January/February 2017 Archives - Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To

Turning Tagua Nuts – Nature’s Faux Ivory

Ernie Conover — Fri, 05 May 2017 14:04:37 +0000

Back in the 18th and 19th centuries when one- to 10-man turners’ shops produced a host of useful household items, our forefathers did not just turn wood. Bone, antler, horn and ivory were materials they purchased in quantity. Many useful items were turned from cow bone and deer antler — the bearings in spinning wheels being an example. Up until about 1820, some shops specialized in working with cow horn, making powder horns and drinking cups, both of which required turning. The horn Once you’ve turned the tagua nut, you can’t tell it apart from ivory — but the vegetarian option is a lot friendlier to elephants. workers were really the first plastic fabricators, using heat to reshape the horns from oval to round before turning. Ivory was turned extensively to make billiard balls, bagpipes, inlays, buttons and sewing paraphernalia.

Even in the 18th century, though, ivory was expensive: it was only within the reach of the most well-heeled customers. Around 1820, an alternative was found in the form of tagua, the nut of the ivory palm tree (macrocarpa being the principal species of the five in the genus Phytelephas). The ivory palm grows across the Andes, starting in southern Panama and continuing through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and Bolivia, but most prodigiously along the Magdalena River in Colombia. It tends to grow in groves, crowding out other trees, lives up to a century, and reaches as tall as 65 feet.

The nuts range in size from walnuts to hens’ eggs, and the dried meat of the ivory nut is indistinguishable from ivory itself, except to the trained eye or chemical test. It also works and carves identically to ivory.

Today’s most common name, “tagua,” comes from the language of the Indians who live along the Magdalena, who still gather the nut. In the early 19th century, it was known in England as the “corrozzo nut,” but spellings in old texts vary. “Corozo” is a common one.

Tagua’s Historical Impact

Tagua nuts were very popular with ornamental turners in Victorian times. The pincushion above, collected by the author’s mother in the 1950s, is an excellent example. The bottom exhibits the attachment point.

Although the size of the nuts is a limitation, there are workarounds. Today, we have glues that will bond multiple pieces together; the Victorians threaded multiple pieces together to fabricate thimble cases and needle holders, as vegetable ivory threads very well.

In addition to these items, when the first tagua nuts reached England in the early 19th century, they were enthusiastically crafted into toys, cane heads, knickknacks and ornamental turnings. Starting in Schmollen, Germany, in 1860, factories were established throughout Europe and North America to mass-produce tagua buttons. The worldwide demand became so great that ivory palm plantations were established in South America. Most of their output went to buttons, which are turned, albeit by sophisticated machines. In 1887, it was estimated that three million nuts were required to supply the factories of London and Birmingham, England, alone. One of the biggest button producers, the German American Button Company, was established in Rochester, New York, in 1893. It survived long after most of the other tagua button companies had switched to plastic or gone out of business.

In the 20th century, plastic began to displace tagua, but early plastic was brittle and did not take to hot irons well. Still, improvements in plastic came fast, such that by the 1930s the tagua plantations fell into neglect and the jungle took over.

Tagua Today

This is a fairly typical batch of tagua nuts, although these still have the shell — which is mostly removed on nuts you buy today.

Today, turners and the art world are again revering tagua. Available from Craft Supplies USA and Amazon for about a buck apiece, ivory nut is great fun to turn, carve and scrimshaw — just like ivory. It leaves the elephant, however, alive and well.

The only drawback to vegetable ivory is that about 95% of tagua nuts have a fissure at the center, ranging from mild to severe. Learning to work around (literally) this problem is problematic at first, but you soon get handy at maximizing the yield.

The author made the flat spot for chucking this nut at a disc sander.

To make the nut into a small vessel, it is useful to think of it as an egg. If you examine the nut, you will perceive that there is a bump where it was attached to the tree, which marks one end of the long axis of our egg. You want to make this the mouth of your miniature bowl. At the other end of this axis you need to sand a small flat spot — about the size of a dime is good. This can be done with a disc sander, a piece of sandpaper on the bench or a coarse file. You now glue the nut to a level glue block on a faceplate with medium cyanoacrylate glue, centering as best you can.

You can also grab the long axis between centers and scrape a short tenon to grab in a four-jaw chuck. I show the technique in this video.

Tagua turns easily with sharp spindle tools, and it loves scraping.

You can now use normal spindle turning techniques to hollow out and shape your miniature vessel. A spindle gouge will work fine, but it needs to be very sharp and will dull more quickly than with wood. Tagua loves scraping, and small, sharp scrapers with a good burr will shape and smooth beautifully. You will hit the fissure; the objective is to turn this away. You now shape the outside to the shape of the inside, leaving a thin wall. Sand to about 400-grit, then polish with a very small bit of cloth and fine automotive polishing compound. The result will be spectacular!

After sanding to 400-grit, you can bring tagua to a bright finish with any polish. The author used a metal polish here; automotive buffing compound also works well.

You can also drill a hole through the long axis of the egg, forming a tube. You can now join that to other such tubes by gluing or chasing threads between them. A modification of this idea is to turn a vessel, then make a tight-fitting cap out of another nut to form a small box.

Try Miniature Slabs

The handle on this Damascus screwdriver is rosewood with a German silver ferrule and a tagua nut escutcheon.

Another approach is to cut the nut into slabs using a backsaw, scroll saw or band saw. If using the band saw, it is best to make the aforementioned flat spot, glue the nut to a length of wood, and use this strip as a handle to do the band sawing safely. Once you make the first cut, you can work around the fissure and get nice slabs. The slabs can be glued to a flattened glue block to make buttons, inlays and escutcheons.

When the logo circle fell out of the author’s Boker Tree Brand knife, he turned a new one from tagua and scrimshawed a tree (of sorts) on it. He press fit it into the recess and secured with a drop of cyanoacrylate glue.

You can cut very nice patterns in vegetable ivory with chatter tools. With wood, chatter work can only be done in end grain, but it can be done anywhere on the surface of a tagua turning. Ivory nut can also be scrimshawed, the same as real ivory. Turn what you want to scrimshaw — a button, escutcheon, etc. Bring it to a good polish, then draw your idea lightly in pencil. Next apply any wax onto the surface and buff well. With a sharp, pointed scriber, scratch your pattern into the vegetable ivory. A sharpened awl works fine. Now rub some India ink into your drawing. The wax will prevent the ink from adhering except where you have scratched.

The author contrasted this tagua knob with an ebony dot.

Turning tagua is a nice change from wood and can be done in any lathe, no matter how small. A hard-to-find, but fun, read that can serve as an additional resource is the out-of-print book All In A Nutshell: The Story Of The Vegetable Ivory Nut by Shirl Schabillon.

Ebony and ivory redux: in this case, the author made an ebony knob with a tagua (ivory nut) dot.

Above all, I heartily urge you to buy some vegetable ivory and go nuts with your lathe — pun intended!

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Make a Chairside Caddy

Carole Rothman — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 21:29:31 +0000

If you’ve ever wished for a convenient way to store reading glasses, pencils, and other small necessities, this chairside caddy may be just what you need. Its heart is a single-drawer, band saw type box, but a few additions — an overlay drawer front, oversized base and leather-lined top recess — increase its utility and appeal immensely.

Building the Drawer

A small blade entry hole provides access for cutting out the drawer while leaving the box body intact.

Scroll saws easily handle internal cuts and tight curves, but not thick hardwood. To get the total thickness I needed for the box, I used three pieces of 1-1⁄4″-thick sapele for the box body/drawer unit, each cut individually, then glued together. Attach a pattern to the front of each workpiece with repositionable adhesive. Label the box and drawer sections of each pattern “Front,” “Middle,” or “Rear.”

Slice off the drawer back from the rear component, then cut the interiors from all three pieces.

Transfer these markings to the wood when you remove the pattern. Now drill a blade entry hole where indicated, with a 1/16″ or smaller drill bit. Insert a #5 or #7 blade and carefully cut along the cutting line of the drawer. Leave the drawer patterns attached.

When clamping the three drawer pieces, apply pressure to both top and bottom areas to ensure a good bond. Make sure the parts don’t shift.

Next, mark and cut a 1/4″-thick slice from the back of the rear drawer piece to create the drawer back. You can also cut this piece with a band saw. Sand the cut surface of the slice smooth. Then cut along the inside line of the three drawer pieces to create the drawer opening, and glue and clamp the outer pieces together, keeping them in order.

A detail sander is perfect for the tight, flat areas of the drawer interior. Careful sanding will give a finished look to the drawer.

When gluing the drawer pieces, I apply glue evenly to one face of the first piece, rub the adjacent face of the second piece against it until it drags, then line the two pieces up. Glue on the third piece the same way. This helps prevent slippage when clamping. When the drawer pieces dried, I used spindle and detail sanders to smooth the inside.

Be sure to clamp the bottom when gluing on the drawer back. Clean up squeeze-out inside the drawer when the glue becomes rubbery

I sanded the rear face of the drawer by rubbing it lightly against a piece of 150-grit sandpaper that was attached to a granite tile. Glue and clamp the back into place, and clean up any squeeze-out.

A stationary belt sander with support table is the easiest way to sand the drawer’s exterior consistently.

After the glue dries, sand the outside of the drawer just until smooth with a belt sander — too much sanding will create a sloppy fit in the caddy.

Assembling the Caddy’s Body

Spread an even coating of glue between the box laminations to ensure a good bond.

Next, glue and stack the three box body pieces together in order, matching the outer edges precisely.

The author used a shop-made press to provide even clamping pressure and help correct for part misalignments before the glue set.

Use clamps or a press for a good bond, and correct any slippage before the glue sets.

Use a miter gauge for controlled feeding as you sand the box exterior.

Once it’s unclamped, sand as needed so that the top, bottom and sides are flush and the box is square.

Check frequently to be sure the sides are square to each other.

Sand the interior drawer opening smooth with a spindle sander.

Use a large spindle to sand the box interior and remove hardened glue. A smooth surface here makes it easier to position the drawer correctly and helps it move freely.

Keep the bottom of the cutout parallel with the bottom of the box.

Adding Drawer Guides and Back

Center the drawer guide precisely and tape it into place.

To eliminate the side-to-side play typical of band saw box drawers, I fabricated a simple three-piece guide system of 1/16″-thick scrap, with two narrow strips and one wider piece on which I drew a line down the center.

It must be square to the front and back faces of the box.

To install them, measure the width of the box and draw a line on the front and back faces at the center point, directly below the drawer opening. Place the wider guide piece on the bottom of the drawer opening, aligned with the center points, and tape it into place, front and back. Check to be sure it’s square to the front and back faces. I used a quick-grab PVA glue to adhere the two 1/4″ strips into place on each side of the wide drawer guide, and pressed the strips down firmly for a good bond.

Glue the side strips into place.

Once yours are installed, remove the center guide carefully. Measure the width of the drawer and mark the center point on its underside. Use a loop of masking tape, sticky side out, to center the wide drawer guide on the underside of the drawer, square to the front and back faces.

Allow enough clearance for easy removal of the center drawer guide.

Now slide the drawer into place and check to be sure it moves freely. Then remove the drawer and mark both edges of the wide guide on the drawer’s underside. Remove the guide and tape loop.

Use a tape loop to position the center guide accurately before gluing it into place.

Attach the guide with dots of quick-grab PVA glue, clamping the front and rear corners to prevent the thin wood from cupping, due to contact with the wet glue.

The drawer should slide freely between the side strips.

With the drawer hung, you can glue on the back of the box. Its edges should protrude slightly on all sides. When the glue dries, sand the back flush with the box, soften the edge of the drawer opening, and sand the box to 220-grit.

Installing the Drawer Face

Use plenty of clamps to be sure that the box back makes good contact with the body when you glue it in place.

Start by cutting a drawer face to width and length. Sand a small 45˚ bevel around its front edges, then soften all edges. With the box on its back, center the drawer face on the box and mark its position. Remove the face and insert the drawer fully into its opening.

Before gluing the drawer front to the drawer, determine and mark its position on the box. The author used a white pencil for greater visibility on the dark wood.

If it’s recessed, slip a temporary spacer behind the drawer to make it flush with the front of the box. I used loops of masking tape to adhere the drawer face onto the front of the box and pressed it into place. Be sure the face lines up with the registration marks you’ve made on the box front. Now remove the drawer, with the face still attached, and place it facedown.

Elevate the box for greater visibility and seat the drawer in its track.

Make positioning marks on the back of the drawer face, then remove the face and tape loops. Glue the face into position on the drawer. If you are using regular wood glue, clamp the pieces carefully.

Use tape loops to hold the drawer front in place for positioning and marking.

I used quick-grab PVA glue instead; just press down on the drawer immediately after applying glue and hold the face in place. As soon as the glue begins to set, insert the drawer into the box and make any final adjustments. Remove the drawer, clean up any squeeze-out, and let the glue dry with the drawer face down.

Detailing the Box Top

To create the center recess in the box top, drill a blade entry hole at a 15˚ angle.

Prepare a blank for your box’s top, and attach a copy of the cutout pattern to it. Drill a blade entry hole, where indicated, at 15˚, using a shop made angle guide. If your scroll saw has a tilting arm, tilt it 15˚ to the right.

Then cut out the center with a #3 saw blade at the same angle.

If it has a tilting table, tilt it 15˚, left side down. Insert a #3 blade through the starter hole and cut clockwise around the center opening. Then with a small pneumatic drum, smooth the cutout area, contour the upper edge and soften the outer edges. Finish up by sanding the whole piece to 220-grit.

Use a small pneumatic drum to sand and shape the cutout area. Tilt the wood to soften the upper edge of the opening.

The leather insert that will fit inside this opening in the top lends a touch of class, while hiding the glue joints. With the box top still unattached, place it on a piece of leather, trace the opening, and mark its orientation. I’d also make a backup pattern of the opening on paper in case you need to re-cut the leather later.

Place the sanded top on the leather to trace the opening. Use a mechanical pencil with thin lead for greatest accuracy.

Now you can install the top on the box permanently. Invert the top on a flat surface and apply quick-setting PVA glue to the underside, avoiding areas that will overhang the box. Invert the box body on the top piece. Press the parts together until the glue sets, and clean off any squeeze-out.

Adding a Base and End Piece

Use support pieces and clamps to stabilize the thin base for drilling into its end.

Cut blanks for your box base and end piece. I used 1/4″ dowels to strengthen the glue joint between these parts. Use a drill press and supports, keeping the base square to the table when you drill into its end. Bore two evenly spaced holes, 1/2″ deep. I used a 6.5 mm drill bit instead of 1/4″, because the .15 mm difference in diameter between the two bits makes dowel insertion easier, without excessive play.

Use metal dowel centers to locate drilling centerpoints on the end piece

Now place 1/4″ dowel centers into the holes, position the end piece carefully, and press down firmly to transfer the drilling marks. Drill holes in the end piece to a depth of 3/8″ at your dowel point marks.

After the dowel holes are drilled into the end piece, cut its decorative ovals and rounded top corners with a #3 blade.

With the dowel joint now in good stead, mark the top face of the base. Then, cut or rout a 1/8″ bevel at 45˚ around its top edge, leaving the end with the dowel holes square. Smooth the cut edge with a belt sander or sanding block, keeping the bevel’s measure to 3/16″ or less.

Cutting a slot in the dowel end makes insertion easier.

The end piece still needs some top curves and four decorative cutouts. Attach a copy of its pattern to your workpiece, and cut the end piece to shape with a #3 blade. Smooth the inside of the ovals with a spindle sander and the outer edges with a belt sander. I also used a 180-grit spindle-mounted Mac Mop to soften all edges.

You can improvise a zero clearance insert from a playing card, if desired.

Then final-sand the base and end piece to 220-grit. Now go ahead and glue the base and end piece together with dowels — I cut short slits into the ends of my dowels at the scroll saw to make them easier to insert in their holes. Check for square as you tighten the clamps on this glue-up.

Check for square as you glue the end piece to the base. Elevating the workpieces makes it easier to center the clamps on the thin wood.

Now that all parts but the pull are completed, it’s time for the sealer coat. First, locate the gluing areas on the drawer front and base and mask them with blue painter’s tape. I applied dewaxed shellac to all surfaces of the box, drawer and base, except for the box bottom. Then remove the tape from the drawer front. Smooth all surfaces with 320-grit sandpaper. Mask the top oval, and leave the tape on the gluing area of the base.

Shaping the Drawer Pull

Once the fishing lure pull blank is glued together and its eye hole is drilled, cut the outline with a #3 blade, then glue the eye plug into place.

For an offbeat drawer pull, I used colorful wood to simulate a fishing lure (without hooks, of course!). To make it, I glued together pieces of yellowheart and padauk and attached the pattern so that the glue joint ran through the eye and mid-section. I drilled a 6.5 mm hole about 3/16″ deep for the eye, where indicated, then cut the outline with a #3 blade.

For a realistic effect, shape the pull with a small pneumatic drum. Use a coarse sleeve for wood removal and a finer one for finish sanding.

I glued a 1/4″ ebony plug into the hole, but a slice of 1/4″ walnut dowel would also work nicely. Then, contour the front of the pull with a pneumatic drum until it’s shaped to your liking.

Glue the pull into place after the drawer is shellacked. If you use quick-setting PVA, just hold it in position until the glue sets.

To make the pull easier to grip, contour the rear edge as well, but be sure to leave sufficient gluing area. When your pull is ready, use quick-grab PVA glue and firm hand pressure to attach it to the drawer face, centering it carefully.

Final Finishing

Mask off the box’s location on the base first, then apply finish to the base. When it cures, peel off the tape to expose the bare wood.

I applied several light coats of spray lacquer to the drawer front, base unit and outside surfaces of the box body, buffing between coats as needed with 0000 steel wool.

Apply glue to the unfinished area of the base. Hold the glue back from the edges to minimize squeeze-out when pressure is applied.

When the lacquer was thoroughly dry, I removed the tape from the base and glued the box into place, keeping the reveal even on the front, back and left side. I secured the bond with a heavy weight, checking for slippage and removing any squeeze-out.

Installing the Leather Insert

Cut out the leather insert with sharp scissors to ensure an accurate cut and clean edge.

All that’s left to do on this project is to use a sharp scissors and cut out the leather insert for the box top. Check its fit in the opening and trim as needed.

Position the leather carefully as you press it into place in the wet glue.

Glue the leather into the center, using firm hand pressure or a small roller to press it down evenly all around. With the leather installed, your caddy is ready to place beside a favorite chair. You’ll wonder how you ever managed without it!

Click Here to download a PDF of the related drawings and Materials List.

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Spade Bookcase Plans

Journal Staff — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 21:47:14 +0000

This Arts & Crafts style bookcase is modest in size, yet large enough for functional storage. Unlike typical purchased bookcases, it’s made with more hardwood than plywood. I built this case from quartersawn white oak; however, cherry would look great as well. It features two inset doors, graced with a series of delicate inlays, plus a top with a slight overhang (1-3/4″ on the top and sides; 1″ on the back). The hardware includes hammered bail pulls classic to the Arts & Crafts style, and fully adjustable spring-closing hinges.

Locking Miter Joints

With spacer strips adhered to the router table fence, make the first pass of the locking miter joint on both workpieces of each leg.

The side assemblies are a good place to get started, and I began by milling enough stock for the entire project. Pay particular attention to the long boards that will form the front legs. Make sure this stock is straight, and rip two consecutive 2-1/8″-wide strips from the same board. This way, you will be rewarded with grain that wraps seamlessly around the front legs when you’re through. Starting with these strips slightly wider than needed is a good idea, so they can later be edge jointed and ripped to the finished width of 2″. Also add three to four inches of extra length so you can trim off any router snipe that may occur while routing the locking miters. Treat them as if they were a tabletop glue-up; their edges should align without forcing them together. Mark the pairs of workpieces with the edge to be milled for a locking miter joint.

Take the leg strips to the router table and set up a locking miter bit. I used a shop-made setup block, but if one is unavailable you will need to make a few test cuts. Start by raising the locking miter bit 1/16″ above the workpiece thickness. Make small adjustments to the fence or bit height until you are satisfied with the fit. Set the router fence and bit depth and lock them in. These settings will not change again.

Then remove the spacer strips and cut the second pass to complete these joints.

It is often said that locking miter joints need to be cut in one pass, which in fact is not true. In my experience, routing locking miters in two passes will reduce chipout and yield a cleaner finished cut, and here’s how it’s done: Use double-sided carpet tape to adhere spacers to the router fence. The spacers are nothing more than 1/4″-thick MDF or hardboard. Now make the first pass on each leg component. Remember that one piece is milled flat on the router table, while the adjoining piece is held vertically against the router fence. Then simply remove the spacers from the fence, and make a second pass to remove the remaining waste material.

This is a good time to glue up the front legs, and it’s during this stage that we see the real benefit of locking miters. Use thick cauls and clamp the joint together. Since the locking miter is self-aligning, clamping pressure only needs to be applied in one direction.

While the legs are drying, turn your attention to the side panels. I made the side panels from 3/4″ oak, and planed them down to 1/2″ thickness after the glue dried. These small panels will fit through most planers, and it saves considerable sanding that way. While the panel clamps are out, go ahead and make up the door panels and top panel as well.

Cut a full-length groove in the legs to receive the side panels. Trim the legs to final length and mark the location of three mortises on each leg. Now chop those mortises 1″-deep using a hollow-chisel mortiser. The grooves guide the chisel for perfectly centered mortises. With the same setup at the mortiser, make one additional mortise on each of the front legs to receive the long top rail (see the Drawings).

The side assemblies are straightforward with mortise-and-tenon construction. The tenons of the top and bottom rail are haunched to fill the long groove in the legs. The only hiccup is that the top rail is curved. This means you must first shape the top rail to the desired curve, before cutting the groove in its edge. I chose a curve with a 7/8″ deflection at the apex. After the top rail curve was faired, I routed the slot with a three-wing cutter at the router table. Use a slot cutter with a cutting width less than 1/4″. This way, the groove can be made in multiple passes, flipping it each time to create a centered cut.

Assembling the Side Panels

Side panels are rabbeted with a bearing-guided bit at the router table.

Once all the parts of the side assemblies are ready, you can size the side panels to fit. Trace the curve from the top rail onto the side panel. Use a 1/2″ spacer block to extend the arc to establish a cut line. Now trim and fair the panel curve, before rabbeting the panel to fit. Since the top of the panel is curved, the rabbet is best cut on the router table with a bearing-guided rabbeting bit.

The rabbet is cut in multiple passes until it slides easily into the grooved legs.

One quick step needs to be taken care of before the side panels can be assembled: cut a 5/8″ deep x 1/2″-wide rabbet on the back legs to receive the back panel. (After inserting the back panel into the rabbets, you’ll attach it with 18-gauge brad nails.) This rabbet needs to be milled before the sides are assembled; otherwise the “L”-shaped front legs will interfere with the cut after assembly.

Dry-fit the side assemblies to avoid any upleasant surprises.

Now test-fit the panels to ensure the curved panel is a good match to the curved top rail. If you choose to crosspeg the joint with square pegs, cut those mortises now. (Alternately, round peg holes can be drilled after assembly.)

Small clamping cauls protect the rabbet on the back of the side assemblies during clamping so that direct pressure can be applied in line with the mortise-and-tenon joints.

Now, glue and clamp the side assemblies. I sized the panels to allow for at least 1/8″ of seasonal movement. With floating panels such as these, it is helpful to use spacers to center the panel. There are commercially available panel spacers, but I just use self-adhesive foam weatherstripping.

Hold the rabbeted clamping cauls in place with small spring clamps so you’ll have an easier time installing larger clamps to draw the joints tight.

Make up a quick batch of clamping cauls to ride the rabbet on the back legs. Rabbet the caul to mirror the profile of the rear legs, then cut it into three pieces — one for each rail.

Cut the pegs with a flush-trimming saw. A thin piece of non-corrugated cardboard protects the wood yet allows a very close trim. Finish the job with a random-orbit sander.

They will prevent damage to the thin lip on the back legs; they also direct straight clamping pressure to properly close the joints.

Burnish the locking miter joints’ outside corners with a screwdriver shaft or burnishing tool.

The mortise-and-tenon joints can now be cross-pegged, trimmed flush and sanded. Then burnish the lock miter joints with a smooth-shaft screwdriver. This helps to meld the corner fibers of the joint together, and it’s a step I recommend even if the joints are flawless. Finish-sand the parts with a random-orbit sander, and ease the long edges with a sanding block.

Cutting Dadoes (with a Trick)

The author used two pieces of plywood with spacer strips attached to set the width of the shelf dadoes. A piece of shelving served as a spacer for clamping them correctly. These boards also raised the router and enabled it to avoid the “L”-shaped leg obstructions.

Because the locking miter joints were glued together before the side panels were assembled, you’ll face an interesting challenge at this point in terms of cutting the dadoes. Normally, one could easily mill dadoes in the side assemblies with a router. However, most jigs and straightedge guides won’t work in this application, because the “L”-shaped front legs get in the way.

Routing the upper dadoes: Clamp the large guide board to the bottom of the side assembly and the small guide board beside it to form the dado opening. Rout the 3/8”-deep dado with a bearing-guided template bit that’s narrower than the dado opening. Follow both board edges.

I borrowed an old trick to make an exact-width dado jig that could reliably locate and mill both dadoes on the side assemblies. You simply use two boards with spacer strips underneath as straightedges to cut the dadoes — they also raise the router so it avoids the front leg protrusions. Slide the boards together to gauge the thickness of your shelf stock. Use a scrap of the actual material you will use for the shelf, and butt the straightedges against it so the opening is the same width as the shelf is thick. Clamp the guides in place, and rout the dadoes with a bearing-guided template bit. The bearing follows the guide boards, creating a dado that exactly matches the thickness of the shelf.

A second advantage here to this jig-and-bit setup is that the bearing stops the bit when it contacts the front leg. This prevents you from inadvertently routing too far. To build the full-size jig, cut one piece of 3/4″ plywood to 29-1/8″ x 13″ and another piece to 4″ x 13″. Brad nail strips of 1/2″ plywood to the guide boards to raise them flush with the front legs. Mark the reference edge of the large and the small guide boards, and use the same reference edge on both sides of the bookcase.

Routing the lower dadoes: Clamp the small guide board to the bottom of the side assembly this time, and clamp the large guide board beside it. Rout the lower dado.

To plow the first dado, position the large guide board flush with the bottom of the side assembly. Then sandwich a scrap of shelf stock between the large and small guide boards. Once the jigs are securely clamped in place, go ahead and rout the upper dado. For the second dado operation, position the small guide board against the bottom of the side assembly. Repeat the shelf-sandwiching procedure, and rout the lower dado.

Make the long top rail for the bookcase next, starting with cutting tenons to fit the mortises in the side assemblies. Then cut and fair the long gentle curve on the top rail, and ease the lower edges with a small roundover bit.

Adding Shelving

The lower plywood shelf receives a hardwood strip to hide its edge. This hardwood strip must be the same thickness as the shelf. Attach it with biscuits and glue.

At this point, a dry assembly will help you determine accurate dimensions for the two fixed shelves. Cut the shelf boards to rough size. The lower fixed shelf receives a 2″-wide edging strip, which I attached with biscuits and glue. Plane the hardwood strip to the exact thickness of the lower shelf first, before attaching it.

Cut notches on the front ends of the lower fixed shelf using a tall fence attached to your miter gauge.

Now that you have the final dimensions of the two fixed shelves, go ahead and trim them to size. Next, notch the lower fixed shelf to fit around the front legs.

Use the rip fence as a stop and sneak up on a perfect fit. Finish these notches at the band saw.

I started these notches with a tall auxiliary fence attached to a miter gauge at the table saw, and finished them at the band saw. Apply glue to the mortises and dadoes, and bring the case sides, two fixed shelves and top rail together.

Bring the sides, fixed shelves and top rail together with glue and clamps. If you’re judicious with the glue at this stage, you’ll have less cleanup to tend to later.

Take note that the upper fixed shelf is not yet edged with hardwood at this stage — it’s our next step. Cut the hardwood edging for the upper fixed shelf to length, and install it with biscuits and glue.

Don’t install the edging on the upper shelf until after you’ve completed the main case assembly.

The clamps from the main case assembly can actually flex the shelves slightly and cause measurement inaccuracies. For this reason, remove the long clamps before taking measurements for the hardwood edging.

Building Doors

Haunch the tenons and rabbet the door panels.

This is the point in case construction that I like best. You have a carcass that is glued together, and you can now move on to more interesting details such as the two doors that grace the lower compartment of the bookcase. I rough-milled the parts for the door frames and stacked and stickered them overnight. I jointed them again the next morning and planed them to final thickness. This two-stage milling sequence takes more time, but I believe it yields straighter workpieces for flat doors.

Rip the rails and stiles to 1-3/4″ wide, and crosscut them to length. Now, with a full-kerf combination blade, mill 1/4″-wide, 1/2″-deep grooves in all the rails and stiles for the door panels. Be sure these grooves are centered. Take the stiles over to the mortiser and deepen the mortises to 1″.

When you bring the parts together to test the fit, a stiff putty knife can help center the panel without marring the frame.

Install a dado blade and sacrificial fence on the table saw next, and cut tenons to fit the mortises. Haunch the tenons to fill the groove, and dry-fit the doors to check your progress. If the corner joints on both doors look good, go ahead and rabbet the back of the panels to fit the door frames. While the corner joints should have a snug fit, I like the solid panels to easily slide into place.

Milling Spade-shaped Inlays

With the “wedding ring” collar on the inlay kit guide bushing, mill a spade recess in each door panel using your template.

Before permanently assembling the doors, it’s time to make spade-shaped panel inlays. Start by making two templates from 3″-wide x 5/8″-thick hardwood scraps. Use a 1/2″ Forstner bit to drill two holes to establish the curved lobes of the spade shape. I cut the long stem of the template opening with a spiral router bit and edge guide. If you’re not comfortable with that technique, a jigsaw and sanding block may work as well.

Remove the “wedding ring,” clamp the same template to the inlay stock, and “trace” the inlays to shape.

Use a plunge router fitted with an inlay guide bushing kit to excavate each panel recess to 1/8″ deep. With the small brass collar or “wedding ring” installed on the guide bushing, you are ready for the first step in the inlay process.

Cut the inlays free at the band saw by resawing them. Painter’s tape will catch them as they fall free.

Position the template on the door panel, and clamp it in place. (Bits of carpet tape can further prevent shifting here.) Follow the template around the perimeter in a clockwise direction, and finish by removing the rest of the waste inside the template area.

Chamfer their back edges slightly, apply glue, and tap them in place.

To create the inlays themselves, I chose some nice Peruvian walnut that offers good contrast with the white oak. Remove the “wedding ring” from the guide bushing now, and set the router for a slightly deeper cut than the inlay recesses you’ve made.

A thick clamping caul distributes pressure over the inlay until the glue dries.

Using the same patterns, carefully mill around the perimeter in a clockwise direction. Keep the guide bushing in contact with the template throughout the cut. I find it helpful to trace the radius of the router sub-base on the template. This helps me anticipate when the router will enter the detailed spade shape. Apply some painter’s tape over the inlay areas to catch them when they are released, and “resaw” the inlays free at the band saw — make them slightly thicker than the depth of the recess. Now lightly chamfer the back edge of the spade inlay with sandpaper to ease the fit. Place the inlay over its recess to check for any gaps. If you are satisfied, go ahead and glue and tap the inlay home.

Drawer Time

The author needed to shorten the center dovetail pin at the band saw to keep it from intersecting the drawer groove.

At this point, you can measure and construct the hidden drawer. I chose a traditional drawer with half-blind dovetails at the front and through dovetails at the back.

The drawer is side-hung on wooden runners, which require blocking in the lower section of the case. One strip of 3/4″ plywood, stacked with one strip of 1/2″ plywood, will bring the blocking flush with the inside of the drawer opening. Make these but don’t install them yet; they’ll receive a shallow groove to locate the wooden runners.

Plow 1/2″-wide x 1/16″-deep grooves into the plywood spacer strips. Using the same setup, cut a slightly deeper groove into the drawer sides. Hardwood drawer runners will fit between these grooves.

Only a couple of details remain to fit the drawer to its opening. On my rear dovetail layout, I needed to shorten the rear middle pins at the band saw to prevent them from interfering with the wooden runners. Finally, since this is a hidden drawer, the visible gap between the drawer front and the case should be minimal. But, these tight tolerances can cause friction and prevent the drawer from operating smoothly. To solve this issue, I jointed the drawer sides and back slightly narrower than the drawer front to provide some extra clearance. Once that’s done, you are ready to hang the drawer in the case.

Make a stopped cut at the jointer to trim the width of the drawer sides for better sliding clearance.

Using the same router table setup and a 1/2″-dia. straight bit, plow a 1/16″-deep, centered groove into both plywood spacer strips and the drawer sides. The grooves in the drawer sides should stop 1-5/8″ from the front edges.

Stop the cut just short of the half-blind dovetail joints at the front of the drawer.

Mill hardwood stock for the drawer runners, sized to slide easily in the grooves, and trim their front ends round. Install the plywood spacer inside the case with glue and brads, and mount the drawer runners in the spacer slots.

Corbels and Other Final Details

The author constructed a template routing jig with hold-down clamps to shape the corbels.

There are six duplicate corbels to make. I used a long router template and bearing-guided pattern bit to shape these, two at a time, on the same piece of stock. Start with 9″-long corbel stock, and once you’ve fashioned the curve on your router jig, use that to trace the corbel shapes. Cut the corbel workpieces slightly outside their layout lines at the band saw. Then clamp them in the routing jig, and rout the corbel stock about halfway along its length. Flip the blank over, reclamp and rout its other end to match. Finally, trim the corbels to finished length, and cut a small chamfer on the bottom edge.

He left the corbel blank extra-long for more secure clamping, then routed both ends before trimming each blank into a pair of same-length corbels.

The corbels are attached with biscuits, so #20 biscuit slots need to be cut in the bookshelf and corbels. Use the fence on your biscuit joiner to center these slots. Before installing them, finish-sand the top panel, and ease its edges with a small roundover bit. Temporarily install the top with “figure 8” fasteners and #6 wood screws. Now glue the corbels in place with biscuits, making sure they seat tightly against the top panel.

Install the corbels with a single #20 biscuit and glue. For the best possible fit, install the top panel before attaching the corbels.

You still need to make four mounting blocks and glue them inside the lower cabinet for the self-closing hinges. Make sure the blocks are glued to the front legs only, and not to the floating panels. Cut the 1/2″-thick plywood back to size and test the fit, then attach a narrow strip of hardwood to its top inside edge for installing figure 8 fasteners here.

Staining the drawer fronts prior to assembly provides good contrast to the maple drawer sides.

Take a final look over the case with a worklight and complete any final sanding as needed. Then apply the finish of your choice. I used Rodda #19 fruitwood oilbased stain (deep base) and two coats of sprayed lacquer in a satin sheen. I wet-sanded the final coat of lacquer with a 1,500-grit sanding sponge. Working with the grain and using a light hand produced a smooth finish with a subtle glow.

Click Here to download a PDF of the related drawings and Materials List.

– Willie Sandry is a furniture maker and a lumber kiln operator in Camas, Washington.

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Table Saw Crosscut Jig Tip

Brad Holden — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 19:26:17 +0000

Learn how to use two miter gauges to create a crosscut jig for making miter cuts or crosscuts. Two miter gauges are attached to a sturdy fence to make a simple crosscut sled.

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Project Plan: Making a Classic Five-board Step Stool

Brad Holden — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 15:25:03 +0000

Houses aren’t really scaled practically for small children; countertops, sinks and cabinets are just too high for them to use comfortably. Fortunately, you can remedy the problem in an afternoon. A simple, classic step stool like this one is just right for putting everything within reach of the little ones. It’s even sturdy enough for an adult needing a few more inches to reach those top cupboard shelves. If you’re a long-time subscriber to Woodworker’s Journal, you may recall an “8th grade Step Stool” project from our March/April 2005 print issue that has inspired this new incarnation — some simple and classic designs deserve the occasional reprise.

One Board is All You Need

After cutting the 8° angles at the top and bottom of each leg, make the shoulder cuts for the stretcher notches. These also are angled at 8° to match the top and bottom edges of the legs.

You can build this stool from a single 1×10, but if you’re using #2 pine from the home center, like I did, I’ll suggest spending the extra three dollars for an 8-ft.-long 1×12 instead. Even when you pick the best one of the pile, you’ll still need to do a little squaring, straightening and cutting around knots. If it turns out your board is nice enough, you can make two step stools: one for the house, and one for the shop!

First, taking the knots into account, crosscut three pieces to rough length: one at 16″, one at 18″ and one at 20″. These will be the stretchers, top, and legs, respectively. Joint and square up the long edges before cutting these parts to their final dimensions. When you rip them to width, leave them about 1/32″ oversize, so you can sand or plane off any saw marks. Cut the top to final length at this time, and crosscut the legs to 10″. With the table saw blade tilted to 8˚, crosscut the top and bottom of the legs parallel and to a finished length of 9″. In addition to adding some style, angling the legs gives the stool extra stability.

Mark a vertical centerline on the legs. On the top of each leg, measure 3″ out from either side of the centerline, giving you 6″ between the stretcher notches. To make the shoulder cut for these notches, I used my table saw with two miter gauges connected by a sturdy fence, angled 8˚ to match the angle at the top and bottom of the legs.

Make the stretcher notch cheek cuts on the table saw by clamping a stop block to the fence, so you don’t cut too far and into the angled shoulders. Finish these cuts with a hand saw.

Now, to make the cheek cut for the stretcher notches, you’ll need to use two rip fence settings, so you can make a cut along both faces of each notch. You’ll make two cuts for each notch, eight total cuts. Once you’ve set the fence for the first cut, rip just a little ways at a time, checking the underside of the board after each cut. When you reach the shoulder cut, turn off the saw and clamp a stop block to your rip fence at that stopping point. Make the four cuts possible with this fence setting. Change the fence setting, flip each notch over to cut its other face, and you’ll come close to cutting the entire joint. Finish cutting the notches by hand to remove the remaining waste.

Drill a 1/2”-diameter hole on the centerline of each leg, 2-1⁄2” up from the bottom edge, to create the rounded top corner of this cutout.

Next, you’ll give each leg a pair of feet. Start by drilling a 1/2″-diameter hole on the centerline 2-1⁄2″ up from the bottom. Make a mark along the bottom edge of each leg 2-1⁄2″ away from either side of the centerline, and connect these marks to the 1/2″ hole.

Once the legs are cut to final shape, use a block plane or sanding block to clean off any saw marks that remain.

Cut along the layout lines using a band saw or jigsaw. To finish off the leg shapes, cut their angled sides and use a block plane or sanding block as needed, to remove any saw marks.

Bandsawing Legs

Cutting the legs to shape requires making several angled rip cuts.

The simplest machine for this job is the band saw. Make the cuts by eye, following your layout lines.

If you don’t have access to a band saw, a handheld jigsaw will work fine, too.

Making the Stretchers

Rip the two stretchers from the remaining board that you cut earlier. Cut the stretchers’ angled ends at 22-1⁄2°. Now mill the 8˚ dadoes using a dado blade in your table saw. Be careful that these dadoes are angled correctly, relative to the angled ends of the stretchers. The correct direction is to have them angled opposite to, not parallel with, the angled ends of these parts.

Cutting Angled Dadoes

The stretchers receive two dadoes each to fit the legs. They’re angled across the width of the stretchers at 8°. When you mill them, two miter gauges attached to a sturdy fence make a safe and stable backup support for cutting dadoes across long workpieces.

Be picky about sizing these dadoes to the right width — too narrow and the legs won’t fit them; too wide and the fit will be sloppy, which defeats the purpose of the dadoes in the first place. Aim for a good, snug joint connection.

Assembling the Stool

If you’re going for a two-color scheme like the author did, paint the parts, then attach the stretchers to the legs using glue and either nails or counterbored wood screws.

With all the cutting done, go ahead and apply any edge treatment you like. I routed a chamfer around the top board and a 1/8″ roundover on everything else.

Drive pairs of 2″ screws through the stretchers to attach the top. Counterbore these screw holes as well.

You can assemble this stool using just glue or glue and finish nails. However, for maximum strength, I recommend going with glue and wood screws. If you plan to paint your stool in several colors like I’ve done here, do that now on all surfaces that won’t need glue, while the parts are still fully accessible. (If you decide on a clear coat like varnish instead, that can wait until the very end.) Proceed with the assembly by attaching the stretchers to the legs. I counterbored all of the screw holes to set their heads below the surface. Now place the leg assembly upside down on the bottom face of the top board, center it, and drive screws through the stretchers to attach them to the top.

Then hide the screw heads under mushroom plugs (inset) or wood plugs cut flush.

I covered the screw heads with decorative mushroom buttons. While they usually fit tightly in counterbored holes so as not to require glue, it’s a good safety precaution anyway: loose buttons could end up in inquisitive little ones’ mouths, ears or noses by mistake.

With the screws capped, your stool project is ready to make step-up tasks easier for just about everyone.

Click Here to download a PDF of the related drawings and Materials List.

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Tip for Making Angled Band Saw Cuts

Brad Holden — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 18:07:23 +0000

When making interior cuts that will be more difficult to clean up, take your time and cut as close to the layout line as you can.

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Woodworker’s Journal – January/February 2017

Matt Hocking — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 16:46:47 +0000

In the January/February issue of Woodworker’s Journal, you’ll find classic projects with an updated twist to start your shop year off right. What better addition to your shop than a solid new Workbench? Or, perhaps you’d like to start off smaller, with a Chairside Caddy or a Classic Step Stool? The Spade Bookcase has a classic Arts and Crafts design, while a knockdown Finishing Turntable is another handy addition to your shop. Is improving your shop skills among your New Year’s resolutions? Start off by learning six methods of circle-cutting, plus find out how to use stain to “upgrade” your wood.

Workbench: This heavy-duty bench from Sandor Nagyszalanczy combines designs from traditional benches, meant to support hand tool woodworking, with elements that support a contemporary work style that incorporates portable power tools.

Spade Bookcase: Spade-shaped inlays, a secret dovetail drawer and locking miter joints make this Arts & Crafts styled bookcase a rewarding shop challenge.

Classic Step Stool: Made with just five boards of home center lumber and an afternoon of shop time, this handy little home addition gives a step up to those who need it.

Chairside Caddy: This single-drawer box handsomely holds what you need next to you. It’s created on a scroll saw, and the drawer pull is designed to resemble a fishing lure.

Jigs & Fixtures: Need to spray occasionally but no need (or room) for a spray booth? This knockdown turntable gives you 360˚ access to your workpiece.

Techniques: Learn six different methods for cutting circles – plus how to avoid saw marks on your final piece.

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Woodworker’s Journal – January/February 2017 Issue Preview

Matt Hocking — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 16:28:46 +0000

Not a Subscriber? Order This Issue Here

Featuring:

Spade Bookcase: Spade-shaped inlays, a secret dovetail drawer and locking miter joints make this Arts & Crafts styled bookcase a rewarding shop challenge.

Classic Step Stool: Made with just five boards of home center lumber and an afternoon of shop time, this handy little home addition gives a step up to those who need it.

Chairside Caddy: This single-drawer box handsomely holds what you need next to you. It’s created on a scroll saw, and the drawer pull is designed to resemble a fishing lure.

Jigs & Fixtures:: Need to spray occasionally but no need (or room) for a spray booth? This knockdown turntable gives you 360˚ access to your workpiece.

Techniques: Learn six different methods for cutting circles – plus how to avoid saw marks on your final piece.

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Rhode Island Furniture and Its Impact

Ernie Conover — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 16:19:35 +0000

Ernie Conover paid a visit to the Yale University Art Gallery symposium and came away with some great highlights from an exhibition that featured Early American furniture made from 1650 – 1830.

Check out the keynote address: “Studying American Furniture in the Present”

Here is a link to view the Rhode Island Furniture Archive (RIFA) and the Yale Furniture Study, two great resources that have come out of this work.

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Cutting Circles on a Table Saw

Chris Marshall — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 15:57:51 +0000

Chris Marshall demonstrates how to create a simple table saw jig to cut perfect circles of wood using just about any table saw in just a few steps.

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