F E BRU A RY 2023 | # 2 6 9

ARTS & CRAFTS

BOOKCASE
NANCY HILLER (1959-2022)

TURNED KITCHEN SCOOP SLAB-TOPPED COFFEE TABLE JOINTER RESTORATION

IInnovative
i Ch ki M
Chucking k
Makes A Ch
Asa Christiana’s
i i ’ N No-Nonsense
N P 1 off R
Part Restoring
i this
hi
Turning this Scoop an Adventure Approach to this Elegant Project Turn of the Century Machine
FEBRUARY 2023 | VOL. 43, NO. 1

Build
22 Arts & Crafts Bookcase
Dramatic details showcase leaded glass and English style.
BY NANCY HILLER

34 Make a Slab-Topped Coffee Table

This coffee table is just the beginning of what you can
build with this $20 doweling jig.
BY ASA CHRISTIANA

42 Rolling Stand
This rolling stand is the perfect mobile workstation. Use
it for a shop computer or to mount a power tool.
BY DANIELLE LOWERY

50 Scoop with Pewter Finial

Combine spindle turning with a special chucking
method to make this utilitarian scoop.
BY JIMMY CLEWES 22

34

42 50

2 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
 POPULARWOODWORKING.COM

Connect
04 From the Editor
Reflecting on the life of Nancy
Hiller and what’s new with
Popular Woodworking.
BY LOGAN WITTMER

06 New Tools
New tools from Metabo HPT
and ToughBuilt.
BY COLLIN KNOFF AND
LOGAN WITTMER

Craft
10 Jointer Restoration
04 06 Part 1 of bringing back a vintage
piece of woodworking machinery.
BY LOGAN WITTMER

60 Storage Tips
Get your shop organized with
these top-notch storage tips.
BY TIM JOHNSON

64 End Grain
Your local woodworking guild
may be one of your best sources
of woodworking education.
BY KEVIN THOMAS

10

64 Kansas City Woodworkers’ Guild

Number 269, February 2023, Popular Woodworking (USPS #752-250) (ISSN 0884-8823) Canadian
Agreement No. 40025316 is published 6 times a year, February, April, June, August, October, and
December, by the Home Group of Active Interest Media HoldCo, Inc. The known office of publication is
located at 2143 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312. Periodicals postage paid at Des Moines, IA, and
additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER. Send address changes to Popular Woodworking, P.O. Box
37274, Boone, IA 50037-0274. PRIVACY STATEMENT: Active Interest Media HoldCo, Inc. is committed
60 to protecting your privacy. For a full copy of our privacy statement, go to aimmedia.com/privacy-policy.

■ POPULARWOODWORKING.COM 3
 FEB.. 2023, Vol. 43, No. 1

FROM THE EDITOR EDITOR IN CHIEF ■ Logan Wittmer

SENIOR DESIGNER ■ Danielle Lowery

What’s Ahead DIGITAL EDITOR ■ Collin Knoff

PROJECTS EDITOR ■ Dillon Baker
By Logan Wittmer TECHNOLOGY EDITOR ■ Chris Fitch
COVER PHOTOGRAPHER ■ Al Parrish
When you first got this issue of Popular SET STYLIST ■ Becky Kralicek
Woodworking, you may recognize the CONTRIBUTORS ■ Jimmy Clewes and
Asa Christiana
front cover image. The beautiful Arts
& Crafts bookcase that appears on the
cover first appeared on the December
2015 cover (photo to the right). I was
a subscriber to Popular Woodworking
at that time, and it was always one of
my favorite projects that I could recall. DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION ■

Phil Graham
Little did I know that I would have
ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR ■
the fortune of crossing paths with the Heather Glynn Gniazodowski
woodworker behind it, Nancy Hiller, CREATIVE DIRECTOR ■ Edie Mann
several years later when she joined us we’re working on. As I’m sitting here MARKETING COORDINATOR ■
at the Woodsmith video studios to film on this brisk November day, I’m lis- Genevieve Dickinson
some online courses. tening to the beeping of excavators as ADVERTISING SALES COORDINATOR ■

Julie Dillon; jdillon@ aimmedia.com

I didn’t get much of a chance to the construction commences on what
ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER ■
know Nancy other than getting to will become our new Popular Wood- Jack Christiansen; Tel: (847) 724-5623;
watch her in the studio for several working shop and studio. Building jchristiansen@ aimmedia.com
days. What I did learn about her was a shop from the ground up like this
that she was one hell of a woodwork- offers us the opportunity to produce
er and an absolute riot to be around. some shop-specific content. My plan
When we got word of her passing ear- is to bring much of this content to
lier this year, I knew that I wanted to the pages of the magazine, but much
reach back into some of our projects more will be available on our You- PRESIDENT, HOME GROUP ■

Peter H. Miller
from her and re-publish one as our Tube channel. We’ll discuss subjects
PRESIDENT, MARINE GROUP ■
small tribute to Nancy, her accom- such as shop layout, HVAC, electrical, Gary DeSanctis
plishments, and contributions to the flooring, and more. It’s a mighty big CTO ■ Brian Van Heuverswyn
woodworking community. task that I’m excited to CFO ■ Stephen Pompeo
In other, brighter news, I want to work on. Cheers! VP, MARKETING ■ Amanda Phillips
give you a little bit of a look into what VP, EVENTS ■ Julie Zub
VP, CIRCULATION ■ Paige Nordmeyer
HR DIRECTOR ■ Scott Roeder
ACCOUNTING MANAGER ■
ABOUT THE AUTHORS Stephen O’Neill
DIRECTOR, RETAIL SALES ■ Susan Rose
CHAIRMAN ■ Andrew W. Clurman
ASA CHRISTIANA: Slab-Topped Coffee Table– pg. 34 CHAIRMAN EMERITUS ■
Efrem Zimbalist III
Asa is the former editor of Fine Woodworking magazine and the author of
the “Build Stuff with Wood” book series, designed to take beginners “from
zero to hero.” The second volume, “Build More Stuff with Wood” (Taunton
EDITORIAL CONTACT:
Press), went on sale at the end of 2022. Like book one, it’s packed with Logan Wittmer; lwittmer @ aimmedia.com
useful projects for all skill levels. A third and final volume is planned for 2024.
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY LOGAN WITTMER

For subscription questions or address changes, visit

www.popularwoodworking.com/customerservice
or call (877) 860-9140 (U.S. only). U.S. subscription
JIMMY CLEWES: Turned Scoop – Pg. 50 rate $24.95, single price $6.99. Canadian sub-
scriptions rate $34.95 USD. Canadian Agreement
No. 40025316.
Hailing from England, Jimmy Clewes now resides in Las Vegas with his
wife Mary and dog Seamus. Jimmy has spent the last thirty-five years CUSTOMER SERVICE:
P.O. Box 842, Des Moines, IA 50304-0842,
traveling the world teaching and demonstrating woodturning. His quick subscriptions @ aimmedia.com
wit and straightforward approach have made him a favorite of students
COPYRIGHT:
from across the globe. When not hosting students at his home in Las Vegas, 2022 by Active Interest Media Holdco, Inc. Des
Moines, Iowa. This publication may not be repro-
Jimmy’s often found with a gold pan in hand, prospecting in the Vegas desert. duced, either in whole or part, in any form without
written permission from the publisher.
 Connect
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PHOTOS BY THE AUTHORS

sander should have included. MultiVolt system, which means that it can use standard
I also want to highlight the above-average dust col- 18v batteries or the MultiVolt 18v/36v batteries. Using
lection. Not only does the dust bag do a good job on its the MultiVolt battery in an 18v tool effectively doubles
own, but Metabo HPT includes individual 11/2" and 1 3/4" the amp-hours of usage that the battery can provide and
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NEW TOOLS
■ PROBLADE
TAPE MEASURE
ProBlade Tape Measure ToughBuilt
If you think of a “sexy tool,” a tape measure probably is ToughBuilt.com
one of the last things that you’d consider. But at the very Price: $19.99-$24.99
least, most of us probably have our favorite one. That is
when we can remember where we sat it, at least. On my
apron, I keep a 12' vintage Starrett. It’s a great size for in
the shop when I’m working with project parts. However,
when I’m out running my sawmill or searching for the
right piece of lumber, I need something a little more
robust. The ProBlade tape measure from ToughBuilt
(shown here) has become my favorite tape measure to
carry around.
The ProBlade tape measure is simply built differently—
it has a heft to it that screams quality, and the rubberized while I don’t consider this super necessary, it is a nice
coating of the housing protects it from drops on the job affirmation when you quickly glance at it. On the back
site. And while I appreciate the “blade control button” side of the blade, the measurements are clocked at 90°.

PHOTOS BY THE AUTHORS

that lets you temporarily halt the blade retraction, my This means that when you’re measuring the height of
favorite feature is the blade itself. something (or the depth of a hole), you don’t need to
The blade of the ProBlade has a matte linen texture. tilt your head to read the measurement. Like all items
While this may seem like a minor detail, it makes it I’ve used from ToughBuilt, the ProBlade tape measure
extremely easy to read even in the brightest daylight. is built like a tank and is available in both 16' and 25'
The blade is also labeled with eighth-inch marks, and lengths. — Logan Wittmer

8 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
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 Bench Chatter

Jointer Restoration
By Logan Wittmer

Vintage woodworking machinery can be a

great bang for your buck.

Vintage woodworking tools coworkers/business partners per- this. Thankfully, there’s just a little
have always held a certain appeal suaded him to let go of a few pieces bit floating around, thanks to various
to me. Earlier this year, I was out that were “projects.” So, I called a users at Keith Rucker’s VintageMa-
in California with David Marks buddy of mine to get his opinion. chinery.org website.
working on an upcoming project. In Fortunately (or unfortunately), It appears that the John T. Towsley
David’s shop, he has a 24" jointer of my buddy Bobby is about as nuts Manufacturing Company was found-
vintage make, and if you’d watched as I am, so we jumped in the truck, ed in 1886 and started by producing
his TV show “Wood Works” when hooked up a trailer, and drove the a line of factory carts (think of the
it aired on HGTV, you may have hour's drive to pick her up. I figured large “industrial” style carts). Some-
caught a glimpse or two of it. that, being woodworking nerds like time after the turn of the century,
Seeing David’s jointer wasn’t my me, you may enjoy reading about Towsley started offering woodwork-
first introduction to vintage power what goes into restoring a machine ing machinery and “gluing applianc-
equipment, but it certainly re-ignit- such as this. es.” While a lot of the Towsley offer-
ed a desire that I had to own some ing were saws (both table and rip
J.T. Towsley
PHOTOS BY LOGAN WITTMER

of these machines for myself. Fast saws), the first mention of a jointer
forward several weeks, and I hap- The jointer you see above is, now, being offered was around 1920 in a
pened to stumble upon the beauty my pride and joy. She’s big, ugly, and catalog. In 1929, J.D. Wallace & Co.
that you see above. An acquaintance broken, but she’s mine. This gal is a purchased the rights to sell Towsley
of mine had posted this jointer 24" jointer made by J.T. Towsley in Machinery, and it was later sold to
for sale. The said gentleman has Cincinnati, Ohio. Now, not surpris- J.A. Fay & Eagan Company. A copy of
several large pieces of woodworking ingly, there’s not much information a 1930 J.D. Wallace & Co. flier shows
machinery already, and some of his on some vintage machinery such as a 24" jointer identical to this beaut.

10 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
 Jointer Restoration

What Makes a
Good Machine?
Now, obviously, with a piece of
vintage machinery, there are going
to be several considerations that
you need to take into account when
searching, so here’s mine. The first
was proximity. In the middle of
Iowa, vintage woodworking ma-
chinery is uncommon. So, finding
one close was a huge factor. If I
was on the east coast or around the
industrials hubs on the great lakes
(such as Cincinnati), the amount
of machinery would be significantly
higher, and I could be pickier.
The next factor was the general
shape. Overall, this machine is in
pretty good condition. Sure, there
are some issues, but after a hundred
years, I bet you won’t look like your
former self either. From the photos 1
I first saw, it looked as though it
was missing the fence. While I
could have rigged up something, an
important item (such as a fence),
would have been a big deal. This one
is missing something (more on that
later), but nothing “mission critical.”
The final consideration was the
price. This is a subjective subject.
What I consider a good price may be
higher than you are willing to pay.
However, when taking into consider-
ation that a new 24" jointer will run
you close to $20,000 (no kidding!),
I figured that the $1,200 I paid for
this was a fair price (considering it
needed some attention).

The Good.
Let's start off with the good things
about this particular machine. Over-
all, as I alluded to, this machine is in
pretty good shape. The table appears
to be flat, and you can still see the
original milling marks on it. That
tells me that this machine, when it
was in service, led a relatively easy 2
life. Side note—for what it’s worth, I
can only assume a jointer of this size 1 The original Towsley decal is visible on the front of the jointer. I’ll reproduce
was either in a large millwork shop this and have it printed on water transfers so I can stay true to the original.
doing massive casework (think of the
2 The cast door reads “J.T. TOWSLEY MFG. CO, CIN. O. USA.” It opens up to
lobby of a giant skyscraper) or in a a storage area within the “belly” of the jointer.
shipyard on the GreatLakes. Both of

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 11
 Jointer Restoration

those, of course, are just guesses. minimal. Nothing’s pitted, and every The Bad.
The other great thing about this single nut and bolt that I’ve put a Of course, there are a few things
machine is that the fence is there and wrench to moves as it did the day that need replaced to get this gal
unbroken, as is the cutter guard. The it came off the assembly line. Heck, back in service. First and foremost,
cutter guard isn’t original (I don’t be- even the massive handwheels that there’s a distinct lack of a motor.
lieve it came with one), and it needs lower and raise the infeed/outfeed The 1930 flier states that this would
a little brazing to repair a cracked tables move freely. There’s still a come with a 5 or 7.5 hp. electric
bracket, but it’s a guard. layer of grease on the milled surfaces, motor that was direct drive. (It was
Looking at the photos below, you’ll which reinforces my thoughts that it also available as a pulley drive off a
notice that rust, while present, is was a well-taken care-of machine. jack shaft). So, I will need to come
up with some form of motor for
it. My plan is to slap a 7.5-10 hp.
240v, 3-phase motor with a variable
frequency drive. If that sounds
German to you, don’t worry—
more on that in a later article.
There are also a few threaded
knobs missing. In particular, the
knobs that attach the fence to the
table are missing. That’s not big of
a deal—it’s a common thread, and
I can fabricate some knobs for it.
Of course, with the motor missing,
I’ll need to replace all of the wiring
on it. Even if the original motor was
there, the old, screw-in style fuses
are antiquated.
3 The Ugly.
Here's where I'll have people ques-
tioning my sanity (I am also, so treat
this as an invitation to do so). At
some point, this jointer had a large
crash. The cutter head (not pictured
here) is bent up. The bearings that
hold the cutter head are missing.
And, the infeed lip (which is simply
mild steel) is torn up. My best guess
is that someone got an enormous
catch in this jointer and it destroyed
the cutter head, bearings, motor and
infeed lip.
Now, this all seems like it will
add up in repairs. And yes, it will.
However, the head isn’t pictured
here because it’s with Byrd Man-
ufacturing, so they can make me a
helical head to replace the original
4 one. So, the head’s taken care of.
Next, the bearings.
3 Both of the tables ride on these ways with adjustable gibs. The four ways on Most machinery of this vintage
each table allow you to adjust the tables for parallel. would have had babbitt bearings. A
4 Massive hand wheels on each end raise and lower the tables on the ways. The
babbitt bearing is, essentially, a hous-
outfeed table can be adjusted to compensate for shorter, sharpened knives. ing to hold the shaft with a soft alloy
(babbitt) poured around it.

12 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
 Jointer Restoration

The babbitt will have oil grooves email from a subscriber that’s in the this jointer. It’s a bigger deal than
cut in it to carry oil to the shaft and process of restoring this very jointer simply installing new pillow-block
lubricate it. Babbitt bearings get a (no kidding). Rob has been so kind bearings, however, it will appear as
lot of hate and turn people away, but as to send me pictures of his bearing close to the original as I can get.
they are actually fantastic. With a blocks, and it appears that this joint-
well-maintained (or freshly poured) er came with ball bearings from the 5 The infeed lip has been damaged
babbitt bearing, you’d be hard- factory. So, installing ball bearings is and torn up in the past.
pressed to convince me to swap to the way I’m going to go. Keith Ruck-
6 The tables are held down with a
ball bearings— they work that well. er, the owner of VintageMachinery.
pair of “clamping knobs.”
In fact, some high-wear bearings org has hooked me up with a small
today are still poured babbitts. foundry that is actually going to pour 7 An engine hoist is used to remove
However, I recently received an (new) cast iron bearing blocks for the tables from the jointer.

5 6

14 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
 Jointer Restoration

8 Without the tables, this jointer is still massive, but two people can slide or
(very quickly) lift the base up to add blocks under it. A pallet jack is about the
best way to move the table.
9 The cast Iron base has had several “modifications” over the years, adding
many unnecessary bolts and nuts to it.

This jointer, as it sits, is about through the base casting that bolt
1800lbs. I have to guess that about these in place. If these were original,
half that weight is the tables. As the manufacturer would have a more
you can see in Photo 7, the best way elegant solution to attaching them.
9 that I could come up with to get As I work to fix this gal up, I’ll see if
these tables off was by employing an I can come up with a better way to
engine hoist. I’m guessing each of tackle this. However, I think these
The Tear-down. these tables are in the 400lb range. shrouds need to remain, so I’ve taken
Now that I knew what I was working They’re heavy. them off (Photo 10) and will keep
with, it was time to strip this jointer The tables themselves will be some them safe for the rebuild.
down to its bones. When you get right of the most labor-intensive items to Much of the remaining items on
down to it, a jointer’s pretty simple, restore. I think we’ll probably do an the base are ancillary. There is an
and there’s not a whole lot going on. entire (short) article on restoring original copper factory plate indi-
(Which is good, as this is my first those. It’s interesting how they’re cating the machine and lot number.
machinery restoration). As you can constructed and function, so I think That will be cleaned up and replaced
see on the previous page, the majority it will be fascinating to tackle. after painting. The blue tag holder, I
of the work here is getting the tables As you can see in the photo above assume, would have been for some
off. Luckily, the tables on this Towsley (Photo 8), with the tables removed, form of machine identification or
jointer are simply held on with two this is a pretty awesome-looking machine warning. The pins holding
brackets each. The threaded knobs base. I believe that the two dust this on are peened over, and I’ll need
release the brackets and the tables can collection shrouds were added at a to chisel the heads off to remove
be lifted off. Well, “lifted off ” may be later point. As you can see in Photo 9, this. On the backside, we have a bit
an understatement. there are a few threaded rods drilled more of a mess to deal with.

16 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
 Jointer Restoration

10 11

10 Red cedar chips from its working days are lodged 11 The electrical panels, while cool-looking, are anti-
under the dust shroud. quated and need replaced.

As you can see in Photo 11, there certain that I’ll find some body filler attaching a hinge plate to the base
are a few different fuse boxes at- somewhere in it. It’s nearly impos- of the jointer to add tension to the
tached to the base. It’s hard to tell if sible to pour a casting of this size belts attached to the cutter head.
these are original, however, I doubt and not have to use filler to fix small Power will be transferred via a
it. These, with the power button on pock-marks and such. Of course, three-belt pulley on both the motor
the front, had to have been added there are some machined surfaces and the cutter.
sometime in the 1950’s- 1960’s. that I’ll want to protect (such as Of course, I’m not an expert on
The updated electronics that I’m where the bearings and tables ride). restoring machinery. I am an avid
planning on adding will not really I do think that the base will clean researcher however, so I let many
need any of these, so they simply up pretty quickly. The tables may people’s experiences guide me along
get removed with a few screws and be a different story, however. The the process of restoring this jointer.
bolts. In fact, I’ll probably sell some critical surfaces were originally However, if you have any thoughts
of these boxes on Ebay and make a planed with a metal planer (versus a or suggestions on this process, I’d
little money back, as some folks are milling machine). I’d like to preserve love to hear from you. Heck—if
hunting for these types of electrical these as much as possible. However, you happen to know of any other
boxes (which, admittedly, have a the lower table surfaces will require Towlsey machines for sale, I’d love
cool look about them). some sandblasting and sanding to to hear from you. Please feel free
So, what are the next steps here? clean up before painting or polishing. to shoot me an email at LWittmer@
Now that I have this base stripped Then, there’s the motor situa- AimMedia.com. Until then, give me
down to a black casting, the plan is tion. With this machine missing a your thoughts on the paint color.
to sandblast it down to bare metal. motor, I’ll need to re-power it, as I I’m thinking “British Racing Green”?
With a massive casting like this, I’m mentioned before. I’m planning on PW –Logan Wittmer

18 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
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 Arts & Crafts Bookcase

LEAD PHOTO AL PARRISH / ALL OTHERS BY THE AUTHOR

PROJECT #2301_
Skill Level: Dramatic details showcase
Advanced
22
Time:
leaded glass and English style.
7 Days WOODWORKING
■ POPULAR
Cost: $750 BY NANCY R. HILLER
NANCY HILLER (1959-2022)
Nancy Hiller was a Her answer to the hurtful and cutting comments from
trailblazing writer men was to simply strive towards excellence. And her
and furniture maker work was excellent.
who lived fully in two On the furniture side of things, Nancy was one of
worlds. That of a small- the few woodworkers in the United States who spe-
town furniture maker cialized in English Arts & Crafts furniture, the forerun-
known for taking on ner to our own Arts & Crafts movement. Her 2018
difcult projects. And book “English Arts & Crafts Furniture” exposed a
that of a forceful yet new generation to the uid style.
careful writer who On the cabinetmaking side, Nancy specialized
inspired a generation in difcult kitchen projects that had to t into his-
of woodworkers to toric homes, and had to be made on a tight budget.
pick up the tools and Her book “Kitchen Think” decried the American
run a proper business. tendency to gut the kitchen every few years. She
Formally trained in woodwork in Britain as a young offered an alternative: build a kitchen that ts the
adult, Nancy went on to study at Cambridge University context of your house.
(for Ancient Greek and Aramaic). Eventually she got Finally, her book “Making Things Work: Tales
her master’s degree in religious styles — specializing in from a Cabinetmaker’s Life” inspired a new gener-
ethics. This one-two punch of high-level woodworking ation of women (and men) to take up the tools and
skills married to an incredibly nimble mind made her a become professional woodworkers.
force in the woodworking community. Her death in August 2022 was not a surprise. She
Yet, despite her hard-earned bona-des, Nancy had waged a very public battle with pancreatic cancer,
spent her energy lifting up others around her. She but it was too soon. As her friend and editor, I mourn
often wrote about the work of other woodworkers the loss of all the potential works and books that were
she admired or she shined a light on her own strug- still within her.
gles running a small business.
As a woman in a male-dominated craft, Nancy
endured the sexism that many female woodworkers face.

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 23
 Arts & Crafts Bookcase

S ome of the most aesthetically

compelling pieces of furniture
I’ve seen in the Arts & Crafts style
were made by an English company
most Americans have never heard of.
Shelf-pin holes. The holes
are 3À4" on center from
the inside edges of the legs,
spaced 11À2" apart vertically.
Between 1890 and 1910, the Harris I use a 1À4" Forstner bit at
Lebus Company of London exploited the drill press to bore them.
the prevailing fashion in home décor, For the most harmonious
producing a variety of sideboards, appearance in the Änished
hallstands, wardrobes, washstands and case, align one or more of
related furniture characterized by the shelves with the lead
simple lines and bold proportions. lines in the glass (and with
Many of these items were produc- the muntins, in a mullioned
door, for that matter).
tion built with a price point rather
than handcraft in mind. Yet by virtue
of their affordability, these pieces
achieved one of the Arts & Crafts
movement’s central ideas: to make Make the Case & Brackets front bottom rail until after you have
useful and beautiful things available to When choosing lumber, bear in mind assembled the carcase (removing that
those of modest means. that the most visible features will be at much material prior to glue-up would
While researching an article on the top and bottom front rails, and at reduce clamping effectiveness). Note:
Harris Lebus several years ago, I came the rails and stiles of the doors. While the sizes for the rails, stiles, and
across a knockdown wardrobe. Detail Mill and glue up the side panels. panels can be pulled from the cut list,
photos revealed less-than-optimal Do the top as well, but set it aside “verify in field” (directly-measure from
fabrication; the door panels had been for now. Now, you'll want to mill the the case) the rest of the workpieces
screwed into their frames rather than four legs and the top and bottom rather than relying on the cut list sizes
housed in grooves, which resulted in rails—but don’t cut the arch on the to guide you.
predictable splits. The Gothic-style
door and drawer pulls looked like the
kind of gaudy hardware that belongs in
Hollywood. But overall look... wow!
So when I had the opportunity to
build a bookcase for a bibliophile’s
home library, I suggested using the
Lebus wardrobe as a starting point for
the design.
The basic form of the bookcase
follows a range Lebus pieces built with
solid-slab side panels glued to front
and back legs, without top and bottom
rails. The long-grain to long-grain glue-
up makes for a perfectly sound connec-
tion without any additional joinery.
These side assemblies are connected
to each other by mortised-and-tenoned
rails at the top and bottom as well as the
front and back. The bottom and top are
added later—the bottom supported by
wooden cleats, the top attached by metal
fasteners or wooden button s— after the
Bracket attachment. The brackets that
piece’s decorative brackets have been wrap the front and sides of the case are
installed in sliding dovetail slots. Mortises Ärst. Lay out the mortises so the seated with sliding dovetails. A router with
A paneled back and leaded-glass rails and stiles will be Åush. I like a a 3À8" dovetail bit makes quick work of the
doors with C. R. Mackintosh hardware 5À16" wide mortise, and typically leave at slots on the rails. Switch to the router table
complete the picture. least 1À2" clearance from the top of the leg. to cut the slots on the four legs.

24 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
 Trim the side panels to final size,
then mark and drill for the shelf-sup- “To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of the arts.”
port holes. Sand the inside and outside —Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), American author & naturalist
faces now; it would be challenging to
sand these after assembly.
Now mortise the legs at the front this in one movement; if not, carefully Glue Up
and back to accept the top and bottom pull the leg back and allow the dust to Because the side panels are butt-glued
rails that will join the side assemblies clear, then push the leg forward to the to the legs without any locating joinery,
to each other. Cut the matching tenons stop to complete the cut. you need to hold these parts in precise
on the rails to fit; I did this at the table Although it’s not strictly necessary alignment during glue-up. Cut two
saw using a dado stack. It’s critical that with brackets that are decorative rather 3 ⁄16"-thick spacers at least as long as

the top edges of the front and back than structural, I cut my bracket blanks the side panels to make the reveal
bottom rails end up at the same height. so the grain runs diagonally. Leave the consistent (apply wax to the spacers if
Next, mark out the positions of the blanks oversized, because the long you’re worried about glue squeeze-out
sliding dovetail slots for the decorative mitered edges will help ensure accura- sticking them to your panels). Be sure
brackets on the top front rail, then cy on the router table. (If you run the to glue up the sides on a flat surface;
cut them using a router against a grain diagonally, scribe the shoulder any deviation may alter the reveal.
clamped-down fence. line of the dovetail on the face where Apply glue to both panel edges, then
Fit the same dovetail cutter into the cut will be going against the grain line up the top of the panel with the
your router table, setting it up so the to avoid tear-out). tops of the legs.
height of the cut will be precisely the Next, cut the bracket ends square. When the glue in the side assem-
same as the depth of the slots you just If you do this on a power saw, you’ll blies is dry, glue up the frame. Tape a
cut in the top front rail. Set the fence need two stop settings: one for the piece of scrap over the dovetail slots in
so that the cutter is centered on the height, and another for the width the legs to protect the slots from dam-
width of the leg and set a stop so the which includes 3 ⁄8" for the dovetail. age by the clamps. Sight across the top
slot will be approximately the same Cut off the dovetails up to the shoulder rails to check for racking, then across
length as those in the top front rail. line of their slots using a tenon saw. the front to check for twist. Check the
Absolute precision here is not that Finally, mark the radius for the arch diagonals across the front and top.
important because you can finesse the on each blank, cut it at the band saw, Now make a routing template (I use
fit by hand later if necessary. then sand. To expedite the sanding of 1 ⁄4" plywood) for the Tudor arch (refer

Make a mark on the outside face at eight brackets, I rigged up a custom to the rail pattern on page 26). Cut
the top of each leg to ensure that you tool using an empty cat food can with the arch in the lower rail with a jigsaw,
cut the slots in the correct place, then sticky-backed sandpaper around it, and clamp the pattern to the rail one side at
cut a slot in each of the four legs. If chucked it into my drill press. (You a time, then clean up the arch using a
you have dust collection you can do can, of course, use a spindle sander.) top-mounted-bearing pattern bit.

Scribe then rout. To cut the dovetails on the brackets, scribe the
baseline to reduce tear-out, then run the blank over the router
table. The bit height is the same as that for the leg sockets; you’ll Stop cut. Set a stop to align each bracket for matching cuts as you
need to adjust the fence to center the dovetail on the bracket. square the end.

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 25
 Arts & Crafts Bookcase

5013⁄16" 181⁄ 2"

42"
1"
2 3⁄ 4"

37⁄ 8" 5⁄
16"

473⁄4"

605⁄16"

1"

51⁄ 2"
5⁄
8"

47⁄ 8"
21⁄ 2" 141⁄ 2" 21⁄ 2"
39" 11"
15⁄ 16"

FRONT VIEW
SIDE VIEW

RAIL PATTERN (LEFT SIDE)

One square = 1À4"

BRACKET PATTERN
One square = 1À4"

26 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
 SUPPLIES
Rejuvenation Rejuvenation.com
6 ■ Ball-tip cabinet hinges, item #C7685 BA

Horton Brasses Horton-Brasses.com

2 ■ Mackintosh vertical drop pulls, item #AD-4065 DA

Rockler Rockler.com
12 ■ Top fasteners, item #34215
4 ■ Rare-earth magnets, 38" dia., item #32907
4 ■ Magnet cups, 38" dia., item #39783
4 ■ Washers for 38" magnets, item #38348

Jamestown Distributors JamestownDistributors.com

8 ■ #6 slotted-head brass wood screws, 114" long,
item #FBRWSFH6X11/4
■ #6 slotted-head brass wood screws, 112" long,
item #FBRWSFH6X11/2

Delphi Glass DelphiGlass.com

3 ■ Lead came, 14" x 72", item #5584
3 ■ Zinc channel, 14" x 72", item #5601
■ Solder, ux and tools for making leaded glass panels

Homestead Finishing Products

HomesteadFinishingProducts.com

BACK PANEL ■ TransTint Honey Amber Dye, item #6001

Arts & Crafts Bookcase Arts & Crafts Bookcase

NO. ITEM DIMENSIONS (INCHES) NO. ITEM DIMENSIONS (INCHES)
T W L T W L

❏ 2 Side panels 3 4 11 56 5  8 ❏ 2 Bottom cleats (under) 3 4 1 3 8 12 3 8

❏ 4 Legs 11 2 1 1 2 59 3 8 ❏ 2 Bottom cleats (over) 3 4 1 3 8 11 5  8
❏ 1 Top 1 18 1 2 50 13 16 ❏ 1 Beveled trim, top 5  16 13  16 39 34
❏ 4 Feet, cove portion 11 16 2 1 2 2 1 2 ❏ 1 Beveled trim, bottom 5 8 7 16 40 14
❏ 4 Feet, base 14 2 34 2 34 ❏ 4 Shelves 1 11 5  8 40
❏ 1 Front top rail * 3 4 3 34 41 1 2 ❏ 2 Back stiles 3 4 3 34 49 1 8
❏ 1 Front bottom rail * 3 4 4 7 8 41 1 2 ❏ 1 Back top rail 3 4 3 34 32 1 2
❏ 2 Back rails * 3 4 2 34 411 2 ❏ 1 Back bottom rail 3 4 4 34 32 1 2
❏ 8 Brackets ** 13  16 2 34 3 1 8 ❏ 2 Back vertical dividers 3 4 3 1 2 41 5  8
❏ 1 Bottom 1 2 13 5  8 40 1 8 ❏ 3 Back panels 5  16 8 7 8 41 3 8
❏ 2 Bottom cleats (under) 3 4 1 3 8 12 3 8 ❏ 2 Keeper strips 3 4 3 4 42
❏ 2 Bottom cleats (over) 3 4 1 3 8 11 5  8 ❏ 4 Door stiles 7 8 2 1 2 48
❏ 1 Beveled trim, top 5  16 13  16 39 34 ❏ 2 Door top rails * 7 8 3 7 8 17
❏ 1 Beveled trim, bottom 5 8 7 16 40 14 ❏ 2 Door bottom rails * 7 8 5 1 2 17
❏ 4 Shelves 1 11 5  8 40 ❏ 6 Glass keeper strips † 14 5  16 48
❏ 2 Back stiles 3 4 3 34 49 1 8 ❏ 1 Door stop 1 2 2 5 8 4 5 8

All materials are oak. *114" TBE = tenon both ends; **Includes 3 8" sliding dovetail on back; †Thickness is approximate

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 27
 Arts & Crafts Bookcase

Clamp it. Pads over the dovetail

slots for the brackets protect
them from clamp damage as you
glue and clamp the carcase.

Spaced out. Long strips of 3À16"-thick mate-

rial hold the panels in the correct alignment
as you glue the side panels to the legs.

Bottoms Up fastener to ensure a positive pull. washer spans the hole, which is quite
Turn the case upside down and make After fitting the top and its attach- a bit larger than a #6 screw, to allow
the two-part feet. The blanks for the ments, remove it and set it aside. for movement.
coved portion are 11 ⁄16" thick, 21 ⁄ 2" The carcase bottom will be sup- The 1 ⁄ 2" thick bottom will set flush
square. Cut the coves on a router ported by the front and back bottom with the front face of the cabinet; trim
table using a 1 ⁄ 2" cove bit, cutting the rails, and by the cleats running from will cover the joint between these
end-grain first so the long-grain cuts the front to the back legs. parts. Measure the distance from this
will remove tear-out. The bases are Start by cutting cleats to fit be- face to halfway through the thickness
1 ⁄4" x 2 3 ⁄4" squares. Glue and pin the tween the front and back legs, then of the back rail and rip the bottom to
parts together with the coved piece mark the inside corner of the legs on this dimension. Crosscut the bottom
centered on the foot. the cleat at front and back. Scribe the to the full interior width of the carcase
Center each composite foot on a distance between the inside corner and notch it around the legs. Sand the
leg; you can do this by eye—the over- of each leg and the inside face of the bottom, then glue it in place on the
lap is small. Tack them in place, then carcase side (it should be about 1 ⁄ 2") front rail only (to allow for expansion
drill for and attach two countersunk on the cleat, then cut a notch with a and contraction toward the back).
screws to prevent rotation. backsaw or at the table saw. The rear Now cut and notch the upper
Take care when standing the case notch cut should be offset about 1 ⁄8" cleats to sandwich the bottom in place
upright to avoid damaging the fit. toward the front to leave additional and keep it flat. Shape the front to
Now cut the top to size. room for movement of the side. avoid a clumsy look—I cut the same
Use traditional wooden “buttons” Drill a 3 ⁄8" diameter hole in the radius as I used for the brackets—and
or metal fasteners to hold the top on notched part at the back to allow the fasten the top cleats in place as you
the case. If using buttons, you will carcase to expand and contract, then glue did with the lower ones.
have to rout or chop mortises near the and screw the cleat in place on the front So why go through what seems
top of the sides, front and back rails; if leg, taking care to make the top face flush like more trouble than simply setting
using metal attachment hardware, you with the top edge of the front rail. the bottom in dadoes? This down-
can cut slots at the requisite height us- Mark the position of the hole on and-dirty approach (I learned it years
ing a biscuit jointer after the case has the back leg, drill at the center for ago in a professional cabinet shop)
been assembled. In either case, set the a #6 screw, then screw the cleat in actually makes life easier, particularly
height of the slots so there is a space place on the back leg using a 5 ⁄ 32" x on large case pieces such as this one.
of about 1 ⁄16" to 1 ⁄8" between the top 3 ⁄4" fender washer and a pan head The 1 ⁄ 2" stock reduces the overall
edge of the case and the top of the screw. Repeat on the other side. The weight slightly, there are no dadoes to

28 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
Nice feet. A 1À2" cove and slightly larger base combine to create Perfectly Ät. Pull the proper length and notch location from the
an eye-catching bottom detail to the feet. carcase, not from the cut list.

cut, and there is one less piece to jug-

gle as you apply clamps to a carcase
glue-up. But of course, feel free to
approach the bottom in a traditional
manner if you prefer.

Back it Up
I made a paneled back that fits inside Metal or buttons. You can use metal Washer wear. A fender washer transfers
the opening, without rabbeting the connectors as I did, or wooden buttons the tension between the Ället and side pan-
case. The back is joined with pegged to connect the top to the carcase. Either el across the 3À8"-diameter hole that allows
stub tenons in a 1 ⁄ 2" deep groove with way, offset the slots in the case sides by the side to move freely, and provides a
floating panels. 1À16"-1À8" so the top pulls down tight. solid surface for the screw head.
You could opt for a plywood or
ship-lapped oak back, but I think the
paneled back adds an elegant touch.
Measure the height of the interior
opening at the back and cut the stiles
to this length. Now, you'll use these
dimensions to calculate the overall
lengths of the top and bottom rails
and vertical dividers.
You can avoid a small gap behind
the shelves by rabbeting the panel Mark the cut. With the back panel held in place, pencil a line where it meets the case
edges so they’re flush with the back’s bottom. Then, cut a 3À8"-deep rabbet (half the thickness of your back rail) to that line.
frame on the inside of the book-
case. (Because I bought 4/4 stock
for these panels and bookmatched measure for the thickness of the “keep- the grain in the legs—no one will ever
them, I made my panels 5 ⁄16" thick; er strips” to which you’ll secure it. notice in the back of a bookcase.
this resulted in a 1 ⁄4" gap behind the To determine this, measure the After the glue dries, secure the
shelves, which is negligible in a case distance between the inside face of back to the strips with brass screws.
designed for book storage.) the back and the inside face of the (I use four or five on each side).
Fit the back into the opening and legs—it should be about 3 ⁄4" —so Now glue the arched brackets into
mark the horizontal line where it hits that the strip will be flush with the their slots, taking care to make their
the bottom of the case on the interior front of the legs. Cut the strips to tops level with the top of the case.
of the cabinet. Rabbet the bottom rail length and glue them in place. What
of the back panel so that it will fit over you’re basically doing here is creating Beveled Trim
the bottom of the case with its back a glued-on rabbet—it’s simpler than Many pieces of Arts & Crafts casework
face flush with the back of the legs. rabbeting the legs to accept the back, produced by Lebus feature bevels as
Now, with the back set in place, and—if you choose strips that match a decorative element—on the inside

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 29
 Arts & Crafts Bookcase

edges of door rails and cornices, or to bevels. Determine the final length (add Cut tenons on the table saw,
frame sections of casework. I incorpo- 1 ⁄8"for the flat on the other end), then setting the height of the cheek cuts
rated bevels here in the form of trim replicate the bevel there. Glue and pin with a piece of scrap with the mortise
above and below the doors; I varied the beveled trim onto the face of the chopped all the way out to one end.
the dimensions to produce propor- cabinet, leaving an 1 ⁄8" reveal between Set the table saw fence to produce
tions typical of a Lebus piece at the each piece of trim and the nearest edge a full-length tenon—the full mortise
turn of the 20th century. of the top and bottom rail respectively. depth of 11 ⁄4" —on the cheeks for the
Leave your trim stock overlong un- face side of each rail, but for the cheeks
til you have cut the bevels on the table Make the Doors that face the interior of the cabinet, rest
saw. Rip one side with your blade at Although you could rabbet the backs the table saw fence so the back shoul-
45°, then reverse the cut to bevel the of the doors with a router after assem- der of the tenon will fill the groove.
other side. Note: These cuts will leave bly to accept the leaded-glass panels, To cut the haunches, leave the table
a small flat at the edges. the method I use is more traditional saw fence at the same setting, but raise
Now cut a 45° bevel on one end, for glazed doors and leaves a clean the dado blades to a height of 1 ⁄2" using
then lop approximately 1 ⁄8" off the end shoulder at the inside corner. the same principle as you did for the
to match the long flat of the table saw Mill the door rails and stiles now, case joinery. Once you’re satisfied with
as well as enough extra stock to use how everything fits, glue up the doors.
for test cuts on setups.
On the inside of all the pieces, Get Hinged
cut a 3 ⁄ 8" wide x 5 ⁄ 8" deep rabbet The type and installation of the hinges
(it must be deep enough to accom- for this piece come from 20th-cen-
modate the thickness of the zinc tury English convention. Most of the
channel in the glass panels). Then casework I encountered in my work in
Rabbet Ärst. After cutting rabbets to accept use the rabbeted stiles and rails to England was built with fixed-pin butt
a glass panel, it’s simple to see where the guide the layout location of the 5 ⁄ 16" hinges mortised into the door alone—
mortise needs to be laid out and cut. wide x 11 ⁄4" deep mortises. not mortised into the cabinet frame.

DOOR CATCHES

T he tall doors should be tted with catches at the

top and bottom. You could certainly use brass ball
catches, but I used rare-earth magnets. Because I’ve had
trouble with magnets exerting too strong a pull when
mounted on a door’s face — something you really
don’t want with a leaded-glass panel in a tall door— I
mounted them in the top and bottom rails.
First, drill holes for the magnets on the top and bot-
tom of the door stile using a Forstner bit. Mark the posi-
tion of the magnet on the cabinet oor and top rail, then
Stepped shoulders. Show the rail to the stile to mark the
drill. Don’t recess the magnets completely; leave them
location for the stepped shoulder that will ll in the rabbet.
ush or just a little
proud, depending
on the size of the
gap around your
doors. They need
to touch in order
to catch. As the
nal touch, attach
a small piece of
oak to the rail at
the top behind the
doors, to serve as
Bevel up. Set the blade on the table saw to 45°. Use a push
a stop.
stick to rip side of the trim, then the other.

30 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
 (LEFT) Shellacked. Here’s the case after the coat of amber shellac.
(Note: Don’t panic after the dye and stain coats…you won’t get
a good look until after the shellac.)

(RIGHT) Glaze of age. I mixed Old Masters’ Dark Mahogany and

Dark Walnut gel stains to get the color I wanted, then added swipes
of nish in crevices and corners to mimic age.

But because the doors for this Using a foam brush, apply the A final going over with paste
bookcase are relatively large and dye liberally with the grain, working wax will produce a low-luster, sat-
heavy (which is why you need three quickly to avoid lap marks. Go over in-smooth finish that’s easy to renew
hinges per side), I used removable-pin each section with a lint-free cloth to with additional wax in the future.
hinges, mortising them into the case even out the dye before you move I made my own leaded-glass
as well as the doors to relieve some of onto the next area. panels, using directions available
the stress on the brass screws. After the dye has dried completely, online and from various publishers.
Fit the doors in their openings, scuff-sand the raised grain with #320- (The learning curve was steep, and the
then chop mortises in the door stiles grit sandpaper. Remove the dust, finished product less than perfect, but
for the hinges. (I typically lay out then apply a coat of Minwax Early I find the panels quite attractive and
the hinge location by going no more American stain using a foam brush. serviceable.) You can, of course, use
than 1 ⁄ 2" above or below where the The stain will continue to bleed out plain glass, or have a glass artist make
rails meet the stiles.) Set the doors of the pores, so wipe periodically with leaded panels for you.
on shims to create a small gap at the a clean cloth over the next couple of Install the glass panels in their rab-
lower edge, then mark the positions hours to remove any excess. bets, then cut thin strips of wood that
of the hinge mortises on the face of Allow the stain to dry overnight, tuck into the rabbet to hold the glass
each corresponding leg. Chop or rout then apply a coat of amber shellac. in place. Miter the corners, then pin
the mortises in the legs. Now test-fit If you’re going to apply a topcoat the strips in place, sinking the brads
the doors with their hinges and adjust such as oil-based polyurethane, use into the side of the rabbet (where
them until they hang well. Then re- dewaxed shellac to promote adhesion. there is no glass to avoid). Now attach
move them and get ready to finish. Use a high-quality bristle brush and the top and rehang the doors.
apply the shellac quickly with the The final touch is to install the
The Big Finish grain to minimize lap lines. You can door pulls—which I do with the
The finish I use here produces a clas- adjust the color or mimic signs of age doors hanging because it allows you
sic Arts & Crafts look, but without the with a gel stain glaze, in which case to get them exactly even. The ones
danger of ammonia fuming. you’ll want to wait at least overnight shown in the opening photo (from
First, sand the entire piece to before applying a topcoat. Horton Brasses) are in the Mackintosh
#180 grit then remove the dust. Ap- Don’t forget to apply a coat of style. I like these as they come close in
ply a coat of TransTint Honey Amber shellac on the underside of the top aesthetics to the hardware on original
dye at the ratio of 1 tablespoon of dye and floor so that all surfaces are sealed Lebus pieces of this vintage. PW -
to 1 pint of distilled water. (I used Zinsser Bulls Eye SealCoat). Nancy Hiller

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 31
 Make a
Slab-Topped
Coffee Table
Slabs are popular for all sorts of
This coffee table is just the beginning of what tables and counter tops, so I’ll share
you can build with a $20 doweling jig. a great way to flatten and smooth
them with a little help from your
By Asa Christiana local mill-work shop, and refine
their edges using basic tools and
PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR

This walnut coffee table is amazing $20 doweling jig you can techniques. Natural-edged slabs are
featured in my latest book, “Build use to build a houseful of strong unique objects, so you are unlikely
More Stuff with Wood,” the second furniture. In this excerpt from the to find one that’s the exact same
in my series for beginning and book, I’m using it to build a clean, width and thickness as the one
intermediate woodworkers. It’s strong base for a natural-edged featured here. And that’s fine. Use
part of a chapter centered on an walnut slab. anything in the general ballpark, in

34 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
 Build More
Stuff with Wood
12 New Projects for Beginning
and Intermediate Woodworkers

AUTHOR: Asa Christiana

PUBLISHER: Taunton Press
PRICE: $29.99 + shipping

For where to purchase a copy,

visit https://linktr.ee/bmsww.

1 Simple, strong, and

affordable. Available
for just $20, this simple
doweling jig will deliver
a wide array of joints. It
includes 3/8" bit and a
stop collar used to set
drilling depth.
2 Replace the standard
bit. The kit comes with
a standard twist drill
(pictured on the right).
These cut roughly in
wood, so replace yours
with a high-quality
brad-point bit (shown
on the left). It will cut
quicker, smoother, and
cleaner, and make more
PROJECT #2302_ accurate holes.
1
Skill Level:
Beginner
Time: 4 Days
Cost: $400

any sort of wood, and adjust the size

of the base to suit it. You can also
glue together a series of boards to
make a rectangular top for this table.
The techniques are the most im-
portant part of this project. Before
I found this simple jig, I wasn’t the
biggest fan of dowel joinery. Once
I gave it a try and realized how
versatile and effective it is, I started
dreaming up all sorts of furniture to
make with it. 2

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 35
 Coffee Table

Simple & Versatile

Doweling Jig
This jig is made by Powertec and sold
on Amazon. I’m going with the 3/8"
size (model no. 71497) here, which
I find to be the most versatile. Due
to the size of the dowels and the
maximum depth of the holes you
can drill with a 3/8" diameter drill
bit, this version of the jig is appro-
priate for small- to medium-sized
furniture like this coffee table. If you 3
buy the jig designed for 1/2" diame-
ter dowels, however, you can make
everything up to the largest dining 3 Set the stop to drill 1/8" deeper
tables and the biggest beds. than necessary, to give excess glue
The jig is really nothing more than a place to go and make sure the
joint will close completely. To set
a block of metal that guides a 3/8"
the depth for most joints, draw a
diameter drill bit, with a tough, clear line halfway along the dowel you’re
plastic fence attached. The fence using, and make sure the bit passes
locates the jig on a workpiece and the line by a little before locking the
provides a surface for clamping it stop collar.
solidly in place. The kit also includes
4 Mark a line across the joint. This
drill bits, along with a stop collar can be centered by eye.
that controls drilling depth. 4
5 Clamp the jig firmly onto the
workpiece, with its centerline
aligned with the mark on the work-
piece. Place the drill bit in each hole
before squeezing the trigger, and
drill until the stop-collar hits the jig.
It helps to pull the bit partway out of
the hole at least once as you drill to
clear chips.
6 Choose good dowels. The best
type of dowel (on left) is sold specifi-
cally for joinery and tends to be very
accurate, with spiral grooves that
allow glue and air to escape when
you drive them in. The middle type
is also sold for doweling but doesn’t
5 create quite as strong a bond. On
the right is a dowel cut from long
hardware-store dowels. These tend
to vary too much in size. Whichever
type you use, make sure they fit well
in the holes your drill bit makes.
7 Assembly is quick and easy.
Squirt some woodworking glue into
the holes and use a small stick or
brush to spread it evenly. Then tap
in your dowels. You don’t need to
apply glue to them. Then spread
glue in the other pair of holes and
push the parts together. Add clamps
to produce a strong, tight joint.
6 7

36 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
 8 9
Despite its simple design, or may-
be because of it, the jig is extremely 8 Offset joints are easy too. If you place a thin piece of plywood or MDF
versatile. Used in the most basic between the guide block and the plastic fence, you can offset the holes by any
way, it lets you drill two clean, 3/8" amount. You’ll need slightly longer screws to attach the fence.
holes, spaced 3/4" apart, which then 9 To create joints with more than two dowel holes, place a dowel in the last hole
accept two 3/8" dowels. Drill those you drilled, and place the jig on that dowel to line up the next hole.
in two mating pieces, squirt some
glue in the holes, tap in the dowels,
clamp the parts together, and they bit will create a more accurate hole recommend the precut pins made
are joined for life. The basic ability with a cleaner entry rim, and also for dowel joinery in various sizes
lets you join parts at 90° for all sorts make drilling faster and easier. and lengths. These not only offer
of projects, from doors and picture 2. To attach the jig solidly to the a consistent fit, but also have little
frames to the base of a table. It also workpieces, avoid spring clamps slots on their sides to let glue and
joins boards side by side to create and Quick Grip-style clamps, which air escape when you tap them in
strong panels and tabletops, aligning won’t hold tightly enough. Go with their holes.
the pieces at the same time. the clamps that ratchet or screw 4. Last, if you happen to drill a
I’ve been using this jig with down solidly. dowel hole or two in the wrong
students for a few years now, and 3. As for the dowels themselves, spot, glue a dowel into the hole, let
I have a number of tips to share: you could cut up the long dowel it dry, saw and sand it flush, and
1. You should replace the stan- rods sold at home centers and then re-drill in the right spot. If it’s
dard 3/8" drill bit with a 3/8" brad- hardware stores, but I find that an obvious spot, you can use a dow-
point bit, which you can buy for less these vary too much in diameter el cutter to make a matching dowel
than $10 on Amazon. The brad-point for effective joinery. Instead, I from your project wood.

■ Understanding These Dowel Joints

DOWEL JIG Clear plastic plate

Registration lines 1/8"

(space for glue)

Steel block 2" dowel

3/4"
11/8"

5/8"
/ " dia. hole
3 8
3/4"

2"
ANATOMY OF THE JOINT
POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 37
 Coffee Table

How to Handle Big Slabs

The size of the slab will determine
the size of the base, so get the slab
first. Check your local area for
slab suppliers and look for deals
on Craigslist. Avoid slabs with big
cracks or deep defects. There's a few
things to note before you go find
your ideal slab. Wide, thick wood
slabs have enduring appeal. Rustic
yet refined, they tell the story of the
tree, especially if the edges of the log
are left intact. But these big slabs can
be tricky to handle. For a start, they
tend to warp as they dry, and flat-
tening them is beyond the capacity
of common woodworking machines.
There are huge router jigs you can 10
make to flatten them, but those are
hard to justify if you use slabs only
once in a long while. Handplaning
also works, but it’s tricky to flatten
a big slab by hand, making that ap-
proach best for hand-tool users with
a fair amount of experience.
That’s why many woodworkers
take their slabs to a local wood-
working shop with a wide-belt
sander—a big, expensive machine
designed for tasks just like this. For
less than $100, a pro will run your
slab (or slabs) through the sander
on both sides until it is dead-flat

10 Mark a square line across both

ends and use a circular saw and saw
guide to trim the thick slab to size. 11
11 Rent time on a wide-belt sander.
Many large mill-work shops rent out
time on their big, wide-belt sanding
machine at a reasonable rate and
provide a skilled staff member to
guide the process. It cost me $60 to
get this slab smooth and flat.
12-13 Strip off any bark first, as
it will only pop off over time. If the
edges are damaged or acutely
angled, reshape them as follows.
Draw a line along one of the grain
lines, set a jigsaw to a nice angle,
and follow the line with the saw.
Sand away the saw marks and the
smooth, curvy new edge will look
just like the real thing, only better.
12 13

38 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
14 15 16
or smooth, leaving you just a little 14 Mill and mark the frame pieces. After ripping square parts from 13/8" thick
bit more sanding to do with finer board, line them up so they look their best and mark across the joints to record
grits before it’s ready for a nice their orientation. A white pencil works great on walnut.
finish. Nowadays I also belong to
15 Drill the posts. Mark the outside face of each post with an arrow to be sure
a local woodworking club with the
you drill on the inside face. Line up the jig with the end of the post as you posi-
same type of machine, which lets tion it on each side.
me flatten big slabs for just a few
dollars-worth of shop time. Using a 16 Drill the rails. The jig is positioned the same way—on two opposite faces of
the workpiece—to drill into the ends of these pieces. Make sure you are lining
wide-belt sander saves a lot of time
up the end of the jig with the outer face of the rail each time, so the rails and
and frustration, leaving you more
posts end up flush at the corners.
time and energy to devote to the
rest of the project. 17 Mark centerlines for the slat joinery. The three dowel holes are centered on
Lastly, reshape the natural edges if the slats, so we’ll work from a centerline this time. Mark centerlines on the end
of the slats and the outside faces of the rail and posts.
they are damaged or unattractive.
18 Slat joinery is a little different. Start by drilling the ends of the slats. Line up
Drill the Dowel Joints one of the holes with your centerline and drill it and its neighbor. Then drop a
Follow the photos carefully to under- dowel into the center hole and use it to position the jig for drilling the hole on
stand how the jig is aligned to create the other side of the line. Before drilling the corresponding holes in the sides of
the frame parts, add a 1/4-in. MDF spacer to the dowel jig, as shown earlier.
the two different arrays of dowels.

17 18

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 39
 Coffee Table

■ Slab-Topped Coffee Table

40-42"

NOTE: If your slab is larger or smaller,

than the one outlined here, adjust the
base accordingly.

BOTTOM VIEW 22-24"

D D
C B
A

13/4" 41/4" 3"

1/4"
6"
3/4"
B 1/4"

C D 6" C D
FRONT VIEW SIDE VIEW

15" 3" D
D

29 1/2" 14"
13/4"
33" 17 1/2"

FRAME PARTS
HOW TO USE JIG
THE DOWEL JIG: 2"

NOTE: Always align jig 3/4"

A on the outside edges.
5/8"
D 3/8"

CROSS SLATS
3/4"
JIG

3/4"

B
C
Cutlist
No. Items Dimensions (inches)
D T W L
1 A Slab top - 22-24 40-42
NOTE: To attach the top, countersink 4 B Horizontal rails 13/4 13/4 29 1/4
3" attachment screws coming from 4 C Vertical posts 13/4 13/4 15
E the frame into the top. 4 D Cross slats 3/4 3 14
56 E Dowels 3/ 8 3/ 8 2

40 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
 19 Assemble the frames first. Start
with a dry-fit to make sure everything
comes together okay, before spread-
ing glue in the holes, tapping in the
dowels, and assembling the frames.
20 Add the slats. Use clamps to draw
these joints together tightly. Before
attaching the top, finish sanding the
parts and apply a tough finish. I used
oil-based polyurethane.
21 Attaching the top is easy. Long
screws pass through the frame parts
to hold the thick slab securely.
19

Assembly & Finishing

The table goes together squarely and
solidly due to the use of dowel joints.
Other than their speed and simplicity,
one of the other things I like about
dowel joints is how easy they are to
assemble. Before assembly, however,
sand all of the base parts to 150-grit,
and then do little more sanding af-
terwards. Next, make sure the dowels
you are using fit the holes your drill
bit is drilling. You’re looking for an
easy but not loose fit, as the glue will
tend to swell the dowels a bit. You
can sand dowels a little, but if they
are very tight, it’s probably best to try
another type. In case the joints get a
20 little rebellious once glue is applied
to the dowels, have a few long clamps
ready to draw the parts together. This
works much better than hammering
on them with a mallet.
Once the base is assembled, finish
the base and the top separately
before screwing them together.
Coffee tables need a tough finish, so I
brushed Minwax’s oil-based polyure-
thane onto the top. The base doesn’t
need as much protection, so I used a
few coats of Minwax Wipe-On Poly
for that. I used the satin version of
both, which gives a soft sheen. Be
sure to stir the containers well each
time you apply finish, and vacuum
away the dust every time you sand,
especially between coats. If you can
feel a little dust in the final surface,
you can rub it with a brown paper
bag to give it a buttery feel. PW – Asa
21 Christiana

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 41
 Rolling
Stand
This rolling stand is the perfect
mobile workstation. Use it for

PHOTOS BY LOGAN WITTMER / SCREEN VIEWS PROVIDED BY SHAPER ORIGIN

a computer in your shop or to
mount a power tool.
By Danielle Lowery

PROJECT #2303_
Skill Level:
Beginner
Time: 2 Days
Cost: $120

42 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
Over the last few years, I have Chris designed this to be cut out on designed as a rolling computer cart
become interested in CNC. In fact, a large shop-made CNC, however, I for a CNC, this would be a perfect
I recently decided to add a medium thought that this would be a great computer cart for your shop, orga-
sized machine to my shop. While project to build entirely with the nization for a classroom, in a library,
I’m (impatiently) waiting for it to Shaper Origin. or even as a small power tool cart. In
arrive, I thought it would be a good “But Danielle, I want to build one fact, I’m going to make a second one
idea to start arranging the shop of these, but I don’t have Shaper to mount my bench grinder to for
to accommodate it. That includes Origin, or any kind of CNC.” Well, sharpening turning tools.
setting up somewhere for my you could easily make this with a
computer to sit while I’m working limited number of tools in your shop. Setup the Workspace
on the CNC. This rolling computer I’ll point out alternatives as we go. Before the Shaper Origin can be
stand was originally designed by Finally, before we start, I want to plugged in, you first need to set up a
our Technology Editor, Chris Fitch. mention that even though this is workspace for Origin. What I mean
by that is that you need to apply
strips of domino tape to the mate-
rial as you see in Photo 1. As you
move the Origin around, it scans
this tape and creates a virtual work
surface. Because you’ll never be able
to exactly replicate the layout of
this domino tape, this sheet is now
unique, and Origin will recognize it
when you pull it out of the plywood
rack, even years down the road.
As you can see in the photos, I
laid strips of domino tape every 8"
or so. (The flash from our camera
would often wash out the tape, so
I used more tape than is actually
necessary. My problem, not yours!).
The tape doesn’t need to be straight
either. The Origin has a “tape meter”
that will indicate how good the tape
1 signal is as you’re working.

1 The Shaper Origin scans “Domino Tape,” using the dots

along with the arrangement of the tape to position itself.
2 As you scan the tape, Origin creates a virtual work
surface. This piece of plywood will always be saved now,
as long as you don’t remove the tape.

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 43
 Rolling Stand

3 Start by routing the “pocket cut” for the

back rabbet. In the file, this area is made
slightly oversized (towards the waste) so
there won’t be any nibs left after cutting it
to shape.
4 The dadoes for the drawer slides are
made with a smaller bit.
3

Rout the Joinery

Because Origin is WiFi connected,
you can download your designs
from the cloud to the tool. Don’t be
concerned about designing for CNC
with Origin. Origin takes simple
files that you set to certain colors
to mean different things. It’s simple
to set up, and you can even design
basic shapes and text on the tool.
What you do need to think about
with Origin is your order of oper-
ations. You need to cut all joinery
first, before cutting a part out of the
plywood sheet. On Origin, you have
a few different types of cuts you can
make: inside line, outside line, on
line, and pocket cuts. 4

5 Making an “outside” cut means the bit will

follow the line on the waste side of the cut.
This produces an accurately sized part.

44 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
 But wait... before we start cutting
we need to tell the Origin where
the tip of the router bit touches the
worksurface. To do this, you use the
“z-touch” function found in Origin.
This will lower the router spindle
to the worksurface until it senses
the bit tip has touched it. Once it
feels resistance, it will set that as
"zero". One of the biggest things
to not forget is to run the z-touch
every time you change the router
bit. However, when you manually
change the router bit size in Origin,
it will automatically prompt you to
run a z-touch.
Back to the joinery. The first thing
to cut is the joinery on the side
panels. These are the rabbets, dadoes,
and grooves that you see in the draw-
ing next to Photo 3. Cuts like these
are made in two passes. First, an
“inside line” cut is made to define the
size of the rabbet/groove. Next, the
“pocket” cut is made to clear away the 6
rest of the material. I did this with a
quarter inch bit in the Origin, and set 6 When your final pass is complete, you’ll be left with a part that needs the tape
the depth to be 1/4" deep. peeled off and a small amount of sanding to remove router fuzz.
Here’s the thing with Origin:
because it sees the domino tape and
(basically) GPS locates itself, as you before — beginning with an inside The Traditional Way
rout, you’re just watching the screen cut to define the edges of the dadoes As promised, here’s how I would cut
and following the line. You can see, followed by a pocket cut. You can these parts out traditionally, if you
in real time, where you’re cutting in see these in the second drawing on don’t have an Origin. Start with the
relation to your part shape. As you the previous page. side panels cut to size. Don’t worry
move, the Origin will make small With the joinery cut on both sides about the scoop/shaped top yet. Cut
corrective adjustments to the router of the cart, it’s time to cut them the rabbet first. A dado blade in the ta-
motor to keep you on track. If you out. Switching back to the larger bit ble saw will cut this in short order. Use
get too far off track, the motor will (1/4") and running z-touch again, I an auxiliary fence to bury the dado
retract and stop you from cutting. switched Origin to make an outside blade and cut this rabbet in both sides.
It makes routing “free hand” more cut. This means that the inside edge Now, set the dado blade up for the
like routing with training wheels — of the bit will be on the cut line. If exact width of the plywood you’re
laser-guided training wheels! you make an “outline” cut (where using. Use a miter gauge to guide
Once the larger, 3/4" pockets the center of the bit follows the your side panel across the dado blade,
(dadoes, grooves, and rabbets) line), it would actually reduce the forming the top dado. This same
are finished, it’s time to rout the size of the part by 1/4" overall. That’s approach will be used to form the 1/4"
narrower dadoes on the bottom not what we want. dadoes for the drawers, but the blade
half of the side. You could do these As you’re making this type of cut, will be changed for the appropriate
with the same 1/4" bit, however with standard cutting rules apply. Make width. Use the rip fence in combina-
these being sized for plywood draw- multiple passes instead of trying to tion with the miter gauge to position
er bottoms, they are actually slightly get through the sheet in one pass, the dadoes and keep them even on
undersized. So I swapped out to and rout in the proper direction. both sides.
an 1/8" router bit and changed the (In fact, Origin will retract the bit Creating the stopped groove on
appropriate setting in Origin. Rout- if you try and move the wrong way, the bottom, front edge (for a toe
ing these follows the same path as producing a “climb cut.”) kick) is the trickiest part of this deal.

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 45
 Rolling Stand

7
However, it’s not too bad. Use a pair
7 Cutting the remainder of the parts is straight forward. Pocket cuts cut the
of scrap blocks held on the side with joinery and outside cuts (in three depth steps) cut the parts to size.
some double-sided tape to create
“guides.” Then use a bearing-guided
router bit to form the groove. Now
you can shape the sides. These pan- Continue Cutting
els are a little large, but you should
be able to manage these cuts at the 1 BACK
band saw. Otherwise, a jigsaw can 5 DRAWER FRONTS
be used to cut them to shape.

The Other Parts 1 BASE

PLUS:
After understanding how inside, ∙ 5 Drawer Backs
outside, and pocket cuts work with- ∙ 5 Drawer Bottoms
∙ 10 Drawers Sides
in Origin, the shape and complexity ∙ 1 Toe Kick
of the part doesn’t really matter. All ∙ 1 Divider
that matters is that you’re cutting
the correct type of cut in the correct NOTE: The second set of
rabbets of the drawer fronts
order. You don’t want to cut a part as well as the rabbets for
free before cutting joinery, as it will 1 TOP the drawer back and sides
be harder to position the part. Hard- will be completed on the
workstation.
er, but not impossible.
So, now it’s on to cutting the
remainder of the parts. The rest of
the case consists of the base, top, to cut the drawer parts. Here, we're can see this in Photo 8. The Worksta-
back, and divider. The divider is just going to break the earlier rule of tion has a surface covered in dominoes,
cut to shape using an outside cut. "joinery first". For most of these, I and has a front apron that allows you
The back gets a dado (pocket cut), cut the parts to shape with the to clamp your work in place. The on-
and the base and top have pockets Origin first. The only exception is tool design feature made it possible
routed in them to accept the top the front—there’s a rabbet along click and drag a rectangular cut area
and bottom of the case assembly. the bottom edge to hide the drawer on Origin to design the cut shape. The
You can see these in the drawing to bottom. I did cut this before I cut drawer front and back get a dado
the right. If you were to band saw the fronts to shape. (photo 9) and the drawer sides get a
these out, I would skip the pockets The reason for not cutting joinery rabbet to make a tongue (Photo 10).
all together on the top and bottom— before the parts is that the tongue and The joints can be fine-tuned using the
this would be a great place to pocket dado joint needs to be fine-tuned and cut offset in Origin. When everything
screw the sides to the top/bottom. test fit, so I figured it would be a great was fitting perfect, I cut all of the
At this point, you can also start use for the Shaper Workstation. You drawer parts to size.

46 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
 DRAWER BACK

DRAWER FRONT

DRAWER SIDE

10

10 Standing the workpieces on end allows you to cre-

ate the tongues on the sides.
11 The result is a tongue and dado joint that has a great
fit, and is quick to make.

8 The Shaper Workstation has stops that you can use to

register parts against and clamp them in place.
9 Spacer blocks give the bit a little room between the
workstation and the workpiece.
11

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 47
 Rolling Stand

12

12 Get everything positioned and clamped in place Final Assembly

before the glue starts to tack up. With everything cut, you can add any edge treatments
13 One clamp across the drawer is all that's needed with
you’d like. I routed a heavy roundover on the base, and a
this self-squaring joint. small roundover on all of the other edges. Now, we can
assemble everything.
The stand gets glued together. Start by gluing the toe
kick and divider in one of the sides. Slip the back into
place (with glue), and add the other side. A couple of
clamps hold everything together as you position the top
and the bottom. A pair of long clamps will squeeze this
stand-sandwich together.
The drawers go together even easier. A little bit of
glue squeezed into the dadoes is pretty much all that’s
needed. I glued the drawers together upside down so
that the bench aligned the top of the parts. One clamp is
enough to hold the drawer while the glue dries.
Once the clamps come off the drawers, the bottoms
can be nailed in place. I chose to paint the stand with a
heavy-duty trim and door paint. Several inexpensive cast-
ers from the hardware store got screwed to the bottom to
easily move it around the shop. For the drawers, I chose
to lacquer them, giving the stand a two-tone look.
If you decide to build one of these to mount a tool
on in your shop, I’d suggest adding a little extra weight
in the bottom. The space between the lowest drawer
and the bottom will hold about 55lbs of lead shot
(available at sporting good stores), which would be
13 more than plenty. PW – Danielle Lowery

48 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
■ Rolling Stand
CASE SIDE
OUTSIDE FACE SIDE VIEW INSIDE FACE 22"
23/32"

5 5/8"

6 1/8"
BASE
TOP VIEW
15 1/2"
12"
23/32"
R 2 7/8" 10"
R 1/2"

3/4"

1/4"

23 1/2"

23 11/32"
23/32"
TOP
BOTTOM VIEW

16 3/4"
10 1/2"
3 3/4"
10"

2 5/8"
11/2"
1/4"
23/32" 23/32"
NOTE: Left and right sides
are mirrored.

CASE BACK 1/4"

DRAWER FRONT 15/32"
DRAWER BACK
INSIDE FACE
TOP VIEW
SIDE VIEW

15/32"

111/32" R 1/4"

INSIDE FACE
SIDE VIEW

R 11/4" 1/4"

1/4"
INSIDE FACE
23/32"

7/32"
1/2"
Cutlist
No. Items Dimensions (inches)
DRAWER FRONT T W L
1/4"
2 A Sides /
23 32 12 34 1/2
1 B Back /
23 32 9 34 1/2
TOP VIEW 1 C Base 3/4 15 1/2 22
22 3/4"
1/4" 1 D Top 3/4 16 3/4 23 1/2
1 E Kick 23/32 2 1/4 9
1 F Divider 23/32 9 11 17/32
DRAWERS
5 G Fronts /
23 32 3 15/16 8 7/16
5 H Backs /
23 32 2 23/32 8 7/16
INSIDE FACE
10 I Sides /
23 32 3 23/32 10 11/32
5 J Bottoms 7/32 8 15/16 11 1/16

Joinery is sized for Baltic birch plywood.

 Scoop with PROJECT #2304_
Skill Level:
Advanced

Pewter Finial
Time: 3 Hours
Cost: $20
PHOTOS BY LOGAN WITTMER

Combine spindle turning skills with a special chucking method to

make this utilitarian scoop. By Jimmy Clewes
50 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
One of the most popular Using a spindle roughing gouge, Turning Scoop & Handle
projects of my woodturning class- turn the blank just to the round and Measure the diameter of the blank
es here in Las Vegas is a turned scoop then use a 1/ 8" parting tool to square using calipers and then from the
with a pewter finial. These scoops up both ends. With the same tool cut tailstock end, mark a pencil line into
provide practice for hollowing end a tenon to fit into the jaws of your the blank using the diameter mea-
grain, making jigs, and using pewter chuck. I use the Vicmarc VM 120 surement. This will be the scoop size.
to add unique details. Additionally, chuck. Make sure that the tenon is as Use a 1/ 8" parting tool to relieve the
you’ll end up with a beautiful cus- long as possible, approximately 3/ 8" wood about a 1/ 2" diameter to the left
tom-turned scoop for any application long, for maximum grip. However, of the line. This gives me the clear-
and it's easily adjusted for different you’ll also want to make sure the ten- ance to start to form the scoop. The
sizes or designs. on is not too long and bottoming out outside of the scoop is basically just
in the chuck. If it is too long, you will a large bead or sphere. The whole
Preparing the Blank not have the extra support needed process is easier if you manage to cut
The wood that you use for this from the face of the jaws. it perfectly round, as it will ensure an
project isn’t super important. I used Take the blank out of the centers
walnut here, as it works well with the and remount it in the chuck, with
pewter. What is important, however, the tailstock in place for additional 1 Turn a spindle blank round and
is to make sure that the blank is free support. With a 1/ 8" parting tool, cut a dovetail on it for mounting
in a chuck.
of any hairline fractures. Once you make a cut into the blank at the tail-
start to hollow out the scoop, any stock end, stopping before hitting 2 Measure the diameter with calipers.
small crack can cause the scoop to the revolving center. This will act 3 Transfer the diameter measure-
break apart as you turn it. When as a support for the scoop whilst ment to the face of the blank.
mounting the rough blank, I prefer a turning and prevent the scoop from
4 Now, divide the “scoop end” into
ring drive or PSI super drive and a live having a hole in the center at the
half with dividers.
revolving ring center. end when finished.

1 2

3 4

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 51
 Turned Scoop

even wall thickness when hollowing If necessary, a template would also

5 With a parting tool, define the end
out the scoop. To do this, use a 3/8" make this part easier.
of the scoop.
spindle gouge. Be assured that this After forming the sphere on one
will test your spindle turning ability. end, continue turning the handle of 6 To make a perfect sphere, start
by making facets on the ends of the
scoop. As you create more facets,
cut the previous facets in half.
7 As you continue to make facets,
you’ll be working the scoop end into
a sphere.
8-10 After the sphere has been
turned, start to shape the handle of
the scoop.
11 I chose to add a pewter finial to
this scoop, so I turned a small tenon.
5

6 7

8 9

10 11

52 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
 ■ Scoop with Pewter Finial

1 /2"
5 /16"
1"
1 /2"

5 /8"
3 /4"

1 /2"

41/8"
2 1/4"

1 7/8"

11/4"
11/2"

1"
3"

the scoop using a 3/8" spindle gouge.

When this tool is used correctly HOLLOWING
with the bevel floating behind the
cuts, the result will be a surface that
JIG
needs little sanding. At the end of 3"
the handle, use a 1/8" parting tool to
cut a small tenon 1/4" long and 1/ 8"
diameter, to which the pewter finial
will be attached.
The finish from your tool work
will dictate which grade of abrasive is
needed to start sanding. When sand-
ing, I tend to slow down the speed of
the lathe, as I can feel the abrasive is
more effective than at faster speeds.
I started with 240 grit followed by
320 and 400 grits. When it comes to
finishing my turnings, I stay simple.
First, I apply a thin coat of Zinnser’s
clear coat shellac, which is thinned
down 25% with denatured alcohol. 12
After it is completely dry, I then cut
back the finish with #0000 steel wool
and apply a thin coat of Danish oil.
The oil will really “pop” the grain. Be
sure to wipe off any excess oil and
buff to a satin sheen.

12 Sand the scoop completely.

13 Apply finish to the scoop, and in
particular the sphere portion.
14 Use a small pull saw to cut the ten-
on off of the waste, freeing the scoop.
13 14

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 53
 Turned Scoop

Lastly, use a pull saw to cut the

scoop away from the waste wood
leaving the 1/ 4" tenon.

Onto the Pewter Finial

After mounting a small square
corner-to-corner in the jaws of the
chuck, turn the blank to round.
Now, drill a hole in the end using
a 3/ 8" forstner bit placed in a drill
chuck. Drill the hole long enough so
that after casting you have enough
pewter left in the mold to hold it
whilst turning.
Remove the chuck with the mold
from the lathe and lay it down on
a flat surface. Use a cast iron ladle 15
or something similar to melt the
pewter. I use my late father-in-law's
cast iron ladle which he used to
cast fishing weights many years ago.
The pewter I use is called Britannia
pewter, which contains no lead and
is available form Amazon. The price
varies depending on the stock mar-
ket. I purchase it in a 2-pound ingot.
Pewter melts at a low temperature,
so a propane gas torch is more
than adequate. The pewter will
stay liquid for several minutes after
pouring. Be patient and allow it to
completely cool.
After remounting the chuck with
the pewter set in the mold, drill a 1/8" 16
hole in which the tenon of the scoop
will be glued. This is easier as it is
supported in the mold. After drilling
the hole, I turned away the waste
wood around the pewter to reveal
a small bar which could be held in
pin jaws. If you do not have pin jaws,
you could glue the bar into a scrap
piece of wood to help support it
while you turn the pewter.
Now onto turning the pewter
itself, which turns very easily

15 A scrap piece of wood is turned

into a mold for the finial.
16 A bit in a Jacob’s chuck forms
the hole to pour the pewter.
17-18 After heating the pewter with
a MAPP gas torch, it can be poured
into the mold. 17 18

54 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
 with standard woodturning steels.
Just sharpen your tools and turn
it using the same techniques as
in woodturning. It will scrape or
cut, and is a pleasure to work with.
With the pewter bar placed in small
pin jaws, use a 3/8" spindle gouge
and proceed to turn the bar to the
finial shape desired. I also use my
cone revolving live center located
in the hole in which the tenon will
be glued for extra support.
Once the pewter finial is shaped,
I simply use steel wool to finish
the pewter. Be careful that the
steel wool does not wrap around
19

20

21 22

19 Before popping the finial out,

drill a hole to match the tenon on
the scoop.
20-22 After cutting the pewter out
of the mold, hold it in small jaws and
start to shape it. Standard turning
tools will turn the soft pewter.
23 As you get close to the shape you
want, you can use a shear scrape or
cut to get a mirror-like finish.
24 Sneak in with a parting tool to
cut the finial free of the waste.
23 24

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 55
 Turned Scoop

the finial, just as in woodturning.

Lastly, release the finial using a 1/8"
parting tool.

Make a Hollowing Jig

In order to hollow and finish off the
scoop, we need to make a jig using a
3" x 3" x 3" cube of wood. Mark the
center on each side of end grain for
mounting between centers. Then
mark and draw a line down the cen-
ter of one of the faces. Drill a series
of holes with a Forstner bit about
11/2" in length and 11/4" deep. Lastly,
remove the corners of the holes with
a wood chisel. This procedure is
much easier to complete when the 25
blank is square rather than turned
round! This gap will allow the handle
to protrude through the side of the 25 A scrap block is predrilled to hold the handle of the scoop.
jig whilst hollowing out the scoop. 26-27 The diameter of the scoop sphere is measured and transferred to the
Mount the blank between centers end of the jig, after it's been turned round and mounted in a chuck.
and use a spindle roughing out gouge
to turn the blank round. Then use 28 Now, hollow a bowl in the end of the jig that matches the scoop sphere.
a parting tool to cut a tenon to hold
the jig in a chuck for hollowing. With
the jig now held on the tenon in the
chuck, we can measure and mark the
end grain in preparation for hollow-
ing.
I use calipers to measure the out-
side diameter of the scoop and then
transfer the measurement to a pair of
dividers. Holding the dividers point-
ing downwards in a trailing fashion,
scribe a line in the end grain with the
left leg, and if it matches the right leg,
you will have the exact diameter you
need to get started on hollowing. 26 27
To begin to hollow the jig and the
project itself, use whichever tool
you feel comfortable with. I prefer
to use my Mate #1 hollowing tool,
which cuts the wood (not scrapes it)
and its very forgiving. You're aiming
to create a hollow to hold the scoop.
When the hollowing is completed, it
should sit nicely into the jig with the
handle protruding through the over-
lapping holes you drilled previously.
Use a hot melt glue gun to glue
the scoop into the jig. Apply a small
amount of glue at the base of the
jig, then place the scoop into it. Add
a “weld” of glue around the outside 28

56 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
29 30

29 Check your fit and glue scoop in place when it fits snugly. 31-32 Switching to a Mate hollowing tool, I hollow out the
rest of the scoop bowl. Because you can’t check the wall
30 Use a bowl gouge to start forming the scoop’s opening. thickness, be sure to go slowly and aim carefully.

31 32

edge of the scoop and the jig. You can other words, hollowing through the outside of the scoop can be cleaned
change the angle of the handle before bottom or sides of the scoop. up and refinished if necessary.
the glue sets, but remember that the When the hollowing is complete, The final step is to attach the
steeper the angle you choose, the carefully sand and finish the inside of pewter finial. Use a glue super glue
less room you have for following and the scoop. To release the scoop from such as one available from Starbond
avoid ‘clipping’ your hand or fingers! the jig simply take the jig with the and apply a small amount in the
attached scoop out of the chuck and hole. Then spray the tenon on the
Hollow and Assemble pop it in a microwave for 30 seconds. scoop with accelerator and assem-
Again, using a template for the in- This will soften the glue and allow ble the pieces. The accelerator will
side hollowing of the scoop will help you to gently remove the scoop. act and set almost instantly, firmly
with accuracy and avoid making the There may be some glue left on the attaching the finial to the scoop.
inside larger than the outside. In scoop, but it will peel off. Plus, the PW – Jimmy Clewes

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 57
 Classified & Woodworker’s Marketplace

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Above prices are 15 bd. ft.
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Basswood .....................4/4 Select 3.25 .......... $ 95.00
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Butternut .......................4/4 1C 3.65 .......... $ 98.00 CUSTOM RAISED PANEL DOORS
Cedar (Aromatic Red) ...4/4 1C+Btr. 3.35 .......... $ 95.00
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 Workshop Tips

12 Shop Storage Tips

By Tim Johnson

Want to get organized? Just hold it, hang it, box it, or roll it!

1 Tubular Shelves

PHOTOS BY PATRICK HUNTER, VERN JOHNSON, RA-

Store wood trim, dowels, and other long, narrow
stock in a cardboard concrete form. Maximize the
space inside the form by sliding in plywood dividers

MON MORENO, & BILL ZUEHLKE

and securing them with screws. Use a plumber’s
strap to hang the form. One 10' roll is enough to
hang a 12" diameter by 8' long form. Concrete forms
and plumber’s strap are available at home centers.

Sturdy
2 Brackets
Make lumber-storage brackets 3 Bench-top Tool Cabinet
by cutting, gluing, and clamp-
ing 3/4" plywood sides to a 12" Store small tools in this 9 3/4" x 30 1/4" x 11 3/4" plywood cabinet. Its shal-
long chunk of 2 x 4, as shown. low drawers are ideal for layout tools or carving gouges. Deep drawers
Fasten the brackets to the wall hold marking gauges and block planes. Place your cabinet on a shelf or
studs with 3/8" x 3 1/2" bolts. hang it from a wall by fastening through the back.
Then attach a plywood shelf. Use 1/2" Baltic birch for the case and back, which assemble with rabbet
joints that are glued and nailed. Use 1/4" tempered hardboard for the
drawer bottoms and pine for the drawer boxes. Cut 3/16" deep dadoes for
the drawer bottoms to slide in — the bottoms function as both drawer
slides and drawer pulls. Stagger the dadoes in the middle divider so it
stays strong. Note: the lowest drawers don’t require dadoes; they slide on
the bottom of the case.
To make the pulls, drill a stopped hole in the front of each drawer bottom
and use epoxy to install a washer. Then remove the waste of both sides to
create the pull’s protruding profile.
Cut rabbet joints to assemble the drawer boxes, then nail and glue them
together. Even up the bottom edges on each box and glue it to the hard-
board bottom. The stiffness of the drawer box keeps the hardboard from
bending under the weight of your tools.

S
TOM
E R BOT ES
W O
DRA IN DAD
RIDE

D
ILE S
NA BBET
RA
 Storage Tips

Double-Duty
4 Lumber Rack 5 Adjustable Interiors
Keep long clamps handy by storing them on the Foam-covered inserts make it easy to reconfigure
same heavy-duty shelf brackets you use for lum- your drawers as your storage needs change. To
ber. Storing these heavy, hard-to-manage clamps make the inserts, cut pieces of 1/4" hardboard to fit
horizontally makes them easy to remove and across the drawer and use spray adhesive to adhere 1/4"
return because you don't have to hoist and twist closed-cell foam to the hardboard. Then cut dividers
them as you would if they were stored vertically. for a friction fit. Start long and slowly trim the dividers
Heavy-duty brackets and slotted standards are until they fit snugly.
available at home centers.

6 Ceiling Tuck-Away
Eke out every cubic inch of storage in a basement
shop by hanging these pivoting drawers between
joists. They’re perfect for tools and supplies you
don’t need to get at all the time. Use lag screws or
bolts for pivots and a pair of swiveling cleats to
store each drawer between the joists. Simply drop
down the drawer for easy access to its contents.

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 61
 Storage Tips

Triple-Duty
7 Sharp Edge Saver 8 Chisel Holder
Use the spine from a sliding bar report cover to This see-through rack makes it easy to identify the
protect the sharp edges of scrapers and handsaws. proper tool for the job at hand. It also protects the
Cut the spines to length with a utility knife. A sharp edges of your chisels and keep your hands
pack of six sliding bar report costs about $5 at an from the chisels’ sharp edges.
office supply store. Arrange your chisels across the strip in whatever
order you prefer. Add spacer blocks to fit the width
of each chisel blade and install a third 1/2" wood
strip to create the chisel holes. Then screw a piece of
acrylic on top.

9 Portable Compressor Platform 10 Clamp Camp

Forget lugging around that heavy Store a lot of clamps in a little space
pancake-style compressor. Instead by drilling 5/8" diameter holes through
bolt it to the bottom of a small 3/4" plywood at a slight upward angle
rolling cabinet with an air hose HOSE REEL and gluing in 5/8" diameter x 9" long
reel on top. Mount the 12" lazy- dowels. Each pair of dowels holds
Susan bearing and you’ll be able to six clamps. This rack hangs up to 18
unroll the hose in any direction. F-style clamps and 4 spring clamps in
only 2 square feet of wall space.
LAZY-SUSAN
HARDWARE

ACCESS HOLE
FOR DRAIN PLUG

LOCKING CASTERS

62 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
11 Clamp Leash 12 Drill Press Station
Spring clamps have Create cavernous storage under your drill press
an uncanny knack for by recycling an old kitchen cabinet. Shorten the
disappearing. To solve cabinet’s drawer and move its back panel in about
this problem, simply 8" so it fits around the drill press. Add a new top
suspend your dog’s and mount pullout dividers inside, using full-
old leash over your extension drawer slides. Removable drill bit
workbench. Not indexes make storing and handling different
only will this bits a breeze. Install casters so the cabinet
keep your spring is easy to move out of the way when
clamps within it’s time to sweep.
easy reach, they
will also be easy
to transport
around the
shop.
 End Grain

Sharing the Craft

By Kevin Thomas

Find woodworking education, fellowship, and

shop space at a woodworking guild near you.

I am an avid woodworker. Let

me rephrase that. I am an avid
woodworker with a chronic disease.
I’m not an expert woodworker; I’m
average, at best. But I put my best
into every project. You see I have
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and it
makes things difficult and painful.
I know what you’re thinking, “I’ve
got some arthritis, what’s the big
deal?” It’s not the same thing. RA is
an autoimmune disease that causes
inflammation. The white blood cells
in my body attack my joints and Kansas City Woodworkers’ Guild
this leads to joint destruction. This
causes my hands to be crooked and to 100 and met in a small church it with others. We always recruit
deformed. Pain and I are old friends. basement. Fast forward twelve years new instructors from these classes.
Even with this disease, I have con- and our membership is around 850 Each of these classes last ten eve-
tinued to strive to become the best and we meet in our 10,000 square nings and each work on specific skills.
woodworker I can be. foot shop. There is something going The Basic Woodworking class consists
Over the years I’ve taken classes on in the shop every day of the week. of three projects and each project
from some excellent woodworkers There are classes, Special Interest teaches a new skill. By the last class
like Christopher Schwarz, Fred- Groups (SIGs), and of course, Open all skills are used on the project.
die Roman, Ben Hobbs, and Mike Shop times. We have five SawStop The Intermediate Woodworking
Pekovich. I always try to remember saws, an 8" and 16" jointer, 3 drum class builds two projects, starting
as much from these classes as pos- sanders, a CNC, a laser engraver, and with rough lumber and deciding
sible. Sometimes I will write about much more. And best of all, it is run where to cut parts from.
it, whatever it takes to retain the as a total volunteer organization. The Basics of Hand Tool wood-
knowledge that was imparted on me The classes are the part that I’m working class has become a favorite.
by these great woodworkers. most proud of. While I have spent Students learn to cut with a hand-
About 17 years ago, I discovered time in several leadership positions, saw (both crosscut and rip), mak-
the Kansas City Woodworkers’ my current position is my favorite. ing dadoes, rabbets, mortises and
Guild. The group’s mission state- I am the Director of Training. The tenons all by hand. All of these skills
ment really got my attention: “The “Provide Education” part of the mis- culminate in building a Shaker-in-
purpose of the Kansas City Wood- sion statement is very important to spired bench. The last thing students
workers’ Guild’ is to promote the me, and as such I’ve tried to share learn is hand-cut dovetails. These
skill and craft of woodworking, to what I’ve learned through the years. classes have become the basis of our
provide education, information, fel- Thursday evening, the Guild growing membership along with use
lowship, and organization to those Shop is the place to be, as our most of the shop. One of the volunteers
interested in working with wood. ” popular classes happen on Thurs- that instructs during this class is
(From the Bylaws) day evening; Basic Woodworking, Kenan Orhan (Popular Woodworking
“Promote the skill and craft of Intermediate Woodworking, and Magazine contributing editor).
woodworking and to provide educa- Basics of Hand Tool Woodworking. So you can see, there are ways
tion” says it all to me. I knew I had Over the past several years, many to learn the craft of woodworking.
to be a part of this group. When I new woodworkers have learned the Who knows? It may be right in your
joined, membership was around 80 basics of the craft and have shared neighborhood. PW - Kevin Thomas

64 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
HANDPLANES AND
WOODWORKING
ESSENTIALS
Learn from Origin Owner
Roland Johnson

Get back to essentials with this FREE three-part video

series from woodworking educator, Roland Johnson.
Pick up tips on handplane restoration and lumber
selection, and build your own block plane gallery!

Learn more
shapertools.com/masterclass
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