DRILL PRESS TABLE UPGRADE PRECISION FENCE SYSTEM • DUST PICKUP • BUILT-IN STORAGE • EASY CLAMPING Vol. 16 Issue 94 CUTTING THIN STRIPS— SAFE, EASY, & 'ACC URATE + PERFECT MITERS ifl TOP TIPS & i TECHNIQUES Shop-Built Jig Guarantees Quick Setup _ - *v A Publication of August Home Publishing H OUTERIWORK SHOR NO-FUSS MORTISING JIG FAST, FOOLPROOF RESULTS EVERY TIME SFTTINnWpJSHOP E*YOUR SPACE, IT ADDING ON Contents Thin-Strip Ripping page 10 Miter Vise page 36 Features dream shop project Drill Press Table & Fence System ONLINE ^EXTRAS 18 Get more from your drill press with this top-notch upgrade. Built-in dust collection, a large worksurface, and easy clamping features make it a must-have. storage solutions Cutoff Storage Bins ONLINE EXTRAS 28 Keeping short stock and cutoffs organized is a challenge. But in a weekend, you can build this handy storage system with a few sheets of MDF and some hardboard. hands-on technique Perfect Miters — Top 1 0 Tips 32 Follow these time-tested tips and techniques for cutting and assembling tight-fitting miters every time — guaranteed. best-built jigs & fixtures Miter Vise 36 Featuring sturdy arms and an adjustable clamping block, this vise lends a hand when gluing up miter joints of almost any size. Departments Readers' Tips 4 router workshop Foolproof Hinge Mortises 8 Here's a simple jig and technique for routing flawless hinge mortises. mastering the table saw Easy & Accurate Thin-Strip Ripping 10 Looking for great results when ripping thin strips? These techniques show you how. jigs & accessories Power Up Your Drill Press 14 With a few handy add-ons, you can make your drill press more accurate and versatile. Shop Short Cuts 26 Shop-tested techniques and tips to solve your woodworking problems. 2 ShopNotes No. 94 £ Drill Press Table & Fence System page 18 in the shop Getting More Out of Cordless Drills 42 Getting the best results from this shop workhorse means knowing the basics. setting up shop Small Shop Set-up Secrets 44 Arrange your workbench and power tools to make the most of limited space. materials and hardware The Basics of Edgebanding 46 Edgebanding is a great way to hide a plywood edge. Here's what you need to know to choose and use edgebanding for your projects. great gear The Versatile Micro-Pinner 48 A pin nailer makes attaching molding profiles a . breeze — and almost invisible. Q&A Cutoffs W hat's your favorite woodworking tool? For many woodworkers, either the table saw or router would come to mind first. And I wouldn't disagree. But right near the top of my list is the drill press. For such a basic-looking tool, it can do so much: like drilling, sanding, and mortising. But to get the most out of a drill press, you need to transform it into a precision wood- working tool. The table and fence system you see at left is the perfect upgrade. For starters, the table offers plenty of worksurface — it's over two feet wide. That's big enough to support just about any size workpiece you'll run across. Then, to give you more control and more accurate drilling, we designed a built-in, two-part clamping system. For small pieces, a couple sections of T-track in the top allow you to position a toggle clamp right up close to the bit. For larger pieces that need extra holding power, you can slip a couple of bar clamps through the slots in the top. The table also includes a couple of not-so-obvious features. A full-extension drawer keeps small tools and accessories within easy reach. And underneath the table you'll find a port for dust collection. Sources 50 51 SbopNotes f n ONLINE GO y EXTRAS This symbol lets you know there's more information available online at www.ShopNotes.com www.ShopNotes.com 3 Router Table Fence Storage Whenever I'm working at the router table, I always seem to spend a lot of time looking for bits, wrenches, and collets. I decided to solve that problem by building a "multitasking" fence with built-in storage for my router table. NOTE; STORAGE BOXES ARE Vz u PLYWOOD, FENCE AND BASE ARE 3 /4 m PLYWOOD As you can see above, I used a wide base at the rear of the fence. This gives you a place for the dust collection port, but more impor- tantly, it provides real estate for adding some storage options. Two small trays sit behind the fence. One has bit inserts to hold my router bits. And the other COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE DUST PORT FITS BETWEEN STORAGE BOXES helps me keep track of all those things I always seem to be looking for, like wrenches, pencils, and other accessories. I used screws to fasten the trays to the base. A couple of small rare- earth magnets on the back hold a steel ruler I use for setup. Now when I'm routing, the tools I need are always within reach. Kent Bruner Alpharetta , Georgia WIDE FENCE BASE PROVIDES A "SHELF” FOR STORAGE ADJUSTABLE CLEAT SECURES FENCE TO TABLE T-TRACK MAKES IT EASY TO ATTACH FEATHERBOARDS. HOLD-DOWNS. AND BIT GUARDS ) - EPOXY RARE-EARTH MAGNETS IN PLACE TO HOLD STEEL RULE STORAGE BOXES ARE ASSEMBLED WITH TONGUE - AND DADO JOINERY END VIEW (CROSS SECTION) STEEL I 4 RULER | MAGNET X - - II l — T-j -^T- y- 7 r-;-?-/ ; 4 ShopNotes No. 94 PVC Tape Trough Finding a good way to store the assorted rolls of tape in my shop has always been frustrating. I wanted a way to make every roll accessible. A section of 6"-dia. drain pipe was the answer. Just carefully rip the pipe in two on the table saw to make a handy trough like you see in the photo. Long screws secure it to the wall studs. Now my "library" of tape rolls sits like books on a shelf. Dave Juday Sycamore, Illinois Pull-Out Router Bit Tray A lot of router bit storage solu- tions involve building drawers. As I was reorganizing my router bits, it occurred to me that I could just make a tray from a piece of MDF and avoid building a drawer. All you need to do is mount drawer slides to the edges of the tray and install it in a cabinet. Slightly oversized holes hold the drill bits for easy access and organization. And a finger hole near the edge makes it easy to slide the tray out. Michael Peavey Wilson, North Carolina Submit Your Tips If you have an original shop tip, we would like to hear from you and consider publishing your tip in one or more of our publications. Just go online to our web site at www.ShopNotes.com and click on the link, "SUBMIT A TIP." Or you can mail your tip to: ShopNotes Tips for Your Shop, 2200 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312. Please include your name, address, and daytime phone number (in case we have any questions). We will pay up to $200 if we publish your tip. The Winner! Congratulations to Scoff Kent of Melbourne, Florida. His shop-made rollers make a handy addition to a benchtop planer. The rollers make planing long boards a little less cumbersome. His tip was selected as winner of the Porter-Cable router just like the one shown at right. To find out how you could win a Porter- Cable router, check out the information above. Your tip just might be a winner. ShopNotes Issue 94 July/August 2007 PUBLISHER Donald B Peschke EDITOR Terry J. Strohman MANAGING EDITOR Bryan Nelson ASSOCIATE EDITOR Phil Huber ASSISTANT EDITORS Mitch Holmes, Randall A. Maxey CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Vincent Ancona, Ted Raife, Dennis Perkins EXECUTIVE ART DIRECTOR Todd Lambirth ART DIRECTOR Cary Christensen SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jamie Downing SENIOR ILLUSTRATORS David Kreyling, Dirk Ver Steeg, Harlan V. Clark ILLUSTRATORS David Kallemyn, Peter J. Larson GRAPHIC DESIGNER Shelley Cronin CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ted Kralicek SENIOR PROJECT DESIGNERS Ken Munkel, Kent Welsh, Chris Fitch PROJECT DESIGNERS/BUILDER John Doyle SHOP CRAFTSMEN Steve Curtis, Steve Johnson SR. PHOTOGRAPHERS Crayola England, Dennis Kennedy ASSOCIATE STYLE DIRECTOR Rebecca Cunningham ELECTRONIC IMAGE SPECIALIST Allan Ruhnke VIDEOGRAPHERS Craig Ruegsegger, Mark Hayes ShopNotes® (ISSN 1062-9696) is published bimonthly (Jan., March, May. Jul Sept, Nov.) by August Home Publishing, 2200 Grand Ave., Des Moines, LA 50f ShopNotes® is a registered trademark of August Home Publishing ©Copyright 2007 by August Home Publishing. All rights reserved. Subscriptions: Single copy: $4.95. One year subscription (6 issues): $27. Canada/Intemational add $10 per year, U.S. funds. Canadian Subscriptions: Canada Post Agreement Number 40038201 Send change of address information and blocks of undeliverable copies 1 P.O. Box 881, Station Main, Markham, ON L3P 8M6. Canada BN 84597 5473 RT Periodicals Postage Paid at Des Moines, I A and at additional mailing offie Postmaster Send change of address to ShopNotes, P.O. Box 37103, Boo: IA 50037-2103. www.ShopNotes.com ONLINE SUBSCRIBER SERVICES • VIEW your account information • REMEW your subscription • CHECK on a subscription payment • PAY your bill • CHANCE your mailing or e-mail address • VIEW/RENEW your gift subscriptions • TELL US if you've missed an issue Click on the link, "MANAGE MY ACCOUNT" in the list on the left side of our home page. Menus and forms will take you through any of the account maintenance services you need. CUSTOMER SERVICE Phone: 800 333 5854 SUBSCRIPTIONS EDITORIAL Customer Service ShopNotes Magazine P.O. Box 842 2200 Grand Avenue Des Moines, IA 50304-996 1 Des Moines, I A 503 1 2 subscriptions@augusthome.com shopnotes@shopnotes.com August Home jL jLpubiismino company Printed in U.S. www.ShopNotes.com 5 Shop-Made Planer Rollers One of the features I've always liked on planers was the rollers on top. They're so convenient when planing long boards and make a convenient staging area for workpieces. But my planer didn't come with these handy rollers. Unhappy with add-on rollers (and their prices), and unsure about the rigidity of shop-made versions using PVC pipe, I designed my own. My design is inexpensive, strong, and you can make them any length. The actual roller is made from lty" EMT electrical conduit. It's nice and strong but still lightweight. I found some flanged bearings at my hardware store that were just the right fit for the 1%" inside diameter of the conduit (drawing below). You'll need a couple of mounting brackets for the roller. They're made from short sections of 2" x 2" aluminum angle. I took the time to round over the comers on both legs of the angle. This was easily done by tracing the outline of a washer for a %" bolt on the comer, then filing the comers to the line. A little sanding will smooth up the rough edges. When it comes time for drilling the hole for mounting the roller to the bracket, locate it so the top of the roller sits above the highest point on the aluminum angle. This allows you to slide boards freely without having to worry about marring them on the bracket if they roll toward the end. The last thing to do is mount the brackets to your planer. (How you do this will vary according to your planer model.) Just be sure the rollers won't interfere with the height adjustment crank. These shop-made rollers are a great upgrade for your planer. Scott Kent Melbourne , Florida V 2 h -13 HEX NUT 6 ShopNotes No. 94 Pegboard Drawer Bottoms While building some drawers for added storage under my workbench, I ran out of the Va hardboard I normally use for the drawer bottoms. Looking around the shop for a suitable substi- tute, I found some Va pegboard. It seemed sturdy enough for my purposes, so that's what I used. The pegboard had a white melamine surface on it. It helps "lighten up" the inside of the drawers and it's easier to keep clean. But there's another big advantage with pegboard. You can make use of the holes by adding dividers for the drawers. This helps keep things organized, as you can see in the photo at right. On shallow drawers, you can simply use fy’-dia. dowels on the bottom of the partitions to locate them in the holes. On deeper drawers. I've found that #8 x Va roundhead woodscrews work perfectly to fasten them. Randy Maxey Urbandale , Iowa FRONT VIEW DRAWER (CROSS SECTION) DIVIDERS A n r i f DRAWER SACK DRAWER i \ V4 m x 1V 4 m DOWEL SIDE f DRAWER *4 sottom :Vi 1 1 A ■ i 1 1 ^ A Quick Tips ▲ Dick Berry of Albuquerque, New Mexico, found that a 3" x 3" pad of sticky notes fits just right (between the fence faces) on top of his rip fence. Now jotting down dimensions and rough calculations is a breeze. www.ShopNotes.com TIPS Now you can have the best time-saving secrets, solutions, and techniques sent directly to your computer. Just go to www.ShopNotes.com and click on “FREE Tips by Email” to sign up. You’ll receive a new tip by email each week. < Bob Zimmerman of Des Moines, Iowa, came up with this inexpensive panel carrier. All you need are a couple of bicycle storage hooks, a 2x4, a PVC pipe handle, and some rope. Routing® hinge mortise is a breeze with a simple jig and the right technique. Recently faced with the challenge of cutting a lot of hinge mortises, I was looking for a quick way to get the job done. So I turned to my router to cut flat-bottomed mor- tises without a lot of trouble. The problem is free-handing a large router to cut out the mor- tise can be tricky. For one thing, it's tough to balance the router on the narrow edge of a door. And second, even the slightest slip can ruin the mortise. That doesn't mean you need a k Top-Notch Results. Clean up complicated jig or setup to rout {he corners with a ch j se i S0 the hinge mortises. In fact, for the h i nge slides perfectly in place. technique you see here, all it takes is a simple, two-part jig and an Each guide consists of two parts: inexpensive router bit. a fence and a top. The fence reg- The Jig. I didn't want the jig isters the guide on the face of the to be locked in to a specific size door. And it provides a place to hinge. So I designed the jig as a clamp the guides in place, pair of overlapping guides, as in Together, the tops form a large, the drawing below. This allows stable platform to support the the guides to straddle the door and router as you cut the mortise. The slide together (or apart) to match inside edge of each top also serves the length of the hinge exactly. as the guide edge for the bit. ShopNotes No. 94 NOTE: size sack stop TO BE SAME AS OR SLIGHTLY LESS THAN LENGTH OF HINGE LEAF WIDE TOP PROVIDES AMPLE SUPPORT FOR ROUTER BACK STOP r^x^V-^'Ply.) ADJUSTABLE BACK STOP ALLOWS YOU TO SET WIDTH OF MORTISE #0 FLAT WASHER NOTE: PINCH HINGE BETWEEN GUIDES TO SET MORTISE LENGTH FENCE (WxIO^'-VPly.) END VIEW (CROSS SECTION) #0 X r Rh WOODSCREW %"-DIA. COUNTERBORE EDGE OF TOP GUIDES BIT USE FENCES TO CLAMP GUIDES TO WORKPIECE <9 Back Stop. I also attached a sim- ple back stop to one of the guides. With this, you can rout a mortise that exactly matches the width of the hinge leaf. A pair of screws and washers in the back stop are set in oversized holes. This allows you to fine tune the mortise width. The bit I use for mortising is a short, top-bearing, pattern bit. And you can read more about it in the box at the lower right. ROUTING MORTISES Before getting into the actual rout- ing, I'd like to talk about the overall process of mounting the hinges. To save some time and effort, I cut the mortises in just the door — rather than the door and case. When routing the mortises this way, you'll cut them to match half the thickness of the hinge barrel. This creates just the right-sized gap around the door when the hinge is mounted to the case. Setting up the Jig. The first step in the process of making the hinge mortise is completing a simple layout. Since I rely on the jig and hinge to size the mortise, all that's necessary is to mark the location of one end of the hinge mortise (upper photo at right). Now, clamp one part of the jig so the inside edge is right on this line. (I clamp the "tail" end first so the clamp won't interfere with the other half of the jig.) To set the length of the mortise, I use the hinge as a gauge to posi- tion the other part of the jig. You can see this in the lower photo. The only other setup step to take care of is positioning the back stop. Here, I use a combination square to make sure the stop is parallel to the edge of the door. Two-step Routing. At this point, you're ready to rout the mortise. And you'll be surprised at how quickly this goes. For most mortises, removing the waste only takes two passes. You can see what I'm talking about in the photo below. The first pass defines the perimeter of the mor- tise. It's routed from left to right in a U-shape. The second pass clears away the rest of the waste. Clean up the Comers. After the routing is complete, all that's left is a little handwork. But don't remove the jig just yet. You can use it as a guide to clean up the comers with a chisel. This way, you can be sure the comers are square with the rest of the mortise. ▲ Jig Setup. After marking the location of the hinge on the door, you can position one guide on the mark and clamp it in place. ▲ Mortise Length . Use a hinge to set the position of the second guide. And after adjusting the back stop, clamp both guides at each end. All in all, the whole process only takes a few minutes. And the result is a mortise that perfectly matches the hinge, as you see in the inset photo on the opposite page. A a close look at the Bearin follows jig t cut a perfectl sized mortis Router Bit Short cutting flutes are perfect for shallow cuts Note: For bit sources, refer to page 51 bit curs FLAT-BOTTOMED ' MORTISE OVER-SIZED HOLE AND COUNTERSORE ALLOW ADJUSTMENT OF SACK STOP WORK- PIECE TOP FENCE FENCE www.ShopNotes.com 9 Cutting thin strips is a challenge. These tips and techniques will guarantee safe, accurate results. Saw Blade Options . A specialized ripping blade (far left blade) makes for smoother strips and faster cutting. Using a thin-kerf combination blade will result in more strips per workpiece. It seems like many of the projects I build call for thin strips of wood. Sometimes it's several thin strips to glue up into a bent lamination or just a few to act as dividers in a small drawer. And even if all I need are a couple strips to cover up some plywood edges, cutting them on the table saw can be a challenge. No matter what your need, the goal is to get the best results with accuracy and safety in mind. The nice thing is, all this takes is the right setup, some handy jigs, and a few simple tips and techniques. START WITH THE BLADE One thing about ripping thin strips that's often overlooked is the saw blade. In most cases, a standard combination blade will give you great results. And if this is the saw blade you use for most of your work, I'd stick with it. But there are a couple of other blades you may want to consider. Specialty Saw Blades. The saw blades in the photos at the lower left address a couple of thin strip issues. The blade at the far left is specifically designed for making rip cuts that result in surfaces smooth enough to glue up. Well, one of the main goals of ripping thin strips is to end up with a workpiece that's smooth and free of blade marks and burning. And Freud's Glue Line Rip blade gives you just that. This can be a real advantage when it comes to gluing up strips into a bent lamination. If you have ShopNotes No. 94 to cut extra-thick strips and then plane or sand them smooth, your bent lamination may not end up looking like a single piece of wood. The glue line rip blade ensures that the only material you "lose" is the thickness of the saw kerf. Thin Kerf. The thin-kerf blade in the photo on the opposite page can also result in less waste. With a thickness of you get one extra thin strip for every four you cut (for V-thick strips). This can save you a fair amount of material if you have a lot of thin strips to cut. Insert. Regardless of the saw blade you decide to use, you'll want to install a zero-clearance insert with a built-in splitter. The one I use is shown in the box below. Besides preventing the thin strips from falling between the insert and blade, the added splitter keeps the strips from pinching the saw blade and kicking back. SETTING UP FOR THE CUT With your saw blade and new insert installed, you're just about ready to start cutting strips. But to get the best results, it's a good idea to make sure the saw is tuned up. ▲ Set the Blade to 90°. A drafting triangle makes it a snap to square the saw blade to the table. And this is just a matter of check- ing a couple key settings. Square the Blade. The first thing to take a look at is the blade angle. You want to make sure the saw blade is set at a perfect 90° angle to the table (photo above). The rea- son for this is simple. A slight tilt to the blade will result in a strip that's thinner along one edge than the other. This can cause problems if you glue up a set of strips like this for a bent lamination. Rip Fence. The other setting you'll want to check has to do with the rip fence. If the fence isn't parallel to the saw blade, you'll get blade marks and burned edges as well as an increased risk of kick- back. A simple dial indicator makes quick work of ensuring your rip fence is set right (photo above). With the saw set up, you're ready to turn the page and start ripping thin strips with ease. ▲ Dead-On Fence. A dial indicator makes quick work of checking the front and rear of the rip fence to ensure that it’s parallel to the miter slot (and saw blade). Zero-Clearance Insert & Splitter A zero-clearance insert with a splitter is one of the big keys to successfully ripping thin strips. The insert pre- vents a strip from getting trapped between the blade and the opening. And the splitter keeps the strip from binding on the blade. To make a new insert for your table saw, you'll need to start with a blank that matches the thickness of your stock insert. (Note: If the material is thinner, you can add screws to the bottom so you can adjust it perfectly flush with the saw table.) After tracing the outline of the original insert on the blank, cut away most of the waste (Figure 1). Then use a flush trim bit in the router table to create an identical insert (Figure la). Ripping a slot in the new insert is just a matter of carefully aligning the fence with the edge of the original insert and making a stopped cut, as in Figure 2. Finally, cut a hardwood splitter to size, sand one end to a point and glue it into the kerf with the point facing the blade (photo at right). Hardwood splitter prevents ^ workpiece from binding Cut-off screw forms pin to lock insert in place www.ShopNotes.com 11 how to rip Thin Strips Even after truing up your saw and selecting the blade, there's a little more to ripping thin strips than just setting the fence and cutting. First, I'll mention a few basic tech- niques that apply. After covering these, I'll show you two shop- made jigs I use to handle cutting either short or long thin strips. THE BASICS SHORT STRIPS As I mentioned before, the actual cutting technique you use depends on whether you're ripping short strips or long ones. For strips that are less than 30 M long, I use the simple jig shown in the photos above and the drawing at left. This jig works like a big push block that rides against the rip fence as you make the cut. You only have to set the rip fence once, and your strips will all be identical in thickness. And there's virtually no chance of kickback. As you can see, a wide base captures the workpiece beneath it. NOTE: size THICKNESS OF SPACER TO MATCH WORKPIECE THICKNESS AND ADJUST DEPTH OF STOP TO MATCH SPACER (2" x IS") and feed the workpiece through. Now, depending on the jig you use, how you do this will vary. The main thing is to use a smooth, even feed rate. This ensures the saw blade won't bum the edges or leave tooth marks. When it comes to ripping thin strips, one of the most important things to do before you start is set up some type of outfeed table. The reason for this is simple. Without support, the strips are going to fall off the back edge of the saw table and I don't want to give myself any reason to reach over the saw blade and try to catch them. Plus, having them pile up on the floor is just a mess I'll have to deal with later. Blade Height With an outfeed table in place, the next step is to set the height of the saw blade. What you want is the teeth to just clear the top HANDLE x 6" - V Ply.) #0 x XVz" Fh WOODSCREW ROUNDOVER #0 x V/z" Fh WOODSCREW 0ASE (3V x 17" - V 5T0P rrxzv-vv’Hdbd.) A Short Strip Jig . A replace- able stop (inset photo) pushes the workpiece through the blade when ripping short strips. surface of the workpiece. This way, there's not too much blade exposed. And I don't have to worry about cutting through the short strip jig you'll read about in a bit. Feed Technique. Finally, all that's left to do is turn the saw on HANDLE PATTERN A 5 .Jl 1 \ y \ [ \ \ 3/4 H f- ) \ V- 1 A A *4 SLOCK y/z") #0 X 2" Fh WOODSCREW (BRASS) 12 ShopNotes No. 94 Zero the Gauge. The key to the accuracy of this set-up gauge is to rest the bearing against a tooth on the saw blade and zero out" the scale. 14" x 14" .GROOVE 5 /ie"-DIA. VHOLE ■I PrW-DIA.^ HOLE 9 V- 20 x 114" Fh^ MACHINE SCREW WASHER And a replaceable stop hooks over the end of the workpiece to push it through the saw blade (inset photo on the opposite page). To keep the jig from rocking, the spacer that's attached to the bottom of the jig is the same thick- ness as the workpiece. You'll want to make several spacers to match common stock thicknesses. LONG STRIPS The previous jig works great for short strips. But if the strips you need are longer, I turn to the jig shown in the photos above and drawing below. Details. As you can see, this jig locks into V- 20 x iv STAR KNOB die miter slot to the left of the saw blade. A "rub" bearing fixed to the end of a sliding top is used to gauge the thickness of the strips. The bearing allows the work- piece to slide without binding. By adding a scale and an adjustment slot in the top of the jig, you can set the exact thickness of the strip you want to rip after zeroing out the gauge (upper left photo). Using the Jig. To rip a strip, set the workpiece against the bearing and then slide the rip fence up against the workpiece. After lock- ing down the fence, you can make your cut (photo at right). Before each additional pass, just repeat the process. Once your workpiece TOP (3 H x 6V4" - 3 4" Ply.) HAIRLINE INDICATOR (1" x IV - W PLEXIGLAS) BASE (3" x 5" - 34" Ply.) V4" LOCKNUT & WASHER RUNNER x ^ 4 " - 12") GUIDE STRIP (V x 5" - 14" Hdbd.) V- 20 T-KNOB V4" WASHER 5 /te"-WIDE SLOT. \ 2" LONG i/ 2 v V 4 -DIA" ) , <*J WASHER 4 " WASHER %" I.D. X 1 O.D. RIO BEARING V 4 " x 1V 2 " HEX BOLT #6 x V Rh WOODSCREW V4" I.D. X »/e" O.D. x 3 /a" NYLON BUSHING #3 x 1" Fh WOODSCREW www. ShopN otes.com — V-DIA. COUNTERBORE, V DEEP is down to about 1" wide, it's time to start over with a new one. Options. You could rip short pieces with this jig as well. But it is less work to use the other jig since you don't need to reset the rip fence for every cut. There's one last thing to mention. And that's the "look" of your thin strips. To match your needs per- fectly, check out the box below. A Grain Orientation: Getting it One of the keys to getting the best- looking strips from a workpiece is to make sure the grain direction is "right." What I mean by this is that it's more important to pay attention to the grain along the edge of a board than it is to the grain on the face. You can see what I mean by checking out the photo. Even though the face of the board features a wavy, "cathedral" grain, the strips ripped from the edge are actually straight-grained. And that may be important if you're edging plywood with a similar grain. Ripping your edging from a riftsawn or quar- tersawn board will most likely result in "wild" grain which may not be the best look for a project. 13 Accessories Add-Ons Soup up your drill press with these accessories. They’ll add convenience and accuracy to your woodworking tasks. The drill press in my shop gets a lot of use and it does a great job at the basic task of drilling holes. But I've found a few low-cost accessories that can make using your drill press easier and more accurate. From clamps and vises to lasers and a replacement chuck, these add-ons can make a big difference in how you use your drill press. Check out the details on these useful accessories on the following pages. You'll find sources for these items on page 51. Whenever you use your drill press to drill a hole, you probably go through a routine. You stoop over, repeatedly lowering the bit and looking at it from side to side, then repositioning the workpiece to make sure you're hitting the mark. But I've found a couple of add-ons that can help you do this faster, easier, and more accurately. The first is a laser guide system that's easy to install and use. The second is a simple centering pin that makes set up a snap. Dual Lasers. When some man- ufacturers started to add lasers to their power tool lineup, I thought it was a marketing gimmick. But for some tools, like miter saws, a laser really helps line up the cut. When it comes to centering a drill bit, though, one laser wouldn't do much to help you zero in on the mark. You really need two lines to form an "X" to mark the centerpoint. It's sort of like looking at the bit from two different angles when lining it up. You can see what I mean in the photos above. Easy Installation. The installa- tion couldn't be easier. The laser system comes in a self-contained unit. You simply use an included clamp to fasten the unit to the top of the drill press column. Setup and Calibration. As you might expect, there's a little bit of work to do to "aim" the two lasers to align with the center of the drill chuck. To make this an easy task, you use the alignment pin you see at the upper right. You install this in the chuck just like a drill bit. A thin, vertical line on the pin serves as the reference point for aligning the two laser light sources. All you need to do to calibrate each laser is loosen a couple of ◄ To the Point A machined pin makes it easy to locate the exact centerpoint for drilling a hole. setup. An alignment pin supplied with the laser system aids in setup. screws, rotate the laser lens until the beam aligns with the line on the pin, then tighten the screws. Using a test workpiece, you can verify that the two beams cross where the centerpoint of the pin touches. And you won't need to recalibrate it every time you raise or lower the table or work on thicker workpieces. Once I had the laser unit set up, I was surprised at how quickly I began to rely on it. A Simple Option. But some- times you don't need a high-tech solution like a laser system. A simple, inexpensive centering pin (shown at left) will do the job. A centering pin is handy for finding the center of an existing hole. Or when you need to drill into a round object like a dowel, you can use the pin to center a V-block jig. And for locating the center of a hole on metal work, the pin is more precise and easier to use than a drill bit. www.ShopNotes.com 15 ► Go Keyless. No more searching for or fumbling with a chuck key with this keyless chuck. Chucks & Keys One of the frustrations with using my drill press is fumbling with the chuck key, losing it, or leaving it in the chuck. Here are a few accessories that can help. A Keyless Option. With a modest investment, you can buy a keyless chuck and throw your chuck key in the junk drawer. A keyless chuck holds bits surpris- ingly well (photo at left). You simple tighten or loosen the chuck by holding the top knurled collar with one hand and turning the outer sleeve with the other hand. There are a couple of sizes available to fit most drill presses. The included instructions show you to remove your old chuck and install the keyless chuck. Key Solutions. If you're looking for a low-cost upgrade over your old chuck key, there are a couple of options. A self-ejecting key, like the one shown at the upper right can make the difference between safety and injury. A spring-loaded pin ejects it from the chuck when you release it. And the ratchet key shown at right is a great upgrade. Its quick, ratcheting action doesn't take much effort to tighten a chuck. spring-loaded pin forces the key out of the chuck for improved safety. ◄ Quick-Action Rachet. This chuck key works just like your socket wrench. N- Lighting Solutions Even though my shop is fairly well-lit, I often strug- gle to see what I'm doing at the drill press. But when I add some task lighting, it makes all the difference. Bright, Focused Light. The key to adding task lighting at the drill press is being able to reposition it as needed. The "Twist Flexlight" (below left) twists and turns like a snake to focus light exactly where you need it. Its bright LED creates a spotlight for detail work. And the magnetic base holds it securely on the head or cast iron table of your drill press. Adjustable Arm. The familiar "drafting- style" lamp shown at right casts a broader ▼ Focused. A bright LED focuses light exactly where you need it. light. It uses a conventional bulb for a light source. The built-in clamp means you can attach it almost anywhere. It's a great option for use on an auxiliary table, like the one shown on page 18. I have one of these adjustable-arm lamps on my drill press and couldn't work without it. The spring- loaded arms and swivel head make it easy to position the light where I need it. Whichever light you use, you'll find your work is a lot easier on the eyes. ▲ Adjustable Arm. An inexpensive lamp with an adjustable arm allows you to position light at any angle. It casts a broad light over the work area. ShopNotes No. 94 - Clamps Long Reach. With its long arm and lever action, this clamp is almost a necessity. ◄ Vertical Hold-down. The vertical post on this hold-down lets you clamp large workpieces securely. A cam lever locks the head in place. To use your drill press safely, it's always a good idea to make sure the workpiece is clamped securely. But it's often difficult or awkward trying to position a clamp on the workpiece. Go Vertical. The two clamping options you see here can help you out. The vertical hold-down shown above has a long post with an adjustable head for clamping large or tall workpieces. Long Reach. The locking-lever clamp in the photo above has a long reach. It can overcome the problem of being able to clamp close to the drill chuck where you need the most clamping pressure. Both of these clamps bolt directly to your drill press table, as shown above. They're good solutions when typical clamps won't do the job. But for precision drilling or metal work, check out the vises below. Vises When basic clamps aren't up to the task, a vise just might be the ticket. Not only do vises hold the work- piece securely, but they can add to the capabilities and accuracy of your drill press. Two-Axis Movement. The unique feature of the vise shown at far right is that it can move a work- piece in two directions. Machinists call this "X-Y" movement. One hand crank moves the jaws left or right, another moves it in or out. This capability comes in handy for drilling mortises or slots in wood. But it's especially handy for precisely locating a hole when drilling metal. Angled Vise. I never like tilting my drill press table to drill an angled hole. I have to figure out how to clamp the workpiece and I'm never certain of the exact angle. The vise shown at right solves both of these problems. Once the workpiece is secure, just rotate the vise jaws to the proper angle and start drilling. A www.ShopNotes.com dream shop An adjustable fence, versatile clamping options, and a built-in dust collection system make this table a great upgrade. When I turn to the drill press, it's because I need precisely placed and perfectly straight holes. But the standard, cast iron table won't support anything but the smallest workpiece. Then, trying to clamp a workpiece in place can be a frustrating exercise. And you can forget about dust collection. The table and fence system you see here solves all these problems. It turns your drill press into a precision woodworking tool. One of the best features is dust collection. The fence and inserts work together to funnel most of the dust away through a hidden chute. (This is especially handy when using a drum sander.) Clamping a workpiece couldn't be easier. You can use the T-track to install hold-downs. And the large, open slots in the table make it easy to reach any size workpiece with a standard bar clamp. The final touch is a storage drawer. It's just one more reason this project is worth building. 18 STAR KNOSS SECURE FENCE TO TASLE Exploded View Details REPLACEABLE INSERTS ARE CUSTOM-MADE — FOR THE TASK OVERALL DIMENSIONS WVVD x 2S"W x 7"H NOTCH ALONG BOTTOM OF FENCE PROVIDES DUST RELIEF LARGE, LAMINATED TABLE MAKES FOR A FLAT. STABLE WORKSURFACE DRAWER ADDS STORAGE FOR ACCESSORIES ONLINE CO y EXTRAS For a cutting diagram and patterns for the table inserts, visit our website ShopNotes.com Materials & Hardware FILLER PLATES PROVIDE A FLAT CLAMPING SURFACE MACHINE SCREWS SECURE DRAWER BOX TO DRILL PRESS ADJUSTABLE F ENCE — ■ izr ) 0 REPLACEABLE WORKPIECE INSERT (SEE PHOTO p. 21) BUILT-IN DUST \ COLLECTION \ DUST GHAMBER STORAGE DRAWER Tf Table (1) Table Inserts (5) Filler Plates (4) Fence Base (1) Fence Faces (2) Base Sides (2) Base Back (1) Base Divider (1) Base Bottom (1) Base Top Panel (1) Base Vacuum Port (1) Drawer Front/Back (2) Drawer Sides (2) Drawer Bottom (1) 74 x 84 - 4 Hdbd. Drawer False Front (1) 4 x 2% - 12 15 ] 4 x 28 - V/i Ply. 4x 8-MMDF 4 3 4 x 4 3 4 - 3 4 Ply. 14x24 -234 1x24-13 4x3-114 4x3*11 4x24-11 UK x 11 -X My. 8 3 4 x 11 - 4 Hdbd. 3 x 3 - 3 4 Ply. 4x14-84 4xl4-8 • (1 pair) 8" Full-Extension Drawer Slides • (2) Star Knobs w/ 5 /fe"-18 Threaded Inserts • (2) 36" T-track • (1) Utility Pull w/Screws • (16) #6 x 4" Fh Woodscrews • (4) - 18 T-nuts • (5) #8 x 4" Fh Woodscrews • (2) 5 /fe" - 18 x 1 4" Flange Bolts • (4) Washers • (4) 5 46 n - 18 x lJf Ph Machine Screws • (1) 2' x 4' Plastic Laminate 20 ShopNotes No. 94 packed with Features Adding this multi-purpose table makes your drill press the ideal woodworking platform, and there are a number of reasons why. First, the large worksurface makes it easy to support a wide range of workpieces. The long slots in the table give you a lot of options for clamping a workpiece, while T-track provides the flexibility to add hold-down clamps and other fixtures. The drawer underneath adds convenient storage (photo at right). And don't forget the fence. It works in tandem with the table's inserts to provide built-in dust collection. Like the table, a T-track on the fence allows you to attach hold-downs and stop blocks. You can see some of these features in action in the photos below. ◄ Hold-down. A toggle clamp mounted to a small plywood base makes a handy hold- down for small workpieces. < Stop Block. Add a stop block to make drilling repetitive holes or mortises a simple, accurate task. < Custom Inserts. Inserts can be made for specialized tasks like drum sanding. They help funnel dust and chips to the dust collection system. ◄ Clamping Ease. Slots in the table make it easy to use bar clamps to securely hold the workpiece. Stand-Alone Table If all you need are a great table and fence system for your drill press, you can build a simpler ver- sion without dust collection and storage. You'll still have the most useful features of the fence and table while upgrading your drill press. If you decide to build just the table and fence system, there are a couple of things to point out. Since you won't be adding the drawer with its dust collection capabilities, there's no need to form the recessed intake area in the fence base. When mounting the table, you'll still want to make the custom filler plates that fit in the spaces under the cast iron table (drawing at right). They provide a flat clamping surface. You may need to modify the shape of the plates to fit your table. Then it's just a matter of using screws and threaded inserts to attach the table. FULL-FEATURED FENCE IS EASY TO BUILD — TABLE FASTENS DIRECTLY TO YOUR DRILL PRE55 CUSTOM FILLER PLATES FOR CAST IRON - TABLE 9 ^16- - IB X w PH MACHINE SCREW AND WASHER www.ShopNotes.com 21 , 5L0T5 ALLOW ^ USE OF CLAMPS BACK OF TOP IS NOTCHED TO ALLOW CLEARANCE FOR DRILL PRESS POST CHAMFER ALL TOP EDGES FIGURE TABLE INSERT (4 x B - Vfe MDF) > building the DADO FOR T-TRACK IS CUT ON THE TABLE SAW %*' RADIUS T-TRACK The key to a great drill press table is a large, flat, and stable worksurface. So I chose to use two layers of \ %" Baltic birch plywood with a plastic laminate surface (Figure 1). But instead of gluing up the two layers right off the bat, you'll build it layer by layer (box on the opposite page). Then to finish it off, you'll add two T-tracks and custom inserts. Finally, you'll add the fence. Lamination. You can A Inserts . Build start by gluing plastic laminate to custom inserts to a plywood blank cut to width and suit the task and length. This forms the top layer. optimize dust You'll use it as template to trim the collection. For bottom layer to final size later on. more information, What's great about this process go online to is you can cut out the slots (using ShopNotes.com. a template), cut the front comers, /CHAMFER TOP C0RNER5 OF T-TRACK TO MATCH TABLE LAMINATE TABLE (W Ply.) LAMINATE FRONT SECTION VIEW ^-®table V CHAMFER on all the top edges (including the open slots) and the bottom edges of the slots, as shown in Figure lb. T-Track. The next thing to do is cut the two dadoes for the T- track. T-track is a handy accessory to have in the shop for all sorts of tasks. And this drill press table is no exception. Not only does it make repositioning the fence a snap, but it works great for custom clamping and hold-down devices. To cut the two dadoes, I used a 3 4"-wide dado blade in the table saw. Then it's just a matter of cutting the T-track to length and screwing the two pieces in place. Insert Opening. A great feature of the table is the interchangeable inserts. You can make custom inserts suited to the task, as shown in the margin photos at left. Open- ings in the inserts allow dust and chips to be picked up by the dust collection system. And when the insert becomes damaged or worn, just pop in a new one. You already cut the rough open- ing for the insert when you glued the table together. Now you just need to rout the rabbet that forms a ledge for the inserts. You can see the details for this in Figure la. Since I used MDF for the inserts, and form the back notch on just one layer of plywood. A pattern bit in your router takes care of fin- ishing up the bottom layer. Chamfers. With the top glued up, go ahead and rout chamfers FENCE ^ BASE DUST NOTCH FORMED WITH DADO BLADE ~ (SEE SHOP SHORT CUTS, p. 26) L*r 3 /e"-DIA. > HOLE FENCE FACE T-TRACK #6 x %" Fh WOODSCREW TABLE LAMINATE INSERT FENCE® FACE FLANGE BOLT laminate'N T-TRACK NOTE: fence \ BASE IS IVV'-THICK HARDWOOD. FENCE FACES ARE 1" THICK. T-TRACK p INSERT : .f SIDE SECTION VIEW FRONT SECTION VIEW === ”~"~ - 1 1 - Vfe ® A _ - RABBETING V BIT V4 a. j 22 ShopNotes No. 94 1 made the rabbet Vi' deep and V\ wide using a rabbeting bit. ADJUSTABLE FENCE Now that the table top is complete, you can work on the fence. As you can see in Figure 2, two fixed faces are attached to a hardwood base. Plastic laminate and T-track com- plete the faces, while a notch in the fence base directs dust and chips to the vacuum chamber underneath. Fence Base. I started with the base, choosing straight-grained hardwood for stability. With that in hand, take some time to joint and plane it straight, ensuring that the faces are square to the bottom. Dust N otch. If you look at Figure 2b, you can see the arched cutout in the fence base I mentioned earlier. The trick to cutting this notch is to use a dado blade in the table saw. To see how I did this, turn to Shop Short Cuts on page 27. (You can skip this step if you don't want to add the drawer.) Faces. The two faces for the fence are also made from hard- wood. After cutting the pieces to size and beveling the comers, you can glue plastic laminate to the faces and trim it flush with a pat- tern bit at your router table. With that done, go ahead and switch out the pattern bit for a chamfer- ing bit and ease the edges. There are a couple of things left to do before you can glue the faces to the base. The first thing is to cut a dust relief notch on the lower front edge of each face (Figure 2b). This helps keep dust and chips from holding the workpiece away from the fence when drilling. Next, you can cut the dadoes for the T-track and install it. And the last step is to glue the faces to the fence base so their bottom edges are flush and square with the bottom of the base. Drawer Option. Now is the time to make a decision. If you're going to build the drawer unit, turn to the next page. Otherwise, you can mount the table to your drill press, as shown on page 21. Building the Table: Step by Step Building the table for the drill press is a lot like making a layer cake — except you start with the top layer. First, cut a plywood blank for the top layer to size and glue an oversized piece of plastic laminate to the top (Step 1). After laying out the openings, you'll create hardboard templates to cut and rout them. To cut out the openings, you can drill starter holes then use a jig saw to rough out the waste. Now just use the templates to trim everything smooth with a router (Steps 1 and 2). With the top layer complete, use it to mark the openings on the bottom layer then rough them out as before. Finally, glue the layers together and use the top layer to trim everything smooth (Step 3). I Clamp Cutouts ^ TEMPLATE 04" Hdbd.) FIRST: GLUE OVERSIZED LAMINATE TO TOP LAYER N OF PLYWOOD BLANK AND TRIM EDGES FLUSH FRONT EDGE! \ ARE FLUSH' SECURE TEMPLATE WITH CARPET TAPE TEMPLATE SECOND: lay out clamping SLOTS THEN ROUGH CUT BY DRILLING HOLES AND CUTTING WITH JIG SAW THIRD: MAKE HARDBOARD TEMPLATE FOR ROUTING SLOT OPENINGS ROUT WASTE FLUSH WITH TEMPLATE AND PATTERN BIT TABLE BLANK (15V4" x 2&" - V Ply.) 2 Cutout for Insert TABLE INSERT r template FIRST: LAY OUT TABLE v INSERT CUTOUT AT CENTERLINE Of TABLE W RADIUS THIRD: trim table CORNERS AND CUT BACK EDGE RELIEF NOTCH SECOND: rough cut THEN TRIM FLUSH WASTE 3 Bottom Layer FIRST: cut bottom plywood blank SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN TOP LAYER SECOND: USE TOP LAYER TO MARK AND ROUGH- CUT OPENINGS THIRD: glue layers TOGETHER THEN USE TOP LAYER TO TRIM BOTTOM LAYER FLUSH ^ “DOJ^ 7 "1 — TOP ^ 1 ■?! TRIM BOTTOM LAYER LAYER FLUSH I : ; ^ I jj J L_i a. www.ShopNotes.com 23 adding storage with the Base & Drawer One of the features I like about this drill press table is the dust collec- tion system. It's a simple design, but very effective. The secret is a hidden chamber in the back of the base. A divider forms a dust chute that funnels dust and chips to a vacuum port on the side of the base, as shown in Figure 3. And the base makes a sturdy platform for mounting the table. T-nuts and screws secure it to your drill press. Then, long wood screws pass through the sides and back of the base to secure the table. ©BASE SACK BASE BOTTOM (11 V 4 x 11) FIGURE BASE VACUUM PORT (3x3) 00 t 3A5E SIDE Vx V RABBET — 11 - * (H) BASE DIVIDER HOLE IS CUSTOM FIT TOP VIEW V 4 " X 1/4" GROOVE NOTE: PORT AND BASE BOTTOM ARE 3 4 n PLYWOOD. BACK AND SIDES ARE 3 /4 m -THICK HARDWOOD. DIVIDER IS Vfe"-THICK HARDWOOD NOTE: CLAMP DRAWER BASE IN PLACE TO LOCATE HOLES FOR T-NUTS (SEE FIGURE 6 FOR FINAL ASSEMBLY) Another useful feature I like is the storage drawer. The full- extension drawer slides make it easy to access all of the drawer's contents. Hardwood construction and simple joinery make it easy to build. But the first thing to do is start on the drawer base. DRAWER BASE NOTE: TOP PANEL DOES NOT COVER DUST CHAMBER PRE-DRILL CLEARANCE HOLES #B Fh WOODSCREW FIGURE 6) FIGURE V ROUN DOVER NOTE: FASTEN DRAWER SLIDES IN PLACE BEFORE FINAL GLUE UP DRAWER SLIDES FLUSH WITH FRONT In Figure 3 above, you can see how the drawer base is put together. I started with the bottom panel and built the sides and divider to fit. Bottom Panel. All you need to do after cutting the bottom panel to size is rabbet three sides to form the tongues. These will fit into the grooves in the side and back pieces you'll make next. 3-Sided Box. Figures 3 and 4 will help you make all the cuts for the sides and back. The back fits 24 ShopNotes No. 94 into rabbets and the divider will fit in dadoes in the side pieces. You'll notice that there's a shal- low rabbet along the inside top edge of the side pieces for the base "dust cover" panel (Figure 4a). It keeps dust from getting into the drawer and helps direct the debris to the dust chute for collection. Dust Port. And speaking of dust collection, now is the time to drill the hole in one of the sides of the base for a vacuum port (Figure 3). Then you can make a custom port to match your dust collector hose. Mounting Holes. In Figure 4, you'll see holes drilled vertically through the back and side pieces. Long screws pass through these holes to fasten the table in place. Cut to Fit. Next, you can dry-fit and clamp the side and back pieces in place and measure for the length of the divider. There's one thing to note about the divider. When you cut it to final width, it should sit flush with the bottom of the rab- bet along the top edge of the sides. This will accomodate the ^"-thick top panel of the base. Drawer Slides. Since the drawer box is so narrow, it's easier to install the drawer slides before you glue the sides to the bottom panel. Then you can glue every- thing together for the base. Filler Plates. Before you mount the base, you'll need to make cus- tom filler plates to fit the bottom of your drill press table. They fill in between the ribs and form a flat clamping surface. Attach the Top. With the filler plates made, you can attach the table to the base, then mount the entire assembly to your drill press. Figure 6 at right shows you how it all goes together. DRAWER With the base and table mounted on your drill press, it's time to work on building the drawer, as shown in Figure 5. The front and back of the drawer have tongues on the ends to fit dadoes in the drawer sides. [FIGURE UTILITY PULL WITH SCREWS FULL-EXTENSION DRAWER SLIDE NOTE: ALL DRAWER PARTS & (EXCEPT BOTTOM) ARE fe"-THICK HARDWOOD DRAWER FRONT DRAWER SIDE DRAWER BOTTOM - Ve Hdbd.) BASE TOP PANEL JL. s- fe DRAWER FRONT #0 X v FH WOODSCREW 0ASE BOTTOM SIDE SECTION VIEW DRAWER FALSE DRAWER SLIDE VV CHAMFER TOP VIEW A groove along the bottom edge of all four pieces holds the bottom. After mounting the drawer slides, I cut the false front to size, allowing %" clearance at the top (Figure 5b). You can bevel the ends using your table saw. Finally, fas- ten the false front to the drawer. All that's left to do is hook up your dust collector. Now you're ready to put the table to the test on your next project. A B FIGURE 1 i 1 i FRONT SECT. T t =— — FIRST: ATTACH DRAWER BASE TO TABLE USING LONG WOODSCREWS THROUGH BASE SIDES AND BACK NOTE: DRAWER BASE IS ^ CENTERED ACROSS WIDTH OF TABLE SECOND: use MACHINE SCREWS THROUGH FILLER PLATES TO ATTACH ENTIRE ASSEMBLY TO DRILL PRESS TABLE 5 /i6 M - 10 x 1 Vfe" Ph MACHINE SCREW WITH WASHER NOTE: FILLER PLATES * ARE CUSTOM FIT TO DRILL }\ PRESS TABLE CAVITIES www.ShopNotes.com Shop Short Cuts Miter Vise Top & Block One of the keys to a creating a tight miter joint with the vise shown on page 36 is starting with a 90° refer- ence comer at the top of the vise. What's critical here is that the vise top and clamping block that make up the comer align with each other. Centered Dado. The first step to accomplish this is to cut a centered dado in an oversized blank, as shown in Figure 1. But the key is not to try to cut it to the exact size and center it in one step. Instead, set up your dado blade so it's a little more than half as wide as the final width of the dado. Once that's complete, you can make a first pass, which is slightly off-center (Figure la). Then just flip the workpiece around and make another pass, as in Figure lb. This two-step process results in a perfectly centered dado. If the dado isn't the correct width, simply reset the rip fence and repeat the process by making two more passes, sneaking up on the desired width. Alignment Holes. Before you cut the top and clamping block from the blank, step over to the drill press. There you can drill the holes used to adjust and lock the two pieces together. Doing this now ensures that the holes in the two parts line up with each other. Finally, head back to your table saw and cut the parts free, taking care to keep the comers at 90°. 26 ShopNotes No. 94 1 Stop Block & Hold-Down While the table and fence on page 18 are a great addition to any drill press, you can make them even more useful with a couple of handy accessories — a stop block and an adjustable hold-down. Note: You can use these accessories on any table or fence with T-track. The stop block makes it easy to drill a hole in the same location on any number of workpieces. And the adjustable hold-down can be placed anywhere along the T-track to secure a workpiece with the quick-action toggle clamp. Stop Block. The best thing about the stop block is its simplic- ity. It's just a piece of plywood with a hole drilled in it. A flange bolt, washer, and knob secure it in place (Figure 1). And rounded cor- ners provide dust relief. Hold-Down. The details for building the hold-down are shown W- ia FLANGE BOLT ALIGN HOLE WITH T-TRACK STOP BLOCK NOTE: BLOCK IS MADE FROM V PLYWOOD in Figure 2. Like the stop block, it mounts to the T-track in the table with a flange bolt, washer, and knob. To minimize its profile, I trimmed it to a triangular shape and then sanded all the comers smooth (Figure 2a). All that's left to complete the hold-down is to add the toggle clamp. The nice thing about the adjustable. This fea- ture allows you to securely clamp workpieces of varying thicknesses to the drill press table. Dust Collection Notch For the dust collection system of the drill press table to work prop- erly, the base of the fence requires a "dust port." This port is just a notch cut at the table saw, as you can see in the drawing below. To create this notch, I installed a wide dado blade and raised it to a height of 1". Note: The dimensions listed are for an 8”-dia. dado blade. Since the notch is not a through cut, the next step is to draw a line on the top of your table saw to indicate where to stop the fence base for each cut as you widen the notch. I located my layout line 2 1 4” back from the leading edge of the dado blade, as you can see in the drawing below. Once you have the layout line located, all that's left to do is cut the notch. For better support, I added an auxiliary fence to my miter gauge (drawing below). A Drill Press Table: Installation ▲ Positioning the Table. To ensure the drill press table is positioned properly for the sand- ing drum inserts, use a blank insert with the centerpoint of the hole located. Then just bolt the table in place. www.ShopNotes.com 27 weekend workshop stacking Cutoff Bins This project blends plenty of storage and organization in a three-piece, stackable unit. For a long time, my " system" for storing short pieces of wood was simple — squirrel it away in every nook and cranny I could find. The problem with this arrangement was lack of organization. I didn't always know what I had on hand. So, to tackle this problem, I built the cutoff bins pictured here. As you can see, there's plenty of storage. But just as important, it works as a built-in sorting system. You can arrange cutoffs by size and species, knowing at a glance exactly what you have. (Alternative designs to suit any woodworking shop are shown on page 30.) The construction is pretty straightforward. Although there are three different-size bins, the joinery is identical and can be easily cut on your table saw. And the individual bins bolt together to give the entire unit more stability. 28 ShopNotes No. 94 Exploded View Details OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 31"D x 32 s / 4 "W x 79V 4 "H Materials & Hardware MAIN CASE PARTS MADE FROM V MDF ALL DIVIDERS AND SACKS ARE MADE OF VV’HARDBOARD RASSET AND DADO JOINERY PROVIDES SOLID CONSTRUCTION HARDSOARD SACKS ARE GLUED AND SCREWED IN PLACE CLEATS ALIGN SOTTOM SIN ON SASE BASE RAISES SINS OFF FLOOR TO KEEP DIRT OUT NOTE: THREE SIN SIZES OFFER STORAGE AND ORGANIZATION OPTIONS UPPER CASE A Sides (2) B Top/Shelf/Btm. (3) C Dividers (4) D Back (3) MIDDLE CASE E Sides (2) F Top/Shelf/Btm. (3) G Dividers (4) LOWER CASE H Sides (2) I Top/Shelf/Btm. (3) J Dividers (4) BASE K Base Front/Back (2) L Base Sides (2) M Cleats (2) I 6/2 x 2S Va - Vi MDF 16K x 31 V 4 - Va MDF 16V4 x 12 - H Hdbd. 32Vi x 25Vi - Va Hdbd. 23 Va x 25 Va - Va MDF 23/2 x 3lH - Va MDF 23 V 2 x 12 - Va Hdbd. 31 x 25Vi - Va MDF 30Vi x 31 Vi “ Va MDF 30Vi x 12 - Vi Hdbd. Va x 3Vi " 31 Va x 3 / 2 • 28 Va x \Vi - 27/2 • (72) 5 x 40mm Connecting Screws • (4) Hi” -18x1" Carriage Bolts • (4) 5 /6 ,f - 18 Washers • (4) Vfe" - 18 Nuts • (6) #8 x 1 Va Fh Woodscrews • (54) #6 x Va Fh Woodscrews ShopNotes. ONLINE G0 ; EXTRAS To download a free cutting diagram for the Cutoff Bins, go to: www.ShopNotes.com ▲ Stack On Edge. Sorting the cutoffs by type and setting them on edge make it easy to find the right workpiece for your project. www.ShopNotes.com 29 #6x 3 /4 h Fh WOODSCREW 25 % building the Bins ▲ Confirmat Screws . These screws are perfect for assembling MDF projects. The countersink bit helps the thin screwhead sit flush with the worksurface. There's nothing complicated about building these storage bins. Each bin is simply a box made from inexpensive MDF and hardboard, and assembled with dado and rabbet joinery. Once you've set up your table saw for one type of cut, you can make all the corresponding cuts at the same time. The Cases. The first step is to cut the MDF parts to size. In Figures 1 and 2, you can see the top, bottom, and shelf of each bin are the same size. The sides are wider to hide the back. THE JOINERY At this point, you're ready to tackle the joinery. I like to use rabbet and dado joinery for this type of project because it's simple to cut and it's strong. And the joinery for the bins is basically the same. Rabbets. I decided to start with the rabbets in the case sides. An auxiliary fence and a dado blade help this task go fairly quickly. Once that's done, you can adjust the auxiliary fence to cut rabbets along the back edges of the sides. These rabbets will hold the hardboard backs. Not only do the backs add rigidity, but they keep the cutoffs from falling out the NOTE: EASE EDGES WITH SANDPAPER AFTER ASSEMBLY back of the bins (Figures lb and lc). You'll install the backs later. Centered Dadoes. After the rabbets are cut, all you have to do is adjust the fence to cut the centered dadoes for the shelves. Since the sides of all three bins are the same height, the centered dadoes will be in the same place in each side. Divider Joinery. With the case joinery complete, you can [FIGURE NOTE: STOP SLOCK IS IV 4 " WIDE ◄ Label Corners. To avoid confusion while gluing, label the corner joints. ◄ Gluing Up. Apply glue and 11 hand" clamp the joint together until the glue sets up. A backer block will help keep the pieces square. www.ShopNotes.com 35 best-built Miter joints are some of the toughest joints to glue up. The angled pieces tend to slip around as you apply clamping pressure. And getting a flush, gap-free joint often ends up more like a juggling act. But with the miter vise shown in the photo below, clamping miters is a snap. As you can see in the drawing on the next page there are a lot of features packed into this capable vise. But what stands out is the stout construction. The thick blocks of hard maple and Baltic birch plywood will stand up to heavy use. Don't worry. As you'll see, building it isn't complicated and won't take much time. This simple vise makes assembling miters as easy as 1-2-3. ShopNotes No. 94 I ; '¥ Two-Position Clamping. To support long frame pieces, mount the vise horizontally to the workbench. Adjustable Jaws. Use the shaped jaws to capture odd-shaped pieces for secure clamping. Exploded View Details TOP SECTION VIEW BRONZE BUSHINGS ELIMINATE PLAY IN CLAMPING BLOCK NOTE: FOR HARDWARE SOURCES. TURN TO PAGE 51 CLAMP ARMS ARE ATTACHED TO BASE WITH SIMPLE BUTT HINGES OVERALL DIMENSIONS: irDx11"Wx9 3 / 4 "H ADJUSTABLE CLAMPING BLOCK KEEPS JOINT SQUARE THREADED INSERTS IN TOP PROVIDE MULTIPLE SET UP OPTIONS TO MATCH WORKPIECE SIZE THICK. HARDWOOD CLAMP ARMS RESIST FLEXING EASY-TO-GRIP T-KNOBS APPLY CLAMPING FORCE STEEL DOWEL ALLOWS ARMS TO PIVOT AS VISE IS TIGHTENED NOTE: REFER TO PAGE 41 FOR TIPS ON USING THE VISE SHOP-MADE BARREL NUTS ANCHOR ARMS TO POST — « SLOTS IN ARMS ALLOW YOU TO EASILY SET HEIGHT OF JAWS BACK LETS YOU POSITION VISE — HORIZONTALLY (LEFT PHOTO BELOW) — SHAPED JAWS FOCUS CLAMPING PRESSURE AND CAN BE USED TO SECURE COMPLEX SHAPES. AS IN THE LOWER RIGHT PHOTO www.ShopNotes.com 37 strong and sturdy Stand OVERVIEW NOTE: see sox on PRILLING AND TAPPING STEEL ROD For a secure hold and tight joints time after time, the miter vise must be stout. You don't want any slip- ping or flexing to spoil the glueup. The solution is the main sec- tion of the vise — the stand. As you can see in Figure 1, the stand isn't really that diffi- cult to build. The top is where all the action takes place, so it's built for accuracy and adjustability. Under the top is a thick post. And the base and back are a pair of plat- forms that allow the vise to be clamped either vertically or horizontally to a workbench. Post. At the heart of the stand is the hardwood post. (I glued it up from a few pieces of hard maple and then cut to size.) The next steps involve drilling some holes. The first set of centered holes is for a %"-dia. threaded rod that attaches the clamping arms to the post, as shown in Figure 2. An intersecting set of holes will hold shop-made barrel nuts. You can find the procedure for making these nuts in the box at the bottom of the opposite page. The final detail on the post is to cut a bevel on one comer. POST (S^xS^-e*) TOP VIEW 5 X 1 */ i J / l (®\. 0 0 fX / *4" 'W -GROOVE M mm 0 0 L ® NOTE: TOP. BASE, AND BACK ARE MADE FROM V PLYWOOD - #3 x 2" Fh WOODSCREW w BOTTOM VIEW This creates a flat surface for attach- ing the back that you'll add later. Base. The post is attached to a plywood base. This makes it easy to clamp the vise to a workbench or table. Like the post, one comer of the base is clipped to provide clear- ance for the back, as in Figure 1. Back. Once the base and post have been attached, you can make the vise back. It's simply a square piece of plywood that serves as a clamping surface when you use the vise horizontally. But before attaching the back, you'll need to install the barrel nuts. You want to take care that the holes in the nuts are aligned with the holes in the post. Then you can screw the back in place. Materials A Post (1) iVi x V/j - 6 E Clamp Block (1) 4x4- Vi Ply. B Base (1) 6x6- Vi Ply. F Guide (1) Vi x Vi - 5Vfe C Back (1) 6 x 6 - Vi Ply. G Arms (2) lVi x lVi - 9 D Top (1) 6 x 6 - Vi Ply. H Jaws (2) lxl’/j-lVi Hardware . (14) #8 x 2“ Fh Woodscrews • (2) Vs" x 2 Vi” Steel Rods • (6) Vi" - 20 Threaded Inserts • (2) Vi" I.D. - V Bronze Bushings . (1) Vi" - 20 x lVi" Studded Star Knob » (1) Vi" Fender Washer • (2) IW" Butt hinges w/Screws • (2) Vis I.D. x Vi' Nylon Bushings • (2) Vii - 18 x 5 Vi" Threaded Rods • (2) .062" x Vi" O.D. -3" Comp. Springs . (2) 5 / 8 " x lVi" Steel Rods • (2) Vi 6 " - 18 T-Knobs • (2) Vi" Flat Washers • (2) Vi" - 20 x 1" Studded Rnd. Knobs SECOND: 38 ShopNotes No. 94 Top Assembly. The final pieces of the stand to make are the top and clamp block, as you can see in Figure 3. The clamp block is attached to the top with a studded knob that fastens into a series of threaded inserts in the top. With two holes in the clamp block and four inserts in the top, it gives you a great amount of flex- ibility to set up the vise to match the width of the workpieces. As the vise arms are tightened, the clamping pressure could cause the pieces to shift out of alignment. To prevent this from happening, there's a hardwood guide that runs in a shallow groove in the top. This keeps the clamp block and the workpieces square. You'll find the step-by-step process for making these pieces in Shop Short Cuts on page 26. Install Hardware. Once the pieces have been made, you can install some hardware. First, drive the threaded inserts into the top, making sure they are square and flush with (or slightly below) the bottom of the groove. Next, you can fit some bronze bushings into the clamp block. The vv- STUDDED KNOB CLAMP BLOCK (4"x4 M -VPIy.) VH.D.x BRONZE BUSHING GUIDE xV- 5*e") NOTE: TO MAKE GROOVES IN CLAMP BLOCK AND TOP, REFER TO PAGE 26 W FENDER WASHER a. FILE FLUSH WITH GUIDE GUIDE FIGURE bushings maintain a solid, wiggle- free connection between the clamp block and top (Figure 3). Depending on the bushing and thickness of the plywood, you may need to file the bushing flush with the block and guide, as you can see in Figure 3a. There are just a couple more things to take care of before mov- ing on. The first is to apply some self-adhesive sandpaper to the edges of the clamp block. This will help prevent the workpieces from creeping as the vise is tightened. The second thing to do is apply a few coats of finish and wax to the top. Then you can easily "pop" off any glue that squeezes out of the miter joint you're working on. At this point, the vise stand is complete. On the next two pages, you'll find the details for making the clamping arms as well as some tips for gluing up a perfect-fitting miter joint. Drilling & Tapping Steel Rod You'll need to make two different pieces of hard- ware from short sections of steel rod. As you can see on the far right, one piece is tapped to accept a piece of threaded rod. The other one is drilled to allow the threaded rod to pass through (left rod). Making the parts follows the step-by-step process shown in the photos below. (You'll have better control if you start with extra-long pieces of steel rod.) I made a simple V-block to cradle the rod and used a countersink bit to center the block on the bit (photo A). After marking the location of the hole, use a centerpunch to create a starting "dimple" for the bit (photo B). Drilling the holes is straightforward. Clamp the rod in place and use a slow speed with light oil to keep the bit cool, as shown in photo C. Finally, tap the holes in the barrel nuts before cutting them to length (photo D). Drill and tap barrel nut for post is only drilled www.ShopNotes.com 39 IMz” PUTT - HINGE 'NOTE: TO SHAPE CLAMP ARM. SEE PATTERN SELOW STEEL RODS IN CLAMP ARMS ARE DRILLED TO ACCEPT THEADED ROD V - 20 x 1" STUDED KNOS 20 THREADED INSERT FLAT WASHER *e"-13 x m -THREADED ROD WxV NYLON PUSHING .062" x Vz n O.D. - 3" — COMPRESSION SPRING %" x 1 3 4 STEEL ^ ROD W- 10 KNOS ARM simple, adjustable Clamp Arms {W x W - 9 n ) The stand you just completed makes up half of the clamping action of the vise. The other half is done by the arms. The clamping force is supplied by a threaded rod and large T-knobs, as illustrated in Figure 4. At the top of each arm is an adjustable jaw. The jaw rides in a slot so it can be positioned to exert pressure in just the right place (see box on facing page). Arms. The arms of the vise have a unique shape. The thinner top portion holds the studded knobs used to secure the jaws. And the thick middle section provides plenty of strength and rigidity for clamping down tightly. To make the arms, I started with an oversize blank. After drilling intersecting %"-dia. holes in the blank, a slot is cut in one end at the table saw, as in Figure 5. n With the slot cut, the next step is to cut the arms to shape from the blank. You can use the pattern below as a guide for making these cuts on the band saw. Some Hardware. Connecting the completed arms to the stand is the next step. And here you'll have some hardware to deal with. The first thing to do is attach each arm to the stand with a butt hinge. Next, you'll make a pair of short steel rods. These rods have clear- ance holes drilled in them to allow the threaded rod to pass through. They're made nearly the same way as the barrel nuts in the stand (only without the tapping step). When they're complete, slip the rods into place in the clamp arms. Like I mentioned earlier, a length of threaded rod gives the arm the ability to apply a lot of pressure. ARM PATTERN You can glue the rod to a T-knob with epoxy and then fit a nylon bushing on one end of each rod, pushing it through the hole in the arm, as in Figure 4. A spring is then added that allows the arm to retract as the pressure is released. And the whole assembly can be threaded into the barrel nuts in the post, as you can see in Figure 4a. 40 ShopNotes No. 94 At Last, the Jaws. The final parts of the vise to make are the adjustable jaws (Figure 6). Since these pieces are too small to work with one at a time, I did as much of the work as I could on an over- sized blank, as shown in Figure 6. . The first thing to do is drill some holes. These hold the threaded inserts that are used to attach the jaws to the arms. Next, you can create a pressure point on each jaw with a file and some sandpaper. This point allows you to concentrate the clamping pressure on a narrow area. Finally, each jaw can be cut to length and attached to the arms. And with the vise complete, you're ready to put it to use. You'll find some tips for getting the best results in the box below, ft shape PRESSURE POINT WITH A FILE AND SANDPAPER FIGURE NOTE: BEGIN WITH OVERSIZED BLANK (I" x W - W) 14 " - 20 THREADED END VIEW Tight Miters: Step-bv-Step The miter vise eliminates the frus- tration of clamping tight miter joints, as shown in the photo at right. But the real starting point is making sure the pieces are cut at a perfect 45°. For a few tips on this process, take a look at the article that starts on page 32. When you're ready to assemble the joint, you can follow the steps shown below. However, there are a few other things I'd like to highlight as well. The first thing is setting the position of the clamp block, as shown in Step 1. 1 set it so that when a workpiece is clamped, it's fully supported by the top. This helps keep the pieces flat and square to each other. This way the joint will be flush. Another thing to mention is the importance of doing a dry run (Steps 2 and 3). This way, you aren't in a panic trying to get everything aligned while the glue is starting to dry. Once you have everything set, then you can calmly and pre- cisely glue up the miter. Finally, I leave the joint in the vise for about an hour before moving on. Step 1 . Position the clamp block so the piece is supported by the top and the arms are vertical. Step 2. Now, set the height of the jaws and loosely clamp the workpiect in place. Step 3. Slide the mating piece in place and check the fit of the miter joint. Adjust each piece until the joint is aligned. Step 4. To glue up the miter, loosen oni piece and brush glue onto the joint. Then place it in the vise and snug up the arms. www.ShopNotes.com 41 A cordless drill has become a "must-have" tool for any shop. Not only is it necessary for drilling holes, but it makes the mundane task of driving screws quick and easy. Its power, versatility, and convenience make it so popular. When I got my first cordless drill, I didn't spend a lot of time learning about the settings and switches. I'd just squeeze the trigger and go to work. But after stripping a few screw holes and breaking off a couple of screwheads, it didn't CORDLESS DRILL DOs&DON Ts Do: • Use speed and clutch settings properly • Use correctly sized driver bits • Start slowly and increase power • Practice your technique for best results Don’t: • Force tight screws • Use drill setting to drive screws • “Rapid fire” trigger to drive screws get the most from your Cordless Drill There’s more to using a cordless drill than just pulling the trigger. take long to learn that the drill's features provided better control for drilling holes and driving screws. Trigger. The most obvious control feature is the trigger. And at one time, drills had only one speed. So, the trigger was basically just an "on/off" switch. Today, many drills come with variable-speed triggers. The more you depress the trigger, the faster the motor spins the chuck. And that feature adds a lot of control, especially when driving screws. Here's one easy way to put this handy feature to work every day. After drilling a pilot hole, set the screw in place and gently pull the trigger. As the screw cuts into the wood, gradually increase the speed to drive the screw home. That's a lot easier than getting cramps in your forearms trying to drive screws into hardwood with a regular screwdriver. SETTINGS Another feature I like is a dual- speed motor. Many drills today have two speeds (photo on opposite page), and some newer models have three speeds. The dual-speed switch sets the range of speeeds the drill spins at. For example, the high-speed setting has wide range (up to 1,200 RPM) for drilling holes. But the low setting (up to 400 RPM) produces more torque and better control when you need to drive screws. You might think that variable- speed triggers and two speed ^ settings would be enough for any task. But there's one more feature that's the perfect complement to the first two, and that's the torque control, or the "clutch." Gutch. As I mentioned earlier, variable speed is a great way to start a screw. But many times, I tried to install the screw just right with short, quick pulls ("rapid fire") of the trigger. But that often results in mangled screwheads, a jumping bit, or worse, a scarred workpiece. This is where the clutch comes in (photo on opposite page). The numbers around it represent resistance settings, similar to a torque wrench. When the chuck reaches a certain amount of strain, the drive shaft of the drill releases. That's the clicking sound you hear — the motor is still turning, but the driver bit isn't. Torque. The number of clutch settings varies by model, but the basics are the same. For example, ' low-numbered settings are for driving small screws and workine Speed switch provides proper settings for drilling holes and driving screws Clutch sets torque resistance Keyless chuck allows quick change of bits in soft wood. The torque resistance is low, and the clutch releases under little strain. As you adjust the clutch to higher settings, the release point increases. That makes the higher numbers better for driving larger screws. This capability prevents you from stripping a screw or overdriving one once it's snug. It also protects the drill by not allowing you to bum up the motor trying to force a screw that won't go any further. Drill Setting. After the highest clutch setting, you'll see an image of a drill bit (far right photo). That's the drilling mode. It locks the clutch so it won't release, giving you full power to drill holes. TECHNIQUE With these controls in mind, you're ready to put them together with the proper technique to get more out of your cordless drill. The ultimate goal here is to install screws so the head is set perfectly flush. But it's going to take some practice. To get it right, you'll want Trig Switch lever provides easy change of the chuck direction ^ to work on your technique in a scrap piece of the project wood. Next, double-check the driver bit you plan to use to ensure it's the right one for the job. If the bit is too small, it will jump around in the screwhead. If it's too large, the screwhead may strip out. After drilling pilot holes, start with a low clutch setting. Then, simply adjust the clutch to a higher setting and drive a few more screws until the clutch releases when the screwhead is seated flush. At this point, I know the drill is dialed-in with the right settings. So I can drive screws into my project with speed and efficiency. Using the proper settings and the right technique will go a long way to making full use of your drill's capability. Another important per- formance feature is a fully charged battery. For more information on that, see the box below. A. ◄ Drill Mode. To drill holes with a cordless drill, turn the clutch to the "drill" icon and set the speed to "high." ▲ Charge It Up. To avoid battery damage and overcharging, most chargers contain internal logic controls. Extend Battery Life: Smart Chargers While correct settings and technique improve a drill's performance (and your results), that performance is still dependent on the battery. At one time, you had to be careful about how and when you charged a battery to get the most out of it. But that's not the case anymore. Now, a battery typically can be slipped into the charger and recharged at the first sign that it's losing power. And with its internal logic, a charger is smart enough to let you know when it's fully charged, or if there's a problem to be aware of (inset photo). All this ensures that your batteries will be fully charged and ready to use when you need them. And that they'll stay in good shape for a long time. • www.ShopNotes.com 43 WORKBENCH ACTS AS OUTFEED SUPPORT FOR TABLE SAW > PLACE WORKBENCH AND TABLE SAW BACK-TO-BACK FOR ALL-AROUND SUPPORT small s 5AW TABLE PROVIDES EXTRA WORKSURFACE FOR ASSEMBLING LARGE PROJECTS Gain some extra space in your shop by grouping your power tools and workbench in these efficient combinations. SIDE VIEW WORKPIECE — O A 1 H© Working in a small shop can seem more like walking through a maze than an enjoyable place to spend an afternoon. So, one of the challenges you face is adding a new power tool. Most of the time, I would sim- ply place it anywhere it would fit. And it just stayed there. But after rearranging my shop a number of times over the years. I've finally come up with a few "combos" that make my shop eas- ier and more efficient to work in. The idea here is to arrange tools in small groups. Take a look at these three solutions and see if you can get more out of your shop space. CENTRAL WORKSTATION When I first started woodwork- ing, the table saw and workbench were the first two "tools" in my shop. So I placed them back-to-back in the center of the workshop. Benefits. There are a few advan- tages to this setup. The first is my bench can act as a large, outfeed sup- port for the table saw. Just make sure your bench is the same height or a tad lower than your saw (inset WORKBENCH SHOULD BE SAME HEIGHT OR SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN SAW drawing above). This makes it per- fect for handling sheet goods. Another plus is that the com- bined size of the saw table and bench makes an extra-large glue- up and assembly station. Another Option. In the left drawing, you can see another ver- sion of this pairing that might suit your needs better. Instead of plac- ing the workbench behind the saw, they're positioned apart so that I can work between them. It's like working in a galley kitchen. And I can also use the bench as an infeed table to support long boards and large sheets of plywood. PREP TOOL DUO Another set of tools that works well as a pair is the planer and jointer. These aren't "everyday" machines. 44 ShopNotes No. 94 However, at the beginning of a project, they see some pretty heavy use as you make your stock straight, flat, and square. And since boards run though each machine in about the same direction, it makes sense that they should be near each other, too. If you position them along a wall under a lumber rack, like you see in the drawing above, the setup won't take up much space. Now you might think this arrangement looks awkward. But unless your jointer is very wide, you still have good access to both tools. SHAPING & DRILLING TRIO The trio of power tools you see in the drawing below may seem to be an odd mix. But there are a couple of reasons why I like them to be positioned close together. Working Together. First, each of these tools works well placed against a wall. And since the router table is usually lower than either the band saw table or drill press table, I position the router table between the other two. The advantage here is that the router table can serve as a handy worksurface for holding parts or accessories while I'm working at either the drill press or band saw. I've even used the drill press table as an infeed /outfeed table for the router table or band saw. (You can lower the height of the drill press table to provide addi- tional clearance for working with large pieces on the router table.) Depending on the size and shape of your tools, you may need to do some tweaking of this arrangement. For example, I will usually reposition the router table away from the wall slightly to pro- vide enough clearance to tackle most router table tasks. Mobile Bases. There may be times when this three-in-a-row arrangement doesn't work. So I've added a mobile base to the band saw. By making this tool mobile, I can pull it away from the oth- ers to create plenty of clearance at the drill press or router table — or more importantly, when working with long stock on the band saw. Instead of seeing tools as stand- alone equipment, think about how they're used and the type of work you do. In the end you can save space, time, and trips across the shop. If you're like me, after doing some tool shuffling and creating one or more of these tool groupings, it will feel like you have a whole new place to work. And in my book, that's a good combination. & www.ShopNotes.com 45 A narrow strip of veneer and a few simple techniques are all you need to hide the edge of a plywood panel. Add variety by using plastic or metal edgebanding Plain edging, like this 2" wide oak, is the least expensive Plywood is a great material for building a project. The challenge is finding a good way to hide any exposed edges. And when I need to do that, I turn to edgebanding. Edgebanding is really just a nar- row strip of veneer that matches the plywood. It's available in most of the common hardwoods, like oak, cherry, and walnut. But as you can see in the photo below, you'll also find a few other types of edgebanding that allow you to match, or contrast with, melamine or laminate-covered materials. (For sources, turn to page 51.) Plain Edging. The most basic type of edgebanding is a plain strip of veneer. The trick is gluing the strip in place without having Pressure-sensitive tape is simple and easy to work with~~^ Edgebanding with an adhesive back comes in a wide range of materials, widths, and lengths to deal with a lot of clamps. The simplest way to do this is to use contact cement (upper left photo on the opposite page). Adhesive-Backed Edging. If you'd rather not deal with con- tact cement or liquid glue, check out the adhesive-backed edging shown in the center photo on the opposite page. The glue is already applied to this type of edgeband- ing, so installing it is just a matter of melting the glue. To do this, you can use a spe- cialized edgebanding iron. But an ordinary clothes iron set on high works just as well (main photo). Pressure-Sensitive Tape. Finally, the easiest edgebanding option of all uses pressure-sensitive tape (upper right photo on opposite page). Simply press the edgeband- ing in place, peeling off the protec- tive backing as you go. APPLYING EDGEBANDING Regardless of the type of edgeband- ing you use, they all perform equally well. So the goal is really to create a '■ — virtually invisible joint, which takes just a few simple steps. 46 ShopNotes No. 94 ▲ Plain Edgebanding . Contact cement creates an “instant" bond for plain edgebanding . A Adhesive-Backed. Gluing this material in place is just a matter of melting the adhesive with an iron . ▲ Easy-On Tape. To install this pressure-sensitive tape, just peel off the backing and press it in place. Prep the Edge. The first step is to prepare the edge. So after I've trimmed the workpieces to size, I smooth the edge with a sanding block and a piece of 220-grit sand- paper. To avoid rounding over the edge, be sure to use a light touch. Cut to Size. After preparing the edge, you're ready to cut the edgebanding to rough length. I've ^ found it best to cut the edging about 1" longer than I need and just let it hang over the ends. As I mentioned earlier, the basic process of installing edgeband- ing depends on the type you use (photos above). But once you've applied the edgebanding, I've always found it a good idea to work a roller back and forth along the edge to ensure a tight bond. This is especially important with the adhesive-backed edge- banding. Since the glue doesn't set up immediately, the edges can curl up. Using the roller (or tapping with a block of wood) ensures a firm bond and a tight joint. Trim it Flush. After the edging is installed, the next step is to trim each end perfectly flush, as in the lower left photo. Finally, you can trim the edging flush with the edges. Here again, a utility knife works great (center photo below). Just be sure to cut with the grain to avoid tearing out any of the edgebanding. If you have a lot of edgeband- ing work to do, you may want to consider a custom trimmer, like the one you see in the photo at right. This trimmer has two sets knife makes quick work of trim - edge flush, rest the blade against ming the end of the edging flush, the face of the workpiece. of blades. The first set trims the edging flush with the sides of the workpiece. Then to ease the edge and prevent any possibility of tear- ing out the edging, the second set of blades bevels the edges slightly. While this trimmer works great with fairly straight-grained edge- banding, it can result in tearout if you cut against the grain. If that's the case, simply separate the two parts of the trimmer and use the half that works best for the grain. Edgebanding is a quick and easy way to hide a plywood edge. And it doesn't take much time or effort to get perfect results. A A Double-Edged. The spring-loaded sides on this trimmer adjust to the thickness of the plywood. Blades along each side trim both edges simultaneously www.ShopNotes.com 47 Gear versatile Micro- Pinners Fasten molding and other small parts without splitting or filling nail holes. My first air-powered tool was a brad nailer. And I've since used it for everything from quickly mak- ing shop jigs to assembling cabi- nets without waiting for the glue to dry. And while 1 wouldn't give it up for anything, it isn't always the perfect solution. That's why, in many situations, I'm reaching for my latest air tool — a 23-gauge micro-pinner. The main difference between a brad nailer and a micro-pinner ▲ No Clamps Needed. For small projects, like this small cabinet back, you can use pins as ,, clamps ,, to hold pieces in place while the glue dries. is the headless pins. They're a bit thicker than a sewing needle. You can read more about them in the box on the opposite page. What's really amazing about these tools is just how small and versatile they are. The pinner I use is about one-third smaller than my brad nailer. But that doesn't mean it's a wimpy, lightweight tool. In fact, I've never had trouble driving even the longest pins into tough hardwoods like maple or oak. Versatility. The one job where a pinner really shines is install- ing molding (photo above). The thin fasteners let you quickly and invisibly tack molding or glass stop in place without fear of split- ting the profiles. These same quali- ties come in handy for a variety of other jobs, too (photos below). TOP FEATURES As small as pinners are, they are still packed with features, as you can see in the photos on the top of the next page. I want to men- tion a few that really stand out. Small Nose. For starters, the tip of the pinner is pretty small. This allows you to aim a pin into tight comers or in the "folds and creases" of molding so that the hole is even less noticeable. Some pinners come with a soft, rubber nose tip to prevent the metal tip from denting the workpiece. 48 ShopNotes No. 94 Porter-Cable PIN100 ($120) Grex P635 ($200) Tool accepts V pins Rubber tip prevents tool from marring work Pins load from the bottom of tool Narrow nose allows - you to fit a pin into a tight spaces 3 /e" to 1 3 /d n -long pins load from the side Indicator window lets know when it’s time to reload keeps air out of your face Belt clip keeps tool within easy reach Dual Trigger. Pinners have a dual-trigger safety system to pre- vent accidental firing. This keeps the nose small. Most air nailers have a safety on the nose of the tool that prevents it from firing unless it's pressed against a workpiece. In order to fire a pin, you first need to pull a safety trigger located between the main trigger and the handle. And each tool has a slightly different style of trigger. This feature may take some getting used to. It's a good idea to get in the habit of releasing the safety trigger after firing a pin. This way, you won't accidently fire a pin into the air. Cost. As you'd expect, the more features and pin capacity you pack into a tool, the more it's going to cost. In general, you can expect to pay anywhere from $100 for a basic pinner to more than $250 for a high-quality tool. To find the models shown above, turn to Sources on page 51. The Big Question. So do you really need a 23-gauge pinner? If you're trying to decide between a brad nailer and a micro-pinner, start by considering what you want the tool to do for you. Go with a brad nailer for the big jobs. This way, on cabinet construction without having to tie up your clamps, and speed up routine assembly. The results are hard to beat. If you're looking for a fast, invis- ible way to deal with the small details of a project — molding, glass stop or reinforcing mitered frames, then get a micro-pinner. It means you'll never be frustrated by split workpieces or having to fill large nail holes. In the end, chances are you'll wind up having both tools in your workshop someday. A 4.1/ II — ~ Up Close: Headless Pins The first thing you notice about 23-gauge pins is just how small they are, as shown in the margin photo at right. They seem almost too flimsy to be effective. But you'll be surprised at how strong they really are. Almost Invisible. Besides being thinner than a brad, there's one other difference. The pins are head- less. This means the hole a pin leaves is so tiny that you usually don't need to fill it (photo below). ◄ Hole Size . The head on an 18-gauge brad leaves a big hole (left). But the hole from a 23-gauge pin is far less noticeable (right). Since they're headless, knowing which end is which can be a challenge. But look closely at the tip and you'll see it has a chisel shape, as the inset photo shows. And, to help you out, each stick of pins has printed arrows pointing to the business end. Pin Length. Headless pins come in quite a range of lengths. The smallest are long and the longest version tops out at 2". The thing is, no pinner can take the full range of sizes. So you'll need to select a micro- pinner with a pin capacity that matches the work you plan to do. In general, I like to use the longest pins possible for the most holding power. ▲ Thin is In. Thinner than a brad, a pin won't split molding profiles. www.ShopNotes.com 49 from Our Readers jointers & Rabbets When I bought my jointer, the catalog descrip- tion said it could cut rabbets. What are its advantages over using my table saw? Mike Smith Philadelphia :, Pennsylvania Using a jointer to cut a rabbet has a couple of advantages over using a table saw. For starters, even the best dado blade can leave slight "ridges" in the cut, (top board at left). A jointer makes the cut without leaving any saw marks, eliminating the need to sand or plane them smooth. Another benefit is that it's easy to cut a wide rabbet. In fact, the width of a rabbet you can make on a jointer is limited only by the length of the knives. But possibly the best reason to use a jointer to cut a rabbet is the fast setup time. It takes less time to set up a jointer for a rabbet than dealing with dado stacks and an auxiliary fence. And I can use it for a quick rabbet when my table saw is set to make other cuts. What is Needed? One thing to keep in mind is that not all jointer models (such as benchtops) come equipped to cut rabbets. Your jointer needs a rabbeting arm and a notch along ◄ Smooth Rabbets. A dado blade leaves ridges in a rabbet (top photo). A jointer results in a much cleaner cut. the edge of the outfeed table (drawings at lower right). The arm and notch support the edge of the workpiece. Procedure. The first step to cutting a rabbet is to make sure the ends of the jointer knives are aligned. This will ensure the cut is smooth, with crisp edges. Then, position the fence to establish the width of the rabbet. This is done by measuring from the fence to the end of one of the jointer knives (top photo). Shallow Cuts. Next, adjust the infeed table. Cutting a rabbet safely with a jointer requires making several shallow passes, removing a little bit of material each time. Start by setting the jointer to take a shallow cut (Me”). (The blade guard has been removed in the top photo to show the setup easier.) After making the first pass, lower the infeed table another Vta" with each pass until you "sneak up" on the required depth of the rabbet. (Even though the knives are "covered" by the workpiece, you should keep the blade guard in place for safety. The guard was removed in the photo for clarity.) That's really all there is to cutting rabbets with a jointer. If a project called for a lot of rabbets, I'd still use my table saw. But for a few quick cuts, you really can't beat the speed and quality that a jointer can give a rabbet. A SET JOINTER FOR 5HALL0W CUT ON INITIAL PASS LOWER INFEED ^ TASLE tte" / BETWEEN PASSES . /-/BLADE \/ GUARD REMOVED /4/ FOR CLARITY, WASTE RABBETING NOTCH/ RABBETING . ARM JOINTER ALLOWS FOR WIDE RABBETS REMOVE BLADE GUARD FOR ^ WIDE CUT JS- WASTE 50 ShopNotes No. 94 Sources HINGE MORTISING All it takes to rout perfect-fitting hinge mortises is the jig shown on page 8 and a dado cleanout bit. The one used with the jig is a V-dia. bit with a shank. The Annum number for this bit is 45460-S and it's available from the Woodsmith Store (margin at right). EDGEBANDING Before you order edgebanding like the types shown on page 4b, you'll need to determine the type, width, and length you need. Edge- banding comes in wide range of materials and in widths between 13 / 16 " to 2V- And the rolls van in length from 6* to 230 long. Rockier carries all the edge- banding, the iron (68333). and the double-edged trimmer (43208) shown in the article. Edgebanding supplies are also av ailable from the Woodsmith Store and other sources listed in the margin. DRILL PRESS ACCESSORIES A drill press is a shop workhorse. And with just a few of the add-on accessories starting on page 14, you can make yours work harder and more accurately than ever. Woodcraft (146709) and Steel City Tools (25410) carry the laser system. If low-tech is more your style, you can order a centering pin (50(50.01 ) from Lee Vallexf. For upgrades to your chuck key, give McMastcr- Carr or Lee Valley a call. And Woodcraft has the keyless chuck. The contact information for these sources is listed in the margin. Finally, hold-downs and vises for your drill press are carried by Woodcraft, Rockier, and Lee Valley. Their websites are a great wav to check out what they offer. DRILL PRESS TABLE You can find most of the hardware you'll need to build the drill press table at a hardware store or home center. But some items may be a challenge to locate. The knobs (23812), T-track (21746), T-nuts (26062), and flange bolts (39532) are available from Rockier. And if you decide to add the drawer, the 8" full-extension drawer slides (KV4100 P08) are available from Woodworkers Hard- ware and the pull (DUH-50) for the drawer is carried by Reid Tool. STACKING CUTOFF BINS The stacking cutoff bills on page 28 are assembled with Confirmat- style screws designed for MDF. Me Feel if s carries the 5mm x 40mm screws (5040-CSP) as well as a countersink bit (MS-0540) designed to ensure the head is flush with the surface of the workpiece. PERFECT MITERS Cutting perfect miters is always a challenge. To help set up vour miter gauge accurately, you may want to consider the set-up gauges shown on page 32. They're avail- able from MiterSet and Woodhaven. MITER VISE A hardware store or home center will have most of the hardware you need for the miter v ise on page 36. If you have trouble locating knobs, check out the website for Reid Tool listed in the margin. THIN STRIP RIPPING You can make ripping thin strips easier with the techniques and jigs starting on page 10. The margin lists sources for specialty saw blades. And McMaster-Carr car- ries the bearing (60355K37) for the long strip jig. MICRO-PINNERS Micro-pinners, like the ones shown on page 48, are fast becoming a must-have shop tool. The Porter- Cable model (P1N100) is available from the Woodsmith Store. And the Grex P635 micro-pinner is avail- able from Amazon. ShopNotes HARDBOUND VOLUMES This set includes six hardbound volumes of ShopNotes (Volumes 9 through 14). Each volume includes o year of issues, plus o table of contents and o handy index. Buy them for $29.95 each. Or get the whole six-volume set for $139.50 and SAVE $40 * — that's like getting one volume FREE. (Offer expires 12/3 1/07) Go to www.ShopNotes.com or Call 1 -800-444-7527 Today to Order Yours! MAIL ORDER SOURCES Wood smith Store 800-444 7527 Doth) ( 'h mm- 1 1 / .* * \ Edijehn i/il i mi >///*/;/»* (it m l i in tii /i Hindi . I’ll i n Kerf HUuh . tiarh r ( "ahh Min'tbWnlHi Rockier 800-270 4441 rockler.com Edifehnndniii Sx/iplii s (ilin Hnn A* Thm Kn ' Sllir Hindi s, Unhid hurt, Mni'h t mst Wv,. I\ nulls. 7 -Silts Lee Valiev 800-871 8158 leevalley.com ( 'entemn/ I'm. ( 'hurt,’ Keifs. Kdtfi lui 1 1 , 1, mi Sn/ifiln s, Tdti mi l "isi McMastcr-t arr 850 - 800 - 5<>00 mcmaster.com Hen mnis. ( 'hurl. I\< u> Adjnsttihh l.iijhtim/ Woodcraft 800 - 225-1 15.4 woodcraft.com Drill I h i ss La s< i. Ediji hand inn - Unhid hern' Keith - ( h nr h MiterSet 209 - 855- 1020 miterset.com MdrrSi t Wood haven 800 - 554 -0057 woodhaven.com MiterXhhr Amazon amazon.com (ire. i* MierihHi n n< McFeely ’s 800-145 7957 mcfeelvs.com ( 'anfirnint-Stifh Semes ,v- fhvll Hds Woodworkers I lard wan 800 - 585 - 014(1 wwhardware.com Ihrnen St hh > Reid Tool 800 - 255-0421 reidtool.com Drniei r I hill. /•’/, , *,//, < Knnhs www.ShopNotes.com 51 Scenes from Miter troubles? Take a look at the article on page 32 for some shop- tested tips on cutting perfect miters. Then, with the miter vise you see here, gluing up miter joints will be smooth sailing. Turn to page 36 for instructions on building one. Finally, find out how a micro-pinner can be a valuable addition to your shop on page 48. This simple router jig mikes cutting and fitting hingdbnortises a snap. To find out how it work s| turn to page 8. www.ShopNotes.com