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Or call 1-800-333-6854, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Central Time, weekdays, FAX 515-283-0447 E-Mail: SbopNotes UTILITY TrC> KNIFE MAKE CUTS THROUGH FRONT AND BACK FIRST LIP (FRONT) ' LOWER BLADE TO LEAVE THIN SECTION OF—, WASTE \ - REFEAT PROCESS ON THIS SIDE OF WASTE SECTION CUT OUT WASTE AND SAND EDGES SMOOTH CUTOUT WASTE BETWEEN LJD AMD CASE/' 16 ShopNotes No. 62 box* But if I simply cut the lid off with a single cut on each side, the box joints on the lid wouldn't match up with the box joints on die case* The trick is to cut out a narrow section of the box between the case and lid - a section equal to the height of a full pin and a full notch* To do this, I first set my rip fence to make a cut through the front and back of the box, about fiVs" from the bottom, see Figure 2a. Then, I lowered my saw blade so it was about Vaa" lower tiian the thickness of my stock and made a scoring cut on each end, shown in Figures 2 and 2b* After this was done, I moved the rip fence over for a second set of cuts using the same techinque* Then a utility knife can be used to cut through the remaining material on the ends of the box that connects the lid to the case (Figure 3)* Tray Runners - With the lid set aside for the time being, you can finish up the work on the case* To start with, a couple of V 4 " hardboard tray runners (C) are glued into the grooves in the front and back, as shown in Figure 4* lid Stops - Next you’ll need to make up some lid stop (D) for the inside of the box. These create a lip around the inside of the box opening, aligning the lid when it is closed. These stops are cut from l U L thick stock that has been rounded over on two edges. They are mitered to length and glued in place around the inside of the box. Base - The base of the tool box is a little unusual. It's really a frame made up of four pieces of molding. The case fits into a groove cut in this molding* And a hardboard panel completes the base of the toolbox. To make this base, start by cre- ating the base molding (E). This is a three-step process. After cutting the blanks to size, rout an ogee along one edge, as you see in Figures 6 and 6a* Then cut a groove to match the thickness of the walls of the case, as shown in Figure 6b. Finally, cut a rabbet to hold a hardboard bottom (Figure 6c)* Once this is done, the molding pieces are mitered to fit around the bottom of the case. Then the frame can be glued together around the case* After the glue on the frame has dried, you can cut a piece of W' hardboard for the bottom panel (F). This is simply glued into the opening in the base molding frame* V*" ROUNPOVER TRAY RUNNER W x 27" - 14" HARPSOARP) GLUE RUNNERS INTO GROOVES INCASE FRONT ANP SACK ONLY NOTE; LIP STOF IS V 4 " THICK ANP MITEREP TO LENGTH FIGURE LID STOP (CUT TO FIT) No* 62 ShopNotes 17 FEATURE PR kLid. The lid of the toolbox features a solid-wood panel that "floats" in a mitered frame. Lid and Tray With the lower half of the toolbox fin- ished, you can now turn your atten- tion to completing the lid* Hie lid is built much like the bottom of the toolbox. It features a mitered frame surrounding a solid wood panel To allow the panel to expand and contract with changes in humidity, the panel “floats” in a groove that is cut on the inside edges of the frame. You can see what I’m talking about in Figures 7 and 7a. I started by making the lid molding (G) for the frame. After cut- ting a couple of blanks for the molding, an ogee profile is routed along one edge (Figure 8a) . Then a roundover is routed along two other edges (Figure 8b) . To allow the frame pieces to fit over the lid section of the box, a W'-wide groove is cut on the iace of each blank. To do this, T switched over to the table saw and used a dado blade, as you can see in Fig. 8c. Then a V^-wide groove is cut on the edge of each blank to hold die lid panel (Figure 8d). Once all the profiles and grooves have been cut, you can start mitering the individual frame pieces to fit over uvr LID loll CROSS 2E SECTION the lid section that you set aside earlier. Just cut the miters so that the frame pieces fit around the case, but don’t glue die frame together just yet. You still need to make the panel. Panel - The lid panel (H) is glued up from solid, W-thick stock. It's sized to fit in the grooves of the frame, less Vie" on all four sides. (I made my panel 6Vs ,f x 26Vs fr .) After cutting the panel to size, youll need to cut a groove along each edge to create a tongue that fits in the groove of the frame pieces, as you can see in Figures 7a and 9a. Before assembling the lid frame and panel, a chamfer is routed along A Saw Storage. Mount- ed to the inside of the lid f a custom-fitted wood block and turn- button secures the saw handle. And a leather ,, pocket ,> holds the end of the saw biade. 18 FEATURE PROJECT TRAY HANDLE (SW'xW) V&'^KAD.^- RQUNDOYER the top edges of the panel Then the frame and panel can he glued up around the lid. Note: I used just a drop of glue on each end of the panel when gluing it to the frame. This holds the frame in place while still allowing for wood movement Hardware - To complete the toolbox, all thafs left is to add the hinges, catches, and handle* Before attaching these items, however, I “aged” die hardware by placing it in a special darkening solution (see page 35 for more information)* If you want to store a hand saw in the lid, you can add a convenient holder and leather “pocket” to the underside of the lid. See the photos in the margin on opposite page* Tray -Now thatthe toolbox is com- plete, you can build the tray that fits inside it like the toolbox, the tray is also joined with box joints. Start by cutting out blanks for the tray fmnf&ack (I) and the tray ends (J). These pieces should be cut a little wide so they can be trimmed to size after the box joints are cut (Figure 10) . After cutting the box joints ont he tray pieces, a couple of dadoes are cut on the inside face of the front and back to hold a pair of dividers, as shown in Figure 10. Then a rabbet is cut along the TRAY DIVIDER (2V 2 " x 5V) NOTE; DA POES IN TRAY DIVIDERS ARE ONLY Vs" DEEP TRAY FRONT (3" rqb. x IS") TRIM OFF WASTE — > (NOT SHOWN IN FI G. ID) TRAY BOTTOM [Wx14te rt - 14^ HARD BOARD) ^ NOTE I ALL TRAY PIECES {EXCEPT FOR BOTTOM) ARE KjMTIICK TRAY END (3 11 rgh. x TRAY END TRAY FRONT SIZE PLUG TO FIT TOP VIEW can cut a pair of tray dividers (L) and a tray handle (M), which you can see in Figure 10, A dado is cut in each tray divider to hold the tray handle. Then a notch is cut on each end of the handle to allow it to fit into the dadoes in the dividers (Figure 11) . To make the opening in the handle, a couple of holes are drilled as shown in Figure 12 and the waste in between them is cut out with a jig saw or scroll saw. Then the upper corners of the handle are radiused and sanded smooth (Figure 12a), When this is done, the inside of the handle opening and the top edges of the han- dle are rounded ^ over on a router f|| table, refer to j^g Figure 10, Then , the dividers and >s handle are glued v into the tray. To complete the tray, some small wood plugs are glued into the ends of the tray to conceal the rabbet for the tray bottom (Figure lOd). Finally, all the outside edges of the tray are rounded over. A bottom edges of all four tray pieces for a bottom (Figure 10b). Bottom - After you've glued up the four sides of the fray, you can cut a piece of hardboard to serve as the tray bottom (K)> This is cut to fit in the opening in the bottom of the tray and simply glued in place. With the bottom attached, you AUXILIARY FENCE , TRAY HANDLE CUT NOTCH ON ENDS OF HANDLE HANDLE PRILL ^ " HOLE AT 'EACH end and CUT OUT WASTE WASTE 3 1/ . '¥ : V i * / Li A \ vN ■■ \ Vk u No, 62 ShopNotes 19 TECHNIQUE Great Glue-ups way, the boards will “melt” together to form a panel that looks like a single, wide board. The one thing yon don’t want to do is rush this process. Spend some time turning the individual boards over. I even like to flip them end for end. This way, I’ll be sure to “see” all the possibilities. Wood Movement - Like most woodworkers, I try to alternate the end grain of adjacent boards as 1 make up the panel. The thought is that this will minimize any chance of the wood moving and the panel cup- ping after it's been glued up. But to be honest, if it comes down to making a choice between alter- nating the boards or not, I select the best color and grain match first This way, I know IT end up with panel that's looks good. And as for flatness, I haven't noticed much of a problem. What's more important to me is how the edge grain matches. As you can see in Figure la, 1 do my best to orient the edge grain so each board is going in the same direction. k Appearance . 7a get a good-looking, wide panel , it’s best to avoid drawing attention to a joint line. To do this , arrange boards so curved patterns merge (left) and straight- grained boards are positioned to create an “invisible" joint (right). Grain - Now that the hoards are matched, you’ll want to take some time to study the surface grain of each board. This way, you can visu- alize the overall grain pattern the panel will have once the boards are glued together. What I look for here is to match tiie grain that runs along the edge of each board so one curve flows into another, like the photo at the lower left shows. Or straight-grained lines on one board match those on the board next to it (right photo). This Take the mystery out of gluing up a solid wood panel by following a simple step-by- step process. M aking a glued-up panel seems like snch a simple process. Just take a bunch of narrower boards and glue them together into the size you need. But as you may have guessed (or experienced your- self), there's a lot more to it. Ending up with a panel that's not only great-looking but starts out and stays flat, isn't just luck. If s a delib- erate step-by-step process that starts long before you squeeze out that first bead of glue. SELECTING & ARRANGING BOARDS Making a panel starts with selecting the boards you’ll be gluing together. And unless you have a large supply of lumber in your shop, selecting the boards starts with a trip to the store. Selection - When sorting through the lumber pile, it's a good idea to go through a mental checklist as you look at each board. First, make sure the boards don't exhibit any warp (like cup, twist, or bow). There's no point in starting out with problems that might show up later in your panel. Color - Once I have a pile of suit- able hoards, the next thing I look for are boards that are close in color. There's nothing worse than a panel where one board stands out from all the others because ifs lighter or darker than the rest. 20 ShopNotes No. 62 T E CH N I Q 0 E The reason is simple. When you glue up a panel, you'll probably have to do a little smoothing. And whether you use a hand plane or planer to do this, having the grain going in the same direction on all die boards will minimize any tendency for chipout on the face of the panel CUT TO ROUGH SIZE Once all the boards are selected you're ready to cut diem to rough size. I like to cut the boards 2 ir to 3" longer than the final length of my panel This way, I don't have to worry about keeping all the ends perfectly flush as I glue them up. With the boards cut to length, you're ready to size them to rough width. As you do this, you'll need to keep a couple things in mind. First you want to leave enough extra material to prepare the edges of each board. And second, die overall width of the panel should be about 1" wider than required. This way, you'll have a litde "'cushion” when it comes time to trim the panel to final size. To account for botii these things, 1 leave an extra 3 /s n or so on each board. At diis point you've spent a good deal of time getting things just right. NOTE; CUT BOARDS AT LEAST 2" -3" LONGER THAN FJNESHED LENGTH OF PANEL DRAW LARGE V ON PANEL TO MAKE IT EASY TO REFORM PANEL NOTE: COM SI NEC? WIDTH OF SCARPS IS 1" WIDER THAN FINISHED WIDTH OF PANEL You sure don’t want to throw out all tiiat hard work by gluing up die boards in the wrong order. A good way to avoid this problem is to take a minute to draw a large "V across die face of the panel with a piece of chalk, like you see in Figure 1 above. This way, reassem- bling die panel is just a matter of reforming the S *V” PREPARE EDGES At this point you're almost ready to think about gluing up the panel But first, you'll need to be sure that the boards will form a strong glue joint. For that, the edges of each board need to be smooth and straight But to ensure the panel is flat , each edge need to be square to the face. To pre- pare these edges, you can use eitiier a jointer or a table saw, as you can see in the box below Regardless of the method you choose, it's important to set the machine up correctiy. When using a jointer, I make sure the fence is exactly 90° to the table. And when I'm using a table saw, I double check that the blade is 90° to the table. Squaring Edges A big step towards making a fiat panel is ensuring the edges of each work- piece are square to the face. Jointer - My first choice for doing this is to use a jointer (Figure 1). A jointer takes a uniform amount off each workpiece. I slowly feed die workpiece with the grain (Figure la). After a few light passes, the workpiece has a smootii edge that's ready to be glued. Table Saw - Another method for jointing edges is to use a table saw and a good combination blade. To do this, T use a double-cut method. Start by ripping the boards straight (Figure 2). Then repeat the cut, but only remove about half the thickness of the saw blade (Figure 2a). Tills second cut results in a very smooth surface. FOR BEST EDGE JOINT ]N LIGHT, SMOOTH PASS wm No, 62 ShopNotes 21 TECHNIQUE Gluing & Clamping A Gluing. A bristle brush is a quick and easy way to spread a smooth , even layer of glue along the edge of a board . A Clamping. A thin bead of glue indicates good pressure along the joint line , With the boards carefully selected and arranged, the panel is going to look great And with all the edges pre- pared smooth, straight, and square, the boards will fit together just as good as they look. Now’s the time to get your work area and clamps ready to glue up the panel Work Area - One thing IVe learned over the years is that if you want a flat panel, you need to give yourself plenty of room to work* So take the time to clear off your work- bench (or even die shop floor). Clamps - When gluing up a panel, I’ve always used pipe clamps. But other types of clamps will work just as well* Regardless of the type of clamps you use, the key is to have the right number on hand* You’ll need enough to space them evenly across the panel about 6 n to 8 rr apart. With everything at hand, you might be ready to grab the glue botde and go to work. But instead of pressing ahead at full speed, it’s a good idea to make a “dry run” first DRY RUN FIGURE ARRANGE CLAMPS ON T OF AND BOTTOM TO CREATE A FLAT PANEL CHECK FLATNESS WITH STRAIGHTEDGE DRY RUN A dry run is a simple process of damping up the panel — without the glue. This gives you a chance to pin- point any problems and resolve them — before it’s too late* Start by laying out a few pipe clamps on your worksurface and set- ting the boards in place* To help disr tribute the pressure more evenly and prevent the panel from cupping, I like to alternate die clamps on the top and bottom of die panel (Figure 2)* Tighten Clamps - Now you can tighten the damps just enough so any gaps between the boards disappear* This shouldn’t take a lot of pressure* Just a little extra turn on the damp once it's snug should he enough. Now’s the time to give the panel a good going over* For me that means getting down and sighting along the top surface (a straight- edge often helps here). What you’re looking for is to see whether Splines & Biscuits SPLINE &ISCUITS Occasionally I’ll need a little help to keep the boards in a panel aligned* That’s when I turn to splines or bis- cuits to keep die outside surfaces of the boards as flush as possible. To cut a slot for a spline, I use a hand-held router and a slot cutter (Figures 1 and la)* But if I only need a little help here and there with align- ment, HI use a biscuit joiner to cut slots for some biscuits (Figure 2)* Regardless of the method you use, if the ends of the panel will be exposed, be sure to start and stop the slot for the spline or biscuit 2 M - 3 M short of the ends of each board. 22 ShopNotes No* 62 TECHNIQUE the surfaces align with each other. If the boards aren't too far out of alignment (Vie 11 ) you can clamp or tap any boards back into alignment (Figures 2a and 2b) . But sometimes that's not enough. That's when I turn to splines or biscuits for a little help (see the box on the opposite page) . Besides surface alignment, I also check a few other things. For more on this, take a look at die box below. GLUING UP THE BOARDS With a dry run under your belt and any problems taken care of, you're ready to start gluing up the panel. Glue - To speed things along, I squeeze out a bead of glue on one edge only of each board and brush it to an even film, as you can see in the upper margin photo on the opposite page. Note: I like to use yellow glue when making panels. What you want here is the "wet” look. If the glue looks dull and flat, squeeze on a bit more and spread the glue back along the edge. Troubleshooting Since yellow glue sets up fast, youll need to work quickly So start by laying all the boards flat on die pipe clamps. Note: A strip of wax paper or masking tape between the pipes and your boards will prevent the glue from reading widi the pipes and creating black marks on the panel. Tighten Clamps - Now it's just a matter of tightening the pipe clamps. I like to start at the center and work toward the ends, alternating between the top and bottom clamps. But don't overdo it here. You only want to apply enough pressure so there's an even bead of glue along thejointline (bottom margin photo on opposite page). Align Boards - Here again, if you aren't using splines or biscuits, check the surface of the panel with a straightedge. Then tap (or clamp) any boards flush (F gures 2a and 2b) . Excess Glue - At this point, I used to wipe away the excess glue with a damp cloth. But this often forced the glue into the pores — causing finishing problems later. A Remove Glue . A carbide-tipped scraper makes quick work of removing partially-dried glue from face o f the panel. What I like to do now is wait a couple hours until the glue sets up. This allows you take the clamps off and use a scraper to "pop” the glue off the surface (see photo above). Even though the excess glue is removed, the glue in the joints needs to cure completely before you can work with the panel. But you don't want to lay it flat on a bench or floor to dry. Since air isn't free to circulate evenly around both sides of the panel, it could end up cupping. Instead, set the panel on one end and lean it against a wall so ifs as straight up and down as possible. This keeps the panel flat and allows the glue to fully cure from both sides. Dry clamping a panel is a great way to dis- cover problems before you start applying any glue. Here are a few things 1 check for. Arrangement - One of the first things I verify is that the arrangement of the boards is correct A quick check for the "V" makes it easy to see if any boards are out of order. Joint lines - Then I check the joint lines. One thing you might notice is a gap at the ends of the boards because of snipe, as shown in detail ‘a,’ To solve this problem, it's best to tune up your jointer and rejoint the edges. And if Fve used a table saw to square up the edges, I check them for saw marks, like the ones in detail 'b.' An edge with saw marks isn't smooth and can result in a weak glue joint. Here again, you'll want to retrim the edges. Flat & Flush - Finally, check that the panel is flat and the surfaces are flush (details ‘C and ‘dT Here again, squaring the edges will remove any cup. And if the surfaces aren't flush, you can damp the ends or tap them down against the pipe clamps. If you need some extra help, see the box on the opposite page. No, 62 ShopNotes 23 Wall-Mounted Clamping Station Gluing up a panel is a breeze with this space-saving clamping station that mounts to the wall of your shop. the handwheels across the top of the clamping station. Finally, you won’t have to lug the clamped up assembly away from your bench and find a place to "store” it until it drys. You simply walk away and wait for the assembly to dry right on the station. Cost - Although tlie clamping station is large in size, building it won't cost you an arm and a leg. The medium-density fiberboard (MDF), plywood, maple, and few pieces of hardware cost much less than an equivalent set of pipe clamps. As a matter of fact, many of the parts could be made using scraps you probably already have in your shop — reducing the cost even more. One last thing, don't get the idea that this damping station is just for large panels. It works just as well for gluing up smaller panels, as shown in the photo at left. A Multiple Panels . This wall-mounted shown above) is just as easy. Just clamping station isn t just for large panels, readjust the lower bar and then tighten the Gluing up smaller panels (like the pair clamp heads individually for each panel. lamping up a panel is a series ^^of challenges. The first is clearing your bench to create a large enough area to work. Hie next chal- lenge is setting up the pipe clamps to do the job. And finally, to reclaim your bench, you need to wrestle the panel (and clamps) off the bench and find a place to set it while it dries. Clamping Station - To meet these challenges head-on, I built this wall-mounted clamping station. It combines the glue-up area, clamps, and drying area into a single loca- tion. So there's no need to worry about cleaning off a workbench when it comes time to giue up a panel. You won't have to run around looking for pipe clamps either — the “clamps" are built in. As you can see in the Exploded View on the oppo- site page, the lower clamp bar is positioned to accommodate the overall width of the panel. Once you’ve placed the glued up boards in the station, simply tighten 24 ShopNotes No. 62 SHOP PROJECT UMa plMes To download a free Cutting eSfitUwH Diagram for the Clamping Station, go to www.shopnotes.com. HANDWHEEL APPLIES PRESSURE THROUGH CLAMP HEAP EVENLY ACROSS PANEL HANDWHEEL MOUNTING RAJL ANCHORS STATION SECURELY TO WALL CLAMP HEAP SUPPORT CLAMP HEAP SUPPORT STEAPIES ROD AND HANDWHEEL LARGE CLAMP HEAP DISTRIBUTES PRESSURE AS HANDWHEEL IS TIGHTENED CLAMP HEAP CLAMP BAR ADJUSTS UP AND DOWN TO SUPPORT WORKPIECES AS PRESSURE IS APPLIED NOTE; CUTAWAY SHOWN HERE - — QUICK RELEASE PIN WORKPIECE WORK- PIECE QUICK RELEASE PIN EXPLODED VJEW OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 4a B Wx14V 2 ,, Dx5S s /is"H CLAMP BAR VERTICAL RAILS SUPPORT WORKPIECES AND GUIDE THE CLAMP HEADS AND CLAMP BAR BRACES STIFFEN ' AND ANGLE BACK ^ TO KEEP GLUED-UP PANEL FLAT AND IN PLACE ON-LINE EXTRAS Materials Clamp Head Support & Platform J %*3-4&/ 2 s Ux 3 - 4&/ 2 3 / 4 x3-3 A Lower Rail (1) B Upper Kail (1) C Kaii Spacers (7) D Back (1) E 3 races (4) F Mounting Rails (2) 43 x 4& - 3/ 4 MDF 11 x 46^/ ie - % MDF 6x43 - 3 U MDF * Bar 3 U x V/z - 41% 3 Ux 3 U-12 3 U x 4 - 43 3/4X1% -3 3/4x2-43 Vertical Rails & Clamp Bar G Vertical Kails (7) H Guide Strips (12) l 3arKail(1) J Gla mp Bar Guides (6) K Bar Stiffener (1) L Bar Face (1) 5 /&xl3/ 4 -43 Clamp Heads & Handwheels M Bases (6) 6% e x 6 -% P j y , N damp Bodies (6) 5 3 /w x 4 - 27 4 Fly . 0 Retaining Strips (6) 27 4 x SP/w - % Fly F Handwheels (6) 7x7 (rgh.) - % Fly. Q Clamp Head Faces (3) 5 /& xYfa- 5 u /w Note: You'll need (1) sheet of Medium - Density Flberboatd (MDF), approximately 16 bd. ft. of 3 / 4 ^thick hardwood, and (1) 2‘ x 4’ piece of 3 / 4 n plywood for this project. Hardware * (12) #3 x YU' Fh Sheet Metal Screws * (107)#3x1%"Fh Sheet Metal Screws * (66) #3 x 2 V 2 ” Fh Sheet Metal Screws * (6) 3/4" O.D. x %" i D. x V'-Long Bronze Bushings * (24) Hex Nuts * (13) 3/ 3 11 p/ a t Washers * (6) Acorn Nuts * (3) %“x 3 Vs" Quick Release Fins * (6) %"'Pla. x ISHong Allthread Steel Rods No. 62 ShopNotes 25 SHOP PROJECT Clamp Head Support & Platform BACK To provide firm support as clamping pressure is applied, I started by building a rock-solid frame for the clamping heads at the top of the sta- tion, This frame is then attached to a large platform, as shown in Figure 1. Clamp Head Support - The damp head support is built like a miniature wall with short “studs” sandwiched between long rails at the top and bottom (Figure lb). This frame is then mounted to the top of a large panel that forms the foundation of the clamping station (Figure 1), The first step is to make the rails for the clamp head support To pre- vent the lower rail from bending as pressure is applied, ids a piece of carpet TAPE RAILS TOGETHER PRILL IA. THROUGH HOLE ^ PRILL COUNTER- BORE ■ ■ * h i\ y , / ' v [/ s' K \ 1/ extra thick hardwood (lWT Now the easiest way to make this rail would be to use a piece of lV2 ,f -thick stock. But you can also glue up the lower rail (A) from two layers of V4 1 '-thick stock (Figure 1). While the glue dries on the lower rail, you can size the upper rail (B) to the same width and length from V4' 1 - thick stock (Figure 1). Holes - The next step is to drill a series of holes through both rails. These holes provide a way to anchor the threaded rods that make up part of the clamp heads. To prevent the clamp heads from binding as you adjust them, it’s important for the holes to align with each other. So it's a good idea to drill all the holes at the same time. To do this, I used a few pieces of carpet tape to hold the two rails together, as you can see in Figure 2. Start by drilling a deep counter- bore in the bottom of the lower rail (Figure 2a). This counterbore will accept a large hex nut that the ^ threaded rod feeds into, allowing the clamp head to adjust up and down (Figures la and lb). Once that’s complete, all that' s left No. 62 26 ShopNotes SHOP PR to do is drill a smaller through hole T in both pieces. To prevent wear on the sides of the holes in the upper rails, these holes are sized to accept bronze bushings (Figure 1). After drilling the holes, you can cut the rail spacers (C) to final size and screw the clamp head support together (Figure lb). Filially, glue the hex nuts in place with epoxy and press the bushings into the top rail. Platform - With the clamp head support complete, you Ye ready work on the platform. The first step here is to cut the back (D) to size. It’s nothing more than a 48 M -square piece of 3 / 4 n MDF. Attaching the clamp head support to the back is just a matter of screwing it in place (Figure la). To ensure the screws are located prop- erly, take some time to lay out each location. After clamping the suppor t to the back, drill the pilot holes and then screw the support in place. Braces * Now you’re ready to complete the rest of the platform. To keep the back rigid as clamping pressure is applied, it’s attached to a set of braces (Figure 3). These braces (E) are tapered pieces of 3 A M MDF. The taper positions the back at a slight angle to make it easier to keep workpieces in place as you glue up a panel (Figures 3a and 3b). Becau se of their size, 1 found it eas- iest to cut the braces using a circular saw and straight edge (Figure 4), After cutting the braces to size, you’ll need to cut a pair of notches along the back edge of each one to accept a pair g FIGURE MOUNTING RAIL ( 6 u k 46 b KTJ HOLES VERTICAL %"-THlCK CARFET TAPE THREE RAILS TOGETHER head support at the top and they're spaced evenly across the back, as illustrated in Figures 7a and 7b. Clamp Bar - At this point you can torn your attention to the adjustable clamp bar shown in Figure 8, The clamp bar is made from three separate pieces of hard- wood attached to three pairs of guides* These pieces work together to form a rigid beam that prevents the bar from flexing as the clamp heads apply pressure. Bar Rail - I started by cutting the bar rail (I) to final size from a wide piece of 3 / 4 M -thick hardwood. Then I cut a set of guides to size, as shown in Figure 8. These bar guides (J) are identical pieces of 3 /^-Mck hardwood with a single hole drilled near one end (Figures 8 and 8c). These holes allow you to use a quick-release pin to position the bar at different heights along the vertical rail. GUIPE STRIPS y* 11 x aw QUICK- RELEASE FEN matter of gluing and screwing them in place, as you can see in Figures 7, 7a, and 7b. Note; The two vertical rails on the outside only have a single guide strip attached to the inside face (Figure 7a) . Now that the guides strips are attached, you can glue and screw the vertical rails to (he hack* Hie rails fit tight against the bottom of the clamp VERTICAL RAILS (MAKE SEVEN) CLAMP SAR CHAMFER BOTH SIPES OF EACH HOLE 28 ShopNotes No* 62 SHOP PROJECT Assembly - Once the holes are drilled (and chamfered on each side as shown in Figure 6a) , you can attach them to the bar rail. The trick is attaching the guides so they don't “pinch” too tight against the vertical rails. What you're looking for here is a smooth, sliding fit that doesn’t bind as you move the rail up and down. The solution is fairly simple. All you need to do is assemble the guides and bar rail right on the plat- form. To do this, start by “pinning” each pair of guides in place. Then slip a strip of paper between each guide and the vertical rail This pro- vides just enough “play” to allow the guides to slide easily. Now all you need to do is clamp the guides against the rails. Then simply screw the bar rail in place so it’s centered across the platform and flush with the bottom edge of each bar guide, as illustrated in Figure 8c. Bar Stiffener * To provide addi- tional strength and “beef up” the clamp bar, I added an extra strip of hardwood. As you can see in Figures 8 and 8b, the bar stiffener (K) is nothing more than a piece of * 3 * / 4 TI - thick hardwood that’s glued and screwed to the face of the bar rail. Besides stiffening the rail, it also provides support for the bar face that’s added next The bar face (L) is a piece of 5 /8 n thick hardwood that rests on top of both the rail and stiff- ener (Figure 8c). You'll notice that the bar face is slightly beveled (Figure 8c). This bevel forces the workpieces flat against the vertical rails as clamping pressure is applied. Cutting a smooth, even bevel on a long strip is just a matter of tilting the saw blade and making a long rip cut, as illufr trated in Figure 8a All that's left to complete the clamp bar is to attach the bar face. Since the clamp face can be marred by the workpieces as you apply clamping pressure, I didn’t glue it in place. Instead, it's attached with a few screws, as you can see in Figure 8. This way, you can replace it easily if necessary. -►I ttfe" m--' GUIDE STRIPS P/4 J, x12"- V-THICK HARD- WOOD) k IV 4 " Fh SHEET METAL SCREW PEACE (W x 46‘) 3) 6AR GUIDE {n4 ,, x4a Fi ) "(DSAR RAIL (4" x 40 u ) #3 x V/z" Fh - SHEET METAL SCREW QUICK RELEASE FIN NOTE! ALL FARTS ARE MAPE FROM 3 4 ,r -THICK HARP WO OP SHEET METAL SCREW m x i!4 IJ Fh 7 SHEET METAL—' SCREW NOTE! \ PRILL W-£>IA. 1 HOLE FOR V FFN BACK BAR GUIDE BAR GUIDE TUT BLADE .OzzzzZL QUICK RELEASE FIN No. 62 ShopNotes 29 A Clamp Heads, Individual clamp heads are used to apply pressure evenly across the top edge of the panel. HEX NUTS- 5 /& n FLAT ^ WASHER^ 34VDIA. HOLE Clamp Heads At this point, all that’ s left to com- plete the clamping station is to add the six clamp heads shown in Figure 10 and the margin. As you adjust them with a shop-made handwheel, the clamp heads apply pressure smoothly and evenly against the workpieces that make up the panel. As you can see in Figure 10, each clamp head consists of four basic parts along with a few pieces of hard- ware. Note: I purchased all the hard- ware from a local home center. Clamp Head - The clamp head starts out as base (M) ofV^'pfym^d that* s sized to fit between the vertical rails. It’s important that the base sEde easily, so I sized each piece to provide Vie" clearance overall. The next step is to add the body of the clamp. Here again, the clamp body (N) is made from W plywood. But tills time it’s glued up from three layers. I found it easiest to start with long strips of plywood and glue them up into an extra-long (30 11 ) blank. After rounding over the two top edges, all you need to do is cut each body to size by “slicing* off short (4") sections (Figure 11). To complete the body, drill a small cQiinterbore in one edge, as illus- trated in the Front View shown in Figure 10. As you can see, this coun- terbore provides room for the end of the clamp rod (added later). Once each counterbore is com- plete, you’re ready to position it on the base. This is just a matter of %" ALLTHREAD - STEEL ROD CIS" LONG) W-PIA. HOLE FIGURE #&XI&-Fh SHEET METAL SCREW RETAINING STRIP (214" >■- =4 ,L FLY.) -J t t L_ ® &AGE (0%"k 6 m * 3/4° PLY.) NOTE! VO NOT ATTACH CLAMP HEAP FACE UNTIL LATER, SEE FIG. 13b gluing and screwing it to the base so it’s cen- tered side-to-side and flush with the bottom edge. Just be sure the hole for the threaded rod faces up. Retaining Strip - To hold the damp head to the threaded rod, I added a retain ing strip (O) along the top edge of each base , as you can see in Figure 10. This piece is just a narrow strip of 3 A H plywood. A hole drilled through it allows the clamp head rod to pass through. Since it can be tricky to add the hardware with the retaining strip attached to the base, I found it best to do that first So I threaded a pair of FRONT VIEW CLAMP 0OPY (5 3 /ta FI x 4"- m m ply.) CLAMP HEAD FACE CUfe" x &W - % "-THICK HARDWOOD) hex nuts on the end of the rod until there was about a Yz" of thread showing. Then 1 locked them in place by “jamming* the nuts together. Now you can slip the rod through the retaining strip. Before attaching the strip to the base, slip a washer over the end of the rod and fit it into the counterbore in the body (see Front View in Figure 10), Then you can glue and screw the strip to the base so it's centered side-to-side and flush with the top edge. Handwheel - At this point you can set the clamp heads aside and work on the handwheels. The hand- wheels make it easy to apply pres- sure with the clamp heads. 30 ShopNotes No. 62 r SHOP PROJECT TOP VIEW 3ASE Each handwheel (P) star ts out as a ^ 7"-square blank of 3 A lf plywood. Then to create the shape of the finger grips, 1 laid out a series of holes in each blank (see Handwheel Layout in Figure 12) . Drilling the center hole is easy, if s only in diameter. But drilling the holes that help create the finger grips requires a rather large bit (2 ir ). Don't worry if you don't have a bit that size. You can easily cut the hand- wheel to shape on the band saw (Figure 12) . Then all that's left to do is drill a centered hole. Note: To remove the sharp corners, I softened the edges by sanding a small roundover. Assembly - Now you’re ready to complete the final assembly of the clamp head. To do this, slip the base of each clamp head under the guides and thread the clamp head rod into the J hex nut on the bottom of the clamp head support. Then you can add the , rest of the hardware (Figure 13), The object here is to sandwich the handwheel between the hex nut and acorn nut. After repeating this process for each damp head, all thaf s left to do is add the damp head face (Q). Like the clamp bar (Figure 8a), a matching bevel cut along the face (Figure 3b) forces the panel down against the vertical rails. Here again, the clamp m a 1 1 ,-Tl 1 ^ 7 / ( ) V J HANPWHEEL %" FLAT WASHER NOTE: HANDWHEEL STARTS OUT AS A SQUARE OF PLYWOOD \\ \ il V' u WIX \ ■ \a #a x W Fh SHEET METAL l SCREW \ CLAMP HEAD 1 SIDE \ FACE \ VIEW head face is only screwed in place. And it’s centered side-to-side on the clamp body and rests against the guides (Figures 13a and 13b). Glue Up A Panel - Now that the clamping station is complete, you’re ready to glue up a panel. There’s nothing tricky here. It’s a simple step-by-step process, as you can see below. After tightening the last clamp head, all you need to do is wait for the panel to dry. A A Apply Wax, To prevent glue (and the panel) from sticking to the station, rub paraffin wax on the vertical rails. A Add Glue. After adjusting the lower clamp bar ; apply glue to each workpiece and stack to form panel. A Clamp. With the workpieces in place, apply pressure evenly across the panel by tightening each clamp head. No. 62 ShopNotes 31 Trouble-Free Hand Routing Techniques Want to make your hand- held routing trouble-free? Try the shop-tested tips below. Shop Talk WORKPIECE ROUT IN5IPE EPGES CLOCKWISE A FEED PIRECTEON Routing Frames I f you asked me or just about any other woodworker to run a workpiece through the jointer or table saw, we wouldn't have to give it a second thought When it comes to working with a stationary machine, the feed direc- tion of the workpiece comes natu- rally. There's a distinct front and back to most machines, and there- fore, the feed direction is automatic. FINGER SHOWS PI RECTI ON TO MOVE ROUTER ALONG WORKPIECE But put a router in our hands, and it seems like we always have to pause a second or two to figure out the proper feed direction — that is, which direction we should move the router along the workpiece. Since die router isn't stationary, you can move it along the workpiece either left or right So how do you go about figuring out what's “right?” Right Hand is “Right” - The simplest method I've found Hand Orientation Detail THUMP SHOWS ORIENTATION OF ROUTER AGAINST WORKPIECE for determining the proper routing direction (no matter what Pm routing) is some- thing I have with me all the time — my right hand. Take a look at the detail at left, and you'll see what I mean. Start by making an V Routing with a Fence FENCE OR STRAIGHTEPGE - ROUTOUTSIPE EPGES COUNTER CLOCKWISE NOTE: HANP PETAIL SHOWN ABOVE ALSO WORKS AGAINST FENCE with the thumb and forefinger of your right hand so the knuckles face up. Then with your V “In hand,” all you need to do is point your thumb towards the edge of the workpiece you're routing, A quick look at the direction your finger points tells you which way you need to move the router along the workpiece. What's really nice is this method works whether you're routing the inside (clockwise direction) or out- side (counterclockwise) of a work- piece, as shown in the Routing Frames drawing. And if you need to move the router along a fence to rout a groove or dado, it works just as well (Routing with a Fence drawing) . But instead of your thmnb pointing to the work- piece, it will point to the fence. Here again, your finger will point in the proper direction to move the router. Breaking the Rules - This method works for most situations. But like most rules you've prob- ably learned, this one is made to be broken. Sometimes wrong is “right" For more on this, take a look at the box on die opposite page. Preventing Chipout - Even when you're routing in the “right” direction, you'll inevitably run across 32 ShopNotes No. 62 U E S T 1 0 N S & ANSWERS one of the more frustrating prob- lems in woodworking — chlpout. It’s happened to me more times than I care to remember And if you look at the left drawing in Figure 1 below, it's easy to see why this happens. As you rout along the edge, the bit has the support of the uncut profile to prevent the wood from chipping out — until the bit exits the cut at the end of the workpiece. This happens most often when you're routing across the end grain of a workpiece. Ends First - So whati s the solu- tion? Hie one I like to use Is to rout the ends of the workpiece first. Sure, I still get splintering at the end of the pass. But once I rout the profile along the sides of the workpiece (which are edge grain and rout more smoothly), the chipped-out areas “disappear" as you can see in the right drawing of Figure 1. Support Scrap - That sounds great. But what if you T re not routing all the way around a workpiece? For instance, I typically don't rout the back edge of a top where it's going to be against a wall. If that’s the case , there's still a way to prevent chipout. All you need to do is temporarily clamp a scrap of STEP t ROUTING ACROSS END GRAIN SPLINTERS CORNER STEP 2 ROUTING ALONG EDGE GRAIN REMOVES AREAS THAT CHIPPED OUT wood against the edge that isn't going to be routed, as shown in Figure 2 above. Hie scrap backs up the wood fibers at the corners of the work- piece, So when the end grain is routed, any chipout will end up on the scrap — not on the workpiece. However, when routing end grain, it’s still a good idea to minimize chipout. So don’t set the bit for a full depth cut. Instead, take a series of shallow passes, finishing up with a very light final pass. & Backrouting Basics Although I try to rout in the “proper" direction most of the time, 111 have to admit there are a couple occasions when I break the rules — and do a little backrouting. Backrouting - So what exactly is backrouting? As the name implies, it's guiding the router backwards along the edge of a workpiece. But if it’s not “right,” why backrout at all? The main reason is that routing in tiie proper direction can be a lot like rubbing a cat's fur the wrong way It makes the grain stand up, or chip out, along some of the edges. Backrouting “smoothes" the wood and prevents this from happening. Rabbets - I like to backrout when I need to cut a rabbet to hold a glass panel — the last thing I want to end up with is chipout So instead of routing in the normal direction, I backrout and make a very shallow, full-width cut (Figure 1). This lightly “scores" the edge of the rabbet. Once that's complete, you can make the rest of the cuts to the full depth of the rabbet routing in the proper direction (Figure 2), Ovals & Circles - I also like to backrout when I have to rout a profile on the edge of an oval or circle. Since there isn't a square corner, there isn't any specific end grain you can rout first So I backrout instead. Here again, you'll want to take sev- eral very light cuts until y the full depth of the cut remove any chatter marks, final pass with the router in normal direction. Safety - So why not backrout all the time? The problem is the bit won't pull itself into the wood — it will bounce and skip along the edge, making the router difficult to control. To minimize this problem, I like to take light passes and keep a firm grip. Then I take a final cut in the proper direction to clean up the edge. FEED PIECES ROUTING DIRECTION FROM RIGHT TO LEFT AT FULL DEPTH NORMAL FEED ROUTING FROM DIRECTION LEFT TO RIGHT Safety Note: There's one very important thing to keep in mind here. Never backrout on a router table — tiie workpiece (and your fingers) can be pulled right into the router bit. No. 62 ShopNotes 33 UR FAVORITE TOOLS Tool Chest Looking to put a new twist on countersinking? Try a Weldon countersink bit. • Schlabaugb & Bone, www, ach&ons. comfjiQS 300 - 343-9663 • Woodcraft', WWW ; woodcraft.com 300 - 225-1153 • lee Valley Toole: wwwdeevafley.com 300 - 371-3153 O ne of the things that sets a good project apart from a great one is the details* And one of the less obvious details is drilling the coun- tersink for the head of a screw* A smooth, even counter- sink not only looks better, but it allows the head of the screw to seat fully* So it’s less likely to project above the surface or look offset in the countersink* That* s a problem I’ve had with most of the countersinks I’ve used in the past. They tended to leave behind a rough, uneven sur- face in the workpiece. Weldon Countersinks — But that all changed when I discovered a set of countersinks made by the Weldon company. The cutting edge works like a miniature plane to smoothly remove the waste as it cuts the countersink. A Metal Work, Smooth countersinks in soft metal, like brass or the aluminum shown above , are a snap with a Weldon countersink. Design - So what makes these countersinks so different? The main difference is that a traditional coun- tersink bit is “fluted.” These flutes remove material by “reaming” out small chips* The problem is they tend to “chatter,” leaving a wavy sur- face* This prevents the head of the screw from fully seating. But instead of flutes, the Weldon bits have an angled hole drilled through the middle of the bit (see drawing below). Drilling this hole through the side of the bit results in a single cutting edge* And since there’s only one cutting edge, you get a super-smooth countersink with curly shavings and chips, much like a hand plane (see the photo above). WASTE 15 EJECTED THROUGH TOP OF COUNTERBGRE CUTTING EDGE COUNTERSINK CUTTING EDGE HOLE CROSS SECTION This makes a Weldon bit the per- fect choice for countersinking — whether you are working in wood or metal (lower left photo). And 1 seem to be working with both materials a lot more often these days. Note: Like most other counter- sink bits, you will need to drill the pilot hole for the screw before cut- ting the countersink. Weldon countersinks come in var- ious sizes and styles depending on the type and size of screw you’re using. And they also come in dif- fering cutting angles. (For wood- screws, you’ll need the 82° angle.) Price - Depending on your needs, you can buy a single counter- sink for as little as $8.00. But if you use a number of different screw sizes like I do, a three- or four-piece set is a better value* 1 paid $30.00 for a four-piece set that will handle coun- tersinks for #4 to #10 size screws* (See margin for photo and sources*) As you may have guessed, I’m a big fan of Weldon countersinks. They’re easy to use and cut flawless countersinks in both wood and metal. So if you’re looking to make your woodworking a “cut above” the rest, add a set of Weldon countersink bits to your tool collection* A 34 ShopNotes No* 62 Sources Carpenter's Toolbox lVa M wide and 2 V 4 " long, and the To give the Carpenter's Toolbox (page 14) a classic look, I used some traditional trunk hardware, as you can see in the photo at the upper right. This type of hardware is avail- able from a number of different sources, 1 ordered mine from Lee Valley Tools , but the margin at right lists other sources as well The W-thick leather trunk handle is 8 3 A ,f long and comes with a nail to secure the handle inside the brass loops. The draw catches are A Aging Hardware. Giving the brass an aged look requires time — or a Httfe help with a brass darkening solution (refer to margin for sources). trunk hinges are 1W’ wide and 2 ir long. One thing to keep in mind with all these parts is that you’ll need to supply your own screws. You'll need six #8 x 3 / 4 m Rh brass woodscrews for the handle and a total of eighteen #6 x V 2 " Fh brass woodscrews for the draw catches and hinges. Aging Hardware - Regardless of where you get your hardware, it’s going to come with a bright brass finish. To “tarnish” the brass and give it more of an aged look, I turned to an antiquing solution that darkens brass, (A couple sources are listed in the margin at right,) Before using the darkening solu- tion, be sure to read the instructions thoroughly. Since they're mildly cor- rosive it's a good idea to cover your work area wi th a piece of plastic. And be sure to wear safety goggles and rubber gloves. In order for the the solution to work, you’ll have to remove the pro- tective coating from the hardware first. To do that, simply soak the hardware in lacquer thinner. At this point, aging the hardware is just a matter of dipping it in the solu- tion and letting the darkening process begin. I only kept the hardware in the mixture for a few minutes to get the look I was after. When you have the look you want, remove the hardware and rinse it off with water to stop the process. Tien to preserve the Took,” 1 sprayed on a few thin coats of lacquer (Deft). Leather - If you like the look of the leather trunk handle you can use it as is. But I decided to “age” it too. No need for a fancy solution here. I simply picked up some shoe polish (brown) at the grocery store, wiped it on, and then buffed it out. MAIL ORDER SOURCES Constantine’s 954 - 561-1716 www. canstAntines.com Toolbox Ha rdware Lee Valley Tools 800 - 871-8158 www.leevaUey.coin ON-LINE EXTRAS You don't have to build the Carpenter's Toolbox with box joints. We’ve also designed another version that uses simple rabbet joints. You can find more informa- tion about this version at our web- site at www. ShopNotes.com. Or you can have the information mailed to you. Just send a stamped, self-addressed #10 envelope to: ShopNotes Drawings EG. Box 842 Des Moines, IA 50304 Tbolbox Hardware, Stainless-Steel Canisters Rockier 800 279-4441 www, rockIer.com Toolbox Hard ware Van Dyke’s Restorers 800 - 558-1234 www,vandykes,com B rass Barkening Solution Woodsmith Store 800 - 835-5084 Brass Darkening Solution Hardware Canisters As I was looking through catalogs to find just the right hardware for the Carpenter's Toolbox, I ran across these handy storage canisters. They’re made from stainless steel, so they're pretty tough. And the lids have a piece of clear plastic on top. So you don't have to remove the lid to see what's inside — a quick glance is all it takes. And unlike a lot of small Containers where the lid fits loosely, the lid on this canister pops on and off with a satis- fying “snap.” So you don’t have to worry about knocking a lid off and spilling the contents on the floor (or inside your toolbox) . Each canister is 2 3 /s M in diameter and 3 3 /a M tall — perfect for storing all sorts of small pieces of hard- ware (or other small items) . I ordered these canisters from Lee Valley Tools . Besides these canis- ters, they also have a wide assortment of other storage con- tainers. See margin for ordering information. ShopHHs * “Online Extras" - Flans, Patterns, 81 More * Over 100 Woodworking Tips Online * Forums for Woodworking, Tools, 81 Classifieds * Visit Our Woodworking Shop Tours Gallery * Project Plans You Can Download * Catalog of IVoject Kits, Tools, Jigs, & Plans * links to Other Woodworking Sites * Order ShopNotes & Woodsm ith Back Issues Online Customer Service Click on Subscriber Services at www, shopnofesxom Access your pccount status Change your mailing or email address PoyyouF bill Reaewyoursubscriptsoa Teil us if you've missed m issue Find out if your payment has been received www.shopnotes.com j No. 62 ShopNotes 35 Here's an opportunity to build your own antique toolbox. With its traditional-look- ing box joints and aged brass hard- ware , this classic toolbox is the perfect place to house your favorite hand tools. It's just the right size to set on a workbench or carry to a jobsite. Plus a convenient, lift-out tray makes a handy tote for hardware or smaller tools. Complete plans for this project begin on page 14.