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1. Mag Pen He P Di Dong M lo ed o tne nene Soe ane CREE kaken D Nm M e Godan Cate Se AR Tien Mea Gens Fama Me exper Ir C M De iege gt Die Tem Weis I de a ia Reed Crede bla gs Dioec De Ta Sp T a ac ORT Jae hmm a M Di Wet Todes Koran Cu D Sil Ce Hck De Wie Kime Rea a C Qu lu Alp Silent Mte dp Per A WAA Cu NA i Che fun prre erra gt efie e rf hana et Mp estan bp Marr Li e renes Sere Trey A eh ed ic je m a Tan Be nr Si Shr Rn dor CUSTOMER SERVICE Phone 800 311 3991 SUBSCRIPTIONS EDITORIAL M rkhench Customer Service Workbench Magazine Box 842 2200 Grand Ave Des Moines LA 50304 9961 Des Moines IA 50312 www WorkbenchMagazinccom email Editor Workbenchmag com Audit Bureau ot Cireulations WORKBENCH ISSN 0043 8057 publihed bimanhiy Feb Apel lune Dez by Angus Home Polis Company 2200 Grand Ave Dei Maine 50312 Workbench sa ademark of Home Publishing Copyright Augu Home Company Al meres Subscription rates Single copy 4499 One year sovenipdon 0 inue 82 two year 533 so 44 Canada nd sd 310 per year Peniodical portage a
2. Copyright 2005 August Home Publishing Company All Rights Reserved Display Cabinet X 2 lo 16 A Case Top Botiom 2 Y 4 309 9 Cose Ends 2 y 16 34 Cherry Plywood Z Access Panel 1 34 16 9 Cherry Plywood Case Dividers 21 1 16 30 Cherry Plywood Light Fixture Panel 70 5 5 Cherry Plywood D Bottom Supports 7 3 46 Cherry Plywood BB Bulkhead Side Edging 4 134 2 63 Cherry E Cabinet Back Ug 46 2974 Cherry Plywood CC Bulkhead End Edging 2 194 2 18 Cherry F Rails 4 3 46 Cherry DD End Panel Edging 4 n ig 9 Chery G Outer Stiles aj u 1 34 Cherry EE End Frame Rails 21234 16 Cherry Inner Stiles 2 3 i 29 Cherry FF End Frame Stiles a E 7 hery 1 Toekick Rail PIE SE 46 Cherry Column J Door Stops EXE 2978 Cherry GG Column Front Back 2 3 6 48 Cherry K Top 1 34 16 62 Cherry Plywood Column Sides 5 48 Chery 1 Top Supports 2 3 62 Cherry Plywood Lower Trim mg 4 36 heny M Top Side Edging 2 3 Wr 63 hery JJ Bevel Trim 1 T4 36 N Top End Edging 1 Wr 18 KK Middle Tim 1 Ww 36 Cherry Grids Upper Trim 1 38 cherry Base Grid Divides 48 38 5 Mahogany Pedestal Col Grid Vert Dividers 12 12
3. FROMTHE DIAMOND STONES Workbench project designer Ken Munkel has been remodeling homes for 40 years For getting a quick edge on his chisels and plane irons he s come to rely on diamond bench stones see Photos right Diamond Advantage Like other sharpening stones diamond stones remain stationary while the tool slides over the surface Art on page 35 But diamond stones offer several advantages that are specific to the jobsite First diamond stones are the per fect size to carry around in a tool box or bucket and their hard surface won t get damaged by being banged around Unlike oilstones or water stones diamond stones are used dry This speeds up the sharpening process and eliminates the mess Double Sided Stones The new double sided diamond stones are well suited to jobsite sharpening as they have a different grit on each face of the stone Ken rec ommends purchasing a stone with fine 600 grit on one side for removing nicks and extra fine 1 200 grit on the other side for fine sharpening The stones are available from Eze Lap 775 888 9500 Eze Lap com and DMT 800 666 4368 DMTSharp com for around 40 to 60 Photos right One other note you ll want to place a non skid pad underneath the stone before you begin sharpening see Photo above This prevents the stone from sliding SHOP MADE block with emory cloth attached to the face
4. Hot Dip Galvanized Screws are hard to find and often of poor quality Better choices include McFeely s No Co Rode screw shown here or polymer coated screws shown below Polymer Coated Screws are quickly becoming the screw of choice when working with pressure treated lumber Many brands even offer warranties against corrosion Stainless Steel Screws are the best choice for fastening pressure reated material in any environment Their high price however makes them impractical for most projects 86 MATERIALS NAILS amp SCREWS The treated wood industry recommends hot dip galvanized or stainless steel nails and screws in pressure treated lumber Unfortunately as clear as this guideline seems trying to find this hardware among the racks and racks of nails and screws in a typical home center can be a confusing and frustrating experience Galvanized One important point I learned while shopping for nails and screws is that galvanized and hot galvanized are not the same as hot dip galvanized So unless the label specifically says hot dip galvanized the hardware may not be recommended for pressure treated wood Another way to know if the nails or screws you re looking at are appropriate is to check the packaging for the phrase Conforms to ASTM A153 This tells you that the zinc coating the nails or screws meets the standards set by the American Society for Testing and Ma
5. Table Dim Wings WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM Y The expandability of the DeWalt with accessories such as this sliding cutoff table is one reason this saw has gained such a following Only the Jet offers similar upgrades A DeWalt could improve this table saw with castiron extension wings and an enclosed cabinet A Production of CCA treated lumber stopped a year ago By now every thing you will find on lumber racks is treated with new chemicals Application Al LIFETIME LIMITED W RRANTY AWPA C2 C9 STDS Georgia Pacific Corpor amp tion ATLANTA GEORG Brand or Manufacturer Name American Wood Preservers Association Standards Codes Preservative Retention Level Gone are the days of simply loading your cart with pressure treated lumber and knowing it will resist decay wherever you use it These days the treatment levels vary so you ll need to consult the end tag of each board to ensure that it matches your intended usage The illustration above is one example of an end tag The design of these tags can vary widely but the critical information remains the same The most important thing to look for is the application Each board will be rated for Ground Contact for boards that will touch the soil or be buried Above Ground for decking not in direct contact with soil Foundation sometimes abbreviated FDN or
6. PWF for in wood foundations or Salt Water for direct contact with salt water such as in piers or docks 84 The Pressure Treated TRANSITION One full year after the voluntary ban on Chromated Copper Arsenate CCA went into effect it s safe to say that the surplus of CCA treated lumber has been exhausted and alternative materials now fill the racks at your local lumberyard That makes it more important than ever that you understand the new pressure treated lumber and how to use it to your greatest benefit Most of the new environmentally friendly pressure treating chemicals are copper based just like CCA The difference is that these new chemicals do not contain inorganic arsenic which is the ingredient that brought CCA such fierce criticism Currently products treated with Alkaline Copper Quatenary ACQ C ACQ D or ACQ D Carbonate and Copper Azole CBA A or CA B comprise most of the CCA replacement market Both of these treatments work like CCA in that they eliminate wood fibers as a food source for insects and fungus which in turn contributes to wood decay And all indications are that these treatments are as effective as CCA in preventing decay for many decades KEY DIFFERENCES Despite the similarities between new pressure treatments and the old CCA there are a few important differences to take note of Cost The new stuff is going to cost you more about 15 to 20 percent more Th
7. 38 678 Mahogany Pedestal Front Back 2 34 12 34 Fir Plywood Q Col Grid Horiz Dividers 20 Y2 38 3 Mahogany NN Pedestal Sides 2 13 34 Fir Plywood Doors Front Cladding 1 1334 34 Cementboord Door Rails 6 24 12 Cherry Side Cladding 2 14 34 Cementboard S Door Stiles amp 24 29 Cherry 8 Fh Woodscrews T Ghs Sop 1 X 18 U ery uber Mog Sheet Divider ccm o U Top Panel 1 34 15 62 Cherry Plywood Pr ER AD Riese rm EE a Inner Bottom Panel 1 34 319 159 Cherry Plywood Item 941 2731 at Woodworker com W Outer Bottom Panel 1 34 30916 15 Cherry Plywood ltem 02A18 10 01W36 11 00B03 01 at LeeValley com Page 1 of 4 Issue 287 Volume 61 Number 1 January February 2005 CUTTING DIAGRAM 34 x 48 x 96 CHERRY PLYWOOD 34 48 x 96 CHERRY PLYWOOD Page 2 of 4 Copyright 2005 August Home Publishing Company All Rights Reserved Issue 287 Volume 61 Number 1 January February 2005 CUTTING DIAGRAM 34 x 48 x 96 CHERRY PLYWOOD F 34 5 x 96 CHERRY 3 33 BD FT 34 5 x 96 CHERRY 3 33 BD 34 x 4 x 9
8. Ideas of T1 11 sound and provides solid surface for hanging objects Some basements get finished and used as living space but many are left unfinished and underutilized If yours fits the latter description it s filled with untapped poten tial So why not turn at least some of it into a shop After all a basement comes already equipped with two of the most important and most costly necessities climate control and electrical access But a basement shop does pose a few unique challenges WB cramped Quarters Storage of household stuff eats basement space as do mechanicals such the furnace and water heater Plus ceiling heights are often 8 or shorter which complicates material handling Plenty of Power Most base ments don t have enough outlets But you can add them by tapping into your home s existing service panel If extra space exists the panel rur sub panel to the workshop area El security Few locations are more secure than a basement ide won t be The tools in outsiders unless you invite them in awkward Access Getting tools and materials into and out of a basement shop is tough Stairs are often steep with low clearance over head And they may be located well inside the home meaning you have to negotiate corners just to get there Walkout basements offer great access but may require you to trek through the yard to ge
9. bevel setting Cutting Performance After a full day of assembling and tuning the saws was anxious to get down to the real business of table saws cutting wood So I started straight in ripping 2 thick walnut boards T was primarily interested in the power these saws turned out but also wanted to get a sense of cut quality To ensure I was comparing saws and not blades equipped each saw with an identical 60 tooth blade On the power score only one saw disappointed The Jet SuperSaw was unable to complete a rip cut without tripping its overload fuse The rest of the saws in the test pow Ripping 2 thick walnut revealed the power of ered through these rip cuts without each of these hybrid table saws any trouble whatsoever amp The Jet blade guard has independ ently moving sides that offer excellent visibility and increased safety A big question mark on the Jet table saw is their belt driven blade lift This is just one more maintenance item In all fairness to the Jet ripping a long thick board with a 60 tooth blade is asking a lot And when I switched to a 24 tooth rip blade the saw performed admirably So while power may be an issue for the Jet it s not a crippling weakness As far as cut quality goes I didn t find any clear winner as all the saws produced adequately smooth cuts Fences amp Miter Gauges In addition to power ripping I per formed a variety of other c
10. filled with features that make it beautiful not just functional For starters there s the display cabinet On the side that faces the room it has glass panel doors and adjustable glass shelves inside Photo A Easy to install puck lights illuminate items on display On the entryway side those same lights shine through decorative grids and mica panels Photo B At one end of the cabinet sits a pedestal that s wrapped with cultured stone It adds a unique look to the project and supports a square wood column that con nects the cabinet to a bulkhead above Mitered trim adds per sonality to the column as does a light set behind another set of decorative grids Photo C The bulkhead finishes off the divider in high style with panels that match the display cabinet and additional display lighting 63 Outer Stile Detail an easy yet elegant DISPLAY CABINET This display cabinet starts a cherry plywood case built with simple tongue and dado joints Display Cabinet Assembly A face frame on one side creates openings for three doors The other side also gets a face frame that surrounds a plywood back panel Inside the case vertical dividers and glass shelves form compartments for display items To build the case start by cutting the plywood case top and bottom A ends B dividers C bottom supports D and back E You ll notice in the Back Panel Illustration on page 65 that the bac
11. position the bulkhead bottom assembly and clamp it tight Side Panel B4 ply x 30 End Panel Edging BA x 1 x 9 Access Panel WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM B4 x 16 x NA To wrap up bulkhead assembly glue two pieces of bulkhead end edging to the access panel Glue the other two to the exposed edges of the divider at the opposite end of the bulkhead Mount magnetic catches to the end frame and screw their strike plates to the access panel Note You ll mount the side panels later after installing the bulkhead Use an auxiliary fence butted against a 3 4 dado blade while rabbeting the edging Cut one rabbet with the blade raised to 1 2 and the other at 3 4 Bulkhead Edging Detail x 9 3 x34 notch 1 34 Fixture Panel Detail 4 Utility Y Pull 69 4 The column goes together easily but the glueup requires the use of quite a few clamps If you don t have enough just use band clamps or masking tape 70 Column Joint Detail miter to fit create the COLUMN A square column joins the display cabinet to the bulkhead The column has openings with half lapped grids to complement those on the display case Trim at the top bottom and midsection adds visual interest and covers any gaps when the column is installed Column Assembly By the way this column length fits a standard 8 foot ceiling If your ceiling heigh
12. resilient channel see the Illustration at left These methods isolate the drywall to stop vibrations from transferring through the wall To further deaden sound add a second layer of wall material This adds mass which reduces vibration WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 GARAGE SHOP In most homes you won t find a better spot for setting up a woodworking shop than the garage The garages potential comes from its loads of open space and isola tion from living quarters Garages also have plenty of wall space on which you can build storage and worksur faces Because the garage is a multi use space you will likely have to build in storage space for non shop items and make tools mobile in order to park cars inside Wide Open Spaces Garages have loads of open area and many feature ceiling heights of 9 or more Of course tools have to share the space with cars but you can make even big tools portable by following the advice n the Sidebar at right bEasy Access The overhead door makes access easy because you can back your load up to or into the shop Add a passage door so you can get in and out easily 100 Vast Ventilation Once again a large door proves its worth by allowing unlimited tation Since you may not want the door open at times though add windows Full View An over s compromise s arity by showing all of your too you open the door especially if your gara
13. 2 sw 16 Z Access Poel 2 16 30 Light Fixture Pone D Bottom Supports 2 3 4611 Gerry Plywood BB Bulkhead Side Edging 4 E 1 3 464 294 Chery Bulkhead End Edging 2 Rois 4 1 46 heny DD End Panel Edging G Wesis 4 1 EE ti Frame Ris Inner Stiles 2 1 29 Cherry FF End Frame Stiles 2 3 Column 3 Door Stops 3 chery Column Font Bodk K 1 Cherry Plywood L Top Supports 2 3 62 Cherry Plywood Lower Trim lj a 2 Ww Ww Chery FRETI 1 w T 36 hony 1 1 18 KK Middle Trim 1 3 VA 36 hery U 1 WA 38 heny tose Grid Dividers _ 48 57 Mahogany Pedestal P Co id Vr 1298 367 685 Mahogany 2 Col Grid Horiz Divider 20 Yr 3 Mahogany NN Pedestal Sides 2 1397 3414 Fir Plywood Doors Front adding 1 Wr 13 R Door Rais 6 24 12 PP Side Cladding 2 14 34 Comeniboard 5 Door Stiles 6 3 24 29 Chery 34 8 1 Fh Woodscrews 18 ree pa U Top Poel 1 15 6256 Cherry Plywood Pt 35mm 95 Full inset Hinges Taner Boom Ponel 1 94 3er 158
14. F There are 20 slats altogether ten each for the seat and shelf Start by cutting the slats to size from 3 4 thick stock Then cut a stub tenon on both ends of each slat to fit the grooves in the rails Fig 2 Routing an 1 4 chamfer on the top outside edges of each slat finishes them off Now you re ready to install the slats The goal here 2 d NOTE Slats are spaced 14 apart Rout a chamfer LA Mp 4 x 3 x LU 7 Sect Shelf Rail PA x 3 x 34 1a deep Cu 8 Filler Block I x Va x T Connector Cross Dowel Bolt 3 NOTE Right end frame is removed for clarity Seat Shelf Q4 2 x 34 52 WORKBENCH FEBRUARY 2005 is to space the slats evenly 4 apart Inserting 4 hard board spacers between the ats provides uniform spacing between them Photo page 52 It s a good idea to dry fit the slats and rails before you apply glue Then center a dab of glue on the top and bottom of the tenons and fit the slats into place Add the Supports All that s left is to add the hardwood supports G As I mentioned the supports help strengthen the seat and shelf but they also serve another important purpose Let me explain Housed in both ends of each support is a threaded cross dowel Each cross dowel accepts a connector bolt that passes through the pre drilled holes in the frames Sidebar at right Threading the
15. connector bolts into the cross dowels locks the bench together To make this work you ll need to drill a hole in the face of each support to hold the cross dowel That s easy enough to do But drilling the hole for the connector bolt is a bit trickier Th grain of the support This end grain has a tendency to make the drill bit veer off course To prevent that use a shop made guide block see Sidebar at right After drilling the holes it s justa matter of gluing and clamping the supports to the rails Then insert the cross 5 because it goes into the end dowels fit the seat and shelf between the end frames and install the connector bolts A Cut a groove in the inside edge of each rail to accept the stub tenons on the slats que y A Form the stub tenons ofthe _ 2 lat slats by cutting two rabbets on the ends of the pieces pills asi WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM cross dowels amp Cross dowels and connector bolts produce the 90 connections that join the end frames to the seat and shelf of the bench Typically this hardware is used in the joinery of knock down projects to make them easy to disas semble and move In this case though was after a strong simple way to join parts This hardware does that plus it allows me to snug up the bench if the connections ever loosen up CONNECTOR BOLTS Quick Tip Drill Guide Block An easy way
16. ening process so it s crucial to find the bevel by rocking it on the sharpening surface until the bevel sits flat Fig 2 To lock the bevel at this angle position your index and middle finger directly over the bevel and just above the sharpening sur face Fig 3 Your other hand should be posi tioned slightly back on the chisel Apply firm pressure downward and keep your arms fixed at your sides moving only your body back and forth as you slide the blade across the surface Burr After a few strokes a small hook or burr will form on the back of the chisel This is easy to remove as shown in Fig 4 To find the bevel angle rock chisel up and down To flatten the back hold the chisel flat against the sharpening surface and apply downward pressure find the bevel angle You ll rect when you feel it sitting flat on the stone as you slide it across the stone A Rock the chisel up and down until you know it s cor V Lock arme against body and slide chisel back and forth Chisel skewed at slight angle A Position your fingers directly above the bevel and apply pressure downward as you slide the chisel back and forth across the stone WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM ight pressure as you slide it back and forth A To remove the burr left after honing the bevel hold the back of the chisel flat on the stone and use 35
17. four AA batteries the Cold Heat tip reaches 800 in about one second It cools down almost as quickly since the tip is heated only during active soldering It s possible to solder up to 700 joints on a single battery pack The Cold Heat tool is perfect for electrical projects using 18 to 24 gauge wire and other small 4 si C m plug in lanyard with a nylon carrying strap and a metal clasp for hanging the tool is included with every individual tool in the Ryobi One system 96 rojects where precision soldering is required such as jewelry repair It works with regular lead free or silver based older from 18 AWG to 24 AWG but performs best with solder of 18 AWG 0 040 inches or 1 mm in diameter to 20 AWG 0 032 inches or 0 8 mm in diameter However you should deter nine the solder wire gauge based on the ryobi s one SYSTEM Ryobis new system is designed to offer consumers new freedom to create their own cordless tool combinations without pur chasing duplicate tools or paying extra for batteries they don t need If you already own any of Ryyobi s 18 volt tools you can now add indi vidual tools to your assortment without the additional expense of another battery and charger or yet another flashlight Of course Ryobi will still be offering several cordless combina tion kits including a starter kit that contains 1 2 drill circular saw f
18. improvement over other raised panel bits which require you to rabbet the back of the panel to fit into grooves The Freud bits are designed to cut 4 thick stock and require a router table equipped with a fence and a variable speed router The bits should run at 10 12 000 RPM It takes a few test cuts to get the depth and fence settings just right but once in use these bits cut more smoothly than any other raised panel bits I ve used The Freud bits are available with three different profiles and ogee shown for 110 each or in a kit with rail and stile bits for 200 Visit FreudTools com or 800 472 7307 for more information bevel cove Cutting curved holes in wood is just one of many home improve ment tasks this new 3D drill bit from Trend can tackle WORKBENCH FEBRUARY 2005 Hole Saw Arbor Hole Saw wee The Cutting EDGE an easy answer to HOLE SAW MISTAKES Home improvement is hardly an exact science And inevitably there are going to be times when you need to enlarge an existing hole to serve a new purpose Replacing an old lockset is one job that often comes to mind In the past your best option was to expand the hole carefully with either a jig saw or a keyhole saw But the folks at Starrett have greatly simplified the tricky process of enlarging a hole with their appropriately named Oops arbor How It Works Th
19. jobs like assembly and finishing WORKSURFACES You can t get much done without sturdy places to set your work A traditional cabinetmaker s bench might be the ideal but a basic folding workstation or solid core door laid on sawhorses will work Building a top for the table saw even makes it a suitable work surface and a few clamps can pinch hit for a vise 1 ACCESS Shops have unique access needs You have to get heavy bulky tools in as well as long boards and plywood sheets A straight route in and a large doorway simplify this Don t forget either that those projects you build will have to find their way out LIGHTING Quality work requires good lighting Fluorescent lamps provide economical shop lighting that doesn t cast harsh shadows In specific work areas add incandescent or halogen task lighting For safety s sake put lighting on its own circuit D POWER Woodworking tools use a lot of electricity Big routers may draw as many as 18 amps which will max out a 20 amp circuit Table saws can draw even more If you have only one shop circuit you can t run another tool like a dust collector at the same time You need at least two 20 amp circuits for outlets Three is better Hf your big tools table saw etc can be rewired to run on 220 volts do it They ll draw half the amps leaving more power available to drive other tools STORAGE Shops quickly fill with stuff that takes over avail able work space And w
20. makes a simple but effective sharp ening block for chisels and plane irons 36 SHARPENING BLOCKS The method that Workbench project designer Chris Fitch recommends is these shop made sharpening blocks They re just MDF blocks with emory cloth attached to the surface with either spray adhesive or double sided tape The type of emory cloth most readily available comes in 2 wide rolls at automotive supply stores right Chris puts two strips side by side to create a large sharpening sur face for wide chisels and plane irons see Photo left He uses emory cloth rather than self adhesive sandpaper because of its durable backing Chris carries three blocks around on the jobsite 180 and 320 grit blocks for a quick two step sharp ening job and an additional 80 grit AThese double sided diamond stones from Eze Lap top and DMT bottom have a different grit each face for more versatility block that he uses to remove nicks from the blades The MDF blocks Chris makes are only about 2 x so they re lightweight and easy to tote around in a tool box or bucket Just put them in a plastic bag to prevent them from getting dirty The sharpening blocks can be used just like diamond stones to sharpen a chisel or plane iron quickly but you ll want to use a spritz of WD 40 to lubricate the block before you sharpen As with the diamond stones a non skid pad keeps the block from sliding WORKBENC
21. page 65 The frame pieces are similar on the front and back but are installed differently The DISPLAY CABINET ASSEMBLY g Top Side Edging PA ply x Taa xen OA x Ta x 63 Top End Edging Ba x TA x 18 kerf deep Doors feature sturdy mortise and tenon joints but remain easy to build see 67 7 covers the case front and echoes the appearance of the back panel WORKBENCH C FEBRUARY 2005 back frame is glued around the back panel before installation The front frame gets applied to the case piece by piece Note also that the face frames over hang the case by 1 4 on each end This allows you to scribe against the wall if necessary when you install the cabinet At the other end the overhang forms a recess to receive the column pedestal To make the frames cut the rails F outer stiles G inner stiles toe kick rails 1 and door stop J from solid stock cherry in our case The toekick rails have a kerf on both ends and the top edge to mimic the back panel That done glue the stiles and rails to the plywood back Once the glue dries glue this assembly to the case making sure to create the 4 overhangs Next glue the front frame pieces to the case Align each with the ends and dividers as shown in the Stile Door Stop Detail and Top View on page 64 Top It Off A top completes the cabinet Display Cabinet Assembly Cut the main top K and two top support
22. removes the grid into place Photo page 50 back lip of the groove x11 Vertical Grid Divider Ma x14 x 14 O WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM add a slatted SEAT amp SHELF The seat and shelf assemblies that span between the end frames of this bench are identical Seat Assembly Illustration Each assembly consists of two long rails connected by a number of evenly spaced slats A pair of supports prevents the assembly from sagging Make the Rails Statt by cutting the rails E to size from 3 4 thick hardwood That done you ll need 7 to cut two grooves in each one to accept the slats and the other to fit over the support 7 4 The groove in the inside edge of the rail is sized to accept 4 thick stub tenons on the slats Rail Detail Hardboard spacers ensure ave As with the end frames cut this groove using a 1 4 pacing of the slats Short filler blocks dado blade on the table saw Fig 1 and Groove Detail plug the expe ds of the gr 5 Then glue in short filler blocks H to plug the exposed ends of the groove The second groove which is centered on the bottom Support Detail face of the rail will fit over the seat shelf supports To cut this groove set up 3 4 dado blade adjust it for an 1 4 deep cut and make a single pass over the blade Add the Slats At this point you can set the rails aside and turn your attention to the slats
23. the keys to fast sharpening is having supplies that are easily portable or readily available at any jobsi for these sharpening supplies and their sharp Our project designers recommendations ening shortcuts start on page 36 But first let s look at the anatomy of a sharp edge page 35 WORKBENCH 0 FEBRUARY 2005 anatomy of a SHARP EDGE The cutting edge of a chisel or plane iron is formed by the intersection of the bevel and back For a sharp edge the bevel and back must meet at such a fine point that the line between the two almost disappears Art right Back One key to this sharp edge is having a flat back This seems like it should be a given But if you were to lay a straightedge across the back ofa typical off the rack chisel you d find that the back isn t perfectly flat So the first step is flatten the back To do that color the back of the chisel with a marker Then grind the back as shown in Fig 1 When the marks disappear the back is flat This may take awhile but you should only have to do this once for the life of the chisel Once 15 flat it stays flat Bevel The bevel is the angled face at the tip of the chisel On a well sharpened chisel the bevel is at one consistent angle The one exception to this rule is if you grind a micro bevel on the blade See page 38 for more on this Maintaining the consistent angle of the bevel is the most important step in the sharp
24. to drill a straight hole into the end of a board is to use a simple guide block 15 just block of wood with a hole drilled in it that s used to guide the drill bit A piece of hardboard attached to the block lets you clamp it to the workpiece When drilling the hole for the connector bolt in the end of the seat shelf support be sure the hole in the guide block aligns with the hole for the cross dowel Horizontal Grid Divider Vertical Grid Divider Seat Shelf Rail Slot Seat Shelf Support EEF FR 4 1136 Nail on Glides cs tom 18665 4 Cross Dowels 318 4 2 Connector Bolts 31849 ltems available at 800 233 9359 www Rockler com Issue 287 Volume 61 Number 1 MATERIALS LIST January February 2005 4 Cross Dowels Item 31823 4 2 Connector Bolts Item a 849 4 1846 Dbl Nail on Glides ltem 18665 MATERIALS amp Ash Frame Stile 4 w 3 19 Ash C Horizontal Grid Divider 10 11 Ash D Vertical Grid Divider 8 ya ya 14 Ash Seat Shelf Rail 4 3 3444 Ash Slot 20 38 11 Ash G Seat Shelf Support 4 2 34 Ash H Filler Block 8 y VE 1 Ash INE Bench S Cutting WorkbenchMagozineom Diagram available at 800 233 9359 www Rockler com CUTTING
25. to the floor Floor Cleat Detail Cultured Stone Floor Cleat 2 Detail 72 a WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 Enlist helper and use 2 4 deadman to hold the bulk head against the ceiling Screw through joists where possible then fill in with toggle bolts Position the display cabinet Shim itlevel and plumb then screw the cabinet to the wall and floor cleat Screw the pedestal to the end of the base Secure all wiring and route the wire that runs up the column before you attach the cabinet top Fish the wiring up through the column and into the bulk head Then plumb the column and toenail it to the cabinet top and bulkhead Miter the trim pieces to length around the column then secure them with finish nails An air nailer does this without jar ring the assembly Dry stack and trim each course of cultured stone to get a tight fit Then butter each piece with mortar and affix it to the pedestal You can find more information about cultured stone plus full step by step instructions for installing this unique material at WorkbenchMagazine com WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM 1 Issue 287 Volume 61 Number 1 MATERIALS LIST WORKBENCH SOUT LIII IVIG January February 2005
26. with a clean rag Fast Drying Poly The stain should dry in eight hours after which you can apply finish For protection durability and easy application I suggest fast drying polyurethane Apply it in thin even coats with a natural bristle brush and shine a worklight on the wood to detect runs before they dry Fig 2 Twenty minutes after each 2 3 Finish the windowsill with spar varnish to protect it from sunlight and mois ture It will match the rest of the finish fine windows MES RETHAN coat open and close the sash to ensure the finish doesn t bond the window shut Spar Varnish The windowsill takes a lot of abuse from water and sunlight For that reason use spar varnish to finish it This type of finish has UV inhibitors to make it more resistant to peeling and fading Fig 3 When it dries the varnish matches so well that no one will realize you used two dif ferent finishes to protect your windows Workbench and Bruce Johnson Minwax finishing expert are teaming up to answer your ques tions about finishing Send your finishing questions to Mail Workbench Q amp A 2200 Grand Avenue Des Moines 50312 Emails editor workbenchmog com Winners receive FREE Minwax 2005 WORKBENCH D FEBRUARY A dried glue smudge won t allow stain or finish to penetrate the surface of the wood Fortunately there s an easy fix to this dilemma if you act fast F
27. 41 SUREFIRE STRATEGIES FOR SETTING UP SHOP e s what you 1 to know to set up a hard working t f workshop in any ee different areas in your home People trying their hand at woodworking for the first time often have a lot of questions and for good reason There s a lot to learn The first questions are almost always the same Which tools should I buy and where should I set up shop Choosing tools might seem intimidating because of the many choices that exist But for the most part tools are easy to get your hands on Manufacturers offer tools for most every task and budger We ll talk about the sp tools you should have in the next issue Shop space on the other hand is tougher to come by We all dream of having the perfect shop building one that s custom made for woodworking and big enough to hold every tool we want But in the real world we usually have to carve out shop space some where within the confines of the property we have For most of us that means setting up shop in either the basement or garage The luckiest among us may 2005 WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY WORKSHOP NECESSITI ES SPACE Your shop has to hold all your tools and supplies with floor space to spare for work areas Think about headroom too because low ceilings and long boards don t always get along If your shop lacks adequate space consider whether areas nearby could be annexed for storage or
28. 6 CHERRY 2 7 BD FT R R R R R R 34 5 x 96 CHERRY 3 33 BD FT NE 5 5 5 FF 5 5 5 34 5 x 96 CHERRY 3 33 BD FT GG GG HH HH 34 x 12 108 CHERRY 9 BD FT Page 3 of 4 Copyright 2005 August Home Publishing Company All Rights Reserved Issue 287 Volume 61 Number 1 January February 2005 CUTTING DIAGRAM IP EM 7 x 3 x96 MAHOGANY 79 1 9 84 10 5 34 x 48 x 96 FIR PLYWOOD oo IL PR 1 x 6 x 48 CHERRY 2 5 BD FT PP 7 x 48 x 48 DUROCK Page 4 of 4 Copyright 2005 August Home Publishing Company All Rights Reserved P TABLE SAWS The Latest and Greatest Choice in Table Saws for the Home Woodshop TRUNNIONS Most of the saws in this category have contractor style trunnions mounted to the tabletop The Craftsman trunnions more cabinet saw like BLADE TILT These hybrid sows have lef iling blades like cabinet saws very serious woodworker has at one time or another wrestled with the question of whether their next table saw or perhaps their first table MOTOR 4 saw should be a contractors saw or a LOCATION cabinet saw The motors on foie Eya BS Contractors saws are an attractive choice loc
29. ARY 2005 TRITON Triton s new 18 volt cordless hammer drill features a fully retractable plunge mechanism that guarantees perpendicular drilling along with several other benefits For example the face of the plunge mechanism has a non slip pad for precision drilling in tile or other smooth surfaces It also accepts a couple of multi function attachments one for drilling on corners or in round stock and another for repetitive drilling tasks such as shelf pin holes The Plunge Drill sells for around 290 Visit Triton Woodworking com or call 888 874 8661 for more SKIL Although Skil didn t invent any new tools or develop any new technology with their X Shop we still have to laud their ingenuity in creating this comprehensive and affordable entry level shop system The X Shop is built around Skil s 10 benchtop table saw Each wing of the saw has an opening that accepts insert bases for four different power tools Skil or other brands By simply swapping one insert for another you can quickly transform either wing of the saw into a router Triton s new cordless drill ensures perpendicular drilling with a retractable plunge mechanism table drill press sanding station or scroll saw When you need the full capacity of the table saw simply place blank inserts into the openings The X Shop sells for around 380 and includes the table saw storage cabinet router fence and in
30. Ave will sit just a hair below the table saw Then secure it Des Moines 50312 between the two straps with machine screws and nuts Email editora Workbenchmag com Albert Dowd Concord NC 14 WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 Tips amp TECHNIQUES flex hose HOOK UP Connecting a 4 flexible hose from a dust collector to a shop made fixture like the sanding downdraft table shown here can be a nuisance The outside diameter of ail the 4 metal HVAC fittings I ve seen is just a bit too large to get the hose to fit over them So I have to cut slits in the fitting and then compress it to make the hose fit To avoid all that fussing around I used a 4 3 PVC toilet flange to make a dust collection port The flex hose fits snugly over the flange And best ofall it doesn t require any modification Note Toilet flange fittings are available at most home centers Jacques Paquette Somerset MA Sanding Downdraft Table 4 Opening 4 x 3 PVC Toilet Flange dw Hose Clam Ne S3 4 Flexible NOTE Secure flexible hose with hose clamp A An easy way to connect a dust collector s 4 flexible hose to a shop made fixture is with a common toilet flange Polyseamseal 1 Tube 1001 Uses Use 89 Sealing a drafty window frame Use 4324 Installing wainscoting Use 702 Repairing loose chair spindles Those are just three of the 1001 uses for Poly
31. Award Consider this You could spend __ about another 1 000 for a bona fide cabinet saw and all you d gain is one more horsepower Hardly seems worth it We look for this to be a cate gory leader for Craftsman At a Glance Price 950 HP 13 4 Volts 120 240 Amps OS RPM 3 450 Max Cut 90 33 8 Max Cut 45 21 4 Max Rip Right 30 Max Rip Left 18 Table Dim 27 x 56 Wings Cast Blade 40 Carbide Weight 400 lbs www Craftsman com 800 897 7709 FEBRUARY 2005 the box spot on Only the Jet required a bit of tweaking to get the blade parallel to the miter gauge slots and the DeWalt fence needed a bit of fine tuning to bring it in line Both issues were corrected in short order Next on the list was measuring the tabletops for flatness If a top isn t flat you ll have a bear of a time making accurate cuts Once again was pleased to find that most tops were indeed dead flat The General International however showed a slight dish 03 on my first measurement Photo page 76 This turned out to be the result of the cast iron extension wings being tipped up slightly at their outside edges I was able to remedy the General International 50 220 MI problem by placing shims between the wings and the saw table I used small pieces of dado blade shims for this After about 10 minutes of fid dling with it I was able to bring t
32. Chery Plywood strand NM Outer Bottom Panel 309 15 Cherry Plywood 02A18 10 401W35 11 00B03 01 at LeeValley com WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM 71 Installation Details _ Bulkhead Ye 7 Washer Ye x3 Bulkhead Toggle Bolt n j Toggle Bolt L Position the bulkhead the ceiling then fasten it by driving 8 x 3 woodscrews into at least joist overhead Add toggle bolts through the ceiling to ensure secure mounting Toggle Bolt Detail After installing lights and wiring glue bulkhead side panels into place Attach the column by toenailing through the column into the cabinet top Then toenail into bulkhead at top of the column Next miter the trim pieces to length and nail them to the column Column Mounting Detail Temporarily position the column then lay out and bore hole in the top the wiring can poss through into the pedestal Snake wiring from the lower junction box up through the column and into the bulkhead Set the top on the display cabinet and secure it from underneath with 8 1 Fh woodscrews Cut openings in the display cabinet and the pedestal for a junction box then p secure the pedestal to the cabinet using 8 woodscrews Align the display cabinet under the bulkhead then screw the cabinet to the wall and to a 2x2 deat which is fastened
33. DIAGRAM A A B B B B E E E 34 10 96 Ash mn mmm mn mmm m mmm m mmm 34 x 12 x 96 Ash Yo 6 x 48 Ash Page 1 of 1 Copyright 2005 August Home Publishing Company All Rights Reserved table saw technique alt Lap CUT ALIGNMENT NOTCH To accurately align the workpiece when cutting the dadoes that form the halflaps cut deep notch in a long auxiliary fence attached to the miter gauge SET BLADE HEIGHT With the blade height set to just under half the thickness of the workpiece make two cuts in the end of a test piece flipping it between cuts 2 Raise the blade slightly and repeat the process until the sliver is gone 3 TEST FIT Once the blade height is adjusted cut rabbets in two test pieces and check to see if they fit flush 54 JOINERY A half lap joint is exactly what the name implies a joint with half the thickness of each mating piece removed so that overlapping pieces fit flush This pro vides a strong face to face glue joint that is useful for building frames lattices and grids like the grids in the backdoor bench on page 49 or the entry divider on page 62 Stock Prep amp Table Saw Setup There are two requirements for cutting perfect fitting half lap joints uniform stock
34. H D FEBRUARY 2005 TIPS FROM THE SHOR Sharpening a chisel or plane iron with a belt sander may seem a little unnerving But project designer Kent Welsh swears by this technique as the fastest way to get a sharp edge Before letting the sparks fly though there are a few things to be aware of First sparks can cause a fire if they land in a pile of dust and chips so remove the dust bag and set the sander on a clean surface like a con crete floor And second set the sander on its side so the belt is on the left running away from you This 5 NOTE Use Bevel locked a120 grit against sanding belt sanding belt Then find just as before and hok against the belt This is impe as the sander sharpens so fast that only have one chance to get Now keep the chisel or plane iron locked tightly against the sanding belt and give the trigger pull Fig few seconds is usually all it takes Then remove the burr Fig 2 below NOTE Sander not running for this step Pull back along belt to remove burr A Hold the bevel flat against the sanding 4 remove the burr turn off the sander belt get a firm grip and pull the trigger Then set the back of the chisel flat against A few seconds should do the trick When speed is of the essence these two tips will give you a sharp edge in just a few seconds Micro Bevel A micro bevel is simply a steeper angle
35. Materials Carriage Bolts are also poorly labeled But the galvanized and stainless steel hardware sold in home centers and hardware stores should perform well MORE INFORMATION American Wood Preservers Association awpa com 334 874 9800 Southern Pine Council SouthernPine com 504 443 6612 Environmental Protection epa gov 202 272 0167 FASTENER SOURCES McFeely s McFeelys com 800 443 7937 Stanley Bostitch Boslilch com 800 556 6696 PrimeSource PrimeSourcebp com 800 676 7777 Senco Senco com 800 543 4596 USP Structural Connectors USPConnectors com 800 328 5934 Simpson Strong Tie StrongTie com 800 999 5099 88 CARRIAGE BOLTS amp LAG SCREWS These larger fasteners are rarely marked as clearly as their smaller counterparts so searching for any reference to standards types or warranties is a futile effort According to an ASTM customer service representative however most of the galvanized and stainless steel fasteners you ll find in hardware stores will do the trick in all but the most demanding environments Marine appli cations absolutely require Type 316 stainless steel CONNECTORS Joist hangers hurricane ties post anchors and other metal connectors are every bit as susceptible to corrosion from the new pressure treating chem icals as screws and nails And just as with nails and screws hot dip galvanizing or stain less steel offer the solution x Once aga
36. TABLE SAW TEST 4 NEW HYBRID SAWS REVIEWED WORKBENCH WOODWORKING TO IMPROVE YOUR HOME February 2005 TOP De W A D S NEW 9 BENCH BASICS All the Know How You Need to Start Woodworking Today 4 8 PLUS 3 GREAT PROJECTS EASY TO BUILD BACKDOOR BENCH ELEGANT DIVIDER IE ae E Mu SAW a AE STATION 525117 dil P an pcm Es camp mu UME 61 NOT ISSUE 8287 PRESIDENT amp PUBLISHER Donald B Peschke EDITOR Tim Robertson SENIOR DESIGN EDITOR James Downing SENIOR EDITORS Bill Link David Stone ASSOCIATE EDITOR Wyatt Myers ASSISTANT EDITOR Kate Busenbarrick PROJECT BUILDER Mike Donovan ART DIRECTOR Kim Downing ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Kurt Schultz SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Doug Appleby SENIOR ILLUSTRATORS Erich Lage Matt Scott SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Crayola England PHOTOGRAPHER Dennis Kennedy ASSOCIATE STYLE DIRECTOR Rebecca Cunningham ELECTRONIC IMAGE SPECIALIST Allan Ruhnke CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR John Hartman CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ted Kralicek SR PROJECT DESIGNERS Ken Munkel Kent Welsh Chris Fitch Ryan Mimick 5 CRAFTSMEN Steve Curtis Steve Johnson ADVERTISING SALES MANAGERS George A Clark Mary K Day EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Terry J Strohman EXECUTIVE ART DIRECTOR Todd Lambirth UGUST HOME Corsa Serre Copt Vi Pe Dasha L Rs Mar Sd Ger rig SEDE Fara A Le ue A Lu Tasa pe Na iir
37. acers screw them to the bottom of each joist Then secure the panels by driving screws through them and into each spacer Seal each screw with a dab of silicone caulk At the outside of the deck you can hang a skirt board to cover the exposed ends of the panels as shown Or mount a gutter inside the rim skirt board and pitch it toward a downspout located on one of the deck posts GOT QUESTIONS WE HAVE ANSWERS HOW TO SEND YOUR QUESTIONS Email editor workbenchmag com Forums forums woodnet net Mail Workbench Q amp A 2200 Grand Ave Des Moines IA 50312 Include full name address and daytime phone number You ll receive one of our handsome Workbench caps if we publish your letter WORKBENCH FEBRUARY 2005 Ti techniques CONSTRUCTION VIEW 6 x34 Fha Woodscew X stow it for storage _ OUTFEED SUPPORT An outfeed support for a table saw is an indispensable accessory And it doesn t need to be elaborate or expen sive to do its job well Take this one for example When 7 10 Locking you need to cut a long board or wide panel you simply sae Support Hinge Hanger attach it to the table saw by means ofa couple of shop made hangers Inset Photo When you re done the sup na NE Asseml goo een gt port be removed in seconds and folded for storage NOTE Length of leg may Top The top of this outfeed support is a piece of vary depending on saw 1 4 hardboard that attaches
38. ad by first cutting the plywood top U to size Note I made this piece from leftover cherry Because it won t be seen though any 3 4 plywood will do Next cut two bottom panels VW to size from 5 4 cherry plywood The bottom consists of two separate panels rather than a single long one That s because the grain runs across the panels rather than lengthwise You ll see once you cut the side panels that this allows the grain to wrap around the bulkhead This means that these bottom panels need to be crosscut from the end of a plywood sheet TT M deep End Frame 7 on mating one o 16 le ro Stile x TA x7 D 4 lo Edging H rabbel sow kerfs ter to length Bulkhead End Edging deep Outer Boon 1307 x 2 miter to length on inside face deep BOTTOM PANELS WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 Notice that the bottom panels have slightly different dimensions This allows the decorative kerf in all the parts to align after assembly Now cut the remaining plywood pieces for the bulkhead the dividers X sides Y access panel Z and light fixture panel AA Here again you ll need to bore holes in the bottom panels for puck lights and cut the opening that will later receive the light fixture panel Bottom Panels page 68 Also cut the decorative kerfs in the bottom side and access panels Now notch the corners of each divider Notc
39. adoes cut the next step is to rip the strips to width from the blank Fig 6 After ripping the first strip check to make sure it matches the width of the blank s dado Fig 7 Once you get a snug fit rip all the remaining pieces MAKING SMALL GRIDS When making half lap joints for small grids like those in the entry divider 5 best to work with an extra wide blank that s also extra long This will allow you to safely cut the joints on the table saw Depending on the size of the grid you may be able to get pieces for two or more grids from one blank In that case cut series of dadoes no rabbets in the blank Then after ripping the strips from the blank crosscut the grid dividers about an inch or so longer than needed This means the ends of the dividers will stick out when you assemble the grid but they re easy to trim flush with a hand saw Photo right WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM DEAD ON DADOES After laying out the locations of the dadoes on an extra wide blank align the marks with the notch in the miter gauge fence Then clamp a stop block to the fence and make the cut TT we 06 ds p A RIP STRIPS Now set the fence to rip a strip that slips into the dado with a friction fit see Fig 7 A CHECK THE FIT Once you re satisfied with the fit rip the remaining strips from the blank ror lO INNOVATIVE TOOLS 2005 The tide of innovation swelled once ag
40. aft Orbiter sells for approximately 30 at Lowes Visit Milescraft com or call 815 874 2400 for more information WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 DEWALT Recip Saw DeWalt s new DW304PK recipro cating saw features a four position blade clamp specifically designed for flush cutting The blade clamp accepts the saw blade in the two standard vertical positions teeth facing up or down and also offers two horizontal posi tions teeth facing right or left This makes the saw adaptable to just about any cutting situation including cut ting close to floors walls or ceilings where clearance is limited The result is less user con tortion with fewer broken blades and errant cuts The DW304PK sells for about 100 Visit DeWalt com or 800 433 9258 for more information PORTER CABLE Circular Saw With its one of a kind Quik Change system Porter Cable s new line of circular saws enables users to easily change the circular saw blade without a wrench and still secure the blade just as tightly The keyless blade change system is a big time saver And it also makes it more likely that users will actually change the blade to better match the work at hand This ingenious blade changing system is available on several Porter Cable circular saw models including left and right blade versions Of course the saws also include the features that have been the mark of Porter Cable quality all along including li
41. ain in this the fourth year of the Workbench Top 10 Innovative Tools Awards Riding the crest were these 10 tools which represent a cross section of manufacturers serving the full spectrum of tool consumers Indeed this year s list dernonstrates that irino vation comes in all sizes at all price points and from all around the world 56 WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 BLACK amp DECKER Dr Black amp Decker radical new Dragster belt sander may represent the first significant improvement to belt sanders in the 80 plus years they ve been around The Dragster features a low profile front wheel that delivers 25 percent more sanding surface than previous 3 x 21 models and allows the sander to get three times closer to the edge of adjoining surfaces floor to base board for instance Additionally a retractable hood exposes the top of the sanding belt for use in a variety of applications including squeezing into spaces where belt sanders couldn t possibly reach before Photo above Finally a three position adjustable handle maximizes user control and comfort The Dragster sells for around 70 Visit BlackAndDecker com call 800 544 6986 for more sctar ler Delt A new miter saw from Hitachi Model C12LCH offers the latest in power tool technology with a digital liquid crystal display LCD that shows the bevel and miter angle of the saw The LCD readout indicates angle settings in half of a degree 59
42. al blade height cut two test pieces and fit them together to make sure their faces are flush Fig 4 WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 Cutting Half Laps Once the setup is completed you re ready to cut the half lap joints If you re building half lapped frame this is just a matter of cutting rabbets in the ends of the frame pieces For pieces with multiple half laps like those required for the grids on the backdoor bench you ll have to cut a series of rabbets and dadoes Now cutting all those rabbets and dadoes individ ually would be pretty time consuming and it would increase the potential for misaligned cuts For a shortcut that ensures accuracy I cut dadoes in extra wide blanks and then rip the blanks into strips Each blank should be wide enough for all the like pieces either hori zontal or vertical plus a little extra to allow for the saw kerfs between pieces Cutting the Dadoes Start by marking the dado locations on the blank Then align these marks with the notch in the miter gauge fence and push the blank over the dado blade with the miter gauge Fig 5 If your project requires half laps that are an equal distance from the ends of the workpiece be sure to clamp a stop block to the fence for repeatability Using the same stop block setting and flipping the blank end for end between cuts ensures a perfect match up of horizontal and vertical pieces during grid assembly Ripping the Strips With the d
43. ally can get to them and protect your investment with sturdy locks and adequate insurance have an outbuilding or at least the space to erect one that can serve as a dedicated workshop Each of these spaces comes with its own advantages And to be honest there are some compromises At right you ll find a quick overview of the pros and cons of each In the next few pages we ll talk in detail about specific considerations you ll face when setting up a shop in a basement garage or dedicated building Wherever it s located your shop has to be equipped with some key necessities in order to function well for woodworking A list of those appears above Chances are that no prospective shop space will have all of these until you make some upgrades Even a dedicated building may not offer everything you need unless you ve built it specifically as a woodworking shop And you ll prob ably have to buy or build some items designed for the craft like storage cabinets and a workbench But that s GARAGE SHOP LOCATION PROS amp CONS easy access convenient location isolated ample space storage options requires electrical upgrades shared space reduced secu rity climate control issues half the fun of getting started in woodworking WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM BASEMENT SHOP ve Workbenchiagerine com GO ONLINE FOR More strategies for noise control Downloadable Garage Shop Projects amp
44. ated inside because they are relatively economical while the bases still being highly capable But the power 2 precision and dependability of a cabinet directly to the lt 5 5 trunnions like a saw are worth every dime It s a tough choice cabinet saw It might seem that adding a third cat egory of table saw one that bridges the gap between contractor s saws and cabinet saws would only serve to fur n e saws ther confound the wavering woodworker A EUH pom TTE But I don t think it has to cabinet The General hne International has the On the contrary after testing four connecting 2 hose insi these new hybrid saws it s my consid the cabinet The DeWalt table ered opinion that this is precisely the saw saw has only a 2 dust port that most home woodworkers should have And choosing from within this new category is what this test is all about But before we get into the specifics of each saw and how it performed in our tests let s spend a few minutes clearing up just what makes a table saw a hybrid BASES Two saws have cabinet style bases The other two have partial cabinets 74 WORKBENCH FEBRUARY 2005 AOR Although each of the table saws in this test is considered a hybrid you need only compare the Photos at the bottom of this page to see that these saws are hardly cast from a single mold But a closer look reveals that these saws are similar on many i
45. ays I used a table saw set up with a dado blade Now you can glue up the doors I always dry fit Door Stile 95 Full inset Self Closing Hinge them first to prevent any surprises such as ill fitting tenons Then glue them up and check for square After the glue sets drill holes to receive the cups of DOOR ASSEMBLY Door Rail European style hinges Hinge Location Detail These Ba 24 x 12 hinges really make door mounting easy because they can be adjusted to fit the door perfectly in its opening Now cut the rabbet that will receive the glass in the back face of each door You can accomplish this easily with a 1 4 rabbeting bit in a handheld router To ensure a smooth rabbet make two passes to achieve the full 2 8 depth Square up the corners using a chisel Note Have the glass cut 1 5 narrower and shorter than the opening Finally make the glass stops T The techniques in the Sidebar below make it easy Miter the completed stops to length to fit the opening in each door Then install them with small wire brads in pre drilled holes Small parts such as the glass stops used in the doors are easier to make if you cut them from larger blanks SECOND Start with a long piece of 1 2 stock OR Ri goss about 5 wide Chamfer both corners Hi of one face at the router table Step 1 Now you can form the rabbets that fit over the door frames This takes only two cuts Step 2 First cut a kerf as shown then move
46. bed Miter the corners of the end supports and attach them to the rails with glue and screws Middle Supports While the middle supports are the same dimensions as the end supports they re com posed of two pieces rather than one solid piece The reason is simple Each half is dadoed so that when glued together the dadoes form a mortise to receive the alu minum bar that the hold downs ride on Adjustable Hold downs The last components of this system are the adjustable hold downs They re built the same way as the middle supports with only a slight variation To lock the hold down in place you need to create a gap behind the mortise that pinches shut around the aluminum bar when you tighten a knob This is done by cutting a kerf in the hold down after glue up see Photo left and Hold Down Detail below To finish up install the aluminum bars in the middle supports and hold downs Raise the assemblies to their fall height then swing the saw through all its cutting modes to make sure there s clearance Then screw the middle supports in place i 4 x 1 x 10 Hold Down Detail NOTE Size workstation to fit your miter saw see page 28 Adjustable Hold Down gt x 24 x 12 Middle Support x3 x12 Adjustable E Hold Down Plastic Wing Nut w 027 Cariaga B End Support 1 4 x 3 x 12 Washer 8 x 2 4 Fh Woodscrew NOTE Middle Support Adj
47. before staining it This will make clear any areas where finish might not take And finally always scrape glue squeeze out first then sand before you stain Next use scraper to remove the glue residue scraping down to bare wood Hand sand the spot and also gently sand the stained area around it for a seamless transition WORKBENCH After wiping away dust resume applying stain to the project for a flawless smudge free finish 3 FEBRUARY 2005 A Freud s new raised panel bits ogee profile shown have two extra cutters for smoother faster cuts on raised panels EDGE better bits for making RAISED PANEL DOORS If you re serious about making raised panel doors then give Freud s new raised panel bits a closer look These router bits have some big advantages over other raised panel bits most notably in the way they cut Most raised panel bits have two carbide cutting edges on a body that s 2 to 3 in diameter The bits remove so much material that a series of progressively deeper passes is often necessary to achieve a smooth surface 2 2 Technology Freud has improved on this situation by adding two more cutters to its raised panel bits Moreover the two large cutters cut upward and the two small cutters cut downward to generate a shearing action that creates flawless consistent cuts even on end grain Art lefi Backcutter Freud also added backcutter to these bit
48. ching seat cushion Photo right WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM building the END FRAMES The design of this backdoor bench is very straightfor ward As you can see in the Illustration below it consists of two end frames that support a slatted seat and shelf I began by building the end frames Each frame con sists of two rails A and two stiles B that are cut to size thick hardwood End Frame Assembly page 51 frame pieces are assembled with stub tenon and groove joints as shown in the Stub Tenon Groove Detail Cut the Grooves The first order of business is to cut a groove in the inside edge of each frame piece I used 1 4 dado blade in the table saw to do this The setup is identical to one used to cut grooves in the seat and shelf rails refer to Fig 1 on page 53 Note how the rip fence is positioned so the blade is centered on the thickness of the frame piece After locking the fence set the blade height o and then make a single pass to cut each groove Make the Stub Tenons With the grooves com pleted you can turn your attention to the stub tenons on the ends of the rails Here again you ll be using a dado blade Only this time set it up for a 4 wide cut and bury part of it in an auxiliary fence The fence will be used as a stop to establish the length of the tenon Since A The grid fits into a rabbet that s routed in the back inside edge of the frame To create a s
49. e concept of the Oops arbor is fairly simple Essentially a hole saw the di of the original hole becom saw for centering the larger hole saw as you cut Top Photo lefi This is accomplished by the Oops arbor itself which is just a smaller arbor that s tightened into the main hole saw arbor where a twist bit usually goes First he larger hole saw screws in place on the main arbor Then the Oops arbor is attached and the smaller pilot hole saw screws onto it Bottom Photo left The Oops arbor costs about 7 at McFeelys com and other retailers LOOSE PANELS H You RATT Carbide tipped for long life A Amana High Performance Cutting Tools 1 800 445 0077 Please Visit Our Website www amanatool com Ae tnter uc Product Information Number 172 8 Patent Pending RETAIL SPECIAL 2 Piece Set for Only 515495 List Price oan WORKSH miter saw A This portable miter saw work station provides stable support for cutting long boards Two hold downs adjust to accom modate stock thickness Inset Photo Tightening the knobs locks them in place to secure stock during and after the cut WORKSTATION When cutting a long board on miter saw it must be secured in place to keep it from lifting off the saw and causing a potentially danger
50. ea at one end of the panel large enough for the for the planer to sit on switch to lengthwise passes to remove remaining waste Photos lefi WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 Skirt hangs down to hide end of roofing panel with silicone caulk You add a lot of functionality to the area deck by shielding it from water that runs down between deck boards You might not be able to catch all of the runoff but you can cer tainly stop enough of it to make the space suitable for storage or additional outdoor living space Products Available A number of companies make products designed to catch and manage water that drips through deck boards Marketed under names like DrySpace RainEscape and Dry B Lo they re mounted under the deck joists so they pitch away from the house and channel water toward the outside There the water can run out or flow into a gutter attached to the deck The biggest problem with these commercial systems is cost Depending on the system and the complexity of your deck you may spend 4 or more per square foot even if you install the system yourself powder coating system In the October 2004 issue a gentleman asked about powder coating metal You said you must have it done professionally but a friend of mine said he thought he d seen a kit advertised for powder coating at home Do you know anything about this kit Aaron Olmstead Cincinnati OH about the
51. ed to workshops are commonly available Both types come with compromises A gas system requires that you run lines or install a propane tank This increases construction costs But gas heat is efficient and usually cheaper than electric Electric heaters cost more to run but cost less to install Note 220 volt heaters are more efficient than 110 volt units Whichever system you choose add a thermostat so you can heat the shop just enough to keep the interior above freezing when the shop isn t in use WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 NL M 910 DENGEL sturdy amp stylish seating plus storage ts tough to keep wet muddy boots out of the house But you can keep them organized and out of the way with this sturdy bench Not only does it offer a comfortable place to sit and change your shoes but the slatted shelf underneath also lets you store boots and other gear Made entirely of solid ash the bench uses knock down hardware fittings to tie the end frames to the seat and shelf These fittings provide a simple way to assemble the bench More importantly they provide a rock solid con nection that prevents the bench from racking Although this bench is primarily a utilitarian project I wanted to dress it up a bit Thats accomplished with a wood grid at each end that s assem bled with half lap joints As an option you may want to paint the grids and add a mat
52. ered trademark of Jointech lnc Patent Pending on Smartin Digital Product Information Number 343 Tips amp TECHNIQUES shop vacuum ENDS CLOGS Frustrated by repeated attempts to unclog my sink with expensive liquid drain cleaners I resorted to my shop vacuum And what started almost as an act of desperation became my first choice when it comes to fighting clogged drains Just fit the nozzle of the vacuum Make sure the vacuum is set for wet oper hose tightly in the drain opening ation and then switch it on It should remove the obstruction in seconds David Cooke Chattanooga While installing the handrail on my newly constructed deck I found that the 45 miters I had so carefully cut didn t fit tightly together As it turned out a variation in the deck meant that the boards came together at an angle slightly less than 90 Rather than guess at the angle and recut the boards on my miter saw clamped the boards into posi and used a circular saw to cut across the joint This created matching angles and a perfect fitting miter joint Jason Melton Calumet MI WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 WINDOWS 8 DOORS I need to stain and finish the wood on my new windows window trim and doors Do you have any good tips for applying stain and finish to vertical surfaces like this to prevent runs and drips and ensure consistent look The first challenge when staining wind
53. ew series of articles and online extras focuses on the essen tials of woodworking Whether you re just getting started or you re a seasoned craftsman Bench Basics will provide you with all the information you need to improve your skills In this issue begin ning on page 40 we take a look at the most fundamental of all the shop FEATURES 49 Backdoor Boot Bench Solid wood construction half lapped grids and knock down hardware make for simple sturdy boot bench that you can build in a weekend 56 Top 10 Innovative Tools From a revolutionary new belt sander to a digital miter saw the 2005 winners of Workbench s Top 10 Innovative Tool Awards raise the bar again 62 Elegant Entry Divider This easy to build divider features a lighted display cabinet stone clad pedestal and decorative wood column that will transform the entry of your home 7 4 Hybrid Table Saw Review Contractor or cabinet saw These hybrid table saws combine the best of both worlds We test drive four new saws to see which ones make the cut WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 IN EVERY READER S WORKSHOP 2 Miter Saw Workstation This shop made workstation features a pair of adjustable hold downs that secure long boards before during and after the cut Uc WORKBENCH SHOP TIPS 34 Sharp in 60 Seconds Three Workbench project designers share their secrets for s
54. g close the street Protect your shop with sturdy locks and blinds m Access To Power Many attached garages F the service panel for the home so you can tap ir it to add shop circuits If your service panel is full located elsewhere or the garage is detached then run a feed line the garage and install a sub panel to power the shop Oo Few Outlets Garages detache ninimal electric capacity You ll have to run wires from the service panel to power outlets and tools Be sure to use heavy gauge wire and high quality 20 amp receptacle tighting Easily Most garages are lit with a bare bulb or two but you can easily swap those fixture for fluorescent units that will fully ligt pace In climates make sure to get fi that will still work at low Control the Climate may not be heated cooled ditione makes cooling easy but heatina requires m safety any gas heater in the shop should hav ated tombustion Or use an electric unit See the bar or page 46 for more information about shop heating WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM Allow clearance for vehicles 1 3 f J Build storage into open area below table saw Mobile Bases SW for stationary tools amp workbenches You can have a fully functiona shop and garage in one building Make tools and shop fixtures mobile then des
55. ghtweight magnesium motor housings and integrated dust control nozzles The saws sell for 130 and up Visit PorterCable com or call 800 487 8665 for more information IBI WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM WORKIENGH A fourposition blade clamp and a tool free blade release make the new DW304PK from DeWalt one of the most adaptable reciprocating saws on the market This versatile new saw features a 10 amp motor that delivers up to 2 800 strokes per minute with a 1 s blade stroke A pivoting dust nozzle and light weight magnesium housing are stan dard fare on all Porter Cable MagSaws with Quik Change Installing a new blade is quicker than ever and just as secure as with a wrench thanks to Porter Cable s keyless Quik Change system 61 You never ge a second chance make a first impression The saying is old but true and it explains why so many homes are built with grand entryways that impress visitors but take up a lot of space Our entry divider on the other hand proves that less can be more by packing a lot of wow into just a little space It defines your entryway and definitely makes a great first impression WORKBENCH FEBRUARY 2005 WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM the finer details The primary role of this project is to divide a home s entryway from the rest of the room But it s
56. ground onto the tip of the bevel where it meets the back of the chisel left Less mate rial is being removed so the sharpening goes much more quickly Photo near right Drill Bit Another technique is to use the shank of a high speed steel twist bit like a burnishing rod to crisp up the cutting edge of the chisel as shown in the far right Photo Micro bevel 38 the belt and pull it acros s at an angle To create a micro bevel first ind the bevel as shown in Fig 2 on page 35 Then raise the chisel just a hair and make a few quick passes over the stone amp The shank of a twist bit can put a quick edge on a dull chisel Rub the shank firmly against the cut ting edge sliding it across both the bevel and back of the chisel WORKBENCH C FEBRUARY 2005 SICS FUNDAM ENTAL SKILLS FOR SLR WOODWORKING xperts in any craft know that to be successful you have to pay attention to the basics Whether its a pro golfer who still practices his swing or a master woodworker who measures twice and cuts once they ll tell you to concentrate on the fundamentals in order to improve your skills That s the purpose of Bench Basics In every issue these articles will help you build fundamental woodworking skills We ll talk about techniques and tools in simple terms you can understa
57. h Detail page 68 Also cut a notch for the wiring to pass through Then rabbet the light fi ture opening and panel and notch corner Fixture Panel Detail Add Edging The bulkhead side and end edging BB CC start out as extra long blanks The Bulkhead Edging Detail shows that each piece gets two different size rabbets One allows the edging to fit over the top or bottom The other receives the side panels Cut the rab bets as shown in the Photo right 1 PANEL ASSEMBLY In addition each piece of side edging gets two dadoes sized to hold the dividers Dado Detail page 68 Before moving on to assembly cut four bulkhead end edging pieces DD to size as well Access and Assembly At the column end of the bulkhead a fame replaces the divider Build the frame by cutting the end frame rails EE and stiles FF to size Glue and screw the frame together and you re ready to assemble the bulkhead Assembly begins with gluing che top and bottom panel edging in place I found it easiest to first miter the side edging to length making sure to not cut off the dadoed ends Then miter the end edging to fit and glue up the bulkhead top and bottom assemblies Once the glue dries set the bulk head top assembly on your bench with the inside face up Glue the dividers in place Then glue the end frame in position on top of the end edging Now spread glue on the exposed edges of the dividers and access frame
58. hadow line between the grid and the frame eased the outer edges of both assemblies with a sanding block right then glued the grid in place Construction Details Overall Dimensions 36 W x 16 D x 191 H Seat Rail hasa in inside edge to accept stub tenons on the 2 Fi is formed from ends of the slats plugs L horizontal and vertical 0 dividers ieined with half laps j Seat Support fits into groove in the bottom face of the and connects seat assembly to the end frames End Frame 1 5 Shelf Assembly is identical to the seat assembly shown above w N for connector bolt End Frame is assembled from rails A and stiles B then rabbeted to hold the decorative grid 50 WORKBENCH FEBRUARY 2005 the tenons 1 2 Jong leave 2 of the dado blade exposed A similar setup is shown in Fig 2 on page 53 After positioning the fence the next step is to set the blade height The goal is to adjust the blade so that by making two passes one on each face it forms a snug fitting tenon To accomplish that start by raising the blade to 1 4 and make test cuts in a scrap piece that s the same thickness as the rails Check the fit and tweak the blade height if needed Once you re satisfied with the setup go ahead and cut the tenons in the rails To do that butt the end of each rail against the fence and u
59. harpening tools fast on the jobsite Hone your own sharpening skills by learning their shortcuts BENCH BASICS 40 Setting Up Shop In this premiere installment of Bench Basics we explain the pros cons and consequences of setting up shop in a basement garage or outbuilding SKILL BUILDER 5 4 Half Lap Joinery Half laps are a strong joint used for building frames grids and latticework This table saw technique makes cutting them easy and accurate lt The goal of a half lap joint is to remove half the thickness of the mating so their faces fit Our table and to achieve that perfect fit DEPARTMENTS 8 Questions amp Answers 14 Tips amp Techniques Finishing Fundamentals Cutting Edge Modern Materials 1 Tools amp Products WORKBENCH FEBRUARY 2005 Questions GANSWERS the basics of SPRAY FINISHING always applied finish by brushing or wiping it on but I d like to try spraying Does spraying offer any advantages and what equipment will I need to get started David Valish Schuyler NE The main advantage of spraying is speed Plus spraying lays down a smooth finish that s gt free of brush marks If these benefits appeal to you then you first need to choose the right sprayer All fall into one of two categories standard or high volume low pressure HVLP Standard Sprayers A standard spray gun top left draws from an air compressor a
60. he extension wings into the same plane as the main table After tabletops came the arbors A wobbly arbor will result in rough cuts lost horsepower and undue wear on a blade measured for runout with a dial indicator and a calibration disc Photo right None of the saws exceeded 005 of runout which is well within accept able range The Craftsman and DeWalt saws turned out to be par ticularly steady with each showing only 003 of runout Arbor runout was measured using a dial indicator on a magnetic base and a calibration disc The table on this saw required some shimming to get the wings in line with the table And the fence on this saw left alittle to be desired But even if you spend 100 more for the optional Biesemeyer style fence and a few bucks for shims this is still the most affordable saw in the test And in light of all its other strong points it deserves the honor of Top Value At Price 750 HP 2 Volts 110 220 Amps 11 4 5 7 RPM 3 450 Max Cut 90 35 6 Cut 45 25 16 Rip Righ 301 2 Max Rip Left 135 8 Table Dim 27 x 44 Wings Cast Blade None Weight 316 Ibs WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM The General International saw offers a choice of con necting a 4 hose to the cab inet or a 21 4 hose to a shroud around the blade The bevel lock is in an unusual location on this saw but provides a solid hold on the
61. ht of the saw bed And third the middle sup ports must be spaced to allow clearance for the saw throughout its full range of movement equals distance between outside edges of rails E 4 Length of supports Space rails to it saw base 2 i ung 2 End i Width of supports Space middle supports ppo Supports Middle lt 4 allow clearance matches height Supports for all saw operations The workstation is as handy on the jobsite as it y is in the shop Removing the miter saw lets you perform circular saw operations with ease H WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 To cut the kerf in the end of the hold downs use a tall auxiliary fence to guide the workpiece through the cut Clamping the workpiece to notched scrap block ensures a safe controlled cut WORKSTATION CONSTRUCTION VIEW Aluminum building the station As you can see the only tricky part to building this cut ting aid is sizing the components That done all you need to do is machine the pieces and put them together Rails amp End Supports To build this workstation start by cutting the two rails to size and ng them as explained earlier Then you can cut the end supports to length Remember that the width of the supports needs to match the height of the saw
62. ial firing for precision nail placement or bump firing for increased speed Photo above Other features include an LED worklight belt clip and tool free jam clearing RYOBI Dust control on benchtop tools in general and benchtop band saws in particular has long consisted of a token dust port usually in a really inconvenient spot and a screaming shop vacuum It s never been very effective but at least it s incredibly loud Ryobi s new benchtop band saw A high intensity LED worklight illuminates 9 the cut line for greater precision DeWalt offers the nailer in eight models including 12 14 4 and 18 volt versions and with straight or angled magazines Prices range from 380 to 400 Visit DeWalt com or call 800 433 9258 to learn more model BS1001SV offers the first effective and quiet alternative The BS1001SV Silent Vac incor porates a radial fan in the lower wheel to create a highly efficient dust col lection system It draws dust from the tabletop and directs it into the attached dust bag Other features include an LED worklight and a quick release tension lever Photos below The BS1001SV is available exclu sively from Home Depot and sells for around 230 Visit RyobiTools com call 800 525 2579 to learn more Ryobi s blade tensioning system makes blade changes easy and allows you to quickly release the tension when the saw is not in use WORKBENCH FEBRU
63. ignate parking space for each MOBILITY BRINGS VERSATILITY When woodworking tools move into a garage cars yard equipment and bikes often get evicted Or those items take over and bury the tools But putting a woodworking shop in the garage doesn t mean you have to clear everything else out I ve had a garage shop for years that functions very well and still allows space for all the other stuff No I don t have a huge building I simply have wheels under many of my tools as shown in the Illustration With these wheels I can park tools around the perimeter of the garage and roll them into place when needed I take over both stalls for elaborate projects use just one and keep my wifes car in the other How you mobilize is up to you Commercial mobile bases are avail able either custom sized for particular tools or in universal styles that you customize You can fit a mobile base to a workbench or other hard to move shop fixtures though you may have to modify the base Shop built mobile bases present another great option Designing your own bases lets you customize them to meet your needs When possible build in storage to keep related tools and accessories together 45 DEDICATED SHOP Every woodworker dreams of having a stand alone shop building where he can work on projects without inter ference If you re lucky enough to have an extra building lying around or if your property
64. ily by multiplying amps by volts For example a motor rated on the label at 18 amps at 120 volts develops 2 160 watts 18 x 120 Many people by the way rewire such tools as table saws for more power But if you double electrical voltage amp draw drops by half That means a motor develops the same power whether it s wired for 120 volts or 240 Rewire the above motor then and it will draw just nine amps Yet output remains 2 160 watts 9 x 240 power planer PANEL FLATTENING One board in a panel I glued up is uneven and sticks up above the others on the finished face Can I shave the board flush with my power planer Steve Mawhorter Millbury OH I generally use a belt sander to make protruding boards flush in panels But it if a board sticks up 1 16 or more power planer can do the job faster Just be careful or you can gouge the workpiece First set the planer on the board you want to match Storter SECOND Mako overlapping lengthwise passes to plane remainder of protruding board t call this the Then set the cutting depth to FIRST Plane diagonally slightly less than the height of the protruding board across pem eda Make diagonal passes across the protruding board To d rad Vcn el minimize gouging overlap each pass push down on the planer with only your back hand and avoid tip ping the planer as you work Once you ve planed an ar
65. in don t mistake standard gal vanized connectors with hot dip galvanized To be absolutely certain that the connectors you re using are hot dip galvanized look for the TZ line of fasteners from USP Structural Connectors or the ZMax line from Simpson Strong Tie Otherwise look for a label that says the connectors conform to ASTM A653 Both USP Structural Connectors and Simpson Strong Tie also offer stainless steel connectors bu these may be a little more difficult to find on store Stainless steel and shelves If you live in a coastal environment or are galvanized connec planning a marine structure you may need to spe tors are available cial order these from a local building supplier USP Structural Connectors and FLASHING Simpson Strong Tie The most difficult piece of hardware to locate may very well be flashing Standard aluminum flashing absolutely cannot be used in contact with the new pressure treated lumber It will start corroding almost as soon as you attach it The alternatives are flexible mem brane flashing galvanized flashing or copper flashing None of these three is in ready supply at the home centers in my area and even the commercial building supplier 1 turn to for hard to find materials had to spe cial order copper flashing Photo right PLAN AHEAD Clearly some advance planning is in order if you hope to gather all the hardware necessary for a long lasting outdoor project bui
66. ing attachments are limited to a single perpendicular position this attach ment from Milescraft can be set at at virtually any angle This is thanks to two half spheres that rotate independently of each other A unique beveled gearing system inside the spheres makes this dual axis rotation possible while sac rificing very little torque or speed conventional blades The spiral blades make a shearing cut that is less likely to damage a workpiece Anyone who has ever tried to shave the bottom of a door without tearing apart the end grain will appreciate this feature Photo left Another advantage of the spiral blades is that they cut which can increase the run time of a cordless planer significantly The R848 has a 0 to depth adjustment with micro settings for fine depth control It can also make rabbet cuts up to 1 2 deep The planer kit includes a chip collection bag edge guide one bat tery a 30 minute charger one extra set of spiral blades and a wrench for changing the blades The kit comes packaged in a plastic carrying case The complete kit sells for around 200 at Home Depot and other tool retailers Visit Ridgid com or call 800 474 3443 for more information The Orbiter features a 3 4 keyless chuck and and a soft grip handle The handle is also the locking mech anism that holds the two spheres in the desired position The Orbiter can be used with any drill 3 8 or larger The Milescr
67. irst remove as much of the wet stain from the wood as possible with a clean rag GLUE SMUDGES On a recent project an ugly glue smudge appeared as I applied the stain Is there a good way remove the smudge while the stain is still wet Or do I have to let it dry sand the project and restain the entire thing What can I do to prevent this from happening in the future If you notice stain not taking in a particular spot the key is to address the problem quickly before the stain sets Quick Fix After wiping the smudged area Fig 1 take a scraper and rake it gently over the area to 2 If you re working in a tight space then use a remove glue residue Fi sharp chisel to scrape the wood fibers Just hold the chisel with the bevel it toward you After scraping use 180 grit sand paper to sand the area Then gently sand a small portion of the stained wood around that area This creates ing away from you and gently pull David Johnson Raymond ME seamless transition between stained and unstained wood so any color differences won t be noticeable Fig 3 Finally carefully wipe away dust and continue applying stain Fig 4 Prevention To prevent this from happening in the future try dry assembling the project first and then taping off any areas where squeeze out may occur before gluing it up Another tip is to rub the project down with mineral spirits and check it with a light
68. is is due to the increased copper content The new chemicals lacking the inor ganic arsenic of CCA rely almost entirely on copper as the fungicide and pesticide Copper is expensive so the cost of the lumber has to reflect that Varying Grades The second difference is that not all pressure treated lumber is created equal these days In the past the relatively low cost of the CCA chemical made it possible for manufacturers to pump every board full of the stuff Now because of the higher cost of new chemicals manufacturers are a bit more modest with its application The key is to check the end tags of the boards to ensure they are rated for your intended use Sidebar at left Corrosion Danger The most important differ ence though is that new chemicals are much more rosive than CCA So the hardware that worked fine in CCA won t stand up to the new chemicals That means hardware selection is essential to the longevity of your outdoor projects To help sort that out we ve put together a guide for selecting hardware to be used with pres sure treated lumber that begins on page 86 WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 T Stainless Steel Nails are available in limited sizes and styles and are roughly three times as expensive as galvanized nails Hot Dip Galvanized Nails are easy to find and reasonably priced Just be sure the label reads hotdip galvanized and not just galvanized or hot galvanized
69. ithout enclased storage everything gets lost or covered with dust Storage doesn t have to be expensive Use old kitchen cabinets or shop built versions Lumber requires solid racks to keep it flat and avoid damage from moisture Na CLIMATE CONTROL Heating and air conditioning may sound like luxuries but without one or both you ll lose a lot of potential shop time Plus wide swings in temperature and humidity cause 0055 to rust and lumber to warp and crack Cooling proves easy but heating requires more care to guard against explosive fumes and dust that may get to a pilot light 1 VENTILATION Shop air also needs to be clean Airborne dust can ruin wet finishes not to mention your lungs And some common shop solvents give off dangerous fumes Windows are the easiest way to ventilate or you can add an exhaust fan Just make sure it has an explosion proof motor DUST COLLECTION The best way to create a clean shop is to capture dust at each tool before it can escape to the floor or air A shop vacuum works for some tools but larger tools require a dust collector You can roll a small collector from tool to tool Or run ducts to multiple tools and connect them to a central collector Use circulating air filter to get rid of tiny dust particles in the air A SECURITY SAFETY A shop needs t offer a safe environ ment for those who use it and the tools it contains Cut off power to tools if anyone besides yourself kids especi
70. k appears to be three individual panels Outer stiles flush with inside faces of case ends inside faces of dividers 64 Actually it s just a single piece Decorative kerfs cut around the perimeter and near the middle make it look like individual panels The face frame glued around the panel perimeter completes the look To create the look of individual panels set the table saw blade at 1 4 and cut the decorative kerfs Case Back Detail The next step is to make the tongue and dado joints Start by cut ting rabbets to form a tongue on each end of the case top and bottom Tongue amp Dado Detail page 65 Then cut dadoes in the case ends to accept the tongues Inner stiles sit flush with inside faces of dividers is installed as an assembly to simplify CASE TOP VIEW Case is built of 34 plywood and joined wilh simple tongue and dodo joints 277 Inner stiles flush with With that done cut dadoes in the top and bottom for the dividers Case Illustration page 65 Now bore holes in the case top for the lights Case Top View below Then cut openings in the case back for the decorative wood grids Photo page 65 and file the edges smooth With this done glue and screw the case together Then drill shelf pin holes in the ends and dividers Face Up to the Frames With the case assembled you can turn to the face frames Back Panel and Face Frame Illustrations
71. l down to that thickness To use the sled affix the short strips to the sur face as shown Then pass the sled and the about Sled 4 ply x94 x 24 qr deep Ya wide dado strips through the planer until you reach the desired thickness Russ Brown Bethlehem PA WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 Shop Vacuum Hose NOTE Set shop for operation martLift DIGITAL THE WoRLD s FIRST DIGITA Direct Drive Router No Belts No Pulleys No Chains Sprockets ing parts making Introducing the SmartLift Digital from Jointech The world s first and ONLY Digital Direct C Digital s Direct Drive continuous djusting anti bac er All ot Digital inside of the Router from gumming up the v Encoder attached directly to the of height adjustment is displayed in the digital di splay pm top plate in your choice of inc or millimeters to 01 Imagine No more back No more gummed up lifting mechanisms No more guesswork when adjusting or repeating a bit height adjustment Well stop imagining it s here The SmartLift Digital But then what would you expect from the company that has been making precision and quality part of woodworking for nearly 20 years Call now to get your SmartLift Digital SETTING THE STANDARD ONCE CALL Now FOR SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER Jointech is regist
72. lashlight two batteries and a one hour charger for 119 From there you can grow your S tool set by choosing from any of the 22 tools sold individually Additional batteries sell for 25 each or two for 40 Ryobi tools are avail able exclusively at Home Depot Compact and cordless the Cold Heat soldering tool heats and cools amazingly fast Four AA bat teries provide the power source requirements of your project The Cold Heat is not rec ommended for soldering of large metallic components that require a lot of heat transfer Expect to pay about 20 for a Cold Heat soldering tool along with a carrying case and one replacement tip Visit ColdHeatools com or call 800 398 8866 for more information or to purchase a tool bosch IMPACTOR Bosch has jumped into hottest new category of cordless tools with the introduction of three new impact drivers The Bosch Impactor line includes 9 6 12 and 14 4 volt models All three tools boast the most speed and power avail able in their respective classes Each also features 1 4 hex quick change chuck trigger activated LED work light and a belt clip Impactor kits come with two NiCad batteries one hour charger and a carrying case For more information call 877 267 2499 or visit BoschTools com Bosch offers the highest speed and power currently available in three sizes of cordless impact drivers WORKBENCH FEBRUARY 2005
73. lower the dado blade and position the rip fence so the blade will cut through the base at the A This simple Ls Fence desired location Then turn on the L shaped jig Work VA ply saw aud slowly raise the blade creates a piece 5 x 27 through the base Additional open ings can be made for cutting grooves zeroclearance opening for a Base Hardboard Y 4 x 27 in stock of different thicknesses blade 2222 which results Anthony D Alessandro in a safe Williamsburg VA Sled Detail Cleat chip free cut Workpiece MM 1 planer sled salvages SHORT PIECES With the cost of lumber Im not crazy about throwing out short scrap pieces of wood But planing short pieces less than 12 long isn t recommended by most man ufactures That s because the pieces can get caught between the feed rollers and chewed up by the blades To salvage these pieces I use a simple sled to plane them to thickness see Photo The shorts ride piggy back on the sled which is long enough to go through the planer safely The sled is a piece of 9 4 plywood with a cleat near the back end Sled Detail The cleat together with strips of double sided tape hold the short pieces in place during machining The cleat fits into a dado near the back edge of the sled Size the dado so the cleat sticks up above the surface of the sled This way you can plane materia
74. lt with new pressure treated lumber The Web sites and phone numbers listed You may have to special in the Box at left will be excellent resources order copper flashing from for information and materials a building supplier WORKBENCH FEBRUARY 2005 5 palm sized CORDLESS DRIVER The new Skil iXO cordless drill driver is a palm sized powerhouse that holds its battery charge even after two years of non use Weighing in at just over 10 ounces and measuring about 51 2 square the is the ideal tool to keep in a drawer for those occasional fix it jobs A 3 6 volt Lithium Ion battery provides the power The biggest advantage to a Lithium lon battery is its ability to hold a charge for an extended period of time when the tool isn t in use Other user friendly features include a forward and reverse indicator to keep you turning in the right direc tion and a soft grip handle for comfort The iXO comes packaged in a carrying case that offers a variety of storage options The case can sit open faced inside a drawer can be mounted to a wall or any other flat surface or can simply be laid down just about laminate TRIMMER Ridgid has raised the bar for laminate trimmers with a model that features a 6 amp motor the second most powerful in the category and vari able speed capability the only laminate trimmer with this feature The R2400 also boasts a microadjustable and pinio
75. m left It produces airflow using an integral fan instead of an air compressor Most turbines are designed for professionals and cost 250 to 1 000 But the Fine Spray from Wagner sells for less than 125 Learn more at WagnerSpray Tech com 8 WORKBENCH D FEBRUARY 2005 Questions amp ANSWERS rated horsepower vs TRUE TOOL POWER When tool shopping I ve noticed that manufacturers seem to be all over the board with their horsepower ratings Is there a way I can reliably gauge true power from these ratings Looking just at horsepower on tool motors can be deceiving Thats because theres no widely accepted standard for horsepower ratings Some manufacturers rate their tools using maximum developed motor horsepower Others use continuous dury or actual horsepower You can stil reliably judge power though if you understand two rat ings amps and watts Amps Every motor has an amperage rating that tells how many amps the motor Jeff Miles Cedar Rapids IA draws under full load at a specific voltage This number never lies because the motor can t draw more amps than this As a rule a higher amp rating means a more powerful motor Watts Motor construction dictates how much power the motor can produce at a given input amperage This power is measured in watts the most reliable measure of power Many motor labels don t list watts but you can calculate it eas
76. miliar with mica usually think of it as a mineral but it s actually a group of more than 30 minerals All of them form as blocks made up of flat flaky crystals The franslucent flakes glow with colors that range from almost clear to brown Pure mica sheets are simply sliced from the blocks but most sheet mica available to woodworkers consists of individual flakes laminated using resins You can cut the sheets with a utility knife You ll find mica at Woodworkers Supply www Woodworker com A Column Grid 5 Shown N mortise and tenon CABINET DOORS The doors of the cabinet feature solid cherry frames with large glass panels that let display items show through Door Assembly The glass fits into a rabbet cut in the back face of each door after assembly and shop made stops hold the glass in place Because the glass offers no strength to the door assemblies I decided to beef up the frames with mortise and tenon joints Mortise amp Tenon Detail They don t take much longer than some simpler joints and ensure strong doors that aren t likely to rack or twist 4 Start by cutting the door rails R and stiles 5 to Pull width and length Next cut the mortises in the stiles I drilled out most of the waste using a 1 4 Forstner bit then squared up the mortises with a chisel Then form 11 J 9 deep in back of door after assembly the tenons on the rails You can do this many w
77. mportant counts see the Illustration on page 74 Cabinet Like Bases The first similarity lies in the bases or cabinets that support these saws and house the inner workings Granted there are two distinct styles represented here but in each case the cabinet is an integral part of the saw and not just a bolt together stand like that on a contractor s saw This design makes for a sturdier saw and goes a long way toward dampening vibration and noise In most cases manufacturers also use the cabinet as an important part of the dust collection system by building hoppers into the cabinet to direct dust toward a dust port The one exception in this group is the DeWalt This particular saw has an open cabinet and uses a shroud around the blade to direct dust toward a 21 4 dust port see the Photo on page 79 Motors In terms of power the motors on these saws are comparable to con tractor saws at or slightly below 2 hp And just like contractors saws hybrids typically use a single belt to transfer power from the motor to the arbor compared to as many as Trunnions bolt to cabinet CRAFTSMAN TRUNNION Cabinet Trunnions WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM gen 7 three on a cabinet saw The location of the motor however inside the cabinet and supported by the trun nions is pure cabinet saw design This allows for shorter belts and greater powe
78. mpression of these saws was good Each saw arrived well packed and complete with every part the manual said I should find in the box All of the saws went together with rela tive ease Only the Craftsman took a little longer to assemble but that s only because this saw comes with so many extras After putting the saws together my first test was to simply plug them in and start them up Not much of a test I know but think of it as that first handshake Without exception the saws started softly and powered up to Two castiron extension wings 12 melamine extension and a collapsible outfeed support give this saw the largest work surface of the bunch WORKBENCH O Craftsman OR35504 working speed smoothly and qui etly The General International in particular impressed me with its purring vibration free performance Furthermore 1 couldn t find a single power switch in the bunch to complain about They re mounted within easy reach and are too large to be missed Testing Priorities With the introductions behind me I set my sights on gauging the rela tive strengths and weaknesses of each of these hybrid saws The first order of business was to make sure each saw was tuned to the same tolerances This was quick work since most saws came out of Rock solid construction peak per formance a great blade and the best fence money can buy all for under 1 000 earned Craftsman the Editor s Choice
79. n height adjustment two edge guides and the Ridgid cord package that consists ofa 12 foot rubber cord with an illuminated tool icon on the plug and a hook and loop cord wrap Look for the Ridgid R2400 laminate trimmer at Home Depot for around 5120 Visit Ridgid com or call 800 474 3443 for more information lt gt 9195 new laminate trimmer features a powerful motor precision adjustments and variable speed operation The with its 34 bits 200 fasteners and a battery that s ready on demand is a perfect addition to any catch all drawer anywhere on its non marring soft grip feet The kit includes a 34 piece bit set with a variety of Phillips standard Torx and Allen bits as well as 200 fasteners of various types and sizes Look for the iXO cordless drill driver on Amazon com or other major retailers for around 50 To learn more visit Skil com or call 800 754 5999 LO This compact sharpening system turns any drill press into a capable honing and sharpening center The ShopStrop kit includes the sanding platform six sanding discs leather honing wheel honing compound tool rest and an instructional video The kit sells for about 100 Visit Bigleg com or call 877 220 2699 to learn more WORKBENCH 7 FEBRUARY 2005 CA Tools Zs PRODUCTS cold heat SOLDERING The Cold Heat soldering iron is a cordless tool that seems to defy the laws of nature Powered by
80. ncy to tip off the rail as I slid it back and forth The good news is that General offers a Biesemeyer style fence as an option on this saw and it only raises the price about 100 I highly rec ommend this option since this will still cost less than the other saws Miter gauges were a mixed bag Jet and Craftsman each included an aluminum fence with their miter gauge Craftsman included a stock hold down and movable stop with their miter gauge fence The Jet had set screws in the miter bar for snug ging the fit in the miter slot None of the miter gauges including the ordinary versions from General International and DeWalt showed any excess play in their A Each miter gauge was checked for play in the respective miter slots M miter slot and for general quality DeWalt DW746X The DeWalt DW746 is the saw that started the hybrid craze It now has earned a well deserved reputation as a good saw with almost unlimited expandability In order to remain competitve against the newcomers to this cat egory however DeWalt will have to replace the stamped steel wings with cast iron wings and upgrade to a fully enclosed cabinet with enhanced dust collection At a Glance Price 900 HP 13 4 Volts 120 240 Amps 15 7 5 RPM 3 000 Max Cut 90 31 8 Max Cut 45 21 8 30 d 16 27 x 403 4 Stamped Steel Blade 30T Carbide Weight 254 lbs www DeWalt com 800 433 9258 Max Rip Right Max Rip Left
81. nd regard less of your experience Plus every installment of Bench Basics offers more information through online extras They dig deeper into interesting subjects or offer additional insights that will make you a better woodworker by paying attention to the basics 40 WORKBENCH FEBRUARY 2005 IN THIS ISSUE SETTING UP SHOP 42 If you really want to get into woodworking you need a workshop You might be able to make do with a cobbled up space but you ll have a tough time getting the results you want without extra effort Unfortunately not many of us have access to a full blown cabinet shop or the means to build one But that doesn t mean you can t put together a fully functional shop in a space you already have In this first installment of Bench Basics we ll help you understand workshop necessities such as storage power and lighting Then we ll guide you through the pros cons and consequences of setting up shop in your basement garage or a separate building COMING SOON WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM TOOLS amp SHOP LAYOUT Once y LUMBER SELECTION SECRETS shop of tools won t do you any good d In this article you ut the different types and grades of nt wt TABLE SAW BASICS The table ist woodwor v work racticing the proper techr CHOOSING amp USING ROUTERS uter rank e behind the tat and versatility V
82. nd sprays out air and coating material paint or finish at high pressure up to 80 psi Standard sprayers though have 4273 3 HVLP Conversion Gun Na HVLP Turbine System High Volume Low Pressure Standard Pressure You can achieve professional looking spray finishes in your shop with either paint or clear topcoats by using a high volume low pressure HVLP sprayer transfer efficiency how much coating reaches the surface as low as 20 to 45 percent That means 55 to 80 percent of the finish you spray bounces off as overspray These sprayers cost as little as 25 HVLP Sprayers High volume low pressure HVLP sprayers on the other hand deliver a high volume of air and coating at low pressure 15 to 50 psi This yields a transfer efficiency of 75 to 90 percent see Illustration below If you already have an air compressor you can get an HVLP conversion sprayer Transfer Efficiency 20 to 45 of material sticks to surface 75 to 90 of material sticks to surface 10 to 25 of material bounces off surface 55 to 80 of material bounces off surface middle left It comes with regulator that lets you reduce the pressure at the gun The gun shown is a gravity feed version with the cup on top Siphon feed models have a cup on the bottom These usually cost 50 or more Another option is to use an HVLP turbine botto
83. offers space for one you can build a shop with fewer compromises than one located in the basement or garage Building a dedicated shop takes a larger investment though because it requires dedicated systems and more construction or finish work Single Use Space A ded ted sl offers more than sp or rast you to positic dicated shor T g dom for building in sto jh heir wor WaekenehMagasne cor n t shut GO ONLINE FOR E amp Controlled Access Dedicate More ways Ops accept overhead and passa E to heat your 5 ptions Aded shop safely and efficiently 00 gt reach the buildir emake it Bright in n Climate Control Adds Cost A In floor hydronic heating systems provide great shop heat but have to be built in The others retrofit easily 46 WHAT S COOL IN HEATING Winter has long been designated woodworking season So you ll need a heating system if you don t live in a warm climate A space heater may be adequate or you may have to install a more powerful system I ve known many woodworkers who heated their shop with a wood burning stove often stoked with scrap wood and mistakes But you have to tend the fire while using the shop and are left with no heat at all when the shop isn t in use Plus you usually have to increase insurance coverage if you have a wood burning stove Thankfully gas and electric heating systems well suit
84. ous situation Workbench reader Dennis Satriano of Center Moriches New York solved this problem with the miter saw workstation shown at left It provides support for long boards plus it has two hold downs that secure the board during and after the cut The hold downs can be adjusted for different stock thicknesses by sliding them up and down a metal bar Inset Photo lefi Though it designed for use with a miter saw this ver satile workstation isn t necessarily tool specific Its equally capable of supporting and securing wide stock during cir cular saw operations as well Photo lower lg In use the miter saw rests on two long rails Attached to these rails are four stock supports The two middle sup ports are slotted to hold aluminum bars Directly above the middle supports the two hold downs are also slotted to slide up and down on these bars Wing nuts lock the hold downs in position Sizing Considerations The miter saw workstation shown here is sized to fit a Makita 10 miter saw You ll prob ably need to change some of the dimensions shown on page 30 to fit your particular saw see Sizing Considerations With that in mind there are three things to take into account First the rails need to be spaced to accommodate the saws mounting holes The distance between the out side edges of the rails determines the length of the supports and hold downs Second the width of the supports has to match the heig
85. ows and sometimes doors is the glass Glass can actually absorb stain so it s a good idea to apply strips of painters tape before you begin And be sure to remove the tape right after completing the project to avoid disturbing the finish Also carefully remove label and store locks latches and pulls to decrease the pos sibility of leaving runs and drips Conditioner Many woods absorb stain unevenly leaving blotches To prevent this first sand and remove the dust and then apply a liberal coat of pre stain wood conditioner with a foam brush Photo above Gel Stain Let the conditioner sit for 10 to 15 minutes and then before it dries apply a coat of stain I recommend a gel stain for windows It s a thick heavy After putting on wood conditioner to prevent blotches apply gel stain with foam brush to min imize runs and drips smoothly on runs or drips 20 Fastdrying polyurethane is durable and brushes Use a worklight to detect Matt Stoddard Ankeny 1 bodied stain that is less likely to run or drip than liquid stain The use of pre stain wood conditioner will lighten the stain color so test the conditioner stain combination on a scrap piece to make sure it s what you want before applying it co the windows Apply the gel stain with a foam brush working from the top down Fig 1 Let the stain absorb for one to ten minutes depending on the darkness you desire Then wipe the surface
86. r transfer than the con tractor design offers Attaching the motor to a more solid structure fur ther diminishes noise and vibration Trunnions Most of these hybrid saws use the same trunnions the assemblies that hold the blade arbor in position under the tabletop and also provide the tilting action of the blade as their contractor brethren The trun nions are bolted to the tabletop and are smaller than the trunnions used on cabinet saws Craftsman however nudged its saw one step closer to cabinet saw quality with a set of massive trun nions that bolt to the cabinet rather than the tabletop Illustration left This configuration offers a couple of advantages including better vibration dampening and easier adjustment As a result we d expect this saw to maintain an rate setup more reliably than those with contractor type trunnions Blade Tilt The most significant cabinet saw characteristic that these saws borrow is a left tilting blade Many wood workers feel that left tilting blades are more user friendly than right tilt blades In the past left tilt blades were available only on cabinet saws A feeler gauge and a straightedge established the flatness of the table and extension wings AThe Craftsman was the only saw in our test group that offered a quick release blade guard and splitter 76 Saw Setup With tools just as with people first impressions count And my first i
87. s L from 3 4 plywood then glue them together The space between the sup ports provides a channel for the wiring Hardwood edging N wraps around three sides of the top Make the edging pieces extra long then cut a decorative kerf in the bottom edge of each one Now miter and trim the edging and glue it to the top To form the grid openings drill starter holes and remove the waste with a jig saw Tape prevents chipout WWW WORKEENCHMAGAZINE COM 14 rabbet deep forms tongue amp Pa ply x 16 x 46 0A ply x 16 2 3414 3 dado Bottom Support deep A ply x 3 4674 BACK PANEL NOTE Assemble em asa unit D re mounting Toekick Rail saw kerts lo case pin au x A6 deep As ys FACE FRAME NOTE See top view for location of stiles x 46 4 A To form 1 8 rabbets on the grids clamp an auxiliary face to the table Rabbet Detail saw fence and butt the blade Auxiliary Fence against it Set the blade height as shown then pass all four edges of each grid over the blade NOTE Grids for Grid Divider i lumn grids sh M RA RS gt iim 66 display cabinet shown GRIDS create a unique decorative element on this project we added wood grids to the display cabinet back and the column Grid Assembly Though
88. s This means a drill bit for CURVED HOLES Bottom The new 3D drill bit from Trend Scoring SPU starting _ Cutting resembles a standard Forstner gt bit But it cuts in ways that a Forstner bit can t How It Cuts The bit has sharp cutting edges on the sides as well as the bottom of the bit left So once the bit enters a hole pivoting the drill causes these 98h side cutting edges to curve into the Cutting wood creating a curved or widened Edge channel The result is a drill bit with some great DIY applications DIY Uses One of the tasks a 3D bit excels at is cutting a curved channel that enters the face of a 24 the edge an application that comes in handy for running cable stereo wire or electrical conduit Photo right The bit can also create an open channel along the face ofa workpiece for putting wire below the surface of the wood To do this you simply drill until the cutterhead is about halfway into the board Then pivot the drill board and exits through sideways and cut along the surface It standard drill bit too Trend 3D bits are available indi vidually in diameters from 4 to 11 4 or in four and eight bit kits For more information call 859 485 2080 or visit Trend USA com works great as that one bit can cut both sides of a panel in one pass The cut creates a tongue that fits into grooves in the door rails and stiles This is a marked
89. se the miter gauge to push it through the blade Now flip it over and make the second pass to com plete the tenon Holes for Connector Bolts Before gluing up the frames there s one more thing to do That s to drill two holes in each stile for a pair of connector bolts that will be used to END FRAME ASSEMBLY Rout 2 wide after assembly Horizontal Grid Divider x Ve x 117 Q4 3 rabbe 14 deep NOTE See page 54 for information on cutting half lap joints connect the end frames to the seat and shelf assemblies Rout the Rabbets Next to accept the grid you ll need to rout a rabbet around the back inside edge of each frame A handheld router with a 1 2 rabbet bit makes quick work of this job see Photo at right and Rabbet Detail The bit removes the back lip of the groove that was cut earlier After routing the rabbet square the corners with a chisel Half Lapped Grids At this point it s time to focus on the dec orative wood grids Each grid is made up of five horizontal dividers and four vertical dividers 1 made from thick hardwood The dividers are assembled with joints a process that s detailed on page 54 After cutting the half laps glue up accept the grid rout a the grid Use a sanding block to rabbet in the back inside break the adjoining edges of the edge of the frame Note grid and the frame Then glue the how the bit
90. seamseal All Purpose Adhesive Caulk It seals It bonds It s paintable It works indoors and out What will you use it on THE BIGGEST NAME IN CAULK Product Information Number 225 Tips amp TECHNIQUES zero clearance jig ensures SAFE SMOOTH CUTS Recently I was building a project that required cutting i wide grooves centered on the edge of some 3 4 thick frame pieces I mounted a 4 dado blade in the table saw and installed a dado blade insert The only problem was the opening around the blade seemed huge So big in fact I was concerned that the workpiece might actually tip down into the opening That led me to build an L shaped that attaches to the rip fence on the table saw see Photo above It creates a zero clearance opening that provides support for the workpiece right up next to the dado blade As a result there s no way for the piece to drop into the opening And since the wood fibers This shop made sled lets you safely plane short pieces of wood Strips of double sided tape and cleat hold the pieces in place are fully supported tearout is vir tually eliminated which improves the quality of cut This accessory consists of two pieces a base made of 1 4 hardboard and a plywood fence that are screwed together Cross Section A couple of screws secure the jig to the rip fence To form the zero clearance opening
91. sert as well as inserts for a jig saw and belt sander The drill press insere power drill router belt sander and jig saw are sold separately Visit Skil com or call 877 754 5999 for more information By changing inserts the wings of this Skil table saw can quickly be turned into a drill press scroll saw sanding station or router table When not in use the inserts and tools store in the cabinet WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM End grain is no problem for the spiral blades of Ridgid s portable power planer The blades are self indexing so they re easy to replace A wrench for blade changing is included with the planer UT 4 The Milescraft Orbiter goes well beyond rightangle drilling with independently rotating spheres that offer WILESCR 60 RIDGID Ridgid s new cordless handheld power planer model R848 is engineered to handle the tough planing jobs that professionals face every day and DIY ers face all too often This 31 4 18 volt planer features spiral cutting blades that run at 11 000 RPM or 22 000 cuts per minute to produce smooth cuts with less chipout than almost infinite angle settings more efficiently Spiral Blades E e gt 7 j MILESCRAFT The Milescraft Orbiter is unlike any other right angle drilling attachment out there That s because it s not lim ited to only right angle drilling You see while all other right angle T drill
92. system at HotCoat 12 Powder Coating in the Shop I checked with the folks at A Eastwood Company a supplier of tools for auto mobile restorers They do offer a DIY The HotCoat system costs about 130 and comes with everything you need including a sprayer a power supply to charge the powder and the workpiece and three colors of powder There are about 75 colors available After spraying bake the workpiece in an electric oven use an old range toaster oven you no longer cook with to cure the powder Learn more com Questions amp ANSWERS keep rain out UNDER A DECK I m building a patio under my second story deck Is there way to create a roof under the deck so 1 can use the patio when it rains Doug Halverson Denver CO Homemade Solution You can create your own deck drainage system using corrugated roofing material Illustration It s available in a variety of sizes and materials including metal fiberglass and PVC In my area I found 48 79 sheets of PVC roofing for about 13 each They were available in several colors To install corrugated panels start by cutting spacer blocks from 2x stock Place a spacer about every two feet along each joist if the roofing panel runs parallel to the joists or on every joist if the panel runs perpendicular to them Each spacer should be slightly taller than the last to establish a pitch of about 1 for every 4 feet After cutting the sp
93. t Des and 2 addtional USPS Peny Jud Heartland Division automate poly Portier end aires changes to Hello PO 37272 Boote IA 8107 0072 Canadian Sebseriptions Pos Agreement Na 40034201 Send change of adire infomation to PO amp 81 Sono Main Markham ON LSP Printed In U S A WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 EDITOR S NOTES always look forward to the new year One reason is this annual special issue that we devote largely to the tools of our trade In addition to our reg ular in depth tool test a review of new hybrid table saws in this issue it s the time when we make our much anticipated announcement of Workbench s Top 10 Innovative Tool Awards Top 10 Tools In preparation for these awards the Workbench editors have been busy trying out hundreds of new tools Most of these tools performed their jobs very capably A select few have actually raised the bar for their particular tool category by providing either a safer a more accurate or a more efficient way to work wood These are the tools we selected as this year s 10 most innovative For a complete run down of these breakthrough tools turn to page 56 Bench Basics Now there s no doubt that having the right tools is a huge help when building a project But as every wood worker knows it s the skills in using those tools that really make or break a project Thats where Bench Basics comes in This n
94. t differs measure from floor to ceiling then subtract 4 feet to determine correct column length build the column cut the front and back GG and sides HH from J thick hardwood Then lay out and cut the grid openings The column 58 assembled with rabbet joints on the front and back These receive the side panels and Column Side QA 54 x 48 CU rabbet Y 3 deep 3 198 create a strong glue joint Cut the rabbets in the column front and back Column Joint Detail and then glue up the column Photo left Add the Trim Now you can cut the trim pieces II JJ KK LL Rather than cut them to individual length its best to machine long strips of each type Then miter them to fit when installing the column One thing to be aware of is that the beveled trim at the top and bottom is identical It s just oriented differently Details Head For the Finish At this point I sanded all the parts of the divider and stained them I used Bartley Pennsylvania Cherry Then 1 applied a coat of boiled linseed and three coats of polyurethane COLUMN Column Front Back PA x 6 x 4872 WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 make a sturdy 2 Tm PEDESTAL 5 2 The stone clad pedestal is one of the most interesting j features of this project And after all of the careful cut T MU 5 1 cementboard ting and precise fitting you ve done you ll be pleased that 4 guns
95. t to pinch your fin gers against the wing from the leg to avoid the possibility of the leg suddenly releasing as you raise the wing he fastest to join p Before joining your project with the simplicity and strength of Pocket Hole Joinery you must cut your workpieces accurately introducing KREG Precision Measuring Systems Woodworking machine accessories that help you to cross cut your workpieces with More speed and repeatable precision than ever before Perfect for the miter saw tablesaw drill press and more Visit wwwkregtool com today for more details Precision Miter Gauge System 1 Cut square Product Information Number 220 www kregtoolcom gt nu SFROM 34 or most carpentry jobs you don t need a perfectly honed chisel When it comes to say cutting a hinge mortise in a door see Photo above you just need a sharp chisel And you need it fast So how sharp is sharp And how fast is fast We recently posed these questions to three Workbench project designers with over 80 years of combined carpentry experience Though their methods of getting a sharp edge differ their answers were the same The chisel or plane iron has to be sharp enough to slice cleanly through the grain without chip ping the surface And no more than 60 seconds should be spent getting that sharp edge Of course it goes without saying that one of
96. t to the shop E Low Airflow Because most basements have small windows you should add an exhaust fan for effec tive ventilation This is of primary importance in a basement as du and fumes ca ade of the A Sound travels through walls as vibrations that can turn surfaces into giant loudspeakers Layers and mass stop these vibrations from escaping Comfortable Environment Most basements already have climate control the home s existing system To prevent dust and fumes produced in the shop from getting into the rest of the house add fil ters to air return vents the shop Keeping Warm AND Safe Dust and fumes that get into the house are annoying but if they reach a furnace burner they can be deadly Don t build a shop in the furnace room unless the furnace is separated combustion model that draws combustion air from outdoors You may be able tc iclose a standard furnace LOCK IN NOISE A dust collector can keep chips and dust under control but there still no device that will suck up shop noise Table saws thickness planers and shop vacuums often put out 80 or more decibels dB of sound This is a big problem in base ment shop because those noises invade living areas Stopping them requires special measures To keep sound from escaping install sound deadening insulation in joist and stud bays Then pad the studs or floor joists or hang the dry wall on metal
97. terials for use in pressure treated lumber Of course it may be as simple as finding a box of nails or screws that proudly proclaims itself Recommended for use in ACQ and all other pressure treated lumber If you can find any or all of those phrases on box of screws or nails then you ve found the right hardware and can build with confidence Stainless Steel Stainless steel screws are easy to find but they are incredibly expen sive Stainless steel nails are just as expensive but the choices are more limited Fortunately most industry information says that stainless steel hardware is only necessary under the most severe circumstances There is no ASTM standard for stainless steel but Type 304 or 316 stainless steel fas teners are recommended industry wide Type 316 is for the most corrosive environments such as marine applications In most other cases Type 304 will suffice Once again you ll have to check labels closely to find the type of stainless steel or a phrase that specifically says the hardware is intended for use in ACQ and other pressure treated material Other Screw Choices Hot dip galva nized screws are pretty rare And even if you find them you may not want to use them The thick zinc coating that results from this process commonly clogs the threads and the recesses in the heads of the screws so several screws in every box will be unusable A Nails and screws intended for use in ne
98. the display cabinet only has three openings it has six grids grids three outside and three inside The three inside are visible through the cabinet s glass doors The column gets four rectangular grids one on each outside face When illuminated from behind the grids glow with warm tone That s thanks to sheets of mica a mineral based product that may be best known to woodworkers for its use in Arts and Crafts lamps See the Sidebar below to learn more about this unique material The grids in our project are made of mahogany which contrasts nicely with the cherry when stained Mahogany also has tight grain that looks great on small pieces and isn t likely to tear out as it s machined Each display cabinet grid consists of eight dividers O joined by half laps You may think making 48 pieces with perfect joints would be tough but it s not See the Skill Builder on page 54 to learn an easy technique The column grids are rectangular instead of square as you can see in the Column Assembly on page 70 So you ll have to make three vertical dividers P and five horizontal dividers for each grid Though these pieces differ in length from the cabinet grids the spacing and construction methods remain exactly the same After you glue up and trim the grids rabbet each to fit the opening Photo above left Then stain them a walnut tone looks great and set them aside for now Beauty by the Slice People fa
99. the fence and rip A Use the fence as guide A One pass with the blade the stop free Repeat the steps to make and expose only a portion raised 1 4 forms the rabbet more stops from the same board of the bit for a clean chamfer Another pass cuts the stop WWW WORKBENCHMAGAZINE COM 67 122 2 AThe bulkhead has a removable panel that allows you to reach in and change the bulb in the column To avoid heat build up we used a compact fluorescent bulb Dado Detail BULKHEAD CASE ASSEMBLY Inner Bottom Panel ply x 31546 x 1514 h 04 ply x 1514 x 62 2 PA ply x 30 1514 over the top BULKHEAD Mounted to the ceiling the bulkhead features lighting to illuminate items sitting on the display cabinet This part of the project consists of a plywood top and bottom with thick hardwood edging Bulkhead Case Assembly Dividers separate the top and bottom except at the end of the column There an open frame and a removable panel allow access to the column light Photo left and Panel Assembly page 69 Plywood panels with decorative kerfs enclose the bulkhead The idea is to assemble most of the bulkhead in the shop That will allow you to lift it into place with help then reach inside and attach the bulkhead to the ceiling Then you simply glue the side panels in place Cut the Plywood Get underway with the bulk he
100. the pedestal is simple It s just a plywood box clad in cementboard Pedestal Assembly This material bonds E well to the mortar that s used to attach the stone To build the pedestal cut the front back MM and P fo d NOTE sides NN from 3 4 plywood These parts are hidden 1 emenboard E Cladding so you can make them from scrap plywood Py Assemble the pedestal by butting the sides between B comenthoard the front and back and then screwing them together Complete the pedestal by adding the front cladding 1 and side cladding Cementboard be 5 scored and snapped like drywall That means your cuts might not be exact but it doesn t matter This cladding will get buried under the stone Simply screw the Side Cladding cladding to the pedestal Front Cladding E 8 x 1 A cementboard The Big Payoff With the pedestal done you ve IM comentboard Fh woodscrew 14 x 34 tackled the hard parts of this project Now you can 19 3447 install the divider in your home as shown on page 72 PEDESTAL ASSEMBLY MATERIALS amp HARDWARE Part Qy T L Material Part Display Cabinet X Dividers 10 Case Top Botom 2 16 469 Cherry Plywood Y Sides Case Ends
101. thickness and accurate blade setup Stock Thickness Unless all the pieces that will be joined together are exactly the same thickness it s diffi cult to create flush fitting lap joints So the first step is to plane of your blanks to identical thickness Its also a good idea to make a few blanks for test cuts Blade Setup The quickest way to cut half laps is with a dado blade mounted in the table saw Just set up the dado blade to match the width of the pieces to be joined together For half lap joints on pieces wider than a full width dado blade you will have to make multiple passes useful aid for cutting half laps is a long auxiliary fence attached to the miter gauge 1 recommend cutting a deep notch in it as shown Fig 1 The notch will be used to accurately align the workpiece along the fence Fig 5 Once the notch is cut you can set the blade height Remember you have to remove half the thickness of each workpiece To do that raise the blade to just under half the thickness of the stock Then make two passes in a test blank flipping the piece over between passes Fig 2 This leaves a thin sliver of wood that will be removed once the final blade height is established That s accom plished by raising the blade just a hair and repeating the pass and flip process until the sliver disappears Fig 3 Be aware that any change in blade height is doubled so adjustments must be small Then to check the fin
102. through most of the range of adjustment But it also indicates the specific angles for cutting crown molding flat 31 6 miter 33 9 bevel Such precise setups are much easier thanks to a microadjustment knob on the bevel lock Photo below The saw also features a laser cut line for quick align ment The CI2LCH sells for around 399 Visit HitachiPowerTools com or call 800 829 4752 for more information or to locate a retailer in your area The Dragster s low profile offers more sanding surface better access corners and the ability to reach into tight spots TOUR DN 1 An ICD display takes the guesswork out of compound miter cuts like setting up to cut crown molding as shown here A laser cutine indicator left and a microadjustable bevel lock below fur ther ensure accurate repeatable setups DeWalt s new 16 gauge cordless finish nailers are the first such tools that can realistically keep pace with the user DEWALT After four years of research and devel opment DeWalt has managed to deliver what no other manufacturer has in the past a cordless finish nailer that works as fast as the user The four to five nails per second cycle rate of these nailers eclipses the cycle rates of competitive products and is more than fast enough for even the most demanding trim installations These are also the only cordless nailers that offer sequent
103. to a wood frame Construction View The frame consists of several pieces Hanger Detail Hanger Detail of 3 4 thick stock that are simply cut to length then Ox TH T screwed to the top Woodscrew Fh Machine Screw y x 4 x Legs The outfeed support is held up by two legs Toj which are connected by a pair of thick rails The rails are Ld 14 x Hex Bolt d rabbeted to fit over the legs and fastened with screws Lapi A T nut and bolt installed in the bottom of each leg lets ge xm YI Lr you adjust the height of the support for uneven floors Woodscrew Spacer Metal Stroy The legs are connected to the top with strap hinges Ma x 4 2 he x 34 x And a pair of loci i a pair of locking support hinges prevent the legs NOTE Spacer thickness may vary depending on saw Bical Hangers To attach the outfeed support to the table saw you ll need to add the two hangers Each hanger consists of two metal straps with a wood spacer block sandwiched in between them Hanger Detail The tip c R c eheu ie upper strap is bent to fit over the back rail of the rip Ryob table saw fence I bent the strap in a machinists vise The lower ooo which is straight is cut to length and screwed to Mail Tips to the top frame Tips amp As for the spacer block size it so the outfeed support 2200 Grand
104. ustable hold downs and middle supports are made by gluing Rail up two pieces of 34 stock QA x 2 x 481 30 Middle 4 dia holes pass through Support support amp aluminum bar WORKBENCH FEBRUARY 2005 Reader s Workshop FOLLOW UP le 17 Coinn SAFETY UPGRADE centered on width A ply x 8 x 40 TS MITER SAW 8 x TA Fh STAND Woodscrew Utility Mount guard gei air In the Readers Workshop depart prevent that we recommend opened log ment of the December 2004 issue making the following additions to page 42 we featured shop made the miter saw stand miter saw stand that sits ona mobile 1 U shaped guard made tool chest This station has a folding from 3 4 plywood to the wing out n extension wing with an adjustable side of the opened leg as shown in e leg that is hinged to the wing A Illustration at left This protects Guard Face magnetic catch keeps the leg tight your fingers from getting pinched F x pj against the wing in the closed posi 2 Cut a handhold near the end x 6n Woodscrew But when you open unfold of the extension wing g there s a potential for th 3 Remove the magnetic catch the wing heres a potential for the o ignetic catch A ply x 3 x 4 leg to release from the magnetic catch causing i
105. utting operations that were intended to gauge the accuracy of the fences miter gauges guards and splitters The fence question was really no contest as there just isn t any better The Jet SuperSaw is a stout table saw only the Craftsman weighs with some real strong points like superior dust collection and excellent fit and finish Unfortunately the saw proved a bit underpowered during our testing and have to admit to being skeptical about the durability of the belt driven blade lift Inset Photo In short this saw isn t my first choice in this category At Glance Price 1 000 HP 13 4 Volts 115 230 Amps 12 6 RPM 4 000 Max Cut 90 31 8 Cut 45 2 323 4 8 im 27 x 413 4 WORKBENCH O FEBRUARY 2005 fence to be had than Biesemeyer so Crafisman gets the nod on this count Nonetheless the Jet and DeWalt fences are pretty good While not quite as smooth or rock solid as the Biesemeyer they slid reasonably well locked down parallel and only deflected under significant pressure The General International s fence on the other hand left a little to be desired My chief complaint is that the front fence rail came in two pieces that were joined by a coupler Not surprisingly the scale was only accurate on one side of the joint As soon as the indicator crossed the joint it was off by about 3 16 This fence also had a tende
106. w pressure reated lumber will be labeled ASTM A153 or specifically mention new chemicals 200 HOURS 400 HOURS 600 HOURS Fortunately there are alternatives beyond costly stainless steel For example McFeely s offers its No Co Rode screws which are mechanically galvanized but still meet ASTM A153 for zinc coatings McFeely s sells these screws for use in all pressure treated wood but it does not warrant against corrosion Another popular alternative is polymer coated screws These are available from several manufacturers and tend to be priced between galvanized and stainless steel fasteners At present there is no ASTM standard for polymer coatings but several independent tests have confirmed the corrosion resistant These photos clearly show the importance of using the right fasteners in treated lumber To the left are ThickCoat nails from Stanley Bostitch Notice how they have corroded far less than the nails on the right which have a more typical zinc coating performance of these screws Your best bet is to look for screws that offer a warranty and specifically state that they can be used in pres sure treated lumber WORKBENCH FEBRUARY 2005 MATERIALS Lag Screws are rarely marked with type or ASTM standards Fortunately most galvanized or stainless steel lag screws will hold up well in pressure treated lumber according to a representative from the American Society for Testing and

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