Table of contents for February 2014 in Woodworker's Journal

It’s Another New Year ... AND WOODWORKING IS ALIVE AND WELL! It’s mid-October as I write this, but you’re laying eyes on it as 2014 begins to unfold (Happy New Year!). Every year at about this time I hear a similar theory from the tea leaf readers and palmists among us: “Woodworking,” they caution, “is a dying craft.” And every year I look up from the sawdust in my shop, spend some time reading the praises and criticisms in our Letters column, the great questions in our Q&A department and the clever theories in our Stumpers column and wonder ... who in the world can believe this is anything other than a vibrant, active hobby full of fun-loving folks who keep their minds and tools sharp with a little help…

We Got Stumped! This tool, unfortunately, continues to be a mystery When Jim Davis of Reston, Virginia, wrote in about the mystery tool from our October 2013 issue, he was honest about his mercenary approach to guessing its identity (and we appreciate that, Jim): “I have no idea what it is, but put my name in the hat anyway!” Trouble is, no one else had any good ideas about what it was, either. To clarify: there were plenty of ideas about the tool belonging to Steve Hodges of Indiahoma, Oklahoma, but none that we could confirm. For instance, Howard Atamian of Fresno, California, indicated, “My guess for the Stumpers tool is either a parting tool or a tool to clean out the ring grooves in a piston.” Whereas Ron Duecker…

Jigs & Fixtures Properly adjusted, nothing beats a drill press for boring perfectly vertical holes. With your stock flat on the table, held by hand or with a clamp when needed, as long as your table’s square to the chuck, you’ll get spot-on vertical holes. However, when drilling holes into the ends of a workpiece, turning the work on-end and keeping it rigidly vertical while drilling creates a delicate balancing act. A vertical drilling jig like this one makes the process easy again. This jig works with the drill’s table (properly adjusted so it’s square, of course) to hold your workpiece vertically with a dual stop system — one stop permanently affixed to the jig’s 90° fence serves as the vertical register for the workpiece, while a sliding stop adjusts…

On a recent visit to Kentucky with my inamorata Mary, the lovely woman happened upon a window that looked like it would make a great door to a cabinet ... at least to her. Said she: “Would you build a little cabinet around this window for me?” Said he: “I would be ever so happy to do so.” Hence the start of a unique project challenge for yours truly. Building a brand-new cabinet is something I have done many, many times. But building a new cabinet from materials that are as old or older than I am, and looked older than dirt when I was done with it: now, that was new to me. In addition to the old window that inspired this project, I chose to put some recycled…

Computers in the Woodshop Computers in the woodshop? It doesn’t seem like they’d be too compatible. After all, laptops and desktop models are built in dust-free clean rooms, and the average woodshop isn’t exactly the place to bring an expensive device that might be compromised by a little fine dust Ñ never mind the bilious discharge of a belt sander! But just as computer electronics have found their way into everything from your car to your alarm clock and toaster oven, woodworkers are finding computers more useful, both in and out of the shop. There are three major ways that the computer revolution can change the way you do woodwork: One is using a computer in your home office to create drawings or cut lists, create and print out plans,…

The Finisher’s Top 10 List Finishing expert Michael Dresdner shares more knowledge on the Step-by-Step to a Perfect Finish DVD, available through the store at woodworkersjournal.com. Sandpaper Sanding is the first step in finishing. For raw wood, I stock 80-, 120-and 180-grit open coat aluminum oxide and 180-or 220-grit garnet. For sanding between coats of finish, I keep self-lubricated or wet-and-dry paper, including 320-, 400-, 600-, 800-, 1,000-and 1,200-grit. Good working conditions This is the catchall for decent lighting; workbench protection, like newspaper or resin paper; proper ventilation; an apron or old clothes, and your favorite accessories, like hooks and hangers, Bench Cookies®, and Painter’s Pyramids. Applicators and wipers I love hand-applied finishes, and I use both grey and white nylon abrasive pads to apply stain, filler, the first coat…

Finishing and Finicky Fasteners Kitchen Accessory Makesfor a Quick Finish Mixer After my wife’s kitchen mixer ran its course and was too expensive to repair, I saved one of the beaters. Now I use it chucked in my drill to mix all of my gel stains, plus water-and oil-based paints. It really saves me lots of time and effort over mixing them by hand with a stir stick — just make sure you don’t remove the mixer while the motor is still running! Ernest Guerra, Jr. San Antonio, Texas Thicker Tip with Electrical Tape Recently, my beloved 51¨M2" bench plane fell off the bench, and the handle cracked off at the top so it needed to be replaced. But you have to be careful when removing the soft brass screw…

The World of a Fine Woodwind Maker Tim Cranmore makes his living in a small workshop in Worcestershire, England, where he makes wooden recorders for musicians playing Baroque and Renaissance music in pre-18th century style. He studied the instrument to orchestral standards and, 35 years ago, discovered there was a market for making precise replicas. Instead of taking a formal course, Tim, as he put it, “sat in a corner and figured it out for myself.” After examining instruments in museums and a period of trial and error he succeeded, and today he sells instruments worldwide. His workshop is compact and basic. Most tools are handmade or adapted. He has a couple of aged lathes; some heavy-duty drill bits for the bore; small chisels, scalpels and customized knives; scrapers and…

Here’s a new twist on the old Murphy bed, featuring cherry lumber and some innovative new hardware. Iwas asked if I could build a Murphy Bed/Desk combo. Of course I can, I thought to myself! It involves some cool new hardware and unique challenges that sound interesting, and the whole concept would be a useful space saver. (My wonderful studio home is a whopping 475 square feet.) The project went together fairly easily with simultaneous work on different sections. I started with a mock-up to be sure the hardware would be located properly, created the case, constructed the desktop, constructed the bed, and then put it all together. Before starting, there are some things one must consider. I decided to show 1/4" solid wood edging on all the exposed plywood…

Ready2Rout Computerized Fence The first machine I ever saw that featured builtin electronics was a Sears Craftsman radial arm saw that came out a little over 20 years ago. It had a small LCD digital readout prominently situated on the end of the arm that displayed the saw’s miter and bevel angles, blade elevation and carriage position (for ripping). Although Sears hyped its “electronic measurement” capabilities, the readout ultimately wasn’t dependably accurate or terrifically useful. Fortunately, we’ve come a long way since then, as demonstrated by the Ready2Rout computerized router fence shown above. Made by the same folks who produce the CNC Shark line of computer-numerically controlled routers (see “Computers in the Woodshop” on pg. 52), Ready2Rout bolts atop a regular router table and features a motorized aluminum fence that…

Smooth Cuts and Crisp Kerfs Among the features in Festool’s new Carvex 420 Jigsaws are stroboscopic LED lights, a toolfree base change system, and brushless motors. The four high-intensity white LEDs, which surround the blade on every side, reduce shadows that interfere with the visibility of your cutline. At speed, the LEDs synchronize to the speed of the blade: while it is moving, it appears still, giving you another visual advantage in following your cutline. You can configure the LEDs to be always on, always off, or stroboscopic. In order to change among seven task-specific bases, including a circle cutter, a base for cutting on metallic surfaces and an Angle Base, flip the base release lever for a tool-free operation. The Standard Base comes with the Carvex Jigsaw; others are…

Upgrades for Tools and Your Shop Q My NiCad batteries, and I have several of them, tend to last for a couple of years. I always treat them right and charge them the way that is dictated in the directions — following all the time and frequency suggestions. What I’d like to know is this: Can I switch over to Li-ion batteries for my drills, etc.? Can Li-ion batteries be used in place of NiCads and if yes, what must be done to accomplish the change? Any positive or negative information would be greatly appreciated so that I can put the thought out of my mind once and for all. John P. Cich Apple Valley, California A This is a frequently asked question we hear at Bosch, as NiCad batteries…

Turning a bowl from kiln-dried wood is problematic due to the sparse availability of 4" or thicker planks needed for a decent bowl. And if you do find some, expect to pay $14 or more a board foot. That’s why most turners turn green wood from blanks they chainsaw from freshly fallen logs. Historically, this was the way bowls were turned, so I don’t think our ancestors thought anything of a bowl being oval. That was the way it was supposed to look! Many turners, myself included, keep the tradition alive by turning green wood bowls to final dimension and allowing them to warp oval. If this bothers you, it is only slightly more work to leave your bowl a bit thicker initially and allow it to dry for about…

This candlestand is a lovely little table that will allow you to put your turning skills to good use. Its elegant design has stood the test of time. If you are thinking that it is time to try out your turning skill on a furniture project, this little candlestand or tea table is just the ticket. A tilt-top tea table represents a nice balance between spindle and faceplate turning and, in this case, requires the use of a shop-made jig to mill the dovetail slots to attach the legs. The elegant Queen Anne design dates from the mid 18th century but still turns heads in contemporary settings. The TV trays of their day, tilt-top tables were made for quickly situating a candle at a convenient height for reading and conversation,…

The Ready2Rout is not the only brainy tool headed for the woodshop. We’re on the brink of a new era of “smart” machines and devices that will be revolutionary to the modern woodworker. The New Zealand company Teknatool, known for their NOVA line of woodturning products, revealed a prototype drill press at last summer’s Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS) show. Teknatool’s DVR (digital variable reluctance) drill press features both advanced electronics and a very different kind of motor (now used on some lathes). The machine is powered by a “switch reluctance” variable speed brushless motor which is compact, quiet, easy to maintain, powerful and produces high torque even at slower speeds. The motor drives the press’s spindle directly, and is controlled by a built-in computer which not only…

Swing-out Panel Storage Sheet goods can be hard to manage, especially in a small-shop setting. They’re cumbersome, space-hogging and usually end up stacked in a ragtag pile against a wall. Most home shops don’t have room to store 4x8 panels horizontally like a lumberyard or home center can, so we resort to the only other option: standing them on end or edge. Still, that doesn’t solve the problem of how to pick from the back of the pile for the piece you need without unstacking everything. And there’s always the danger of a heavy stack of sheets toppling over. What to do? Well, we think this roll-out organizer takes a few big steps in the right direction. Made from 5 x 5-ft. sheets of Baltic birch plywood, it’s just big…