American Woodworker - 111 (November 2004)

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Sneak preview of 10 hot new tools.
Ouesrorv & Aruswen WonrsHoP Trps Tool Telr: Fonsrruen Brs

Stvtall SHop Tlps
53
MoornN CaSTNETMAKER SpecLqL: CnrneDRAL
Doons
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Here's everythingyou need to know to make professional raised-panel doors.
SJescnrPTroNS
Subscriber n Woodworker America ServiceDept., PO,Box 8118,RedOalqlA (e00! e-mail 66&3111, 51 591-1148, AWWcustserv @cdsfulfiIlment.com , ,,.: . Articls lnder online at A completeindexis available www.americanwoodworker.com Copies of Past Artbles; are availablefor $3 eadr. Photocopies Woodworker Write or call:Ameriean Stillwater, ReprintCenter,PO. Box &1695. MN 550834695,{715}2464344.8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST Mon.throughFri,Visa, andAmerican MaslerCard, Discover Expressaccepted. Backlssuee: for $6 eadr.Orderfrom Someare available above. the ReprintCenterat the address Comments & Suggestions: Write to us at AmericanWoodworker, MN 2915CommersDr.,Suite700,Eagan, (651)454-9200, fax {651}99+2250, 55121, gest.com readersdi e-mailaweditor@
65
Toor- Tesr BaruosAws

In Part 2 of our comprehensive test, we look at heavy-duty saws from $1,000 to $1,500.
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Indoor fun that's built to survive rambunctious kids.
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American Woodworker NoVEMBER 2oo4
Subscriptionquestions?Seepage2.
Editor Managing Editor Senior Editor Associate Editon Tools and Products Editor Contributing Editor Design Director Art Directors Copy Editor Fact Checking Specialists Production Offi ce Administrative Manager Artist Manager I(en Collier RandyJohnson Tom Caspar TinJohsolr' Dave Munkittrick George Vondriska Jon Stumbras Sara Koehler Patrick Hunter' VernJohnson Jean Cook Jennifer Feist' Nina (hildsJobnson Judy Rodriguez Lisa Pahl Xneclrt Alice Garrett Shannon Hooge Roxie trilipkowski Lori Callister' ShellyJacobsen Jim Schiekofer Rick Straface James Ford Mike Frantino Carrie Bleakley AndreaVecchio Joanne No6 DerrickPhillip BarbaraBerezowski
Getthe Powerofa5 Man Crew!

into a "ride in the parli'with the outdoorclean-up Turn back-breaking workslike mulcher vacuum engine-driven CydoneR;ke. Powerfrrl incredible tonsofleaves, pick-upandpulverize Youcaneasily a 5 mancrew! Inowacres to Hitches sticlsandlawndebriras youdrfue. clear pinestraw, grffis, of heavy you10timestheliftiag Poyel and5 times andgives anyridingmower almost And whenyou're without stopping! the capaciSlets youhandlehugearezn sPare garage. or need for a barn storagrno doneii foldsup flat for compact
Production
Technical Manager Reader Service Specialist . AdministrativeAssistants
Publisher Associate Publisher National Sales Manager Business Manager Financial Analyst Promotion Manager Promotion Coordinator MarketingCoordinator Advertising Coordinator
ADVERTISING SALES 260 Madison Ave., NewYorlq l.IY 10016; (212) 8507226 CHICAGO Carl Benson (312) 5'm'4802, (312) 5'104805 James Ford (312) 5.+04804, Tom Vorcl Sherry Mallit (sales assistant) (312) 54M824 WEST COA'STBonnie Oda (206) 2824002 Cox (212) 85G7011, NEWYORKIhtie David Clutter (212) 85U7124, Ttrcl Sifers (212) 85U1197, Ed Silhan, NewYork Manager (212) 85G7041 Classified Advertising, The McNeill Group, Inc. Classified Manager, Don Serfass' (215) 321-9662, ext 30 PUBLISHED BY HOME SERVICE PUBLICATIONS, INC,, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE READER'S DIGEST ASSOCIATION, INC.
v*rar 1-g00-962-9617 cauton---.^g31[T,

06516 Haven, CT 5t.West Dept. AWl 10472Acton Inc., Power Products, Woodland
jffi1}.Hi,ro,.,tio;-f*.F
chief Execut$!'ciffi33; rhomaso. Ryder

Vice President, General Manager, North American Publishing Gr"oup Worldwide Grculation Director Bonnie Bachar John l0ingel
Vice President and Circulation Director. U.S. Magazine Group Vice President. Circulation/Operations Circulation Marketing Director
Dawn Zier ReneeJordan Lou Sassano
lsue #lll. American Woodworker@,ISSN 107+9152, USPS 73&7f 0 Published bimonthly, except monthly October and November by Home Service Publications, Inc., 260 Madison Avenue,5th Floor, NewYork, NY 10016. Periodicals postage paid at NewYork, NYand additional mailing offices. Postrnasten Send change ofaddress notice to American Woodworker@, PO Box 81,{8, Red Oalq lA 51591-f f il8. Subscription rates: U.S. one-year, $5.99. Cmada oneyear, $29.98 (U.S. $24.98.Single-copy, oneyear, $29.98 Funds); GST # R1229886I1. Foreign surFace (U.S. Funds). U.S. newsstand distribution by Heant Distribution Group, NewYork" NY 1ffi19. In C,anada:Postage paid at Gateway,Misissauga, Ontario; CPM# 14478ffi. Send retums and addres changes to American Woodworker@, PO Box 8148, Red Oak, IA USA 515911148. Printed in USA @ 2004 Home Senice Publications, Inc. All rights rerened. Reader's Digest may share information about you with reputable companies in order for them to ofier you products and services of interest to you. If you wor:ld rather we not share inforrnation, please write to us at Reader's Digest Association, American Woodworkel Customer Service DeParrnent, PO Box 8l, Red Oak, IA 51591. Pleaseinclude a copy ofyour addresslabel. Subscribers: If the Post Office alens rB that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a comected address within one year.
American
Woodworker
NovEMBER
2oo4
Iv|mxq
Alrcl BaruDSAW WHEELS

tried everything to get good 1[-)l've results on my bandsaw, \lresaw but the blade still wanders. What gives? use a sharp blade designed for resawing, you compensate for drift angle, you've set the proper tension and you're still getting bad results resbwing, there's only one other possibility: alignment. Your wheels Pop the hood need (well, If you
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the wheel covers) on your saw and put a straightedge across the rim of both wheels (Photo l). If there's a gap, your wheels are not operating in the same plane. Misaligned wheels are a problem for bandsaws with crowned wheels. If your saw is 16 in. or smaller, chances are it has crowned wheels. A crowned wheel has a slight hump where the blade rides. The crown is designed to force the blade toward the center of the wheel and aid in tracking the blade. If the two crowned surfaces are not in the same plane, they pull against each other, robbing the saw of power and accuracy. Fortunately, the problem is easy to fix on most saws. First, measure the misalignment (Photo 2). Next, remove the blade and the wheel and apply the appropriate shim(s) (Photo 3). Most saws have thin washers behind each wheel. You may find removing the stock washer and replacing it with a thicker one is just the ticket. Reattach the wheel and give your saw a spin. Note: Some saws have an adjustable bottom wheel. Just loosen the setscrew and slide the bottom wheel in or out the appropriate amount. I Ctrect the wheel atignment with your resaw blade mounted and tensioned. I lt may be necessary to adjust the tracking of the upper wheel to make the faces of both rims oarallel.
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,.- j. I built my own kitchen cabinets a few years back. One i.., ' drawer got damaged, so I stripped the finish from the drawer front, made the repair and applied a fresh coat of p o l y u r e t h a n e , T h en e w f i n i s h i s n o t i c e a b l yl i g h t e rt h a n t h e o l d o n e . I s u r e d o n ' t w a n t t o r e f i n i s ht h e e n t i r e k i t c h e n .l s t h e r e a way to match the aged finish? PRACTICE BOARD
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The solution is to tint the ne\\r flnish with dy.. \/anrisl'r vellolvs u.itl-r age and that's the reason vour nervh,finished dran.er doesn't nratch the olcl. I l'ec()rrlmend trsins a dve called Orange Shellac from \{bocl Fir-rishir-re Supplies. Don't let the n21mefclol votr; it's jtrst :r color zrnd has nothing to do n'ith real ol'ilnse shellac. It's best to keep thc tintins ver,vlight so thrce cozlts of tl-re polr,ulethane give vou the color t\\'o or that rnzrtches votrr olcl finish. Frlr cme dfa\r,ef, pour a srnall Alnoulrt of pohtrrethane into a contzriner. Aclcl a f-ervdrops of the clve concentrate, rnixing it in rvell. It'll look like a dzrrk olive clil, rvhich seellrs leird, btrt tl're colclr- looks a rr,hole krt clifli:r'ent on ilre loocl. sorne It n,ill take experirnenta-
llolvtrrethane con'ect. Bnrsh zr cotrple clf coilts of the
tior-r to set the clyc-tol ' a li o
lllTR0DUClllG llEWlllt00DW0Rl$llG SAW BTADES FR0M IITWALTp

put your You alotinto perfect work. After project. you all,it takes countless hours tocomplete the And when have you right the tools and the right precision wood, need the right saw blade. One that's forhighly balanced accurate cuts. With large, micro-grain carbide teeth forexceptionally smooth finishes. Ultra-sharp cutting edges toreduce splintering. And one that comes inavariety oftooth counts and configurations. DTWALT@ Woodworking Blades. put We get more into them, soyou can more out ofthem.
Formoreinformation, call l-8OO-4-DEWmt or visitourwebsiteat ww.trEWlill,corm
is clone. If not, acltrst the number of coals or the arnoru-rt of clyc until \()Lr get a eood rnatch. Source
Wood Finishing Supplies ( 8 6 6 ) 5 4 8 - 16 7 7 w w w w o o d fr n i s h i n g s u p p l i e s . c o m 2 - o z b o t t l e s o f C o l o r F X l i q u r dd y e c o n c e n t r a t e s f o r o r l - b a s e dm e d i a , O r a n g eS h e l l a c$ , 10
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02003OeWALl The following areexamples ol trademarks for oneor more DeWALT Power T00ls andAccessones: yellow The and grill;thearray black color scheme; the"D'-shaped airintake 0fpyramids 0nthehandgrip; thekit box confi0urati0n; and lhe anay 0llozenge-shaped humps onlhe surlace 0lthe t001.
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NOVEMBER 2OO4
WHRt's
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C*k ls there a standardor recommend- slightly bent elborv rvorks best. If vou H S *r.{_."d heightfor a workbench? have back problerns, yoll may want to raise that height to _vourbelt line . -\ For most people, a heisht that T'he ideal rvorkbench heieht is ,t' &- allows you to lay the pahn of really the one thar works best for your hand on the benchtop with a you. It's a function of rvl-ratkinci of
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woodrvorkins vou do and how tall you are. Traditional workbenches were built lorv to get the user's full bocly weight and muscle power behincl their tools. It's effective for ptrshine a har-rd plane but trr-rcornfbrtable for ahnost all other rvork. With handheld power tools, a hisher
* Designed plywoods specifically fortoday's * Adjust groove theflatpanel width

plywood 3/16" to 9132" tor1/4" 7/16" to 17E2" torli2" plywood
bench height is nrore desirable and less of a strain or-l the ol' back. If possible, tn, rnockine up a bench with plyrvoocl and sawhorses. Start with our ballpark height and see n'hat yotr think. Adjust the height accordingly until you find the heisht that's best for yotr and rvhat yotr clo. /W
i+Eliminate panel rattle
c Cut frame from5/S" stock through 1-114" inthickness profiles * Available inthree
Concave #55433, 0gee #55436 andBead #SS4S7
o Each setincludes 2 pcs.

1forstile cuts & 1forrail cuts.
c Carbide-tipped forlong life
Patent Pending
Fu A Dealer NearestYou Call l-8N45-0077
D,ffiI?*f'
t Please Visithur Website www.amdnatool.oom
CircleNo. 2
If you have a questior-ryou'd like ansrvered, send it to us at Question & Answer, American Woodworker, 2915 Commers Drive, Suite 700, Eug*, MN 55121 or email to qanda@readersdigeslcom. Sorry, but the volume of mail prevents us from answering each question individually.
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While sweeping up offcuts from around my bandsaw, I realized two things: First, I hate sweeping. Second, a dustpan-shaped tray attached to the bandsaw would catch most of the offcuts I was sweeping. I made my tray from scraps of 1/2-in. plyvood and l/Lin. hardboard. I fastened two pieces of 1/8-in. x l-in. steel to the tray and bolted it to my saw through the rip fence mounting holes. In addition to catching offcuts, this tray also offers convenient storage when I'm cutting numerous small pieces.
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S p T E D YB l a n r T r r u s r o N l N { l
Changing bandsaw blades used to be a pain, becawe my bandsawdoesn't have a quick-release blade-tensioning mechanism. I finally got tired of hand-cranking, so I replaced the tensioning rod with a 3/B-in. ..,-+,...r:* threadedrod.IlockedtwonutSagainsteachother on top of the rod, making sure their faces lined rrp. Now a9/I6-rn. socket operates the tensioning system and only my trigger finger gets tired. CJ. Wiesenfarth
AR ROW...THE STANDARDOF EXCELLENCE BY WHICH ALL OTHERS ARE JUDGED

ArrowFastener Co.,Inc.,27'l Mayhill Street, Saddle Brook, NewJersey 07663 Canada: JardelDistributors, Inc.,6505 Metropolitan Blvd. East, Montreal, Quebec H1P1X9 UnitedKingdom: ArrowFastener (U.K.) Ltd.,Unit5, ZK Park,23 Commerce Way, Croydon CRO4ZS,Surrey
WWW.arrOwfaStener.COm 02004 ARROWFASTENER coMPANY tNC 20 Arnerican \4loocl$'orker NovEMBER 2oo4
I love acljtrstable clarnps, btrt I used to har.e trotrble gripping ancl tishtening the handles, especizrllv irt the er-rd of a lons dav. Glued-on pieces of dral,r,er lincr ($5 per roll at lnost horne centers) rnake them nttrch easler to use. T\vo or three wraps rnake a comfortable erip that votr car-rrealll' put the squeeze cln. /W Don Peter.sott
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NovEMBER
2oo4
DrscRtprtoN
The knife-edge i s t h e m o s t t r a d i t i o n aF l o r s t n e rd e s i g n a n d d o e s a g r e a tj o b o f c u t t i n gn o n s t a n d a r d h o l e s .T h a t ' sb e c a u s e i t h a st h e f e w e s t r i m i n t e r r u p t i o n s . s r i m i s g r o u n dt o c r e a t e lt a n i n s i d eb e v e l w i t h a s h a r p k n i f e - e d g eT . h e r i m s c o r e st h e wood before the chip lifters remove the wood from the hole. creatinga very smooth, flat-bottomedhole with no tear-out. The knife-edge r i m ' s " r u b b i n g "c u t g e n e r a t e s a lot of near f r o m f r i c t i o n .B e c a u s eo f t h i s , t h e s t y l e i s f o u n d p r i m a r i l y in 1-in.-dia. or smallerbits, whose rim speed is relatively slow. To avoid overheating, follow the speed recommendations that c o m e w i t h e a c hb i t .
SouRcE
Lee Valley (800) 871-8158 www.leevalley.com f - i n .F o r s t n eb r it, #06J71 . 16 , $ 7 .
SHARP POINT
\
THROAT OPENING
A new Forstner r i m d e s i g ni s t h e w a v y e d g e . M a n u f a c t u r e r s claim their wavy-edge bits run cooler than knife-eoge Forstners.The idea is that the complex grind of the wavy e d g e c r e a t e su l t r a s h a r p p o i n t sa l o n gt h e r i m t h a t h e l p b r e a k u p t h e w o o d c h i p sf o r e a s i e rp a s s a g e t h r o u g ht h e b i t ' st h r o a t openings. The wavy-edgerim performs just as well as the knife-edge does on 9O-degree holes. However,holes drilled by a wavyedge bit on a board's e d g e w i t h o u t t h e c e n t e rp o i n t e n g a g e o h a v es l i g h t l yr o u g h e rs i d e w a l l s thanthosemadeby the knifee d g e b i t s . A n d s t a r t i n ga h o l e a t a n a n g l e p r o d u c e sa b i t o f c h a t t e ru n t i lt h e c e n t e rp o i n t e n g a g e s .
F r e u dD i a b l o (800) 334-4107 www.f reudtools.com 1 - i n .P r e c i s i o n - S h e a r Forstner bit, # F B - 0 0 7$ ,12.
Ame|ican
\Arooclrvolket' NOVEMBER 2oo4
Brr TyPES
SAWTOOTH
DescRtPTtoN
Thesebits,with sawliketeeth groundinto the rim, are greatfor drilling90-degreeholes.The rim teeth cut, ratherthan score, the wood, generatingless heat and allowing a faster feed rate than knife-edgebits do. Becauseit can handle a higher rim speed, the sawtooth rim style is most common on bits larger than 1 in. diameter. These bits don't perform well when drillingwithout the center so point engaged.The teeth create too many rim interruptions, the bit is not truly rim guided. Startinga hole at an angle produces chatterand rough sidewallswith heavytear-out.
SouRcE
Hickoryby Oldham (800)828-9000 www.oldham-usa.com bit, 1-in.Forstner # H W 1 0 1 3$ ,10.
"***1
CARBIDE SPUR
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This rim style features two protrudingcarbide spurs at the outside ends of the carbidelifters.The spurs score the wood fibers in the Same wav as the rim does on a knife- or wavydrilledholes. edge bit, for clean, smooth standard9O-degree The carbide stays sharp for a lons, long time, even when you're cutting through melamine or MDF. That's why these bits are mainly used to bore holes for mounting Europeann r n o en a r o w a r e . BJ.urr" this style lacksa rim to guide it, the bit is incapable a h o l e w i t h o u t t h e c e n t e rp o i n te n g a g e d . of drilling
from Woodtek Supplv loodyo-tft's ffi:t"::i:?ker.com 1-in. Carbide-tipped Forstner bit, # 1 0 9 - 0 6$ 11 ' 1'
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2oo4 American Woodworker NOVEMBER
CircleNo. 32
or this article, I tried more than 100 different Forstner-style bits from various manufacturers. Four basic styles are available: knife edge, war,y edge, sawtooth and carbide sprlr (see "Bit T1pes," pages 26 and 27). All the bis I tested drilled standard 9O-degree holes just fine. But only sorne could drill the angled or partial holes that Forstners are known for. If you want to drill these specialized holes, stick with the knife-edge or war,y-edgedesign. These bits have an almost continuous rim, with few interruptions. The more interrup tions in the rim, as in a sawtooth bit, the poorer the bit's perfor"rnance
when drilling holes withotrt the center point engaged. These interrrrptions have an advantage, however: They generate much less heat, so the bits can l-Llnfaster and drill holes more quickly than bits with a more continuolls-rim design can. The sawtooth bit is also easier to sharpen than other Forstner style bits are.
steel used to produce the bit. The more expensive Forstner bits are made of durable high-speed steel. Carbon-steel bits cost slightly less, but their steel will not hold ar-r edge as long as l-righ-speedbits will. A carbide-tippecl bit also costs more, but it's the bit to buy if you drill lots of 90-degree holes in abrasive materials, such as MDF, particleboard or melamine. These abrasive materials will quickly dull even high-speed steel bits. One last bit of br"rying adr,'ice: Most of these bits are available in sets. Buying a set can save you money. Plus, the sets come with a handy storase case to protect the delicate edges of your Forstner bits.
U.S.and European-made Forstner bits can cost up to four times as much as bits imported from other countries. But I found that generally the more expensive bits held their sharpness longer and drilled more acclrrate holes. One factor in the price is the
28
Arnerican \\bod$,or-ker NoVEMaER 2oo4
IDS AIB-TE0H and Dust-Force

Whenonly the Bestwill Do!
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'I * Trps FoR UstNG FoRsTNER ffil;s
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Adjust the speed of your drill pressto match as closely as possible, but not exceed, your Forstner bit's recommended speed. Most Forstnershave differentspeed ratingsfor hardwoodsand softwoods.
A clean, sharp rim is critical to a Rolling loose in a Forstnerbit's performance. rims. A simple wood delicate drawer will damage the bits' the trick. does blockwith holesdrilledfor the bit shanks
American Woodworker NOVEMBER2oo4 29
10 FoRSTNER Tr ps
Dnnl AwGLED H*LEs BY Harun
Y o u c a n m a k e a n g l e dh o l e s u s i n ga F o r s t n e r bit in a hand drill. The trick is to start at 90 degreesuntil the rim and the center pointareengaged, andthentip the b i t w h i l e k e e p i n gi t s p i n n i n g . T h i s works best with knife- or wavy-edge bits that are lessthan 1-in.diameter.
A MIoRTIsE
Forstner bits can cut overlapping holes.This is an especiall y u s e f u lt e c h n i q u e f o r h o g g i n go u t t h e majority of material in a mortise. lt keeps the chisel work and elbow g r e a s et o a m i n i m u m .
Hoc Our
Pccrrr ScnEWS
WITHOUT A JIC
Drilling angled pocket screw holesis a snap with a Forstner bit and a drill press. Shallow pocket screw holes like this are often used to fasten a table'stop to its apron.
POCKET SCREW HOLE
Brc, CLEAN, Pnrctsn HoLFs

Forstners can't be beat for drillingprecise, large-diameter holes up to 4 in.They are a favorite of clock makers. But be warned: These l a r g e - d i a m e t e rb i t s a r e e x p e n s i v e more than $150 for a 4-in. model. lf you're only drilling the occasional large hole, you're probably better off with a fly cutter:or a hole saw.
30
10 FoRSTNER Tlps
DnILLING oN THE Eoce
Partial holeson a board'sedge are required for figure-eightstyle fasteners used to attach a tabletop to an apron. A Forstneris the only drill bit that can drill this style of hole. lt'sthe perfect droice for this task.
DnTLLtNG
No Trnn-Our
Forstner bits excel at drilling clean,preciseholesfor wood plugs. Because the rim scores the wood fibers ahead of the cutters,the Forstnerbit virtually eliminates tear-out.
American Woodworker
NOVEMBER 2oo4
Marc Sommerfeld's new "Made Easy" series in DVD or video
Router Tables MadeEasy #VID-AW3 #DVD.AW3 (120 min.)
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MiniRaised Panels MadeEasy #VID-AW6 #DVD.AW6 (30min.)
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Reg: eachSpecial: $24.95 each $9.90
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#AW.sPK #AWD.sPK Special offer byphone only, offer expires i2tg1l}4
10 FaRSTNER Tlps
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Carbide-tipped Forstnersare the choice for drilling E u r o p e a n - s t y lh ei n g e - m o u n t i n g holes. T h e y c a n d r i l l i n t o m e l a m i n eo r M D F a l l d a y l o n g a n d s t a ys h a r p .
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34
American
\Alooclworker
NOVEMBER
2oo4
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.Le$ the Plantation Buffet, lntroducing l(#1498). This new leg has atrue 4"x4" square on top and bottom and is341/2'tall.
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Materials for four C-units: 1 2 b d . f t . o f 6 1 4h a r d m a p l e '15 b d . f t . o I 5 1 4p o p l a r Two sheets of 114-in. x 4-ft. x BJt. hard maple plywood Two sheets of 114-in. x 4-ft. x 4-ft. underlavment One sheet of 314-in. x 4-ft. x B-ft. MDF One sheet of 3/4-in.x 2-ft. x 4-ft.Ii plywooo Cost: $220 for four units
f"la rdura re: O n e b o x N o . 9 x 1 - i n .b r a s ss c r e w s A h a n d f u lo f N o . 6 x 3 - i n .d r v w a l ls c r e w s Tools: Tablesaw1 , /4-in. d a d o s e t , c h o p s a w , j o i n t e t p l a n e r ,r o u t e r , l l 2 - i n . f l u s h - t r i mb i t , d r i l l ,p l a t ej o i n t e r ,w o o d g l u e , r o l l e r , c l a m p s ,l e v e l , comoass
Derari- 1 Template
114" x7116"NOTCH
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Each C-unit requiresthree torsion boxes. They're all made the same way,just in different lengths. o Torsion box for uppershelf 1-114"x9-3/8"x34" . Torsion box for upright 1-114" x 9-3/B'x 18-114" . Torsion box for lowershelf 1-114"x9-3/8"x51
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1. Cut the torsion-box skins (Fig. A, El, Fl and Gl, page 38) from L/Gin. maple plywood (see Cutting List, page 45). To get skins for all four Gunits from two sheetsof plywood, rip each sheet into five 9-l/Z-in. x &ft. btanks. Cut eight of these blanks into 5l-in. and 3*\n. skins for the shelves.Cut the eight l&l / !in. skins for the uprights from the remaining two blanks. 2. Cut the sheetsof l/4.in. Muliply plywood underlayment intoT/&in. x 4&in. ribs (A). 3. Plane poplar edging stock to the same 7/&in. thickness as the ribs'width. Cut the front and end edging pieces (C and D) to width and length. 4. Build the notch-cuttingjig (Fig.B, page 38). 5. Cut notches in the ribs (Photo 1). Butt the ribs againstthe indexing piece to cut the first notches.Use thesenotches to index the ribs so
Cut notchesin the ribs, using a shop-made indexing jig dado set.Thenotchesallow you to assemble and a 114-in. the ribs into the grid sectionsthat comprise the core of t h e torsion boxes.
Cut short ribs from some of the long ribs. Use a template (Fig. A, Detail 1) and an indexing piece to make sure you cut them consistently.
Glue the torsion boxes together by sandwiching the edging and the grid sectionbetweenthe plywood skins. This is a complex glue-up, so use glue that won't dry too fast and a roller to spread it quicklyand evenly.
n Clamp the torsion boxes between box beams' Box / | beams distributeclamping pressureevenly and guaran--T well worth tee your glued-upshelveswill be flat.They're the effort to make.
American Woodworker NoVEMBER 2oo4 39
Mssffi THE BE_vELED_ IVLoL*ruNa__
G l u eo n m o l d i n g b l a n k st h a t a r e s l i g h t l yt h i c k e r thanthe shelves.Make sure you feel ridges on both sides of the b l a n k sa s y o u t i g h t e ne a c hc l a m p ,a n d a g a i na f t e ra l l t h e c l a m p sa r e t i g h t .
R o u tt h e e d g e sf l u s h . U s e a secondshelf to support the router and a pieceof scrap plywood as a spacer.
Bevelthe molding. lt's difficultto get good resultswhen you cut thick,hard wood at an angle,so make two passes. First,make a slightly oversizerough cut. Adjust the f e n c ea n d m a k e a s e c o n dl i g h t p a s st o c l e a nt h e e d g e .
B e v e lt h e e n d m o l d i n gw i t h y o u r m i t e rg a u g ea n d a l o n g s u p p o r tf e n c e . R o u g h - c u t h e b e v e l a n d t h e n m a k e a l i g h tf i n a l p a s s .
yort rh#;a mite, g*ge;re ,""t"bie i" the ri;'riGl Fa"t,'o-nJf position because they hang off the front of the saw, use a sled to i 1 l m a k e _ t h i sc u t ( s e e " T h e U l t i m a t e S h o p - B u i l t C r o s s c u t S l e d j , A W i
pase 38). ijf9:9:lgler 1eee,

40 American Woodworker NoVEMBER 2oo4
you can cut the next notches, and so on' By using a hold-down, you can cut notches in several ribs at once. 6. Cut some of the long ribs into short ribs that are consistent in length (B, Photo 2). 7. Assemble grid sections (E2,F2 and G2) by fitting the long and short ribs together. These sections don't need to be glued; the half-lapjoints hold them together. You'll need two 48-in.-long grid sections for each G unit. Use one full-length section for the lower shelf. Cut the other into a 3l-in.-long section for the upper shelf and a 15-L/hin.-long section for the upright. 8. Build a pair of box beams (Fig. C, page 38). 9. Glue the torsion boxes, using the box beams (Photo 3). We used Titebond Extend rvood glue so we didn't have to rush these complex glue-ups. Lay the edging and grid on the bottom skin and check the fit. The edging should be flush at the front and on the ends. Make sure the grid is snug against the back of the front edging. A 1-3l8-in.-wide cavity should extend across the back of the two shelves; the ledger boards (E5 and G5) will occupy this space when the shelves are mounted to the wall. The back of the upright is solid. Roll glue on the edging and grid. It's important to not get any glue in the back cavity. Flip the pieces over, position them and apply glue to the second side. Place the top skin in position. Make sure all the edges are flush. 10. Clamp the torsion boxes between the box beams (Photo 4). Clamp the middle first; then work outward. 11. True up the torsion boxes. After the glue has dried. remove the torsion boxes from the box beams' Joint the front edges, after scraping off any excess glue. Then rip the boxes to the frnal9-3/8-in. width.
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12. Mill your 6/4 maple to l-l/4.in. x 1-3l8-in. molding blanks (E3, F3, G3,E4 and G4). 13. Orient the shelves and uprights for each Gunit and mark the fronts. Mark the open ends of the two shelves, where the end moldings go, too. 14. True the open ends of the two shelves by crosscutting. Remove just enough to leave clean edges. Make sure the cut is square to the front edge. 15. Cut and fit the miter joints on the moldins blanks. Then glue them on (Photo 5). 16. Tiim the molding edges (Photo 6). It's OK if routing leaves the molding a hair proud. You can sand the surfaces flush later. 17. Rip bevels on the front moldings (Fig. A, Detail 2; Photo 7). To avoid kickback, make sure the blade is tilted away from the fence. Your final pass should leave a 5/76-in. square shoulder at the top'
E hd *edgel The moldingwas notrceably bowed, and I gluing it on. Now I was when forgotto checkthe edges l'll haveto cut off the moldingand startover. Molding that rsn't straightcan be a real pain to glue bowed or on. The solutionis to use a spline.Registering twisted molding with a spline guaranteesit'll glue on perfectly. Cut shallowgroovesin both pieces,usingyour dado set. Be sure to locate the grooves off center, so the splineremainshiddenafter you cut the bevels. For both edges of the molding to stand proud, the molding's groove has to be slightly offset from the groove in the shelf. Creatingthe offset is easy. Make sure the top face of each piece ridesagainstthe fence when you cut. First, cut the groove in the molding' Beforeyou cut the groovern the shelf,simplymove the l f y o u r m o l d i n gi s 1 / 1 6 - i n . to the blade, f e n c ea b i t c l o s e r fence adjustmentcenthickerthan your shelf,a 1132-in. tersthe molding.
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18' Crosscut bevels on the end moldings (Photo 8) . After your final pass, the square shoulder should match the one on the front' 19' Remove all the saw marks by sanding the bevels. You'll get the best results if you use a sanding block. A power sander is likely to round over the crisp edges. It's safer to smooth thejoins between the moldings and the plywood with a block, too' 2L Check your miter cuts with an accurare square and cut again if they aren't right. In the end, it doesn,t matter whether your shelves are exactly the same size as the dimensions in the Cutting List. What's important is that the joints fit. 22. Cut slots in (photo l0). the mitered ends for biscuits
23. Make a pair of fir pl;wood braces to square and
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isn't nearly 20' Miter the corners (Photo 9) ' These angled cuts won't tax your saw the way the molding did, A , as dense.
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and their outside corners must be dead-on at 90 degrees. 24. fusemble the G unit and check the miter
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blocks onto the shelves (photo 12). Grocery-bag paper nd triangular offcuts from beveling the molding are perfect. Be sure to glue both sides oi the paper. Don,t use clamps;just mb the blocks back and forth on the surface until they stick. Wait at least 15 minutes before using them.
42
4 4 Clamp the three shelf components together without joints' Use | | glue, so you can checkthe fit of the miter I I plywood bracesto support the upper shelf and hold everythingsquare.
Glue temporary clamping blocks at the corners. 4 t\ allow you to clamp the miter joints effectiveThey'll | / | 4ly, without using long, heavy clamps. Piecesof heavy paper glued betweenthe blockand the shelf make the blocks removable.
26. Disassemble t the Gunit and apply glue to the miter joints.
Reassemble the unit and clamp the corners, using the temporary blocks (Photo l3). Be fussy when you fit the joints. 27. Remove the clamping blocks by taP ping the end grain with a hammer. The papered joints will break, leaving half the paper on the block and half on the shelf. (You can also split a papered joint with a chisel.) Moisten the paper residue on the shelves to soften the glue. After a few minutes, the paper will rub offand the glue will turn white, so it'll be easy to. see. Gently scrub off the glue using a paper towel or a fine nylon abrasive pad. Don't use steel wool; it'll discolor the wood. Remove excess glue from the mitered joints the same way.
Clamp the miter joints to glue the C-unit together.After the glue dries, the clamping blocks knock off easily because of the paper, and the residue cleans off completely with water.
American Woodworker
NoVEMBER 2oo4
t+3
4 Positionthe C-unit on the wall and mark the inside piece of tape can be used to mark stud locaI fl-corner. A t t tlons. Installation is easiestwhen both ledger boards anchor in two studs. 4
4f lC
Installthe ledger board for the bottom shelf, using a level and your corner mark for reference.
For a perfectfit, use the C-unitto locatethe upper 4F tapeto the ledger 111 ledgerboard.Attachdouble-faced I \/ and slidethe ledgerinto its cavity, usingspacers so it protrudes. Installthe C-unit on the lowerledger andpress the uppershelfagainst the wall. Mo ur ur r HE C- U Ntr o N T H E \ /A L L 28. Mill ledger boards for both shelves.They should fit the cavitiesfirmly, but wi*rout binding. 29. Locate the Gunit on the wall after marking the stud locations (Photo 14). 30. Fasten the lower ledger board to the wall (photo l5). It's shorter than the cavity, for side-to-side adjustment. If you need to be fussy about height, install the ledger a bit below the line, to allowfor the shelfs plywood skin. 31. Locate and install the upper ledger board by using the Gunit. It's much easier than measuring on the wall (Photos 16 and f fl. It helps to sand this ledger down a bit, so it slides easilyin and out of the cavity.Use a brace
4 American Woodworker NOVEMBER 2oo4
4-7 I I at
The upper ledger board remains when you remove the C-unit, thanks to the double-faced tape. Anchor this ledgerto the studs.
to support the Gunit and keep the shelvesparallel during this process. If the upper ledger bridges only one stud, use a toggle bolt for the second anchor. 32. Install the Gunit to determine whether it needs to be scribed (Photo 18). 33. With the Gunit firmly pressedagainst the wall, drill pilot holes for the mounting screws.Keep the countersink shallow-the plylvood skins are thin and you just want the screwsto install flush. Fasten the Gunit to the wall (Photo l9). If you're installing multiple Gunirs, mount each unit separatelyto drill the pilot holes. Then go back and install them, using a stubby screwdriver to drive the screwswhere the shelvesoverlap. Iw
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L E D G E RB O A R D CAVITY
T h e s h e l v e ss l i d e o n t o l e d g e rb o a r d s and are fastenedwith screws.
S c r i b et h e s h e l v e st o r e m o v eg a p s .F i r s t ,t r a n s f e rt h e w a l l ' s u n e v e n s h a p e w i t h a c o m p a s s .R e m o v e t h e s h e l fa n d s a n dt h e b a c ke d g e st o t h e l i n e s .l t ' l l b e e a s y . l y w o o d s k i n s .R e i n s t a ltl h e b e c a u s ey o u ' r e s a n d i n g 1 1 4 - i np ! No gaps! s h e l v e sV . oilit
Fastenthe shelvesto the ledger boards with screws. and it This is strong enough for most applications makesthe shelvesremovable.For maximum strength g l u e a n d s c r e wt h e ( t o h o l d y o u r a n v i lc o l l e c t i o nf,o r e x a m p l e ) shelvesto the ledger boards.
, ,
10-5/8" x 18"x52" dimensions: CUmrue L|$f for one C-unit I Overall
Part
A
Name
Lonq rib Short rib F r o n te d q i n q Endedqinq Lower shelf Lower shelf skin Lower shelf grid L o w e r s h e l ff r o n t m o l d i n g Lowershelfend moldinq Lower shelf ledqer board Upright U p r i q h ts k i n
Material
Underlavment Underlayment Poplar Poplar Maple plvwood
otv.
6
Finisheddimension
114"x718" x 48"
B
C
28
4 6
114" x718"x7-114"
718"x 314"x cut to length
D E E1 E? E3 E4 E5
F F1
7/8" x1-112 x8-3/4"

1-114" x 10-5/8"x 52"(1r x51 x)9 _ 1 1 2 " 3/16"(2
2
1 1 1 1
A and B Parts
Hardmaple Hardmaple Poplar Maple plvwood
x 48" x7-114" 718"

1-114" x 1-3l8"x 53"(1'41 1-114 x 1-3l8" x11-112't1'41 718"x1-114x47" x 18"{3} 1_114" x 10_5/8" 3l16tt2tx 9-1 12"x 18-1/4"
2
1 1
F2 F3
G G1
Upriqht srid
Uprightmolding Uppershelf U p p e r s h e l fs k i n U p p e r s h e l fg r i d Upper shelfmoldinq U o o e r s h e l fe n d m o l d i n q U p p e r s h e l f l e d g e rb o a r d
Parts A and B
Hardmaple Maple plywood PartsA and B Hardmaple Hardmaple Poplar
x7-1/4' x 15-114" 718"

x 1-3l8" x18-114" 1-114" 1-114x10-518"x35"(11 x9-1/2" x 34" 3/16"12) x 31" x7-114" 718" 1-1/4"x 1-3l8"x 36"(1'4) x 1-3l8" x11-112't''ol 1-114" 718"x1-114"x30"
l a ) c u tt o l e n g t h a f t e r m i t e r i n g Amcrican Woodwor-ker NovEMBER 2oo4
2
1 1 1 1
G2 G3
G4 G5
{ t )o n e e n d m i t e r e d
(2) a c t u a l t h i c k n e s s o f 1 1 4 "p l y w o o d
(3) both ends mitered
by George Vondriska
f you like tools and want to feel as though you've found woodworkers' heaven on earth, then the International Woodworking Fair (IWT), is the place for you. The rWT event, held in Atlanta every two years, is host to manufacturers dis plapng everFthing from hand planes to computer-driven routers. Incredibly, even the largest of machines is up and running! Lots of manufacturers go to rWT' to show off their newest tools, and we go to check out what they've got. From our well-Equipped Shop to your well-equipped shop, here's some cool new stuffwe saw this year. Look for more in upcoming AW issues.
A Nrw ConoLESS SvsrEvr

Replacement batteries for cordless tools are expensive, but Ryobi has slashed the price of its batteries, selling two l8-volt batteries for $40, as part of its new One+ System. buy just the saw for $60-a big savings over
bqang the tool with nvo more batteries and another charger. Lots of l8-volt tools are available in the system, including a jigsaw, drill, flashlight, reclprocatrng saw even a cordless chainsaw!
A LA Cnnrr ToorPuncHeses
One problem with owning more than one cordless tool is the variety of batteries and chargers that end
BATTERIES, TWOFOR$40
Srnapprruc Conolrss ToorSronacr

Another Ryobi innovatiou will help with cordless
up lying around the shop. Even if you buy all your

cordless tools from the same manufacturer, you pay for new batteries, a new charger, probably even a new case, with
tool storage. Its Plug-In Lanyard, two for $5, fits into the tool's battery caviw and provides a strap so the tool
can be hung on the wall.
Source Home Depot, www.homedepot.com Technical information, wwrv.ryobitools.com.
every tool. Ryobi is helping to eliminate clut'ter and save you money with its new l&volt One+ system. It gives you the option of buying tools with or without batteries. One+ is a systemof l8-volt tools that can be purchased either individually or in kits that include two batteries and a charger. If you already have a Ryobi l&volt drill and want a cordless circular saw you can
CHARGER,$20
($60) GHATNSAW
j
SPEEDSAW ($40)
CIRCULAR SAW wrTH LASER ($60)
($70) NATLER/STAPLER
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American Woodworker
NovEMBER 2oo4
NEw Dovgrau Jtc

I've pulled out a few hairs trFlng to n'veak my dovetail jig so it cuts perfectly. Porter Cable's 4200 series dovetail jigs have some great conveniences that make much of that unnecessary. Unlike most dovetail jigs, these come fully assembted and ready to go, which in itself is a big time-saver. They've also got a built-in gauge for setting the router bit's depth of cut. You'll still need to do test cuts, but this is an effective shortcut to success. The instructions for what to do if the joint is too tight or too loose are right on the side of the jig, so you won't have to search for your owner's manual. The 4210 jig, $99, cus half-blind, rabbeted half-blind and sliding dovetails. T}:,e 4212, $149, cuts through, half-blind, rabbeted halfblind and sliding dovetails and box joints. Few other jigs in this price range produce through dovetails and sliding dovetails. to Both jigs accept material from l/* thick and up to 12 in. wide. Each l-l/*in. comes with a dovetail bit and guide bushing. Porter Cable says the jigs should be available in December.
6
Source PorterCable (800)321-9443 www.porter-cable.com Dovetailjig,4210 $,9 9 Dovetail iig, 4212, s149.
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Thin-kerf blades aren't news. Fifty-tooth blades aren't news. But when I see a blade that cuts as well as the 5Gtooth, thin-kerf Freud LU83R and sells for $45, that's news.It's a great price for a blade with such a high quality of cut. The LU83R combination blade usesa mix of alternate top-bevel and flat-top grind teeth and can be used for ripping andcrosscutting.Combination blades sometimes mean a quality-of-cut compromise on both
cuts. In the case of the LU83R, there is no compromise. Rip cuts, even in thick hardwood, are glassy smooth. Crosscuts
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are equally good. Even on such easy-to-chipmaterial as melamine, the quality of cut isn't bad, although there are blades better suited for cutting melamine and
plywood. Thin-kerf blades are perfect companions for contractor saws. But even on cabinet sawswith plenty of power, a thin-kerf blade makes pushing material through the blade easier.
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American Woodworker
NovEMBER 2oo4
HanMoNtous WooowonKING
When my shop was a two-car garage with one outlet, I had to carefully choose what I plugged in. That generally meant no radio, because there weren't any outlets left for it. Enter Bosch's new Power Box, $169. Yes, it's an expensive radio, but that's because it's much more than a radio. The Power Box includes a four-way GFCI outlet. So, when you've plugged in the Box, it becomes a power source for other tools. And it's ground-fault protected, which is a must-have in damp environments. Music? No problem. You can listen to AM or FM stations or your favorite CD. The CD player has built-in antiskip technology, so whacking the Box with an offcut doesn't mean missing
your favorite verse.Every potential point of entry for dust or moisture, including buttons, speakersand the
CD drawer, is sealed. An aluminum roll cage protects the Box, which is suspended from the cage by rubber shock absorbers to further damp accidental whacks. The Box also features a l2-volt output to recharge cellphones or two-way radios and a battery charger for Bosch batteries. The radio and CD player will run off those batteries if you haul the radio out to the middle of the yard. Besides all that, the Power Box is just plain cool-looking and kicks out great sound.
Source Bosch Power Tools (8771267-2499 www.boschusa.com Power Box, $'169.
PI-UNGE Dnru
Drilling a hole with a handheld drill is easy enough to do, but making the hole perfectly perpendicular to the surface can be tough. Triton has married a plunge mechanism to a cordless drill to create its new
FENCE
l8-volt cordless plunge drill for $249. It's comparably

priced to other l8-volt cordless hammer drills, although others lack the plunge features. Yes, $2ag will buy you a drill press or even a plunge router, but if you're a woodworker whose cordless drill is expected to do lots of home-improvement jobs, too, the Tiiton may be for you. The plunge mechanism telescopes from the drill body and can do a couple things for you. It helps guide the drill squarely into the material. It has a depth-of-drill srop ro conrrol the hole depth. With the fence attached (included with the drill), ir cenrers itself over round stock and on outside corners. The fence can also be registered against an outside edge of a board so an entire series of holes (for instance, adjustable-shelf holes) can be uniformly spaced from the edge. The plunge mechanism self-stores, locking in the body of the drill when not needed. The plunge drill also has a 2Aposition clutch,l/Z-in. chuck, ham(used for drilling into concrete) and an LED light so you can see where you're boring. The drill comes with nvo batteries and a charger. 48
mer function
Source TritonWorkshopSystems (888)874-8661 www.tritonwoodworking.com 18-volt plungedrill,$289. cordless
RrrvorE-CoNTRoL Dusr CoLLECTToN

Do you turn on your dust collector every time you should? "I'm only making one cut," you say. But how many times in a day do you make "only one cut"? A lot of devices on the market allow conveniently controlling your dust collector from a distance, but they have to be added to the system after the fact and cost $50 to $300. New dust collectors from Jet come with a remote switch built into the machine. It adds about $50 to the machine's cost. For that you get an onboard timer that allows the collector to run from one to 99 minutes. You also get a handheld remote control that is small enough to carry in your pocket. With a push of the button, your dust collector is on or off. Unfortunately the signal won't travel through a wall, so your collector must be in the same room you are. Some addon systems from other manufacturers do have signals that will penetrate a wall. The remote control and timer system is available on three dust-collector models, which pull 650, 1,100, and 1,200 cubic feet per minute (cfm). Each model is available with a standard filter bag or canister-style filter and quick-install collector bags.
I. ?;; JET
&TOOI-S QUpMEtsr
f@r
ONBOARDTIMER
Source Jet Tools (80012t4-6848 www.jettools.com with remotecontroland timer: Dust collectors DC-650, filter bags,$280 standard DC-650, canister filter,$400 f i l t e rb a g s , D C - 1 1 0 0s ,t a n d a r d $350 1 0 0 ,c a n i s t efri l t e r $ 5 0 0 DC-1 filter bags,$450 DC-1200, standard D C - 1 2 0 0c ,a n i s t efri l t e r , $550.
INSERTCUTTERS
l)IwSERT Fr-usH-TRrM Brr CanBrDE

I use a flush-trim bit a lot, particularly for trimming face frames to cabinet sides and parts flush with templates. after a few Unfortunately, sharpenings, it's not a flush-trim bit any more. It's an almost-flush-trim bit, because of the cutter's reduced diameter. CMT's new carbide insert bits. $85, solve this problem, plus a few others. "'Whoa!" you say. "85 bucks for a flush-trim bit?" You're right; it's a lot of dough. A comparable noninsert flushtrim bit with a l/Z-in. shank and l-in. cut length costs around $35. But let's do a little math. The carbide inserts are doubleedged, so you automatically get two bits for the price of one. That eliminates one $10 sharpening. After you've worn out the second edge, replacement cutters are only $6 per pair, which is like getting two flush-trim bits, because they're double-edged. So the inexpensive replacement knives save you another $20 worth of sharpening. Finally, the carbide used on CMT's insert cutters, as on almost all insert cutters, is higher quality than on noninsert cutters, so it lasts longer. Insert router bits aren't for everyone. They're obviously more expensive than their noninsert counterparts. But if you're a heavy user of router bits, especially if you do lots of work in abrasive material, such as particleboard, MDF or plastic laminate, they pay off in no time.
Source CMT (8881268-2487 www.cmtusa.com Double F l u t ef l u s h - t r i m b i t ,6 5 7 . 6 9 2 . 1 1 $,8 5 Replacement knives,790.300.300, $6.
American Wbodrvorker NovEMBER 2oo4
49
ElrcrRoNtc Acr Hrrs Mlren Saws

Lasers have proven to be a wonderful way to add safety and accuracy to miter saws. Now Hitachi has taken ease-of-use to a new level by adding both a laser and a digital readout to its ClzLCH l2-in. single compound miter saw, $369. The laser casts a line down either side of the saw blade and can be finetuned for accuracy. The digital readout shows the chosen angle and bevel settings. Good quality miter saws rypically have easy-to-read angle and bevel scales, but you can't beat the simplicity of a digital readout. What a great way ro guarantee that you're hitting the correct angle every time! The digital readout is in O.05-degree increments. The numbers are large, are easy to read and can be backlit when you're in a low-light area. This saw's capacities are great enough-3-7/8-in. thickness and 77 /8-in. width-to allow easy curting of crown moldings. Hitachi hopes to improve the digital readout to 0.02 degrees in the near future. Conventional positive stops on the saw at 0, 22.5,31.6 and 45 degrees (left and right) set up angle cuts. The saw also has positive bevel stops at 0 and 48 degrees and a fine-tune mechanism to simpli$ tweaking bevel angles. This machine is slightly more expensive than other saws that include a laser but no digital readout.
Source Hitachi (8001829-4752 www. hitachi. us/powertools. com 1 2 - i nc . ompound m i t e rs a w , c 1 2 L C H$ , 369.
;*''
Mrrcn Snw Dusr Sunoun

Miter saws are a great convenience, but they spread sawdust like a sprinkler spreads water. The new Downdrafter shroud from Rousseau, $200, combined with a dust collector, acts like a parachute behind the saw and grabs
almost every bit of dust.

You may cringe at the price, but some good engineering is at work here. The shroud is mounted on a sliding track and a pivot so, no matter what angle the saw is set at, you can position the shroud in the high sawdust traffic area. The dust collector creates a down draft through the port in the bottom of the shroud and dust disappears. Without the slide and pivot, it would take a shroud the size of a garage to capture dust at every angle a miter saw can cut. The shroud is deep enough to accommodate sliding saws and large enough to surround even the biggest miter saws.A shop vacuum provides some dust collection, but this unit works best when used with a dust collector.
Source Rousseau Co. (800)635-3416 www.rousseauco.com Downdrafter dust shroud.$200.
50
r'e,f ?;
rr.
Hravv Larnr wlrH Exrnn CaPnclrY

So here's a dilemma: Mini lathes are designed to be portable, but when you get where you're going, it's nice to have some weight in the machine. At 106 pounds (more than a sheet of MDF weighs), the Maxi Lathe, $300, from General International outweighs other machines in this category by 20 to 30 pounds. Exrra weight is good for damping vibration in a lathe; lugging it around is tougher. General International has set the minilathe bar a little higher with the Maxi capacity. At 15 in. between centers, it exceeds other minilathe capacities by ,rp to 2 in., depending on the model. Its 10-in. bowl capacity is comparable to that of other machines. Lathe's spindle
Source G e n e r aIln t e r n a t i o n a l (5143 ) 26-1 61 www.generar.ca M1, $300 25-100 M a x iL a t h e , , 95 B e d e x t e n s i o n2 , 5 - 1 3 0$ , 160. B e d e x t e n s i o n2 , 5 - 1 2 5$
The Maxi Lathe, model 25-100 Ml, has 2,730,3,327 steppulleysat 480, 1,270,1,960, It's driven control. for speed rpm 4,023 and are extensions Two bed motor. l/2-hp by a increases extension, The 25-130 available. $95,
the spindle capacity to 35 in. benveen centers. The 25-125 bed extension, $160, increases the spindle capacity to 45 in.
BUY THIS
Two-FoR-Orvr Dntll Orrrn wlrH ltupncr

It's hard to imagine a day in the shop without a cordless drill. You can't beat its convenience. But I'm intrigued by impact drivers, which are hitting the cordless market hard. Impact drivers are overkill for the small screws commonly used in the shop, but their rat-Ttat-tat action makes it easy to drive long deck or lag screws. Although impact drivers are great for driving screws, they're not always the best tool for drilling plain old holes, countersinks or delicate work. In a perfect world, you would have both a cordless drill and an impact driver. Makita brings the perfect world a little closer by offering a cordless drill and impact driver package. If you buy the l2-volt impact driver for $249, you get its 12volt drill free. Buy the 14.4volt impact driver for $269, and get the 14.4volt drill free. The impact driver is variable speed and very compact, so it is easy to handle. It has a built-in LED light that illuminates the area in front of the chuck. You get a charger and rwo batteries with the impact driver, plus a mail-in coupon. Send the coupon to Makita and the company will send you your free drill. Both drills have two speed ranges, a keyless 3/8-in. chuck and a multiposition clutch. If you're interested, you'd better hurry. This deal is only available until Dec. 31. Source Makita (800) www.makitatools.com 462-5482, 6211D, 12-volr drlll, $249 impact driver 6980FWDE, 12-volt drill, 6237D, 14.4-volt $269. impact 6935FDWDE, 14.4-volt driver
ofi rHls FREE f
American Woodworker NOvEMBER 2oo4
51
Cathedral raised-paneldoors
are beautiful, but theycanbe intimidating to make. After many years of teaching students how to make these doors, I've got a trick or two up my sleeve to simpli$, the process and remove some of the fear factor. Here's a tried-and-true recipe to help you safely and successfully make beautiful doors. There are a few specialized tools yoll must have to make cathedral doors. Start with a suitable router table. It should be equipped with a Z-hp or higher variable-speed router that accepts L/2-in.-shank router bits. You'll also need a bandsaw orjigsaw for cutting the curves and a set of door-making router bits. The bits and a template set will set you back nearly $400, but they are a big part of what makes this technique airtight. The good news is the router bits are not specific to cathedral-top doors; they can be used to make any frame-and-panel door. You'll need a two-piece matched rail-and-stile set (about $135) to make the frame. Ir's easier to ger good results with a two-piece set than with a one-piece reversible bit. With a two-piece set, you feed all the pieces face down. Reversible bits use one arbor with removable cutters. Some parts are machined face up, others face down. This often results in poor alignment between rails and stiles. Plus, it's a hassle to have to change cutters on the arbor. Bits with al/Z-in. shank will produce less chatter and a smoother cut rhan those with I / Gin. shank.
"1,f5, *
,--
-'r
-;= k+ lj
The end-grain cutter is used only on the rail ends and prod u c e st h e t o n g u e a n d t h e m a t i n g p r o f i l et o t h e m o l d e d e d g e . The depth of cut is controlled b y a b e a r i n gt h a t r i d e s a g a i n s t the tongue. Mark a number 1 on the end of the shaft with a permanentmarker,becauseit's the first cutter you'll use.
The long-graincutter is used on the inside edge of all the frame pieces. It makes the groove for both the p a n e la n d t h e t o n g u e o n t h e e n d o f t h e r a i l s .l t a l s o f o r m s t h e m o l d e d edge you see around the inside of the frame. Labelthis bit with the n u m b e r2 .
Use a back-cutting panel raiser ( a b o u t$ 1 5 0 )t o m a k e t h e p a n e l . T h e main cutter cuts a broad profile in the face of the panel. At the same time, the backcutter sweepsmaterial off the backof the panelto leavea perfectly sized tongue for the groove in the frame. Our favoritebits come with two bearings:Thelargediameterbearingis used for the first p a s s a n d t h e s m a l l b e a r i n gf o r t h e final pass.
American Woodworker NOVEMBER2oo4
rst, cut all the frame pieces (see "Sizing a Door," page 61). For a good-looking, stable door, make the frame from straight-grained wood.
Next, on your router table, set up the end-grain cutter for machining the rail ends. Cutting end grain before long grain helps prevent blow-out on the rails. Here's a memory device for you: Machine the Rails before the Stiles, because R comes before S in the alphabet. Mark the back of all the frame pieces. They get machined with their good faces down, so you should be looking at the mark on the back for all the cuts. Note: Run the end-grain and long-grain cutters at full speed on your router.
Get a coping sled ($40) for making the end-graincuts on the rails.Thesled uses clamp to hold the rails a quick-release with a firm grip. A replaceablebacker block keeps the rail square to the fence and backsup the edge of the rail to prevent blow-out.
BACKER BLOCKS
Set the height of the end-grain cutter against a test piece I in the coping sled.Thecut should leavea shoulderon top of the piece that's twice as thick as the lip on the bottom (see Photo 4).You can tweak the height after a test cut.
-l
Set the fence even with the face of the ball bearing, makes quickwork of this job. A straightedge
QfVlate a test cut, but don't cut all the way through the test r.,lpiece.You don't want to cut into the backer block until the bit height is perfect.Thatway, the block can be used to quickly set the bit height the next time you make doors.
1l cnecu -fthe cut. The height of the router bit controls the depth of the shoulder and the thicknessof the lip. The tongue sizeis fixed.Theshouldershould be about twice as. stock,this works out thick as the lip. In 3/4-in.-thick 3/16 in. Raise to a shoulderdepth of approximately or lower the bit as neededand make test cuts until it's right.
American Woodworker NOvEMBER 2oo4 55
Marcr
rHH FnnvtE (cc..rrrrruugr-r)
f,nout the rail ends. Remember,the back of the board is r-,'face up for all cuts.Toensure a uniform cut, keep consistent downward pressureon the sled at all times.
ftnough-cut the arch in the top rail. Centerthe rail template uon the top rail with the bottom of the patterneven with the rail'sbottom edge. Use a templatethat is the same length or s l i g h t l y l o n g e r t h a n t h e r a i l .T r a c et h e t e m p l a t e a n d u s e a bandsawor jigsaw to cut the curve. Stay at least 1/16in. but n o m o r e t h a n 1 / 8 i n . o u t s i d et h e l i n e .
fnusn-trim the rail with a template guide and a flush-trim t bit. Use double-faced tape to adherethe patternto the rail. The fenceis replaced with a bit coverand starterpin assembly (seeRecommended Gear,page 5g).
QSet the height of the long-grain cutter by aligning the L.lgroove cutter with the tongue on the end of a machined rail.Thetop of the cutter should be even with the top of the tongue.
A cathedral template set ($70) is a matched set of rail-and-paneltemplates.A template can be fastened directlyto the materialto act as a guide for the flush-trim bit. A set typicallycovers a range of panel w i d t h s , g e n e r a l l yf r o m 9 - 1 / 2 i n . to 22 in. Eachpattern has a centering hash mark for locatingthe patternon the wood. Sure, with careful layout, b a n d s a w a n d d r u m - s a n d e rw o r k you can make your own patterns, but it's hard to beat the simplicity of commercially made patterns
(see sources, page 62). PANELTEMPLATE
Don't forget to mark the backs of all your parts,and pay attention to the marks! lt's very easy to flip a rail and end up with a piecethat's no good!
56
QUat<e a long-grain test cut in a scrap piece. Use feather..,f boards to hold the rail down onto the table and a push stick to drive the piece past the cutter.
rail into the test piece. The faces of both parts should be flush. lf they're off by just a little -the thicknessof this page, for instance-you're irobably OK, A tiny discrepancylike that will easily sand out after assembly.lf they're off more than that, raise or lower the bit to correct it. Make test cuts until you've got a good match.
1On:r,J?*I"n,
Vfafe a zero-clearance fence by slowly sliding the infeed I I frattof the fenceinto the spinningbit.Thiseliminatesmost of the chippingthat can happenon thesecuts.You only needthe zero-clearance fence on the infeed side. Gaution: Make sure your bit guard is in placeand the mounting bolts on the fence are just looseenoughto let the fenceslide easily.
-l -l
I QfUactrine the long-grain edges of every frame piece, L4 including the straight portions of the arched rail. Make sure the piece is face down. You should be able to see the mark on the backof the piecewhen you're machiningit.
I Qaegin the arched cut at the precut section of the top rail. position the rail againstthe starterpin without conk-lFirst tacting the bit.Then pivot the rail into the bit so the bit enters the previouslong-graincut. Caution: Do not allow the bit to contactthe end grain, as this typically causesit to grab the railand ruin the piece.
1 A Co^plete the tong-grain cut by pivoting off the starter I-fpin and riding the router-bitbearingthrough the entire length of the archedrail. Use push blocksto keep consistent downward pressureon the rail throughout the cut.
57
Marc
THE PANEL
flush-trimming step. Mark the back of the panel to remind you to keep it face down on the router table. Large-diameter panel-raising bits must be run slowly, at no more than 12,000 rpm. Routers with 3-hp motors can easily raise the panel in two passesusing the fence to limit the depth of cut. A router whose motor has less than 3 hp may struggle a bit. Use push pads ro grip the panel and guide it past the bit.
luing Llp narrow pieces of wood is the best way to rake wide panels. You're more likely to get a panel that won't warp, and it's your chance to exercise some creativig'. Look for interesting grain patterns or cool-looking pieces of wood with lots of character. Rip the panel to width (see "sizing a Door," page 6l), but don't cut it to length until after you've flush-trimmed the arch on top, just in caseyou have a problem with the
1 KForm the arch on the panel the same way you did the J-..) rail, but using the matching panel template. Use a s q u a r et o m a k e s u r e t h e p a t t e r ni s s e t s q u a r eo n t h e p a n e l . Centerand tracethe pattern,cut outsidethe line,tape the patt e r n t o t h e p a n e la n d f l u s h - t r i m the shape.
1 A Set the panel-raisingbit's height by aligning it with a I\J rail'stongue. "Eyeball"the bit height so the bottom of the backcutteris even with the top of the tongue.Usethe bit's small bearingand set the fence 114-in. in front of the ball bearing.At this stage,the fence is backin placeof the bit cover.
I JV^Xe a test cut on the long-grainedge of a piece of I f s c r a p .l t ' s e a s i e rt o c u t l o n g g r a i n t h a n e n d g r a i n , s o m a k ey o u r t e s t c u t s o n a l o n g - g r a i n e d g e .M a k et h e f i r s t p a s s w i t h t h e f e n c e a b o u t 1 1 4i n . a h e a d o f t h e b e a r i n g .S e t t h e fence even with the bearingfor the second pass.
your work by slipping the test piece into the 1 R Check IL-, groove and laying a straightedgeacrossthe face.The p a n e la n d t h e f r a m e f a c es h o u l db e f l u s h .l n t h i s c a s e , the gap m e a n st h e b i t i s s e t t o o h i g h . A d j u s t a n d t e s t t h e b i t h e i g h t until it's right. When the correct bit height is established, replace t h e s m a l l b e a r i n gw i t h t h e l a r g eo n e .
Amer-ican
Woodrvorker
NOVEMBER
2oo4
QfUafe the first pass on the panel with the face of the fence first cut is made on the I Jset even with the large bearing.The panel's bottom edge. Rotate the panel counterclockwise and make the second cut on the long-grain edge. Keep the panel moving in one continuousmotion to preventburning.Cuts3 and 4 will requiredifferentsetups.
-l
qn
Set up to cut the panel arch (Cut 3) by removing the fence and clampingthe bit cover and startingpin in place.Turn aV on the router and positionthe arch againstthe startingpin without contactingthe bit.
lf you're makinga door with railsand stiles less than 2 in. wide, it's easier and safer to work with pieces wide enough to make two back-to-backpieces. After all the machiningis done, rip the stock down the middle to create a oair of stiles or rails. Practice making a door with an easy-to-machinematerial, such as poplar or pine. Keep a successfullymade door, dry-assembledonly, so you can use the parts for future setups. easy Make extra pieces,just in case. Railsare especially havinga spare readyto go if to goof up. You'llappreciate you need it. material for the frame and more Use straight-grained piecesfor the panel. open-grained r Prefinish the panel before you assemblethe door. C)-l Start the cut by easing the panel into the bit so the bit 1 L enters at the previouslycut corner.At this point, the arch is in contact with both the starting pin and the bearing on the router bit.
"" ;;i"' ffl;.T,kl;ixiJff *

clampthe cover to your r ou t er table (seeFig.D, page 62).
A shop-made bit cover with a starter pin is essential, becausethe arched shapes can't be cut with a fence.The starter pin acts as a fulcrum for easingthe arched rail and panel into the router bit. The cover protects your handsand providesdust collec-
STARTING PIN
q q Rout the arch by pivoting off the starting pin so the panel t e a r i n g .F i n i s ht h e a r c h , t h e r o u t e r - b ib only contacting 11is repositionthe fence so it's even with the bearing and make Cut the largebearing e d g e .R e p l a c e 4 o n t h e r e m a i n i n gl o n g - g r a i n with the small one and repeat the process(Photos 19 through 22l.for the final pass.
American Woodworker NovEMBER 2oo4 59
ith the router table work done, you 're almost home free. Still, there are some tricks for making assemblyeasier. Sand all the pieces before putting the door together. Be careful when sanding the long-grain profile on the stiles. If you sand too much, the stiles won't mate with the rails the way they should. Prefinish the panel to guarantee the entire panel is coated with finish. That way you won't have unfinished edges peeking out of the frame when the panel shrinks in winter. Prefinishing also prevents glue squeeze-out from gluing the panel to the frame, which would pre-
vent the panel from floating in the frame. A glued-in, solid-wood panel,is bound to crack as it tries to expand and contract with seasonalchanges. Have everything you need ready before applying the first drop of glue. Glue dries fast, and you don't want the glue to start setting up while you're running around the shop looking for a clamp. Speaking of clamps, use good ones. Sure, you cnn make almost any clamp work, but parallel jaw clamps are the bestbyfar. Theystay dead flat, even under clamp pressure. If you only spring for one pair-and glue a kitchen full of doors one door at a time-you won't regret it.
Solid-wood panels expand and contract seasonally. When they're at their smallest, they can rattle within the frame. You can take the rattle out with these silicone strips. Make them by squeezingl/8-in.-dia.beads of siliconecaulk onto a piece of wax paper. After the caulk dries, peel off the strips ahd cut them into l-in. lengths. Set these into the grooves before you assemble the door. They'll provide a cushion that allows the panel to expand but not rattle.
Q (Cfamp th.e door gently. lt doesn,t take much pressure vlto pull the rails and stiles together. Excessive l clamping can,bow the door. Measurethe diagonalsto make sure the door is square. lf it's not, loosen the clamps and rack them in the same directionas the longer of the two diagonals.Tighten the clamps,and recheck the diagonal.
60
American Woodworker
NoVEMBER 2oo4
f) eforeyou cancalculate .fltn" lengths of tne rairs and s tile s , y o u h a v e to know how the doorwill fit ov er or i n to th e c a b i n e t l f th e d o o rw i l l l a y openin g. it'scalled overthe opening, door.You must an overlay know the amountof overlay to make your rail and The size stile calculations. -how much of the overlay the door is thanthe bigger opening-can be affected you use. by the hardware S o, ge t th e h a rd w a re you buildyourdoor. before lf the doorwill be set inside an t he ope n i n gi,t' s c a l l e d your Tocalculate insetdoor. l ize o n a ni n s e t s t ile andra i s door,you needto knowthe gap sizebetweenthe door a n d t h e c a b i n e t( u s u a l l y in.l. Manycabiabout 1132 netmakers cut the partsto fit the opening exactly and t hen t r im th e a s s e m b l e d the gap. doorto create
Calculatethe stile length b y m e a s u r i n gt h e h e i g h t o f t h e o p e n i n ga n d e i t h e r adding the overlay amount or subtracting the inset gap'swidth.
EOUALS WIDTH OF BOTTOM RAIt
SNLE
Calculate the rail length by first measuring the width of the opening.Add the overlayor subtiactthe inset gap amounU this gives you the door's overall width. Now, subtract the width of the two stiles and then add the lengthof the two tongues on the ends of the rail (Fig. B, page62). Determine the width of the arched rail. First, measurethe depth of the a r c h i n t h e r a i l u s i n gt h e appropriate template guide.Make the top rail wide enough so that after the arch is cut out, the thinnest part of the rail top equals the width of the bottom rail.
Determine the panel size by dry-assembling the frame and measuring from groove bottom to groove bottom. Make the panel 1/8-in. smaller in both length and width to On allow for expansion. many cutters,the shoulder on the frame'sface is aligned with the bottom of the groove (Fig. C). Thisallowsyou to simply measure from shoulder to shoulderon the dry-fit frame.
61
Measurethe tongue length on the rails. You n e e dt h i s n u m b e rt o c a l c u l a t e t h e r a i ll e n g t h . W h e n y o u f i g u r eo u t t h e d i m e n s i o nf o r y o u r router bits (it can vary from manufacturer to m a n u f a c t u r e r ) ,k e e p i t - y o u ' l l u s e i t f o r every set of doors you make with that cutter.
To determine the panel size,you first need to know the distances from groove bottom to groove bottom in the assembled frame. Most cuttersalign the shoulderon the frame'sface with the groove bottom.This allows you to takethe necessary measurements right on top of the assembled frame (seeFig.A photo).
$ rin')
Note: Size the plywood base s o i t c a n b e c l a m p e do n y o u r table at two or more points.
Sources Infinity tools (877 www. infinitytools. | 872-2487, com Classic d o o rt e m p l a t e sP , DT-100 $,7 0 MLCS (800)533-9298, www.mlcswoodworking.com Rounded c u r v et e m p l a t e9 , 3 7 8 ,$ 7 0 Sommerfeld Tools (8881 228-9268, www. sommerfeldtools.com Cathedral door templates, TMp-003,$90 Woodhaven (800)344-6657, www.woodhaven.com Cathedral door templateset, 54b5.$95 Eagle America (800t' 872-251 1, www.eagle-america. com Coping s l e d ,# 4 0 0 - 1 2 3 5 $,4 0 Woodworker's Supply (800)645-9292, www.woodworker.com Double-face d p e ,# 1 2 7 - 8 7 7$ ta ,11.
62
American Wooclworker NovEMBER 2oo4
65
I
I
Lanee wHEELS Wide and thick blades for resawing last longer and have more traction on large wheels.
Guroe-posr cRANK
To raise or lower the heavy guide post, simply turn this wheel or crank handle.
-qa
rl
TeruspruwHEEL
This adjustment wheel is often conveniently located under the saw's frame, rather than on top.
BuaoE sELEcrtoN
You can run 1- to 1-114in.-wide blades that are ideal for resawing, but 114-in. and smaller blades for detail work
ISEF
-l_
il
are oftenfard to set up.
Srrr FRAME A large bandsawgenerally has a continuouscolumn from top to bottom that's exceptionallysturdy and can take lots of tension.
Srunoy rl\BLE Lors oF PoWER

Resawingis much easierand smoother with 2- to 3-hp motors. The table on a big saw is usually extralarge and very stable. It often comes with a rock-solid fence.
Wercxr
A big bandsaw weighs from 200 to 550 lbs.The biggest saws aren't really suitable for most mobile bases.
4-ru. DUsr PoRT

You'll need a dust collector with at least 400 cfm to be effective.
Vorrase
You'll need a 240-volt outlet for most big saws.
66
American Woodworker
NOVEMBER 2oo4
FeeruRES
Powen
You simply can't have too much power in a bandsaw. For cutting wood under 2 in. thick, a l-hp motor is plenty. But one of the really useful things you can do with a bandsaw is to stand a board on edge and split it into two matched halves for panels or tops. You can also save money by sawing thick wood into thinner pieces for drawer sides and jewelry boxes, for example. Either operation is called resawing, and doing it well requires lots of power. . A smooth, consistent feed rate is the key to resawing success. If you slow the blade, it wanders. If you stop it (which is very easy to do on an underpowered machine), /ou get a nasty bump. On a l-hp saw, You must proceed very slowly when resawing and pay a lot of attention to how the motor is performing. saw, Resawing is easier onal-L/2-hp for boards up to &in. wide. Beyond that, you want 2,2-l/2 or even 3 hp -the more, the better. The kerf of a wide blade can be up to 50 percent thicker than the kerf of a narrow blade. Removing that extra wood requires plenty of muscle. I Rockthe I upper wheel of a large bandsaw. lt should barely budge. That's the first of three easy tests that say a lot about a bandsaw's construction. Play in the upper wheel is caused by the sliding mechanism that tensions and tilts the wheel, not by a poor bearing.
Rrctprv
A bandsaw is a hands-on machine, like a lathe. You can feel right through your fingertips how the machine is performing. If it shakes and vibrates, you naturally tense up and have a hard time holding to a fine line. If your bandsaw runs smoothly, it's heaven. In this price range, we expect a saw to be very solidly built. We can overlook some vibration in an inexpensive saw, but who can accept a rough ride in a Mercedes? We carried out three simple tests that tell a lot about how well a sawis built and performs. We wiggled the upper wheel (Photo l), pushed on the guide post (Photo 2) and balanced a nickel on the table (Photo 3). We aren't reporting our findings in this nickel test, though. A lot
C) Push the guide post. lt, I too, should barely move. After all, the post holds the guidesthat steadythe blade. Excessiveplay here is usually caused by the rack-and-pinion mechanismthat raisesand lowers the guides and by flex in the upper wheel housing.
a Q Batance r-| nickel on the bandsaw'stable while it's runn i n g .O n a s o l i d l y built saw with well-balanced wheels,the nickel stays up.This is a classicseat-ofthe-pants test for vibration in any machine. Caution: Don't let that coin come within 6 in. of the bladel
American Woodworker
NovEMBER 2oo4
67
depends on how well an individual saw'swheels are balanced. You can't judge a whole line of sawson the performance of one set of wheels. If you buy a saw in this price range and inadequately balanced wheels cause it to fail the nickel test, you've got reason to complain to the manufacturer. WurEr* DrevrereR Big wheels have a lot of advantagesthat add up to a better machine for resawing(see"BigWheels," page 69). CapecrY You may hardly ever need it, but it's disappointing in this range of sawsto get lessthan 12 in. of resawcapacity. (Some sawscan only cut l0 in.) After all, you get 12 in. of capacity with a lAin. saw and a riser block. If you can fit a l2-in. wide board through your planer, you should be able to resawit on a premium bandsaw.
Guroes
We prefer block guides for ease of setup with small blades (see "T1pesof BandsawGuides," A\,V#110, page 75). Disc and ball-bearing guides are the nonn in this class of larger saws,however, because they offer more front-to-back support for wide blades. (Disc guides are also called European roller guides.) Unlike block guides, they require very little maintenance. Both disc and ball-bearing guides perform well. Neither one is clearly superior to the other; they're just different. Some bearing guides aren't very deep, though. We prefer guides that offer at least b/8 in. of support, front to back, to get the straightest cut with a wide blade (see Chart, page 78). You can certainly use small blades with disc and ballbearing guides, but you must become adept at setting up the guides. Incorrectly set guides can quickly ruin a blade's teeth. Look for a saw whose upper and lower guides we rate as easyto set up (see Chart). We prefer bandsaws that allow you to set the side guides and thrust bearing independent of each other. On other saws,whenever you move the side guides forward or backward, the thrust bearing moves, too. OrHrn FenrunEs o Blade observation window. This is a handy innovation (Photo 4). When you change blades, you often must "track" or adjust the tilt of the upper wheel to center the blade. On most bandsaws,/ou must slowly spin the upper wheel by hand while tracking. With a window, you can turn on the sawand track the blade much faster and more accurately while it's under power. o Powerful spring. If you think every bandsaw has a similar spring, think again. The spring regulates tension on the blade and acts as a shock absorber if you hit a rough patch. The springs on every bandsaw we tested delivered adequate tension, but some are capable of
window in the upper frame makessetting A_O" observation I up a new blade much easier.youcan centerthe blade by adjustingthe upper wheel'stilt while the saw runs.
E cl V uJ Y
( extra tension from a powerful spring below the upper r..f wheel lets you pull some bladestighter, improving their performance. Large-diameter saws generally can develop moie tensionthan small saws, but the range is wide.
68
American Woodworker
NovEMBER 2oo4
SrzE have14-in.Most bandsaws machines but wheels, dia.

wit h 15- to 1 8 -i n .-d i a . wheelshavefive advantages. r Deeper throat. inch Everyadditional adds an in diameter inchin throatcapacity left of the blade. r Larger blades. Bigwheelscaneasily handle thick-bodied 314to 1-in.bladesfor resawing. The bigger the wheel, the better. Most wide blades break prematurely on 14-in.wheels becausethey're bent over too tighta radius. r More rigidity and momentum. Large, than heavy,stiff wheels deliverbetter performance small lightweightwheels. Extra mass helps carry you pace, andthat'scritical the roughspotsat a steady through for a smoothcut. r Longerblade life. Big bandsaws takevery longblades. they They last longerthan shorterbladessimplybecause a large flex lessaround blades havemoreteeth.In addition, wheel. That puts less strain on the weld, where most break. blades r Bettertraction.A bladeis lesslikely to slipwhen it conblades tacts more tire. Powerfulsaws runningthick-kerf
theY needmoretractionbecause get pushedharder.
Cnowru
lf you lookat the edge bf a typical bandsaw wheel, you'll notice that it has a curved surface, or crown. Most 14-in. bandsaws have a. pro' nouncedcrown, but the amountof crown on some 15-to 18-in.negdia.sawsis almost Why is that? ligible. A highcrown helpsyou tracka bladein the centerof the the wheel. That'sbecause natural tendency of a sPinning bladeis to riseto the highestspot on the wheel,the top of the crown.Tlltingthe spot' of the highest the position wheelchanges When you put a wide bladeon a highcrown,however, some of the bladedoesn'ttouchthe tire. The bladedoesto fullyconformto the crown. n't bendenough A low crown is better for wide bladesand resawing' the tire,so it hasmoretraction. touches Most of the blade to the blade. is delivered more horsepower In effect, the blade to a low crown is that tracking The downside premiFor an all-purpose adjustment. is a moresensitive medium with a wheel prefer a compromise: we a um saw, crown.
LOWCROWN
}IIGH CROWN
A highcrown is for a well-suited narrowblade. is The blade easyto track, it natubecause rallymovesto the wheel's highest spot.
A low crown is for a best-suited wide blade. More of the bladeliesflat on the tire. Youget moretraction and betterpower delivery.
NovEMBER 2oo4
69
fi n sealed chamber and a 4-in. port under the table \,f improves dust collection. On this machine, the blade passes through a piece of wood with a zero-clearance slot. The lower door sealsthe front of the chamber. This chamber concentrates the flow of air directly past the blade.
e rcot brake lets you stop the blade in seconds.Some , large saws' wheels are so massivethat they spin quite a while after the power is off. By using a brake, you can quickly make sure the blade stops beforeyou walk away from the machine.
pulling a blade much tauter than others (photo b). Some brands of l-in. and wider bandsaw blades are designed to take plenty of tension (as much as 30,000 psi), but the springs on some saws only develop about 8,000 psi. Occasionally, increasing the tension on a blade can improve its performance, especially when resawing. Bandsaws with our nvo highest spring-tension ratings are capable of pulling a blade as tight as it should go. These saws give you one more option for improving the quality of your cur. Check with the manufacturers of your blade and saw before exceeding your saw's maximum tension settings. r Quick-release lever and tension wheel. Few of the bandsaws in this price range have a really useful feature recently introduced on less-expensive saws: the quickrelease tension lever. When you're done using your saw for the day, you simply swing this lever to relax the tension on the blade. This is good for extending blade and tire life, but it's certainly not an essential feature. When it's time to change blades and retighten the tension spring, we really like a machine with a conveniendy located wheel under the upper frame (see "Tension wheel," page 66). This is much easier on your back and wrist than a knob located atop the saw. r Direct dust-collection chamber. Truly effective d.ust collection has a long way to go on most bandsaws. Large 4in. dust ports are a big help, but the single best
70 American Woodworker NovEMBER 2oo4
improvement to date has been a sealed chamber under the table (Photo 6). The concentrated flow of air strips a lot of sawdust directly from the blade. r Foot brake. You might remember this basic powertool safety rule from shop class: The operator should stay at the machine until the blade stops. Large bandsaws have such momentum that their wheels can spin quite a while after you push the Off switch. A foot brake stops a bandsaw almost instantly, so you can quickly go about your other business (Photo 7). r Guide-post crank. If you've ever smashed your fingers under a falling guide post, you'll appreciate this feature. A crank or wheel makes it easier to set the height of a heavy guide post, but it's not a make-orbreak feature. r Table height. Thble heights vary widely. Most of us are used to the 44in.-high tables of l4in. bandsaws, which are perfect for detail work. However, a low (34 in.) table is much better on your back for lifting and pushing big timbers. Many large bandsaws have low tables to meet European ergonomic standards. It feels odd to stand in front of a low table, though, and when you hunch over to see detail work, it's hard on your back in a different way. Some blade guards also obscure the blade when they're set low on a short table. You can raise a low bandsaw on a wide and stout shop-made riser base to a good compromise height.
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CnarrsMAN 22450
' Price$ : 1,300 . Power:120volts, t hp r Maximum resaw capacity:10-314 in. rWheel diameter: 18 in.
Drrrn 2A-6A2
r Price$ : 1,250 r Power: 240 volts, 2 hp . Maximum resaw capacity:12 in. rWheel diameter: 18 in.
Pnos
Most bandsaws can cut wood, nonf e r r o u sm e t a l s( a l u m i n u ma n d b r a s s ) and plastic,but this saw can also cut iron and steel. lt has a second set ot pulleyson the backside that increase torque and slow the blade to three very low speeds (80, 150 and 200 ft. per minute). In case you push too hard, a circuit breaker with a reset button is right on the front of the saw. This saw uses block guides.They're our favoritestyle of guide for ease of setup, but wed replacethe steel with phenolicblocksfor cutting wood. The lower guides are quite close to the table's surface,which minimizes the length of unsupported blade. The blade comes out the saw's front, which decreasesthe chance of kinking a blade when you change it. We really like saws with this feature.
Pnos
With 18-in.wheels and 12 in. of room betweenthe guides and table, this saw has huge throat and resawing capacities.The table is locatedat a good working height and is exceptionally sturdy,becauseit has a third support point. This is the only saw with adjustablestops for tilting the table to 20, 30,35 and 45 degrees. A sliding bar on the left-handside of the table supportswide work.This is one of the few large saws that has a quick-release tension lever, but it's not our favorite design.The guides offer plenty of front-to-backsupport for a wide blade.Thissaw has a second, slower speed (2,300 fpm) for cutting plasticsand nonferrousmetals. With its 2-hp motor, you won't need the slower speedfor wood. Cotrts The tension lever is on top of the machine, about 7 ft. oft the floor. One of the lower guide adjustmentscrews is reallyhard to access, requiringyou to tilt the table 45 degrees.The lower thrust bearingdoesn't always lock in a rigid, upright position.The saw's spring develops adequate tension, but little more. The rigidity of the upper wheel and guide post is about average, as is the wheels'weight.
Corus
Craftsmanratesthis saw at 2 hp maximum developed.That's a different standard than most other manufacturers use. By the more commonly used continuous-dutystandard, this saw has a 1-hp motor. That's pretty good for a 12O-volt machine,but not as powerful as most other saws at this price.We d prefer more brawn for resawingthick wood.The saw has no tension scale becauseit doesn't have a spring. (The frame itself provides tensionand acts as a shockabsorber.) You need four different tools to changeblade sizes,which is a hassle.
72
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MlwlMnx S16
. Price: as shown) $ 1 , 5 0 0( $ 1 , 6 5 0 r Power: 240 volts, 2-112 hp . M a x i m u m r e s a wc a p a c i t y 1 : 2-1/4in. r W h e e ld i a m e t e r : 1 6 in.
Jrr JWBS-18
. Price:$1,200 r Power:120 volts, 1-112hp . Maximum resaw capacity:10 in. . W h e e l d i a m e t e r :1 8 i n .
GanzzwGOSOG
. Price:$1,200 rPower: 240 volts, 2 hp . Maximum resaw capacity:9-3/4in. . W h e e l d i a m e t e r :1 8 i n .
Pnos
You'd never guess that so much power, r i g i d i t y a n d r e l i a b i l i t yc o u l d c o m e i n such a compact package. The excellent resultsyou get when resawing on this machine come from just about everything working right. lt's a tried-and-true d e s i g n ,m a d e i n l t a l y f o r M i n i M a x b y Meber.The upper guides are easy to dial in place and don't require any tools.Thisis one of the few saws whose fencecan actuallybe adjustedfor blade drift.The blade comes out the front of t h e t a b l e ,w h i c h m a k e sc h a n g i n g blades a snap.An optionalfoot brakecosts$7S and an optional guide-post rack-andp i n i o n w h e e l i s $ 7 5 . O p t i o n a lp h e n o l i c (CoolBlock)guidesfor 1i16-in. to 114-in. bladesare $75.
Pnos
This saw has many advantages over 12O-volt,14-in. machines. Huge 18-in. wheels underneaththe sleekwhite cabinet createan 18-in.throat capacityleft of the blade. (Of course, that's 4 in. more throat capacitythan a 14-in.saw offers.)Wheels this size can easily take 1- to 1-1/4-in. blades for resawing. The stacked-bearing blade guides provide plenty of front-to-backsupport for these wide blades.
Pnos
This is one solid, monster saw. The blade on every other saw in our test travels at a stately pace of around 3,OOO ft. per minute (fpm), but this saw's blade zips by at about 4,500 fpm, driven by a 2-hp motor. This results in a lightning-fastcut, even in thick wood. The saw has an exceptionallysturdy upper wheel and guide post, develops more tension than you'll ever really need and has extremely heavy wheels. Basically, it's built to gobble up as much big stock as you can feed it.
Cows
This model has only 10-in.resaw capacity (but see "Jet Upgradej' below).The motor is powerful, but doesn't feel as strong as the 1-3/4-hpmotors on some other 120-voltsaws.The rigidity of the upper wheel and guide post is lessthan average for big saws. Setting the frontto-backposition of the lower guides is very awkward.The table is not as rigid as those on most big saws.
Cotrrs
With all that oomph, its resaw capacity i s l i m i t e dt o j u s t u n d e r 1 0 - i n . ( F o ra s i m ilar saw with a 12-in. resaw capacity, see "Two Others Worth Considering;" page 76.)Tipping the scale at 460 lbs., this saw definitelywon't fit on the average mobile base.The bandsaw's wheels have a low crown.That'sideal for wide blades but makes it tricky to track narrow blades.This saw has disc guides, too. Again, they're fine for wide blades but hard to set up with narrow blades. lf you often switch between large and small blades and don't have a lot of patiencefor setting guides, this behemoth is not for you.
Corus
Like most other big saws, this machine with stock guides is best suited for 3/8in. and larger blades.lts flat wheels offer bettertractionfor large bladesbut make it harderto track small blades.lts disc guides give lots of support for large blades but are awkward to set with small blades.You must reset the fence parallel to the miter slot each time you change blades.you need a 1 5 / 1 6 - i n .b o x w r e n c h f o r t i l t i n g t h e t a b l e ,w h i c h w i g g l e s a r o u n d w h e n y o u loosen it, making it difficult to set the table to a precisetilt. The table is only 34-114 in. off the floor.That's fine for big timbers but too low for detail work.The blade guard hangs below the lower g u i d e sa n d o b s c u r e s your line of sight for work under 2 in. thick.
JEr UpcRnor
As we went to press, Jet announced two major improvementsto the JWBS18. New models this fall have a 12-in. resaw capacity and a 1-314-hpmotor. The new JWBS-18is priced at $1,2S0.
G eN E R A L lrvrcnNATIoNAL 9C.24|C. M1
r Price: $1,100 . Power: 120volts, 2 hp . Maximum resaw capacity:11-5/8 in. :Wheel diameter: 17 in.
LncuNA Gnoup
. Price: . Power: . Maximum resaw capacity: .Wheel diameter: as shown) $ 1 , 2 0 0( $ 1 , 2 9 5 240 volts, 2 hp 12 in. 14in.
Lncurun 14SE
Lncurun 16
$1,400 240 volts, 3 hp 12in. 1 6i n .
Pnos
foundaBoth these compact powerhousesare built on the same well-engineered Neithermachineis a giant, super strengthand real reliability. This is one of the most powerful 120- tion: tight tolerances, but both run so solidly that you feel you could cut veneeroff any wide board. Both volt saws we've tested.The next closest saws have recently been upgraded to Baldor brand motors, which have a wellare two 14-in.saws we reported in the deservedreputationfor long, trouble-freelives.Theheavy upper wheel is housed last issue,the Delta 28-475X($900)and ($900).You in an extremelyrobust slide mechanism. the PowermaticPWBS-14CS but it has a full 12-in. T h e 1 4 S Ei s b a s i c a l l y t h e s a m e a s a L a g u n a1 4 ( $ 9 5 0 ) , must add a riser blockto either of these resaw capacityand a larger motor to cut bigger boards.As shown, it's mounted on saws to get 12-in.resaw capacity,howriser stand ($95)that raisesthe table to a comfortable44in. for detail ever.The General lnternational90-240 an accessory , motorwith as much horsepowM 1 h a s t h i s b u i l t i n , p l u s a l a r g e rt h r o a t w o r k . T h e L a g u n a1 6 h a s m o r e m a s s i v e w h e e l s a You also get a blade observa- er as you could ever want on a saw this size and a much lower table. capacity. Both saws are a breeze to move around and store in a small shop when you add tension tion window, a quick-release containsa set of two wheels on one axle that go on l e v e r , a n e x c e l l e n t r a c k - a n d - p i n i o n a mobility package($135).This jack handlewith another set of wheels. table-tilting mechanism and a lower- the saw itself and a separate mounted tension wheel. This saw is very similar to two other saws we realCorus ly liked in the last issue: the Grizzly Be carefulwhich resawing blade you chooosefor a 14-in.saw. One-inchor wider ($750) and the Bridgewood BWG0513 blades may break prematurelybecausethey're too thick. For resawing,we recom17WBS ($900), which required 240 mend a 518or 314-in. blade that's 0.025in. thick. volts. lf your shop has only 120-volt it, the ceramicguides on all Lagunasaws brings out strong No two ways about outlets and you primarily use 3/8-in. opinions. No one disputesthat they offer more support to a blade than any other a n d l a r g e r b l a d e s ,t h i s s a w i s a f i n e questionis whether it's saw in this classand they'revirtually maintenance-free.The choice. worth it. Just mention "ease of adjustment" and "sparksj' and watch some verbal sparksfly. Corus Adjustingthese guides is not for the faint of heart.lt takesconcentration, a number of tools and an orderly mind. A good mechanicwould have no trouble but, the The saw is rated at 2 hp, but it feels goes, why should it be so complex? As for the small sparks, counter-argument more like a 1-3l4-hp machine.lt's not as powerful as the similar 240-volt, 2-hp They won't make your shop they're common to all ceramic-style thrust bearings. when concentrating on a cut. On explode,but some peoplefind them disconcerting Grizzly and Bridgewood models. The the other hand, when you're not pressing hard on the blade, the guides rarely upper wheel is not as rigid as the best spark. Even when they do, the sparks are not nearly as numerous as those you'd of the big saws.The s i d e g u i d e sa r e b a l l get sharpening a c h i s e lo n a g r i n d e r . bearings, which are harder to set up Just the fact that these saws have only two "cons" tells you a lot about their with narrow bladesthan the more versatile blocks on our favorite 120-volt good qualities.When you come to terms with the guides, these are terrific m a c h i n et,h e D e l t a2 8 - 4 7 5 X . I n addition, machines. the guides only support 3/8-in.worth of blade, front-to-back-the shallowest in this group of saws.
Pnos
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Thereare plentyof good saws to choose from beyond thoseunder our somewhat pricecap arbitrary of $1,500. you get Generally, larger wheels(20in. is common), morepower(3 to 5 hp)and muchfasterbladespeed. Two sawsjust beyondour price rangeareworth noting. The GeneralInternational 90-270Ml ($1,600) is a realpowerhouse. lt'sverysimilar to another saw we like in thistest for its strength, rigidity and highblade speed(4,000 to 5,000fpm): the Grizzly G0506 ($1,200). The General lnternational version hasa full 12 in.of resawcapacity anda 3-hpmotor,compared with the Grizzly's 10 in.capacity and 2-hpmotor.The9G270M1 is availablefrom General International, (51 4132G1 161, wrrvrnr.general.ca. The Bridgewood PBS-440 ($2,100) is an awesome production saw. lt has18-in. wheels,a 3hp Americanmademotor, foot brakeand an extra-rigid frame.lt's actually the startersaw in Wilke Machinery's Professional bandsaw series. Youcan reach Wilke at (717]'764-5000, www.wilkemach.com.
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Rrroru 1O-34O
r Price:91,000 . Power: 240 volts, 2 hp ' Maximum resaw capacity:12 in. r W h e e l d i a m e t e r :1 8 i n .
WooorEK 118-199
r Price:$1,000 r Power: 240 volts, 2 hp . Maximum resaw capacity:10 in. r W h e e l d i a m e t e r :1 8 i n .
Pnos
This is a huge machinefor the price. lt has as much resaw capacity,power and wheel size as other machines in this test costing hundreds more. You also get a very large table with miter slots on eitherside of the blade,micro-adjust screws for squaring the table to the blade's front, a quick-release tension lever,a blade observationwindow and a good dust-collection chamber.plenty of tension is availableto pull harder on a blade to improve its performance. This saw has a second, slower speed (1,500fpm) for maximizingtorque and cutting plastics and nonferrous metals.
Pnos
It's a massive saw. You get big wheels, a big motor, almost-big resaw capacity and a table strong enough to support a massiveframing timber.Thisis the only saw in this class with a foot brake that also automaticallyshuts off the motor. The fence is rock-solid and easy to adjust side to side.Thespring under the upper wheel is mighty powerful, providing more tensionthan any bladewill ever need.
Corus
With all its good, large qualities, this saw is full of small annoyances.Dust collection doesn't work very well. The lower Corus blade guides are a full 6 in. below the T h e g u i d e b e a r i n g s t e n d t o c r e e p table's top, leaving a lot of extra blade minutely out of positionwhen you give unsupported.The table swims around them a final tightening. The upper when you loosen it, making it hard to set wheel and guide post aren't as rigid as an exact tilt, and we're still looking for weU like. the right weird-shaped 23-mm wrench to tighten down the table when you heel it to 45 degrees. The tension gauge is a Conne crtoN complete mystery with readings that Last issue, in our change with blades of slightly different test of bandsaws length. The blade guides are mounted for less than on a round shaft without an indexing $1,000,we mistak- slot, so they're free to rotate out of posienly ran the photo tion when you adjust them. The guide of the 18-in.Rikon post doesn't have a spring to counterbandsaw(abovelin balanceits weight.The wheel that raises describing the 14 and lowers the guide post would be easin. model (10-320, ier to use if it had a crank handle. $500). Here's what the 14-in. Rikon bandsaw really looks like. Rikon 10-320
76 American Woodworker NoVEMBER 2oo4
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REcoMMENDATIoNS
This test looks at bandsaws priced berween $1,000 and $1,500; we reviewed bandsaws priced under $1,000 in our October issue. We'll be the first to admit that $1,000 is a somewhat arbitrary line to draw. The features of saws over this line aren't dramatically different than those below it. Obviously, if your budget extends to $1,000, you should look at bandsaws in both tests on either side of the line. We typically give selected machines in a tool rest "Best Buy" and "Editors' Choice" awards. This test is different. Premium bandsaw owners have so many different needs that we're making use-based recommendations. In the last issue's test, we divided the field into four price ranges and picked our favorite saws, in both 120 and 240 volts. In this test, we'll pick saws for four different kinds of woodworkers: our favorite 120-volt saw (the rest require 240 volts), the least-expensive saw with the largest capacity, the out-and-out beefiest saw for healy work and, finally, the best all-around big saw. : Our favorite 120-volt saw: General International 90-240 Ml ($1,100). You get lors of power and capaciry a reasonable amount of rigidity and a bunch of good features. The million-dollar question, though, is whether it's a better pick than our 120-volt favorites in the last test, the Delta 28-475X ($900 plus $100 for a riser block) and the Powermatic PWBS-l4CS ($gOO plus 970 for a riser block). We prefer the Delta because ir uses block-style guides, the easiest tl?e to set on very small blades. (Both this General International and the Powermatic use bearings, which are a bit trickier ro ser up wlrth 7/4-in. blades and impossible with smaller ones.) If your interest is to fully explore all the things a good bandsaw can do, from using tiny to large blades, we still prefer the Delta over the General International. If, however, /ou see yourself doing lots of resawing and little work with small blades, we recommend the General International 90-240 Ml. r The least expensive saw (in this price range) with the largest capacity: Rikon 10-340 ($1,000). If you want a
Price
Voltage Horse- Maximum Wheel Blade powel resaw diameter capacity capacity
Weight Blade (lbs.)t lengtht
Type of sideguides
Side guides depthof blade support 112" 5/8' 3/8' 1-3/8' 1-118" 718' 718" 1-118"
Side Upper guide and thrust easeof independently adiustment adiustable
Lower guide easeof adiustment
Craftsman 22450 $1,300 120 Delta 28-682 Genera l t'l ln 90-240 Mr Grizzly G0506 4 J e tJ W B S - I 8 L a g u n1 a4 S E L a g u n1 a6 M i n i M aS x 16 Rikon 10-340 $r,200 240 $1,200 120 $1,200 240 $1,400 $1,500 240 $1,000 240 $1,250 240 120
10-3/4'
18"
3/r 6'-r'
280
| 33' 136" 132"
Steel rods, blocks Stacked bearings Large bea rings Discs Stacked bea rings Ceramic blocks Cera mic blocks
1z', 1r-5/8" 9-314" 10' 12" 1z', 2-1t2 12-1t4'
t8'
17" 18" 18'
14'
114',-1-114',400
3/8"-r',
460
148', | 33' 112"
1t8"-1-112" 320 5 r/r6"-1" 240

350
l6'
l/16'-1'5
330
350
r30'
142" 144',
Discs Sta cked bearings Discs
r8 '
t0'
18"
314" 3/8"
W o o d t e1 k1 8 - 1 9 9 $1,000 240
300
* = E x c e l l e no -=Average . = Below t=Above average average l A p p r o x i m a t2 e L o w = 3 4 - 3i 7 n.,Medium=37-40in.,High=+3 40 nw . = < 3 - i n . r a d i u s . M e d i u m = 3 - t o 4 - i n . r a d i u s , H i g h = > 44 Li o - iF na . rl2 a d0 iu l0 4s JWBs-lg modelswillhavel-3i4hpanda12-in.resawca ah ce i tn yo . l i c g u i d e s r e q u i r e d f o r l / l 6 " t o 1 / 4 '5 5pP b0 la e sn .,$100 pd ti o 7 0ption,$75each
78
good value in a saw that can handle almost any slze board, this is an excellent candidate. However, in our last test, we selected two less-expensive saws that deliver as much power and have the same resaw capacity: the Grizzly G0513 ($750) and the Bridgewood BWthese three saws, the ($900). Among l7WBS Bridgewood is our favorite. None of these three saws use block-style guides, however. So be aware of the trade-off for a huge capacity and ability to run l-in' or larger blades: Small blades are fussy to set up' r The beefiest saw for heavy work: Gizzly G0506 ($f ,200). With little exaggeration, we'd say you could rip railroad ties on this thing all day long. This saw would ideally supplement a smaller, more versatile bandsaw in an extremely well-equiPPed shoP. r The best all-around big saw: Laguna 16 ($l'400) and MiniMax 516 ($f ,500). Here, we're looking for a muscular, compact tool, a bandsaw that's good for hear'y resawing, as well as fine detail work. With a saw like one
of these, you can learn new veneer or cutting dovetails. either of these saws is a fine well-built, run very smoothly
techniques, such as sawing Based on their strengths, choice. They're extremely and should give many years
of trouble-free service. It all comes down to one choice, though, and these saws' minor weaknesses might tip the balance for you' The Laguna's guides are a chore to set up. However, if you want to run narrow blades, Laguna sells an auxiliary set of phenolic guides ($80) that eliminate the risk of ruining your blade with an improper setup' The MiniMax, on the other hand, uses disc guides that are very easy to adjust, but it has relatively flat wheels' Thus, the MiniMax is ideal for wide blades, but a bit awkward to set up for small blades. Phenolic guides for narrow blades are a $75 option. In the end, the best way to choose between the two saws might be to wait for a really good deal to come Al/ along andjump on it-they're both ajoy to use!
0uickrelease tension lever
Maximum Lowermounted tension tension wheel
Upper wheel
Guide post
Foot Direct Guide-nostBlade brake observationdust crank' collection window chamber
Table heightz
Amountof ctown on wheels3
Dust port
N Y Y N N N N N Y N
N6
1 @4 ' , High Low 2 @4 ' , 2 @4 ' , 1@4' 1 @4 ' 1@3" 2@ 4', 2@ 4', 2 @4 " 1@4"
(800) 377-7414 n raftsma com/c wwwsears. (8001 4:|8-2486 g.com wwwdeltawoodworkin (514) 161 326-1 www.general.ca (800) 523-4777 www.grizzly.com (800) 274-6848 www.jettools.com (800) 234-1976 www.lagunatools.com
Medium High Low Low
Medium Medium High Low Low Medium Low Low High Medium Medium
N7
(866) 975-9663 www.minimax-usa.com (877) 884-5167 wwwrikontools.com (800) 645-9292 wwwwoodworker.com
79
table
It's fast, it's rruildgo for the goal!
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ooking for a great holiday gift project? I I-.Jfnis table hockey game is a blast to play, even for adults, and it's so simple, you can make it even if your gift-building time is running short. materials,and the finIt's made from easy-to-get so it goeson quickly. ish is all water-based, It's basicallya shallow box, made from 3/4-lin hardwood (we used oak) with a playing surface of l/2-in birch plywood. Add some small pieces of mesh fabric (available from a fabric store) for the goals, a couple of strategically placed goalie blocks, a pair of sticksand a puck, and you're ready to play. Have fun!
P o w e rt o o l s : Tablesaw Dado blade Jigsaw Drill Sander
Materials: 112-in. birch plywood 3/4-inoak lumber Stain Paint Varnish
Tcrtal cr:st:About $75
114" x314" RABBET
I #8x 1-u2,, p.r. I
112"W x1l4"D GROOVE
Bottom Ends D E F G H J
X
x 4-114" x 47" Corner blocks Goalieblocks Net boafds Sticks Pucks Nets 4 2 4 2 2 Z 1-112" x 3" x 6" 1-112' x 2- x 2" 1/4"x 3/4' x 7-112" 1/2"x 2" x 7, 1/2"T x 1-314,,dia. 7-1/2,Hx7-1/2,'W oak Oak Oak Oak or birchplvwood Oak or birchplvwood Mesh fabric Cut from two piecesof 3/4"x 3-112'x24" lumbergluedtogether. Cut from two piecesof 3/+"x 2_
American Woodworker
NovEMBER 2oo4
How To Bullo lr
1. Mill the end and side boards (8, C) to final size and cut the grooves for the bottom panel (A, Fig. A, page 88). 2. Cut the rabbets in the end boards (Photo l). Use an auxiliary wood fence so you can nrn your dado blade right next to it. This setup also allows the auxiliary fence to serve as a guide when you cut the rabbets. 3. Cut out the opening for the goals using a jigsaw or scrollsaw (Photo 2). 4. Glue and clamp together two layers of 3/4-,in.lumber for the corner blocks (D). Wipe off any glue that squeezes out. When the glue is dry rip the board to 3 in. wide for the corner blocks. Make the goalie blocks (E) the same way. 5. Cut the corner blocks and goalie blocks to final size (Photo 3) using your miter saw or tablesaw. You'll notice that the glued-up lumber stock is much longer than actually needed. This extra length glves you more to hold for safer mitering Cut the net and crosscutting. boards (F). 6. Use your bandsaw or scrollsaw to saw the sticks (G) and pucks (H) from either oak lumber or birch plywood. Make a couple extra pucks, so you won't have to take a time-out if a puck flies off the table and rolls under the couch. 7. Sand and finish all the parts. We used water-based stain, paint and finish (see Sources, page 90). Water-based finishes tend to raise the grain after they are applied, which makes a rough finish. To prevent this, raise the grain first with a moist sponge. After the wood dries, do your final sanding. Then appty the stain to all the parts. When the blue stain on the bottom panel is dry, tape off and paint the zor'e Q Saw goal openings with a iigsaw. d-n Holes near eachcorner make starting the cuts and turning the corners easy. Smooth the inside of the goal opening with a file or sanding block. i;,i Cut the corner btocks from glued','..i'uF blockskeep boards.These 314-in. the puck from getting trapped in the corners and allow interesting bank shots.
I Gut rabbets in the end boards, so the corners are strong enough to take abuse. I Use an auxiliary fence to protect the main fence from damage. A1l2-in. groove at the bottom edge houses the plywood playing surface.
y' I
finistr allthe parts before you assembtethem. After the blue stain on the bottom panel is dry tape off and paint the zone lines and the center circle.
I essemble the parts with flat head r.-f screws and finish washers. Finish washers provide extra bearing surface for the screw heads and don't require countersinking.
fi nrtactr the goalnetting with the net \J boards and screws. Leave the net open on the sides to make it easy to retrievethe puck.You're ready to play!
You can play table hockey two ways.Thefirst is free play.Players start with the puck on the center circle and bothhit it around untila goal is scored.The only limit is thata player maynot playthe puck withinthe goalzoneof the other (seeFig. player A). lf the puckflies off the tableduringplay,returnit to the centercircleand resume playing. The secondway to play is to take turns. Each playertakes a predetermined numberof shots. perplayer Twoswings is common, but the exactnumber is up to you. You can handicap a better player by giving him or herfewerswings than a less experienced player. The entire rink area is open for play.lf a puck is knocked off the table,it's turnedoverto the other player, who then gets to take one additional shot duringhis or her turn. Of course,it's also fun to makeup yourown rulesl
SouRcES
lines and center circle (Photo 4). Finally, brush on the clear topcoat finish. 8. Assemble the hockey table with screws and finish washers (Photo 5). Drill shank and pilot holes in the sides to prevent splitting the wood or stripping the screw heads. , 9. Attach the neming $) over the goal openings with the net boards
(F). The bottom net board goes inside the net and the top net board goes outside the net (Phoro 6). Hold the netting in place with a bit of double-sided tape during assembly. You can substitute almost any kind of fabric for the netting, if you wish. 10. Attach corner and goalie blocks (D, E) with screws from the bottom. It's game time! Go for the goal!IW
Minwax (800) 523-9299,vvww.minwax.com Availableat home centers. Winter Sky water-basedstain, $7 per quart Rose Wood water-basedstain, $7 per quart Polycrylic water-based clear satin finish, $8 per quart. Rust-Oleum (800)553-8444 wwwrustoleum.com Apple red latex paint,$4 per half pint.
Hor-o lr ! Ror-llr ! HnNc lr! Sronr lr!

edited D1 DavidOlson
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bench grinder is out of the way but h ffly .i Y Linstantly accessible, thanks to this sturdy flip-up tani.. It works great and it's simple to make. You'll only need a scrap of 3/{in. plywood that's l/2-in. narrower than the overhang, four 3-in. butt hinges, a
strap hinge and a length of 1x4.
Burlo lr
l. Mount three butt hinges to the underside of the plywood table, with the barrels centered on the edge. 2. Fasten the table to the benchtop. 3. Install the remaining butt hinge on the far side of the foot.
Make sure it's aligned with the outer hinge on the table. 4. Make the hinged brace from
two lx4s of equal length. The brace's overall length is the distance between the barrels of the nvo centered hinges with the table fully open. 5. Attach one 1x4 to the foot hinge and the other to the top hinge. Rejoin the two halves by attaching the strap hinge. 6. Fasten the lO-in.-long brace lock to the upper 1x4. 7. Install pivoting support blocks to hold the table in the folded-under position. 8. Open the table and install the benchtop tool of your choice. Kenneth T. May
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DnoF*DfiwN Brr $roRAGH

no In my crowded shop, there's such thing as unusable space. My router bits store under a shop cabinet, out of the wayuntil I need them, thanks to a scrap of wood, a leftover length of continuous hinge and a shopmade wire hook. I had planned to glue a block on the underside of the shelf near the hinge to act as a support, but my parts bins did thejob instead. /W Yania Matza
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priced Units from 'l stzgto$329.*
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* Prices price. areManufacturer's Suggested Retail
f .866.966.5362 !''wwr**pOfd0gk"sffrTt
Patent pending. @2004 Waterloo lndustries, Inc., Waterloo, lowa, USA. Tool DockrM is a trademark of Waterloo Industries. Inc.
T o l e a r nm o r e o r f i n d a n o u t l e tn e a r y o u :
If you have an original Small Shop Tip, send it to us with a sketch or photo. If we print it, you'll get $100! Send to Small Shop Tips, American Woodworker, 2915 Co'nrners Drive, Suite 700, Eagan, MN 55121 or e'mail to smallshoptips@readersdigest.com. Submissions can't be returned and become our property upon acceptance and payment. We may edit submissions, and use them in all print and electronic media.
94
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I had to install the crown on a customer's built-in cabinet, so I packed my glue, nail gun, nails and hearing protectors in my toolbox and headed for the job site. I arrived and immediately focused on the cutting and fitting I had to do. Without looking, I opened my toolbox and grabbed my hearing But when I put them on, I got an ear full of wet, sticky glue. Yuck! The cap had fallen off the glue bottle during the trip, and my hearing protectors provided a reservoir for its contents. Cotgg Carken
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movement. Unfortunately, when he built the tree house, he didn't consider all of the movement that occurs in a living tree. In only three years, the tree's growth and the swaying of its limbs conspired to blow apart his magnificent creation. Joy Johnson
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My husband built a fabulous multilevel tree house for our kids. It had walls, windows and even a winding stairway to the upper levels. Everything fit beautifully-at first. Having built almost all the furniture in our house, my husband knows how to allow for seasonal
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96
American Woodworker NoVEMBER2oo4

American Woodworker - 111 (November 2004)

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American Woodworker - 111 (November 2004)

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46 w'E++it':ii:

Tue Weu--Eourppeo Suop Buowow

Ouesrorv & Aruswen WonrsHoP Trps Tool Telr: Fonsrruen Brs

Here's everythingyou need to know to make professional raised-panel doors.

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American Woodworker NoVEMBER 2oo4

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American Woodworker NovEMBER 2oo4

1 , !: i , , , r ' ' r , ' , ; F V I ; q t { i . , ! o rg r,. r ' * , . " , i . i - ,r * - , i l , i t , 1 - ,la -:

llolvtrrethane con'ect. Bnrsh zr cotrple clf coilts of the

tior-r to set the clyc-tol ' a li o

lllTR0DUClllG llEWlllt00DW0Rl$llG SAW BTADES FR0M IITWALTp

rHE Inrai- W*:nKffiFr.i'ili-r

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Fu A Dealer NearestYou Call l-8N45-0077

t Please Visithur Website www.amdnatool.oom

\ \ i r o c l n < r r k c ' r 'N o v E M B E R 2 o o 4

American Woodworker NovEMBER 2oo4

AR ROW...THE STANDARDOF EXCELLENCE BY WHICH ALL OTHERS ARE JUDGED

BuyrNG AovtcE FoR SHop Grnn

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1-3/8"W CAVTTY (WP.)

GUARD1/4"x 3" x7-112" SLED 3/4"x6"x24" 18-GA. x 1-5/8"PINNAIL

Mssffi THE BE_vELED_ IVLoL*ruNa__

G l u eo n m o l d i n g b l a n k st h a t a r e s l i g h t l yt h i c k e r thanthe shelves.Make sure you feel ridges on both sides of the b l a n k sa s y o u t i g h t e ne a c hc l a m p ,a n d a g a i na f t e ra l l t h e c l a m p sa r e t i g h t .

R o u tt h e e d g e sf l u s h . U s e a secondshelf to support the router and a pieceof scrap plywood as a spacer.

pase 38). ijf9:9:lgler 1eee,

&dE plywood theshelf's cover molding doesn't face \ / fry

American Woodworker NoVEMBER 2oo4

Tfue F$l Tahl* $aw fiusd isthidesl slutisn

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n . n silrns ailgled blocks nlake it