This interior shutter project has a lot going for it, including excellent light transmission that doesn’t compromise privacy and simple modular construction. You can use almost any wood for these shutters, but typically it’s best to either match or complement your existing woodwork. I used vertical-grain pine that has a naturally attractive ribbon pattern and a medium ivory color. It’s also easy to work and relatively inexpensive. A translucent shoji-style fiberglass material works well for the screen, but there are a number of other materials you can use, such as rice paper and plastic-coated paper.

Keep in mind that this is a millwork project, so it doesn’t require quite the high level of workman-ship you might devote to a furniture project. The thickness and width of the parts work for most window sizes, so you only need to adjust the length. For very large windows, you might want to scale up the size of the parts or add more lattice strips to the grid. The variations on this project are almost infinite, so you’ll likely want to add your own special touches.

Measure, Mill, Join Frames

You’ll need to start by measuring your window casing and checking it for square. Measure the exact opening, then subtract about a quarter inch from the sides and top/bottom to allow a little room for swing clearance and space for the hinges. (Most carpentry isn’t as precise as your woodworking, so you may need to make some adjustments after you assemble the frames.) For large windows or ganged windows, consider making bifold or multiple shutters to span the area.

Because this project lends itself to mass production, it’s best to mill the frame parts for all the windows you intend to cover before doing any joinery, to ensure consistency. (Read on to learn more about making the lattice strips.) A jointer and planer are almost a necessity to achieve straight, square and uniform stock. You might want to sand the parts lightly before you start the joinery.

There’s a lot of flexibility when it comes to joinery. I used a Festool Domino to make floating mortise-and-tenon joints. This tool can quickly make strong, precise joints. However, a biscuit joiner is just as fast and makes acceptably strong joints. You can also attain very good results with dowels or pocket-hole screws.

Once you’ve glued and clamped the frames, you can sand them with 150-grit paper. Be sure to ease the edges enough so they won’t splinter, but don’t round them too much. If your shutters are a matching pair like this project, mark the top edges with arrows that point to the front and inside stile edges. This will serve to keep the shutters paired and correctly oriented. Check the bare frames in the window casing to be sure they fit with some room to spare and make necessary adjustments. If the fit is too tight, trim the inside stile edges that form the closure between the shutters.

Now is as good a time as any to cut the translucent screen material. This should be done before fastening any lattice parts inside the frame because the bare frame serves as a pattern. The easiest way is to lay the frame on top of the screen material and trace around the inside with a pencil; then use a metal straightedge and a utility knife to cut the material.

Make Lattice Strips and Router Jig

If there’s a fussy part of this project, it’s making the lattice. The 3/8″ x 3/8″ lattice strips must be uniform, and the half-lap joints that form the grid must be precisely made. There are a number of ways to make the strips, but I’ve found that using a band saw and a planer is efficient and it keeps waste and dust to a minimum.

First, rip wide pieces from 3″ or 4″ stock roughly 7/16″ thick. Next, rip 7/16″-square strips from these pieces. Now you need to remove the saw marks and mill the strips to exactly 3/8″ square. Run the strips through your planer, making four total passes: the first two on perpendicular sides of the strips to remove about 1/32″ and then a third and fourth pass on the opposite sides for the final 3/8″ dimension. The strips might not be perfectly square, but the deviation with pieces this small will be insignificant — try making a few practice pieces first. (If your planer won’t adjust down to 3/8″, you can make a subbase out of particleboard or MDF to fit under the planer’s cutterhead.) Make more pieces than you’ll need because you’ll unavoidably have some ruined pieces.

You can use a table saw to make the half-lap joints, but I think a router jig is more accurate and makes cleaner joints. The half-lap routing jig is simple and easy to make with MDF or particleboard and a few bits of hardware. There are two basic parts: the base and the router carriage. The base has a thin hardboard fence attached to it to align to workpieces so they’re perpendicular to the router carriage. The router carriage is adjustable for different stock thickness with the carriage bolts and should be made to fit your router (or at least the guide rails positioned for your router’s base). Adhere sandpaper or self-adhesive abrasive strips to the carriage bottom to prevent stock from shifting. To ensure that the jig makes accurate cuts, all the parts should be square, the carriage bolt holes should align perfectly in the base and router carriage, and the fence on the base should be perpendicular to the slot in the router carriage. The fence should be the last piece you install because it’s dependent on how the base and router carriage are aligned. Finally, run the router into the fence with a 3/8″ bit to create an alignment mark.

Cut Half-lap Joints

There are several tips that can increase your success in cutting the half-lap joints. You should cut all the strips to the exact length before you cut the joints. Use the shutter frames to determine the fit, and you might want to make dedicated sets of strips for each frame in case there are slight dimensional differences.

Once you cut the strips, use masking tape to gang them together with the ends perfectly flush. Mark the joint locations in pencil, and then scribe the joint lines with a utility knife. This will help prevent any chipping or tearout from the router. When you place the ganged strips in the jig, be sure they’re abutting the fence, that the joint lines correspond with the router alignment mark on the fence and that the carriage bolts are securely tightened. Also, place an extra piece of lattice to the outside of the ganged pieces to help balance the height of the router carriage.

Rout the joints with a 3/8″ straight bit and make the cuts in two passes while keeping the router pressed against the guide rails. Work carefully and don’t force the router through the cut. Use dust collection if your router has it. It will enable you to see the start and stop of the cut much more easily.

Assemble the Lattice

You’ll assemble the front lattice in the frame and the rear lattice as a standalone unit. The rear lattice acts as a retainer for the screen material and provides visual balance when the shutters are open.

Begin by marking the 1/8″ setback guidelines for the front lattice inset with a combination square and pencil. Before you start, make a dry run to ensure the grid strips fit properly in the frame. The strips don’t need to be glued; pin nails provide all the needed fastening.

The holes made by the nails are so small they’re almost invisible, and don’t need to be filled. Attach the vertical lattice strips to the stiles then the horizontal ones to the rails. Now you can add the inside vertical strips with a little glue in the joints followed by the horizontal strips.

The rear lattice goes together the same way with glue in all the joints, but it’s not permanently attached to the frame. You just need to check that it fits flush over the front grid and isn’t too large (or small) for the frame. To fasten the front and rear grids together, you need to bore screw holes and countersinks for #4 x 5/8″ brass screws through the rear grid into the four inside grid intersections. Install the screws to cut the threads before you finish and assemble the shutters.

With the grids completed, now is a good time to set the hinge positions. The shutter hinges have removable pins so they work on the left or right side. Unless your shutters are very large or heavy, stick with two hinges on each side. Three or more hinges can cause binding and complicate installation. It’s important that the screw holes are perfectly centered to keep the hinges aligned. I used a self-centering Insty-Drive bit for this purpose. Remove the hinges before finishing.

Finish, Assemble, Install Shutters

Sand the assemblies with 150-grit paper and be sure to ease all sharp edges. There’s no need to sand too much or with a finer grit paper — the finish will hide many imperfections. Thoroughly clean off all the dust before applying finish.

Because the shutters are next to windows, they’re exposed to more light and temperature variations than other woodwork in your home. A film finish will help reduce seasonal wood movement and protect the wood from wear and tear. I brushed on two coats of a clear waterborne interior finish and opted not to stain because the natural color of the wood was appealing without alteration. For a smooth finish, sand lightly with 320-grit paper between coats to remove dust nibs.

Once the finish has cured, install the screen material. The fiberglass shoji that I used is stiff enough so that no glue, tape or staples were needed to retain it in the frame. But you might need to fasten thin paper screen to the back of the front grid if it doesn’t stay put. Install the rear grid over the screen and install the brass screws; then reinstall the hinges.

Installing the shutters isn’t difficult, but there are a few steps you can take to reduce any possible frustration. Use a thin spacer between the window casing and the shutter to eliminate the possibility of binding. The hinges also have a slotted hole to allow for vertical adjustment, so use only this hole until you’ve installed the opposing shutter and can align the pair. If the shutters are a little twisted in the frame, you can try moving one of the hinges slightly out to compensate. And if the gap where the shutters meet isn’t even, use a shim behind the hinge leaf. When the shutters seem reasonably well-aligned, install the rest of the screws. I installed a magnetic touch latch to retain the shutters. It eliminates the need for knobs to open and close the shutters to maintain a clean appearance.

If you’re like me, once you’ve built a few of these shutters, you’ll want to make more sets for other rooms in your home. They’ll help keep your rooms light and airy even on the most dreary days.

Click Here to Download the Drawings and Materials List.

The post Translucent Screen Shutters appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.

This rack folds and is freestanding, so it doesn’t require that you drill holes in your walls or lower your bike from an elevated spot like wall-mounted racks do. It’s also relatively lightweight (approximately 25 to 30 pounds) and can be built with readily available materials and hardware. And, with a few bungees to secure the rack and its load, it can be used to transport bikes in the back of a pickup truck. Although it may not be ideal for everyone’s bike storage needs, it’s very convenient if you have the floor space. Almost any type and size of adult bike with tires up to about 3″ wide will fit the rack.

Tools and Materials

You won’t need many tools: mostly just a band saw or table saw (or both), a router table, a handheld drill and a basic set of hand tools. If you want to mill your own wood, you’ll also need a jointer and a planer. (It’s aways better to mill the stock yourself to ensure straight, square workpieces, but it’s not essential.) I made the rack out of 8/4 hard maple, but birch, ash and oak are also good choices. However, construction lumber and poplar probably won’t be strong enough for this project. If you’re unable to get 8/4 lumber, you can glue thinner boards together to achieve the necessary thickness. You’ll need about 10 bf of rough stock. Most lumberyards that sell hardwood can mill the stock to thickness, but you’ll need to cut it to size.

Make the Wood Joints

The joinery consists of stub tenons on the rail ends and stopped grooves in the stiles. They prevent the square-section workpieces from twisting, but alone they don’t provide enough joint strength. That’s achieved with the hardware: bolts and cross dowels.

The joints are easy to make using a table saw or band saw and a router table, but practice on some scrap stock first. You’ll want to have a few extra pieces of 1-3/4″ x 1-3/4″ stock on hand for these test pieces to check the joinery before committing to the actual workpieces. (If you’d like a simpler joinery method than the tenons and grooves, you could use a few small dowels at each joint to pin the mating parts.)

Once you mill and cut the parts to size, lay out the joinery. To keep mistakes to a minimum, it’s aways advisable to label all the parts with numbers or letters and indicate where and how they join corresponding parts. It’s easy to get parts mixed up even with a relatively simple project like this.

First, rout the stopped grooves in the stiles, preferably on a router table. That establishes the groove width so you can cut the mating tenons to fit. Cut the tenon shoulders before the cheeks. Then cut the cheeks on a test piece, just a little wide at first. Although the fit doesn’t need to be perfect, it should be close and not loose. Once you’ve cut joints on all the parts, check the fit at each joint and make any necessary adjustments with a sharp chisel.

Install the Joint Hardware

You can bore all the holes for the connecting bolts and cross dowels with a handheld drill, but you’ll achieve a better fit if you use a drill press to first bore pilot holes in the stiles. Use a small bit — 1/4″ or less — for the pilots, and then use the holes as a guide to drill counterbores for the bolt heads with a 7/8″-dia. Forstner bit. Use pipe or bar clamps to hold the frame together when enlarging the holes to 5/16″ dia. If the bit isn’t sufficiently long, you may need to take the joints apart to drill holes that are deep enough in the rails.

Finding the correct position for the cross dowels can be tricky, so use the joint test pieces to confirm your measurements. For the strongest joint, the cross dowel should be located as close to the end of the bolt threads as possible and centered in the stock (see Drawing). Install the bolts and cross dowels as soon as you’ve completed boring all the holes. There’s no need to glue the parts together. The bolts provide plenty of strength without glue and allow you to knock down the stand to its individual parts if necessary.

The piano hinge that enables the frame to fold up is a snap to install. Simply lay the bottom (horizontal) frame, with its bottom side up, on top of the top (vertical) frame, with its front side up. Place the bottom frame so its inside rail and the top frames’s bottom rail are offset to form a 90˚ corner.

Then center the hinge and drive a few screws to hold it in place. Now you can bore the screw holes and drive the remaining screws. You’ll need to remove the hinge from the frames along the way, but it will be easy to reinstall it, now that all the holes are set.

Position the Frame Supports

The frame supports tie the two frame halves into a single rigid structure using threaded male knobs and threaded inserts. First, cut 45˚ miters on each end of the supports. Don’t worry if they’re not exactly 26″ long; close is good enough. Bore the 5/16″ holes for the knobs in each end (see Drawing). Now you’ll need to fit the supports to the frame. Although you can measure to find the positions for the threaded inserts, it’s more accurate to use the support as a template to locate the exact position. Use duct tape to secure a carpenter’s square to the frame to hold it perfectly square. Then bore though the holes in the support just enough to mark the threaded insert positions on the frame.

There’s no set size for the threaded inset holes; it depends on the hardness of the wood. The holes will need to be larger with maple than with birch or ash because it’s harder. Use some scrap and experiment. Rather than installing the inserts with a screwdriver and risk damaging the threads, use a bolt or knob and lock it in position with a nut or wingnut; then just twist or use a wrench to install. There’s one extra threaded insert you’ll need to install on the vertical frame (either side is fine). It’s used with a frame support to keep the two frames secured together in the folded position. Locate the position of this insert when the stand is folded.

Refine and Finish the Rack

Easing the edges and sanding can be done while the stand frames are assembled but with the hinge removed. A 3/16″-radius roundover bit is about right to ease the top and visible edges. There’s no need to rout all the edges; sanding is sufficient for the bottom and back edges. And, considering the purpose of the stand, 120-grit paper will produce an adequately smooth surface. Do all the routing before sanding, though.

The rear wheel braces are what keep the bikes upright and stable on the stand. They need to fit around the tires snugly, so you should take care making them. Make them from the same square stock as the frame. Simply cut the square-section stock diagonally using a band saw or table saw to make two parts from one piece of stock. Although it’s possible to attach the braces directly to the frame, the brace platform and guides allow easy adjustment for different tire widths. If you don’t plan to store more than two different bikes on the stand, attaching the braces directly to the frame will save you some time and effort. And if you only need to make a few width adjustments, you can skip routing the adjustment slots in the platforms.

The brace platforms and guides are made from 1/2″ Baltic birch plywood, but solid wood works well, too. If you rout the adjustment slots, first bore a series of holes along the slot centerline to make routing easier. Use a router table with a fence, and carefully lower the workpiece onto the spinning bit. But be sure to keep your hands out of the path of the cut.

The brace guides keep the braces aligned and prevent them from rotating under load. Glue the brace guides to the bottom of the wheel braces using the platform as a spacing gauge. A pin nailer can speed up the assembly and ensure that the guides are securely fastened. Once you’ve completed the wheel brace assemblies, screw them to the bottom frame, centered about 10″ from the edge of the frame. Then install the bike hanger hooks on the top vertical frame rail. Now you can check that your bikes fit properly.

The rack may not be a piece of furniture, but a film finish will help protect it from dirt and moisture and prolong its life. Maple isn’t very porous, so one coat of wipe-on varnish or water-based polyurethane is all that’s needed. Finally, install anti-skid feet to the bottom of the rack. Now that you’ve finished the rack, maybe you’ll be inspired to inflate your bike’s tires and take a nice long, scenic ride.

Click Here to Download the Materials List and Drawings.

The post PROJECT: Folding Bike Rack appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.

In most respects, this table is conventional.However, its curved front presents some technical challenges that may upend some of your woodworking habits and cause you to approach the work from a different perspective. Because the laminated front apron’s curve and dimensions are difficult to control perfectly, all the other workpieces are subordinate to it, so it’s the first part you make.

Start with the Laminated Front

Although I used mahogany, other species such as maple, cherry or birch are also suitable for the design and to make the bent laminate. I started with about 22 board feet of combined 4/4 and 8/4 stock for the table as well as some Baltic birch plywood and maple and sycamore shop scraps for the drawer and slides. Of course, the quantity you need can vary depending on the quality of the wood and the amount of waste you generate.

Using a jointer and planer to mill roughsawn stock will ensure that your workpieces are consistent and true, but if you don’t have these tools, many hardwood dealers can mill the wood for you. However, one tool that’s essential for this project is a good band saw to resaw the 1/8″ or thinner pieces that comprise the laminated bowfront apron.

Making the laminated apron is the hardest part of the project and requires patience and precision, but it’s not rocket science. First, you’ll need to make a 5-1/4″-deep bending form out of stacked pieces of plywood or particleboard. There are a number of ways you can lay out the curve, but the method I use is very simple and accurate. Start by making a template of the tabletop on a piece of plywood. (The template works for both the top and the apron curves.) Mark the 12″ width on the outside edges and 14″ on the center. Drive small finish nails at the front, outside corners and one in the middle. Wedge a 36″ steel or aluminum straightedge between the nails and then mark the rule’s curve with a pencil. The natural bow of the ruler provides a smooth, pleasing contour.

Next, you’ll need to cut thin strips to make the laminate. Now’s a good time to make a few test pieces to ensure that your band saw blade is plumb and cutting true. The finished size of the bowfront is 4-1/4″ x 29-1/8″ (including tenons), but you should make 4-3/4″ x 34″ strips to allow for waste. The thickness of the strips is up to you and can be anywhere from 1/16″ to 1/8″ thick, but when combined should create a finished 5/8″ to 3/4″-thick workpiece. The thinner the strips, the less spring-back you’ll have when you remove the workpiece from the bending form. I had virtually no spring-back using seven laminate pieces that were nominally 3/32″ thick.

Before you start gluing pieces, glue or tape rubber shelf liner inside the form. This helps distribute clamping pressure evenly and prevents errant glue from adhering the workpieces to the form. I’ve found that polyurethane glue works well for bent laminates because it doesn’t creep under pressure like PVA glue and it has a longer open time. On the downside, it foams and it can be messy, but you can overcome these problems by working carefully.

There’s a sense of urgency when laminating, as with any gluing process, but here are a few tips to keep things under control. Before you start, do a dry run and have all your clamps adjusted and ready to go. Cover your workbench with waxed paper to keep oozing glue from bonding with your bench. Mark the center and ends of both sides of the form for accurate alignment and material placement. Apply polyurethane glue to only one side of each surface; the foaming action will force glue into the adjacent surface. Use a spreader to coat the entire surface of the work with a thin, even layer of glue. Check for any horizontal or vertical slippage of the form halves. Finally, tighten clamps progressively to ensure even pressure.

Once the glue has fully cured, remove the workpiece from the form and clean off any glue or shelf liner that’s stuck to it. Mark the centerline and the ends of the workpiece before trimming it to size with the band saw.

Cut Parts, Make Joints, Assemble

Stock preparation for all the other parts is straightforward. You may need to glue up pieces for the top and legs if large enough sizes aren’t available, and hold off on making drawer parts until after you cut the opening in the front apron. Now that you’re able to compare the curve of the front apron to the template, you can determine if the dimensions of any other parts, particularly side aprons, need to be adjusted. You can also use the front apron to trace the curve onto the stock for the top.

Use the band saw to cut the curve on top just outside the line and then use a hand plane to smooth and refine the curve. (I prefer using planes to smooth most surfaces rather than sanding or routing. There’s less dust and it produces a crisp, clean result.) Use a router and 30˚ chamfer bit mounted in a router table to form the bottom bevels on the front and sides of the top. You’ll need to stand the work on edge, so use a tall fence and clamp a guide board in front of the workpiece. Sand or plane the bevel if it needs to be refined.

Don’t taper the legs until after you cut the mortises in them. (Mark the top of each leg with its position and orientation to help prevent mistakes.) The mortise-and-tenon joints on the back and sides are a standard 1/4″ thickness and 3/4″ length, so you can use your preferred joinery method, or use a drill press and 3/16″ brad-point bit to remove most of the mortise waste and then make one pass with a 1/4″-up-cut bit and router to finish the joint. (You can use a router table or a handheld router fitted with a fence and your workbench’s end vise as a platform for this operation.) Cut all the tenon faces on the table saw, and use a tenoning jig for the best control.

Cutting the front apron tenons is a bit more complicated because they’re angled slightly in relation to the curve. (Providing an exact layout for the joints isn’t practical because the curve of the front apron will vary depending on how much your apron springs back.) I laid out the tenons with pencil lines and then hand cut them with a pull saw and chisel, checking the fit regularly as I worked.

If this seems too daunting a task, you could use a biscuit joiner, dowels or a Festool Domino joiner instead. (If you opt for one of these methods, you’ll need to consider this before you cut leg mortises.) The tenons could also be machined using a router or table saw jig, but it’s questionable if the time spent designing and building a jig for a one-off project is justified when the other methods are faster and easier.

Now that you’ve completed the joinery, test-fit all the parts and make any necessary adjustments. Lay out the leg tapers and then cut them with the band saw. Smooth the tapers with a hand plane or sanding block. Try to keep the leg edges crisp — a few swipes with a block plane or some fine sandpaper is all that’s needed.

There’s one more somewhat nerve-racking job before assembly, and that’s cutting the drawer opening in the curved front apron. Lay out the opening in pencil using the centerline on the apron. Bore a hole in each corner large enough for a jigsaw blade to pass through; then very carefully cut out the opening, staying just inside the layout lines.

Rout the 45˚ bevels on the bottom of the front and side aprons and sand all the parts with 220-grit paper before assembly. The easiest way to assemble the table base is in stages. First, assemble the front and rear aprons to their legs.

Next, join these two sections with the side aprons. Check the assembly for square and make sure it’s sitting level on the workbench. You can glue the top fastening blocks to the inside of the aprons now, too.

Drawer and Slides

The drawer’s construction is pretty basic: no hand-cut dovetails, although they would be a nice addition. The only complication is that the drawer face and drawer front are curved to match the front apron curve. Cut the joints in the drawer front before cutting its curve. Use the front apron as a pattern (preferably before it’s assembled) and cut the curves with the band saw. Sand the contour on the back of the drawer face so it matches the apron’s curve and then match the drawer front’s contour to the back of the drawer face.

Like the drawer, the slides are simple, just rabbets cut in solid stock. The drawer is small and light, so this arrangement is perfectly adequate. Once you’ve made the pieces, cut them so they fit snugly inside the table base. To position the slides precisely, clamp the assembled drawer to the table base, then glue the mounting blocks in place and secure them with a pin nailer, if available. Similarly, position and fasten the top guide that prevents the drawer from tipping when extended. The drawer should have a little play but still slide smoothly.

All that remains is to fit the top to the base and do a final sanding before finishing. (Remove the top before finishing.) I applied three coats of satin varnish cut 50/50 with mineral spirits and sanded with 320-grit paper between coats (always with the grain). Then I rubbed out the final coat with 0000 steel wool followed by a buffing with a soft cotton rag to restore the luster. Of course, the great thing about this project is that it resides in your front hall, so as the center of attention it’s an instant conversation starter with visitors. You’ve earned your bragging rights with this one.

Click Here to download a PDF of the related drawings.

The post Bowfront Hall Table appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.

This interior shutter project has a lot going for it, including excellent light transmission that doesn’t compromise privacy and simple modular construction. You can use almost any wood for these shutters, but typically it’s best to either match or complement your existing woodwork. I used vertical-grain pine that has a naturally attractive ribbon pattern and a medium ivory color. It’s also easy to work and relatively inexpensive. A translucent shoji-style fiberglass material works well for the screen, but there are a number of other materials you can use such as rice paper and plastic-coated paper. Keep in mind that this is a millwork project, so it doesn’t require quite the high level of workmanship you might devote to a furniture project. The thickness and width of the parts work for most window sizes, so you only need to adjust the length. For very large windows, you might want to scale up the size of the parts or add more lattice strips to the grid. The variations on this project are almost infinite,so you’ll likely want to add your own special touches.

Measure, Mill, Join Frames

You’ll need to start by measuring your window casing and checking it for square. Measure the exact opening, then subtract about a quarter inch from the sides and top/bottom to allow a little room for swing clearance and space for the hinges. (Most carpentry isn’t as precise as your woodworking, so you may need to make some adjustments after you assemble the frames.) For large windows or ganged windows, consider making bifold or multiple shutters to span the area.

Because this project lends itself to mass production, it’s best to mill the frame parts for all the windows you intend to cover before doing any joinery, to ensure consistency. (Read on to learn more about making the lattice strips.) A jointer and planer are almost a necessity to achieve straight, square and uniform stock. You might want to sand the parts lightly before you start the joinery.

There’s a lot of flexibility when it comes to joinery. I used a Festool Domino to make floating mortise-and-tenon joints. This tool can quickly make strong, precise joints. However, a plate joiner is just as fast and makes acceptably strong joints. You can also attain very good results with dowels or pocket-hole screws.

Once you’ve glued and clamped the frames, you can sand them with 150-grit paper. Be sure to ease the edges enough so they won’t splinter, but don’t round them too much. If your shutters are a matching pair like this project, mark the top edges with arrows that point to the front and inside stile edges. This will serve to keep the shutters paired and correctly oriented. Check the bare frames in the window casing to be sure they fit with some room to spare and make necessary adjustments. If the fit is too tight, trim the inside stile edges that form the closure between the shutters.

Now is as good a time as any to cut the translucent screen material. This should be done before fastening any lattice parts inside the frame because the bare frame serves as a pattern. The easiest way is to lay the frame on top of the screen material and trace around the inside with a pencil; then use a metal straightedge and a utility knife to cut the material.

Make Lattice Strips and Router Jig

If there’s a fussy part of this project, it’s making the lattice. The 3/8″ x 3/8″ lattice strips must be uniform, and the half-lap joints that form the grid must be precisely made. There are a number of ways to make the strips, but I’ve found that using a band saw and a planer is efficient and it keeps waste and dust to a minimum.

First, rip wide pieces from 3″ or 4″ stock roughly 7/16″ thick. Next, rip 7/16″-square strips from these pieces. Now you need to remove the saw marks and mill the strips to exactly 3/8″ square. Run the strips through your planer making four total passes: the first two on perpendicular sides of the strips to remove about 1/32″ and then a third and fourth pass on the opposite sides for the final 3/8″ dimension. The strips might not be perfectly square, but the deviation with pieces this small will be insignificant — try making a few practice pieces first. (If your planer won’t adjust down to 3/8″, you can make a sub-base out of particleboard or MDF to fit under the planer’s cutterhead.) Make more pieces than you’ll need because you’ll unavoidably have some ruined pieces.

You can use a table saw to make the half-lap joints, but I think a router jig is more accurate and makes cleaner joints. The router jig is simple and easy to make with MDF or particleboard and a few bits of hardware. There are two basic parts: the base and the router carriage. The base has a thin hardboard fence attached to it to align to workpieces so they’re perpendicular to the router carriage. The router carriage is adjustable for different stock thickness with the carriage bolts and should be made to fit your router (or at least the guide rails positioned for your router’s base).

Adhere sandpaper or self adhesive abrasive strips to the carriage bottom to prevent stock from shifting. To ensure that the jig makes accurate cuts, all the parts should be square, the carriage bolt holes should align perfectly in the base and router carriage, and the fence on the base should be perpendicular to the slot in the router carriage. The fence should be the last piece you install because it’s dependent on how the base and router carriage are aligned. Finally, run the router into the fence with a 3/8″ bit to create an alignment mark.

Cut Half-lap Joints

There are several tips that can increase your success in cutting the half-lap joints. You should cut all the strips to the exact length before you cut the joints. Use the shutter frames to determine the fit, and you might want to make dedicated sets of strips for each frame in case there are slight dimensional differences.

Once you cut the strips, use masking tape to gang them together with the ends perfectly flush. Mark the joint locations in pencil, and then scribe the joint lines with a utility knife. This will help prevent any chipping or tearout from the router. When you place the ganged strips in the jig, be sure they’re abutting the fence, that the joint lines correspond with the router alignment mark on the fence and that the carriage bolts are securely tightened. Also, place an extra piece of lattice to the outside of the ganged pieces to help balance the height of the router carriage.

Rout the joints with a 3/8″ straight bit and make the cuts in two passes while keeping the router pressed against the guide rails. Work carefully and don’t force the router through the cut. Use dust collection if your router has it. It will enable you to see the start and stop of the cut much more easily.

Assemble the Lattice

You’ll assemble the front lattice in the frame and the rear lattice as a standalone unit. The rear lattice acts as a retainer for the screen material and provides visual balance when the shutters are open.

Begin by marking the 1/8″ setback guidelines for the front lattice inset with a combination square and pencil. Before you start, make a dry run to ensure the grid strips fit properly in the frame.

The strips don’t need to be glued; pin nails provide all the needed fastening. The holes made by the nails are so small, they’re almost invisible and don’t need to be filled.

Attach the vertical lattice strips to the stiles, then the horizontal ones to the rails. Now you can add the inside vertical strips with a little glue in the joints followed by the horizontal strips.

The rear lattice goes together the same way with glue in all the joints, but it’s not permanently attached to the frame. You just need to check that it fits flush over the front grid and isn’t too large (or small) for the frame.

To fasten the front and rear grids together, you need to bore screw holes and countersinks for #4 x 5/8″ brass screws through the rear grid into the four inside grid intersections. Install the screws to cut the threads before you finish and assemble the shutters.

With the grids completed, now is a good time to set the hinge positions. The shutter hinges have removable pins so they work on the left or right side. Unless your shutters are very large or heavy, stick with two hinges on each side. Three or more hinges can cause binding and complicate installation. It’s important that the screw holes are perfectly centered to keep the hinges aligned. I used a self-centering Insty-Drive bit for this purpose. Remove the hinges before finishing.

Finish, Assemble, Install Shutters

Sand the assemblies with 150-grit paper and be sure to ease all sharp edges. There’s no need to sand too much or with a finer grit paper — the finish will hide many imperfections. Thoroughly clean off all the dust before applying finish.

Because the shutters are next to windows, they’re exposed to more light and temperature variations than other woodwork in your home. A film finish will help reduce seasonal wood movement and protect the wood from wear and tear. I brushed on two coats of a clear waterborne interior finish and opted not to stain because the natural color of the wood was appealing without alteration. For a smooth finish, sand lightly with 320-grit paper between coats to remove dust nibs.

Once the finish has cured, install the screen material. The fiberglass shoji that I used is stiff enough so that no glue, tape or staples were needed to retain it in the frame. But you might need to fasten thin paper screen to the back of the front grid if it doesn’t stay put. Install the rear grid over the screen and install the brass screws; then reinstall the hinges.

Installing the shutters isn’t difficult, but there a few steps you can take to reduce any possible frustration. Use a thin spacer between the window casing and the shutter to eliminate the possibility of binding. The hinges also have a slotted hole to allow for vertical adjustment, so use only this hole until you’ve installed the opposing shutter and can align the pair. If the shutters are a little twisted in the frame, you can try moving one of the hinges slightly out to compensate. And if the gap where the shutters meet isn’t even, use a shim behind the hinge leaf. When the shutters seem reasonably well aligned, install the rest of the screws. I installed a magnetic touch latch to retain the shutters. It eliminates the need for knobs to open and close the shutters to maintain a clean appearance.

If you’re like me, once you’ve built a few of these shutters you’ll want to make more sets for other rooms in your home. They’ll help keep your rooms light and airy even on the most dreary days.

Click Here to download a PDF of the related drawings.

Hard to Find Hardware

Double Magnetic Touch Latch (1) #28415
3″ Non-Mortise Butt Hinges (1) #47658
Solid Brass Screws – 4 x 5/8″ (1 pk.) #30503
Rockler Silicone Glue Brush (1) #45624
Insty-Drive Self-Centering Bits (1) #69053

The post Make Your Own Translucent-Screen Shutters appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.

Making this lamp’s tapered hexagonal body is straightforward using a band saw with the aid of a tapering jig (see Drawing). The lamp can be made using almost any wood or combination of woods. (I used hard maple to make the body and mahogany for the top cap and base.) The thick stock gives the lamp some heft so it’s stable and difficult to topple. You’ll also need a lamp wiring kit and a lampshade, which are readily available at hardware stores, home centers and from online retailers.

Prepare the Stock

The lamp body is made from four pieces of 8/4 maple, but you could glue together thinner stock to achieve the required thickness. The glued blank has a hollow center channel that provides wiring access (see Drawing). Gluing the stock also makes it more stable and allows you to orient the wood for a pleasing grain pattern.

Starting with square pieces helps ensure that the finished lamp is plumb, so jointing and planing the stock is highly recommended. Make your workpieces a little oversize so you can square the glued lamp body blank if needed. (The blank dimension for this project is sized to work with a band saw with a resaw capacity of 6″ or greater.) It’s also important that the center channel actually remains in the center of the stock as you work so the electrical parts wind up in the right place.

When gluing and clamping the stock, try to keep the pieces from slipping so the edges remain flush. I use wood handscrews to clamp because they provide pressure over a large area and can be adjusted to apply more or less pressure in specific areas.

Once you remove the clamps, check that the ends are perpendicular with the sides of the blank. Square the ends if necessary with a band saw or miter saw. Don’t worry if the dimensions aren’t exactly the same as those in the Drawing — it’s unnecessary for a project like this to be that precise.

The rectangular end plugs allow the blank to be mounted in the band saw tapering jig, but more on that later. Cut the plugs so they fit snugly in the center channel, then glue them in place and tap them flush with the stock. Now draw diagonal lines on the ends of the stock from corner to corner to locate the center point, which should fall in the middle of the end plugs. Punch a small hole in the centers with an awl.

Lay Out the Hexagon

Creating a hexagonal pattern is amazingly simple — check out the photos. Use a wing compass to determine the maximum size of a circle that will fit on the end of your stock.

Using the radius measurement, draw a circle on paper or cardboard (or on the stock). Without changing the compass setting, strike off consecutive points around the circle’s circumference — you should get exactly six points.

Then draw lines between the points to outline the hexagon, and finally cut out the hexagon pattern. Although you can draw directly on the stock, a pattern provides consistent, repeatable results if you plan to make more than one lamp.

Center the pattern on the stock using the awl mark you made earlier and trace around the pattern in pencil. You can do the same on the other end (the bottom) for visual reference when cutting, but it’s optional. Now draw a smaller inside hexagon by measuring 3/4″ from each line. This delineates the starting point for the taper on the top end.

Make the Tapered Hexagon

Cutting the tapered hexagon is a two step process that requires a band saw jig (see Drawing) for the second step. (If your band saw has a resaw capacity greater than 6″, it may be possible to do this in one step with the jig.) Understanding the jig’s operation is more important than duplicating its dimensions because band saw table sizes differ. The jig’s purpose is to guide the stock through the blade at an angle.

The jig’s base is 1/2″ plywood with a runner on the bottom that fits into the band saw’s miter gauge slot. The workpiece is held by adjustable mounting blocks on each end that are sized to allow the stock to rotate and just touch the base. It’s important to use only one screw to attach each mounting block to the base because they need to pivot to remain parallel with workpiece ends.

The first set of cuts you’ll make on the band saw produces a straight hexagonal column. Use a 1/2″ or wider blade to minimize blade deflection. Position the saw’s fence to the outside of the blade and tilt the table toward you about 30˚. (You may want to adjust the fence to accommodate blade drift; check your saw’s instruction manual.) Then adjust the fence and blade to align with one edge of the hexagon drawn on the top of the workpiece. Make the first cut; then rotate the workpiece and adjust the fence and table to align the blade for the next cut. Repeat this operation until you’ve cut all six sides. Save at least one of the cutoffs; you’ll need this later for routing the relief cuts in the lamp body.

Now you’ll need to mount the workpiece in the tapering jig. Here’s the sequence that worked best for me: First, screw the bottom mounting block to the center of the bottom of the workpiece, but don’t attach the mounting block to the jig’s base yet. Roughly center the workpiece on the jig. Position the jig with its track in the saw’s miter gauge slot and align one of the bottom edges of the hexagon against the blade. Now screw the bottom mounting block to the jig’s base. Next, attach the top mounting block to the top of the workpiece and slide the jig back so the blade just touches the top of the workpiece. Rotate the workpiece from the bottom mounting block so the blade aligns with one of the lines of the smaller inside hexagon drawn on the top. Screw the top mounting block to the base and recheck the blade alignment with the small hexagon. Finally, screw one or both of the mounting block lock screws slightly into the stock to prevent the workpiece from rotating. Now you can cut the tapers by rotating and cutting.

Once you’ve completed the cuts, you’ll need to remove the saw marks from the workpiece. I used a hand plane because it provides a clean, crisp, controlled cut. You could also use a jointer or a sander, but be careful not to remove too much stock. Now’s a good time to bore a 1/2″ hole in each end to open the center channel for wiring.

Rout the Relief Cuts

The decorative relief cuts add dimension and visual interest to the lamp body by emphasizing its hexagonal shape. For safety’s sake, it’s best to use a router table for this step because it provides excellent support and control for the workpiece.

Use a 3/8″ or 1/2″ flat-bottom straight bit to rout the 1/8″-deep relief channels. Attach the cutoff (saved earlier) from making the hexagon to the router table’s fence with brads or carpet tape. The cutoff provides stock support and the clearance necessary to keep the router bit parallel with the workpiece edges. Make steady, multiple passes to remove the stock between the raised edges. Turn the workpiece around and adjust the fence so the cut starts on the opposite edge to complete the work.

You’ll need to sand the relief channels, so start with 120-grit paper and work your way up to 220-grit. Then sand the edges, and you’ll be ready to make the remainder of the parts.

Top, Base, Feet

If you prefer, you can use a contrasting wood for the top cap, base and feet. The top cap must fit precisely on the lamp body top. However, it’s unlikely that the lamp body is perfectly symmetrical, so you need to trace the top onto the top-cap stock for a perfect fit. Cut the piece on the band saw, but leave it just slightly large to allow for some fine-tuning. Mark one mating edge on the lamp body and top cap to ensure alignment during assembly.

The base’s tolerances don’t need to be quite so exact, so simply lay out a hexagon on the stock, then cut it on the band saw. Once it’s cut, you’ll need to counterbore a 1/2″-deep x 1-1/4″-diameter hole in the bottom of the base to accommodate the end of the threaded lamp pipe and nut. Then bore a 7/16″ hole through the center of the base and the top cap for the lamp pipe.

Using the band saw, cut 45˚ chamfers on the top edges of the base and top cap. Aside from sanding the sawn edges, I shaped the top’s upper surfaces, starting at the chamfers, with files and sandpaper to create a more rounded profile where it meets the metal lamp neck. When you’re satisfied with the fit and appearance of the top cap, glue it onto the lamp body with either epoxy or cyanoacrylate.

The feet afford a more finished look to the base and allow space for the electrical cord to exit. Make a strip of 1/4″-thick x 1-1/4″-wide x 10″-long stock and trace the corner onto the strip for six 1″-long pieces. Cut these pieces on the band saw and then sand the edges smooth. Glue the feet at the corners of the base about 1/16″ back from the edge. You might also want to add a few pin nails to secure them.

After finishing, you’ll attach the base to the lamp body with four #8 x 2″ wood screws, but drill and countersink the screw holes now. Then place the lamp body on the base and center it. Mark the base screw hole positions on the lamp body and then drill pilot holes.

Assemble and Install Wiring

Everyone has a favorite finish, and because lamps typically don’t experience a lot of wear and tear, don’t hesitate to use what you like. I applied a few coats of clear aerosol lacquer, rubbing between coats with 0000 steel wool and a soft cotton rag. This finish provides enough protection and imparts a soft glow to the wood. Finish the base separately from the lamp body and top cap. When the finish has cured, screw the base to the lamp body, and you’ll be ready to wire.

Most lamp kits provide some wiring instruction, but here are a few tips that can ease the process. First, cut the threaded lamp pipe so it extends about 1/4″ at the top and bottom. Use a file to round any sharp edges on the inside and outside of the tube to prevent damaging the wire. Insert the tube through the lamp and install the locknut on the bottom and the neck on top and then tighten. Now install the harp bottom over the lamp nipple (on top of the neck) and screw the socket cap onto the nipple. Thread the wire from the bottom through the lamp pipe and into the socket cap. Pull enough wire to connect to the socket and tie an underwriter’s knot to prevent the wire from being pulled off the terminals. Connect the wires to the terminals, finish assembling the socket, and finally add the harp and lampshade. The final touch is to add some non-slip protective pads on the feet (item #43518 at rockler.com; 800-279-4441).

With this lamp’s construction now under your belt, you’re likely full of ideas how to improve it, make multiples of it and branch off into making your own designs. Just be careful not to have all those new lamps turned on at the same time, or you could experience a big spike in your electric bill.

Click Here to download a PDF of the related drawings.

The post Hexagonal Table Lamp appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.

The post Making a Hexagon Tapered Column appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.

The post Router Jig for Cutting Dadoes in Small Parts appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.

The post VIDEO: Making Curved Parts with Bent Laminations appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.

Like all dedicated woodworkers, I have no problem generating copious amounts of dust and debris. And while making dust is always more fun than cleaning it up, cleaning doesn’t need to be an onerous task. With new shop vacuums, even the most basic models are quite capable, making the dreaded cleanup job much more convenient, effective and enjoyable. Efficient filters and well-sealed tanks are standard with most current models, and design and engineering advances have resulted in vacuums that fit the needs and budget of almost every woodworker and DIYer.

A Model for Every Need

I evaluated eight shop vacuums, from very affordable general-purpose models to high-end dust extractors for professionals and serious (and well-heeled) woodworkers. Whether you need to clean your shop floor, extract dust from a power sander or suck up a small flood in your basement, one of these units has you covered.

For simplicity, I’ve sorted the featured models into three categories: value-priced general-purpose vacuums, step-up general purpose vacuums, and commercial-duty dust extractors. Because each model is designed for a specific mar- ket niche and to provide the appropriate set of features, a head-to-head comparison isn’t really meaningful — it would be like trying to compare se- dans, sports cars and SUVs.

I found that all of the tested vacuums provide more than adequate suction for their intended use. Almost any vacuum will suffer a decrease in performance as it fills with debris, and the finer the dust particles, the more rapid the decline.
Hose diameters and lengths vary considerably, but the short explanation is that a larger-diameter hose moves more air and is good for picking up bigger objects, while a smaller hose increases air velocity and is better for sucking up dust. A long hose gives you more reach for cleaning or collecting dust from a tool without having to move the vacuum.

Most of the vacuums come with a standard-duty pleated filter, but other choices are available, such as filters for heavy-duty applications and HEPA (high-efficiency particle air) filters that trap microscopic dust. Note that installing a HEPA filter does not necessarily mean a vacuum is certified for hazardous material mitigation. The type of filter installed will also have an impact on the vacuum’s performance, depending on its airflow resistance.

Models with cylindrical filters that extend into the canister will suffer most quickly as the canister fills and the filter becomes submerged in dust and debris. Empty these vacuums early and often to maintain performance. Also, cleaning or replacing the filter regularly will help maintain peak performance and extend the life of the motor.

The three dust extractors have an auto-on feature that’s triggered by a power tool plugged into it. They also have variable suction control, which allows you to dial in the right amount of power for the tool
in use (prevents sanders from sticking to the work, etc.).

There are many other details to consider, such as cord, hose and accessory storage, the accessibility of the power switch and how convenient the motor housing latches are to use.

Bosch VAC090A

The Bosch is a sturdily built professional-level dust extractor, priced at $600, with many well-implemented features. Like the others in this category, it has variable suction control and an auto-on power tool outlet. There’s a very convenient hinged filter-access lid on top, and the 11⁄4″ x almost 10′ hose attaches to the front port with a twist lock and stores easily with bungee-style straps. Another useful feature is the retaining system for Bosch’s L-Boxx tool and storage boxes, which turns the vacuum into a handy dolly. There’s an automatic filter cleaning feature that makes a loud thumping noise every 15 seconds — it’s a feature, not a problem. However, auto-clean must be turned off when using paper collection bags or a HEPA filter. The Bosch’s narrow, snag-free design makes it easy to use in close quarters.

Craftsman 125.12007

This Craftsman general-purpose shop vacuum delivers a lot of value for the money. Priced at $100, it generates remarkably strong suction, and it has good build quality and an extensive selection of cleaning tools. The onboard storage has a place for everything, and the motor unit’s flat top makes a good tray for holding tools and small objects. A simple twist lock secures the 21⁄2″ (x 7′) hose to both the inlet and blower ports.

Because it’s one of the larger units, it might be a challenge to use in a small shop. It also requires some quick and easy assembly. I found the canister latches to be a little balky to use, and it wasn’t always clear when or if they engaged properly.

DeWALT DWV012

Among the dust extractors, the DeWALT, which costs $500, is a relative bargain. It’s solidly built with high quality materials, and it’s impressively powerful. A lot of attention has been paid to ergonomics. Three handles are provided for wrangling the unit, as well as a rear telescoping handle. The canister latches are large and easy to use, and it has convenient hose and cord storage. A ball-bearing twist lock keeps the 11⁄4″ x 15′ hose securely attached to the inlet port. This vacuum also has an automatic filter cleaner, which clicks loudly about every 30 seconds. The canister accepts accessory paper and fleece filter bags but can be used without them. You can employ this vacuum for any cleaning task, but DeWALT is quick to point out that it’s primarily a dust extractor. And like all the other dust extractors, no accessories are included.

Festool CT 26

From its performance to its price of $625, the Festool leaves no doubt that it’s a premium dust extractor. This is a system vacuum that’s compatible with almost all of the company’s power tools — and other brands — and offers a mind-boggling array of accessories. The CT 26 uses a self-cleaning filter bag to maintain its strong performance, and it has a well-designed hose and cord garage on the top as well as a cord wrap on the back. Other nice touches include a standard 11⁄16″ x 111⁄2′ anti-static hose and a brake to prevent unwanted movement. I found it to be noticeably quieter than the other models, and its rectangular footprint allows it to maneuver easily in tight quarters. The vacuum can also be used as a mobile cart for Systainer® tool and storage boxes. For more capacity, Festool offers the CT 36 and CT 48 models with larger canisters.

Milwaukee 8955

The Milwaukee is a step-up general purpose vacuum that’s old school, but in a good way. It may look like it’s from the middle of the last century, but its motor and filtration are thoroughly modern. It provides plenty of suction and, because the canister is tall, it can collect a lot of debris below the filter before it needs to be emptied. I found the two-wheel, one-caster dolly arrangement to be easy to maneuver, but not quite as stable as models with four contact points. The power switch is small and hard to see on the back of the motor. I think it should be “Milwaukee red” to at least make it more visible. Unfortunately, there are no cleaning tools included with this model. With its steel tank and simple construction, this vacuum, with its 11⁄2″ x 7′ hose and price of $270, is a workhorse that should last for many years.

RIDGID WD1851

The RIDGID seems to get all the details right. It’s a step-up general purpose model that’s feature-rich and easy on the pocketbook with its price of $159. Despite its strong performance, it’s relatively quiet, due in part to the included muffler. There’s a good selection of standard-issue cleaning tools that all fit in the non-fussy fabric tool caddy mounted on the handle. Large wheels and casters provide the unit with excellent mobility over rough surfaces. Additional features including a 21⁄2″ x 7′ locking hose, a bottom-mounted drain for wet pickup and secure canister latching make this a very pleasant vacuum to operate. Some assembly is required, but it doesn’t take long and the parts fit well. This is a nicely made vacuum that has few, if any, disadvantages.

Shop Vac 5873410

The Shop Vac is a general- purpose model and the most compact model in this group. It’s versatile and excels in the mobility department. I grew to like this vac because it’s a very good performer that’s easy to use anywhere. Priced at $130, it also comes with a generous selection of cleaning tools and even a paper filter bag for collecting fine dust from drywall and concrete. A 11⁄2″ x 12′ hose with a screw lock gives this vacuum more reach than any of the other general-purpose models. The dolly can be removed quickly by pressing a lever, so the vacuum can be converted for handheld use. If space is at a premium and you want a vacuum that’s easy to use anywhere in your home, this is a great choice.

WORKSHOP WS1100CA0

If you’re the super-organized type, you’ll love the WORK- SHOP vacuum. With a price of $250, it’s a general-purpose step-up model that’s designed like a rolling toolbox. There are two slide-out compartments (the top compartment also has a lid) that store the 17⁄8″ x 8′ hose and cleaning tools with motor, filter and canister positioned below them. There’s even a shelf on the back for storing cleaning supplies. Aside from its sleek, functional design this vacuum is a great performer and a very quiet one, too. Other features include a rear-wheel brake to keep the unit stationary, a cord wrap and a locking hose. It’s easy enough to roll the unit but it’s very heavy, so lifting it is a chore. The WORKSHOP seems to be a durable, well- made machine that should provide years of service.

Sound and Size

Earlier, I gave you a heads-up on filter and hose size details you should consider in your search for the right shop vacuum. Sound and size are also important considerations.

Although several manufacturers list the decibel level of their vacuums, how and where the measurement is taken makes a difference, as does the frequency of the sound. Fortunately, none of the vacuums were uncomfortably loud, but I’d still recommend wearing hearing protection.

Finally, unless you intend to use your shop vacuum as a stationary dust collector, you should consider the size of its footprint, its dolly and how the accessories, cord and hose are stored. Large casters and wheels will ease travel over rough and uneven surfaces, and a handle will make maneuvering a vacuum much easier.

The post Shop Vacuum Roundup appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.