WOOD Magazine September 2021

Hey, do you have time for a quick weekend project? I want to make a small shelf for my succulents.” It’s the kind of text I love to get as a woodworker and parent, and it came from Katie one Thursday afternoon. “Sure,” I replied, “Come home and I’ll clear off the bench.” Saturday morning, we headed into the shop armed with a few images of shelves that she’d seen online, the dimensions of her pots, and her eye for balance and proportion. (She’s a graphic designer by profession.) We started by sketching out some full-size designs on rosin paper to give us a better feel for the scale. I explained options throughout the process, and she made all of the decisions, including how to handle a prominent streak of sapwood in…

WORLD WAR TREE By the time you read this note, we are assuming that the skyrocketing prices of lumber have tipped already strained geopolitical relations into all-out global warfare. You may even be living in a post-apocalyptic wasteland devoid of big-box retailers. Fortunately, the postal system (most likely led by Kevin Costner) survived to deliver this magazine or you wouldn’t be able to read these timely tips about harvesting, milling, and machining your own lumber that could save you money and/or ensure the very survival and furnishing of future society. Sorry that they’re in the form of web links. The Internet was still working when we wrote this.…

YOUR VOICE Yacht Rock Builder Floats Design Modifications The Yacht Rock game in issue 272 (Dec/Jan 2020/2021) fascinated me, as an engineer, because of the physics of it, and the complexity of the various rockers and weighted “people.” As I built my version, shown above, I made some mods I thought you might be interested in. First of all, the board size made it difficult to store with the rest of our games, so I designed a two-piece cherry board that fits into a box. And rather than use paint to identify the deck and cabin areas, I used my CNC router to inlay them with maple, padauk, and walnut. I also turned my own “people” from maple and walnut. For the die, I wrapped a walnut core inside a thin maple shell, and…

Q Pressure-treated lumber: to finish or not to finish? I’m building some outdoor projects out of pressure-treated lumber and am wondering what finish, if any, I should use? —Peter Vrooman, Canton, N.Y. A Peter, pressure-treated lumber (often Southern yellow pine) is infused with a chemical solution that makes it less susceptible to insect infestation and rot. This solution initially gives the wood its distinct green or brown cast, which weathers to gray after a few years of exposure to the sun and elements. Although you often see pressure-treated lumber left as-is, no rule says you can’t finish it. But keep a couple of things in mind if you choose to go that route. Upon emerging from the pressure-treating process, the wood contains a lot of moisture that may interfere with stains or finishes. To determine…

Clip-on casters carry the cabinet When I built an outfeed cabinet for my tablesaw, I wanted it rock-solid, yet mobile, and the same height as the saw. This caster system installs and removes easily, so the cabinet rests solidly on the floor at the correct height. By installing heavy-duty shelf standards and upside-down brackets, I created a “shelf” that becomes a platform for attaching casters to the underside. I used a pair of 3" swivel casters on one platform and fixed casters on the other. For the platforms, glue up two layers of ¾" stock (you can also use 1½" stock). I made them 5½" wide to provide clearance for the swivel casters. Cut a ¾"-deep dado near each end to fit each shelf bracket. Trim the brackets to match the width of…

Note: This matching three-piece bedroom suite works beautifully in a main or guest bedroom. Find plans for the headboard and nightstand in the next issue (277, October 2021). Building a bedroom suite is not a job to take lying down. Breaking up the task into components makes it more manageable. Start with this six-drawer dresser. Once completed, you’ll have the skills needed to take on the matching headboard and nightstand in the next issue. Continuous Grain Wraps the Case Like a Waterfall 1 From ¾" stock, glue up a 22×112" panel for the sides (A) and top (B) [Exploded View]. Glue up two additional oversize panels for the bottom (B) and the divider (C) [Materials List, Exploded View]. 2 Lay out the sides and top on the long panel, with the top in the…