w

Low-cost lumber:
TAU N T O N ’ S
12 great choices, p. 67

Who makes
the best vise?
Dust-proof any tablesaw
Tough topcoats
for outdoor furniture
Build a classic
Morris chair
Soup up your
miter gauge
4 clever
drawer stops

June 2009 No. 205

$8.99

www.finewoodworking.com
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W contents
MAY/JUNE 2009 ■ ISSUE 205

features
14 METHODS
OF WORK

32 Build a Bow-Arm Morris Chair

Lamination puts beautiful grain and a graceful curve
within arm’s reach
B Y G R E G O RY PAO L I N I

40 14 Bench Vises
COVER A head-to-head look at the tool everyone needs
STORY

up front B Y M AT T K E N N E Y

6 On the Web 46 Dust-Proof Any Tablesaw

Enclose the saw, direct the dust, and you’ll clear the air
8 Contributors BY RICHARD BABBITT

10 Letters
14 Methods of Work 52 Torture Test for Outdoor Finishes
We sent five types around the country and found
■ Adjustable-height worktable on wheels one favorite
■ Easy drill-press fence BY TOM BEGNAL
■ Rotating tower stores more hardware

20 Tools & Materials 57 The Ins and Outs of Drawer Stops

■ Plunge-cut saw makes straight, Four clever ways to keep a drawer in its place
clean cuts BY PETER TURNER
■ Compact dust collector is powerful
and efficient
62 Tape: Unsung Hero of the Shop
28 Fundamentals These 4 rolls will help you cut cleanly, lay out clearly,
Miter-gauge basics and clamp securely
BY ADRIAN FERRAZZUTTI

20 TOOLS &
MATERIALS
67 Low-Cost Lumber
With 12 great choices, you’re bound to find a few near you
B Y M AT T K E N N E Y

72 End Grain Up
Bring butcher’s block out of the kitchen with these design and
construction tips
BY MARK KOONS

www.finewoodworking.com
Cover photo: Michael Pekovich
 57 DRAWER
STOPS
MASTER
CLASS 88

in the back
80 Readers Gallery

84 Q & A
■ Best brush for shellac
■ Round benchdogs are more versatile
than square ones
■ Working with warped panels

88 Master Class
The magic of hot-pipe bending

98 How They Did It

The back cover explained

Back Cover
$34 vs. $3,400

BOW-ARM
MORRIS CHAIR 32
67 LOW-COST
WOODS

Pp
on the web
THIS MONTH ON FineWoodworking.com/extras
Visit our Web site to access free Web tie-ins, available April 16. While you’re there, don’t miss the collection
of totally free content, including tool reviews, an extensive project gallery, and must-read blogs.
ARTICLE
Finish Recipe: Arts and Crafts Look
Without Harsh Chemicals
Gregory Paolini (“Build a Bow-Arm Morris Chair”) Editor Asa Christiana

mimics the look of a traditional Stickley finish without Art Director Michael Pekovich
fuming the piece using industrial ammonia.
Managing Editor Mark Schofield
VIDEO Senior Editor Thomas McKenna
Hot-Pipe Steam-Bending Associate Editors Thomas G. Begnal
Watch Michael Fortune (Master Class) demonstrate an Steve Scott
easy way to bend wood using a shopmade device. Anissa Kapsales
David Heim
Matthew Kenney
GALLERY
Share Your Work to Win a Prize Associate Editor,
Online Gina Eide
Join one of our monthly gallery challenges by posting
photos of your work for a chance at great prizes. David Senior Copy/
Mathias of Dublin, Ohio, shared photos of his Gamble Production Editors Elizabeth Healy
Julie Risinit
House entry table and won top honors during our recent
exposed-joinery challenge. Associate Art Directors Kelly J. Dunton
PHOTO: DAVID MATHIAS John Tetreault

Shop Manager Robert Nash

Administrative Assistant Betsy Engel

Contributing Editors Christian Becksvoort

Gary Rogowski
Free Plans in Your Inbox Garrett Hack
Get free plans, videos, and articles in the Roland Johnson
Steve Latta
Fine Woodworking eLetter. It’s delivered to
your inbox almost every week of the year Consulting Editor Jonathan Binzen
and is chock-full of essential tips. Go to
Methods of Work Jim Richey
FineWoodworking.com to sign up.
Executive Editor,
Books & Video Helen Albert

online exclusives: Fine Woodworking: (ISSN: 0361-3453) is published

Become a member to access more than 30 years of Fine Woodworking content. View more than 500 bimonthly, with a special seventh issue in the winter, by
technique videos, browse 1,400-plus articles and project plans, and read the current issue online. The Taunton Press, Inc., Newtown, CT 06470-5506.
Telephone 203-426-8171. Periodicals postage paid at
Newtown, CT 06470 and at additional mailing offices.
VIDEOS GST paid registration #123210981.

Build a Morris Chair Subscription Rates: U.S and Canada, $34.95 for one
year, $59.95 for two years, $83.95 for three years (in
Read the article in this issue, and then watch the U.S. dollars, please). Canadian GST included. Outside
video workshop to see how Gregory Paolini builds U.S and Canada, $41.95 for one year, $73.95 for two
this recliner, sharing expert tips and tricks along the years, $104.95 for three years (in U.S. dollars, please).
Single copy, $7.99. Single copies outside the U.S. and
way. It’s our first ever woodworking project published possessions, $8.99.
simultaneously in print and on video.
Postmaster: Send address changes to Fine Woodworking,
The Taunton Press, Inc., 63 S. Main St., PO Box 5506,
Foolproof Brushing Techniques Newtown, CT 06470-5506.
Don’t reach for a rag the next time you need to apply
Canada Post: Return undeliverable Canadian addresses
a finish. Grab a brush instead, and use Peter Gedrys’ to Fine Woodworking, c/o Worldwide Mailers, Inc.,
straightforward methods to avoid drips and sags. 2835 Kew Drive, Windsor, ON N8T 3B7, or email to
[email protected].
Quick Tip: Edge-Jointing Printed in the USA
With a Router
Senior editor Thomas McKenna shows a jointer-free
way to get an absolutely straight, square edge on a
board. It’s the perfect technique for panel glue-ups.

6 FINE WOODWORKING
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contributors
It takes a shopful of
woodworkers to test 14 Publisher Anatole Burkin
vises. Associate editor Sr. Marketing Manager Melissa Robinson
Matt Kenney (“Bench Administrative Assistant Christina Glennon
Vises”) is grateful to
Advertising Director Peter Badeau
Dennis Fitzgerald of the 203-304-3572
School of Art + Design [email protected]

at Purchase College in Director of

Advertising Marketing Kristen Lacey
New York for installing 203-304-3757
the vises on his benches, [email protected]

and for supervising the Sr. National

Account Manager Linda Abbett
program’s students 203-304-3538
(shown) as they subjected the vises to the rigors of a school shop. The students [email protected]

tested and used the vises for 16 weeks and then gave thorough evaluations of Associate Account
Manager Kimberly Parrilla
each. Fitzgerald (third from right, back row) also weighed in, of course. 203-304-3590
[email protected]
Sr. Ad Sales
While working as a stockbroker in California, Richard Babbitt Support Associate Marjorie Brown
(“Dust-Proof Any Tablesaw”) earned his private pilot’s license with Advertising inquiries: 800-309-8954
[email protected]
multi-engine, instrument, and commercial ratings. This in turn led
to an exciting 27-year career selling private and corporate planes Member Audit
Bureau of Circulation
for Beech Aircraft. An avid woodworker, he used his knowledge of
aerodynamics to solve the dust-collection problem on tablesaws. Sr. Consumer
Marketing Director Beth Reynolds, ProCirc
Circulation Manager Noelia Garcia, ProCirc

Gregory Paolini (“Build a Bow-Arm Morris Chair”) spent the Business Managers David Pond,
Megan Sangster
last year designing and building a new woodworking studio in the
mountains of western North Carolina, with a lot of help from his
wife, Ramona. He is a full-time furniture and cabinet maker, a
frequent contributor to FWW, and occasionally teaches woodworking
classes. His portfolio is online at www.paolinicrafters.com.
Independent publishers since 1975
Founders, Paul & Jan Roman

President Suzanne Roman

Mark Koons (“End Grain Up”) was introduced to the Japanese
EVP & CFO Timothy Rahr
woodworking tradition in 1966, when staffing an Army evacuation
SVP, Operations Thomas Luxeder
hospital in Japan for casualties of the Vietnam War. Later, he spent
SVP, Creative & Editorial Susan Edelman
time as an ironworker in Wyoming, where he would finally heed
SVP, Technology Jay Hartley
his call to woodworking. Koons, who also teaches the craft (www.
SVP & Group Publisher Paul Spring
markkoons.com), lives with his wife, Mary Ann, in Wheatland, Wyo.
SVP & Publisher,
Book Group Donald Linn
SVP, Advertising Sales Karl Elken
When Adrian Ferrazzutti (“Tape: Unsung Hero of the Shop”) moved
SVP & Group Publisher Janine Scolpino
from a tiny basement shop in his house to a 4,000-sq.-ft. shared
workspace, he found that he was losing too much time walking across VP, Human Resources Carol Marotti

the shop to make a single cut or pick up a tool. So he brought in his VP & Controller Wayne Reynolds

skateboard and now zips around. Ferrazzutti teaches woodworking at VP, Fulfillment Patricia Williamson

the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine and Rosewood Studio VP, Finance Kathy Worth

in Ottawa. VP, Taunton Interactive Jason Revzon

VP, Single Copy Sales Jay Annis
We are a reader-written magazine. To Publishers of magazines, books, videos and online
For more information on our contributors,
learn how to propose an article, go to Fine Woodworking • Fine Homebuilding
go to FineWoodworking.com/authors. Threads • Fine Gardening • Fine Cooking
FineWoodworking.com/submissions.
www.taunton.com

8 FINE woodworkINg
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letters
Advice for would-be wood stackers
There is another benefit of harvesting
and drying your own timber not listed

Spotlight in your article (“Dry Your Own Lumber,”

FWW #204), and that is access to specialty
lumber such as very wide boards, thick
ISSUE NO. 204 slabs, crotchwood, book-matched boards,
March/April 2009 turning blanks, and more.
p. 57 Over the past 10 years I have air-dried
over 25,000 board feet, using the high-
quality lumber to make the trim, floor,
TAKE THE GLOVES OFF doors, and cabinetry for my house.
As a woodworker of many years’ experience who still has both hands and all of The article outlines exactly how I stack
lumber except for one step. I sticker one
his fingers, I winced at a recent picture showing a loosely gloved hand only inches
additional layer of framing lumber on top
from a spinning tablesaw blade. of the pile, and then add rows of cinder
I have heard many horror stories of mutilations of hands, fingers, and even blocks, centering them over the stickers.
forearms resulting from gloved hands being caught by spinning sawblades, drill The extra weight keeps the boards on the
top of the pile flat as they dry. On woods
bits, shaper spindles, and jointer blades. Our perception, and therefore our margin
that are especially prone to movement
for safety, ends at the ends of our fingers and not at the end of a glove. while they dry, such as poplar, hickory,
—WILLIAM SLOAN, cabinetmaker, Ann Arbor, Mich. and sycamore, I tend to add a solid layer
of cinder blocks.
It is against the law in some states to wear gloves while operating rotating I then cover the pile as described in the
equipment. The glove is easily grabbed and pulled into the blade, including the article. I have had tremendous success
fingers inside, creating a severe safety hazard risk to the operator. We had an with this approach.
—T O D D S MITH, Fairfield, Va.
experienced carpenter lose an index finger due to just such an exposure.
—JEFF GILSTRAP, contractor, Collinsville, Okla.
YOUR TAKE

What got you started

Thin-kerf blades continued Threat to black walnut trees in woodworking?
In the recent article “Thin-Kerf Blades Are I am a professor of entomology at
for Everyone” (FWW #204), the author left
out another significant benefit: Since the
blade is 28% thinner, it should produce
Colorado State University, where we
have discovered a new insect-carried
fungus called Thousand Cankers, which
28% A relative

28% less sawdust than a standard blade.

This is reason enough for me to switch.
poses an extreme threat to black walnut
in North America. Currently we think the
24% Secondary-school
shop classes
—CRAI G R EIC HER T, Moose Jaw,
Sask., Canada
disease is restricted to the western United
States, where it looks like it will kill all 13% TV show

I have used thin-kerf blades for years

black walnuts within a decade or so; in
some areas, most of the trees have 10% Economic
necessity
with great success and no complaints already died.
about accuracy. But it is important to It would be devastating if someone 7% Magazines
remind people that they will need to were to move a walnut log that contains
purchase a riving knife or splitter that is
the same thickness as the blade. When I
walnut-twig beetles into areas where
black walnut is native (much of the
5% A friend

switched over to thinner blades, I had a

narrow escape when a board stuck to the
eastern half of the United States).
No walnut logs with bark intact should 3% Woodworking school

standard-kerf riving knife that came with

my saw. Most manufacturers now offer
be moved eastward. Kiln-dried boards are
thought to be safe, however. For more 11% Other
riving knifes and splitters to match various information, go to: www.ext.colostate In our eLetter, we poll readers on new
blade kerfs. .edu/pubs/insect/0812_alert.pdf. questions each month. Sign up for the
—TIM P OOR , Woodbury, Minn. — W HIT N E Y C R A N SH AW, Colorado State University free newsletter at FineWoodworking.com.

10 FINE WOODWORKING
W205LT.indd 3/18/09 11:40:06 AM pg 11 - (BlacK)
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READER SERVICE NO. 108
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READER SERVICE NO. 28 READER SERVICE NO. 27

M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 9 11
letters continued

Off to a fast start

I recently retired from a 26-year career in Correction
go-kart racing, and started woodworking In “Illustrated Guide to Drawers” (FWW #204, p. 41),
as a hobby. I accumulated some tools, the drawing of a frame being rabbeted along its
but I really needed a workbench. A inside edge implies that the router is moving
Google search led me to your free site in a counter clockwise direction, which
(www.gettingstartedinwoodworking.com) would be a climb cut. The safer way to
with the three-part video on building make this cut would be in the other
a workbench. The videos were very direction, as shown here.
straightforward and easy to understand.
I printed out the plan and bought the
vise, dogs, hold-downs, dowel-centering BACK LEG FRONT LEG
BOTTOM BOTTOM
pins, and an assortment of clamps from
our local woodworking store. I bought the Clarification
lumber, MDF, threaded rod, and screws 1 in. In “Build a Bow-Front Hall Table”
from a local home center. I built my 1¼ in. (FWW #204), we failed to label the
bench over the weekend and it taper on the legs. See drawing at left
turned out great. for the footprints of the legs.
1 in.
—ERIC ER IC K S ON, Rogers, Minn.
1 in.

About your safety

Working wood is inherently dangerous. Using hand or power tools (or elsewhere) until you’re certain they are safe for you. If something
improperly or ignoring standard safety practices can lead to permanent about an operation doesn’t feel right, find another way. We want you
injury or even death. Don’t perform operations you learn about here to enjoy the craft, so please keep safety foremost in your mind.

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www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 13

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

3 ⁄ 8-in.-dia. bolt

connects top to
riser.
2x4 top

Top of base
removed for clarity
Base made
from ½-in.-
thick MDF
2x2 corner
blocks
Top
assembled
Wheel axle with
biscuits

3 ⁄ 8-in.-dia.
Graduations marked on bolt
risers make it easy to
level the top.
3 ⁄ 8-in. dowel

prevents plywood
block from
spinning.

Washers Riser
Hardware-
store wheel
Locking knob

Nut pressed
into knob

Best Tip Adjustable-height

worktable on wheels
After several years and many projects, I’m still finding up repetitive work such as routing, pocket-screw
new uses for this worktable. The latticework top, joinery, or biscuit-slot cutting.
made from 2x4s and assembled with biscuits, is a The top of the base cabinet helps prevent the
versatile aid for glue-ups and assembly work, and it cart from racking and provides a temporary resting
can be raised or lowered as needed. I typically lower place for tools and hardware. A pair of hardware-
it for assembling cabinets and raise it to save my back store wheels on a simple 1⁄ 2-in. axle makes it easy to
Bob Belleville for detail work, like cleaning up dovetails. move the table wheelbarrow style.
has been building The top can be adjusted from 24 in. to 38 in. tall —BOB BELLEVILLE, Los Altos, Calif.
furniture for more via four risers that fit through openings in the top
than 50 years. But of the base cabinet. Oversize knobs and plywood
boards from his blocks lock and unlock the risers. Each knob has A Reward for the Best Tip
lumber stack also a captive 3⁄ 8-in. nut that connects to a 3⁄ 8-in. bolt Send your original tips to Methods of Work, Fine
have been turned threaded through the block and riser slot. A glued-in Woodworking, PO Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470. If
into wooden cars, dowel prevents the block from pivoting in the slot. published, we pay $50 for an unillustrated tip;
clocks, and even Each riser is marked in 1-in. increments to make it $100 for an illustrated one. If your tip is the best,
easy to level the top. you win Jet’s framing clamp kit, which
computers.
includes four parallel-jaw
Clamps can be placed anywhere on the top, clamps and handy
both vertically and horizontally, to glue up small accessories.
and medium pieces or secure work for power
sanding. I also clamp scrap lumber to the top to
create impromptu stops and holders for speeding

14 FINE WOODWORKING
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methods of work continued

Tapered handle with

threaded insert
Easy drill-press fence
This quick-to-make drill-press fence
is a big improvement over the clumsy ⁄ -in. slot in
9 16

auxiliary table
strip of wood and two clamps that Loosen
most of us use. The fixture consists handles to
of a 3⁄4-in.-thick plywood auxiliary slide fence.
table and a movable fence. Attach the
auxiliary table to the regular drill-press
table—arrangements will vary from
drill press to drill press. Make the
fence from a length of 11⁄ 2-in. T-nut, base
by 11⁄ 2-in. aluminum angle faced size 11 ⁄ 8 in.
with plywood. The fence adjusts
via two slots in the plywood table and
locks in place by tightening vertical
black handles that engage industrial
T-nuts below. You can get both items
Auxiliary drill-press
at www.grainger.com: items No. 2YJL1
¾-in. plywood face table, ¾-in.-thick
(T-nuts) and No. 4X501 (handle). plywood
—DAVID M. GROSZ, Stamford, Conn. 1½-in. by 1½-in.
aluminum angle

Bevel the
back. Grind the end to fit
profile to be scraped.
Custom scraper from a bottle opener
Can opener
For many years I have been making scrapers from can and
bottle openers (sometimes called church keys). I grind
the ends of the openers to custom shapes for restoring
antiques and scraping odd-shaped trim; they’re also great
for scraping glue out of tight corners. I have more than
50 different shapes that I use over and over again.
To make a scraper, I first snap off the little tabs. Then I
grind the pointed end to fit the project at hand, beveling the
back of the blade slightly. The curved ends of the openers
are just the right angle for efficient scraping.
Remove
the tabs. —JOHN H. MASON, Boise, Idaho

Cheap landing pad for sanders

Random-orbit
Some time ago I purchased a fancy sander
landing pad for my 5-in. random-orbit
sander, but I wasn’t very happy with it.
I’ve since replaced that accessory with
the plastic lid from a 39-oz. coffee can.
I can set the sander down immediately
after using it, and the lid will spin until
the sander has come to a stop. You
can’t argue with the cost.
—JON MUNSTOCK, Chama, N.M. Coffee-can lid

16 FINE WOODWORKING
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READER SERVICE NO. 98
W205MW.indd 3/18/09 11:30:03 AM pg 18 - (BlacK)
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methods of work continued

Tower of storage
cabinets Rotating tower stores more hardware in less space
While rethinking the efficiency of my
workshop, I came up with the idea of Top plate
building a tower on top of a lazy susan
to manage 12 cases containing 252
small drawers full of screws,
nuts, bolts, and other
hardware. Before I built the
¾-in. MDF tower, the cases ate up 15 sq. ft. of wall
between space. With this arrangement, the 12
layers
cases take up less than 2 sq. ft. at the
end of the countertop.
I simply stack the layers of cases
on 3⁄4-in.-thick MDF. Gravity keeps
them in place, but if you
have doubts, you could
hold them with a nonskid
material or double-faced tape. I chose
12-in.-dia. lazy-susan hardware, the Lazy-susan
largest I could find to support all that bearing
weight. The tower spins easily, making Bottom plate,
Lazy-susan every drawer instantly available. 16¼ in. sq.
base —SERGE DUCLOS, Delson, Que., Canada

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18 FINE WOODWORKING
FW205Adp19.indd 3/16/09 10:23:32 AM pg 19 - (BlacK)
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tools & materials
■ POWER TOOLS

Plunge-cut saw makes

straight, clean cuts

D
EWALT HAS ENTERED THE PLUNGE-CUT CIRCULAR-SAW ARENA
with the introduction of its DWS520. Working in conjunction
with a track, this saw makes straight, clean cuts with a mini-
mum of fuss. Festool introduced this class of tool a few years
ago and I soon wondered how I managed to get along without one.
Tracks for the DeWalt are sold separately and are available in three
lengths: 46 in., 59 in., and 102 in. The saw also has a riving knife
that retracts when you need to plunge the saw.
There are a few key differences between the DeWalt and the Fes-
tool. The plunge-action is fussier on the DeWalt: You have to place
both hands on the back handle and apply pressure directly over the
blade. On the other hand, the DeWalt can cut on both sides of its
track, meaning you won’t have to spin the long assembly around
when working. Both saws make very clean cuts. Accurate cuts with kick-
Forced to pick between the Festool and DeWalt, which are both back insurance. There
excellent tools, I’d choose the Festool. It’s lighter, easier to plunge, are zero-clearance plastic
and has a better blade-changing mechanism. inserts on both edges, for
The DWS520 sells for $500, the same price as the Festool T55EQ. near-splinter-free cuts, and
Plan to pay extra for the track: $80 for a 46-in. length, $100 for a the riving knife (left) reduc-
es the chance of kickback.
59-in. length, and $230 for a 102-in. length. Go to www.dewalt.com
for more information.
—Mark Edmundson builds furniture in Sandpoint, Idaho.

■ WOOD TURNING

A better turning caliper

TYPICALLY, WHEN TURNING A SPINDLE with several diameters
along its length, you need to
constantly reset a caliper to check
those critical dimensions, a tedious and time-
consuming process. Or you need several calipers, each
preset to a different diameter. Windsor chairmaker Peter
Galbert has come up with a better way: a caliper that has a
built-in, easy-to-read scale that measures any diameter from ½ in.
to 2½ in. while the work is spinning. In fact, the caliper can be held in
one hand and pressed against the back of the spinning wood while a parting
tool is held in the other hand, cutting the wood until the desired diameter is reached. I found the caliper
Measure as you turn. With the to be pretty much foolproof, as did a number of other turners who tried it. The Galbert Caliper sells for
caliper behind the workpiece, you around $80. For more information, go to www.petergalbertchairmaker.com.
can read the diameter as you turn. —Andy Barnum teaches wood turning at the State University of New York at Purchase.

20 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: staff

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READER SERVICE NO. 111
tools & materials continued

■ DUST COLLECTION

Compact dust collector

is powerful and efficient

D
ELTA HAS ADDED A NEW PLAYER to its dust-collection
roster. It gets you plenty of power in a lightweight,
compact, easy-to-roll-around package. It also has a
1-micron bag, better than the 5-micron or 30-micron
bags found on many other collectors.
Model 50-720 features a 1-hp, 10.8-amp induction motor
that, according to Delta, moves air at the rate of 650 cubic
feet per minute (cfm) at the collector port. This places the
machine between a shop vacuum and the standard 11⁄ 2 hp
collectors reviewed in FWW #183. This model’s capacity is
enough to move dust and chips into the collector as long
as you keep the hose length to under about 10 ft. (it comes
with a 5-ft. hose) and connect the dust collector to only one
dust-producing machine at a time. I hooked it up to a 13-in.
planer, and it collected over 95% of the chips.
The Delta 50-720 sells for around $300. For more details, go
to www.deltaportercable.com.
—Tom Begnal is an associate editor.

Roll-around convenience. Delta’s

new 1-hp dust collector rolls from one
machine to another with little fuss.

■ BLADES

Sanding sawblade makes smooth cut

A TABLESAW BLADE THAT CUTS AND SANDS AT THE SAME TIME? That’s a
blade I had to try. The product, called Final Cut, is a 10-in., 40-tooth
tablesaw blade with a 9-in.-dia., 100-grit self-adhesive sanding disk
mounted to each side. To test the effectiveness of Final Cut, I
crosscut and ripped some 5/4 cherry. The cuts were excellent.
For comparison, I made the same cuts in cherry using a recently
sharpened Forrest Woodworker II blade. The Final Cut blade
produced smoother rip- and crosscuts than the Forrest. As a
final test, I cut about 70 linear ft. of ¾-in. birch plywood to find
out how long the disk would last. The quality of the final cut was
almost as good as the first, and still better than the Forrest.
By the way, when using Final Cut, make sure the blade height is
such that the perimeter of the sanding disk extends above the thickness of
the stock. If it doesn’t, the cut won’t be fully sanded.
The 10-in. blade (with disks mounted) sells for $65; replacement sanding disks are
Cut and sand. A Final Cut sanding disk
on each side of this blade produced available. For information, go to www.finalcutblade.com.
smooth cuts both ripping and crosscutting. —Bob Nash is the shop manager at Fine Woodworking.

22 FINE WOODWORKING
FW205Adp23.indd 3/16/09 10:21:26 AM pg 23 - (BlacK)
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READER SERVICE NO. 19

FW-FH-FC-IHREADER SERVICE
1/12 ad 14p3NO. 35
x 13p6 FW-FH-FC-IHREADER SERVICE NO. 82
1/6v ad 14p3 x 28p6

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www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 23
tools & materials continued

■ accessories

Ratchet action speeds up

bandsaw tension adjustment

M
OST EXPERTS AND MANUFACTURERS recommend re-
leasing the blade tension when a bandsaw is out of
use for more than a day. Blade changes also require
releasing and re-tensioning the blade. The new Accu-
right Ratchet-Rod speeds up those adjustments considerably
and makes them a lot easier on your hand and wrist. The kit
fits most traditional-style 14-in. bandsaws with a cast-iron frame,
replacing the factory tension screw, nut, and handle with an
ACME-threaded rod and nut for easier rotation. Topping the
assembly is a removable ratcheting knob. To change ratchet di-
rection, you just flip a lever on the bottom of the knob.
Replacing the factory equipment takes less than five minutes.
Major adjustments go very quickly, and the contoured knob fits
the hand comfortably. The Ratchet-Rod has become a welcome
addition to my bandsaw. It sells for $50 and is available from
Carter Products (www.carterproducts.com). Better tension adjuster. The knob on this aftermarket tension adjuster
—Roland Johnson is a contributing editor. has a ratcheting action, so your hand doesn’t have to work as hard.

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24 FINE woodwoRkINg
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www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 25

FW205Adp26.indd 3/16/09 2:29:31 PM pg 26 - (BlacK)
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26 F I N E w o o d w o r k in g
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READER SERVICE NO. 23
fundamentals

Miter-gauge basics
HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM
THIS STANDARD TABLESAW
ACCESSORY

N
B Y S T E V E L A T T A ot long after you set up your
first tablesaw, you’ll find yourself
reaching for one of woodworking’s
most common and useful
accessories—the miter gauge.
Standard equipment with every

Setup Don’t assume the stock miter gauge is ready to use as is. It needs
some help.
tablesaw, a miter gauge is the tool many
beginners use to make their first crosscuts.
With a miter gauge, you can accurately
Check the slid- cut workpieces to length with square ends
ing action first.
and make a variety of angled cuts, including
If there’s too much
side-to-side play, those for mitered corners. As you progress
peen the bar to in your woodworking, you’ll probably add
dimple a corner a crosscut sled to your tool kit (see
and widen it Fundamentals: “Build a simple crosscut sled
slightly. for the tablesaw,” FWW #188), but you won’t
outgrow the miter gauge.

Setting up the gauge

The miter gauge consists of a bar and an
adjustable head with a knob to lock the
adjustment. The bar fits in the slots in the saw
table that run parallel to the blade. Look for a
sturdy aluminum headstock and an unobtrusive
locking knob with a secure and comfortable grip.
Attaching an auxiliary fence will help brace
the stock against the blade’s tendency to push

Attach an auxiliary fence. This is a must Set the gauge for a square cut. If the blade Check the results. After setting the gauge to
because it supports longer pieces and reduces and slot are parallel, you can use a known 90º 90º, make a test cut. The cut surface should be
tearout. Latta uses ¾-in. thick, 3-in.-wide MDF. reference to orient the gauge to the blade. square to the edge you held against the fence.

28 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: Steve Scott

Stop blocks The stop block is an age-old way to cut multiple workpieces
to the same length without measuring again and again.

A hinged block is nice. It lets you trim Using the hinge. With the block flipped up, trim
both ends of a board without changing the one end square (above). Then butt the square
setting. end against the block and cut to length (right).
Cutting multiples will be quick and accurate.

back toward the user and cause it to pivot on

the corner of the gauge. The fence should be
tall enough to retain its strength when the blade
passes through it. Extending the fence 11⁄ 2 in. or
so past the blade will help you safely push short
cutoffs beyond the blade.
The preset angle stops on most miter gauges
are rarely accurate. To set for 90°, put the gauge
in the slot upside down and, with the lock
knob loosened, slide the head up flat against
the rip fence rail and tighten the knob. If the
saw is properly set up, that should do it. Check
it once with a drafting triangle to make sure it
is accurate.

Making a basic crosscut For longer work, a longer stop block. A hooked block, held in place with a pair of
To make a 90° crosscut, simply hold the stock clamps, works for even the longest workpieces.
against the miter-gauge fence and push the gauge
through the cut. To avoid pinning the stock to
the table and to keep your hands a safe distance
from the blade, apply downward pressure only
over the gauge’s steel bar. After completing the
cut, be sure to move the stock off the gauge
and away from the blade before sliding the
miter gauge back. This avoids the chance that
the blade will catch, and throw, the workpiece
during the return stroke.
You can work to a simple pencil mark, but a For short cutoffs, a standoff fence.
If you use the rip fence as a stop, short
stop block makes it easy to crosscut multiple
pieces can get trapped between the
pieces to the same length. My block is hinged fence and blade. So butt the work-
and designed to work with my 3-in.-tall auxiliary piece against a standoff stop, clamped
fence. A small piece of 1⁄4-in. plywood fastened to the rip fence well in front of the
at the top of the block keeps it about 1⁄ 8 in. off blade.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 9 29

fundamentals continued

Two gauges can be better than one

Two gauges run side by side. One sits in Cut accurate dadoes. The twin-gauge setup works well for making cuts across the middle of a
each slot; together they support a long fence. long workpiece. Used miter gauges are inexpensive and easy to find at flea markets or online.

the saw table. This gap prevents dust buildup, Add an L-shaped
which can hinder accuracy. The plywood also fence for small
keeps the stop perpendicular to the table. If a work. The fence
stop block is clamped at an angle, there will helps prevent tearout
be discrepancies in length between pieces in small work like this
dentil molding. The
of different thickness. When crosscutting, hold
sawkerf in the fence
the workpiece tight against the fence and also helps locate cuts
stop block. in the workpiece.
To make the fence,
A second gauge adds versatility screw a 2-in.-wide
I always have one or two extra miter gauges strip of 1/2-in. MDF to
around the shop. They are handy for dedicating the bottom edge of a
3/4-in. piece.
to a specific task or for using in tandem to
support a long fence for crosscutting longer
workpieces. A crosscut sled is better, but this
arrangement is a good substitute. A twin-gauge
setup also supports an L-shaped fence for
Make precise miters
making specialized cuts such as dentil molding,
finger joints, and knuckle joints.

A tip for angled cuts

When setting up for an angled cut, it’s important
to set the gauge so that the leading end of its
fence points toward the blade. If the trailing
end of the fence is closest, the force of the cut
tends to pull the stock into the body of the
Setting up an angled cut. Use a
blade. This leads to burn and tearout when pair of drafting triangles to set the
the blade exits. gauge for a 45º cut. Also be sure
And if a stop block were used, the angle the triangle is against the body of
would tend to pull the stock away from the the blade and not a tooth, and set
block. Also, the auxiliary fence should stop at the gauge so the leading end of its
the blade so the scrap from the cut does not get fence points toward the blade.
pushed onto the back of the blade. •

30 FINE WoodWorkINg
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Band Saw Fence
© 2009 Forrest Manufacturing Code FW
READER SERVICE NO. 58 READER SERVICE NO. 97

A SCHOOL FOR WOODWORKING

Summer Classes 2009

Portland Oregon

503.284.1644 www.northwestwoodworking.com
READER SERVICE NO. 42

READER SERVICE NO. 52

FW-FH-FC-IH 1/8 ad 22p1.5 x 13p6
www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 31
 Build a Bow-Arm
Morris Chair

Lamination
puts beautiful grain
C raftsman furniture is known for its straight lines, quartersawn oak,
and sense of earthen mass and solidity. No piece displays those
features better than a Morris chair, with its large, square legs and
wide arms decked out in beautiful ray-fleck figure. The gracefully bowed
arms of this version, based on a design by gustav Stickley, lighten the mass
and a graceful curve just enough to give it the feel of irresistible comfort. Throw in a reclining
back and firm, but giving, cushions, and you have a chair that you’ll never
within arm’s reach want to leave.
For the most part, the construction is straightforward. But the most
distinctive part of the chair—its arms—presents two big challenges:
making bowed arms with attractive grain, and cutting a mortise-and-tenon
B Y G R E G O R Y PA O L I N I
joint on the curved arms and side frame. I’ll show you how laminating
the arms gets you around those challenges. And I’ll show you how to

32 FINE WOODWORkINg Photo, this page: keith Wright; drawings: Bob La Pointe
A R T S & cRAFTS Re cLI ne R Top back slat, 1¾ in.
thick by 37⁄ 8 in. wide by
Tenon, 3 ⁄ 8 in. thick by
2½ in. wide by 1 in.
Bowed arms and beautiful quartersawn oak 22 in. long long
stand out on this Craftsman classic. All the
joints are mortise and tenon, which makes Back slat, 1¾ in. thick Tenon, 3 ⁄ 8 in. thick
this a chair that will last. by 2½ in. wide by by 2 in. wide by
22 in. long 1 in. long
Upper rail, 11 ⁄ 8 in.
Backrest post, 11 ⁄ 8 in. thick by 4 in. wide
thick by 15 ⁄ 8 in. wide (before cutting
by 29¼ in. long
Arm, 1 in. thick by 6 in. wide curve) by 28 in.
by 41 in. long, laminated long
Back stretcher,
from four ¼-in.-thick plies Side slat, ¾ in. 11 ⁄ 8 in. thick by Rear tenon, 1½ in.
thick by 3 in. 4 in. wide by wide (before cutting
wide by 8½ in. 27 in. long curve), inset ½ in.
long from rail bottom
Arm overhangs Pivot and
inside of leg by 1 ⁄ 8 in. support pins
(see p. 39)

Front leg,
2¼ in. square
by 24½ in. long

Front stretcher,
11 ⁄ 8 in. thick by
6¾ in. wide by
27 in. long

Quartersawn veneer, 5¾ in.

1 ⁄ 8 in. thick by 2¼ in.

wide
Cleat, 1 in. thick by Tenon, Back leg,
¾ in. wide, located ½ in. thick by 2¼ in. sq.
1½ in. from the top Tenon, 1½ in. 1½ in. wide by 22½ in.
of the front and square, extends by ¾ in. long long
back stretchers ¼ in. above arm Lower rail,
and is beveled at 11 ⁄ 8 in. thick by
15°. 7 in. wide by
Quartersawn core, 28 in. long
¾ in. thick by 2 in. 17⁄ 8 in.
wide
Rail and stretcher
tenons, ¾ in. thick Corbel, 1¼ in.
LEG DETAIL by 1¼ in. long thick (see detail,
right)
Post extends 5 ⁄ 8 in.
23¼ in. above top slat.

¾ in.
Full-size plans for this chair are
2¾ in. available at FineWoodworking
.com/PlanStore.

1½ in. 33 ⁄ 8 in. 2½ in.

16 in. CORBEL

7 in.
227⁄ 8 in.

13¼ in. 7 in.

6¾ in.
4 in.

47⁄ 8 in. 24 in. 5 in. 247⁄ 8 in.

28½ in. 293 ⁄ 8 in. ¾ in.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M AY / J u N E 2 0 0 9 33

 TIPS FOR get striking quartersawn grain everywhere
it counts, including a simple and authentic
Accurate method for making a leg with four quarter-
joi nts sawn faces.
Every joint in this chair is
a mortise and tenon, the
Legs that look good from every angle
traditional Craftsman joint. They
The legs of a traditional Morris chair
must fit well to get a square and have four quartersawn faces. Lumber like
strong chair. Here’s how to cut that doesn’t grow on trees, but it can
the joints accurately with two be made in the shop. There are several
common tools: a router and a different methods to achieve the look, but
tablesaw. the one Stickley used, which is the easiest
by far, is to glue up a core of quartersawn
lumber and then laminate two quarter-
sawn veneers over the flatsawn edges of
the core.
After the glue is dry, trim the veneers flush
to the core with a router and flush-trimming
bit. Then crosscut the bottom of each leg
to square it up. Don’t worry about the tops
right now.

Mortises, then tenons

When making a mortise-and-tenon joint, I
usually start with the mortises. It’s much
Start with the right bit. When routing mortises, Paolini matches the straight bit’s diameter to easier to fit a tenon to a mortise than the
the mortise’s width so he doesn’t have to move the router side to side and risk tilting it out of other way around. You can cut all of the
square. Two fences (one the router’s edge guide; the other clamped on) keep the router on track. mortises now, except the four in the arms.
They’re laid out and cut after you make the
tenons on the tops of the legs.
Remain consistent with your reference edges. When cutting
the mortises on the legs, for example, reference the same fence
against the outside face of each one. Otherwise, the position of
the mortises will vary, resulting in sloppy joints and possibly a
chair that’s out of square.
Now cut all of the tenons, except those on top of the legs, at
the tablesaw. Cut a full tenon on the back of the upper rail; you’ll
just saw away part of it later.
Router-cut mortises have round ends, so I round the tenons with
the rasp portion of a Nicholson 4-in-hand file. Its smooth edges

Double the parts for stable routing. Thin pieces, like the side posts, Tenons at the tablesaw. First, cut the shoulders a hair deeper than
don’t provide a stable surface for a router. Clamp two or three of them the cheeks using a combination blade. Then, use a dado set to cut the
together to get a wider bearing surface. cheeks. Support the piece with the miter gauge.

34 F I N E woodwor k in g Photos, except where noted: Matt Kenney

hOW TO LAMInATe The ARMS
The bow of the arms 1 in. Pivot pin holes, 5 ⁄ 8 in.
2¼ in.
needs to match dia. by 2¼ in. deep
the curve cut onto
the upper rails and
legs. Use a full-scale ⁄
13 16 in.
Leg mortise,
drawing of the arm’s 1½ in. sq. 24¼ in. 4 in.
profile to make the
bending form and
you’ll get a great fit. 4 in.
6 in.

10 in.
403 ⁄ 8 in.

won’t mar the tenon shoulders, and its aggressive teeth make
quick work of the rounding.
The tenons on the lower side rails will interfere with those of
the front and back stretchers where they meet inside the legs. The
best way around this is to insert the side rails into their mortises
and trace the front and back mortises onto them. You’ll need to
trim the tenons’ thickness about 1⁄ 8 in. in those areas.

Drawing brings arms and legs together

The upper rail and the tops of the legs must be curved to match
the bow of the arms. The easiest way to do this is to make a full-
size drawing of the arm’s profile. You’ll use this drawing to make
a pattern for marking the curve on the upper rails and legs and to
make the bending form used to laminate the arms. Here’s an easy

Resaw the plies. Start the cuts on the tablesaw and use the kerfs to
guide the bandsaw blade as you finish the cut freehand.

Build the form layer by layer. Finish the form. Screw a

Make the first layer at the band- melamine fence to the rear of the Clamps, clamps, clamps. After coating the plies with glue, press them
saw, cleaning it up with sand- form and a stop to its front edge. against the stop and fence. Add a flexible caul on top and start clamping
paper. Glue and screw on each Packing tape keeps the glue from next to the stop. Work progressively down along the form. Place a clamp
successive layer and rout it flush. sticking to the form and stop. every 2 in. You’ll need two dozen.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M AY / J u N E 2 0 0 9 35

 SAMe PATTeRn FOR The SIDeS
The hardest part of building this chair is fitting the arms to the sides.
The tops of the upper rails are curved, and so are the tenon shoulders.
Make a pattern of the upper rails and use it to mark the curve. It’s
easier to align and hold in place than one of the arms.

37⁄ 8 in.
13 ⁄ 8 in.

Align pattern with

bottom edge of rail.

Mark the curve. With the sides dry-fitted, align the bottom of the rail
pattern with the bottom of the rail and mark the curve on the legs. This
locates the tenon’s shoulders on the legs. Then disassemble the sides,
realign the pattern on the rail, and mark its curve.

way to make the full-size drawing of the profile. Spring a batten

between two nails located at both ends of the arc. Push the center
of the batten up to the high point of the arc and trace the line.
To make the pattern for marking the curve on the legs and upper
rail, use graphite paper to transfer the arm’s profile (see drawing,
p. 35) to a piece of MDF. Cut the curve on the bandsaw and use
files and sandpaper to smooth it.

Laminated arms are a cut above

Because the bowed arms are so prominent in this design, the
figure and grain that shows on the top of each arm must be
just right. Arms sawn from solid lumber would have a wild, dis-
tracting grain pattern. But laminating the arms allows you to
control their look, choosing your best stock for the top and ori- Cut the tenons. Start by cutting the shoulders square. Cut the cheeks
enting it for the best effect. A laminated arm is also more stable with a dado set. Then chop and pare away the waste with a chisel as
than one cut from solid lumber, and concerns about short grain shown to define the curved shoulders.
weakness disappear.
Laminating form keeps plies in line—Bent laminations can be creeping after you remove them from the form. Start by making
tricky, but they don’t need to be. A fence and a stop on the form a laminating form. First, transfer the arm’s profile to a piece of
keep the plies aligned, and a simple caul applies even pressure 3⁄4-in.-thick MDF. The pattern for marking the curve won’t work

over them. using the right kind of glue will prevent the plies from here, because the arms are longer than it.
Cut close to the line of the curve on a bandsaw and sand or file
down to the line. You need eight 3⁄4-in. layers to get a form 6 in.
VIDeO WORKShOP wide. use the first layer to make the remaining seven.
Watch Paolini build this project from
Screw a fence to the side of the form and a stop to its front
start to finish in a members-only video end. They will keep the plies aligned as you glue up the arms.
at FineWoodworking.com/extras. Cover all of the working surfaces with packing tape to prevent
glue from sticking to them.

36 FINE WOODWORkINg
Mortise th e arms
The most accurate way to locate the arm
mortises is to mark directly from the leg
tenons. That way, you’re not guessing
where they should be.

First, cut arms to size. After scraping

the glue from one edge and jointing it, rip
the arm to width with the concave side up.
Crosscut the arms to length, using a sled
and small shim to get a square cut. 1
Locate and cut
Low-stress resawing—It takes a finely tuned bandsaw to resaw the mortises
wide lumber. To make things easier, I begin resawing at the table- 1. Lay the side assem-
saw and finish up at the bandsaw. The tablesaw removes most bly on your bench and
of the material and its kerfs help me guide the bandsaw blade stand an arm on the
tenons, flush against
through the arm. After resawing all of my laminates to 5⁄16 in.
their shoulders. The
thick, I plane them to 1⁄4 in. front mortise is 2 in.
The right glue for laminations—The best glue for laminating from the front edge.
curved parts is urea formaldehyde. It has a long open time and Use that measurement
doesn’t creep once dry. Those benefits outweigh its longer drying to align the arm before
time. It is, however, a known carcinogen, so wear gloves and use transferring the tenon
a respirator or work in a well-ventilated area. 2 locations to the arm.
Lay out the underside,
I use a piece of whiteboard for a caul, because it bends well and
too.
is glue-resistant. Available at home centers, whiteboard is 1⁄ 8-in.-
2. Now clamp the arm
thick Masonite covered on one side with white thermofoil.
in a vise so the mortise
Once both arms are laminated, scrape the glue from one edge, area is level and use a
joint it, and rip the arm to width on the tablesaw, concave side Forstner bit to remove
up. Then cut the arm to length using a crosscut sled and a shim the waste. To avoid
to get a square cut on the end. tearout, go halfway
from one side, flip the
Curved arms mean curved sides arm, and complete the
cut from the other side.
To mark the curve of the arm on the upper rails and legs, dry-
fit the side assemblies together. Align the bottom of the pattern 3. Use a chisel to chop
with the bottoms of the rails. The ends of the pattern will align away the remaining
waste and square
with the outside edges of the front and rear legs. Mark the curve
the corners. As you
on the inside and outside faces of the legs. And mark the inside did when drilling, go
of the legs on the pattern so you can realign it to mark the rail. halfway from one side
Disassemble the side, and mark the curve there, too. and finish up from the
Cut the curve on the upper rail on the bandsaw. When you do other.
this, the back tenon will be cut down to its final width. To cut
the tenons on the legs, first use a combination blade to cut all
four shoulders square to the leg, in line with the highest shoulder
(the one of the front of each leg). Then use a dado set to cut the
3

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M ay / J u ne 2 0 0 9 37

ASSeMBLe The BASe cheeks. To cut down to the curved shoulder lines on the sides and
back of the leg, use a chisel and mallet. I back-bevel the shoulders
Glue up the base before making the back, so you can take to ensure a tight fit with the bottom of the armrests.
measurements for the back directly from it. Through-tenons require careful layout—Dry-fit and clamp
the side assemblies in preparation for cutting and fitting the arm
Work in stages. Assemble
the sides first (right). The
mortises. Then clamp an assembly on the bench, inside face down
slats don’t need glue if with the tenons overhanging the edge. Set the arms on the tenons
they fit snugly. Glue the and press them snug against the shoulders. Mark the fronts and
rails to the legs and leave backs of the mortises directly from the tenons. Remove the arms
the clamps on overnight. and mark the mortise sides. use a Forstner bit to remove most of
Next, glue up and clamp the waste from the mortises, then pare down to the lines with a
the stretchers. Attach the
chisel. Next, chamfer the tenons that come through the arms. Cut
arms (below), brushing glue
on them and on the leg
them 3⁄ 8 in. proud of the arms and bevel them at 15°.
tenons. Leave the clamps After the arms are fit and the tenons chamfered, lay out and drill
on for 24 hours. the holes for the back support pins. A drill press will ensure that
they’re perpendicular. Be sure to bore the holes before cutting
the outside back corner of the arm.
While you’re at the drill press, drill the
holes for the pivot pins in the legs.

Shape corbels to fit the arms

With the arms temporarily in place, you
can fit and attach the corbels. I make a
pattern for the corbels, mark out four, and
cut them out at the bandsaw.
The front and back corbels are the same
length, but they hang down lower on the
rear legs because of the arm’s curve. The
corbels are centered on the legs, and their
tops need some shaping for a snug fit against
the bottom of the arm. After they’re shaped,
predrill them and the legs for screws, and
use a Forstner bit to create a countersink
for the screw head. Put a bit of glue on the
corbels and screw them in place. Plug the
countersinks with shopmade tapered plugs
to get a good grain match.
Next, cut the arc on the front stretcher,
and screw the seat-frame cleats to it and the
back stretcher. Then glue up the base.
cushion anatomY
Ask your upholsterer to make a layered cushion
like this one. It’s firm and durable yet comfortable.
Upholstery
fabric
Muslin

3-in.
1-in. cotton webbing
batting
Over and under. After stapling four courses of webbing across the
frame’s opening, weave webbing through them to create a strong but 5-in. high-density Hardwood frame
comfortable base for a cushion. urethane foam

38 FINE WOODWORkINg
Then MAKe The BAcK
Cut the tenons before shaping the slats. Using a half-pattern to mark the
curve of the slats will ensure that they’re symmetrical.

20 in.

1¼ in.
Slat, Slat blank, Tenon, 3 ⁄ 8 in. thick
½ in. thick 1¾ in. wide by 1 in. long

Cut the slats. Bandsaw and smooth the curves after cutting the
tenons. Because the slats are curved, they tend to flex a little under
clamping pressure. Hardwood spacers limit the force of the clamps.

Support pin
After the glue dried, I made a hardwood frame with webbing
for the seat cushion because I sent this chair to an upholsterer,
and a hardwood frame is better than the plywood frame some
upholsterers use. I used ash to make the frame, joining the parts
with mortise-and-tenon joints. The length and depth of the frame
should be 1⁄4 in. undersize to allow room for upholstery to be
wrapped around the sides and stapled to the bottom.

Back slats: Tenon the curve

I cut the tenons on the back slats at the same time as the other ten- Spacer, white
ons because it is much easier to cut tenons on a square piece than oak, 1½ in. dia.
by 5 ⁄16 in. thick
on a thin, curved piece. use a pattern to lay out the curve and then
cut it at the bandsaw. I cleaned up the sawmarks with a stationary
belt sander, but a spokeshave or sanding blocks also works.
Pivot pin, white
Authentic look without the fumes oak, not glued in
Stickley’s furniture is well-known for its rich brown finish, which
can be had by fuming with industrial ammonia. But you can forgo
the ammonia and still get a great finish. After sanding this chair,
I applied an antique cherry aniline dye. I let it dry overnight and PiVot and 2 in. 2¼ in.
then applied a dark walnut oil-based pigment stain. I finished it suPPort Pins
off with Minwax Polycrylic water-based polyurethane. 1 in. ⁄ in.
58
Even a novice can
When the finish is dry and the upholstery done, bring your chair turn these pins.
into the house, put it in a welcoming spot, and take a moment Check the diameter SUPPORT PIN
of the shaft with
to enjoy its grace and beauty. Then take a seatand maybe a a 5 ⁄ 8-in. open-end
napto enjoy its comfort. •
Online Extra wrench. Use a gouge
until you’re close,
13 ⁄ 8 in. 33 ⁄ 8 in.

For the complete finishing and finish up with

Gregory Paolini makes Arts and Crafts style sandpaper.
recipe, go to FineWood-
working.com/extras. furniture in Waynesville, N.C.
PIVOT PIN

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M AY / J u N E 2 0 0 9 39

 T OO L T E ST

14 Bench
Vises
A head-to-head look at
the tool everyone needs
B Y M A T T K E N N E Y

M
VISE OR VISE HARDWARE? y woodworking improved dra-
matically after I installed a vise on
my bench. With a vise to hold my
work, I could mark and cut accurate dove-
tails, plane square edges, and rout profiles
without the board sliding all over.
That’s why I’m convinced that a bench
vise is as important as any tool in the shop.
Whether you use power tools, hand tools, or
both, a good bench vise will help you work
more accurately, efficiently, and safely.
A bench vise is meant to hold your work
securely. A good vise not only does that
There are two basic choices. Cast-iron vises (left) can be used right out of the box and give well, but also opens and closes easily, has
you the option of adding wooden jaws. With vise hardware (right), you’ll need to make and jaws that clamp squarely to the stock and
install wooden jaws. hold it tight, and is versatile enough to

40 FIne WOODWORKInG Photos: Matt Kenney

handle a variety of woodworking tasks. A
bad vise doesn’t hold boards tight, or has
a nut that pops off the threads when you
Features to consider
tighten the jaws. quick release is faster

Narrowing the field

It wouldn’t be practical to test every vise
available, so I focused on front vises, be-
cause they are the first serious vise wood-
workers buy and can be the only type
they’ll need. Front vises are not difficult to
install and they can be used as end vises.
All have a screw between two guide bars,
but there are two types. You can buy a ful-
ly assembled cast-iron vise, which includes
metal jaws, or simply the vise hardware,
which supplies the screw and guide bars. Trigger finger or twist of the wrist. On trigger-release vises (left), a lever near the handle
You supply the wooden jaws. drops the nut so the outer jaw slides quickly to where you need it. This style is based on the
Both types have their advantages. Vise iconic vises by Record. On some quick-release vises, a quarter turn releases the nut (right).
hardware is less obtrusive, because there
is less visible metal and the jaws can be Dogs add versatility
made to match your benchtop. Cast-iron
vises are easier to install and most have a
built-in benchdog.
When I had the option, I chose quick-
release models, because slowly winding
a vise open to plane a drawer or use the
built-in bench dogs isn’t efficient or fun.
We also tested two twin-screw vises. One
model was discontinued, so we’re publish-
ing only the results for the Veritas model.
Like the other vises, it can be used as ei-
ther a front vise or an end vise. Though
it doesn’t have the quick-release feature, it Built-in or build it in. Most cast-iron vises have a benchdog built into the front jaw (left). With
can clamp stock vertically in the center of vise hardware (right), you add a dog hole (or two) to the wooden front jaw.

Can you live with racking?

No fix needed.
Kenney was sur-
prised to find that
some vises racked
very little. He could
tighten the jaws
enough to hold a
board for dovetail-
ing and not have
the board shift at
all (above left). On
the Veritas vise, you
can place a wide
board between the
two screws (below
left), and the vise
applies clamping
pressure equally.

Easy fix. Some vise jaws pivot and lose their grip when a piece must be clamped
in only one side of the vise. The solution is to clamp a scrap of the same thickness
at the other end.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 41

Cast-iron vises vise naMe
suPPlier
(ProDuct nuMBer)
street
Price

www.highlandwoodworking.com
anant 52½ eD $140
ANANT 52½ ED (199302)

www.highlandwoodworking.com
groz 9-in. quick release $110
(199152)

www.woodcraft.com
groz 9-in. rapid action $100
(148437)

www.southern-tool.com
Jet 9½-in. quick release $194
(WMH708569 )

Jorgensen rapid-acting www.woodcraft.com

$155
Bench vise (16T52)
GROZ 9-IN. QUICK RELEASE
Medium quick-release www.leevalley.com
$145
steel Bench vise (10G04.12)

rockler www.rockler.com
$140
workbench vise (33487)

shop fox 9-in. quick release www.japanwoodworker.com

$72
wood vise (66.252.5)

www.southern-tool.com
wilton 79a $250
(WMH63218)

GROZ 9-IN. RAPID ACTION JET 9½-IN. QUICK RELEASE JORGENSEN RAPID-ACTING
BENCH VISE

its jaws, making it easier to dovetail wide for hand-tool work, which puts the most ter. We checked for racking by clamping a
boards. That’s a compelling benefit. stress on a vise. Any vise that stands up to board vertically on one side of the vise and
To put these vises to the test, each one sawing and planing should be fine for ma- measuring how far out of parallel the jaws
had to be used daily for a variety of tasks, chine work like routing and drilling. The were on the other side.
and they had to be compared side by side. I students benefited, too. These vises were a Also, check the vertical alignment. The
needed help and found it in the School of Art big improvement over the old ones in their jaws should clamp squarely to the stock
+ Design at Purchase College in new York. shop. And every vise was donated to the from top to bottom. Because the screw
Dennis Fitzgerald, who oversees the wood- school by the manufacturer or supplier. is at the bottom of the vise, the bottom
shop there, installed the vises in the shop, tends to pull in as pressure is applied. To
and the students used and abused them for a The makings of a good vise compensate, the moving jaw on cast-iron
semester on tasks such as dovetailing, plan- We don’t ask vises to do much, but there vises should be canted in slightly at the
ing, carving, and working on shaped parts. are features to look for other than the abil- top. (With vise hardware, taper the front
Fitzgerald and I also did our own testing, ity to clamp wood securely. There’s an easy jaw so it’s slightly thicker at the top.)
and weighed in on the results. fix for vises that rack (see p. 41), but the There are two types of quick release: trig-
note that the vises were used heavily less you have to deal with racking the bet- ger and twist. I recommend a twist-release

42 FIne WOODWORKInG
 quick oPening vertical
Jaw wiDth ease of use racking coMMents
release caPacity alignMent

Yes, lever 9 in. 12¾ in. Poor 0.05 Good Quick-release nut doesn’t re-engage well.

Yes, lever 9 in. 9 in. Good 0.05 Excellent Low-quality plastic benchdog in front jaw.

Must add wooden front jaw

Yes, twist 9 in. 13 in. Excellent 0.09 Excellent
to get a benchdog.

Yes, lever 9½ in. 9½ in. Good 0.06 Excellent Release lever is not easy to operate.

Steel benchdog moves easily and

Yes, twist 10 in. 12 in. Excellent 0.04 Excellent
stays in place once set.

Yes, twist 9 in. 13 in. Good 0.13 Good Doesn’t open and close smoothly.

Yes, twist 9 in. 13 in. Good 0.08 Excellent Doesn’t open and close smoothly.

Yes, lever 9 in. 10¼ in. Good 0.08 Excellent Paint chipped easily.

Quick-release nut doesn’t re-engage

Yes, twist 10 in. 13 in. Good 0.06 Very good
immediately.

MEDIUM QUICK-RELEASE STEEL

BENCH VISE (LEE VALLEY) ROCKLER WORKBENCH VISE SHOP FOX QUICK RELEASE WOOD VISE

INSTALLING A CAST-IRON VISE WILTON 79A

Just bolt and go. If necessary, install a Get more with a long jaw. Mortising a long
spacer under the benchtop to keep the top wooden jaw over the rear jaw makes it easier
of the jaws just below the top of the bench. to clamp wide and long boards.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M AY / J u n e 2 0 0 9 43

Vise hardware vise naMe
suPPlier
(ProDuct nuMBer)
street
Price

ECONOMY QUICK-RELEASE economy quick-release www.woodcraft.com

$87
FRONT VISE (WOODCRAFT) front vise (145444)

large quick-release www.leevalley.com

$140
front vise (Large, 70G08.10)

quick-release www.woodcraft.com
$215
front vise (17A11)

LARGE QUICK-RELEASE
FRONT VISE (LEE VALLEY) rockler quick-release www.rockler.com
$180
end vise (37180)

veritas www.leevalley.com
$230
twin-screw vise (05G12)

ROCKLER
QUICK-RELEASE
QUICK-RELEASE END VISE
FRONT VISE
(WOODCRAFT)

INSTALLING VISE HARDWARE

Start with the baseplate. The first step is Attach the rear jaw. After you’ve drilled holes Bolt the front jaw in place. Clamp the wood-
to screw the baseplate to the bottom of the for the screw and guide bars, bolt the rear jaw en front jaw to the rear jaw, and then install the
benchtop. Then clamp the rear jaw in place and to the benchtop. Barrel nuts mortised in from screw plate and guide bars.
mark the holes for the screw and guide bars. the bottom of the benchtop capture the bolts.

44 FIne WOODWORKInG
 vise, because the nut disengages when the
quick oPening ease of screw is turned. This makes it easy to hold
racking coMMents
release caPacity use
a workpiece in one hand and use the other
to turn the screw and adjust the front jaw.
Too much play in screw and guide On a trigger-release vise, you must pull
Yes, twist 11½ in. Fair 0.15 bars caused jaw to open and hold a trigger to disengage the nut. It
and close poorly.
can be tricky to do this while moving the
jaw with the same hand.
Nut occasionally fails to disengage With a quick-release vise, an important
Yes, twist 13 in. Good 0.09 feature is how well the nut engages. If the
when you twist screw to pull jaw out.
nut pops or jumps when you tighten the
screw, the vise doesn’t tighten and your
Required more force to open and workpiece can fall out. Finally, check the
Yes, twist 14¼ in. Good 0.05
close jaw than other vises. fit and finish. Rough castings can scratch or
cut your fingers or workpiece, and screws
that don’t turn smoothly are frustrating.
Can clamp up to 6-in.-wide boards
Yes, twist 13 in. Good 0.06
between guide post and screw. And the winners are ...
Among the cast-iron vises, the Jorgensen is
Can clamp up to 16-in.-wide boards
the best. Its twist-release mechanism works
No 12 in. Excellent N/A between screws; two handles very well, and it has a big metal benchdog
are a nuisance at times. that moves smoothly and stays in place.
The vertical alignment was always dead-on
under pressure, and it racked the second
least. The best value is the Groz rapid-
VERITAS action vise. It performed very well, and I
TWIN-SCREW VISE like the action of the twist release.
Among vise hardware, the Veritas twin-
screw is easily the best. It has the biggest
clamping capacity and doesn’t rack. The
front jaw can be skewed for tapered parts
or to overcome racking force if you clamp
something outside the screws. The Veritas
doesn’t have quick release, but everything
else about it is so nice we didn’t miss it.
We picked the large quick-release front vise
sold by Lee Valley as the best value. It’s a
solid performer at a good price. •

Matt Kenney is an associate editor.

INSTALLING THE VERITAS TWIN-SCREW VISE

Attach the nuts. The round nuts fit into holes As the screws turn. Clamp the front jaw in Clip the chain in. A small spring clip holds the
drilled into the rear jaw, and the square bases place and start cranking the screws. When ends of the chain together. The chain turns a
are screwed in place. Then attach the jaw to the tight, attach the screw plates. sprocket on each screw, and lets you open and
benchtop. close both screws with one hand.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M AY / J u n e 2 0 0 9 45

Dust-Proof
any Tablesaw
Enclose the saw, direct the
dust, and you’ll clear the air
B Y R I C H A R D B A B B I T T

a s a retired pilot living in Washington State’s San

Juan Islands, I often fly cancer patients to the
mainland for treatment. Having witnessed the
plight of these patients, I became earnestly motivated to
minimize dust in my shop after the government catego-
rized wood dust as a carcinogen.
The major dust maker was my contractor’s saw, one of an
estimated million such saws in this country. Manufacturers seem
to have given little or no thought to dust collection beyond stick-
ing a dust port below the blade. The inefficiency of this system FolloW the FloW
is obvious every time a piece of wood is cut and the operator No matter which type of saw you have, the principle
becomes surrounded by a cloud of dust. To come up with a bet- is the same: close off most of the saw, allow rapid
ter solution, I put on my pilot’s cap and began to think about airflow in a few key areas, and you’ll send the dust
airflow. By applying aerodynamics to my tablesaw, I was able to toward the hose and not into the shop.

46 FINe WOODWORkINg Photos: Mark Schofield; drawings: John Hartman

 hot-rod the
enclose a contractor’s saw insert plate
Make holes where
teeth rise.
You need an outfeed table from which you can suspend a Widen the back of the slot in a
box to enclose the motor. The base of a typical contractor’s zero-clearance insert plate to
saw already has a dust chute, so three small panels will create suction where the dust
usually shoots out. Increase Zero clearance
close off the bottom; the rear one gets the dust port.
the effect by adding a pair at front of blade.
of holes at the point where
1/4-in.-wide opening
the teeth come up (with the blade
increases airflow into saw.
height set to 1 in).

Outfeed table

Motor box screwed

to frame of
outfeed table Filler
Right side block
Rear panel
panel
screwed
to side Left return
panels panel

Side panel

Air-intake
slots

4-in. dust Rear panel

Bottom screwed Left side port
to sides panel

vastly improve its dust collection, and keep the motor cooler in you should invest in one. The smallest particles are the most
the process. dangerous.
While I’ll focus on the contractor’s saw, the principles and tech- Begin by enclosing the motor—The motor enclosure is sus-
niques work on any saw. Two of Fine Woodworking’s editors will pended from an outfeed table. The bracing under my Rockler
describe how they dust-proofed a hybrid saw and a cabinet saw. table is placed almost perfectly for this installation, but if you have
another outfeed table, you can either adapt the bracing or attach a
Dust goes with the flow—if you direct it shopmade frame to the underside of the table.
The average contractor’s saw, with its open design, is equivalent The first step is to calculate the size of the box required to
to sticking the dust hose in the middle of the room. Some dust- enclose the motor at both the 0º and 45º blade settings. On most
laden air will be drawn in, but the majority will be too far from contractor’s saws, the motor is mounted on a hinged plate and
the hose and will float off into the shop. You need to increase hangs down behind the saw, supported by the drive belt. To make
the velocity by restricting and directing the amount of air enter- the enclosure box as compact as possible, you’ll need to pull the
ing the base of the saw. My plan uses three pieces of plywood to motor up slightly by shortening the belt. The easiest way to do
enclose the lower part of the saw, and five more to build a small this is to buy 4 ft. of link belt (www.in-lineindustries.com). Be
box around the rear-hanging motor. This enables me to direct the sure to unplug your saw before working on it.
airflow to the dust port. Because the motor will be completely sealed in, you can re-
This system requires a dust collector rated at a minimum of move any belt guard. Now tilt the blade to the 45º position and
1,100 cubic feet per minute (cfm). Most 11⁄ 2-hp mobile dust col- adjust the belt length to give 1⁄ 2 in. of clearance from the motor’s
lectors fit the bill, but if yours doesn’t have a 1- or 2-micron filter, capacitor to the underside of the outfeed table. This in turn will

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 47

box in the motor
Measure the
1 opening. After
installing a link
belt to adjust the
height of the
motor, use a tape
measure and level
to find the height
of the motor-
enclosure box
you need.

as small as possible
To minimize the size of the box, the motor should be 1/2 in. from
the outfeed table when the blade is tilted to 45º. The motor box
2
dimensions refer to Babbitt’s Delta contractor’s saw. Your saw may Attach the motor-box sides. The sides can be screwed to the bracing
need a different-size box. that supports your outfeed table. Cut the right-hand side of the box to fit
the back of the tablesaw and notch the top to go around the bracing.
1/2-in. 1-in.
back view Outfeed table
clearance clearance
Add the return.
3 On this right-tilt
saw, the left-hand
side of the mo-
Side panels tor box extends
screwed to bracing past the base of
underneath the the saw to give
outfeed table
the motor room
to swing out
Link belt when the blade is
installed
angled. To seal the
box, a short return
1-in. to 2-in. panel is attached.
clearance

1-in. clearance Air-intake slots in

rear panel determine how far the motor hangs down at the 0º setting. To
Side view get the vertical dimensions of the box, reset the blade tilt to 0°,
Outfeed table Motor set a tape measure on the floor, run the tape up past the motor
to the underside of the outfeed table, and lock it. Hold a level
against the lowest part of the motor mount and across the tape,
Side panels notched note the dimension, and add 1 in. for clearance. This will be the
to receive outfeed- vertical dimension of the left, right, and rear panels (all references
table bracing
to right and left are from the operator’s position). Hold the level
vertically an inch away from the back of the motor and mark the
underside of the outfeed table.
Notch where leg Begin with the right side panel—I have a right-tilt saw. For
171 ⁄ 8 in.
meets apron of a left-tilt one, reverse the descriptions for the left and right side
tablesaw panels. The right panel must seal against the rear apron of the
saw’s base, plus a portion of the 7° splayed leg. I held a piece of
cardboard tightly against the saw’s side and scribed it. We know the
height of the panel; for the width, measure from the top of the saw’s
base to the line you made on the underside of the outfeed table.
137⁄ 8 in. Depending on the design, your saw may have an indent where
the vertical part of the saw meets the splayed leg. This is the wid-
131 ⁄4 in.
est part of the right panel. Cut the panel to height and width, then
use the template to cut the profile to fit the tablesaw. Cut slots in

48 F I N E woodwor k in g
 Seal the rest of the saw
Look for gaps.
Use weather­
4
stripping or duct
tape to close off
any gaps between
the motor box and
the tablesaw.

Close off the base. Screw panels to the existing framework. Attach a
4-in.-dia. dust port to the rear panel.
Allow for ac-
cess. The base
side panels have
handles attached.
This makes them
easier to install
and to remove for
saw access.

5
Close the box. Screw on the back. Slots in the back panel allow air to
enter at high speed, cooling the motor and picking up the dust.

the top edge to accommodate bracing under the outfeed table. Seal the
underside of
Use drywall screws to attach the panel to the bracing.
the table. Large
Making the left side panels—When the blade is angled at 45º, gaps between the
the motor extends beyond the left side of the saw. To allow for this, saw’s base and
the main left-side panel doesn’t contact the back of the saw. It is the table are best
same height as the right panel but 1⁄ 2 in. wider and doesn’t have to filled with a foam
allow for the indent or the splayed leg. Locate the left panel an inch sealant.
away from the tilted motor and attach it in the same way.
The gap between the front of the left panel and the left side
of the saw is enclosed by a short return panel. This panel’s top
edge will butt up against the underside of the left table extension. Add a simple
Scribe a piece of cardboard to measure the side splay of the saw’s adjuster. A shop-
left rear leg and use this to bandsaw the return panel to the correct made magnetic
shape. Now screw the return panel to the left side panel. panel covers the
The bottom of the motor enclosure will be attached later, but cut curved slot for the
height-adjustment
it to size now. Add 3⁄4 in. to the length for a shelf to receive the
crank. Adjust
rear panel. Cut a hole in the front edge for the power cord. the opening to
achieve optimum
Create the dust-collection area in the saw’s base airflow.
The base enclosure on my saw consists of two side panels and a
rear panel that houses the dust port. Place a piece of cardboard

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 49

 How to dust-proof a hybrid saw
after reading richard babbitt’s article, i was ConstrUCt an airWaY dUst Chamber
curious whether i could achieve the same Like babbitt’s contractor’s saw, this design draws in clean air through
results on my deWalt hybrid saw. i knew the the back slots and the tilt-control slot. but, instead of an angled dust
base was open to the floor, but a closer in- chute, a floor opens into a lower dust chamber linked to the dust port.

spection showed huge gaps between the base Upper back panel permanently Opening, 2 in. wide
and the tabletop, and even the legs and side panels did not have a attached to the saw by 6 in. long
good seal. not surprisingly, dust collection was never very efficient.
Working with babbitt, i came up with a design that adopted the
Removable
principle of directing the air. lower back
the first task was to remove the plastic combination blade- panel
shroud and dust chute. not having an easy way to create an angled
dust chute, i installed a plywood floor in the base with a 2-in. by
6-in. opening at the front. From this floor i hung the airway dust
chamber with the dust port at the rear. not wanting to drill holes
in the legs, i secured the back panel to the legs with latches that
Latch
allow for easy access to the inside of the saw. the large gaps be- knob
tween the base and the table were filled with expanding foam seal-
ant; weatherstripping filled the gaps between the sheet-metal legs
and the side panels, and small pieces of magnetic sheet (refrigera-
tor magnets) covered holes around crank handles, etc.
Air-intake
the improvement in dust collection has been dramatic. during slots
several weeks of use that included cutting medium-density fiber- Floor
board and plywood, almost no dust escaped the saw. inside, the Airway
chamber
motor and the mechanics remained remarkably clean.
—Mark Schofield is the managing editor.
Dust port

over the rear opening in the saw’s base and mark the opening on
it. add 11⁄ 2 in. to the sides and transfer this outline to the plywood.
The first cut should be on the bottom edge with the blade tilted
to match the angle of the dust chute. after cutting the sides of the
panel on the bandsaw, on center, draw a 41⁄ 2-in.-dia. circle with its
bottom 11⁄4 in. from the lower edge of the panel. Cut this out with
a jigsaw. Now drill two clearance holes evenly spaced into each
leg, staying 3⁄4 in. from the inside edge. Screw the panel to the legs
and seal the bottom of the interior with self-stick weatherstripping.
Now that you are finished working on the back of the saw, you
can install the bottom panel of the motor box.
Make the lower side panels in the same way, using a cardboard
template. Stick weatherstripping on the top edge of the panels.

tip
Use fridge
magnets
Plastic magnetic sheet,
often used for free adver-
tisements, can be easily
Air goes in, dust comes out. Despite the semi-open base, this hybrid cut to close small gaps,
saw was successfully dust-proofed using the same principles employed like the one around the
on a contractor’s saw. High-speed air enters slots in the rear panel, wash- blade-angle crank.
es over the motor, picks up dust from the blade, and exits at the bottom
via a 4-in.-dia. hose.

50 FINe WOODWORkINg
 Even cabinet saws can
be improved dramatically
i was skeptical that dust collection on my old
General 350 cabinet saw could be improved,
for two reasons. First, it was already mostly en-
closed. second, i had already built a box to close off the one gap-
ing hole in the cabinet—the square cutout that allows the motor
to pivot when the blade is angled. but after seeing photos of my
saw, babbitt suggested a number of modifications.
the best upgrade was to cut three slots in the plywood box,
located to send a stream of air across the motor, cooling it and
helping to keep the gears and trunnions dust-free.
then, starting at the bottom of the saw, i replaced a perma-
nent pile of dust with a three-part plywood floor to funnel chips
toward the port. the next task was to direct some air across this
channel to push the dust to the port. a piece of plywood and a
metal louver did the trick (below right). i then sealed other gaps
with expanding foam and weatherstripping, used magnetic sheet
Add intake. Christiana had a plywood box covering the motor opening.
to cover screw holes and gaps around handles, and fitted an ad-
So he just routed three slots, positioned to wash cool air over the motor.
justable cover to the tilt-control slot.
after several months of use, there is no buildup of dust around
the base of the saw, i get almost no dust coming off the back of
the blade, and when i remove the insert to look inside, the motor
and trunnions are very clean.
—Asa Christiana is the editor.

Front and back panels control the airflow Install a floor.

To channel dust
We’ve now closed off all the conflicting air inlets except for the
toward the dust
back panel and the large tilt-crank slot. This is where we start to port, install
direct the airflow. Cut the back panel to fit the opening in the a floor in the
rear enclosure. Note where the motor is positioned with the blade base, with two
vertical, and align the high-velocity air-intake slots so that the air plywood side
flows over and around the motor. panels angled
There are a couple of ways to seal the tilt-crank slot: If you downward.
live near a sign company, see if you can acquire a piece of mag-
netic sign board large enough to cover the slot. alternatively, cut
a scrap of 1⁄ 2-in.-thick plywood 1 in. wider than the opening.
Drill two holes diagonally opposite each other and epoxy in two
magnets.
Open and close this panel to find the most efficient airflow. Too
small an opening may starve the dust collector of air and reduce
the flow; too large an opening may reduce air velocity entering
the rear of the saw. I generally keep mine open 11⁄ 2 in. to 2 in.,
and a little wider when running a dado blade. after several hours
of use, check for sawdust buildup inside the saw by removing
the back panel or the insert plate. Some dust sloped on the sides
away from the main airflow is normal. You aren’t attempting to
get all the dust out of the saw, just to get the vast majority into
the dust collector, not your nasal passages. •
Let air sweep the floor. A thin plywood panel blocks all of the louver
slots in the access door, except the lowest. Because that slot is still sev-
Woodworker Richard Babbitt attempts to keep the air clear in his shop on eral inches above the new floor, install a sheet-metal louver to direct in-
San Juan Island, Wash. coming air down to the floor. Attach the panel with construction adhesive.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M aY / J u N e 2 0 0 9 51

 Torture Test for
Outdoor Finishes
We sent five types around the country
and found one favorite
B Y T O M B E G N A L

52 FINE WOODWORKING
 How we tested
We treated five wood species with five outdoor
finishes. To find out how the samples would hold up
NORTHEAST
NORTHWEST over the course of the year to the weather in different
regions of the country, we sent a rack of sample
boards to Oregon, New Mexico, and Louisiana, while
one stayed in Connecticut. Each region subjected the
samples to a unique set of climate conditions. The
Salem, Ore. Bridgeport, Conn.
data represent average numbers.
Lots of cool temperatures and In winter, freezing and thawing
high humidity. On average, only cycles aren’t kind to wood.
one day in five is sunny.
Seasonal temperatures (°F)
Seasonal temperatures (°F) (high/low)
(high/low) Winter: 38/24
Winter: 48/34 Summer: 80/63
Summer: 79/50
Relative humidity (AM/PM):
Relative humidity Winter: 58%/71%
(AM/PM) Summer: 61%/78%
Winter: 74%/87%
Summer: 43%/85% Sunny days: 99

Sunny days: 77 Rainfall: 42 in.

Rainfall: 39 in. Snowfall: 26 in.

OR
Snowfall: 7 in. CT

NM

LA

SOUTHWEST

Seasonal temperatures (°F) Seasonal temperatures (°F)

(high/low) (high/low) SOUTHEAST
Winter: 49/24 Winter: 63/44
Summer: 91/62 Summer: 90/72
Albuquerque, N.M.
Relative humidity (AM/PM) Relative humidity (AM/PM)
Plenty of sunshine, New Orleans, La.
Winter: 38%/67% Winter: 66%/85%
not much rain, and Hot and humid summers.
Summer: 25%/57% Summer: 65%/91%
low humidity make Plenty of rain. Freezing and
for a wood-friendly Sunny days: 167 Sunny days: 101 thawing cycles are as rare in
environment. Rainfall: 9 in. Rainfall: 62 in. Louisiana as snowy owls.
Snowfall: 10 in. Snowfall: ¼ in.

T he great outdoors isn’t great for wood. No matter if it’s a

fallen maple tree in the back woods or an Adirondack chair
in the backyard, nature wants to convert all dead wood
into compost.
Sunlight and moisture do a lot to start the process. Sunlight, par-
climates can exacerbate the weathering process. Left unfinished,
a new piece of furniture can start to look old in a few weeks. In
a year, it can look ancient.
So to help outdoor furniture withstand the elements, a protec-
tive finish is a must. And if you want to see and enjoy the wood,
ticularly the ultraviolet (UV) wavelength, causes a chemical deg- you’re going to want a clear finish rather than paint.
radation in wood. Moisture absorbed by the wood fibers causes There are several types of clear finish made for outdoor use. But,
them to expand and contract, and that produces surface checks. as we discovered in a yearlong test, they don’t all deliver. Some
Then, too, the freezing and thawing cycles common in northern offered almost no long-term protection. Others did considerably

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 9 53

 WATC O E X T ER IO R WO O D F IN IS H
START CT OR LA NM

Source:
www.rustoleum.com WHITE OAK

Price: $14/qt.
Application: Two coats,
each applied liberally

Results: The outdoor penetrating

oil finish was the easiest to apply,
but at the end of the yearlong test,
all the samples, except for those in
New Mexico, had weathered to various IPÉ
shades of gray. All the samples had
rough surfaces. Shallow cracks and
checks were common. Some pine
samples had full-thickness checks on
the end.

Rating: Unacceptable

better. But our test did more than help us find a couple of good All, except for pine, are known to hold up to the outdoors better
outdoor finishes. It also showed us how several different wood than most. Finally, to see how geography factors in, we ran the
species hold up to the weather. And, it gave us new insight into test in four regions of the United States with distinctly different
the effect of climate on both finish and wood. climates: the Northeast (Connecticut), Northwest (Oregon), South-
west (New Mexico), and Southeast (Louisiana).
Testing tells the tale Each wood sample was 3⁄4 in. thick by 6 in. wide by 8 in. long.
The test evaluated the four types of finish used most often out- For consistency, all the samples of each wood came from the same
doors: penetrating oil, water-based polyurethane, marine spar board. And every coat of finish was applied equally to both sides
varnish, and marine extra-UV-filter varnish, plus a combo that and all edges. Each finish was applied according to the manufac-
one finisher touted in an earlier issue (“A Durable Exterior Finish,” turer’s recommendations shown on the label.
FWW #179), epoxy and marine extra-UV-filter varnish. Also, to see We built four test racks, each designed to hold 25 samples. One
if the wood species made a difference, we applied each finish to rack went up on the flat roof of our Connecticut office building (a
five different woods: cedar, ipé, mahogany, pine, and white oak. perfect out-of-the-way location, we thought, until summer arrived

ZA R EX T ER IO R WAT ER - B AS E D PO LY U R E T H AN E
START CT OR LA NM

Source:
www.ugl.com WHITE OAK

Price: $22/qt.
Application: Three
coats

Results: On average, about 20% of

the finish had deteriorated, resulting
in areas of weathered gray. Where the
finish remained, much of it showed
areas of flaking and chipping. IPÉ
The mix of grayed wood and remaining
finish produced an unsightly mottled
look.

Rating: Unacceptable

54 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: staff; drawings: John Tetreault

 M C C L O S K E Y MAN O ’ WAR MAR IN E S PAR VAR N IS H
START CT OR LA NM

Source:
www.mccloskey WHITE OAK
finishes.com

Price: $20/qt.
Application: Four
coats

Results: The finish generally held

up well on the mahogany, ipé, and
pine. Same with the cedar samples,
except for the one that visited New IPÉ
Mexico—that one showed some finish
deterioration. The white oak samples
had the toughest time, with about 40%
of the finish deteriorating.

Rating: Fair to good

and a colony of hornets built a nest at the trapdoor leading to the Mexico, all the bright surface colors had been replaced by various
roof); the other three went to our regional testers. All the racks shades of gray. Also, all the samples showed end-grain checks and
were positioned to face south, ensuring maximum exposure to the surface cracks, most of them minor. The pine samples, however,
sun, with the samples tilted at 45° to prevent standing water. showed several end-grain checks that extended the full thickness
of the wood.
What we learned In fact, the oiled wood didn’t look any better than unfinished
After 12 months outdoors, all the samples came home to the FWW wood exposed to the same conditions. So unless you want to
shop. The results are shown on these pages. For space reasons, reapply the oil every couple of months, don’t bother with it.
we only included photos of the white oak (a light-colored, open- Although faring better than penetrating oil, both the exterior
grained wood) and ipé (a dark-colored, close-grained wood). water-based polyurethane and the spar varnish were disappoint-
One thing was immediately obvious: The samples finished with ments. All the water-based poly samples showed deterioration,
oil suffered the most. All five wood species in all four regions some minor but most closer to major. Spar varnish held up slightly
had roughened surfaces. With the exception of those from New better, with a 50/50 split between major and minor levels of

E P I FAN ES H IG H G L O S S M AR IN E VAR N IS H
START CT OR LA NM

Source:
www.epifanes.com WHITE OAK

Price: $45/qt.
Application: Seven
coats, thinned per
instructions

Results: No sign of finish

deterioration, no sign of flaking or
chipping. Samples showed only the
slightest change in color. Mind you, IPÉ
it takes a while to apply the seven
required coats.

Rating: Very good

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 9 55

 S M I T H & C O. P E N E T R AT I N G E P OX Y S E A L E R
UND E R EPIFAN ES M AR IN E VAR N IS H
START CT OR LA NM

WHITE OAK

Source:
www.smithandcompany.org

Price: $42/qt. plus $45/qt.

Application: Three coats epoxy
IPÉ
plus five coats Epifanes (unthinned)

Results: No sign of finish

deterioration, no sign of flaking or
chipping. Only the slightest change
in color.

Rating: Very good

deterioration. The spar-varnish pine sample from New Mexico according to our test, moisture causes more weathering than UV
was an exception, as it held up pretty well. light. When moisture combines with freezing and thawing cycles,
Without question, the marine extra-UV-filter varnish and the as is common in northern states, the wood weathers even more.
epoxy plus marine varnish looked the best. The colors maintained As far as wood species go, the cedar and ipé samples held up a
much of their brightness. Surface cracks, checks, or defects were bit better than the others. Mahogany and white oak showed slight-
almost nonexistent. The only reason I rated them “very good” ly more weathering. The pine boards had the toughest time.
rather than “excellent” was because the colors changed slightly
during the yearlong test: The ipé lightened. The white oak light- Choosing a favorite
ened, but only a bit. The cedar and pine darkened. The mahogany The Epifanes finish and epoxy-plus-Epifanes held up equally and the
darkened, except in New Mexico, where it lightened slightly. work to apply them was about the same. Forced to pick a favorite,
Interestingly, the samples from New Mexico suffered the least. I’d take the Epifanes, because it is one product, not two. •
Oregon samples did better than those from Connecticut and Loui-
siana. The Connecticut samples looked the worst for wear. So, Tom Begnal is an associate editor.

Which finish is right for you?

A PROTECTIVE FILM FINISH THE WEATHERED LOOK

Keep wood look- No finish at all.

ing new. After If you like the rus-
about a year out- tic look of weath-
doors, this project ered wood, don’t
finished with bother to add a
Epifanes looks finish. Oil finish
almost as good (Watco) didn’t
as it did after its have a visible ef-
first day. fect after a year.
But ipé, cedar,
and mahogany
weathered the
best, in that order.

56 FINE WOODWORKING
The Ins and Outs of
Drawer Stops
Four clever ways
to keep a drawer A well-fitted, smooth-gliding inset
drawer is a testament to fine furni-
ture making. This type of drawer,
often made with half-blind dovetails at the
serve as the brakes to keep a drawer from
being pushed in too far (in-stops) or un-
expectedly pulled out too far (out-stops).
Stops also help keep the drawer reveal

in its place front and through-dovetails at the back, fits

into a pocket built into a case or a table.
consistent, whether you want a flush draw-
er front or one that’s recessed a bit.
In a case piece, the drawer usually is sup- I’ve screwed in-stops behind the front
ported on a frame; in a table, it slides on rail, and I’ve mortised them into the rail
B Y P E T E R T U R N E R a rail and runners, steered in and out of (see pp. 58-59). For out-stops, I favor
the pocket by guides. a couple of clever mechanisms (see
But the unseen grunts of the drawer pp. 60-61).
pocket are the stops, which There are simpler methods to stop
a drawer. But I stick to these few be-
cause they are positive and
durable, making
them worthy of
fine furniture.

Peter Turner is a furniture maker

in Portland, Maine. To see more of his
work, visit www.petersturner.com.

M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 9 57
 In-stops
In-stops
Thin rail? Put the stop behind it
Top rail
Stop, ¼ in. thick by 7⁄ 8 in. wide,
with grain oriented vertically Stop hits near bottom
of drawer front.

⁄
1 16 in.

⁄
3 16 in.

Stop is screwed to
back of lower rail.

Drawer front and rails are

cut from the same board to
ensure thickness is the same.

I n my furniture, grain typically plays an important role—

whether I’m looking to play up contrast or work toward
seamless transitions between parts. When building tables
the bottom. Second, because I rip the parts after they’ve been
jointed and planed, they are identical in thickness. This allows
me to install two stops on the back of the bottom rail, making
with drawers, I often cut the drawer face and its rails, above it easy to create flush drawers. The back of the drawer face,
and below, from the same plank and then install them in the below the drawer bottom, rests against the face of the applied
same order they were oriented in the plank. stop. If I want inset drawer fronts, I just dial in the setback by
This method has two advantages. First, it unifies the front creating a small step in the stop. You’ll need a full ¼ in. below
of the piece, with a continuous grain match from the top rail to the drawer bottom to accommodate the stop.

Two at a time. Mill one piece of hardwood to thickness and width, then coun- Home on the rail. Screw the stops behind the rail, one on
tersink a hole on each end. Round over the ends and cut off the two stops. each end, about 2 in. from the sides of the drawer pocket.

58 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: Thomas McKenna; drawings: John Tetreault

On a wide rail, mortise it in
Top rail
Hardwood stop, 3 ⁄ 8 in. thick Stop hits near bottom
by ¾ in. wide by 5 ⁄ 8 in. long of drawer front.

⁄ in.
38

⁄
1 16 in.

5 ⁄ 8 in. is ¼ in. ½ in.

typical.

I f the lower front rail is wide enough, I often mortise two

L-shaped stops into it to keep a drawer flush with the front
of the case or dial in the reveal of a recessed drawer. With this
system, you need to cut the mortises for the stops before glu-
ing up the piece. But a mortised stop is bulletproof and will
keep a drawer in place forever.
Use a ¼-in. straight bit to rout the mortises for the two
stops. The distance from the front of the rail will depend on
the reveal of the drawer, but be sure the mortises are far
enough away from the drawer pocket sides that you can use a Drop in the stops. After gluing up the case, install the stops in their
shoulder plane to fine-tune the stops after installation. Square mortises. Just remember to orient the lip outward.
up the ends of the slots with a chisel.
Make the stops out of a straight-grained hardwood stick
that’s about 3 ⁄8 in. thick by ¾ in. wide. I’ve used hickory and
ash, but any dense hardwood will do. Cut a lip on each end
of the stick before cutting the stops to length. The length of
the stops depends on the clearance below the drawer bottom,
usually ¼ in. I typically leave 1 ⁄16 in. of clearance above the
stop, so it won’t ever rub the drawer bottom.
After installation, the front of the stop’s lip can be planed
to fit a drawer flush or to inset the drawer front. Take light
passes and check the drawer alignment often.
Dial in the reveal. Insert the drawer to check its alignment. Then trim
the stop as needed, using a shoulder plane set for an ultralight cut.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 9 59

 Out-stops
Out-stops
Rotating stop spins on the kicker
Rotate stop to remove
or insert drawer.
Drawer back Stop hits back
of drawer.

#6 by 3 ⁄4-in. ⁄ -in. clearance hole

5 32

pan-head screw
Kicker
Kicker

A spinner stop is a clever way to keep a drawer from being pulled out of its
pocket; the only downside is that you must cut a notch in the drawer back.
Make the spinner ½ in. square by 1 in. long out of a durable hardwood—I
often use ash. Then cut a notch, centered in the top edge of the drawer back,
that provides 1 ⁄8 in. of clearance around the stop. The stop is drilled to receive
a round-head screw with washer.
Position the stop below the tabletop or kicker so that one-quarter of the
drawer’s length will remain in the pocket. For example, if the drawer is 13 in.
long from front to back, the spinner would be positioned so that its screw is 3 ⁄ 8-in. hole for Hardwood spinner,
2½ in. into the drawer pocket. With a ½-in.-thick drawer back, this drawer will screw and washer ½ in. square by
1 in. long
come to rest against the stop with about 10 in. of drawer exposed. Any more
and there could be too much downward lever-
age on the drawer when fully extended.
The stop also aligns with the notch in
the drawer back. You want the screw loose
enough that the stop can be spun, but snug
enough that there’s no wobble in the connec-
tion. If the sound of wood hitting wood bugs
you, glue a piece of leather to one face of the
spinner to act as a cushion.
To install the drawer, spin the stop so that
it clears the notch in the drawer back, and
then spin it parallel to the drawer back to Make a spinner. With the spinner stock milled
lock the drawer in the pocket. to width and thickness, drill the holes for the
screw and washer (left). After cutting the spin-
ner to length, screw it in place.

60 FINE WOODWORKING
Spring-loaded stop is mortised into top rail
Tongue hits
back of drawer.

Find the right angle. Lower the blade of a bevel

gauge until it hits the back of the drawer (top).
Transfer that angle to a small block and cut the
angled base on the bandsaw.

Drawer locked
in pocket

T his springy ash stop angles down to hit the inside of the drawer back, but can
be pressed up so that the drawer can be removed. Housed in a mortise in the
upper rail, the stop has two parts: a flat tongue and a wedge-shaped base.
The angle of the base and the length of the tongue will depend on the depth
of your drawer. Again, a good rule of thumb is to leave at least a quarter of the
drawer’s length in the pocket in the open, stopped position.
Cut the angled base on the bandsaw, then glue it onto the tongue so that the
grain is aligned. Let the assembly dry, drill a hole and countersink for a screw,
then mount the assembly into its mortise.
Make the flipper. Glue the flat tongue to its
angled base.

Press up on tongue Tongue, 3 ⁄ 32 in. 11 ⁄ 8 in. ⁄ in.

18
to release drawer. thick by 1 in. wide Front rail
by 3¾ in. long

¼ in.
Back of
drawer

Install it. Screw the stop inside its mortise.

Countersink the hole so the screw doesn’t protrude.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 9 61

 Tape
These 4 rolls will help you cut cleanly,
lay out clearly, and clamp securely
B y A d r i a n F e r r a z z u t t i

S ome of you will sneer at the thought that something

as humble as sticky tape can possibly help your
woodworking. But don’t be stuck up about tape. I’ll
bet you will find in this article at least one use for tape
that will make you a better woodworker.
tack. I prefer the crepe style over the smooth because it
stretches better, pulling seams and joints together. Com-
pared with green tape, blue tape takes a fair bit of force
before it snaps, so it can handle light clamping tasks. It has
greater tack but releases well. It also costs more.
But before you start peeling and sticking, it helps to be- Packing tape is a great choice for clamping where tradi-
come familiar with the different types of tape. Most useful tional clamps are cumbersome. It has great stretch before it
for woodworking: green and blue painter’s tape, packing snaps, which translates into lots of clamping force. Packing
tape, and double-faced tape. tape is also very handy as a glue-release surface. Tape the
Green painter’s tape is a great all-purpose shop tape. Un- contact surfaces of bending forms and cauls to prevent
like regular white masking tape, it has a low tack, which them from being glued to your work.
means it will release from wood with less chance of pull- Double-faced tape is a great helping hand for hardware
ing out the fibers. However, it’s not that strong. It snaps if installation. The many types vary in thickness and adhe-
too much pressure is applied, so don’t use it as a clamp sion. I use a thin, less-aggressive type as well as turner’s
when gluing. tape, which is thicker with a very aggressive adhesion.
The blue painter’s tape I use is the 14-day-release type
(3M, #2090) rather than the 60-day type, which has a lower Adrian Ferrazzutti is a furniture maker in Guelph, Ont., Canada.

62 F I N E w o o d w o r k ing Photos, except where noted: Mark Schofield; this page: John Tetreault
Green tape
Eliminate
tearout

Even when combined

1
with a zero-clearance in-
sert, the best sawblades
can cause cross-grain
chipping, particularly on
plywood. To prevent this,
apply a strip of green tape
straddling the cut line on
the downward-facing side.
Green tape is a better
choice than blue, because
it is less prone to pulling
out wood fibers when
2 3
removed. Press down the tape firmly, really rubbing it on the wood surface. To minimize edge blowout as the blade
exits the cut, Ferrazzutti continues the tape around the edge (1). To prevent this end section of tape from acting
like a shim and making the cut slightly off square, he wraps a small strip of tape on the other end of the piece
that is in contact with the crosscut fence (2). Once the cut has been made, he gently peels away the tape to
reveal a chip-free edge (3).

Packing tape
Stretch it for extra clamping force
It’s hard to attach
edging to curves with
conventional clamps,
but packing tape works
wonderfully. To get the
thickness of the edge-
banding that he wants
without making it too
stiff to bend, Ferrazzutti
creates the banding
from two thinner strips.
He eases the outside
corners of the outer
strip with a block plane
Start clamping from the center outward. Stretch the tape outward as if you’re trying to break it, then wrap it down
to prevent the tape
the faces of the panel (left). Check that the edging overhangs both sides of the panel. Ferrazzutti likes to leave the
from breaking as it is edging long so he can locate the last tape strip way out off the panel for good pressure at the corner (right).
stretched.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M a y / J une 2 0 0 9 63

 Blue tape
Apply straight edge-banding
When clamping edge-banding to plywood, tape is much easier to
use than masses of regular clamps. Mill the edging about 1 ⁄8 in.
wider than the thickness of the panel, and ease the outside
corners of the edging so that the tape doesn’t break when it is
stretched. To make the glue-up go faster, tear off a number of
pieces of tape and line them up on your bench.
Apply glue to the strip, but not the core. This helps prevent the
plywood from swelling while you are clamping. Slide the banding
back and forth until there is squeeze-out along the entire joint on
both sides. Starting from the center, stick each tape strip to the
banding, and then with equal pressure pull each end of the strip
out and then down firmly onto both sides of the panel. After the
glue is dry, remove the tape by pulling it as close as possible in
line with the grain; this is less likely to pull out wood fibers than
pulling the tape across the grain.
Bring the edging almost flush with the plywood veneer using
a block plane or cabinet scraper. Then switch to a “safe” card
scraper (below) until you start getting shavings from the veneer.

Safe edges protect surfaces

Clamp edge-banding
with tape. Stretch the
tape outward, then wrap
it down the faces of the
panel (top). Check that
the edging overhangs both
sides of the panel. You can
also use tape to clamp
solid-wood corner banding
to plywood boxes (above).
Remove the tape in the
direction of the grain to re-
duce the risk of pulling out
wood fibers (right).

Control where you cut. Create a card scraper with a “safe” edge
by wrapping some tape around the end that is over the veneered
panel (top). To make a “safe” file to flush the ends of edge-banding,
wrap tape around the front of the file (bottom).

64 F I N E w o o d w o r k ing
 Assemble a mitered box
Miters are difficult to glue up with tradition-
al clamps because the slightest imbalance
in pressure can cause a side to squirm out
of position. By applying uniform pressure to
all four corners, tape overcomes this prob-
lem. Stretch strips of blue tape across the
centers of the three adjoining joints, then
stretch long pieces of tape along the entire
length of the three joints. The number of
strips will depend on the width of the miter
joint. For this 5-in.-tall box, two strips are
enough. By slightly stretching the tape, the
joints are pulled tight and may even overlap
No-clamp glue-up. very slightly.
Lay the four sides of
Flip over the assembly and apply glue to
the box on a bench,
using a straightedge the bevels of the miters. Insert the bottom
for alignment. Stretch of the box and begin rolling the assembly
short strips of tape together. The tape provides clamping pres-
across the center of sure and acts as a hinge, keeping the sides
the joints, then long
pieces along the aligned. For the last corner, simply stretch
entire length (top). short strips of tape across the joint. Check
Flip the assembly, for square; you may need to lightly tap down
apply glue, insert the a corner to maintain a flush edge.
bottom of the box,
and roll the assembly
It’s a good idea to reinforce this type of
together (center). For joint using splines. Leave the tape on when
the last corner, simply cutting the slots on the tablesaw to avoid
stretch short strips of tearout, but remove it before gluing in the
tape across the joint
splines to avoid the risk of tape getting
(bottom).
glued in with the spline.

Perfect spline slots. To avoid tearout, leave the tape in place

when cutting the slots on the tablesaw.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M a y / J une 2 0 0 9 65

 Green tape and double-faced tape
Combine them to simplify hinge installation

Locate the hinge mortise. Apply green tape to the hinge area and attach
a piece of double-faced tape to one leaf of the hinge (left). Then temporar-
ily secure the hinge in its final location with double-faced tape and use a
sharp X-Acto knife to scribe around the hinge (center). Peel away the cut-
out section of tape, leaving a chiseling template. Chop away the bulk of
the area while staying about 1 ⁄16 in. inside the tape perimeter, then make a
paring cut along the line (right).

An ill-fitting door or lid is an eyesore, so you should install your

hinges precisely. I originally developed this technique to achieve
clean inlays in dark woods such as wenge, walnut, and ebony,
where scribed pencil or knife lines are difficult to see even in the
best of light. I now use it when inlaying on all woods, and when
installing hinges and locks on doors and boxes.
Apply some green tape to the areas of the case where the
hinges will be located. Then apply some thin double-faced tape to
an outside leaf of each hinge.
After placing the hinge in the exact location desired, use a
sharp X-Acto knife to scribe around the hinge, cutting through the
tape. Peel away the tape from the field that needs to be chopped
out, leaving the rest of the tape as a template surrounding the
hinge area. Once the bulk of the wood is removed, place the back
edge of a chisel against the edge of the tape
Determine the hinge
and give the chisel a light tap with a mallet. location. Set the hinge
The thin lip of the tape will act like a stop. Pro- in the mortise and
ceed around the outline until the final size of apply double-faced
tape to the back of the
the recess has been defined.
other leaf (above). Apply
Place the hinge in the recess and apply green tape to the hinge
a piece of double-faced tape to the outside area of the lid or door
surface. Now place a piece of green tape on and carefully lower it
the door or lid where the hinge will be located, into position. Lift off
the lid or door and the
making sure the tape extends down the edge. hinge will stick to it
Align the door to the cabinet or the lid to the (left). Scribe around the
box, press it down on the hinges, and then hinge and excavate the
remove it with the hinge stuck to the green mortise in the same
way as before.
tape. Scribe around the hinge with a knife, and
use a marking gauge set to the thickness of a
hinge’s leaf to mark the depth of the recess.
Peel off the tape, remove the waste, install the
hinge, and close a perfectly aligned door.

66 F I N E w o o d w o r k ing
 Low-Cost
Lumber
With 12 great choices, you’re
bound to find a few near you
B Y M A T T K E N N E Y

L ike most woodworkers, I love

beautiful wood. And I want to use
the best I can find in the furniture
I make. Woods like cherry, walnut, and
white oak, however, can cost $6 or $7
tions for low-cost woods, but not all of
them panned out.
In the end, I whittled down the list to
12. True, most aren’t suitable for high-style
period furniture, but they work beautifully
per board foot, and much more in some for almost everything else. Better yet, all
regions. Even in the best of times, that cost less than $5 per board foot, some
adds up quickly. In these hard times, much less. Mind you, these prices are for
with everyone’s purse strings cinched rough lumber. You’ll pay more if you need
tighter, it’s not easy to drop several hun- it surfaced.
dred dollars on wood. Here’s something else I learned. It makes
It’s possible to find cherry and wal- sense to stay local. Being from the South,
nut for less than retail if you buy I’ve used white ash for furniture and never
green lumber from a small sawmill paid more than $2 per board foot. But I’d
and dry it yourself, or if you’re able never heard of aspen or red alder, which are
to cut your own lumber. But those op- available out West, and at bargain prices.
tions are not open to everyone. So take a look at these low-cost but
That’s why I began to look around for overlooked furniture woods, find one that
some furniture woods that were high in grows in your area, and head out to the
quality but lower in cost. I asked editors lumberyard. Don’t let the economy keep
and longtime authors, I queried lumber you from making beautiful furniture.
dealers around the country, and I scoured
the Internet. I was given plenty of sugges- Matt Kenney is an associate editor.

Behind the numbers

The best way to identify a wood’s hardness, workability, and proclivity to warping and checking, without using subjective terms such
as fair, good, hard, or soft, is with numbers. That’s why we give the specific gravity and percent shrinkage for each species listed.
More information about wood shrinkage can be found by visiting the Forest Products Laboratory Web site at www.fpl.fs.fed.us.

A wood’s specific gravity speaks to how hard, dense, and The percent shrinkage indicates a wood’s stability. There are
heavy it is. The higher a wood’s specific gravity, the tougher and three numbers to consider: tangential and radial shrinkage,
stronger it is, basically. These numbers also mean that cherry taken on their own, and the ratio of the two. As the ratio of
and walnut are easier tangential to radial
to work—by hand or shrinkage gets
machine—than white SPECIFIC PERCENT SHRINKAGE higher, wood is more
oak. WOOD TYPE prone to warping.
GRAVITY Tangential Radial T/R ratio
Cherry 0.50 7.1 3.7 1.9
Walnut 0.55 7.8 5.5 1.4
White oak 0.68 10.5 5.6 1.8

Photos, except where noted: staff M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 9 67

 Available throughout the United States
Beech
Once favored for handplanes and other
tools, beech is tough, even-grained, at-
tractive, and fairly easy to work. It has
the soft, fleshy tones of pear, with very fine,
light flecks. Beech isn’t known for its stability,
so design accordingly.

“If oak is masculine, beech is feminine, and

Average price: $2–$3 bd. ft. sexy too.”
Specific gravity: 0.064 —Garrett Hack, contributing editor Small scale, big effect. Scott King (Barbados)
Percent shrinkage: used the soft tones and understated grain of
Tangential 11.9, Radial 5.5 beech to great effect in this tabletop treasure
T/R ratio 2.2 box, where garish grain would have upset the
delicacy of the small parts.

Hickory
With a warmth and tone similar to raw Strength
cherry, hickory is a beautiful furniture and beauty.
Renowned
wood, even if doesn’t darken with age. It’s
woodworker
extremely difficult to work with hand tools, James Krenov
but power tools can get the job done. Be wary (Calif.) put
of cracks: Once one starts, it tends to dive the strength
of hickory to
deeper. There are several types of hickory,
good use. The
shagbark being common, but there’s little hickory legs
Average price: $3–$4 bd. ft.
difference among them. and frame are
delicate but
Specific gravity: 0.72
“Hickory often has wonderful, flame-like strong enough
Percent shrinkage: to support this
Tangential 10.5, Radial 7.0 grain patterns like walnut or butternut. The pear cabinet.
T/R ratio 1.4 more I use hickory, the more I like it.”
—Peter Turner, frequent contributor

Poplar
Poplar is often used as a secondary wood
in furniture, and most woodworkers are
hesitant to let it take center stage. One
reason is its green streaking, which some
try to hide under a coat of stain. But staining
doesn’t work well, because poplar is prone to
blotching. Instead, finish with oil and let the
poplar age gracefully.

Average price: $1–$2 bd. ft. “The creamy color of poplar ages to a mel-
Specific gravity: 0.42 low gold, while the green streaks turn dark
High-contrast wood. In this bench by Pekovich
Percent shrinkage: brown. Arranged with care, these colors can be
(Conn.), the light and dark streaks of the poplar
Tangential 8.2, Radial 4.6 used to nice effect.”
T/R ratio 1.8
top add visual interest and blend well with the
—Mike Pekovich, FWW art director walnut base.

68 FINE WOODWORKING Photos, this page: Ingeborg Suzanne (top right); Jonathan Binzen (center right)
 Red oak
Plainsawn red oak, with big cathedrals of
grain swathed in stain and encased in poly-
urethane, is often associated with factory-
made furniture that has little personality. But
rift- or quartersawn red oak is a different story.
The straight grain adds a clean, linear element
to furniture, and its subtle ray fleck shimmers.
It’s often stacked, and priced, with the plain-
sawn stuff. You’ll sometimes find curly boards
Average price: $2–$3 bd. ft.
in the same stack. Specific gravity: 0.63
Percent shrinkage:
“Quartersawn red oak is sleek, handsome, Tangential 8.6, Radial 4.0
Smart design quiets loud grain. This writ- T/R ratio 2.2
hard wearing, and it works nicely.”
ing desk by Stephen Lamont (Alton, England) —Mario Rodriguez, frequent contributor
proves that red oak, despite its dark grain lines,
can have a subdued beauty.

Soft maple
Spectacular It’s hard to believe that soft maple isn’t
figure, rea- more popular as a primary wood. It has a
sonable price.
uniform color and a nice grain pattern that
Pekovich found
the curly maple is often indistinguishable from hard maple,
for this Shaker and it’s much easier to work. Soft maple is
side table by great for ebonizing. There’s more than one
digging through
species sold as soft maple, but they’re all
the soft-maple
bin at a local maples and are essentially the same.
hardwood
Average price: $3–$4 bd. ft.
dealer.
“Often, figured soft maple isn’t separated Specific gravity: 0.54
out from the regular boards. So to find it, you Percent shrinkage:
only need to dig through the stack.” Tangential 8.2, Radial 4.0
T/R ratio 2.0
—Roland Johnson, contributing editor

White ash
Less dense than oak, white ash is a joy to
work with hand tools. It’s easy to work with
machines and power tools, too. Given its
weight, ash is tremendously strong, and it
steam-bends very well, even when kiln-dried.
So it’s a great wood for chairs or any furniture
parts, like legs and aprons, that might be
curved. And the rich, creamy color of white
ash makes it a great wood for fine furniture.
Average price: $2–$3
“Quartersawn boards, still available in wide Specific gravity: 0.60
Beautiful curves. The wishbone curves of
this chair and desk by Doug Chamblin (Ore.) widths, are especially stunning, and cost less Percent shrinkage:
display the beauty, strength, and bendability than cherry and walnut.” Tangential 7.8, Radial 4.9
of white ash. T/R ratio 1.6
—Matt Kenney, associate editor

Photos, this page: Mark Anderman (top left); Seth Tice-Lewis (bottom left) M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 9 69
 Midwest/West
Aspen
Aspen is creamy white with a faint grain, and Plays well
is slightly softer than cherry. Once dry, it’s with others.
The light color
remarkably stable. The occasional tree can
and subtle
have as much flash and pop as the best curly grain of aspen
maple. Aspen usually works well with hand blend well
tools or power tools, glues easily, and takes with other
woods, such
paint very well.
as the alder
drawer fronts
“Aspen is my favorite alternative to woods of this cabinet
Average price: $2–$3 bd. ft. by Matt Ken-
like cherry and walnut. It’s an ideal secondary
Specific gravity: 0.38 ney (Conn.).
wood, but also is beautiful enough for an entire
Percent shrinkage:
Tangential 6.7, Radial 3.5 piece of furniture.”
T/R ratio 1.9 —Garrett Hack

Red elm
The distinctive grain of red elm is a cross be-
tween ash and red oak, and when quartersawn
it lacks the medullary rays (ray fleck) promi-
nent in oaks. In color, red elm can vary from
light tan to reddish brown, with hints of yellow
and green. When roughsawn, it might appear
a bit sickly, but once milled and given a hand-
planed surface, it’s very attractive.

Average price: $2–$3 bd. ft.

Specific gravity: 0.53 “Easy to work and dimensionally stable, red
Percent shrinkage: elm makes a great furniture wood. It’s one of
Tangential 8.9, Radial 4.9 my personal favorites.” Wood and design work together. The straight
T/R ratio 1.8
—Roland Johnson grain of riftsawn red elm complements the lines
of this side table by Kevin Kauffunger (Penn.),
and its reddish color adds warmth.

Red alder
Often referred to as poor-man’s cherry, red Subtle grain,
alder has a grain pattern similar to cherry. rich color.
Red alder has
It’s dimensionally stable, relatively light, and
the warmth
works beautifully. Wide, clear, and long pieces of cherry,
are readily available. It takes a stain or dye with slightly
well, and with the right color is a good cherry more subtle
grain, making
imposter.
it great for
furniture with
“Red alder has a nicer grain pattern than clean lines,
Average price: $4–$5 bd. ft. like this table
cherry, and its sapwood is less of a headache
Specific gravity: 0.41 by Kenney.
when it’s time to apply a finish.”
Percent shrinkage:
Tangential 7.3, Radial 4.4 —Mark Edmundson, frequent contributor
T/R ratio 1.1

70 FINE WOODWORKING Photo, this page (center right): Kevin Kauffunger

 East
Eastern white pine
Plentiful, beautiful, and still available as wide
planks, eastern white pine is a great furniture
wood. It’s easy to work, and a sharp handplane
will leave a beautiful luster on the surface.
Knots and pitch pockets can gum up your
tools, but you can cut ruthlessly around them
to get beautiful boards. You can do the same
with a less-expensive grade, and save money.
Average price:
Select: $2–$3 bd. ft.;
“My favorite softwood, because it smells 1 common: $2 bd. ft.
Casual, but refined. The relaxed feel of East- great, is a pleasure to work, and when quar- Specific gravity: 0.35
ern white pine is perfect for understated but tersawn, it’s more stable than any other native Percent shrinkage:
elegant pieces like this Shaker lap desk by North American wood.” Tangential 6.1, Radial 2.1
Christian Becksvoort (Maine). T/R ratio 2.9
—Christian Becksvoort, contributing editor

Sassafras
An imposter A soft, open-pored wood with distinct grain
with its own patterns, sassafras gives off a unique but
identity. The
pleasant aroma when worked. Because of its
color and grain
of sassafras light brown color, it can be substituted for
make it a great chestnut. As a secondary wood, it has a stron-
substitute for ger impact than poplar or maple, and it looks
chestnut, but
great as a primary wood, too.
this step stool
by Kelly Mehler
(Ky.) shows “Sassafras is a pleasure to work. It’s soft,
that it can Average price: $3–$4 bd. ft.
cuts cleanly, and has a tangy aroma.”
stand on its Specific gravity: 0.45
—Jon Arno, Fine Woodworking’s late, great
own as a furni- Percent shrinkage:
ture wood. expert on wood Tangential 6.2, Radial 4.0
T/R ratio 1.6

Yellow birch
Because it’s used heavily in kitchen cabinets,
yellow birch is available at most lumberyards.
Take your time going through the stack and
you’ll find some beautiful boards. It can be
brittle and difficult to work, but patience gets
around those problems. Curly yellow birch is
also available, and is less expensive than curly
maple or flame birch.

Average price: $4–$5 bd. ft.

Furniture in flames. Figured yellow birch is “Yellow birch isn’t used enough as a primary Specific gravity: 0.62
fairly common and can be used to add drama. wood, which is a shame, because it’s beautiful.” Percent shrinkage:
Hank Gilpin (R.I.) chose a single splendid —Christian Becksvoort Tangential 9.2, Radial 7.2
board for the drawer fronts of this sideboard T/R ratio 1.3
in yellow birch.

Photos, this page: Dennis Griggs (top left); Hank Gilpin (bottom left) M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 9 71
 end

NEW ANGLE ON GRAIN

End grain can bring a new perspective to working in
wood. With a finish applied, the colors of domestic
end grains are as vivid as the long grain of exotics,
with striking textures and contrasts. Balance is
important, though, when it comes to both
looks and wood movement.

72 Photos, this page (bottom) and facing page: Kelly J. Dunton

Grain Up
Bring butcher’s block
out of the kitchen
with these design
and construction tips
THE BASIC STEPS
B Y M A R K K O O N S
1. MAKe A loNg-grAIN
slAB

I started working with end grain because it packs an

intense visual punch and gave me a use for scrap
pieces that would otherwise have been discarded.
end grain also allows me to use domestic woods with
renewed interest because it brings out different grain
Arrange sticks in a
balanced pattern. Glue sticks into
features and colors than can be seen in the long grain. one lamination.
I also discovered that end-grain slabs allow unique fur-
niture forms (see “Add an apron and legs,” p. 78) that
2. crosscUt to forM
wouldn’t be possible with long-grain construction.
eND-grAIN strIPs
end grain creates a very durable tabletop. Butcher-
block countertops wear out knives before they need Cut block into
resurfacing, and finishes can wick deep beneath the end-grain strips.
surface of end grain, adding to its imperviousness. Of
course, this quality isn’t as important in a coffee table
as it is in a countertop, but is it ever a problem to have
a tabletop that’s too durable?
Working with end grain up takes a good deal of
planning, consideration of wood movement, and re-
petitive steps. But the results are worth the effort. I use Flip so end grain is The width of the
end-grain construction in kitchenware, but this type facing up. crosscuts becomes the
of construction can be just as beautiful in high-end thickness of the slab.
furniture as it is utilitarian in the kitchen. If you are
intrigued by the possibilities of end grain, here’s what
you need to know. 3. flIP strIPs AND Flip every other strip
glUe AgAIN end for end to vary the
pattern and deliberately
Arrangement of wood is key to success misalign the
The greatest challenge to this work is wood movement. seams.
Wood always expands or contracts with changes in
humidity. The solution is balancing the construction—
arranging the parts based on grain direction.
You could put the pieces together without consid-
Glue end-
ering their orientation, but that randomness would grain strips
lead to an unstable slab. For example, instead of into a single slab.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M AY / J U N e 2 0 0 9 73

 tIP
LAYING OUT AN END-GRAIN PATTERN Not all the sticks need to be
full length. You can glue shorter
DETERMINE THE SIZE OF THE GLUE-UP sticks of similar color and grain
into a long assembly by butting
There is a bit of math to be done to be sure you build a large
their ends and using the sticks
enough long-grain glue-up for the slab you need. The long- above and below for
grain strips will be flipped, so the thickness of the support. Just lay out
slab determines the distance between crosscuts. your crosscuts and
Then divide the length of the slab you want adjust the sticks to be
sure the glue joints
by the thickness of the long-grain glue- don’t show up in
up. That’s the number of crosscuts. the final slab.
You know their width, so just
multiply to get the length of
the long-grain glue-up.
Crosscuts
Don’t forget to allow
for the sawkerfs.

Joints hidden
in middle of
crosscut Butt joint

Strips
Sticks

Sticks are Sticks are

equal width. varied in width.
BALANCE THE GRAIN
The force of all the
grain in these pieces NOT LIKE LIKE
THIS THIS
moving in the same
direction could be
strong enough to pull
apart the glue joints.
Grained is Pieces with grain that flows to Expansion and contraction are far greater
aligned. the left are balanced by those in the direction of annular rings than
that tend toward the right. across them, therefore flatsawn stock is
balanced by quartersawn stock.

deliberately arranging annular rings so that they alter-

nate in direction and restrain each other’s movement,
you could end up with a row of end grain that all
moves in the same direction. If you compound the
problem in the adjoining row, the laminations will pull
apart in about one year’s time.
Keep in mind that smaller overall slabs accumulate
less internal stress than large ones. Also, thinner as-
semblies generate less stress than thicker ones. So the
thicker or larger an end-grain construction, the greater
its tendency to move and surface check if the grain
isn’t arranged carefully.
Beginners also should consider that a single-species
lamination, especially of some relatively stable wood
like walnut, will be easier to lay out than one pattern-
Check the seams. After crosscutting, alternate end-grain strips will be flipped end
for end to create a repeating pattern. If any seams line up, they will be aligned all the
ing a range of species with different expansion proper-
way down the length of the end-grain pattern. To prevent this, Koons double-checks ties. Also, you can get plenty of contrast from the grain
his array of long-grain strips with a ruler that starts at zero in the center and counts patterns and colors of a single species, while it’s easier
outward in both directions. to create an eyesore when mixing woods.

74 FINe WOODWORKING Photos, except where noted: Anissa Kapsales; drawings: Vince Babak
1. GLUE UP THE STICKS

Be generous with glue. Use a squeeze bottle

and roller to spread glue on both faces. For a
large surface that requires longer working time,
glue half the lamination first and add the other
half after it dries. Do a dry run to work out the
arrangement and pre-adjust the clamps, then
apply glue. Set the horizontal clamps in place,
but don’t tighten them. Loosely clamp the top
cauls to the bottoms, and then loosely tighten
the horizontal clamps. Now, snug the top and
bottom clamps down tightly and go back to
tighten the horizontals.

crosscUt INto eND-grAIN strIPs

Begin crosscutting at the center. To make the slab more manageable and reduce cumulative
error across the top, crosscut the slab at the center (left). Then reference off the rip fence to cut the
rest of the strips to the same width (right).
Clean up the end-
Different wood species have different rates of tan- some manufacturers do exactly that. My process in- grain strips. Take the
end-grain crosscuts
gential (parallel to the growth rings and perpendicu- volves two big glue-ups: a long grain glue-up and then
and skim about 1 ⁄16 in.
lar to the grain) and radial (perpendicular to growth an end-grain glue-up. Basically, I glue sticks together, off one side with a
rings) shrinkage. So if you do mix woods, species that surface and crosscut them, and then reglue them as ripcut on the table-
are stable should be used to restrain those that are less end grain. saw. Then move the
stable. You can research the stability of different spe- Arrange the sticks—First, I rip the sticks to width. fence to take another
cies in R. Bruce Hoadley’s Understanding Wood (The Before any glue is spread, I arrange the components, skimming ripcut on
Taunton Press, 2005) or at the Web site of the Forest balancing them the way I described earlier, to make the other side. If your
gluing, clamping, and
Products Laboratory (www.fpl.fs.fed.us). good visual and structural sense in the final assembly.
ripping were carefully
I pay attention to grain, widths of the sticks, spe- done, you won’t have
Butcher-block assembly made easy cies, and color. Once I settle on an arrangement, much to clean up.
Creating fields of end grain does not require fitting I mark the sticks with a soft pencil to keep track
together hundreds of little cubes. Nor does it involve of the order. Throughout the process, I continu-
sawing off laminations like slices of salami, although ally mark the pieces to keep them arranged in the

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M AY / J U N e 2 0 0 9 75

2. GLUE UP END-GRAIN STRIPS correct order. In determining the length of your sticks
and crosscuts, it’s important to make note of the re-
Mark, flip, mark, lationship between the thickness of the first lamina-
glue. Put the end- tion (the long-grain slab), the width of the subsequent
grain sticks back in crosscuts, and the overall thickness and length of
their original order the tabletop. The thickness of the long-grain slab
and mark them
will determine the width of the repeating end-grain
(right) so you can
easily reorder the
pattern on your tabletop. The width of the crosscuts
sticks after experi- of the long-grain slab will determine the thickness
menting with differ- of the top.
ent flips. You can flip As an example, if I wanted to build a tabletop
and rotate, or just 1 in. thick by 24 in. wide by 36 in. long, I could
flip. Here, Koons flips begin by making a long-grain slab that was 21⁄ 8 in.
every other stick
thick by about 243⁄16 in. wide (leaving a little extra to
upside down and end
for end (below).
trim the assembly square later). For the 1-in.-thick
top, I would make my crosscuts 11⁄ 32 in. But how
long should I make the long-grain slab? If the cross-
ROTATE END cuts are a heavy 1 in. and they get turned end grain
FOR END up so the 21⁄ 8-in. pattern is facing the top and bot-
tom, then I’ll need at least 18 in. plus the amount of
15 sawkerfs for the length of the long-grain lamination.
But why cut it close? Make the lamination longer than
you need, even if that means a few extra crosscuts
kicking around.
Glue and clamp the sticks—Once the assem-
bly is arranged, it’s time to glue the sticks into one
wide, long board. Some of the sticks are made from
multiple layers, and some of those are made of short
Flip every other piece to sticks butt-jointed and held in place when glued to
orient the pattern and
balance the stresses. the adjoining layer. Those multilayered sticks must get
jointed and planed before becoming part
of the larger glue-up.
The cauls should be very straight and
sturdy to prevent flexing, as they will deter-
mine how level the glue-up is. The lower
cauls rest between pipe clamps and hold
the work up off the bench and slightly
above the clamps. The upper cauls have a
layer of cork on the bottom side that helps
press the work flat against the lower cauls.
Make sure all the cauls are stick-free by
taping or waxing.
You’ll need a flexible adhesive. Yellow
glue is notorious for cold-creep, the ten-
dency for a glue to allow slow but inevi-
table movement over years. Here, that is an
asset because it stretches when the wood
expands and contracts as the wood does.
Surface then crosscut vs. crosscut
then surface—Once the sticks are glued
into a slab, you can make the crosscuts
that establish the end-grain surface. This is
a crucial place for quality machining. The
more variation here, the more effort it will
take to smooth the surface. You’ll need a
Glue them back together. Use the same procedure as you did with the long-grain lamination to clean, sharp blade squared to the table, a
glue up the end-grain sticks. Taking the time to tape all the seams before the glue-up will keep the zero-clearance throat plate, and a sacrifi-
glue from seeping into the end grain and save you cleanup time later. cial backup fence on your crosscut sled or

76 FINe WOODWORKING
3. SMOOTH THE SLAB

BY hAND
Or use handplanes. The low angle and very sharp blade of this jack
plane leave a smooth, refined surface. Put an arc, or camber, in the plane
BY MAchINe iron to keep the edges from digging in, and work from the outside in to
avoid breakage on the edges.
Sanders are one option.
miter gauge—elevated a little to keep dust from affecting the
Use different colors of
chalk to mark the high width of the crosscut. Ideally, you’ll want no burn marks or saw
spots and low spots. Using flutter on your cuts. every 0.001 in. error is 0.001 in. you’ll have
a belt sander, begin to re- to work off across the entire slab later.
move the high spots only Remove the clamps and scrape off the excess glue while it is
(above). Stop to reassess still rubbery. If you have a planer wider than the slab, use it to
the surface with a straight- surface the board before making end-grain crosscuts.
edge and re-mark the
If your planer isn’t wide enough to accommodate the ta-
high spots to sand again.
Repeat until the surface is bletop, you’ll have to clean up the surface with a scraper,
flat. The final surfacing is crosscut first, and then use my tablesaw trick (see bottom
done with a random-orbit right photo, p. 75) to lightly skim the surfaces of the cross-
sander (right). cuts before regluing them into the final end-grain lamination.
Once you’ve cleaned up all the sides of the end-grain strips,

Two finishing options

A finish fit for One suited for
furniture. Koons the kitchen. A
uses four to six beeswax-walnut
coats (depending oil blend, about
on how porous 1 oz. wax to 3 oz.
the wood is and oil, is ideal for
how thin the kitchenware.
finish) of a spar This combo is
varnish/tung oil fragrant, non-
mixture to finish toxic, attractive,
end grain in furni- easily renewed,
ture. Before that, and cheap. Apply
he seals the end generously in a
grain with blond circular motion
shellac to keep and wipe off the
the colors vibrant excess.
and clear under
the varnish.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M AY / J U N e 2 0 0 9 77

ADD AN APRON
AND LEGS
Because of the end-grain
arrange them back in order and witness-mark them.
orientation, legs, a border,
and an apron can be glued
Now flip every other strip end for end and upside
directly to the top. The legs down, use a straightedge on the edges and a square
could be notched directly on the end to square up the whole arrangement, and
into the top, but for a witness-mark them again. Align this mark in the final
minimal investment of time, glue-up to keep the end-grain sticks square. Now you’re
the border and apron dress ready to glue the crosscut strips into the final slab. Use
up the core and add the the same procedure for the final gluing that you used
appearance of depth to the when you glued the long-grain sticks together; but this
entire top. time, the cauls and clamps run lengthwise.
glUe legs
AND AProN Core
Surfacing end grain
to the core Border Because end grain is more durable than long grain
and can be dangerous to run through jointers or plan-
ers, it takes a bit more work to surface. If you have
your own wide-belt sander, then you are in luck. Rent-
ing time on a wide-belt sander is also an option, but
short of that I’ve had success with a belt sander and
random-orbit sander, as well as with handplanes.
If you don’t use a belt sander often, practice glid-
ing the running sander squarely onto a test piece and
Apron backing off while slipping it sideways. On the actual
workpiece, mark the high and low spots, grind away
the high spots, and continually stop and check your
progress with a straightedge, re-marking if necessary.
Begin with 60- to 80-grit paper and move up to 220 grit
on the belt sander. Clean and inspect the surface for
Apron uniform scratching before changing to a finer grit.
Corner
notch When the defects are ground away and the surface is
for leg flat, move to the random-orbit sander, beginning with
Leg
80 or 100 grit and proceeding through 220 grit.
A well-planed surface is always the most beautiful.
If you have a low-angle jack plane—even a low-angle
1. stArt WIth the AProN

Create a border and apron. After edge-gluing boards for one border Apply the apron. Working on one side at a time, clamp the apron in place
and one apron per side of the table, laminate the border to the apron and predrill and tap in a brad to locate the apron during the glue-up (left).
(left), and then use a scrollsaw or bandsaw to cut the shape of the apron Koons left the inside border slightly wider to accommodate the nail. Any ex-
(right). Sanding and filing will refine the shape. cess material gets trimmed off when notching for the leg, which will cover
the nail hole. Make sure the apron is square to the tabletop (right).

78 FINe WOODWORKING
 2. Notch for the legs

No. 4 block plane will work—sharpen it well (expect

to go back to your stones frequently), ease the cor-
ners of the blade, and work from the outside edges
of the workpiece toward the center. In some ways
it’s easier to plane end grain because you don’t have
to worry about reversing grain. I’ve also had success
with a standard-angle No. 7 plane equipped with a
very sharp Hock iron.

A different approach to aprons and leg joinery

Long-grain tabletops are typically attached to
a leg-and-apron system, and that type of assembly
can be done with an end-grain tabletop as well. But
end-grain work offers an alternative. Legs and aprons
can be glued onto the edges of an end-grain slab. My
method happens after the core tabletop is completely
glued together. Cut the notch. Koons adds a higher, longer fence to the crosscut fence on his sliding
At the same time as the apron, I add a border of the tablesaw. It adds stability and extends the slider to the other side of the table, which is
same width and length to my construction. It sits out- necessary because various cuts are made with the table extending to each side.
side the table core but inside the apron and creates a
transition between the tabletop pattern
and the outside apron.
To create a border/apron combina-
tion, start by edge-gluing sticks into
sections that fit the sides of the core.
Keep in mind that you still have to bal-
ance the arrangement of the sticks in
the border/apron construction. Once
those sections are dry, laminate them
to one another. Use a scrollsaw to cut
the shape, and files and sanding drums
to refine it. Then glue and clamp the
Glue the legs in
apron assembly to the core. place. Taping any-
Once the apron is secured on the where squeeze-out
core, I use my sliding tablesaw to cut will seep onto the
corner notches for the legs. Don’t wor- end grain or sur-
ry if you don’t have a slider on your rounding area will
tablesaw. Before I had one I used a save you cleanup
time (above). Once
shopmade crosscut sled to carry the
the leg is glued in
tabletop assembly across the blade place, apply clamp
while notching out for the legs. As- pressure in both
suming a pair of miter-gauge slots and directions (right).
an extension to the right and behind
the sawblade, make the sled out of
two hardwood strips 20 in. long and
two fences 21⁄4 in. by 51⁄ 2 in., the front
one about 16 in. long and the back one about 60 in.
long.
You can assemble the sled right on the saw by gluing
the fences square to the guide strips and the blade,
then flipping the assembly and screwing the joints
before the glue is fully cured. •

Mark Koons is a self-employed woodworker in Wheatland, Wyo.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M ay / J un e 2 0 0 9 79

readers gallery
DAV i D Ben et eL L o
Hartford, Vt.

Benetello based this cylinder-top desk (21 in. deep by 34 in.

wide by 47 in. tall) on one in Thomas Sheraton’s The Cabinet
Maker and Upholsterer’s Drawing Book. The mahogany case
is joined with hidden mitered dovetails. The veneered lid
and writing surface are connected with a ball bearing/strap
mechanism so the lid opens as the writing surface is pulled
out. Other woods are Brazilian rosewood, Macassar ebony,
holly, black-dyed costello, and pine. The finish is shellac
and wax. Photos: Lance Patterson

S AM n o r r i S
Burlington, Vt.
Toolmakers wanted
Norris blended the Do you make your own
influence of James Krenov woodworking tools? We want
with his own sense of to showcase them in our
scale to create this annual Tools & Shops issue.
We’d also like to include
sideboard. The Swiss
photos of restored vintage
pear, big-leaf maple, and hand tools and machinery.
Deodar cedar sideboard Send entry forms (available at
is 14 in. deep by 44 in. www.finewoodworking.com)
wide by 42 in. tall. The and photos (unaltered digital
finish is shellac. Photo: images, prints with negatives,
or slides) to Readers Gallery,
seth JanoFsKY
FWW, 63 S. Main St., Newtown,
CT 06470, or email fwgallery@
taunton.com. The deadline is
June 18.

80 FINE woodworkINg
 Jo H n o L en i K
Ballston Spa, N.Y.

Heavily influenced by the furniture of Greene and

Greene, Olenik designed and built this sideboard
(24 in. deep by 60 in. wide by 39 in. tall) as a gift
for his daughter. The project took 600 hours over the
course of a year. To ensure a precise color match, all of
the mahogany came from two 28-in. by 16-ft. boards.
Secondary woods are ebony, maple, and quartersawn
oak. The finish is an oil/varnish mixture and wax.

r U S S e L L F. G A L e J r.
Fort Bragg, Calif.

When building this wall clock, Gale incorporated the techniques

of veneering, bent-lamination, and steam-bending learned during FrAnK DEJonG
his second semester at the College of the Redwoods. To keep the Toronto, Ont., Canada
design as simple as possible, he veneered the face with 12 separate
sections, eliminating the need for numbers or reference points. The DeJong spent nearly 150 hours making this ash bar
biggest challenge of the project was the beadwork around the dial stool (21¾ in. deep by 17 in. wide by 38 in. tall).
opening. The granadillo, hemlock, and snakewood clock is 51/2 in. It was a lesson in sketching, refining a design, and
deep by 8 in. wide by 30 in. tall. The finish is shellac and wax, and angled joinery. The finish is linseed oil and oil-based
the movement is a Hermle 14-day coil gong. Photos: daVId weLter polyurethane.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 9 81

readers gallery continued

G r e g Pen n i n g t o n
Hendersonville, Tenn.

When building this white oak, maple, and

basswood settee, Pennington shaped all
45 spindles by hand with a drawknife
and spokeshave. The undercarriage
was turned on the lathe, and the seat
was carved with a scorp and travisher.
Pennington says it was “an adventure
in problem solving and geometry which
resulted in many hours of fun.” The chair,
finished with milk paint, oil, and varnish,
is 21 in. deep by 78 in. wide by 47 in. tall.
Photo: John Luca s

RI C K C A NNON
TO D D P L U M M ER
Memphis, Tenn.
Morgan Hill, Calif.
Cannon made this bowl in less than four hours from some
This coffee table features a canvas-backed tambour that slides
rough boards rescued from a landfill. The darker wood is
around the circumference of the piece. Sliding the tambour reveals
walnut, but the lighter wood is a mystery. His inspiration for
compartments at the ends of the table and a central through-drawer.
the design and form came from the wood-turning books of
Plummer was inspired by tambours while studying Scandinavian
Ray Key and Bert Marsh. The bowl, 6 in. dia. by 41/2 in. tall,
design at Capellagården in Sweden. The top is big-leaf maple veneer
was finished with blond shellac.
over quartersawn poplar staves. The rest of the table (21 in. deep by
40 in. wide by 17 in. tall) is solid curly maple. The finish is shellac
and wax. Photos: Andrew Patterson

82 F I N E w o o d w o r k in g
 t eD S A X e r U D
Arlington, Va.

Saxerud made a deal with his wife: If he could buy a tablesaw

he’d build her a dining table. Once he built the table and she
knew what beautiful things he was capable of making, she
asked for a place to store her family china. This cherry corner
cabinet (one of two) incorporates bubinga, sycamore, and
ebony inlay. Saxerud used splined miter joints on the angled
parts and mortise-and-tenon joints everywhere else. The
cabinet, finished with shellac and lacquer, stands 22 in. deep
by 42 in. wide by 87 in. tall.

C H U C K Z e L L er
Bartley, Neb.

Inspired by old camel-back

steamer trunks, Zeller decided
to learn steam-bending and
re-create the luggage as
furniture. This white-oak chest
is 20 in deep by 36 in. wide by
28 in. tall. The case is joined
with a modified box joint, and
the compound curve of the lid
required a separate form for
each piece. In keeping with the original trunks,
the interior is lined in a heavy brocade fabric. Subtle distressing and a blend
of waxes give the chest its antique look. Photo: oLsen’s PhotoGraPhY

roY S U P e r i o r
Williamsburg, Mass.

Whenever possible, Superior likes to incorporate humor into his work. The Olive
Museum, a wall-hung cabinet (9½ in. deep by 23 in. wide by 33 in. tall), is a parody
of museum culture and includes such things as the world’s largest olive, smallest
olive, most bizarre olives, bearded olive, two-headed olive, mini olive press, and olive
pits from around the world. In addition to a variety of exotic woods, Superior used
bone, brass, copper, antique glass, Plexiglas, gold leaf, and egg tempera paints. The
unpainted wood is finished with Watco Danish oil and wax. Photos: John PoLaK

M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 9 83
Q&A SOURCES OF
SUPPLY
Both types of

Best brush for shellac

brush can be
found at
art-supply
stores, or
online at www.
Q: I’d like to start using shellac to finish the furniture dickblick.com
I build. What type of brush is best and how should I
care for it?
—GRAHAM PARKER, Portland, Ore.

A: IF I HAD TO CHOOSE JUST ONE BRUSH, it would be a mop

Buy these two. Mop brushes (top) hold a lot
brush. The dome-shaped bristles make it great for small areas of finish. So they’re great for putting down a
like legs and drawer fronts; and because mop brushes hold first coat over a large surface. Flat brushes
lots of finish, they also work great for larger surfaces. Less- don’t hold much finish, but they put down very
expensive ones are fine for general work, but for laying down fine, smooth coats.
fine topcoats on small parts or molding, I’d use a mop brush
with bristles made from squirrel or goat hair. As for cleaning brushes, there’s not much to it. Just dip
As versatile as mop brushes are, it is also very helpful to the brush in denatured alcohol, reshape the bristles, and set
have a flat brush for laying down smooth, thin topcoats on the brush aside to dry. Before you use it the next time, soak
large surfaces such as tabletops. I recommend a brush with it in denatured alcohol for about 10 minutes to soften and
synthetic bristles made from Taklon. However, they don’t dissolve any shellac on the bristles.
hold much finish. — Finishing expert Peter Gedrys is a frequent contributor.

Round dogs are more versatile than square ones

Q: I’ve just started A: IN MY EXPERIENCE, round
planning my first and square benchdogs hold
real woodworking stock equally well. That being
bench. I want to said, there are some impor-
use benchdogs, tant differences.
but don’t know if I Round dogs are easier to
should use round install: Simply drill a hole in
ones or square your benchtop and send the
ones. Is one better dog home. They also can ro-
than the other? tate to accept oddly shaped
—ART GIBSON, workpieces, and their round
Santa Fe, N.M. holes work with holdfasts
and hold-downs. The biggest
drawback to round dogs is
getting round stock that’s the
right diameter to press into Drop-in stop. With round benchdogs, you can quickly make a planing
place without falling through. stop, and easily match the stop’s thickness to the workpiece.
Accurately sized hardwood
dowels can be hard to find. dog with a square head on handle oddly shaped work-
You can turn them yourself it (left), where the dowel pieces very well either. And
if you have a lathe. You can doesn’t need to fit perfectly. you can’t use their holes for
buy round metal dogs, but Square dogs are easier to holdfasts and hold-downs.
be careful. They easily nick make, but cutting square holes —Hand-tool expert Chris
plane blades and router bits. is difficult on a benchtop that’s Gochnour is a frequent
An alternative is to make a already glued up. They don’t contributor.

84 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: staff

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www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 85

Q&A continued

Working with warped panels

Moisture from the ground helps the concave
Q: I’m making A: THE MOISTURE CONTENT and side of the panel relax, while the sun’s
a cabinet from internal tension of properly heat dries out the convex side. As a
result, the warp will work itself out and
cherry. After gluing dried lumber should be in the panel will flatten itself. Heat
up the panels equilibrium and the wood sta-
and cutting the ble when you bring it home.
joinery, I stacked However, there often is less
and stickered moisture near the surfaces,
the panels. and when you mill the board,
Unfortunately, you upset the balance and the
they’ve warped. Why wood can twist or warp.
did this happen and To reduce this risk, wood
is there anything I should be milled equally on
Moisture
can do to correct it? both sides, a little at a time,
—JEFF HUNTINGTON, stickered, and then re-milled.
Loudon, N.H. This will slowly relieve the carcase, the warping can be and let the moisture from the
stresses and allow the mois- taken out by the joinery. earth and the heat of the sun
ture to equalize with the You also can remove the take out the warp.
moisture in your shop. warp by placing the panel But your panels could warp
Even with these precautions, with the convex side toward again. After you get the warp
wood still warps sometimes, a heat source and drying it out, assemble your cabinet
but it’s not the end of world. back into shape. An old-timer quickly, before they get the
I work with warped wood I once worked with would chance.
frequently. If the ends are toss a warped panel (concave —Christian Becksvoort is a
secured, like on a dovetailed side down) onto the lawn, contributing editor.

Don’t use oil on waterstones

Q: The temperature A: ACCORDING TO WATERSTONE
in my shop regularly MANUFACTURER NORTON, you
dips below freezing shouldn’t use oil on water-
in the winter. If stones because the oil will
there’s any water in clog the stone’s pores. That
my waterstones, it would keep slurry from de-
freezes, expands, veloping. Slurry is a soupy
and breaks them. mixture of water and loose
Can I use oil abrasive particles, and it’s
to lubricate what does the honing.
them instead? Your best bet during the
—BENTON winter is to keep your water-
LANDERS, stones in a heated area. Or
Minneapolis, you could just switch to an-
Minn. other sharpening method.
—Matt Kenney is
an associate editor.

Match lubricant to stone. A water- Slurry does the sharpening. With sharpening stones, it’s the muddy
stone needs water to sharpen effec- slurry that hones a tool’s edge. You can’t form a good slurry on a water-
tively, and an oilstone needs oil. stone that’s clogged with oil.

86 FINE WOODWORKING Drawing: Vince Babak

 Mortise&Tenon
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www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 87

master class Distinctive
curves. The
five back slats
on Fortune’s
signature chairs
are bent on a

The magic of hot pipe.

hot-pipe bending
B Y M I C H A E L F O R T U N E

T
his is a very easy technique large steambox or substantial
for bending thin strips bending forms.
of wood to virtually any The curved sides of musical
shape. Better yet, the simple instruments such as guitars and
apparatus is made from a violins have traditionally been made
few hardware-store parts. this way, but I use the technique to
You hold a strip of wood against bend door pulls, curved moldings, salad
a section of metal pipe heated by a tongs (shown at right), back slats for
propane torch. On the side in contact chairs, and many other items.
with the pipe, the lignin bond between
the wood fibers is softened by the Most woods bend if the piece is thin
heat until it is pliable enough to bend Unlike steam-bending, where only
partially around the pipe. Unlike steam- domestic hardwoods bend to any
bending, there is no need to construct a appreciable degree, you can use the hot-

Getting set up
All the metal parts can be bought at your
2½-in.- Slot for template
local hardware store, and you can make the Section of 2-in.- dia. hole
bending jig in less than an hour. dia. black pipe
Propane torch with
fan pattern head

Flange

Fiberglass

Insulate the wood.

A layer of thick fi-
berglass under the
Upright,
pipe flange keeps ¾ in. thick by
the board from burn- 6 in. wide, and
ing. Cut away the long enough to Hand screw
fiberglass outside bring the pipe prevents torch
the flange (above). to chest level from rolling.
Sand off any protec-
tive coating (right) or Cleat screwed to upright
heating the pipe will keeps the assembly Block of wood raises the
cause a lot of smoke. from rocking in use. torch to the correct height.

88 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: Mark Schofield; drawings: John Tetreault

pipe method to bend a broad range of
Hot-pipe basics
Light it up. Once
species. As with steam-bending, straight-
the bending jig is
grained wood that has been air dried complete, light the
will bend faster, to tighter radii, and with torch and slide the
fewer breakages than kiln-dried wood. head into the pipe.
You can use kiln-dried wood, just expect
to break a few pieces and to take longer.
Woods that bend well on a hot
pipe include red and white oak, ash,
walnut, elm, hickory, and beech.
Woods that bend with less success,
particularly to tight radii, include cherry,
maple, Australian lacewood, Macassar
ebony, imbuia, East Indian rosewood,
mahogany, domestic softwoods, and
softer domestic hardwoods such as
basswood and poplar. Avoid
bending curly or figured
wood and burls; they
break easily.
The thickest piece that
can be bent is 3⁄ 8 in., and
then only to a gentle curve.
This is due to the limited depth
that the heat from the pipe penetrates
the wood. Heating both sides won’t help;
it will just encourage the outside fibers to
stretch and fail.
It is important to have consistent grain The right tempera-
across the width of the piece. You might ture. A stovepipe
get lucky and find a wide board with thermometer is a
consistently flawless grain, but I’ve found cheap and accurate
that 3 in. is about the practical limit in way to tell when the
width. You need to make the blank only pipe has reached
200ºF, the right
about 1⁄ 8 in. wider and 1⁄ 32 in. thicker
temperature to
bend wood.

Wet the wood. To encourage air-dried wood to Hot and pliable. Once at the critical tempera- Check your progress. Fortune attaches the
bend, soak it in water for about three hours. ture, the wood is easy to bend around the pipe. bending templates to the top of the hot-pipe
Fortune uses a section of roof gutter as a For bends close to the end, grip it with Vise-Grip bending jig, making it easy to see when the
trough. pliers designed for sheet metal. workpiece has reached the desired radius.

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M AY / J U N E 2 0 0 9 89

master class continued

Create a double-bent door handle in two stages

Check the first bend. Verify your Create the next bend. Being careful not to Right all around. Check the second bend
accuracy by placing the first bend reheat the first bend, work on bending the against the template. By the way, this handle
against the template. second section. works on doors and drawers.

than the desired finished piece, fiberglass in the middle of the flange. I Unlike laminating or steam-bending
but if the piece is to be bent at fold the fiberglass back and staple it to that relies on a form to provide the
the ends, it should be about an the edges of the hole. This protects the shape, this technique requires that you
inch longer at each end to give wood from heat. hand-form (coax, really) the part being
locking pliers a place to grip. The heat source is a propane torch, bent to match the pattern. This can take
fitted with a head that shapes the flame from as little as a few minutes for 1⁄ 8-in.-
Build the bending jig into a fan pattern. Very little propane thick strips to as long as 10 minutes
I find it best to have the surface of is used. The valve on the
the pipe at about chest level. This head is never opened fully, TIP
way it is easy to see the wood bend even when the pipe is Holding a piece of nylon webbing
without straining your back. So, the being heated, and a 3⁄4-in.- on the outside of a piece reduces
length of the upright, which clamps long flame is sufficient to the risk of the outside fibers
into a bench vise, is determined by maintain the 200ºF operating lifting and causing a split.
the height of the workbench and temperature of the pipe.
your own height. A cleat screwed Have the tank sit at about
across the back of the upright rests 60º to the bench with the head about
on top of the vise and eliminates one-third of the way into the pipe.
the tendency for the jig to rock as Secure the tank with a wooden hand
pressure is applied to the pipe. clamp, if necessary using a block of
I advise starting with a 2-in.-dia. wood to bring it to the right height.
pipe and working down to tighter Make sure the tank cannot roll or slip
radii as you gain experience. Do not out of place. An uncontrolled flame has
use galvanized pipe because it will no place in a workshop.
give off a toxic gas when heated. Use
regular black pipe, scraping or sanding Coax the strips around the bend
off any protective lacquer or shellac. Before lighting the torch, I make a
Cut a hole in the upright 1⁄ 2 in. larger profile of the shape I need from
in diameter than the pipe. The heated 1⁄4-in.-thick hardboard or plywood.

flange must be separated from the It is then easy to overbend the wood
wood with a gasket. I place a 2-in.- to strips and let them spring back to fit
3-in.-thick wad of fiberglass insulation the pattern. With practice, it becomes
over the hole and then compress it as easy to judge just how much and
I screw the flange to the wood. After where to bend. If you are not using
cutting around the outside of the flange green wood, it helps to soak the strips
to remove the surplus fiberglass, I turn thoroughly for about three hours before
the upright over and cut an X in the bending them.

90 FINE WOODWORKING
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master class continued

Lock down the pieces

A setting jig. Often, the template for checking Clamp lightly. If the workpiece has not been bent sufficiently while being heated, firm clamping
the curve also serves this role. will not finish the job. A few clamps or even masking tape should be all you need.

if you are bending 3⁄ 8-in.-thick material. pieces near, but not on, a radiator, or by
Success means getting a feel for just having a fan blow air across them. Wood
how much surface area has to be heated with pronounced medullary rays like
and for how long, and how much red and white oak can develop checks
overbending is required to achieve the on the plainsawn surface if it dries too
correct result. quickly. I recommend putting a cloth or
You can increase your success rate by blanket over oak parts for the first 24
holding a strap on the outside of the hours to retard surface drying.
strip as it is being bent. This helps hold You also need to maintain the curve
down wood fibers that want to lift and while the piece dries. This can be as
create a deeper split. The strap should simple as a strip of tape across the bend,
be just wider than the piece being bent, or you can build a wooden setting jig the
same shape as the pattern. The bent part
Online Extra rests in the setting jig secured lightly with Multiple parts. If you are making several iden-
To watch Michael Fortune demonstrate clamps or tape. One cautionary note: tical parts such as chair back slats, it can be
his hot-pipe bending technique, go to
FineWoodworking.com/extras. Because the bent wood is initially damp, quicker to build a single large setting jig.
metal clamps will leave a stain. This is
and should not come in contact with the particularly evident with woods high in
hot pipe. Nylon strap used for banding tannin like oak and walnut.
boxes is ideal and easy to find, while Air needs to reach both surfaces of the
wider strips can be salvaged from old drying workpiece to prevent warping or
lawn chairs or a lawn-chair repair kit. cupping. Therefore, the setting jig should
be a frame rather than a solid surface.
Let the wood dry in its new curve For simple “U” shapes, I just stick the
Once the strip has been bent to the piece in the open jaws of my wooden
desired shape, it needs to maintain that bench vise to hold the desired curve.
shape while the wood cools and dries. Once the parts have set to their new
This setting time can be as short as three shape, they will have little memory of
hours for thin pieces or 24 hours for the ever being straight. However, ends that
thickest stock. are not restrained will have a tendency
Ideally you want the piece to have a to move with changes in humidity.
moisture content of 7% to 8% before Parts bent this way also should not be
starting to sand it or apply a finish. You immersed in water for any length of Held in a vise. You may be able to dry small
can speed the process by placing the time, as they will straighten. • parts by clamping them lightly in a bench vise.

92 FINE WOODWORKING
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FW special size 14p3 x 18p

96 FINE WOODWORkINg
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Use reader service card - inside back cover.
For quick access to their websites, go to ADVERTISER INDEX at www.finewoodworking.com
Reader Reader Reader Reader
Service No. ADVERTISER, page # Service No. ADVERTISER, page # Service No. ADVERTISER, page # Service No. ADVERTISER, page #

94 Accurate Track, LLC, p. 11 77 Delta Machinery, p. 2 43 JDS Company, p. 13 Philadelphia Furniture

46 Adria Toolworks, Inc., p. 95 56 Diefenbacher Tools, p. 94 33 The Japan Woodworker, p. 26 Workshops, p. 94
87 Affinity Tool Works, p. 19 55 Dimitrios Klitsas, p. 94 8 Pine Creek Wood Co., p. 95

3 Allred & Associates, Inc., p. 93 99 Dremel Tools, p. 9 32 Kay Industries, Inc., p. 18 7 Pygmy Boats, Inc., p. 93

36 American Furniture Design, p. 94 45 Dura-Grit, Inc., p. 24 59 Keller & Company, p. 94

58 Kreg Tool Company, p. 31 Quality Vakuum Products, p. 31

60 Ball & Ball Reproduction 105 Eagle Woodworking, p. 93 62 Kuffel Creek Press, p. 26

Hardware, p. 18 Engraving Arts, p. 93 28 Rockler Woodworking and

69 Banner Hill School of 78 Epilog Laser, p. 12 49 Laguna Tools, p. 7 Hardware, p. 11

Woodworking, p. 93 98 Laguna Tools, p. 17 31 Rosewood Studio, p. 26

75 The Beall Tool Co., p. 94 79 Felder Group USA, p. 19 29 Leigh Industries, p. 85 1 Router Bits.com, p. 24

Berea Hardwoods Co., p. 25 Fine Woodworking Archives on 30 Leigh Industries, p. 87

5 Berkshire Products, p. 95 DVD, p. 85 10 Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, p. 26 54 Scherr’s Cabinet & Doors,

Berkshire Veneer Co., p. 93 Fine Woodworking Index on 68 Lignomat, p. 26 Inc., p. 18

DVD, p. 26 85 Luthiers Mercantile Intl., p. 95 19 School of Woodworking, p. 23

81 Cabinetmaker’s Supply, p. 12 FineWoodworking.com, p. 87 40 Screw Products, Inc., p. 19

18 Cabinetparts.com, p. 95 97 Forrest Manufacturing, p. 31 66 M.L. Condon Company, p. 95 13 Suffolk Machinery, p. 95

Cabot Stain, p. 15 103 The Furniture Institute of 12 MEG Products, p. 95

74 CabParts, p. 26 Massachusetts, p. 93 Mission Furnishings.com, p. 93 108 T&T Design, p. 11

89 Cadex Tools, p. 25 Mortise Pal, p. 26 83 Titebond Wood Glue, p. 99

CarveWright, p. 85 93 Gilmer Wood Company, p. 95

Center for Furniture 67 Goby Walnut Products, p. 94 64 N W School of Wooden 86 Vac-U-Clamp, p. 13

Craftsmanship, p. 19 34 Good Hope Hardwoods, p. 95 Boatbuilding, p. 24

50 Certainly Wood, p. 94 48 Gorilla Wood Glue, p. 13 24 Nora Hall, p. 95 Whitechapel, Ltd., p. 11
City of Trees Woodworking 6 Groff & Groff Lumber, p. 95 17 North Bennet Street School, p. 95 73 Williams & Hussey, p. 23

Institute, p. 93 26 Guillemot Kayaks, p. 94 80 Northwest Timber, p. 93 22 Windsor Chair Workshops, p. 94

Colonial Chair Co., p. 94 42 Northwest Woodworking 72 Wood Rat, p. 23

2 Connecticut Valley School of 39 Hartville Tool Woodworking, p. 13 Studio, p. 31 23 Woodcraft, p. 27

Woodworking, p. 95 82 Hearne Hardwoods, Inc., p. 23 41 Northwest Woodworking WoodenBoat Magazine, p. 93

38 Contempo Living, p. 93 76 Highland Woodworking, p. 24 Studio, p. 94 Woodfinder, p. 94
65 Cook Woods, p. 93 84 Hoffmann Machine Co., p. 94 44 Wood-Mizer, p. 93

37 Cormark International, p. 93 How to Design Furniture, p. 91 107 Oneida Air Systems, p. 25 70 Woodpeckers, p. 24

111 Craftsman, p. 21 106 Oneida Air Systems, p. 91 90 Woodworkers Source, p. 93

15 Craftsman Studio, p. 94 Infinity Cutting Tools, p. 13 51 Osborne Wood Products, p. 23 100 Woodworker’s Supply, p. 19

27 Inside Passage School of Fine 52 Osborne Wood Products, p. 31

DR Power Equipment, p. 19 Woodworking, p. 11 53 Osborne Wood Products, p. 87

David Savage British 63 International Yacht Restoration

Masterclasses, p. 13 School, p. 95 14 Peck Tool Company, p. 94

David Warren Direct, p. 95 92 Iturra Design, p. 94 35 Phase-A-Matic, Inc., p. 23

www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 97

how they did it
High design, low price
B Y A N I S S A K A P S A L E S

M
ichael Fortune’s chairs (seen on the back cover) run the
price gamut, but as the sticker price comes down the time
and effort invested have to do the same. In this $34 made-
for-production chair (right), he also had to accommodate
the limitations of manufacturing in a developing country.
Traveling from his studio in Canada to a community
in Belize, Fortune provided on-site training, researched the materials
available locally (keeping prices down and further boosting the local
economy), and worked with the available machinery, which was often
low-tech. The design of the chair as well as the production methods
got pared down to the basics, and organization was the key to success.
Fortune said he appreciated the challenges as a designer and craftsman,
and most of the lessons he learned can be carried back into the one-
man custom shop.

PACKS FLAT—ASSEMBLES
EASILY
The chair had to be designed so it
could be delivered as an RTA (ready-to- New life for an old
assemble) product. Dowels and bolts machine. At the site, For-
tune found a defunct over-
with cylinder nuts allow the product
head router being used as
to knock down for flat packing and
a storage table. Luckily,
shipping, so the chair can be easily
he was able to procure
assembled at its final destination.
missing parts and rehab
the machine so it could be
Seat and backrest are used, with shopmade jigs,
screwed to chair base. to cut the curved backrest
and seat after they were
laminated on a form.

Front and side

assemblies are
connected by bolts
and cylinder nuts.

Jigs make joinery foolproof.

The ready-to-assemble joinery
was done with hand drills. A
shopmade jig was clamped to
a bench, and the workpieces
Front stretcher is set in place and drilled. To
Side stretchers doweled and glued keep things fail-safe, all the
are doweled to front legs.
jigs for this chair were color
and glued to coded and precisely labeled.
rear legs.
Then, multiple drills were set
up with the bits at set depths.

98 FINE WOODWORKING Photos: Michael Fortune; drawing: John Tetreault

 Think

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READER SERVICE NO. 83
 $34 vs. $ 3 , 4 0 0

Photo: Michael Fortune

O
ne is a prototype for a knockdown chair produced by production pieces. When designing this production chair, Fortune’s
the hundreds in an open-air, 50-man shop with minimal challenge was to create interesting, elegant shapes while employing
tooling in Belize. It leaves the factory priced at $34. The right-angle joinery and surfaces straight off the machine. He made
other is built in a studio shop in Canada and sells for $3,400. Both eight color-coded jigs that enable semiskilled workers to shape the
were designed by Michael Fortune, who spends most of the year parts and cut the joints accurately every time. In his custom chair,
building custom pieces in his three-man shop outside Toronto. But every part is curved and every surface hand-shaped. But most of
he sometimes can be found in developing countries designing fur- the machine processes were guided by jigs—30 in all. Fortune knew
niture, jigs, and assembly systems to suit local conditions. that the first set of eight chairs, even at $3,400 apiece, would lose
With roots in industrial design as well as studio furniture, Fortune him money; the profits will come when he reuses the same jigs to
applies the efficiencies of factory production to his custom work build a second set or a closely related chair.
and brings a craftsman’s resourcefulness and feel for materials to his —Jonathan Binzen

How They Did It Turn to p. 98 to learn how Fortune worked out Pro Portfolio “The Clever Chair”: Go to FineWoodworking.com to see an
the details of production and made the $34 chair possible. audio slide show and hear Fortune describe his design process.