attach the legs to a base or a top by a varietyof methods. I removed part of the tail on the upperlegs so they would fit in the sockets (Photo 8). This cutis 2-1/2" long. For a permanent installation, you canglue the legs into the sockets. I made the legs remov­able, attaching them with machine bolts and T-nuts(Photo 9). (For details on how to make this top andhow to mount the legs, see How to Build a Torsion Box,page 39.)

10. Use a drill press to make a 1/2" dia. hole in thetop end of each lower leg (Fig. D). This hole will receive

Saw off the tails at the top of the upper legs. This leaves asquare section to insert into the table's top.

7Cut dovetails to fit the sockets using the router table. Makeshallow cuts until the fit between each dovetail and each socketis just right.

Begin making the legs' sliding dovetails by removing most ofthe waste. The lower half of each leg has a socket, shown here.Finish the socket using a dovetail bit in a router table.

Sawall the relief angles. Start with the notch nearest the topof the leg and work your way down. All of the ratchets will beidentical and evenly spaced.

vAssemble the legs

14. Assemble and attach the ratchet arm assembliesto the lower legs (Fig. A) using bolts (E and F), washers(Gl, and stop nuts (H). Tighten the stop nuts until thearms are parallel and there is minimal slop (Photo 11).The arms must rotate freely.

15. Lift the ratchet arms and slide the lower legonto the upper leg. Temporarily clamp the leg sectionstogether and attach the legs to the table.

16. Thread a 6" piece of vinyl tubing (L) over a 48"long piece of bungee cord (K). (The vinyl tubing pro­tects the bungee from premature weaL) Thread oneend of the bungee through the hole in the end of theratchet arm and knot the end. Thread the other endthrough the other ratchet arm. Tie a knot so the cordhangs 6" above the floor, but is not tight. Leave theexcess cord for now. If there is interference betweenthe knots and the legs, slightly bend the ends of the

Make the ratchet arms12. Make four ratchet arm assemblies, one for each

leg (Fig. A). Each assembly is composed of two metalplates, which are available at any hardware store. Oneplate has a 900 angle-it's made from a flat corner brace.The other plate is straight-it's made from a mendingplate or flat bar stock. You'll have to drill holes in theplates, and it's very important that all the holes lineup with each other. Most mending plates and cornerbraces are pre-drilled, though, which could be a prob­lem. If you attempt to drill a new hole that overlaps anexisting hole, your drill will wander off center. You mayneed to be creative in locating the bolt holes. For oneof the holes in the corner braces, I enlarged an existinghole. I couldn't find mending plates with suitable holelocations, so I used flat bar stock instead.

13. Make a jig to hold the plates while drilling theholes (Photo 10 and Fig. E). You can stack the platesor drill them one at a time. Use a center punch to markthe holes first, then begin with a 1/16" bit running at1,000 rpm. Gradually increase the hole's size usinglarger diameter bits. Reduce the drill speed with eachbit and lubricate the bit with machine oil. Drill all simi­lar holes in both types of plates before repositioningthe jig.

a 1/2" bolt, part of the ratchet arm mechanism. A tightfit is OK-the bolt doesn't have to rotate.

11. Add stops (J) on the bqttom of each upper leg toprevent the ratchet arm pawls from sliding off the legsif you lift the table too high (Fig. F). (If you add bracesto the legs, an optional step shown below, these stopsaren't necessary.) Make the stops from 3/8" x 3" x 3"metal corner braces. Use a hacksaw to cut one side ofthe stop. Use an existing hole or drill a new one on theother side of the stop and fasten the stop to the leg.

i-

DEC E M B ERI JAN U A RV 2010 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 51

Fig. E Layout of Ratchet Arms

COl(])pROIECIOR

Pf'lwLBOLl

f'ltlGLt])Rf'lIC'lju f'lRM

Fig. F Pawl Stop (J)

('13Fig. 0 Pivot Bolt

Hole in Lower Leg

~h" ])zf'l.'ljOLE ;'OR

PNOIBOLl

Fig. C Dovetail Layout

Cutting List IPart Name Qty. Material ThxWxL

A Upper leg 4 Hardwood 2-1/2" x3-1/4" x20-1/2"

B Lower leg 4 Hardwood 2-1/2" x2-1/2" x18-1/2"

Hardware

C Angled ratchet arm 4 Flat corner brace 3/32" xl" x6" x6"

0 Straight ratchet arm 4 , Flat bar stock 3132" x1" x6"

E Ratchet arm pivot bolt 4 Machine bolt 1/2" x4"

F Ratchet arm pawl bolt 4 Machine bolt 1/2" x4"

G Washer 24 1/2"

H Stop nut 8 Nylon stop nut 1/2"

J Ratchet arm pawl stop 4 Corner brace 3/8"x3"x3"

K Ratchet arm release cord 2 Bungee cord 1/8" x48"

L Release cord protector 2 Vinyl tubing 3/16" x12"

52 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010

Fig. B Notch Layout

Fig. A Exploded View

11

To make the legs extra-sturdy, add braces made from electricalconduit.

"Mount the ratchet arms to the lower legs. Add a bolt betweenthe arms as a pawl to engage the ratchets.

Make four ratchet arms from ordinary flat corner braces. Drillidentically-spaced holes in the braces by stacking the pieces inajig.

The bottom of the assembly table has holes for each leg (seeHow to Build a Torsion Box, page 39). Bolts and T-nuts allow youto remove the legs so you can store the table out of the way.

Min. Max. Range Lower Upper NotchesHt. 1 Ht. 1 Leg Leg 2

17" 28" 11" 16-1/2" 16" 12

18" 30" 12" 17-1/2" 17" 13

19" 32" 13" 18-1/2" 18" 14

20" 34" 14" 19-1/2" 19" 15

21" 36" 15" 20-1/2" 20" 16

Leg Sizing

1. Add table (and apron if any) thickness to these values.2. Add the length of the leg tenon to these values.Shaded dimensions are for the legs built in this article.

Optional braces19. You can easily add two metal braces to each

leg for additional stability (Photo 12). Fabricate theleg braces from 1/2" thin-wall EMT electrical conduit.On each brace, flatten both ends with a vise and/or ahammer. Make sure the flat sections have the sameorientation.

20. On my table, the short braces are attached tothe top with lag bolts, which go into reinforcing blocksaround the legs. The long braces are connected to thetop with machine bolts, which go into T-nuts in addi­tion.al reinforcing blocks. To install the braces, start byremoving the ratchet stops, if you've installed them.Drill a 3/16" by 1" deep pilot hole centered in the bot­tom of each upper leg. Drill the holes in the short brac­es, bend the ends to fit the table, and install the braces.For the long braces, drill holes on the ends that attachto the legs, and attach the braces to the legs. Mark thelocations of the T-nuts on the other ends, remove thebraces, and drill holes in the braces for the machinebolts that go in the T-nuts. ba.t.

These legs can be sized for different height ranges. Generally,every 1" change in minimum height results in a 2" change in max­imum height. Here are examples of different leg configurations.

arms away from the legs.17. Raise the table by lifting at each end. The ratchet

arms should "click" freely from notch to notch. If theydo not, you may need to loosen the ratchet arm stopnuts or enlarge the bolt holes in the ratchet arms.

18. Lower the table by stepping on the release cordand lifting the table slightly. The pawls should disen­gage immediately and allow you lower the table. If theratchet arms swing, but the pawls don't fully disen­gage, shorten the bungee. As soon as you remove yourfoot from the bungee, the pawls should immediatelyfall under their own weight, re-engage the ratchet, andlock the table.

OECE M B E RI JA N U A RY 2010 www•.llme:ric:anWoodworker.c:om 53

Armchair from theBlacker House, 1907

54 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 0 EC EM B E R/J A N UA RY 2010

Greeneand

GreeneFurniture

Details

An expert

woodworker

talks about what

really gets him

excited.

DEC EM B ERI JA N U AR Y 2010 www.AJnerican

By Darrell Peart

ONE OF MY FIRST TRIPS to seefirsthand the furniture of Charles andHenry Greene, two early 20th centuryarchitects from Pasadena, California,was innocent enough: I took a sight­seer's tour of the house they built in1908 for David Gamble. I came awaya changed man. And as a furniture­maker, I was hooked for life.

Few furniture styles are as rich indetail as Greene and Greene. Detailslarge and small await in every nookand cranny of the many homes theybuilt. Something lures you back fora second look-most often one ofthe many small things you over­looked at first glance. "Wow! I didn'tsee that! Man! Is that not the neat­est little detail? Look how it blendsseamlessly with the overall design!"I've been known to get prettyworked up about these things.

1. These cloud lifts are large and bold. The ebonyplugs look like structural components, but they'rejust decorative. Gamble House living room rocker2. The cloud lifts on this built-in cupboard aresmaller and more delicate than those on the rocker.Thorsen House3. This is an early example of the Greenes' bracketdetail. Chair from the Tichenor House, 19044. A later single bracket is slightly concave.Robinson house dining room chair, 1906S. Adouble bracket helps convey asense ofstrength to the joint between leg and rail. B/ackerHouse chair; reproduction by Darrell Peart

Details that work togetherThe Greenes' designs were nevermass produced. Each piece of furni­ture was made for a specific setting,usually a private house, and each set­ting had its own unique set of details.While some details were common tothe larger style as a whole, most werespecific to one piece of furniture oran individual room.

I've always thought that some ele­ments in a good design shouldn't beapparent at first glance. That's cer­tainly true of Greene and Greene furni­ture. Many of the details are very smallindeed and do not reveal themselvesreadily; they require effort to be seen.

Many commercial millwork shopshave a "three foot" standard to jud~e

whether a piece is ready to go outthe door. If a defect isn't visible fromthree feet away, the piece passes. Thisrule applies in reverse to Greene andGreene. If you stand three feet away,you'll miss much of the design! I'vebeen back to the Gamble House manytimes, and on each visit, I've made a

new, close-up discovery.While much of the magic of the

Greene and Greene style lies in itsdetails, those details, independent ofeach other, have little magic. Simplyadding a spattering of great details toa piece does not by itself make for agood design. They must be used judi­ciously, in context, and work with oneanother to create a unified vision.

Charles Greene was a true masterof this. It was his vision and artis-tic ability, for the most part, thatbrought together so many details tospeak a in a common language. Themature work of Greene and Greenealways conveyed a strong, organicsense of unity. Borrowing terms frombiology, their overall style would bean Order; each house, a Family; eachroom, a Genus; and each piece, a dif­ferent Species.

There are far too many Greene andGreene details to cover here. I'll high­light the most common and betterknown ones, and add a few I've beendrawn to that are not well known.

6. This detail of a footboard shows a piercedtsuba (a stylized Japanese sword guard) and

raised inlay. Gamble House master bedroom

7. These spline and butterfly details are an early

example of stylized joinery. Robinson House,

1906

8. The top edges of these ebony plugs followthe upward arc of the crest rail, a detail that's

easy to miss. Gamble House master bedroom

The spell of JapanJapanese and Asian motifs played animportant role in the Greenes' designs.C. R. Ashbee, a leader in the EnglishArts & Crafts Movement, visitedCharles Greene in Pasadena. Ashbeelater said, "Like Lloyd Wright, the spellof Japan is upon him."

The cloud liftThe cloud lift was one of the morecommon details employed by theGreenes. It's essentially a rise in a hori­zontalline that's formed by two con­necting arcs. Stylized clouds were oftendepicted this way in Chinese art, andcloud lifts were occasionally used inAsian furniture. Not all of the Greenes'cloud lifts are alike, though. They couldbe large and bold or very small anddelicate (Photos 1 & 2). Most often,they were somewhere in between.

Many Greene and Greene-inspiredwoodworkers have searched for anequation or a set of rules for drawingcloud lifts, but I don't think there's anymagic formula. Changing one or bothof the arcs can dramatically alter thisdetail's character. I work in CAD, andoften stretch or compress a cloud lift,looking for the right shape. My advicefor drawing a cloud lift is to simplydraw and re-draw it until it looks rightfor the piece you're building. Contextis everything.

BracketsScholars believe the Greenes' bracketswere inspired by the low, swoopingrafters used in Japanese temples.

56 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 0 ECE MBERI JAN UARY 2010

-~ --- ~ ~ .__.~~-------~~~----------

9. This classic Greene and Greene breadboardend has exposed ebony spline. Thorsen housesideboard10.These ebony plugs appear to cover pinsthat go through the tenons, but they're justdecorative. Gamble House dining room table base11. This chair's crest rail also has an exposedebony spline. Thorsen House dining room chair

This detail is often repeated by con­temporary woodworkers, but theGreenes employed them on onlythree furniture projects, using a dif­ferent design each time. The earli-est example ofthis detail used onfurniture is in the Adelaide Tichenorhouse of 1904 (Photo 3), where theyemployed a single puffy loc;>p. By 1906,in the Robinson House (Photo 4), thebracket gains a bit of sophistication,displaying a concave surface.

The brackets reached their matu­rity in 1907 in the Blacker House livingroom furniture (Photo 5). These brack­ets are the most successful in convey­ing a visual sense of strength to thejoint between leg and rail. The smallerloop appears to be adding support tothe larger loop.

On all three variations, the bracketis let into the rail and leg ever soslightly. This small feature enhancesthe design in a very subtle way-oneyou can't see from three feet away.

ThetsubaA tsuba is a Japanese sword guard, sep­arating the blade from the handle. Oftenfound in museums, tsubas are genuineworks of art and come in a variety ofshapes. Charles Greene collected themand often employed a double ovoidtsuba shape as a design element.

Walking through the GambleHouse, you'll see tsubas in a numberof places, from the outline of the din­ing room table top, to a chair backdetail, electrical plates, doorbell plates,lamp base and more (Photo 6).

Elements of structureas adornmentThe furniture of the American Arts &

Crafts Movement celebrated joinery byexposing it to view. Elements of struc­ture, such as through tenons and thepins that hold mortise and tenon jointstogether, became part of a piece'sdesign. Greene and Greene took thisidea a half step further. They saw thoseelements as opportunities for creatingnew design details that were not func­tional, but purely ornamental.

Knowing that much of theGreenes' visible joinery served noother purpose than decoration, youmight doubt the soundness of thereal joints. Some of their early workwasn't constructed to the highest

standards, butby 1906 thestage was setfor what wouldbecome aremarkable col­laboration withanother set ofbrothers, Johnand Peter Hall. The Hall brothers werehighly skilled Swedish immigrantsbelieved to have been trained in thehome Sloyd method.

The majority of Greene and Greenefurniture, including all the maturework, was built by the Halls. Theunderlying joinery is quite sound. Onehundred years later, most pieces are inexcellent shape (Photo 7).

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 57

Exposed finger jointsGreene and Greene employed proud,exposed finger joints in a number ofinstances, (Photo 12). but they were

flat panel from warping. Traditionally,breadboard ends were flush with thepanel, but Greene and Greene madetheir breadboard ends proud, bothon the top and sides (Photo 9). Theyalso added a long ebony spline to thesides of the joint. The breadboard wasfunctional, but the ebony spline wasfor decoration only-the actual work­ing spline remained hidden inside.

Faux ebony splines were also usedwhere the back leg of a chair meetsthe crest rail (Photo 11). There's a realmortise and tenon joint inside, but thespline is not a functional part of thejoint. Perhaps one of the most notableand successful uses of a faux ebonyspline was on the Blacker living roomarmchair (page 54). The spline is quiteprominent at the point where the armjoins the front leg.

Exposed ebony splineThe breadboard end is a classic wood­working technique used to prevent a

Plugs were made in an infinitevariety of sizes and shapes. Whenused on furniture, the plugs wereslightly pillowed and proud, but in lowprofile. On built-ins, the treatment ofthe plugs varied widely. Some havesurfaces that are almost flat, while oth­ers have a much more pronounceddomed face (Photos 8 & 10).

Ebony plugsYou might think that the ebony plugsused by the Greenes are an essentialpart of the joinery, but most of themaren't functional. Some of the plugsdo cover screws, particularly on bread­board ends, but most plugs are justset in their own little mortises. Plugswere placed strategically, usually withthe implication of pinning a tenon, butoccasionally the relationship to joinerywas disregarded and their placementwas based on aesthetics alone.

12.ln this detail from the underside of atable, abox joint has proud and pillowed fingers thatare "pinned" by ebony plugs. Thorsen House din­ing table13. The waterfall shelf detail is an ingeniousand beautiful solution for adding strength.Thorsen House living room bookshelves14. This chair's center splat appears to be pullingapart. but the ebony connectors secure the twohalves in place. Gamble House living room rocker15. The Greenes were masters of relief. Everystructural element exists in its own plane and isrounded over before stepping down to the nextlevel. Drawer from the Thorsen house16. The waterfall leg is a new take on a classictapered leg. Chair from the Gamble House masterbedroom

58 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010

most notably used for drawer fronts.Drawer fingers were usually in lowerprofile than fingers on casework. Onall joints, the fingers were usually"pinned" with an ebony plug, but Idon't know whether there are screwsor dowels beneath most of the plugs.

Waterfall shelvesA really good designer can transforman apparent problem into a positivedesign feature. As most woodworkersknow, bookshelves that must carry alot of weight have to be made extra­thick, o·r be supported underneath.From an aesthetic point of view, bothof these choices are undesirable. TheGreenes solved this problem in abeautiful way.

Seen from the front, the built-inbookshelves in the Thorsen Houseliving room are relatively thin andpleasing to the eye (Photo 13). Acloser inspection reveals yet anotherdelightful Greene and Greene detail:a sort of waterfall effect on the under­side. The waterfall detail is in realitya clever method to add thicknessand strength to the shelf, but it alsoenhances the beauty of the piece.

Back splat connectorsThe backs of several Greene andGreene chairs have small decorativeconnectors joining the splats (Photo14). While their usefulness may bedebatable, the connectors' value as adesign feature is not. On the GambleHouse living room chairs, the splatsappear to be pulling apart, while the

connectors exert an opposite force,giving the impression of holding thesplats in check.

Relief detailThe relief detail has a profound effecton the overall design, but it's a verysimple concept: every element existsin its own plane. No two surfaces areallowed to meet at the same level.Every level is rounded over beforedropping down to the next level.Relief adds depth and shadow, high­lighting each and every structuralcomponent of the design (Photo 15).Even when the Greenes used inlay, itwas in relief, proud of its surroundingsurfaces.

Leg detailsCharles Greene apparently did not likesimply pulling a classic design detailoff the shelf and borrowing it. He hadto give it a distinctive Greene andGreene twist. Such is the case with acouple of leg bottom details.

The waterfall leg is a take on theclassic detail of tapering the twoinside faces of a leg, making the legincreasingly narrow as it reachesthe floor. The waterfall leg tapersin a series of three short steps thatare shaped as vertical cloud lifts(Photo 16).

The Blacker House armchair's leg­indent detail anchors the design tothe ground, like a classic claw and ballfoot. The indent pushes down andtransfers the weight of the piece tothe very bottom of the leg.

See it up closeI hope this article whets your appetitefor more Greene and Greene design.May you someday make the pilgrim­age to Pasadena and see their work asit should be experienced-in person.Soak it in, and make your own littlediscoveries. But beware-Greene-andGreene may become habit-forming.

Darrell Peart lives in Seattle. See his

work at www.furnituremaker.com eJ·...· For an X-ray look inside Greene

&Greene furniture, go to: www.AmericanWoodworker.com/14SIGreeneAndGreene

DEC E M B E R I JAN U A R Y 2010 www.Jl.mericanWoodworker.com 59

Office CabinetStore office necessities in style.

by David Radtke

For complete how-to on using drawer lock router bits, go towww.AmericanWoodworker.com/14S/DrawerLockBit

60 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010

THIS HANDSOME LITTLE CABINET

just might solve the universal problemof never having enough drawer space.Small enough to tuck under a desk, it'salso designed to stand on its own, andits wide top can easily accommodate aprinter or a fax machine.

You can build this cabinet in aweekend or two, because it's madewith simple joinery. The case assem­bles with biscuits and pocket screws,and the drawers go together with lockrabbet joints. There's no fussy drawerhardware to install, just cut-in handgrips and screwed-on hardwood run­ners to guide the drawers.

Despite its simple joinery, thiscabinet is very sturdy, and it can beeasily altered. Make it taller. Changethe drawer sizes. Add doors. And don'tlet the "office" designation fool you-

switch to MDF or Baltic birch to build agreat shop cabinet.

Square and flatBoth the cabinet and the drawersmust be perfectly square to allowthe drawers to glide freely withoutbinding. Make sure that your lumberis milled flat; ditto for your glued-uptop and sides. Draw accurate layout

. lines and verify that your tool set-ups

are square.

Build the cabinet1. Milling and gluing solid wood

for the sides and top does take a fairamount of time, so keep in mind thatyou can substitute edge-bandedhardwood plywood for these parts,without compromising the integrity ofthe cabinet.

2. Joint and plane your stock tothickness. Then select and cut boardsfor the top (A, Fig. A) and the sides (B).

3. Glue the panels together. Tokeep the board faces flush, I glue thejoints one at a time (Photo 1).

4. Trim the glued-up panels to finalsiz~. After trimming, stack the twosides, to make sure t~ey're identical inwidth, length and squareness.

5. Cut the side arches. Then finish­sand the sides and the top.

6. Locate the sides on the bottomof the top (Photo 2). Make sure yourlayout lines are square to the frontedge and parallel to one another.

7. To locate the biscuit slots on thetop and sides, clamp each side outside­face up to top's bottom face (Photo 3).Align the side's inside top edge withthe layout line and make sure the back

Glue up the panels for the sides and top. Work on a flat surfaceand glue the joints one at a time.

Cut biscuit slots in the top and sides. Then drill holes for pocketscrews on the inside face of each side.

2

Mark the location of the sides' inside edges on the top's bottomface. Use a large square for accuracy.

Fasten the sides to the top with glue, biscuits and screws. Clampa fence to the outside edge of the top, to hold the side in positionas you drive in the pocket screws.

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 61

Use spacers and clamps to accurately position the stretchers,so you can drive the pocket screws. Frequently check the cabinetduring assembly, to make sure it remains square.

Reposition the fence to shape the ends of drawer fronts andbacks. Set the fence so the depth of the cut matches the thicknessof the drawer sides.

Use a drawer lock bit to create the drawer joints. First, rout bothends of each drawer side. A shopmade jig stabilizes the work­piece, holds it against the fence, and prevents blowout on theback edge.

Saw the runner slot in the outside face of each drawer side.These slots will be used to mount the assembled drawer in thecabinet. Always orient the bottom edge of the workpiece againstthe fence.

edges are flush. Cut the slots into thesides. Then stand the biscuit joiner on

edge and butt it against the cabinet sideto cut the slots into the top. Completethe other side in the same manner.

8. Drill pocket holes in the insidefaces of each side, as shown in Fig A.

The locations aren't specific; centerthem between the slots and keepthem at least an inch away from theouter edges. Drill pocket holes in tlfestretchers (C) at this time as well.

9. To assemble each joint, glue

biscuits in the slots in the top,spread glue into the slots in theside pieces, and screw the pocketscrews through the sides into thetop (Photo 4). Use a large square tomake sure the sides remain square

to the top as you drive the screws.10. Flip the cabinet over onto a

flat surface and position 2-7/8" widespacers on the inside (Photo 5). Setthe stretchers onto the spacers. Locatethe front stretcher 1-1/8" back fromthe front of the cabinet, and the back

stretcher 114" away from the back.Clamp the sides to the stretchers andthen drive in the pocket screws.

Build the drawers11. Rip the drawer fronts, sides and

backs (D through J) to width and then

cut them to length.12. Install a drawer lock bit (see

Sources, page 64) in your routertable and make test cuts in scrapstock to correctly adjust the bit's

height. (For complete how-to on

using drawer lock router bits, visitwww.AmericanWoodworker.com/DrawerLockBit or see "Lock RabbetDrawer Joinery," AW #92, Feb '02,page 60). Rout the ends of the drawersides first (Photo 6). Then change thefence and rout the ends of the drawerfronts and backs (Photo 7).

13. Cut 1-1/8" by 5-1/8" hand gripsin the drawer fronts and smooth thecurves by sanding.

14. Cut a groove for the drawerbottom (K) in each drawer piece, start­ing 3/8" from the bottom edge. These

grooves always go on the routed face.Match the groove's width to the thick­ness of your drawer bottom material.Cut six drawer bottoms to final size.

62 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010

Cutting List I Overall Dimensions: 27" Hx28-1/4" Wx19-3/4" D

Part Name Qty Material ThxWxLA Too 1 Cherry 3/4" x19-3/4" x28-1/4"B Side 2 Cherry 3/4" x19" x26-1/4"C Stretcher 2 Cherry 3/4" x4" x24-3/4"D Small drawer front 3 Cherrv 3/4" x3-1/8" x24-5/8"E Small drawer back 3 Beech 3/4" x3-1/8" x24-5/8"F Small drawer side 6 Beech 3/4"x3-1/8"x16"G LarQe drawer front 3 Cherry 3/4" x4-1/8" x24-5/8"H Laroe drawer back 3 Beech 3/4" x4-1/8" x24-5/8"J LarQe drawer side 6 Beech 3/4"x4-1/8"x16"K Drawer bottom 6 Hardboard 1/4" x15-3/4" x23-5/8"L Drawer runner 12 Beech 7/16" x23/32" x17-3/4"M Runner suooort 2 Beech 3/4" x1-1/4" x22-5/8"N Back 1 Hardboard 1/4" x24-3/4" x23-3/8"P Apron 1 Cherry 3/4" x3-5/8" x24-3/4"Q Too cleat 1 Beech 3/4" 1-1/4" x23-1/4"

Fig. C Drawer

leiI-/,S"

to allow for the solid wood's seasonalmovement. Start with a 6" x 22-5/8"

board (it should fit snugly inside thecabinet, between the bottom stretcher

o/s" LIP

o/s" x 0/1" G,f(()()VEC/(P.)

Fig. B Drawer Runners and Supports

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simply clamp the drawers andmake sure they're square beforesetting them aside to dry.

Build and installthe drawer runners

17. The drawers slide on runners(L) installed inside the cabinet. For thedrawers to operate smoothly, theserunners must be correctly located andpreciselysized. Thefirst stepis to makesupports(M) that willautomati­cally posi­tion therunners. Twoof these sup­ports will bepermanentlyinstalledinside thecabinet (oneon each side,at the back),

15. Install a dado blade in yourtable saw and cut a 3/8" deep by 3/4"wide runner slot in the outside face ofeach drawer side, starting 1-1/2" fromthe bottom edge (Photo 8).

Using the same setup, cut notchesthrough the ends of all the drawerbacks, so that the runner slots andnotches align when the drawers areassembled. Install a tall auxilliary fenceon your miter gauge to support thedrawer backs when sawing these endgrain notches. DO NOT cut notches inthe drawer fronts.

16. Assemble the drawers (Photo9). Apply glue to each lock joint andrun a bead of glue in the groovesto secure the bottom. Gluing in thebottom helps to keep the drawersolid and square. I find that it worksbest to glue and nail one joint, seatthe drawer bottom into this cornerassembly, and then add the remainingparts. I check to make sure the draweris square, and then nail the remain­ing three joints. Brad nails effectivelyclamp the joints while the glue dries,but if you don't have a brad nailer,

Fig. A Exploded View

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 63

Assemble the drawers with glue and brad nails. Check each jointto make sure the drawer is square.

Check the fit. If the drawer is too tight, remove both runners andshave a bit of thickness from each one. Reinstall the runners and tryagain. Keep removing and shaving until the drawers slide freely.

Use supports and a spacer to accurately position the drawerrunners for fastening. Make the supports by cutting dadoes in awide board and then ripping it. The spacer establishes the draw­ers' setback at the front.

To make the drawers slide effortlessly, brush a coat of shellacinto the runner slots and onto the runners. Let the shellac dry andthen sand lightly.

and the top). Using the dimensions inFig. B, and measuring from the bottomto the top, layout the six 3/4" dadoesthat will house the runners. Raise thedado set to 13/32" and cut the dadoes,using your miter gauge.

18. Rip the dadoed board into threeor four 1-1/4" wide pieces to createthe runner supports. Mark the bo~tom

end of each piece, for reference.19. Mill the drawer runners and

test their fit in the drawers' runnelslots-the runners must slide freely.If the fit is too tight, shave a bit fromthe runners' width.

20. Tip the cabinet on its side andclamp a 3/4" wide spacer flush withthe front edge (Photo 10). This spacerpositions the runners so the drawerswill be slightly recessed inside thecabinet.

21. Position a pair of runner sup­ports between the cabinet top arjdthe stretchers. Fasten the rear sup­port to the cabinet side, 1/4" insidethe back edge (flush with the stretch­er). to allow room for the cabinetback (N). Slide the runners throughthe supports' dadoes and butt themagainst the front spacer. Fasten thefront end of each runner with twocountersunk screws. Then remove thefront runner support. The back endsof the runners are held in position bythe permanently installed support.Tip the cabinet onto its other sideand install the remaining runners.

22. Cut and fit the front apron (P).Drill pocket holes in the back andcut the arch at the bottom. Glue andclamp the apron to the front stretcherand install the pocket screws.

23. Test fit the drawers (Photo 11).A tight fit is good, because it's prettyeasy to make the runners thinner. Ifthe fit is too loose, you'll have to makenew runners or glue strips of veneerinto the drawers' runner slots.

24. Once you like the fit, it's easy tomake the drawers slide "like buttah"(Photo 12).

25. Install the top cleat (Q) 1/4"inside the back edge, so it's flush withthe runner supports. Cut, fit and installthe cabinet back.

26. Apply your favorite finish. I likean oil/varnish blend, such as MinWaxAntique Oil. hw.

SourcesFreud, www.freudtools.com. (800)334-4107,2" Drawer Lock Bit, #99-240,$39.99.

64 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DEC E M BE R IJAN UAR Y 2010

-II

Model 70-500 II

20" x 36" EVS Lathe .

IMode170-425 I

20" x 37" Lathe Is-n.,~~~~ I

Model 70-45020" x 37" EVS Lathe

Electronic Variable Speed

Shown with OptionalBowl Turning Attachment

Swivel Head

~ INDUSTRIAL GRADE REPLACEABLE KNIVES~ IDEAL FOR WOOD, MDF & CHIPBOARD~ NO RE-SHARPENING COSTS ~~~ HARDER GRADE TUNGSTEN CARBIDE INSERTS ..~ PRICED COMPARABLY TO BRAZED ROUTER BITS @ NINE POPULAR PROFILE SIZES IN 1/4" SHANK

\~ SCREWS VARY

J,~ Amana rool"" n. FOI A De,llel Nearest You CaI/1-BOO-445-0077W e... FOI 1ll0le IIlfolllh1tlOil VISit

Arts &CraftsHall TreeOrganize your gearwith an oak classic.

By Steve Lehmann

I'VE ALWAYS WANTED a mud room in my house-you

know, a place where you can throw your coats, gloves and

boots before entering the living room or kitchen. I don't

have enough space for one, so I started thinking: what could

I build that would hold all those things?

A hall tree. A big one-one with three large hooks, a flip-up

seat and storage space underneath. Plus a shelf for hats.

The design uses frame and panel construction, but there

are no mortises to make. The plywood panels and solid rails

just fit into grooves, the same way these pieces were built

years ago. Gluing the plywood makes the hall tree very stur­dy-strong enough for my kids to stand on. And they will!

Make the legs1. Start by milling the front and

back legs (A1 & 81). The back legs are

quite long, so joint and plane them in

stages, over the course of a few days,

to ensure that they stay straight. Trim

the back legs to their final length.

Make the front legs about 6" extra

long for test cuts.

2. The joinery in the hall tree is

pretty straightforward (Fig. A). All of

the legs have long, stopped grooves

that receive the plywood panels and

the rails' tenons. These grooves should

exactly fit your plywood, which is prOb­

ably thinner than its nominal thickness

of 1/2". The best way to make the

grooves is to use a plunge router, a 3/8"

bit and an edge guide. To set up your

router, make some test grooves in the

extra-long portion of the front legs.

Rout from both sides of the legs to cen­

ter the grooves (Photo 1). Once you've

66 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010

correctly adjusted your edge guide,trim the front legs to final length. Thenlayout the grooves on both of the leg'sinside faces and rout them (Fig. B).

3. Rout similar grooves on theinside faces of the back legs (Fig. C).Square the ends all of the grooveswith a chisel.

M keth I t,rill, nd p n II

4. The seat is composed of twopieces: a lid (D1) and a rail (D2) that is

fixed to the case. In order to make thegrain of the seat continuous across

these two parts, and to ensure thatthey're the same thickness, glue upthe seat as one large blank, then rip itinto two pieces.

5. Mill all of the rails (A2-AS, B2-B3,

C1-C2). Cut them to width and length.6. Cut grooves in the rails for the

plywood panels (Figs. D, Eand F).While you could use your router again,it's easier to cut the grooves on thetable saw (Photo 2). Set up a 3/8"dado set and cut from both faces, as

you did with the router.7. Cut tenons on all the rails

(Photo 3 and Fig. D). Add a chipper

to the dado set, making it 1/2" wide.Clamp a sacrificial board to the saw'sfence in order to house a portion ofthe dado set. Cutting from both facesof each rail, raise the dado set until thetenons fit the grooves.

8. Cut shoulders on the tenons by

lowering the dado set and standingthe rails on edge.

9. In the back rail-seat (A4), cut arabbet (Fig. D) that is half the thick­ness of the seat's back section (D2). On

the back rail-upper (A2), cut two rab­bets to form a tenon for the shelf (E 1).

10, On the lower rails (AS, B3 & C2),

cut grooves to receive the bottompanel (D4) (Photo 4).

11. Draw and cut the arch in thelower front rail (B3) (Photo 5 and

Fig. E).12. Assemble each side of the hall

tree, without glue, and double-checkthe measurements for the panels (A6,

1.Begin by

making thefront and back

legs. Routgrooves in thelegs to exactly

fit the ply­wood panels.

2.Cut groovesin all the railsto fit the ply-

wood, too.Use a feather­board to press

the rail tightagainst the

fence..

3.Cut tenonson the rails

using adado set.

4.Cut grooves

in all thelower rails to

receive the

bottom panelof the storage

area, underthe seat.

DEC E M B ER I JAN U A R Y 201 0 WWW.Am@ftlliUlWOodwolk@I.1l0m 67

a------

44tiPpo::

~5

~

liig, A Exploded View liig, IJ Front Legs liig. C Back Legs

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4~15-Y2"Y2" P)fl)E,

4ft, 3h" ]£cPG.f'OOVc

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~ig. ~ Front Rails

68 WWW:Jim@fl€iiIiWaaawafi@f:€affi 0 E C E M B E RI JAN U A R Y 201 0

A7, A8, B4, C3 & 04). Cut the panelsabout 1/16" undersize and ease theiredges with sandpaper to make assem­blyeasier.

Foracomplicatedassembly,

I only put glueon one sideat a time.

Ail mbl h Ir n nd k13. Test fit the pieces for the front.

Finish sand them and glue.14. Test fit all of the pieces for the

back, then glue it together (Photo 6).Make 7-1/2" long spacers to fit in theupper and lower panel areas-they'llhelp align the rails. To reduce anxiety,I glued one side ofthe back at a time.For the first glue-up, I only put glueon one end of all the rails and pan­els. I clamped the other leg onto theassembly, without glue, to keep theassembly square and flat. Once theglue was dry, I glued the other side.

15. Cut notches in the seat rail (02)to fit the legs and rails (Photo 7 andFig. G). Glue this piece to the backassembly.

AI@mbl h@ circa16. On the bottom (04), cut

notches for clearance around the legs(Photo 8). You may want to cut venti­lation slots in this piece to allow dampgloves and boots to dry.

17. Check the fit of the side piecesand the bottom. Make sure you areable to keep the legs square (Photo9). Finish sand all of the side piecesand glue.

18. Now the project is really start­ing to take shape. Make the side slats(C4). Sand and glue them in place.

IIDraw an arch

on the lowerfront rail. Usespring clampsto hold a bent

stick whileyou draw the

curve.

IIGlue the

back. Thereare a lot of

pieces to man­age, so I glueone side at a

time. Spacershelp align the

inner rails.

IICut notch-

es in therear sectionof the seat,

. so that this

piece fitsaround the

back legsand rail.

811Cut notches

in the storagearea's bottom

panel. Screwan extra-tall

board to yourmiter gaugefor support.

DEC E M B E R I JAN U A R Y 20 1 0 'WWW:Am@fielUlWaaawaflE@f,e8m 69

Add th shelf and .Iat19. Make the shelf (E1). Rout a

cove and fillet all the way around thepiece using a cove bit and a straightbit (Photo 10 and Fig. J). Using yourplunge router and edge guide, rout agroove on the bottom of the shelf tofit the long tenon on the upper backrail (Fig. H). Glue the shelf in place.

20. Make the shelf brackets (E2)(Fig. K). Glue the shelf supports to theback legs and to the shelf.

21. Cut the seat battens (03). Rout a45° chamfer on their edges. Drill holesfor mounting the battens to the seat(Photo 11). Elongate the outside holesto allow the seat to shrink and swell.Attach the battens to the seat's lid.

Wrap It Up22. Install hinges to join the seat

lid to the seat's back rail. To preventthe lid from slamming down on littlefingers, mount a lid support between

Fig. K Shelf Bracket

---~-.• , .

~2 111"-If

//..

3-1/1" /-

/- . ..

.. r _.- --_._-

.. - .. -' -

Fig. G Seat

Hall Tree Overall dimensions: 72-3/4" Hx26" Wx19" D

Section Part Name Qty. Material ThxWxL

Back A1 Back leg 2 Red oak H/4" x1-3/4" x72"

A2 Back rail-upper 1 Red oak 1" x4-5/8" x19-3/4"

A3 Back rail-mid 1 Red oak 1" x4-114" x19-314"

A4 Back rail-seat 2 Red oak 1" x4-5/8" x19-314"

A5 Back rail-lower 1 Red oak 1" x4-1/4" x19-314"

A6 Back panel-upper 1 Red oak plywood 1/2" x19-3/4" x8-1/4" (al

A7 Back panel-mid 1 Red oak plywood 1/2" x19-3/4" x33-3/4" (al

A8 Back panel-lower 1 Red oak plywood 1/2" x19-314" x8-1/4" (a)

Front Bl Front leg 2 Red oak 1-3/4" x1-3/4" x18"

B2 Front rail-upper 1 Red oak 1': x4-1/4" x19-3/4"

B3 Front rail-lower 1 Red oak 1': x4-1/4" x19-3/4"

B4 Front panel 1 Red oak plywood 1/2" x19-314" x8-1/4" (al

Sides C1 Side rail-upper 2 Red oak l"x 4-1/4" x15-1/4"

C2 Side rail-lower 2 Red oak 1"x4-1/4" x15-1/4"

C3 Side panel 2 Red oak plywood 112" x15-1/4" x8-1/4" (al

C4 Side slats 6 Red oak 1/8" x1-1/8" x7-112"

Seat D1 Seat lid 1 Red oak 3/4" x15" x24-1/2"

D2 Seat rail 1 Red oak 3/4" x4" x24-1/2"

D3 Seat batten 2 Red oak 3/4" x1-3/8" x10"

D4 Bottom panel 1 Red oak plywood 1/2" x20-112" x16" (al

Shelf El Shelf 1 Red oak 3/4" x26" x5"

E2 Shelf bracket 2 Red oak 112" X3-3/4" x2-1/4"

Note: (al approximate length and width. Cut the panels 1/16" undersize i~ length and width to makeassembly easier.

Fig. H Shelf Groove

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FIg.JShelf Molding

I always dry fit a caseand make sure it's square,before actually gluing it.

70 WWW.Am@filliiI\WOOtlWOfk@f.ClOfti DEC E M B E R f JAN U A R Y 2 0 1 0

the seat and an upper side rail (Photo12 and Sources, next page). Mountthe coat hooks and leveling feet, if youneed them. Remove all the hardware;paint the hooks flat black and add aclear coat of lacquer.

23. Apply a stain and two top coatsof poly to the whole case.

24. Re-attach the hardware andinstall felt dots on the underside ofthe seat where it contacts the frontlegs and upper rail. You're ready for asnowy day! ~

SOURCES• Rockier, www.rockler.com. (800)279-4441, Hinge No Mortise w/o Finial2-1/2", #28696, $2.49; Lid Support LeftMount, #26195, $6.99; Screw WasherHead #7 x 1-1/4" fine, #38502, $4.79;Glue Extended Open, #24623, $6.49.• Woodworker's Hardware,www.wwhardware.com. (800) 383­0130, Leg Leveler 5/16"-18, #HB336600S, $0.62/each; T-nut, 5/16"-18,#SCT51618, $0.68/each.• House of Antique Hardware,www.houseofantiquehardware.com.(888) 223-2545, Coat Hook, #R-01 OBM­9907, $4.19 each.

Steve Lehmann is anElectrical Test Engineer. He lives inMichigan's Upper Peninsula, wherethe long winter nights are ideal forworking in the shop.

9.Glue the

front, then dryfit the whole

assembly.Does it come

out square?If so, you're

ready for thebig glue-up.

10.Rout a cove

moldingall the way

around theshelf that sitson top of the

hall tree.

11.Drill screw

holes in twobattens that gounderneath the

seat. Elongatethe outer holes

so the seat isfree to shrink

and swell.

12.Attach a

lid supportunderneath

the seat. Thisspring-loaded

hardware cush­ions the seat

as it closes, toprotect little

fingers. My kids

love hiding stuffinside their new

hall tree!

DEC E M B ER I JAN U A R Y 201 0 www•.lI.meric:aIlWooclworker.c:om 71

DO YOU FIND SIGNING a completedproject with a pencil or pen a little tooordinary? I did-so several years ago, Iattended a seminar, taught by wood­worker and writer Kathy Somerville, oncreating etched brass nameplates. Shetaught a hand-signing technique thatI have used and experimented withever since. Last year, I found out thatthe seminar was no longer offered,because Kathy had moved away. So,I decided to start it up again, to sharethe technique and pass on the refine­ments I had discovered. In this artide,I'll show you how to design and pro­duce personalized brass nameplates­for a woodworking project, a familypet, or even a shop sign.

The technique, which combineschemistry and PC computer technol­ogy, is easy to learn because there areonly three steps. First, you create the

artwork, then you create the blanknameplate, and finally, you etch theartwork onto the blank.

Create the artworkUse MS Word (Windows version, 2003or newer), or any graphic softwaresuch as Adobe Photoshop Elementsto create artwork to transfer to yourblank. You can even use your scannedhandwritten signature or digitalphotos. It's important to remember,however, that the artwork must bereversed (or mirrored), because theimage will be transferred to the blankface-down. Here's how to use theimbedded graphic function of MSWord to complete the artwork:

1. Frame and install the image(Photo 1). First, open a Word docu­ment and create a text box. To createa text box, click "View" on the toolbar,

then "Toolbars" and "Drawing" onthe drop-down menus. This opensthe drawing toolbar. Now click on the"Text Box" icon and then click on thedocument to create the text box. Sizethe text box appropriately for yournameplate. Insert (copy and paste) animage you've chosen or created insidethe text box. Here, the image is a bow­saw picture that I downloaded fromthe internet.

If the image is not reversed, flip ithorizontally by clicking on the "Draw"icon, selecting "Rotate or Flip," andthen clicking on "Flip Horizontal." Ifyou have trouble, go to Word "Help"and type in "rotate or flip."

2. Create internal text boxes foryour text (Photo 2). Click on the "TextBox" icon again and then click insidethe main text box to create internaltext boxes..My design has two internal

72 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DEC E MBE RI JAN UARY 20' 0

6. Print the artwork on 3M transpar­ency film or Technicks Press-n-Peel bluesheet, so you can transfer the image to thenameplate. You must use a laser printer ora photocopier for this step, so the image iscreated with toner, rather than black ink.

1

----------- --.- - J' ~d b.Il."bmH

II )/6M a,J'lIirlJ

~_._-----_._... _----._ .. --._.--.- _._--.-

S. Reverse the text.

Handcrafted by

4. Remove the internal text box bor­ders. (This step is optional). I often includethe main text box border as part of thedesign. It also helps to position the artworkon the nameplate blank.

CharlesMak

IT-.Ii

2. Open text boxes inside the maintext box.

1--- I :an:crafted by I lI.__~~~

3. Insert the text. Here I've used two dif­ferent font sizes.

1. Create the artwork for your name­plate on a computer. Insert the imageyou've selected in a text box that you'veopened in a Word document. Reverse (ormirror) this image.

Etch the artwork onto thenameplateTo etch metal, you need two substanc­es: an acid (ferric chloride for brass,bronze and copper, or ferric nitrate forsilver) and a resist (the artwork's tonerink) to that acid. The process requiresfive steps. TRANSPARENCY tEi@V11I~)

STEP 1: TRANSFER THE ARTWORK FI~ LI~rl~~1TO THE BLANK, TO CREATE A MASK.

Center the transfer film on theblank with the image-face down, andsecure it along the edges with mask­ing tape (Photo 9). Then use an oldclothes iron to transfer the resist andcreate the mask (Photo 10). Set theiron to between 250· F and 350· F(the silk or polyester setting). Do notturn on the steam function. Cover thefilm with a piece of paper. Then ironthe film for four to six minutes, untilthe film's black image looks slightly

artwork to transfer properly-later, I'llshow a trick for making sure this pieceis flat. Mark the desired shape on thepiece with a felt-tipped pen. Then cutout the shape, following the wasteside of the line. It's best to use a scrollsaw equipped with a metal-piercing(jewelers) blade or a skip tooth blade(Univ. No. 3/0 to 5) for this step. Butyou can also use a jigsaw outfittedwith a m~tal-cutting blade.

Sand to the line (Photo 7). I use myoscillating spindle sander for this step,but you can also use a disc sander orbelt sander. Using a metal file is alsoan option, but do not use a grinder.Nonferrous metals such as brass andcopper clog the pores of the grindingwheel and may cause it to overheatand explode.

Prepare the blank for etching. First,make sure it is absolutely flat (Photo8). Adhere the blank to a woodenblock with double-faced tape. Thenflatten the blank by sanding on 220-,320-, 400- and 600-grit sandpaperaffixed to a dead-flat surface, such asa piece of marble or the top of yourtablesaw. Wash the blank with soapywater, rinse it, and dry it with a papertowel.

text boxes.3. Add text (Photo 3). Double-click

inside the first text box you createdand then click on the "Insert WordArt"icon. This opens the WordArt Gallery.Choose and click on the word styleyou prefer. Press "OK." Then enter yourtext in the font and size you desire(I used a different font size for eachbox). Click "OK."

4. Remove the internal text boxborders (Photo 4). Click on the textbox in the image and then click onthe "Line Style" icon. Click on "ChooseLines" and then "More Lines" whereyou'll see the "Line Color" box. Clickon this box and select "No Line." Click"OK" to exit. Repeat the process foreach internal text box.

5. Reverse the text (Photo S). Clickonce on the text that you've created,and click on the "Draw" icon. Select"Rotate or Flip" and then click on "FlipHorizontal." (You can find out moreabout the Word's graphic functionsin its "Create a mirror image of anobject" section as well as its "WordArt"section.)

6. Print the artwork on transpar­ency film, so it can be attached tothe blank nameplate (Photo 6). Youcan use a laser printer or a photo­copier, but not an inkjet printer. (Laserprinters and photocopiers use tonerinstead of black ink. For etching, theartwork must be printed with toner.)If you use a laser printer, print theartwork on a sheet of 3M CG3300transparency film (see Sources, page75). Otherwise, photocopy it on a 3MPP2500 Transparency film or the dullmatte side of a Technicks Press-n-PeelBlue sheet. I prefer the 3M transpar­ency films because they're cheaper,easier to use when you align yourartwork on the blank (the blue colormakes lines hard to see), and availableat most local office supplies stores.

Create the blank nameplateYou can buy blank brass nameplatespre-cut, but it's also easy to make yourown. Select a brass sheet that's 0.032"or 0.040" (0.8 mm to 1 mm) thick. Thissheet must be absolutely flat for the

DEC EM B ERI JAN UA RY 2010 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 73

7. Cut out the blank and smooth theedges.

10. Use heat to transfer the imagefrom the film to the blank. Once it's trans­ferred, the toner ink mask will resist theacid used to etch the brass.

8. Prepare the blank for etching bysanding it absolutely flat.

11. Touch up the transferred mask,after letting the blank cool and peeling offthe transfer film. You can add color whereit's missing, or remove color where it isn'twanted.

9. Tape the transfer fUm to the blank,image-face down.

12. Cover the blank with acid, brush itoccasionally, and let it soak. After awhile,check the edge of the mask with a toothpick.Eventually, you'll be able to feel a ridge,

Troubleshooting TipsPractice makes perfect. No one likes mistakes, but second chances are abundant with this technique. For example, if themask transfers badly to the blank, you can remove it with acetone and try again. If you don't like the etched results, sim­ply flip the blank and start over-that's one reason tape is applied to the back. Here are solutions to other problems youmight encounter.

Problem Possible Causes Remedy

Artwork is poorly 1. Blank is not flat, it's sanded unevenly, 1. Sand blank on a flat surface, do not skip anytransferred to or it's contaminated. grits, and hold the sanded blank only by its edges.the blank. 2. Film has been under- or over-heated. 2. Re-read the heating instructions. Reheat the film

longer, if necessary.

Artwork appears 1. Film has been overheated. 1. Check the film while ironing, to make sure itsmudged. 2. The transfer film was peeled off too doesn't overheat.

aggressively, or it was removed before 2. Remove the film gently, and only after the blankthe piece hat! sufficiently cooled. feels cool.

Etched artwork is 1. Etching time was too short. 1. Try longer etching time, say 45-60 minutes.not pronounced. 2. Etchant (the acid) has been reused too 2. Use fresh etchant.

many times.

Patina is not Darkening solution is not evenly applied Apply diluted darkening solution, quickly brusheven or too dark. onto the surface, or it is too strong. the surface with a circular motion, and then rinse.

74 www.JlrnericanWoodworker.com DEC E M B ER / JAN U A R Y 2010

Charles Mak is a businessperson inAlberta, Canada. During his spare time, he can be found

woodworking in his shop (sometimes in freezing tem­peratures), or at his local Lee Valley Tools store. Charlesteaches classes in decorative brass etching, automata/

mechanical sculptures and geometric pens. ContactCharles at signyourworkinbrass@gmail.com.

13. Remove the etched blank from theacid and thoroughly rinse it.

IS. Remove the mask by rubbing theblank with a soft cloth dampened withacetone.

bubbled. (Exact ironing time varies,depending on the temperature setting,size and thickness of the piece). Let theblank and film completely cool. Thengently peel off the film. Use nail polishor an enamel paint pen to fill any voidsor defects, and remove any unwantedspots or overrun with a sharp knife(Photo 11). The mask is now createdon the blank.

STEP 2: ETCH THE IMAGE

ONTO THE BLANK.

Cover the back of the blank withtape. Then place it mask-face up in aplastic or glass tray. Pour in some ferricchloride, just enough to cover the sur­face. Brush the blank with a soft brush

14. Tone the brass by brushing on ametal darkening solution.

16. Seal the nameplate's etched andpatinated surface with lacquer.

every few minutes, to stir the solution(Photo 12). After 15 to 30 minutes,you'll be able to feel a raised ridge atthe edge of the mask with the tip ofa toothpick. The longer the blank isleft in the etching solution, the morepronounced the ridge will be. Removethe etched blank with a pair of twee­zers and rinse it under running water(Photo 13). Then dry it. Store the usedferric chloride in a bottle, as you canreuse it a few times before disposing ofit properly as a hazardous waste.

STEP 3: CREATE PATINA BY

DARKENING THE BRASS.

Pour a little JAX darkener on theblank and quickly brush it with a tooth-

brush to create an even appearance(Photo 14 and Sources). The longeryou leave the solution on the blank,the darker the patina will be. For light­er patina, slighty dilute the solutionwith water before applying it. Rinsethe blank again, and let it dry. Remove

'the tape from the back. If you want acolored background, spray the blankwith a coat of enamel paint, instead ofusing the darkening solution.

STEP 4: REMOVE THE MASK.

If you applied a darkened patina,remove the mask by soaking a pieceof cloth with acetone and rubbing theblank (Photo 15). If you used paintin Step 4, don't use acetone, as it willalso remove the paint. Instead, lay theblank with the mask-face down on 600grit sandpaper affixed to a flat surface.Then rub lightly, to remove the mask.Don't oversand or you'll remove thepaint, too.

STEP 5: PROTECT THE PIECE.

Spray on a few coats of lacquer(Photo 16). If you've used enamelpaint to add color, use spray poly­urethane instead of lacquer. MissionAccomplished! b..t

Sources• Speedy Metals, www.speedymet­als.com, (866) 938-6061, Brass Sheet,.032" thickness, $31.43 for a 12" x 12"piece, .040" thickness, $41.70 for a 12"x 12" piece.• Staples, www.staples.com. (800) 378­2753, 3M CG3300 Transparency Film,#220970, $36.99 for 50 sheets; 3MPP2500 Transparency Film, #219949,$29.99 for 100 sheets.• Reactive Metals Studio, www.reac­tivemetals.com, (800) 876-3434, Press­n-Peel Blue Sheets, $8.08 for 5 sheets.MG Chemicals, www.mgchemicals.com, (800) 201-8822, Ferric Chloride,#415, $9 for a 17 oz. bottle.• JAX Chemical Company, www.jax­chemical.com, (914) 668-1818, Brown­Black Darkener, #BB-Pint, $12.95 for a1 pt. bottle.

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 75

Tool Talk User-Friendly Designs Make Saws Safer.

76 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DECEMBER/JANUARY 2010

for permanently parking an old­style guard in the trash. Most newguard systems snap in and out inseconds, thanks to quick-releasemechanisms featuring levers or

. spring-loaded knobs or pins. Bladeguards and anti-kickback pawlsmust also feature quick-releaseremoval.

Complying with the standardsdoesn't mean an end to creativethinking. The riving knife and bladeguard assembly can be separatepieces (Photo 4), or the riving knifecan be part of a combined guard/spreader/knife system (Photo 5).

Tracking thenew designsSaws from several manufacturersfeature new guard systems builtaround the dual-purpose rivingknife (Photo 6). This innovativenew design is the result of coop­eration by several members of thePower Tool Institute (PTI), a tradeorganization. The Cadillac versionof this system appears on Delta'snew Unisaw (shown on page 76),but it also appears on virtuallyevery size saw (Photo 7). On manyversions of this design, the guardarm (also called the top barrier) isslotted, to provide an open viewof the blade while setting up a cut.(While sawing, however, the slotdoes allow some sawdust to flyout.) In addition, the side barrierslift out of the way almost effort­lessly and lock in a stored position.

Another group of saws areequipped with an upgraded ver­sion of an old standby (Photo8). The dual side barriers on thisguard/spreader assembly are lessobtrusive than those in the PTIdesign, but they aren't as easy tolift out of the way. Instead, you liftthe entire guard, which pivots atthe back of the arm.

Some guard/spreader assem­blies include dust collection ports(Photo 9). These guards featureone-piece construction, to maxi-

1. A riving knifethat rises and fallswith the blade is onenew requirement forUL approval. Unlike

a guard/spreaderassembly, a rivingknife doesn't have tobe removed to makenon-through cuts withthe regular blade.

2. The spreaderon a new-style guard/spreader assemblymust rise and fall withthe blade, just like theriving knife does. Anew-style spreader iseasy to spot, becauseit doesn't bolt behindthe saw table, like anold-style spreader.

3. Easy on ... easyoff. To meet the newstandard, users mustbe able to remove orinstall either the riv­ing knife or the bladeguard assembly in 30seconds or less. Thatmeans qUick-releasemechanisms.

4. The guardlspreader assemblyand the riving knifemay be separatecomponents. Thistraditional approachis still an option.

5. A dual-purposeriving knife is a new

option. The knifechanges positionto function as thespreader in the guardassembly. The bladeguard and anti-kick­back pawls simplysnap into notches inthe knife. RIVING KNIFE

POSITION

GUARD/SPREADER

A:~

SPREADERPOSITION

DEC E M B E R I JAN U A R Y 2010 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 77

Tool Talk

mize dust collection capability.

When the blade is tilted, though,

most one-piece guards partially

expose the top side of the blade.

An overarm guard system is

another guarding option allowed

by UL 987 for controlling dust

from the top of the blade.

Revised "','t;;eirU'~;:u·t1l1;;

recluh'e new deslglnsTo develop standards for safe

design and performance, power

tool manufacturers work together

with the u.s. Consumer Products

Safety Commission (CPSC),

Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

(UL) and other independent orga­

nizations such as the American

National Standards Institute (ANSI)

and the Canadian Standards

Association (CSA). These stan­

dards-including specifications for

tablesaws-are spelled out in UL

987, the Standard for Stationaryand Fixed Electric Tools.

By developing and updatingthese standards, manufacturers

avoid the issuance of government­

mandated standards. Tools that

comply with the standards are

given UL (or CSA) approval, a

safety endorsement that can be

used for marketing. Currently,

compliance with the standards is

voluntary-that means UL approv­

al is not required to sell tools in

the u.s. market.

The seventh revision of UL 987

goes into effect on January 31,

2010, and 'it includes specifications

for tablesaw blade guard systems

that make old-style guards obso­lete. In anticipation, most table- ,

saw manufacturers have already

introduced saws with new guard

systems. So for a while, as retailers

sell through stocks of saws with

old-style guard systems, buyers

will have additional choices. That

means this is a great time to be in

the market for a new tablesaw! b..t

6. This guard sys­tem features a dual­purpose riving knifeand dual side barriersthat cover both sidesof the blade, whether

it's positioned at 90'or tilted to any angle.The ''V''-shaped sidebarriers drop to thetable more quicklyafter a cut thanstraight barriers do.

7. You don't haveto spend big bucks toget a new-style guard­ing system. Severalmanufacturers workedtogether to designthe dual-purpose riv­ing knife system. sovariations of it appearin almost every sawcategory.

8. This new systemlooks familiar, becauseit's derived from a stylethat's been around fordecades. These dualside barriers won't dropto the table qUicklyafter a cut is complet­ed, but they do alwayscover the back of theblade.

9. Some newguard systems facili­tate dust collection.This guard/spreaderassembly combines aone-piece "V" shapedguard with articu­lated side wings toenclose the blade.

78 www.AmericanWoodworker.com 0 E C E M B E R I JAN U A R Y 2010

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Index to Advertisers

AmanaTool www.amanatool.com 65

Apollo Sprayer www.thefinishingstore.com 19

Beall Tool www.bealltool.com 81

Bessey Tools www.besseytools.com 08

Chairwright www.chairwright.com 81

Cook's Saw Manufacturing www.cookssaw.com 06

Epilog Laser www.epiloglaser.com 38

Forrest Manufacturing www.forrestblades.com 29

Freud www.freudtools.com 02

General Manufacturing www.general.ca 47

Groff &Groff Lumber www.groffslumber.com 80

Harbor Freight www.harborfreightusa.com 37

Hartville Tools www.hartvilletool.com 25

Hearne Hardwoods, Inc www.hearnehardwoods.com 80

JDS Company www.jdstools.com 19

King Arthur's Tools www.katools.com 29

Laguna Tools www.lagunatools.com 84

Lee Valley Tools, Ltd. www.leevalley.com 09

Leigh Industries Ltd. www.leighjigs.com 25,29

Logosol, Inc. www.logosol.com 80

M.L. Condon Co., Inc. www.condonlumber.net 80

Milescraft www.milescrah.com 06

Minwax Company www.minwax.com 83

Norwood Industries www.norwoodsawmills.com 81

Oneida Air Systems www.oneida-air.com 13

Packard Woodworks www.packardwoodworks.com 47

Penn State Industries www.pennstateind.com 38

Radarcarve www.radarcarve.net 27

RG Jig Co. (Mortise Pal) www.mortisepal.com 81

Rikon www.rikontools.com 65

Rockier Companies, Inc. www.rockler.com 5,14,15,31

ShopBotTools, Inc www.shopbottools.com 27

Steebar www.steebar.com 81

Super Bright LEOs www.superbrightleds.com 81

The Gorilla Glue Company www.gorillatough.com 07

Toolmarts, Inc www.toolorbit.com 47

Wooden-Gear Clocks www.wooden-gear-c1ocks.com 06

Woodmaster Tools www.woodmastertools.com 25

WoodMizer Products, Inc. www.sawboards.com 47

Woodworkers Source www.101woods.com 80

Advertiser Web Address Page

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Crazy Mistakes Woodworkers Make

AFTER DABBLING with woodwork-ing for a couple of years, I finally gotup the courage to build some kitchencabinets, starting with an 8' long upperunit. I composed a detailed drawing,cut all the pieces, and glued the cabinettogether. Everything went smoothly,and I was really enjoying myself.

Before stopping for the day, I cutthe plywood back panel, glued it tothe cabinet, and nailed it all around theperimeter and across the shelves. I leftthe shop feeling very proud of myself,and triumphantly invited my wife to goout to dinner.

Brimming with confidence, Ireturned to the shop the next morning,only to realize that I had attached theback panel to the front of the cabinet. Isuspect I'll be eating crow for a wh'i1e.

Dean O. Travis

Dale Thompson

I BUILT TWO SHAKER-STYLE wall clocks for a local dentist, to matchthe decor in her office. We agreed on white pine for the cases, withantique-style glass and authentic-style dials. Using quartz movementswith long-drop pendulums-which I purchased online-was one con­cession to modernity she approved. I delivered the clocks on schedule,and just before leaving her office, I set the hands and tapped the pen­dulums, to start the movements.

The next morning, I received a call. "I really like the clocks," thedentist said, "but there's a problem." I waited for news that I was surewould ruin my day. "The hands are all moving backwards." 1revisitedthe website, and discovered my mistake. The order number for the"backwards" movement was the same as the "regular" movement,except for one digit.

Time Trials

•.•"' "r..~_.... .. . .

.. .

...

Backside Out

Make your woodworking mistakes pay! Send us your most memorable "What was I thinking?" blunders. You'llreceive $100 for each one we print. E-mail to: ooPs@amerrcanwoodworker.com or send to AW Oops!, AmericanWoodworker, 1285 Corporate Center Drive, Suite180, Eagan, MN 55121. Submissions can't be retumed and becomeour property upon acceptance and payment. We may edit submissions and use them in all print and electronic media.

82 www.AmericanWoodworker.com DEC E M B E R I JAN U A R Y 2010

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