Issue 63 PERFECT CROSSCUTS -SHOP SECRETS REVEALED Space-Saving ROUTER STORAGE SYSTEM What yc Disco\ iu need to Know ie r the BestS www.ShopNotes.com EDITORS NOTE ShopNotes Issue 63 May 2002 PUBLISHER EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITORS ART DIRECTOR SR. GRAPHIC DESIGNER SENIOR ILLUSTRATORS Donald B. Peschke Terry J. Strohman Bryan Nelson Vincent Ancona Cary Christensen Kurt Schultz Roger Reiland Mark Higdon CREATIVE RESOURCES Creative Director: Ted Kralicek • Project Developer: Ken Munkel • Sr. Project Designers: Kent Welsh, Ryan Mimick • Project Designer: Chris Fitch • Shop Craftsmen: Steve Curtis, Steve Johnson • Senior Photographer. Crayola England SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS Corp. V.P.: Douglas L. Hicks • Art Director: Douglas A. Flint • Sr. Graphic Designer: Chris Glowacki • Graphic Designer. Vu Nguyen • Associate Editor Craig Ruegsegger • Asst. Editors: Joel A. Hess, Joseph E. Irwin CIRCULATION Subscriber Services Director Sandy Baum • New Business Dir.: Wayde J. Klingbeil • Circulation Marketing Analyst: Kris Schlemmer • Assoc. Circ. Marketing Analyst: Paula M. DeMatteis • Renewal Manager Paige Rogers • Sr. Graphic Designers: Mark Hayes, Robin Friend • Billing & Collections Mgr.: Rebecca Cunningham • Multimedia Promotion Mgr.: Rick Junkins • Promotion Analyst: Patrick Walsh CORPORATE SERVICES V.P. of Finance: Mary R. Scheve • Controller: Robin K. Hutchinson • Sr Acct.: Laura J. Thomas • Accts. Payable. Mary J. Schultz • Accts. Receivable: Margo Petrus • Prod. Dir.: George Chmielarz • Electronic Pub. Dir.: Douglas M. Lidster • System Admin.: Cris Schwanebeck • P.C. Maint. Tech.: Robert D. Cook • Pre-Press Image Specialists: Troy Clark, Minniette Johnson • New Media Mgr.: Gordon C. Gaippe • Multimedia Art Dir.: Eugene Pedersen • Web Server Admin.: Carol Schoeppler • Web Content Mgrs.: David Briggs, Sue M. Moe • Web Designer: Kara Blessing • Prof. Dev. Dir.: Michal Sigel • It. R. Asst: Kirsten Koele • Receptionist: Jeanne Johnson • Mail Room Clerk : Lou Webber Operations Director Bob Baker • Custom er Sendee Mgr.: Jennie Enos • Warehouse Supr.: Nancy Johnson • Buyer: Linda Jones • Admin. Asst.: Nancy Downey • Tech. Rep.: John Audette • Cust. Serv. Team Leader: Tammy Truckenbrod • Sr. Cust. Serv. Reps.: Anna Cox, Deborah Rich, April Revell • Cast Sen\ Reps.: Valerie Jo Riley, Kim Harlan • Warehouse : Sylvia Carey WOOPSMITH STORE Manager Dave Larson • Asst.Mgr.: Tim Thelen • Sales Staff: Wendell Stone, Jim Barnett, Larry Morrison, Gregory Kauzlarich, Mark Johnson • Office Mgr.: Vicki Edwards ShopNotes® (ISSN 1062-9696) is published bimonthly (Jan., March, May, July, Sept., Nov.) by August Home Publishing, 2200 Grand, Des Moines, I A 50312. ShopNotes®isaregistered trademark of August Home Publishing ©Copyright 2002 by August Home Publishing. All rights reserved. Subscriptions: Single copy: $4.95. One year subscription (6 issues), $27.95. Canada/International add $10 per year, U.S. funds. Periodicals Postage Paid at Des Moines, I A and at additional mail- ing 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, IA 50304-9961. Or call 1-800-333-5854, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Central Time, weekdays. FAX 515-283-0447 E-Mail: ShopNotes@shopnotes.com Internet: http://www.shopnotes.com PRINTED IN U.S.A. Cutoffs • ere O ne afternoon a few weeks back, Steve Johnson (our shop craftsman) stopped me on the way down to the shop. He mentioned he’d been working on something new and wanted me to take a look. When I walked over to his bench, I was a bit surprised. It looked more like a science experiment than a woodworking project. There were a number of small syringes filled with some sort of colored S paste and several thick ^ blocks covered with a dark gray film. The only thing I recognized was a honing guide, so I assumed it had something to do with sharpening. But before I could ask the first question, Steve handed me a chisel. All it took was one look at the pol- ished edge, and he had my attention — I wanted to know more. What I found out was that the small syringes were filled with a paste made from finely ground, man- made industrial diamonds. And the blocks were “stones” made from pieces of MDF. To use this system, the idea is to dab a small amount of paste on a MDF stone and then rub the chisel or plane iron back and forth to hone the edge. After Steve explained the process, I couldn’t wait to give it a try. When I did, there were a couple of surprises. First, I found with the dia- mond paste I was able to polish the steel to a flaw- less, mirror-like finish. The other surprise was how quickly I was able to get a razor-sharp edge that sliced effortlessly though a workpiece. If this sounds like the sharpening solu- tion you’ve been looking for, check out the complete story on page 9. Once you have your chisels honed to perfection, you’ll probably find yourself using them more often (I know I do) . So we have plans for a chisel rack that mounts near your workbench. This puts your chisels right where you need them. And the unique design of the rack holds them securely in place and protects those newly sharpened edges. For more on how we did this, see page 6. Be included, as a part of the Woodworking Shop Tours Visit other ShopNotes subscribers’ workshops and see photos of the shop projects they’ve built. It’s all online at Woodworking Shop Tours on the ShopNotes web site: www.ShopNotes.com We want you to be part of our shop tours! To submit photos of your favorite ShopNotes projects or views of your shop, just follow the instruc- tions you’ll find on our web site. 2 ShopNotes No. 63 ISSUE SIXTY-THREE • Contents Features Chleel Rack 6 Our new chisel rack makes use of a unique design (and a secret method) to keep chisels easily accessible and on display. Sharpening with Diamond Faete 9 Put a razor-sharp cutting edge on any plane iron or chisel in minutes with this new sharpening method. Table Saw Accessory Shelf 12 Keeping table saw accessories organized and close at hand has always been a problem — until now. Crosscut Sled 16 A lightweight crosscut sled that's dead-on accurate? You bet. Plus, a couple optional accessories to make it even more useful. Crosscutting Tips 21 Get better crosscuts in minutes. We offer a few tips from our own shop for smooth, accurate crosscuts time after time. Router Storage System 24 Besides keeping your router bits organized and accessible, this storage system expands as your needs grow. Spade Sit Tote 30 Keep your spade bits stored and ready to go with this handy tote that you can make in an afternoon. Departments Readers' Tips 4 Shop-tested tips to solve common woodworking problems. Shop Talk 32 Want to know the “in ’s and out’s " of table saws? We cover the basics from benchtops to cabinet saws. Tool Chest 34 This issue’s tool is the perfect example of getting what you pay for. When it comes to the “ details , ” this tool has it all. Sources. 35 Mail-order sources and supplies to help you complete the projects featured in this issue. Chisel Rack page 6 Diamond Paste page 9 Table Saw Crosscut Sled page 1 6 Router Storage System page 2J) No. 63 ShopNotes 3 TIPS & TECHNIQUES Readers’ Tips Five-Minute Spray Booth ■ I recently purchased some spray equipment to use for finishing my projects. Unfortunately, I don’t have room in my garage shop for a dedi- cated spray booth for large projects. So instead, I created a “knock-down” Send in Your Shop Tips If you have a unique shop tip, we’d like to consider featuring it in one or more of our print or electronic publications. We’ll pay up to $200 for a tip we pub- lish. Just write down the tip and mail it to ShopNotes , Attn.: Readers’ Tips, 2200 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312. Or FAX it to 515-282-6741, or send us an e-mail at shopnotes@shopnotes.com. Please include your name, address and daytime phone number in case we have any questions. spray booth that I can set up in five minutes and then store out of the way just about as quickly. I purchased a roll of 4-mil plastic from a home center and used some of it to line the inside of my garage door by attaching it with duct tape. Then I cut sheets of plastic for the sides and back of the spray booth. To hang the plastic sheets, I sta- pled each one to a lW-wide strip of wood and then bolted the strips to the tracks of the garage door. The strip holding up the “back” wall of the spray booth rests across both tracks, as shown in drawing above. The bottom edge of each sheet is sandwiched between two strips of wood. This helps to weigh down the plastic sheets and makes it easier to roll the “walls” up when you’re done. To use the spray booth, I simply roll down the plastic sheets. (The corners can be folded over to seal the booth.) Then I raise the garage door to create a “ceiling” for the booth. The booth helps to contain the finish and prevents overspray from getting all over everything else in the garage. When I’m fin- ished spraying, I just roll the walls up and tie them up with some string see detail drawing above. f Chuck Steger Bossier City , Louisiana 4 ShopNotes No. 63 TIPS & TECHNIQUES Quick Tips A Steve Wargo, of North Olmsted, OH, uses an inexpensive, 14-in-1 measuring device purchased at a fabric store as a thickness gauge when planing stock. A When drilling holes by hand, Dana Craig, of Norwood, MA, uses this handy shop-made drilling guide to keep the drill bit square to the workpiece. A Roger Lynne, of Bloomington, MN, uses golf tees and Vs" pegboard to construct a drying rack for finishing small projects and pieces. Scroll Saw Slade Holder ■ I use my scroll saw a lot, and I go through a lot of blades. So I came up with this convenient way of storing my blades while still keeping them close at hand so I don’t have to get up every time I need a new blade. My solution is to make a blade (Storage tube out of PVC pipe, see drawing at right I simply cut a length of Vy 1 pipe and then cement an end cap on one end. A second end cap can be slipped over the other end of the tube for use as a lid (don’t cement this one in place). To hold the blade storage tube, I use a couple of spring clips (the kind used to hang brooms or mops on the wall). Just mount the spring clips to the side of your scroll saw stand with a couple of sheet metal screws, see drawing. Then pop the blade storage tube into the spring clips. One other thing. I used a red felt marker to color the lid of the storage tube so that I would know which end cap to pull off. Herb Matthias Fort Wayne , bidiaiia Drain Valve Extension REDUCING ELBOW PIPE NIPPLE SIDE ViEW NOTE: WRAP ALL THREADS WITH TEFLON TAPE r\ i * 1 r~t ELBOW DRAIN VALVE ■ I know that you’re supposed to drain the air tank on a compressor regularly. But the drain valve on my air compressor is located on the bottom of the tank, where it’s diffi- cult to reach. So I added an exten- sion to the drain valve. I simply removed the existing drain valve from the tank. Then I added some galvanized pipe fittings to bring the valve out where I could reach it more conveniently, see drawing. Jay L. Van Epps North Creek , New York Get more wood- working tips free. Visit us on the Web at ShopMotes.com Sign up to receive a free shop tip by email every week. No. 63 ShopNotes 5 END VIEW (CROSS SECTION) Magnetic I Ve never been very happy with the chisel rack that has hung in my shop for years. The chisels simply dangle loosely in the rack, occasionally knocking against one another. And nothing protects the edges of the blades from damage. This chisel rack is remarkably dif- ferent. For one thing, the chisels all stand straight up, like a row of sol- diers at attention. And the edges of the chisels are protected by a shallow, V-shaped trough, where they are out of harms way. But the thing that s really amazing about this chisel rack is what you don’t see. When you look closely at the rack, there doesn’t appear to be anything holding the chisels up. The “secret” is magnets. Behind each chisel, sandwiched between the two plates of the rack, is a wafer-like, rare-earth magnet. These powerful magnets are strong enough to hold even the largest chisel in place. And yet, when you want to remove a chisel from the rack, all you have to do is pull it straight out. TIP OF CHISEL FITS IN GAP CREATED SY CHISEL REST SHOP PROJECT There are only three pieces to this chisel rack. In fact, it’s a great project to use up some of those scrap wood pieces that you have stashed away. I started by making the front | plate (A). The final length of this piece will depend on the number and widths of your chisels, as shown in Figure 2b. But I started with an extra-long blank. Then I cut the dadoes that will hold the chisels (Figure 2) . Each dado is sized so it is W wider than the chisel it will hold. And the dadoes are positioned two inches on center so that all the han- dles will be evenly spaced when the chisels are placed in the rack. After cutting the dadoes, I sanded a small chamfer on the inside edges of each opening, just like you see in Figures 1 and la. Then the ends of the front plate can be trimmed off lVs" from the edge of the nearest dado, as shown in Figure 2b. The rare-earth magnets will be housed in shallow counterbores on the back of the front plate. These recesses are created with a Forstner bit on the drill press. Just drill a shallow hole centered over the back of each dado, as you see in Figure 3. The diameter and depth of the holes should match the diameter and thickness of the magnets. With all the holes drilled, the next step is to chamfer the edges of the front plate on a router table. You can see this being done in Figures 4 and 4a. Because of the dadoes cut in the plate, you can’t rely on the bearing alone to guide the bit when making the chamfer. So you’ll want to use a fence on your router table as well. Chisel Rest - Although the mag- nets will hold the chisels in the rack, I added a narrow strip of wood to the front plate to serve as a stop or rest for the chisels. When you place a chisel in the rack, the rest contacts the bevel of the chisel and pins it to the front plate of the rack. The chisel rest (B) is just a narrow strip of stock. It fits into an angled saw kerf cut into the front plate. To make this kerf, simply tilt your saw blade 45° (Figure 5). After making the kerf, the rest can be glued in place. Before you move on to making the back plate, however, there is just one more detail to take care of. Using a sharp chisel, trim the ends of the rest flush with the chamfer on the ends of the front plate, refer to Figure 1. No. 63 ShopNotes 7 SHOP PROJECT ▲ Rare-Earth Magnets. Roughly the size of a nickel, these rare-earth magnets have incredible holding power. See page 35 for sources. Back & Assembly At this point, you've got the most difficult part of making the chisel rack out of the way. All that’s left now is to add a back and the mag- nets and hang the rack up. The back plate ( C) is made from a piece of W’-thick stock as shown in Figure 6. (I used a different species of wood to contrast with the front plate.) After cutting the back plate to size, a chamfer is routed all around the front. This chamfer is the same size as the one you routed earlier on the front plate (W) . Assembly - Before gluing the two plates together, insert a rare- earth magnet into each recess on the back of the front plate. The magnets will be trapped between the two plates, so you don’t have to worry about gluing them in place. Gluing the two plates together can be tricky. If you try to clamp them together, the glue will make them slip around like they are on ice. So before I applied the glue, I drove BACK PLATE HARDWOOD) some brads into the front plate, leaving about W of each brad sticking out. Then I snipped off the heads of the brads (Figure 6) . When you clamp the plates together, the brads will bite into the back plate and prevent the two pieces from slipping. Mounting the Rack - The eas- iest way to mount the chisel rack is to screw it directly to the wall. Just drill a mounting hole at each end, as shown in Figures la and 6a. Once the rack is attached to the wall, you can set your chisels in place. fL I BACK PLATE " x III/ 2 " - 3 / 4 n -THICK HARDWOOD) FRONT PLATE %*' X 11" - 3 / 4 "-THICK HARDWOOD) ^ Non-Magnelic Chisel Rack You don’t have to buy magnets to be able to build this chisel rack. Here’s an alternate version that is identical to the rack above, except this one uses a retaining strip instead of mag- nets to hold the chisels in place, as you can see in the photo at right. Allyou have to do is cut a W 1 x Vs" groove across the front plate, as shown below. Then glue a retaining strip ( D) into the groove. You can use a chisel to trim the ends of the retaining strip flush with the chamfer on the ends of the front plate. RETAINING 6TRIP (V x 11" - ’/©"-THICK HARDWOOD) CHI5EL REST " x 11" - ’/©"-THICK HARDWOOD) m 8 ShopNotes No. 63 Sharpening with Diamond Paste S harpening chisels, plane irons, and other wood- working tools used to be a chore that I would put off for as long as possible. But recently, IVe discovered a fairly new way of sharpening that gives you an amazing, razor-sharp edge with less mess and less fuss and in half the time of waterstones or other traditional sharpening methods. The “secret” behind this new sharpening system is a material you may not be familiar with — diamond paste. Why does diamond paste work so well? It all has to do with the fact that diamonds are the hardest substance known to man. So they can cut and polish the toughest steels faster and with less work than anything else. And the edge that you get with dia- mond paste seems twice as sharp as anything you can get with waterstones or oilstones. Not only does diamond paste work better and faster, it takes a lot of the drudgery out of sharpening. There’s no more endless rubbing back and forth over messy sharpening stones. Just a few minutes using the diamond paste, and you’re done. What is Diamond Paste? - Diamond paste is made up of finely ground particles of industrial diamonds. The particles are sorted by size and then mixed with a paste- like substance (referred to as the “carrier”). Because they are so small, the diamond particles are measured in microns . (A single human hair is about 100 microns thick.) The larger the particles, the coarser the dia- mond paste. Although diamond paste is available in a wide range of grits, I use only four — 30-micron, 15-micron, 6-micron, and 3-micron. You’ll also need a lubricant. The lubricant helps keep the diamond particles evenly dispersed while you are sharpening. You can purchase a special lubricant for use with dia- mond paste, or you can use a light- weight oil. The only other materials you’ll need are some scraps of MDF (medium-density fiberboard) for the sharpening “blocks.” You can buy a pre-packaged kit that contains the four grits of diamond paste, lubricant, and MDF blocks. Or you can save some money by purchasing the diamond paste and lubricant separately and making your own MDF blocks. (See page 35 for sources.) Razor-Sharp in Record Time. Diamond paste will give you an unbelievably sharp, mirror-like edge in half the time. Once you try it , you 'll see why we say this new sharp- ening system is truly on the “cutting edge." No. 63 ShopNotes 9 TECHNIQUE Using Diamond Paste ▲ Lubricant. Before applying the diamond paste for the first time, work a few drops of the lubricant into the MDF block. 1 Flatten the back of the tool using sandpaper on a piece of plate glass. A rubber shelf liner prevents the glass from slipping. 2 Carefully squeeze out a few small dabs of the diamond paste onto the surface of the block. You don’t need much. No matter how you sharpen a tool, both the bevel and the back of the tool have to be perfectly flat and smooth in order to get a razor-like edge. So I start by flattening the back. This is something you will only have to do one time (the first time you sharpen the tool). For subse- quent sharpenings, you'll only have to worry about sharpening the bevel. Sandpaper - Although the dia- mond paste cuts quickly, its real pur- pose is in the final polishing of the steel. To quickly flatten the back, I use sandpaper instead. I start with a piece of 150-grit, silicon-carbide sandpaper and a piece of plate glass. The plate glass is an important part of the process. It provides a nearly-perfect flat surface to back up the sandpaper. Spray adhesive can be used to stick the sandpaper to the glass. Then just start rubbing the back of the tool back and forth over the sandpaper, pressing down firmly the whole time, see Step 1. A spritz of water from a spray bottle will help to keep the sandpaper from clogging up with metal shavings. You may have to spend a bit of time In order to get a flat, smooth bevel, the tool has to be held at a consistent angle throughout the sharpening process. While it’s possible to do this by hand, I find it a lot less frustrating to use an adjustable honing guide. A honing guide holds the tool at a fixed angle. For most chisels and plane irons, I use a 30° bevel angle (unless I’m creating a micro-bevel, see box at right.) The Veihtas honing guide and angle jig (shown here) are available from Lee Valley (1-800-871-8158) for just over $30. The guide has an adjust- ment feature that allows you to create a micro-bevel with a simple turn of a knob. ▼ Honing Guide. The wide roller on this honing guide makes it stable, even when sharpening narrow tools. one of five pre-set angles. 3 Start rubbing the back of the tool back and forth on the block, working the diamond paste into a black slurry. on the 150-grit paper to grind down all the high spots on the back of the tool. (Be sure to switch to a fresh piece of sandpaper as soon as the one you’re using starts to wear out.) As you examine the tool, you will start to see a pattern of scratches emerging. Once these scratches| evenly cover the entire width of the back, you can move on to 220-grit paper and repeat the process. (You shouldn’t have to spend nearly as much time on the 220-grit paper as you did on the 150-grit.) After the 220-grit, switch to 400- grit paper. By the time you finish with this grit, the back of the tool should have an even, dull-looking appearance. Now you’re ready to start using the diamond paste. Diamond Paste - Just like the sandpaper, you will be using pro- gressively finer grits of diamond paste to gradually polish the back of the tool (see margin at right). But instead of plate glass, the diamond paste is used on MDF. I glue up two layers of VV '-thick MDF into blocks about 2 V 2 " wide and 8 M long. (You’ll need to make a separate block for each grit of diamond paste.) I like to label the side of the block with the grit so that I don’t get them mixed . up. And chamfering the edges of the" block will help to prevent the tool you are sharpening from catching 10 ShopNotes No. 63 TECHNIQUE 4 After you’ve polished the back with ail four grits of the dia- mond paste, you should have an even, mirror-like surface. the edge and digging into the block. To use the diamond paste, start by applying a few drops of lubricant to the MDF block and gently smear it around, as shown in the photo in the margin at left. Then apply four or five BB-sized dabs of the 30-micron paste to the block. As you can see in Step 2, you don’t need to use much. Now start rubbing the tool back and forth over the block, like you see in Step 3. As you do this, the dia- mond paste will mix with the lubri- cant and turn into a black slurry. Don’t wipe this off - this is what con- tains the diamond particles. If the paste starts to dry out, try adding a drop or two of the lubricant. As with the sandpaper, check your progress by examining the pattern of scratches on the back of the tool. The diamond paste cuts quickly, so you won’t have to spend a lot of time on each grit. When the back looks evenly polished (a dull, matte- looking surface), wipe off the tool and move on to the 15-micron paste. Then proceed to the 6 and finally the 3, using a new MDF block for each. Note: It’s important to wipe off any remaining diamond paste from the tool before moving on to the next grit. If you don’t, the diamond parti- cles from the coarser paste will con- taminate the finer paste, leaving scratches on the surface of the tool. 5 To sharpen the bevel of the tool, start with the sandpaper again. I use a honing guide to hold the tool at a fixed angle. 6 After the sandpaper, the bevel can be polished with diamond paste, working through all four grits like you did with the back. For the same reason, I use a fresh towel each time I wipe off the tool. By the time you finish with the 6- micron paste, you’ll really start to notice the shine. And the final pol- ishing with the 3-micron paste will leave the back of the tool looking like a mirror, see Step 4. Bevel - The process for sharp- ening the bevel of the tool is the same as for the back. The only dif- ference is that I like to use a honing guide to hold the tool at a consistent angle (see box on opposite page). Shape the bevel using the sand- paper and plate glass, as you see in Step 5. Then you can polish the entire bevel using the diamond paste, as in Step 6. Or you can change the angle of the honing guide to create just a small “micro-bevel” using the diamond paste. (See the box below for more information on this.) Results - Apart from the mirror- like shine, you’ll really be amazed at how easily your chisels and plane irons cut when sharpened with dia- mond paste. Once you give it a try, I think you’ll agree it’s a quick, clean way to a razor-sharp edge. 30-micron (coarsely Color-Coded . Diamond paste is often supplied in plastic syringes. To help distinguish between the various grits, the paste is color-coded. Micro-Bevel When you think about it, there’s really no need to polish the entire bevel of a tool when only the edge is doing the cutting. That’s why I like to create a “micro-bevel” on most of my edge tools. The process is pretty simple. First, I grind a primary bevel on the tool using the sandpaper. (I usually grind this bevel at a 25° angle.) Then I use the diamond paste to hone a very small, secondary bevel on the edge of the tool, this time at 30°. This micro-bevel doesn’t have to be very wide. I usually shoot for about Vi6 n . The nice thing about the micro-bevel is that when the tool gets dull, you only have to touch up the edge, rather than the entire bevel. This speeds up the sharpening process quite a bit. After repeated sharpenings, the micro- bevel will get wider and wider. When the micro-bevel gets to the point where it is about half the width of the entire bevel, I just grind a new primary bevel (at 25°) and start all over again. No. 63 ShopNotes 11 Make your table saw work harder — in an afternoon. All it takes is this handy accessory shelf G etting more out of the tools you already own is one way to make them work harder. It’s one of our main goals when we design a project. And the accessory shelf added to the contractor- style table saw shown above is a perfect example. It’s a practical, easy-to-build project you can complete in an afternoon that provides plenty of storage — something often lacking around a table saw. To accomplish this, the accessory shelf consists of a rectan- gular piece of plywood sandwiched between the cabinet of the table saw and its stand. The plywood sticks out past the sides of the cabinet to provide a convenient spot for storing your miter gauge, dp fence, and other commonly used accessories. Miter Gauge & Accessory Storage - As you can see in the upper photo at left, there's a covered slot for the miter gauge to slide into on the left side of the shelf, keeping it close at hand. And a drawer right underneath provides storage for wrenches, push blocks, featherboards, and other accessories. Rip Fence Wing - Finding a place to store the rip fence when you don't need it can be a hassle. But not any more. On the right side of the shelf there’s an open wing for storing the rip fence out of the way (center photo at left) . Dust Collection - And finally, if you’re tired of all the dust piling up below your table saw (where it's a pain to sweep up) , there are a couple options for adding dust collection. Our shop-built ver- sion is shown in the lower photo at left. But you can also add a store-bought dust hookup. (For more on this, refer to page 15.) Accessory Storage. ► Keep accessories in reach with a handy storage drawer and miter gauge shelf. Fence Storage. ► An open wing provides convenient storage for the rip fence when it’s not in use. Dust Collection. ► An optional hood attaches to the shelf to make dust collection a snap. 12 ShopNotes No. 63 SHOP PROJECT THE SHELF Sizing the shelf to fit your table saw is the key to this project. To do this, the first step is to measure the width and depth of your table saw stand. But don’t remove your table saw from the stand to do this. You’ll need the table saw to build the shelf. Like most projects, I assembled the shelf on my bench and then attached it later once it was complete. Size Shelf - The shelf is cut to length to match the depth of the stand (Figure 1 ). But determining the width takes a little more work. To account for the wings on either side of the shelf (plus lV 2 ,f clearance for stands with splayed legs), you’ll need to add 14V2 M to the width of your stand. (For my shelf, the final dimensions were 34 M x 22".) Miter Gauge Slot - After cutting the shelf (A) to final size from 3 /V f plywood, you can turn your attention to the top of the shelf. All that needs to be done here is to cut a groove to match the width and depth of your miter gauge bar, as shown in Figure la. (Mine was VT wide and Vs" deep.) Note: For miter gauge bars with washers on the ends, see the margin. Finally, to ease the sharp edge at the front of the shelf, I routed a l /f ] chamfer along the upper edge. Drawer Opening - At this point, you’re ready to build the drawer. But first, to create its opening youll need to add four pieces. After cutting the sides (B), back (C), and bottom (D) to size from 3 / 4 ,f plywood, you can glue and screw them together and to the bottom face of the shelf to create an opening for the drawer (Figure la). Drawer - Now you’ll need to determine the size of the drawer parts. To allow the drawer to slide freely, I allowed a Vi6 n gap side-to- side and Vs" top-to-bottom. Then after allowing for the rabbet joinery, I cut the front/back (E) and sides (F) to size from V 2 " plywood (Figure 2). To hold the W 1 hardboard drawer bottom (G) in place, you’ll need to cut a V 4 " x W’ groove near the bottom edge of each piece. Then before assembling the drawer, drill a couple shank holes in the front for the screws that attach the false front. The false front (H) is cut to size from 3 /V' plywood. It fits flush with the sides and bottom of the case, but it rests just below the groove cut in the shelf (Side View in Figure 2). After attaching a handle, you can screw the false front in place. Rip Fence Wing - After sliding the drawer in place, you can add the wing for the rip fence. The wing (I) is a piece of 3 / 4 M plywood that’s held in place by a pair of support blocks (]) and a support strip (K) (Figures 1 and lb). And a keeper strip (L) keeps the rip fence from sliding off (Figure lb) . A Washer Groove. The washers attached to some miter bars keep it secure in the miter slot. But to store the miter gauge , you’ll need to cut a wider groove in your shelf. No. 63 ShopNotes 13 SHOP PROJECT Mount the Shelf With the shelf complete, you’re ready to remove the table saw cab- inet from the stand and “slip” the shelf in between. But first you’ll need to make a cutout in the center of the shelf. This provides a way for the sawdust and chips to fall through. Or if you want, you can add a dust collection system. But more about that in a bit. Dust Opening - Determining the size of the opening is an easy task. Start by placing the shelf on the table saw stand, making sure it’s cen- tered evenly side-to-side and flush at the front and back (Figure 3) . Now, reach under the stand and trace the outline of the opening in the stand onto the bottom of the shelf. Note: It’s best to limit the size of this opening to 10 M x 10 M . This keeps the “frame” of the shelf solid. Also, while you’re “under” the stand, it’s a good idea to locate the mounting holes for the table saw. After tracing the opening, drill a couple starter holes and then cut out the opening (Figure 3a). Finally, drill the mounting holes through the shelf. Dust Collection - At this point, you need to decide if you’re going to install a dust collection system. There are a couple options here. You can simply purchase a plastic dust hood. Or you can build a shop-made version. For more information on either option for collecting dust, take a look at the opposite page. Mount Shelf - Mounting the shelf is just a matter of lining up the mounting holes in both the stand and shelf and then bolting the saw in place (Figures 4 and 4a). Note: You may need longer bolts due to the added thickness of the shelf. Miter Gauge Cover - There’s one last thing to do to complete the shelf. And that’s to add a miter gauge cover to the left side. Besides acting as a stop to keep the miter gauge in place, it also makes a convenient storage area for larger table saw accessories (like a dado set) that won’t fit inside the drawer. The cover (M) is just a rectangular piece of VT plywood that’s screwed to the left side of the shelf (Figure 5) . It’s sized so it’s flush with the outside edge of the shelf and butts against the side of the saw cabinet. To determine the length, I placed my miter gauge in the groove so the bar was even with the front edge of the shelf. Then after measuring from the face of the miter gauge to the back of the shelf, I cut the cover to size and screwed it in place. 14 ShopNotes No. 63 Optional Duet Collector Although you can let the dust and chips from the table saw fall to the floor (and settle on everything in the shop) , it’s much better to collect them first — not sweep them up later. So you might want to think about adding a dust collector to the shelf. There are a couple ways to go about this. First, you can purchase a dust hood that fits the opening in the shelf (see the box below). Or you can use up some of the plywood scraps left over from the accessory shelf and build a shop-made version like the one shown in the photo at right (shelf ghosted for clarity) . Front/Back - As you can see in Figure 6, the dust collector starts out as a front/back (N) made from 10" x 11" pieces of V4" plywood. (They’re cut to width to fit the opening in the shelf.) The next step is to lay out a “V” shape on each one. This “funnels” the dust and chips to the bottom of the dust collector. Once you’ve laid out the shape, you’ll need to cut a hole in the back for hooking up the dust hose. I used a band saw (you could use a jig saw) to shape the opening as I cut both the front and back to final shape. Add Panel - To create the dust collector, I wrapped the front and back with a sheet metal panel, as you can see in Figure 7 . To size the panel, measure from the top corner of the front, around the V-shape to the opposite corner. (My sheet metal panel was 10" wide and 23 V 2 1 ' long.) Now it’s just a matter of wrapping the front and back with the panel and tacking it in place with a few brads. (It’s a good idea to predrill the sheet metal panel for the brads.) At this point, you can slip the dust collector in place and screw it to the shelf, as shown in the photo above. Note: You many need to sand the edges of the shelf opening slightly to allow the dust collector to fit. Collar - Finally, to provide a smooth transition into the dust col- lector, I used a 3 /a" plywood collar (O) to attach an adjustable, 4 "-dia. metal elbow, as illustrated in Figure 8. Here again, I used a band saw to cut the opening. This created a kerf at the top that allowed me to “pinch” the elbow for a tight fit. After tacking the elbow in place, the collar is simply screwed to the back of the dust collector (Figure 8a). ^ DUSt HOOtl If you don’t want to build the dust collector, you can use a plastic dust hood designed for a table saw, like the one shown in the photo at right. The hose from the dust collector attaches easily to the hood, which is then screwed to the table saw shelf. The hoods come in different sizes, so be sure to order one that will fit your opening. (My 10 "-square opening required a 12" x 12" dust hood.) Refer to page 35 for sources of dust collection components. No. 63 ShopNotes 15 Big results in a small package . Reach for this lightweight sled and make perfect crosscuts every time. Y ou can see from the photo above that this isn’t a typical crosscut sled. For starters, most crosscut sleds are heavy — so they tend not to get used as much as they should. But with the aluminum fence and the cutouts in the base, this sled is smaller and lightweight, so you’ll want to use it all the time. But don’t let the size of this sled fool you. It’s dead-on accurate and works “big.” As a matter of fact, you can make perfectly square cuts on workpieces much wider and longer than you can on a typical miter gauge. Stop Block. Easy to adjust and rock solid , this stop block makes cutting workpieces to identical length easy Stop Block - Perfect cuts are great. But it’s just as important to be able to cut a number of workpieces perfectly square and identical in length. So there’s a handy stop block that slips onto the fence quickly and locks securely in place (see left photo) . Miter Bar - As I mentioned, this sled is lightweight. But one area I sacrificed lightness in return for accuracy was the miter bar. Now you could just use a hardwood strip. But often it becomes too loose (or too tight) as the strip changes size depending on the humidity level. Miter Bar. Adjustable ball bearings keep this miter bar (and the sled) running firm and true in the miter slot. Instead, I bought a steel bar sim- ilar to the one you’d find on the miter gauge that comes with most table saws. The main difference is in the fit — it’s perfect. That’s because the bar has a set of spring-loaded ball bearings along the edge (see right photo). You can adjust them to pro- vide a snug fit in any miter slot. For more information, refer to page 35. If the accuracy and ease of use aren’t enough to sell you on this crosscut sled, you may want to check out the optional accessories detailed on page 20. First, there’s a simple platform for supporting cut- offs. And then for cutting long work- pieces (like table legs) to identical lengths, there’s a longer fence. Alignment Check - It’s no good building a precision crosscut sled if the table saw itself isn’t aligned accu- rately. So the first thing to do is check that the saw blade is perfectly parallel to the miter slot. The owner’s manual for your saw should explain how to check for this and adjust it if necessary. For a little more information on the process I use to make this check, you can refer to the article on page 21. 16 ShopNotes No. 63 JIGS & ACCES Sled Accuracy - With the table saw aligned, you’re ready to build the sled (Figure 1). The accuracy of the sled depends on cutting the base with a perfect 90° corner, as shown in Figure 2. Once that’s complete, the accuracy is built right in. But if you’re building this sled, it’s probably because you don’t trust your current miter gauge to make a crosscut that accurate. So how do you go about creating the 90° comer? The answer is one you’ve prob- ably heard before — trial and error. You simply make a test cut, and then check the corner to see how square it is. Note: You may have to adjust the miter gauge a few times to end up with a perfect corner. Base - 1 started by ripping the base (A) to final width But I cut it extra-long. (My base was 26" long.) This way, there was a little extra material for making the test cuts. Then to provide solid support for the test cuts, I attached an auxiliary fence to my miter gauge (Figure 2). Note: A strip of sandpaper attached to the fence prevents the workpiece from slipping during the cut. Now you’re ready to make a test cut and check the corner with a square. (I used a framing square.) If it’s not right on, simply “tweak” the setting on your miter gauge a bit and make another test cut. Just continue this until you’re satisfied that the corner is square. Once that's complete, you don’t want to forget which corner is the “square” one. So it’s a good idea to make a mark in that corner for refer- ence. Now just flip the base end for end and trim it to final length (24") . Completing the rest of the work on the base will go fairly quickly at this point. It’s just a matter of cutting a dado to fit the miter bar and then cutting a groove for the fence (Figures la and lb). But before you install a dado blade to do this, it’s important to measure the distance from the edge of your saw blade to the edge of the miter slot, as illustrated in Figure 3a. This measurement is where the dado for the miter bar will start. This will posi- tion the sled right next to the saw blade to help support the workpiece. Cut Dado - Now you’re ready to cut the dado. But don’t try to get an exact fit on the first try. It’s best to install a narrower dado blade (W) and then sneak up on the fit by making multiple passes (Figure 3b) . Just remember to keep the “short” leg of the 90° corner against the rip fence for this cut Cut Groove - The next step is to cut the groove in the top of the base for the fence (Figure lb). Here again, I made sure the “long” leg of the 90° corner was against the rip fence for this cut. And sneaking up on the width of the groove ensures a perfect fit for the fence. Shape Base - All that’s left to complete the base is to do some final shaping. As you can see in Figure 1, this is just a matter of trimming one of the corners and cutting a few openings in the base. SIZE TO FIT MITER BAR ■NTj v K- - I - - r 2"-DIA. HOLE NOTE: openings REDUCE WEIGHT OF SLED Vl6 tt a. CUT GROOVE TO EQUAL THICKNESS OF ALUMINUM ANGLE NOTE: BASE IS V 2 " PLYWOOD No. 63 ShopNotes 17 JIGS & ACCESSORIES At this point, the sled base is ready to accept the miter bar, fence, and hard- ware that make it functional. Once that’s complete, you can add a stop block to allow you to cut multiple workpieces to identical length. MITER BAR & HANDLE As I mentioned before, I used an after-market miter bar to accurately guide the sled on the table saw. In addition, to provide a convenient grip during use, I added a tall, tapered handle. You can find out more about both of these products by turning to Sources on page 35. Mounting Holes - The miter bar rests in the dado cut earlier in the bottom of the base. But to hold it in place, you’ll need to drill a couple holes through the base. The center of the miter bar is secured by a screw that passes through a countersunk hole in the base of the sled (Figures 4 and 4a). And the end of the miter bar near the fence is held in place by a studded handle (Figure 4b). Both holes are centered on the width of the dado and located to match the spacing on the miter bar, as you can see in Figures 4 and 4a. Attach Miter Bar - After you’ve drilled the holes, you can counter- sink the one in the “center” of the sled and attach the miter bar with a flathead machine screw. Attaching the end of the miter bar with the handle requires a little more work. That’s because the handle I used didn’t have a threaded stud on it. Instead there was a brass insert in the bottom of the handle. To create a “stud,” I cut off a short (1 WO length of threaded “rod” from die end of a long bolt. Note: To “clean” up the threads on the end of the stud you just cut, simply thread a nut on the good end and then turn the nut off the cut end. Now you can thread the “stud” into the handle (with a little epoxy to secure it) and then attach die handle to the sled and miter bar (Figure 4b) . FENCE With the miter bar and handle installed, the next step is to cut the fence to size and attach it to the base. The fence provides solid support for the workpiece as you make a cut. Cut to Size - The fence is nothing more than a piece of 2 M alu- 18 ShopNotes No. 63 JIGS & ACCESSORIES minum angle cut to match the length of the base (24 M ), as shown in * Figure 4. 1 used a carbide-tipped saw blade to do this. But it’s just as easy to cut it with a hacksaw and file the ends smooth. Regardless of which method you use, it’s a good idea to “knock off’ the two outside corners to ease the sharp points (Figure 5). T-Nuts & Counterbores - The fence is held in place with a couple of studded knobs. These knobs fit into T-nuts that rest in counterbores drilled in the bottom of the base, as illustrated in Figure 4b. To provide clearance for the knob on the stop block (added later), the mounting holes (and counterbores) are located near the back edge (Figure 4b). After drilling the coun- terbored holes, you can install the T- nuts and then drill matching over- sized holes in the fence (Figure 5). Attaching die fence is just a matter of tightening the studded knobs into the T-nuts. To ensure the knobs don’t project through the bottom of the base, you may need to cut off some of the threaded portion. STOP BLOCK Adding a stop block to the crosscut sled is a great way to ensure you can cut a number of workpieces to iden- tical length — like when you’re making table legs. You can install (or remove) it quickly with the turn of a knob. And once it’s locked in place, it’s solid. So it won’t shift during use. To accomplish this, the stop block is designed so that as you tighten the knob, the fence is “clamped” between two aluminum plates, as shown in Figures 6 and 6a. Oversized Blank - It’s pretty obvious that the stop block is small. So I started with an extra-long 3 / 4 M - tifick hardwood blank to make the body (B) of the stop block (Figure 7). This way, I could do as much work as possible on a larger workpiece. After attaching an auxiliary fence to my miter gauge to prevent chipout, I cut a pair of dadoes in the blank (Figure 7a). These dadoes accept a smaller aluminum plate that wraps around the block keeping it aligned as the stop block is locked in place. To attach the knob to the stop block, there’s a T-nut installed in the body. The T-nut fits into a counter- bore drilled in the backside of the body (Figures 8 and 8a). Once the T-nut is installed, you can cut the body to final length and then turn your attention to the two aluminum “clamping” plates. Plates - Although I cut the fence to size on the table saw, I wasn’t really comfortable cutting the clamping plates the same way. They were just too small. Instead, I used a hacksaw to make the cuts. But like tiie body of the stop block, I started with extra-long work- pieces. This made it easy to clamp them in a vise and cut them to the sizes shown in Figures 9 and 10. The hacksaw left the edges a little rough and uneven. But they were easy enough to smooth with a file. While I was at it, I filed a chamfer on the outside corner of the small plate (Figure 10a). This allows the stop block to slide easily over the top of the fence when it’s installed. After drilling a few mounting holes, you can screw the plates to the body and add the knob (Figure 6a) . Note: The small plate is attached loosely so it can slide freely. At this point, the sled is ready to make dead-on accurate crosscuts. But you may want to take a look at the next page for a couple of options that add even more capability. No. 63 ShopNotes 19 A Stop Block. For thin materials , the stop block can be reversed, allowing you to butt the workpiece against the clamping plate. JIGS & ACCESSORIES Optional Accessories After completing the stop block on the previous page, you’re ready to start cutting. But if you’re looking for a couple accessories to make the crosscut sled even more versatile, take a look at the two options at right. LONG FENCE Although the short fence (and stop block) will handle most crosscuts, there are times when I need to cut longer pieces to identical length (see upper photo at right) . If you purchased a 6 L long piece of aluminum angle like I did, there’s more than enough extra to make a longer fence (43 M ). Other than the length, the only difference is the back corner of the far edge of the fence is “knocked off’ just like the upper corners. CUTOFF TABLE The crosscut sled is great for cutting wide panels. But the portion of the panel to the right of the blade isn’t supported. So it tends to bind against the blade or cause chipout. Cutoff Table - To solve these problems, I added a fixed table to the right side of the table saw to support the cutoff, as you can see in the lower photo at right The cutoff table (C) is nothing more than a large piece of 1 / 2 t ' ply- wood, as you can see in Figure 11. It’s sized to cover the entire surface of the table saw to the right of the saw blade. (My table was 20" x 27 M .) To make it easy to position the table, I cut a VW'-deep groove in the bottom of the table and then glued in a 1 / 2 ,f plywood runner (D), as illus- trated in Figures 11 and 11a. Then to prevent the table from shifting as you make a cut, there’s a large washer screwed to each end of the runner (Figure lib). This way, the table is “locked” in place. & Hardware • 0 ) 1&"-Long Adjustable Miter Bar • (V 5 /w" x 3 U n Fh Machine Screw • (V 5 /i6“ x 1%" Threaded Rod (For Handle) • (V 4%" -Tall Handle wF/\e"4& Brass Insert • (3) %" Short Barrel T-Nuts • (3) 1” Round Knobs wPti'-20 x 1" Stud * (2) %" Washers • (1) %" x 2" x 2" Aluminum Angle (24" Long) • (V %" x 2" x 2" Aluminum Angle (2" Long) • (V Ve" x 2" x 2" Aluminum Angle (1" Long) • (3) #6 x 3 / 4 n Rh Woodscrews • (2) #6 x y /z Fh Woodscrews • 0 ) %" x 2" x 2" Aluminum Angle (43" Long) • (2) 3 fie" x 1" Fender Washers Note: You’ll need a half sheet ofW Baltic Birch plywood , a strip of 3 / 4 " -thick hardwood , and a &- long piece of 2" x 2" aluminum angle (%” thick) to build the crosscut sled and accessories . 20 ShopNotes No. 63 TECHNIQUE Secrets of Great Crosscuts j Here’s what I do to make accurate crosscuts — time after time . W oodworking doesn't get much more basic than a crosscut So why is it that cutting a perfectly square edge without burn marks or chipout is so difficult? Making a crosscut sled (page 16) is one way to get better crosscuts. But you don’t have to build a sled to get good results. Most crosscut problems can be solved by starting with the right setup. So regardless of whether you use a sled or not, you’ll want to take some time to check the setup of your table saw. Blade Alignment - The most often overlooked problem is that the saw blade may not be parallel to the miter slot — an absolute must for accurate crosscuts. To check this, I like to raise the blade as high as possible and then mark a single tooth. Next, I place a combination square in the miter slot and adjust the rule on the square so it just touches the side of the marked tooth Qeft photo below). Next, slide the square to the back and rotate the blade backward until the marked tooth aligns with the square. If it touches the rule just as it did before, the slot and blade are aligned. If not, you’ll need to adjust the table saw trunnions. This is the assembly that holds the saw arbor to the bottom of the table. (It’s best to check your owner’s manual for more on adjusting the trunnions). Checking the Blade - Besides aligning the saw blade to the miter slot, it’s important to make sure it’s square to the table. What you want to do is verify that the tilt angle of the blade is set at 90°. And you can’t necessarily rely on the table saw’s indicator for accuracy here. A better way to check this is to remove the insert plate to expose the saw blade (center photo below) . Then using the combination square, extend the rule below the surface of the table. I’ve found that using the entire surface of the saw blade provides a more accurate reading than just checking the top part of the blade. Miter Gauge - Even a perfectly aligned saw blade isn’t going to make an accurate cut if the head of the miter gauge isn’t 90° to die slot. Here again, the miter gauge settings are only good for rough positioning. For a more accurate setting, use a square to set the miter gauge (right photo below). Just make sure the blade isn’t resting against the teeth of the saw blade. Zero Clearance Insert - The last part of the setup you might want to consider is adding a zero clear- ance insert As the name implies, a zero clearance insert provides a “tight” fit around the blade, virtually eliminating chipout on the bottom side of a workpiece. (A plywood ver- sion is shown in the photos below.) With the setup complete, you can turn the page to learn a few more tips on making better crosscuts. A Alignment. Verify that the saw blade is parallel to the miter slot by checking the position of a single tooth at both the front and rear of the table saw. A Square the Blade. Using a combination square, check that the saw blade is square to the table. A Miter Gauge Check. Finally adjust the head of the miter gauge so it’s square to the blade. No. 63 ShopNotes 21 TECHNIQUE Better Crosscuts (Cont’d) At this point, you’re almost ready to test the setup. But before you do that (and if you’re not building the crosscut sled on page 16) , there’s one last thing I’d recommend — add an auxiliary fence to your miter gauge. AUXILIARY FENCE An auxiliary fence is nothing more than a straight, flat piece of wood (a strip of 3 /V' hardwood or plywood) attached to the face of the miter gauge, as shown in Figure 1. An aux- iliary fence improves the quality of the crosscut in three ways. Support - First, it provides extra support for the workpiece, pre- venting it from pivoting during the cut This is particularly helpful on long, wide pieces that tend to drag on the table saw surface. Wander - Second, an auxiliary fence can prevent the tendency of a spinning saw blade to shift the work- piece, causing a bad cut. (This is sometimes called wander, or creep.) The most common way to prevent wander is to attach a strip of sand- paper to the face of the auxiliary fence. The sandpaper provides extra “grip” and keeps the workpiece from slipping along the fence. Tearout - Finally, an auxiliary fence works like a zero clearance insert — it helps reduce tearout on the back edge of the workpiece. All you need to do is extend the fence so it’s in the path of the blade. This way, the fence supports both the work- piece and the waste piece, reducing the chance of the grain tearing out. DYNAMIC TEST With an auxiliary fence installed, you’re finally ready to test the setup of the miter gauge and saw blade with a couple dynamic tests. I know. This sounds fancy, but it’s really nothing more than turning the saw on and making a cut. The first check I do is to make a crosscut on a piece of wide scrap that’s had the edges jointed and ripped parallel to each other, as illus- trated in Figure 2. (I like to use a scrap at least 6" wide since it helps “magnify” any error.) Once you’ve made the cut, stand the pieces on edge. Then flip the cut off piece over and butt the ends together, as you can see in Figure 2a. If there’s any gap where the two ends meet, the saw blade isn’t quite square yet and needs to be re- adjusted. Note: The “difference” you see is twice the actual error. After readjusting the saw blade (or miter gauge), you’re ready to make another check to verify the saw blade is at 90° to the table. Here again, you’ll need a scrap piece. Only this time, I use a scrap of “two-by” material that has had the faces jointed and planed parallel. In this case, a thicker workpiece helps “magnify” any error. As before, you’re going to make a test cut like the one shown in Figure FIRST: make TEST CUT SECOND: FLIP CUTOFF AROUND AND SUTT ENDS TOGETHER GAP INDICATES _ MITER GAUGE ISN'T SQUARE OR SAW SLADE ALIGNMENT IS OFF 22 ShopNotes No. 63 TECHNIQUE 3. But this time, all you need to do is flip the cutoff piece over before butting the ends together (Figure 3a). And just like before, any gap at the top (or bottom) indicates a need to adjust the tilt of the saw blade. STANDARD PROCEDURES Once you’re sure the table saw and miter gauge are set up accurately, there are a couple simple proce- dures you can use to help ensure clean, accurate crosscuts. First, always crosscut the work- piece with the good face up. This way, any chipout will be on the side that usually isn’t seen. But some- times it’s important that both sides be cut cleanly. That’s where a zero clearance insert comes in handy. It helps prevent chipout on the bottom side of the workpiece. Second, you can often ruin a per- fect crosscut by pulling the work- piece back along the side of the saw teeth after making a cut Instead, slide the workpiece away from the blade after the cut. Then you can pull the miter gauge and workpiece back. Repetitive Cuts - Finally, being able to make a perfect crosscut isn’t of much use if you can’t repeat it on a number of workpieces so they’re all cut to the the same length. Marking each piece with a pencil, and then hoping all the marks and cuts are accurate is nearly impos- sible. Instead, I make repetitive cuts by using a two-step procedure, as you can see in Figures 4 and 4a. The first cut is made with a stop block positioned so the piece is cut slightly (about l 1 /^ 1 ) longer than the finished length you want. (This ensures that both ends of each work- piece will end up perfectly square.) Then, all you need to do is reset the stop block, flip each piece end- for-end, and cut them all to final length, as in Figure 4. By using the same setup (and pushing the work- piece against the stop block) , you can be sure they’re all exactly the same length with perfectly square ends. Short Pieces - I’m not quite as comfortable using this procedure to cut short pieces all the same length. So instead, I clamp a scrap piece to the rip fence and use it as a reference block (Figures 5 and 5a). It’s okay to use the rip fence along with the miter gauge as long as the block provides enough clearance so die cutoff can’t bind between the blade and fence. It also helps if the auxiliary fence extends to support die cutoff piece and pushes it all the way through and beyond the saw blade. Crosscut Blade - Finally, if you really want a glass-smooth cut, you can install a crosscut blade. For more on this, see the box at left. & Crosscut Blade One way to a more perfect crosscut is to use a dedicated crosscut blade (see photo at right) . Teeth - So what makes a crosscut blade work so much better? The main reason has to do with the number and design of the teeth on the saw blade. A crosscut blade has more teeth than a typical saw blade. (Mine has 80). Plus, the teeth are ground with alternate, top bevels. These two things allow the blade to make tiny shearing cuts — resulting in a super-smooth cut. Teflon - You might also notice a slick coating on some crosscut blades. This minimizes any heat buildup resulting in less burning and a smoother cut. For sources of crosscut blades, refer to margin on page 35. No. 63 ShopNotes 23 Wall-Mounted Router Storage System Carousel - The answer to this problem was really pretty simple. Instead of just a board, the router bits fit into holes drilled in a round, double-decker tray, or “carousel.” This carousel rotates on a lazy- Susan, making it easy to find the bit you are looking for. And although the carousel doesn’t take up much space, it can hold 37 individual bits. But after coming up with the idea for the carousel, we started thinking about how nice it would be to have room to keep other router acces- sories. Pretty soon, what had started as a project just for storing bits expanded into the storage system shown here. But the nice thing is that this project can still be as simple or as elaborate as you wish to make it. That’s because we designed it to be modular. Each section stacks on top of the one below it. So you can build just the router bit carousel and a drawer, like you see in the inset photo above. Or you can build the whole thing, which includes \ three drawers and a storage com- partment for your router. T his project grew out of a simple need — to provide a conven- ient place to store router bits. The most common solution might be to just drill a few rows of holes in a board. But there’s a problem with this arrangement. It seems like the bit you need is always at the back, forcing you to reach over all the other bits (hopefully without getting cut or scratched in the process). With a handy, revolving bit carousel on top and drawers below, this expandable storage system is the answer to all your router storage needs . ■ 24 ShopNotes No. 63 S H 0 E C T EXPL0DEDV1EW OVERALL DIMENSIONS* NYLON BUSHING HOLDS 14" SHANK BITS CAROUSEL HOLDS OVER THREE DOZEN BITS LAZY-SUSAN PROVIDES EASY BIT ACCESS Materials & Hardware Caroueel A Large Disks (2) 12x12- 'h Ply. 3 Smail Disk (1) 3x3-% Ply. C 3ase (1) 12V 4 x 12% - % Ply. Drawer Unite D Case Tops/Sottoms (6) 12’/ 4 x 12% - 'h Ply. E 5mall Case Sides (2) 3 x 12% - ’/ 2 Ply. F Medium Case Sides (2) 4 x 12% - '/ 2 Ply. O Large Case Sides (2) 5 x 12% - V 2 Ply. H Small Case Sack (1) 2 2 b x 12 - >/ 2 Ply. 1 Medium Case Sack (1) 3 3 /s x 12 - V 2 Ply. J Large Case Sack (1) 4 3 / s x 12 - '/ 2 Ply. K Small Drawer Frt./Sack (2) 2' he x II' 5 he - © <0)0 0 V 0 © © © ; © © >© <0>( © ZMZ © © Page 1 of 1 ShopNotes No. 63 ©2002 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.