How about jointing a square edge without a jointer?

Both of these questions will be answered by Doug Hicks during this seminar podcast. Doug will also show you how to add tapers using a jointer; rout dovetails for dovetail keys on a router table; and even turn a spindle with a router, portable hand drill and a special jig.

Get the seminar guide here: 5 Surprising Woodworking Techniques

Get the seminar guide here: 12 Must-Have Finishing Supplies

Get the seminar guide here: 3 New Innovations in Joinery

On another note, I was doing some research earlier today and I happened upon an Online Extra that I wanted to share from the June 2007 issue of Woodsmith (No. 171). The issue had a good article on chip carving and a weekend project for a Chip-Carved Book Rack. The Online Extra features images of the work of Elaine Hoekman-Dugan, a local craftsperson here in central Iowa. Elaine offered the Woodsmith editors her advise on techniques for the articles in the issue and showed them examples of her work. Sadly, she fell ill and passed away shortly before the issue was released. If you missed the Online Extra, please check it out. Her work was amazing.

See photos of some of the beautiful and intricate chip-carving (and woodburnings) done by local craftsperson Elaine Hoekman-Dugan.

Vince Ancona takes us step-by-step through his routine for accurate set up and maintenance of a table saw. By the end of the seminar, you’ll have learned how to vastly improve the quality of the cuts you make with your table saw.

Get the seminar guide here: Table Saw Set Up & Maintenance

“I know a lot of people think I use hand planes just because I’m old-fashioned. The truth is, I love my machines. But if you want to do quality work in your wood shop, you need to learn to use hand planes. I use at least one of the three planes I’m demonstrating almost every time I’m in the shop. It has changed the way I do woodworking. I really agree with a line I read once in an old, old issue of Woodsmith magazine. It said, ‘…no machine can come close to the quality of work a hand plane will do.’”

Get the seminar guide here: Three Hand Planes Every Shop Should Have

First, he’ll demonstrate how to build drawers using a specialized drawer joint bit in just two simple steps. Then, for those of us who choose not to buy the special bit, Phil will take us through the steps of building drawers with an ordinary 1/4″-dia. straight bit.

Get the Seminar Guide here: Building Drawers Using Drawer Joint Bits

The first is an incredible set of Calipers and Dividers. All four tools were designed by Chris Fitch, senior project designer for ShopNotes and Woodsmith. They’re so easy to make. All it takes are some basic tools you probably already have: a hacksaw, a few files, and a drill press. Another project designed by Chris are what we affectionately called the “hamster caskets” while they were being built. Chris wrote about the design process here a few weeks ago.

We made three versions of these Sharpening Stone Storage Boxes for the article. As you can see in the photo, Chris also designed several alternate versions. The outside profiles can be made with a table saw, router, or band saw and the recess on the inside of the boxes is made using a hand-held router and a simple shop-made template.

You’ll also find a great new jig for the table saw (photo at left). This handy Precision-Cutting Jig makes the table saw (normally a great tool for heavy work) a perfect tool for cutting small parts.

Finally, we’ve strayed from the shop just a bit with a fantastic new Modular Garage Storage unit. Inexpensive and easy to build, this wall-mounted
system is a great way to add versatile storage to the garage.

As you know, August Home Publishing has branched out into television. The Woodsmith Shop just started its second season, which means our video production crew has been extremely busy taping and editing the shows that you’re now watching. Unfortunately, this means that podcast video production has been put on the back-burner.

We have been taping the seminars at the Woodsmith Store though and as soon as we get caught up, the podcasts will begin again. Thanks for your interest in the podcasts and I apologize for not keeping everyone up-to-date on our progress. Look for a new Woodsmith Seminar Podcast within the next few weeks.

There is no doubt that working with plywood can be a challenge. According to Dave Stone, a full sheet of 3/4″ hardwood plywood can weigh anywhere from 60 to 100 pounds. And the last thing you want to do is drop it on a corner or have excessive chip out when you cut a piece down to size.

Check out the Woodsmith Podcast Store, or get the Seminar Guide here: Tips for Working with Plywood

If you’re familiar with the program, you know how powerful a tool it is. And if you’re new to it, Google has provided dozens of video tutorials, an extensive Help Center and even live training classes that make it easy to start modeling your own projects right away.

ShopNotes associate editor Randy Maxey came up with the idea to add the model to the magazines’ website. He thought it would be fun to provide readers with a professionally-designed project that they can actually take apart to really get a feel for the way it goes together before deciding to build it. And best of all, if you want to modify the workbench — make it taller, longer, or even change it to feature an edge-grain top — you can take the model and make any changes you want to reflect your particular needs.

Other free downloads at the website include plans for the drawers, a short video animation of the workbench’s best features, and a fraction-to-decimal conversion chart.

At the turn of the 20th-century, Emmert Manufacturing produced a bench vise to help patternmakers make wood parts for castings used in manufacturing. Unlike typical vises, the Emmert vise could twist and turn in several directions and angles. This allowed patternmakers to adjust a workpiece to a comfortable position without having to loosen the vise, adjust the workpiece, and tighten it down again. Simply flip a lever here or a knob there, and position the vise (and the workpiece) right where it needs to be. While the company no longer exists, the Emmert is still a highly sought-after vise, commanding prices up to $800. Fortunately, other companies now make similar vises.

The vise shown at right is available from Highland Hardware (stock #168040). Similar vises are available from a number of manufacturer’s.

For more information on patternmaker’s vises and to learn about more great tips and techniques for updating your shop, consider subscribing to ShopNotes magazine. You can get a free preview issue of ShopNotes magazine here: ShopNotes Preview Issue

Oct 2 …Choosing the Best Workbench for Your Shop w/ Dennis Perkins

Oct 9 …Selecting Lumber: Get the Best Wood Possible for Your Projects w/ Dennis Perkins

Oct 16 …Straight, Flat, & Square: Three Tools that Make it Easy w/ Terry Zuck

Oct 23 …Mortise & Tenon Joinery: Simple Techniques for Strong Joints w/ Jim Downing

Oct 30 …Using Sheet Goods: Why “Strong, Stable, and Flat” is a Good Thing w/ Bob Zimmerman

Nov 6 …3 Solid Steps to Building a Workbench that Works w/ Phil Huber

Nov 13 …Spline & Groove Joinery: Tips for Keeping Large Pieces Aligned w/ Chris Fitch

Nov 20 …Shop Storage: Cabinet and Shelving Units w/ Carol Beronich

Dec 4 …Simple Techniques for Building Doors & Drawers w/ Dave Fremming

Dec 11 …Finishing Touches — Workbench Wrap Up w/ Vince Ancona

Get the full schedule of upcoming seminars and descriptions at WoodworkingSeminars.com

The seminars start on October 2nd and run through December 11th. Cost per seminar is $8, but the price includes a $5 $awbuck$ coupon good for any item in the Woodsmith Store (excluding seminar tickets and season tickets). Season Tickets are available for $70, a $10 savings over single tickets. Each season ticket purchase comes with ten $7 $awbuck$ coupons, which means the seminars are FREE!

Be sure to check out the Woodsmith Podcast Store for a link to the Seminar Guide that Brian used during this seminar, plus a few sharpening accessories for sale.

During this seminar podcast, Robby will demonstrate cutting dovetails with the same tools and techniques used by pioneer craftsmen of the 1800s. You’ll find a link to the seminar guide, distributed at this seminar, for sale at the Woodsmith Podcast Store.

Randy will spend an hour during this Woodsmith Woodworking Seminar Podcast to give us his tips for tuning up a hand plane, a very important procedure if you’ve ever tried to use one. As you may know, an out-of-tune plane, with a dull or nicked iron, can be a real pain to use. This seminar is for “users,” not “collectors.”

Be sure to check out the Woodsmith Podcast Store for links to a few products that Randy used during this seminar. There are also links to Seminar Guide at PlansNow.com

Here’s last week’s tip from Woodsmith online editor Ted Raife:

When gluing up a mitered assembly, I often rely on band clamps to pull the joints together. They’re easy to apply and provide the even clamping pressure needed to keep things square.

The only catch is that the sharp mitered corners of the assembly have to be protected from the pressure exerted by the band. My clamps came with metal corners meant for this purpose, but they often damage the corners they’re supposed to protect.

My simple solution was to substitute more forgiving, corrugated cardboard pads for the hard metal corners, as shown at right. The cardboard pads provide plenty of protection without leaving any unwanted evidence of their use.

You’ll find more great project tips, techniques, and plans at PlansNOW.

Good Woodworking,

Ted Raife
Online Editor, Woodsmith

Send for a preview issue of Woodsmith magazine

Best of all, each of these accessories can easily be made in the shop. This week’s Woodsmith Woodworking Seminar focuses on seven accessories that are “must-haves.”

You’ll find a few pieces of hardware, that can be used for building jigs, for sale at the Woodsmith Podcast Store, plus a link to the seminar guide.

Here’s last week’s tip from ShopNotes online editor Phil Huber:

A block plane makes quick work of chamfering the edge of a workpiece. To ensure a constant width and angle, I built the base shown in the photo above. It slips over the plane to make ¼″ chamfers and doesn’t require any setup.

The base is simply two triangular-shaped runners glued to a pair of side pieces. Then cross supports are glued into notches in the front and back to hold the sides together.

Two rare-earth magnets glued into recesses in the runners hold the plane securely in place. A shallow dado is cut in the top of the runners at the mouth of the plane for the exposed iron.

The base is easy to use. With your block plane in the base, position the V-shaped groove formed by the runners over the edge of the workpiece. Then plane the workpiece until both runners sit flush. It worked so well I made a second one for ¹/₈″ chamfers.

You can learn even more simple shop techniques, just go to PlansNOW.

Good Woodworking,

Phil Huber
Online Editor, ShopNotes

Send for a preview issue of ShopNotes magazine

]]> http://www.woodworkingonline.com/2008/05/01/chamfer-plane/feed/ 0 http://www.woodworkingonline.com/2008/04/25/invisible-finish-repair/ http://www.woodworkingonline.com/2008/04/25/invisible-finish-repair/#comments Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:54:03 +0000 Joel Hess http://www.woodworkingonline.com/2008/04/25/invisible-finish-repair/ You can sharpen your woodworking skills with helpful tips and techniques from the editors of Woodsmith and ShopNotes magazines. Get a FREE tips sent to your email address each week! Got to Woodworking Tips.com and sign up today.

Here’s last week’s tip from Woodsmith online editor Ted Raife:

It always breaks my heart when a project gets its first scratch. But I know that even with the best of care, it’s bound to happen. So rather than stew over a minor blemish, I came up with an easy way to make it disappear.

My repair system started with an investment in an assortment of touch-up markers. You can get these from many woodworking and finishing supply companies. My set includes about a dozen different colors and this gives me a good shot at finding a close match to the project. But the trick is finding the best color match without relying on a lucky guess.

To help make a more informed choice, I created a sample sheet on a piece of clear acetate. The sheet contains a small, labeled swatch from each marker. As you see in the photo, I simply hold the sheet up to the project to find a good match. After choosing a marker and performing a quick touchup, the project looks as good as new and I feel a whole lot better.

For more helpful project tips, techniques, and plans, visit PlansNOW.

Good Woodworking,

Ted Raife
Online Editor, Woodsmith

Here’s last week’s tip from ShopNotes online editor Phil Huber:

My workshop shares space with the family car. So it’s important that all of my power tools be portable and take up as little space as possible. So I made the fold-up router table you see here.

I made a simple router table top and attached it to a pair of 2×4’s with screws. Then, after removing the top of an adjustable clamping table, I mounted the router table to the clamping table stand, as shown in the left photo above. The table is firmly supported by the clamping table base.

The nice thing about the table is it can be raised and lowered to match the task at hand. Best of all, I can remove the router and quickly fold the table up to store it against the wall whenever it’s not in use (right photo).

If you’d like to see other router table plans, just go to PlansNOW.

Good Woodworking,

Phil Huber
Online Editor, ShopNotes

Send for a preview issue of ShopNotes magazine

Drilling a centered hole in a dowel can be a challenge. It’s hard to get the drill bit centered and keep the dowel from turning as the hole is drilled. To make it easier, I built the jig shown below.

Build the jig by first drilling a hole the diameter of the dowel in a piece of hardwood. Then just cut a saw kerf through the hole from the end to make a clamp.

Using the jig is simple. Begin by centering the dowel under the bit. To do this, clamp a piece of scrap wood to the table and drill a hole to fit the dowel. Then change out the bit to the size needed.

Next, slip the dowel into the hole in the scrap wood. Then slip the clamping jig over the dowel and squeeze the kerf together with a small clamp. Now you can clamp the jig in place and drill the hole in the center of the dowel.

To learn more essential woodworking tips and techniques, just go to: http://www.plansnow.com/basics.html.

Good Woodworking,

Phil Huber
Online Editor, ShopNotes

Here’s last week’s tip from Woodsmith online editor Ted Raife:

Whenever I use screws to assemble a project, I hide them under wood plugs. Cutting the plugs and gluing them in place is the easy part of the job. The bigger challenge comes once the glue dries — trimming the plugs flush to the surface.

For me, this is a two-step process. First, I use a small back saw to trim off the bulk of the protruding plug. Then I sand or plane the remaining portion flush to the surface. But my lack of care with the back saw often led to problems. If I tried to cut the plug too close, I would scratch or gouge the surface, making more work for myself.

But as is usually the case, a small problem had a simple solution. I dug up a scrap of plastic laminate and made a flush cut shield. The laminate shield has a hole drilled through it slightly larger than the diameter of the plugs. You place the shield over the plug flush to the surface and then saw away without worry (Figure 1). The thin shield allows you to give the plug a very close trim and all that’s needed to finish the job is a little sanding (Figure 2).

For more helpful project tips, techniques, and plans, visit Plansnow.com.

Good Woodworking,

Ted Raife
Online Editor, Woodsmith

One of the most “traditional” methods is the lap joint. It’s easy to cut with just one setup on the table saw. And it provides plenty of face grain gluing surface as well as a good amount of mechanical strength.

For a couple of “modern” joinery techniques that are especially quick and easy, you’ll have to purchase specialized machinery to produce them. I’m talking about biscuit joints and pocket hole joinery. Both of these methods get their mechanical strength from distinctive fastener’s — biscuits or pocket screws. But the best part is that each can be setup and cut in seconds.

Be sure to check out the Woodsmith Podcast Store for links to a few products that I used during this seminar.

Here’s last week’s tip from ShopNotes online editor Phil Huber:

I wanted to add an auxiliary table and fence to my drill press. But I didn’t want to spend a lot of money. So I built the simple drill press table and fence with a replaceable insert you see in the photo above. The fence is adjustable and has a sliding stop.

Table

The table is two layers of ¾″ plywood that are glued together. A dado on the top side at each end holds T-tracks for attaching the fence. Two bottom-mounted T-tracks attach the table to the drill press, as you can see in detail ‘b’ and the photo at right.

Fence

The fence is nothing more than a length of aluminum angle. A slotted hole at each end accepts a flange bolt from the table so you can quickly mount and adjust the fence to meet almost any drilling challenge.

Stop Block

To help position and hold the workpiece, I added a stop block to the fence. It’s simply a block of wood attached to an aluminum bracket. A knob and T-nut, are used for adjusting the block and securing it in position on the fence (detail ‘a’).

You can find even more ways to upgrade your power tools, just go to: http://plansnow.com/toolstandplans.html.

Good Woodworking,

Phil Huber
Online Editor, ShopNotes

Send for a preview issue of ShopNotes magazine

You can sharpen your woodworking skills with helpful tips and techniques from the editors of Woodsmith and ShopNotes magazines. Get a FREE tips sent to your email address each week! Got to Woodworking Tips.com and sign up today.

Here’s last week’s tip from Woodsmith online editor Ted Raife:

The easiest way to make a lidded box is to build the box and lid as one piece and then cut them apart on the table saw. This guarantees that the lid will be a perfect fit to the box. With a little modification, this same technique can be used to make a box and lid that mate with interlocking lips, as shown in the photo at right.

This technique for making a box lid is a little different in that you do part of the job before the box is assembled. A look at the two drawings will explain. To create the lip, you’ll need to cut halfway through the sides from both the inside and the outside. As shown in Figure 1, the inside cuts are made while the box is still in pieces. Remember that this first cut will form the “high” side of the lip.

Once the box is assembled, you complete the job with a second series “halfway” cuts that are offset a blade’s width (¹/₈″) from the first (Figure 2). These cuts are positioned below the first cuts. If you hit it right, the lid will separate cleanly and after a little sanding, you’ll have a snug-fitting, lipped lid.

For more helpful table saw tips and techniques, visit Plansnow.com.

Good Woodworking,

Ted Raife
Online Editor, Woodsmith

Send for a preview issue of Woodsmith magazine

Here’s last week’s tip from ShopNotes online editor Phil Huber:

The router table in my shop gets lots of use. But it’s always difficut to make fine adjustments to the fence. So I built the micro-adjuster you see in the photo above using spare parts I had around the shop.

The adjuster is easy to build. Start by drilling and tapping a strip of ¼″ aluminum to accept a piece of threaded rod. And then bend the aluminum strip into an “L” shape.

Next, drill two holes in a hardwood adjusting block. One horizontal hole for the threaded rod and a vertical one for the hold-down. Then you can cut a dado at the bottom of the fence to hold the piece of L-shaped aluminum in place.

Assembly. Put the pieces together by slipping the threaded rod through the adjusting block and adding washers and locknuts, like you see in the drawing and detail below. This allows the aluminum strip attached to the fence to be moved forward and backward one thread at a time when you make fine fence adjustments.

Fence Adjustment. To use the micro-adjuster, you’ll first need to lock down the opposite end of the fence. Then lock down the micro-adjuster by tightening the knob on top of the adjusting block. Use the turning knob to adjust the fence to the desired position. Once the fence is located where you want it, lock down the other end of the fence. Then all that’s left is to turn on your router and you’re ready to go.

If you’d like even more great ideas for getting more from your router, go to: Router Tables at PlansNow.

Good Woodworking,

Phil Huber
Online Editor, ShopNotes

Send for a preview issue of ShopNotes magazine

Here’s last week’s tip from Woodsmith online editor Ted Raife:

My oscillating disc sander has built-in dust collection and it works great — but only when the holes in the sanding disc are aligned with the vacuum holes in the sander’s pad. And this simple requirement isn’t always as easy as it sounds. So rather than rely on a good aim when installing the discs, I put together a simple tool that makes hitting the mark a sure thing.

As you can see in Figure 1, the tool is nothing more than two dowels glued into a small block of wood. The diameter of the dowels and their spacing in the block matches that of the holes in the discs and sanding pad.

To use the tool, you simply place a disc over the dowels and then insert them into the holes in the pad (Figure 2). Slip the disc off of the dowels and onto the pad and you’re ready to go.

Good Woodworking,

Ted Raife
Online Editor, Woodsmith

Send for a preview issue of Woodsmith magazine

Here’s last week’s tip from ShopNotes online editor Phil Huber:

Measuring the width for a drawer bottom can be a challenge. I usually measure several times just to make sure I get it right.Then I made the simple drawer gauge shown in the photo below. Now, I don’t have to worry about the “numbers.” The gauge always shows me the exact distance.

It’s made from two pieces of aluminum angle joined together by a small wood block (see end view below right). The telescoping arms are two pieces of flat aluminum bar stock set side by side. A knurled knob, pressed-in threaded insert, and a penny sets and adjusts the arms.

It’s easy to use the gauge to set up your table saw for the cut. Just slide the arms until each one touches the bottom of the groove in the drawer sides. Then tighten the knob to secure the arms.

Next place the end of one arm against the blade and the other arm against your rip fence. Lock the fence in position and make the cut.
Good Woodworking,

Phil Huber
Online Editor, ShopNotes

Send for a preview issue of ShopNotes magazine

During this seminar podcast, Doug will explain why a router table makes a router even more versatile. His tips for buying or building a router table are well-researched and insightful. And he’ll present some special techniques and tips to make your work on a router table easier, safer, and more accurate.

Be sure to check out the Woodsmith Podcast Store for links to a few products that Doug used during his seminar.

Here’s last week’s tip from Woodsmith online editor Ted Raife:

When cross-cutting short pieces to the same length, I like to clamp a stop block to the rip fence of my table saw. This block provides clearance between the rip fence and the saw blade so the cut-off pieces don’t get trapped (and kick back). But recently, I came up with an idea that avoids the hassle of fiddling around with clamps. Instead I use a magnetic stop block. It’s just a hardwood block with a pair of small magnetic catches inserted into one edge, see drawing. Note: If the face of your rip fence is wood or aluminum, simply put the magnetic catches in the bottom face of the stop block.

The magnets hold the stop block securely against the fence. And when I’m done, I simply store the block out of the way on the side of the saw cabinet.

Good Woodworking,

Ted Raife
Online Editor, Woodsmith

Send for a preview issue of Woodsmith magazine

You can sharpen your woodworking skills with helpful tips and techniques from the editors of Woodsmith and ShopNotes magazines. Get a FREE tip sent to your email address each week! Go to WoodworkingTips.com and sign up today.

Here’s last week’s tip from ShopNotes online editor Phil Huber:

When gluing and clamping small parts together, it’s always a challenge to align large clamps to hold them in place as the glue dries. To make this job easier, I built the small parts clamp you see in the photo above.

The base is two pieces of ¾″ plywood glued together and trimmed to size. Two grooves in the base hold a pair of T-tracks, as shown in the drawing below.

Next, two pieces of hardwood serve as the stop block and clamping block. They are drilled to hold flange bolts and two sections of threaded rod, as the illustration shows below.

Place a T-nut in each hole at the back edge of the stop block, slide a threaded rod through the holes in both of the blocks, and then screw them into the T-nuts, like you see in the side view below right. A little epoxy at the end of the rod will keep it from turning. Next, slide the four flange bolts in the T-track, slip the blocks over the bolts and add the washers and wing nuts. Finally, add the washers and thread the knobs on the rod.

To use the clamp, loosen the wing nuts and place the parts to be clamped between the blocks. Position the front of the clamping block to extend slightly beyond the edge of the base so you can turn the knobs and secure the stop block in place. Finally, snug up the star knobs and tighten the wing nuts to lock the clamping block in place.

Good Woodworking,

Phil Huber

Online Editor, ShopNotes

Send for a preview issue of ShopNotes magazine

It is so basic, at a little over 12 minutes long, yet it is packed with good information for the young woodworker. As someone who has spent a few hours in front of the camera doing podcasts, I can tell you it can be nerve-racking. Only someone who is comfortable with the subject matter can be comfortable in front of the camera. Denis looks like he knows his stuff — either that or he’s a natural.

If your teenager is interested in woodworking, steer him to this video first. Then buy him a couple of tools!

Thanks to Marc Spagnuolo, at WoodWhisperer.com ( for the link) and Lumberjocks.

You can sharpen your woodworking skills with helpful tips and techniques from the editors of Woodsmith and ShopNotes magazines. Get a FREE tip sent to your email address each week! Go to WoodworkingTips.com and sign up today.

Here’s last week’s tip from Woodsmith online editor Ted Raife:

Finishing shelves can be a time-consuming chore. After applying finish to one side, you often have a long wait before the finish is dry and the shelf can be turned to work on the other side. When each side needs several coats of finish, the whole process can really drag on.

Impatience finally spurred me to figure out a way to streamline the job. If I could safely stand the shelves on edge, both sides could be finished at the same time. Support feet attached to the back edge of the shelf to keep it upright were the answer.

As you can see in the drawing, the feet are simply thin strips of wood that are screwed to the back edge of the shelf — one at each end. When the job is done, I simply remove the feet and no one is the wiser. Except maybe me, I’ve cut the finishing time in half.

Good Woodworking,

Ted Raife
Online Editor, Woodsmith

© August Home Publishing Company
2200 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50312

Click here to subscribe to Woodsmith magazine.

Here’s last week’s tip from ShopNotes online editor Phil Huber:

I never seem to have enough storage space in my shop. This is especially the case when it comes to screws, fasteners, and other odds and ends. Things I need close at hand, but don’t use every day.

So, to store these and other small items, I built a pull-out storage case, like you see in the photo at right. The case is large enough to hold a couple of small plastic storage cabinets with lots of drawers (the kind you find at hardware stores and home centers). I also added a few shelves to store other items.

Since I wanted to be able to move the case, I placed it on wheels (see drawing at right). A handle attached to the side lets me simply pull it out to get to the items and then push it back out of the way again.

The case fit nicely against the wall next to my workbench. It worked so well that I built a couple more cases and rolled them next to one another. Now I have lots of storage in a space that would have gone to waste.

Good woodworking,
Phil Huber
Online Editor, ShopNotes

© August Home Publishing Company
2200 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50312

Click here if you’d like to subscribe to ShopNotes magazine.

Dennis starts the seminar by discussing the differences between “hardwood” lumber and the stuff you’ll find on the racks at the lumber yard. Then he talks about board footage, grades, surfacing, moisture content, and finally, how to choose the best parts from a board for a particular project.

During the seminar, Dennis keeps reaching for a tape measure. The one he used is available at the Woodsmith Podcast Store, along with a few other items he uses to make selecting lumber easier.

And still, I’ve experienced situations that could have resulted in bodily injury.

Once I was knocked on my keester when a workpiece I was ripping pinched the blade and got kicked back into my stomach. (I broke two cardinal woodworking safety rules during that particular procedure.) I don’t remember now what caused the kickback. But I’ll never forget how lucky I was not to have been injured more seriously. (Or the pain to my gut!) But none of us are perfect. Accidents happen and all you can do is hope they don’t happen to you. Right?

That’s why I was surprised while watching a recent segment of TOH, as a trim carpenter made a free-hand cut on the table saw. Frankly, I watched in disbelief as he made the cut and thought to myself, “Man, that just looks dangerous!” Norm Abram was standing there watching and I thought maybe he would say something, but he didn’t. I figured there would be a lot of people commenting about the segment on our woodworking forums. And there is a debate raging over at WoodNet. But, you may be surprised to learn that there are a lot of people defending the practice.

Several people have commented that the practice of pushing a piece freehand past a spinning table saw blade is an acceptable practice by professional trim carpenters. It may be. And the guy managed to make the cut during the show without any problem. But I can tell you one thing….I’m never going to try it.

What’s your response?

Last night, I watched Gary Blum, a cabinetmaker and toolmaker from Walnut, IA., demonstrate the jig and I have to say, I was impressed. You can read more about the jig at Gary’s website: Blum Tool Co.

According to information on the site, “…the jig consists of a box made of UHMW plastic that is both a honing surface and a storage box for the stones. It has an adjustable angle block which is set in relation to the top honing surface.”

A couple of features that make it unique:

• The angle for honing is set directly from a scale and is easily changed
• The tool has no jig attached to it
• The tool stays set and the stone is moved – a much easier motion
• The stone can be used laterally and in a circular motion as well as back and forth – therefore, the flatness of the stone is not as critical as a back and forth motion, and the edge can be made sharper and longer lasting
• Much shorter and narrower stones can be used very effectively
• The tool references on its back, which is the widest and flattest side
• Can hone angled edges as easily as straight
• Can sharpen very short cutters as well as short cutter with handles, such as butt chisels or Japanese chisels
• Self-contained and portable-stones store inside of box
• Can sharpen scraper blades at a true 90 degree angle very easily and repeatedly – “filing” is done with a diamond stone
• Jig is entirely waterproof for water-stone sharpening

By the way, Gary also makes some pretty cool hand planes as well.

Jan 17…Building Drawers Using Drawer Joint Bits w/ Phil Huber

Jan 24 …Three Hand Planes Every Shop Should Have w/ Randy Maxey

Jan 31 …A Simple Shop-Made Jig for Cutting Tenons w/ Carol Beronich

Feb 7 …Table aw Set Up & Maintenance w/ Vince Ancona

Feb 14 …3 New Innovations in Joinery w/ Joel Hess

Feb 21 …12 Must-Have Finishing Supplies w/ Dennis Perkins

Feb 28 …5 Surprising Woodworking Techniques You Didn’t Know About w/ Doug Hicks

Mar 6 …Sharpening Basics: Man vs. Machine w/ Randy Maxey

Mar 13 …3 Fast Joints — All in One Hour w/ Ted Kralicek

Mar 20 …Scroll Saw Tips & Techniques w/ Linda Anderson

Mar 27 …Two Methods for Perfect Box Joints w/ Bryan Nelson

Apr 3 …Case Construction: Routing Rabbets, Dadoes & Grooves w/ Chris Fitch

Apr 10 …Mortise & Tenon — Two Variations for Making Doors w/ Dennis Perkins

Apr 17 …Hand Rubbing a Perfect Finish w/ Doug Hicks

Apr 24 …Building a Bookshelf: From Start to Finish, Part 1 w/ Phil Huber

May 1 …Building a Bookshelf: From Start to Finish, Part 2 w/ Phil Huber

Get the full schedule of upcoming seminars and descriptions at WoodworkingSeminars.com

The seminars start on January 17th and run through May 1st. Cost per seminar is $8, but the price includes a $5 $awbuck$ coupon good for any item in the Woodsmith Store (excluding seminar tickets and season tickets).

Paul Sellers is one of those masters. You might remember, he taught a hand tools foundational course that I took a few years ago. And so I was excited to hear that he has founded a new woodworking school in his native England. The New Legacy School of Woodworking is much like the school I attended near Waco, TX at the Homestead Heritage Craft Village. But with a twist. It’s housed in a castle — Penrhyn Castle in North Wales. Penrhyn is one of the many castles being preserved and maintained by the National Trust, with whom Paul has been working for the last year or so.

Paul says that the availability of some really good furniture from Asia has continued to make it difficult to earn a living as a woodworker. But he hopes that schools like his will fill the void left by the decline of apprenticeship programs like the one that helped start his career over 40 years ago in his native England. During his apprenticeship, Paul learned about the proper use of hand tools, still an important part of the trade in England even in the ’60s. That’s the focus of New Legacy and I wish him well.

With only a limited amount of time to rout the profiles, Phil wasn’t able to demonstrate all of the molding cuts, but the guide details how to rout all seventeen. You can find the guide, plus the bits he used during the seminar, for sale at the Woodsmith Podcast Store.

Check out the Woodsmith Podcast Store for more deals on router bits and the seminar guide.

Doug Hicks has a clear and concise way of explaining it all during this weeks Woodsmith Woodworking Seminar Podcast. Instead of “…apply two coats and let dry,” his directions for finishing with varnishes and oils will make everything crystal clear.

You’ll want to pick up the Seminar Guide at the Woodsmith Podcast Store. It’s full of great information on oils and varnishes.

Believe me, this is not an area where “good enough” suffices. You certainly don’t want to scrimp on dust protection, but too often I’m using an old mask that’s past the point of effectiveness. That’s why I recently spent the money on a half-mask respirator (photo at left). I like this 3M product for several reasons, including the fact that it’s comfortable to wear and economical (they retail most places for around $10 – $12).

But the thing I like best about it is that there are a wide variety of filters available. There are cartridges and filters designed to be used when working with sawdust, as well as fiberglass insulation, pesticides, lawn chemicals, and spray finishes. The respirator I purchased didn’t come with a cartridge included, so I was able to save a little by buying just the ones I needed.

I picked up my respirator at McFeely’s.com, but they’re available at several locations including Ace Hardware and Lowes.

My shop is only 400 square feet. Things are always underfoot and I’m constantly having to move one machine so that I can get to another. The lathe is stored in an adjacent (finished) room, the miter saw and stand are out in the garage, and I have to set up a couple of sawhorses out there just to cut a sheet of plywood down to size. Boy, what I wouldn’t give for a big addition to my house for a new shop!

The problem is, I don’t have an extra 25 grand laying around to spend on fixing up my home. But I could. And so could you.

That’s because Home Depot is giving away a $25,000 gift card (and many more prizes) to the best YouTube video entry showcasing the projects Home Depot customers would like to tackle around the house. You can submit your video from November 10 to December 15, 2007, and the winners will be announced sometime just before Christmas.

Think about it, you could finally add that gourmet kitchen you’ve always wanted…or put on a new roof…or add a backyard getaway…replace all the flooring…the list goes on and on. Or if you need some really great ideas for your video, pick up a free preview issue of Workbench. It’s full of practical ideas for your improving home.

Are you feeling creative? Then get to it.

To keep track of everyone’s videos, log in to YouTube and join the Home Depot “Gift Card” group.

If you’re interested in purchasing any of the items I mention in this Woodsmith Woodworking Podcast, be sure to check out the Woodsmith Podcast Store. You’ll find links to many of the items listed there.

Links to the seminar guides and products that you’ll see being used during the seminar podcast can be found at the Woodsmith Podcast Store.

As many of you know by now, the first episode of The Woodsmith Shop will air on Iowa Public Television at 6:30pm on Friday, October 5th. And hopefully, by the end of the year when the feed will be available to the rest of the country, the show will be picked up by stations around the U.S. (For more information, go to WoodsmithShop.com. Randy Maxey will also post more about the show soon.)

The same tradition is being carried on every week during the woodworking seminars at the Woodsmith Store in Clive, Ia. They’re held each Thursday evening (from September through April) in a 200-seat auditorium with a fully-equipped shop. Seminar topics for this fall range from “Top 5 Shop-Built Router Jigs” to “Tips for Working with Plywood.” Season and single tickets are on sale now at the store. Plus, this year the one-hour seminars will be supplemented by two 4-hour hands-on workshops held in December. Space is limited to six for these sessions though, so sign up soon.

We talk a lot around here about the Woodsmith Store. For a little over fifteen years, it was a small, out-of-the-way haven for woodworkers tucked into the Beaverdale neighborhood of Des Moines. Then in 2003 everything changed.

That was when the old Payless Cashways building in Clive was remodeled and Des Moines became home to one of the largest independently-owned woodworking stores in the country. It is truly a regional destination store for woodworkers from all over the Midwest. The store, now over 20,000 square feet in size, is filled with woodworking supplies, tools, machinery and hardwoods. Think Cabella’s, Bass Pro Shops, or L.L. Bean.

This coming weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday (September 21st, 22nd and 23rd), the Woodsmith Store will celebrate its 20th Anniversary with a Fall Fair event. There will be a lot going on, not only in the woodworking departments, but in the painting and gardening departments as well. I just thought it deserved a shameless plug here. Hope you can stop by.

For example, a few months after 9/11, I became involved with a project sponsored by the club and Woodworkers United for America to build Memorial Flag Boxes for the families of victims of the terrorist attacks. It was a gratifying experience and I ended up building a few extras for my family members.

Then, just the other day I heard a member of the club on a local public radio station talking about their latest community project — building special caskets for preemie babies. The Infant Casket Program is an off-shoot of the Precious Angels Organization. Their goal is to help families who have lost children and may not be able for whatever reason to afford a quality casket or other services. You can find out more about this organization here.

Des Moines Woodworkers club members can build caskets from plans provided on their website. The club also provides wood to any member who requests it to build caskets. They announced the plans to help out at their last meeting and the hope is that members will bring their projects to the September meeting where they’ll be presented to Vicki Dischner, the young lady who runs the program for SpecialAngelsIA.org. The Des Moines Woodworkers have also contacted clubs in Omaha, NE., and Ames, Cedar Falls, and Cedar Rapids in Iowa to become involved in this worthy project.

Contact Russ Wilson, the community service director for the club, if you’d like to be involved.

As usual, all of the links to articles, seminar guides, and products that you’ll see being used during the seminar podcast can be found at the Woodsmith Podcast Store.

Oh by the way, if you don’t have an
iPhone yet, they also make a case for iPods!

Before that he owned his own remodeling-design business. In 1977 he started his journey in residential construction as a concrete finisher and ultimately worked as a trim carpenter and service manager in the Home Building Industry in the Midwest. During this month’s Woodsmith Woodworking Seminar Podcast, Erich will provide you with suggestions on how to troubleshoot all your home repair questions. During the seminar he’ll talk about everything from basement window repair to installing box beams in a family room.

Once again, the seminar guide is available for sale at the Woodsmith Podcast Store.

As usual, all of the links to articles, seminar guides, and products that you’ll see being used during the seminar podcast can be found at the Woodsmith Podcast Store. They include a link to the seminar guide, a couple of great project articles from Woodsmith magazine that feature pocket hole joinery, and several great Kreg Tool Co. products for sale. Be sure to check it out by clicking on this link: Woodsmith Podcast Store

(Photo courtesy of DesMoinesArtsFestival.org)

The Des Moines Arts Festival, rated among the Top 5 in the U.S., celebrates it 10th year in 2007. Featured will be over 150 premier juried artists and 24 “emerging” artists from the state of Iowa. Artists will exhibit in 14 categories, including wood, metalworks, and sculpture.

I think this is the second year that the festival will be located in Des Moines’ new Gateway Park, just down the street from the August Home Publishing offices. I’m excited about attending this year and so I’ve spent a few hours looking through the galleries of all the artists that will attend. I always get a lot of inspiration for my woodworking hobby from shows like this, and I’ll even go through a phase occasionally where I’ll work only on boxes or chairs for a period of time after I see something I like at a show.

For the last several years the Des Moines Arts Festival has attracted over 200,000 people and it’s also become a great place for young artists, like Matthew Obbink (whose tables are featured in the photo at the top of the page), an Iowa State University student competing in the Emerging Iowa Artists Program category.

If you’re interested in picking up a downloadable copy of the seminar guide (in case you want to follow along during the podcast), be sure to check out the Woodsmith Podcast Store. Also this week at the store, you’ll find a link to some good deals on a few band saw upgrades that Doug mentioned during his seminar. And as always, all of the great information provided during the seminars comes right from the pages of Woodsmith magazine. If you like what you see in the podcasts, click here for a free preview issue of the magazine.

Be sure to check out the Woodsmith Podcast Store. If you’re interested in picking up a downloadable copy of the seminar guide, so you can follow along during the podcast, you’ll find it there. Plus, there’s a link to a good deal on the Forrest Woodworker II Premium table saw blade that Ted used during the seminar.

Around since 1993, the original WoodNet BBS was a way for Woodsmith magazine to further support their customer base. The BBS evolved into what is now WoodNet.net and it not only includes the forums, but you’ll also find project plans, woodworking tools and kits, tool reviews, and tips and techniques that are sent direct to your email address each week.

But, today, with eight forums in all (five dedicated to woodworking, one to home improvement, one off-topic forum and one for forum help) if you’re looking for answers from people with most of the same interests as you, the WoodNet forums is the place to be. The subject matter during any given day ranges from how to install kitchen cabinets, to the relative merits of a Stanley No. 4 over a No. 4-1/2, to questions about the best miter saw blade available. Proud forum members often post their “gloats” over the acquisition of a new tool or a particularly impressive wood stash.

It’s not all about talking woodworking though. There are guys (and some gals) who belong to the forums, that get together for regular gatherings (see photo). Or, one member may get a load of lumber and then drive all over the country connecting with other WoodNet members, delivering lumber, and getting some more to take home. The forum members also do lots of things to help members who find themselves caught in extreme circumstances (like illness or accidents), plus they assist active servicemen, as well as veterans.

There are over 19,500 registered users of the WoodNet forums, and probably several tens of thousands who visit the forums to “lurk” each day and simply read the forum posts, but never post themselves. In fact, during the month of April 2007, there were on average13,467 distinct visits to the forums each day. According to Google AdSense, the page impressions for all of April at the WoodNet forums totaled over 5.2 million visits.

Moderators of the forums have a “hands off” policy about forum management. So things are pretty relaxed compared to other woodworking forums. But they do have rules, and a dedicated group of member moderators, who keep things on track and without whom there would be no WoodNet Forums.

So if you’re interested, put on your helmet and flak jacket, come on in and pay them a visit.

And to make it even more interesting, he uses the new Dovetail Jig Workcenter. The workcenter is loaded with features that provide storage for the jig and all its accessories, imporved accuracy, and added comfort as you work. Once again, the jig is featured in the lastest issue of ShopNotes (on newsstands now).

After the podcast is finished, stop by the Woodsmith Podcast Store. You’ll find links to project plans, the seminar guide, and a few of the tools and accessories that Bryan used during the seminar.

It works just like any other poly glue — it’s waterproof and bonds different materials together. But you can see the difference between Bolder Bond and a traditional polyurethane glue in the photo at right (click to enlarge). Bolder Bond has very little foam squeezeout (as shown in the upper glue joint). In the lower joint, you can see the high foaming action of typical polyurethane glue. Reducing the amount of foam makes cleanup less of a hassle.

Since Bolder Bond is new, there aren’t many places to find it right now. But the Woodsmith Store in Des Moines, Iowa carries it. Give them a call at 800-444-7527.

Your measurements can be viewed in either decimal inches, decimal feet, centimeters, or feet and inches (as shown in thumbnail at right). And they can be saved in the memory. It also automatically adds the length of the case for inside measurements and you can flip the display for easy reading from either side of the tape. All this with the touch of a button.

The digital readout is accurate down to 1/16″ and the tape costs less than $50. It comes with a replaceable long-life battery and a set of easy-to-follow instructions.

The problem is, it’s an Excel file. This is an expensive program that most of us with personal computers at home don’t have. But, there is an alternative.

Last weekend, after watching the frame and panel podcast, a viewer named Kari contacted me about a good freeware download that allows you to open Excel files without having to spend lots of money.

In the email, Kari said: “…I just wanted to bring to your attention that yes, one does need a program to read and manipulate an excel file, but it doesn’t have to be the expensive one. The office suite I use is from OpenOffice.org and it is compatible with all other major office suites. The product is free to download, use, and distribute. Thanks Kari for the heads up.

When you’re done watching, be sure to check out the Woodsmith Podcast Store. You’ll find links there on how to purchase some great veneering project plans and this week’s seminar guide.

So get out the router table, during this week’s Woodsmith Woodworking Seminar podcast, Joel Hess shows you how to build a frame and raised panel door using three highly specialized router bits.

After the podcast is finished, stop by the Woodsmith Podcast Store. You’ll find links to project plans, the seminar guide, and a few of the tools and accessories that Joel used during the seminar.

You’ll need all three of these tools (or their hand tool equivalents) in good working order, if you want to end up with a perfect workpiece. Bryan Nelson shows us how to square up lumber during this Woodsmith Woodworking Seminar podcast.

When you’re done watching, be sure to check out the Woodsmith Podcast Store. You’ll find links to project plans, the seminar guide, and a few of the tools and accessories that Bryan used during the seminar.

Besides the style of chair they specialize in, the biggest difference between the two seems to be their level of notoriety. Boggs has been published many times in woodworking magazines through the years and is well-known nationally. Until recently, I had never heard of Galbert, a man who has obviously found his purpose in life. He has taught at the John C. Campbell Folk School, the Penland School of Crafts in Penland, North Carolina and has presented seminars on chairmaking at Colonial Williamsburg.

“Each chair that leaves my shop is hand made by me, from the selection of the logs, to the rubbing down of the finish. I work the wood while it is still green and soft, enabling me to work almost completely with hand tools. Parts are hand split (not sawn) from the log, carefully shaved and steam bent before being fit and assembled.”