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 GUILD  EDITION

Woodsmith.com Vol. 42 / No. 251

FIND LOW-COST LUMBER

PORTABLE
SAW MILLS
This Issue:
Weekend Project
Band Saw Boxes
Cook’s Upgrade
Kitchen Cart
Tips & Tricks for:
• Sharpening Turning Tools
• Advanced Router Jigs
• Essentials Tools for Leather
 EXECUTIVE EDITOR Phil Huber
ASSISTANT EDITORS Erich Lage, Logan Wittmer
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bryan Nelson, Jimmy Clewes,

from the editor

Matt Cremona

EXECUTIVE ART DIRECTOR Todd Lambirth

SENIOR ILLUSTRATOR Dirk Ver Steeg
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Bob Zimmerman,
Becky Kralicek
CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR Erich Lage
Sawdust
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Chris Fitch
PROJECT DESIGNER Dillon Baker This issue sums up why I love woodworking. The projects hit for
PROJECT DESIGNER/BUILDER John Doyle the cycle covering gifts, home furniture, shop-made tools, workshop upgrades,
CAD SPECIALIST Steve Johnson
and heirloom classics. It’s worth reading each of the project articles even if you
SHOP CRAFTSMAN Marc Hopkins
don’t plan on building it. There are so many lessons to learn that you can apply
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Chris Hennessey,
Jack Coyier to the projects you do plan to make.
SENIOR ELECTRONIC IMAGE SPECIALIST Allan Ruhnke I’ve been thinking about why I build things. There’s the joy of seeing people
VP & GM, HOME GROUP Brian VanHeuverswyn open gifts I’ve made and the delight in learning a new skill. But the deeper rea-
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Jack Christiansen
847-894-4649
son is it’s my way (albeit small) of seeing the world and making it a little better.
[email protected] And I hope you can make your world better, too.
AD PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Kim Hoff
PRESIDENT, HOME GROUP Peter H. Miller

Woodsmith® (ISSN 0164-4114) is published bimonthly by

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Woodsmith® is a registered trademark of Cruz Bay Publishing.
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SUBSCRIPTIONS EDITORIAL
Customer Service Woodsmith Magazine
P.O. Box 842 2143 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50304-9961 Des Moines, IA 50312 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
[email protected] [email protected]

< Over the past 36 years, Jimmy Clewes

has been teaching and demonstrating
woodturning all over the world. Dur-
ing the winter months, Jimmy teaches
PRESIDENT & CEO Andrew W. Clurman
out of his home in Las Vegas, Nevada.
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, TREASURER & CFO Brian Sellstrom During the months that he’s not teach-
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS Pat Fox ing, Jimmy can often be found explor-
VICE PRESIDENT, PRODUCTION & MANUFACTURING Barb Van Sickle ing the desert with a metal detector in
VICE PRESIDENT, PEOPLE & PLACES JoAnn Thomas hand, prospecting for gold.
AIM BOARD CHAIR Efrem Zimbalist III

4 • Woodsmith / No. 251

contentsProjects
weekend project
No. 251 • October/November 2020

Band Saw Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

These three boxes will take your band saw skills to new
heights. Each one starts as a single blank and all the parts
are revealed in a unique sequence of cuts.
designer project
Kitchen Cart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Who needs an island with this cart around? The large, thick
top works as a prep and serving surface. The case below
offers handy storage. And you can roll it anywhere.
heirloom project
Pie Crust Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

26 Here’s a woodworking tour de force in a compact package.

This beautiful table incorporates turning, carving, dovetails,
and more. The result is an eye-catching showpiece.
fine tool
Miter Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
This traditional hand plane style blends stunning looks
with glass smooth surfaces. Combine metalworking with
some woodworking and you have one amazing tool.
shop project
Sander Shelf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Organizing your shop never looked so good. This Shaker-
inspired design corrals your power sanders, discs, and

34 belts so you know just where to find them.

Departments
from our readers

60 Tips & Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

router workshop
Advanced Router Jigs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
woodworking technique
Sharpening Turning Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
working with tools
Leather Tools for Woodworkers . . . . . . . . 56
all about
Working with A Sawyer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Woodsmith.com • 5
 READER’S
a.
Tips

4
1!/2
FRONT
(1#/4"x 12")

%/8"-rad.

#8 x 2!/4"
L-hook 1"-dia.
5!/4
HANDLE
(12" x 7!/2")

DIVIDERS
(1#/4"x 5!/2")
BASE
(9!/2"x 12")
NOTE: All
parts are
NOTE: All made from
parts are #/4" plywood
glued together
#/4
2!/2

Upscaled Screw Container

One of my favorite brands of HANGING TOTE. As you can see in PLYWOOD. The tote is made from
screws comes in click-top plastic the photo above, I built a tote to plywood. A handle is cut in the
containers in a couple of different store and mobilize the contain- upright and the tote is assembled
sizes. On a recent trip to the hard- ers. On one side, there are three with butt joints. It’s the perfect
ware store, I noticed the screw hooks to hang the smaller con- way to store hardware, or Legos,
display hanging up on pegboard tainers. The opposite side has as my kids discovered.
hooks. This gave me an idea to two cubbies for the larger size James DeMira
store the containers in my shop. screw containers. Creston, Iowa

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“Woodsmith Tips” at the editorial address shown on page
2. We will pay up to $200 if we publish your tip.

THE WINNER!
Congratulations to
Paul DiPastena, the winner of
a $100 Lee Valley gift card.

6 • Woodsmith / No. 251

 QUICK TIPS

Flag Small Parts. Charles Vogan of Grottoes, Secure Your Plugs. Ken Marciniak of
VA discovered an easy way to keep track Rolling Prairie, IN found a great solution to a
of small parts while he’s cutting them. common problem — extension cords coming
By wrapping the part with a small flag of unplugged. By wrapping the plug with a
painter’s tape, it’s easy to keep track of that couple of twists of a large, rubber twist tie
small brass pin or dowel when it rolls off onto (available at most hardware stores), the plugs
the floor and under the workbench. stay connected so he can keep working.

3ȧ:ȝ5Ȟ8Ȥ
'ȭ6Ȭ (Ȱ7Ȫ$ț7ȡ2Ȧ

F O R A B R E AT H O F F R E S H A I R
Designed for virtually dust-free sanding, Norton MeshPower ceramic discs provide for a cleaner and
healthier working environment, a better finish, and a much more comfortable sanding experience.

https://nortonsga.us/meshpowerdiy
© Saint-Gobain July 2020.

Illustrations: Becky Kralicek Woodsmith.com • 7

 < The dowel on
the bottom of
the base keeps
the holder
where you
put it during a
glueup.

SUPPORT
(1#/4"x 5"-
!/4"Ply.)
!/4

45˚ 2#/8

2"-dia. hole,
#/8" deep BASE
Glue Brush Holder (4"x 7!/2"
- #/4"Ply.)
On a recent visit to the website Etsy, I discovered a woodworker
selling cigar holders. While I don’t smoke cigars, I thought it was
a clever idea to hold my glue brush during glueups.
X-WING. The small X-shaped holder is made from plywood
scraps half lapped together, and is the perfect place to rest a glue !/2"-rad.
brush during an assembly, as you see NOTE:
in the photo. I drilled a recess for a a. Supports
are glued
disposable plastic glue cup. On the #/4" dowel to base
bottom, I installed a large dowel so 1!/2 NOTE:
I can slip the glue holder into a dog Ease edges Drill centered hole
on underside of
hole to keep it in place. Now, glueups base !/2" deep
just got a whole lot easier, and cleaner.
Paul DiPastena
Liverpool, New York

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8 • Woodsmith / No. 251

QUICK TIPS

Dowel Pegboard Hook. Ralph Visco of Lima, Plastic Sign Protector. William Collett of
OH found that the shape of a many pegboard Bettendorf, IA found a good use for old
hooks get in the way and can make it awkward plastic political and yard sale signs. William
to get a tool off its holder. Instead, he discovered uses them as an assembly mat when he’s
that the 1⁄4" dowels that come in small packages working on a project. They’re usually available
make perfect tool holders. The dowels fit the for free after election season, and they can be
pegboard and are great for hanging items up. used multiple times before being discarded.

A Place For Everything

Maximize the space in your shop with
shelving, storage racks, Systainers,
specialty bins, plans for cabinet building
and much more from Woodcraft®.

20WS11H

Woodsmith.com • 9
 ROUTER
Workshop

Advanced
Router Jigs
W
1"-rad.
NOTE: Slot hen it comes to versa- guide or at the router table. Things
position
NOTE: All parts is based on tile tools in the shop, start to get a little more interesting
are #/4"plywood 4"-dia. your router
baseplate
the router is king. Whether hand- when the molding is curved, such
held or in a table, the router can as a gooseneck molding, like you
20 tackle most shop tasks with ease. see in the photo above. This jig
However, there are times when allows the router to reference off
4 a.
you need to outfit your router the molding’s curve and create a
12 with a jig or an add-on to make profile that follows it.
16
a job a little easier. Here are two JIG OVERVIEW. The jig is fairly sim-
of my favorites. ple to build and is made of three
parts. First are the sides (or ris-
MOLDING JIG ers) which elevate the router off
Large moldings can be made the bench. These need to be taller
17 using a combination of router bits than the desired molding height
that fit the individual sections of so the router passes over it. Sec-
the profile. For example, a fillet ond is the follower which will
1"-rad. can be made with a straight bit. guide the jig along the curvature
A cove can be formed with a of the molding and act like a cut
core box bit. And a radius can be limiter. Lastly is the platform
Risers are formed with an ovolo bit (a bear- which holds the router. This
three layers of 8 2
#/4"plywood) ingless roundover bit). needs to allow the router to slide
Straight sections of moldings left to right to adjust the position
can be made easily with an edge of the bit relative to the follower.

10 • Woodsmith / No. 251 Written by: Matt Cremona

 BUILDING THE JIG.The nice thing When cutting a rabbet in a
about a jig like this is you can workpiece, you’ll often end up
build it as simple or complex routing into the follower and
as you want. As you can see in need to replace it. I position the
the photos, this jig is built out of follower so it’s about a quarter of
Baltic birch plywood. The risers the way into the router bit open-
are glued up from three layers ing (photo at right).
and have a radius cut on the top The platform has a large open-
corners. Again, size these so they ing for the router bit, flanked by
are slightly taller than the mold- two slots. These slots align with
ing you’re cutting. On one riser, the carriage bolts on my Triton
cut a notch to accept the follower. router and offer a way to mount
The follower is made out of Bal- the baseplate to the platform.
tic birch plywood, and screwed The entire platform is screwed
to the risers. I made a few of the onto the risers.
followers, as they’re consumable.
USING THE JIG
Using the jig isn’t too compli-
cated. Start by forming the blank { A view of the underside of the jig shows the slots for
for the molding. Cut the curva- the carriage bolts, the bit opening, and the position of
ture along its edge and leave the follower in relation to the router bit.
the stock a little long. Draw the
desired profile onto the end of the correct position. Use the drawing
blank, as in the photo at left, and on the end of the blank as refer-
stick the blank down to a work- ence to set the cut location and
surface with two-sided tape. lock everything down.
Most profiles will have a lot of MAKING THE CUT. Now, the router
waste that needs to be removed is guided along the molding’s
before the profile can be formed. curve; keeping the follower in
Start with a straight bit to rough contact with the blank while
out the waste and to get comfort- keeping the jig perpendicular
able using the jig. The router can to the curvature of the molding.
be moved left to right relative It’s a bit of a swinging dance as
{ Draw the profile on the end of to the follower by loosening the the router is moved through the
the stock and use a straight bit to carriage bolts and the depth can cut. These first roughing cuts
remove most of the waste. be adjusted to get the bit into the help to get you familiar with
the motion of the cut. Once the
cut is complete, take a look at
the result. If the jig was not fol-
lowing perpendicularly, the cut
width will show some variance.
Adjust the swing of the jig on
the subsequent cuts.
After the profile is roughed
out, you’ll use individual profile
bits to create the desired profile.
If the molding is tall, a collet
extension can be used to reach
the bottom of the profile. Large
moldings typically have large
coves — larger than the biggest
core box bits. These large coves
can be approximated with mul-
{ After creating a series of stepped cuts with a straight bit, switch over to tiple stepped passes with a large
the profile bits to rough in the shape. Here, I’m using a cove bit and a bit and blended with a gooseneck
corebox bit to form a large ogee profile on the top of the molding. scraper and sandpaper.

Illustrations: Bob Zimmerman Woodsmith.com • 11

 Turn 5" dia.
"donut"
on a lathe
or cut at band
saw and round
over with router
NOTE: Donut
is glued to
the base

JIG BASE
(#/4"ply"x 7")

NOTE: Size length of

base to at least match
the width of your
router table top
{ Align the donut and baseplate over the router bit. Clamp it in place. If the
donut hole is slightly small, you can often raise the spinning bit through
the donut to create a zero-clearance opening.

DONUT JIG The donut is

DESIGNING THE JIG. this needs to be sized correctly
Sometimes, the curvature of a fairly simple to make but its for the router bit to pass though.
project part means you can’t rout dimensions will vary depend- The roundover sizes; how much
it at the router table. To make ing on the bit and the workpiece. curvature is needed on the out-
these cuts, you need a table that It can be a bit of trial and error side of the jig. Lastly, the overall
has as little length as possible — to make the perfect one, but the diameter; this needs to be sized
even smaller than the baseplate donuts that don’t work for the appropriately so that you can get
on the router. This is where I like current operation may work your part fully on the jig to rout it.
to use a “donut” jig. The donut perfectly for a future project. BUILDING THE JIG. Using a circle
creates a platform that supports There are four variables to con- cutting jig at the band saw, cut
the workpiece as it enters and sider when making the donut. the outer diameter of the donut.
exits the bit, and nowhere else. First is the thickness or height of This jig will leave a marking of
This technique is commonly the donut; the tighter the radius the center point which you’ll
used to add a roundover to of a part, the taller the jig needs use later. Add a roundover with
curved legs, like you see below. to be. Next is the hole diameter; the desired radius along the top
edge. This side will become the
top. Lastly using the centerpoint
as reference, drill a hole through
the part to create the desired
inner diameter. That leaves us
with a donut-shaped ring. Or
maybe it’s closer to a half bagel?
PUT IT TO USE. With the donut
made, glue it to a baseplate
and clamp it over the bit, like
you see in the photo above. A
collet extension may need to
be used to raise the bit high
enough. Align the donut so it’s
not in contact with the bit.
Workpieces can now be run
through the bit with the donut
supporting and raising it off
the table to account for the cur-
vature in the workpiece. These
{ Different curvature donuts allow you to get into tighter areas. Start with simple jigs open a world of
the workpiece resting on the donut and roll it into the bit, making sure to possibilities to the already ver-
rout against the rotation of the bit to avoid backrouting and chip out. satile router. W

12 • Woodsmith / No. 251

shapertools.com

Save $50 on the

complete system
 WOODWORKING
Technique

Sharpening
Turning Tools

S harpening wood cutting tools is a subject that has

been discussed many times in the past. And, I am
sure, it will be discussed many times again in the future.
Sharpening and “what is sharp?” is all relative to what
you are cutting.
Depending on the tool to be sharpened, and the method
used, of which there are many, we are all looking for the
same thing. A sharp edge to cut the wood efficiently.
Woodturning has changed tremendously over the last 36
years that I have been teaching and demonstrating all over
the world. The type of turning, the woods we have access to,
as well as the tools and techniques have all evolved.

14 • Woodsmith / No. 251 Written by: Jimmy Clewes

 TURNING THROUGH THE AGES
Years ago, woodturning tools
were made of carbon steel and
one could achieve a really sharp
edge, but it would not last for
repetitive production work like
stair spindles. The tools mainly
used were a skew, spindle rough-
ing gouge, a parting tool, and a
few sizes of spindle gouges.
Bowl gouges are relatively new,
as bowls and plates were formed
using a scraper and were super-
seded by the more economic
ceramic tableware.
Over the years, tool design
and different steel alloys have
evolved. After carbon steel, HSS { A basic turning sharpening setup is shown here. The Oneway Wolverine
(High Speed Steel) was intro- system includes a V-cradle and a platform. Both of which slide into receivers
duced, one could get a sharp mounted below the wheel to adjust for different tools and bevel angles.
edge that would last longer than
carbon but not get quite as sharp. With some of the grinds that of this jig is that it is generally
Now there are several different are popular now, “long grind quicker and easier than free-
steels available from various bowl gouge” for example, hand grinding. It also gives you
manufactures, some of them have swept back wings that repeatability, as you will get the
sharpen easier using different can be used in a draw cut exact same grind every time,
products available. fashion as well as a traditional and this saves steel!
SHARPENING AS A SKILL. Sharpen- push cut. This new grind in GRINDERS. Most of the grinders in
ing is a skill in itself and has particular can be very difficult the UK, my birthplace, use 6"-dia.
to be learned. Many years to grind freehand and that’s wheels and work perfectly fine
ago, before the introduc- when a jig is a great help. with the Oneway jig system. But,
tion of sharpening jigs for WOLVERINE JIG. There are many I prefer the 8"-dia. wheels here
woodturning tools, they were jigs systems available but the in the US as the bevel is slightly
sharpened on a grinder and one I use is the Oneway Wol- less concave (therefore stronger)
honedbyhandusingasharpen- verine system with the standard from the wheel.
ing stone to keep the edge keen. Vari-Grind jig. The advantage While most woodturners use a
dry grinder for sharpening their
tools, some have ‘wet’ grinders
such as the Tormek. They work
well, but I am more of a tra-
ditionalist and prefer Norton
aluminium oxide wheels. For
more on grinding wheels, see the
box on page 18.

SPINDLE ROUGHING GOUGE

The spindle roughing gouge
( SRG) is designed to turn a
square blank round, between
centers. To sharpen them, two
ways are pictured. To the left,
you can see the first method
using the long arm support.
{ Adjust the V-cradle out until the angle of the tool bevel matches the profile The handle sits in the cradle
of the wheel. Then, lock it in place and turn the grinder on. Rest the butt of and the tool is rotated left and
the tool in the cradle and rotate the cutting edge on the wheel to sharpen it. right to sharpen the bevel.

Woodsmith.com • 15
{ Adjust the V-cradle until the bevel on { An SRG can also be sharpened with the { The spindle gouge can easily be sharpened
the spindle roughing gouge matches the adjustable tool rest and is the safest way using the Vari-Grind jig. The tool is rocked
curvature of the grinding wheel. to sharpen an SRG with a CBN wheel. back and forth to sharpen the entire bevel.

The second way to sharpen THE SPINDLE GOUGE (40-45°) or a diamond sharpener. Note
an SRG is to use the adjust- For a spindle gouge, I prefer to the profile of my skew at the
able platform, as you see in the use the Vari-Grind jig and sweep cutting edge — the once flat
center photo above. Note that the wings back. You simply set bevel is now rounded. I do
when using a diamond wheel the protrusion of the tool and this so that the tool wants to
or a CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride) angle of the jig, and set it in the come out of the cut. This modi-
wheel, this is the only safe way V-cradle. Then, the tool can be fied profile reduces the risk of
to sharpen a SRG. Using the rocked left and right to sharpen “catching” the tool.
V-cradle with a CBN wheel the end and wings. You can see I find this profile much easier
can cause the tool to pinch and this in the right photo above. to hone and keep sharp and
damage the wheel. For detail work and to reach rarely needs reshaping. It should
I sharpen the SRG at approxi- into tight areas, I may lower the be razor sharp for the best
mately 45°. A few degrees here angle from 40-45° to 35°. results. Traditional flat bevels
or there either way makes very can be sharpened with a guide
little difference, so don’t be too THE SKEW CHISEL (25-35°) like on a bench stone.
concerned if you are slightly off To sharpen a skew chisel, I
on any of these tools. It’s more rough shape the bevel on a belt THE PARTING TOOL (25-30°)
important that the tool is sharp sander by raising and lowering Possibly the easiest tool to
and gives you the results that the handle. Then, I hone the sharpen apart from the scraper
you’re looking for. edge using either a waterstone is the parting tool. Just make sure

{ The first thing I do on a skew chisel is to round over the bevel shoulders. { For final sharpening after shaping the skew, I go to an
Use a belt sander. Start with the bevel “line” on the belt and raise and oilstone. Then, it’s just a simple matter of putting an
lower the tool handle to round over the bevel face. edge on like you would a normal bench chisel.

16 • Woodsmith / No. 251

{ Match the angle of the tool rest so the parting { Traditional scrapers are easiest to sharpen { Negative rake scrapers are sharpened
tool is resting on the wheel. Then, sharpen both upside-down. The tool rest is angled down to long bevel (bottom) first, then the
sides of the parting tool keeping the end square. drag a burr off the top (cutting) side. shorter second bevel for a 70° edge.

you evenly grind either side and equals about 70°. This is achieved gouges, I center the wing-nut
that the end of the tool is square. by first grinding the initial bevel on the jig on the second notch.
An angled tip can affect the cut angle and then grinding the top For the standard and bottom
quality. You can grind this using of the tool upside down to pro- feeding gouge, I grind free-
the V-cradle, or on the platform, duce the negative rake (right hand. However, you can also
like you see above. photo, above). use the tool rest to sharpen
these. You cannot use the Vari-
THE SCRAPER (70-80°) THE BOWL GOUGE (40-50°) grind jig because the bevel angle
For traditional scrapers, I prefer Possibly the hardest tool for is often too obtuse to safely use
to sharpen the tool upside down beginners to sharpen is the a sharpening jig. It can cause a
and therefore drag a burr off of bowl gouge. As with the spin- pinching or grabbing action.
the top side. The tool rest plate dle gouge, I use the Vari-Grind In my opinion, at the end of
is tilted slightly down into the jig with the arm to sweep the the day, it does not matter how
wheel and gravity helps hold the wings back on my gouges. To you sharpen your tools as long
tool down and produce a larger set a consistent angle, I set the as you get the end result you
O
E s
friable burr. You can see this in the bowl gouge in my Vari-Grind jig want. And that result is to work
middle photo above. and set the protrusion using the the wood as safely and effi-
For a video on
The negative rake scraper is V-cradle. I line up the bevel with ciently as possible. Because all sharpening
turning tools,
also popular and has two bevel the end of the cradle (left photo woodworkers know how go to:
angles. The sum of the angles below). For most of my bowl important a sharp tool is. W Woodsmith.com/251

Roll the jig

left to right

{ Setting the protrusion is what will give consistent { Sharpening a bowl gouge starts with one wing. Then, in a smooth, fluid
results with the Vari-Grind jig. I use the V-cradle as a motion roll the tool from left to right sharpening the entire edge. You’ll know
gauge to get the same setup every time. the edge is sharp when the sparks travel down the flute as you sharpen.

Woodsmith.com • 17
 GRINDING WHEELS GALORE
In my shop, I have a 60-grit general
purpose wheel for reshaping and a white,
150-grit aluminum oxide wheel for
sharpening. The white (or pink) wheels
tend to be more friable, meaning particles
break off from the wheel more readily and
therefore the wheel stays cleaner longer
with less “glazing.”
Inevitably, someone will ask about CBN
(Cubic Boron Nitride) wheels. They are
very popular now, the main advantage
of these is that they stay flat and do not
need dressing. There is far less spark
created, as well. Available in a variety of
grits, the finer grits don’t remove steel
too quickly and leave a polished surface.
However they do eventually wear out
and can be an expensive accessory. As a
note, you should not use the V-cradle to
sharpen a spindle roughing gouge on the { CBN wheels are available in grits ranging from 80-grit to 600-grit. Unlike traditional
CBN wheel — they can pinch and damage wheels, some CBN wheels have rounded corners to use as a radius while
the tool or the wheel. sharpening, as well as a small flat section on the side of the wheel.

18 • Woodsmith / No. 251

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 WEEKEND
Project

Band Saw
Boxes

A sharp, narrow blade, some nice stock,

and a little bit of out-of-the-box
thinking can yield some amazing boxes
that are made with only the band saw.

B and saw boxes have

always captivated me.
The first time I saw someone do
a band saw box, I was amazed
A SET OF THREE. The boxes you see
above were designed by our
creative director, Chris Fitch.
They are a great introduction to
how you could create a variety three box styles — a lidded box,
of containers with just one tool. a small hinged box, and a chest
And to me, that was just plain of drawers. They’re all built
{ Colorful flocking adds a luxurious look and feel to the cool. When it comes to band almost entirely with a band saw,
inside of the boxes. It has the added benefit of creating saw boxes, your imagination so throw on a sharp blade and
a soft interior for all of your precious items. is about the only limiting factor. let’s get started.

20 • Woodsmith / No. 251 Written by: Logan Wittmer; Project Design: Chris Fitch
 LIDDED BOX
The lidded box is the first of the
HANDLE
three boxes. Its leaf shape is cut (1"x 5#/4")
from one solid piece of wood. #/8
TOP
It’s not large, so don’t be afraid (4"x 11")
to use a special piece of stock —
you don’t need a lot of it. Here, O
we used curly maple. NOTE: Box blank
E s
LIP
PROFILE. The first thing to do is 2"-thick
hardwood
is use the pattern you’ll find at All patterns for
the band saw
Woodsmith.com/251 and cut the boxes can be
NOTE: Lip and
outside shape. I found a 3⁄16" bottom size are found on our
website:
20TPI blade was ideal for all determined by Woodsmith.com/251
waste plug size
these boxes. Make sure to tilt the
table to create the beveled sides.
Next, reset the table to 90° and a.
BOX
use the fence to cut the top off of (4"x 11")
the blank. Set this aside for now.
INTERIOR PLUG. The main work on
this box is done on the inside.
Tilting the band saw table again,
BOTTOM
cut out the waste plug from the
inside (Figure 1 and ‘1a’). From
this plug, you’ll cut the lip for the bottom thickness. Return- Then, place the box over the
the lid and also the bottom. ing the table to 90°, cut off the lip and slide it around so that
CLOSE THE KERF. Before tackling bottom and lip by guiding the the lip is in the correct position.
the bottom, you have to glue the plug along the fence (Figure 2). Carefully lift away the box.
kerf closed on the box. This will You can then glue the bottom THE HANDLE. Cutting the handle
make the inside slightly smaller in place and sand away any is the final piece of this box. Use
than the plug you cut out. Now, bits that are protruding out of the pattern and cut it to shape
insert the plug into the box the bottom. To glue on the lip, before sanding it smooth. Then,
and mark where it protrudes place the lid upside down on glue it in place. After it’s dry, you
through the bottom. Then, use your bench. Apply a few dabs of can sand the box, add a finish,
that line to determine and mark glue and place the lip on the top. and flock the inside and lip.

WASTE PLUG
a.
1 2 Lip
SIDE Plug
Plug SECTION waste
Hold firmly VIEW
against fence
!/4 Bottom
!/4 Kerf follows
the grain
a. !/8

Strategic Cut. Align the initial cut for the interior Bottom & Lip. Set the fence to cut the appropriate
plug so that it follows the grain of the box. This thickness bottom and lip from the plug. Push it firmly
makes it less noticeable when it’s glued closed. against the fence to keep it from rocking.

Illustrator: Becky Kralicek Woodsmith.com • 21

 sandpaper, files, and rasps.
NOTE: Blank is glued up CUT OFF THE ENDS. With the shape
from two layers of #/4" Baltic
birch plywood and three how you want it, you can cut
layers of 1!/2"-thick cherry the two ends off of the box.
hardwood
You’ll notice that these ends
have the same angle that the
front and back of the box have.
Don’t worry about that for
now. You’ll want to leave them
square so it’s easier to clamp
the box back together in a little
bit. For now, just use the fence
and take a slice off each end
and set them aside.
BOTTOM & LID. To create the bot-
tom and the lid, you’ll need
to apply another pattern onto
SIDE
(3!/2" x 5") the center section that you
just cut the ends off of. Then,
you’ll make a couple of cuts.
The first, is to create the bar-
rel of the hinge. This cut is
from the backside of the box
NOTE: Overall blank
is 3!/2" x 5"- 6" and creates the round barrel.
Then, from the front of the
box, you can make the rest of
Hinged LID BOX the cuts, cutting the lid free
and forming the bottom. You
This hinged lid box is made from focus on the outside shape. As can see these in Figure 1 on
a stack of blanks glued together. with drilling, cut the box with the next page.
We made ours from two layers the blank standing on end. Fol- When the waste is removed,
of Baltic birch plywood sand- low the outside of the pattern take a couple of minutes to
wiched between three layers of and refine the shape later with smooth out the inside of the
cherry. Once the blank has been
glued up, this band saw box
starts at the drill press.
PIVOT PINS. As you can deduce
PIVOT PINS
from the name, this box has
a hinged lid. To create hinge 1 !/8" a.
pin location, you need to drill brad point
bit
a hole for a brass pin to be
installed later. As you can see
in Figure 1, that is done by
standing the blank on end and
drilling the designated spots
on the pattern. You’ll want to
go deep enough so that the pin Side
pattern
can create a solid connection
when the box is assembled.
OUTSIDE SHAPE. After the pin
holes are drilled, you can head
over to the band saw and cut
the outside to shape. Start by Hinge Pin Holes. Use a brad point bit to drill the pin holes on the
removing the waste between ends of the box. Set the fence to position the bit and drill the first
the feet first, while the blank side. Flip the box blank over and drill the opposite side.
is still square. Then, you can

22 • Woodsmith / No. 251

bottom with sandpaper and a.
files. Then, you can glue the
sides back to the bottom of the
box. Just make sure you don’t
glue the lid of the box to the
sides — you’ll install it later.
ANGLED SIDES. Now’s the time to LID
(4!/2"x 5")
cut the bevels on the sides of
the box. You could plane these,
but this is a band saw box after
all, right? To cut these accu- !/8"-dia. x 1!/2"
brass
rately, I feel like the best option
is to add an auxiliary fence to NOTE: Sides are
the table. You can see this setup glued to bottom.
Lid is attached with
in Figure 2 below. brass pins
SIDE
Start by setting the angle of the
table to match the front and the
back of the box. Then, use a pair
of clamps to secure a tall fence on
the right hand side of the blade. SIDE
The fence must be tall enough to
reach the lid of the box or you’ll
have to reposition it between
cuts. Then, you can make a cut
along both ends of the box. BOTTOM
BRASS PINS. The final assem- (2!/2"x 4!/2") b.
bly on the hinged lid box is
to attach the lid lid. Check
the fit between the lid and the Then, cut a length of brass pin insert the pin through the side
sides, and make sure it’s loose as a pivot point. The pins can into the lid — make sure to
enough to open smoothly. be epoxied into place. When not epoxy the pin in the sides.
If it’s tight, sand the ends you’re doing this, add epoxy After the epoxy has cured,
and barrel down a little bit. into the holes in the lid and sand the pins flush.

SHAPING THE BOX a.

1 2
NOTE: Ends
removed before
Lid and second pattern
bottom attached
pattern

Auxiliary
fence

Waste. After removing the ends, apply a new Beveled Ends. Tilt the band saw table and
pattern and cut the center into three parts — a position an auxiliary fence. Clamp the fence down
bottom, lid and a waste section. and make the cut on each end.

Woodsmith.com • 23
 NOTE: Blank is the case. For the top drawer,
4!/2"x 5!/2"- 9" I came in from the left side of
the case and cut the drawer
free. For the lower drawer, I
came in from the opposite side
to keep one side from becom-
ing “squished.” With the
drawers removed, you can do
a little sanding on the inside
to remove any saw marks
and loosen the fit a little (the
drawer will be tight once you
pinch the kerf closed). Then,
spread some glue in both kerfs
and clamp them back closed.
At this point, go ahead and
glue the back on. It will not be
a perfect fit due to the closed
kerfs, but it will be close. After
the glue is dry, sand the back
flush with the case.
NOTE: Blank is NOW THE DRAWERS. Cutting the
glued up from three
layers of 1!/2"-thick hardwood drawers is next. And after you
think of the drawer as a minia-
ture case, you’ll see how it takes
shape (and of course, you can
Chest of DRAWERS see it on the next page). Start by
making a slice along the front
Like it’s full-sized idol, this As you can
DRAWER OPENINGS. and back of each drawer. This
miniature chest of drawers see below in Figure 1, you’ll will remove the front and back
features two drawers tucked cut out the drawers by making of the drawer. With the remain-
inside a case. In my mind, this cuts from the opposite sides of ing section, you can use a pencil
is the most “traditional” type of
band saw box. Because of the
depth of the case, you’ll need to
either start with 12/4 stock, or
DRAWER OPENINGS
glue together stock into a blank,
like I’ve done here. 1
SHAPE FIRST. After printing off
NOTE: After back
a pattern from Woodsmith. has been removed,
com/251, attach it to the front Pattern cut drawers from
opposite sides
of the blank. Then, cut the out- of case
side to shape. Here’s where
you can go wild and make
whatever shape you want.
Even though we’ve given you
a guide, the main idea here is
Kerf
to get the technique down.
REMOVE THE BACK. At this point,
you can position the fence
and make a cut to remove the
back of the case. Set it aside for
now. Later you’ll glue it back Thin Kerfs. Use a narrow, fine-toothed band saw blade to cut
on after the drawers are done. the drawer openings. Select a location and follow the grain
For now, we’ll concentrate on lines for the least conspicuous glue joint.
creating the drawers.

24 • Woodsmith / No. 251

with your finger as a gauge to
rough in the shape of the drawer.
For more on flocking
Aim to leave about 1⁄4" of mate- the inside of your band
Aim for
rial all the way around. !/4"-thick saw box go to:
WoodsmithSpecials.com
Cut out the waste from the
drawers. You can see this in
Figure 1, below. Then, you can
sand it smooth. Reassemble FRONT NOTE: Back of
SECTION the case, drawer
the drawer and test the fit. If it VIEW fronts, and backs
slides in to the opening a little are all #/8"-thick
a.
snug, sand the drawer a little.
You want an easy fit into the
opening. As a final detail on
DRAWER
the drawers, you can soften the FRONT &
front edge. This can be done BACK
with either sandpaper or a small
roundover bit in a palm router.
FINAL DETAILS. There are a few
final details on this box that
adds a next level of sophis- DRAWER TRAY
tication. The first is to add a
small pull onto the front of
each drawer. You can purchase
these or make your own —
dealer’s choice. The next, is to
KNOB
flock the drawers.
FLOCK IT. As with the previ-
ous boxes, the inside of the
drawers are flocked after the case can also be flocked. Flocking is pretty simple,
applying a finish. But, the This adds a nice, easy feel as even if you’ve never done it
drawers aren’t the only places the drawer is opened, see inset before. Most flocking will come
that get flocked. The inside of photo on page 20. in a kit and is readily available
at craft stores. The kit will have
adhesive and the flocking fiber.
DRAWER INTERIOR Paint the adhesive wherever
you want flocking, making sure
to get ample coverage.
1 Next, use either the shaker
can, or the tube applicator to
NOTE: Drawer
dust the adhesive with flock-
Waste front and back ing. Get enough coverage here
have been removed
— I’ve found it’s better to get
too much than not enough.
NOTE: Blade Once the adhesive is dry, you
guard raised
for clarity. Drawer can shake any excess flocking
Set yours closer tray
to workpiece onto a piece of paper and put
it back in the bag.
As I mentioned at the begin-
ning of this box — the main
thing I hope you walk away with
is the technique of making band
saw boxes. If you make these
Drawer Trays. After removing the front and the back of the exact boxes, great! But if you take
drawers, rough in a line for the drawer tray shape. Then, cut these skills and make a set of
along that line to form the drawer. boxes that are entirely your own,
well, that’s even better. W

Woodsmith.com • 25
 DESIGNER
Project

Kitchen
Cart
Don’t let its size fool you,
there’s a lot of style and
functionality packed into
this cart. It’ll be a sturdy and
handsome ally in any kitchen.
{ The waste hole in the center of the maple top makes

I n a small kitchen, this cart could easily act as

an island. In a larger environment, it can be
just as happy to serve as a faithful sidekick to a
permanent island. It’s a butcher block, a veggie
short work of clean up. A bowl in the space below
collects the scrap for tidy disposal.

prep table, and a storage unit all combined. Plus,

it’s on wheels. Wheels that you’ll make, as well.
In fact, most of this cart is shop-made. (Hinges,
bushings and a handful of screws are all that’s on
the hardware list.) A light hardware bill is always
a good thing. But wait, there’s more.
It’s good looking from all sides. This is due to the
designer’s efforts and intention of keeping the cart
as versatile as possible. I think he deserves high
marks for the results.
The mitered edges on the oak case and flush rab-
beted back of the same material provide visual love
from all angles. The maple top and wheels provide
a nice contrast.
The V-grooves in the doors give a little energy to
the look of the cart. Having finger holes instead of
knobs or pulls in the doors to access the inside was
more than a cosmetic decision. It means that you
can move the cart around without fears of snag-
ging or scratching anything it might brush by. This { Shop-made wheels and axles — yes please. The plastic
project is fun from start to finish. bushing is the only part at this end of the project that
you’ll need to purchase.

26 • Woodsmith / No. 251 Written & Illustrated by: Erich Lage

Project Design: Dillon Baker Woodsmith.com • 27
 a. b.
B
TOP NOTE: Mounting and shelf peg SIDE VIEW
(19"x 27") holes are 1#/4" from front edge
of sides and 2!/2" from back edge

#10 !/4
biscuit
C
BACK
(26"x 17") A

NOTE:
Groove
is !/4"-deep
1#/4

c.

A B
SIDE BOTTOM d.
(19"x 18") (19"x 27")
NOTE: Sides, top and bottom
are made from #/4"-thick hardwood.
Back is !/2"-thick hardwood

Start with the CASE & DOORS

The case of the cart is made of the kitchen and show a good GLUE UP. The back is thinner
hardwood panels. The back, as face wherever it lands. Later on, than the rest of the case, so
you see in the main drawing you’ll add an adjustable shelf to you’ll spend a little time at the
above and detail ‘c,’ is rabbeted divide the inside of the case. The planer first. Back at the bench,
to fit in the grooves cut into the sides, top, and bottom are joined glue up all the panels. Then trim
case panels. The rabbet is sized with miters for seamless corners. them to size.
to make the shadow line you Biscuits hold them together. But PANEL PREPARATION. The sides have
see in detail ’d.’ This little detail enough chatter, it’s time to work. some holes you need to attend
sets the cart free to roam around Start by gluing up all the panels. to (detail ‘a’). First, drill the six
through holes on each side that
will fasten the legs to the case.
CUTTING MITERS Then, drill the stopped holes
for the shelf pegs. Next on the
docket is to cut the miters.
The miters on the ends of the
sides, top, and bottom, are 45°
and cut at the table saw. The box
to the left shows how to do this.
Afterwards, you’ll need to set the
blade back to 90° and install your
dado blade to cut the grooves for
the back (detail ‘b’).
A BISCUIT SLOTS. Mitered joints have
a lot of glue surface, which is
45° blade nice. But it’s still end grain, and
the miters can be devilishly hard
to hold together until the glue
Steady Feed. To ensure that the miters will be even and come together sets. To avoid this headache, I
without any gaps, feed the panels through the blade at a steady rate without incorporated a trio of biscuits
stopping. On occasion I’ll sneak up on the final lengths to achieve this. in each joint. The spacing of the
slots is shown in detail ‘b.’

28 • Woodsmith / No. 251

 Overlay
hinge
SIZING THE BACK.To get the exact
size of the back panel, I decided
to dry assemble the case. Then
I confirmed the dimensions
needed for the back before cut-
ting it to size and rabbeting the D
edges. It needs to be a whisker
NOTE: Doors
smaller than the opening cre- are made from
ated by the grooves. You don’t #/4"-thick
hardwood
want the panel to prevent the
miters from closing.
It’s best to do one more dry
assembly. This time you’ll have
the back installed, and get to
check for an evenly spaced
shadow line between it and the D
case. Also, it will confirm that the DOOR
(13!/2"x 18")
miters close tightly.
GLUE UP. Now that you’re in
a happy place with the case a.
assembly, you can bust out the
glue and clamps. Don’t get too
hasty about all this, it’s best to
use slow-set glue, and let the
back float. Even so, you’ll want
to have hot water, clean rags,
b. c.
and a putty knife on hand to
excavate any glue that gets in
that shadow line.

DOORS
Hardwood doors are front and
center on the case. They’re glued
up panels that have a series of
V-grooves routed in the face.
Start with the glueup.
Instead of hardware pulls or
knobs, there are half-circle open-
V-GROOVES
ings cut into the inside edges
towards the top (detail ‘c’). Cut a.
away most of the waste with a
jigsaw. You can make a simple
template and rout the openings.
V-GROOVES. As you see in the !/2" Carbide
V-groove bit
box to the right, a V-groove bit
in your router table combined
with two spacers lets you rout 2!/4" b.
Spacers
all the grooves in the face of the
doors. Finish with the chamfer
on the sides of the doors (not the FIRST: With spacers against fence
top or bottom edge). rout the center V-groove
HARDWARE. Yes, real hardware.
Drill the holes in the back of the Spacers Help. To evenly space the grooves on the doors, use a set of spacers. Start
doors (detail ‘b’) and install the with the center groove, then remove a spacer, and rout the next two (detail ‘a’),
hinges. Now, the legs that hold flipping the door end for end. Remove the last spacer and repeat the step (detail ‘b’).
this case are up next.

Woodsmith.com • 29
 a.
F E
E
BACK LEG FRONT LEG
(3"x 33!/2") (3"x 33")
9!/2

33
NOTE: Shelf and shelf
pegs are made later

18
33!/2

#8 x 1#/4" Fh woodscrew b.

1
NOTE: Front legs
are shorter to
account for wheels
F
c.
NOTE: Legs are made
from two layers of NOTE: Install
1!/2"-thick hardwood the wheels after
legs are attached
to case

Next up are the LEGS & WHEELS

The cornerstone of this stylish in the tops of the legs hold the shaft of the axle. Use a backer
cart is the thick legs. As you see stretchers, that in turn hold the board here to prevent blow-out.
in the drawing above, there’s top on the cart. BAND SAW SETUP. I used the fence
long notches along the inside On the bottom end, the back of the band saw to locate the
faces that wrap around the case legs are chamfered to prevent shoulders of the notches (detail
and lift it off the ground for easy splintering. The front legs have ‘a’). The box to the left shows
access. A narrow deep notch notches at the bottom and holes this. The notches in the top of
to hold a hardwood the legs are narrower (detail ‘b’),
axle for the wheels but the process is the same.
SLOTS IN THE LEGS that you’ll make. MORE NOTCHES. The long notches
When the blanks for the case are next. This means
are cleaned up and moving over to the table saw.
NOTE: Adjust cut to size, I started There, with an auxiliary fence
stop block at the drill press. attached to your miter gauge,
position for
slots in upper DRILL PRESS. In prep- cut the shoulders first. Then
portion of leg aration for the drill nibble away the waste in the
E press, I laid out the middle and smooth the surface
hole location and with a chisel.
the radius that gets FINISHING TOUCHES. Back at the
cut later (detail ‘a’). band saw, cut the radius on the
Stop block Start by drilling the bottom of the front legs, then
counterbore that sand the surface smooth. The
Band Saw to the Rescue. The deep notches in the legs are holds the cap of the back legs are chamfered with a
carved out at the band saw. The fence establishes the sides and axle flush to the leg. router, then all the legs are eased
a stop block controls the depth. Follow this with the with a sanding block. Now it’s
through hole for the time for some detail work.

30 • Woodsmith / No. 251

 a. AXLE CAP
AXLES & WHEELS (&/16"x 1!/4")
G
You could easily use store-
AXLE SHAFT
bought axles and wheels, and if (#/4"x 3&/16")
that floats your boat, go for it. But H

at times, small challenges can be

just as rewarding as big tasks. I
found that to be true while mak- NOTE: Axle cap is
ing these parts. made from 1!/4"-dia. dowel.
b. Axle shaft is made from
The axle and its cap are made #/4"- dia. dowel. Wheels are made
from dowels (detail ‘a’). The axle from 1"-thick hardwood.
Wedges are made from
wedge is a little piece of hard- #/8"-thick hardwood
wood (detail ‘c’). And the wheel
I WEDGE
(detail ‘b’) is a bigger piece of (#/8"x 1!/2")
hardwood that you’ll shape with
a template at the router table. J
c.
Start with the axle assembly first. 1" O.D.
#/4" I.D. WHEEL
AXLE CAP. To guarantee the axle is bushing (4"x 4")
centered in the cap, and allows
the wheel to turn smoothly in
the leg, I used the leg to guide is the hardest part of the opera- cutter and a scrap of MDF. Fig-
the Forstner bit. Figure 1 in the tion, I did that first. After that, ure 2 shows how this is used to
box below has the details. Now trimming and shaping the ends make the wheels. Before you
you can work on the dowel that was a breeze. To finish the axle, I pop the template free, drill a
is the shaft of the axle. glued the cap to the shaft. dimple in the wheel through the
AXLE DETAILS. The axle shaft is a WEDGE. Next I made the wedge hole the circle cutter made. The
3⁄ " dowel that, on one end, fits
4 you see in detail ‘c’. It’s just a lit- dimple will be the guide for the
into a cap. The other end, that tle piece of wood that I sanded larger hole that holds the bush-
protrudes out of the leg is cham- chamfers on the front edges by ing that the axle rides in.
fered (detail ‘a’). This end of sticking a piece of sandpaper INSTALL THE WHEELS. Sand the back
the axle sticks out of the leg far on my table saw top. Leave this of the wedge as needed for a
enough to allow a wedge to run a little thick for the moment, tight fit and glue it in place. That
though it, locking the wheel in you’ll fit it shortly. completes the legs, it’s time to
place. Since drilling the through WHEELS. To start, I made a tem- work on the upper pieces, start-
mortise (at a mortising machine) plate for the wheels with a circle ing with the stretchers.

WHEEL DETAILS
a.
1 2 NOTE: Use the opening in
the template to locate
the center of the wheel

Flush-trim
bit

NOTE: Be aware J
#/4" Forstner of chip-out
bit while routing wheel

Drill the Axle Cap. The axle has to be centered in the opening for Shape the Wheel. A pattern taped to a blank
the wheel to roll smoothly. To accomplish this I taped the cap in the that has been rough cut, guides a flush-trim bit
opening of the leg and drilled the hole for the axle at the drill press. that’s installed in your router table.

Woodsmith.com • 31
 3"-dia. hole
centered on top
M
TOP
(20"x 38")

NOTE: Outer pilot holes

in cleats are larger to 1!/2
NOTE: Stretchers are made allow for wood movement
from 1"-thick hardwood.
Cleats are made from L CLEATS K 11!/2
#/4"-thick hardwood. (1!/2"x 14")
Top is made from 5
1!/2"-thick hardwood 2

L
#8 x 1!/4"
Fh woodscrew
K
STRETCHER
#8 x 2" (2"x 35")
Fh woodscrew
1"-rad.

a. b. c.

Finish up with a TOP & SHELF

Well, this little cart project is then nibble away the waste in TOP
winding down. There’s only between. At the drill press, the You can’t go wrong with the
a handful of things left to do. countersink holes come first, solid maple top that you see in
There are stretchers and cleats then the pilot holes. All that’s the main drawing above. This
to make that will tie the top to left is to round over the lower thick top is perfect for all the
the base. The top is after that. corners I mentioned. Rough out chores a kitchen can throw at
Then you’ll finish with a shelf the profiles at the band saw and it. The waste hole in the center
and some shop-made pegs to sand them smooth. funnels all your scraps to a bowl
support them. Let’s get cracking. GLUE IN PLACE. Now you can take that will whisk them away. Start
STRETCHERS. The best place to the stretchers back to the cart. by gluing up the boards needed.
start is with the two long hard- There, with a little glue, and TRIM TO SIZE. Try to get the top
wood stretchers. They’re fit to some F-clamps applied, you can boards aligned during the glue
the notches you made in the top call this step done. up. No worries though if things
of the legs (detail ‘a’). To hold the CLEATS. The cleats are simple are off a little. A flush-trim bit
top in place, the stretchers have things really, they run from and straightedge will tidy up
four mounting holes each. The front to back in between the legs the ends.
bottom corners are rounded. I (main drawing and detail ‘b’). BIG HOLE. With the center of the
started this work by making the Three countersunk holes for top marked clearly, and a three-
dadoes that join with the legs. mounting to the top. The cleats inch hole saw in hand, you can
On both ends of the stretch- are installed after the top is make the rough opening for
ers, cut dadoes at the table saw. attached to the stretchers. So set the waste hole. Take your time
Start with the shoulders first, them aside and get after the top. doing this and clean the teeth

32 • Woodsmith / No. 251

of the saw often. This will
minimize burning the wood NOTE: Shelf is made from
(a spindle sander is the tool of #/4"-thick hardwood. Peg cap
SHELF is made from !/2" dowel.
(18"x 25!/2") Peg is made from !/4" dowel
choice, if any burning occurs). N
ROUT THE OPENING. To avoid more
burning wood, I rounded over
the edge of the hole in stages.
This involves several sizes of
roundover bits. Detail ‘c’ on the
previous page has the informa-
tion needed. O
PEG CAP
(!/2"x #/4") P
SHELF & PEGS PEG
(!/4"x %/8")
The shelf is a hardwood panel a.
supported by, you guessed it,
shop-made shelf pegs. You know
the marching orders on making
the panel. Let’s talk a little bit
about the pegs.
PEGS ARE DOWELS. The center-
finding head for my combina-
tion square and a sharp pencil
locates my drilling position in
the 1⁄2" dowel. In holding this After screwing
FINAL TOUCHES. Boos butcher block oil. Apply it
short dowel in place, the little the top in place (and attaching by hand, then remove the excess
handscrew that I’ve had some the cleats to the underside), I after five minutes.
buyer’s remorse over, has just sanded the surface to 320-grit. Rolling it from the shop to the
graduated to the “tools I’ve After easing all the corners with house made one thing clear. This
used” list. Glue the two pieces a sanding block, I oiled it (along stout little kitchen accessory is
together and smooth the edges. with the wheels) with a coat of ready for years of service. W

Materials, Supplies & Cutting Diagram

A Sides (2) 3⁄x 19 - 18
4 I Wedges (2) x 3⁄8 - 11⁄2
3⁄
8 • (12) 10#-Biscuits
B Top/Bottom (2) 3⁄x 19 - 27
4 J Wheels (2) 1 x 4- 4 • (2) 1”ID x 3⁄4"ID-dia. Nylon Bushings
C Back (1) 1⁄x 26 - 17 K Stretchers (2) 1 x 2 - 35 • (12) #8 x 13⁄4" Fh Woodscrews
2
D Doors (2) 3⁄ x 131⁄ - 18 L Cleats (2) 3⁄ x 11⁄ - 14 • (8) #8 x 2” Fh Woodscrews
4 2 4 2
E Front Legs (2) 3 - 3 x 33 M Top (1) 1
1 ⁄2 x 20 - 38 • (6) #8 x 11⁄4” Fh Woodscrews
F Back Legs (2) 3 x 3 - 331⁄2 N Shelf (1) 3⁄ x 18 - 251⁄ • (4) 120° Overlay Hinges
4 2
G Axle Caps (2) 11⁄4-dia x 7⁄16 dowel O Peg Caps (4) 1⁄ -dia x 3⁄ dowel
2 4
H Axle Shafts (2) 3⁄ -dia.x 37⁄ dowel P Pegs (4) 1⁄ -dia x 5⁄ dowel
4 16 4 8

#/4"x 7"- 96" Oak (4.7 Bd. Ft.) !/2"x 7"- 72" Oak (3.5 Sq. Ft.)
A A A A A C C C C

#/4"x 7"- 96" Oak (Two boards @ 4.7 Bd. Ft. each) 1!/2"x 6!/2"- 72" Oak (Two boards @ 6.5 Bd. Ft. each)
F E
B B B F E

#/4"x 7"- 96" Oak (4.7 Bd. Ft.) 1"x 4!/2"- 36" Oak (1.4 Bd. Ft.)
D D D D A K

1!/2"x 5!/2"- 96" Maple (Two boards @7.3 Bd. Ft. each) L
M M J
I
#/4"x 7"- 84" Oak (4.1 Bd. Ft.)
N N N

Woodsmith.com • 33
HEIRLOOM
Project

34 • Woodsmith / No. 251 Written by: Erich Lage, Project Design; Chris Fitch
 Piecrust
Table
This dainty-looking piece
of furniture is anything
but that. Underneath
{ A generously
l sized
i d
top is at the ready
the delicate features is a
when needed. Not dynamic little workhorse.
only does it support
everything required
but the top twirls
to allow company
access to the teapot,
cream or sugar.
A lthough the term “form follows func-
tion” wasn’t around at the time, this
piecrust table is a perfect example of that senti-
ment. Born in the eighteenth century as a vehicle
to show off the fact that you could afford tea
(very expensive at the time) was its main role.
Then again, being able to afford tea doesn’t
{ If the ornate top doesn’t suit your fancy, there’s a mean you lived in a palace with marble floors.
no-frills version of the top available online. This sleek This table is happy to accommodate a small
version has an elegance and charm all its own. environment with a top that tilts vertically for
easy storage. And having three legs prevents
the table from rocking on an uneven surface
like those fussy four-legged tables do.
The woodworking challenges of this proj-
ect cover a pretty wide gamut. Out of the gate
you’re going to spend some time at the lathe
making the post that’s the backbone of this
piece. Then you have a quiet task with rasps
and files to form the legs, followed by the mat-
rimonial act of dovetailing the two together.
But you’re not done yet. There’s more time
at the lathe making spindles for the birdcage.
Which isn’t your typical aviary — this one will
constrain the wonderful top you see in all these
photos that pivots up and down as needed.
The top, if you so choose, has a lot of luscious
carving that can be done with a modest trio of
chisels. That’s a full plate by any standards. So
if you’re up for a fun journey, turn the page.

< When not in service, the top of the table can be tilted
vertical. This lets you store the table out of the way, and yet
still be an attractive addition to the room.

Illustrator: Dirk Ver Steeg Woodsmith.com • 35

 a. b.

NOTE: Templates for

post, legs, and
dovetail layout are
available online c.

A
POST
(3!%/16"x 21&/16")
B

B
d. FRONT
SECTION
VIEW
NOTE: Flatten post where
leg shoulders meet B
LEG A
(6!/2"x 17")

NOTE: Post is glued

up from 1"-thick NOTE: Post 1!/8 1!/4
hardwood. Legs are blank needs to be
1!/2"-thick hardwood 4!/2"-square
before turning
1#/8

Turn the POST & shape the LEGS

Turning the post and spindles slots to receive the legs. Not to SETTING UP THE JIG. The jig you
(the spindles are tackled on worry, there’s a jig that will help see in Figure 2 aids in routing
page 39) requires a pattern for you navigate that. the slots for the legs. Align one
each profile. You’ll find full-sized TURN THE BIG DOG. Next, glue up of the marks on the template to
versions online for both at Wood- the blank, trim the corners, the center of the opening for the
smith.com/251. chuck it into the lathe and turn dovetail bit and drive the lock-
The post you see in the draw- the profile (Figure 1 on the next ing screw into the post. After
O in
ng above is larger and features page). But, leave a temporary routing each of the dovetail
E s a few more details than the 3⁄ " stem on the bottom. It’s what
slots, all you have to do is loosen
4
For alternate spindles have. The upper end holds the post in the jig while the screw and rotate the post to
top, dovetail has a stem like the ones on the routing dovetails for the legs. the next mark on the template.
jig, post, and
leg patterns, spindles. But you’ll need to cut DOVETAIL SLOTS. The three dove- MORTISE IN STEM. At the other end
go to:
Woodsmith.com/251 a mortise through it that’s flat tail slots in the lower portion of of the post, drill a series of holes
on the bottom but tapered on the post are 120° apart. There’s to create a slot (Figure 3). Detail
the top (detail ‘d’). a template that helps locate the ‘b,’ shows using a chisel to square
The lower end of the post is position of each leg on the post. the bottom and taper the top.
where things get busy. You’ll Just print it out and use spray That completes the post, now
need to cut three long dovetail adhesive to attach it to the post. you can focus on the legs.

36 • Woodsmith / No. 251

 LEGS Figure 5 shows how
DOVETAILS. Notice how the
SHAPING THE LEG.
To make the legs as strong as to make the dovetails on the legs are thinner at the ankle of
possible, run the grain of the ends of the legs. Rounding the and then wider again at the foot
8/4 leg blank parallel with the contour of the shoulders to fit (Figure 6). When the shaping is
profile of the leg. Cut the angled the post would be a lot of work. done, lightly sand the edges and
shoulder at the table saw. Then It’s easier to flatten the post glue the legs in place. Now it’s
you can cut out the profile of the on either side of the dovetail on to making the parts that rest
leg at the band saw (Figure 4). groove to make a seamless fit. and revolve on this base.

TURNING A POST & SHAPING THE LEGS

a.

1 a. 2 NOTE: Plan for

jig is available
online

A
Locking
screw
NOTE: Turning 14°
curves is dovetail NOTE: Trim tail
the final step bit from post once
slots are routed

Turning Time Rip the corners of the turning Routing the Dovetails. Routing the slots is a two-step process. Once the
blank first, then turn the largest diameter. leg is in place, make a pass with a straight bit to remove most of the waste.
Next, turn the straight portions at the ends. Then, as you see here, make the final pass with the dovetail bit.

3 a. 4 NOTE: Trim
shoulder first

A
Stay to
#/8"-dia. b. waste
side of line
brad point bit

Simple Slot. Drill a series of holes to create Rough Out Leg. Trim the dovetail end first. The
the slot while the post is still in the jig. Then band saw makes short work of roughing out the
use a chisel to taper the top of the slot. leg. Stay just to the waste side of the line as you go.

5 a. 6 Thinner
at ankle
NOTE: Shape legs
B with rasps, files
and sandpaper

B
14°
dovetail
bit

Shaping the Dovetails. The router table is the only way to go when Shapely Legs. Invest in some quiet time at the
forming the dovetail on the leg. To make life wonderful, sneak up on bench with rasps, files, and sandpaper. You’ll be
the final width, testing the fit in the slots of the post as you go. happy with the organic touch it brings to the table.

Woodsmith.com • 37
Now for the BIRDCAGE & BATTENS
Now that the base of the table is bottom plates. The bottom piece TOP & BOTTOM PLATES.Although
finished, you can turn your atten- has a hole in it for the stem of the the body of the two pieces is
tion to the parts that will join the post to pass through. The top has the same size overall, the two
base to the top. The device that two pins that fit into sockets in pins on the top that I men-
brings the two together is histori- the battens, and a stopped hole tioned extend beyond that basic
cally called a birdcage. to register it to the post. Start off dimension. Cut the two pieces
This assembly adds a dynamic by turning the spindles. to size, then turn your attention
level to the table. It allows you SPINDLES FIRST. The decorative to the top plate first (detail ‘c’).
to spin the top in all directions. profile is not as important as ADDING PINS. Figure 1 on the
Also, you’ll be able to tilt the top the length of the spindles (the next page shows how to solve
to 90° to store the piece away pattern is at the top of the next the riddle of adding pins to the
when not in use. page). For the birdcage to oper- top plate. But don’t glue them in
The birdcage consists of six ate properly, the length must just yet, there are more holes to
parts. First, four spindles create be the same. A slightly crooked drill. (These were the most diffi-
the cage effect of the assembly. birdcage will telegraph the error cult holes to drill, so I wanted to
They are glued to the top and and make the top look crooked. have them out of the way first.)

I
BATTEN
(1%/8"x 27")

6!/16 NOTE: Battens

6!/16 are mirror
1#/8 images
I
%/32"-dia.
hole &/32"-dia.
a. TOP PLATE hole
(8"x 8")
D

PIN c.
(#/4"-dia. x 2" dowel)
E

1%/8
1%/16
G TOP
WASHER !#/16"-dia. VIEW
(3!/4"x 3!/4") hole, !/2"
deep on
NOTE: Spindles are underside
made from 1!/4"-thick
hardwood. Plates and battens 1!/2"-dia. 1%/8
are 1"-thick hardwood. Washer hole NOTE: Hole size
is %/8"-thick hardwood. Wedge and location
is #/8"-thick hardwood are the same
on bottom plate
H
WEDGE 1%/8
(1!/4"x 4")

b. SPINDLE
1!/2"-dia. C
(1!/4"x 5")
hole

d.
1!/4 F
&/8
BOTTOM
PLATE
(8"x 8")

SIDE SECTION VIEW

38 • Woodsmith / No. 251

 HOLES. Both pieces have four
through holes. These hold the
stems of the spindles and can be
FRONT VIEW
drilled next. Then drill the large Up C (Full size pattern)
hole in the bottom for the tenon
on the post. Follow this with the
stopped hole on the underside
of the top piece for the top of the
post (detail ‘c’ previous page).
To complete the top plate, you
can glue the pins in place. As for
the bottom plate, dress the edges
as shown in Figure 2. MAKING THE BIRDCAGE
WASHER & WEDGE. The washer
and wedge are the gatekeepers
on how the top turns. The main 1 a.
drawing on the previous page NOTE: Back bit out #/4" Forstner
bit
and detail ‘b’ show these. often to prevent
chips clogging
The washer starts out as a
square blank that you drill a cen-
tered hole for the stem of the post
to pass through. Figure 3 below
tells the rest of the story. D NOTE: Clamp
workpiece
To be more accurate, the to fence
wedge is what controls the turn-
ing of the top. You’re ready to
make that piece now. Make Way for Pins. The drill press armed with a Forstner bit is the way to tackle this
job. Clamp the workpiece to the fence and take your time drilling this hole.
BATTENS
The battens tie the birdcage to 2 a.
the top and serve two purposes.
They hold the top flat and allow
you to tilt it vertically for storage. F
SIZE & SHAPE. The battens are
made from 5/4 stock. Use the
information in detail ‘d’ on the #/4" roundover
previous page to shape the ends bit
of the battens. A jigsaw or band
saw will do this task best.
Sand the curves smooth after- Ease the Edges. Use a large roundover bit in your router table to ease all the edges of
wards. The ends have a subtle the bottom of the birdcage. The top piece doesn’t get this treatment.
radius to soften the look, which
can be done with a disc sander. 3 a.
The mounting holes are next. NOTE: Cut final
First drill the pilot holes, then circular shape
at band saw
the countersinks. Notice that the
outer holes are larger to allow for G

wood movement in the top.

Speaking of the top, you’ll
need to make it before the bat-
tens can be brought into play. As Dado
you see in the main drawing, the blade
battens don’t attach to the bird-
cage per se. So for now set the Slot in the Washer. After drilling the hole in the washer, and before rounding it, cut a
battens aside, turn the page and groove in it at the table saw. The slot is the same thickness as the wedge.
haul out your carving tools.

Woodsmith.com • 39
 NOTE: Make sure grain of top
runs perpendicular to the battens a.
during assembly

Grain

J
TOP
(31"x 31")

b.
#8 x 1!/8"
Fh woodscrew
TRAMMEL
TOP VIEW Catch

!/2
Strike
plate
3"-rad.

13&/8 c.

16!/8 Carving a TOP

As I mentioned in the beginning, with a plunge router, and a 11⁄4”
we’ll focus on the decoratively striaght bit to do this task.
trimmed top, the one that has INNER WALL. You’ll need to use
1!/2"-rad.
a profile resembling a piecrust. the trammel again for this next
Start by gluing up the boards step. Here, you’re going to the steps on the next page, start-
that make up the top. Then trim come close to the inner wall of ing with Figure 2. You’ll want to
the panel square, and draw lines the pie crust pattern (detail ‘c’). keep all of the tools perpendicu-
from corner to corner to locate PATTERN TIME. The pattern that lar to the top as you go through
the center of the panel. you see in Figure 1 on the next the paces of refining the profile.
SLICES OF PIE. Now that you have page is available online at Figure 3 brings back the router
the center of the panel located, Woodsmith.com/251. The center for the initial shape of the under-
further divide the surface into of the pattern aligns to the lines side. As the detail shows, you’re
eight sections, like you see in the you’ve previously drawn. going to extend and soften that
O main drawing above. The tram- Now you can trace the profile chamfer with the trio of tools
E s mel you see in the left margin onto the panel. I’ve found that you used on the outer profile.
comes in handy for the next step using a ballpoint pen gives you FREEHAND ROUTING. Figure 4 shows
For full-size — routing the outer radius of a line that’s easy to see. Then, fill some freehand routing. Sneak-
patterns and the top. Combine the trammel in the radius between the pattern ing up to the profile of the bead,
jigs, go to:
markings with a beam compass. and creating a ledge where
Woodsmith.com/251
} The back bent gouge defines the the cove will start is the task at
crook of the bead. The other two SHAPING & CARVING hand. This is where the inked
help form the top and cove. The box on the next page shows lines pay off in spades.
Mastercarver the milestones along the way THE BASIN. The router and bit
28/6 back in creating the piecrust profile. shown in Figure 5 are used to
bent gouge
Here, I’m going to expand a little remove the excess wood and
bit where it might be needed. create the basin. Don’t bring it
Pfeil Swiss Made SHAPING FIRST. Your allies in this to a finished surface just yet, try-
8/13 straight battle are a quartet of tools — ing to protect that while carving
gouge
rasps, files, carving tools, and is a waste of time.
sandpaper (wrapped around a CARVING LAST. The carving tools
Flexcut dowel for backing). The carving mentioned earlier come into
9/18
straight tools are shown in the photo at play now. The three tools earn
gouge left. The others will be used in their keep here on this project.

40 • Woodsmith / No. 251

CREATING THE PIECRUST TOP
a. a. a.
1 2 3
#/16"
round- #/4
over

#/4 "
Outer pattern round-
over
#/4"
chamfer FRONT VIEW
bit
Pattern Layout. Trace the outer profile Shape the Edge. A jigsaw will remove Round the Edges. The underside takes
of the pattern. Align the pattern to the most of the waste around the edge. several steps. A router bit, followed with
centerlines on the top. Shape the profile with files and rasps. rasps, files and sandpaper.

4 a. 5 a. 6 a.

Rout to
waste side
of line

b.
Back
bent
1!/4" gouge
straight for crook of
bit bead

Inner Edge. A palm router and Rough out the Basin. A straight bit Carving. First, carve the crook of the
straight bit let you nibble away most of in the router lets you shape the basin. bead, then shape the top. Finish by
the waste on the inside edge. Clean it up after carving the bead. shaping the cove beneath the bead.

Figure 6 and its detail shows Materials, Supplies & Cutting Diagram
what I’m talking about. First, the
A Post (1) 315⁄16 x 315⁄16 - 217⁄16 H Wedge (1) 3⁄ x 11⁄ - 4
8 4
crook of the bead is done with a 5
B Legs (3) 11⁄2 x 61⁄2 - 17 I Battens (2) 1 x 1 ⁄8 - 27
28/6 back bent gouge. Second,
C Spindles (4) 11⁄4 x 11⁄4 - 5 J Top (1) 15 ⁄16 x 31 - 31
the top of bead is shaped with
D Top Plate (1) 1 x 8- 8 • (6) #8 x 2” Fh Woodscrews
a 8/13 straight gouge. Third,
E Pins (2) 3⁄ dia, x 2 dowel
4 • (4) #8 x 11⁄8” Fh Woodscrews
the wide cove is created with
F Bottom Plate (1) 1 x 8- 8 • (1) Catch
the gouge just mentioned and a 5⁄ x 31⁄ - 31⁄
G Washer (1) 8 4 4
9/18 Flexcut straight gouge.
When the carving is done and
sanded, you can smooth the 1"x 6"- 72 " Mahogany (Two Boards @ 3.8 Bd. Ft. Each)
basin surface in preparation for D
J J
finish. Then attach the top to the
battens. Installing the hardware
completes the work. Install the 1"x 6"- 96" Mahogany (Two Boards @ 5.0 Bd. Ft. Each) I I H
catch first to locate the strike
J A A F
plate that you’ll mortise into the
top edge of the birdcage. G
All this effort pays off when 1 !/2"x 6#/4"- 72" Mahogany (6.8 Bd. Ft.)
the stain and finish are dry, and C C
the table is in place. It will look B B B

like its been a member of the

family for generations. W

Woodsmith.com • 41
 FINE TOOL
Project

42 • Woodsmith / No. 251 Written and Designed by: Logan Wittmer

 Miter
Plane
This English miter plane is
a nod and a tribute to the
work of English plane
maker Bill Carter.

{ The secret to why an English miter plane works so well

is the tight mouth. With the blade fully extended, there’s
just barely enough room for a whispy shaving to pass.
A number of years ago, I came upon the
work of a plane maker, Bill Carter. Bill
has been making handplanes based on traditional
English planes for the better part of four decades.
Every plane he makes is built by hand and is cre-
ated in his garden shed.
MINI PLANES. Now, I have a bit of a confession.
Unbeknownst to my wife, I started stashing away
money so that I could buy one of Bill’s little planes.
So, a few years ago I purchased one of Bill’s minia-
ture boxwood smoothers. And what a plane it is.
The workmanship is unreal.
Unfortunately, that boxwood smoother made
me long for one of Bill’s signature miniature miter
planes, but they carry a robust price tag (worth the
price, in my opinion). However, Bill, being the gen-
tleman he is, has posted videos of his entire plane-
making process on his website (see page 49). So, I
decided to try my hand at building a couple and
you can see the results here.
ENGLISH MITER PLANE. If you’ve never seen an English
miter plane before, you’ll notice a few things about
it. First, the bed angle is low — usually between
17°-25°. Second, it’s a fine-tuning plane and takes
{ Bill Carter has been known for his use of the decorative detail called a a thin shaving — really excelling on hard, dense
Cupid’s bow. Bill often uses it on the bridge, as shown here, as well as in woods and end grain. And while they can be
other parts of the plane — even around the dovetails on the sole. wood-bodied, most are metal. So, turn the page as
I walk you through an overview of Bill’s process
for making one of these little beauties.

Illustrator: Dirk Ver Steeg Woodsmith.com • 43

 B FRONT
BRIDGE (1!!/32"x 1#/4")
(1%/8"x 1#/4") C
!/4
C
NOTE: Heel can be 85°
cut away before FRONT VIEW
or after bending
NOTE: Tenons are
NOTE: Dovetails extra long to
and mortises allow for peening
are cut before
bending the body
&/32

NOTE: Body receives pins

and the sole will have tails.
After filing a double-dovetail, !/4
all will appear to be tails
B

FRONT VIEW
&/32

#/16
NOTE: Body and
Front are made from
!/8"-thick bronze
or brass. Bridge
is #/16"-thick bronze
or brass
A a.
BODY
(1%/8"x 13&/16")

The BODY First

For this plane, I chose to use to lay out the pins and bed angle tails, make vertical kerfs leaving
one of Bill’s favorite materi- on the body. Make sure to scribe about 1⁄16" of waste. Then, use
als — bronze. Bronze peens these fairly hard so you can see a cold chisel to work the metal
and bends beautifully, but it’s a them. I used a black marker to back and forth until it breaks free.
little tougher to cut than brass. color the bronze so the layout With all the waste gone, file to the
I would suggest making your lines were easily visible. jaws and baseline. Cut all of the
first one out of brass before tack- With that done, you can fol- dovetails along the bottom edge
l ng the more difficult bronze.
lin low the steps on the next page and the front of the body. As a
O A CURVED BODY. As you can see in to cut the dovetails. In short, side note, it’s better to have extra
E s
th
he drawing above, the plane position the side in a machinist length on the dovetails for peen-
body is one piece of metal with vise with the layout line flush ing, rather than too short and not
For a video on
creating the a dovetailed front and a bridge with the jaws. This will act like having enough material.
cupid’s bow,
go to:
attached to the sides with mor- a stop for filing and sawing. Cut BRIDGE. The bridge is up next.
Woodsmith.com/251 tises and tenons. the dovetails using a hacksaw This holds the wedge against the
Start with a piece of flat stock with a fine-tooth blade (32tpi). blade. Start by cutting the blank
and use the dimensions below To remove the area between the to size and cutting the tenons

!/4 %/16
27°
&/32
A
FRONT VIEW
1

(/32

!!/32 &/8 #/16

2&/16 1 Outside face
4&/32 1

7° bevel

44 • Woodsmith / No. 251

on the edge the same way you video on creating this elegant Check to see if the faces are still
did the dovetails. Transfer the detail, visit woodsmith.com/251. coplanar (details 6a and 6b) and
tenon locations to the body of BEND THE BODY. Now, you can twist it to correct any variance.
the plane and drill pilot holes to bend the body. Create a wood Finally, spread the body
form the mortises. Then, using a blank to use as a bending form. slightly and insert the bridge into
needle file, file the holes square. Pinch the body in your machin- the mortises. The final portion of
CUPID’S BOW. The decorative ist vise, as seen in Figure 6. Make the body to cut is the front and
Cupid’s bow on the front edge sure everything’s straight and transfer the front dovetail to it.
has become Bill’s trademark. aligned here. Bend the body Cut the shoulder first, then the
He’s included them all over on around the form. There will be cheek and file down to the base-
planes, and has gone as far as some spring back, so I found line. Make sure that the inside
to even add it onto the edges that removing the form and dimension of the front and the
of some of his dovetails. For a over bending it a little helped. bridge are the same.

MAKING A BODY
1 2 Waste
Cold a.
chisel

Tenons are square,

Dovetails are cut
at 7°
B

B Baseline

Cut Dovetails. Use a fine-tooth blade to cut the Punch the Waste. Use a cold chisel or pin punch to work the waste
dovetails. Stay just shy of your layout line, and make left and right until you can punch it out from the body. Brass will
a series of vertical cuts in the waste section. break cleanly, but bronze will be a little “stickier.”

3 NOTE: Run the safe

edge of file against
4 V-notch is slightly
deeper than round a.
the tenon details 45°

To the Baseline. Align the baseline with the jaws Cupid’s Bow. File the front of the bridge to 45°. Then, use a triangle
on your vise and file down the ridges left from the file to cut the center of the Cupid’s bow. Next, use a rat tail file to
waste until you’ve just touched the line. create the curved detail before blending the shape together.
a. Check body for flatness
5 6 Bend both
sides at
once with
even
pressure SIDE VIEW

Align top of bridge

flush with the top of b.
the plane body

Transfer Mortises. Use the tenons on the bridge to Bending. Carefully align the centerline of the
mark the mortise locations, then drill them out and body with a centerline on the die and clamp it in place. Then, bend
use a tiny file to create the square mortise. both sides of the plane until they’re parallel to each other.

Woodsmith.com • 45
 1 2!/2

NOTE: Soles are made

from #/16" bronze #/64 @(/32"-rad.
#/16
TOP VIEW

#/16 ##/64
!/8
!/4

NOTE: !!/16 85° 1 !/2

All metal
D parts are
REAR SOLE finished with
(1#/4"x 4@&/32") metal aging solution !/2 &/8 1
and black shoe polish
NOTE: Dimensions
are shown for reference.
Transfer dovetails
from body !/32 %/16
1#/8"-rad.

#/16 TOP VIEW

E &/32
A little bit of SOLE FRONT SOLE
(1#/4"x 2#/8")

85°
In my experience, the sole is TONGUE & GROOVE. Now the two
the most important part of the sole parts need to be rejoined.
plane. It sets the mouth of the This is done with a tongue and
plane and ultimately how well groove. Lay out the position of a.
the plane will work. This plane the tongue and groove. Then, cut
has a slightly thicker sole, and the groove in the rear sole using
it’s made in two parts. a hack saw. The groove is the
CUT IT IN TWO. The sole starts by width of the hacksaw blade.
cutting a piece of stock to length With the groove cut, position
and then cutting the front and the front sole in the vise. Cut
rear part of the sole apart. Use the tongue by laying the hack- can form the mouth. This is done
a file to square up the cut ends. saw horizontal on the vise jaw by filing away a portion of the
Then, you’ll lay out the angled and cutting the shoulders away, front sole at a slight angle (Fig-
bed of the plane. Set the sole at forming a tongue. Test the fit of ure 2 below). The goal here is
an angle in your vise and make the two halves. The tongue and to leave a thin, tight mouth that
small kerf cuts like before. Then, groove should seat together fully. leaves just enough room for the
punch away the waste and file You can use a thin file to fine-tune blade and a shaving.
it smooth, as you see in Figure the groove and the tongue until DOVETAILS AGAIN. At this point,
1. The bed tapers to almost a they fit together nicely. you can transfer the dovetails
feather edge, but it’s left slightly THE MOUTH. Once the front and from the body to the sole and
blunt to help keep it strong. the rear sole click together, you cut them (Figure 3). Again, file

MAKING A BODY
a. a.
1 2
D

Leave small Mouth filed

flat on end back then
of bed filed at angle

File the Bed. File the bed on the sole down to a 20° Front Mouth. Use a file to create a bevel on the front sole, and
angle, taking care to not widen the bed past the dovetails. file away a small amount of material to form a narrow mouth.

46 • Woodsmith / No. 251

 SIDE SECTION VIEW (Full-Sized Patterns)

Heel cut away

to fit into body

down to the baseline and test

NOTE: Infills are
the fit. You want the sole to drop 2"-thick hardwood
FRONT INFILL
into place on the upside down (1!/2"x 1!(/32")
body. There is also a mortise to G

cut on the rear of the sole.

Take some time with a triangle F
file and create a slight flare on REAR INFILL
(1!/2"x 4#/32")
each dovetail opening (Figure 3).
This “double-dovetail” creates a
wedge shape that keeps the metal
locked together after peening.

THE INFILLS
Before you peen anything, you’ll
want to lay out the infills. The rear
infill is the blade bed and aligns
with the angled bed on the sole. the curve to land right in front of HAMMER The peening
TIME.
The front directs shavings out of the mouth (see drawing above). is straightforward. Start by
the plane (as well as provides a The shape is traditionally what’s peening the dovetails around
resting spot for your hand). found on English miter planes. the mouth — aim your blows
REAR INFILL. Transfer the rear infill Again, I cut this with a coping to force the two sole pieces
shape to your stock by tracing saw, and used my dovetail saw together. Then, work around
the inside of the body. In the to create the small shoulder on the remainder of the dovetails.
spirit of Mr. Carter, I cut this the top. To smooth everything Don’t forget the front dove-
with a coping saw. To flatten and out and refine the edge, I used tail and bridge tenons as well.
smooth the bed on the rear infill, Bill’s blunt chisel trick (more on After everything’s peened, file
I used a rasp and my jack plane. that later). Once the infills look the mushroomed metal away.
FRONT INFILL. The front infill is a lit- good, you can get out your ball- Then, sand the entire body and
tle trickier — you’re looking for peen hammer. sole to 220-grit.

a.

a.
3 4

b.

Flare outside
of dovetails Peen against
anvil or steel
plate

Double Dovetails. Remove the outside corner of each Peening. Peen the dovetails and tenons. Then, file some of the
dovetail and mortise to allow the material room to expand. mushroomed metal away and peen again as necessary.

Woodsmith.com • 47
 Nib on iron is used FRONT VIEW
to adjust blade depth (Full size)
by tapping with a hammer

a.
NOTE: Wedge is 1"-thick
hardwood. Blade and nib
are O1 tool steel

WEDGE
(1!/2"x 4#/8")
NOTE: Wedge is a H
snug fit in body.
Iron has !/16" of play
side to side
d.

SIDE
SECTION
VIEW

NOTE: All wood

parts are finished with
Peacock Oil before b. !/16
epoxying into the body. TOP VIEW
See Sources on page 67 #/8
for ordering info

#/16"-dia. #/8 c.
!/2

#/8

The BLADE & WEDGE

One of the (many) interesting drill two holes for steel pins and the most tedious part — cutting,
things that Bill does is use vin- chamfer the holes. Peen the steel sanding, filing, checking, and
tage laminated irons in his planes. pins in place and then file the re-sanding and filing the wedge
Here in the USA, those are harder pins flat. I ground the rear of the until it’s the proper fit. You want
to come by. So, I decided to make blade into a half-octagon shape it snug side-to-side, and able to
my blade. The style I chose is a and beveled the edge — just to lock the blade in position.
traditional design with a nib on soften the look and feel. I finished TUNE IT UP. Now with the plane
the back for making blade adjust- the blade with a little gun bluing. assembled, it’s time to tune it and
ments with a hammer. NOW THE WEDGE. The wedge is the get it working. Start by flatten-
O1 TOOL STEEL. The blade is made final thing to knock out. This ing the sole on some sandpaper.
O fro
om O1 tool steel and is cut to is cut from (usually) the same Next, remove the blade and
E s length with a bevel ground on hardwood as the infills. The wedge and sight down the bed.
For details on one end. To harden the bevel, shaping is done with a coping You should be able to see light
making the
blade and the
heat it to red-hot with a torch (as saw, but final smoothing is done through the mouth. If you can’t,
blunt chisel soon as a magnet doesn’t stick with a blunt chisel. Yes, really. remove the high spots. Then, as a
go to:
Woodsmith.com/250 to it, you’re at the right temper- It’s a tip that I picked up from last check, see if the blade is com-
ature) and quench it in oil. An one of Bill’s videos, and I have a ing through the mouth. If it isn’t,
hour in a 450° oven tempers it. video of it on woodsmith.com/251. open the mouth up slightly. You
Adding the nib is straightfor- Try it out, and you’ll be amazed. want this to be as tight as pos-
ward. Cut a second piece of O1 When working on the wedge, sible while still letting the blade
and clamp it to the blade. Then, you want it tight. This might be and shaving to come through.

48 • Woodsmith / No. 251

 FINAL THOUGHTS. As I reach the of his videos. Between him and Materials & Supplies
end of this project, I know his wife Sarah, they’ve filmed 1⁄ bronze x 15⁄ - 137⁄
A Body (1) 8 8 16
there’s a thousand tips, tricks, the entire process of building of 3 5 3
B Bridge (1) ⁄16 bronze x 1 ⁄8 - 1 ⁄4
and techniques that I picked a plane from the design to the 1
C Front (1) ⁄8 bronze x 111⁄32 - 13⁄4
up from Bill that helped me final finishing. 3⁄ bronze x 13⁄ - 427⁄
D Rear Sole (1) 16 4 32
building these planes. But I’m I would dare to say that Bill has 3⁄ bronze x 13⁄ - 23⁄
E Front Sole (1) 16 4 8
simply out of space to include more planemaking knowledge
F Rear Infill (1) 2 - 11⁄2 43⁄32
all of them. than anyone alive, and much
G Front Infill (1) 2 - 11⁄2 x 119⁄32
However, if you’re wanting to more than I could pack into an
H Wedge (1) 1 - 11⁄2 x 43⁄8
build one of these beautiful little entire year of Woodsmith. If you
• (1) 1⁄8 x 11⁄2 x 12" O1 tool steel
planes, the absolute best piece of do go watch and learn from Bill,
• (2) 1⁄8-dia. x 1⁄2 steel pins
advice I can give you is to go to as I have, I’m certain he’ll quite
*Note: Total amount of metal needed is 10" of 3⁄16"-
Bill’s website (listed below) and quickly become your favorite
thick stock and 16" of 1⁄8”-thick stock
his YouTube channel. Watch all plane maker. W

Some of Bill’s
MINIATURE PLANES.
first metal planes were minia-
ture miter planes made from
the brass back of rusted tenon
saws. Since then, Bill has made
metal and wood-bodied planes
ranging from full sized jointers
(as seen below) to miniature,
1"-long wooden smoothers.
AGED PLANES. One of the many
notable things about Bill’s
planes is his aging technique.
Being an avid tool collector, Bill
likes to age his planes using var-
Bill served his apprenticeship ious techniques to give them a
as a carpenter and joiner. After vintage feel. This often includes
making his first plane in the multiple maker mark stamps, { Most of Bill’s planes make liberal use of the decorative
1970s, he stepped into full-time chemical aging, and general Cupid’s bow. Here, you can see it along the top edge of
planemaking in 1987. By his esti- patina work. To learn more the plane, as well as the dovetailed sole.
mation, he’s made over 1,000 about Bill’s process and to view
and still going strong. During his past and present work, visit {
the summer months, Bill can still his website: Bill has built a handful of jointers, including this bronze
be found making planes in his Billcarterwoodworkingplane- and elm burr jointer. A special thanks to Bill and Sarah
garden shed. maker.co.uk Carter for supplying photos.

{ As an avid collector of vintage tools, Bill often takes

design cues from vintage tool makers. He also will
restore vintage planes with new parts, such as this
lovely boxwood stuffed bronze plane.

Woodsmith.com • 49
 SHOP
Project

{ Shaker pegs with a clear finish add to the style but { A row of five drawers makes it easy to organize 5"
more importantly serve the practical purpose of sanding discs in a range of grits. The drawers keep
holding sanding belts or sandpaper rolls. the hook and loop backing dust-free.

50 • Woodsmith / No. 251 Written by: Phil Huber; Project Design: Dillon Baker
 Sander
Station
In an easy weekend, you
can build an attractive
storage solution for all your
power sanding gear.

A place for everything, and everything in

its place.” This classic Benjamin Franklin
proverb offers an alternative to the comfortable
chaos that reigns in many workshops — includ-
ing my own. This pithy saying has a lot to do with
this project. One of the goals I have for my shop is
to organize tools and supplies so they’re not only
contained but also that the shop space is inviting.
Let’s look at the organizing part first. This com-
pact wall shelf is designed to keep power sanders
and associated gear all in one place. Power sanders
tend to be dusty tools, so an open shelf works bet-
ter than a box or enclosed space.
The shelf accommodates both random orbit and
belt sanders along with a sanding block or two. It
has a cork lining that resists abrasion from sanding
discs. Below the shelf is a row of shallow drawers
to hold all the discs you could need. Up above,
there’s a rail with pegs for hanging sanding belts,
or even rolls of adhesive-backed sandpaper.
After a recent shop cart project, designer Dillon
Baker has been on a bit of a Shaker kick. You can
see the inspiration here: pegs and knobs, curved
sides, and back rail. Even the paint color recalls the
Shakers. To simplify construction, all the parts are
made from 1⁄2" plywood. Thinner plywood lightens
{ Insetting an adhesive-backed cork liner on the top creates a cushioned the look of the shelf. This also keeps the overall
landing zone for your power sanders to avoid marring the paint on the project cost down, too. Organization, thriftiness,
shelf. It also makes a nice visual contrast. and a simple design, I think Ben would approve.

Illustrations: Bob Zimmerman Woodsmith.com • 51

 !/2 !/2
a.

NOTE: Left and 1!/2" 2!/2

right sides are -rad.
mirrored

8"-rad.

A
SIDE
(8"x 15"- !/2"Ply.)
A Use a bit that matches
plywood thickness
!/2 1!/2"-rad.

1!/2
!/2 Waste

!/4

Curved plywood SIDES

This shelf shares a lot of con- profile. However, it’s a good like this at the router table with
struction similarities with a more idea to form the joinery details a straight bit, as shown in the
typical wall cabinet: two sides while the sides are still square drawing and detail above.
joined with a top and bottom. plywood pieces. This approach The one caution is making
This is all pretty familiar terrain preserves long, square refer- sure the width of the bit closely
from a woodworking perspec- ence edges for use with either a matches the thickness of the
tive. All the parts anchor into the router table or table saw. plywood. Plywood usually mea-
sides. So that’s where we’ll begin A rabbet on the lower edge sures a little less than its stated
the construction process. accepts the bottom of the shelf. A thickness. I have a set of bits that
JOINERY FIRST. The drawing above short distance up, a dado holds are slightly undersized and this
shows the final condition of the top. It’s personal preference, does the trick. It’s always a good
the sides, including the curved but I prefer to tackle joinery idea to measure the plywood
before getting started.
The dado and rabbet are shal-
CUTTING OUT THE SIDES low enough to cut in a single
pass. If you hold a backer board
against the trailing edge of the
1 workpiece, you can minimize
tearout. The result is a flat, crisp
dado and rabbet ready to accept
the mating parts.
One final note. The sides are
A
mirror images. So label the parts
Cut just Waste to create a left and right side.
outside the HAND CUT NOTCH. Along the back
layout line
edge of the sides, you can see a
notch that serves as a mounting
point for the hanging rail. For a
Cut the Profile. Although a band saw efficiently cuts curves, you still have blade detail like this, I like to lay out
marks to remove — as well as any errant wandering. So I like to cut on the waste side the lines with pencil and make
of the layout line. Then you can use the line as a guide while smoothing. two cuts with a hand saw. Yup
— even in plywood. If that isn’t

52 • Woodsmith / No. 251

 a.
!/2"x !/4" dadoes

FRONT VIEW

6#/8 6!/8 6!/8

TOP
!/2 VIEW

B Cork liner
(33!/8"x 5!/4"x !/8")
SHELF/BOTTOM
(33!/8"x 8")

C b.
DRAWER DIVIDER
(8"x 2")

NOTE: Shelf, bottom,

and dividers are !/2" plywood

your style, a band saw or jigsaw files and sandpaper so that they Creating the dadoes is famil-
work well, too. Clamp the two match each other. iar. The important part is spacing
sides together in order to make the dadoes evenly. In addition to
the cuts at the same time and to BOTTOM & SHELF appearance, taking care to space
ensure consistency. The long shelf and bottom are the dadoes accurately means that
MAKE IT PRETTY. At last, it’s time the next items on the list to make. the drawers will all be the same
to lay out and cut the profile on Nothing too difficult here. The size. And that can prevent head-
the sides. I use a band saw for parts are cut to identical size, as aches down the road.
this kind of task, as you can see shown in the drawing above. A CORK PAD. The shelf requires one
in the box on the bottom of the series of dadoes are cut in the other detail — a cork pad inlaid
previous page. lower face of the shelf and the in the shelf (detail ‘b’). The box
After cutting, I attach the sides upper face of the bottom. These below shows how to make this
to each other with double-sided hold dividers for the drawers, as groove at the table saw with a
tape. Then fair the curves with you can see in detail ‘a.’ dado blade. The same principle
can be applied to do it at the
router table as well. The cork is
SHALLOW GROOVE adhesive backed and can be cut
and installed (refer to Sources
on page 66).
ASSEMBLY. Grab the glue bottle
Rip fence
and a few clamps. It’s time to
B
Flip piece assemble the sides, shelf, and
between passes bottom. Once the project is in
clamps and you’ve calmed
down from the frenzy, you
Dado Waste can measure for the final size
blade
(length) of the drawer dividers.
Apply a bit of glue to the front
Really Wide Groove. Roughly center the dado blade on the of each dado and slide the divid-
shelf. Make a pass, then flip it around and repeat. Adjust the rip ers into place. The front edges
fence and make more passes until the cork fits in place. should be flush. Then allow the
glue to dry for a few hours.

Woodsmith.com • 53
Installing the TOP RAIL
The main part of the shelf is com- on the lower edge. Detail ‘a’ row of evenly spaced holes that
plete and so it’s on to the final shows the dimensions. accept the stem of Shaker-style
details and storage features of A band saw or jigsaw are the pegs. The ones I used require a
the project. We’ll look at the two tools I usually think of when 1
⁄2"-dia. hole. Again, the dimen-
top rail and then the drawers. making these cuts. In either case, sions for locating the holes
In keeping with the rest of the blade marks and any inconsis- appear in detail ‘a.’
project, these additions contain tensies in following the layout The other holes you can drill
recognizable steps. line have to be addressed. I are countersunk shank holes for
TOP RAIL. Let’s begin with the usually start with a coarse file attaching the rail to the sides.
rail. This fits into the notches on to work up to the lines, then The countersink is on the back
the upper back of the sides, as switch to a sanding block to cre- face (detail ‘b’).
you can see in detail ‘b’ below. ate smooth edges. If you have Clamp the rail in position on
The rail is made from plywood, an edge sander, will satisfy the the assembled shelf and use
just like the other parts. speed and power tool itch you the shank holes as a guide for
The ends of the rail extend may crave. drilling pilot holes in the sides.
beyond the sides to improve the DRILL SOME HOLES. Time to step Then take care when installing
appearance of the shelf. These over to the drill press and knock the screws. Since you’re driv-
extensions have a radius shaped out a few holes. First, up are a ing them into the edge grain

a.

TOP RAIL
(2!/2"x 38!/8")
D

NOTE: Pegs and shelf are finished

before gluing pegs into holes
3!/2" Shaker peg

NOTE: Top rail

b. is !/2" plywood

54 • Woodsmith / No. 251

 NOTE: Front, back
and sides are
all !/2" plywood
E
of plywood, there is the risk of F
splitting the workpiece. I can NOTE: Front,
be a little nervous about this, so and back G
have !/4" x !/2" DRAWER BOTTOM
I squeeze a handscrew clamp rabbets (5%/8"x 7"- !/8"Hdbd.)
on the piece that receives the
screws, which prevents a split
%/8"-dia.
from forming. mushroom
knob E
FRONT/BACK NOTE: !/8" x !/2" F
BUILDING SMALL DRAWERS (1!/2"x 6!/8") rabbet for drawer SIDE
The five drawers are all you bottom created after (1!/2"x 7")
assembly
have left to make. The construc-
tion is shown in the drawing at
right. These are meant to hold 5"
sanding discs. So honestly, these routed in the lower edge of the and easy to apply. Plus, it evens
drawers won’t see much stress. box, as you can see in Figure out the look of the plywood Attach small drawer
This also allows you to use join- 2. The rabbeting bit can’t reach without having to glue solid- stops to the back
of the case to ensure
ery methods that are appropriate into the corners, so you’ll need wood edging to all the parts. drawer fronts align
for the intended use. to finish those up with a chisel To keep the plywood edges flush with the front
of the case
RABBETS IN THE CORNER. The front by hand (Figure 2a). from showing, sand the piece
and back are joined to the sides DRAWER STOPS. The drawers thoroughly. Two coats of paint NOTE: Drawer stops
are !/2" plywood
with rabbets, as illustrated in are meant to be flush with the should do the trick. The drawer
Figure 1 below. As before, a front of the shelf. So I cut small knobs and Shaker pegs just need
straight bit in the router table drawer stops and glued them to a couple coats of gel var-
creates crisp cuts. the bottom from the back. This nish. Attach the shelf to
From here, the drawer boxes way any variation in the drawer the wall by driving
can be glued up. To maximize the won’t affect the appearance. screws through the top
interior space of the drawer, the PAINT & FINISH. Paint makes a rail into wall studs. Then H
bottom fits into another rabbet great shop finish. It’s durable it’s time to organize. W DRAWER STOP
(!/2"x 6!/8")

CUTTING DRAWER RABBETS

1 2 a.

Aux. miter
gauge fence
E
!/2" straight bit,
raised !/4"

Join the Corners. Use a straight bit in the router table Around the Bottom. A bearing-guided rabbeting bit creates the
to form rabbets in the front and back. Control chipout recess for the drawer bottom. The bit height matches the thickness of
with an auxiliary fence attached to a miter gauge. the 1⁄8" hardboard used to make the bottom.

Woodsmith.com • 55
WORKING
with Tools

Leather Working
Tools for the
Woodworker
< A quick look
around the shop is
all it takes to come
I ’m always looking for ways
to upgrade my woodwork-
ing. One unique option is to use
leather. The leather can comple-
woodworking, it often starts
with cutting parts to size. And
while there are specialized
leather cutting tools, basic items,
up with a few key ment the project, such as using like the ones shown at left, will
items for cutting it for a drawer liner, or you can do just fine. Plus, you’re likely to
leather to size, as create a standalone leather proj- have them hanging around the
you can see here. ect like a chisel case. shop already.
Like most hobbies, leather- UTILITY KNIFE. For the basic sizing
working requires some special and general trimming I do, a
tools. And the sky’s the limit simple utility knife works great
when it comes to tools and prices, for leather. I prefer ones with
but getting started doesn’t have retractable or folding blades.
to break the bank when it comes This way, I don’t have to worry
to the basics. Many of the tools about catching myself on the
you already use in your wood- blade if it’s laying on the bench.
working will do just fine. The key with using a utility
knife is making sure you start
CUTTING any new project with a fresh
Creating parts in leatherwork- blade. And any time you feel it
ing isn’t all that different than “dragging” during a cut, switch

56 • Woodsmith / No. 251 Written by: Bryan Nelson

 { To avoid cutting into a pattern, use a scratch awl to trace the { Keeping a straightedge on many of your leather parts is the key
shape onto the leather. Then, you can make your cuts using the to great results. A sharp knife, a straightedge for guidance, and a
marks as a guide. cutting mat to protect your benchtop will get you off to fine start.

to a new one. Blades are cheap straightedge and size parts. In a pattern, a scratch awl is the tool
and help save time and provide pinch, a scrap of plywood will of choice, as shown at left above.
better results. A new blade helps work. Once one side gets cut After tracing around the pattern
avoid torn or rough edges, which up, simply flip it over and use with an awl, the tools detailed
don’t look nice and are harder to the other side. earlier will allow you to make
finish later in the process. GUIDES & PATTERNS. While many the cuts you need.
CURVES & DETAILS. For finer cuts leather cuts can be made
and tighter turns, I switch to freehand, I prefer to use a ASSEMBLY
an X-Acto knife. I like the #2 straigthtedge to guide my knife Most leather projects are
size. The blade is more flex- as much as possible. I use a stitched together, and I’ll get
ible so you’ll need to pay a bit Starrett aluminum model for into the tools you need for that
more attention during the cut long cuts and simple steel rules task in a little while. But before
to keep the cut edges of the for shorter needs. you can lay out and stitch things
leather square. Like woodworking, square up, you’ll need to assemble and
MATS. Any time I make a cut, cuts are important in leather. A hold the parts together.
I use a cutting mat underneath square, like the one shown on GLUE. While you could use the
my leather, like the one you the previous page at the lower wood glue you already have in
see in the photo above. It not left, comes in handy. your shop, it can be a bit chal-
only protects your benchtop Many leather projects start lenging to position and clamp
but many cutting mats have a out with patterns. To mark pieces together while they dry.
grid you can use to help align a out your leather pieces using a The nice thing is you might
already have what you need in
your shop — contact cement.
Contact cement eliminates the
need to clamp things together
and waiting for the glue to dry.
Joining two pieces of leather
is just a matter of applying a
narrow strip of cement near
the edge of the inside face of
the two mating pieces, like
you see in the photo at left. Of
course, you do need to wait
for the cement to set up, but
that doesn’t take long. Then,
align the edges and press them
together. Gently hammering
{ Once your parts are sized, you’ll need to join them. The solution that I find along the edge ensures a good
best is to use ordinary contact cement, like you see above. It dries fast, bond for the next step, laying
holds securely, and gets you back to work quicker. out and stitching parts together.

Woodsmith.com • 57
 Gum Tragacanth
for burnishing
edges
} The basic tools and supplies for
Dead-blow mallet
stitching and finishing your leather
projects are simple and inexpensive.
Hard rubber
mat

Edger

Waxed thread Dividers

and heavy needles

Stitching
chisel
Burnisher

STITCHING Just rest it along the layout line great shape.

Joining the leather with stitches you’ve created and use a mallet Holding the
NEEDLES & THREAD.
is the key to a great-looking, to punch through the leather. leather together is the job of the
long-lasting project. You can see I use a rawhide mallet, but a thread and the saddle stitch cre-
a few of the tools you’ll need for deadblow mallet works just as ated by using a pair of needles.
this task in the photo above. well and you probably already Leather sewing needles are a bit
DIVIDERS. Stitches are what have one in your shop. When heavier and blunter than a tra-
make leather projects stand you come to curves, a chisel ditional sewing needle.
out. So laying them out isn’t with fewer prongs (or even just Leather working thread comes
something to leave to chance. one) allows you to follow the in wide range of types, weights,
My tool of choice is a simple curve or arc smoothly. and colors. I like waxed polyes-
pair of dividers, like you see in You’ll need a solid surface ter thread. I choose the weight
the photo at the lower left. The under your leather as you work to complement the size of the
dividers make it easy to scribe with the chisel. But you don’t project and the leather I’m using.
straight or curved lines a consis- want the surface to damage the STITCHING PONY. Since you’re
tent distance from an edge. chisel points, so I use a hard rub- working with a pair of needles,
CREATING HOLES. Once the layout is ber mat. You can see the type of holding them and the leather
complete, you’re ready to create mat I use in the photo above. you’re sewing can be a bit of
the holes using a stitching chisel, A scrap piece of leather under- a challenge, that’s where a
as in the lower right photo. neath helps keep the prongs in stitching pony comes in handy
(upper left photo, next page).
A pony is just a mechanism for
allowing you to quickly clamp
and unclamp your work with-
out having to fiddle around.
You can buy one or make your
own using the plans at wood-
smith.com/251.

FINISHING
With the pieces stitched together,
you’re ready to prepare the edges
for the final step. And that’s to
give them a final finish.
{ One leg guides the pair of dividers along { Use a mallet and stitching chisel to make quick EDGING. You’ll start by using
the edge of the leather while the other work of forming the holes for the thread by an edger to remove the sharp
scribes the stitching line. following your layout lines. corners along all the edges.

58 • Woodsmith / No. 251

{ A stitching pony secures your leather and positions it { After easing the corners with an edger (inset), rub
at a comfortable working height while create the stitch some gum tragancanth along the edge and then run a
using a pair of needles and thread. slicker back and forth to burnish the edge.

This prevents the edges from upper right photo. As you rub the slicker back and forth. Finish-
“mushrooming” when you the slicker back and forth, the ing is the key to a great-looking
begin burnishing, which gives friction created compresses and project, so expect to spend some
the edge that smooth, shiny look. smooths the fibers. time on this step.
Edgers come in different sizes Although you can burnish raw As you expand your leather-
and work like a chisel or plane leather with just a bit of water working, you’ll find many more O
to soften the edge. (See the inset along the edge, you’ll get bet- tools and techniques to improve
E s
photo at the upper right.) ter results by treating the edge your skills and the results you
For free
You’ll follow up the edging with gum tragacanth first (main get. What I covered here is just Stitching Pony
with a slicker for the actual bur- photo, previous page). Just apply the start, so grab some tools and plans, go to:
nishing. You can see this in the it along the edge and then run get started! W Woodsmith.com/251

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Woodsmith.com • 59
 ALL
About

Working With
a Sawyer

W hen it comes to woodworking, one of

the things that drew me in immedi-
atley was the material that we work with. Our
medium grows all around us and each tree has its
own story to tell. No two trees are the same, and
it’s something akin to a treasure hunt when you
a cut into a log. You never know what you’ll find.
In recent years, I’ve noticed the number of
people that are interested in milling their own
lumber has gone through the roof. Here, I want
to walk you through my experiences sawing on
my own mill, and what you can expect if you
hire a sawyer to cut your logs.

60 • Woodsmith / No. 251 Written by: Logan Wittmer

 WHY MILL? arborists because you’ll
There are many different rea- have a short window to get
sons that someone may decide logs out of a pile (picture
to mill their own lumber. Most at right) before the entire
people just hate seeing a per- stack gets doused in diesel
fectly good tree get chopped and burned.
into firewood or ground into
mulch. Saving a log and hav- GO FIGURE!
ing it sawn yields cheap lumber, Now let’s talk about the
and you can even make a little logs and what will yield
extra money from selling lum- good lumber. Usually, I
ber or sawing for other people. look for logs 16"-30" in
PROCURING LOGS. If hiring a mill diameter. I can fit 36" logs
(or milling your own lumber) on my mill, but I find mov-
is appealing, the next logical ing that size of log by hand
question is where to get the logs is unwieldy. Check with
from? Mainly, I’ve found three your sawyer and see what
main log sources. If you have the limitations of the logs
your own land, that’s a logical they can handle are, both
first choice. But probably my in length and cut width.
best source for logs comes in Don’t feel like you have
the form of arborists and land to find arrow-straight logs
developers. Arborists are taking either. Some of the most { Salvaging logs from land developers usually means chains, sweat, a
trees down daily. In my experi- interesting pieces of lum- winch, and some hard work. However, if you’re willing to dig through a
ence, if you stop and ask them if ber I’ve milled have crotch log pile, you’ll come across some of the most beautiful timber anywhere.
you can have a log from a tree sections (photo below).
they’re removing, they’re almost Even curved, twisted, or just PORTABLE MILLS
always willing to let you have it. plain ugly logs are worth grab- Once you’ve collected (that’s
Likewise, land clearing compa- bing. Most commercial mills will what I call it when my wife
nies often remove timber to make pass over these type of logs (they asks) a pile of logs, it’s time to
room for buildings. While these would make low-grade lumber), get them sawn. A quick online
can be good, I’ve found that these but they yield some beautiful- search of local portable saw-
can be more hit-or-miss than looking boards. mills will usually yield good
results. That was always my
process until I purchased my
mill (that’s one for a future
article — if you’re interested in
purchasing a mill, reach out to
me and I can help point you in
the right direction).
When you find a sawyer,
you’re most likely to find one
that has a band saw mill. These
are the most common types of
mill, however there are a few
other styles that are a little less
common. Some others you
might find are chain saw mills,
swing blade mills, and even a
few portable circular sawmills
(although, most of the circu-
lar sawmills will be setup in a
permanent location). For now,
{ Some of the most beautiful figure can be found in the crotch section of trees. let’s focus on the more common
Usually, these are passed over by large-scale mills. A little water on a fresh-cut band saw mill, like you see in
flitch will reveal the character of the wood (and no, the water doesn’t hurt it). the main photo.

Illustrations: Bob Zimmerman Woodsmith.com • 61

 Most portable saws will have
beds between 14' and 20' long.
On the bed, there will be a series
of log stops and clamps (log
dogs) to lock the log in place. A
portable mill will also have an
axle and leveling jacks.
THE POWER. In the world of band
saw mills, most will be powered
by either a gasoline or diesel
engine, ranging from 13-27 hp.
Unlike your shop saw, band saw
mills require lubrication when
cutting. This usually comes in
the form of a tank that drips
lubrication on the blade during { Portable sawmills can be pulled to your house or land and setup to mill
the cut. I use water with dish on-site. In the portable variety, band saw mills are the most common type.
soap, but many old timers swear The band saw blade has the smallest kerf (1⁄8") and the fastest cut.
by using diesel. The lubrication
does two things. First, it helps In a manual version (like charge for sawing. Either an
keep the blade cool (and there- mine), the saw head is raised and hourly rate or a per-board foot
fore extends the life of the blade). lowered with a hand crank, and rate. Personally, I feel like the
Second, it helps remove any the operator pushes the saw head hourly rate is more fair for
pitch or sap buildup on the blade through the log. In addition, log both parties. For example, a
from cutting fresh logs. loading, turning, and clamping log that is 30"-diameter and
HYDRAULIC VS MEAT POWERED. To roll must be done manually (with 10 foot long is 425 board feet.
the saw head down the bed, some mechanical advantages). With a per-board foot model,
the mill will either be hydrau- While running a manual mill is cutting that log into 4"-thick
lic or manual. Usually, a setup a great way to get into shape, it’s boards would be the same
that includes hydraulic feed will also a lot of work. A 30"-diameter price as cutting 1⁄2”-thick
include other accessories, such log can easily weigh several thou- boards, even though cutting
as hydraulic loading of the logs, sand pounds! the thinner boards would take
hydraulic log clamps, log turn- MILLING PRICES. There are two 8 times as long.
ers and toe boards. common ways a sawyer will From that standpoint, I
always tried to find an hourly
sawyer and I would do a couple
Typical Band Saw Mill of things to help speed them up
(and reduce my costs). Locally,
> Portable sawmills all Engine I have worked with sawyers
share a common form: a that have charged between
movable saw head rides $50/hr (on a manual mill) to
on a track, supported by $100/hr (for a fully hydraulic,
levelers and an axle. Hand controls for more efficient model).
saw operation STAGING. The biggest thing you
Band saw can do to help save time with a
blade
Heavy base sawyer is to have the logs staged
beams distribute
weight and ready before they arrive. You
Rigid can see this in the background in
track above photo. This means trim-
and bed
ming the log to size (removing
limbs, cutting to length), and lin-
Leveler ing the logs up where the sawmill
can be pulled up next to them.
With a well-prepped log stack,
an hour is enough time to get
through two or three logs.

62 • Woodsmith / No. 251

 LOADING PROCESS. Once the mill
has arrived, the sawyer will set
up the mill. Depending on the
mill, loading is done either with
ramps or loading arms. My mill
uses ramps and a winch to do
a process called parbuckling —
rolling the log up the ramps with
the use of the winch. While it
seems rudimentary, I’ve loaded
4,000 lb. logs, no sweat (except
for the person cranking). You
can see this to the right.
POSITIONING THE LOG. With the log
on the bed, the sawyer will { Loading can be done a number of ways. If a tractor or skid loader is available,
position the log. Often, logs are that’s the easiest and fastest. Otherwise, most mills will have a ramp system like
bigger on one end than the other. the one shown here. Using some mechanical advantage, you can load large logs.
The small end can be jacked up
with a toe board to help com- CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE called live-sawing (some call it
pensate for this taper and level Before the first cut is made, there “slabbing”). It involves cutting
the pith of the log. With the log are a few things you need to con- straight through the log, leav-
positioned against the log stops, sider — how to cut the log and ing the bark on both edges of the
the log will be clamped into how thick to cut it. Luckily, a board (known as a flitch). You
place with the log dogs. These competent sawyer can help you can see this in the top illustration
keep the log from moving dur- make some of these decisions. at left. This cutting pattern is the
ing sawing. Even though the log SAWING PATTERN. The two most easiest to air dry in my opinion
is heavy, the saw blade can exert common sawing patterns can be (the bark helps shed rain when
a huge amount of force that can seen in the illustrations below. stacked in log form). Plus, it
move the biggest of logs. My preferred sawing method is yields a combination of plain,
rift, and quartersawn material.
PLAIN-SAWN. The next pattern is
plain-sawn. This involves turn-
ing the log into a square cant,
then cutting square boards off
the cant. This can be done in
such a way that the boards all
have (pretty much) uniform
growth rings and dry consis-
tently. It yields edged lumber,
{ Live sawing is making cuts straight through the log, leaving the bark on both but it will need to be covered as
sides. For this, the log needs to be smaller than the guides on the mill (28" in my it dries to protect it from rain.
case). Usually, the lower bark cap is discarded and the top one covers the stack. Sawing in this pattern is slower
than live-sawing, but not as
slow as quartersawn. Often, I
will leave the center of the log
(the pith included) as a beam —
usually 5"x 5" or 6"x 6".
THICKNESS. When it comes to
board thickness, my preference
is to cut almost everything 8/4.
I find it tends to dry flatter, and
you have the ability to resaw
it later. It’s more work to glue
{ Plain sawing removes four sides of bark to turn the log into a cant. Then, the stock up later than it is to resaw
cant will be sawn down into boards, and I usually leave the center of the log it. A tradeoff is that it takes lon-
(with the pith) as beams for workbench parts or fireplace mantles. ger to dry the thicker stock.

Woodsmith.com • 63
{ While removing the sawdust during sawing seems unnecessary, it { For drying, a shady spot with good air movement is ideal. Use spacers
allows you to see the grain of what you’re cutting, and I’ve found (known as stickers) to separate the lumber. Ensure that your base is
that excess sawdust can hold moisture and cause mold growth. level and keep the stickers in line with the base and each other.

MAKING CUTS AFTER MILLING. As

a final note, ask Am I telling you to stash every
After setting the saw head the sawyer for tips on drying log you can find in your yard so
height, the sawyer will make your lumber. I’ll put an article you can saw them? Maybe. But I
the cuts to produce your boards. up on woodsmith.com/251 on my don’t want any e-mails from sig-
And honestly, it’s usually pretty drying process (and maybe a nificant others complaining about
much what you’d expect of a future magazine article, as well). the new lawn ornaments. But in
band saw (unless you hit a nail, The two photos above show all seriousness, I think the first
or two ... or three). It’s always how I start my drying. It’s not time you cut a piece of lumber
good to have a helper available as exciting as cutting the lumber, from a log, it’s almost magical.
to unload boards as they’re cut but I think it’s probably the most Once you have a pile of lumber
(they’re wet and heavy). This important part of the process. drying, and sawdust in your
will help speed the sawyer up A lot of good lumber has been veins, you may never go to a
and reduce your cost. ruined by poor drying. hardwood dealer again. W

MY NORWOOD HD36
When I started looking for my own sawmill,
I looked at almost every brand available.
The mill that fit my needs the best (a
combination of capacity, ease-of-use, and
price) was the Norwood HD36. As-is, it
will handle logs up to 13’ long and up to
36"-diameter. And trust me, that’s a big log.
One of the many things that I like about
the Norwood mill is that it’s upgradable. I
purchased the basic manual mill with trailer
package first. In a few years, I have the
option of adding hydraulics. This one can
grow with me as I need it to. With almost
all other brands, you must order the mill as
you want it.
If you’d like to see the the assembly
process for my mill, you can check out the
video at: woodsmith.com/251. I’m also very
excited to start producing some sawmilling
content and sharing it with everyone. You { With a little bit of work, a band saw mill will often pay for itself. Between sawing
will find that on our YouTube channel: for customers and cutting and selling lumber, it made the investment much more
youtube.com/user/WoodsmithShop approachable for me (and easier to get my wife onboard).

64 • Woodsmith / No. 251

 a monthlong
celebration of...

craft

community

companies
Join us throughout the month of September to celebrate our craft, community, and companies.
Learn about our member companies and the Guild through stories of projects and people.
Do you know of a community that could benefit from a public timber frame structure?
Contact us! Do you have a passion for timber framing? Join us!
 The Timber Framers Guild is an international community of craftspeople working together to
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Learn more at tfguild.org. of aspiring timber framers, research to continue the evolution of timber framing, and celebrate the
Contact us [email protected]. strength, beauty and longevity of this sustainable craft. Join us as we “enrich community through craft.”
 Sources
Most of the materials and supplies you’ll need to build the projects are available at hardware stores or home
MAIL centers. For specific products or hard-to-find items, take a look at the sources listed here. You’ll find each part
ORDER number listed by the company name. See the left margin for contact information.
SOURCES
SHARPENING TURNING General Finishes “Black” gel SANDER SHELF (p.50)
Amazon
amazon.com
TOOLS (p.14) stain. After staining, the cart • McMaster-Carr
• WoodTurners Wonders was sprayed with a couple of Cork Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . 9487K53
American Woodcrafters
Supply Spartan CBN Wheel . . . . Varies coats of lacquer. The maple top • American Woodcrafters
800-995-4032 • Amazon.com and wheel assembly was fin- Supply
americanwoodcraft-
erssupply.com Wolverine Jig . . . . B01JAPC6D4 ished with Boos butcher block 5
⁄8"-dia. Knobs . . . . . . . . . KB-058
Horton Brasses
oil. This is available online from 31⁄2" Shaker Pegs . . . . . . . . SP-400
800-754-9127 MITER PLANE (p.42) amazon.com The shelf was painted with
horton-brasses.com
• OnlineMetals.com two coats of General Finishes
McMaster-Carr 3⁄ ” Bronze . . . . . . . . . . . . 21583
PIECRUST TABLE (p.34) “Blue Moon” milk paint. The
16
630-833-0300
1⁄ ” Bronze. . . . . . . . . . . . . 20545
mcmaster.com 8 • Horton Brasses drawer pulls and Shaker pegs
1⁄ ” O1 Tool Steel . . . . . . . . 7153 Tip Table Catch . . . . . H-43-H-43 have a couple coats of oil
Online Metals 8
onlinemetals.com • Amazon.com The table was first sprayed applied to provide contrast.
Rockler Peacock Oil . . . . . . B07PRTR8ZT with a coat of lacquer. Then
800-279-4441 General Finishes “Java” gel LEATHER TOOLS (p.56)
rockler.com
KITCHEN CART (p.26) stain was hand-rubbed in. • Amazon.com
Woodturners Wonders
woodturnerswonders.com • McMaster-Carr Then topped off with lacquer Poundo Board . . . .B0764YLR2M
3⁄ ” Nylon Bushing . . 6389K226
4 that was tinted with TransTint Edging Tools . . . . . B081L69PQH
• Rockler dye, Medium Red and Brown. Slicker . . . . . . . . . . B088JZNWPJ
120° Overlay Hinge . . . . 55793 (A teaspoon of each in a quart Gum Tragacanth . . .B01LJQILZ4
90° V-groove bit . . . . . . . . 51079 of lacquer.) This was sprayed Stitching Chisel Set B0771KP73Y
The cart was finished with through a .8mm nozzle. Stitching Needles . . B00114RBSI

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