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WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM WINTER 2013 314 20 26 30 38 4 ROUTER PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES WINTER 2013 Pine WEEKEND TAMBOUR GIFT BOX 46 INTRODUCTION ROUTERS: PICKING THE DyNamic Duo! 10 TRIM ROUTER TECHNIQUES » CHERRY SIDEBOARD TRAMMEL-JIG TRIVETS 54 SIMPLE CORNER CABINET HORIZONTAL TILT-TOP 6 0 ROUTER TABLE MULTI-SLEEVE ROLLING PIN DOoVETAILED TOOL CHEST 66 ROUTER DADOING Jig TABLE OF CONTENTS.S) ROCKLER CDR Rha koe mC ee ha a Corn ec ca Sc ss 7 at Precision machining and superb dust control -our best CNC ever! The CNC Shark Pro Plus™ HD is made to bring your woodworking dreams to life. And with the handy new Dust Boot accessory, the mess that used to come with automated routing is a thing of the past. CNC Shark Pro Plus HD — another exciting way to Create with Confidence. Materials ¢Introduction A WOODWORKER’S BEST FRIEND ony Rover, but when it comes {0 2 loyal companion in the shop, | think a router is actually a woodworker’ best friend. Whether you're doing something simple ike knocking off a sharp edge or miling @ decorative profile, all the way up to complex hal-blind dovetails or dozens of other types of joints, our routers and a slew of bits get these jobs done. That's why we've combed our archives in this special issue for eight great router-based projects you can make. Whether you're looking for a quick gift idea (see our Trivets or Tambour Box projects), a handsome heirloom piece like the Chemry Sideboard on page 46, or just some whiz-bang fun that will also elevate your routing skills — Ralph Bagnall’ Rolling Pin Jig fits that bill! — this issue will give you and your trusty router some good one-on-one time, But before you jump in to the projects, be sure to check out Chris Marshalls article on how to get more mileage from your trim router {see page 14). And, if you need some advice about wihich routers to buy, four of our experts share the two models they'd never trade on|page 8. Stay busy in the shop and enjoy the projects and tips in this issue! [aes WS NEW APP KEEPS MACHINES IN TIP-TOP SHAPE FTRRRRRREY, Woodworker’ Journal as just release our fst ad A BLASMEYE pp! “Power Tool Tune-Up" shows you how to properly SEM a 2intin the most common power tls in your shop — table saw, band saw, jointer, dil press, planer, dust collector, air compressor/nailers and more. You'll get step-by-step instructions and photos, over 60 minutes of video from tool experts Sandor Nagyszalanczy and Chris Marshal, and there's even a helpful maintenance calendar! Visit woodworkersjournalcom/TuneUpApp to learn more fr use your smart phone to scan the QR code a right, El F 6 INTRODUCTION WINTER 2013 woodworkersjaurnal.com Chris Marshall Special Projects Editor Larry N. Stoiaken Publisher Rob Johnstone Editor in Chief Joanna Werch Takes Senior Editor Jeff Jacobson Senior Art Director Joe Fahey ‘Associate Art Director Matthew Becker Content Coordinator ‘Ann Rockler Jackson Founder and CEO Mary Tzimokas Circulation Director Laura White Fulfillment Manager Kelly Rosaaen Circulation Manager ADVERTISING SALES David Beckler Advertising Director dbeckler@vscodworkersjournal.com (469) 766-8842 Fax (763) 478-8396 Alyssa Tauer Advertising Operations atauer@woodworkersjournal.com (763) 478-8366 Fax (763) 478-8396 SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES (800) 765-4119 or www.woodworkersjournal.com Write Woodworker's Journal, PO. Box 6211, Harlan, 1A 51593-1711. E-mail: WWeustserv@edsfulfilment.com Include mailing label for renewals and address changes. For gift subscriptions, please include your name and address in addition to your git recipient's name and address. BACK ISSUES, BOOKS & DOWNLOADABLE PLANS wwvewoodvorkersjournal.com Router Projects & Techniques is published by Rockler Press In., 4865 Willow Dr., Medina, MN 55340. Single copy price, $5.99. Reproduction without permission prohibited Printed in the USA. WEBSITES: wn swoodworkersjournal.com wie svoodiworking.com (©2012 Rockler Press Inc., Printed in USA.MIRKA° CER Compact Ele ic Random O, Unequalled Performance + Incredible power-to-weight ratio + Maintains constant speed under load Half the size and weight of competitive sanders + Contoured, low profile grip provides enhanced control - Weigl From October 1st through December 31st, 2012, Precis all CEROS purchases qualify for a holiday gift of 10 discs each of grits P80-P600 in 5" or 6" Abranet + Variable s| Retail Packs, a 16'tape measure and a Mirka 4,000 and 10) Bulldog Cap. a (Over $160 retail value!) + Features “palm throttle” similar Customers can download the offer form at mirka- ceros.com which can be faxed or mailed along with proof of purchase. Forms must be received by January 31st, 2013. Retail packs, tape and cap will ship directly from Mirka Abrasives. : ; wih , dt ity gis for your finishing need: = Formore information, contact: Mirka Abrasiveo™ rg, Ohio 44087 - tel 800-843-3904... 1-cETOs.comIF YOU COULD ONLY OWN TWO ROUTERS, WHICH ONES WOULD THEY BE? FOUR OF OUR EXPERTS SHARE THEIR PICKS HERE. By ROB JOHNSTONE s it possible for only two routers to do everything a woodworker would want a router to do? That's a good question, and it’s one about which many woodworkers have strong opinions. ‘Some say that the tipping point between a DIY home handyman and a home shop woodworker boils down to just one tool: the router. And that concept has some truth to it; you won't find many highly motivated woodworkers’ shops without a router ... or two, or three — and perhaps a ot more than that. T confess to owning more than eight. But it's a legitimate question to ask whether I really need all those routers. So, I posed a challenge to myself and three other experts: If you could own only two, which would they be? Expert #41: Rob Johnstone At first blush, confronted by the variety of routers from which to choose my dynamic duo, I felt a bit daunted. Even just the eight in my shop represent a significant continuum of costs, styles and features, and just think of the task before poor Bill Hylton (page 11)! But the crux of solving the challenge revolved around the various woodworking tasks I use my routers for in my day-to-day shop routine, When I put my noodle to that question, the list of tasks quickly got pretty long. Looking back, I do a significant amount of pattern or template routing, Using a router Selecting only two routers to keep in his shop forthe rest of eternity (or atleast unt ther brushes wear ut) was a revealing exercise for our editor in chet ROUTERS: PICKING THE DYNAMIC DUO!Inthe lat couple af years, a mi¢-priced but vwelbfestured Craftsman route combo kit is the router that Rob Johnstone reaches fot mast atten in his shop. paired with a template to machine perfectly matching components is an_ invaluable process in making furniture, Thad to keep that in my bag of tricks, for sure. And, while T generally prefer to plow dadoes and rabbets ‘on my table saw, there are times when a routers the more practical choice. My router table (in truth, Thave three ... hey, Lam a wood- working magazine editor) is in use all the time. I use the table for machining as varied as rounding over an edge, to copeand rail-cutting and raising hardwood door panels, So. T certainly need a router with enough power to do some occasional “heavy lifting.” But as amiddleaged guy, Tam beginning to realize that my upper body strength is not what it was when Twas 25. So for my workhorse router, in the last year or so, I have found myself reaching for a mid-sized machine. In fact, I have used a Craftsman combo kit that combines a mid-size router motor with a plunge base and a fixe/-base. While not very expen- sive, it has done yeoman duty and provided excellent service. So my first selection, based on my day-to-day use, was relatively easy to choose. What about my second and final choice? ‘Once again, I simply looked back at _my history of work, and the choice was easy, I use the Festool trim router for tasks like cutting out hinge mortises, routing decorative reveals, inlay work — tasks that require more nimbleness than power. It runs like a champ and, paired with the Festool dust extraction system, it isa pleasure to use. To be ; if T had spent more time using the new category of palm and compact routers, ike the Bosch Colt and the offerings from several other manufacturers, they may have been tops on my list. But the Festool hhas proved so good to use, that I have not given the others a fair shake. So for good orill, those are my choices. But as you know, if you put a dozen woodworkers in a room and ask a wood- working question, you can easily end up with 12 different answers. So read on and find out what our corps of experts selected as their dynamic duo. Their answers might resonate with your — favorite routers, too. Or possibly give you food for thought the next time you plan to buy a router. WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM Expert #2: Sandor Nagyszalanczy I don’t think Ill ever forget the excitement I felt on the day T bought my first router, a shiny, allcast-aluminum Rockwell Speedmatic D-handle. What manly joy it gave me to trigger that tool on and hear it scream as it plowed through a thick plank like a John Deere tractor furrowing a field. Now, several decades later, an embarrassment of router riches graces my power tool cabinet (I've often fantasized about how cool it would be to have one router for each bit!). Without a mament’s hesitation, our contributing editor from the West Coast ‘grabbed his two top routers — faster than a gunslinger at igh noon WINTER 2013. 9‘The Swiss-made Ely 2337, while net in production any longer, remains a highly desirable tool. ts elegant style is coupled +0 tough-25-nais construction, But if Thad to choose only two models from the vast ranks of these versatile portables, I'd pick my Bhi model 3337 plunge router and PORTER-CABLE 310 trim router, Although neither is currently in production, these two noble routers are my “deserted island” selections because I use them more often than any of the other routers Thave on hand. The Swissmade Elu just oozes European class and precision and employs a blend of sensible features that make it a versatile woodshop player. I regularly use it for such diverse tasks as plowing dadoes and grooves, plunging mortises, cutting precise dovetails and PORTER-CABLE's 310 isa favorite in almost every woodshop that it has been in. The compact yet peppy product does its duty, and does it wel, 10 ROUTERS: PICKING THE DYNAMIC DUO! shaping flutes, coves and ogees. For stable, edge-referenced routing, the Elu comes with the largest, sturdiest fence on the planet (photo at left). The 3337 is such a smooth, dependable per former that T can easily imagine a retired James Bond having one in his’ tricked-out workshop (careful, that isn’t really a hand plane!), The Elu packs enough power to handle all but the biggest _helicopter-rotor-sized panebraising bits. Yet it is light and portable enough that even woodworkers lacking a British secret agent's strength and stamina (yours truly included) can easily handle it. Speaking of size and weight, my other router pick is a bit of a pit bulk PORTERCABLE's 310 trim model is more potent than its smallish stature portends. It’s my first choice any time I've got to run a 1/4" shank bit (the only size this router's collet accepts). The reason is that the 310 is compact and easy to maneuver, yet it packs more punch than other trim routers I've used, It's sized just right for my rip, so Thave good control when tackling a deficate task, such as routing a sign or decorative plaque, jobs made even easier when the 310's motor is mounted in my favorite accessory: The MicroFence plunge router base. Setting bit depth is a quick and easy task, thanks to the 310’s simple threaded body and adjustment ring design, And because this PORTER. CABLE s so light and handy, it's a breeze to use for edge shaping work on horizontal or vertical parts, say when rounding over the edges of a large bookcase or furniture piece. I'm just glad I bought two of these little beauties before they decided to discontinue them. Expert #3: Chris Marshall No fair, I say. Why do we “experts” have to limit our picks to two? The average number of routers owned by a survey group of some 5,000 woodworkers we asked last year is actually 2.97. Oh well, [Il play by the rules, but T may just sneak my “97” unit in at the end of this overview. machines... and paid his respects to a hidden third partner the PORTER-CABLE(Our field editor appreciates the manageable contol of 8 mid-sized ‘combo kit and a potent tim router. But for heavy-duty work, he fires up a full size 3.25hp machine in the router table. When it comes to handheld routing, there's always a twinge of fear in my gut. All of that spinning carbide and brute torque has the potential to do dastardly things to both lumber and limb, so I want a machine I know I can control. That's why Tm a fan of Milwaukee's moderate-sized 5616-24 combo it. The 2.25hp motor is detailed with sensible stuff — feedback electronics to keep rpm up under load, soft start and variable speed. It slides in and out of either plunge or fixed bases like a welloiled piston, once you flip a lever and push a button, Micro- adjustment is a simple twist of the Acmethreaded rod —no annoying ‘wingdings to it — and the rubber grips are rock-solid. T like the BodyGrip wraparound on the fixed-base: it fits my hand like a brokersin outfielder’s glove and snugs up tight with a hook- ancHoop strap for a sure grip. The junge action on the other base is nice and smooth. I've never bested the power of this tool for profiling or joinery work. Itis plenty for me. Pick number two: RIDGID's 2401 trim router. This was a really tough decision, because Tve got a soft spot for Bosch’s extremely apt Colt compact router. Notice that both are trim routers. When you read my article about how to expand the use of these underrated tools on page 14, a trim router offers the ultimate in manageability for inlay, mortising and balancing the tool over narrow edges or small workpieces. Both Bosch and RIDGID have powerful motors and straightforward bit adjusters, but RIDGID adds a sweet perk: an LED light. My gosh, that’s helpful when you're tracking a freehand line or sneaking up ona mortise! If Bosch ever adds one, the scales could tip back for me. Now, I'm digging in my heels on good old .97: there's a PORTER Picking only two routers for woodworker and router exper Bill Hyton proved to be a tying tsk. Asis evidert, he has ‘more routers to choose from than the average Joe or Josephine. WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM CABLE 7518 Speedmatic 3.25hp router bolted inside my router table, and I woukin’t trade: it. It takes care of business for any job — burly tasks like panebraising as well as delicate profiling and joinery. Mine just keeps whipping up chips, hidden out of view. It’s a trusted router you'll ind in many pros’ shops — and they work this fullsize machine a heckuva lot harder than I do. Expert #4: Bill Hylton Tuse routers all the time in the woodworking I do. Lots of differ- ent routers for lots of different tasks. Whittling my fairly sizeable collection down to a pair is ahh ... difficult Small routers have always been my preference. Haven't I often said, “You don't need 3 horsepower to spin a 1/2" bit”? Yes, Ihave. So you'd think the essential routers for me would be small. But Fm surprising even myself here. ‘The first time I handled the WINTER 2013 11Big Red is just right: powerful, table router, For phinge opera good speed control, deep self tions, I favored smaller routers, releasing collet, two wrenches for notably the DWE21. The DW625 bitchanges and ahandlefree base. recaptured my attention when I But best of all is its crackerjack started _making architectural vertical adjustment mechanism. doors. That’s when I carefully You raise and lower the motor checked the maximum plunge (and thus it) by way ofa stout depth of every phinge router I thread screw. (Oh, if only could get my hands on. I wanted rew were a little bit longer) mortises just as deep as T could se adjustments (including make them. removing the motor from the With a bit of tinkering, the Milwaukee's routers obvates the vaue «ase are made by pre DW625 will plunge 3%", bottoming af any i for screw release button and with the collet nut against the the motor up or down in the base. work. That's a good 1/2" better Note that all the movement is than any other model. Having Milwaukee 5625, the first of my vertical. The motor doesn't — used it for the mortising jobs, I've “must haves,” I knew it was rotate in the base; the switch, found it manageable for all sorts perfect for mounting in a table.I speed control, and power cord of other handheld routing, too. Fer our author, the simple but effective tical adjustment system on like the router table for m are always in the same position. _T've always known that small is routing jobs. But give mea simple, _ My second indispensable — beautiful, but ve discovered functional table, please; spare me TsDW625 plunge router— that, every now and then, big is the lift. With the right router and setup, a lifts irrelevant. clos been a personal favorite for downright indispensable. to 20 years, primarily as a Feather Loe Feel confident, safe and secure when you use your router table! Feather-Loc is made of durable polymer, retains its flex memory and will not mar your workpiece. The exclusive built-in setup feather makes setting the tension fast, easy, and repeatable. Ultra Push-Bloc gives maximum control and gripping power. The bottom features the same gripping rubber surface found on our popular Bench Cookie Work Grippers. For more details, head to Look for Bench Dog products and dealer locations at benchdog.com fY BENCH DOG 1 ROUTERS: PICKING THE DYNAMIC DUO!SN ay 4 CREATE YOUR CUSTOM PART TODAY! PREMIUM QUALITY * DISCOUNT PR Ae S + CLOSEOUTS BELTS: Best QUALITY RESINIRESIN.AO.. AC GLOTH | MIDE ‘DAUM SANDER CLOTH ROLLS Peps eet WIDESWT aed XT WEILER (USA) Wite Cups & Wi Nitrile Gloves 81730100 | Gi 0, 150,18, $1230 Gator (USA) Sending Sponges Pasa 0 |imondGas 0 TARRANET DISGS_3° 52750, 5 SHI50 6 S050, | FREE «8 Page Col Cano CUT IT. MARK IT. SELL IT. MUNN TOT Cen Cele SUTIN OTE CER ULC PNM UIReeR ERTL ON OUTING Epilog Laser systems make it easy to take your woodworking shop to the next lovel by offering custom laser engraving and cutting services. Epllog Laser systems allow you to: + Engrave custom grapnies and pattern into al of your woodworking projects, Jr procuct line by peviding new and mized products + Gain an advantage over your competition by offering engraving services they don't {NANA www WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM EPILOG| LASER be LE Cee ee Red eT pee ee mee ee YA) WINTER 2013 1310 Trim Router Techniques HERE ARE 10 WAYS TO GET YOUR HALF-PINT ROUTER OUT OF THE COBWEBS AND BY CHRIS MARSHALL 4 10 TRIM ROUTER TECHNIQUES INTO THE ACTION MUCH MORE OFTEN. t's a sweet thing indeed when you get more than what you bargained for in a tool, Trim routers are a good example. They're lightweight, surprisingly powerful and small enough to go places other bulky routers can't. If you only use yours for trimming plastic laminate, think again. Here are 10 ways to get that halfpint router out of the cobwebs and into the action much more often. Trimming Shelf Lipping One of my favorite uses for a laminate trimmer is shaving solid-wood lipping flush on plywood shelving (top photo, right). The Festool MFK router shown here has an optional base that lets you flush-trim using a straight bit with the router resting on the shelf face for maximum stability. You can do the same thing with an ordinary Jaminate trimmer and a piloted flush-trim bit if you stand the router on the shelf edge. A trim router's compact size makes it a safe choice for this balancing act. Just set the bit a tad deeper than the edging thickness and zip the overhang away. Quarter or 1/2"-thick edging is a breeze, but T've even used mine toflush-trim thicker 3/4" lipping or to bring face frame edges flush with cabinet carcasses. Bits with a sheer cutting angle leave a cleaner cut, especially on hardwood Profiling Edges A laminate trimmer is a router, after all — just a small ‘one. And, with horsepower ratings on some of these machines achieving one or even hp peak, that’s plenty of power for routing edge profiles (bottom photo, right). I regularly grab mine for cutting tiny chamfers or roundovers to knock off sharp edges. In fact, I keep a 1/8" roundover bit in a spare trim router all the time so it's ready when the need ari But you don't have to stop her clean carbide bit to remove the waste: the first cut, and make a series of deeper passes after that, removing more wood each time. Make the last pass just a whisper deeper to clean away any last burn marks that may still be present Cleaning Up Veneer Occasionally, I make veneer from pieces of resawn stock, I leave the veneer panel larger than necessary when applying it to its substrate. Then, a quick pass with a trim router brings the veneer edges into perfect alignment (bottom left photo, next page) With thin veneer, you can use a climb cut when necessary and not be concerned with the router grabbing erratically, Its a good way to keep the veneer from chipping or tearing out at the corners. A olid-carbide laminate trimming bit or a flush-trimmer with a sheer cutting angle are both good choices for this application, WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM There’ no reason to risk sanding trough delicate face wer when you can use a trim router to bring solid-wood ipping flush (above). Edge profiling (below) is wel within a ‘rim router’ bag of tricks, provided you sneak up on the final cutting depth with several rounds of passes WINTER 2013Pint-szed but potent, trim routers can flush-cut veneer (below lef), mortise daar hinges (above right) or handle part duplication witha piloted bit above lef. STSD '@ Cutting Hinge Mortises ‘There's nothing wrong with using a chisel and mallet for cutting door hinge mortises, but a trim router sure speeds up the process over handwork. I use a 1/4" straight bit inside a standard guide collar for this task. With this setup, hinge mortising (top right photo) becomes a standard template-routing operation. I make a Usshaped template from scrap and fasten it to a base that [ can clamp against the door frame. The template opening is sized to match the hinge leaf proportions, phis the amount of offset between the outer rim of the guide collar and the bit’s cutting edges. The template not only creates one uniform mortise after the next so you can cut them production style; it also creates a larger platform to help steady the router. The process is downright foolproof. ‘A number of trim router models come with bases that take guide collars; if yours doesn’t, you can usually buy an accessory subbase that will. Or buy a universal sub-base for larger routers, cut it to size and screw it to your machine, Duplicating Parts OK, Chris, you really just mean template-routing, right? Yep, good old garden variety template work isn't just for mid: or full-sized routers. Think about it: it doesn't take 2hp to shave off 1/16" of material to bring 1x or thinner stock flush with the edge of a template (top left photo). A trim router equipped with a top-bearing pattern bit will do this job just fine. Or, mount your template below the workpiece and use a long flush-trim bit instead. ItFlattening wood plugs (left is quick and easy with a smal straight bit, as is excavating for inlays (ight works so well you might wonder If you use a thickness or two of | Mortising Inlays why you need a bigger, heavier office paper as a spacer for — Inlaysrequire a shallow excavation machine to do it —especially on setting bit depth, you can shave to seat them flush with the smaller or narrow parts, plugs nearly flush in no time flat. surrounding wood. You can get Nibble them away with gentle, — the job done with other routers Leveling Plugs sweeping strokes. Follow up with too, but a trim router is my first On a recent project, I had alittle sanding, and you're done. choice. Its small size offers 70-some wood plugs to trim I even trimmed plugs on my several advantages for precision flush. Of course, there are project's vertical surfaces this work like this. Trimmers are options to perform the job — way, thanks again to the tool's much lighter weight than mid-size flush-cut saw, multitool, chisel. small stature and light weight. I machines, so you can guide But, I grabbed my trim router doubt I could have worked any them right up to a knifed outline anda straight bit (top left photo). faster with other tools, of your inlay with better control, FEATURES WORTH SHOPPING FOR IN A TRIM ROUTER Ifyou have an older model laminate trimmer, it probably has a fairly limited range of features. Tt was, ater all, designed for the singular purpose of countertop fabrication, You can siill do alot more with it, especially if the base accepts template guides. Maybe you're out of the trim router “loop,” in which case you might appreciate knowing that there’s an evolution ‘occurring in this category. Today’s newer 5 trimmers are looking and performing more I and more like mid-size routers, Soft start, electronic feedback circuitry to maintain torque ‘output and microadjustability are some key improvements that are helping to make these machines more capable and precise. Plunge bases are also an excellent addition. Trend realized this years ago and offers a fullfeatured plunge base with their tool. I'm happy to see other companies now stepping up with plunge capability. I believe it unlocks their potential and makes them a much broader go-to solution for general woodworking. od WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM WINTER 2013 17ur primary tool for cuting joinery uti not aut of the question for rabbets, dadoes and other jint pars (above lef. Signmaking (above center) and hole diling (abeve right ae other ree Tuse a 1/8" or 1/4" straight or spiral bit. If you have a steady hand and a good eye, there's no need for a template here; just guide the machine freehand. And, if you're mortising a narrow apron or small box side, a trim router's little footprint really helps. A few machines, like RIDGID's R2401, even have an LED light to brighten up the cutting area — and that’s a big bonus for this sort of exacting work Cutting Joinery A trim router isn't a panacea for every routing operation, of course. Big bits and deep cuts spell trouble with a tiny router, so use common sense. Sill, you can cut rabbets, dadoes, laps and other joint parts with a trim router, the same way you would with larger tools, Run the edge of the base against a clamped straightedge; install an edge guide or use a piloted bit to limit cutting depth. The key is to take reasonable cuts so you don't overwhelm the motor or the bit. In the top left photo, I used a trimmer to cut all of the back panel rabbets and shelf dadoes for a small cabinet to store cans of finish. The cuts turned out every bit as accurate and crisp as if I had made them with a dado blade or my mid-size router. Would 1 se a trim router for cutting joinery on every project? No. Three-quarterinch through dovetails? Forget it. Nada on deep mortises, too. I would choose my bigger routers, router table or some other method for safety’s sake on tough jobs like these. But, some joinery can be cut with trimmer. Give it a whirl Signmaking Here's a fun way to burn an hour or so of shop time: rout a sign. 's casy to do with a set of letter templates and a trim router equipped with a template guide. At first blush, this technique would be improved with a plunge base, and most trim routers don't have them. But, here's how to get it done with a fixed base. Use a softwood for your sign stock. 18 10 TRIM ROUTER TECHNIQUES to put these litle routers to beter use Position the bit over the widest part of each letter, and start here. Hold the router base firmly with one edge pressed against the template, and slowly pivot the machine down into the wooed. Once the base is resting flat, you're golden. Rout away! Hole Drilling The concept of using a plunge router for boring shelf-pin holes isn't revolutionary. But, thanks to plunge models such as Trend's T4 and other compact routers of late, hole drilling is now fair game for really small routers. Make a shelfpin tem. plate with holes sized to fit a guide collar bushing, and install 1/4" upcut spiral bitin the tool. A router works as well as a drill here, and perhaps even better. Maybe Tm just one of those guys who roots for the underdog, but [think it’s time for our trim routers to get more credit. Try these techniques with your trim router and see if you agree. 2| Looking for Moisture Meters Lignomat offers | pin and piniess meters on Pe) aa Ceti) oy Buy Quality, Accuracy, Reliability ‘and Professional Customer Service. 22? check out te new no Website Moi! ATT leer sla ea www.RADARCARVE.NET Wood Carving Duplicators + Eurniture Decoys “Musical Thousands of uses! 505-948-0571 Two downloadable erty [en Sign up at: ‘www. woodworkersjournal.com The most complete catalog for woodworkers + Featuring over 10,000 items * Innovative jigs and tools + High quality hardware * Rare hardwood * Unique Moldings Get your FREE catalog today! Call 1-800-403-9736 (cal 450) ‘or go to www.rockler.com/gol460 zs QAR nocrine re tra shop matches its capabilities + Innovative design + Power feeds the wood + Dovetails & Finger Joints + Mortises & Tenons + Rabbets, Dados & Grooves, + Lap & Bridle Joints Call 513.233.9019 Few tools attemp! to cover such a sroad spectrum of joints a5 Route Boss, ts on 12 most effective jint the marke mark. 20m,com oe ere WWW, WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM belc teeta 23 Gauge Headless Pinners rye www.grexusa.com WINTER 2013 19HERE’S THE PERFECT SCRAPWOOD PROJECT. OUR AUTHOR SAYS THAT THESE UNIQUE GIFT BOXES HAVE BEEN USED FOR EVERYTHING FROM WINE TO CANDLES. By KENNETH MINNAERT 20 WEEKEND TAMBOUR GIFT BOXy most satisfying and enjoyable woodworking projects involve making decorative boxes using a variety of designs, joints and colorful hardwoods. These boxes make attractive and unique packages for a wide variety of gifts and (Ive heard) tend to outlast those gifts by many years. Ihave made them for friends and family members, and I've donated them to local charity fundraising events as well. They're inexpensive, keep me busy in the shop honing my skills and help me keep my shop “scrapfree.” Thave been intrigued with the idea of building one of my gift boxes with a tambour door, but wanted something more attrac- tive than the traditional half round, breadbox type tambour you often see at local gift shops. Plus, I didn't want to go to the time and expense of making my tambour strips by routing them to shape with one of the fancy (and expensive) new router bit sets designed specifically for that purpose. So I decided to design and make my tambour strips using a mixture of woods to give a nice texture variety and rich, colorful appearance. ‘The box is constructed from bubinga and maple and features a tambour sliding door. Other contrasting species, Tm sure, would work just as well. Your ‘The sides ofthis gf box receive the ln's share of the machining, After rabbets are formed at each end, a template used in combination lth a straight bit and guide bushing to form the rack forthe tambour daar overall box dimensions should allow room for the top to retract into its “hiding place.” ‘The box that TI walk you through here is sized to accommo- date two regular sized bottles of wine, but you can adjust the size of yours as necessary. Getting Started ‘The first step is to make the right and left sides of the box (pieces 1) from 3/4" maple stock. Keep in mind that the two sides are ror images of each other; Drawing on page 23). Attach thus the ends and accompanying the template to one of the dimensions must be reversed to. side pieces, as shown in the make matching sides that face photos above. Ilike double-sided each other. self-adhesive discs (available at Using a dado blade in your — wwwrockler.com) but double- table saw, form the 1/2" rabbets sided carpet tape, as is shown on the inside surfaces of each here, also works to hold the side to accommodate the top and template firmly in place, bottom. Now, use a sharp chisel _ Chuck a 5/16" straight bit and to form the notch on the insides 7/16" O.D, guide bushing in of each side to accommodate the your router, and set your depth top plate, as shown in the to forma /4'-deep groove. Rout Drawings on the next page. the groove on one side and ‘To create the channel for then repeat the process on the the door, I made a template second side, Depending on your from 1/4'thick Masonite® (see experience, you may want to use WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM WINTER 2013 2Push/Pull Handle Pattern (Too View) Each square equals 1/2" @ +39 -~ Sides (2) a oo Tambour 2 Top(t) 1 Asseml 3 Bottom (1) Hikes es Yew? ‘Top Plate (7) intemal Box Baok (f) Bottle Rail Locations Internal Box Top (1) ats, ttn, 7 Maple Siats (14) ly if y - ~ a 8 _Bubinga Slats (14) WA" x 1/2" x 87" ‘9 Push/Pull Handle (1) 1a" x 318" x 6 10 Canvas Fabric (1) BA x14" 11 Gides (4) 58" 12 Bottle Rack Side Ralls (2) 3/4" x 17" x 13" Frese tele 22 WEEKEND TAMBOUR GIFT BOX he 48 Bottle Rack Center Rail (1) 3/4" x 12" x 13°Tambour Groove Routing Template . TR, 13%" ae Side (Inside View) vine] one Bu rm) up alitle of your shop scrapwood testing this cut. Once you've completed it on both sides, sand the grooves to a smooth inside finish. Apply a furniture wax to the grooves to promote smooth ing of the tambour door. Replace the 5/16” bit with a 1/4" straight bit (Game guide bushing) and use a rightangle straightedge template to form the 1/4"-deep grooves on each side for the internal box back and top, as shown in the Drawings at left The Top, Bottom and Top Plate As mentioned, [used bubinga as my contrasting species. Now is the time to cut these pieces to size, including the top, bottom and top plate (pieces 2, 3 and 4). Using a 1/4" straight bit in your router, form a 1/4"-deep dado on the bottom piece, exactly 13/16" from the back edge (So it aligns with the grooves you already cut on the box’s sides). This dado serves to hold the bottom edge ofthe internal box back. Note that the top piece is a tad narrower than the bottom, to accommodate the top plate. Internal Box Pieces To hide the tambour door from view when the box is opened, I added two internal pieces of 1/4" thick Batic birch plywood (no one will see the edges), the internal bbox back and top (pieces 5 and 6). You can cut these pieces to size now, When they are assembled within the grooves you formed for them earlier, the top will butt up to the back, Cut the Tambour Slats To Final Size ‘The tambour door consists of 14 pairs of alternating maple and bubinga slats (pieces 7 and 8). Each of these 28 slats has a 30° chamfer on one edge, as shown in WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM the Drawing at left. The best way to create these is to cut 3ft Jengths of maple and bubinga to the correct width and thickness and form the chamfer along one edge. Since these are small pieces to handle, I recommend clamping each piece in a bench vise and chamfering them with a sharp hand plane. Plane in the direction of the grain and follow up by sanding the show faces smooth, Once your chamfered stock is smooth, you can crosscut the es to length. You should be able to get four slats from each SHt. stick, so you'll need to repeat the process until you have 14 slats of each species. Set the non-chamfered edge of each like-wood slat together, and then alternate pairs of bubinga and maple, matching the chamfered edges. Begin the panel with a maple pair followed by a bubinga pair, and continue the alternating process until complete. This will produce a rolltop panel with nice design character, Push/Pull Handle The only other piece that’s made from bubinga stock is the push/pull handle (piece 9). Use the pattern at left to cut this piece to size, and shape the ends using a disc or oscillating sander. Position the push/pull handle on the door’s second maple slat. Drill pilot holes through the parts, and rive two small finishing screws, through the back of the slat and into the handle, Disassemble the parts — they'll be reattached after the fabric is applied. Assembling the Tambour Panel Bottom weight canvas fabric (piece 10) and Aleene’s” Original Tacky Glue® are used to secure the slats in alignment and provide the necessary flexibility to maneuver the curves of the side grooves. These two products WINTER 2013 23are available at fabric stores. It is very important that the slats are perfectly square to ensure that they will close evenly in the enclosure and avoid binding during opening and closing. Trecommend that you make a simple tambour panel jig to hold the slats in alignment during the gluing process. The jig (see Drawing, below, and photo, above right) can be made of scrap plywood or MDF. On the flat surface of the jig, screw or nail parallel cleats spaced 84" apart. Make sure the jig base is at least 14" long, and add a simi- lar cleat at one end. Perpendicular to and between the edge pieces, draw parallel lines fone inch apart across the jig opening. I found that these “alignment guides” helped to keep me on track as I lined up the slats. Now usea straightedge and drawa line down each edge of the slats, about 1/2" in from the edge. You don't want any canvas (or glue!) to end up in this area, as these ends will ride in the grooves you formed in the sides. Tambour Door Jig (End and Top Views) Edge Pieces 14 Note: The edge and lend pieces should be no more than 1/8" thick, The end piece holds tho sats square to the edge pieces. ‘The author uses a simple jig (see Drawing below) to help ine up his tambour sats ‘Once the pieces are lined up in the jg, the author draws a line along each edge before applying beads of craft glue tothe slats (top photo). Both the canvas and glue are kept well out ofthat area (where the door rides in is grooves) The carwas is then applied (eight photo) with the help of a flat board, war paper (not seen) and plenty of camps to lensute a good glue bond and. a smooth surface. Cut a piece of canvas 6'' wide —T suggest that you apply and several inches longer than wipe-on polyurethane finish to the 14'-long panel itself. Once all the glued-up door before gluing your slats are installed in the jig, up_your box. This allows the add a bead of the glue to the finish to be applied evenly along back of each piece, being sure tothe entire length of cach slat, keep the glue well inside of the including the ends. At this time, edge lines you just added. locate the two small screw holes Center the cloth on the you made earlier, and glue and leaving approximately 1" spacing screw the handle to the maple on each side so the slat ends — door slat. extend well beyond the cloth. Once the slats and cloth are laid Fitting Process. up, place a flat board (with apiece Sand all of your machined pieces, of waxed paper between the — to asmooth finish and dry fit the fabric and the board) over the entire piece together before you cloth and install clamps around begin the glueup. Carefully the assembly to ensure good check that all angles are square contact between each slatand the and fit properly. Especially check cloth. After the glue dries, trim to be sure the door panel rides off any excess cloth from each smoothly in its grooves. A bit of end of the panel using a razor fine trimming and sanding of the blade or sharp utility knife, door may be necessary. Sand and slightly round the Now glue and clamp the sides, slat ends to prevent any binding top, internal box top and back in the grooves. The door might and the top plate for the first also require some final trimming assembly, leaving the bottom on the ends to ensure smooth and tambour door off. (Note: rolling in the grooves. you do want to ensure that the 24 WEEKEND TAMBOUR GIFT BOXbottom fits snugly in place at wine bottle rack consists of two this time — just don't glue it) side rails (pieces 12) and a After the glue has dried from center rail (piece 13). The this initial gluing phase, retest Drawing at the bottom of page 2: the fit of the tambour door, shows these additions, which ensuring that it slides well in its feature 45° chamfers to nestle groove, Then insert the door the wine bottles. You'll cut one panel in its grooves and glue the chamfer on the inner edge of bottom in place, capturing the each side rail and one on each door in the box, edge of the center rail. Using double-sided self-adhesive discs, Glides and Optional attach each side rail to the Bottle Rack internal box back outer edges The next two steps are strictly and carefully place the center optional. Install 5/8" furniture divider in the middle. By using Finishing Up glides (pieces 11) at each of the the adhesive discs, itis possible Do afinal sanding and apply two or corners of the bottom to prevent to remove the rails and divider more coats of Minwax” Wipe-On marking or scratching any should your gift recipient decide Poly Clear Satin Polyurethane, surface upon which the box may to use the box for another following the manufacturer's be set. In this case, a simple purpose. Two wine bottles will instructions. Or, use a similar rack was included to hold two rest snugly between the three finish of your choice 2 regulat-size wine bottles. The rail pieces, 7 Pa MATTER THE RIGHT BALANCE OF FEATURES FOR A FINE FINISH Ala lover rice. tovl-fre degth of ee lel: ti4:e ee): 8 WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM WINTER 2013 25TRY VARIATIONS OF SPECIES AS WELL AS FRAMED AND UNFRAMED STYLES TO CREATE THESE ROUTED TRIVETS FOR YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY GIFT LIST. By CHRIS MARSHALL f it's time to purge the scrap bin or you're just looking for a way to turn your router into Santa's mechanical elf, here's clever little project to try next holiday season. You may have seen “waffle” style trivets before, but we're giving ours a twist by milling them with a router mounted on a pivoting trammel jig. Stopping the swooping cuts short of the edges of the trivets, creates a “captured” one-piece design, or you can rout right through the edges of the blanks and wrap a frame around the routed core as seen above. used a 1/2'-diameter spiral bit and 3/4"-wide spacers to form this pattern, but you could certainly experiment with other bits and spacer sizes to produce other unique styles. The only requirement is that the bit be set slightly deeper than half the thickness of the trivet. That way, a series of cuts on both faces opens up the lattice pattern. 26 TRAMMEL-JIG TRIVETS en Once you have the jig built and your blanks made, these trivets are perfect for production-style gift making. Building the Trammel Jig The jig is really simple to build, Start with a 22"-square serap of 3/4" plywood or MDB, and draw a diagonal line connecting two corners. Cut a 6"-square trammel support from 1/2" scrap and bisect it with a pencil Tine. Fasten it to the base withglue and brads so the outermost corners of the support align with the edges of the base and the pencil marks of the two jig parts line up. Now rip a pair of 1/2" by 2! fences, cut them to an overall length of 15%" and miter-cut one end of each to 45°. Butt the fences against the support piece so the tips of the miters touch. ‘Make sure they form a square “pocket” for the trivet blanks to register against before nailing the fences to the jig base. Line the “field” area inside the fences with sandpaper attached with spray adhesive. Later, thi will hold the trivets stationary you rout them. I left the base’s outer corner bare where the trivets and spacers don't reach it. Adding the Trammel The trammel is a scrap of 1/2" material cut 6" wide and 20" long; this width fit my router base nicely. If your router has a wider base, change the trammel width to suit it, Set the router near the trammels end to mark mounting holes for screws, as well as to establish where to bore a clearance hole for the router bit. Mark the trammel carefully with two layout lines: one identifying the centerpoint of the router bit and a second drawn 12" back from this line, before making the bit Burt the mitered ends ofthe jg fences against the trammel suppert block so they form a square coener, and nal ther tothe base et). Estabish the pivot point ofthe trarmel by «drawing a layout line 12° from the bit’ certerine (top right. To set the correct position of the tramiel on the jg, side the trammel along the support block until the inside edge of the router bit touches the outer comer af atrwet blank placed inthe jg (center right) Fal, bore a dowel hole, centered on the trammel's pivot paint ne (bottom rh, The rout cutting radius doesn’t change — it fixed to a trammel and dowel pivot point. Instead, adding pairs of spacers creates the repetitive cutting pattern on bath river faces clearance hole and fastening the edge of the bit just kisses the router to it outer corner of the trivet blank. You'll need one of your — Make sure it lines up evenly over 6"-square trivet blanks to mount the support before boring a 5/16” the trammel properly on the jig. dowel hole through the trammel With the router bit installed, set and support — right into the the trivet blank in the corner base, Center this hole on your 12” formed by the fences and balance layout line drawn previously. Now the trammel on it and the square insert a 2" length of 5/16" dowel support block. Slide the trammel to engage the trammel’s pivot along the support until the inside action, You're nearly ready to WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM WINTER 2013 27To start the cutting pattern on the trivets first face, seta pair of spacers ‘against the jig fences, Postion a tivet ‘against these spacers and mil the first slot, routing slightly deeper than halfway through the blank. start routing trivets, but first, make up 14 spacer strips from 1/2" scrap. Mine were 3/4" x 14", Making Tricked-out Trivets After you've prepared some snazzy trivet blanks (I tried patterns of contrasting species, glued side-by-side or as two 1/4" thick face-glued laminations), making the trivets is easy. Set one pair of spacers against the fences so their intersecting ends overlap in the jig’s inside corner, Set your bit depth, and lock your plunge router’s base accordingly. For trivets with stopped router cuts, I drew layout lines 1/4" in from the Base Subassembly (Top View) ‘Mil subsequent arched cuts by adding pairs of spacers, You can feed the router clockwise or counterclockwise, But be Cateful to keep the tvet stationary as you pivot the router. Downwvard pressure is sufficient, edges of the blanks to set the starting and stopping points for each cut. Trivets with separate frames don’t need these lines. Start the router and make your first cut, milling to final depth in ‘two passes. I used a 1/2” upspiral router bit — but any sharp straight will work too. Swing the router clockwise or counter- clockwise — either direction is safe here — but keep the tram- ‘mel pressed down firmly against the trivet blank to prevent it from shifting. Once you complete the first cut, pull the trivet forward, insert another pair of spacers and repeat for the second, longer “swoop.” Continue adding spacer | opted: Sia x 22" x 22" ‘Note: The fold area between the fences is “carpeted with 120-grt sandpaper to ‘Prevent the blanks from Sliding around during the routing process. Attach it with spray adhesive. Fences: 112° x 2°x 15%" Flip the trvet over and pivot it @ quarter turn to establish the "X” cutting pattern fon the second face. Rout the fist slot ‘with all spacers in place, then work in reverse, removing one pair ata time to make the other cuts, pairs between subsequent cuts until you reach the other corner of the blank. Now flip the blank over, give it a quarter turn to establish the “X” pattern and repeat the whole routing process. ‘This time remove one pair of spacers after each pass. In. min- utes, you'll have your first trivet knocked out and be on to the second, Sand away any bit burn marks or fuzz, and round over the edges. For trivets with frames around them, 1 used quick-set epoxy to secure the mitered frame pieces. ‘The recipients of your curvy Kitchen coasters will no doubt appreciate their delicate look ... but secretly you'll know that the bigger satisfaction — plowing those arching cuts and seeing the pattern develop before your ‘eyes — was really all yours. ea Trammel (Top View) ce iz arr we Be Ding) oh et a Note: Trammel is 1/2" x 6" x 20" alow Lk Trammel Support: 1/2° «6° x6" 28 TRAMMEL-JIG TRIVETS - Note: Tevet blanks A used in this article were 1/2" x6" x6" 4 Spacer (End View)“7 Made in the Usa Woodworking Tools Ng PLANER, Wel i cranes a BUSHTON MANUFACTURING, LLC .0. Box 127,319 5 Main St, Bushton KS 67427 620-562-3557, www hawkwoodworkingtools.com Perfect straightness Meee Bs Noise reduction 4 IVE) JoIntABILITY. Avalon, 588 ergs “The Best Online” 4 Woodworking Newsletter.” ‘The Woodworker Journal eZine sends a endl letter to your emai inbox every two weeks, full of virtual backfence chatter about your favorte hobby. Sian up now for your subscription! ere 100 years of German To Innovation Paaeeeicdo-gma WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM WINTER 2013 29THIS HORIZONTAL ROUTER TABLE’S TILTING TOP PUTS IT IN A CATEGORY OF ITS OWN. ITS VERSATILITY WILL TAKE YOUR ROUTING TO THE NEXT LEVEL. By SANDOR NAGYSZALANCZY With ts top bing flat, the horizontal router table is great for rasing pane's and other jobs on large panels. With ‘the top tiked, it excels at angled joinery (center) or for altering the profie of ‘edges with standard bits (bottom) that mounts a portable router vertically is great for all kinds of shaping jobs. But a router table that mounts the router horizontally is even better for tasks such as panel raising, joinery cutting and other shaping jobs where you'd rather have the work flat on a table than run it vertically against a fence. But Sm a regular router table 30 HORIZONTAL TILT-TOP ROUTER TABLE horizontal table has a versatile its table tilts, allowing you to do a variety of work that’s difficult or impossible on a regular flat router table. For example, you can shape angled tenons on the ends of aprons or stretchers that join the splayed legs of a stool or chair. You can also use the tilted table to rout slots for splines that join beveled parts — twisAfter temporarily screwing a bolt into the threaded insert, a socket and ratchet wrench dives the insert into the hole in the side of the horizontal router table’ base say, the sides of an octagonal planter. Best of all, by changing the angle between the profile of the bit and the workpiece, the tilttop lets you rout a variety of new shapes from the router bits you already own! Versatile Design Happily, this unique table isn't difficult to build, doesn’t require much in the way of materials and is compact, so you can easily stow it away when it's not in use. The table has a cubical base with an oversized bottom that makes it easy to clamp the device atop a bench or work table. A pivoting router plate mounted to a crossmember on the base provides ‘a mount for just about any standard router. Pivoting the plate adjusts the bits cutting depth up and down (because of the horizontal orientation of the table, the router's regular bit depth adjustment changes the width of the cut). The table's top is attached to the base via a pair of plywood compasses, each with a pair of radiused slots that allow the top to tilt from flat to 45 degrees, A slot in the top accepts a standard miter ‘A pneumatic nail gun makes quick work of ‘assembling the router table's MDF base, keeping the glued parts aligned and together while damps ate put into place. gauge, which is useful for end-routing. A socket and ratchet wrench, set onto a pair of ruts, drive the hanger bolts into place. These Kicking Off the Construction Process hhanger bolts attach the router plate to the To start construction, make the table’s base from 3/4" MDF essmember on the base or particleboard. Cut out an 18” x 12" bottom, three 12" squares for the front and sides and a 12" x 3".wide strip for the bottom rear (pieces 1 through 4). On the band saw (or with a jigsaw), cut a 3" high, 3/4" deep notch at the top back corner of each of the two sides for the crossmember that supports the router plate (cut the notch slightly shallower, if your crossmember stock isn't fully 3/4" thick). Make sure the notches’ edges are nice and square. Now drill a pair of 3/8'diameter holes through each side piece, located as shown in the Drawings on page 32. These are for studded hand screws that will attach the tilttop to the base. Install a 1/4" threaded insert in each of these holes (photo, top right), using a short 1/4" bolt, two nuts and a ratchet wrench to Center the crossmember on the notches cut into ‘the base, then glue and screw it in piace. The face of the crossmember must be flush with the edge of the sides WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM WINTER 2013 311 Top Edge J Center your 5/16° | straight bit onthe dotted ines. -| The compasses Scrap to locate # are secured to ‘pivot point “>! 4" 3/8" daap dadoes 12 xT x 20" Blank Crossmember (Front View) 114" hanger bolt location 918" da. hole ‘ecatans MATERIAL LIST w TxWxt, 1. Bottom (1) 3/4" x 12" x 18" 2 Sides (2) ‘B/4" x12" x 12" 3 Front (1) A x12" x12 4 Rear Strip (1) 8/4" «3 x12" 5 Crossmember (7) ‘5/4 x 8x18" 6 Router Face (1) 14" x 9" x 18" | 7_ Face Backer (1) 112" x ox 18" 8 _Compasses® (2) 12" xAN/E x20" 9 Tit-Top (1) B14 x 14 x 22 * Blank to mako @ par of compasses 32. HORIZONTAL TILT-TOP ROUTER TABLEUsing the router's sub-base as a template, drill holes through the router plate’ face piece with a sef-centering bit right). To make clearance for the router, use a jigsaw to make a circular cutout in the plates backing piece (lef) Cutting a radiused slot through the plate will require a crle-cuting jig attached to a router (center) drive them in place. Glue and sure the assembly is square and. nail (or screw) the sides of the that all the edges are flus! base together, with the bottom Cut the router table's 3" x 18” strip at the lower edge of the crossmember (piece 5) from cube (photo on page 31, second a piece of good-quality 3/4" from top). Center the sides on plywood. Band saw or jigsaw a the base's bottom piece and glue semicircular hole at the center and nail them in place, making of the crossmember’s top edge JUST A CORE BENEFITS % High quality carvings made with case ‘tan affordable price ** The beginner can start making projects ‘wth only minimal computer skils whila the professional can take advantago of the machines CNC routor capabilty using CAD/CAM software. IMAGINATION! MODEL 1013 Za IN Maximum work pce - devansion of 13° 18°" FPicure sofware eludes MopEL 1015 PRO Work piece area of 18° 20° 4, "ang ArtGam Express sotware Perfect for engraving signs, lithophanes, 3D Cringonnt, ings Orin carvings or intricate 7 10198 8 s Cate parts for projects. % Wood carvngs = E poe oem Fos enc, 10821018 og. amit © WwW OLIVERMACHINERY.NET | INFO@OLIVERMACHINERY.NET | 8005595065 (Jouvermacninery (J WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OLIVERMACHINERY jw) WWW.YOUTUBE COM/OLIVERMACHINERY WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM WINTER 2013 33In the top photo, a pair of threaded hand knobs attach the router plate to the two hanger bolts protruding from the ccrossmember. Fach of the twin compasses that support the horizontal router table’ tit-top has a pair of curved slots Mill those with a router and circle-cuttng jg (bottom photo). A small scrap of plywood (middle photo} provides the pivat point for the crcle-cuting jg. M HORIZONTAL TILT-TOP ROUTER to provide clearance for the router bit. Next, drill a pair of 7/32!-diameter holes, positioned 16% apart, as shown in the Drawings. These holes are for the two 1/4" x 1"Jong hanger bolts that attach the router pivoting plate to the base. Hanger bolts have a wood screw thread on one half and a machine thread on the other. To install them, lock a pair of 1/4" nuts together (with a washer between them) on the bolt's machine threaded end, and drive the screw-thread end into the holes (photo on page 31, second from bottom). Now glue and screw the crossmember into the notches on the base, centering leto-side (photo on page 31, bottom right) ‘The router plate consists of two 18'-long, 9"-wide pieces sandwiched together: a 1/4"-thick plywood, melamine or tempered hardboard face piece and a 1/2"thick MDF or plywood backing piece (pieces 6 and 7), In the center of the face piece, drill a 2-diameter hole for the router bit. Now remove the sub-base of the router you'll use with the horizontal table, center it on the hole in the face piece, and clamp it down (make sure to orient the sub-base so that the router's final mounted position on the router plate will locate the On/Off switch upwards, for easy operation). Go ahead and chuck a selfcentering bit (these have a spring-loaded guide sleeve that centers the bit in a hole) in an clectric drill and, using the sub-base’s mounting holes as a template, bore the router mounting holes 1g TABLEthrough the face piece (large jig so that the distance between blank of 1/2" plywood, laid out photo, page 33). Countersink the the pivot pin and the centerline as shown in the Drawings. Use a holes for the mounting screws so of the bit is exactly 16%’. With good quality plywood, such as their heads will be flush with the the router plate clamped atop a Baltic birch. Each compass has a surface of the plate. After sawing wood scrap, rout the curved slot __ pair of semicircular slots routed aholein the center ofthe backing (center photo, page 33) following through it, located as shown in piece large enough to clear your the dimensions in the Drawings. the Drawing. Screw the blank router's base (left photo, page Attach the plate to the temporarily atop a scrap piece of 33), carefully align and glue the —crossmember (top photo at left) 24" x 14" (or larger) plywood or backing and face pieces together. with apair of threaded hand screws. particleboard. As the actual pivot Tip: To keep two flat surfaces point of the tilttop is located being glued up from sliding Getting to Tilt beyond the corner of each around when you apply clamping The two compasses (pieces 8) compass, where the front of pressure, drive a couple of small that support the tabletop and — the router plate and top meet, brads in one surface, then clip allow it to tilt are the most — you must serew a pair of scrap them off nearly flush; the nibs “dig complicated part of the build. blocks to the plywood to provide in" and keep parts from sliding. ‘The compasses are necessary, a pivot point for layout and slot Next, drill a hole in the router because they allow the top to tilt routing (photo, center left). plate for the hanger bolt that without being hinged on the — The 1/2" x 4" x 1%! scraps are allows the plate to pivot (located router plate — an arrangement positioned at opposite corners of as shown in the Drawing). Fita that wouldn't allow the plate tothe blank, as shown in the router with a circle jig and 5/16" adjust up and down for depth of Drawing. Use a compass set to a straight bit set to cut all the way cut. Both compasses are sawn 12" radius to mark the outer through the plate. Set the circle from a single 111'-wide, 20"-Jong edge of each compass. Mark the e Cc t r i C / Complete Software Solutions PASSIONATE ABOUT CNC for your CNC Router | + Efficient 2D Design —_- Reliable Machining _ + Powerful 3D Modeling - Realistic Part Preview | + Easy to Use + Sensibly Priced Vecttic software combines power and simplicity so you can get the results you want from your CNC. Our range of packages all have free support, free high quality training videos and great user resources; such as our excellent online forum and free monthly projects. Download the trial version today to see how easy it is to design parts and create toolpaths for your CNC. Download FREE Trial Software - www.vectric.com/wwj No registration re WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM WINTER 2013 35stop lines for the slots, as shown in the Drawings. It’s easiest to use a plunge router to cut the two radiused slots in each compass, But by using a litle finesse when starting and stopping slots, a regular router or laminate trimmer will work. For the sinaller slots, set your router's circle jig so that there's 5" between the pivot point and the centerline of a 5/16" straight bit. Rout these slots on each of the two ends of the compass blank, ig and stopping the bit at the lines you marked. Now reset the circle jig. to an 11" are and rout the two largerradius slots (photo, page 34, lower lefi). Band saw the compasses from the blank by cutting out their curved outside edges, and sand them smooth. Cut the table's 14x 22" tiletop (iece 9) from 3/4" melamine or ‘MDF stock, then bevel the lower edge of one of its long edges at a 45° angle (see the Drawings). ‘The bevel allows the tilted top to clear the base. Now measure the exact width of the table’s base you assembled earlier (it should ‘measure about 1374" wide). Using a 1/2'-wide dado set in your table saw (finetuned to fit the exact thickness of the plywood compasses), plow two 3/8"deep dadoes across the narrower dimension on the underside of the top (photo, below left). Space the slots so that their inside- facing edges are as far apart as the width of the base. This will ensure that the inside faces of the compasses will fit snugly against the sides of the base. Next, set your table saw’s dado set to plow a miterslot groove into the top surface of the top, located as shown in the Drawing. You can cut a 3/4!-wide, 3/8": deep groove to fit the bar of a standard miter gauge. Alternatively, you'll get a more accurate and wear-resistant miter gauge fit by installing a Jength of aluminum miter slot track. This requires dadoing a larger slot, sized to fit the track you use. Glue the two compasses into the dadoes in the tabletop, aligning each compass’s square corner flush with the lower corner of the top’s beveled edge. 36 HORIZONTAL TILT-TOP ROUTER TABLE Set the top/compass assembly on the base, bringing the top’s beveled edge flush to the router, plate. Screw the studded hand screws into the threaded inserts (photo, below right). Putting the Router Table to Work To use the router table, set the table to the desired degree of tlt and tighten the compass hand screws. Next, set the width of cut the bit will take using your router's depth of cut adjustment. Finally, set the actual depth of cut by loosening the hand knobs on the router plate and pivoting the plate up or down. Lock it in place. Now you're ready to perform your basic run-ofthe-mill routing jobs, plus a host of technically difficult angled cuts and modified profiles that your ordinary outer lablejust cat do, uta pair of grootes into the bottom of the routers titing tabletop Using a dado blade in the table saw (let photo). These house the plywood compasses. To maunt the top to the table's base, studded hand screws ae installed through the curved sits and screwed into the threaded inserts you installed earONTO NACI IietB COM CUM (Oe UK) ou Ror aN ue Bian loans eke WoodGlue Pe mae Peel rs ewe ea ariel Pore a Prt Cire ORO! UNS res OTe Translucent ec a 7a No two woodworking or repair projects are alike. They are unique, like you. Some may call fora thick glue, and others demand a quick set ora hidden bond line. Fortunately, Titebond has the solution you nced, regardless of your type of project. Sree re eta knot emake ns tenets To learn more about these and other Titebond products, visit titebond.com. The industry leader for over 75 years, and the makers of Mee Cn Mees nT TdHERE’S A CHANCE TO TURN SOME SPECIAL LUMBER INTO A FITTING PLACE TO STORE AND SHOWCASE YOUR PRI By CHRIS MARSHALL ndred years ago or si when the chestnut for thi project was still gracing the Ohio landscape, a tool chest much more than a place fore chisels, It was a woodworker’s calling card. Journeymen were often required by their master teachers to build a tool chest before venturing out to start their own businesses. And when that time came, a finely crafted tool chest was proof to prospective clients that a craftsman's skills could be trusted. chest of metal drawers to store your hand tools, but what fun is there in that? Its much more gratifying to build a custom cl like our forebears did. Yours may not help you hang out that woodworking “shingle,” but it definitely will remind you of all the things you love about thi craft each time you open it, Design Considerations My design is essentially a chest within a chest: an internal case 38 DOVETAILED TOOL CHEST ZED HAND TOOLS. houses three drawers and serves as the floor of a deep storage compartment on top. The drawer case is undersized to make room for three racks of hanging tools around the inside. You can outfit the rest of the top compartment any way you like with divider strips. It's a perfect place to store tall-handled planes. ‘A handmade chest deserves fine joinery, so I chose variable. spaced, through dovetails to bring the outer chest together and hhalEblind dovetails for the drawers.Top it all off with a coved lid and some brass hardware, and you've got a challenging project that ill keep you plenty busy for a few weekends. Starting with the Drawer Case The best tactic for building this project is to work from the inside ‘out, so we'll start with the drawer case. Since the top of the drawer case (piece 1) will show when the chest lid is up, make that from a panel of solid wood. I chose Baltic birch plywood for the case sides, back and bottom (Pieces 2 through 4) to eliminate any wood movement that might bind the tight‘itting drawers from season to season. Notice in the Drawings on pages 40 and 41 that the drawer case bottom panel also serves as the chest bottom, It nests into grooves in the outer chest panels with a 5/16" thick, 1/2"long_ tongue. ‘Make that tongue now on the bottom panel ends and back edge; the front edge will butt against the chest front, so leave it flat. You'll also discover in the Drawings that the drawer case “hangs” on the chest’s front panel with six pocket screw joints, They form invisible, sturdy connections, Dut they also offer you the ability to position the drawer case precisely in the drawer opening. You'll want that degree of control here, since the drawers are flush-fitting with only asliver of clear space to spare around them, Bore the pocket: screw holes in the drawer case sides now. ‘The drawers slide on fixed runners (pieces 5) inside the drawer case. Texperimented with selElubricating plastic slides for my chest, but you could fashion yours from straight-grained, dimensionally stable stock, too. Prepare your drawer slides, rounding over their front ends to double as drawer stops. Once the drawer case goes together, you won't be able to tweak the position of the runners to improve drawer action, so its crucial to install them parallel and accurately from the start. Easiest solution? Build a simple jig to hold the runners in place on the case sides when you install them, like the one shown in the photo at right. I made mine from scrap and milled three dadoes that fit the runner strips snugly. A fence along the bottom of the jig made it easy to register the jig correctly when I drove the short attachment screws (pieces 26). Here's another tip: the case sides are mirror opposites of one another. ‘The rounded ends of the runners should face in opposite directions on the right and left side panels. ‘With all your drawer case parts machined, sand and _pre-finish them, then assemble the drawer case with flathead wood screws (pieces 27) Making the Chest Panels The “show” faces of your chest panels (pieces 6 through 8) will make quite an impression on a project this large, so take time to choose your stock carefully: Plan your panel glue-ups for pleasing grain pattern and consistent wood tone. I made all four panels from ‘one piece of thick, wormy chest- nut, resawn into thinner stock. For my front panel, T wanted the grain pattern to flow across the drawer faces, and I knew I'd need a precise cutout for the drawer opening. The easiest way to accomplish both goals was to start out with an overly wide WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM panel and rip my drawer face blank from it. Iryou do the same, remember to make your drawer face blank wide enough to account for the kerfs you'll need to split the blank into three drawer faces Drawer runner placement must be done accurately from the sta, since the runners aren't adjustable afterward. The ‘author made a jg to locate the runners (on the drawer case side panels. it made for ‘rouble-fee instalation and function This drawer case does triple duty: it forms the floor of the top compariment, houses the drawers and creates the chest bottom. WINTER 2013 39Tool Chest Dovetail Layout Front View) <] The chest ‘s.eut off the FJ assembled bor ater tve-up. later. Once the drawer face blank was removed, 1 cut off its ends and glued them to the rest of the front panel to create the final drawer opening shape (see Drawings) Milling the through dovetail joinery was ea thanks to my ChestMate” Jig, which will cut through dovetails on panels of any size. It uses kerf cuts made at the table saw to form a template that registers pins on the jig for setting up the dovetail pattern. [decided to configure the joinery so the pin geometry would show on the front of the chest. A pleasing pattern was my foremost goal, but the lay- out posed a minor challenge during assembly: 1 needed to nip the front corners off the drawer case bottom tongues so the side panel dovetails could slide correctly into their sockets in the front panel, Ifyou choose a different dovetail layout, you may be able to avoid this step. Once your dovetails are cut and the panels slip together with a nice friction fit, step to your router table and mill slots for the chest’s top panel and the drawer case bottom tongues. A 1/4" and 5/16" straight bit will get these jobs done. Again, depending on the spacing of your through-dovetail layout, these slots may need to be stopped drop cuts or run from one end of the panel to the other. Plan the cuts accordingly. 40 DOVETAILED TOOL CHEST 1_Drawer Case Top (1) 2 Drawer Case Sides (2) 3 Drawer Gase Back (1) 4 Drawer Case Bottom (1) 5 Drawer Runners (6) 6 Chest Front (1) 7 Chest Back (1) 8 Chest Sides (2) 9 Chest Top (1) 70 Bal/-tip Hinges 2) T1_Lid Support (1) 12 Feet (4) 14 TopiMliddle Drawer Sides (4) 16 Bottom Drawer Face (1) 47 Bottom Drawer Sides (2) 18 Bottom Drawer Back (1) 19 Drawer Bottoms (3) 20 Short Tool Racks (2) 21_Long Tool Rack (1) 22. Divider Strips (1) 23 Drawer Knobs (6) 24 Locking Drawbolt (1) 25 Oblong Catches (2) 26 Screws (30) 27 Screws (26) 28 Pocket Screws (6) Most dovetail igs will uta uniform pattern (of through dovetails, but this ChestMate sig makes variable spacing uite simple on any pane! size. Itfollows a kerfed scrap template Line up the drawer case carefully with the drawer opening in he front chest panel, and attach the two parts with six 12" pocket screws to create tight, sturdy joints 13 Topilliddle Drawer Faces (2) 15 Top/Middle Drawer Backs (2) _9/ MATERIAL LIST TxWxL BIA" x 13" x2 Bax Be x 13) BA" x 8" x 2010" BIA 14 x 25 a x 9/4" x11 BIA" x 181 x 26" ‘IA x 110 x 26" Ba x18 x1 EZ IA" x Bie" x 12 B14" x3 x 197 UA x AB e" x 19" ‘BIA x2" x 141s BA x2 x24 ar 5/8" Dia. BrassTop Panel Groove (Section View) ring Bf fo raising it 10 form the Tool Chest Elevation Gove on the top panel. r su 4 181 140 (Create holes and slots in the tool racks to fit your specific tools. ‘3/4'-wide stopped slot Jn each drawer side to ft ‘over the drawer tuners. aon 120" ¥ [24 Dovetail Sate a peters Sty wt vary with specific igs (Top View) Li} (a steport Front Panel Blank finer (Front Vow Locations Fp, croseut and rege pieces fom the (Section Vow) versed ont panel o erate a awe ace blank and form the arawer opening ae Dewees) A Reattach with glue x 1B" | LL Tne t00r stan just proua ar = tho sees, front and back s WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM WINTER 2013 41Gently oping cove cuts in the chests top pane! add atvactve shadow lines and break up the rectilinear shape of ths big chest To assure a good fit the author used ‘a Freud bit that includes a beck cutter Plenty of clamps dawn tight ver long ‘caus will help distnbute camping pressure ‘evenly 10 dase the through-dovetal joints. Don't forget to check your assembly for square before the glue sets, Loan ae ad Sirsa at ee een a te eee eee Brass Ball-tip Hinges ced Cea cee e eerie #53598 ...... ee eked coed ee nae co ae zed ee ra acer ere) Ered corr To order your supplies, visit PO Bree eee eee oT A LEA Sand the inside faces of your panels up to 180-grit, and apply your finish now. Once the chest glued up, these surfaces will tough to reach. When the fin- ish cures, line up the drawer case with the drawer opening on the chest front panel, and drive the pocket screws (pieces 28) home to attach these parts. ‘Make sure the inside faces of the drawer case line up nicely with the opening. Be really picky with this alignment Bringing the Chest Together One step stands between you and the big glue-up to come: making your chest top panel (piece 9). Mine came from one blank of 19"wide wormy chestnut, ripped and reglued to flatten it during the surfacing process. I milled gentle, sloping coves all around the panel edges with a panebraising bit on the router table. If you don't have a big panel raiser, you could cut broad bevels around the top face using a table saw instead. Sand and finish your top panel before proceeding. That way, no bare wood will show if the panel shrinks slightly or shifts in its grooves over time. It’s imperative to carry out one final dry assembly to be absolutely sure everything. fits together as it should. Once that glue hits the dovetails, there’s no turning back, Be sure to have plenty of clamps and cauls ready. Work quickly but carefully to make sure all the joints close properly and the chest is square before the glue sets. Freeing, then Mounting the Lid ‘Your next order of business is to separate the lid from the chest carcass with four rip cuts on the 42 DOVETAILED TOOL CHEST table saw. I made the two shorter end cuts first, with my blade set just high enough to cut through the panel thickness. Then, I applied a couple of strips of double-sided tape and scraps of hardboard across these cuts to form “bridges” that would hold the lid securely during the next two long rip cuts, You don't want the lid to shift even slightly during cutting. Make sure your rip fence is tuned up and your blade is square so all four of these cuts line up accurately when you're though. Pop off the hardboard, clean up the cut surfaces with a block plane and mount your lid to the chest with a pair of quality brass butt hinges (pieces 10) set into mortises. I cut the mortises with a trim router, straight bit and guide collar, following a shop-made template. Now make the chest’s block feet (pieces 12), chamfering their bottom edges. Install them with pairs of 2" screws driven into counterbores, Assembling the Drawers the chest aside for a spell, and turn to drawer construction. Rip the drawer faces (pieces 18 and 16) from the blank you created earlier, and make up your drawer sides, backs and bottoms as well. Here’s a fitting opportunity to choose an attractive secondary wood for the drawer sides — it will make those half-blind dovetails impossible to miss! I used ash, which creates a pleasing blonde contrast to the chestnut’s warm brown color. A conventional half-blind dove- tail jig made quick work of cut- ting drawer joinery. Then, [rout- ed the drawer botiom grooves in the sides and faces and plowed dadoes for the drawer backs.Four rip cuts separate the lid from the chest carcass, The author bridged the fist ‘wo end cuts with carpet tape and sips ‘of hardboard to keep the lid from shifting ‘hen making the final two long cus Once the drawers are glued-up and dry, slide the bottoms into place and pin them to the drawer backs with a few brads. Next, take the drawers to your router table and mill a stopped dado in each side for the drawer runners. Use a 3/4” straight bit for this task. It's sensible to refine the setup on scrap stock first to make sure the slots are centered on the drawer side widths and just wide enough to permit smooth sliding action, I found that two passes for each dado, flipping the drawer in between, widened them just a hair to cre- ate the perfect fit over the run- ners, Sand and finish the draw- ers to complete them. Detailing the Top Compartment As I mentioned ‘ially, this chest has three tool racks (pieces 20 and 21) that surround the deep top compartment. ‘They're helpful for stowing your chisel set, measuring and marking tools, awls, screwdrivers and so forth. How you lay them out will depend on the tools you own and the sizes of openings they require. In my chest, the short left rack holds a set of chisels and a burnishing tool. To fit them, I drilled 5/8" holes that seat the tapered handle ferrules, ripped the rack down the middle, then added short spacers between the holes to create blade openings. I'm devoting the back long rack for flatruled tools. It started out as a single blank, ripped in two, then T cut shallow dadoes to create the narrow tool blade openings and glued it back together. The short rack on the right holds an awl, scribing gauge and a com each fitting into appropriately sized through holes for the tool shafts. Very simple, but effective, storage. ‘To install these racks, drive a pair of countersunk wood screws across the width of each and into the chest sides. That way, if a tool ever slips down inside accidentally, you can unscrew the rack and retrieve it without hassle. For the rest of the top compartment, I divvied up the space with thin strips of stock (Pieces 22) to separate five different hand planes, a pounding mallet, mortising gauge and a pair of bevel gauges. I tacked these strips in place with 23gauge pin nails rather than using glue and screws. If I ever want to change the configuration or collection of my tools, the strips will be easy to remove and reposition or replace. Finishing Up With your tool racks installed, you can mount the brass lid support (piece 11) to the righthand tool rack. See the Drawings for more information about positioning the lid support. Give the outer chest surfaces a thorough sanding, and ease the corners and sharp edges with a few swipes of block plane. Apply your finish, and install the locking drawbolt, catches and drawer knobs. You might even WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM Halind dovetals add the appropriate level of detaiing to the drawers ofthis chest. jg speeds the process along, cutting both members of the joint at once want to line the drawer bottoms with dark-green felt to give your chest a bit more color. ‘Virgin American chestnut isn’t a wood that will pass through my shop very often, so this was a special opportunity for me. T'm sure you have some prized stock that needs just the right project. I hope this chest will be aworthy candidate. 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By BILL HYLTON elatively few folks can afford to spring for a complete dining room suite. Newly settled into their first house, my son Jeremy and his wife Tara bought several ‘Thomas Moser Windsor-style chairs, intending to buy a matching table and sideboard at ‘some future time. ‘Well, that sure threw down the gauntlet in a family sort of way, 46 CHERRY SIDEBOARD Although restrained in terms of comamentation, this sideboard offers ample storage space and an excellent opportunity to practice your casework and drawer-building sk not to mention a woodworking gauntlet for me! Undaunted, 1 forged ahead, and while Jeremy and Tara may have to wait a spell for their table, the sideboard you see here puts them one big step closer to that complete suite. My design doesn't copy any Moser piece that I'm aware of, but it does harmonize with the chairs. think it’s spare and elegant, like the Shaker furniture that inspires many furniture makers. Here's how to build one of your own. Preparing Your Stock ‘The first big step toward your new sideboard is gathering all of the lumber, plywood and hardware. You'll need. primary (cherry in my case) and secondary woods in 4/4, 5/4 and 6/4 thicknesses, as well as a chunk of riftsawn 8/4 of primary wood for the legs. You'll also need a single sheet each of 3/4" and 1/4" plywood with face veneer that matches the primary wood. Prepping the lumber is a big job because of allthe stock that must be resaven for the drawers. Resaw 5/4 stock to produce 3/8"thick drawer sides and backs for the toptier drawers, ‘as well as bottoms for all the draw- ers. Resaw 6/4 stock for 1/2 thick sides and backs for the other three drawers, Sticker and stack your resawn stock with a weight on top so the new faces can release moisture without warping, Building Carcass Subassemblies ‘This sideboard’s case construction reminds me of auto unibody construction. Instead of the case being a frame supporting independent panels, the panels are integrated into the assembly to make it stronger and more rigid. Routed mortises and loose tenons join the posts and bottom Capture the bottom pane! between the front and back ral (top). Be sure the ends of the ral are flush with the panel ends. ringing the case together begins with several subassemblies. Glue up each side by Joining the top and bottom rails tothe panel and clamping them. Then ‘aunt the legs, checking the assembly for fla and square (right , while dovetails join the top rails to the legs. The end panels are plywood, biscuited to the legs and rails. The bottom is plywood, biscuited between the bottom rails, Web frames in stopped dadoes support the drawers. Begin building the case by cutting the joints that connect the rails to the legs, forming the framework. With a plunge router, edge guide and a shop-built ‘mortising block, you can rout the following mor tises quickly and accurately (see the Drawings on pages 49 to 51 for details): ‘Single mortises in the legs and bottom front/back rails; ‘*Twin mortises in the legs and bottom side rail Single mortises in the legs and top side rails. Next, construct the loose lay out the mortises on all the legs at the same time to ensure you produce a front ‘and a back for both the left and the right (refer to the Leg Mortise and Groove Details Drawing, page 49). Then cut the mortises in both legs and rails wth a plunge router, ‘edge guide and a mortsing ja, WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM tenons and testft the joi cut short tapers on the legs and shape the bottom-rail arches. Cut the plywood panels for the sides, bottom, partitions and back panels. Lay out and cut biscuit slots in the side and bottom panels, with matching slots in the rails and legs, Go ahead and edge-band the partitions with strips of solid stock, then rout grooves in the rear bands to accept the back panels, I did this on the router table with a 7/32" straight bit While you're set up, rout back- panel grooves in the legs as well as the back bottom and top rails. ‘After a dry-fitting to ensure the parts fit properly, glue up three subassemblies: two side units, each consisting of two legs, top and bottom side rails, and a side panel; and the bottom, consisting ‘A cutaway revels the oinery that connects the ras to the legs. The single 1/2"-thick ‘tenon jong the front and back ais to the le s offset to provide space forthe ‘tenors mating the side rat to the le, WINTER 2013 47four top stiles. Stopped grooves and stub tenons join the top stiles and rails. A single dovetail connects these long rails to the legs. Lay out and saw the dovetails on the rails first. Then, dryfit the side and bottom assemblies together, set the top rails in place and scribe around Teper the two outside faces of each leg from end to end on the table sawitop each tail onto the leg tops. I left, after cutting all the mortses. Form roughed out the sockets with a the foot by sawing short tapers onthe router and straight bit, then two inside faces of each leg, as shown pared them to the final fit with a Inte net at at. Wao up by tne sharp chisel. Glue up the rails dlaring the sawed surfaces to siminate ant toy stiles, saw marks and smooth them. t takes only a few passes with a sharp iron Assembling the Case Begin the final case assembly process with the center unit, ofthe bottom panel and the front joining the dividers/rails and capturing the three large web and back bottom rails runners. Plow grooves for the frames between the partitions. Rout the shallow dadoes for the specified dividers (see Drawings), Clamp the assembly and make drawer dividers and runners next. runners and rails for dust panels. sure it’s square and true ‘These dadoes extend from the — Glue up these frames, Even before the clamps are off backpanel grooves to within 3/8" Now move onto constructing the center unit, you can glue it to of the front edge. To ensure — the top frame, which consists of the bottom. Apply some clamps that the dadoes would line up the front and back top rails and to draw the partitions tight to properly, I clamped the partitions edge-to-edge and used a long straightedge clamped across both Because of ther length, mortising the near to guide my router. Square up the S-fo0tlong bottom front and back rails required ends of the dacoes with a chisel, Ste sana, With te authors Ads Bench Rout corresponding dadocs inthe "aed sat 35 two side assemblies. ea ‘The two cupboard compartments (behind the doors) _ have adjustable shelves. Now is the time to drill the shelfpin holes in the partitions and the side assemblie As shown in the Drawings, notch the top front and back corners of the partitions to fit around the {op rails. ‘The partitions are joined to 4 the case bottom with biscuits. j Lay out the locations and cut biscuit slots in bottom assembly and partitions. Cut the web frame 1 drawer dividers, runners, rea rails and dust panels. Notch the front corners of the drawer dividers to fit the stopped dadoe Rout the webframe joinery: stopped grooves for stub tenons 48 CHERRY SIDEBOARD rmortising jig and just cleared the floor,Back Top Rail_(Top View) Top Stile 4 oside View) a mae, ( Lbs) fl ot Top Views) ® mi } lg Back Top Rail m= At c FF (End View) F S \ Me ” = Dado Location: 1/8 Bottom 5 (Partition Location, Top View) Sree Rift-sawn tack (the square) yields the @ bestiooking igs, with edge grain ddsplayed on al fou faces. Pair-sawn ; s{f| stock displays edge- RATCHET stock Shop Equipment, Hand Tools, BAR CLAMP/SPREADER Tarps, Compressors, Ar & Power Tools, PITTSBURGH ‘Woodworking Tools, Welders, Tool ‘orn om Boxes, Generators, and much more. eras Wer 20 Million Satisfied Customers! ‘Year Competitor's Low Price Guarantee 1 lo Hassle Return Policy! ex rae = saa) i si eon ID: ! Go. wah qintynute ui " TRIE GLOVES! RETRACTABLE a PACK OF 100! AIR HOSE REEL WITH] a ‘MEDIUM: ‘98°25 FT, HOSE #-PITTsBURGH : a aries in, wt In mg XLARGE: 3 uarwo,sat ‘2 HP FIXED BASE ROUTER) 16" VARIABLE SPEED RAPID PUMP® 1.5 TON ' driljmaster ‘SCROLL SAW ALUMINUM RACING JACK #F + j vag Ou prrssuncetla vane Mf; 60" WORKBENCH WITH] Four ona eG, ICE Szan.80 Oe ae eg r roe rApalicoteeiabal sedated 5Multi-sleeve Rolling Pin WHEN OUR AUTHOR’S LATHE BROKE DOWN DURING THIS PROJECT, HE BUILT A CLEVER ROUTING JIG TO TAKE ITS PLACE! BY RALPH BAGNALL ack before you could buy became pasta, For this project, I first. Six segments (pieces 18) one of those fancy and decidedtocreatearollercore that form a hexagon that gets milled ‘expensive pasta machines for can share three or more sleeves. round in the jig later (top inset your home, cooks used a simple Ones for rolling, and the restare photo, next page). Mill your Set of specialty rolling pins for the for forming the various sized stock flat and straight. same purpose. A traditional strips of pasta. Remember that you are making smooth-bodied roller was used for Then, just as T got “rolling” on three sleeves, so you need 18 rolling out the dough, then rollers this project, my lathe decided to go pieces for your three-roller set. with various sized grooves were on strike! Most of us would agree You will certainly want (o make rolled through the flattened that woodworking is a proving up a few extras for setups. My dough, cutting it into strips that ground of the old saying, — sleeves were to be 9%" long, so I “necessity is the mother of — cut 20 pieces a bit long — 10": invention.” That is what drove I set up the bird’smouth bit in me tocreate my rolling pin the router table. Into one edge of Jig. I managed to mill the the piece, this ingenious bit cuts sleeves round, cut the an angled notch, which mates grooves and even make with the square end of the next, the handles with a table forming a 60° angle. Setting the saw, router and this new it is not difficult: the top part of jig. Here's how Idid it. the notch should be 5/8" long (the same as the thickness of the Fashioning the end it mates with, as shown in the Sleeve Blanks photos and illustration at the top of, Everything in this project the next page). The peaks of the is ize hexagon will get milled off, so the ofthe rolling pin sleeves, joint only needs to be close. Mill so they need to be made one long edge of each part, then 60 MULTI-SLEEVE ROLLING PIN— ry-it them together. The width determines the overall diameter of the finished sleeve, which should end up just about 3" at the smallest point. Spread glue into the notches and assemble them. For clamping, T used several rubber bands wrapped around the assembly (irst inset, above). After they are done drying, trim off the ends, but leave them a bit long (Second inset, above). Creating the Core The sleeves you just made will slip over a core that also holds the handles. Since the interiors of the sleeves are hexagonal, the core needs to be as well. It also needs a hole through the center to house one of the threaded rods (piece 19). Rather than try and drill a straight hole through the core, I made it in two parts (pieces 20), with a groove along the center of each. Carefully measure the inside of the sleeve along the widest point. That the overall width of the core halves, with the thickness being half he small width of the sleeve. Mill the groove (see the Core Half Drawing on page 65) down the center of both halves. Then set the bevel angle on the saw to a 30° till, and bevel each long edge of the blanks (photo at right). Test the fit inside the sleeve before gluing these pieces up Gnset photo at right), and be sure to err on the side of too large. Later, you can joint the faces of the core to adjust the fit. Routing the HDPE End Caps ‘The end caps (pieces 21) keep the sleeves in place on the core. I led them from 1/2" HDPE (high density polyethylene). Inexpensive plastic cutting boards are a great source for this material. I drilled a 1/4" pilot hole in the plastic, then used a router and trammel to cut a circular groove halfway through the plastic. The inner ring formed this way (bottom photo, right) was cut to fit close inside the sleeve. I then reset the trammel and cut their overall 2" diameters, Assembling the Jig Box ‘The trick to milling the hexagonal sleeves round is a boxstyle jig. It holds the core and sleeve assembly so it can be turned underneath a router bit. On top of the box, a sliding plate guides the router back and forth along the length of the box. Although T only needed one point to turn the rolling pin under the router, [made the ends with slots at three levels so I could use the jig for other projects with different diameters (see Drawings on page 63). The ends (pieces 1) are cut to size and notched for the sides. To make the slots, I used a 1/4" drill bit at the endpoints and I cut the slots at the band saw (top photo, next page). I then cut the sides (pieces 2) to WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM The fence and bit height are set to form a birs-mouth notch that is the the stock. 1a! ‘A birds-mauth bitin the router table eft) forms the necessary cutouts to join six sleeve segments into hexagonal blanks. Glue them together using rubber bands as clamps (fits inset). Crosscut them to rough length after the glue dries (second inst The roling pin’ core consists of two half hheragons with a groove milled along their lengths to house a threaded rad (@bowe), These coves must fit the sleeve Interiors snugly (nse The author used a small rammel and straight bit to mill the round end caps from HDPE plas. The tramme!’s center in seats in 1/4” pilot holes, which also form through holes for the threaded rod. WINTER 2013 61length. Assemble the jig with glue and screws, and add the clamping blocks (pieces 3). washers (pieces 9 and 10) to either side of the bracket so that the threaded rod does not slide side to side. Add a cross dowel ce 11) between the brackets to connect the slide to the indexing rod, and fabricate the small crank (pieces 12, 13 and 14) for the end. Use two nuts tightened against one another (top left photo, next page) anywhere the nuts must Building the Router Slide The router slides across the top of ‘box on a custom base. It needs to slide easily but be snug enough to not shift, spoiling the grooves during milling. T used 1/2" Baltic birch for the base and aitached a fixed fence to one side @ieces 4 and 5). To keep it snug. T the ro ends of the jg receive several SAY Light attached a springloaded fence Sore to iy tne rod and sleeves for Drill @ hole into the bottom of (ieve 6) to the other side of the ling You can gang-ut these at the the cross dowel bracket (piece base (center photo). It consists of band sow 15) of the slide plate. The et ‘abase part with offset spacers and dowel fits into this hole, allowing face strips to provide a stiff spring the indexing system to move the action, keeping the slide tracking slide back and forth (top center smoothly (see Drawing below), photo, next page). To be sure that the router is ‘The last pieces of the jig to add properly centered, I mounted the are a pair of locking cleats slide on the jig box and (Pieces 16) as shown in the top transferred the center lines. Then right photo, next page. The I drilled the mounting holes and assembly will be mounted on a through hole for the router threaded rod resting in one of bottom photo). Bore the through the slots at the ends of the jig = hhole large enough so you'll be The routerslde fits over the top of the box. You'll fix these locking able to see your work. jig andis uided by a pai of xed end cleats in. place on the jig with Speen eres pairs of hex head wood screws Adding the Indexing System Rounding the hexagonal sleeve is smoother and easier with the router drawn fluidly along the length of the jig. Cutting evenly spaced grooves on the other two sleeves is impossible without an accurate indexing system. Both of these are accomplished using a threaded rod system mounted to the outside of the jig (sce Drawing, next page). Fix one of the rods (piece 7) to the jig side with steel angle jempiate for positioning it on the side brackets (pieces 8). The outer plate and for dling mounting screw hole in the bracket is drilled out pilot holes. Bore a through hove in the to 1/4". Set jamb nuts and center for your router be and washers, to trap the rod in its slots, Mounting the Rolling Pin ‘The second piece of threaded rod, along with two sleeve clamp discs (pieces 17), jamb nuts and washers (see Rolling Pin Clamping Assembly Drawing, right) are used to hold the rolling pin assembly in the jig for Use the baseplate of your router as a End (Front View) Spring-loaded Fence top se) es) Lor . C1) Hotes tr 0 = : ) rates Wed of 4 ‘ : ron et support focking + cleats (pieces 16). ——— 62 MULTI-SLEEVE ROLLING PINJamb nuts and washers lock the hande and A crass dawel nut, engaged in a hole in Locking eats, hexchead wood screws and sleeve Barks on the traded od for ml. the coss dowel bracket, moves the outer washes capture the seo rd secure in The whole assembly sa the jg sot. sie back and forh onthe indeving rod. the lots dung the outing proces. = Locking Cleat (Front view) ® Rolling Pin qQ) @® Clamping Assembly 5 (Top View) CG MATERIAL LIST (WIG Box) TxWxL, 1_Ends (2) 14" x 7/0 TYP 2 Sides (2) 3. Clamping Blocks (2) ‘4 Router Base (1) 112" x8 x10" Fixed Fence (1) GUE A XE 6 Spring-loaded Fence (1) 1/2" x ie x8 7 Threaded Rods (2) 141/4" x #20 x 20" 8 Angle Brackets (2) Ae x1 3 9 Nuts (22) "1/8" x #20 10 Washers (6) 11_1/4" x 20 Cross Dowel (1) 12 Crank Handles (2) 43 Crank Arms (2) 14 Crank Hex-head Bolts (2) 18 Cross Dowel Bracket (1) 3/16" x 1" x1 16 Cleats (2) 2" x AEX “7 Sleeve Clamp Discs (2) 5/16" x24" WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM WINTER 2013 63‘Shaping each sleeve into acyinder is 2 process of siowy moving the router side ‘247055 the jg While simultaneously turning the secre. ts a two-crank operation. Forming the grooved sleeves involves plunge-routing each groove one at @ ‘ime, then turing the indexing crank a specific number of turns to set up for ‘the nest groove (top and center). You jn power-sand all three of the sleeves easily without removing them from the Jig (bottom), milling. Another crank handle assembly is attached to one end, then sets of jamb nuts and wash- ers are placed at each side of the jig box ends to keep the assem. bly from moving back and forth. Set the rolling pin in the center of the jig box with the clamp cs and jamb nuts and tighten to keep the assembly from slip- ping on the threaded rod as you move on to turning it Rounding the Sleeves For rounding, a standard straight cutter can be used, but there are better choices. A round-nose (or core box) bit cuts more smoothly, since the rounded end takes a shallow cut at the edge and deeper toward the center. This really reduces the possibility of _ tearout. Because of its round tip, the core box bit needs to be moved in small increments to leave a smooth surface behind. The best bit is a dish carving bit. It has the same smooth cutting properties as the core box, but a wide flat in the center means that the cuts overlap, leaving a very smooth finish, With the rolling pin mounted in the jig, and the router mounted on the slide base, turn the indexing handle until the router is off the end of the sleeve. Plunge the router down and lock it. Only take a shallow cut at With the router running, in slowly turning the roll pin assembly and the indexing handle at the same time (top photo, left). The router will begin shaving the high spots off the hexagonal sleeve. Do not let go of the rolling pin handle, or the rotating bit will tend to spin it fairly rapidly! Keep moving the slide across the jig evenly until you reach the other end. Then lower the bit and back across. Continue this process just until the sleeve is round, 64 MULTI-SLEEVE ROLLING PIN Cutting the Grooves Obviously, one of the sleeves will be left as a smooth cylinder. The other two get grooved, and the indexing system allows you to cut evenly spaced grooves. The threaded rod has 20 threads per 0 each full turn of the rod the router bit by 0.05" For the narrow strips, we want 1/4" grooves spaced 1/8" apart. to move 3/8", or 0.375". That means 74 turns per groove. In order to ensure even ends, mark the center of the sleeve length, and start there. With the router unplugged, plunge the bit down to the surface of the sleeve. Now set the depth stop to 1/8" deep. With the router running, plunge it down slowly as you turn the rolling pin assembly. Be sure to turn the assembly so that the groove is an even depth all the way around (second photo from top). With the center groove done, move the bit over by turning the indexing handle 7% turns, and start the next groove. ‘Work from the center to one end, then return to the center and work across the other half (second photo from bottom). ‘The last sleeve is grooved wider, but the process is the same. I used a 1/2" round-nosed bit and cut no more than 3/16" deep. Center to center, these grooves should be 5/8" apart, or 0.625". This works out to 12% turns. (In either case, you can actually just do eight or 13 turns, and ignore the half, since you will be trimming the ends of the sleeves later, making the grooves even. You can use a small sander to smooth the sleeves while they're still in the jig (bottom photo, left) Shaping the Handles The last parts to make are the handles (pieces 22). You may be able to find handles at a craft store, or you can buy 3/4" or 1"(ROLLING PIN) 23 Handle Jamb Nuts (4) End Caps Core Half (ice view) nd View) Sleeve Grooves (Font Views) 4 dowels. I chose to make my own in the shop. T started with a1" x 1" piece of stock and installed a 1/2" roundover bit in the router table. For safety, I made the stick several inches longer than needed. Leave the ends square and rout the center section only, rounding over all four long edges (top photo, right). Cut the handles 5" long, then round their ends. Tused the same setup to do this but I moved the fence in a little and added a block to rest the handle against as I rolled the end over the bit (bottom photo, right). Then I drilled a 1/4" hole three inches in to each handle, MATERIAL LIST TxWxe 18 Sleeve Segments (18) _ 6/8" x 174" x9! 19 Threaded Rod (1) Wa" «#20 x 12" 20 Core Halves (2) x 2H x9" 21_End Caps (2) 112" x 2" Dia. 22 Handles (2) 1 dia. x5 11a" x #20 followed by a 1/2" counterbore deep enough to house two jamb nuts (pieces 23) [finished all of the wood parts with three coats of salad bowl finish, lightly sanding between coats. Wax the core to ensure that the sleeves will slide smoothly on and off. Final Project Assembly Trim your three sleeves to final length, Mine were 9%", but it can vary a bit to even out your grooves. All three do need to be the same length. Cut the core section 1/2" shorter, to account for the step in the end caps. Now cut the threaded rod to Iength {add up the sleeve plus the endeaps, plus three inches for each handle — in my case, thi was 16 inches overall). Now thread two nuts onto one end of the threaded rod, about 3" in from the end, and jam them together there. Use epoxy to glue this end of the rod into one of the handles. Wax another scrap of threaded rod, turn two nuts onto it, and epoxy them into the other handle. As the epoxy begins to harden, carefully unscrew the threaded rod from the second handle, leaving the WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM Rolling Pin Exploded nuts behind, glued in place in the handle, You now have one handle with 13 inches of threaded rod in it, and another with just the nuts embedded in it. ‘To assemble the rolling pin, slide one end cap down the threaded rod, then the core, one of the sleeves and the other end cap. Thread on the other handle. To change sleeves, simply disassemble the parts, slip the new sleeve in place and replace the endeap and handle. Use the smooth sleeve to roll out the pasta, then switch to one of the grooved sleeves to cut the pasta into strips. Bon Appeti ie The author miled handles for the rling pin by routing four 1/2" roundovers into ‘apiece of 1” x 1" stock (ip). He then rounded over the ends of each handle with the same bit (bottom). WINTER 2013 65Router Dadoing Jig THIS TWO-FENCE JIG ENABLES YOU TO CUT PERFECT-WIDTH DADOES EASILY FOR ANY MATER BY BILL HYLTON (especially with a router). he dado joint is excellent for casework: simple, “ Song and cy ee BPO ‘The chip in the glue, so to speak, is properly matching a dado’s width to the stock thicknes Plywood is notoriously variable in thickness, and solid wood continually expands and contracts. But each st cuts a set groove width. So you rout with what you've got and hope you get a snug fit. Here's a simpleto-mmake jig that 66 it’s intended to fit. it bit This adjustable jg is ust the ticket for fiting your dadoes to *non-standard” ‘material thicknesses, ROUTER DADOING JIG IAL THICKNESS REQUIRED. resolves the problem. It has two fences to trap the router's base plate: One fence is fixed and the other is adjustable. The bit can only cut in the gap between the fences. If the fences are just far ‘enough apart to accommodate the router base with no sidetoside play, then the cut matches the bit diameter perfectly. No need for a rub collar around the bit, either. Introduce some additional space between the fences, and you get a controlled cut that’s wider than the bit. This allows you to adjust the jig for any dado width,The critica step to building the jis Slip a couple of scraps as thick as the dado you want to cut ‘rimming the fence bases with the between the fences. Squeeze the fences tight, then tighten the router and bit you'll alays use with knobs on the adjustable fence, You'll get a perfec, snug fit. f the assembled jg See BY ‘As you guide the router along one fence, _Regardiess of stack thickness, you can produce perfect fitted dadaes. Here are the cutis immediately agjacent to that dadoes fitted to 7/8” solid wood, 3/4” plywood, 5/8" solid wood and 1/2" piywood, fences base. The cutis completed to the all cut with a 3/8" straight bit — na exacting measuring or laborious setup is required. {ull desired width on the return pass While you can set the gap, When you cut, the router can’t router's sub-base around the bit and thus the dado width, by veer off course, regardless first so the two are concentric. measuring, it's ea feed direction, because it’s Now guide the router and bit scraps as gauges. In use, you set trapped. Just run the router you've chosen to use exclusively scraps of the working material along one fence and back along for this jig along each fence to between the fence bases. Slide the other to cut the dado. trim both base sections to their the movable fence so the Construction of the jig is exact final sizes. This calibrates aeeinched Mae aesilccicdown pretty eany and Wi dae De ie ones periecty and ‘ticu the fence knobs. Yank out the evident from the Exploded __pletes your new jig. I's a good aps, and the jig is ready to be Drawing at left. The key step idea to mark it prominently with positioned on the work. Simply is trimming the fence bases the router and bit needed for Tine up and clamp the fence base (see photo, above, top left). future reference. 2 right on the layout line. Make sure to center your rs WWW. WOODWORKERSJOURNAL.COM WINTER 2013 67HARDWOOD SHOWCASE Shopping for hardwoods has never been so easy! Pssst! 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Find out how a brighter surface that's flatter and more stable can raise the level of your work and help you Create with Confidence. Place your order at Rockler.com by entering promotion code 457 at checkout or call 1-800-279-4441 Free shipping offer cannot be applied to previous orders or combined with ather promotions including Professional Catalog orders. Not valid at Rockler Retal Stores or Independent Resellers. Special shipping charges may sll apply for Expres, Internationa, Alask, Hawai, tnd heawyloversize tems, Materials code: 457 r you or free catalog visit Rockler.com‘Add safety to your routing routine with some dried slicone c ‘Simple Router Jig Stabilizes Flush-trimming, Tasks When trimming \Y solid-wood lipping flush Router Bit Bumpers Eliminate Guesswork onthe edge of —_—_-Router bits should not bottom out in the arbor plywood, one shaft of a router, because it can compromise reader found it _ tightening them properly in the collet. Some follow difficult to the convention of bottoming the bit out, then balance his top-heavy plunge router. Here's his pulling it back up 1/16" to 1/8" or so. But one stabilizing solution: he took a scrap piece of 4x4 _ reader was never sure if the bit was slipping back fence post and jointed two adjacent sides flat and down when he tightened the collet. Here’s his square. Then he cut a 3/8" x 5/8" rabbet along foolproof solution: Squeeze out a 1/4" bead of this edge to provide clearance for the overhang he silicone caulk onto a scrap of melamine, plastic Teaves on his edging when gluing it in place. By laminate or other nonstick surface and fet it fully clamping his jig lush with the surface of the lipping, cure. Then cut it into 1/8" slivers to use as spacers he adds over 3" of support for the router base. ‘under your router bit. Drop one into the collet ‘Trimming edging is no longer a balancing act hole, and you'll never bottom out the bit again. ‘Sure Footing When Rabbeting Cabinet Backs When building cabinets, one reader finds it easier tof) 40085920 rout the rabbeted recess in the carcass for the back ter ctnbises panel after the cabinet is assembled. But it's hard to itforrabbeting do this while balancing the router on the edge of the plywood. His solution is to mount the router to a piece, of long, flat scrap to act as a stabilizer. He drills a hole through the scrap to provide clearance for the bit, then bolts the router to the scrap. For a large cabinet, he makes the scrap about 4 long and as wide as his router’s base. Make sure the scrap is longer than the cabinet's diagonal dimension. The stabilizer spans the ‘opening and provides sure footing during rabbeting. Dialing in Your Router Bit Height Here's a way to set a precise bit height at your router table: take two drill bits with diameters that match the router bit height you need, Lay eae both bits down on the table parallel with one cae another and on either side of the router bit. Then, with the router bit raised higher than necessary, rest a small scrap on the top cutting edges and on one of the two drill bits. Lower the router bit slowly until the other end of the serap touches the second drill bit. At this point, you'll know the router bit height is dialed in correctly. 7 TRICKS OF THE TRADETURN YOUR PASSION INTO SOMETHING BIGGER INTRODUCING THE NEW 4224B LATHE Powermatic is proud to introduce the newest member o our industry-leading family of lathes, the 4224B. AAs with every product we build, the 42248 pushes the limits of design, innovation, and durabily. 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