WOOD Magazine July 2021

My parents gifted me my first cordless tool (a 9.6-volt Makita drill driver—you know the one) when Annette and I bought our first house in 1988. Dad already had one, and when we worked on projects together, I marveled at the tool’s convenience, despite its awkward nose-heaviness and the need to recharge the battery after driving a few dozen fasteners. Over the years, manufacturers jacked up voltage to improve runtimes, and tried to cut the cord from other tools, such as circ saws, jigsaws, and sanders. But most of those early efforts fell short of expectations, even with 18 volts bursting from the bulky batteries. Fast-forward 20 years or so: I’m at a product launch where Milwaukee Tool revealed a line of tools powered by 36-volt lithium-ion batteries, the highest voltage yet…

HI, BOARD, I’M DAD. Father’s Day is near. And we all know what that means. That’s right: dad jokes. Universally considered the pinnacle of humor and the crowning achievement of the successful paterfamilias, dad jokes go together with woodworking like farts and matches. To wit… “You make a better door than you do a window.” Make a better arched-panel door: woodmagazine.com/archeddoors Make a better cope-and-stick door: woodmagazine.com/copeandstickdoors Make a better flush-mounted door: woodmagazine.com/flushmountdoors Make a better window: woodmagazine.com/notdoors “How’d these lumber-milling articles get on the internet? They logged in.” Chainsaw your own lumber: woodmagazine.com/password Using a bandsaw mill: woodmagazine.com/123456 Hiring a sawyer: woodmagazine.com/qwertyuiop Working with natural-edge slabs: woodmagazine.com/letmein “I can cut a board just by looking at it. It’s true! I saw it with my own eyes.” Get a look at these jigsaws: woodmagazine.com/myownjigsaw Cast your eyes upon these tracksaws: woodmagazine.com/myowntracksaw Watch for these tablesaws:…

The Tower of the Hour I‘ve had a clutter problem in my shop for quite awhile, so when I saw the Tool Tower on the cover of issue 273 (March 2021), it all clicked for me! I knew it was the exact plan I needed. I modified the design to hold my large tablesaw jigs on the left side and the back, as shown below. Those are now up off the floor and out of the way. I reused some old drawer pulls and other hanging hardware that had been waiting years to be put back to use, so I was able to build it all under your estimated budget. I really appreciate the guidance and plans you provided. Thank you! —Dave Dillman Durango, Colo. Your Tool Tower project was timely for me, as I…

Q Clearing the air on respirator ratings I recently started to order some disposable dust masks to use in my shop and was a bit overwhelmed by all the choices. What do the different ratings mean and which one is best for woodworking? —Guy Rule, Boise, Idaho A Before answering your question, Guy, let’s make a distinction between the different types of dust masks and respirators. So-called “nuisance” dust masks are the inexpensive, loose-fitting masks often sold in bulk packs. While these may help prevent large dust particles from causing a sneezing or coughing fit, they aren’t very effective at filtering out fine dust. Respirators, on the other hand, form a tight seal around your mouth and nose, filtering the air as you inhale and preventing that fine dust from entering your lungs…

Extended Service With Clip-on Auxiliary Worksurface I use a mobile cart with adjustable-height rollers as outfeed support for my tablesaw. Because of the motor and dust collection hose, I can’t position a roller close enough to prevent short pieces from falling to the floor. To support and “capture” these pieces, I made an auxiliary table that clips onto the cart. First, I replaced the steel rollers with 1½" PVC pipe sections, securing them with screws to a length of 2×4. To create the clips that snap over the 1½" pipe, I cut 2" sections of 2" PVC pipe, and cut out a 1" piece so the section resembled a C-shaped bracelet. I sanded all the sharp edges smooth. I screwed the clips to a scrap piece of plywood, spacing them to align with…

Featuring a curved seat shape and slatted backrest, this bench brings comfort and style to your outdoor living space. We’ve included a template pattern for the seat curve to take out the guesswork, so you can spend more time relaxing. Learn four ways to make mortise and tenon joints. woodmagazine.com/mt4ways First, a Frame 1 From ¾" stock, laminate the legs (A) and cut them to size [Materials List, Drawing 1]. Cut the mortises in the legs. 2 Cut the rails (B–E), and seat supports (F) to size [Drawings 1, 2]. Cut the tenons on the ends of the rails [Drawing 2a]. 3 Lay out the seat curve on a piece of ¼" MDF or hardboard [Drawing 3]. Cut and sand to the line. Trace the template on the side mid rails (C) and seat supports…