Toshio Odate Reinvents Drawer Joinery

OCTOBER 2010 ■ #185

Arts & Crafts

Sideboard
An Updated Recipe
Yields a Tasty Buffet
Veneer: The Future
Of Woodworking
(And That’s Good)
Michael Dunbar’s
7 Fixes for Bad
Bowsaw Technique
Factory Cart Coffee
Table – In 1 Day
2 Pages That Will
Change the Way
You Glue Joints

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10

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 C O N T E N T S OCTOBER 2010

34 38 52

F E AT U R E S

26 Arts & Crafts 38 Veneer is the 52 Where Does the

Buffet Future: Part 1 Glue Go?
This contemporary server combines classic Marc Adams contends that the material once An experiment exposed under Plexiglas reveals
elements from traditional Arts & Crafts masters used on the finest furniture of the past should be thirst, not starvation, leads to weak glue joints
including Gustav Stickley, Harvey Ellis and part of your woodworking future. And he shows (and it leads the author to adopt a new gluing
Greene & Greene – a recipe for design success. you how to get started. technique).
BY RO B ER T W. L A N G BY M A RC A DA M S BY RO B ER T W. L A N G

ONLINE u Finger Joints ONLINE u Veneer Mill Visit ONLINE u Three Methods
Watch Bob’s video on how to cut Greene & We visited Danzer Veneer – take a look inside Watch through the Plexiglas as Bob and Senior
Greene-style finger joints at the table saw. this Edinburgh, Ind., mill. Editor Glen D. Huey compare different methods
popularwoodworking.com/oct10 popularwoodworking.com/oct10 for gluing up mortise-and-tenon joints.
popularwoodworking.com/oct10

34 Understand & 46 Magobei’s Dining

Use a Bowsaw Table: Part 2
These traditional tools are woefully The fear of a sagging tabletop leads to an
misunderstood by modern woodworkers innovation in drawer design.
– here’s a primer. BY TO S H I O O DAT E
BY M I C H A EL D UN BA R
ONLINE u Calculating
ONLINE u Bowsaw Ergonomics Drawer Parts
Get an even better understanding of the With a fitted drawer front, you can easily
ergonomics and proper motion of bowsaws by calculate the balance of the drawer parts. Watch
watching this video of Mike in his shop. as Senior Editor Glen D. Huey shows you how.
popularwoodworking.com/oct10 popularwoodworking.com/oct10

46
COVER PHOTO BY AL PARRISH; BOWSAW PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER SCHWARZ; VENEER PHOTO BY AL PARRISH;
GLUE PHOTO BY ROBERT W. LANG; DRAWER PHOTO BY LAURÉ OLENDER popularwoodworking.com ■ 3

~c2-5_1010_PWM_TOC.indd 3 7/22/10 9:46:36 AM

 C O N T E N T S OCTOBER 2010

18 22 54

REGUL AR S
8 How You 16 Earlex HV 5000 24 Factory Cart
Can Save Spray Station Coffee Table
Woodworking TOOL TEST
BY T H E ED I TO R S
I CAN DO THAT
BY D R E W D EP EN N I N G
ON THE LEVEL
BY C H R I S TO P H ER S C H WA R Z
ONLINE u Tool Test Archives
We have lots of tool reviews on our web site, free.
54 Optimize a
Spray Gun
10 Cutting Beads popularwoodworking.com/tools
FLEXNER ON FINISHING
LETTERS BY B O B FL E X N ER
FRO M O UR R E A D ER S
20 Brooke Smith
14 Handsaw
DESIGN MATTERS
BY G E O RG E R . WA L K ER
62 Glossary
TERMS OF THE TRADE
Tenon Jig Woodworking’s terminology can be over-
TRICKS OF THE TRADE 22 Three-legged whelming. Learn the terms used in this issue.
FRO M O UR R E A D ER S
Turned Chair
VIDEO u Tricks-in-Action
ARTS & MYSTERIES 64 Chainsaw
Watch a video of one of our tricks at work.
BY P E T ER F O L L A N S B EE
Massacre
popularwoodworking.com/tricks END GRAIN
BY J O E A S N AULT

Number 185, October 2010. Popular Woodworking Magazine (ISSN 0884-8823,USPS 752-250) is
published 7 times a year, February, April, June, August, October, November and December,
which may include an occasional special, combined or expanded issue that may count as two
issues, by F+W Media, Inc. Editorial and advertising offices are located at 4700 E. Galbraith Road,
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24 Reg. # R122594716 Produced and printed in the U.S.A.
■

“TOOL TEST” AND “I CAN DO THAT” PHOTOS BY AL PARRISH; “ARTS & MYSTERIES”
4 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 PHOTO BY PETER FOLLANSBEE; “FLEXNER ON FINISHING” PHOTO BY BOB FLEXNER

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 For more information, go to PWFREEINFO.COM.

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 C O N T R I B U T O R S

Bob Flexner as been a contributing editor to Popular OCTOBER 2010, VOL. 30, NO. 5
Woodworking Magazine for more than a decade and is popularwoodworking.com

among the most respected experts on wood finishing EDITORIAL OFFICES 513-531-2690

and refinishing. He’s taught countless finishing classes, PUBLISHER & GROUP EDITORIAL
served as editor of the trade magazine for professional DIRECTOR ■ Steve Shanesy
x11238, steve.shanesy@fwmedia.com
refinishers and written for more than a dozen maga-
EDITOR ■ Christopher Schwarz
zines. x11407, chris.schwarz@fwmedia.com
Bob recently completed the massive task of revising SENIOR ART DIRECTOR ■ Linda Watts
and updating all the columns he’s written for us over x11396, linda.watts@fwmedia.com
the years to develop a new book: “Flexner on Finishing” EXECUTIVE EDITOR ■ Robert W. Lang
(Popular Woodworking Books). It’s a no-bull approach x11327, robert.lang@fwmedia.com
to the process and products of finishing, and a must-have SENIOR EDITOR ■ Glen D. Huey
x11293, glen.huey@fwmedia.com
for those interested in going beyond finishing basics.
MANAGING EDITOR ■ Megan Fitzpatrick
x11348, megan.fitzpatrick@fwmedia.com
Bob Flexner
“Optimize a Spray Gun,”
u To read more about Bob’s new book, visit the Woodworker’s ASSOCIATE EDITOR FOR THE WEB ■ Drew DePenning
BookShop (WoodworkersBookShop.com) and type”Flexner” in x11008, drew.depenning@fwmedia.com
page 54. the search bar. PHOTOGRAPHER ■ Al Parrish

F+W MEDIA, INC.

Michael Dunbar has been a chairmaker since 1971. He CHAIRMAN & CEO ■ David Nussbaum
CFO ■ James Ogle
has written seven woodworking books and authored PRESIDENT ■ Sara E. Domville
countless magazine articles, and he’s been featured in EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, eMEDIA ■ Chad Phelps
The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. In 1980, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS ■ Phil Graham

he and his wife, Sue Dunbar, founded The Windsor IT DIRECTOR ■ Jim Kuster
VICE PRESIDENT, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT ■ Tim Langlitz
Institute, a New Hampshire-based school that teaches
EVENTS DIRECTOR ■ Cory Smith
all things Windsor (Mike has taught more than 3,000 NEWSSTAND DIRECTOR ■ Susan Rose
people how to make a Windsor chair). At his web site, in PRODUCTION COORDINATOR ■ Vicki Whitford
addition to a list of classes and a gallery of his work, you’ll
ADVERTISING
find his blog, which is on our list of “must reads.” ADVERTISING DIRECTOR ■ Don Schroder
In addition to teaching at his school, Mike is working 331 N. Arch St., Allentown, PA 18104
on a series of adventure novels for young adult readers TEL. 610-821-4425; FAX. 610-821-7884

(if you know any agents or publishers in that field, he’d d.schroder@verizon.net

love to hear from you). ADVERTISING SALES COORDINATOR ■ Connie Kostrzewa

Michael Dunbar TEL. 715-445-4612 x13883

connie.kostrzewa@fwmedia.com
“Understand & Use a u To read more about Mike and his school, visit
Bowsaw,” page 34. thewindsorinstitute.com.

Marc Adams has been a professional woodworker for

30 years, during which he’s won numerous awards,
worked with the U.S. government on woodworking-
related issues, and been featured in many books and SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES: Subscription inquiries, orders and
magazines. He is also the founder of North America’s address changes can be made at popularwoodworking.com
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to 8 weeks for delivery.
Marc presents at universities, woodworking guilds and
NEWSSTAND DISTRIBUTION: Curtis Circulation Co.,
trade shows, and trains the trainers for some well-known 730 River Road, New Milford, NJ 07646.
tool manufacturers. ATTENTION RETAILERS: To carry Popular Woodworking
Magazine in your store, call 800-894-4656 or write Magazine
While Marc works in many styles and teaches on a Retail Sales, P.O. Box 5014, Iola, WI 54945-5014.
wide variety of woodworking topics, some of his most BACK ISSUES are available. Call 800-258-0929 for pricing or
arresting work is in veneer and marquetry. His story in visit popularwoodworking.com. Send check or money order to:
Popular Woodworking Magazine Back Issues, F+W Media Products,
this issue is the first of a three-part series on working with 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990. Please specify publication,
Marc Adams veneer, which Marc sees as the future of furniture. month and year.
Copyright ©2010 by F+W Media, Inc. All rights
“Veneer is the Future,” reserved. Popular Woodworking Magazine is a
page 38. u To read more about Marc and his school, visit marcadams.com. registered trademark of F+W Media.

6 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010

06-7_1010_PWM_ContMast.indd 6 7/22/10 9:48:59 AM

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October
2010
1 to 3, 2010
Djodjoobuj-!Pijp
The Ultimate Skill-Building Weekend
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 O N T H E L E V E L
BY CHRISTOPHER SCHWARZ, EDITOR
Customer Service
How can I contact customer service with questions regarding
my subscription, including a lost or damaged issue?
Visit popularwoodworking.com/customerservice. Or write to
Popular Woodworking Magazine, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast,

How You Can FL 32142-0235. Or, if you prefer the telephone, call 386-246-3369
and a customer service representative will be happy to help you.
When does my subscription expire?
The date of your subscription expiration appears on your
magazine mailing label, above your name. The date indicates the

Save Woodworking last issue in your subscription.

Can I get back issues of Popular Woodworking and
Woodworking Magazine?
Back issues are available while supplies last. Visit popularwood
working.com/backissues. Or if you know the exact month and
year of the issue you want, call our customer service department
toll-free at 800-258-0929 to order.
What if I want more information about the projects and tools
I read about in Popular Woodworking Magazine?

A
For all editorial questions, please write to Popular Woodworking
lmost every week I get a message from ferent techniques, materials and finishes. Magazine, 4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236. Or
a woodworker who is terrified that we And I think they will fi nd not just how e-mail popwood@fwmedia.com.
Does Popular Woodworking Magazine offer group
are the last generation of people who will to build those shelves, but they will dis- discounts?
build furniture in our home workshops. cover why they should build those shelves Group discounts are available by special arrangement with the
publisher. For more details, send an e-mail to Debbie Paolello at
I’m not nearly as apocalyptic, but I do instead of buying them from some store debbie.paolello@fwmedia.com or call 513-531-2690 x11296.

get queasy when I hear about the shut- that sells prefabricated termite barf. Our Privacy Promise to You
tering of another high-school shop class. After writing a blog for more than five We make portions of our customer list available to carefully
screened companies that offer products and services we believe
Or when I see people buying disposable years (blog.woodworking-magazine. you may enjoy. If you do not want to receive offers and/or
information, please let us know by contacting us at:
furniture that might last two years. And com/blog/), I have already started seeing List Manager, F+W Media, Inc.
4700 E. Galbraith Rd.
to top things off, we all my prophecy come true. Cincinnati, OH 45236
w i nce d whe n Nor m And I also know that the Safety Note
Abram announced he words of the past can Safety is your responsibility. Manufacturers place safety devices
on their equipment for a reason. In many photos you see in
wasn’t making any new inspire future genera- Popular Woodworking Magazine, these have been removed
episodes of “The New tions. For proof, I carry to provide clarity. In some cases we’ll use an awkward body
position so you can better see what’s being demonstrated. Don’t
Yankee Workshop.” the below quotation with copy us. Think about each procedure you’re going to perform
beforehand.
It does make you won- me in my wallet.
der: How will we inspire
young people to take up “I think that if I did not
the tools of our craft? work with wood, my life Highly Recommended
I think the solution is would be a hollow empti-
Like most woodworkers, I have some
simple, something you ness. If I did not form and great old Stanley planes with knobs
can do now and that is shape and build, what and totes that look like dogmeat. Sure I
free. Here it is: Start a would I have done to leave could make some replacement knobs,
woodworking blog that chronicles what my mark in this world? My eyes have been but there is a faster solution.
you build and how you work. filled with the endlessly changing patterns Bill Rittner of Manchester, Conn.,
now makes shapely Stanley knobs and
Blogging is a painless form of writing a of the grains. I have felt the warmth of a totes that have the look and feel of the
diary, really. Blogging requires no techni- thousand suns in my hands every day. I have 1870s handles. The knob has a bead at
cal skills – if you can write an e-mail you smelled the rich, tangy odors of the freshly the base. And the tote is just perfect.
can write a blog. And, like I said, it costs hewn chips. These are the things that have There are no flat spots like on mod-
nothing to start or maintain (I recommend made my life so fine. These are the most pre- ern Stanleys. And the fit and finish of
Rittner’s work is superb. These look as
you visit wordpress.com to get started). cious things I can leave for you, my son.” good as the original rosewood knobs.
How will this inspire future genera- — Jonas Wainwright A set costs about $40. Contact him via
tions? Easy. Everything you write about master carpenter e-mail at rbent.ct@gmail.com.
woodworking is recorded by robots that from a letter to his son, 1832 — Christopher Schwarz
index the Internet. In other words, every-
thing in your blog will almost certainly be If you do start a blog and keep at it,
preserved forever in a form that is search- send us a note – we just might link to it
able by future generations. and make you famous. PWM
So when some young homeowner is
searching the Internet in 100 years because
he or she wants to build some bookshelves
to go next to a fi replace, there will be a
wealth of information waiting there. Dif-

8 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER SCHWARZ

08-9_1010_PWM_OTL.indd 8 7/22/10 9:50:18 AM

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08-9_1010_PWM_OTL.indd 9 7/22/10 9:50:41 AM

 L E T T E R S
FROM OUR READERS

Eric,

Cutting Beads This issue comes up more often than you might
think. The problem is that the shellac, when
cleaned in alcohol, is diluted with each cleaning.
At the end of the job, when you feel the brush is
In the June 2010 issue (#183), the White Aaron,
clean, small amounts of highly thinned shel-
Water Shaker table article showed a sim- When it comes to beading planes vs. beaders
lac remain embedded in the bristles. Here’s
ple bead being cut by a moulding plane. (the spokeshave-style you mention), there is
a great tip I picked up from Bob Flexner. For
Most of the tools I’ve seen commercially one major difference: The planes are slicing
the best results, clean your shellac brushes
available these days are spokeshave-like the wood and the beaders are scraping them.
in a 50-50 mixture of water and household
beading tools. I’m sure you’re familiar What that means from a practical standpoint
ammonia, followed by a final cleaning with
with the Lie-Nielsen and Veritas ver- is that the planes will result in better details
dish soap and water.
sions that allow you to change the blade when the iron is sharp and the tool is wielded
I rinse my brushes a number of times with
for different profiles, etc. correctly. But mistakes are costly.
clean alcohol, then I follow Bob’s advice.
I was wondering how you felt about With the scraping tools, you can’t go too
The next day, my brushes are soft and ready
different beading tools, and any par- wrong, but you can’t go for perfection, either.
to use.
ticular favorites you have. The mould- Scraped profiles are always a little more rus-
Glen D. Huey, senior editor
ing plane in your article looks like a tic-looking in my experience.
pleasure to use from the crisp edges So I am not sure how to advise you. I use
and length of the tool (though it’s a lit- moulding planes whenever I can, but when
Frank Klausz’s Method to
tle hard to see from the photo). On the faced with an odd profile, I will use a scratch
other hand, you’d need a lot of moulding stock or beader.
Flatten Scraper Plane Soles
I read with great interest the June 2010
planes with different profiles to match Christopher Schwarz, editor
issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine
the versatility of one spokeshave-style P.S. Good new moulding planes are avail-
(#183). David Charlesworth’s article is an
beading tool. Again, pros/cons in your able from Clarke & Williams and M.S.
excellent instruction on how to sharpen a
opinion would be appreciated, but Bickford.
scraper plane blade; I do it the same way.
where to buy good moulding planes
But I disagree on how to make the
would be equally helpful.
plane’s sole flat. In four decades, I’ve tuned
Aaron Moore
a lot of tools. Most of the bottoms need
Fairport, NewYork
very little straightening. Do not use rough
grits as he describes. I recommend to try
#400-grit wet/dry sandpaper lubricated
with WD-40. Most of the time you need
only a few minutes’ sanding and you are
done. If needed, you can go to #220 grit
then back to #400 grit. Finish with wax-
ing the sole, or buff it with a buffing wheel
and WR1-White Rouge.
You can see this method in use on my
“Hand Tools” DVD.
Frank Klausz
Pluckemin, New Jersey

Should I Fit My Doors &

Drawers In SketchUp?
How to Clean Shellac Brushes used to apply the shellac), but the brushes Thank you for your new SketchUp video
I continue to use at every opportunity always are stiff after they dry, as compared series (available in the “Shop Class” sec-
Senior Editor Glen D. Huey’s fi nishing with those cleaned in mineral spirits. Can tion at woodworkersbookshop.com).
recipe: stain, shellac, glaze, shellac and you suggest any remedies? I am new to woodworking and have
topcoat. This means, of course, several Eric Bolen what is probably a simple question but
cleanings of brushes in alcohol (those Wilmington, North Carolina one that I just can’t seem to let go.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

10 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARY JANE FAVORITE

10-13_1010_PWM_Letters.indd 10 7/22/10 10:14:49 AM

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 L E T T E R S
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

How do you adjust for real-world However, I order more than the required
workable tolerances of wood, clearances amount so that I have enough to pick and choose
for hinges, drawer openings etc? One of boards for grain matches, and to have enough
the “take home” messages throughout on hand in case I make a mistake. For this
the SketchUp series is to limit drawing piece, I would order 70 -75 bf. You should have
and use existing parts of the drawing to material left over – but that’s always good for
make other parts so that they are exactly small boxes or other projects.
sized. This exact sizing does not seem Glen D. Huey, senior editor
practical in the real world. My concern
comes from when I go and replicate indi-
vidual components from the plans made The Future of Table Saws
in SketchUp only to have things be a little I read with interest your editorial on the
too big. Ideas? Thoughts? future of table saws (Issue #184). While
Drew Sanderson I completely agree that the operator is
Rush, New York A Simpler Circ Saw Solution responsible for his or her safe operation
Drew, In response to the winning “Trick of the Trade” of a tool and am shocked by the court ver-
Good question. My first thought is that a little from the August issue (#184), several readers dict, I have to say that I rid myself of my
too big is a good thing. It is certainly easier suggested an alternate method for making long table saw about a year ago.
to deal with than a little too small. We dis- straight cuts with a circular saw. I found the table saw noisy, dusty, a
cussed this at some length in the Autumn 2008 In fact, the jig suggested is the one we use in chore to maintain and the highest safety
Woodworking Magazine (Issue 11). our shop – but it does take up more space than risk in my shop. I did a six-month trial and
My preference is to make drawer fronts and Sam Smith’s solution. stopped using it, relying on my band saw,
doors the exact size of the opening, then adjust Rip a straightedge from a piece of solid stock sliding compound miter saw, router and
them to fit the gaps I want. The exact size of and attach it to a 1 ⁄4"-thick piece of plywood circular saw to do the things I had done on
the gaps will vary depending on several factors that is slightly wider than the sum of the width the table saw. After becoming convinced I
including the species and cut of wood, season of the straightedge and the saw’s baseplate. Now could live without the table saw, I “loaned”
of the year and sizes of the parts. I aim for the place the saw’s baseplate against the straight- it to my father-in-law with no intention of
smallest workable gap that is consistent around edge and make a cut. That cut results in a jig getting it back. I have not missed it. In fact,
the perimeter of the opening. By starting with a that matches the saw perfectly. I enjoy doing the majority of my cuts on
too-tight exact fit, I have built forgiveness into To use the jig, place the cut edge of the ply- the band saw. I feel more in control of the
the project if my openings aren’t a perfect size wood on your cutline, clamp the jig in place, wood I am cutting, and it’s much safer than
and shape. Taking a bit off doesn’t take long, then make the cut. pushing a piece into a table saw. PWM
and no one will know or care if my door stiles Megan Fitzpatrick, managing editor Keith Beyer
are 215 ⁄16" instead of 3". La Crosse, Wisconsin
It is possible (and there are people who work
this way) to figure the size of the gaps before the Lumber Purchase Advice
fact and shoot for perfection. While I think this I need guidance on purchasing lumber for u Go Online FOR MORE …
takes too much time and introduces too many your Chester County Chest (“Fine Furni-
risks, you can easily do this in SketchUp by ture for a Lifetime”). Roughly how many Letters and Comments
making use of the offset or scale tools. Make board feet of primary wood do I need? Sec- At popularwoodworking.com/letters you’ll
a rectangle the exact size of the opening as a ondary wood is no problem. I can calculate find reader questions and comments, as
well as our editors’ responses.
reference, then make another one set in all from finished dimensions – but how much
around. This will, of course, take more time, waste do you normally factor in. We want to hear from you.
and it also makes dimensioning and reading Eric Watson Popular Woodworking Magazine welcomes
the finished drawings more difficult. Huntsville, Texas comments from readers. Published corre-
spondence may be edited for length or style.
Robert Lang, executive editor Eric, All correspondence becomes the property
Take the overall dimensions for the sides, top of Popular Woodworking Magazine.
and front – in this case the sides are 23" x 60" Send your questions and comments via
(x2), the top is 23" x 42" and the front is 42" x e-mail to popwood@fwmedia.com, or by
60". Add those results, increase the amount by mail to:
“Never write a letter while Letters, Popular Woodworking Magazine
25 percent and divide the total by 144. That’s a 4700 E. Galbraith Rd.
you are angry.” very rough estimate of primary wood; in this Cincinnati, OH 45236
— Chinese proverb case, 54 board feet.

12 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010

10-13_1010_PWM_Letters.indd 12 7/22/10 10:15:22 AM

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 T R I C K S O F T H E T R A D E
EDITED BY KARI HULTMAN

Plane Blade Cambering Jig

THE WINNER: Here’s an easy way to grind a camber on

Handsaw Tenon Jig a slotted plane iron. Attach the metal bar,
screw and knob that come with most man-
ufactured featherboards to the bevel side
of the iron, making sure the bar is cen-

T his simple jig enables you to cut

accurate tenons and slice very thin
pieces. I use a flush-cut saw because it
This produces a perfectly centered and
parallel tenon.
The jig and card shims give you pre-
tered.
These bars are designed to expand in
a miter slot, so as you tighten the screw,
has no set to its teeth and, therefore, cise control over the thickness of the the center of the bar will bow slightly. The
won’t damage the jig. Plus it leaves a offcut. So, you can cut very thin pieces more you tighten, the more it will bow. Use
smooth surface. for: bookmatching pieces for a small lid; this as a guide against the bottom edge of
The only requirements for building shimming a loose joint; cutting key slots your grinder’s tool rest.
the jig are a flat baseboard, such as Bal- in mitered corners; making Dutchman You can make your own jig from a scrap
tic birch plywood, and guide blocks of patches; and creating small projects of hardwood, measuring 3 ⁄ 4" x 1" x 6".
equal thickness that are screwed to the such as bookmarks, wooden cards and Drill a countersunk hole in the middle
baseboard at a 90º angle. I use playing Christmas ornaments. of the scrap, and two holes 1" from both
cards to adjust the height of the work- You can cut longer slices if you add a ends, so the wood doesn’t split. Cut a cen-
piece. guide block on the opposite side of the ter slot that connects all three holes. Use
Slide your workpiece against the 90º workpiece. Then, you have your own a machine screw that fits snugly in the
guide blocks, lay a separate guide block custom micro veneer mill! center hole and attach it to the plane iron
on top of the workpiece, align it with Steve Branam with a washer and knob or wing nut. As
the shoulder mark, then clamp it to the Ayer, Massachusetts you tighten the screw, the wood will arc
jig. Saw the cheek and shoulder, flip closegrain.com in the middle. The more you tighten, the
the piece over, and cut the other side. bigger the camber.
Lay the saw flat on
If you want a repeatable camber, use a
Clamp a guide block the guide blocks to band saw to cut an arc on a piece of wood,
Hold-down cut the cheeks sand it smooth, then attach it to the iron.
to the workpiece to
saw the shoulders Chad Bennett
Workpiece
Mission Viejo, California

Use the miter bar,

Place card screw and knob
shims under that come with a
workpiece manufactured
to adjust featherboard
the height After sawing
the shoulder and
cheek on one side Drill two holes,
Flush-cut Bench dog 1" from each end, and
of your workpiece,
saw flip it over and saw one countersunk hole in
Make the jig
Guide blocks are screwed the middle of the hardwood
the other side from a 3⁄4" x 1"
to a plywood base at a 90º angle x 6" piece of
hardwood

Saw a slot that Slotted

connects the
Straightedge with a Grip three holes
plane
iron
When using my 3' straightedge for cut- It still has a good grip and doesn’t leave
ting templates, cardboard, matboard or residue on workpieces.
veneer, the unruly beast had a tendency If you’ve ever ruined expensive veneer
to slip. To resolve this problem, I added a or matboard due to a slipped straightedge,
strip of high-friction tape to the back of my you’ll want to try this.
Attach plane blade with a
straightedge (Lee Valley #99K34.01). Craig Bentzley screw, wing nut and washer;
I applied the tape about four years ago. Chalfont, Pennsylvania tightening wing nut makes the hardwood arc

14 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARY JANE FAVORITE

14-15_1010_PWM_Tricks.indd 14 7/21/10 5:57:01 PM

 Spring-loaded Stop Block Machine screw, compression
Commercial stop blocks for miter saws spring, washer and nut
Round over shoulders
are located on the left side of the blade, 1⁄2"-3⁄4" for clearance
which makes it difficult to cut identical,
short pieces.
To overcome this, I made a spring- 2"-3"
loaded stop block that can be placed on depending Stationary
either side of the blade. It consists of two on height of block Swing block (moves
miter saw forward or backward)
parts: a stationary block that is clamped fence
6"-7"
to the miter saw fence and a swing block Recess for finger makes it easy
that can be flipped up to prevent binding to move the swing lock
1⁄2"
when the stock is cut.
1⁄16"
The swing block is attached to the sta- clearance
tionary block with a machine screw, com-
pression spring, washer and nut. lift the swing block out of the way so the
When the nut is tightened, the com- offcut doesn’t bind.
pression spring holds the swing block This jig can also be used with a crosscut
u Go Online FOR MORE …
securely in the up and down positions. sled on a table saw. You’ll find links to all these online extras at:
Clamp the jig in place according to the Charles Mak u popularwoodworking.com/oct10

length of piece you need. Before you cut, Calgary, Alberta VIDEO: Tricks-in-Action shows you a free video
of one of this issue’s tricks in use. Watch the
“Plane Blade Cambering Jig,” filmed by Tricks
Editor Kari Hultman in her shop.
Easy-mix Epoxy – Treat it like Icing WEB SITE: Visit the new Tricks of the Trade
I often use epoxy in woodworking and mixed. Then, I cut a tiny piece off the cor- page online.
making repairs. In the past, I mixed the ner of the bag with a pair of scissors to BLOG: Tricks editor Kari Hultman writes

components in a paper cup or on a piece make a small “pastry” bag. about woodworking on her blog, The
Village Carpenter.
of cardboard, then applied the epoxy with By gently squeezing the material
IN OUR STORE: Get “601 Woodshop Tips &
a mixing stick or putty knife. Frequently, through the hole, the desired amount of Tricks,” by Graham McCulloch.
the epoxy ended up in unintended places, epoxy can be applied exactly where I want
including on my clothes and hands. it. It works great for filling cracks, splits All of our products are available online at:
u WoodworkersBookShop.com
I was watching the chef on a cooking and knotholes in recycled lumber. I place
show use a pastry bag, and came up with the tip of the bag right into the crack or Cash and prizes
a better way to mix epoxy – with a clear split and fill the hole from the bottom up. for your tricks and tips!
plastic sandwich bag. The surrounding area (and my fingers!) Each issue we publish useful woodworking
I pour the two components (and filler stays clean, and I simply throw the bag tips from our readers. Next issue’s winner
or dye) into a sandwich bag and twist the away when I am done. receives a $250 gift certificate from Lee Val-
bag loosely until the material is confined Tom Hargrove ley Tools, good for any item in the catalog or
to one corner. I knead the “bubble” of com- Palatine, Illinois on the web site (leevalley.com). (The tools
pictured below are for illustration only and
ponents with my fingers until completely are not part of the prize.)
Runners-up each receive a check for $50 to
$100. When submitting a trick, include your
On Your Mark mailing address and phone number. If your
I have always had problems cutting accu- trick is selected, an editor will need to contact
Table saw fence
you. All entries become the property of Popular
rately to a line with my table saw. The Woodworking Magazine. Send your trick by
The straightedge must touch
cutline is on top of the wood, making it teeth at the back and front e-mail to popwoodtricks@fwmedia.com, or
difficult to line up with the saw blade’s of the saw blade mail it to Tricks of the Trade, Popular Wood-
teeth. My solution is simple. Lay a 3 ⁄ 4" x working Magazine, 4700 E. Galbraith Rd.,
3 ⁄4" x 17" piece of high-quality plywood or Cincinnati, OH 45236.
hardwood along the teeth of the saw and
across the workpiece. Shift the board and Cutline
table saw fence until the cutline is aligned
with the straightedge. To work properly,
the straightedge must touch the blade’s
teeth at both the back and front the blade.
Now, table saw cuts are a piece of cake.
Dan Urban Make an accurate straightedge from
Glen Ellyn, Illinois quality plywood or other material

popularwoodworking.com ■ 15

14-15_1010_PWM_Tricks.indd 15 7/21/10 5:57:17 PM

 T O O L T E S T
BY THE EDITORS

Affordable
HVLP
Improve your game with
a low-cost spray finishing
system from Earlex.

F inishing is often the “make it, or break

it” part of a project. To improve your
finishing abilities, it’s time to stop relying
on wipe-on and brush-on finishes and get
busy spraying. When it comes to spray
finishing, HVLP is king.
Earlex has made High-Volume Low- The whole nine yards. The Earlex HV5000 Spray
Pressure spraying affordable for most Station is ready to use right out of the box. The
woodworkers. At less than $300, money setup includes a two-stage turbine, a spray gun
should no longer be a barrier. The Earlex and a 13' length of hose. There’s nothing to add
HV5000 Spray Station has a two-stage but the finish.
turbine, and the system works.
If you’ve studied HVLP, you know that
the more stages in your system, the better turbine is on, air blows. Supplied with the
the power and the better the atomization gun is a 1-quart Teflon-coated cup and a
of your product. However, each stage adds 0.08"-diameter fluid tip and needle. (Addi- Adjustment at your fingertips. You can adjust
to your out-of-pocket expense, so how tional tips and needles – 0.04", 0.06" and the Earlex 5000 spray gun for fan width, fan
many stages do you really need? Besides, 0.10" – are available.) The spray gun has direction and fluid delivery – there’s little else
you can increase your atomization and lay all the adjustments found with higher-cost you need to manipulate.
down a smoother coat of finish by slightly systems, except the ability to control the
thinning your shellac, varnish or lacquer airflow – it’s either on or it’s off.
– dye and stain are already thin enough. You can dial in the amount of fluid com- To make this system easy to use, Ear-
The spray gun included with the Earlex ing into the tip by turning the knob at the lex included onboard storage for the cord
system is a bleeder-type gun; whenever the back of the handle. The fan spray, adjust- and hose; the cord is 51 ⁄ 2' in length and
able from 1" to 12" in width by turning the wraps around the base of the unit, while
air cap ring, was a bit “dry” near the middle the hose is 13' long and stores just behind
of the spray pattern when I first used the the blue plastic housing. There’s also an
Earlex HV5000 Spray Station Earlex system, so I adjusted my lapping area on top of the turbine to hold the gun
Earlex ■ Earlex.com or 888-783-2612 pattern by tightening the overlap area. when it’s not in use.
Street price ■ $299 And like the spray patterns found on most The Earlex HV5000 system is perfect
u For more information on HVLP, visit HVLP systems, Earlex HV5000 can adjust for the woodworker who wants to finish
popularwoodworking.com/oct10. to vertical and horizontal fans, or you can using HVLP but doesn’t want the cost of
Price correct at time of publication. select a round jet-spray pattern that is use- entry to get out of hand.
ful for getting into tight spaces. — Glen D. Huey
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

16 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 PHOTOS BY AL PARRISH

16-19_1010_PWM_ToolTest.indd 16 7/22/10 10:17:19 AM

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16-19_1010_PWM_ToolTest.indd 17 7/22/10 10:17:31 AM

 T O O L T E S T
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

Karl Holtey’s No. 982 Smoothing Plane

Since the 1980s, planemaker Karl Holtey iron pitched at 55°. The adjuster is a new
has been an innovator in the world of tool- design of Holtey’s, and it is the most pre-
making. He has set the bar for the level of cise Norris-style adjuster I have ever used.
fit and finish a tool can achieve. And his Plus the plane has more mass, which I find
No. 98 plane sparked the revolution in a benefit in a smoothing plane.
bevel-up planes. I have used a fair number of Holtey
So when I was offered the opportunity planes during the last 10 years, yet I am
to borrow his follow-up to the No. 98 – the always surprised at how perfect all the
No. 982 – I jumped at the chance. details of his tools are. They are often com-
The No. 982 looks a lot like his No. 98, pared to jewelry, though I find that a bit
but there are major functional differences. inaccurate because these are real tools
The No. 982 is a bevel-down tool with the and not just for decoration.
During my time with the No. 982 I rode
it hard building several pieces of furniture,
then spent a day simply using it on the
Karl Holtey No. 982 nastiest pieces of wood I could find. and two examples of the No. 98, I found
Holtey Classic Handplanes No plane is infallible, but the No. 982 their totes would come loose in time.
■ holteyplanes.com or 44 [0]1549 402500
performed as well or better than every Few can afford a supertool such as this,
Street price ■ £6,800 (base price)
other plane in our shop (including a few yet we all benefit from Holtey’s influence
u Read our test-drive of many supertools other high-priced loaners). as a toolmaker. His planes are the pinnacle
from 2008 at popularwoodworking.com/
oct10.
If the No. 982 has one weak point, it’s of craftsmanship in my opinion – some-
the way the rear tote is attached – a single thing we and toolmakers should aspire to.
Price correct at time of publication.
fastener from below. When using this tool — Christopher Schwarz

Not Just for the Jobsite

Our shop sound system was on its last leg designs. Also, if you lose power, chuck
when the Bosch Power Box 360S (PB360S) either of the battery designs into the Power
arrived. We pulled the sound system from Box, and you’re up and running again.
its box and fired it up. It’s impressive. The built-in four-way power outlet is
The five speakers and lone subwoofer killer. Plug in and operate small tools or
pump out great sound, but we quickly other battery chargers. (Bosch 12v batter-
realized that other Power Box features ies don’t play nice with the Power Box, but
make this “tool” a shop necessity. plug your charger into one of the onboard
With the PB360S plugged into a stan- outlets and you can charge them, too.)
dard 110-volt electrical outlet, the tunes The PB360S has a weather-sealed dig-
play on as the system itself acts as a charger ital media bay. (Big deal, it’s inside the
for Bosch 14.4v or 18v Lithium-ion batter- shop.) The bay, however, is also a dust-free
ies, including all SlimPack and FatPack zone, and that means your digital media
player or SD memory cards and USB drives
that hold your digital media files, all of
Power Box 360S which have connections in the bay, gather
Bosch ■ boschtools.com or 877-267-2499
no dust. In the woodshop, that’s gold.
The Power Box, with an onboard 12v An upgraded Power Box (PB360D) has
Street price ■ $209
DC (car charger) outlet, is great for charg- all the features of its little brother, plus its
u See the Power Box survive being tossed ing cell phones as you’re working in the outlets are ground-fault circuits (GFCI),
onto a parking lot at popularwoodworking.
com/oct10. shop. And an aluminum and rubber roll and the system has satellite radio capa-
Price correct at time of publication. cage that’s almost indestructible encases bilities. Of course, these extras come at
and protects the unit. an increased price. PWM — GH

18 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010

16-19_1010_PWM_ToolTest.indd 18 7/22/10 10:17:44 AM

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 D E S I G N M A T T E R S
B Y G E O R G E R. W A L K E R

Brooke Smith
A visit to the shop of a
designer & craftsman.

reativity is a slippery thing. A lucky

C few are born with a creative streak
that seems to flower without effort. Others
(most of us) have to work at it to unlock
our creative potential. Rarest of all is that
bird that combines generous natural gifts
and hard work.
Words like “artist” and “master” come
to mind when describing furniture builder
Brooke Smith of Columbus, Ohio. His
small one-man studio turns out exquisite
furniture that spans a broad range. I liken
Brooke to a classically trained violinist
who’s comfortable playing Bach, rock or
bluegrass. His work encompasses corpo-
rate boardroom tables, high-style period
reproductions and one-off modern studio Sheraton-inspired. Brooke Smith’s masterful interpretation of a
pieces. Craftsmanship and attention to traditional form expresses classic design features in a new way.
detail are first-rate, but the thing that most
stands out is his talented designer’s eye.
A Wide Array of Outstanding Work showing a mastery working in a tradi-
Take a look at a sampling of Brooke’s tional style.
work. This Sheraton chest (above) is his
answer for a client who wanted a tradi- Recipe for a Talented Builder
tional piece but elevated up off the floor. If Brooke shared with me his creative jour-
you didn’t know better you might call it a ney. It took some unusual twists that
Federal highboy (there was no such form). combined to make him the accomplished
It’s inspired by a chest from the shop of artisan he is today. Although he had some
Thomas Seymour, an early 19th-century generational woodworking family lore,
Boston cabinetmaker; one senses that Brooke’s first impulses drew him down
Thomas would nod in approval. The din- an artistic path.
ing table shown at right is a nice example He attended the Columbus College of
of Brooke’s work in a modern style with Art and Design and earned a bachelor’s
restrained inlays accentuating each cor- degree in illustrative design. Shortly after
ner. The walnut secretary, shown at above graduating, he found work at a museum
right, is a wonderful display of Brooke’s working with an exhibition designer, where
carving talent. This is his own interpre- he learned how to showcase fine art.
tation built around a traditional form, His creative journey took a fortunate
Reeds. Here, Smith carves reeds on a turned leg. incorporating classically carved elements twist when he found work at a framing

20 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 SMITH CARVING PHOTO BY THE AUTHOR; SECRETARY PHOTOS BY STEPHEN WEBSTER; REMAINING FURNITURE PHOTOS BY CAROLINA CHOROCO

20-21_1010_PWM_DesignMatters.ind20 20 7/21/10 5:55:47 PM

 studio specializing in high-end frames the piece alive. He finds it helps them pic-
for the fine art market. There he had a ture the fi nished work. This seemingly
chance to try his hand at wood carving and small detail can help cement a decision
found a new, exciting medium to explore and allow work to go forward.
in addition to his love of painting. These After seeing his drawings, I immedi-
were expensive, sometimes heavily carved ately dropped by an art-supply store and
frames, often overlaid with gold leaf. He picked up an assortment of markers in
spent four years as a professional carver, earth tones, burnt sienna, raw umber,
becoming fluent in creating the classical amber and mahogany. Regardless of
ornament associated with carved mould- whether your client is a discerning art
Traditional design. This walnut secretary is a tour
ings and frames. At one point Brooke was de force showcasing Brooke’s skill as an artisan
collector or your better half, this is a great
called on to carve a pair of massive mahog- and his mastery of working in a traditional design tip to help sort through the creative pro-
any frames to house murals for the state- language. Notice the figured wood in the carved cess and finalize a design.
house. Not your average picture frame, columns in the detail of the walnut desk interior. I finished my interview asking this tal-
they measured 101 ⁄2' by 131 ⁄2' and weighed Carved rosettes and finials grace the pediment. ented builder a few quick questions: Favor-
in at more than 450 pounds each. ite wood? Walnut. Favorite finish? Shellac,
The desire to go beyond carving frames brushed on and rubbed out. Favorite tools?
and begin building furniture led Brooke often visiting them at their homes numer- Without hesitation and spoken like a true
to enroll in the furniture-making program ous times while working up a design. More designer, he held up his hands and said,
at the University of Rio Grande. Here he than collecting functional requirements, “These hands and eyes.” PWM
learned solid construction skills to provide the visits are about getting a feeling for
a base for his creative energy. Today Brooke the personality of the interior setting and George is the author of the DVDs “Unlocking the Secrets
of Traditional Design” and “Unlocking the Secrets of
builds furniture for an eclectic group of about building a relationship with the Design: Moldings“ both from Lie-Nielsen Toolworks
loyal clients in the Columbus area. clients. One can sense that Brooke really (lie-nielsen.com).
considers clients as friends and views
Bringing Creativity to the Client building something to grace their homes
We spent time in his crowded but efficient a privilege. u Go Online FOR MORE …
shop discussing the creative process. Rough sketches are taken from the You’ll find links to all these online extras at:
Brooke works closely with customers, initial visit and developed into a series u popularwoodworking.com/oct10

of drawings, often four or five, to present BLOG: George R. Walker writes three times a
a number of options to the client. Work- week on the Design Matters blog.
ing through a series of design ideas helps WEB SITE: See more of Smith’s work at his

both Brooke and his client find what they web site.
are after. These preliminary draw- IN OUR STORE: George R. Walker’s DVDs.

ings helps him gain a better idea of All of our products are available online at:
what they like and dislike, paving u WoodworkersBookShop.com
the way to a final design.
About This Column
A Tip from Brooke’s Notebook If you have a thirst to hone your creative
skills, Design Matters dives into the basics of
Once he’s close to a final concept,
proportions, forms, contrast and composition
Brooke takes an extra step to help to give you the skill to
Restrained beauty. This
the client visualize how the piece tackle furniture design
table shows a playful yet
restrained use of orna- will look. He uses watercolors to challenges with confi-
ment to highlight the legs color in the pencil drawing and give dence.
and top. a sense of how the wood tones will bring

popularwoodworking.com ■ 21

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 A R T S & M Y S T E R I E S
BY PETER FOLLANSBEE

Three-legged
Turned Chair
Panel seat requires beefy
tenons for support.

eventeenth-century chairs come in

S many styles: plain turned chairs with
woven seats, carved joined chairs of oak
or walnut, upholstered chairs in leather
or wool, and one particular type of chair Seventeenth-century
that is a little unusual these days – the seating. This period
example of a three-
turned chair with a board (really a panel) legged turned chair is
for a seat. either Dutch or English,
These chairs come in both four-legged and is now on display
and three-legged versions, from fairly aus- at Plimoth Plantation,
tere to extremely complex and decorative. in Plymouth, Mass.
They can be made of ash, beech, fruit-
woods and yew. Typically they are made
with large-scale components, resulting The woven seat easily masks this height opposite shoulder, I just turn a scribe line
in a massive appearance. The four-legged differential. to delineate where the rectangular tenon’s
variety was made in New England during shoulders will be cut.
the 17th century, and, although there are Hefty Seat Support Once the rails are off the lathe, I lay out
many examples of three-legged ones sur- A paneled seat requires a different a rectangular tenon by scribing a center-
viving in England, there is no evidence of approach. Because the panel fits in a line on the end grain of the turned piece
one being made in New England. I usu- groove in the inner edges of the seat rails, and scribing the width from that. Cutting
ally use ash for the turned parts, and any the tenons are made to intersect inside the the tenon is pretty simple; I saw the shoul-
hardwood board for the seat panel. Oak posts. First of all, this means the posts ders and split the cheeks. Paring with a
is my fi rst choice; I’ve also used elm or need to be beefier than they are in a fiber- broad chisel brings the tenon down to its
cherry. seated chair. Second, the seat rails are also final thickness.
I often make the three-legged version; beefed-up, both because of the intersect- I cut the grooves with a plow plane.
it is challenging and fun to make, and it ing tenons and the groove. Once I have the rails made (the front rail
always gets a lot of attention. The geometry In many examples, the seat rails have is longer than the side rails), it’s time to
involved is a little more severe than with different tenons on each end – one end lay out and cut the joinery in the posts. I
four-legged chairs, but not all that differ- is rectangular and the other is a turned use through-mortises for both the rectan-
ent. The distinctive element in these chairs tenon. I turn the seat rails to about 13 ⁄4" gular and turned components; this seems
is the joinery at the seat-rail height. in diameter, and turn down one end to a to be the most common approach for the
The joinery in three-legged chairs with slightly oversized 3 ⁄4" tenon. I make this three-legged chairs. Some period pieces
board seats differs from four-legged chairs tenon 1 ⁄2" longer than the post is thick. For have blind bored mortises intersecting
with woven seats. On a fiber-seat chair, the my chairs, that usually means a tenon of through rectangular mortises.
seat rails are at staggered heights; thus the slightly more than 3" in length that will Centerlines are used again to lay out
tenons do not interfere inside the posts. go all the way through a 23 ⁄4" post. At the the rectangular through-mortise. I chop

22 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 LEAD PHOTO COURTESY OF PLIMOTH PLANTATION; STEP PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR

22-23_1010_PWM_A&M.indd 22 7/21/10 5:54:38 PM

 or other surface large enough to get it full- heights; these are staggered so the tenons
scale. From this full-scale drawing I set do not interfere with one another. So dur-
an adjustable bevel to the angle between ing assembly of the chair’s frame, there are
the front seat rail and the side seat rail that six things happening pretty much at the
locks its tenon in. Then I fix the post to the same time blow by blow – plus you have
workbench and tilt the seat rail over until to have the beveled seat panel hovering in
the bevel reads plumb for the positioning the air until the chair frame is driven home
of the brace and bit. Now bore through the around it. I did one once, got the joints
post and the rectangular tenon. pounded home pretty much all the way,
These steps get repeated for the other when my co-worker at the time nudged
two posts and seat rails. There is a lot of me and said, “You forgot the seat!” There
Tenons squared. Here, you can see the square test-assembly involved. The real assembly was no glue in these joints, so I knocked
tenon as it comes through the leg as well as the is even hairier. them back open enough to get the seat
unseated round tenon on the adjacent seat rail. panel in place then started driving it all
Each rail has one square and one round tenon. A Complicated Test back again.
It starts with the three posts, each with its I tend to use the format with one rect-
seat rail fully engaged in its rectangular angular and one turned tenon on each seat
a little more than halfway in from one mortise. The stretchers have shorter ten- rail, but there are many variations. Often
side, then turn the post 180° on the bench ons (about 1-11 ⁄4") that fit in blind mortises the turned tenons are not through-tenons,
and chop from the other side. Any devia- bored in the posts. Next up is to begin set- but I fi nd it easier if they are. I saw one
tion is compensated for within the post. ting the seat rails’ turned tenons in their chair in England that had a front rail with
Chop one through-mortise on each of the dedicated mortises. I just start these, rectangular tenons on both ends, one side
three posts. then have to remember to slip the bev- rail had two turned tenons, and the other
eled seat panel in place, then begin driving side rail had one of each. Sometimes you
Dedicated Tenons the turned tenons home. You can’t drive see a large turned tenon penetrated by a
Now the pieces begin to become dedi- one turned tenon all the way through its smaller turned tenon. One advantage of
cated. I test-fit the rectangular tenon on rectangular tenon; you have to work them the rectangular tenon is that it prevents
the front seat rail to a front post, then do each in turn, driving the whole triangle bit the seat rail from spinning if it comes loose
the same with the two remaining seat rails by bit. While driving these, hold the seat somehow.
and posts. I drive the tenon all the way board in place and watch for the stretch- And that’s just to get the frame of the
home and trim the protruding end a bit, ers, which come in a few beats after the chair. The braces, crest rail and arms are
leaving it a tad long. I scribe the plan of the seat rails. To complicate matters further, no walk in the park either. There are lots
seat either on the benchtop or on a board the stretchers happen at three different of acute angles and tricky fitting to finish
this thing off. But it’s the seat rail joinery
and fitting that really provide the most fun
– if you want to call it that. PWM

Peter is the joiner at Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth,

Mass., a non-profit museum at which visitors can learn
about the experiences of the Wampanoag people and the
Colonial English community of the 1600s.

u Go Online FOR MORE …

You’ll find links to all these online extras at:
u popularwoodworking.com/oct10

WEB SITE: See more of Peter’s work and read

his blog.
WEB SITE: Discover more about Plimoth
Plantation.
BLOG: Read Adam Cherubini’s Arts &
Mysteries blog.
IN OUR STORE: We featured a three-legged
Chinese stool in the Winter 2009 issue of
Test-fit. Each rectangular tenon is fully seated in Staggering. While the seat rails are all on the Woodworking Magazine.
its mortise. Here, I’m holding the seat in place in same plane, the stretchers are not. So fitting both
its grooves as I pound home the round tenons for the top and bottom of the chair simultaneously All of our products are available online at:
a dry-fit. can be a challenge (and don’t forget to hold the u WoodworkersBookShop.com
seat panel in place, too).

popularwoodworking.com ■ 23

22-23_1010_PWM_A&M.indd 23 7/21/10 5:54:52 PM

 I C A N D O T H A T
BY DREW DEPENNING

Factory Cart
Coffee Table
This reproduction of an
industrial workhorse will
Century-old chic. Inspired by re-purposed
give you years of use factory carts, this coffee table is a modern design
solution for supporting your favorite books – and
in your living room. the occasional pair of feet.

loading dock) and pry off more boards holes at each end of both end pieces on the
than you think you’ll need. inside faces of these boards. Do the same
t the turn-of-the-century, no factory Sand down a spot on each board to help for the center brace.
A existed without several industrial
carts (also known as trucks) at its dis-
you select wood of consistent color. Don’t
forget to wear a dust mask – your lungs
On your bench, slide the side piece
against a square block of scrap and use this
posal. From hauling lumber to carrying and sinuses will thank you. setup to hold your end pieces at 90º while
crankshafts to serving city ice, these work- Now, using your jigsaw (the cut will you drive home the 21 ⁄2" pocket screws.
horses served many functions. result in pleasing irregularity), trim or Once the outside frame is completed,
Today, many of these antique carts cut the top boards to 27" in length. (If you cut two pieces of scrap to 101 ⁄4". Use these
have been restored for another purpose want a perfect 27" and square cut on all the scraps to act as a shelf while you screw the
– furniture. boards, set up a stop on your miter saw). center brace in place.
But if you don’t have several hundred
dollars (or more) to spend on a restored Build the Box Distressed to Impress
antique cart, you can build one that will The base frame of the table is built from 2x6 If you’re using pallet wood for the top,
serve for years in your living room. dimensional lumber. Two 2x6 x 8' boards here’s where you’ll spend the extra time:
should suffice for this project. bringing these boards back to life.
Reclaimed Timber Because I want the tabletop to overhang
To give my table the look of 100 years of the base by 1" on all sides, I’ll cut the length
use, I built the top with the most distressed of the side pieces to 42".
wood I could find – boards from shipping If you’re using random-width pallet
pallets that were in our storeroom. wood for the top, arrange the boards how
Let me warn you: Bringing these boards you like, then adjust the length of your
back from the brink of the dumpster is side pieces as necessary to accommodate
more time-consuming than you might a longer or shorter overall cart length.
think. For that reason, the measurements After your sides are measured and cut
found in this article are based on a “clean” with your miter saw, cut two 22"-long end
top built with 1x6 dimensional lumber. pieces from your second 2x6.
The goal is to have a top 27" deep and To determine the length of the cen-
44" wide. Two 1x6 x 10' boards of No. 2 ter brace, arrange the sides and ends in a
pine will be enough lumber for the top rectangle on the floor, then measure up
(and it’s easy to find at the home center). the middle. That’s the length to cut for the
But if you prefer a more rustic look, ask center brace.
at your local grocery store if you can grab a After setting your pocket screw jig to Scraps for a shelf. Use two 101⁄4" scraps to keep
few pallets (or check outside by your office work with 11 ⁄2" stock, drill three pocket your brace centered and level.

24 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 LEAD PHOTO BY AL PARRISH; STEP PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR; ILLUSTRATION BY ROBERT W. LANG

24-25_1010_PWM_ICDT.indd 24 7/21/10 5:53:37 PM

 44" Factory Cart Coffee Table
27" NO. ITEM DIMENSIONS (INCHES) MATERIAL
T W L

❏ 2 Sides 11⁄2 51⁄2 42 SPF*

❏ 2 Ends 11⁄2 51⁄2 22 SPF
51⁄2"
3⁄4" ❏ 1 Center brace 11⁄2 51⁄2 39 SPF
❏ 8 Top boards 3⁄ 4 51⁄2 27 No. 2 Pine
11⁄2"
❏ 8 Corner braces 11⁄2 51⁄2 4 No. 2 Pine
* Spruce, pine or fir

HARDWARE
42"
❏ 4 Casters, 6" wheel diameter
25"
❏ 16 Lag screws, 1⁄4" x 1"
3-D VIEW ❏ 16 Washers, 1⁄4"
❏ 18 Coarse pocket screws, 21⁄2"

Using #100-grit abrasive in your ran- Here, you can use finish nails or even To attach the casters, first drill pilot
dom-orbit sander, begin to remove the regular framing nails for an industrial holes, then slip washers on your lag screws
layer of grime. To expedite the process, look. (If you use cut nails, don’t forget to and use a wrench to drive the screws.
you might want to use something more first drill pilot holes.) Finally, prop up your feet and enjoy
aggressive, such as a belt sander. With this piece as your reference, your piece of custom furniture. And don’t
Again, don’t forget your dust mask. If square and nail the remaining boards. forget to use a coaster! PWM
you don’t use one, don’t be surprised when Before you attach the casters, nail two
your facial tissues look like cleanup rags blocks of 2x6 scraps at each of the inside Drew is the associate editor for the web for this magazine.
Contact him at drew.depenning@fwmedia.com.
from an oil spill. corners of the frame. This will give the
Clean up the boards, but be sure to casters support on all four corners.
leave some of the nicks and saw marks I purchased the steel casters for my
– this is the character you want to keep. project online from one of many industrial u Go Online FOR MORE …
If you’re using new dimensional lum- supply companies. At your home center,
ber, smacking it with a set of old keys is a you’ll probably find 6" casters with rubber You’ll find links to all these online extras at:
u popularwoodworking.com/oct10
great way to apply dings to the top to give wheels. They may not look old-fashioned,
it distressed character. but they won’t mark your floors, either. BLOG: Read more about the inspiration for

Take your top boards to some rough this project and find additional tips on our
Editors’ Blog.
concrete (a sidewalk works great) and
PLAN: Download the free SketchUp model
bang up the corners and sides. This will for the Factory Cart Coffee Table.
make the top look as if it’s seen plenty of ARTICLES: All the "I Can Do That" articles
industrial action. are free online.
Finally, use a #120-grit disc on your Download the complete “I Can Do That”
random-orbit sander to knock down all the manual for free:
corners and smooth down the dents. u popularwoodworking.com/icandothat

All of our products are available online at:

Finish with Charm u WoodworkersBookShop.com
Original carts often had the name of a
company or city printed on the side. You About This Column
can add that touch by using stencils and Our “I Can Do That” column features proj-
black spray paint. Use plenty of blue tape ects that can be completed by any wood-
to avoid over-spray. worker with a modest (but decent) kit of
Use a hair dryer to set the paint, then tools in less than two days of shop time, and
using raw materials that are available at any
rough up the label with your sander.
home center. We offer a free online manual
Finish the frame and top boards with a in PDF format that explains all the tools and
few coats of amber shellac before nailing shows you how to per-
the top boards in place. form the basic operations
With the frame on the floor, place one in a step-by-step format.
Visit ICanD oThatExtras.
top board at the end of the frame. Use a Dust protection. The dust from pallet lumber com to download the free
combination square to square up the 1" is nasty stuff. Wear a dust mask to spare your manual.
overhang then nail the board in place. sinuses and lungs.

popularwoodworking .com ■ 25

24-25_1010_PWM_ICDT.indd 25 7/21/10 5:53:49 PM

 Arts & Crafts Buffet
B Y R O B E R T W. L A N G

Recipe for successful

design: Steal your ideas
from the best.

I
designed this buffet cabinet a cou-
ple years ago for a weekend seminar
on Arts & Crafts joinery. After the
class I added a 3-D model to the Popular
Woodworking Magazine online SketchUp
collection. It was an easy way to provide
detailed plans for those in attendance. As
time passed, the model rose to the top of
the collection, based on popularity.
My goal in designing it was to combine
several classic elements from the early
20th century, without building a repro-
duction of any one piece in particular. I
was looking to design a piece with a con-
temporary feel, but that was grounded
in traditional Arts & Crafts period ele-
ments. Apparently I swiped the right
details from the right sources to make a
successful piece.
The wide overhanging top with bread-
board ends, the finger-jointed drawer and
the sculpted handles were all borrowed
from the designs of Charles and Henry
Greene. The proportions of the door stiles
and rails were lifted right from the Gustav
Stickley stylebook, and the double-tapered Classic combination. This buffet has a contemporary feel, but it is a combination of classic design
legs are a Harvey Ellis element turned elements of the American Arts & Crafts period of the early 20th century.
upside down.
Equally important are the overall pro-
portions and the rounded edges that ease Skinny Legs & All The legs are also key elements in the
the transitions where there is a change of The legs are important visually; the structure. Each leg is a corner for two dif-
direction or a change in plane. The light upward taper leads the eye to the top, and ferent frames. There is a lot of joinery in
color of the soft maple keeps the cabinet the wide portion near the bottom makes each, and to help keep track of the leg loca-
from looking too formal or too masculine. the base appear substantial. Combined tions, I laid out the tapers after resawing
Absent are the elements often seen in new with the wide rails on the bottom of the the legs from 8/4 stock. My local supplier
pieces based on old designs. Corbels and doors, the case sits on a firm visual foun- didn’t have material available simply to
spindles were banished to the land of over- dation, and it looks larger and heavier mill the legs to the 11 ⁄4" finished dimension,
used and misapplied design features. than it really is. so I bought thicker than I needed, resawed

26 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 LEAD PHOTO BY AL PARRISH; STEP PHOTOS & ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR

26-33_1010_PWM_Arts&CraftsBuffet26 26 7/21/10 5:39:39 PM

 the boards to 13 ⁄8" and saved the thin off-
cuts for the bottom of the drawer.
My method is to work out all the joinery
first, then cut pieces to shape and round
the edges just before final assembly. I cut
the 3 ⁄8"-wide stopped grooves for the side
and back panels first, using a plunge router.
I then lowered the depth setting and cut
the mortises in the wide faces of the legs
with the same router.
There isn’t enough of a flat area on the
narrow sides of the legs to support the Better than numbers. Setting the marking gauge Knowledge is power. Measuring with calipers
directly to the edge of the mortise ensures exact reveals the exact thickness of the tenon and how
router, so I moved to the hollow-chisel
alignment of the rail and leg. far to set the depth of the router bit.
mortiser to add the mortises for the front
and back rails. Then I cut the tenons on
the ends of the top and bottom side rails. I
used a backsaw for the shoulder cuts, then
cut the cheeks on the band saw.
I dry-fit the side rails to the legs, form-
ing side sub-assemblies without panels.
Then I made the joints for the front and
back rails. In the back, the mortises fall
within the grooves for the back panel. In
the front of the case, the mortises are the
only joinery.
To keep the backs of the front and back
rails flush with the back of the legs, I set
my marking gauge directly to the edge When to stop. When a corner can be forced into Where it belongs. Marking the tenons directly
of a mortise. Then I used that setting to the mortise, the thickness is close. Then it’s time from the mortises is faster and far more accurate
mark out the tenons. I cut the tenon shoul- to cut the edges of the tenons. than measuring.
ders with my backsaw and the cheeks on
the band saw. After fitting these joints, I
did another dry run, connecting the two I drilled out the bulk of the waste with a
side assemblies with the front and back Forstner bit at the drill press, then cleaned
rails. up the mortises with chisels and a float.
The first step in making the tenons was
Come Together to cut a wide rabbet on both the top and
With a complex piece such as this, the best bottom of the shelf. I clamped a straight-
way to ensure that everything fits together edge on the shoulder line and used a router
is to make careful dry runs, then pull the with a straight bit and a top-mounted flush
actual dimensions for the next piece to be guide bearing.
fabricated from the subassembly. With the I made a cut on both ends on the top
legs connected side to side and front to side, then I clamped the straightedge on
back, I made sure the carcase was square the bottom. I carefully made a cut, then
before making the bottom. measured the thickness of the tenon,
The bottom fits between the front and comparing it to the height of the mortise.
back rails, and at the ends there is a pair When I could force a corner of the bottom
of through-tenons. The critical distance into the mortise, I knew I was as close as I
is from shoulder to shoulder on these ten- wanted to come with the router.
ons. After ripping the bottom to width, I I held the backside of the rail against
held the bottom in place below the rails the end of the cabinet bottom and marked
on the carcase and marked the shoulder the ends of the tenons from the mortises.
locations directly. I cut the ends of the tenons with my back-
Then it all came back apart to cut the saw, then turned the bottom 90˚ and used
through-mortises in the bottom side rails. the same tool to make the two end cuts.
Easier by hand. These cuts could be made at the
These pieces are too short to clamp to the I used a jigsaw to remove the material table saw, but that would be an awkward opera-
bench and have room for the plunge router, between the tenons and stayed about 1 ⁄8" tion. Cutting the tenons by hand allows me to see
and too wide to fit easily in the mortiser. away from the shoulder’s edge. what is going on.

popularwoodworking.com ■ 27

26-33_1010_PWM_Arts&CraftsBuffet27 27 7/21/10 5:39:53 PM

 There is just enough material from the
first router cut that defines the shoulder to
guide the bearing of a flush-trim router bit.
That took care of making a straight edge
between the tenons, except for a small
quarter circle in the corners. A little chisel
work removed that extra material, and I
was ready to test the fit.
With a chisel, I cut a small chamfer
around the back edges of the mortises,
and I used my block plane to chamfer the
ends of the tenons. A few taps with a mal-
let revealed the tight spots on the tenons.
Some work with a shoulder plane and float
brought the tenons down to size, and after
achieving a good fit with both rails on the
ends of the bottom, I was ready to dry-fit
the rest of the case.

Shapes of Things
After another test-fit and a bit of tweak-
ing, I was ready for a break from joinery,
so I cut the tapers on the legs at the band
saw. I cleaned up the saw marks with a
light pass across the jointer, then began
smoothing surfaces and rounding edges. I
began smoothing all the flat surfaces with
a plane to remove mill marks and evidence
of beatings from my test assemblies.
I took my cue for the edge treatment
from Greene & Greene. Instead of run-
ning a roundover bit in a router around the Dry-fit now, panels later. The only way to know if things will really fit is to put the carcase together. The
edges, I used my block plane to hand-form panels will be added the next time around.
a radius on all the exposed edges. This
doesn’t take as long as you might think,
and this method allows for variation of open wide the mouth of my block plane the cut, then make fine finishing cuts to
the edge radius. and skew the blade as far as I can. remove the arrises and form a nice curve.
The radius on the legs is larger at the With the blade cocked, the plane takes Shifting the position of the plane laterally
bottom than at the top. This follows the a big bite on one side and a fine cut on the allows it to do coarse, medium and fine
taper of the legs and adds a subtlety to other. By shifting the position of the plane work without fiddling with the tool.
the edges that a router couldn’t provide. as I tilt it on the edge of the board, I can I also cut the arches at the bottom edge
My method for doing this efficiently is to remove a large chamfered edge to begin of the front and side rails at the band saw,

Why this slides. Opening the mouth of the block Big mouth, quick work. This side of the plane Fine on this side. The other side of the plane
plane provides room to skew the iron. will take a coarse cut, removing a lot of material takes a small finishing cut. The amount of mate-
in a hurry. rial removed and the quality of cut is controlled
by moving the plane laterally.

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 and used a series of rasps to refine the
curves and round the edges. I made 5 ⁄8"- Arts & Crafts Buffet
NO. ITEM DIMENSIONS (INCHES) MATERIAL COMMENTS
thick panels for the sides, making a rabbet
T W L
around the perimeter to form a tongue on the
❏ 4 Legs 11⁄4 33⁄4 303⁄4 Maple
panel that fits in the grooves of the legs. 7⁄8
❏ 2 Upper side rails 3 133⁄8 Maple 3⁄4" TBE*
Then I made 3 ⁄8"-thick shiplapped panels 7⁄8
❏ 2 Lower side rails 41⁄4 133⁄8 Maple 3⁄4" TBE
for the back before turning to the last bit of 5⁄8
❏ 2 Side panels 125⁄8 231⁄2 Maple
joinery for the case. A simple web frame 7⁄8
❏ 1 Cabinet bottom 117⁄8 301⁄4 Maple 11⁄4" TBE
supports the drawer, and two rails (one at 3⁄ 8
❏ 6 Back panels 47⁄8 231⁄2 Maple Shiplap edges
the front and one at the back behind the 7⁄8
❏ 1 Upper back rail 3 27 Maple 11⁄4" TBE
visible rails) support the top.
❏ 2 Lower front/back rails 7⁄8 41⁄4 27 Maple 11⁄4" TBE
The web frame is mortise-and-tenon 7⁄8 7⁄8
❏ 1 Top front rail 27 Maple 11⁄4" TBE
construction; I assembled and fit this 7⁄8
❏ 1 Front drawer rail 11⁄4 27 Maple 11⁄4" TBE
frame with the cabinet dry-assembled. I 3⁄ 4
❏ 2 Inner top rails 3 291⁄2 Maple DTBE**
put the cabinet together and took it apart 3⁄ 4
❏ 2 Web frame rails 21⁄4 233⁄4 Poplar 11⁄4" TBE
several times to fit parts as the joinery pro- 3⁄ 4
❏ 2 Web frame stiles 31⁄4 117⁄8 Poplar
gressed to ensure that the complex assem- 1⁄2
❏ 2 Hinge strips 1 187⁄8 Maple
bly would all fit together. And it served as 7⁄8
❏ 2 Door hinge stiles 35⁄8 187⁄8 Maple
good practice for the final glue-up. 7⁄8
❏ 2 Door lock stiles 27⁄8 187⁄8 Maple
I cut the two top rails to the outside 7⁄8
❏ 2 Door top rails 33⁄8 73⁄4 Maple 11⁄4" TBE
width of the case and marked the inside 7⁄8
❏ 2 Door bottom rails 45⁄8 73⁄4 Maple 11⁄4" TBE
edges to the top side rails. I made a 1 ⁄ 4"- 5⁄8
❏ 2 Door panels 6 115⁄8 Maple
❏ 1 Top 3⁄ 4 157⁄8 461⁄2 Maple 11⁄4" TBE
❏ 2 Breadboard ends 7⁄8 21⁄4 161⁄8 Maple
“A new form of expression never ❏ 2 Drawer sides 3⁄ 4 43⁄4 13 Maple
❏ 1 Drawer front 3⁄ 4 43⁄4 241⁄2 Maple
develops from the top, and nothing ❏ 1 Drawer back 3⁄ 4 41⁄4 241⁄2 Maple
permanent is ever built upon ❏ 1 Drawer bottom 1⁄4 12 231⁄2 Maple
❏ 1 Drawer handle 11⁄4 11⁄2 16 Maple
tradition.”
❏ 2 Door handles 11⁄4 13⁄4 5 Maple
— Gustav Stickley (1856 - 1942) *TBE = Tenon both ends; **DTBE = Dovetail both ends
furniture maker

481/2"
21/4" 161⁄8"
3" 241/2" 3/4"
7/8" 157⁄8"
7⁄8"
3/4"
7/8"
3"
43/4" 11/4" 43⁄4"
1"
11/4" 11⁄4"

33/8" 33⁄8"

303/4"
30"
187/8" 187⁄8"

45/8" 13⁄16"
45⁄8"
33/4"

41/4" 41⁄4"
35⁄8"
3/4" 3⁄4"
1"
35/8" 27/8" 113/4" 11⁄4" 117⁄8"
3"
ELEVATION PROFILE SECTION

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 wide rabbet on the bottom of the ends, plified the final assembly by reducing the
then cut a dovetail on both ends of each number of parts.
rail. With the rails in position, I marked The obvious tricky part of putting
the top side rails to cut the sockets. things together for real is down low. The
I used a wheel marking gauge to mark through-tenons for the cabinet bottoms
the bottom of the dovetail sockets in the need to slide through the mortises in the
rails and a knife to mark the vertical cuts. rail at the same time the tenons in the front
After sawing the outside edges with my and back rails go into the legs. I put the
dovetail saw, I used a chisel to remove the entire cabinet together without any glue
waste (vertical saw cuts into the waste may to practice my technique and to avoid any
make waste removal easier). On a small trauma during the real thing.
joint such as this, the marking gauge can The other tricky part is that, with the
be used as a small router, providing a flat legs tapered, there isn’t a good surface to
bottom for the socket. place any clamps. Fortunately one of my
bad habits was ready to provide a solution.
Tighten Up I rarely throw anything away, so I found
Fighting off the urge to glue the entire box the tapered offcuts from the legs over by
together, I went over all the parts with a the band saw. Good old blue painter’s tape
card scraper then fine sandpaper. Then held these to the legs, providing a flat place
I put the side panels in place and glued to put the clamps.
the rails between the legs, then let these I put one of the side assemblies on my
No-spread zone. A single through-dovetail on subassemblies dry overnight. This sim- bench with the inside of the case facing
each of the top rails locks the sides of the case
up, applied glue to the mortises and put
together and adds an attractive detail.
the rails in place. I started the tenons on
the end of the bottom into the side rail
mortises, then brushed glue on the inner
portion of the tenons. This kept the glue
off the exposed ends of the tenons. That
was the easy end.
I slid the shiplapped back panels into
position, then brushed glue on the tenons
in the rails before I started the through-
tenons into the mortises in the lower
side rail. At the same time, I lined up the
other tenons with their matching mor-
tises. I tapped down on the rail until all
but about 1 ⁄ 2" of the through-tenon was
visible between the tenon shoulder and
the rail.
I reached in to brush more glue on the
tenons, then tapped on the outside of the
side subassembly to close the joints. I tried
to tap directly over each tenon on the legs
E pluribus unum. Subassemblies minimize the number of pieces to contend with during the final assem-
as the second side of the cabinet moved
bly. After clamping, check to see that they are square.
into place. When the side was about 1 ⁄8"
away from closing, I put down the mallet
and picked up my cabinet clamps.
I tightened the clamps and went on a
hunt for glue squeeze-out near the joints.
I try to control squeeze-out by applying
just enough glue to the joint. The goal is
to apply the glue so that it almost squeezes
out. The last step in the carcase assembly
was to jockey the web frame into position
and glue the long edge to the rail below
Where bottom and side collide. This isn’t as hard Tape for the tapers. Offcuts from tapering the the drawer opening. At the back, a couple
as it looks; the side will be one piece, and trial legs are taped in place to provide a flat surface pocket screws from below attach the back
runs ensure that everything fits. for the clamps. of the frame to the back legs.

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 Sliding home. Start all the mortises and get the parts close with a rubber mallet. A few clamps close the Simple fix. A pocket screw at each end attaches
joints side to side. the drawer frame to the inside of the back legs.

I had a little glue bead appear here and

there, and those were scraped off with the
back of a sharp, wide chisel before the glue
had time to dry. I keep a wet rag handy to
keep the chisel clean and don’t wipe the
wood unless I have to.

Feeling Groovy
The doors are standard frame-and-panel
construction; 1 ⁄4"-wide grooves run along
the inside edges, and haunched tenons Balancing act. After cutting the first set of fingers,
in the rails fit mortises in the stiles. The place the end of a side on the drawer front to
elements of the doors are all wider than mark the matching parts of the joint.
L of a solution. A simple jig attached to the table
they need to be. This enhances the overall saw’s miter gauge supports the work and indi-
appearance of the doors in the opening; cates the exact line of the cut.
there is a better balance in the middle, and of the blade to match the marked depth of
the wide lower rails reinforce the sense the cut between the fingers. I placed the
of visual weight toward the bottom of the The drawer is joined at the front with two drawer sides together and aligned the
cabinet. Greene & Greene-style finger joints. The pencil marks on the wood with the saw
The combined width of the doors is 1" fingers are graduated in width, and they cut in the fixture.
less than the width of the opening; thin extend about 1 ⁄ 8" past the drawer front. When the sides were in position, I
strips are glued inside the legs to carry the I made a simple L-shaped fixture and clamped the stacked sides to the back of
hinges. This detail allows the doors to be attached it to the table saw’s miter gauge to the fi xture. I cut the ends of each finger
set back from the front edges of the rails assist in cutting the joints. After attaching before removing the waste material in
while still able to swing freely past the the fixture, I ran it through the saw blade between. When the sides were finished,
inside edges of the legs. These features are to cut a slot in the lower portion. I placed them on each end of the drawer
common in Gustav Stickley designs. The I laid out the fingers on one of the front to transfer the cutlines.
variation of planes adds visual interest to drawer sides, making sure to clearly mark After marking the waste area in the
the unadorned surfaces. the waste area. Then I adjusted the height drawer front joints, I lowered the height

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 on the bottom edge of the guide allowed
me to reach in with a block plane to tweak
the fit.

Speaking in Tongues
The breadboard ends have a 1 ⁄4"-wide, 1 ⁄2"-
deep groove along each inside edge. I made
each groove with a straight bit in a small
plunge router, stopping the groove about
1" in from the ends. I located the matching
tongue on the top by clamping a plywood
straightedge to the line, and made the cut
Easy now. The two parts should with a flush-trim bit in the router.
slide together easily – but without The tongue is 11 ⁄4" long; the extra 3 ⁄4"
Hold the line. Place the pencil line next to the kerf in the guide any slop. If it’s too tight, file the fat was used to make three tenons to hold the
to cut just inside the line. fingers. breadboard in place. The tenons are about
2" wide; the outer tenons end about 1 ⁄ 8"
in from the end of the groove. After cut-
of the saw blade to leave the ends of the began to transform the faceted edges to a ting the tenons, I marked their locations
drawer front barely proud of the drawer gentle curve. When I got close to the lines, on the breadboard and cut the mortises
sides. I then cut the fingers in the drawer I switched to a piece of #180-grit Abranet with the hollow chisel mortiser.
front in the same way that I cut the mating to remove the rasp marks. The middle mortise fits the tenon
ends of the drawer sides. I didn’t want any glue to squeeze out tightly in width, but the end two were
When I was happy with the joints at the when I assembled the drawer, so I carefully cut wider to give the top some room to
front of the drawer, I cut grooves with a applied glue to the recesses between the move. These joints are pinned with square
small plunge router in the sides and front fingers with an acid brush. I began with walnut plugs that go completely through
for the drawer bottom. The grooves in the end-grain surfaces, let the glue soak in the breadboard and the tenons. The square
the sides stop at the front to match the for a few minutes, then applied glue to all holes for the 1 ⁄4" and 5 ⁄16" plugs we made
depth of the groove in the drawer front. the mating surfaces. I clamped the drawer with punches developed by Darrell Peart.
The groove falls within the fi rst fi nger, box together at the front, placing small These punches work in conjunction with
so it can run from end to end through the blocks of scrap between the fingers to pro- a drill bit, so it was simple to start from the
drawer front. vide a bearing surface for the clamps. show side, punch the square and drill the
The back of the drawer is narrower I planed the bottom edge of the drawer holes through the assembled joint.
than the sides. It comes down from the front before assembly to keep the edge of After drilling, I took the joint apart and
top of the drawer and ends at the top of the front 1 ⁄16" above the bottom edge of the placed the drill bit in each hole, then used
the groove, allowing the drawer bottom sides. When I fit the drawer in the open- the punch to square the sides. I elongated
to be slid into place after the drawer is ing, I was able to plane the sides to get a the holes in the two outer tenons so they
assembled. The drawer bottom is one good fit and keep a slight gap between the could move in the mortises as the seasons
solid panel, glued up from the leg left- drawer front and the case rails. Drawer change. On fi nal assembly of the top, I
overs and planed to 1 ⁄ 4" thickness. The guides are glued on to the web frame to applied glue to the center tenon only. The
back and sides of the drawer are joined keep the drawer sliding straight. A rabbet outer joints are held in place with pegs.
with through-dovetails.

Roundabout
Like the cabinet it lives in, the drawer was
put together and taken back apart several
times. With the sides in place, I marked
the front edge of the drawer front on the
fingers of the drawer sides. This provided
a target for rounding the edges of the fin-
gers. I clamped the sides in my vise and
went to work with a small rasp.
As with the other radiused edges, I
began by cutting a 45˚ chamfer, working
in the direction of the grain. When the
Cutting corners. Mark where the end of the Room to move. Elongate the sides of the holes
edge of the chamfer reached about two- drawer side intersects the fingers on the drawer that pass through the tenons. This will allow the
thirds of the distance from the end to the front. Round over the edges to the pencil line. top to expand and contract against the bread-
pencil line, I removed the sharp edges and board ends.

32 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010

26-33_1010_PWM_Arts&CraftsBuffet32 32 7/21/10 5:41:37 PM

 of the pegs to make it easier to start them
in the holes. After the pegs were sanded, Supplies
I treated them with a solution of vinegar Lee Valley
in which I’d soaked iron, then cut them to leevalley.com or 800-871-8158
length. This solution reacts with the tan- 1 set u square hole punches
nic acid in the walnut and turns the wood #50K59.20, $24.50-$26.50 each,
black. (Brian Boggs explains an alternative $129 for set of six
ebonizing process in the June 2009 issue 2 u ball catches
of Popular Woodworking (#176).) #00W12.00, $1.50 each
I used an artist’s brush to coat the inside Prices correct at time of publication.
Adjustable guide. The drawer guides are glued of each hole with glue, inserted a peg and
to the web frame. The short length and rabbeted tapped it in place with a brass hammer.
bottom edge provide room to adjust the width The smooth hard surface of the hammer
with a block plane. burnished the faces of the pegs. glued the strips to the inside of the legs,
Because the doors hang on strips glued with the back of the strips flush with the
to the inside of the door opening, mortis- back of the legs.
Maxwell’s Silver Hammer ing the hinges was simple. I trimmed the I glued a small block of wood behind
I also added decorative pegs (3 ⁄16", 1 ⁄4" and doors to 3 ⁄ 32" less than the height of the the rail of the face frame above the doors to
5 ⁄ 16") to the joint locations on the front opening and cut the strips to an exact fit. provide a place to mount brass ball catches
legs, the door stiles and the drawer front. I put a door (hinge stile up) in my vise to keep the doors shut. The handles were
Recesses of about 1 ⁄4" deep for the plugs and placed a strip along the edge, using shaped at the band saw, then the edges
were made with the square punches. The a dime to space the top of the strip with were rounded with a block plane and
plugs were ripped from some quartersawn the top of the door. rasps. I made relief cuts on the back of
walnut. I cut square strips on the table saw, Then I marked the locations of the the handles with a carving gouge to pro-
about 1 ⁄32" larger than the recesses. hinges. I cut the hinge mortises in the vide a finger grip. Those cuts were refined
I smoothed the long edges of these doors with a small plunge router equipped with a gooseneck scraper.
strips with my block plane, and I measured with a fence. I put a block of wood behind The first coat of finish is clear shellac. I
the width and thickness with calipers the door and adjusted the position of the used the canned stuff from the hardware
until they were close in size, but still a bit door in the vise so that the edge of the door store and thinned it about 30 percent. This
larger than the holes. I dropped the end was flush with the top of the block. This left the color a bit cold to my eye, so I added
extension of the calipers into the holes to kept the base of the router flat on the thin about 25 percent amber shellac to the mix
find the correct length for the pegs, then edge without any danger of tipping. for the second, third and fourth coats.
used the jaws of the calipers to transfer The mortises in the hinge strips were After letting the shellac dry, I buffed the
this measurement to the strips. cut with the strips clamped flat to the surface with a nylon abrasive pad, then
I rounded one end of each strip with a benchtop. After routing, I squared the applied a coat of paste wax. PWM
coarse file, followed by sandpaper, before corners of the mortises then screwed the
cutting the pegs to length. After cutting, hinges in position on the doors and on the Bob is executive editor of Popular Woodworking
I used a chisel to chamfer the back edges strips. Then I removed the hinges, and Magazine. He can be reached at
robert.lang@fwmedia.com.

u Go Online FOR MORE …

You’ll find links to all these online extras at:
u popularwoodworking.com/aug10

VIDEO: Watch Bob’s table saw techniques

for cutting the drawer finger joints.
PLAN: Download a free 3-D model of this
project in SketchUp format.
WEB SITE: Bob has written several books
about Arts & Crafts furniture; they’re all
available from his web site.
BLOG: Read “Peart’s Punches for Perfect
Square Holes.”
IN OUR STORE: “Greene & Greene Furniture:
Poems of Wood of Light.”
One-two punch. Locate the punch and smack Waste removal: Follow with a drill through the All of our products are available online at:
it a couple times with a hammer. This cuts sharp hole in the punch body. This removes the waste u WoodworkersBookShop.com
corners and straight sides for the plug hole. within the square recess.

popularwoodworking.com ■ 33

26-33_1010_PWM_Arts&CraftsBuffet33 33 7/21/10 5:41:51 PM

 Understand & Use a Bowsaw
B Y M I C H A E L D U N BA R

These traditional tools are

woefully misunderstood
by modern craftsmen.
Here’s a primer.

I
n the 1970s when I was the young,
innocent and naive chairmaker at
Strawbery Banke, a museum in Ports-
mouth, N.H., 50,000 tourists passed
through my shop each summer. It never
failed that when I was cutting out a chair
seat with a bowsaw some wag would quip
loudly, “You need a band saw!”
While these comics guffawed at their
own cleverness I was puzzled by the com-
ment’s inanity. I knew I was doing just
fine and didn’t need a band saw. I did my
work quickly and efficiently with two dif-
ferent sized bowsaws – large and small.
The saws did all the work I required. I
cut out two chair seats a week and four
scrolled hands. If the chair had a crest,
I cut that too.
The saws had cost very little, relative
to a band saw. When I was done, I hung
them on the wall, where they took up no
floor space in my cramped shop. I was
perfectly happy working this way.
After I had grown up and started Bowsaws for the bench. Many modern woodworkers avoid bowsaws because they don’t understand
demonstrating at woodworking shows, I when or how to use them in the shop.
continued to get the same comment from
woodworkers who, carried away with their
own wittiness, could not stop themselves great 18th-century furniture masterpieces wheelwrights cut out sections for wooden
from blurting, “You need a band saw!” It we go to museums to admire. wheels (fellows) with a fellow saw. Today,
was then that I realized everyone thought we use far fewer bowsaws, but these share
I should have a band saw because they Meet the Bowsaw, Moderner in common a number of features with
didn’t know about bowsaws. It was their In the history of woodworking there were all their ancestors. First is a thin blade
loss. They missed out on the enjoyment many types of bowsaws, some developed that conserved on steel and allowed the
of using a very efficient tool that has been by tradesmen to meet their own particular bowsaw to change directions more easily
around since the Bronze Age and was used needs. For example, inlay makers cut out than would be permitted by a flat-bladed
in Europe and America to produce the very small pieces with a fret saw, while handsaw. Second is a wooden frame that

34 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 PHOTO S BY CHRISTOPHER SCHWARZ

34-37_1010_PWM_Bowsaws.indd 34 7/21/10 5:43:17 PM

 secures the blade. Third are the handles, Because I need the blade to be stiff and not
which provide the user with something flex, I use a .035"-thick blade rather than
to hold, and which can be turned to adjust the more common .025". You may not be
the direction of cut. Finally, every bowsaw able to buy this blade in your local wood-
has some method that tensions the blade working store, but you can find it on the
– that is, stretches it tight. Internet and order online. The blade on my
For general woodworking – the sort of small bowsaw is a 16 ppi, 1⁄4" saw blade.
things most of us do – you need only two If you make your own blades, you will
bowsaws. A large saw with about a 25"- have to drill holes for the pins that pass
long blade is great for ripping or cutting through the handle rods. The saw steel
shapes out of heavy stock. A smaller saw How to avoid the crack. A toggle such as this is too hard to drill, so soften the ends by
with about a 12" blade is better for cutting allows you to adjust the frame’s tension by half- heating them with a propane torch.
turns, which is better for the saw.
out smaller parts. Because most commercial bowsaws
The biggest obstacle you face in add- are inadequate, you are faced with either
ing bowsaws to your repertoire of wood- making your own or buying one from a
working skills is obtaining a saw. A lot of like wire that is tightened with a nut. This craftsman/maker. I obtained my saws
woodworking catalogs and web sites sell mechanism is not as effective. For string, from Woodjoy Tools (woodjoytools.com).
bowsaws, but beware: Most of these saws I recommend waxed cobbler’s twine. It This site also sells parts and materials for
are cheaply made, lightweight and inad- holds up well to years of use and does saws. Because a bowsaw requires only
equate for woodworking. The same rule not stretch. several small pieces of hardwood, it is a
that applies to the lathe and workbench Most saws use a simple stick as a tog- good project for using up some cutoffs
applies to the bowsaw. Flimsy equals gle for twisting and tightening the twine. or scrap.
worthless. Overlapping the toggle on the center strut
Why? Sawing requires force. The rea- keeps the twine from unwinding. How- Bench or Horizontal Sawing
son my large bowsaw is so efficient is that ever, the tighter you twist the twine, the With the Large Saw
I can put a lot of weight and muscle behind tighter it becomes on the toggle. At some The large bowsaw cuts on the down, or
it without the saw flexing or the frame point the toggle will not slide at all and you push stroke, and the blade is mounted in
wiggling. If either of these happens, the can no longer tension the saw by full turns. this direction. The teeth are turned so they
cutting action is less effective and the saw This can be a problem, because over tight- are at a right angle to the frame. A bowsaw
is harder to direct. My prejudice against ening can break the frame. The answer is is a turning saw, which means the blade
commercial bowsaws is well founded. I the yoke with a sliding toggle as shown in can be turned so it is at a setting other
have had one fall apart in my hands while the picture above. than 90° to the frame, but I find I seldom
cutting a chair seat. The grooved yoke fits into the twisted do this. If you do need to turn the blade,
rope, allowing the slotted toggle to slide loosen the toggle and turn the upper and
Here’s a Good Bowsaw freely. You can make full or half turns lower handles at the same time. If you
These are the criteria to look for in a saw. without any fuss. turn them separately, you risk twisting
You want a rigid hardwood frame, which or breaking the blade.
will give the saw serious heft. The strut And the Right Blades The large saw cuts with the stock
should attach to the ends with mortise- The type of blade you choose to mount in secured to the benchtop, so your bench
and-tenon joints. These should be deep and your saw is determined by your intended needs to be the right height for sawing.
well fit, with no play or slop. You want the use for the tool. I use my large bowsaw most Most modern benches are too high for
handle rods to be metal (usually brass). The frequently for cutting out chair seats. This most hand tools, and certainly for the large
rods should have a tight friction fit where means I am driving it through nearly 2" of bowsaw. My test for proper bench height
they pass through the frame and secure pine. I want my blade to be aggressive and is to stand erect next to the bench with
the blade, so the blade cannot turn while fast. I don’t care if the cut leaves a coarse your arm straight and rigid at your side.
in use. In other words, adjusting the saw surface. When I am done, I will shape the Bend you hand at the wrist so it is paral-
should require effort. The blade should be edge of the seat and remove all evidence of lel to the floor. The palm of your hand
secured to the rods by a slot pierced by a the sawing. I use a length of 6 points per establishes the best height for your bench.
metal pin. All these parts should be robust inch (ppi) 3⁄8" band saw blade in the saw. If your bench is too high for the bowsaw,
enough not to wear or break. The strut and
handles should be designed for comfort
and have smooth relieved corners that
will not raise blisters. I particularly like “It is far better to work with one plane, one saw, one chisel and a few
the octagonal handles on my saws.
You have to be able to tension or stretch
accessories, all of them good, honest steel, properly sharpened, than it is to
the blade so it does not flex or twist. Most have a cellar full of inadequate devices.”
saws are tensioned by twisting a hank — “How to Work With Tools and Wood”
of string with a wooden toggle. I do not (1942) from Stanley Tools

popularwoodworking.com ■ 35

34-37_1010_PWM_Bowsaws.indd 35 7/21/10 5:43:30 PM

 either trim the legs or stand on a platform A bowsaw has limitations. Like a band
when sawing. saw, its throat is only so wide. The maxi-
Secure the work to the bench with mum for my big saw is 6 1 ⁄2". This means
clamps that are heavy and strong enough the saw works best for ripping narrow
to hold it fast. How you position the stock lengths and is useless when it comes to
on the bench depends on the work. To cutting plywood panels.
be as efficient as possible, here are a cou- With the work secured, you are ready
ple things to consider before beginning. to use the saw. Grip it in the manner I am
With the big saw you travel along with about to describe. Hold the strut near the
the tool. Make sure you can move your top with your dominant hand (I’m right-
body freely. handed) and grip the upper handle with It tracks tightly. While the surface from a bow-
You do not want to stop and reposition your other hand. Stand facing the direc- saw might be rough, I find a bowsaw is easier to
your stock any more than is necessary. If tion of cut, so the saw is in front of you. keep from drifting off line than a band saw.
you are ripping, clamp the stock to the Any hand-driven saw works best with a
bench so the kerf is close to the edge. This smooth stroke that uses almost the entire
reduces any chance of the stock flexing. length of the blade. The same applies to To prepare for the down stroke raise
Short pieces and round shapes such as a bowsaw. Also, any saw works best and the saw until the lower end of the blade is
chair seats are easiest to cut with the stock requires the least effort if you use it prop- engaged on the line. As the saw descends
clamped to a corner, although you will erly. With a large bowsaw, the best advan- use the entire length of the blade almost
have to reposition the seat blank at least tage comes from using your entire body to the upper end. On the down stroke,
once. If in cutting a shape you have to cut rather than your arms. Sawing is an aero- come up slightly on your toes. Your heels
around corners with a radius longer than bic exercise, and if done correctly you will will come off the floor. Flex your knees
your saw’s throat, trim the corners first. not become fatigued or winded. and bend slightly at the waist. This action,
rather than your arms, is what moves the
saw. While you cannot avoid some move-
ment of your shoulders, it is surprising
how little your arms are involved. Mostly,
your arms and shoulders hold the saw
in the cutting position while your body
moves it. Raise the blade not with your
arms, but by straightening your body and
rocking your feet back flat on the floor.
You can understand the efficiency in
this motion. Rather than trying to drive
the saw with your arms and shoulders,
you are putting the weight of your torso
behind the blade.
At the end of the down stroke, pull the
saw blade back slightly in the kerf. This
accomplishes several things. First, the
end of the kerf is tighter, so withdrawing
the blade slightly makes it easier to lift the
saw. Withdrawing the blade also clears
trapped sawdust out of the kerf, especially
at the end where you are cutting.
Finally, withdrawing the blade makes
sawing more accurate. Here’s why. As you
start the next down stroke you reposition
the blade on the line. Repeat this with
every stroke. While this continuous cor-
rection will create a more ragged edge than
that left by a band saw, an experienced
bowsawyer has less trouble with drifting
off line. When you are done and exam-
ine the sawn edge, you can see where you
Get a grip. When ripping, grasp the strut with Use your whole body. When using the large saw
one hand and the handle with the other. Begin like this, don’t use only your arms. Use the mass started each stroke.
your kerf with the lower part of the blade of your body to help bring the saw down. Flex The key to using the bowsaw efficiently
engaged in the wood. your knees and bend slightly at the waist. is to make the movement repetitive and

36 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010

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 fluid. Any halting or jerkiness indicates Vertical or Vise Sawing reaches over the work, it cannot be secured
you are doing something wrong. Once The small saw is intended for detail work horizontally on a benchtop. Instead, the
you have achieved skill with the tool, you and for cutting out small parts. It simply work is held vertically in a vise. With the
will be amazed at how efficient and fast does not have the heft to cut heavy stock. small saw you generally have to stop and
a bowsaw is. As with the big saw, I generally position adjust the work to give the saw access to
When ripping with the large bowsaw, the blade at a right angle to the frame. Like more of the pattern, but this is a lot faster
hold the saw so the frame is tilted away a coping saw this tool, too, cuts on the pull and easier than adjusting clamps.
from you. Because it’s on a diagonal, more stroke rather than on the push. Once again, the saw’s action needs to
of the blade is in the kerf, and it is easier The pull-stroke grip requires holding be smooth and use as much of the blade
to stay on the line. The kerf’s leading edge the saw by both handles. Because your arm length as practical. In use, the small
– below the surface – is angled and still saw’s stroke is fast. Imagine yourself as a
aligned with the line you are following. human scroll saw. Each pull stroke cuts
As you cut a curve, bring the frame and advances the kerf. On the back stroke,
into vertical, so it is cutting in the same lift the blade slightly and reset it on the
manner as a band saw. If you tilt the frame line before the next cut.
as you do when ripping, the cut around Operating the small saw is the opposite
the curve will be beveled, rather than at of the larger. While the big saw uses your
a right angle to the surface. entire body but not your arms, the small
saw uses just your arms and shoulders but
not your body. Plant your feet and bend
your knees to bring your shoulders down
to the height of the work. Retain this posi-
tion. Lock your wrists and move the saw
with your elbows and shoulders.

Storage is Simple
When you are fi nished with a bowsaw,
release the tension on the blade. Turn-
ing the toggle backward one turn is suf-
ficient. You don’t want to loosen the frame
so much that it falls apart. I store my saws
by hanging them on the wall. However,
bowsaws lie flat and can be stored in a tool
box. If you do this, find a way to protect
the blade from other tools, and to protect
you from it. PWM
Rip away. When you are ripping with the large Straight through the curves. When you turn a
saw, tilt the frame away from you slightly to help corner, bring the frame up until it’s vertical, which
stay on your line. prevents the edge from becoming beveled. Michael Dunbar runs The Windsor Institute in Hampton,
N.H. (thewindsorinstitute.com), the premier school for
Windsor chairmaking.

u Go Online FOR MORE …

You’ll find links to all these online extras at:
u popularwoodworking.com/oct10

VIDEO: See a video of Michael Dunbar

using a large and a small bowsaw.
ARTICLE: Read Frank Klausz’s article on the
bowsaws in his shop.
WEB SITE: Visit the web site of The Windsor
Institute.
TO BUY: Purchase bowsaws and accessories
from WoodJoy Tools.
IN OUR STORE: “Handtool Essentials”
teaches you critical hand skills.

All of our products are available online at:

Armed with a small saw. When using the small bowsaw, move your arms in a reciprocating fashion. u WoodworkersBookShop.com
Keep your torso steady.

popularwoodworking.com ■ 37

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 Veneer is the Future: Part 1
B Y M A R C A DA M S

We make the case that

the material used on the
finest furniture of the
past should be
in your future.

I
work with veneers! There I said
it – this must be what it feels like
to come out of the closet.
I cut my teeth as a woodworker when
veneering furniture was frowned upon.
And often I had to educate my clients on
why veneered furniture is as worthy as
solid-wood furniture. More dazzling than difficult. Veneer can allow you to do things you cannot accomplish with solid
Wood veneer is a remarkable material wood. And it is more straightforward than you think. This table was built by the author’s daughter,
that has been used for centuries. It is cost- Markee Adams.
efficient, easy to work, comes in a variety
of colors and textures, can be purchased
in sequential order and matched together local materials. Because wood was so read- Veneer’s Black Eye
architecturally, can be used decoratively, ily available and easy to work, it became Although veneer slicing machines were
is easy to repair and can even increase the the standard for how furniture was to be first introduced in America in the early
value of your work. That’s right – increase made. Because traditional furniture was 1800s, early factory furniture during that
the value of your work. handmade with solid wood, it’s perceived century was sometimes crudely produced
The truth is that the majority of the as more durable and, probably because it with disastrous results – adding to the
priceless furniture pieces made during is heavier, far more substantial. For this eventual black eye of veneer. The straw
the Renaissance are covered with veneer. reason, the mindset is that solid wood that broke the camel’s back happened after
In fact, working with veneer goes back means better quality. World War II, when servicemen were tak-
centuries before the Renaissance. Egyp- ing advantage of the GI Bill. The demand
tians imported cedar, cypress and ebony for schools, hospitals, new businesses
from Syria and Africa. These logs were and homes was driving a need to produce
cut into veneers to adorn the furniture of furniture and cabinets at a fevered pitch.
the Pharaohs. So the question is, if veneer “Never be afraid to try something new. The real problem was the failure of the
was so highly regarded throughout antiq- Remember: Noah had never built core material that the veneer was glued to.
uity, then why would using it in modern Early particleboard was not the same prod-
America be so objectionable? an ark, but it was a large group of uct that it is today, and MDF didn’t exist.
I guess it boils down to two reasons: professionals that built the Titanic.” Early particleboard was brittle, reacted
resources and production. When the — Mike Moncrief horribly to water, had no structural abil-
first settlers came to this land, trees were Mayor of Ft. Worth, Texas ity and physically stank.
abundant and the furniture built by the 2010 commencement address at Nearly all the furniture produced from
Colonists was made with simple tools and Texas Christian University 1945 to the early ’70s was veneered on

38 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 PHOTOS ON THIS SPREAD BY THE AUTHOR

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 this inferior product, and, when the par- square-foot size to lumber at a board-foot From a financial standpoint, if the aver-
ticleboard core failed, the veneer on the size, but these numbers are pretty close.) age price of a select and better piece of 4/4
surface took the rap. Strike two! As we become more aware of efficiently cherry is $7 a board foot; that would give
Fortunately, veneer is persistent and using our natural resources, stretching a that entire log a value of $742. If the aver-
has rebounded well during the last 20 board truly is possible with veneer. age price of a piece of select cherry veneer
years. Americans are more willing to is $1.80 per square foot, then that same log
accept veneered furniture as an equal, if could generate close to $7,500 – around 10
not better, to furniture made from solid times as much as lumber. Which way do
wood. This transformation has happened you think the wood market is headed?
for several reasons. So unless you are timbering your own
trees, working with solid wood in the
Why Veneer Survives & Thrives future might not be a good choice. Don’t
First, technology has improved. Core get me wrong – hardwood will always
materials have improved tremendously, exist because in America, according to
including the introduction of MDF. Space- the HPVA (Hardwood Plywood & Veneer-
age glues and vacuum technology have ing Association), we plant 5.4 million trees
simplified the pressing process. Second, a day. But you can bet that of those trees
veneer as a material is green by design – it’s that reach maturity, veneer is the goal (or
durable, renewable and sustainable. should I say gold).
Today most exotic woods can be
purchased only in veneer form, and in The Slicing Process
the future I wouldn’t be surprised if all Veneer-quality trees are the Holy Grail
imported lumber will be available only as of timber logs and are typically higher in
veneer. And we can’t overlook the different quality than logs for solid lumber. Domes-
ways veneer can be cut: rotary, sliced and tic veneer logs are usually free of visible
half-round. These cuts create sequenced defects and have a clean, cylindrical shape
veneers that offer incredible figure, color, with parallel sides. Once the log makes it
texture and variety. to the veneer mill it will be sorted, graded
Third, veneer is easy to ship, handle, and stacked into parcels. Logs are kept
cut, seam, flatten, shade and repair. Veneer Slice of heaven. This wardrobe by the author wet during the summer months in order
shows how veneers can be combined with an
bends well and can be used for panels, attractive form to produce work that exceeds
to keep the bugs out and prevent fungus
bandings, edging and inlays. And last, what is possible in solid wood alone.
a correctly balanced veneered plywood
panel is far stronger than solid wood of the
same thickness, which means furniture
can be made with a savings in material,
weight and cost.
Solid-wood construction has some lim-
itations; it is subject to shrinkage, warp-
ing, splitting, twisting, and insect and
fungal attack. Veneer will not warp, twist
or split and will not suffer from stresses
or strains. There is no doubt that today’s
craftsman with modern techniques and
processes can produce veneered furniture
that is far more durable and every bit as
attractive as the solid wooden furniture
it has surpassed.

Veneer vs. Solid Wood Costs

In America today the average hardwood
tree taken to the mill is around 9' to 10'
long by around 17" in diameter. This “typi-
cal” tree will yield about 106 board feet of
4/4 lumber (according to the Doyle scale).
That same size log will yield around 4,200
square feet of clipped veneer. (It is always A dream in wood. Using veneer allows you to create almost any effect you can dream up and to disre-
hard to accurately compare veneer at a gard many of the rules of wood movement. This bed was designed and built by the author.

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 from developing, which could affect the area by an overhead crane where it is either just over a week or so. Hardwood lumber,
color. But most important, the wetter the fastened to a machine with dog-like clamps on the other hand, could take up to a year
log is, the less the ends will check. Once or held in place by a vacuum system. to be ready to use.
the log has been called into service it will The secured flitch is held at a slight
fi rst go to a machine that de-barks and skew to a knife that runs horizontal. The The Thickness of Veneer
de-butts the log (this cleans off the bark, flitch then moves up and down in a shear- I have a friend who sticks out his chest
dirt and gravel as well as makes the log ing motion, which cuts the veneer into the with pride as he tells people, “I work only
more cylindrical). After the debarking pre-set thickness. With every stroke of the with solid wood.” Actually, veneer is a
process the log is X-rayed to make sure machine, the flitch moves forward by the solid wood – it’s just really thin.
it’s free from metal that could destroy the same thickness of the veneer being cut at Today in America, depending on spe-
slicing knives. the rate of 80 to 100 cuts per minute. Each cies, veneer is cut somewhere between 1 ⁄42"
Once the log is put into motion, a deci- individual piece of veneer cut from the (0.6mm) to 1 ⁄50" (0.5mm) thick. Currently,
sion is made as to how it will be sliced: flitch becomes known as a “leaf.” 1 ⁄42" is typical. What this means is, that

plain or flat, quarter or half-round. The Each leaf cut from the flitch is kept in for every board foot of wood, we can get
sawyer then cuts the log into halves or sequential order and stacked as it was cut 42 pieces of veneer – enough to cover the
quarters; then it becomes known as a from the log. What is amazing about this face of a sheet of plywood plus one-third
“flitch.” A large log can produce several process is that, if the flitch was 12" thick in of its back side.
flitches. A better definition of a flitch is a solid form before cutting, the sequentially The cut of veneer just gets thinner and
section of veneer log that is cut to yield stacked veneer after cutting will still be thinner. Not too long ago veneer was cut
the best figure. The freshly sawn flitch is 12" thick. There is no thickness lost. 1 ⁄28" thick, then the standards changed to

then placed in a vat of hot water. This hot The sliced veneer is then sent one leaf 1 ⁄ 32", then 1 ⁄40". Today in Europe they cut

bath softens the lignin, which will make at a time through a drier. It takes about veneer between 1 ⁄54" to 1 ⁄60" thick, and I’ve
it easier to slice (and to a small degree the 45 seconds for each leaf to pass through heard some Asian countries cut to 1 ⁄120".
soaking process helps balance the sap and the oven, but once through, the veneer is The thickness of raw veneer varies from
heartwood to a closer color). dry (normally around 6 to 8 percent mois- 0.019" to more than 0.025". Veneer thick-
After a few days to a few weeks, depend- ture content) and ready for market. The ness can vary within the same log.
ing on the species, size, hardness or thick- remarkable thing about this process is that Domestic species are sometimes cut
ness, the flitch will be ready to cut. The from the day a tree is cut in the woods to to different thicknesses, so maple might
flitch is typically brought to the slicing the day it is ready to use as veneer could be not be cut the same as walnut, not to men-

Ground to round. Within about a minute, this machine can strip the bark off a full-size log and get it Primordial pool. These deep pools of hot water
ready for slicing on an enormous band saw mill. soak the logs to soften the wood for slicing. The
smell is surprisingly powerful, like a primeval
swamp.

40 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 PHOTOS ON THIS SPREAD BY AL PARRISH; ILLUSTRATION BY MARY JANE FAVORITE

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 tion that each veneer mill cuts to different the majority of stock panels produced in
thicknesses. Exotics or imports are differ- North America and yields the most veneer
ent in thickness than domestic veneers. per log. The log is mounted in a super-
What this means is, that as you match sized lathe and turned against a stationary
one veneer to another, you will more than knife. The veneer comes off the blade like
likely have some variances. For the most unrolling a roll of toilet paper. Because
part this will not be an issue. After press- rotary cutting follows the annual growth Knife Rotary
ing and sanding, those differences seem rings it creates a very broad grain pattern
to go away. that doesn’t look like plain or quarter-cut
Keep in mind that the thinner the wood. Rotary-cut veneer is generally less
veneer is cut the more fragile it will be and expensive than sliced veneer.
there are risks of glue squeezing through Plain or Flat Sliced: Plain slicing (some-
the thin pores. In some cases with light times referred to as flat slicing) is the cut-
colored wood that is quite thin, the dark ting method most often used to produce Knife Plain slicing
color of the coreboard could show through veneers for quality architectural wood-
the face veneer. working. Slicing is done parallel to a line
through the center of the log. This cut
Types of Veneer Cuts produces a combination of cathedral and
The way veneer is cut can greatly affect its straight grain patterns. This is the com-
appearance. Two logs of the same species mon way veneer is cut for creating both
can look entirely different even though book- and slip-matching.
their colors and grains are similar. In Half-rounding: Half-round cutting is a Knife Half-round slicing
veneer manufacturing there are several variation of rotary cutting that produces
ways veneer can be cut. The three most more of a plain-sliced cut. The fl itch is VENEER CUTS
common ways are rotary, plain or flat mounted off-center in the lathe. The lathe
sliced and half-rounding. rotates with the flitch brushing against
Rotary: Rotary cutting is the only cut- the stationary knife. The resulting cut best way to enhance characteristics such
ting method that is capable of produc- is somewhat similar to both rotary and as bird’s eye and curly wood. Burls are TE
ing whole-piece faces. Rotary is used in plain-sliced veneers. Half rounding is the commonly cut by half-rounding.

CA

SID

Too fast to see. The blur on the left is a log being Almost done. Employees at Danzer Veneer in Edinburgh, Ind., inspect the leaves as they travel from the
moved rapidly up and down in front of a sta- slicer to the be dried.
tionary knife that is slicing off perfect leaves of
veneer.

popularwoodworking.com ■ 41

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 Unique Veneers still have well over a thousand square feet ity of each flitch depending on the over-
Veneer has natural characteristics that of veneer. all size, natural defects, milling defects,
are sometimes considered flaws but when Also remember that a flitch is shaped color, demand and overall appearance.
cut and sequenced together create some like a half of a log, so you will be buying The manufacturer can pretty much give
beautiful and unique effects. veneer where each leaf will be a little wider each flitch any grade value they deem
A common fallacy is to refer to the word than the one next to it. Fortunately there accurate, and it is then sold to distribu-
“grain” as a way of describing how the are several small distributors who pur- tors or retailers.
wood looks. Actually grain is the way to chase from the manufacturers and break In other words, the distributors or
describe the natural arrangement of the the flitches into bundles or individual retailers can negotiate what they want to
wood fibers in relation to the main axis of leaves. There are a lot of these companies pay, and like a used-car salesman the manu-
the tree. The correct term when trying to around and a Google search will help you facturers will find a deal that fits their bud-
identify the characteristic of the natural find a company in your area. Probably one gets. Once a distributor or retailer buys a
features of wood is to use the word “figure.” of the most reputable companies is Cer- flitch to resell, they have the option to give
Veneer is the best way to showcase specific tainly Wood in East Aurora, N.Y. any grade they want to each leaf. Grading
figure considerations such as curly, spiral, Always be specific when purchasing becomes arbitrary to the seller. What hap-
quilted, wavy, straight, cross, quartered, veneer. Ask for a certain size, both length pens is these guys buy specific flitches and
rift and diagonal. Other terms for veneers and width, and try to define the type of fig- pull out the wider pieces and give them
can sometimes be confusing and need to ure and color you are looking for. Remem- one price while placing a lesser value on
be better defined, including crotch, burl, ber that you always want sequenced veneer narrower or less desirable pieces.
butt, mottled, bird’s eye, beeswing, fiddle- from the same flitch. Usually the leaf pack- This is why you will find a great deal of
back, blistered or quilted – to name a few. ets cut from each flitch get bundled in variance from one retailer to another on
It is also important to understand what groupings of 24 or 32 sheets. If you are pur- both price and quality. Always buy veneer
reconstituted veneers are. chasing veneers such as burls and crotches from a company that offers complete cus-
you might ask for conditioned veneer or tomer satisfaction. Remember that veneer
Purchasing Veneer the flattest that they have on hand. (like lumber) is a natural product with
Like anything, buying in volume is the complex and varied properties. What
way to go. However, the manufacturers Veneer Grading you think cherry should look like might
of veneer will not sell you one leaf at a Most people assume that veneer has the be different from what the retailer has. It
time. Several years ago some of the larger same grading standard as solid wood, but might be a good idea to ask your retailer
manufacturers would sell veneer only by that is not the case. For example, veneer to send you a photo before you make your
the container. Today buying veneer is a does not follow the normal nomenclature purchase.
bit easier and some manufacturers will of lumber such as select and better, face
sell a log or sometimes even an individual and better, No. 1 common and so on. Handling & Storage
flitch at a time. Be aware that a flitch can The manufacturers decide the qual- When you get your veneers they will be
shipped either flat or rolled. If they come
rolled up, unroll them as soon as you get
them. If they remain rolled up they will
take on a rolled or curved shape. This will
not hurt the veneer, but it will make cut-
ting and taping more of a challenge.
Inspect each sheet for shipping prob-
lems, natural flaws or manufacturing
defects. Although veneer is lightweight it
is always a good idea to have someone help
you handle long pieces – even if it is just
one leaf. I use a piece of chalk to number
each piece as they were stacked to remind
me of the correct sequence. It is also a good
idea to tape the ends of each individual
leaf to help keep it from tearing with the
grain. It is essential to handle veneer as
little as possible. Each time veneer gets
handled there is a risk of splitting.
Veneer is best stored in a flat position
with some kind of weight on top. The envi-
ronment should be well ventilated, con-
Unroll and use. Veneer typically comes rolled up or flat. If it’s rolled, you should unroll it as soon as you sistent in temperature and relatively dry
can. Here Zane Powell (right) gives the author a hand with some walnut veneer. (around 70 percent humidity). If possible,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

42 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 PHOTO BY AL PARRISH

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 Common Veneer Figure

Fiddleback Bird’s Eye Butt or Stump

Fiddleback gets its name from its custom- This delightful figure is self explanatory. Bird’s Butt or stump wood typically comes from
ary use on the back of fiddles. Fiddleback eye is most commonly found in maple but the base or stump of a tree, sometimes the
is typically cut from quarter-cut wood with sometimes occurs in other species. Wood area below ground level. The fibers are
straight grain, which helps the stripes to run with bird’s eye is usually rotary cut, which twisted and tend to wrinkle, which gives a
nearly perpendicular to the main figure. helps distribute the bird’s eyes more uni- wavy or rippled marking.
This gives the stripe an almost continuous formly. Bird’s eye is graded according to the
line from one edge to the other. density of the figure in a specific area.

Mottled Quilted Beeswing

Mottled figure is a wrinkly and almost Quilted and blistered figure are very similar. It Beeswing is very similar to the mottled
blotchy appearance. It features a great con- is commonly found in mahogany and maple effect. This figure resembles a beeswing
trast of light and dark areas. It can often be and is best known for its three-dimensional and can be found in almost any species,
scattered randomly and often resembles a effect. It almost looks like a plume of billow- but satinwood is one of the most common
checkerboard pattern. ing smoke that is bulging out. woods for beeswing patterns.

Burl Crotch Reconstituted Veneer

Burls are large, wart-like growths on A crotch is the part of the tree just under a Reconstituted veneer (or composite
either the lower part of the tree close to fork, branch or split where the main branch veneer) is created by rotary slicing inex-
the ground or on the trunk of a tree. These joins the trunk. During growth the tree fibers pensive logs from fast-growing trees,
are usually caused by an injury under the begin to suffer from reaction to either com- then bleaching, dyeing and gluing slices
bark, which makes the cells divide and pression or tension caused by the weight together over unique molds or shapes to
grow excessively. Burls create beautiful of the limb. The result is a very distinctive create big blocks with specific shapes.
wood and have the appearance of tightly “flame” or “feather” figure that is elliptical These blocks are then re-sliced, re-glued
clustered dormant buds, each with a darker in outline but with a strong central plume. In and re-cut to create imitations of patterns
pith. Burls really don’t have grain direc- fine furniture this flame is usually inverted so from natural wood. They are remarkable in
tion like typical wood, which causes them that it appears upside down from the position how close they come to the original species
to ripple and distort. Most burls need to that it grew in the tree. they are intended to match. This veneer is
be conditioned (flattened) before they are somewhat brittle, which makes it a chal-
cut. It is also typical for burls to have knots, lenge to cut. Because of the glue used in the
cracks and lots of voids that will need to be manufacturing, it can resist stain, and it is
patched or repaired. difficult to achieve book and slip matches.

FIGURED VENEER SAMPLES COURTESY OF CERTAINLY WOOD, INC. AT WWW.CERTAINLYWOOD.COM; PHOTOS BY AMANDA DUMAS popularwoodworking.com ■ 43

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 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 42

try to wrap your veneer with dark plastic, the conditioning process. Conditioning is clamp it overnight. It might be a good idea
such as a trash bag. This will help keep the process of taking veneer that is buck- to put some paper towels between each
the veneer at a constant moisture content led, wavy or overly dry and restoring it to a piece of veneer to help pull the additional
while protecting it from the environment. flat, smooth workable condition. There are moisture out of the veneer.
Light can quickly discolor veneer, so at all two common ways to flatten veneers – one This a temporary way to make veneers
costs keep your veneer away from win- is temporary the other is permanent. flat. The flattening effect will last only long
dows or certain types of house lights. Method 1: For veneers that have a slight enough to get the veneer cut to size, glued
wave or buckle, you can just use a spray to the core and stuck in the press.
Flattening Veneer bottle with distilled water and lightly spray Method 2: For those veneers that are
Just like solid wood, veneers can have flat- it on both sides (do not soak the wood). brittle, buckled or cracking (typically
ness issues. With solid wood the tech- You can then use an iron on a medium set- burls and crotches) a sizing solution can
nique to make boards flat is through the ting and iron the veneer flat. Or better yet, be made and applied that will help to flat-
milling process; with veneer it is through just put it between two caul boards and ten and soften veneers for an indefinite
period of time. There are a lot of variations
of this solution, but they all do basically
Mix and brush. Sizing the same thing.
solution helps flatten My solution consists of distilled water,
your veneers and keep white glue, glycerin and denatured alco-
them that way. Mix the hol. Once it is mixed the solution will have
ingredients (right), then
brush the solution on
a shelf life of a few weeks, so it might be
both faces of every leaf best to throw out what you don’t use and
(below). mix new next time you need it. I use white
glue because it adds additional strength
to the veneer fibers, and once the sized
veneer is flattened, the glue will help keep
it flat. White glue also dries clear, so it will
not color the veneer as yellow glue and
resin glues will.
Glycerin is hygroscopic and will help

44 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 PHOTOS ON THIS SPREAD BY AL PARRISH

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 soften the veneer, make it pliable and help should feel somewhat dry and quite pli-
keep it from cracking. Do not use too much THE MIX able within that amount of time. If I am
glycerin – it ultimately can affect the glue- ■ 4 parts distilled water flattening several pieces of veneer, I will
ability of the sized veneer. (Glycerin is ■ 1 part white glue do them all at the same time.
available at any pharmacy or tractor sup- The sized veneer needs to be pressed.
■ 1 part denatured alcohol
ply store that sells animal supplies.) Dis- 1⁄ 2 part glycerin
However, if you put the veneer in the
■
tilled water thins the glue and helps the press in stacks you will do an excellent
solution draw into the fibers of the veneer. job of gluing together a stack of veneer.
Denatured alcohol acts as an emulsifier (Remember – the sizing solution has glue
between the white glue and the glycerin. in it.) It might be a good idea to get some
Denatured alcohol also helps the solution veneer with the sizing solution. It might fiberglass screen material and, for their
dry faster. be a good idea to use clothespins and hang first six hours in the press, sandwich each
Thoroughly mix all ingredients. The the veneer to let the solution penetrate for piece of veneer in the following arrange-
mixture should be used cold. Use a spray about 30 minutes. This will also help the ment: paper towel, screen, veneer, screen,
bottle or brush to cover both sides of the alcohol and water begin to dry. The veneer paper towel, screen, veneer, screen, paper
towel and so on.
It would be a good idea to change out
Press flat. Layer the the paper towel in the press every two
sized veneer with fiber- hours. This will help draw more mois-
glass screen and paper ture from the veneer and help the glue
towels (right). Then use dry. After about six hours in the press,
cauls and clamps to
press the sandwich flat
remove the screens and paper – but it’s
(below). still a good idea to separate each layer of
veneer with a piece of plastic. (Avoid using
waxed paper because under pressure some
of the wax could transfer into the pores
of the veneer, which could cause gluing
problems down the line.)
Place the veneer back into the press
and let it sit for at least 24 more hours. If
after that time the veneer still feels wet,
keep it in the press until it is dry to the
touch. By the end of this process, your
veneer will be flat, smooth and ready to
turn into works of art. PWM

Marc is the founder of The Marc Adams School

of Woodworking (marcadams.com), North America’s
largest woodworking school. You can send him an e-mail
at marc@marcadams.com.

u Go Online FOR MORE …

You’ll find links to all these online extras at:
u popularwoodworking.com/oct10

VIDEO: Watch a video tour of our visit to the

David R. Webb Veneer Mill.
BLOG: Read Robert W. Lang’s blog entries
about his visit to a veneer mill.
WEB SITE: Visit the web site for the Marc
Adams School of Woodworking.
TO BUY: Get veneer from Certainly Wood.

IN OUR STORE: “The Woodworker’s Guide

to Veneering & Inlay.”

All of our products are available online at:

u WoodworkersBookShop.com

popularwoodworking.com ■ 45

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 Magobei’s Dining Table: Part 2
B Y T O S H I O O DAT E

The fear of a sagging

tabletop leads to a
solution that incorporates
Western joints and
Japanese aesthetics.

M
any countries have their own
woodwork i ng t r ad it ion s,
which are often a combination
of mythology and ideology. The Japanese
are no exception, and those traditions are
part of the foundation of my work.
There is a temple that ancient Japanese
carpenters built. Its columns, hewn from
trees, are positioned as when each was a
standing tree. That is, the south side of
the standing tree, when used as a column,
also faces the south.
Though the tree’s south side has
more knots, period Japanese carpenters
believed that, if these trees had faced the
sun for 1,000 years, as columns they would
stand another 1,000 years if positioned
the same. Joinery-palooza! By itself, the table highlights many seldom-seen joinery details. With the addition of
Japanese woodworkers also try not the drawer frame and drawer joinery (including the author's unique technique for drawer dovetails and
stacked mortise-and-tenon joints), this project could be used to illustrate a joinery encyclopedia.
to use wood upside down, even on small
objects. And the heart side of the wood
should always face the inside of a carcase
or object. As a result, Japanese carpenters Completing the Base did most of Part 1 of this article in the
do not bookmatch material. Even for table The Magobei’s table was still upside down August 2010 issue), Laure Olender, sawed
legs, the core side should face the inside. on the horses with the sliding beams pro- all four ends flush with the table’s edge.
I follow these traditions as much as truding from the table. My assistant (who She chamfered the corners and planed
possible, especially the ideology used the end grain.
to indicate the two lives of a tree. Today, The dovetail joints fit tightly into the
when making a sculpture or cabinet, I use “Problems are to the mind what top, but I noticed a hairline crack on the
materials that mostly come from my sur- bottom face of the top. Laure inlaid a small
roundings. There must be a strong reason
exercise is to the muscles; they oak butterfly across it. The top face had
to make an exception. toughen and make strong.” a couple wider splits, so again butterfly
I don’t just hope – I carefully construct — Norman Vincent Peale (1898 - 1993) inlay was used – one inlay bridged two
a table to exist at least 300 years. American Protestant clergyman and writer small cracks.

46 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 PHOTOS BY LAURE OLENDER; ILLUSTRATIONS BY ROBERT W. LANG

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 We sharpened the power planer blades
for the final touch up. Laure then used a
palm sander and three sanding grits for
the final preparation. The table was wiped
with a dry cloth before a coat of Danish
oil was applied. The table was beautiful
and elegant. We were satisfied and Laure
was happy.

Concern About a Design Flaw

A few days later, I studied the table, and
one concern came to mind. This top is
Long-lasting joinery. The center dividers join the
about 33" wide, 2" thick and 108" long. rails with wedged mortise-and-tenon joints. The
Between the legs there is about 73". With top tenon, to be pared flush after the wedges are
time, the middle might sag. But I did not installed, extends above the rail while the bottom
want to add a brace. tenon is blind wedged – a technical joint that is
A week passed and my concern became as strong as a tree.
Built for strength. Three pieces stack to make up
serious. I decided to put drawers below
the center rail. The top piece has twin tenons, the
the top – the frame would keep it from middle piece has two tenons that stack vertically
sagging. At first, Laure thought it might drawers. Here were the challenges: I did and the bottom piece has only one tenon, and
destroy the table’s elegance. But she real- not want destroy the elegant look; a person that single tenon is blind-wedged.
ized there was not much of a choice. While should be able to sit comfortably with his
her work on the table was perfect and the legs below; and the drawer frame struc-
result beautiful, there was work to do. ture needed to be designed. Here were my
solutions: The drawers are constructed
Double-duty Added Structure with Western joints but should simulate
It was difficult to design the drawer struc- traditional Japanese design; all the parts
ture, as the table was not made to have should come from the exact same tree;
and the drawer handles should be hand-
forged in a Japanese style.
I want this table to last at least 300
years. In traditional Japanese woodwork-
ing, nails were used to fasten most draw-
ers, even the large chest of drawers known
as “tansu.” However, tansu were made
out of paulownia, a soft wood that has Great grasp. A properly fit mortise-and-tenon
joint is very strong. The center-rail-to-end-rail
no strength to hold metal nails. Japanese
joinery has five such joints.
woodworkers used tapered wooden nails
made of Japanese boxwood; rice glue held
the nails in place. (One of the greatest
enemies for wood is metal rust. If I have
to use metal, I choose stainless steel.)
For that reason, I used joinery to secure
the structure of the drawer frame instead
of nails or screws.

Building the Frame

The drawer frame is a series of multiple-
piece rails connected with mortise-and-
tenon joints. The two outside rails have
top and bottom pieces separated with five
short dividers per rail. The center three
dividers are set with the wide faces par-
Old-school fix. Any small hairline cracks in the allel to the rails while the end dividers
tabletop are bridged with inlaid butterflies. On Four-pronged support. The end rails of the
are perpendicular to the rails. The center
the bottom face of the tabletop, we use a match- drawer frame not only attach to the dividers with
ing hardwood, but any splits in the top face are dividers have wedged through-tenons at mortise and tenons, the ends are notched to fit
fixed with a contrasting wood. (We used purple- the top, and blind, wedged tenons at the around the top and bottom pieces and the rail is
heart.) bottom. The end pieces have blind tenons tenoned into those pieces for additional support.

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 3⁄4"

5" 31⁄4"
1"
17"
11⁄2" 3⁄4"

74"

FRONT VIEW

It’s stronger than the rest. The design of the support is such that a portion It’s an easy fix. Because drawer runners receive a good deal of wear, it is
actually rests on the bottom piece of the outer rail. Along with the mortise- advisable to allow for simple replacement. The runners are held to a support
and-tenon joinery, this rail has added support. with stainless steel screws, no glue.

at both the top and bottom that are held last, it is important to allow for the replace- tenon joints. Each support piece begins as
with glue only, no wedges. ment of those runners. For that reason, a length of stock that is 2" wide and 15 ⁄8"
The center rail is made from three the runners are attached with screws, and thick. The sides of the support are rab-
pieces that, when assembled, form an I- if you carefully align the holes, the first beted, leaving a 1 ⁄4" x 1 ⁄4" ledge to locate
beam. The center part is attached to the fi x is simply to flip each runner then re- the runners.
upper and lower pieces with a sliding install the screws. The photo above shows how the sup-
dovetail across the length of the rail, and The runners at the end of the drawer port fits to the front-rail assembly. Each
each end is fit into the end rails with two frame are attached directly to the end interior support tenons into the bottom
tenons. rails. The interior runners are attached piece of the outer rail, then a portion of the
The upper piece of the center rail is to support pieces that fit between the outer support fits on top of that rail and tight to
attached to the end rail with a pair of split rails and the center rail. These supports the divider, where a small tenon fits into
tenons, one on each side of the sliding- are joined to the rails with mortise-and- the divider. Each support is fit to the cen-
dovetail socket. The bottom rail has a sin- ter rail in the same way, except the upper
gle tenon fit to the end rail; blind wedges tenon slips into the center part of that rail.
hold the joint secure. After the drawer runners are cut to size
The two end rails are mortised to accept and attached to the supports, the entire
the center rail’s tenons, and they have ten- drawer frame is attached to the underside
ons that fit into mortises in the end pieces of the tabletop with screws.
of the outer rails. The end rails are also
notched to fit around the outer rails’ top On to the Drawers
and bottom pieces, and tenons are formed For these drawers, I decided to use hidden
on the end rails to fit matching mortises dovetails. Hidden dovetail joints for din-
in those pieces. Dry-fit these joints, but ing table drawers? One might consider this
do not yet glue them up. overkill. However, I have good reasons.
First, Japanese woodworkers usually
Drawer Guides With a Twist hide joints. For example, they mostly use
Study ancient furniture with drawers and This looks familiar. The dovetail sockets on the blind mortises for interior work (although
you will see that the drawer runners show drawer fronts begin as if the drawers were of a they would use through-mortises for an
most of the wear. To help make this table lipped design. exterior door). Also, they hide intricate

48 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010

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 Mr. Ash
People don’t like to cut down a tree,
especially an old one. Owners devise
ways to keep the tree from falling. Even-
tually, if the tree dies or becomes haz-
ardous, people agree to cut it down.
Small branches are chipped; thicker
branches become firewood. However,
most people, because of the respect for
its age, size, or because the tree carries
memories, want something special done
with the main part of the tree.
As a youth, I was taught to respect a
tree as material for woodworking. Occa-
sionally, people would call and say, “I
have just cut down a large tree. It would
be a shame to cut it up for firewood. If
EXPLODED VIEW you can use it, you can have it.” They
wish to preserve the spiritual and physi-
cal richness of the old tree.
I have heard the story and history
of many trees and have developed an
Ash Table – Drawer Frame & Drawers attitude toward the aging of an old tree.
I imagine their knowledge, experience,
NO. ITEM DIMENSIONS (INCHES) MATERIAL COMMENTS
T W L
wisdom, character and dignity. Any-
thing that I make from them, no matter
DRAWER FRAME whether it is something large or small, is
done with the greatest deliberation and
❏ 2 Outer rail bottoms 1 11⁄2 74 Ash
attention.
❏ 2 Outer rail tops 3⁄ 4 2 74 Ash Some time ago, I met with a man to
❏ 6 Center dividers 1 11⁄2 43⁄4 Ash 3⁄4" TBE* look at an ash tree that had fallen during
❏ 4 End dividers 3⁄ 4 1 41⁄2 Ash 1⁄2" TBE a storm. The large ash tree was lying qui-
❏ 1 Center rail top 3⁄ 4 3 733⁄4 Ash 5⁄8 " TBE etly, and already many kinds of bushes
were blanketing its surface. The tree
❏ 1 Center rail bottom 1 2 733⁄4 Ash 5⁄8 " TBE
weighed several tons – as it fell, it must
❏ 1 Center rail middle 1 37⁄8 731⁄2 Ash 1⁄2" TBE
have shaken the entire forest. When it
❏ 2 End rails 3⁄ 4 5 271⁄2 Ash 3⁄4" TBE fell, part of the forest floor was ripped,
❏ 6 Runner supports 15⁄8 2 13 Ash 1⁄4" TBE leaving a giant scar on the ground. The
❏ 16 Drawer runners 1⁄2 3⁄ 4 113⁄8 Ash tree appeared to have been peacefully
sleeping on the forest floor for centuries.
DRAWERS The bark looked very healthy; on it
❏ 8 Fronts 7⁄8 31⁄4 17 Ash 1⁄4 " x 5⁄8" RBE** many vines were clinging tightly. About
5⁄8 20' up from the roots a large branch
❏ 16 Sides 31⁄4 12 Ash 3⁄8 " x 5⁄8" ROE†
stretched out to the left, and almost
❏ 8 Backs 5⁄8 21⁄2 161⁄2 Ash immediately thereafter another branch
❏ 8 Bottoms 1⁄4 113⁄4 161⁄2 Ash directed my eye up to the right. I call
❏ 32 Geta 1⁄4 3⁄ 4 7⁄8 Ash it a branch, but it was almost 30" in
diameter. The midsection of the tree was
* TBE = Tenon both ends; ** Rabbet both ends; †Rabbet one end easily 5' in diameter. I estimated it was
250 years old.
The lower portion of the tree was
rotten and its underside had little bark. I
suspected that side had no usable wood.
corner joints. As a result, only a miter line viewed from the side, there is no visible I examined the tree a little longer.
or shoulder line is visible. dovetail. The tails that fit into the sockets Finally, I climbed on it and walked
toward the end. I felt as if I were crossing
Second, the outward appearance of are blind, too. It is more detailed work, but a large log bridge above a deep valley. I
my new-style drawer (which I think I will the look mimics Japanese construction. could not see the ground. Overwhelmed
mostly make from now on) is similar to For the drawer back, I also did not want by its mass and long life with hidden
a traditional Japanese drawer – it looks to use nails. I used a sliding dovetail. I knowledge and wisdom, I decided to
like simple rabbet-joint construction, just notched the leading edge of the tail and name the tree Mr. Ash. I felt a strong
urge to preserve all of its character and
without the wooden nails. slid it into the socket from the bottom – the dignity. I would make as many things as I
The drawer fronts are lipped at the groove for the drawer bottom is 3 ⁄8" deep could, large and small, while celebrating
ends and dovetail sockets are cut just as to allow access. The dovetail socket stops this tree with joy. The Magobei’s dining
you would see on Western drawers. about 1 ⁄4" from the top edge. In that way, table is from this ash tree. — TO
It’s the drawer sides that differ. When you see only the shoulder line.

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 The bottom panel’s grain is parallel to
the front face of the drawer. The panel is
glued into a groove in the drawer front. In
the event the panel shrinks, it would do
so from the back edge toward the front. I
hold this panel with two screws into the
drawer back, set into 3 ⁄8"-long slits to allow
the panel to move.
I added two “geta” to each drawer
side to protect against wear (see “Geta: A
Life Extended” on next page). These are
Here’s the difference. Take a close look at Slide & hide. The rear of the drawer is also a tapered sliding dovetails tapped in from
the drawer sides. The tails of the sides are not dovetail connection, but it is a sliding joint. The the outside and glued. They are flushed
through-cut, so when the sides join to the drawer dovetail on the drawer back fits into a stop-cut with the outside edge of the drawer side. By
fronts, the fit is flush to the edge of the fronts. socket in the drawer side. As a result, the joint
sliding the geta in from the outside (with
appears as a simple butt joint.
the taper facing the inside), the pieces stay
in place if the materials shrink.

Hardware & Finish Completed

After the drawers are constructed, we
decide on the hardware design. The design
is distinctly Japanese. The pulls feature a
traditional installation method. The han-
dle is centered and small holes are drilled
for the cotter pin fasteners. Before I install
the pulls, a coat of Danish oil was applied
to the drawer fronts.
With the frame and drawers assembled
and ready to use, I don’t worry about the
top sagging. The drawer frame adds sup-
port, and the drawers are useful. The table
remains beautiful and elegant. PWM

As an author, lecturer and teacher, Toshio has been

pivotal in spreading knowledge about Japanese tools
and woodworking techniques throughout the
Western world. He is a sculptor, woodworker, former
professor at Pratt Institute, and the author of “Japanese
Woodworking Tools: Their Tradition, Spirit and Use”
Boxes are built. Solid wood drawer bottoms adjust with the seasons. Align the grain to run side-to-side
(Linden) and “Making Shoji” (Linden).
and glue the bottom to the drawer front to force any movement toward the back. The bottom has two
screws (set in slots to allow movement) to keep the bottom from sagging.

u Go Online FOR MORE …

You’ll find links to all these online extras at:
u popularwoodworking.com/oct10

VIDEO: Learn to calculate the sizes of the

drawer parts needed for your project.
ARTICLE: Discover how to sharpen your
chisels properly from long-time sharpener
and author Ron Hock.
WEB SITE: Study the Tansu style and read
about the history of the Japanese chest.
TO BUY: Purchase a set of Japanese chisels
and other woodworking tools.
IN OUR STORE: Pick up “The Drawer Book”
for information about drawer construction.
All of our products are available online at:
Goodbye concerns. Not only does the drawer frame reduce the potential for the large tabletop to sag, u WoodworkersBookShop.com
the drawers, with the appearance of Japanese construction and Western joinery, add valuable storage.

50 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010

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 Geta: A Life Extended
A fter studying sliding doors in Japanese
furniture, I considered how to use geta
– small dovetailed pieces that reduce wear
in door rails – in drawer construction.
This drawer construction technique is a
new idea. The pieces are easy to make and
once installed, they increase the longevity
of the drawer sides through reduced wear.
Drawers ride on the geta – made from
a denser lumber – and that keeps the sides
from wearing prematurely. — TO 1 Custom miter box. A simple miter box
makes sawing the geta quick. Clipped small
brads act as feet to hold the jig in place.
2 Repetitive cuts. With the saw kerf made
to the layout line, it’s easy to produce the
needed number of geta, four per drawer.

3 Consistency is best. Set up and cut the

pieces close in size. While it’s not neces-
sary to get them exact, large variations within
4 Accuracy counts. Because the individual
pieces may vary in length, it’s best to mark
each socket using the geta that is to fit the socket.
5 A second jig. Use the miter box to make
a layout jig. Due to the number of lines
needed, a jig increases your accuracy as you
the drawer would become apparent. Square the lines across the drawer sides. transfer the lines to the drawer side faces.

6 Proper plan-
ning. It is easier to
saw the sockets (taper
pointing toward the
drawer inside) without
the drawer bottom in
position. However, I
developed the idea after
the drawer boxes were
completed. I also would
change the location
for the drawer bottom
groove to provide for
a thicker geta if I were
beginning the drawer
construction process. 7 Opening the socket. Careful paring with
your chisel opens the socket. Check the
fit of the geta often to achieve a snug fit.

9 Installation is
complete. The
relationship of the geta
to the drawer box is
shown here. Because
they are made from lum-
ber that is more hard-
wearing than the drawer
sides, this small addition
allows the drawer to
function properly for a
longer period of time.

8 Assembly. Add glue before seating the

tight-fitting geta into the drawer side.
Installed from the outside face, the geta stays
put even if the drawer parts shrink.

popularwoodworking.com ■ 51

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 Where Does the Glue Go?
B Y R O B E R T W. L A N G

Thirst, not starvation,

leads to weak glue joints.

O
n my first day on the job as an
apprentice cabinetmaker, my task
was to glue together radiator pan-
els for an office building. Two sticks of solid
wood with tongues on one edge fit into
grooves on the edges of veneered MDF pan-
els. Eager to show that I wasn’t a complete
boob, I said, “The glue should squeeze out
so I know I have enough, right?”
The cabinetmaker training me looked
me up and down and said, “The glue
should almost squeeze out.” I thought he
was asking for the impossible as I set to
work. There were a lot of panels to practice
on, and plenty of time to think. Six weeks
and 1,300 panels later, I was done. I got
pretty good at laying down a bead of glue How – not how much. Roughly equal amounts of glue were used in each of these joints. The difference
that just barely squeezed from the joint between them is in how the glue was applied.
and every now and then I hit the “almost
squeeze out” target.
Most of my motivation to apply the bility, I would put a joint together then almost always spread glue on both surfaces
perfect amount of glue came from deal- take it apart to see where the glue was. If of a joint with an acid brush.
ing with the consequences of too much I saw glue on both surfaces I was happy; Both Glen and I have been around long
glue – patches that wouldn’t take stain the joint would hold and I wouldn’t have enough to be set in our ways, but we each
due to wiping off the excess with a wet a mess to clean up. recognize that in woodworking there are
rag or chips in the veneer from scraping My methods were successful. I can’t usually several acceptable ways to accom-
off little beads that I allowed to dry on remember having a joint fail for want of plish any task. Glen made me wonder if
the surface. glue. Most of my experience is in produc- there was an advantage to brushing glue
Over the years, I applied this principle tion work, where time is money. I wasn’t inside a mortise, or if he was taking more
to all my joinery. I read magazine arti- wasting time brushing glue on every pos- time than necessary.
cles recommending the use of copious sible surface before assembly and I wasn’t Think of what he could accomplish
amounts of glue to avoid “starving” the spending time cleaning up after. But was with the time saved by simply squirt-
joint. When I worried about that possi- I doing the best work possible? ing glue in a mortise and moving on, as
I did. So, I set up an experiment to prove
Enter Glen the Careful Gluer him wrong. I prepared a piece of wood
I share the magazine workshop with peo- with three mortises, then sliced off one
“Nothing is softer or more flexible ple whose work I admire, even though they face of the board and attached a piece of
than water, yet nothing can resist it.” use different techniques. When Senior Plexiglas. That way we could see what
— Lao Tzu (6th century BCE) Editor Glen D. Huey joined us, I noticed happened when the joint was glued and
founder of Taoism he had a different approach to gluing. He a tenon inserted.

52 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 LEAD PHOTO BY AL PARRISH; ILLUSTRATIONS & STEP PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR

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 A Great & Noble Experiment
One mortise would be glued with my
method, one with Glen’s and we decided
to apply glue to the tenon alone for the
third method. We set up our still and
video cameras to record what happened.
I squirted a bead of glue on each edge of
the first mortise, inserted the tenon, then
handed the glue bottle to Glen.
Glen squirted glue in the mortise, then Saturation is the secret. Moisture in water-based glue penetrates the surface of wood. The joint at the
with a brush spread the glue on the mortise left shows assembly from two dry components; the glue migrates away from the joint line. Spread glue
sides and the tenon before he assembled with a brush and give it a few seconds to soak in for an effective bond, as seen in the illustration at right.
the joint. I put a bead of glue on the last
tenon and inserted it. This last joint was
obviously not as well glued; the rim of the like sponge than stone. Water-based glues lance, and it allows the glue to distribute
mortise scraped off most of the glue as the work by soaking into the surface to bond evenly when components are joined. On
tenon went past, pushing it to the shoulder with the wood fibers. Glue on one piece assembly, the glue on the wetted surfaces
where a lot of it squeezed out. combines with those fibers and with a film combines and forms a superior bond.
The other two joints looked remarkably of glue on the adjacent piece. It takes time The amount of time it takes for wetting
similar; glue covered the Plexiglas thor- for the water in the glue to carry the other is only a few seconds, and the difference
oughly and a small amount squeezed out at components into the wood. in the amount of glue used is small. My
the shoulder. It appeared that both meth- This absorption takes place whether or glue joint wasn’t starved, it was thirsty.
ods worked and that brushing only added not the two surfaces are in intimate con- My method essentially spread glue on the
time to the process without any added tact. It isn’t clamp pressure that forces glue mortise and the tenon at the same time;
benefit. We went to lunch and returned into the cellular structure of the wood, it’s both parts were dry enough to absorb glue
to see what the joints looked like after the the same process that takes place when away from the contact area.
glue had dried. you throw a pile of sawdust on a puddle on For optimum glue joints, you don’t need
After an hour, there was an obvious the floor. The water takes the easy route, a lot of glue, but you should spread the glue
difference. The brushed joint had an even soaking in where it can. evenly on both surfaces before assembly
film of dried glue visible on the entire sur- If there isn’t a good fi lm of glue on a and clamping. You can aim for an amount
face of the tenon. My joint, where the glue joint’s surface at the start, the glue that is of glue that will almost squeeze out. Add-
had been applied as a bead, had a much present will likely migrate to the interior ing excess glue won’t guarantee anything
thinner film. In some places it looked as of the wood, away from the joint. except a mess to clean up. But a few extra
if the glue had disappeared entirely from That’s what happened to my mortise. seconds spent spreading glue on mating
the tenon’s surface. A surface that looked completely covered surfaces will guarantee a better joint.
lost a lot of glue – and a lot of glue strength As I mentioned earlier, I’ve never had
Where Did the Glue Go? – while we ate lunch. Brushing glue on a mortise-and-tenon joint fail, but this
A piece of wood may appear solid, but at both surfaces of the other joint saturated simple test convinced me that I’ve been
a microscopic level, its surface is more them. This is called wetting in glue par- lucky. From now on, I’ll take a little more
time and brush on the glue. PWM

Bob is executive editor of Popular Woodworking

Magazine; he owes senior editor Glen D. Huey lunch.

u Go Online FOR MORE …

You’ll find links to all these online extras at:
u popularwoodworking.com/oct10

VIDEO: Three methods for gluing mortises

compared.
BLOG: Read “Bound Up On the Topic of
Glue.”
IN OUR STORE: “Glue and Clamps (Missing
Shop Manual).”
All wet. When a joint is first assembled, the glue Moisture migration. Within moments glue is
All of our products are available online at:
spreads into any available space, whether it was absorbed into the surrounding wood. In this
u WoodworkersBookShop.com
brushed or not, as shown here in our first of unbrushed joint the glue moves into the surface
several tests. of the dry tenon.

popularwoodworking.com ■ 53

52-53_1010_PWM_WhereGlueGoes.ind53 53 7/21/10 5:52:29 PM

 F L E X N E R O N F I N I S H I N G
BY BOB FLEXNER

Optimize a
Spray Gun
A simple test reveals ideal
pressure for atomization.

S pray guns can run off a compressor or a

turbine. With turbines the air pressure is
established by the number of “stages,” usually
two, three or four. Each stage corresponds to
about 2 pounds per square inch (PSI). This
seems ineffectively low, but it’s made up for by
Dots. One method of optimizing the air pressure to a spray gun is to increase the pressure until the dots
a huge volume of air, giving rise to the name
at the edges of the pattern no longer get smaller. Increasing the PSI beyond this point only increases
– High-Volume Low-Pressure (HVLP). bounce-back. The air pressure on the left spray burst is 20 PSI at the regulator. The air pressure on the
With compressors you have an infinite right spray burst is 50 PSI. The dots at the edges of the right pattern are significantly smaller and also
range of pressures you can use, and it is up to more uniform in size than the dots at the edges of the left pattern.
you to set this pressure so your spray gun is
optimized for the best possible atomization.
If you use too little pressure, you won’t get the
best atomization; you’ll get orange peel. If you
set the pressure too high, you’ll waste finish or
stain because of excessive bounce-back.

How to Determine Ideal Pressure

Some spray gun and finish manufacturers
provide a suggested air pressure for their prod-
ucts, and you may find this works just fine for
you. But there are many variables manufactur-
ers can’t take into account. These include the
actual finish or stain you’re using if the sug-
gestion comes from a spray-gun supplier, how
much thinner you’ve added, the length of your
air hose, and a particularly critical variable for
home shops – temperature variations (liquids
become thicker in cooler temperatures and
require more pressure to atomize).
In addition, manufacturer-suggested pres- Pattern. A second and often more obvious method of optimizing the air pressure to a spray gun is to
sures often don’t specify whether they are mea- increase the pressure until the pattern no longer gets wider. “When the pattern is right, the pressure is
right.” This picture shows increasing the air pressure in 10-PSI increments from 20 PSI at the regulator
sured at the compressor’s regulator, the gun’s
to 60 PSI at the regulator. The pattern doesn’t get wider from 50 PSI to 60 PSI, so spraying above 50 PSI
air inlet or at the air cap. doesn’t improve atomization. It just wastes finish material due to excessive bounce-back. Fifty PSI, or just
In order to adjust the pressure at the air a little less, is therefore the optimum air pressure to use with this gun and finish material at these tem-
inlet or air cap, you need a pressure gauge that perature conditions.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 56

54 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR

54-59_1010_PWM_Flexner.indd 54 7/22/10 10:22:16 AM

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54-59_1010_PWM_Flexner.indd 55 7/22/10 10:22:28 AM

 F L E X N E R O N F I N I S H I N G
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 54

increments of 10 PSI and spraying short bursts.

Each time you increase the pressure the pat-
tern will get wider and the dots at the edges
of the pattern will get smaller.
It’s important to hold the gun at the same
distance from the target for each burst. The
easy way to do this is to open your hand fully,
placing the tip of your little finger against the
target and the tip of your thumb against the
air cap on the gun. Then spray each burst at
this distance, which is about 8". Pressure gauges. Optimizing can also be done
Regulator. Both methods of optimizing the air When you reach a pressure that doesn’t using a pressure gauge attached to the air-inlet
pressure to a spray gun can be done with just nipple at the bottom of the gun’s handle, but no
widen the pattern from the previous one and
a regulator, which is attached to smaller, por- advantage is gained over simply using the regula-
table compressors and is mounted on the wall doesn’t make the dots smaller, you’ve gone too tor. To determine if you are complying with the
with larger, stationary compressors. This picture far. You’ve achieved the best atomization, but HVLP standard of not exceeding 10 PSI at the air
shows air and moisture filters along with the wall- you’re now wasting material because more cap, you will need a special air cap and attached
mounted regulator. than necessary is bouncing back. air pressure gauge.
So reduce the air pressure to the previous
setting – or a little further – to just before the
attaches to these locations. Many spray gun pattern shrinks and the dots become larger. If you should want a wider fan pattern for
manufacturers supply an inlet air gauge with This is the optimum setting for the vis- spraying large surfaces, you’ll need to get a
their gun. But the more accurate measurement cosity of the material you are spraying in the larger fluid nozzle and needle. Then go through
is made at the air cap. Unlike the more generic current temperature conditions. Here’s your the optimization procedure again to set the
gauges that attach to the air inlet, gauges for mantra: “When the pattern is right, the pres- air pressure.
the air cap are specific for each gun and can sure is right.” Once you have established the optimum
cost several hundred dollars. As long as the viscosity and temperature pressure for the equipment you’re using, you
But you don’t need any of these gauges, conditions remain the same, there’s no reason can narrow the fan width a good bit using
and you don’t need to rely on manufacturers’ to redo the test. Simply set the air pressure at the fan-width control knob without losing
suggestions. You can figure out the optimum the regulator the same each time you spray. significant efficiency.
air pressure for your gun and for the fi nish If you change to a different finish material, Remember that this test doesn’t work with
you’re spraying with just the regulator and or if you thin it differently, or if the temperature turbine-air supplied guns because you don’t
a simple test. (Portable compressors have a changes, you’ll need to perform the test again have the same control of air pressure. For the
regulator attached. Larger compressors are to find the optimum pressure. most part, the only adjustment you can make
meant to hook up to piping and you have to But you shouldn’t need to start over from a using a turbine gun is adding more or less
install a regulator at the point where you want too-low pressure. You will learn quickly how thinner. PWM
your air hose to attach.) to make simple adjustments, increasing the
Bob’s new book, “Flexner on Finishing,” is now available
pressure a little when it is cold and decreas- at WoodworkersBookShop.com.
The Test ing the pressure a little when you have added
To find the optimum air pressure, begin by more thinner.
opening all the controls on your gun to their u Go Online FOR MORE …
maximum and turning the air pressure at the
regulator down to well below where you think You’ll find links to all these online extras at:
it should be – for example, to 20 PSI. u popularwoodworking.com/oct10

With the regulator set to about 20 PSI, spray ARTICLES: Browse through the many

a short burst onto brown paper or cardboard. stories available on our “Finishing” page.
(The finish shows up better on a brown surface TO BUY: Bob’s new book, “Flexner on Fin-

than on white paper.) You’ll get a relatively ishing” (Popular Woodworking Books),
is now available through our online
small, center-heavy pattern with noticeably store. The book is an indexed collection of
large dots around the edges. Bob’s updated and revised columns from
Increase the air pressure by 10 PSI and Orange peel. When the dots at the edge of a
the last 10+ years.
spray burst are large, you get an especially bad
spray another burst. The pattern will be a little case of orange peel as shown here. Orange peel All of our products are available online at:
wider and the dots a little smaller. is so named because of the resemblance to the u WoodworkersBookShop.com
Continue increasing the air pressure in texture in the peel of an orange.

56 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010

54-59_1010_PWM_Flexner.indd 56 7/22/10 10:22:44 AM

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 Everything You Need to
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Take control of finishing by learning how to
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Inside, you’ll discover the truth about:

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 K_\NfibY\eZ_f]Pfli;i\Xdj
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popularwoodworking.com ■ 61

60-61_1010_PWM_Classifieds.indd 61 7/22/10 10:25:48 AM

 G L O S S A R Y

W oodworking’s lexicon can be over-

whelming for beginners. The fol-
lowing is a list of terms used in this issue
flitch (n)
In veneer manufacturing, a longitudi-
nal section of a trunk or log that is sliced
Plow plane

that may be unfamiliar to you. into thin sheets (leaves). A flitch (or set of
leaves) is often sold as an ordered stack.
acid brush (n)
fruitwood (n)
An inexpensive brush with a rolled or
A generic term used to describe any of
pressed aluminum handle and stiff black
various woods that come from trees that
bristles. Traditionally used for applying
bear fruit, such as cherry, pear or apple.
flux for plumbing joints, some woodwork-
The term is also used to apply to a generic
ers use it to apply glue, especially to the
brown or reddish stain. moisture absorption. In veneer, leaves are
inside of mortises.
sized to flatten them. Glue sizing refers to
a thin coat of diluted glue that seals the
atomization (n)
“The chief virtue that language surface of the wood.
In spray finishing, the reduction of a liquid
to tiny particles or a fine spray, achieved by can have is clearness, and nothing tansu (n)
high-pressure or high-volume air breaking The Japanese word for a chest, chest of
up the stream of liquid (paint, stain or fin- detracts from it so much as the use of drawers or cupboard. In the West, the
ish) as it exits the tip of the spray gun. unfamiliar words.” term is often used to describe a modular
— Hippocrates (circa 460 BCE - c. 370 BCE) chest with a stepped shape.
cotter pin (n) ancient Greek physician wheelwright (n)
A metal fastener with a two-tined split
The traditional term for a person who
pin, often found on traditional hardware
builds and repairs wheels.
such as pulls. The pin is inserted through geta (n)
a hole, then bent on the backside to secure A Japanese term for dovetail-shaped hard- wetting (n)
the hardware to a drawer or door. wood shoes typically fit into rails on slid- The ability of a liquid (in woodworking –
ing doors to reduce wear. glue) to stay in contact with a solid (wood).
crest rail (n) The wetting property of a glue can help
grain (n)
The top rail of a chair, settee or sofa; it determine the dispersion of the adhesive
Many woodworkers misuse this term.
is often curved, profiled and sometimes and the ultimate strength of the glue bond.
“Grain” refers to the natural arrangement
carved. Proper wetting of your joints with adhe-
of the wooden fibers in relation to the axis
sive is key for a good bond.
of the tree. Boards can have straight grain,
interlocked grain or reversing grain, for white glue (n)
Crest rail example. When referring to how the A solvent-based adhesive that creates a
growth rings appear on the face of a board, bond as it dries. Unlike yellow glues (which
the proper word is “figure.” are polyvinyl adhesives), white glue dries
clear. White glue also has a longer open
plow plane (n)
time, which can be an advantage when
A handplane with a fence (usually adjust-
dealing with complex assemblies. How-
able) used to cut grooves, to create tongues
ever, it requires more time in clamps and
on the ends of boards and to waste away
is (according to some reports) slightly
areas to make way for moulding planes.
less resistant to moisture than yellow
rotary-cut veneer (n) glue. PWM
A common method for cutting veneer,
usually for low-grade construction ply-
woods. The log is spun in front of a knife,
removing a continuous ribbon of veneer
u Go Online FOR MORE …
– much like unrolling toilet paper. The You’ll find links to all these online extras at:
figure of rotary-cut wood is distinct and u popularwoodworking.com/oct10

unnatural to most woodworkers. BLOG: “How I Use a Plow Plane,” by

Christopher Schwarz.
sizing (or size) (n) IN OUR STORE: Our new reprint of the 1889
A substance used to partially seal a sur- book “Exercises in Wood-working.”
face and protect it from changes due to

62 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 CHAIR ILLUSTRATION FROM “THE STORY OF A DEVELOPING FURNITURE STYLE,” BY LEOPOLD STICKLEY;
PLANE ILLUSTRATION FROM “EXERCISES IN WOODWORKING,” BY IVIN SICKELS

62-63_1010_PWM_Glossary.indd 62 7/27/10 1:56:58 PM

 WHAT’S NEW in the BOOKSHOP Editor’s TOP PICK

‘Exercises in Wood-working’
First printed in 1889, this book ‘The Workbench Design Book’
was written to educate college This new book picks up where Christopher
students in the craft and business of Schwarz’s first workbench book left off.
woodworking. Here, the original text You’ll find plans for nine additional benches
is reprinted in its entirety, not only to as well as critiques of many common bench
help you discover late 19th-century styles available today. Armed with the 256
‘Flexner on Finishing’
practices in woodworking, but to pages of knowledge inside, you’ll know how After five years of editing Bob Flexner’s col-
help you make the most of traditional to build your perfect bench – or modify an umns (and five years of working in our shop),
hand tools in the modern shop. existing one. I thought I knew a little something about
finishing. Turns out I was right – I knew a
(very) little. But I recently edited “Flexner on
Finishing,” which is a revised and updated

A
collection of all the columns Bob has writ-
ten for Popular Woodworking Magazine
(and some additional articles). I’m humbled
Go to Woodworking School Get the Most Out of by how much I hadn’t known. What I like
Without Leaving Home Woodworking! best about this book is that you can dip in
just about anywhere and learn something
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• Learn SketchUp, an invaluable 3-D Popular Woodworking Magazine. Oh – and there’s a bonus chapter on furni-
modeling program, with “SketchUp for • Popular Woodworking’s 2004- ture repair … which means I’m now out of
Woodworkers.” 2008 Compilation CD, with 35 excuses for avoiding the veneer repair on my
• Get an excellent finish every time with issues on one CD. Edwardian sideboard. Thanks a lot, Bob.
“The 10 Commandments of Finishing.” • Member-only savings that let you
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62-63_1010_PWM_Glossary.indd 63 7/28/10 9:10:19 AM

 E N D G R A I N
BY JOE ASNAULT

Chainsaw
Massacre
Premeditated cedar
slaughter satisfies.

I made the decision to murder with a tinge

of remorse because I have heard more
than a billion times during the last few
years that we need trees to help stem global
warming. But the beauty of the 75' of dead
straight Western red cedar towered over
me. I pulled the starter cord of my 24" bar
chain saw and I cut the wedge, commit- bled sap and sawdust, and I smiled at the Home Depot?” I couldn’t answer him then,
ted now, adrenaline pumping. I began the beauty of the cuts. I chose 3 ⁄4" for the slabs, but I can now.
hinge cut, slipped in a plastic wedge for and the tree yielded approximately 72 All woodworkers, professional or avid,
safety and murdered the tree. It screeched usable pieces. know there is something personal about
just before it hit the forest duff, then lay The stacks of stickered pieces rested in the process of the creation of something
still. I didn’t see a dead body. I saw dollar peace under my cabin to air dry, then we beautiful. Every time I walk into my cabin
signs, and my guilt wafted away with the planed them on site to 1 ⁄2" thick, ripped and see the walls lined with the cedar I
sweet smell of the 50-to-1 gas mixture. them to 4" widths and chamfered the edges painstakingly milled, I don’t see dollar
The tree was alive, and didn’t need to on the router table – 7,000-watt generator signs; I see beauty – soul-satisfying beauty
die – but I needed cedar lumber for the blaring, table saw buzzing, router scream- – and I grin.
interior siding of my mountain cabin. Go ing, planer piercing. Even the sweet smell I walk my 2.5 acres in the forest search-
ahead. Call me a killer. But now I’m a killer of the pieces seemed to justify the killing. ing for other victims to slake my need to
with some killer 6' lengths of primo cedar I couldn’t wait to show my trophies to fam- create. A deck. A table for my parents’
– and now this woodworking project won’t ily and friends. retirement present. A podium to use for
kill my pocketbook. At first, that’s how I The tree spikers would damn me for my day job. And it will feel good to com-
saw it – as a way to save some cash. I real- my maliciousness and greed. Yet no huge mit another murder. PWM
ized a different motive later. piece of machinery had to blaze through a
My buddy Bill used his tractor to dump forest to drop this cedar beast. No diesel Joe is a freelance writer and avid woodworker who
lives in Northern California. He and his woodworking
the last 6' section of the tree, about 20" in behemoths had to transport the meat to mentor, John Shern, have built everything from rabbit
diameter, into my milling area. The Gran- a mill, where endless kilowatts would be hutches to poker tables.
berg MKIII Alaskan Chain Saw Lumber used. No mass-transportation system was
Mill shone dully, reeking of pine and pitch needed to drive the carcases to sale. No sap
from a previous killing, on the tailgate of like myself ended up paying $3 to $4 per u Go Online FOR MORE …
my truck, and the milling commenced. foot for it. Instead, I’ve used a bit of gas, a
You’ll find links to all these online extras at:
In all my building and woodworking touch of oil and a cord of gumption. u popularwoodworking.com/oct10
fantasies, never did I envision the raw Five months prior, eyeing the brand-
ARTICLE: Read “Lusting for Lumber.”
butchering of a tree by hand. With two new gleaming chain saw mill on the tail-
VIDEO: Is a chainsaw too delicate for you?
sharp ripping chains, a ton of bar oil and gate of my truck, my poker buddy asked, Try black powder.
gas, I commenced the slaughter. The wood “Why don’t you just buy your lumber at

64 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING MAGAZINE October 2010 PHOTO BY THE AUTHOR

64-c4_1010_PWM_EndGrain.indd 64 7/22/10 10:33:27 AM

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64-c4_1010_PWM_EndGrain.indd c3 7/22/10 10:33:54 AM

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64-c4_1010_PWM_EndGrain.indd c4 7/22/10 10:34:14 AM