h Power Miter Saw Station □ Random-Orbit Sanders a Sharpening without Stones □ Shop-Made Hand Plane ShobNotes Vol. 2 HH Issue 11 EDITOR’S NOTE EDITOR Donald B. Peschke EXECUTIVE EDITOR Douglas L. Hicks MANAGING EDITOR Terry J. Strohman ASSOCIATE EDITOR Richard S. Peters ASSISTANT EDITOR Tim Robertson CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Philip A. Totten CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ted Kralicek ART DIRECTOR Cary Christensen SENIOR ILLUSTRATOR Kurt Schultz ILLUSTRATORS WillNiskanen Roger Reiland Mark Higdon PHOTOGRAPHER Crayola England DESIGN DIRECTOR Ken Munkel SENIOR DESIGNER Jan Hale Svec DESIGNER Kent Welsh SHOP MANAGER Steve Curtis CIRCULATION Circulation Director: Liz Bredeson •Subscription Manage^: Phyllis Jessen * Circulation Analyst: Rod Cain* Newsstand Sales: Kent A. Buckton PUBLISHING SERVICES A ssociate Editor: Gordon C. Gaippe • Sr. Graphic Designer: Robert H. Whitmer CORPORATE SERVICES Controller: Paul E. Gray ■ Accounting : Laura Thomas ■ Bookkeeping: Julianne Spears •Info. Services Manager: Joyce Moore ■ Electronic Pub. Coordinator: Douglas M. Lidster ■ Administra- tive Assts.: Cheryl Scott, Julia F ish ■ Reception- ist: Jeanne Johnson ■ Bldg. Maint.: Ken Griffith PROJECT SUPPLIES Marketing Director: Robert Murry •Catalog Art Director: Cindy Jackson ■ Catalog Products Manager: Bob Baker ■ Project Supplies: Linda Jones ■ Technical Support: Jeff Janes •Systems Operator: Linda Morrow ■ Receptionist: Keri Lee CUSTOMER SERVICE Manager: Valerie Wiese ■ Supervisor: Jennie Enos ■ Customer Service Representatives: Jen- nifer Murphy, Joy Johnson, Sara Kono, Ami Blanshan, Anna Cox, Chris Lo SHIPPING DEPARTMENT Supervisor: Jerry Carson ■ Fulfillment: Gloria Sheehan, DonMcVey, Chuck Carlson, Sylvia Carey ShopNotes © (ISSN 1062-9696) is published bimonthly (Jan., March, May, July, Sept., Nov.) by Woodsmith Cor- poration, 2200 Grand Ave., Dos Moines, I A 50312. ShopNotes © is a registered trademark of Woodsmith Corp. ©Copyright 1993 by Woodsmith Corporation. All rights reserved. Subscriptions: Single Copy, $4.95. One year subscription (6 issues), $19.95. Two years (12 issues), $35.95. Can- ada/Foreign, add $4.00 per year. Second Class Postage Paid at Des Moines, I A and at ad- ditional offices. Postmaster: Send change of address to ShopNotes, Box 11204, Des Moines, IA 50340-1204 Subscription Questions? Call 1-800-333-5854, Sam to 5pm, Central Time, weekdays. PRINTED IN U.S.A. W e purchased a portable mi- ter saw for the shop several years ago. And it has proven to be a very popular tool around here. In fact, our miter saw is so popular that it never seems to be in the shop. Some- one is always using it for some project at his house. One reason our miter saw is so popu- lar is it can be easily moved to wherever it’s needed. But the size of the saw also creates a problem. Since the table and fence of the saw are relatively short, it can be difficult to work with long pieces of stock. What we wanted was away to extend the length of the table and fence and still keep the saw portable. After trying several different approaches we finally came up with the Portable Miter Saw Station shown on page 16. MITER SAW STATION. The miter sta- tion features two extension wings that safely support long workpieces. We even came up with a way to extend the saw fence and add a sliding stop system. But the thing I like best about the Miter Saw Station is the way it works when it’s not being used. To make the station portable, the ex- tension wings can be tucked under the saw. The fence system can be knocked down and stored. There are even han- dle cutouts to make it easy to carry. HAND PLANE. Another project that I’ve been wanting to tackle for a long time is a shop-made hand plane. So I got together with our designers and ex- plained what I had in mind — a small wood bodied plane that worked well, looked good, and was easy to build. The trickiest part to building a plane is coming up with a way to hold the blade securely in place. Typically, this is done with a wedge-shaped piece of wood. But it can take a lot of fitting and adjustment to get the wedge to hold the blade securely. So we decided to take a different ap- proach. Instead of using a wedge to secure the blade, we simply screwed the blade in place. For more on this, see the article on page 10. Normally, I would tell you more about what’s in the rest of this issue. But the last couple of days around here haven’t been exactly normal. THE FLOOD. As I write this, w r e’re in the middle of a real crisis. The city of Des Moines is suffering the worst flood on record. We don’t have running water. Our Customer Service and Pro- ject Supplies Offices were flooded. And water is lapping at the door of our ware- house. Not the best of times. The strange thing is, I feel lucky. No one that works here was hurt or lost a home to the flood waters. We were able to save most of the equipment and supplies from our Cus- tomer Service and Project Supplies of- fices. Since the pubhshing offices didn’t receive any maj or damage, we’re mov- ing Customer Service and Project Sup- plies to this building. Right now things are a bit chaotic, so if you call please be patient. We’ll handle your questions and orders as quickly as possible. The flood has also made me realize how lucky I am to work with such a great group of people. When the flood waters started to rise, I didn’t even have to ask for help. The word just got around. Before I knew it, we had crews of people pitch- ing in to move computer equipment to higher ground. It was good thing, be- cause within a few hours everything was under water. As the water started to go down, people spent days sloshing through mud and debris to remove the rest of the office equipment and records. To all those people who spent so much of their own time and effort to help, I can’t thank you enough. 2 ShopNotes No. 11 • Contents Prill Press Table Counterweight 4 All it takes is finger pressure to move your drill press table once you’ve installed this simple counterweight. Random-Orbit Sanders page 8 Pipe Clamp Rack 6 Keep your pipe clamps organized and right at hand with this easy to build wall-mounted rack. Radial Arm Saw Return 7 Make your radial arm saw safer to use with this accessory. It returns the blade after each cut and keeps it there. Random-Orbit Sanders 8 A look at random-orbit sanders. What makes them different, how they work, and techniques for sanding. Hand Plane 10 There's nothing complicated about making your own hand plane. Especially when you start with a special blade set and build the plane around it. Portable Miter Saw Station 16 You can make your power miter saw safer and more accu- rate to use with this work station. A unique design offers support for long stock, yet knocks down easily for storage. Sharpening with Sandpaper 24 You can achieve a razor sharp edge on your hand tools with this quick and inexpensive technique. Shop Solutions 28 Seven Shop-Tested Tips: Frame and Panel Jig, Sanding Belt Storage Rack, Tip for Clamping Edging, Plugging Mortises, Peel and Stick Veneer Tip, No-slip Water- stones, and a Guide for Power Sanding. Plywood Grades 30 What the various grades of hardwood plywood mean. And how to use them to your advantage. Sources 31 Hardware, project supplies, and mail order sources for the projects in this issue. Hand Plane page 10 Miter Saw Station page 1 6 Sharpening page 2Jj No. 11 ShopNotes 3 JIGS & ACCESSORIES Drill Press Table Counterweight A counter- weight system makes it easy to raise and lower the table on a drill press . W e have a drill press in the shop that's a solid, well- built tool. But there's one nag- ging problem. The table drops like a rock when you loosen the clamp that holds it in place. To keep it from sliding down the col- umn, you have to support the weight of the table each time you make a height adjustment. To make it easy to raise and lower the table, I added a simple counterweight system, see photo. This system balances the weight of the table so a small amount of fingertip pres- sure is enough to position it at the desired height. COLLAR. Once I'd settled on the idea of using a counterweight, the challenge was figuring out a way to attach it to the drill press. To do this, I added a wood “collar" at the top of the column. The collar is a piece of 3 /4 M -thick stock that fits around the column, see Fig. 1 . It supports a pulley that allows the counterweight to travel smoothly up and down as you ad- just the table height. (The pulley is just a plastic wheel for a sliding glass door that I picked up at the local hardware store.) With the pulley in hand, the next step is to size the collar (A) so it fits under the head of the drill press. The width of the collar is 5 ", see Fig. 2 a. But the length may vary depending on your mo- tor and mounting brackets. (In my case, this was T.) LAY OUT HOLE. After cutting the collar to length, you can lay # 6 > x 3 A" Fh WOODSCREW CUT SCRAP PIECE OF 3 /4"-THICK STOCK TO FIT END OF PIPE Hardware • (2) V4" x 5V2" Hex Bolts • (2) %2 n Crimp-On Clips • ( 4 ) V4" Washers • % 2 "-P/a. Wire Cable (4 ft.) • (2) V4" Hex Nuts • (1) 2" x 20" PVC Pipe • (1) IV2" 5liding Glass Poor • (3) #8> x 3 A" Fh Woodscrews Wheel (for Pulley) • Lead 5hot to Match Weight of • (1) V 4 " x 2V2" Hex Bolt Drill Press Table • (1) 1/4" Lock Nut 4 ShopNotes No. 11 JIGS & ACCESSORIES Use a C-clamp to measure the diameter of the drill press column. out the hole for the drill press column. To do this, measure the diameter of the column and trans- fer a circle of this size to the collar, see tip in margin and Fig. 2a. To avoid binding the pulley when the collar is tightened, I ripped a V^'-wide “clearance” strip down the center, see Fig. 2. Then it's just a matter of cutting the curved openings for the column. The collar is held together with bolts. The trick is to align the holes for the bolts in both pieces. To do this, I clamped a fence and stop to the drill press table, and then drilled the holes, see Figs. 3 and 4. ATTACH COLLAR. The next step is to attach the collar by bolting the two halves together with the pul- ley in between. Tightening hex nuts on the ends of the bolts locks the collar in place. COUNTERWEIGHT. Now you can add the counterweight. To raise and lower the table without exerting a lot of pressure, it needs to be roughly equal to the weight of the table. What you use for a weight isn't critical. The important thing is it’s compact enough so it doesn't bump into the column. I used a length of 2" PVC pipe filled with lead shot, refer to Fig. la. To hold the shot, a scrap piece of wood is cut to fit inside the bottom of the pipe and screwed in place. WIRE CABLE. All that's left is to connect the counterweight to the table by running a wire cable over the pulley. I slipped one end between the column and the table clamp, and used a crimp-on clip to form a loop, see Fig. 5. To attach the other end to the counterweight, a bolt is passed through a hole in the pipe and another loop in the cable. Note: Filing a notch in the bolt keeps the wire from sliding side to side, refer to Fig. la. No. 11 ShopNotes 5 JIGS & ACCESSORIES An easy to build rack that organizes your pipe clamps and keeps them right at hand . P ipe clamps are one of those tools that when you need them, nothing else will do. But when they're not being used, where do you store them? One solution is this Clamp Rack, see photo. It mounts to the wall to organize your clamps and keep them right at hand. TOP. To provide a “shelf 'for the clamps, I started by making the top (A). Each clamp fits in a notch cut in the front edge. The only problem with this is there's no support for the short sections be- tween the notches. And with use, heavy clamps can break these off. To strengthen the top, I glued a strip of Masonite to a piece of 3 / 4 M -thick hardwood, see Fig. 1. Next, to prevent clamps from slipping out of the rack, the top is tilted at a slight angle. To allow it to fit tight against the wall, the back edge is beveled, see Fig. la. NOTCHES. There are two things to consider when you're ready to cut the notches: the diameter of the pipe, and size of the clamp heads. In order for the clamps to slide easily in and out of the rack, the notches are sized Vg" larger than the diameter of the pipe. (In my case, this is lVg".) It's also important to space the notches far enough apart to pre- vent the clamp heads from hitting each other. For my pipe clamps, I spaced the notches 3" apart, see Fig. lb. After the notches are cut, there's one more thing to do. To prevent the edges from splintering when sliding clamps in and out, I routed a slight chamfer on both faces of the top (A), see Fig. la. BACK. With the top complete, the next step is to make the back (B). To tilt the top slightly, the top edge is beveled at a 5° angle, see Fig. la. Then the top and back are glued and screwed together. MOUNT RACK. All that's left is to mount the rack in a handy loca- tion. Because of the weight of the clamps, I used lag screws and fas- tened them into wall studs. 6 ShopNotes No. 11 JIGS & ACCESSORIES Radial Arm Saw Return O ne thing I’ve noticed about the blade on my radial arm saw is it has a tendency to creep forward when the saw is running. The thought of the blade acci- dentally catching the edge of a workpiece and “walking” across the top is downright scary. So I built a simple return to hold the blade in back of the fence until I’m ready to make a cut. SPRING. What makes the return work is a spring that attaches to the column of the saw and the carriage, see Fig. 1. The spring keeps the blade from inching for- ward. As you pull the blade to- ward you to make a cut, the tension that's produced draws the blade back to its starting point. The trick is to get a spring that's strong enough to return the blade, yet not so stiff it's hard to pull. To do this, I measured the total travel of the blade. (In my case, this was 17".) Then I bought a spring at the hardware store that extended easily to this distance. COLLAR. To anchor the spring, I added a collar (A) to the column of the saw, see Fig. 2. The collar starts out as a 3 / 4 M -thick piece of hardwood (I used maple). To fit it to the saw, you'll need to measure the diameter of the column and mark a circle of this size on the collar, see detail in Fig. 2. Then, after ripping it down the center, the curved openings can be cut. Before attaching the col- lar, I drilled a hole for an eye bolt that secures one end of the spring. ATTACH COLLAR. The collar is held together with bolts. (For a tip on aligning and drilling the holes for these bolts, refer to Figs. 3 and 4 on page 5.) Next, pinch the collar tight around the column by installing the bolts and tightening nuts on the ends. INSTALL HARDWARE. To com plete the return, I attached the eye bolt with two hex nuts. One end of the spring is attached to the “eye”, and the other to an S- hook which fits over the knob that locks the blade in the rip position. crrftsmbn Make your radial arm saw safer to use with a scrap of wood and a few pieces of hardware. Hardware • ( 2 ) V4" x 4V2" Hex dolts • (4) V4" Washers • (4) V4" Hex Nuts • ( 1 ) - 3/4 plywood T Slock Face (1) 3/4x4 -V 4 Mas. (optional) No. 11 ShopNotes 17 FEATURE PROJECT The Case An easy way to “draw” a T-nut into hardwood is to use a wrench and a hex-head bolt I started work on the Miter Saw Station by making the case. It’s basically an open-ended box with U-shaped sides, see Fig. 1. SIDES. The U-shape forms are- cess for the miter saw to sit in, see Fig. 1. At the same time, this cre- ates a work support surface on either side of the saw, see Fig. 1. To fit most 10" miter saws, the recess in each side (A) is 20" wide. (Note: For a sliding compound or large miter saw, you may need to adjust the case dimensions.) The important thing is that the top of the case end up flush with the table of your saw. For this to happen, the height (width) of the short pieces that form the sides of the i( U” must match the height of the saw table top, see Fig. 1. BOTTOM, PLATFORM, & TOP. The bottom (B), platform ( C), and top pieces (D) are all the same width (16"). But the lengths of these pieces vary, see Fig. 1. To keep the pieces aligned, I cut rabbets on the edges, see Fig. 1. Then I glued and screwed the case together. BRACES. Next, to strengthen the case and help prevent it from racking, I added two hardwood braces ( E ), see Fig. 2. They fit between the sides and under the top pieces (D), see Fig. 2. MOUNT SAW. At this point the saw can be attached to the case. To do this, center the saw from side to side on the platform. And slide it as close to the front edge as possible. Then drill holes and secure the saw with T-nuts and hex bolts, see Fig. 2a. SUPPORTS. Next, two supports (F) are glued in each end of the case, see Fig. 3. These supports are used later to mount the wings. Note: I found it easiest to drill holes in the supports (for the wings) before gluing and screw- ing them in place, see Fig. 3. To complete the case, I screwed four rubber feet to the bottom, refer to Fig. 1. 18 ShopNotes No. 11 FEATURE PROJECT After completing the case, I added a pair of wings to support long workpieces, see Fig. 4. LIP. But before work can begin on the wings, you’ll need to glue a hardwood lip (G) across each end of the case, see Fig. 4. This lip covers the edge of the plywood bottom (B) and helps to support the wings. WINGS. With the lips glued in place, you can make the wings. Each wing consists of an end, two supports, and a table, see Fig. 4. The first step is to make the ends. To prevent a workpiece from catching on the wings, it’s impor- tant that the ends (H) be flush with the top of the case. The height of the ends (H) is the dis- tance from the top of the lip to the top of the case (in my case, 6"). To complete the ends (H), I cut a handle hole in each to make it easy to move the saw, see Fig. 4. SUPPORTS & TABLE. Attached to each end (H) are two table sup- ports (I) and a table (J)> see Fig. 4. To size the table so the wings will fit inside the case, measure between the supports (F) and subtract Vs" for clearance (10 7 /8"). Then rabbet the edges and glue and screw the wings together. ATTACH THE WINGS. In order to knock down and set up the wings quickly, they’re held in place with threaded knobs (or thumbscrews) and T-nuts. (For hardware sources, see page 31.) The threaded knobs pass through the holes you drilled earlier in the supports (F) and thread into T-nuts, see Fig. 4a. Two sets of holes in each wing allow you to use the same knobs to secure the wing in either the open or stored position. The tricky part is aligning these holes with the ones you drilled in the sup- ports (F). To do this, I used dowel centers, see Figs. 5 and 6. After drilling the holes, install the T-nuts. Finally, position the wings and thread in the knobs. No. 11 ShopNotes 19 FEATURE PROJECT The Fence Rails Once the wings are complete, the station is ready to use. But I’ve never been satisfied with the short fences on my miter saw. It's awkward to position and hold a long workpiece. And for repeat cuts, there’s nothing to clamp a stop block to. To solve both of these prob- lems, I added a pair of shop-built rails, see Fig. 7. They feature a built-in T-slot for a stop system added later. And just like the wings, the rails attach to the case with threaded knobs. This way they can be easily removed (and stored, see page 21). THREE PARTS. Each fence rail is made up of three parts: a base, back, and face, see Fig. 8. The base (K) provides a foundation for the back. And two mounting holes drilled in each piece allow you to attach the rails to the case later, see Figs. 7 and 8. Each back (L) supports the workpiece and is grooved for the stop system added later, see Fig. 8. After each groove is cut, a back is glued to a base to form an “L,” see Fig. 8. For accurate cuts, it’s impor- tant that the back is 90° to the base. So before you glue these pieces up, dry clamp them and check for square. Note: Make sure to glue on each base (K) to create a right and a left fence rail. (The end of each base with the mounting hole should face in toward the saw, see Figs. 7 and 8.) FACE. The next step is to add the face pieces. Each face (M) is cut from V4" -thick Masonite and is glued on top of the groove in each back, see Fig. 8. Note: After gluing on the faces, sand or rout a chamfer on the bottom front edge for sawdust relief, see Fig. 8. T-SLOT. Finally, to create the “T” and provide a rock-solid way to lock the stop system in place, a slot is cut in each face, see Figs. 9 and 9a. 20 ShopNotes No. 11 FEATURE PROJECT Mounting the Rails After the fence rails are finished, they can be attached to the case. Just like the wings, the rails are held in place with threaded knobs and T-nuts, see Fig. 10. The tricky part is mounting the rails so they're in line with the miter saw fence. To do this, I use a long straightedge (in my case, a four foot level) to position the rails, see Fig. 10. MOUNTING HOLES. To locate the holes for the T-nuts, clamp the straightedge to the saw fence, and the fence rail to the wing, see Fig. 10. Then hold the other end of the rail in place and drill through the holes in the fence base and into the case and wings, see Fig. 10a. Note: To make it easy to re- align the rails whenever they're removed, see margin tip at right. t-nuts. All that's left is to add T-nuts and threaded knobs and screw the rails in place. DRILL HOLES THROUGH HOLES IN FENCE BASE AND INTO CASE AND WINGS POSITION RAILS IN LINE WITH FENCE OF MITER SAW TOP VIEW To make it easy to reposition the rails, mark a reference line on the table. Storing the Fence Rails To make it as convenient as possible to lift and move the Miter Saw Sta- tion, the rails can be mounted out of the way on the rear of the case, see Drawing. They're held in place with the same knobs used to mount them on top of the case, see Drawing. THIRD HOLE. To bolt both rail ends to the case, you'll need to drill a third 3 /8"-dia. mounting hole in each fence rail, see Drawing. Then, to locate the matching holes in the case for the T-nuts, just hold each rail up against the case. And drill through the hole in each end of the rail and into the side, see Drawing and Cross Section. MOUNT RAILS. Finally, to secure the fence rails, insert the T-nuts and screw the rails to the case with the threaded knobs, see Drawing. SECOND: HOLD RAILS IN PLACE AND DRILL INTO CASE THIRD: ADD T-NUTS AND ATTACH RAILS FIRST: DRILL MOUNTING HOLE 3' IN FROM END OF RAIL No. 11 ShopNotes 21 To prevent the steel rod from binding, use a dowel wrapped with sandpaper to enlarge the hole. FEATURE PROJECT The Stop System With the fence rails mounted, work can begin on the stop sys- tem. To allow you to make quick and accurate repeat cuts, the stop system slides in the T-slot in the fence rails, see Fig. 11. three parts. The only prob- 1 lem is there isn’t a T-slot in the miter saw fence. In order to use the stop close to the saw blade, the stop is made up of three parts: a clamp block, a length of steel rod, and a sliding stop. This way you can extend the stop out over the table of the miter saw, see photo above. clamp block. I started work by making the clamp block (N), see Fig. 12. The clamping action is provided by a toilet bolt (avail- able at most hardware stores). It passes through the block and tits in the T-slot in the fence rail, see Fig. 11a. Tightening a plastic knob (or wing nut) on the end of the bolt pinches the bolt in the slot and locks the stop in place. Next, a hole is drilled the length of the block to accept a steel rod, see Fig. 12 and margin tip at left. To help prevent the clamp block from twisting and binding as it slides back and forth, I glued a ^"-thick Masonite cap (0) to the top of the block, see Fig. 12. THREADED INSERT. In use, the steel rod is locked in place with a threaded knob (or thumbscrew). It runs through a threaded insert in the clamp body to pinch the rod in the hole, see Figs. 12 and 12a. stop. Next, I added a stop (P) to the end of the rod, see Fig. 13. Safety Note: To keep your hands away from the blade, the stop doesn’t extend all the way to the blade — it stops 6" away from it. To strengthen the stop, I glued a Masonite/oce ( Q) to one end, see Fig. 13. And for sawdust relief, I sanded a chamfer on all edges. Finally, epoxy the steel rod in the stop. When it’s dry, slide it into the clamp body and attach the stop system to the fence rail. 22 ShopNotes No. 11 FEATURE PROJECT Using the Stop Closed For the majority of cuts I make, I butt the stop (P) up against the clamp block (N) and lock it in place, see Drawing. Now to set the stop for a repeat cut, first loosen the plastic knob on the clamp block. Then slide the entire assembly for the desired cut and lock it in place. Extended To cut shorter workpieces, slide the stop near the end of the rail and lock it in place, see Drawing. Then loosen the threaded knob on top of the clamp block and ex- tend the stop (P) out for the de- sired cut. Safety Note: The stop should always be at least 6" away from the blade. Optional Stop for Long Stock To make repeat cuts on stock longer than the fence rails, I added an optional stop, see photo. IPs similar to the fence system except it fits under the left wing. The optional stop consists of a rod clamp (R) and a two-piece stop, see Figs. 1 and 2. These two parts are connected with a 3 /&"- diameter steel rod. Note: Since I wanted to store the stop in the case and still get the maximum extension, the steel rod is cut 22" long. MOUNT STOP. To mount the as- sembled stop, position it under the wing so it butts up against the face of the fence rail. Then glue and screw the clamp block to the wing table (J), refer to Fig. 1. No. 11 Shop Notes 23 TECHNIQUE Silicon carbide sandpaper provides a quick and inexpensive way to get a razor sharp edge on a chisel or plane iron. Sharpening with Sandpaper O ne thing I’ve learned over the years is there's more than one way to get a job done right. Take sharpening a chisel or plane iron for example. Lately, I've been experimenting with a slightly “offbeat” technique that doesn't even require a sharpening stone. Yet it produces a sharp edge in a matter of minutes. SANDPAPER. The key to this system is an inexpensive (yet ef- fective) abrasive that's available at most hardware stores — Wet or Lhnj silicon carbide sandpaper. What makes it such a good choice for sharpening is the particles of silicon carbide that are bonded to the paper. They’re extremely hard and sharp, so they cut quickly. Another advantage to silicon carbide paper is it can be used either wet or dry. I prefer to use it Vet” by spraying water on the sandpaper. (I mist it with a spray bottle.) This floats the filings away and keeps the paper from clogging up. And since it has a waterproof backing, the paper won't fall apart as you're sharpening. THE edge. Whether you use the paper wet or dry, the thing to keep in mind as you're sharpen- ing is the geometry of the cutting edge. It's formed by the intersec- tion of two surfaces — the back and the bevel, see Fig. 1. To create a sharp edge, the secret is to make both of these surfaces as smooth and flat as possible. GLASS. The only way to ensure a perfectly flat back (or bevel) is to work off a surface that you know is flat. I use a piece of V 4 "- thick glass, see box below. But the bed of a jointer or a table saw would also work. Note: If you're using the paper Vet,” be sure to use a lubricant like WD-40 to pre- vent rust. FLATTEN THE BACK Although flattening the back re- quires a little elbow grease, the nice thing about it is you only need to do it one time. Once it's Sharpening Platform A piece of glass provides an ideal surface for flattening the back or bevel of a blade. But it has a tendency to slide back and forth as you're sharpening. To hold the glass in place, I use a simple sharpening platform, see Drawing. This is just a scrap piece of plywood with Masonite cleats attached at each end of the glass. Another advantage of the platform is it keeps metal filings from spreading out onto your work area. 3 / 4 h -thick plywood SCREW CLEATS TO PLYWOOD TO KEEP GLASS FROM SLIDING CLEAT (V-THICK MASONITE) 24 ShopNotes No. 11 TECHNIQUE flat, you just need to concentrate on the bevel the next time you sharpen the blade. So why bother with the back at all? Because even with a brand new chisel, it may not be per- fectly flat. If the back has a slight hollow, you end up with a “dished” cutting edge, see Fig. 2. A crown on the back results in a curved edge. To eliminate these problems, I start with a piece of 240 grit sand- paper and work on about a l"-long area behind the cutting edge. Note: Spraying some water on the glass before positioning the paper creates a surface tension that helps keep the paper from sliding back and forth. When flattening the back, the idea is to apply pressure over the beveled end of the blade and make firm, even strokes across the sandpaper, see Fig. 3. As the sanding progresses, you'll begin to see a shiny surface develop on the back of the blade. When it ex- tends clear across the blade, the back is flat. POLISH BACK. Even when the back is flat, it still needs some work. That's because the coarse grit paper leaves large scratches behind. Each of these scratches forms a tiny nick where it meets the cutting edge of the blade. RANGE OF GRITS. To remove these scratches, I polish the back with a progression of finer grits. I move on to 400 grit next, and then follow it up with 800 and 1,000 grit sandpaper. While this produces a service- able edge, I like to continue pol- ishing with 1,500 and 2,000 grit paper to get a mirror smooth fin- ish. (I found these extra fine grits of sandpaper at an auto body parts store.) SQUARE THE edge. Once the back is flat and smooth, there’s one more thing to do before you begin work on the bevel. That’s to check that the edge is square, see the box below. To lay the ground- work for a sharp edge, the back of the blade is pol- ished to a mirror smooth finish. Squaring the Edge After flattening the back, I make it a habit to check that the cutting edge is square to the sides. This is especially important when sharpening a plane iron. That's because most planes are designed to hold a blade with an edge that's 90° to the sides. Fortunately, there's nothing complicated about reshaping the edge. Start by squaring a line across the back of the blade, see Drawing. Note: To keep the line from rubbing off, I use a fine tip permanent marker. If a lot of material needs to be removed to square up the edge, I make a few light passes across the high corner with a file. But if the edge is reasonably close, I use a slightly different approach. Basically, the idea here is to square up the edge and flatten the bevel at the same time. This is just a matter of applying more pressure to the high corner as you're sharpening. (For more on this technique, refer to page 26.) No. 11 ShopNotes 25 TECHNIQUE Flattening the 3eve\ Once the back is flat and you've polished it to a smooth finish, you're halfway to a sharp edge. Now you can concentrate on the bevel. The goal here is to make the surface of the bevel as flat and smooth as the back. CONSISTENT ANGLE. The key to getting a smooth, flat bevel is to hold the chisel (or plane iron) at a consistent angle to the sharp- ening surface. The problem is it's difficult to hold the blade at the correct angle as you sharpen it. HONING guide. To solve this, I mount the blade in a honing guide, see Fig. 4. There are sev- eral different styles of honing guides available. The one I prefer to use is nothing more than a roll- ing clamp that holds the blade at the desired angle. (For informa- tion on this guide, see box below.) FLATTEN THE BEVEL. With the blade mounted in the honing guide, you're ready to flatten the bevel. Here again, the idea is to use silicon carbide paper and proceed from a coarse to a fine grit. The trick is knowing where to start. GRITS. Basically, this requires matching the grit to the condition of the bevel. To remove a nick in the edge, I “rough shape” the bevel with a piece of 180 grit pa- per. But for most work, this is just too coarse. For example, if I'm sharpening a brand new chisel for the first time, I'll start with a piece of 240 grit paper. Or, if I'm just touching up an edge, a few strokes on a piece of fine grit sandpaper is all that's needed. even PRESSURE. Regardless of the grit, the important thing is to apply even pressure on the blade. To keep the honing guide from rocking side to side, I place my thumbs behind the guide and press my fingertips down on the Honing Guide By holding a chisel (or plane iron) at a consis- tent angle to the sharpening surface, this honing guide ensures that the bevel remains flat as you’re sharpening. This honing guide solves the big- gest problem of getting a perfectly flat bevel — holding the chisel or plane iron at a consistent angle. To secure the blade, there are two pairs of adjustable jaws: a wide set for plane irons, and a nar- row set for chisels, see Drawing. Regardless of which set of jaws you're using, the angle of the bevel depends on how far the blade pro- jects in front of the guide. I match the existing angle by positioning the blade in the jaws so the entire surface of the bevel is flat. NARROW JAWS TURN SCREW TO ADJUST JAWS WIDE JAWS \ \ IN OR OUT GUIDE WHEEL Then just tighten the screw that locks the jaws, and apply pres- sure to the blade as you roll the guide across the sharpening sur- face. (For sources, see page 31.) 26 ShopNotes No. 11 TECHNIQUE back of the blade right over the bevel, see Fig. 5. Now it's simply a matter of rolling the guide back and forth across the sandpaper. As you’re sharpening, it’s a good idea to check your progress frequently. You’re looking for two things here: a square cutting edge and a small metal “hook” or burr that forms when the back meets the surface of the bevel, see Fig. 6a. SQUARE. The edge is easy to check for square. I either use a small try square or compare the edge to the line drawn across the back of the blade earlier, refer to box on page 25. If one corner is higher than the other, just con- tinue sharpening and apply more pressure over the high corner. BURR. Another good indicator of your progress is the burr. Since it’s too small to see, you’ll need to feel it by drawing your finger up the back of the blade, see Fig. 6. Safety Note: Don’t pull your fin- ger along the edge. The idea is to keep sharpening until there’s a nice even burr across the entire width of the blade. REMOVE BURR. When you can feel a burr across the back of the blade, the next step is to remove it with a piece of sandpaper. To To create a razor sharp edge, the bevel is flattened so it’s perfectly smooth and flat. avoid putting deep scratches in the back, I switch to the final grit paper that was used to polish the back. Now, without taking the blade out of the honing guide, alter- nately stroke the back and the bevel across the sandpaper, see Fig. 7. This bends the burr back and forth until it breaks off. POLISH BEVEL. All that’s left to produce a razor sharp edge is to continue polishing the bevel using progressively finer grits of paper. As before, check the edge for square, and remove the burr at each stage before going on to the next grit. Touch-Up Paddle Sometimes all I need to do is touch up the edge of a chisel or plane iron. Rather than go through the entire sharpening process, I use a 'touch-up” paddle. This is just a piece of hardwood with fine grit silicon carbide sand- paper glued on, see Drawing. (I use a spray adhesive like 3M’s Spray Mount.) The idea here is to rest the bevel flat on the paddle. Then pull the blade toward you a couple of times. This creates a very fine burr that’s easily removed. /PULL BLADE TOWARD YOU Wlfl BEVEL FLAT ON 5ANPPAPER ^ No. 11 ShopNotes 27 TIPS & TECHNIQUES Shop Solutions Frame and Fane\ Jig ■ Gluing up a frame and panel door so it ends up perfectly square can be difficult. The pieces always seem to slip out of square during glue-up. To get around this, I built a simple jig that provides an accu- rate reference when gluing up panels, see photo. The jig consists of a plywood base and two cleats, see Drawing. To provide an accurate reference, it’s important that the cleats are screwed to base so they're 90° to each other. To use the jig, start by placing each clamp directly over (and parallel to) the rails of the frame. Then, adjust the pressure and po- sition of the clamps until the^ frame sits square in the jig. Note: To prevent any glue squeeze-out from sticking to the jig, I brushed on several coats of polyurethane finish to the base and cleats. Lonnie R . Baxter Murfreesboro , Tennessee Sanding Beit Storage Rack ■ I used to store my sanding belts in a drawer. But every time I needed to change a belt, I ended up emptying out the entire drawer to find the one I wanted. To avoid this, I made a wall- mounted storage rack for my sanding belts, see Drawing. The rack consists of a 3 / 4 n -thick base with dowels, see Drawing. The dowels are spaced far enough apart so the belts hang without touching each other. And to take up the least amount of space, I mounted the rack at 45°. Lionel Fishman Los Angeles , California L i . J & 4 " f 4 " L 4“ v_ NOTE: DRILL 3 /4 n 'DIA. HOLES 3 /&" DEEP 28 ShopNotes No. 11 TIPS & TECHNIQUES Clamping Edging fa I came across a problem re- cently when I needed to glue edg- ing to the ends of a long table. The problem was the table was longer than my pipe clamps. So I came up with this simple technique that uses C-clamps and w r edges to hold the edging in place while the glue dries, see Drawing. To do this, first attach the C- clamps to the edge of the table top. (To ensure a good glue joint, space the clamps evenly about 6" apart.) And to get the proper clamping pressure on the joint line, tap a small wedge between the edging and each clamp until the edging is tight. Spike Lacombe Pahrump , Nevada Editor’s Note: This also works for attaching counter top edging . Plugging Mortises ■ Recently I was working on a project that had a series of slats that fit in mortises. Because of the way the project was de- signed, it was easier to apply the finish before assembling all the pieces. The trick was keeping the finish out of the mortises — I wanted good glue joints later on. To do this, I plugged each mor- Quick Tips ■ Occasionally, I use adhesive- backed veneer. In the past, I’d just press the veneer down on the workpiece and roll it out until the air bubbles were gone. But some- times after a few days the veneer would bubble back up. The sur- face was too porous for the ve- neer to stick. To prevent this, I first seal the tise temporarily with foam caulk- ing rod, see photo. (The caulking rod I used was slightly wider than the mortises.) After the finish dries, just remove the foam rod. A twenty foot length of 3 /8"-dia. caulking rod purchased from my local hardware store cost $2.50. Gail Jeager Rochester , ; New York workpiece with a coat of varnish. The varnish helps fill in the po- rous surface. And this provides a smoother work surface for the veneer to stick to. After the varnish is completely dry, just apply the veneer as you normally would. Gus Klubal Williamstown , Neiv Jersey ■ To prevent a waterstone from sliding around on the workbench when sharpening a chisel or plane iron, place it on a damp cloth. The cloth sticks to the workbench and the waterstone stays on the cloth. James Moon East Point , Georgia Editor’s Note: A few damp pa- per towels also works well. Sanding Guide ■ To prevent a power sander (particularly a belt sander) from tilting near the edge of a work- piece and rounding it over, I place another board that's the same thickness up against the work- piece, see Drawing. This way, the sander rides across the edge in- stead of rounding it over. Kent Hester Kremmling , Colorado Send in Your Solutions If you'd like’ to share your original solutions to. problems you've faced, send them to: ShopNotes, Attn: Shop Solutions, 2200 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, I A 50812. (Or if it's easier, FAX them to us at: 515-282-6741.) We'll pay up to,$2b0 depending on the published length. Please include a daytime phone number so we can call you if we have questions. No. 11 ShopNotes 29 You can use the different grades of plywood to your advantage. LUMBERYAR Plywood Grades It's the selection of the face veneers at the factory that determines the grade of every sheet of hardwood plywood you buy. ■ Could you explain the coding system that's used to grade hard- ihood plywood ? What does it all mean? J. F. Swain Sudbury , Massachusetts Hardwood plywood is graded us- ing a two part letter-number code (such as A-2). This code indicates the appearance of the outer plies so you can compare '‘apples to ap- ples” when shopping for plywood. The letter indicates the quality of the face veneer. And the num- ber describes the back veneer. (Note: The grade describes ap- pearance only — it doesn't indi- cate core type or strength.) FACE VENEERS. The grades for face veneers range from AA to E. The highest in quality is AA, with virtually no defects. All the way down to E which is the poorest and allows the largest amount of defects (such as knots, holes, and splits). Note: D and E grade ply- woods are typically used only for shipping crates and pallets. BACK VENEERS. The system that's used to describe the back veneer is similar to what's used to grade the face. The only difference is that numbers are used instead of letters. A “1” indicates best quality, and a “4”the poorest. BUYING TIPS Once you understand the grading system for plywood, you can use it to your advantage. USE LOWER GRADES. One trick that I've learned is to only pay for what I need. For example, say you're build- ing a table that has a plywood top — don't buy A-l plywood. Since only one side of the plywood will show, you don't need two good sides. Instead, save 20% to 30% and buy a sheet of A-3 or B-4. reject BACK. Or if you're go- ing to build a cabinet and use ply- wood for the back, you can save money by buying a sheet of “re- ject back'' or “good one side.''This non-official designation is often used to describe thin (usually Vi M - thick or less) plywood. It's typically used on imported plywood that hasn't been graded to U.S. standards. The back ve- neer is usually very low quality, and can even be a different spe- cies than the face veneer — but it usually costs 30% to 40% less than a sheet of A-l. SHOP GRADE. Another “grade” which doesn't appear in the offi- cial rule book is “shop” grade. A sheet of shop grade plywood is basically a factory second and is priced accordingly. In many cases, a high quality panel is down-graded to shop grade for a very small defect (such as a split in the face veneer) J In other panels there may be a larger flaw. But in every case, there's always a defect. Over the years, I've saved a lot of money by buying shop grade plywood. (It typically costs 20% to 30% less than the higher grades.) It takes a little more time poking around the stacks of plywood at the lumber store, but that's okay, I enjoy it. What Grade is that Plywood? Unlike softwood plywood, hard- wood plywood is generally not stamped to show it's grade. Why? Because the ink used for the stamp would stain the veneer. And the edge of the plywood is usually too thin. Note: Some com- panies stamp the edge of their thicker plywood, see photo. If you need a particular grade, you'll have to ask for it — and rely on your supplier. Lumber Questions? ' s Identifying, selecting, and buying materials for your workshop projects can be a bit confusing. If you have any questions ajDOut lumber or other pro- ject materials, send them to: ShopNotes, Attn: Lum- beryard, 2200 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312. Please include a daytime phone number so we can call you if necessary. 30 ShopNotes No. 11 PROJECT SUPPLIES Sources ShopNotes Project Supplies is of- fering some of the hardware and supplies needed for the projects in this issue. We’ve also put together a list of other mail order sources that have the same or similar hard- ware and supplies. HAND PLANE Using a hand plane that you’ve made yourself is satisfying and rewarding. And the simple de- sign of the hand plane shown on page 10 makes it easy to build your own. The heart of the plane is a blade set manufactured by Hock, see photo above. The set is made up of a thick blade for improved sta- bility, and a matching chipbreaker that adds rigidity to the blade as it helps reduce tear-out. ShopNotes Project Supplies is offering a hardware kit for the Hand Plane. The kit includes a lV^'-wide Hock plane blade set, washer, and socket head screw. All you need to supply is the hardwood. Sll-6811-100 Hand Plane Hardware Kit $26.50 MITER SAW STATION The Miter Saw Station featured on page 16 will make your miter saw safer and more accurate to use — without sacrificing any portability. A unique design allows a pair of extension wings to knock- down and slip into the station for storage. Fence rails help position long stock and are slotted to ac- cept a stop system. This stop sys- tem allows you to make quick and accurate repeat cuts. ShopNotes Project Supplies is offering a hardware kit for the Miter Saw Station. The kit in- cludes all the hardware needed to build the station. All you need to supply is 3 / 4 "-thick hardwood and plywood. Note: You’ll also need to supply the correct size mounting bolts and T-nuts to attach your miter saw to the station. Sll-6811-200 Miter Saw Sta- tion Hardware Kit $23.95 SHARPENING The Sharpening with Sandpaper article shown on page 24 de- scribes a method of sharpening that uses silicon carbide sandpa- per instead of water or oil stones. The grit of the sandpaper used ranges from 240 to 2000. Most hardware stores carry silicon carbide paper up to 600 grit. The finer grits (up to 2000) can be found at most auto body shops and supply stores. If you can’t find this sandpaper locally, see the mail order sources below. RANDOM-ORBIT SANDERS The article on random-orbit sanders shown on page 8 explains what makes these sanders differ- ent from other sanders, and de- scribes how they work. They’re more aggressive than an orbital (finishing) sander. And you don’t have to worry about creating cross-grain scratches if you sand across grain (or joint lines) like you do with a belt sander. Random-orbit sanders can be found at many hardware stores and home centers. If you can’t find them locally, see the mail or- der sources listed below. MAIL ORDER SOURCES Similar hardware and supplies may be found in the following catalogs . Please call each company for a catalog or for ordering information. Constantine’s 800 - 223-3087 Honing Guides, Ravdom- Orbit Sanders, 1200 Grit Sandpaper Garrett Wade 800 - 221-2942 Honing Guides, 1 200 and 1500 Grit Sa7idpaper ighland Hardware 800 - 537-7820 Honing Guides, Randxnn- Orbit Sanders Japan Woodworker 800 - 537-7820 Hock Plane Blades, Honing Guides Sanding Catalogue 800 - 228-0000 Random-Orbit Sand- ers, 800, 1000, and 1200 Grit Sandpaper Trendlines 800 - 767-9999 Random-Orbit Sanders Woodcraft 800 - 225-1153 Honing Guides, Random - Orbit Sanders The Woodworkers’ Store 612 - 428-3200 Honing Glides, Random- Orbit Sanders Woodworker’s Supply 800 - 645-9292 Honing Glides, Random- Orbit Sanders ORDER INFORMATION BY MAIL To order by mail, use the order form that comes with the current issue. The order form includes information on handling and shipping charges, and sales tax. If the mail order form is not available, please call the toll free number at the right for more information on specific charges and any applicable sales tax. BY PHONE For fastest service use our Toll Free order line. Open Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Central Time. Before calling, have your VISA, MasterCard, or Dis- cover Card ready. 1 - 800 - 444-7527 Note: Pnces subject to change after November 1, 1993. No. 11 ShopNotes 31 Scenes From the Shop Often referred to as a “transitional” plane, this Stanley ferred ( over all-metal planes) for the better “feel” it No. 35 features a cast iron frame with an accurate blade provided when planing. And to protect their invest- setting mechanism. And a wooden sole that many pre- ment, the owner often stamped their name on one end.