popular woodworking 2004-04 no. 140

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popwood.com$4.99U.S. $7.99CAN

STOP RUST NOW: 7 SIMPLE SECRETS TO SHINY TOOLSSPECIAL BONUS SECTION: ROUTER-BUILT DRAWERS & BOXES

APRIL 2004ISSUE #140

MASTER THEMORTISE & TENONTools,Tricks andA Great Project

Draw It RightDraw It RightBetter Plans For Fewer Errors

PLUSPLUS 4 Spokeshaves That Work Japanese Garden Bench Beat Blotchy Finishes

Don Weber Builds a Table With Hand Tools

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CIRCLE NO. 122 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD.

contents

popwood.com 3

Popular Woodworking (ISSN 0884-8823, USPS 752-250) is published seven times a year in February, April, June, August,October, November and December by F&W Publications Inc. Editorial and advertising offices are located at 4700 E. GalbraithRoad, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236; tel.: 513-531-2222. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and artwork should include amplepostage on a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE); otherwise they will not be returned. Subscription rates: A yearssubscription (7 issues) is $28; outside of U.S. add $7/year Canada Publications Mail Agreement No. 40025316. Canadianreturn address: 2744 Edna St., Windsor, ON N8Y 1V2 Copyright 2004 by Popular Woodworking. Periodicals postage paidat Cincinnati, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send all address changes to Popular Woodworking, P.O. Box5369, Harlan, IA 51593 Canada GST Reg. # R122594716 Produced and printed in the U.S.A.

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IN EVERY ISSUE

16 Ripping with the Right HandQ&A

Learn why its not smart to switch sides when youreripping on the table saw. Plus: Why your mortiser headwiggles and reasons to use sandpaper for sharpening.

20 Quick-set Honing GuideTRICKS OF THE TRADE

Set your honing guide in this jig to duplicate the exist-ing bevel of your chisels and plane irons. Plus: Improvedust collection at the lathe, set your bits with a combi-nation square and a shop-made circular saw guide.

30 Excalibur Sliding TableENDURANCE TEST

We might have a couple of complaints about this table-saw attachment, but after seven years and thousands of cuts, its still the one we use.

32 Multi-base Router KitTOOL TEST

Porter-Cables new router set covers all the bases. Plus:Fisch improves its benchtop mortiser, a smart circularsaw guide and new sanding products from Norton.

34 A Jig for Precision TrimmingINGENIOUS JIGS

Turn your laminate trimmer into a device that bringssurfaces flush with incredible precision and finesse.By Nick Engler

36 Tight Joints on the LoosePOWER-TOOL JOINERY

Want to make your projects stronger? Just connect apair of matching mortises with a strong loose tenon.By Bill Hylton

94 Battling BlotchingFLEXNER ON FINISHING

Forget commercially available wood conditioners what you need to prevent ugly blotching is a gel stain.By Bob Flexner

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Cold,

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42 Mortise & Tenon BasicsMany woodworkers will do anything to avoid usingthis joint. Were here to say you dont need to beafraid its a lot easier than you think.

49 Use Your Router to MakeBoxes & DrawersWOODWORKING ESSENTIALS

Our seven-part series on routers continues with anin-depth look at everything you need to know tomake boxes and drawers. Fifth of seven chapters.By Nick Engler

DEPARTMENTS

10 Out on a LimbPricey Tools areWorth the Pain

12 LettersMail from readers

98 From the BenchThe Basic Bench HookBy Don McConnell

101 Caption the CartoonWin a Ryobi router kit

104 Out of theWoodworkPride for SaleBy Angelo Paino

ON THE COVER

Don Weber is a chairmaker. While thisis a noble calling, whatmakes him even morespecial is that for mostof his wares, he craftsthem all by hand. Turnto page 68 to learnsome of the masterbodgers tricks andbuild a small table.

Cover photo by Al Parrish

PROJECTS, TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES

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57 Stickley OttomanAfter half a dozen plans for Morrischairs, we decided it was time to helpyou put your feet up and relax.

62 Hearing ProtectionWoodworking will harm your hearing in a hurry. Learn what you must do to protect it.By Cynthia Eades

POPULAR WOODWORKING April 20046

68 Entirely by HandSimple projects can spring from the forest and your own imagination. Learn how one traditional chairmaker builds a small bedside table.By Don Weber

74 Building a DrawingOur project illustrator (a professional architect) provides the essential and classical guidelines to improve your technical drawings.By John Hutchinson

80 Japanese Garden BenchCombine 2x4s, some screws and an afternoon tobuild a sturdy bench for any deck or garden.

84 Metal-bodied SpokeshavesAfter years of having only poorly made tools to choose from, woodworkers now have some excellent hand tools at their disposal.

90 Stop Rust NowIf its metallic, odds are its rusting (or it will besoon). But why does this happen? And how can you banish rust from your shop?

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FOR A LIMITED TIME, GET A FREE ABOVE-THE-TABLE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT KIT WITH PURCHASE.

*


April 2004, Vol. 24, No. 2popwood.com

Editorial Offices 513-531-2690

Editor & Publisher Steve Shanesyext. 1238 [email protected]

Art Director Linda Wattsext. 1396 [email protected]

Executive Editor Christopher Schwarzext. 1407 [email protected]

Senior Editor David Thielext. 1255 [email protected]

Associate Editor Kara Gebhartext. 1348 [email protected]

Associate Editor Michael A. Rabkinext. 1327 [email protected]

Project Illustrator John Hutchinson

Photographer Al Parrish

Contributing EditorsNick Engler, Bob Flexner, Glen Huey,

Don McConnell, Troy Sexton

Magazine Group Head David HoguetExecutive Vice President Magazine Advertising

Jim Gleim

CIRCULATIONMark Fleetwood, Group Circulation Manager

PRODUCTIONBarbara Schmitz, Vice President

Vicki Whitford, Production Supervisor

ADVERTISINGDon Schroder, Advertising Director

331 N. Arch St., Allentown, PA 18104Tel. 610-821-4425; Fax 610-821-7884

[email protected]/Classified Advertising Sales

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Tel./Fax [email protected]

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[email protected]

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES: Subscription inquiries,orders and address changes can be made at

popwood.com (click on Customer Service FAQs).Or by mail: Popular Woodworking, P.O. Box 420235,

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Back issues are available for $7 ($9 Canada; $11 other foreign).Send check or money order to: Popular Woodworking Back Issues,

F&W Publications Products, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990. Or call 800-258-0929. Please specify publication, month and year.

SAFETY NOTE:Safety is your responsibility. Manufacturers placesafety devices on their equipment for a reason. In

some photos you see in Popular Woodworking,these have been removed to provide clarity. In

some cases well use an awkward body position soyou can better see whats being demonstrated.

Dont copy us. Think about each procedure youregoing to perform beforehand. Safety First!




OUT ON A LIMB

While growing up in my house, mak-ing do was a cardinal principle bywhich we all lived. It was accepted as factthat a new baseball glove wasnt going tomake you a better baseball player, nor woulda fancy bike be necessary to win a race.

While I continue to believe the con-clusions we reached about making do, Ihave learned, although it took a long time,to get past making do and allow myselfto appreciate the merits of having betterthings. Tools illustrate this point.

First, let me just say Im no tool snob.Tools and machines are just a means to anend, not an end in themselves. The handsguiding the tool are far more important thanthe tool itself. My foremost expectation froma tool or machine is that its ready to workwhen I pick it up or turn it on.

But during the past several years, Ive beenselling off some of the equipment that I havemade do with and substantially upgradedit. Also, when Im buying a new tool or ma-chine for the first time, I buy more up mar-ket than in the past. Sometimes this meansI put off buying something else for a while,but thats OK. (Im not altogether free of themake do syndrome.)

At first I had a bit of guilt about spend-ing the extra money, but I soon got over that.After a while, I started realizing certain thingsId never considered. I got a lot of satisfac-tion from using a better piece of equipment.Not just the temporary pleasure of simplyhaving something new, but a deeper satis-faction. You might say its a bit like being ina partnership with someone you know youcan rely on, someone you can work with.Better machinery brings me more joy dur-ing the time I spend in my shop.

Ive also learned that better equipmentis easier to set up. The fence, the height ad-justment and other elements stay put oncelocked down. The quality of the cut fromhand planes, table saws and lathes is im-

proved either because of an absence of vi-bration or machining tolerances. I pick upa chisel with a well-formed handle and it justfeels good in my hand.

All these improvements add up to somebetter-quality time in the shop. And I dospend a lot of time there, including mostevenings and weekends. I figure that myadded expense will pay back in the long runanyway. One of these years Ill semi-retireand all these tools will really see a work-out. With better things, its not unreason-able to expect theyll last another 20 yearsas long as I take care of them.

You can make the argument that search-ing the classified pages and chasing auctionswill land you good buys in tools. Ive spentmy share of time and miles chasing down alot of disappointments. And Ive found myshare of bargains, too. Of course, they alwaystake a good bit of time to rehab and put ingood working order; some even require partsthat arent cheap. I saved some money, to besure, but throughout the years, Ive learnedthat its often easier to replace money thanit is to find more time. Ive also learned after25 years in the shop that its woodworking Ilove, not fixing tools and equipment.

Like most of you, I dont have an opencheckbook for tools and I dont buy anythingbig on a whim. But I have concluded this:The continuing joy and satisfaction of usinga well-made tool can last forever long afterwhatever minor guilt or hardship experi-enced from spending the extra money haslong since been forgotten.

And no, Im not a better woodworker well, maybe a little better for having bet-ter tools, but I know Im a happier one. PW

Pricey Tools areWorth the Pain

Steve ShanesyEditor & Publisher

Our Privacy Promise to YouWe make portions of our customer list available tocarefully screened companies that offer productsand services we believe you may enjoy. If you donot want to receive offers and/or information,please let us know by contacting us at:

List Manager, F & W Publications,4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236

CONTRIBUTORS

DON WEBERDons a bodger a 19th-century term usedto describe a kind of chairmaker, mostlyin Britain. Born in New York and raised inWales (where he apprenticed as a joiner),Don specializes in building English- and

Welsh-style stick chairsin the tiny town of PaintLick, Ky. Also a teacherand blacksmith, Donworks hard to keep tra-ditional chairmakingalive. He preserves thewoodland crafts by

building all of his furniture almost entire-ly by hand, just as Welshmen did in theforests years ago. A lover of education, tra-dition and quality Scotch, Don travels theworld (with his dog, Bronwyn) to share hisknowledge and demonstrate his skills.To learn more about the tools Don usesand to build one of his tables on your own,check out page 68.

CYNTHIA EADESCynthias interest in hearing protectionstarted at an early age as she helped herfather with his woodworking tools. Witha masters from Gallaudet (the Washington,D.C., university for deaf and hard-of-

hearing students) andan almost-completeddoctorate from the Uni-versity of Arizona, shehas been an audiolo-gist for 13 years, teach-ing people about thedangers of noise expo-

sure (see page 62). When traveling by air,she often hands out hearing protectionto her fellow passengers who want to re-duce on-board noises. Even when shes atthe movies, she finds herself warning peo-ple about loud previews for action films.Her favorite type of hearing protection iscustom plugs, and her biggest pet peeve(naturally) is people using power toolswithout using hearing protection.

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INTRODUCTORY OFFER: GET A $15 REBATE ON ONE OR $50 ON ALL THREE*Delta is a proud sponsor of these PBS programs. *Offer expires 6/30/04. PORTABLE DUST COLLECTOR AP400

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CIRCLE NO.110 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD.


LETTERS

Bird Feeder Lessons Teach OneGrandfather to Think YoungAs a lifelong perfectionist and woodworker,and now a grandfather of 4- and 2-year-oldboys, I cant tell you how meaningful Lessonsfrom a Bird Feeder (Out of the Woodwork,December 2003) was for me. The project ses-sions Ive been planning with my grandsonshave now taken on a whole new light andmeaning. The story hit home like nothingIve experienced lately.

Thank you for reminding me that whendealing with young minds, one has to thinkyoung or be doomed to failure. Its funny howsometimes we convey in our craft things farremoved from the simple project at hand.

Joe TallantBig Canoe, Georgia

Chessboards Joints Wont Fail YouRegarding Barry Blacks Classic Chessboard(December 2003): When doing the finalglue-up of the top, the joints are end-grain-to-end-grain, which normally is a very weakjoint. Granted, chessboards are rarely sub-jected to any great weight or force, but still,are there any special gluing strategies in-volved? Would the use of splines make forsturdier joints? Because the top isnt attachedto any substrate, these joints must be fairlystrong. Will the joints as described hold upover time, or am I just being paranoid?

Chris GreenLebanon, New Jersey

Barry Black responds: So far I have not had theglue joints in a chessboard fail. Its true that end-grain joints typically are weak and I wouldnt dothis where strength is an issue. But in this con-text, the joints are surprisingly strong. In fact,I sometimes make an extra strip or two to cutbanding out of, and these pieces never seem tobreak at the glue joint.

However, if more strength is needed, eithersplines or dowels would indeed improve the end-

WRITE TO USPopular Woodworking welcomes letters fromreaders with comments about the magazineor woodworking in general. We try to respond to all correspondence. Publishedletters may be edited for length or style. Allletters become the property of PopularWoodworking. How to send your letter:

E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 513-891-7196 Mail carrier:

Letters Popular Woodworking4700 E. Galbraith RoadCincinnati, OH 45236

Grandkids Help ThisOld Dog Work Well

continued on page 14

grain glue strength, as would the use of epoxyrather than the white carpenters glue that I use.During the last 20 years of making these chess-boards, I have had the occasional one slip andfall on the cement floor in my shop; so far, nonehas come apart. (Needless to say, the next oneI drop will disintegrate now for sure.)

How Were the Angles Developed For the Drop-leaf Table?I loved the simple elegance of the ShakerDrop-leaf Table (December 2003). I no-ticed the aprons are cut at 4 and the endsof the legs are beveled to 512. Being a novicewoodworker, Im curious why this is and howthese angles were determined.

Bob PfohlerMorrisonville, New York

Editors Note: The table is a reproduction ofone made by the Shakers in the 19th century.The dimensions were determined largely by look-ing at the original. Thats how the 4 anglewas arrived at. With the 4 angle on the apron,the 512angle of the leg was arrived at by a bitof trial and error on my part.

Steve Shanesy, editor & publisher

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LETTERS

Wont Moisture in Glue Cause aWorkbenchs Plywood Top to Warp?I was impressed with your plans for the 24-hour Workbench (December 2003), but Ihave a question about the benchtop.

Im concerned about using plywood forthe top because Im not sure if it will comeout of the laminating process perfectly flatand if it will stay that way. Will the moisturein the glue cause it to warp even a little? Iwant to use my bench with lots of traditionalhand tools, so I will need a flat surface. Manypeople seem to think that a benefit of a solidtop is that it can be reflattened periodical-ly if necessary. But plywoods top veneer layerhas very little thickness to work with, so itreally has to stay flat. Will it?

Dave BrownJacksonville, Illinois

Editors Note: I do a good deal of work by handand have had no problems with the flatness ofthe top of this workbench. After two years, itsstill dead flat. I dont think the glue moisture willintroduce any problems.

If it does warp, you can flatten it with a handplane with little difficulty. Sure, it may look alittle odd once you get below the face veneer, butit is a workbench, after all.

Christopher Schwarz, executive editor

Workbench was Interesting, but Reader Found Some Other OptionsAfter going over your article about buildingthe 24-hour Workbench, I came up withsome suggestions for things that have workedbetter for me, and might even help somereaders who want to build it:

First, instead of using weights and caulsto glue the last piece that makes up the top,you can use screws and just turn the top overto hide the holes. The screws should thenbe removed after the glue sets.

Second, drill clearance holes for thescrews in the piece thats being screwed down.Countersink the bottom side of the holes sotheres no bulge to keep the pieces apart.Put the first screw in the center and workoutward to squeeze out any glue pockets.

Third, you can put a piece of scrapbehind the top when drilling the dog holesso the hole edges dont splinter or tear out.

Mike TurnerRenton, Washington

continued from page 12

Will Pledge Furniture Polish CauseThose Dreaded Fish Eyes?Bob Flexner recently wrote about myths andcommon errors of furniture finishing (9Myths of Finishing, December 2003). Oneof these was about why fish eyes appearwhen a table is refinished after years of dust-ing with a modern polish that contains sil-icone. Is Pledge in this silicone category?My wife uses non-aerosol Pledge and thereis no mention on the container if silicone isin it. What is safe to use when dusting?

Don EsterbergDestin, Florida

Bob Flexner responds: Yes, Pledge contains sil-icone, a very slick oil that remains on the sur-face for a considerable time that creates the shine,depth and scratch-resistance. Other furniturepolishes that contain silicone include Favor,Behold, Orange Glo, Klean & Shine and OldEnglish in the aerosol can.

Silicone has gotten a bad reputation from re-finishers and conservators because the oil caus-es finish-repair and refinishing problems. Butsilicone causes no damage to finishes or to wood.Silicone is a totally inert oil, like mineral oil.

If your wife has been using Pledge and likesit, Id stay out of her way. The surface has al-ready been contaminated, meaning that repairto the finish or refinishing will be more difficult,but no harm has been done or will be done ifshe continues using the product.

If you should have to refinish the furnitureat some time in the future, clean the bare woodsurface thoroughly with mineral spirits or house-hold ammonia and water, or seal the wood withshellac before applying the finish of your choice.The cleaning will remove the residue oil and theshellac will seal in the oil so your finish wonthave any dreaded fish eyes.

Another Option for Pine FinishersI have to add another alternative to the stainsBob Flexner proposes to control blotchingon pine (The Pine Problem, November2003): nothing. Leave it alone to age to itsown color. No matter what shade you stainpine (or fir), it still looks like stained soft-wood, and I dont like it very much.

When I built the kitchen and bathroomcabinets for our log house, I used No. 3BPonderosa pine, ripped and edge-glued forthe cabinet ends, face frames and doors. I al-

lowed a few tight knots. The hidden parti-tions and cabinet bottoms were particle-board; the backs were 14" pine plywood.

Ponderosa pine is photosensitive, so someof the glue-ups aged to varying shades andpatterns of brown before I got around to fin-ishing the cabinets. I found it quite attrac-tive. After testing some stains, I decided theylooked better with none; just four coats ofan oil-based polyurethane varnish.

The pine continued to darken for aboutfive years, and now the cabinets are muchmore attractive than if they had been stained.

Barney HowardSisters, Oregon

Remember Why the Low-angle Jack Plane was InventedIt was with great interest that I read the re-view of the Lie-Nielsen Low-angle Jack Plane(Endurance Test, November 2003). I haveowned one for some time and really love it.Despite some very good tips on how to makethe plane more versatile, the author neg-lected to mention the original purpose forthis plane when designed by Stanley, itwas intended for butcher-block makers toflatten and finish the exposed end-grain sur-face. Considering that butcher blocks are avery popular woodworking project, I feelthis omission may have left out the largestuser group for this plane.

Brian BlazerEllison Bay, Wisconsin

Which of These Two Ways is Best to Clean Blades & Bits?In your November 2003 issue, there weretwo references to cleaning carbide-tippedblades or router bits. In WoodworkingEssentials, you suggest using oven cleaner.Ive heard that oven cleaner is corrosive ofthe silver solder used to attach carbide points.The source of that information suggestedusing automotive carburetor cleaner instead.The second cleaning reference was made inPaul Anthonys Table Saw Tune-up, wherehe recommends using citrus-based cleaner.

John WilsonCharlotte, Michigan

Jim Brewer of Freud responds: Many peoplefear the cleaner they are using is harmful to thecoatings or to the brazing compound. The clean-

ers that we have research on do not indicate anyeffect on Freuds blade coatings or the brazing;however, they do affect the carbide. All of thecommercially sold blade cleaners in our researchhave a negative effect on the carbide, which couldlead to the blades becoming prematurely dull.Oven cleaners are even worse. We recommendcleaning blades by soaking them overnight in asealed container of kerosene and then brushingthe deposits left on the teeth with a soft brush.

Hand Tools are a Great Way to LearnWoodworking Tell Us More!I read a number of your articles on handplanes with a great deal of interest. I wouldenjoy more articles of this genre, includingsome stories about what types of planes onemight like to have in the ideal shop, main-tenance, sharpening and tips on the in-tended uses for bench planes, rabbet planes,smoothing planes and more.

Though I have most of the power tools,I have virtually no knowledge or experi-ence with hand tools such as drawknives,planes, spokeshaves, carving chisels andthe like. Perhaps a series of articles onthis subject would be welcomed by someother readers of Popular Woodworking.

Bill JordanAndalusia, Alabama

Editors Note: Well be featuring lots of handtool articles this year (along with our From theBench column by Contributing Editor DonMcConnell) and a heavy dose of the power-toolstuff. If youre looking to jump-start your ad-venture, I recommend The Handplane Bookby Garrett Hack (Taunton) and TraditionalWoodworking Handtools by Graham Blackburn(Lyons) as two good places to begin.


New Reader Enjoys WoodworkingEssentials All About the RouterI recently subscribed to your magazine andI feel that I have made a good investment.

popwood.com 15

CORRECTIONThe chart that accompanied the review ofOrbital Jigsaws in the November 2003issue was incorrect. The Ridgid R3120 comeswith a dust blower.

You are doing a great job based on what Ihave seen so far (November and December2003). I never knew how involved this kindof work could get. I even read the ads notonly to see what I have been missing, but be-cause I am also learning from them.

Ive really enjoyed the Woodworking

Essentials series on routers. I never knewrouters could be used for so many differentpurposes. I feel like the 6-year-old wide-eyedchild discovering the possibilities that lifehas to offer. Keep up the good work. PW

Sven TimpeWichita, Kansas

FOR A GREAT FINISH.

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Q & A

Why Shouldnt I RipWith My Left Hand?

rip fence to keep the wood pressed firm-ly against it. If youre on the right side

of the fence, its difficult to maintain the prop-er pressure against the fence during a cut withyour left hand. (This is even more pronouncedwhen feeding long stock.) Adding featherboardsmay help, and if you continue to work this wayI strongly recommend them.

David Thiel, senior editor

Should My Mortisers Head Wiggle?My new Jet mortiser works really well exceptfor one small issue. Theres some play inthe head assembly (the motor and head as-sembly seems to wiggle). There are four dif-ferent screws toward the back of the mor-tiser to adjust the play. You can tighten every-thing up nicely so it rids the mortiser of anyfree play. However, by doing this, you lockeverything up so the mortiser head wonttravel at all. Is this right?

Kevin BradleyBattle Creek, Michigan

There is going to be some play its inevitable.There was play in the four Jet machines Ive test-ed (and the dozen or so machines Ive tested from

Now I Stand to the Right of theFence and Push with My Left HandIve been having trouble using my table sawsrip fence on the right side of the blade forripping. I felt uncomfortable reaching acrossthe blade with my right hand and standingto the left of the blade, so I switched handsand now push stock through the cut withmy left hand. This puts me out of the pathof the work and the blade, and I dont haveto lean over the blade to push work through.

I think people should be taught to ripwith their left hand because it is a simple,clean movement. The positioning of a per-son standing straight while making thecut improves his/her balance and safety.

Bob BeanHayward, California

I cant support left-handed feeding for two rea-sons. First, while a percentage of the popula-tion is more comfortable with the left hand, thegreat majority are right-hand dominant, andthat is the hand Id prefer to direct lumber pasta spinning blade. Second, one of the advantagesto guiding from the left side of the saw blade isbeing able to apply proper pressure against the

Illus

trat

ion

by H

ayes

Sha

nesy

Dont rip thisway becauseits hard tokeep yourwork pressedagainst thefence

other manufacturers). The real question ofwhether you have too much play is if your cutsare straight and square. I set my adjustmentscrews as close as possible and you cant discernany problems in the cut.


Can You Face-joint Boards Wider Than 6" on a 6" Jointer?I just bought a 6" jointer and a 13" planer.After reading your article on using the join-ter (our special Furniture Building 2003publication; back issue available at pop-wood.com) I wonder: How do you flatten lum-ber wider than the width of your jointer?

Pete Jansz Sacramento, California

Youll have to remove your jointers guard to dothis, so be careful. Face-joint as much widthon one face as you can in your case, about 6".

Then go to the planer. Get a piece of 14" ply-wood about 6" wide and as long as your board.Place it below the jointed portion of the board.Run the plywood and partially jointed board face-down through the planer until the boards op-posite face is flat and smooth. Then turn the boardover and plane the other partially face-jointedside. Make sure the piece of plywood is in con-tact with only the partially face-jointed sectionof the board during the planing operation. Dontlet it overlap onto the non-jointed part.

Steve Shanesy, editor & publisher

Should I Try Sandpaper Sharpening?I thought your article on sharpening(Sharpening Plane Irons and Chisels, April2003) was excellent. I must have switchedmy sharpening methods three times, whichis probably why I dont get a very good edgeon my hand tools. In fact, the one thing thatholds me back from using my hand tools moreis that Im not able to sharpen them well.

I have only a two-sided #250/1,000-gritwaterstone. So clearly I need some finer gritsto get a better edge. How do you rate thesandpaper-based Scary Sharp method? Ilike your suggestion of getting a diamondstone to both flatten my waterstones andgrind my edges. This is what always drawsme to buying a Tormek grinder I still haventgot anything to grind my tools.

Gidon ReidDevon, England

WRITE TO USEvery day we get questions from readers onall subjects about their woodworking. Someare letters; many are e-mail messages. Weare more than happy to share our wood-working experience with you by answeringyour questions or adding some clarity towhatever aspect of your craft you are unsureabout. In addition to the hundreds we an-swer privately every month, we want toshare the best questions here with readers.

Send your questions via e-mail to [email protected]. Or send us a note by mail to: Popular Woodworking, Q&A,4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236.


Im not the biggest fan of sandpaper sharpen-ing because I find that the paper clogs too quick-ly for my taste. And perhaps because of thisloading it seems more likely to round over (ordub) the edge of my tools. That said, many peo-ple have great success with sandpaper sharpen-ing, and because it isnt a huge investment (about$15 or so) it might be worth a try.

Also note that the diamond stones are in-deed good for grinding your tools edges aslong as you arent in a hurry or trying to removebig chips in your tools.


How Deep Should I Drill Holes for My Bench Dogs?Im a beginner who has decided to invest theeffort and build a bench. Its a fusion of your$175 Workbench (February 2001), Power-tool Workbench (August 2002) and 24-hour Workbench (December 2003). Myquestion shows my lack of experience: Howdeep do I drill the holes for the bench dogs?

Randall WarrenCoon Rapids, Minnesota

The dog holes in the top of the bench go all theway through the top. This allows you to set thedogs at any height (very handy) and push thembelow the top to store them when theyre notin use (also quite handy).

The dog holes in the front edge (from thePower-tool Workbench, my bench at home) arejust deep enough to let the angled face of the dogstick out to grab my boards.


How Flat Should I Make the Top of My Cabinet Saw?Im having trouble with my cabinet saw. Ivenoticed that I cant square the table to theblade on both sides of the blade. I took a pre-cision straightedge and laid it across the topdiagonally from corner to corner. From the

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lower left corner to the top right, the straight-edge rocks. It looks like it has a 132" hump.From the top left corner to the lower right,theres a smaller gap in the center.

Should I consider contacting a machineshop and have them grind the top flat?



Q & Acontinued from page 17


Another thing Im having a problem withis my crosscut sled. I placed my straightedgeacross the sleds fence and it appears to becompletely true. And if I put my machinistsquare on the left side of the sleds fence, itis indeed square to the blade. But on theright side its off a bit.

Afrim HoxhaEmerson, New Jersey

A 132" gap is too much for accurate work in myopinion. If your straightedge is true, the nextthing to check is the base of the saw to make sureits sitting flat on the floor. A radically unevenfloor can twist a cast-iron top out of true thiscan happen easily to contractor-style table saws.

If thats not the problem and your saw is new,call the manufacturer and ask what they can doabout it (such as sending you a new top). If thewarranty has expired, you have two options.Go to a machine shop as you suggested, or ifyou can localize the high spot and its quite small use a diamond stone or coarse sharpeningstone to grind it down yourself.

As to your crosscut sled issue, have youchecked the squareness of the work you cut withyour sled? Is the keeper piece on the left sidesquare and the piece on the right not (an unlikelyoccurrence)? I would judge your sled not as muchby what the straightedge says but by what resultsit produces. And if it cuts square on the left sideonly, thats acceptable. Work only on the left.


Most Doweling Jigs Cant Handle 58" BitI am new to woodworking and I am going tobuild the 24-hour Workbench (December2003). I have a question about using a dow-eling jig and a 58" bit to drill out the bench-bolt holes. I havent purchased a dowelingjig, but I noticed that most have up to a 12"guide bushing at most. My question is howto drill the 58" hole with the 12" bushing.

John MitchellAurora, Colorado

I neglected to mention in the article that my dow-eling jig (an antique Stanley) has a 58" bushingbut that most jigs do not. Fear not, its an easyfix. Drill the hole with a 12"-diameter bit usingyour jig. Then chase the hole with the 58" bit.The existing hole will guide the bit. Ive done thismany times and it works like a charm. PW


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TRICKS OF THE TRADE Compiled by Paul AnthonyIllustrations by Matt Bantly

THE WINNER:I like using honing guides to maintainthe sharpening angle of my chiselsand plane irons. However, Ivehad trouble setting the bladein the guide to duplicate theexisting bevel angle. To solvethis problem, I made a simple jigthat allows for a quick set-up of theblade in the guide.

The jig consists of a wood edgeguide and a plastic stop screwedto a scrap of hardwood. Theedge guide sits at 90 to thefront edge of the jig andensures that the blade locksinto the honing guide at exactly90. The length stop ensures that thehoning angle will be the same every time. Imade the stop out of plastic so the bladewouldnt cut into it over time, thus chang-ing the setting. I also filed a notch into theedge of the honing guide so that I alwaysplace the same edge against the jig, ensur-ing the same setup every time.

To position the edge guide and stop whenmaking the jig, use a honing guide with a

Each issue we publish useful woodworking tips from our read-ers. Next issues winner receives a Freud SD608 Dial-A-Width Dado set. The Dial-A-Width dado cuts splinter-free,flat-bottomed dados without using shims to adjust for yourperfect width. In fact, you can sneak up on the exact setting(in .004" increments) without taking the stack off the tablesaw! This dado set is a $270 value.

Runners-up each receive a check for $75. When submitting atrick (either by mail or e-mail) you must include your completemailing address and a daytime phone number. If your trick isselected for publication, an editor will need to contact you.All entries become the property of Popular Woodworking. You can send your trick by e-mail to [email protected], ormail it to Tricks of the Trade, Popular Woodworking, 4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236.

CASH AND PRIZES FOR YOUR TRICKS AND TIPS!

blade that has been set to the proper posi-tion. I actually made two of these jigs one to hone the primary bevel and one forthe secondary bevel on an edge tool.

Gary DownerCody, Wyoming


Edge guide is wood Length stop is plastic

File a notch on the frontedge of the guide that linesup with a mark placed onthe front edge of the jig

Edge guide alignsblade 90 to frontedge of honing guide

Quick-set JigFor Honing Guides



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TRICKS OF THE TRADE

Table Saw Router FenceLike many woodworkers who need to con-serve shop space, I converted my table sawsside extension table into a router table. Oneof the advantages of this is that I can use mytable saws rip fence as a router fence.

Although I can use the unadorned ripfence for router procedures such as groov-ing, the router bit needs to sit behind theface of the fence for edging and other oper-ations. For those circumstances, I made apair of thick auxiliary fences that screw tothe rip fence, creating a 2"-deep recess fora bit. Each fence is 2" x 212" x 16". I routeda pair of 14"-wide x 2"-long slots in each fenceto allow it to slide side-to-side to minimizethe size of the opening around any particu-lar bit. After routing the 14"-wide slot, I rout-ed a 34"-wide x 38"-deep counterbore to ac-commodate a washer placed under each screwhead for more secure attachment.

Make sure you choose a dense, dimen-sionally stable wood for the fence pieces, suchas maple. Quartersawn stock would be ideal.

Hex-head screwsthrough slots allow forfence adjustment

2"-thick x 212"-high auxiliary fence

To attach the fences, I used 14" x 212" self-tapping hex-head screws that I can easilyloosen and tighten with a nut driver.

To position the screw holes in the ripfence, just butt the ends of the fences to-gether at the router bit opening, then mark

for a fence-mounting screw at the outermostend of each slot. This will allow for maxi-mum fence adjustment.

Paul AnthonyPW contributor





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TRICKS OF THE TRADE

Shop-made Saw GuideI dont have a panel saw, so whenever I haveto crosscut a full sheet of plywood, I need tomake the cut with a portable circular sawand a long straightedge. The problem witha typical straightedge is in aligning it theproper distance from the cut. Sure, youcan measure the proper distance based onyour saws base plate, or even use a set-upspacer, but theres an easier way: I use a shop-made, two-part straightedge that suits mysaw and lines up perfectly with the cutline.You can make the guide as long as you like,but it should be at least 50" long for cross-cutting full-size sheet goods.

Make the fence by ripping a piece of 12"-thick plywood to 4" wide, making sure theedges are straight and clean. Next, measurethe distance between your saw blade and thebearing edge of the saw base, and add 412"to determine the width of the bottom panel,then make that. Glue and nail the fence to

very long fence from flexing during use.)To eliminate any tear-out that might occur

when crosscutting plywood, knife the cut-line first, making sure to slice through thetop layer of veneer.

Anthony LiasSonoma, California

the panel, aligning the edges, then cut thepanel to its final width by running your cir-cular saw along the fence.

To use the guide, simply clamp it to yourworkpiece, aligning the edge of the panelwith your cutline. (An added benefit of thewide lower piece is that it prevents even a

Plywood base starts out as 14"x 50". The width is determinedby your circular saws baseplate. Its trimmed to size onceattached to the fence.

12" x 4" x 50" plywood fence

Clamp guide toworkpiece

Line up edge of guide with workpiece


Finish Sander HolderAs a guitar builder, I do a lot of sanding be-tween coats when finishing, so I have sev-eral random-orbit sanders that are constantlyin use. During the sanding process, I oftenneed to set my sander down while I wipeaway the dust to check my progress. I gottired of having to shut the sander off and waitfor it to stop before setting it on my bench,so I came up with this holder that providesa place to temporarily hang a running sander Wax in the Woodshop

A surprising amount of energy can be spentovercoming friction when hand-planing. Alow-angle block plane used on end grain typ-ically produces a lot of friction and an an-noying shriek. I keep a chunk of paraffinhandy for use on all my planing jobs. Asingle scribble down the sole makes all thedifference. Hand saws, especially those withlittle set to the teeth, also work more smooth-ly with a little wax. Paraffin can be found inyour local grocery store with the canningsupplies. The 1-pound container its soldin should last a busy woodworker about 100years and cost $3. A candle stub is a good al-ternative for those without $3.

Bob PlummGallina, New Mexico


so I dont waste time. The holders also havebecome permanent storage spots for thesanders when not in use.

The holder is easy to make from scrapwood, and most random-orbit sanders havea mushroom head that works with this de-sign. Size the U-shaped upper bracket tosuit your sander. When cutting out the open-ing for the sander, allow for the thickness ofthe pipe insulation. I round over the edges

of the support arms to more easily accept theinsulation tubing, then apply a bit of epoxyto keep it in place.

A holder can be screwed through the backplate for permanent mounting to a wall, oryou can attach a base for use on your bench.

Joel NowlandWest Point, Utah

Attach a base piece ifplacing stand on bench

3

Round the edges ofthe arms to betterfit inside pipe insulation

Insulation for pipe slides onto rounded arm

Stand canbe attachedto the wallwith screws


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TRICKS OF THE TRADE

When I sharpen a scraper, I like to hone theedge on a sharpening stone before bur-nishing it to create a burr.Holding the scraperperfectly perpendicu-lar to the stones sur-face can be a littletricky. Ratherthan trying toaccomplish thisfreehand, I takea piece of scrap (about34" x 2" x 4") and cut a kerf about two-thirds of the way along itslength with the band saw. Then I slip the scraper in the kerf andhone away, using the scrap piece to keep the scraper upright.

Burt KentonArlington, Tennessee

Ive found that a combination square isa useful tool for checking the projectionof a cutter through a router base or router-table top. Most combinationsquares will still lock when theblade end is withdrawn from thesquare surface of thesquares stock up toabout 34", whichis often as far asyou want a bitto project any-way. The blade can bepositioned by measuring from the end of thestock with an accurate ruler. The broad surface of the stock will standsteadily on an inverted router while extending over the bit opening.

Percy BlandfordStratford-upon-Avon, England

Measure bottomof blade end to base of combinationsquare with anaccurate ruler

Setting Bits with a Combination Square

Scraper Honing on the SquareA kerf in theblock keeps the scraper perpendicular tothe stone

Scrap block is about34" x 2" x 4"

Flat Things Come to Those Who WaitI was in a hurry to build a table recently and was proud of how quick-ly things were moving along. After making the base, I glued upthe top from several boards, then sanded it flat the next day. Afterapplying the finish, I noticed shallow valleys on the top along theglue lines. I realized afterward that the water-based glue had swelledthe wood, and I hadnt let it evaporate thoroughly before flatteningthe top. As a result, the affected areas shrank over time. My tip here,of course, is to let any glued-up panel dry for at least a few days in awarm room before flattening it.

Edie GonzalesTampa, Florida


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TRICKS OF THE TRADE

A Cutting Mat for GettingSheet Goods Down to SizeWrestling with sheet goods is one of thoseunpleasant tasks we all have to deal with oc-casionally. In my case, I have to access mybasement shop through the house, and itsimpossible to carry full sheets to the shop.My solution is to pre-cut sheet goods intomore manageable sizes on the garage floorusing a portable circular saw.

To protect my saw blade, I lay the work-piece on a 4x8 sheet of 112"-thick rigid foaminsulation. I adjust my saw blade to projectno more than 14" through the workpiece andinto the insulation. This allows me to easi-ly cut in any direction with full support underthe workpiece. Rigid insulation, which isavailable at many home supply stores, is light-weight, inexpensive and easy to store.

Dave WohlwendColumbus, Ohio

Dust Collection at the LatheWhen I was turning lots of pens and othersmall items for holiday presents, I came upwith this dust collection hood. Its sim-ply a 3"-diameter schedule 40PVC Y connection that Icut in half and mounted toa wooden base that attachesto the lathe bed. It can beslid back and forth if need-ed for longer objects, but itreally excels with items lessthan 6" long. For some moreefficient suction, I filed aradius on the sharp inter-nal edge of the Y.

Greg StratelyTruth or Consequences,

New Mexico

A Helper PostIve found that a well-placed light makes allthe difference in woodworking, especiallywith my mature eyes. For example, its crit-ical when routing mortises that a strong lightshines into the router bases opening. Andif I want my hand-cut dovetails to fit prop-erly, its important to be able to see thecutlines. When sanding, I dim the overheadshop lights and aim a light across the worksurface at a low, raking angle to highlightany defects or scratches.

To allow me to position a lamp perfectlyfor these purposes, I made a free-standingpost to which I can fix a clamp light at anyheight. The post is nothing more than a 2x2with a base made of scrap plywood panels.After using it for a while, I realized that itwould also be a perfect holder to keep cordsand hoses from dragging on the edge of mybench. A cup hook screwed into the upperpart of the post retains a tool cord. To ac-commodate my shop vacuums hose, I madea small bracket with a cutout in the top edgethat matches the radius of the hose. A sim-ilar bracket placed lower on the post keepsmy dust collectors flexible 4" hose from drag-ging on the planer outfeed table when thatmachine is in use. To steady the post with-out making the base unduly wide, I clamp

a few 6" C-clamps to the post just above thefeet. Of course, you could add weight byattaching any other heavy metal. PW

Robert PageJonesboro, Maine

Radius in top bracket matches hose

The 3"-diameter PVC Yattaches to jig with screws

Jig attaches tolathe bed witha thumb screw

File radius onsharp internaledge

Center post is 2" x 2"

Scrap plywoodpieces form thestands base

The radius in thebottom bracketmatches thediameter of adust collectorhose

Clamp a lamp tothe center post

A cup hookholds wires


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SPECIFICATIONSExcalibur Sliding Table

Street price: SLT40: $650; SLT60: $860

Nice features: Crosscutting and paneloperations are far easier with this productthan with any miter gauge.

Recommended modifications: We wishthe fence went back to 90 reliably; unitgoes out of alignment if bumped too hard.

For more information: ContactSommerville Design and Manufacturing at800-357-4118 or www.excalibur-tools.com


ENDURANCE TEST

Alittle more than seven years ago weadded an Excalibur sliding table to thecabinet saw in the Popular Woodworking shop.Because we deal with both solid wood andoversized sheet goods, we knew a sliding tablewould prove useful in many ways. And it has.The Excalibur allows us to crosscut longlengths of solid wood and manage a wide va-riety of cuts in plywood. It was an excitingday when it came into our shop.

Over the years, Excalibur has upgradedthis product in some ways, but a lot of theprinciples and mechanisms are identical toour unit. After thousands of uses, heres howour table has fared:

To be honest, the bloom was off the rose(a little brown on some petals) at the set-up.Adjusting the tables legs plumb critical toproper operation proved to be a tricky trial-and-error process. In addition, we quicklyrecognized an annoying problem with theway you reset the fence to square, which isnecessary every time you put it back on thesaw after removing it for ripping operations.

Essentially, a post on the fence drops intoa round metal flange on the right edge of thetable. A post on the left side of the fenceslides into a track. Where you lock the fenceon the track determines your miter setting.

To set the fence to 90, you raise up asmall stop on the table and lock the fenceagainst this stop. We found this stop to beunreliable in the long run. It easily becameloose and inaccurate. Consequently, everytime we put the fence on the table, we had

ExcaliburSlidingTable

ABOUT OUR ENDURANCE TESTS Everytool featured in our Endurance Test columnhas survived at least two years of heavy usein our shop here at Popular Woodworking.

to check and re-check our setups to squarethe fence to the blade.

Because 90 crosscuts are most of the workwe do, we wish we could attach the fence atthis angle every time. Weve even discussedcustomizing the Excalibur ourselves to dothis, but have never gotten around to it.

Once you get it set, the Excalibur per-forms admirably. Being able to accuratelycrosscut small or large pieces at 90 (or anyother angle) is a very handy feature. Thefence itself is 64" long, and an extension barincreases that length another 32". With mostparts for furniture 48" long or less, this ismore than enough capacity for many.

A flip-up stop allows you to set your cut-ting length quickly, then move easily be-tween rough- and finished-length cuts. Thefence can be relocated at the front or rear ofthe table depending on your personal pref-erences or the work at hand. With the fencepositioned at the rear of the table the SLT60has a crosscut capacity of 62" (4912" on theSLT40) and 35" with the fence positionedat the front of the table (26" with the SLT40).

The table rides on six sealed, steel ball-bearing rollers that hug the outer rail. Whenset properly, the table moves smoothly. Sawdusttends to build up on the rail and bearings, soyou have to keep everything clean underthere to keep the smooth sliding action.

You also must steer clear of the legs. Inthe original design, once you adjusted thesupport frame adequately, it didnt take muchto bump the frame and kick the unit out ofalignment, sending you back to first base.Sommerville has since upgraded this design,and were looking forward to trying it out.

We havent found a sliding table on themarket that is perfect each has its quirks.And though we have our gripes with theExcalibur, keep in mind that its still onour saw after seven years. The bottom lineis that its far better than any miter gauge,and thats what we say to ourselves each andevery time it needs tweaking. PW


Phot

o by

Al P

arris

h


Ash .............................. 4/4 Select 2.40 ........................................... $ 85.00Basswood ................... 4/4 Select 1.95 ........................................... $ 72.00Birch ............................ 4/4 Select 2.75 ........................................... $ 89.00Butternut ..................... 4/4 1C 2.30 ........................................... $ 77.00Cherry ......................... 4/4 Select 4.90 ........................................... $110.00Hickory - Pecan .......... 4/4 Select 2.85 ........................................... $ 89.00Mahogany (Genuine) .. 4/4 Select 3.90 ........................................... $100.00Maple (Hard) ............... 4/4 Select 3.15 ........................................... $ 96.00Maple (Soft) ................ 4/4 Select 2.30 ........................................... $ 79.00Poplar ......................... 4/4 Select 1.75 ........................................... $ 72.00Red Oak ...................... 4/4 Select 2.50 ........................................... $ 88.00Walnut ......................... 4/4 Select 4.00 ........................................... $100.00White Oak ................... 4/4 Select 2.50 ........................................... $ 88.00Cedar (Aromatic Red) . 4/4 1C+Btr. 1.80 ........................................... $ 72.00Cypress ....................... 4/4 Select 2.40 ........................................... $ 80.00White Pine ................... 4/4 F.G. 1.20 ........................................... $ 62.00Yellow Pine ................. 4/4 Clear 2.00 ........................................... $ 74.00

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Create perfect dovetails easily with theLeigh Dovetail Jig. No other jig offers such versatility,precision and superb value. Whether youre a hobbyist or professional,you can rout through and half-blind dovetails up to 24" wide inboards up to 11/2" thick, with infinitely variable spacing of pinsand tails all on one jig. And you can easily rout sliding and angleddovetails too. Plus, create decorativeIsoloc joints, finger joints, andmultiple mortise and tenons

effortlessly with Leigh attachments. Routings never been easier. Joining Tradition With Today

Call For Your FREE Leigh Catalog1-800-663-8932

Leigh Industries Ltd., PO Box 357Port Coquitlam, BC Canada V3C 4K6 Toll free 1-800-663-8932 Tel. 604 464-2700 Fax 604 464-7404 Web www.leighjigs.com


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TOOL TEST

Porter-Cables new router system is play-ing catch-up with its multi-base kit com-petitors, but now it has not only caught up,it has surpassed them in many ways.

This system sports a variable-speed, soft-start, 12-amp motor with electronic feed-back to maintain constant speed in use. Themotor is quiet with low vibration, yet pro-duces lots of torque. A two-position powerswitch (at the top and base of the motor) isdesigned to make hand-held or router-tableuse equally convenient.

There are three bases available in the sys-tem that can be purchased separately or inkits. Shown is the 895PK kit with the fixedand plunge bases. The third option is a vari-ant of a D-handle base offering through-the-handle dust collection.

The fixed base offers the option of through-the-table height adjustment when in a routertable. The adjustment handle is first used torelease the base clamp, then is moved to theadjustment socket in the base.

For in- or out-of-table bit changes usingthe fixed base, the collet completely clearsthe base, engages a spindle lock and disen-

gages the power switch for safe, convenientone-wrench bit changes.

The plunge base (designed to accepttemplate guides) offers a manual shaftlock but will not let the collet clearthe base. By switching base plateswith the fixed base, the collet willextend beyond the base.

In testing the 895PK kit in ourshop, we found switching the bases to besmooth and simple. The performance ofthe motor was very good and the plungeaction was reasonably smooth. We didnotice some plunge hesitation when pres-sure was not applied evenly to both handles,and we thought the switch on the plungebase was further away than preferable. Also,the plunge base would benefit from an ac-tive fine-height adjustment.

The fixed base was our favorite of the two,with the switches conveniently located, andthe height adjustment smooth and precise.

Overall, Porter-Cables 895PK kit is astrong competitor and is priced well forthe performance offered. David ThielFor more information, circle #170 on Free Information Card.

Porter-Cables New Routers Cover All the Bases

When we reviewed benchtop mortisers inAugust 2001, we had a lot of complaintsabout the crop of machines available atthe time. The biggest two flaws were that theslow-speed machines tended to stall too muchand the devices that held your stock in placecame loose too often as you worked.

Since then, Fisch has made some signif-icant upgrades to its machine that make it aserious contender in the benchtop market.

The three biggest changes are a beefiermotor, a more robust depth stop and a much-improved holddown system.

The motor is rated at 34 horsepower (upfrom 12 hp). It still runs at the slower speed(1,720 rpm), but its less likely to stall inwhite oak and hard maple.

The depth stop is now bulletproof. Onthe old machine we could make the depthstop slip during normal working conditions.This new version always stays put.

But our highest praise goes to the im-

provements made on the holddown system.Most mortisers are a pain because the hold-downs post will pull out of the fence or theforks will pull off the post at the top. Whenthis happens, all work stops.

To fix this, Fisch added a notch in thepost that secures it to the fence it neverslips. And the top forks are now attached tothe post with two setscrews instead of one.

Regarding the machines other features,the spring-loaded micro-adjustable fencetakes some getting used to. Im more com-fortable with a simpler fence system (I tookthe spring off so it now works like I am ac-customed to). However I know many wood-workers who really like this fence system.

All told, the Fisch upgrades are impres-sive. If you are considering purchasing abenchtop mortiser this year, the Fisch be-longs on your short list.

Christopher SchwarzFor more information, circle #171 on Free Information Card.

Fischs Improved Benchtop Mortiser

SPECIFICATIONSFisch BTM99-252Street price: $240Max. chisel capacity: 12"Speed: 1,720 rpmWeight: 63 poundsPerformance: Price range: $$$Fisch: 724-663-9072 or fisch-woodworking.com

SPECIFICATIONSPorter-Cable 895PK Router KitStreet price: $250Motor: 12 amp, 214 hpSpeed: 10,000-23,000 rpmCord: 10' rubberCollet: 14" & 12"Performance: Price range: $$$$$Porter-Cable: 800-321-9443 or porter-cable.com

lowing a miter slot. The anti-chip edge willwork in straight or beveled cuts and the cutscan be made from either side of the guide.The guide mounts to the work from under-neath with two integral clamps, so there areno clamps to hinder the cut. Its a simple and,as the name asserts, smart system.

How can it get better? Eureka Zone isadding a universal router plate for the sametrack system. We cant wait for that. DTFor more information, circle #173 on Free Information Card.

popwood.com 33

TOOL RATINGSPerformance is rated on a one-to-five scale.Youwont see a low rating (one or two) be-cause we dont publicize inferior tools. Fiveindicates the leader in the category. Five dol-lar signs indicates highest price in the cate-gory. Three indicates an average price. If youhave tool questions, call me at 513-531-2690ext. 1255, or e-mail me at [email protected]. Or visit our web site at popwood.comto sign up for our free, e-mail newsletter.


While woodworkers usually dont considera circular saw to be a refined tool, they stillown one and use it. Why? Because plywoodis sold in 48" x 96" sheets. And unless yourshop is large and well-equipped, these sheetsare hard to maneuver. A circular saw is a rea-sonable tool to reduce the size of these sheets,but the cuts arent as accurate or neat as wood-workers would prefer. Thats where this guidesystem comes into play.

The system starts with the Smart Base.This simple phenolic base fitsany circular saw and has re-placeable zero-clearance in-serts that make splinter-freecuts.That in itself is a goodthing, but when you add theSmart Guide, the system issweet. The aluminum trackshave replaceable anti-chipedges (even less tear-out) andallow the saw to guide per-fectly straight like youre fol-

EZ Smart Circular Saw Guide is Great for Plywood

MORE NORTON 3XSANDING PRODUCTSNorton Abrasives (770-967-3954 or nortonabrasives.com) has expanded its 3Xsandpaper line to fit random-orbit sanders.We were impressed with the 3X in sheetform and are now really pleased that we canput it on our shops sanders. The paper isaggressive, durable and resists clogging. The5" discs fit five- and eight-hole vacuumsanders thanks to a universal hole pattern.The discs also last longer because of a spe-cialized resin bonding system that securesthe abrasive to a fiber-reinforced, heavierpaper backing. Its available in packs of threeand 10 discs in the following grits: 40, 60,80, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220 and 320. DT

ASHLEY ILES TURNINGTOOLS NOW IN AMERICALong a favorite among turners in Britain,Ashley Iles turning tools are becomingavailable in the United States from Tools forWorking Wood (800-426-4613 or toolsfor-workingwood.com). About 100 tools areavailable, plus additional tools speciallymade for pole lathe turners. Though pricingwasnt available at press time, they shouldcost less than comparable Sorby tools. Wevebeen impressed with Ashley Iles steel, sothese tools should be a hit with U.S. turners.

CS

Dedicated mortising machines arent nec-essary for all woodworkers. But if mortisesare an important part of your woodworking,especially if you happen to enjoy makingchairs, theres no machine that will save youas much time as a tilting-head mortiser. Theholes necessary to accurately attach splayedlegs and back pieces to chairs can take hoursto set up. This makes it a science.

The 1-hp motor (1,725 rpm) provides ex-cellent power for cutting mortises throughhardwood. The fit and finish on the ma-chine are good and the two-axis mov-able table and canted holddown makemortising very user-friendly. Stops forthe left-to-right travel on the table, andalso on the depth-of-cut onthe mortising head, makemultiple mortises easilyrepeatable.

Then theres the tilting head, ca-pable of moving 45 to the left orright for angled mortising. To set thehead in motion, you loosen two bolts,then retighten them once the prop-er angle is achieved. While the tilt-

Bridgewood MS-25T Tilt Head Mortisering head is nice, we would have preferred atool-free option for this procedure.

There also is a nice angling feature to thefence (0 to 30 from parallel) that is tool-free and adds a third dimension to the an-gled mortising opportunities.

All-in-all this is a useful and valuable ma-chine for many operations. Well-made andreasonably priced, our only gripe is the wrenchrequired for tilting. DT

For more information, circle #172 on FreeInformation Card.

SPECIFICATIONSBridgewood MS-25TTilt Head MortiserStreet price: $840 w/stand

($700 without)Motor: 1 hp, 220 voltSpindle speed: 1,725 rpmTable travel: 3" x 1412"Max. chisel capacity: 1"Performance: Price range: $$$$$Wilke Machinery: 717-764-5000or wilkemachinery.com

SPECIFICATIONSEZ Smart Guide SystemStreet price: $225 (base: $19.95)Fits: Any circular sawIncluded: 1-50"& 2-25" rails,smart base, two anti-chip insertsPerformance: Price range: $$$$$Eureka Zone: 888-938-7352 oreurekazone.org


INGENIOUS JIGS

Once upon a time I had the brilliantidea to use a strip of hardwood to trimout the edge of a laminate countertop. Andnot just any laminate, either. This stuff wasso expensive that if you asked how much itcost, the salesperson presumed you couldnot afford it. So scratching it during in-stallation was not an option.

The challenge, I realized the moment theglue set upon the wood trim, was that Ihad to plane the top surface of the trim flushwith the laminate without touching the lam-inate itself. If the blade touched the lami-nate, I would remove the thin layer that heldthe color, revealing the dull substrate (whichthe manufacturer thoughtfully made a flatwhite to provide maximum contrast and ad-vertise my slip-up to the world).

I searched the 40 billion tool catalogs Ireceive each month (give or take), lookingfor something that would shave the woodwithout touching the laminate. I found noth-ing that would do the trick.

Now, we all know what happens when youhave a perfectly good excuse to buy an ex-pensive new tool and you cant find anythingsuitable you buy something thats unsuit-able and make it work. As a result, I boughta small laminate trimmer and built the jigshown here to turn it into a tool that I hopedwould not mar the laminate.

A Jig forPrecision Trimming

by Nick Engler

Nick Engler, the author of more than 50 books onwoodworking, has built and flown a replica of the

1903 Wright Flyer, the first true airplane. He is nowworking on the 1905 version.

Turn your laminate

trimmer into a tool that

flushes surfaces with

incredible finesse.

Making a Router Cut Like a Hand PlaneWhat I made is sometimes called a routerplane, although it does something quite dif-ferent from the hand tool of the same name.

An old-time router plane rides on thesurface and reaches down into a recess totrim the bottom. This jig lets you adjust thedepth of the router bit to cut adjacent sur-faces flush to or higher than the surface onwhich the router is riding.

In my case, I wanted the tool to ride onthe laminate and shave the top surface ofthe wood trim ever-so-slightly higher thanthe laminate it was attached to.

The first thing to do is to make a mount-ing plate from clear acrylic. (This lets yousee what you are planing.) The plate shouldbe rectangular and about twice as long as thelaminate trimmers base is wide.

Mount the router at one end of this plate,centered over a 1"-diameter opening for abit. On the end of the plate, mount a 38"-thick wooden base and a handle, as shownin the drawing at right. The base rests on onesurface and lets you cantilever the routerover another surface that you want to shaveparallel to the first.

The handle not only helps you controlthe router, it lets you counterbalance therouters weight and keep the base flat on thereference surface as you work.

The fasteners you use to assemble theplate, base and handle must not protrudebelow the bottom surface of the base after

Phot

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Al P

arris

h

popwood.com 35

all, you dont want metal hardware draggingover the surface youre trying not to cut.

Using the JigMount a straight bit in the router. I com-monly use a 34"-diameter bit, but any bitsmaller than the plate opening will do.

Adjust the depth of cut to the level youwant to rout. If you want to trim one surfaceflush to another, raise or lower the bit untilthe tip barely touches the surface on whichthe base rests. If you want to cut slightly

Thru hole slightly larger than head of base bolts

Variable

Variable

Variable

Hole and counterborefor handle bolt, washer and nut 1"

diameter thru

45

90

Mounting plate

Countersunk hole to matchrouter base

1/4"acrylic sheet

Base

#8 x 1/2" round head wood screw

3/8"

Handle

You can use a piece of paper to position the bit about .003" above the surface.Thiswill look flush but still ensure you dont hurt the surrounding laminate.

This jig also will trim wooden plugs flush with the surrounding surface withoutcutting or marring that surface.

above a surface, as I did, simply raise the bitto the proper height.

I used a piece of paper as a feeler gauge toposition the tip of the bit about .003" abovethe surface close enough to look flush, butfar enough away to make sure it wo

popular woodworking 2004-04 no. 140

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