T 1 PS'TOOLS'TECHN 1 Q U EE S ■ Dado Blade Storage ■ Tips on Brushing a Finish Q Bench Plane Tune-Up ■ No-Wrench Router Collet ww 4 w.shopnotes.com EDITOR’S NOTE Cutoffs publisher Donald B. Peschke editor Tim Robertson associate editor Tom Begnal assistant editor Bryan Nelson editorial intern Wyatt Myers art director Cary Christensen SR. GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kurt Schultz senior illustrators Roger Reiland Mark Higdon creative resources Creative Dir.: Ted Kralicek • Project Developer. Ken Munkel • Sr. Project Designer. Kevin Boyle • Project Coordinator. Kent Welsh • Shop Mgr.: Steve Curtis • Shop Craftsman: Steve Johnson • Sr. Photographer. Crayola England • Photogmpher. Roderick Kennedy SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS Executive Editor. Douglas L. Hicks • Art Directin': Steve Lueder • Sr. Graphic Designers: Chris Glowacki, Cheryl L. Simpson • Asst. Editors: Joe Irwin, Craig Ruegsegger CIRCULATION Sub. Serv. Dir.: Sandy Baum • New Bus. Dir.: GlendaBattles • Circ. 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Periodicals Postage Paid at Des Moines, IA and at addi- tional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send change of address to ShopNotes, P.O. Box 37103, Boone, IA 50037-2103. Subscription Questions? Write to: ShopNotes Customer Service, P.O. Box 842, Des Moines, I A 50304-9961. Or call 1-800-333-5854, 8:00 am to 5;0Q pm. Central Time, week- days. FAX 515-283-0447 E-Mail: ShopNotes@shopnotes.com Internet: http://www.shopnotes.com PRINTED IN U.S.A. I ’ll never forget my first stationary power tool. It was a multi-purpose tool that served as a table saw, drill press, and several other tools all rolled into one. Well I bought the tool second-hand, and to be honest, I was pretty pleased with my new purchase. Especially since several accessories had come with it. MORTISING ATTACHMENT. One of these accessories was a mortising attach- ment for the drill press. It was designed to use a special hollow chisel bit to drill a square hole. (This is a drill bit sur- rounded by a square, thin-walled chisel.) As you lowered the quill, the bit removed the bulk of the waste, and the chisel squared up the sides at the same time. At least that was the theory. In practice, it was a dif- ferent story. I had to apply con- siderable downward pressure to get the bit to cut. Then, as it dug into the wood, the bit began to smoke, and the chisel turned blue. To make matters worse, when I raised the quill to pull the bit out of the mortise, it lifted the workpiece off the table and tore out a big splinter. Needless to say, I was pretty frus- trated with the whole thing. I went back to making mortises by drilling a series of holes with a Forstner bit then cleaning out the waste with a chisel by hand. As for the mortising attachment, it ended up on a shelf gathering dust. That’s too bad really. A mortising tool that really worked would be a great addi- tion to a shop. In fact, it would be ideal for a project I’d been planning to build just recently. The project was a garden bench that required cutting over a hun- dred mortises. (That’s a lot of drilling and chiseling.) Now I suppose I could have bought a commercial mortising machine to cut these mortises. They work great. But they’re expensive — $300 and up. SHOP-MADE VERSION. So instead of buying a mortising machine, I took a “back door” approach. I challenged Ken (our project developer) to build a shop- made version of a mortising machine. Not long after that, he showed up car- rying an armful of parts: a long piece of aluminum channel, a couple of metal rods, and a hand crank (the kind used to tighten a pipe clamp, only larger). At first, this odd assortment of parts had me scratching my head. But when I walked into the shop a few days later, it all started to make more sense. The crank was attached to the top of a tall, vertical tower. Turning the crank raised and low- ered a carriage that served as a platform for a router. This carriage was sus- pended over a sliding table that held the workpiece. By moving a handle back and forth, the table (and workpiece) slid from side to side under the router bit It looked like a great idea, and I couldn’t wait to try it out. So I grabbed a chunk of wood, clamped it to the table, and flipped the switch on the router. As I turned the crank to lower the carriage, the tip of the bit plunged into the wood. Then, as I grasped the handle and slid the table to the side, the bit carved a crisp, clean slot in the wood. The entire process was smooth and effortless. And the mortise was dead-on accurate. In fact, the mortising machine worked so well, we decided to feature it in this issue. In the meantime, I guess it’s time to build that garden bench. Using the mortising machine is a smooth, effortless process. And it cuts a crisp, clean mortise that’s dead-on accurate. Reprinted 2002 2 ShopNotes No. 47 ISSUE FORTY-SEVEN * Contents Features Dado 3\ade Storage Caee 6 The "hanging files” in this storage case hold the chippers and blades of a stacked dado set. This provides easy access to the individual pieces and protects them from damage. Restoring a Bench Plane 10 Turn an old rusty bench plane into a hard-working tool that looks great too. Also, we include step-by-step instructions on making a new handle or front knob. Tuning Up a Bench Plane 14 A bench plane is a precision tool — when it’s tuned up properly. Here are some simple tips and techniques to help you get the most out of your bench plane. Mortising Machine 16 This shop-built mortising machine lets you rout perfect mortises every time. With a router carriage that moves up and down and a table that slides in two directions, you can set up the machine and cut a mortise in less than a minute. Brush Basics 26 One of the secrets to getting a smooth, even finish is the quality of the brush. We offer practical suggestions on selecting brushes, applying a finish, and some clean-up tips. Departments Dado Blade Case page 6 Bench Plane Tune Up page lk Mortising Machine page 16 Readers' Tips 4 Our readers offer their own shop-tested tips dealing with some of the most common woodworking problems. Tool Talk 30 In this issue, we take a look at an innovative new router collet that doesn’t require a wrench to tighten the bit. Sources. 31 Information and mail-order sources for the hardware and supplies used to build the projects in this issue. No. 47 ShopNotes 3 TIPS & TECHNIQUES 3" x life" REDUCER 3" x 10" OUTER PIPE life" x 121fe" INNER PIPE NOTE: REMOVE LIP ON INSIDE OF REDUCER 2" x IV 2 " REDUCE? (CUT OFF) 1 -O u. ■i ) 0 r O if it--- L fl x IV 2 " Fh WOODSCREW J FEATURE PROJECT 4 To resist wear, the runners are made from hard, durable phenolic . 5liding Tables _ This mortising table is designed with two sliding tables. A lower table moves from side to side, see Fig. 11. And an upper table that rides piggy- back on top slides in and out LOWER TABLE To provide the movement that’s needed to cut a mortise to length, the lower table slides back and forth in the metal track in the base. NOTCH. The lower table (P) starts out as a piece of 3 A" MDF with a wide notch cut in the back edge, see Fig. 12. This notch is sized to provide clearance around the tower as the table moves from side to side. RUNNERS. To guide the table, I made two lower runners that fit inside the aluminum track. These runners fit in a groove cut in the bottom of the table. In addition, a third runner attached to the top of the table serves as a track for the upper table. This upper runner fits in a dado cut in the top of the table. After cutting all the runners to size, the next step is to screw the two lower runners in place so they’re flush with the ends of the table. This creates an opening between the run- ners for a bearing that fits into the groove under the table, see Fig. 12b. BEARING. The purpose of this bearing is simple. When the table is installed, the bearing fits inside the channel that forms the handle, see back and forth, it exerts pressure against the bearing which slides the table smoothly from side to side. The bearing is secured to the table with a bolt and lock nut And I used these same fasteners to secure the upper runner. The nut sits in a recess bore in the runner, see Fig. 12a. This prevents the upper table from hitting the lock nut as it slides on the runner. T-NUTS. With the upper runner in place, I added two T-nuts, one near each of the back corners of the table, see Fig. 12. Later, the T-nuts are 22 ShopNotes No. 47 FEATURE PROJECT INSTALL TABLE. Now you’re ready f to install the table. You may have to jockey it around a bit to fit the bearing down in the handle and to get the runners to slip into the track. KEEPER BLOCKS. With the table in place, I added two hardwood keeper blocks (Q) y see Figs. 13 and 13a These blocks prevent the table from lifting up when working with long pieces that hang over the base. To do this, the blocks are notched to fit around the track and screwed to the table. UPPER TABLE At this point, you can turn your atten- tion to the upper table , see Fig. 14. This table slides in and out on the runner that’s mounted to the top of the lower table. Plus, it provides a platform for a fence that’s used to clamp the workpiece in place. It’s this front and back movement that establishes the location of the mortise on the edge of a workpiece. To get the mortise to end up where you want it, you simply slide the table in or out to position the workpiece under the bit Then, by tightening the two tables together, they move as a single unit when cutting the mortise. CONSTRUCTION. The upper table (R) is identical in size to the lower table. And once again, it’s notched to provide clearance around the tower. But this time, I cut a pair of adjust- ment slots in the table. Also, cutting a dado in the bottom of the table allows it to fit over the upper runner. What you want here is to size the dado to create a smooth, sliding fit. There’s just one thing left to do before adding die fence. That’s to cut a groove in the top of the table to accept one of the fence pieces. FENCE In addition to supporting a workpiece, the fence provides a way to mount a stop system that controls the side to side movement of the sliding tables. The fence is made up of several parts. To position the workpiece on the table, the face (S) is a long strip of MDF that’s screwed into the groove in the top of the table, see Fig. 14. To strengthen the face, I added a back (T) and two supports (U). Before screwing these pieces together, it’s best to install a T-nut in each support that’s part of the stop system. Then screw the supports to the table and fasten the fence back (T) and face (S) together with screws. INSTALL UPPER TABLE. Now you can install the upper table. This is just a matter of setting it in place and fastening the upper and lower tables together with two threaded knobs. The knobs pass through the slots in the upper table and into the T-nuts in the lower table, see Figs. 15 and 15a. STOP SYSTEM. All that’s left is to add the stop system, see Fig. 14b. It determines the amount of side to side movement of the tables. The key to the stop is a bolt that threads into the T-nut in each support. When you slide the table to the right, the head of the bolt in the left support contacts the tower and “stops” the table. The opposite stop works the same way. To adjust the stops, it’s just a matter of threading the bolts in or out. Tightening a knob on the end of each bolt locks in the adjustment. 5 /l6 KNOB (W/lVa" STUD) KNOB (w/ V/ 2 " ST'”" FENDER WASHER LOWER TAB UPPER TABLE No. 47 ShopNotes 23 FEATURE PROJECT Depth Gauge To see at a glance when the mortise is cut to the desired depth, I added a depth gauge to the side of the tower. There’s nothing complicated about this gauge. It’s just a 6" metal rule attached to a plywood adjustment block (T9, see Fig. 16. A long slot in the adjustment block lets you raise and lower the depth gauge. Also, cut- ting a wide rabbet forms a lip that fits over the edge of the tower, see Fig. 16a. This lip keeps the depth gauge aligned as you move it up and down. ATTACH RULE. The metal rule is attached with two screws. Tightening the screw heads against the rule holds it securely in place. INSTALL GAUGE. Now you can install the gauge. A threaded knob that passes through the adjustment block and into the T-nut (installed earlier) is all that’s needed here. INDICATOR. To make it easy to “read” the depth gauge, I added an indicator to the side of the carriage. It’s just a nail with the head snipped off. After drilling a hole for the nail, I used epoxy to hold it in place. SETUP. To use the depth gauge, lower the carriage until the tip of the bit touches the workpiece. Then adjust the gauge so the indicator points to the final depth of the mortise. As you lower the carriage to make a series of successive cuts, the indicator will eventually point to the bottom end of the rule. "That’s when you know the mortise is at the correct depth. Router 3 it Guard Since the router bit is exposed below the carriage, it’s a good idea to add a guard for safety. Note: The guard shown here is made from scrap pieces of material. But if you prefer a single-piece plastic guard like the one shown in the photo on page 16, it’s available as part of our complete hardware kit. (See page 31 for Sources.) The guard that’s shown in Fig. 17 is quite simple. In fact, there are only two pieces: a plastic shield and a hardwood guard block , see Fig. 17. SHIELD. The shield is just a piece of Plexiglas with a couple of adjust- ment slots that allow you to raise and lower the guard. Note: You can find Plexiglas at most home centers. GUARD BLOCK. Although the shield extends down in front of the carriage, I also wanted part of the guard to extend underneath . So I attached the guard block to the bottom edge with screws. MOUNTING. To hold the guard in place, I used a couple of plastic knobs and a pair of fender washers. "The knobs are threaded into the T-nuts that were added earlier to the front (K) of the carriage, see Fig. 17a. 24 ShopNotes No. 47 FEATURE PROJECT Setup & Use I To set up the mortising machine, lay out the mortise and butt the workpiece against the fence. Now lower the carriage, slide the table in or out (so the bit will cut the mortise at the desired location), and lock the knobs. until the bit is centered on the length of the mortise. Then simply clamp the workpiece to the fence. ▲ The secret to cutting a crisp, clean mortise is to make a series of shallow passes. Then adjust the bolt so it contacts the tower. After locking the stop, repeat the process for the other side. cator points to the desired depth of the mortise. Then tighten the knob to lock the gauge in place. 5 Now you’re ready to flip the switch on the router and start cutting the mortise. To do this, turn the crank to lower the carriage and plunge the bit into the workpiece. A shallow (Va'-deep) cut works best. 6 After sliding the handle to the right until it stops, lower the carriage another Vs" and push the handle all the way in the opposite direction. Continue this process until the mortise is cut to the desired depth. No. 47 ShopNotes 25 Brush ▲ Natural Bristles Bristles up on the Basics One of the secrets to ending up with a smooth , even finish is selecting the right brush and using a few simple techniques . Era I often use “ throwaway ” foam brushes to apply a finish, but Tm not always satisfied with the results. Would a bristle brush work better? Also, are there any special brush techniques I can use that will ensure good results? Frank Haynes Davenport, Iowa W hen it comes to ease of use, a foam brush is hard to beat. They cost next to nothing. But I’ve had mixed results with them. So when applying a finish to a spe- cial project, I use a bristle brush. There are several advantages to using a quality bristle brush. First, it holds plenty of finish, so you aren’t constantly dipping it back in the container to replenish the brush. (It also isn’t as likely to drip.) Second, the bristles allow the finish to flow out smoothly and evenly with very few brush marks. SELECTING A BRUSH. So how do you go about selecting a quality brush? After all, if you walk down the paint aisle at the local home cen- ter, there are hundreds of brushes to choose from. RPI ICiU Metal ferrule l/NUi?n anchors setting ANATOMY *° handle First of all, any brush is going to have the same basic parts, see draw- ing below. But it’s the bristles in the brush that make the difference in the quality of the finish. TYPES OF BRISTLES You’ll find two types of bristles: natu- ral and synthetic , see photos above. NATURAL BRISTLES. Like their name implies, natural bristle brush- es are made from animal hair. As a rule, I use a natural bristle brush to apply a finish like varnish or shellac. These bristles seem to hold more fin- ish. And in general, I get better results. The only exception is when I’m applying a water-based finish. With this type of finish, the bristles absorb too much water, and they get soft and limp — almost as if they’re hav- ing a “bad hair” day. This makes it difficult to control the amount of fin- ish I brush onto the workpiece. SYNTHETIC BRISTLES. So when working with water-based finishes, I use a brush that has synthetic bristles. These bristles are made of water and won’t deform during use. BRISTLE TIPS Another consideration when choos- ing a brush is the tips of the bristles. FEEL FOR SOFTNESS. If your eye- sight is like mine, it will be impossi- ble to actually see the tips of the bris- tles. But you can feel them. Remove the paper “keeper” from the brush and fan the bristles against your hand. STIFF BRISTLES. If they feel stiff, it’s probably because the tips of the bristles are cut square , see detail ‘a’ below. These bristles are okay for general painting jobs, but they make it difficult to brush a smooth finish. SUPPLE BRISTLES. If the brush has soft, supple bristles, it’s a good indication that the bristles are either tapered or, better yet, “flagged” at the ends, see detail ‘a.’ (This is one time Bristles wick up, hold, and release finish Divider creates reservoir Reservoir for finish holds finish Epoxy setting mds bristles and divider together Handle shaped for comfortable grip BRISTLE TIPS SQUARE TAPERED FLAGGED t b. BRUSH SHAPE CHISEL- EDGE BRUSH SQUARE- EDGE BRUSH ShopNotes No. 47 ^where “split ends” are desirable.) The flagged (or tapered) tips do a great job of smoothing brush marks. BRUSH SHAPE In addition to the tips of the bristles, you’ll also want to consider the shape of the brush. CHISEDEDGED. If the bristles are taller in the center and shorter on the sides, the end of the brush resembles the shape of a chisel, see detail ‘b’ on page 26. A chisel-edged brush has a slim profile that allows you to apply finish to fine details or to get into hard-to-reach areas. SQUARE-EDGED. That’s more dif- ficult with a square-edged brush (bristles all the same length) . Unless you’re poking paint into a corner, these brushes aren’t worth using. BRUSH PREPARATION There’s more to getting a smooth finish than using a quality brush. A little preparation now will keep prob- A Remove Dust & Bristles. Work the brush back and forth in your palm to remove dust or loose bristles. lems from cropping up later. REMOVE DUST. Dust is a big cul- prit when applying a finish. So make sure there’s no dust (or loose bris- tles) in the brush, see photo A above. FILTER THE FINISH. It’s also a good idea to use a paper filter to remove any dust and debris from the finish, see photo B. By working out of a separate container, you won’t contaminate the finish in the can by transferring dust from the workpiece. CONDITION BRISTLES. To make it easier to clean up the brush after use, I make it a point to “condition” the B. Filter Finish. To ensure the finish is clean of dust and debris , filter it into a separate container. bristles. This is just a matter of dip- ping the bristles into the appropriate thinner (mineral spirits for varnish, water for water-based finishes, and alcohol for shellac), see photo C. LOAD BRUSH. Even something as simple as “loading” the brush can affect the finish. To avoid runs, dip the bristles about halfway into the fin- ish. Then press them against the sides of the container to remove the excess finish, see photo D. This works bet- ter than dragging the bristles across the edge of the container which can create air bubbles in the finish. C. Condition Bristles. To condition the brush, dip the bristles into a thinner and then remove the excess. D. Load Brush. After dipping the bristles in the finish , press them against the side of the container. Brushes — A Basic Set All it takes to handle most finishing jobs is a basic set of brushes. Although you don’t need a lot of them, it’s worth buying good quality brushes. With proper care and cleaning, they should last indefinitely. CHISEDEDGE BRUSH. The brush I reach for most often is a 2 M -wide, chisel-edge brush with natural bristles, see photo at upper right. This one is a badger bristle brush that cost about $23 at a local woodworking store. SASH BRUSH. But there are times when I need to apply a precise, controlled line of finish. That’s when the angled bristles on this lV^'-wide sash brush come in handy. This brush has synthetic bristles (for water-based finishes) . It cost about $12 at the home center. ARTISTS BRUSH. One of my favorite brushes for applying a finish to ornate or complex surfaces is this DA'-wide artist’s brush , see photo at right. The synthetic bristles on this brush create a knife-like edge that pro- vides sharp control. Note: This brush (manufactured by Windsor and Newton) is available for about $30 from many art stores and the mail-order source on page 31. OVAL BRUSH. I also use this 1 M oval brush frequently, see photo at right It’s thicker than a standard rectangu- lar brush, so it holds more finish. This makes it ideal as a “dry” brush to mop up excess finish, refer to pages 28 and 29. Note: I bought the oval brush for $6 at a home center. No. 47 ShopNotes 27 IN THE SHOP Brushing on a Finish Selecting a quality brush is half the battle when it comes to applying a finish. But getting a smooth, even finish depends on how you use the brush when applying a finish. Depending on the type of surface, I use several different techniques. HORIZONTAL SURFACES It’s easiest to apply a finish to a flat, horizontal surface like the top of a table or a shelf. But even so, there are a couple of things you’ll want to keep in mind. To prevent the finish from drip- ping off the edge of the surface, place the brush a few inches in from the edge of the workpiece, see Step 1 above. Then just “sweep” the finish lightly off the edge. Applying finish to the rest of the surface is just a matter of going back to the starting point. Then after over- lapping the wet finish by an inch or two, brush the finish back across the surface. Here again, sweep the brush off the opposite edge in a smooth motion, see Step 2 at top right. VERTICAL SURFACES If you’re finishing a vertical surface like the side of a cabinet, things can 1 7o keep finish from running down a vertical surface , brush the finish across the surface first. get a little more challenging. That’s because the finish tends to run down the surface as soon as you start brushing it on. To avoid this, I change my technique just a bit. Start by loading the brush with less finish than normal (about half the amount of finish). This will help you avoid any big runs and drips. Then, instead of applying the finish up and down, brush across the sur- Finishing Inside Corners I For inside corners , it's best to apply the finish by working from the corner out. 2 Remove the excess finish from the corners by dabbing it up with a dry brush. 2 Then smooth out the finish by tipping off vertically working ^ from the bottom to the top. face, see Step 1 above. Here again, you’ll want to start a couple of inches in and work the brush off the edge of the surface before working back to the opposite edge. TIP OFF. Once the finish is applied to the entire surface, all that’s neces- sary to smooth out any small runs or drips is to “tip off’ the finish. To do this, start by pressing the excess fin- ish in the bristles into the container of finish. Then with the brush held almost perpendicular to the surface, lightly drag the tips of the bristles from the bottom to the top of the workpiece, see Step 2 above. INSIDE CORNERS But not every project has simple, flat surfaces. It’s the details, like the inside corners on a raised panel, that can make applying a finish a little more trying. To avoid “working yourself into a I corner,” if s best to start at an inside corner and work your way out. On a raised panel, that means starting Finishing Vertical Surfaces Finishing Horizontal Surfaces 1 Avoid drips and runs by start- ing a few inches in and brush- ing the finish off the edge. 2 To complete the pass, return to the starting point and brush the finish off the opposite edge. 28 ShopNotes No. 47 IN THE SHOP ( where the panel meets the rails and stiles, see Step 1 at bottom of page 28. Because it can be difficult to start smoothly in a corner, the finish can “puddle” along the joint line or in one of the corners. To remove the excess, I like to keep a small dry brush handy. Dabbing the brush into the excess finish before it has a chance to set up will “wick” the fin- ish up into the brush, see Step 2 on bottom of page 28. SPINDLES When it comes to a spindle that's been turned on the lathe (like the legs on a chair) , applying a finish is a real challenge. Brushing up and down the spindle will cause the fin- ish to run. That’s because details turned into the spindle (like coves and beads) catch on the bristles and “pull” too much finish out. To avoid this, I apply the finish by brushing around the workpiece, see Step 1 at right. Here again, you ^Caring for a Brush 1 Rinse the brush thoroughly in the appropriate thinner to remove any excess finish. To remove the excess rinse water, simply spin the handle of the brush between your palms. Finishing Spindles 1 7o avoid runs and drips on a spindle, apply the finish in a cir- cular motion around the spindle. might notice a little excess finish in the details of the spindle. A little work with a dry brush will pick up the excess and leave a crisply fin- ished detail, see Step 2. MAINTAINING A BRUSH Once you’re done applying finish to the project, it’s well worth spending a few minutes time to clean up your 2 Then use a squirt of detergent and work up a lather to remove the thinner and any remaining finish. 4 Finally, straighten the bristles with a comb, wrap the brush in a paper towel, and lay it flat to dry 2 Here again, remove any finish that " pools’ ' up by wicking it up with a dry brush. brush. This way, you can make sure it stays in as good a shape as the day you bought it RINSE WITH THINNER. After wip- ing the excess finish out of the brush on a scrap piece, rinse out any addi- tional finish using the appropriate thinner, see Step 1 below. You may have to rinse the brush in fresh thin- ner a few times to remove most of the finish. Once that’s complete, wrap the brush in a rag or paper towel to soak up the thinner. WASH. After you’ve removed as much thinner as possible, squirt a few drops of dishwashing detergent into the bristles of the brush. Then work up a lather by swirling the bris- tles around in the palm of your hand, see Step 2. Here again, you may need to repeat this process a couple of times until the brush no longer feels slimy. SPIN OUT WATER. After rinsing the brush thoroughly in water to remove all the soap, lower the brush into an empty bucket Then spin the brush in the palms of your hands, see Step 3. This removes the excess water from the bristles of the brush like a dog shaking off bath water. COMB & STORE. All the washing and spinning may leave the bristles of the brush looking a little ragged. So I use a brush comb to straighten out the bristles, see Step 4. Then to make sure the bristles hold their shape while they dry, wrap the brush in a paper towel and set it aside to dry. & No. 47 ShopNotes 29 A To adapt the W collet to a router bit with a V4" shank, slip a sleeve (included with the collet) onto the bit. Tool Talk TOOLS OF THE TRADE Jacobs PowerCollet ■ Change a router bit without fiddling around with wrenches? I was intrigued. This new collet (called a PowerCollet) tightens and loosens using hand pressure only — yet it holds bits securely. At least that’s what I’d heard. But would a “no-wrench” collet hold a bit tightly enough to keep it from slipping? To find out, I decided to buy one and give it a try. The collet I bought fits a Porter Cable router. But collets are also available for a number of other routers. Note: The PowerCollet is manufactured by the J acobs Chuck Company, and it sells for about $45. (For Sources, see page 31.) MOUNT COLLET. It took just a minute to remove my original collet and tighten the PowerCollet on the spindle, see drawing above. But the PowerCollet is a little bulky. So to accommodate it, I had to install three metal spacers to extend the base of the router. (The spacers are provided.) LOCKING SLEEVE. With the collet in place, it’s easy to see how it works. There’s a locking sleeve that snaps up and down to tighten (or loosen) a router bit. Note: I found it easiest to remove the router base when changing bits. Flat springs tension upper bail bearing assembly PowerCollet (Cutaway View) Upper end or collet is tapered to fit in router spindle Upper ball bearing assembly locks collet In closed position Lower end of collet squeezes shank of router bit. Lower ball bearing assembly applies pressure to collet Metal - spacer Rubber O-ring extends seals out dust base Locking sleeve Hatei FbwerCollet shown in closed position Nut secures FbwerCollet to When you snap the sleeve away from the body of the router, the collet is in the “open” position, see Fig. 1 below. To do this, place your thumbs under the sleeve and give it a firm push — the collet snaps open with a click. INSERT bit. Now simply insert the bit in the collet, see Fig. 2. You’ll feel some resistance here. That’s because the bit has to slide through a rubber O-ring that seals dust out of the collet. TIGHTEN COLLET. To tighten the collet around the bit, you have to snap the sleeve toward the router. This takes some getting used to. Not because it requires a lot of pressure. But because the pressure has to be applied straight down in a quick, firm motion. I got better leverage by placing the thick part of my hands on top of the sleeve, see Fig. 3. There’s one thing worth men- tioning here. If you leave the base of the router on (or you mount the router in a table), you’ll have to press the sleeve down with your fingertips. That requires quite a bit of finger strength. A test. Tightening the bit in the collet is one thing. But does it stay tight? By plowing deep grooves through hard maple, I got the answer I was hoping for. The collet held the bit tightly in place without any sign of slipping. CONCLUSION. All in all, I was impressed by the PowerCollet. It makes changing bits fast, and it grips them tightly in place. I only have two quibbles. The sleeve is a bit stiff — and so is the price. insert BITIN NOTE: TO ADAPT COLLET TO FIT SMALLER SITS. SEE MARGIN COLLET O-RING 30 ShopNotes No. 47 is offering some of the hardware ! and supplies needed to build the projects in this issue . We’ve also put together a list of other mail-order sources that have similar hardware and supplies. Sources PRODUCT INFORMATION MAIL ORDER SOURCES ▲ Replacement Parts for Bench Planes Eagle America ▲ Mortising Machine The Mortising Machine featured on page 16 makes it easy to cut mortises quickly and accurately. ShopNotes Project Supplies is offering a complete hardware kit to build the Mortising Machine. It includes every- thing you need to build this Mortising Machine with the exception of the hardwood, plywood, and Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF). MORTISING MACHINE KIT 6847-100 $102.95 The article on page 10 explains how to restore a metal bench plane. If you’re planning to turn an old, beat-up plane into a usable tool, you may find that some parts are either damaged or missing. Fortunately, most of these parts are still available. You can even get a handle and knob made from rosewood. (See margin for a source of parts.) Jacobs PowerCollet ► The Jacobs PowerCollet (page 30) lets you change router bits without using any ' wrenches. It fits the Bosch 1615, DeWalt 625, Makita 3612 and Porter Cable 690 and 7500 series routers. The PowerCollet accepts V 2 ”-dia. shank bits. But a sleeve (included with the collet) lets you use V 4 "-dia. shank bits as well, see margin for sources. For more informa- tion you can call 800-866-5753. j Mortising Machine (page 16), we found | that these spiral upcut router bits produced a clean cut with j little (if any) tearout. These bits are available in a number of sizes i (including the V 4 " and V 2 " bits shown here). To reduce vibration, we ^ recommend using V 2 " shank bits. (See margin for mail-order sources.) NOW ON THE WEB! \fybod. Net • 101 Woodworking Tips Online • Woodworking Techniques — Step-by-Step • Project plans you can download • WoodNet Forum — Woodworkers’ Q & A • Power Tool Reviews Point your browser to: http-y/www.augusthome.com Select “Woodworking” from the Welcome Page menu. ClUSrolAEFi SERVICE •> Access information about your subscription account. » Find out if your payment has been received. • Change your mailing address or your e-mail address. - Let us know if you haven't received your issue. www.shopnotes.com : I I J 800 - 872-2511 Phenolic Homestead Finishing Products 216 - 631-5309 Brushes Klingspor 800 - 228-000 Sanding Blocks Lee Valley & Veritas 800 - 871-8158 Brushes , Rare-Earth Magnets Trend-Lines 800 - 767-9999 Jacobs PowerCollet Woodcraft 800 - 225-1153 Bench Plane Parts , Jacobs PowerCollet , Rare-Earth Magnets , Spiral Router Bits , Woodhaven 800 - 344-6657 Phenolic , Spiral Router Bits if) =1 o < __ o Y" 00 No. 47 ShopNotes 31 a space-saving option, you can mount this g table to the wail. (Turn to page 16 fora at our benchtop version.) This creates a V workstation that makes it easy to rout mor- quickiy and accurately — even on a long piece. With a support holding the end of the , it only takes a minute to set p and cut each mortise. | Scenes from the Shop Restoring an old hand plane to a usable condition? Here's a different twist. Instead of using rosewood, the replacement handle and front knob on this Stanley No. 4 bench plane are made of highly-figured cherry. (For more information on restoring a bench plane, turn to page 10.) 4