American Woodworker

Shopmade Clamp & Assembly Worktable

bricofleur — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:19:00 GMT

I came up with this very unique and satisfying version of a clamp worktable, made right here in my shop, using material from my sheet goods scrap pile. I designed it so I could use my collection of ordinary and fast action vise clamps meant to be used at the drill press.

As shown, a 30" X 36" base is made out of 3/4" plywood, which is notched every 2-1/2" around the perimeter, 2" deep, to accept the vise clamps’ shank without removing (threading off) the O-nuts. This base is usefull to hold workpieces for sawing, carving, routing, sanding, etc. The clamping action is quick and positionning the vise clamps is nearly unlimited.

I also made a 30" X 24" sub-base out of 5/8" thick Melamine (so glue won't stick to it), on which I've added a 1-1/8" edge strip on 2 sides to register workpieces when required, like when drilling pocket holes, building drawers and carcasses square. Since those strips are screwed on the edge of the sub-base, they protrude 1/2" over the top surface giving me the registration edges I wanted. Here again the multi-positions feature I can get from the vise clamps is just incredible. To be removable, this sub-base is held to the base with four 1-1/4"-long 1/4-20 f.h. bolts and four 1/4-20 T-nuts installed from under the base.

To prevent the jig from slipping or creeping, I throw a router pad on the workbench, shop cart, Workmate, router table or sawhorses and I'm ready to go. When needed, I also clamp the base. I'm thinking about adding a removable block (with T-nuts & bolts) under the base so it could get clamped in the Workmate or the workbench vise to prevent it from creeping when side pressure is applied.

This is my best shopmade jig ever. Attached are some uses for this great jig.

For more details and photos, find it here on my website.

If you don’t want to build your own, you can buy one similar made by Kreg

Best,

Serge

http://www.atelierdubricoleur.spaces.live.com

Tool News - General International Maxi-Lathe

American Woodworker Editors — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:31:00 GMT

General International just announced the new model 25-114M1 14” x 17” variable speed Maxi-Lathe VF. With a simple belt and pulley system that allows for 3 variable speed ranges: 250-800, 550-1700 and 1200-3600 RPM with electronic dial-in variable control, a large 14” swing over bed, 10 ¾” swing over tool rest, and a full 17” turning distance between centers, the new Maxi-Lathe VF from General International is designed for small to medium sized hobby and light to medium production turning projects. It features a sturdy solid cast-iron bed and headstock and an open style cast-iron tail stock. The unit is also equipped with a heavy-duty 1” diameter tool rest post for ultra sturdy flex-free performance. Both the tool rest and tailstock are equipped with polished steel quick lock levers for smooth, easy re-positioning and positive locking action.

More information is available here.

Web Extras from American Woodworker

American Woodworker Editors — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Web Extras - American Woodworker #147 April/May 2010

Web Extras - American Woodworker #148 June/July 2010 (coming June 1)

Web Extras - American Woodworker #149 August/September 2010 (coming August 1)

Web Extras - American Woodworker #150 October/November 2010 (coming October 1)

Texas Wood Jam Revolution

Texas Wood Jam — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:28:00 GMT

This is the start of a Texas Revolution. You know the last time I checked, Texas was still part of United States, at least for now. Now before everyone thinks I am fixing to go off on some political tirade, don't worry, I'm not. I mainly just wanted to start this off Texas style with a bang.

I think about a joke that I came up with or someone told me, I can't remember which. You know up North, you guys make the most incredible "traditional" style furniture. There are quite a few styles that come to mind like Shaker, Jeffersonian, Federal, etc. And then out West, you guys started the Mission style, plus you have some of the best free form artist like Maloof, Krenov, etc. Well, then you think of Texas you guys think all we make are porch swing and rough cut outdoor junk. Well, we don't make porch swings any more here in Texas. So, I am going to make an attempt to show you that not only is woodworking alive and well in Texas, but some of the coolest stuff in the country is going on down here.

Jeremy Grubb (Houston woodworker) and Randy Johnson
(Editor -American Woodworker magazine),
with Jeremy's Bandsaw from Hell.
Photo by Ted the Tool Vulture.

And guess what, no one is even noticing. But there's actually a lot happening here in Texas. Check out these Texas woodworking rockstars: Jeremy Grubb Omar Angel Perez and his Stilett "O"'s, and Frank Strazza. And there are many, many more. I am going to present this world to you not just to gloat that everything in Texas is BIGGER and BETTER, but also so hopefully we can inspire others, and in return, you can inspire us. So pack your bags, put your reading glasses on, and stay tuned for more from me at the Texas Wood Jam.

Matt Adams

Tool News - Ridgid 12v JobMax

American Woodworker Editors — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:05:00 GMT

Ridgid recently announced their new 12-volt JobMax tools. This tool offers a powerful, durable, professional base that runs off of Ridgid's 12V Lithium-Ion battery and is compatible with multiple heads in the JobMax system. The interchangeable heads on the R82234 model are the 3/8” drill, right angle impact, and a ratchet. The R92234 features a multi-tool head, an autohammering head, and a bonus 2-speed drill.

More information on the JobMax line can be found here and here.

R82234

R92234

New & Veteran Members: BEST IDEAS/FEATURES -- Small Shops & Year Round Use

John C Freeman — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:45:00 GMT

I'm a new member to the website. My wife's step-grandfather has gotten me hooked on woodworking; gifted me a subscription 2 years ago & I recently purchased my own 2 year subscription now that the gift subscription ran out.

Like most beginners, I too have a small shop that is really cramped & I struggle w/ many challenges:

temperatures
storage
saw dust & air cleanliness
power supply & lighting

I hope that we all are able to share any info, challenges/oppurtunities, & questions you might have to share with the AW-community of newbies in similar situations. Post your tips, tricks, & even photos to help us strengthen the ability of a critical part of any woodworkers' arsenal; THE WORKSHOP itself.

Troubleshoot Your Plane

American Woodworker Editors — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:39:00 GMT

Practical Solutions to 6 Common Problems

by Tom Caspar

When a plane is working right, it can produce a silky-smooth surface that absolutely glistens. When it doesn’t work, you get an ugly surface covered with blemishes. The problem can be your sharpening, your technique, or the plane itself. Quite often, it’s the plane.

A handplane can be a mysterious tool. These troubleshooting tips should go a long way to clearing up how a plane works and how to tune it up. Most Stanley, Record and similar types of planes certainly require a tune-up. You’ll probably encounter every problem addressed here. Premium planes, such as a Lie-Nielsen, Veritas or Clifton, usually don’t need much tuning at all.

Plane Talk

Before launching into troubleshooting, let’s identify a plane’s basic parts. I cut open one of my No. 3 Stanley planes to give you a better look at how the parts fit together. We’ll start at the bottom and work our way up.

• The sole is the full length of the plane’s bottom.

• The frog holds the blade assembly at a 45-degree angle to the sole.

• The frog adjusting screw moves the frog forwards or backwards.

• Moving the frog effectively opens or closes the plane’s mouth, the gap in front of the blade.

• The uppermost part of the blade assembly is the lever cap.

• The middle part of the blade assembly is the chip breaker. It’s screwed to the blade.

• Pushing down on the lever clamps the blade assembly to the frog.

• This clamping pressure is regulated by the lever cap adjusting screw.

• Turning the depth-of-cut adjusting nut rocks the “Y” adjusting lever, which slides the blade and chip breaker up or down the frog.

• Pushing the lateral adjusting lever side-to-side levels the blade with the sole.

Problem 1:

Your plane cuts at the beginning or end of a board, but not in the middle.

Cause

The plane's sole may not be flat.

Solution

Rule out some simpler causes first. Test the board’s flatness with a long straightedge. If it’s hollow in the middle, the problem is with the board, not your plane. Similarly, test the flatness of your bench. If it’s hollow, the board will bend as you plane. Time to flatten the bench. But if your board and bench are just fine, and this mysterious behavior persists, chances are the sole of your plane isn’t flat.

A plane’s sole must be extremely flat for the blade to remove continuous, thin shavings the full length of the board, your ultimate goal. Test your sole by placing the plane on a very flat surface, such as a tablesaw’s cast iron wing. Try to slide a thin strip of paper underneath it at various places. If it slips under at any point, the sole isn’t flat enough. It needs lapping (a machinist’s term for flattening).

The easiest way to lap is using self-adhesive sandpaper on a rigid, flat surface, such as a tablesaw’s cast iron wing, a jointer bed, or a long piece of 1/4-in. plate glass. (You can also use regular sandpaper and a low-tack spray adhesive.) You may have to remove a lot of metal, so it helps to have a variety of grits available, from 80 to 220. The surface and paper should be at least twice as long as the plane’s sole.

Retract the blade and start lapping with 120 or 150-grit paper (photo, above). If the sole is convex, grip the plane as shown to avoid rocking it. Inspect the bottom after a few strokes (photo, left). The newly sanded areas should be easy to see. If there are lots of low spots, switch to coarser paper.

Whichever grit you start with, keep sanding until the entire bottom is scratched with sanding marks. The area right in front of the mouth is very important; it must be flat to prevent tearout. Don’t worry about the sole’s extreme ends, though, or old scratches from previous use. Once the sole is flat, work up to 220 grit or more to polish it.

Mark your sole with a felt-tip pen to help reveal the low spots. Planes with corrugated (grooved) soles have less metal to remove than planes with smooth-bottomed soles, so they’re easier to flatten.

Flatten your plane’s sole using sandpaper. A flat sole enables a plane to make long, thin shavings.

Problem 2:

You retract the blade to take a lighter cut. The plane works fine for a while, then suddenly stops cutting.

Cause

There’s backlash (play) in the plane’s adjustment mechanism.

Solution

Always set a blade’s final depth of cut by adjusting the blade downwards, deeper into the wood. If your blade cuts too deep, back it out until it cuts a very thin shaving or not at all. Then advance the blade bit by bit until the shaving is the thickness you want. If you overshoot, start over again.

To understand the “why” behind this procedure, let’s back up to the original problem. You’ve retracted the blade, and eventually it stops cutting. What’s happened is that the blade has slowly crept back up the frog. If you remove your plane’s lever cap, you can see how this works.

Turn the adjusting nut clockwise to advance the blade, then counterclockwise two turns to retract it. Hold the blade with your fingers and push it up the frog (photo, left). It will move by at least 1/32 in. That’s why the blade stopped cutting.

Now turn the adjusting nut clockwise again, two full turns, to advance the blade. Try moving the blade up the frog with your fingers again. It shouldn’t budge.

Backlash is the problem. (“Backlash” is the play between mechanical parts.) In a plane, there’s often significant play in two places. First, there’s play between the adjusting nut and the “Y” adjusting lever’s fork. Second, there’s play between the top of the “Y” lever and the slot in the chip breaker. Some planes have more play than others, but there must be some play in any plane or the parts won’t move. It’s usually impractical to alter the plane to remove backlash, so the best strategy is to learn to live with it.

Problem 3:

Your plane suddenly stops cutting. When you take it apart, you find shavings wedged between the blade and chip breaker.

Cause

There’s a gap between the blade and chip breaker.

Solution

First, lap the chip breaker’s bevel, located under the breaker’s leading edge (photo, below). The angle of this bevel is important. It must be steep enough so that the bevel’s point, not its heel, touches the blade. With most chip breakers, if you keep the screw hole aligned with the sandpaper’s edge, the bevel’s angle will be just fine. Keep lapping until you feel a wire edge develop along the chip breaker’s entire width, just as in sharpening a blade.

The second step is to round the top of the chip breaker. You can use a file if the chip breaker is quite blunt, but sandpaper usually works well enough. Use a rolling motion to create a rounded edge, ending up at about 45 degrees (middle photo). Keep sanding until the wire edge you formed earlier is gone, then alternately sand both the bevel and the top until the chip breaker is sharp.

When you’re done, hold the chip breaker firmly against the blade, as if it the two were clamped together by the lever cap. Sight from behind the chip breaker. There should be a slight gap at the heel, but no light showing between the chip breaker and blade.

To eliminate gaps between the chip breaker and blade, begin by lapping the bevel underneath the chip breaker’s leading edge. Keep the chip breaker’s screw hole aligned with the sandpaper’s edge to form the bevel at the correct angle.

Round the top of the chip breaker to create a sharp edge. Lift the cap iron up as you drag it across the sandpaper.

Squeeze the blade and chip breaker together to inspect for gaps. No light should be visible between them. In addition, the chip breaker’s heel shouldn’t be touching the blade.

Problem 4:

Your blade chatters. It feels like its bouncing up and down as it cuts.

Cause

Your blade may not be clamped down tight enough, or your frog may not be flat.

Solution

Try simple fixes first. Your blade may be dull, or set too deep, or your chip breaker may have slipped over the blade’s edge, so it’s trying to do the cutting. If you rule out these causes, try the following:

First, increase the clamping pressure on the blade. This is controlled by the lever cap adjusting screw (photo, below). This screw isn’t something you fiddle with every time you plane, though. Adjusting it is a matter of finding the sweet spot that puts lots of pressure on the blade, but not too much. If you overtighten the screw, applying too much pressure, you won’t be able to turn the large brass wheel that controls the depth-of-cut.

To find the sweet spot, loosen the lever cap and tighten the screw 1/8 turn. Re-tighten the lever cap. Turn the brass adjusting nut to move the blade up and down the frog. If it moves very freely, loosen the lever cap again and tighten the lever cap screw another 1/8 turn. Re-fasten the lever cap. Repeat this procedure until the adjusting nut is somewhat hard to turn with two fingers, but not too hard. Once you’ve found the best setting for the screw, leave it there. You should rarely have to re-adjust it.

A second cause of blade chatter may be a frog that’s not flat (photo, below). To check your frog, unscrew it from the plane’s body and remove the lever cap screw. Lap the frog on sandpaper. You won’t be able to lap the entire surface because the Y lever sticks out the top, but that’s OK. Flattening the first two to three inches’ worth is good enough.

Your blade will chatter if the lever cap doesn’t provide enough pressure to clamp the blade tight to the frog. Adjust the lever cap screw to provide more pressure, if needed.

Your blade will also chatter if your frog’s top surface isn’t flat. Flatten the frog with sandpaper adhered to a flat surface.

Problem 5:

Your smoothing plane leaves tracks on a board’s surface.

Cause

The blade isn’t level, or its corners are too square.

Solution

First, make sure the tracks you see aren’t ridges caused by a nick in the blade. If the tracks look like shallow steps (drawing, below), one side of the blade is cutting deeper than the other. Raking light or chalk used flat-side down clearly reveals these tracks.

You’ll have more success avoiding track marks and leveling your blade if you round it (photo, below). This prevents the corners from digging in. Rounding a smoothing blade’s profile one way or another is an old tradition. Here’s how I go about it. First, I round over the blade’s corners on the grinder. I do the rest of the rounding work when I hone, by rocking the honing jig to one side or the other on the pull stroke (photo, above right). This creates a cambered edge and a transition to the rounded corner.

If you’re new to planes, I recommend you camber the blade’s full width. The amount of curvature to aim for is very small. To check it, I hold the blade upright and lay the fat side of a small square on the blade’s edge. The blade’s center should be higher than the edges by about the thickness of one or two pieces of paper.

If you’re more experienced with a smoothing plane, it’s better to leave the majority of the edge straight across, and only camber the outer edges; that is, round 1/8 to 1/4 in. of each side. This will create a flatter surface than the previous method, but the blade will be more difficult to level.

To level your blade, make a narrow shaving using the outer 1/2 in. of the blade’s left side. Make another shaving using the right side (photo, below. Compare the thickness of the two shavings. Adjust the lateral lever until the shavings are equally thick. Back off the blade, re-adjust its depth of cut, and you’re good to go.

Round a blade’s profile by rolling the jig sideways as you hone. Favor the right side, then the left side on alternate pull strokes to produce a curved profile.

Level your blade by comparing shavings made with each side. Hang the plane off the edge of a board and make a narrow shaving using only the blade’s left side. Turn the plane around and make another narrow shaving using the blade’s right side. Adjust the lateral lever until these shavings are equally thick.

Shallow steps are caused by a plane blade that’s not set perfectly level. One corner is digging in. A commonly used method to minimize this problem is to round the blade’s corners, and maybe its entire profile. This produces a surface with extremely shallow valleys, which are leveled by scraping or sanding.

Round a smoothing plane blade to avoid making steps on a board’s surface. The corners of this blade are rounded off, and the area in between is cambered (that is, very slightly curved), or left straight.

Problem 6:

You get tearout, even though the blade is sharp.

Cause

The chip breaker is set too far back, or the plane’s mouth is too large.

Solution

First, adjust the chip breaker closer to the end of the blade (photo, below). Second, move the frog forward to close the plane’s mouth (photo, below).

In general, the finer the shaving you’re trying to cut, the closer the chip breaker should be to the blade’s edge. A 1/32 in. setback is ideal for most hardwoods, but when you get tearout, try moving the chip breaker to within 1/64 in. or less of the blade’s end. This will make the plane harder to push, however. (In soft woods, like pine, where tearout isn’t an issue, you can adjust the chip breaker up to 1/16 in. back from the blade to make the plane easier to push.)

To move the frog, remove the lever cap, blade and chip breaker. Slightly loosen the two bolts that hold the frog to the sole. Reinstall the blade assembly and adjust the blade until it barely sticks out of the plane’s sole. Turn the frog adjusting screw with a long screwdriver to close the plane’s mouth. Once you have created the desired opening, remove the blade assembly and tighten the bolts that secure the frog. Tighten each one a little bit at a time, like a car’s lug nuts.

Moving the frog may skew it, however. On most planes, you can only eyeball the frog to make sure it’s front end remains parallel to the plane’s mouth. Frogs on Stanley planes manufactured in the Sweetheart Era, roughly 1920 to 1935, are self-aligning, so skewing isn’t a problem (photo, below).

Tip: Rub your plane's sole with a few squiggles of paraffin or canning wax every ten strokes or so. This helps your plane glide much more smoothly.

To reduce tearout, adjust the chip breaker closer to the blade’s edge. A projection of 1/32 in. is normal for most hardwoods, but to beat tearout you may have to go down to 1/64 in. or less.

To further reduce tearout, move the frog forward by turning the frog adjusting screw. This closes the plane’s mouth. Normally, the mouth should be about 1/16-in. wide. You can reduce it down to 1/64 in.

If you move the frog forward, you must double-check that it hasn’t wiggled side-to-side and become skewed. Many older Stanley planes have an alignment tab to prevent skewing, which is an excellent feature.

This story originally appeared in American Woodworker July 2007, issue #129.

Source information may have changed since the original publication date.

July 2007, issue #129

Purchase this back issue.

Tune Your Bandsaw

American Woodworker Editors — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:59:00 GMT

6 adjustments deliver professional results.

by Mark Duginske

I love bandsaws, even though they have a reputation as troublesome tools. I suppose that’s why I like them, because I enjoy investigating woodworking machinery. I’ve tinkered with dozens of 14-in. bandsaws, trying to understand how they work and how they should be set up. Here’s what I’ve concluded: most bandsaws benefit from a tune-up.

In the next pages, I’ll show you six procedures to improve your saw’s performance. I’ll demonstrate these steps on a standard cast-iron 14-in. saw, but they apply to just about any type of bandsaw. Once you complete your inspection of your own saw and correct any problems (or learn to live with your saw’s limitations), I’ll show you how to adjust it for a typical blade.

The alignment procedures we’ll perform are a one-shot deal. You shouldn’t have to re-check your saw again. The tensioning, tracking, and guide-adjustment procedures must be followed every time you change blades, however.

Before we begin, let’s review the major parts of the saw and what they do. If you’re familiar with all this terminology, skip ahead to page 62.

A Visual Guide to Your Bandsaw

Two wheels and a blade. Those are the essential parts of a bandsaw, but of course there are many more. Here’s a guide to the parts you’ll be handling or adjusting when you tune up your saw.

• Wheel. Both top and bottom wheels are covered with a piece of rubber or other material called a tire. The tires on most 14-in. saws have a slightly convex surface, or crown. The crown forces the blade to the center of the wheel.

• Tension knob. Turning this knob raises or lowers the upper wheel. Raising the wheel tightens the blade, increasing the blade’s tension. Lowering the wheel allows you to remove the blade.

• Tension scale. This indicator gives you a rough idea of the blade’s tension. It doesn’t actually measure tension, though. It shows you the amount of compression in the spring located behind the scale, which acts as a shock absorber for the wheels. Numbers on the scale correspond to a blade’s width. Wide blades require more tension than narrow blades. Minor variations in the length of a blade don’t affect the scale’s reading.

• Tracking knob. Turning this knob tilts the upper wheel. This moves the blade forward or backward on the wheel, as you face the saw.

• Thrust bearing. There are two thrust bearings: one above and one below the table. When you’re cutting, thrust bearings stop the blade’s rearward deflection. They rotate to reduce friction.

• Guide. There’s a pair of guides above and below the table. They prevent the blade from deflecting sideways or twisting as you cut. Some guides are fixed blocks; others are bearings, which rotate.

• Guide post. This bar adjusts up and down in order to position the guide assembly close to the workpiece.

• Throat plate. Remove this part to see the position of the lower guides.

• Column. Cast-iron bandsaws have a joint in the middle of the column. The joint allows you to extend the column’s height by inserting a riser block, which increases the saw’s height capacity by 6 in.

• Trunnion. Two trunnion assemblies, one in front and one in back, allow the table to tilt. Each assembly has two mating halves: a convex part attached to the table and a concave part attached to the saw’s frame. A knob under each trunnion assembly tightens the table in position.

Align the Wheels

If you look at the upper wheel on your 14-in. bandsaw, you’ll notice that it has a crown: the center is higher than the edges. The crown exerts a pulling force, moving the blade to the top of the wheel. In a well-tuned saw, both wheels and their crowns are coplanar (in line with each other). This allows the blade to run as straight as possible. If the wheels aren’t in alignment, they compete with each other for control of the blade. This isn’t a problem for narrow blades, but aligned wheels improve the performance of wide blades, such as those you’d use for resawing.

1) Unplug your saw. Remove the blade, then unbolt and lift off the table (Photo 1).

2) Install a 1/2-in. wide blade and tension it according to the saw’s scale. Some authorities skip this step and align the wheels without a blade. That isn’t correct, because the saw has to be under tension when the wheels are aligned, to simulate real running conditions. A wider blade requires more tension than a narrow blade, and it’s best to align your wheels under the most tension they’re likely to receive. On most 14-in. saws, the largest blade you’ll use is one that’s 1/2 in. wide. Back off the upper and lower guides and thrust bearings so they’re at least 1/8-in. away from the blade.

3) Open both wheel covers and place a long straightedge across the wheels (Photo 2). If the wheels aren’t parallel, turn the tracking knob behind the saw to tilt the upper wheel forward or backward. Once the wheels are parallel, you can determine whether or not they’re coplanar (Figure 3).

4) If the wheels are not coplanar, determine how far one wheel must be brought forward. Measure the gap between the straightedge and the wheel. If the gap is less than 1/32 in., your wheels are sufficiently coplanar and you can skip ahead to step 6. If the gap is greater than 1/32 in., one wheel should be adjusted.

5) To re-align a wheel, remove it from its axle and add or subtract bushings (Photo 4). On most saws, you can only remove one wheel, not both, without using specialized tools. On Delta saws, the upper wheel comes off easily; on most other brands, the lower wheel comes off. The bolt that secures the wheel has a left-hand thread. Turn it clockwise to loosen it. If your wheel must be moved in, and there are some bushings behind it, simply remove one or two, corresponding to the gap you measured above. Replace the wheel and you’re ready to move on. If your wheel must be moved out, measure the axle’s diameter and purchase a few machine bushings at the hardware store. Standard washers work OK, but are about 1/16 in. thick. Machine bushings are thinner (about 1/32 in. thick). Once you’ve put the wheel back on, replace the saw’s table and re-install the blade.

Photo 1: Begin aligning your saw by removing the table. It’s easy to do. Take off the blade, then unscrew and remove the knobs under the trunnions. The table just lifts off.

Photo 2: The first alignment check is to see if the saw’s wheels are coplanar (lying in the same plane). Tension the blade, then place a long straightedge across both wheels. Tilt the top wheel so that it’s parallel with the bottom wheel.

Photo 3: Here’s what you may find using the straightedge test. In A, the straightedge touches at four points. The wheels are coplanar, and you’re all set. In B, the wheels are parallel, but don’t lie in the same plane. Measure the gap behind the straightedge. In C, the top wheel must be tilted before you can determine whether the wheels are coplanar.

Photo 4: The fix for wheels that are out of alignment isn’t hard. You simply pull off one wheel and remove or install a machine bushing or washer to act as a shim. Some wheels can’t easily be removed, however, so you may have to live with a misalignment problem.

Track & Tension

Before moving on to the next step, your blade must be adjusted to run in the center of the wheels. This is called tracking, and it’s a procedure you follow each time you change blades. The correct method is to steadily increase tension while you track your blade, so you’ll make both the tracking and tensioning adjustments at the same time.

6) Unplug the saw. To begin, the blade should be under very little or no tension. Rotate the upper wheel by hand and slowly increase tension (Photo 5). After a few revolutions, note where the blade sits on the upper wheel. Adjust the tracking knob to move the blade in or out (Figure 6) as you continue to rotate the wheel. Keep rotating the wheel and adjusting the tracking knob until the blade is under full tension and tracking in the middle of the wheel.

7) Check the blade’s tracking under power. Close the wheel covers and plug in the saw. Turn the saw on for a second and then turn it off again. Open the top door and see if the blade still tracks in the wheel’s center. If it does not, make a minor change in the tracking knob’s position, and check again.

Photo 5: To prepare for the next step you have to re-install the blade and track it in the center of the wheel. Slowly bring the blade up to tension as you rotate the upper wheel by hand.

Photo 6: Adjust the tracking knob to center the blade (A). Turning the knob counterclockwise (B) tilts the upper wheel and moves the blade forward. Turning the knob clockwise (C) tilts the wheel in the opposite direction and moves the blade backward.

Square the Table

It’s easy to understand why your bandsaw table should be set at 90 degrees to the side of the blade, but did you ever check whether it was also square to the back of the blade? This is important for advanced joinery techniques such as cutting tenons or dovetails. It will also help in the next alignment check, squaring the guidepost.

8) Raise the guidepost as high as it will go. Remove the throatplate if it sits proud of the table (it should be exactly even, or, better yet, a little low in front and high in back). Loosen the trunnion bolts and tilt the table side to side until it rests solidly on its 90-degree stop (the stop is usually a bolt located under the table’s left side). Tighten the trunnion bolts.

9) Place an accurate square alongside the blade. If the table isn’t square, adjust the stop.

10) Place the square behind the blade (Photo 7). If the table isn’t square in this axis, shim the front or back trunnion (Photo 8). You can use any hard material for shims, including a cut-up soda can. This can be tedious, but it’s not difficult. The screws that fasten the trunnion to the table may be hard to access. If so, remove the table from the saw. You will lose the trunnion’s position when you loosen all of its screws (it must align properly with the lower trunnion), but the correct position isn’t hard to regain. After inserting the shims, loosely tighten the screws and return the table to the saw. Tighten the trunnion bolt, which will pull the upper trunnion into position, then tighten the trunnion screws.

Photo 7: After centering the blade on the upper wheel, place a 6-in. square behind the blade. If there’s a gap at the top or bottom, the table isn’t square to the blade. Measure the gap with shim stock.

Photo 8: Shim one of the trunnions to adjust the table. Remove the table to access the trunnion’s mounting screws. To start, insert shims that are the same thickness as the gap you measured above, in Photo 7.

Adjust the Guide Post

On a well-tuned saw, the guide post runs parallel to the blade. When you raise or lower the guidepost to accommodate material of different thickness, the blade guides and thrust bearing are always in the correct position relative to the blade. If the guide post doesn’t run parallel to the blade, you’ll have to readjust the positions of the side guides and thrust bearing each time you move the guidepost up or down to saw wood of different thickness. That’s a situation you can live with, but you don’t have to.

11) To check your guide post, the blade must be tracked and tensioned, and the table must be square to the blade. There are two ways to proceed. The easiest method is to lower the guidepost as far as it will go and plane a short stick, of minimum thickness, to fit between the post and a 12-in. square (Photo 9). Or you can remove the lower guide assembly from the guide post and place the square directly against the guidepost.

12) To re-align the guide post, you must tilt the entire upper casting of the saw. First, remove the blade. Next, loosen the bolt that connects the saw’s upper and lower sections. Place brass shim material in the joint to tilt the guide post front-to-back or side-to-side (Photo 10). It takes trial and error to find shims of the correct thickness. Tighten the joint before checking the guide post. Once the guide post is square, go back to the start of the alignment checks (Step 1) and check that the wheels are still sufficiently coplanar.

Photo 9: The third alignment check is to see if the guide post is square to the table, front-to-back and side-to-side. Place a wood spacer between your square and the guidepost to get an accurate reading.

Photo 10: Align your guide post by shimming the saw’s column. Loosen the bolt between the saw’s upper and lower sections. Place shims in the joint to tilt the column and guide post.

Round the Blade

This is an optional step, but it increases the life of your blade and thrust bearings. The rounder the back, the less likely the blade will crack. The stone also smoothes over the welded portion of the blade, so it can’t scar the thrust bearings.

13) Round the back with a stone (Photo 11 and Source, below). It will take about five minutes. Begin with the corners, then round the rest of the blade’s back.

Photo 11: Now that your saw is aligned, turn your attention to the blade. It’s a good idea to round the back of a new blade with a dry oilstone. Removing the back’s sharp corners will extend the blade’s life.

Caution: This operation causes sparks. Disconnect your dust collection system from the bandsaw.

Adjust the Guides

Many of the procedures above are one-time only adjustments, but every time you put a new blade in your saw you’ll have to reset the guides and thrust bearings. Here’s how to do it right.

14) Back off the thrust bearings above and below the table. Adjust the side guides, above and below the table, so they don’t touch the blade. Track the blade in the center of the upper wheel.

15) Position the guide assembly about 1/4 -in. above your workpiece. Adjust both thrust bearings so they’re about .015-in. behind the blade (Photo 12). That’s equivalent to four thicknesses of a dollar bill, or four pieces of standard weight (20 lb.) printer paper. Whatever system of measurement you use, it’s important that both bearings sit an equal distance behind the blade.

16) Adjust the side guides forward or backward until their leading edge is about .015-in. behind the blade’s gullet (Photo 13). Be sure to adjust the guides below the table, too. When you cut, the blade will bend backwards and ride against the thrust bearings, but the blade’s teeth shouldn’t contact the side guides. The narrower the blade, the more care you should invest in getting this setup just right.

17) Adjust each set of side guides close to the blade (Photo 14). The gap should be very small, but not so close that the blade contacts the guides when it’s not cutting wood. If you have bearing guides, rather than blocks, make sure that the guides are rotated in such a way that their high points are directly opposite one another. The lower guides on some saws are hard to access. You may find that tilting the table makes them easier to get to through the throatplate opening.

Photo 12: Adjust the upper and lower thrust bearings about .015 in. behind the blade. That’s equivalent to the thickness of a dollar bill folded twice, making four layers. Remove the guard to make this measurement easier to see.

Photo 13: Adjust the forward position of the upper and lower guides. The front edge of the guides should be slightly behind the bottom of the blade’s gullet.

Photo 14: Adjust the clearance between each guide and the blade. The gap should be about .004-in., which is the same as the thickness of a dollar bill. You’re all set to saw.

The Tension Squabble

I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if you’re confused about blade tension. A lot of misleading information has been published about it, and I’d like to set the record straight.

Some folks claim that the tension gauge on your 14-in. saw is erroneous and that using its indicated settings doesn’t deliver enough tension. They would have you replace an old spring with a new one, replace a standard spring with a more powerful one, or purchase an aftermarket tension gauge to substitute for the one on the saw. None of this is necessary.

First, old springs don’t wear out, and don’t need to be replaced. Second, most springs provide adequate tension. The exception would be a spring that is fully compressed at its highest tension setting. This spring should be replaced with a more powerful one. Third, the scale on your saw may not be perfect, but as a rough indicator, it’s adequate for the purpose. According to my measurements using the best aftermarket tension gauge available, these scales are accurate enough.

For most work, you’ll get good results with the tension gauge set at the mark corresponding to the blade’s thickness. But if the blade isn’t sharp, or the workpiece is especially thick, increase the tension one mark. In any case, no saw will perform well unless it’s tuned up first.

Source

Highland Hardware, www.highlandhardware.com (888) 500-4466, Blade Rounding Stone, 086031, $12.

This story originally appeared in American Woodworker January 2008, issue #133.

Source information may have changed since the original publication date.

January 2008, issue #133

Purchase this back issue.

Bandsaw Box Full-Size Pattern

American Woodworker Editors — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:43:00 GMT

Here are the full-size plans for the Push-Button Box, from AW #147, April/May 2010.

Click image to download a full-size printable pdf file.

Twin Kitchen Hutches #64

bricofleur — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:33:00 GMT

Finally, the construction of the hutch’s glass doors. To cut long boards on a tablesaw, the panel cutter is the safest. And if it’s well made, the cut wil be very precise and square.

The blade must be raised so one full tooth will protrude from the workpiece.

I start by making a narrow cut to square one end, then I check if it is square. If not, my panel cutter should be adjusted. Mine, shopmade, is adjustable.

I mark where to cut and I place this mark against the edge of the panel cutter. To be sure, I align the line with a small pocket rule.

To prevent tearout, I slide on the right side of the blade a scrap piece the same thickness as the panel cutter to keep the workpiece at the same level.

To see the details and photos of all the steps from the begining, click here.

Best,

Serge

http://www.atelierdubricoleur.spaces.live.com

Simple

Mark Love — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:39:00 GMT

Whenever I meet someone for the first time and they find out what I do for a living, invariably the next question they ask is, “What kind of furniture do you make?” I always answer the same way, “Wood furniture.” Then they say, “But what style?” I hoped they wouldn’t ask, because my answer always disappoints.

They want to hear Shaker, or Mission, or Colonial American, or Modern, or something they’ve heard of. They’ve got stories and opinions about these styles, they’ve got specimens in their own homes, and all they need is a nod from me to begin talking about them.

But my answer usually goes something like this: “Simple furniture. I don’t like ornamentation and I don’t like fitting into a style, I just draw until it looks right to me, then I build it. I used to try and mimic other styles, now I just do what looks right. And I like simple things, so, most of my furniture looks pretty simple.” Blank look. “I’m sorry. You can go now if you want.” Usually they take me up on the offer.

So I need a better elevator speech.

But I also need to find a way to help people see what I see in simplicity. I think simple furniture, done well, is anything but boring. In fact I think it’s revolutionary, because it fights against our worst instincts. It calls us away from the busy-ness that fractures our souls. It reveals the phony-ness of gaudy over-ornamentation. It shames the poorly designed and cheaply constructed objects that most of us unthinkingly fill our houses with. It stands up for what’s right about the world, what’s good in people. It makes us feel more peaceful, more confident, more whole. It speaks to the honesty and humility that is buried deep within us and calls it to the surface, centering our attention on the qualities we know to be right and true.

In the history of furniture design there have been other paths to simplicity. The Shakers pared down their designs in furniture, as in everything else, in an effort to clear their hearts of all worldly treasures so as to focus on heavenly ones. They believed they should be seeking beauty in God alone, and that any attempt to adorn themselves and their environments would be distracting and ultimately fatal to their spiritual quest.

The heroes of the Arts and Crafts movement found simplicity to be the highest expression of human dignity. Furniture that looked honest and simple, with joinery that could be seen and seen as beautiful, celebrated the quiet and persistent dignity of the worker. Furniture that was gratuitously adorned and over decorated smelled decidedly bourgeois to these thinkers, and the attempt to hide structural elements under gilded layers of bling represented nothing less than contempt for the craftsman himself. These philosophers, whose influence reached across just about every genre of craft in the 19^th century, sought to bring work of the craftsman to the front, to make it visible, and thus to celebrate simple things done well. A well cut dovetail joint, a precisely crafted through tenon, was said to be infinitely more beautiful than the most jewel-encrusted rosette that has ever been pasted onto an aristocrat’s chair.

I love these paths to simplicity, and I buy into them wholeheartedly. But I also think our present society, this post-modern pond in which we all now swim, offers yet another angle, another argument for keeping things basic, spare, clean, clear. To put it simply, life has become incredibly complicated. The number of things we carry in our pockets and purses and cars, the number of dates and times we now have to remember, the number of bills we now have to pay (not to mention the amount of those bills), the number of sounds and sights and products that compete for our attention, the number of objects in our homes that now seem like necessities rather than luxuries, these things seem to have increased geometrically just in my lifetime. And this increase shows no sign of slowing down.

I think it’s making us sick. I think it’s fracturing our souls and dividing our attention into ever smaller bits at the frantic rate of a nuclear reaction. I think if we don’t find a way to make it stop we will eventually explode and dissolve into nothingness. We can’t keep splitting the atoms of our selves for ever, eventually we will run out of self to divide. This is our crisis, I think. It’s not that we can’t find purpose, but that even if we were to find purpose we’d have so little left of ourselves to commit to it that it would not even be worth trying. We’re tired. We’re overstimulated, overinvolved, overdivided, overextended, overentertained. We don’t know who we are any more, where our ‘self’ is located amongst the many fragments of our daily schedules.

I am naïve. But I actually think I can make a difference in the way I design furniture. I do believe, as Winston Churchill is credited as having said, that “We shape our dwellings, and thereafter they shape us.” I believe that a person takes an important step toward wellness by simplifying his or her environment, by deciding to own fewer things, and only things that are simply envisioned, carefully crafted, and extremely solid. Broad horizontal lines seep into the subconscious as calm open sees or quiet rolling prairies. Stark slabs of wood create a feeling of stability, strength, and perfect balance. Exposed joinery puts the unconscious mind at ease; for in seeing it, it knows a thing to be well put-together and reliable.

As we nourish our instinct toward simplicity, our frantic urge to complicate things will eventually starve. I believe it. Simple things make for simple lives. I could design complicated things, but it wouldn’t feel right. Not now.

PALLET PLANTER

DUSTY MILLER — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:10:00 GMT

LEFT OVER FROM CLIMBING FRAME. PALLET PLANTERS ADDED ANTIQUE STAIN TO THE LINSEED OIL BEFORE SPRAYING. TO BUY THESE FROM A GARDEN CENTRE WILL COST £29.99 TO £39.99 EACH. THIS IS APPROX ONE PALLET TO MAKE THIS .EITHER YOU BUY ONE OR GET ONE FREE.JUST YOUR TIME TO MAKE IT.

PALLET CLIMBING FRAME

DUSTY MILLER — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:47:00 GMT

THE CHILDRENS CLIMBING FRAME. MADE FROM PALLETS.ALL HAS BEEN MACHINED AND SANDED SO THERE ARE NO SHARP CORNERS OR EDGES.AND SPLINTER PROOF.THIS HAS BEEN GLUED AND BOLTED USING ROUND HEADED BOLTS.THE SWINGS HAVE 50 MM /2 INCH NYLON WAXED CORD ,THE BARS ARE SOLID STAINLESS STEEL ROD WHICH IS 30 MM DIAMETER.THESE ARE COVERED WITH NOT SLIP COVERING TUBE. LIKE CYCLE HANDLE BAR GRIPS. THE SLIDE BIT WAS FOUND AT THE DUMP,HAD A FEW CRACKS BUT USED FIBRE GLASS ISPON REPAIR KIT.THEN USED A HOT AIR GUN TO MOULD IT TO SHAPE. ALL HAS BEEN SPRAYED WITH BOILED LINSEED OIL TWICE. FIRST COAT LEFT FOR 3 DAYS TO SOAK IN..NEXT COAT WAS SPRAYED AND LEFT FOR 2 DAYS,THEN WIPED OFF EXCESS. THE BASE OF THE FRAME WHERE IT SITS ON THE GROUND HAS STAINLESS STEEL STUDS SCREWED TO THE BOTTOM FOR PROTECTION.THIS I MADE AS I WENT ALONG,ALL IDEAS AND PLANS WERE IN MY HEAD. TIME AND PATIENCE. SO IF ANYONE EVER SAYS PALLET WOOD IS RUBBISH?? TELL EM DIFFERENT? COST TO MAKE THIS PLUS FEW BOLTS SCREWS S/STEEL BARS /CORD /STUDS/ £26 PALLETS WERE FREE JUST HAD TO PICK AND CHOOSE RIGHT ONES. AS SUMMERS COMING THE CLIMBING FRAME TO MATCH MY SEE/ SAW.. NONE OF THE JOINTS HAVE BEEN BUTTED THEN BOLTED ALL HAVE BEEN HOUSED AND MORTICE AND TENNON. THESE MAKE A STRONGER JOIN FOR WEAR AND TEAR. PALLET MAGIC UNIQUE AND SIMPLE.

CAROUSEL TOOL HOLDER

DUSTY MILLER — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:54:00 GMT

JUST AN IDEA I CAME UP WITH. IF YOU HAVE OLD HUB CAPS TURN THEM INTO TOOL HOLDERS. TURN A SOLID WOODEN BASE WITH UPSTAND. PLACE AND FIT A BEARING ON TOP . THEN YOUR HUB CAP FIT IN TOP USING A COACH BOLT. NOW THE THEORY IS YOUR HUB CAP SPINS ON TOP OF YOUR BASE??? NOW DRILL HOLES TO FIT CHISELS,SCREWDRIVERS, ECT.I HAVE NOT MADE ONE YET BUT WHEN I DO WILL SHOW IT NEXT TIME. BUT TILL NOW I HAVE 20 ODD DIFFERENT HUB CAPS I PICKED UP FROM THE SIDES OF ROADS THAT CAME OFF CARS OVER THE YEAR. SILLY BUT SIMPLE UNIQUE IDEA. OR YOU COULD HAVE A HUBCAP FRISBY???

dui lawyer

J323232 — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:38:00 GMT

dui lawyer

Wood-grain steering wheel help

Jeff Plumb — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:12:00 GMT

I am always up for a challenge so here it goes!

My father-in-law drives a Peterbuilt truck hauling grain all over Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska. The truck is an '84 Pete 359 model cab. Moral of the story is, the really pretty wood grain steering wheels that you see in many of the really nice trucks are only made for the 379 cab trucks. He is all about making things all original and a 379 wheel in a 359 truck is a big no-no. Being and Ag Teacher in a small school also means that I teach a considerable amount of wood working as well. I have access to the equipment needed in our wood shop here at the school. I also have the basic skills to create something like this, but I have a coupe of technique questions and looking for some pointers that you could give in order to keep from screwing up too many times before I complete the project. I have an 8/4 X 6 3/4" piece of "Bubinga" that matches the rest of the wood inside the cab nearly perfectly. The wheel itself measures 21 3/4" across and most of the wheels have about a 1"-1 1/4" diameter wood ring the engulfs the steel portion of the wheel. My questions follow:

1. What would be the best set up to build the "ring" that will eventually become the wheel? Should I cut several pieces of the arc that are the full thickness being sure to fit the joints as perfectly together as possible; then route out the center of the arc for the steel ring of the wheel to fit into? Or should I take the two halves approach and make a top and a bottom ring with a routed groove in the center and sandwich them over the steel ring of the wheel?

2. Are biscuts going to be the best way to join the pieces of the arc together?

3. What will be the best way to shape the wheel so that it is "steering wheel-like" rather than "bent-broom-handle-like." This would include the finger indentations on the bottom side of the wheel?

Any other suggestions you might have? Have any of you done something like this? If so what problems did you have and what did you do to fix them?

Thanks for the help.

Jeff Plumb

Haxtun Ag Ed- 970-774-6111 ext 303

Tool News - Milwaukee Hand Tools

American Woodworker Editors — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:10:00 GMT

Milwaukee has just introduced a line of heavy-duty hand tools. The new 11 in 1 Screwdriver is one of the first offerings. The only screwdriver with the patented ECX bit and hardened tips, the Milwaukee 11 in 1 Screwdriver was developed for the professional user. The Milwaukee ECX bit prevents bit wear from hardened screws and extends bit life when fastening specialty screws found in electrical boxes, conduit couplers, outlets, and other common job site fixtures.

This new Rasping Jab Saw is also part of Milwaukee's new line of hand tool products. Eliminating the need for separate rasping and reaming tools, the new saw utilizes grating holes along the side of the blade to rapidly expand holes or smooth rough edges of sheetrock after a cut has been made.

The line also includes two new utility knives. Designed to activate the blade 3X faster than a 2-handed opening, the Fastback Utility Knife features a one handed blade opening for easy activation. In addition, a tool free blade change allows for fast and efficient adjustments, while a thin body design makes it easy for a user to store the knife in their pocket. An integrated gut hook and wire stripper also increase utility by allowing the user to make cuts without exposing the blade and eliminates the need to look for another tool to accomplish the task at hand.

Activated by a side sliding mechanism rather than a cumbersome top button, the Sliding Utility Knife also features a tool free blade change and wire stripper for increased efficiency. Complete with rubber over mold to increase comfort and reduce hand slippage, the new tool also includes on board blade storage to avoid looking for blades on the job and is designed to fit in a tool pouch for added convenience.

The tools are expected to launch in April 2010 and come with a limited lifetime warranty.

Tool News - Rockler Picture Frame Clamp

American Woodworker Editors — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:54:00 GMT

Rockler Woodworking and Hardware recently introduced its new Miter Tight Picture Frame Clamp, offering an innovative approach to clamping picture frames. Getting perfectly aligned miters on picture frames has always been a challenge. No matter how carefully one cuts the 45 degree angles on frame stock, there is always some minute variance to deal with when it's time to assemble the frame. This can be caused by slight inaccuracies in the tools used to cut the miters, or by movement within the wood itself.

Fortunately, Rockler has developed a tool that allows users to adjust the miter angle by up to 1 degree while clamping. This clamp uses spring-loaded jaws that pull the joint together as it is tightened, applying direct pressure on the miter. And knobs on either side of the joint allow micro-level adjustment to keep the miter joint flush and tight. The clamp works with frame stock from 5/8" to 2-7/8" wide.

More information is available here.

WARPED AND DISSTORTED TIMBER

DUSTY MILLER — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:01:00 GMT

MY TIP FOR WOODWORKERS WORLD WIDE...THINK CAREFULLY.DO YOU REALLY WANT TO WORK WITH A MATERIAL THAT SHRINKS,EXPANDS,WARPS AND CRACKS.?? THE ANSWER IS PROBABLY YES--BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGE RATHER THAN THE FRUSTRATIONS.

Walnut Wall Shelves

American Woodworker Editors — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:30:00 GMT

Versatile go-anywhere shelves to hold books, discs, kitchenware, or anything you want!

by Jon Stumbras

Never enough shelf space where you want it? This little shelf is a great way to add extra storage in just about any room. It’s compact—only 22-3/4-in. wide by 31-1/4-in. tall by 9-1/4-in. deep. Yet it’s tall enough to accommodate three shelves of paperbacks. Hang it in your bedroom, bathroom or kitchen. This cabinet will add a touch of comfortable elegance in any room.

Details Made Easy

We’ve packed a ton of great details into this cabinet, and some great techniques into this story. We’ll show you how to cut cove molding on your tablesaw and how a special beading bit makes quick work of the shiplapped back. Your router and router table can handle all the other moldings.

All the parts for this cabinet are made from 3/4-in.-thick lumber, which keeps the materials list simple. An intermediate-level woodworker can plan on two or three weekends to complete this cabinet. And when you’re done, a hidden cleat easily and invisibly secures the case to the wall.

Small Changes Make a Big Difference

In a small case, changing dimensions by even a fraction can make a world of difference in the final appearance. The top of this case is 11/16-in. thick and overhangs the side by 1/4-in. more at the sides than the front. The bottom is 9/16-in. thick, the shelves are 5/8-in. thick and the face frames are 1/2-in. thick. These carefully chosen dimensions give this cabinet a comfortable and balanced look.

Traditional Design, Modern Tools

You’ll need a surface planer, jointer, router, router table, tablesaw, dado blade and biscuit joiner for the construction. To make the moldings, seven router bits are needed, three round-over bits, a beading bit, a chamfer bit, an ogee bit and a rabbeting bit. You may have several of these already, but if you buy all the bits new, the cost will be approximately $170 (see Sources, below). We used 25 bd. ft. of 4/4 rough walnut for our cabinet at a cost of $125 (see Sources, below).

Build the Cabinet in Stages

1. Begin by selecting the wood for each part (the sides require the widest boards). Straight-grained wood looks best for face frames. Match the face-frame stiles to the case sides and they’ll look like one piece when assembled.

2. Cut all the parts to rough size by adding 1/2 in. to the final length and width (see Cutting List, below) and plane the parts to their final thickness (Photo 1).

3. Next, rabbet the case sides (C1) with a dado blade in your tablesaw (Photo 2). Two passes are needed to make the 1-in.-wide by 3/8-in.-deep dado on the back inside edge of each side.

4. Now cut the case sides, the top and the bottom (C2) to final width and length.

5. Drill the shelf-pin holes next (Photo 3) using a drilling template (Fig. A) and a 5mm self-centering drill bit (see Sources, page 101). It’s a lot easier to do this now because there’s not a lot of room inside the finished cabinet.

6. You can now join the top and bottom to the case sides. Two #20-size biscuits will fit neatly in the panels (Fig. B). Glue up the case, carefully checking the diagonal measurements to guarantee squareness. Note that the case bottom is set 1/2-in. up from the bottom ends of the case sides (Fig. B). This way the case bottom and the bottom face-frame rail will be flush on the inside of the cabinet.

7. Make the face frame next. It’s difficult to cut accurate biscuit joints in 1/2-in.-thick material (see Oops!, below), so we built a simple clamping jig with toggle clamps for better results (Photo 4). This jig makes it easy to cut the partial biscuit joint (Detail 1) for the bottom face-frame rail (F3), which is only 1-1/4-in. wide. To cut the biscuit slots in the stiles (F1), modify your first jig, or make a second jig to hold the stiles parallel rather than perpendicular to your biscuit joiner.

Glue up the face frame, making sure it is square. When dry, trim the protruding biscuits at the bottom and glue the face frame to the case (Photo 5). The total width for the face frames is 1/16-in. wider than the overall case dimension. This allows for some wiggle room when gluing the face frame to the case in the event the face frame or case are not perfectly square. The face frame is easily cleaned up with a hand plane, hand scraper, or a flush-trim bit in a router.

8. Next, rout the stopped chamfer along the edge of the face frame (Fig. B).

Add the Decorative Top and Bottom

The top and bottom bullnose moldings (T1, T2, B1 and B2) are made using two round-over router bits (Photo 6). For the top bullnose moldings, use a 5/16-in. round-over bit. For the bottom moldings, use a 1/4-in. round-over bit. The bullnoses will have a slightly flat spot in the center but a little sanding makes them perfect. Cut the 1/4-in. groove (Figs. C and G) in the bullnose parts with a dado blade in your tablesaw. Finally, miter these parts and cut to final length; then biscuit and glue them together (Photo 7).

A stepped clamping block is used to clamp this molding together to make a three-sided frame. The frame is then screwed to the case top (Fig. A). The screw heads are hidden with wood plugs.

Next, make the top and bottom panels (T3 and B3) that fit into the grooves of the bullnose trim. To create the 1/4-in.-thick by 3/8-in.-wide tongue on three sides of these parts (Fig. A), use a rabbeting router bit or your dado blade. The panels are 1/16-in. undersized in length to make them easy to slide in. Gluing just the front edge allows the solid-wood panels to move in their frames with seasonal humidity changes (Photo 8).

Make the Moldings

For this cove molding (M1 and M2), set the auxiliary fence at 30 degrees to the blade (Photo 9). A bit of practice is in order here, so start with a scrap 4-in.-wide board for a test run. The wider blank will keep your fingers away from the blade and is less likely to tip toward the blade. Raise the blade in small increments for each cut until you reach the desired depth. When you’ve mastered a practice piece you’re ready for the real thing. After forming the cove, cut the molding to final width (Fig. D). Hand sand or use a curved scraper to remove the saw marks from the inside of the cove.

The ogee molding (M3 and M4) is next. Rout the profile with the ogee bit on both sides of a 2-1/2-in. board (Fig. F), then rip the board on the tablesaw to create two separate moldings (Photo 10). One 25-in.-long board will yield moldings for all three sides.

The bead molding (Fig. E, M5 and M6) is made with two passes of a 3/16-in. round-over bit in your router table. Also, just like the ogee, rout both sides of a wider board for safety and ease of routing.

Using a pneumatic pin nailer makes quick work of applying molding (Photo 11). If you hand nail, it’s a good idea to drill small pilot holes to prevent the wood from splitting. These small holes are easily filled and hidden with a little putty or a wax pencil.

Custom Fit the Shelves

Mark the shelf notches directly from the case (Photo 12). In theory, this notch should be 3/4-in. long by 1/4-in. wide, but if your face frame was glued slightly to one side, there will be minor differences in the sizes of the notches from one side of the shelves to the other. Measuring directly from the case will give a custom fit and avoid errors that can occur when making inside measurements with a tape measure or from assuming both sides are the same.

Traditional Shiplapped Back

Rout the beaded shiplapped back panels (Figs. B and H) for your cabinet with a beading bit (Photo 13). The interlocking rabbets allow for expansion and the screws at the top and bottom of each section hold the panels securely in place (Fig. B). Back panels P1 and P3 fit into the rabbets along the case sides. Gluing along these case sides and just around the corners provides additional strength and stability to the case (Photo 14).

Simple and Classic Finish

To make finishing easier, remove the three center back panels (P2) that are just attached with screws. We sanded our cabinet to 220 grit and applied a walnut stain to even out minor color variations in the walnut. Then we applied a wiping oil finish to give the case a soft glow. An oil finish does not provide much protection against moisture, so if you plan to use your cabinet in the kitchen or bathroom, use a varnish instead.

Hang the Case on the Wall

Attach the case cleat (H1) to the back of the cabinet with screws (Fig. B). Make sure the screws go into the case top (C2). Mount the complementary cleat (H2) to your wall using screws and wall anchors and then hang the case (Photo 15). The beveled cleats interlock and hide neatly within the back side of the case, making them invisible from the outside.

Photo 1: Plane your parts to final thickness after you’ve rough cut them to width and length. It doesn’t take long because there are only about two dozen parts.

Photo 2: Cut rabbets along the inside edge of the cabinet sides with a dado blade. The cabinet back fits into this rabbet.

Photo 3: Drill shelf-pin holes before assembling the case, using a template and 5mm self-centering drill bit. The template guarantees evenly spaced holes and the self-centering bit has a built-in stop to keep you from drilling through the side.

Photo 4: Cut biscuit joints in the face frames. Using this simple jig allows you to safely and quickly cut accurate slots in the thin, narrow parts. The bottom face-frame rail is too narrow to hold a whole biscuit so the slot is offset. The biscuit will protrude but can be trimmed after the gluing and will be hidden by the bullnose cabinet bottom.

Photo 5: Clamp and glue the face frame to the case. The face frame is 1/16-in. wider than the case to allow some wiggle room during glue up in the event that the case or face frame are a little out of square.

Photo 6: Rout a bullnose profile for the decorative top and bottom moldings with a round-over bit. First rout one side, flip the wood over and rout again. Presto, a bullnose!

Photo 7: Glue and clamp the bullnose frames one corner at a time. The stepped clamping blocks shown here help pull the miters tight. Make the blocks the same thickness as your parts. First clamp the bullnose frames and clamping blocks to your bench. Then add clamps to the steps on the clamping blocks to pull the joint tight.

Photo 8: Insert the top panel into the bullnose frame. Glue only the leading edge so the panel can expand and contract with changes in humidity. Wood plugs hide the screws that attach the bullnose frame to the case.

Photo 9: Cut the cove molding with several passes on your tablesaw using an auxiliary fence set at 30 degrees. The auxiliary fence covers half of the blade, producing only the half arc needed for this cove.

Photo 10: Rip the cove, ogee and beaded moldings to final width on your tablesaw. The cove molding gets ripped once to remove the waste portion while the boards for the ogee and beaded moldings get ripped twice.

Photo 11: Attach the cove molding with pin nails or small brads. For additional strength, the molding is glued to the case and at the miters.

Photo 12: Mark each shelf for a notch before installing the back. Marking right off the cabinet is more accurate than taking a measurement. The notch permits the shelf to slightly overlap the face frame, creating a small, decorative detail.

Photo 13: Rout the beaded profile for the back. A specialty beading bit makes quick work of this traditional molding. Opposite rabbets on each piece create the overlapping shiplapped joinery for the back panels.

Photo 14: Screw the back panels in place. Gluing the outer two panels along the case sides and 1 in. around the corner adds rigidity to the case. The center three panels, attached with screws, are free to move with seasonal changes in humidity.

Photo 15: Hang the cabinet on the wall using a two- part beveled cleat. One part is screwed to the case and one part is screwed to the wall. Attach the wall cleat to at least one stud and add a couple of wall anchors for extra strength. The cabinet hangs flush against the wall with both cleats hidden from view.

Oops!

This project taught me how difficult it can be to make biscuit joints in thin wood such as this 1/2-in.-thick face frame. Thin wood just doesn’t provide much bearing surface for the biscuit joiner to rest on. As a result, the biscuit joiner can easily rock or tip, resulting in a poorly aligned joint.

My solution was to build a clamping jig to hold the parts (Photo 4). This also made the process safer and quicker.

Shop-Made Drum Sander

American Woodworker Editors — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:47:00 GMT

Sand faster than ever and leave a clean shop.

by George Vondriska

If you’ve ever dreamed of owning an expensive drum sander, here’s an economical alternative. This simple hand-fed machine costs only $270 for parts and materials. If you scrounge a free motor, switch and plywood you can cut the cost down to as little as $115.

How It Works

This machine is very simple. A plywood box holds a spinning drum that’s wrapped with a long roll of hook-and-loop sandpaper. Unlike a self-feeding commercial drum sander, you manually push the wood against the rotation of the drum. The drum is belt-driven by a small motor mounted to a hinged board. The motor’s weight tensions the belt, just like a contractor’s saw. That’s it.

The whole sander weighs only 37 lbs., so it’s very portable. It’s compact enough to slide right under a bench.

The critical parts of this machine come in a kit (Photo 1, below). When we first saw the ad for this build-it-yourself sander we honestly didn’t think it would work. In the spirit of adventure, we ordered the hardware.

When we built the machine, we were amazed at how quickly and easily it took off saw marks and planing marks, just like a commercial drum sander. It’s very quiet, too, and virtually dust-free when hooked up to any dust collector.

What It Can and Can’t Do

This sander will make a smooth, flat surface faster than a random-orbit sander and is less likely to gouge than a belt sander. It works best on short, individual pieces of wood.

It’s unlikely that this machine will completely replace the random-orbit used motor. (A new motor costs about $100.) The motor must be at least 1/3 hp, rotate at 1,750 rpm and have a 1/2-in.-dia. shaft. The sander’s case is designed to hold a motor that’s less than 7-in. tall and 10-in. long, including the shaft. If your motor is larger, you’ll have to modify the case’s dimensions to hold it.

The case takes less than one-half of a sheet of 3/4-in. plywood. Almost any kind will do, as long as it’s reasonably flat. We used birch plywood. You’ll also need a small amount of 1-1/8-in.-thick hardwood.

Sand surfaces flat and smooth in no time. The sanding drum is 18-in. wide, but this machine works best with boards that are less than 12-in. wide and 24-in. long. It’s very effective for drawers and boxes, too.

Changing sanding grits is easy. Just open the hinged lid, peel off a roll of reusable hook-and-loop paper and wrap a new grit.

Build the Sander

The Sanding-Drum Frame

1. Assemble the sanding drum, bearings and pulley according to the kit’s instructions.

2. Cut the hardwood parts of the sanding drum frame (A and B) to size. Glue and screw together the frame (Photo 2). Measure the diagonals to check it for square.

3. Center the sanding drum on the frame (Photo 3). Mark and drill holes for 1/4-in.-dia. carriage bolts.

4. Recess the heads of the carriage bolts on the pulley end of the frame by enlarging the holes with a 3/4-in. bit (Fig. B).

The Case

1. Cut the plywood for the case components (C through J). Cut the motor opening into the case sides (C) with a jigsaw or handsaw (Fig. A).

2. Screw and glue the case sides to the frame rails (B, Photo 4).

3. Drill or cut a 2-1/4-in. hole in one end (D) for a vacuum hose.

4. Screw and glue the case ends to the case sides and drum frame.

5. Bolt the sanding drum to its frame.

6. Screw and glue the dust ledge (E) to the case sides and the end of the frame. Screw and glue the compartment wall (F) to the case sides. Screw and glue the bottom (G) to the case.

The Top

1. Create a recess in the bottom of the battens (L, M) with a belt sander or a drill-press sanding drum (Photo 5 and Fig. D). Sand to a depth of 1/8 in.

2. Cut both beds (K) with a 45-degree angle on one edge of each piece (Fig. A). Slightly round over the beveled edges with sandpaper.

3. Screw and glue the battens to the beds (Fig. A). Keep the ends of the battens flush with the edges of the beds to provide the correct spacing between the 45-degree bevels.

4. Cut fillers (N) to fit in the beveled openings at the ends of the top (Fig. A). Glue the fillers.

5. Glue the lid cleats (P) to the underside of the beds (Fig. C), completing the top.

The Motor

1. Wire a 10-in. cord (with plug) onto the motor. The rotation of the motor must be counterclockwise when you’re facing the shaft.

2. Bolt the motor to the plywood base (H). Screw two hinges to the bottom of the base (Fig. B).

3. Align the motor and sanding-head pulleys by eye (Photo 6). When they’re aligned, screw the hinges to the case bottom (G).

Final Assembly and Alignment

1. Screw and glue the pulley guards (J) to the case end (D).

2. Align the top on the case (Photo 7). Screw the continuous hinge to the top and the case.

3. Predrill and screw in the table-height-adjustment screws. Set the table height (Photos 8 and 9).

4. Screw a hook into the bottom of the top and a screw eye into the case side (Fig. B). Use this to latch the top.

5. Mount the switch to the case (Photo 10) and plug the motor into the switch.

6. Sand and seal all the surfaces. We finished our sander with Danish oil.

Photo 1: Order this hardware kit before you begin building. It costs $115 and contains all the major parts of the sander, excluding the switch, motor and handles.

Photo 2: Assemble a hardwood frame to hold the sanding drum. Screw and glue together the corners. Make sure the frame is square.

Photo 3: Locate the bearings for the sanding drum on the center of the frame. Mark and drill 1/4-in.-dia. bolt holes. The holes in the bearing are elongated so you can fine-tune the drum’s position later.

Photo 4: Screw and glue the plywood sides to the frame to begin building the case. Then add the ends. The entire box is held together with simple butt joints.

Photo 5: Recess the undersides of the battens that span the top to make room for the sanding drum. You’ll have to go about 1/8-in. deep.

Photo 6: Align the motor pulley so it’s directly underneath the drum pulley. Lock the motor in place by fastening the hinges attached to the motor’s plywood base plate.

Photo 7: Position the top to align with the sides. The sanding drum should be parallel to the opening in the top. If it isn’t, loosen the bolts that hold the bearings and reposition the drum. Attach a continuous hinge to connect the top to the base.

Photo 8: Check the height of the table. With 80-grit paper wrapped around the drum, the table should be lower than the drum by the thickness of one playing card. Check all the way across.

Photo 9: Fine-tune the height of the table by turning adjustment screws. You only need to make this adjustment once, not every time you change grits. You’ll automatically take off less wood with finer paper.

Photo 10: Install a switch with a horsepower rating at least as big as the motor. The switch above ($37, see Sources, page 100) doesn’t need to be wired and is easy to turn off.

Oops!

My golf game is pretty good, but I still make a divot once in a while! I managed to make one with this sander by going too slow and pushing down too hard. Here’s the right technique: Keep your board moving at a slow but steady pace. If you do make a “divot” like the one shown, you can remove it by sanding at an angle to the drum.

Tackle Box Storage

American Woodworker Editors — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:38:00 GMT

This is my all-time favorite way to store screws, small hardware and router bits. Fishing tackle boxes come in a variety of sizes and shapes but I picked this one because the inner utility boxes have lids to keep stuff from spilling and the adjustable dividers allow me to use the trays for both short and long items. This tackle box, including the three big lower utility boxes, cost $25. The five small upper utility boxes are sold separately for $2 each. I have over 70 different items stored in my tackle box!

Blade Caddy

American Woodworker Editors — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:36:00 GMT

Here’s a handy tote for scrollsaw blades that I fashioned from a scrap of 2x6, a piece of plywood, and two Peg-Board multiple-tool holders. I cut the curved tips off the multiple-tool holders with a hacksaw so they would sit flat against the plywood.

I attached the holders to the caddy with cable staples. These small plastic tubes are perfect for holding scrollsaw blades. I wrapped some masking tape around each tube and wrote the blade size on it.

Suspended Outlet

American Woodworker Editors — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:34:00 GMT

This is one of my favorite shop upgrades. By adding this suspended outlet over my work area I always have electricity close at hand. It sure beats running an extension cord across the floor and getting my feet tangled in it. This suspended outlet is not difficult to install, but be sure to follow local building codes and use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), if required.

If you have any doubts, hire a licensed electrician.

The components include:

• a metal electrical box

• a box cover with a center knock-out

• a strain-relief cord connector

• a section of stranded-wire electrical cord

• a cord receptacle.

All of these parts can be purchased at a home center or hardware store for about $15. If you’re hooking into a 20-amp circuit, use 12-3 stranded-wire electrical cord and a 20-amp-rated plug. If you’re hooking into a 15-amp circuit, use 14-3 stranded-wire electrical cord and a 15-amp-rated plug. I installed my outlet so the plug end is about 6 ft. off the floor so I don’t bump my head on it.

Double-Duty Roller Tables

American Woodworker Editors — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:16:00 GMT

I like getting double duty out of my tools whenever possible. So, when I decided to build outfeed tables for my miter saw and tablesaw, I worked up this dual-use design. The roller tables are simple to switch between machines and take up very little space when I store them against the wall.

I made the roller frames from 2x2s, a 1x4 and eight rollers. I just clamp the rollers to a pair of sawhorses when I use them with my tablesaw. I adjusted the height of my sawhorses so the tops of the rollers sit about 1/8-in. below the top of my tablesaw. When I use them with my miter saw I add a couple of spacer boards to make the rollers level with the miter saw’s table. It cost me about $100 to build the roller frames, not including the sawhorses.

American Woodworker

Shopmade Clamp & Assembly Worktable

I came up with this very unique and satisfying version of a clamp worktable, made right here in my shop, using material from my sheet goods scrap pile. I designed it so I could use my collection of ordinary and fast action vise clamps meant to be used at the drill press.

This is my best shopmade jig ever. Attached are some uses for this great jig.

For more details and photos, find it here on my website.

If you don’t want to build your own, you can buy one similar made by Kreg

Best,

Serge

http://www.atelierdubricoleur.spaces.live.com

Tool News - General International Maxi-Lathe

More information is available here.

Web Extras from American Woodworker

Web Extras - American Woodworker #147 April/May 2010

Web Extras - American Woodworker #148 June/July 2010 (coming June 1)

Web Extras - American Woodworker #149 August/September 2010 (coming August 1)

Web Extras - American Woodworker #150 October/November 2010 (coming October 1)

Texas Wood Jam Revolution

Tool News - Ridgid 12v JobMax

More information on the JobMax line can be found here and here.

New & Veteran Members: BEST IDEAS/FEATURES -- Small Shops & Year Round Use

I'm a new member to the website. My wife's step-grandfather has gotten me hooked on woodworking; gifted me a subscription 2 years ago & I recently purchased my own 2 year subscription now that the gift subscription ran out.

Like most beginners, I too have a small shop that is really cramped & I struggle w/ many challenges:

temperatures

storage

saw dust & air cleanliness

power supply & lighting

Troubleshoot Your Plane

Practical Solutions to 6 Common Problems

Plane Talk

Problem 1:

Cause

Solution

Mark your sole with a felt-tip pen to help reveal the low spots. Planes with corrugated (grooved) soles have less metal to remove than planes with smooth-bottomed soles, so they’re easier to flatten.

Flatten your plane’s sole using sandpaper. A flat sole enables a plane to make long, thin shavings.

Problem 2:

Cause

Solution

Problem 3:

Cause

Solution

To eliminate gaps between the chip breaker and blade, begin by lapping the bevel underneath the chip breaker’s leading edge. Keep the chip breaker’s screw hole aligned with the sandpaper’s edge to form the bevel at the correct angle.

Round the top of the chip breaker to create a sharp edge. Lift the cap iron up as you drag it across the sandpaper.

Squeeze the blade and chip breaker together to inspect for gaps. No light should be visible between them. In addition, the chip breaker’s heel shouldn’t be touching the blade.

Problem 4:

Cause

Solution

Your blade will chatter if the lever cap doesn’t provide enough pressure to clamp the blade tight to the frog. Adjust the lever cap screw to provide more pressure, if needed.

Your blade will also chatter if your frog’s top surface isn’t flat. Flatten the frog with sandpaper adhered to a flat surface.

Problem 5:

Cause

Solution

Round a blade’s profile by rolling the jig sideways as you hone. Favor the right side, then the left side on alternate pull strokes to produce a curved profile.

Round a smoothing plane blade to avoid making steps on a board’s surface. The corners of this blade are rounded off, and the area in between is cambered (that is, very slightly curved), or left straight.

Problem 6:

Cause

Solution

To further reduce tearout, move the frog forward by turning the frog adjusting screw. This closes the plane’s mouth. Normally, the mouth should be about 1/16-in. wide. You can reduce it down to 1/64 in.

If you move the frog forward, you must double-check that it hasn’t wiggled side-to-side and become skewed. Many older Stanley planes have an alignment tab to prevent skewing, which is an excellent feature.

This story originally appeared in American Woodworker July 2007, issue #129.

Source information may have changed since the original publication date.

Tune Your Bandsaw

6 adjustments deliver professional results.

A Visual Guide to Your Bandsaw

Align the Wheels

Photo 1: Begin aligning your saw by removing the table. It’s easy to do. Take off the blade, then unscrew and remove the knobs under the trunnions. The table just lifts off.

Photo 2: The first alignment check is to see if the saw’s wheels are coplanar (lying in the same plane). Tension the blade, then place a long straightedge across both wheels. Tilt the top wheel so that it’s parallel with the bottom wheel.

Photo 4: The fix for wheels that are out of alignment isn’t hard. You simply pull off one wheel and remove or install a machine bushing or washer to act as a shim. Some wheels can’t easily be removed, however, so you may have to live with a misalignment problem.

Track & Tension

Photo 5: To prepare for the next step you have to re-install the blade and track it in the center of the wheel. Slowly bring the blade up to tension as you rotate the upper wheel by hand.

Photo 6: Adjust the tracking knob to center the blade (A). Turning the knob counterclockwise (B) tilts the upper wheel and moves the blade forward. Turning the knob clockwise (C) tilts the wheel in the opposite direction and moves the blade backward.

Square the Table

Photo 7: After centering the blade on the upper wheel, place a 6-in. square behind the blade. If there’s a gap at the top or bottom, the table isn’t square to the blade. Measure the gap with shim stock.

Photo 8: Shim one of the trunnions to adjust the table. Remove the table to access the trunnion’s mounting screws. To start, insert shims that are the same thickness as the gap you measured above, in Photo 7.

Adjust the Guide Post

Photo 9: The third alignment check is to see if the guide post is square to the table, front-to-back and side-to-side. Place a wood spacer between your square and the guidepost to get an accurate reading.

Photo 10: Align your guide post by shimming the saw’s column. Loosen the bolt between the saw’s upper and lower sections. Place shims in the joint to tilt the column and guide post.

Round the Blade

Photo 11: Now that your saw is aligned, turn your attention to the blade. It’s a good idea to round the back of a new blade with a dry oilstone. Removing the back’s sharp corners will extend the blade’s life.

Caution: This operation causes sparks. Disconnect your dust collection system from the bandsaw.

Adjust the Guides