Ash: A Great Species Choice

My wood of choice for many projects these days has changed from my usual walnut to ash. Structurally and aesthetically, ash is a truly wonderful hardwood. It is mostly blond with grain similar to oak, but ash has buttery tones along with gray at times. According to the Janka rating scale of hardness, green ash ranks to be a harder species than black walnut! Sadly, the blight being spread by that monstrous little beast known as the emerald ash borer has made ash lumber readily available and incredibly cheap. It’s about half the price of walnut these days, so affordable but gorgeous, too.

When you have the tools to do it, resawing to produce book- or slip-matched grain really shows that you pay attention to all the details that make your project as beautiful as possible. Grain-matching is one of the things that you can do to make your handmade furniture truly special. So, I ordered a 9′ x 7″ piece of 8/4 ash for making this bar stool. The side pieces of the stool are book matched and the seat comes from the center of my board. When assembled, the grain all lines up quite nicely.

Shop-made Curve Bow

Having a curve bow makes layouts for projects like this much easier when you are working by yourself. All you need is a long, thin strip of wood about 1/8″ thick, 3/4″ wide and about 48″ long. You can create bows of other lengths to suit different sizes of projects. Use a hardwood with fairly straight grain, like oak (or even ash!).

I recommend ripping the strip from a wider board to create a 1/8″ offcut. Then sand the sides of the strip smooth. Drill a 1/8″ hole 1″ from each end and centered on the strip’s width. Drill two more holes centered on the stick’s length but separated about 2-1/2″. Simply tie two strings using a noose knot looped through itself and a trucker’s knot through the hole in the middle closest to that end. Whatever keeps the strings attached here amounts to a successful knot. Make the strings the same length for a consistent curve. You want the strings to be just long enough so that when you squeeze them together at the center, they bow the strip. For tapered curves, you can either adjust how much you pull on one of the strings or use a strip of wood with tapered thickness.

Preparing the Stock

I milled the four book-matched pieces down to just under 3/4″, and then glued up the sides. The two pieces from the center of the board for the seat needed to be planed to 1-3/4″ thick and milled square. Next, I ripped a piece 1-3/4″ wide from either side of the seat pieces and one that would later be the footrest.

Next, I laid out the curve for the seat contours and cut those on the band saw. Make sure the saw’s table is set up square to the blade and that you leave your pencil line (cutting on the waste side) for easier and accurate cleanup of those curves later.

After cutting the curves, I checked the glue joint between the seat halves to make sure the butt joint would disappear. Run the edges over the jointer, if necessary. Then glue up the seat. You’ll find that cleaning the glue off with a scraper or an “abused” chisel right when the squeeze-out starts to become rubbery will make that job a whole lot easier. Ash has a tendency to tear out if you use a glue scraper on hardened glue … yes, I found that out firsthand!

After the glue dries, rip the seat to final width, and form the seat into a slight trapezoid by putting a 4˚ taper on both ends of the seat (see the Drawings). I used a miter gauge with an auxiliary fence to make an angled cut. While still at the table saw, I used my crosscut sled
to cut the side pieces to final length.

Cutting Dovetails

Now the fun really begins with hand tools! Before I cut the profile shape for the sides of the bar stool, I went ahead and cut the dovetails that join the seat and sides. I started with the pins. Here, I used a 9.5° angle for their layout, because it looks great and creates a solid and very strong joint. These joints will receive plenty of stress, so I left the pins thick for added strength.

Use your bevel gauge, square, marking gauge and either a marking knife or an awl for laying out pins on the stool’s side pieces. Do your best to scribe the lines deeply. I usually use a very sharp pencil to highlight those lines. Next, I reached for a Japanese handsaw to cut on the waste side of the pins.

From there, I clamped a board with a straightedge facing the pins to give my chisel a 90° reference for chopping out flats between them. Then I went back and cleaned up the pins with chisels.

Next, I used my marking knife to trace around the pins onto the bottom of the seat. After making the initial marks, you can go back and align your bevel gauge to scribe deeper. I use my bevel gauge because it’s easier to hold than the big side pieces. Transfer the lines around to the top of the seat, and use your bevel gauge again to finish the layout. Cutting the tails is very similar to cutting the pins, but I used a band saw to cut on the waste side of the lines this time. (For the tails, the cuts are square to the saw table.) Go back again and clean up with a chisel.

Carefully check the fit of your tails and pins. If the fit is too tight, don’t force it; you could blow your piece apart. Refine the joints so they go together easily. While the seat and side pieces are dry-fitted, mark the outside pin with the angle you’ll need to band-saw the profile cuts on the side pieces accurately.

Adding the Footrest

This is also a good time to position and machine the joints for the footrest — it’s easier to do this now while the side pieces are still flat rather than after cutting their curved edges. Because of the slight angle of the side pieces, I chose to use dowel joints to attach the footrest. First, check the width directly under the front edge of the seat, and crosscut your footrest blank so it’s about 1/16″ longer than that distance. Cut your dowels to 1-5⁄8″.

Carefully draw the dowel layout on the ends of the footrest, and mark the footrest’s position on the stool sides. Then drill two 3/8″-diameter holes 1-1/2″ deep into the footrest ends. If your drill press table can turn vertically so you can clamp your workpiece to it, that’s the most accurate way. If you need to use a hand drill instead, do your best to drill squarely into the footrest.

After boring the holes, cut the footrest to fit precisely between the stool sides by marking the angle, cutting, and then checking its fit directly under the seat. Creep up on your layout lines.

Now, using metal dowel centers in the footrest piece and following your layout on the side pieces, prick the stool sides so you can drill exactly at the dowel centerpoints. Drill those holes 3/8″ deep.

Profiling the Stool Sides

It’s time to lay out and cut the profiles on the side pieces. With the help of a handmade curve bow, drawing beautiful curves for this step is easy! Do this for the edges and faces of your stool sides, seat and footrest. Line up your curve bow with the intersection of the seat and side pieces and the bottom of the stool. Draw the curved lines. Remember, the seat is not square, it is a trapezoid, so to make these cuts, I tilted the band saw table to match the edges of the sides to the angle of the seat. It’s easy to get that angle turned around, so mark your stock and be careful.

Feel free to play around with the cutout shape at the bottom of the stool. I like the look of the upside down curvy “V,” but you can be creative here. Cut these shapes out on the band saw, too.

Save at least one of the profile waste pieces, and belt-sand it smooth. (You may need more than one, depending on how it fits the curve.) Cut the piece shorter to use as a sanding block later. It’s difficult to get a super-smooth curve any other way.

Now it is time for hand-shaping the edges to make this project really come alive. Working back and forth to the center of the curves, my spokeshave became a favorite tool all over again. The ash proved to be a bit difficult, but my curved sanding block took care of any really tricky places.

Before gluing up, go ahead and finish-sand the inside faces of the seat, sides and footrest. Make two notched clamping cauls on the band saw for the dovetails and have two straight cauls ready for the bottom of the side pieces.

Final Assembly and Finish

Start assembling the stool by gluing and clamping the footrest in place. Use blocks in between the clamp and the wood so you don’t mar it. Then tackle the dovetail glue-ups. Brush glue between the pins and tap the seat down into place. Then use your cauls and clamps to bring it all together. Remember to scrape the glue off as soon as it gets rubbery but not all the way hard. The next day, you can finish shaping the seat of the stool and finish-sand the outer surfaces, too. For topcoating, I used Arm-R-Seal — a simple, durable wipe-on finish. Three coats and voila … my hard work had paid off.

I like to apply wax and buff it off immediately, just to even out the sheen and make the surfaces of this bar stool feel wonderful. Let the finish dry at least overnight before applying the wax, and let the wax dry before getting fingerprints all over it. Then take a seat!

This bar stool required both patience and planning with all the hand tool work involved. However, my most leisurely time spent in the shop is usually in these quieter moments. My mind has a chance to wander, and I have the opportunity to slow down a bit. Maybe you’ll find the same peace in these exercises when you build your bar stool.

Click Here to download a PDF of the related drawings.

The post Small Shop Bar Stool appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.

Start with the Slab

Since the slab determines the size and shape of the cabinet that goes under it, that’s the place to start. First, decide which side of the slab will be the top. This one was obvious, as it had a huge crater on one side. As the slab will go against a wall, obviously it needs to be cut to make a straight edge. After considering that cut, a semicircular cabinet seemed like a natural choice, as it would roughly mimic the shape of the finished countertop.

Before making any cuts, make the slab as flat as possible. A drum sander — like the SuperMax 19-38 — makes easy work of the task, as its open end allows for sanding pieces up to 38″ wide. Alternatively, you could use a belt sander or a hand plane. I was very happy to have the use of a drum sander, as the belt sander and I have never been very good friends, and a hand plane would have meant hours of labor.

After flattening the slab, make a rough layout of the cabinet using tape to determine where to make the cut.

Use a track saw or a shop-made saw guide for your circular saw to make the long cut. This slab was close to 3″ thick, so I finished the cut with a hand saw and then smoothed the cut edges with a hand plane. You could make the cut on a band saw if you have a helper to catch it as it comes out.

In this case, the off-cut is just as lovely as the main countertop, so I decided it would make a great shelf to complement the countertop. Also, to bring an element of the slab to the cabinet, I cut two strips from the offcut’s edge to make book-matched trim for the doors.

Slabs like this one are a challenge, as there are often voids of all shapes and sizes. Use epoxy to fill the voids before proceeding. This slab had one large hole all the way through. To fill the hole, I applied tape to the top surface, covering the hole. Then, I flipped the slab over and filled the hole from the bottom. I used black TransTint® from Rockler (a tint created with aniline dye) mixed into the epoxy, so that the hole wouldn’t be transparent.

After the epoxy cured, I flipped the piece over to determine what areas of the top needed pre-filling. Most large voids will take several applications to fill them, as the epoxy will continue to flow until it finds the end of the hole, or a way out. When you’re doing this, put plastic or cardboard on the floor and use wax paper under the slab. It’s going to be messy.

This can take multiple pours, so be patient. Sometimes, what appears to be a small surface crack can actually be a hidden cavern that seemingly has no end. Or, as was the case for my slab, there were a couple of cracks that presented no easy way to block the exit. In the end, I decided to move on and let them be cracks in the finished piece.

For voids at the edge of the slab, dam them up with tape before pouring. Depending on your preference, you can use clear or tinted epoxy for these voids.

After filling the voids to my satisfaction, I let the epoxy cure for a couple of days before taking it back to the drum sander. If you try sanding it too early, it’ll just gum up the sandpaper and make a mess. To see if it’s ready to sand, try sanding it with a sanding block. If it feels even a bit sticky or the epoxy balls up, wait longer. When the epoxy is cured, sand both sides of the slab flat and then finish with a random orbit sander up to 220-grit.

When the slab and shelf are sanded, it’s time to start applying finish. To apply MirrorCoat® epoxy, set the workpiece on sawhorses and then shim and level it. Leveling the workpiece is essential, as MirrorCoat is thin and will continue to flow as it cures, and you want it to flow evenly over the whole surface.

Mix up a half-cup or so of epoxy and pour some on. You can always mix more if you run short, but if you mix too much it’s a waste. Use a foam brush to spread the epoxy over the entire surface. Here again, cover the floor with plastic and place wax paper between the slab and the sawhorses.

After you’ve spread the epoxy over the entire surface, you’ll notice air bubbles starting to appear; that’s when it’s time to apply some heat. Using a propane torch, just wave the flame over the finish and watch the bubbles disappear. Keep the flame moving so you don’t burn the epoxy. Let the finish rest for 15 minutes or so, and then revisit it with the torch.

This finish will likely take three or four applications. You don’t have to sand between coats as long as the next coat is applied within 72 hours of the last one. That said, I sanded anyway to make sure the surface was nice and flat. Between applying coats of epoxy, you can start building the cabinet.

Making a Bending Form

To make this curved cabinet, I laid up three layers of 1/4″ bendable plywood on a bending form. The outer plywood layer is veneered with ribbon stripe mahogany. My bending form consists of a base, four ribs and one layer of 1/4″ bendable plywood.

Lay out the arc with a large compass. Since this arc is the inside radius of the doors, it should be about 1″ smaller than the doors’ exterior radius.

Band-saw this first piece close to the line, then sand the rest of the way. Use this first rib as a pattern to rout the rest of the ribs. Screw the ribs to the base.

I didn’t glue the ribs to the base because I don’t have room to store the form, and I wanted to be able to disassemble it and reuse the parts.

Staple one layer of bendable plywood to the ribs. This layer of bendable plywood helps to prevent flat spots in the finished lamination.

Mark a centerline across the form to help line up the laminations when you’re gluing them. This helps keep everything straight and square.

Building the Arc

Cut three pieces of bendable plywood slightly larger than you’ve determined you’ll need for the finished arc. Make sure they don’t extend beyond the bottom edges of the form, however. Mark centerlines on the edges of all three pieces so you can line them up with the centerline on the form. Cover the form with wax paper so that you don’t glue the laminations to the form.

To make sure the glue-up goes smoothly, do it in stages, letting the first two layers cure before applying the third. Apply glue to the bottom lamination using a foam paint roller. These rollers work great for spreading glue, and you can wash them out with water and reuse them. Bend the first layer around the form and then apply the second lamination. Use ratchet straps to clamp the laminations. Let them cure overnight and then glue and clamp the outer layer.

Sizing Up the Curve

After removing the finished arc from the form, you’ll need to make two straight edges and two square ends. The edges are pretty straightforward: just run it through the table saw with the convex side down, rolling it as you go. The ends are a different matter.

As a starting point, set the curve on a flat surface such as your bench. Lay a straightedge on the bench against one of the curve’s edges. Make a mark along the top of the straightedge where it meets the curve, on both ends. Repeat this step on the other edge.

If you don’t have a sliding fence for your table saw, this is a good time to build one. It’s simply a fence that fits over your saw’s fence; just snug enough so that there’s no play but it’ll still slide. Fasten a tall board to the sliding fence using either screws or clamps. Clamp the arc to the board so that the marks you made on the edges are perpendicular to your saw’s table. Check the marks with a square and adjust if necessary. Slide the whole assembly through the saw, and then repeat the process on the other end of the arc.

Once the arc is square, lay out the rest of the cabinet parts. Start by tracing the arc onto a piece of stock that will become the cabinet’s top or bottom, allowing room for the cabinet’s narrow sides. After laying out the cabinet, use hot-melt glue to temporarily stick the top and bottom together. Band-saw close to the line and then sand the rest of the way. Check the curve against the top and bottom to see if you need to trim any more from the ends of the arc. If so, trim them like you did before.

Split the arc into two equal size doors using the same table saw and fence jig setup used to trim the ends of the arc.

Building the Cabinet

Make the narrow cabinet sides by laminating more bendable plywood. I used four layers here so I could make more substantial rabbets for fastening the sides to the cabinet. The thicker sides also give a little more “meat” for the hinge screws. Make the pieces oversize, so you can square up the edges later.

To laminate the pieces, I used I-beam style clamping platforms to ensure that they’d come out flat. Be careful when applying clamping pressure, as the glue can cause the pieces to slide. While the side laminations are drying, cut the remaining cabinet parts, making any necessary rabbets and dadoes.

When the sides are dry, trim them to final dimension and then rabbet them for the top, bottom and back. Assemble the cabinet. Because this cabinet hangs on the wall and holds a lot of weight, use plenty of screws and glue. I added “L”-brackets to further secure the back to the sides.

Attach the hinges to the doors using just a couple of screws. Pre-hang both doors to check their fit. I used piano hinges because they offer lots of support. Unfortunately, they don’t offer much adjustability, so you may have to do some trimming to get the doors to fit just right. When you’re satisfied, remove the doors and apply iron-on edge-banding to the cabinet’s raw edges if you wish. I chose not to veneer the doors’ edges. They don’t show until you open the doors, and I think the plywood edge adds to the modern flair of the piece.

Offcut Shelf Accent

After I cut the shape for the vanity top, I had a piece remaining that made a nice shelf — and I sure didn’t want a sliver of this wood to go to waste! Thinking it through, I didn’t want to see any hardware on this shelf, so I used an invisible mounting system available from Rockler to mount it to the wall. The mounting system consists of small steel plates that mount to the wall, set screws and 5″-long hexagonal rods that thread onto the set screws. Use as many support rods as necessary. For this shelf, two would have probably been enough, but I used four because I like things a little “overbuilt.”

You’ll drill 7/16″-dia. holes that the wall-mounted rods will slide into to support the shelf. Because my shelf is wide at one end and narrow at the other, I had to cut two of the rods short.

Cut mortises in the back edge of the shelf to house the mounting plates, allowing the shelf to slide all the way against the wall.

Applying the Door Trim

Cut the doors’ trim pieces to length and sand or plane them to final thickness. These pieces were cut off of the edge of the piece of redwood that I made into the accent shelf. They should be no more than 1/8″ thick so they’ll bend around the doors’ curves. Use glue and lots of clamps to attach them to the doors. Because of the bend I was putting in these pieces, I left the clamps on overnight to make sure the glue was well cured.

If you want the finish on the doors’ trim pieces to match the counter, mask closely around them and then apply epoxy. For this application, use a brushing technique instead of pouring it on and spreading like you did with the counter. You don’t want the epoxy to flow over the edges and pool up on the tape, because it takes forever to remove the tape cleanly. Ask me how I know! You’ll have to apply two or three coats.

Finishing Up

Apply the finish of your choice to the cabinet sides and doors. Attach the countertop to the cabinet using countersunk screws driven from inside the cabinet. When the finish is dry, rehang the doors and install handles and catches.

I found it best to wait to remove any material from the internal divider until I was ready to mount the sink and plumbing. Those details can vary. All in all, I found this to be a very satisfying project, and I think it looks just great in our bathroom.

Click Here to download a PDF of the related drawings.

Hard to Find Hardware

Stainless Steel Bar Pull (2) #20417
3″ Non-Mortise Butt Hinges (1) #33958
Low Profile Magnetic Catches (4) #26534
MirrorCoat Bar/Tabletop Finish (1 pk.) #29138
Blind Shelf Supports (2 pr.) #69053

The post Redwood Slab Vanity Project appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.

What I came up with was this miter saw station. It is essentially two standard cabinets with the saw mounted between them. Instead of drawers below the counter, a built-in shelf supports the lumber being cut. A 10″ saw can really only cut about 7-1/2″ wide, so 7″ of width is plenty to support the cut. Tucking it under the counter lets me have my miter station AND lots of bench space that does not need to be cleared off every time I want to make a cut. So let’s begin, maximizing your shop space.

Getting Started

Even in a well-equipped shop, cutting a full sheet of plywood when working alone is difficult and dangerous, so I reduce sheets into more manageable pieces using a circular saw and straightedge. A sheet of rigid foam insulation on top of the sawhorses (or even on the floor) allows you to make the cut without damaging your blade or horses, while supporting the whole sheet during the cut. Just set the circular saw blade to cut through the plywood but not through the foam. The cutting diagrams show you how the three plywood sheets can best be sectioned by hand. Rip about 1/4″ to 3/8″ off one long side to provide a clean edge and crosscut as shown. The smaller sheets are then ripped into the components using the table saw, and then crosscut to length.

Cut Shelf

The cut shelf needs to end up very flat and straight to work properly, so it gets built first and the cabinets fabricated to fit the shelf. Save the waste when you crosscut the two shelf parts and the shelf back; they will be useful as setup parts for the next step.

Unlike a portable saw stand, this Miter Station provides two continuous surfaces extending out from each side of the blade, perfect for adding a stop system.

Before assembling the shelves, cut two T slots in them for stops. Plow 3/8″ grooves down the length of the shelves (see the Drawing).

Follow up with a T-slot cutter on the router table. This makes adding stops easy (I used Rockler’s Inline stops).

With the cut shelves milled, the backs can be attached. Nothing fancy here: they get glued and pocket screwed along the back edge of the cut shelves.

Start at one end and screw them on, working across, keeping them exactly flush with the back edge of the cut shelves. I assembled the cutoffs, too, so I have a sample part that will come in handy during some setup later.

Sides/Dividers

The sides and dividers all need a large notch in the top front corner to accept the cut shelf. There are six to cut exactly the same, so a template is required. I used the cut shelf sample from earlier to mark out a template, then carefully cut and sanded the notch.

Cleats added to the top and front edges of the template ensure alignment. I marked and rough-cut all six parts on the band saw, then flush-trimmed them to match the template.

The bottom inside edges of the sides get a 1/8″-deep rabbet for the deck, and a 1/2″-wide by 3/8″ deep dado to accept the back. This is where the sides become lefts and rights. It is just a shop cabinet, but there is no point in not having the best faces showing.

The final step in making the sides is to drill a line of 1/16″ pilot holes along the centerline of the rabbet. You’ll thank me for this tip as you assemble. The dividers need nothing other than the notch.

Deck

The two decks only require a 1/8″-deep, 3/4″-wide dado milled front-to-back along the centerline to locate the divider. Again, drill a series of 1/16″ pilot holes along the dado centerline. Now you can assemble the basic cabinets.

Carcass Assembly

Attach one side to the end of the deck with glue and screws. Then attach the other side in the same way and screw through the deck into the divider.

The routed notches in the cabinets have a rounded inside corner. It is easier to round over the back of the cut shelves to match rather than squaring all the notches.

Now the cut shelf can be added to each carcass. The ends mount flush with the sides, but I marked the center of the shelf to help get the divider in the right place. I glued and nailed everything to hold it as I drilled pilot holes and screwed through the shelf into the notches.

You may have noted the lack of a toe kick. Because the cut shelves need to be aligned very accurately across the station, I chose to use adjustable leveling legs to support the cabinets. This is the easiest way to precisely level and straighten the whole setup, and they are easy to use.

I drilled 5/8″ locating holes in the four corners of each deck and near the centerline. I spaced them about 2″ in from the ends and 3″ in from the front/back. The leveler bracket has an expanding boss that fits into this hole. Driving the pin in from the outside spreads the boss, holding the bracket in place as you secure it with the included screws. The leveler legs then snap into the brackets. Turning the feet adjusts the height up or down.

Set the cabinet on its legs and slide the 1/2″ plywood back into the back rabbet. It rests on the deck and stiffens the cabinet. A couple of brads through the sides will keep the unit from racking.

Saw Tray

Now the miter saw needs a place to sit. I have included the dimensions used for my saw, but you may need to adjust them for your particular saw.

I cut the shelf parts from the remainder of the plywood. Measuring my miter saw, it was clear that I would need 24″ of space to swing the saw, and at least 12″ to bolt all four feet to the shelf. To stiffen the shelf, I added 2″-wide drop edges around the shelf bottom. I then carefully checked the height of the saw cutting surface. You’ll need this dimension when you mount the shelf.

Setting the Cabinets

I set these without the tops or doors in place. The weight is manageable and the interiors are open for easy access. Set the two cabinets generally level and spaced apart by the width of your saw shelf. To mark the saw shelf position, measure down from the top of the cut shelf the same distance as the height of the miter saw measured previously. Mine was 3-1⁄4″.

Clamp the saw shelf between the cabinets close to the lines. Set the clamps just tight enough to hold it in place. Use a mallet to tap it into final position, and firmly clamp it in place, but do not screw it in yet. Set the saw on the shelf and check to see that you have the positioning right.

The saw deck should be perfectly level with the cut shelf, and the fence of the saw flush with the cut shelf back. This shelf worked out to be flush with the front of the cabinets. Others may not. No worries: adjust the shelf position until the saw lines up properly.

When positioned, screw the shelf into place. Two or three 1-1⁄4″ screws in each side will hold any miter saw that you can lift. Do not yet secure the saw.

Level and Straight

This bit can be tedious, but it is crucial for accurate cutting. To adjust the cut shelf even with the saw fence, set a long straightedge centered on the saw fence, and align the cabinets until everything is touching the straightedge.

The cabinets are held together by the saw shelf, so you may need to shim between the saw shelf and cabinets front or back to achieve this. Loosen but do not remove the screws, add wedges until things are where you want them, and re-tighten the screws.

Next, stand the straightedge vertical and adjust the cabinet height until the straightedge is in contact with the miter saw table and cut shelf all the way across. The leveling legs will make this a lot easier. The levelers allow for adjusting all four corners of the cabinets largely independently. Remember that level would be nice, but STRAIGHT is what is important.

I did not fasten these cabinets to the wall. I left room behind so the cords of my bench tools could be kept out of the work area. If you want to secure yours, no problem, but be careful not to misalign the cut shelves as you do so.

Tops

You can use premade laminated countertops from the home center. The tops on my unit are simple plywood panels. The top is supported by the sides, divider, cut shelf and back, so it should remain flat over time. The 7″ overhang on the front worried me a bit so I doubled it up, gluing and nailing on a 7″-wide strip to the underside to resist sagging. My tops are cut to 54″ for a bit more bench space. The inside edge is flush on the saw side, and the overhang is on the outside.

I drilled pocket screw holes in both sides and the divider. The top is set in place with the buildup tight to the cut shelf back, then screwed in place.

Doors and Shelves

This article is about the cut shelf, so I won’t go into details on door construction. Simple slab doors cut from another sheet of 3/4″ ply or whatever would work just as well. I happened to be making stile-and-rail doors for another project, so it was easy to make these at the same time.

The doors are hung with cup hinges, which make them easy to adjust after hanging them. I made up a template for drilling pilot holes for the hinge plates. This saves a lot of time and frustration. Just remember that the template will rest on top of the deck, but your door should align 1/8″ up from the bottom edge of the deck.

Fixed shelves or even adjustable shelves could be used, but I hate having to kneel down to find things in the back, so I made pullouts. These are cut from the same 1/2″ ply as the backs and are simple, open boxes 3″ tall. I plan to store cased tools (routers, dado sets, nail guns and the like) on the deck and hardware in the pullouts. This way I’ll be able to access everything easily.

The only thing to keep in mind with pullouts is that, unlike fixed shelves or even normal cabinet drawers, pullouts need to clear the door. This means that the pullout width needs to be 1″ smaller than the opening for the slides, and an extra inch is needed to clear the door. I built mine 3″ narrower than the space, and added a 1″-thick cleat to each side. Technically, you only need to cleat on the door side, but I like having an even gap on both sides.

And there you have it. An 8′ miter station with adjustable stops, over 17 square feet of usable bench space, and nearly 30 cubic feet of storage all contained within 21 square feet of floor space. Perfect for small shops, and very convenient for larger ones, too.

Click Here to download a PDF of the related drawings.

Hard to Find Hardware

T-Slot Cutter (1) #26099
Inline Stop (1) #50603
Adjustable Leveler Leg (1) #32183

The post Space Saving Miter Saw Station Project appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.

In this article, I’ve provided some thoughts on ways to include turning in your household, along with some projects I have done over the years, with the hopes that they will get your mind to thinking turning in all woodworking.

Clotheshorse Closet Rods

My wife, Susan, is a talented fiber artist, so we both have an affinity for clothes; much of this clothing is wool or linen. I long ago grew tired of the box store clothes rods in our closets sagging under the weight of our threads.

The answer was simple: turn 1-1⁄2″-diameter clothes rods from oak. The supports holding the rod will break before the rod sags. I like to faceplate turn the supports, but simple housings cut in 1×3 trim at either side work well, too. This is simple straight turning that gives a high-end custom look to your home.

You can find construction details in the illustration above and more information on turning long, slender spindles in the April 2015 issue of Woodworker’s Journal.

Jar and Canister Lids

Every home has at least one jar or canister with a missing or broken lid. It is an easy matter to turn a new one and give this jar or canister a second life. This is a great faceplate turning job that will make the owner very happy.

These days, I do a separate spindle turning to create a knob for the lid, as it saves wood. You can also turn your knob as part of the lid if you start with 5/4 or 6/4 material — but you have to sweep up a lot of shavings.

You can also turn wooden lids with a recess that offers a snug fit for the original metal lid. This gives you a method to create an attractive storage option from a jar that was previously headed straight for the recycling bin.

Lamp Finials

The average floor or table lamp has a finial that secures the shade to the harp. Many are made of plastic and look cheap. Turning a new finial is a great project and one that can be done in a mini-lathe.

There is one slight speed bump to this project. The threaded stud on the top of a lamp harp is of a very peculiar pitch: 1/4″-27. Standard hardware threads are either 1/4″ by 20 or 28 threads per inch. This leaves you with a limited number of choices.

One is to buy a brass 1/4″-28 thread, superglue this into the blank for your finial and accept that there will be a bit of cross threading. Since the distance is small, this usually is not a problem. Or, you could order some 1/4″-27 nuts from a lighting parts supplier (I use GrandBrass).

Another solution is to drill a 1/2″ counterbore in the blank with a Forstner bit to the depth of the nut you’re going to use. On average, 1/4″-28 or 27 nuts are 7/16″ across the flats. This puts the corner-to-corner distance at just a tad over 1/2″, making them a press fit. Superglue seals the deal. Before pressing in the nut, you may want to drill a tad deeper with a 1/4″ drill to give the excess screw thread on the harp someplace to go.

A final option is to order a 1/4″-27 tap from an industrial hardware, such as McMaster-Carr. Just run the tap through a 1/4″-28 nut, and you are good to go. This is also a good option if you want to use plastic or tagua nut for the finial and tap it directly.

I have made a few finials from tagua nut, which is the nut of the ivory palm tree and is indistinguishable from ivory except by chemical test. There are a wide variety of turnable high grade plastics (not the cheap plastic that came with the lamp) sold by turning supply houses that would make dandy finials.

You’ll drill a 1/2″ counterbore in the finial blank, then drill deeper with a #3 twist drill. Superglue in a 1/4″-28, or even a 20, and tap the nut. Using a live center in the tailstock to support your tap holder will ensure the thread is on an axis with the hole.

Other Options

What else can you turn for your home? The sky’s the limit — or is it your ceiling?

For instance, you could turn ceiling medallions for chandeliers. Expensive or unobtainable these days, they are nonetheless easy to make with a sheet of plywood and some wood scraps glued to it. Straight scraping — outboard, of course.

Circular molding. Can’t buy it (or, if you can, it is ugly). Scrape your own with mitered pieces paper-jointed to a disk of plywood.

Escutcheons for doorbell and garage door buttons. You can make them look much better than the cheap plastic escutcheons that come with such items today.

Use your imagination and turn a woodturner’s eye toward your household.

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There’s a special place on the shore of Lake Superior, in Grand Marais, Minnesota, that combines the loves of handmade crafts, the outdoors and northern traditions. That place is the North House Folk School, a school that offers classes about such varied topics as woodworking, pottery, blacksmithing, traditional outdoor skills, boat making and cooking. I recently spent a couple of days there when the activities on campus included basket weaving, sausage making, canoe building and, in my case, making a paddle

I can explain the basic process of making a paddle and share the plans with you, but I don’t think I’ll do the experience justice. You can learn to make most projects with a good set of plans and instructions, but the benefits of attending a class at a school like North House are meeting and working with other people that share your enthusiasm and the insights you gain from the instructor. Mike Schelmeske, a resident of Grand Marais who has been making paddles and other hand tools for over 30 years, taught my class. He’s made nearly 200 paddles and helped others make another 200.

VIDEO: Paddle Making at North House Folk School

Choosing the Wood

Contrary to many assumptions, a paddle does not have to be made from moisture-resistant wood. As long as you apply a finish and hang your paddle to dry thoroughly after each use, you can make a paddle out of just about any wood. The best wood species for paddles are both strong and lightweight.

Mike’s go-to choice is basswood. Other popular options include white cedar and Alaskan yellow cedar. These woods tend to have less character to their grains, but they are light- weight and easy to shape. If you’d like something with more interesting character, then you might choose a hardwood, such as ash, black cherry or walnut, but these woods will be heavier. Another consideration to keep in mind is that more interesting grain patterns tend to be more challenging to plane. Whatever species you choose, start with a piece that is 5/4″ thick by at least 7″ wide by roughly 60″ long (the length depends on the intended paddler’s height; see photo, page 46). It’s also best to select a board that has a symmetrical growth ring pattern.

Design

There are countless variations of paddle designs. Mike had a selection of several templates that he has collected over the years. He was even kind enough to share his 26″ Northwoods beavertail style blade and handle templates for you to use (see Drawings). We made a traditional solid wood paddle, but you can also laminate multiple pieces together and use the same templates and techniques to make a laminated paddle. Keep in mind that using multiple wood species and grain directions in the same paddle blank may create hand planing challenges.

Download Canoe Paddle Template PDF

Shaping

The steps to make a paddle are fairly easy to follow (see below). As the 
old woodcarver’s joke goes, you simply start with a piece of stock and remove all the wood that doesn’t look like a paddle. Depending on your ability with a hand plane, making your first paddle will take the better part of a weekend. You can speed up the initial blade planing process with a power planer, but the rest of the shaping is best done with hand planes, a spokeshave and maybe a carving or crooked knife.

The goal is to remove as much material as you can without compromising strength. The most common mistake for participants in my class was actually being too cautious and not removing enough material. Unfortunately, knowing when to stop removing material is something that comes with experience — another reason attending a class with a seasoned instructor was helpful.

Step-by-Step:

Finishing

There are two schools of thought when it comes to finishing a paddle. One approach is to use a marine varnish or epoxy to provide maximum protection. The downside of this approach is that when the finish eventually breaks down, it requires more work to refinish. The other approach, the one that Mike endorses, is to apply an oil finish, such as tung oil finish, that will seal the wood, but does not create a thick film layer. An oil finish must be reapplied more frequently, depending on how much use the paddle gets. In either case, the best way to keep your paddle in good condition is to hang it up to dry thoroughly after each use.

Whether you make one for yourself or as a gift, making a paddle is a very satisfying project. It will pay you back everytime you use it. Even if you choose not to make a paddle, I highly recommend seeking out a craft school in your area and enrolling in a class. The experience will leave you with new skills, a new project and new friends.

Dan Cary manages and creates digital content for Woodworker’s Journal and former Editor in Chief of HandyMagazine. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter at @danrcary

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Wafting sawdust can ruin a good stereo system; accidentally spearing a speaker with a wayward plank will kill the music.

Jobsite radios are designed to withstand the bumps and knocks that can happen in transit or at a worksite or workshop. They’ll run on AC or on the same battery packs used in cordless power tools, so they’ll work outdoors at a remote worksite or a deck or patio lacking electricity. What’s more, jobsite radios aren’t just radios: They can play music from a smartphone or MP3 player, and some can even connect wirelessly via Bluetooth.

I was anxious to review the features and test the performance of the latest crop of jobsite radios. Being a part-time musician and recording engineer, I was especially anxious to hear how they sounded! I tested 13 models made by seven different tool companies (see pictures and specs of all radios at the end of this post): Bosch PB360S – Bosch PB180 – Bosch PB120 – DeWALT DCR012 – DeWALT DCR015 – Makita LXRM03B – Milwaukee 2792-20 – Milwaukee 2790-20 – Milwaukee 2590-20 – PORTER-CABLE PCC771B – RIDGID R84083 – RIDGID R84084 – RYOBI P742

The DeWALT DCR018 didn’t arrive in time for my review, but I’ve included its specifications and features along with the other radios in the chart on page 54. To help dispel a common misconception that all jobsite radios can recharge the battery packs they run on, I’ve divided the models into three groups: radio/chargers (large radios that can also serve as battery pack chargers); large radios (units roughly the size of boom boxes); and compact radios (the smaller, lighter models).

Click here to download the test results spec sheet.

VIDEO: The Audio Tests – Listen to all 13 radios

Shared Features

With the exception of the compact RIDGID and RYOBI radios, which are battery-powered only, all jobsite radios run on either 120v AC or battery pack power. Some radios accept only one type of battery pack: for example, the Milwaukee radio/charger only runs on (but also recharges) 18-volt M18 lithium-ion packs. Others may be powered by more than one type (NiCd, lithium-ion, etc.) and/or voltage of pack.

When AC power is handy, most radios plug directly into a standard household outlet and have a cord wrap on the back or bottom. The majority of compacts, as well as the Makita, require a plug-in AC adapter, which is included with each. I’m not a big fan of these “wall warts” because it’s easier to plug in a power cord than have to lug an adapter along.

Something that distinguishes a jobsite radio from a standard radio is its sturdy construction. These units feature protective reinforcements that range from simple corner guards to armor-like enclosures to full exoskeleton-like “roll cage” bars. All offer protection should the radio be dropped, slam around in the back of a pickup truck, or even fall off a scaffolding or rooftop. While I didn’t actually hurl any of these radios from the top of my two-story roof, I did toss them around a good deal, and none stopped working (to paraphrase a classic Timex® watch ad: “they took a lickin’ and kept on tickin’ ”). On the downside, heavy-duty construction adds bulk and weight, especially to larger models. At more than 24 and 17 pounds respectively, the Bosch and Milwaukee radio/ chargers — the two heaviest in this group — require some muscle to pick up and carry, especially compared to the smallest compact units.

To aid portability, all jobsite radios have carrying handles, although these are better realized on some models than others. I liked the models with top-mounted handles the best, as these made the radios easy to grab and carry. I wasn’t fond of the side-mounted handles on some of the smaller radios, as I often fumbled around trying to figure out where to grab these to pick them up. The Milwaukee radio/ charger and large model sport an additional feature that’s really handy: a built-in bottle opener, perfect when it’s time for a cold drink at the end of a long, hot day.

Buttons, Dials, Displays

All radio audio and other features are controlled by, depending on the model, various types of buttons and dials. Roughly half the radios use a rotating dial for adjusting volume, while the other half employ a pair of up and down volume buttons. I liked being able to change volume or tuning with the quick spin of a dial, rather than having to toggle the volume up or down by repeatedly pressing buttons. The DeWALT radio/charger and RIDGID compact have a separate dial just for radio tuning. Uniquely, the Milwaukee radio/charger’s volume ramps up gradually after the unit is switched on, kind of like soft start on a router. I liked this feature, as I didn’t get blasted when the radio was last left at an earsplitting volume.

Typically, jobsite models have separate buttons for power On/Off, mode selection (FM, AM, auxiliary input, etc.), radio tuning and clock display. The majority of these buttons are rubberized and comfy to push and larger buttons, as found on the Milwaukee radio/charger, are usable even with work gloves on. I found the small membrane-style buttons used on the compact RYOBI hard on bare fingertips. Some radios have buttons dedicated to specific features — EQ, Bluetooth, presets, etc., which I preferred to units with buttons that perform multiple functions. The Milwaukee compact and large models, as well as both compact Bosch radios, feature a dedicated “mute” button, which lets you turn the sound off in a hurry, say when you need to answer a ringing telephone. On most models, adjustments such as setting the clock, radio presets, EQ, must be done by pressing buttons and scrolling through computer-like menus, a process that’s often confusing and frustrating.

All radios feature a backlit LCD panel that displays the tuning frequency, volume, sound source, and the time, — most radios display the time even with the power switched off. Some models display other information, such as how much juice is left in the battery pack and, on some radio/chargers, the pack’s recharging status. The Makita LXRM03B not only shows you the time and date, but it also has a built-in alarm clock, complete with a “snooze” setting, I suppose in case you want to take a siesta in your shop. It also displays Radio Data System (RDS) information which, depending on if the station transmits it, shows you the station’s call letters (KPIG, WKRP, etc.) and sometimes even the name of the artist and song currently playing!

Radio Tuners

Pulling in AM and FM stations is a jobsite radio’s primary duty, so good reception is a must. A radio’s station-grabbing power can make the difference between listening to your favorite programming or settling for some megawatt station that blasts a commercial every 30 seconds. I tested the reception of each radio by seeing how many stations it could tune in strongly and clearly, without excessive chatter or distortion. I gave the one that pulled in the most stations (the Bosch P180) a score of 10, and scored the other ra- dios proportionally (see the individual model info boxes). The large RIDGID and Makita allow you to switch the radio’s normal stereo reception to mono, a feature that helps weaker stations sound better by reducing annoying intermittent static.

All but one of the radios — the compact RIDGID — feature tuning presets that allow you to set and choose your favorite FM or AM station with the push of a button. The number of presets varies from model to model, but only about a third have dedicated preset buttons. The other radios require you to scroll through your presets by continually pressing a button(s), which can be a bit tedious, especially if the model has 10 or more presets. To retain your presets, time settings, etc. when the radio’s power is disconnected, all units employ replaceable backup batteries, typically AAs or AAAs.

Seek vs Scan

Designed to help you find radio stations more easily, tuner seek and scan functions are often misunderstood. All the radios, save the Makita, have a seek feature: Press a tuning up or down button and the radio automatically sets itself to the next available station. Only a handful of radios have a scan function: Once the scan button is pressed, the radio stops at each available station in turn, one after the other, pausing for a few seconds. To retain the last station found, press the scan button again. Both features are useful for finding available radio stations, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the area; say, you’re at a new worksite far from home. In practice, neither of these features works perfectly on any jobsite radio: seek and/or scan sometimes bypassed strong stations while stopping on other stations with weak signals.

Auxiliary Inputs

In addition to tuning in your favorite radio shows, all jobsite radios can play audio from an auxiliary device, such as an MP3 player, smartphone, tablet, CD player, etc. via a short cord plugged into a 1/8″ (3.5mm) mini stereo jack that’s standard on most portable electronics. The Makita offers even handier connectivity through a top-mounted dock (unfortunately, the connector doesn’t fit all models). The Bosch radio/ charger has sockets for SD memory cards or thumb drives inside a closeable digital media bay. Buttons on the front of the radio allow you to pause/play the music, advance between songs, and even randomize song order. This is a great way to play MP3 audio files while leaving valuable electronic devices at home.

Device Compartments

To house and protect auxiliary devices, most jobsite radios have built-in sealable compartments (the RIDGID and RYOBI compacts have a place on the back for se- curing a device with a small strap). Most compartments’ doors have rubber gaskets to keep out dust, and latches that are easy to open — a good thing because of the need to access the device to start/stop the music. Although the Milwaukee 2790-20’s top-mounted compartment/battery bay is conveniently located, its two rotating latches are hard to turn and tedious to operate. The majority of compartments also have a built-in USB port; however, some units (see chart) only provide USB power when the radio is plugged into an electrical outlet, a real drawback if you need to recharge your phone/device at a jobsite lacking AC power.

Bluetooth Connectivity

One of the coolest features found on a few jobsite radios is Bluetooth connectivity. Bluetooth is basically a radio-frequency signal that’s transmitted by most modern smartphones and tablets. Unlike FM or AM radio transmissions, Bluetooth signals have a range limited to about a hundred feet at best. That’s usually more than adequate for playing music (or audiobooks, or podcasts) in your shop from
a device that’s safely located inside your car or home.

With my iPad in hand, I tested the Bluetooth-capable Milwaukee radio/charger, and RYOBI and PORTER-CABLE compacts. All three quickly connected to the iPad without a hitch and performed well, reproducing clear and glitch-free audio even when the iPad was 50 feet away in another room. Passing through doors and walls had varying effects on the signal, but whenever the connection was lost, each radio automatically reconnected when the device was relocated. Buttons on all three units offer some control over the remote device, either allowing pausing/playing and/or advancing songs.

Equalization

To better suit different styles of music and the sonic preferences of the listener, the majority of jobsite radios offer adjustable equalization (a.k.a. “ EQ”), allowing you to boost or cut treble and bass frequencies. In lieu of these adjustments, the DeWALT DCR012 and DCR018 have a dedicated bass boost button, which adds more low-end punch to the sound, and the Makita has a “loudness” setting, which boosts both bass and treble. The Bosch radio/ charger features five equalization presets: jazz, rock, pop, classical and a customizable setting. I really liked this feature, as it allowed me to change the radio’s tonal quality to suit different kinds of music without having to fiddle with individual bass and treble settings.

How Do They Sound?

Here are the two main factors to consider when evaluating the audio produced by a jobsite radio: loudness and sound quality. The first is important because these radios should be audible even in a noisy environment. In addition to producing a considerable volume of sound, a radio’s power amplifier must do so without driving its speakers into distortion. Good radio sound should also be as natural and true to the source as possible.

Measuring Loudness

To get a good sense of just how loud these radios were, I played the same musical selection (a contemporary big-band jazz tune with a full-spectrum sound) on an iPod connected to each radio. I turned the volume up until just before the speakers distorted and measured the sound pressure level, in decibels (Db) with a sound meter set a few feet away. The loudest radio, the Milwaukee radio/charger, measured 102 Db — roughly as loud as a roaring chainsaw! At 86 Db, the Milwaukee compact was the least loud. Unfortunately, decibel measurements don’t provide a clear means of comparing the volume of different radios because the Db scale isn’t linear: To the human ear, music playing at 90 Db actually sounds only half as loud as when it’s played at 100 Db. Therefore, I gave the top-Db-producing Milwaukee a rating of 10 and scored the other radios on a linear scale relative to it. For example, the 92 Db RYOBI compact measured only half as loud as the big Milwaukee, and thus received a score of 5 (half of 10). The scores (found in the model info boxes) should give you a reasonable notion of how radio loudness compares in the real world.

Just how loud does a jobsite radio need to be? In my experience, even the units with the least amplification were loud enough to hear clearly even in a large shop, and the most powerful radios were plenty loud enough to blanket a big outdoor area.

Sound Quality

Even the loudest radio isn’t a great choice if the sound it produces isn’t pleasant to listen to. Obviously, sound quality is a highly subjective issue, depending not only on personal preferences, but on the kind of programming you’re listening to. To rate the sound of these 13 radios, I played a variety of music on each one. Relying on my experience recording and mixing records, I awarded the highest points to models that sounded the most clear and transparent, with deep In general, the large radios and radio/chargers sounded better than compact models. This is due to the fact that physically larger units with bigger (and/or specialized) speakers are simply more capable of reproducing fuller and richer bass and low-mid frequencies. The top-rated Bosch radio/charger produced very strong bass, thanks to its bottom-mounted 41⁄2″ “sub- woofer” speaker designed specifically for reproducing low frequencies prevalent
in bass-heavy music genres like reggae and hip-hop. The next highest rated radio, the Milwaukee 2792-20 (as well as the DeWALT DCR015), produced good bass through two regular 31⁄2″ speakers and clear highs through a pair of small “tweeters.” The three top-sounding compacts — the Milwaukee 2590-20, Bosch PB180 and PORTER-CABLE PCC771B, all produced surprisingly rich sounds despite their small speakers and space-saving sizes.

Conclusions

Usually at this point of a tool review article, I sum up the various pros and cons of each model tested and identify my favorites. But in this case, there’s a significant factor in play: None of the jobsite radios in this review come with a battery pack, nor do any, save the radio/charger models, come with chargers. So unless you’re willing to invest in these expensive extras, it’s much more practical to buy a radio that uses the same charger and packs you already own.

But what if you own several different brands/voltages of cordless tools, or are willing to invest in a new brand/battery type? If tool brand and battery were not a factor, my first choice in jobsite radios would be the Bosch PB360S. I think it’s the best-sounding jobsite model, plus it’s got lots of connectivity (save Bluetooth) and more useful features than any other model. All that, and it recharges Bosch’s 18-volt lithium-ion battery packs, too. Yes, it’s heavy, but I like to think that each time I lift it, I get a little upper-body workout.

If you don’t need a super loud radio and size and weight (and price) are important considerations, I’d suggest choosing one of the three top-performing compact models by Milwaukee, Bosch (the PB180) and PORTER-CABLE. All three pack a lot of sound and features into a light, portable package and sell for around half of what the big models cost. Whichever type or model you choose, it’s a good idea to sample a particular model’s audio qualities before you buy it (you can hear high quality recordings of all the radios in my Audio Tests video, above).

Click here to download the test results spec sheet.

The Radios We Tested

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Want the plans for this vanity? You’ll find them in the May/June 2015 issue of Woodworker’s Journal. Order the May/June 2015 issue here.

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