The bench is progressing

.... quite nicely. Heres the base assembled and waiting for finishing.

Happily, after a lot more searching around than I expected to have to do, I found a great board set for the seat at Northwest Timber in Oregon. After refining the shape of the MDF seat template, it was used to shape the seat blank.

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Quiet on the Set!

I had some interesting guests at the shop today. John Hall and Keith Gudger of Santa Cruz Community TV were here filming an episode for their new show "Wood Works". The show profiles various master woodworkers in and around the Santa Cruz area, highlighting their backgrounds, inspirations, techniques, and of course their work. It was great having them here. Stay tuned for more info on when and where to see the episode....

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The Table Saw Heart of Any Fine Woodworking Shop

          There are many things you will want to consider before purchasing a new table saw for your shop. There are three main types of table saws: (1) the lightweight, inexpensive and portable contractor’s saw, (2) the cabinet saw, so-named because it has an enclosed cabinet as opposed to open base and (3) the new breed of so-called “Hybrid” table saws which fill the price gap between contractor’s saws and cabinet saws. This discussion will be only concern cabinet saws because, in my experience, nothing less will do for a shop that produces fine woodworking. Smaller saws lack both the accuracy and capacity of cabinet saws.


          The table saw is the heart of your shop. You will use it more than any other machine and its accuracy and capacity will determine the quality and size of what you will be able to produce. This is akin to picking someone to marry: Ideally, it’s for life and you will have to live with your decision for a long time to come. Therefore, rushing into purchasing the first table saw you see, without doing your homework, is like a quickie Las Vegas marriage, always a gamble.

          There are many things you should consider before you should consider before investing your hard-earned dollars in any particular machine. As I have said again and again, any woodworking machine you buy should be just slightly more capable than what you will demand of it now or what you imagine you would likely to demand of it in the future. While price is important, affordability should not be the sole determining factor in your purchasing decision. If you can’t afford the saw you need, wait until you can. Don’t saddle yourself with a table saw that may drive you crazy every day of your life. Take a few moments to consider what you really need and which machine will best fill the bill for you.

          I’d like to take a minute to talk about the features that you should be looking for and what these features will mean to you after you unpack and set up your new table saw. These features include: motor horsepower, blade size, trunnion construction, tabletop flatness, tabletop size, arbor size and arbor bearings, sawdust extraction, ease of operation including raising, lowering and tilting the blade, tilt of the blade (left or right), the necessity of a magnetic switch and the importance of its location, ease of access to the interior of the cabinet, accuracy and ease of operation of the fence, the amount of rip space to the right and the left of the blade, safety features and table saw mobility around the shop. In addition to the table saw itself, you may want to construct an outfeed table around the back of the saw, if space permits. We’ll talk about that, as well.



MOTOR HORSEPOWER

          Motor horsepower and blade size are closely related. The larger the blade, the more horsepower you will need to cut, at full blade height, through a piece of wood. Too much power is never a problem. Too little power can cause the saw to bind, slow down and even stop in the middle of a cut. This is not good, nor is it safe.

          The smallest motor I would even consider for a 10-inch saw would be 3 horsepower. For a 12” to 14” saw it would be 5HP and for a 14” to 16” saw, I’d like 7.5 HP. You will also need to consider if the saw motor is single or three phase. Three phase motors use electricity a bit more efficiently. If you don’t have three phase power at your location, however, you will either have to buy single phase or purchase and install a phase converter large enough for your saw motor. Most saw motors use 230 or 460 VAC power, so make sure you have available in your shop the voltage your saw will require. Three phase motors can run on 208 to 220 volts or higher, depending on the motor.



THE TRUNNION

          The trunnion is the mechanism inside the cabinet which is responsible for both raising and lowering the blade and tilting the blade for bevel cuts. It is controlled from the outside of the saw by two separate wheels or cranks: one for raising and lowering the blade (usually found on the front of the cabinet) and the other for tilting the blade (either left or right, depending on the saw) which is usually, but not always, located on the side of the cabinet.

          The trunnion determines the accuracy of your cuts so you want to be sure that it is well built and accurately machined. The saw blade must always be exactly where you need it to be. Furthermore, the trunnion must be easy to operate. It should not require Superman to raise or tilt the blade. As time goes on, you may find that it is harder to turn the wheels or cranks that operate the trunnion. This is usually because of sawdust contamination of the gears and/or lack of lubrication. Some better saws have ways of eliminating sawdust from the cabinet into an external dust port before it can get into the gears. Other saws come with self-cleaning gear teeth.



TABLE FLATNESS AND SIZE

          One table saw manufacturer I know believes in “aging” its cast iron machine table tops before milling them flat. The tops are cast and then left outside in a “bone yard” to bend, bow, warp and twist in the sun and rain for a year or so. Then, they are brought inside where all the rust is removed and the table top is ground absolutely flat and polished to sheen. The theory is that the metal needs to settle into a place where all post-casting movement has ceased and that the table should not be ground flat before this is done. Otherwise, the table may move out of absolute flatness after it is part of your new table saw and that it not at all desirable. Why? Because the flatness of your table saw top will determine the accuracy of your cuts. Be sure to check your new table saw for table flatness with a straightedge on or before delivery and afterwards from time to time. Lay the rule across the table top at all angles and check for daylight under the rule or rocking of the straightedge on the table top.


          The size of the cast iron table saw top is also important: the larger the better. When you are sawing large objects, you want as much flat table surface as you need to support the work piece flat to the blade for accuracy. Larger table size is usually accomplished by attaching cast-iron table wings to the edge of the main table. These wings must be as flat as the table and the seam they create must be aligned so that the top of the wing is flush to the table saw table along its entire length.



ARBOR SIZE AND ARBOR BEARINGS

          The saw blade is mounted on an arbor with an arbor nut and the arbor is turned by the motor usually via pulleys and 1 to 3 V-belts. The arbor is mounted into the trunnion inside two or more arbor bearings. These should be sealed from dust for obvious reasons. The size of the arbor determines the size of the hole in the middle of the saw blade. This is usually 5/8” for a 10” blade and 1” or larger for blades larger than that. The strength and alignment of the arbor and the bearings which support it determine the accuracy and smoothness of the table saw. Vibration and noise should be kept to a minimum and the saw blade should be straight in the table from front to back at all elevations and bevel angles.



BLADE TILT


          Most table saw trunnions are made to tilt either left or right (but not both) to a maximum of 45 degrees from vertical. If you have a choice, and you usually do, never buy a right-tilt saw for the following reason. A right-tilt saw tilts the blade towards the fence and can pinch a work piece into the fence, causing a jam or, worse, a kickback just as the cut is finishing. Further, on a right-tilt saw, the blade is tilting towards the fence and could cut into and ruin it if the fence were to be inadvertently moved too close to the spinning blade. A left-tilt saw tilts away from the fence and instead of pinching the work piece, allows it to rise vertically slightly, if need be.



KICKBACK AND PERSONAL SAFETY

          There is a rule that says, “Never stand directly behind a horse or a table saw.” Sooner or later every table saw operator will do something stupid that causes a kickback. If the operator makes it a practice to avoid standing where the kickback will occur behind the blade, he or she will probably avoid the severe injury that can be inflicted by a flying piece of wood striking the face, neck, chest or arms of the woodworker.

          There are many hold-down and anti-kickback devices on the market. Some are good and some are a hazard in themselves. I had a large metal combination hold-down and anti-kickback device get caught in the saw blade, ripped off the fence to which it was clamped and flung into a plate glass door behind the saw. I heard it go whistling past my right ear. It missed me because I was standing, as always, well to the left of the saw blade.


         Woodworking can be a dangerous business. Always use a push stick or similar device. Fingers are not replaceable. Never try to rip narrow strips next to the fence. Instead, cut them off of the left side of the work piece. In this case, you would stand to the right of the blade. In short, think ahead about the possible complications of what you are about to do, keep your eyes wide open (wearing goggles, of course) and keep your wits about you at all times.

          Another important safety device is the magnetic switch. This device protects you after an electrical power failure. If the power fails and you have a regular switch, the saw will come back on when the power comes back on. If you were to be near the blade at the time, this could be disastrous. A magnetic switch will not allow the saw to start again until you press the button. The location of the switch is also important. It should be right out front where it can be quickly accessed by a hand, foot or knee in the event of an emergency. The off button should be wide, red in color and should extend outside of the switch box like a mushroom for fast access.



SAWDUST EXTRACTION

          My ideal would be to never have a speck of dust reach the gears of my table saw trunnion and that all sawdust would be sucked away from the saw blade and out of the machine as soon as it was made. I would never need to clean out sawdust from inside the saw cabinet and the trunnion would always operate smoothly and easily. While I don’t expect to ever see my dream fully realized, there are saws on the market today that closely approach this level of efficiency in sawdust extraction.

          Some saws shield the blade in a casing underneath the saw table and suck the dust out directly from there. Others slant the floor of the saw cabinet towards a dust collection port. Many just allow the sawdust to accumulate on the floor under the saw until you clean it out. You will always have some cleaning of the interior to do. Perhaps you won’t wait until the sawdust has totally encased the trunnion gears packing itself up to the bottom of the table top. You will need to connect the saw to a dust collector through its dust port. The suction of the dust collector should be about 350 CFM for a 10” saw and more for a larger saw.



CABINET ACCESS


          At least one, but preferably two or more access doors should be provided leading into the cabinet of the table saw. The one you will use most often will be for cleaning out the interior of sawdust. Another should give easy access to the motor, trunnion and belts for adjustment and repair. Many saws provide a removable access panel instead of a second door. That’s fine for occasional motor, arbor, belt and trunnion access but you will want the sawdust door to open and close easily.



THE FENCE

          The saw should come with a Biesemeyer or similar type fence included in the purchase price. This type of fence locks and aligns itself to a rectangular tube attached to the front of the saw table when you press down on a handle. Fence accuracy and ease of operation will be important every time you touch your table saw and so a cheap fence is no bargain. The fence will probably read measurements along a stick-on measuring tape on the top of the front fence rail tube. You will need to carefully adjust the fence for accuracy. Instructions of how to do this should come with the set-up instructions for the saw.

          The fence must be aligned so that the front of the blade and the rear of the blade are exactly the same distance from the fence at all settings. Once you have ascertained that the blade and fence are parallel to each other, you must cut some test boards to accurately set the fence to the scale. Set the fence to exactly 2” on the measuring scale. Rip a test board and measure it. Adjust the fence to the scale by moving the viewer’s hairline left or right. Rip more boards until you have exact accuracy. The viewer through which you see the tape should be strong in magnification.



RIP CAPACITY

          Your new saw must have a rip capacity equal or wider than the widest thing you will ever want to rip. Usually, a cabinet saw will have a rip capacity of around 30 inches or 50 inches. A large rip capacity to the right of the blade will require an extension table to support work wider than the cast iron table. Many times, this extension table is included with the saw or, alternatively, you can easily build you own. The fence must have a tube or rail long enough to achieve the maximum with you want to rip.


          If you consider that a sheet of plywood measures 48” in width, I would think that you might want to opt for a 50-inch rip as opposed to the slightly less expensive 30” rip capacity. You might want to rip off only one inch from that sheet of plywood and, while doing that, you will want the plywood to be fully supported. You might want to crosscut a sheet of plywood into two 48” pieces. You also should consider the rip space to the left of the blade: The wider, the better. Sometimes, you might want to accomplish tasks that require the fence to be put over to the left side of the blade.



TABLE SAW MOBILITY

          Some shops are small enough to require that all machines be able to roll around on the floor. The theory is that you pull out only the machine you are using at the time. In planning your shop, you should decide if your space requirements will mean that everything has to roll, some machines but not others have to roll or all machines can remain in their own positions permanently. Many cabinet saws offer the optional extra of some sort of mobility device. In the case of a table saw, you don’t want it rolling around while you are pushing lumber through it and so the wheels must retract enabling the saw to rest on its cabinet base on the floor.


          Some of the nicer table saws have the caster wheels permanently mounted inside the cabinet so they are never seen and are never in the way. A foot pedal controls raising the saw up into the mobility position and then lowering it back down onto the floor. If your table saw does not have this feature, after-market mobility bases can be purchased as needed.



BUILDING AN OUTFEED TABLE


          The ideal solution is to have enough shop space so that you will never have to move your saw around at all. In this situation, you can construct an outfeed table to support large work pieces and long lumber as they leave the back edge of the table saw table. Ideally, depending on space available, you should build this outfeed table so that it extends eight feet or more in back of the blade. You can use the space underneath the table for lumber storage and/or drawer space. The table can also serve as a work bench for the construction of large cabinets and tables. You can use it for pipe clamp glue-ups and spray painting layout, as well.

          Needless to say, the table must be exactly the same height as the top of the table saw table and you may need to extend the slots for the miter gauge into the beginning of the top of the outfeed table. If your saw extension table extends 50 inches or so to the right of the blade, so should your outfeed table and it should extend along the entire back edge of the table saw to the left of the blade. The saw should ideally be oriented so that you can bring long lumber through the shop door and directly onto the saw table without having to turn a corner.


          If you keep what you have read here in mind, you should be able to find a machine that is perfect for your needs. Remember, cheap price guarantees neither satisfaction nor success.


Bob Gillespie

Woodworker

For similar articles and tool reviews see:

http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/




© 2010 Robert M. Gillespie, Jr.

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Finding The Right Shed Plans

Before discussing how to select the right shed plans, it’s important to know about the various styles you can choose from. Most shed plans include a gable roof, which has a triangular shape. The gambrel roof is another style that is commonly used for barns, while the lean-to shed works well if you only need small storage space. A lean-to can be added on to a shed, garage, or a wall. A saltbox design has a roof with a long rear slope, and is very popular. You can search online to find pictures of these designs.

The size of your shed is determined by the amount of space you have available and your purpose for it. What all are the items that you want to place in it? Shed plans in general will come in only a certain range of sizes. For instance, the average shed designs will probably be around 10×12 or 12×12. So if you want something that much bigger, then you will have to create a plan yourself.

Shed plans can be found all over the internet, and many of them are either very inexpensive or free. You can also find them in magazines, books, and local home improvement stores such as Lowes. With so many available, your biggest dilemma will be figuring out which one is best for your situation. There is also the option of putting together a plan yourself, if you have experience doing so or feel that you are knowledgeable enough to give it a try. They are not overly complex structures, so it’s certainly not impossible. You could even acquire a few shed plans just to give you some ideas or guidance on putting your own plan together.

Reading books on woodworking and sheds will also be helpful for creating plans. Once you have the exact vision for what you want, the process becomes a lot easier.

What about materials? The same materials used to build a house can be used for a shed. The only difference being that you would use pressure treated lumber for the foundation since the ground will have more moisture. This type is also resistant to decaying so it will have greater durability than framing lumber.

You will have to check with regulations and codes that are in place before you build your shed. Know the zoning laws and get a permit if necessary to make sure that everything is verified. Then, you can begin building and working towards getting the extra space you need.

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The Philadelphia Invitational Furniture Show

Lily Cabinet by Tom Lederer

Held this weekend, The Philadelphia Invitational Furniture Show is one of the longest running craft furniture show in the US.

"The PIFS features a great range of work reflective of the diverse creative directions present in the field of artisan-made furniture. There will be shaker and arts and crafts influenced wooden furniture, historically based Grandfather clocks as well as contemporary timepieces, modern functional-sculptural pieces in metal and wood, table top accessories, wall art and much more. The price points also span from the affordable impulse purchase to works suitable for long-term investments as future heirlooms."

FWA artists Tom Lederer and Michael Brown will be at the show, be sure to stop by and see their beautiful work in person.

More of Toms work can be found in his gallery-
www.finewoodartists.com/gallery/lederer/tom_lederer.htm

More of Michaels work can be seen in his gallery-
www.finewoodartists.com/gallery/brown/michael_brown.htm


The Philadelphia Invitational Furniture Show
Saturday, March 27, 11am-7pm
Sunday, March 28, 11am-5pm
The Philadelphia Cruise Terminal at Pier 1
Philadelphia Naval Business Center (PNBC)
5100 South Broad Street (South)
Philadelphia, PA 19112
215-387-8590
215-387-8591 fax
info@pffshow.com
http://www.philaifs.com/

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How to Get the Most Out of Your Band Saw

          Any band saw can resaw. The question is: “How well and how thick?” The first thing you need to decide if resawing on your band saw is an activity in which you are likely to engage frequently, occasionally or never. For those of you who don’t know, resawing is the ability to cut thin slices or veneers out of a board standing on its edge on the band saw table, while being guided along a high fence. Where this pays off is when you are trying to get maximum mileage out of an especially fine, beautiful, expensive hardwood board.


          For example, I made a lot of jewelry boxes with 3/8” thick sides. Considering that I had to sand all of the sides flat and smooth, I found that I could barely get 2 slices out of a 1” thick board or 3 slices out of a 1 1/2” board or 4 slices out of a 2” thick board. You need to allow 1/16” kerf waste for most band saw blades plus more if your blade wanders, which all blades do to a certain extent. Then all unevenness has to be sanded away in a drum sander or wide belt sander. In the end, you cant realistically expect to get two finished 3/8" box sides out of a board that is only 3/8"+3/8" +1/6" = 13/16" thick. You will need not much less than a full 1" thickness in your original board. Since most hardwood lumber is sold milled down to 7/8" for a so-called 1" board, you are faced with only getting one, 3/8" slice, not two. On the other hand, most 2" lumber comes milled down to 1 7/8", which allows you to bet three 3/8" pieces out, saving you money.

          The more your band saw blade wanders, the more thickness you will need. The important thing is to minimize this wandering and there are five ways to do this: (1) blade tension (maximum recommended to keep the blade from flexing), (2) blade width (the wider, the better for stiffness), (3) blade type (designed specifically for resawing), (4) motor power (to drive the blade through the wood without bogging down) and (5) blade guides (the more blade control, the better).


          If you plan on doing a lot of resawing, pay close attention to the specifications of band saws you are considering for purchase, in light of what has been said above. If resawing doesn’t look like it will play a large part in your future, then you are probably more interested in cutting curves in thinner material. In this case, throat depth of your band saw becomes a very important consideration because, on a small band saw, you will be constantly bumping into the back of the throat and you may not be able to complete the curved cuts you have penciled out.

          Any 14-inch band saw will severely limit the width of cuts you can make to the left of the blade, so consider if this will present a problem for you. If you are planning on just cutting out small parts, fine. On the other hand, if you want to make large parts for furniture, then a small band saw just wont do. Of course, there is no limitation to the right of the blade, on a 14" (or any other) band saw, except that you will have to supply auxiliary support for your work piece if it extends very far off the edge of the table. Throat depth is not so much of a problem when you are using the band saw for resawing, although, for resawing, you will need to consider the maximum distance between the table top and the upper blade guide. That measurement determines how wide a board you can resaw on your band saw.


          When shopping for a band saw, don’t be fooled into thinking that an 18” band saw will give you a full 18” between the blade and the back of the throat. Band saws are measured by the outside diameter of their wheels. These wheels are mounted inside the cabinet, one above the table and the other, below. Actually, there is an upper cabinet and a lower cabinet connected by a “column”. The blade travels upwards from the lower (powered) wheel through and inside the column to the upper (idler) wheel before reversing direction and going downwards through the upper blade guide, then the table, then the lower blade guide before returning to the lower wheel.

          Because the column takes up a certain amount of space, an 18” band saw will not normally have a full 18” throat. It will be something less than that, perhaps 17½” (if you are lucky) or even 17”. So, if you need a full 18” of clearance, you will need a 20” band saw. Prices climb with throat depth simply because as throat depth increases, the wheels and the cabinets must increase in size accordingly. In short, the whole machine gets bigger.

          Small band saws with small wheels may not be tall enough to sit on the floor like larger ones. With small band saws, you must either mount them on a bench or purchase or build a stand. Usually the stand is included in the price of the smaller saws. Conversely, when working on a very large, industrial band saw, count on the table top being quite high off the floor to accommodate the lower wheel and its cabinet.


          When you order blades for your band saw, do so in quantity. There are few sure things in life but blade breakage is guaranteed. Always have replacement band saw blades on hand so you dont end up breaking your only blade right in the middle of a project. When you do order blades, you can usually find the best prices online but you will need to allow for delivery time and shipping costs. You can buy blades from the saw manufacturer but it is usually cheaper to purchase them from a vendor who specializes in band saw blades. If you can’t find the exact size your band saw uses, you can ordinarily have your blades custom-welded to any length you need.

          There are times when you want a specialized band saw blade for a specific use like resawing. Here, the challenge is to get a reasonably smooth cut but not to have so many teeth that it causes an undue amount of friction, heat and wandering. In a case like that, it may be best to buy directly from the manufacturer of your band saw. Band saw blades designed to cut tight curves are as narrow as 1/8”. For most curves, I have found 1/4" blades to be sufficiently narrow. The narrower the blade, the more likely it will be to break quickly but it can track tighter curves than wider blades. For really tight curves, a scroll saw may be a better tool than a band saw. Resaw blades should always be as wide as your band saw can accommodate.

          There are two basic types of blade guides on band saws: "blocks" and "ball bearing guides". Blocks can be made out of smooth metal, non-metallic composite or ceramic material. Ball bearing guides are more expensive but are much easier on blades in that there is minimal friction and, therefore, reduced heat. There are side guides in any band saw to restrain the blade from moving left or right and a single block or bearing behind the band saw blade to keep it from moving backward when pressure is applied to the front of the blade by the work piece. After-market ball bearing guides with full installation instructions can be obtained from manufacturers such as Carter. The more expensive band saws come already equipped with ball bearing guides.

          Like other stationary power tools, very large band saws usually have three phase motors. You should not consider purchasing one of these unless you have three phase power available at the place where you will be using the saw. Three phase power is usually only available from the power company in commercial or industrial areas and cannot be found in residential areas. The only way to have three phase power in a home woodworking shop is to use a phase converter that is large enough for the power requirement of your largest three phase motor. If you plan on running more than one three phase motor at a time, you will need a correspondingly larger phase converter. There are two types of phase converters: rotary (looks like a big electric motor) and electronic. Rotary is better if you can find it. Search for phase converters online.

          A two speed band saw is useful if you are planning on cutting metal or very dense hardwoods. Running the band saw on the slow setting will mean that while it will take longer to make cuts, it will reduce heat from friction and extend blade life. Metal cutting band saw blades are widely available for cutting mild steel and non-ferrous metals. Never use a metal cutting band saw blade to cut wood. Never use a wood-cutting band saw blade to cut metal.

          Some band saw wheels are bare metal. If you want to track narrow blades, your band saw wheels should have rubber “tires” that are glued onto or inserted into grooves in the metal band saw wheels. These tires are usually crowned. By adjusting the blade tracking device, you can get the blade to stay in one position on the tires or metal wheels.


          Another adjustment moves the upper band saw wheel up and down to increase or decrease blade tension. You will need to release this tension to change band saw blades and, on the newer band saws, you can usually find a lever that does this for you. If not, you will have to loosen the tension knob enough to install a new blade on the wheels. Then re-apply the tension, using the blade tension scale, appropriate to the blade width you are using. Wide blades will require more tension than narrow blades. Narrow blades can break if too much tension is applied. Large band saw blades can wander off the band saw wheels if insufficient tension is used. Always refer to the tension scale on your band saw. Dont guess.

          After the band saw blade is tensioned properly, disconnect power to the motor and turn the upper wheel by hand to verify that the band saw blade is tracking properly. If not, make appropriate tilt adjustments to the upper wheel until the band saw blade stays in the approximate center of both wheels. A hand wheel or knob is provided on any band saw for this purpose. If the wheels are slightly out of alignment with respect to each other, you can still track a band saw blade. In this case, the band saw blade will be more to the back of one wheel while being more to the front of the other wheel. This discrepancy should eventually be adjusted or "tuned" out of your band saw, but, for now, it’s OK as long as the band saw blade stays on the wheels while cutting. Once you have the band saw blade tracking properly, reconnect the power and start cutting.


Bob Gillespie
Woodworker

For similar articles and tool reviews see:

http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/





© 2010 Robert M Gillespie, Jr.

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The Importance of Woodworking Clamps

          Sometimes we take for granted the very things we cannot live without. Only, on the rare occasion where one of these things is not present do we realize its overwhelming importance to us. Some of these things are crucial to life support like air, gravity, water, food and even, it could be fairly argued, love. Others, while not fatal to us (if missing) are, nonetheless, crucial necessities to life as we know it. An example of this would be ball bearings which are used in cars, trucks, airplanes, ships, motors and machines. Another, to the woodworker, would be clamps, the subject of this present discussion and tool review.

          I want to point out that woodworking, as we know it, would simply cease to exist without clamps to hold wooden parts together while we are gluing or otherwise fastening them together. It’s not that there is anything in what I have said so far that is news to anyone. It’s simply a matter of being conscious of the value of things that bless us every day of our lives.


          I once sold off the entire contents of a woodworking shop. I advertised each tool individually. The ads were hardly out when I received a flood of calls from woodworkers looking for clamps. I sold all the clamps I had the first day. It was then that I realized how much every woodworker needs clamps.


Bob Gillespie
Woodworker

For similar articles and tool reviews see:
http://www.perfectwoodworking.com/






©2010 Robert M. Gillespie, Jr.

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BUILDING THE BASIC SHED

Step A: Build the Foundation & Floor Frame

1. Excavate the building site and add a 4" layer of compactible
gravel. If desired, add an extension to the base for the optional
wood ramp. Tamp the gravel thoroughly, making sure it is flat and
level.

2. Cut three 4 × 4 treated timber skids at 144". Arrange and level
the skids on the gravel bed, following the FLOOR FRAMING PLAN.

3. Cut two 2 × 6 rim joists at 144" and ten joists at 93". Mark the
joist layout onto the rim joists, following the plan. Assemble frame
with 16d galv. common nails; be sure to check each joist for
crowning and install it with the crowned edge up.

4. Set the floor frame on top of the skids and measure the
diagonals to make sure its square. Install metal clip angles at each
joist along the two outer skids, using 1 1/2" joist hanger nails and
16d galv. common nails, and toenail each joist to the center skid
with 16d galv. nails.

5. Install the tongue-and-groove floor sheathing, starting with a full
sheet at one corner of the frame. Use 8d galv. nails driven every 6"
along the edges and every 12" in the field.

           Secure the joists to the outer skids with angles. Drive hanger nails 

into the joists and 16d nails into the skids. 

 

Frame and raise the walls, then fasten adjacent walls together at 

the corner studs.

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Step B Frame the Walls

1. Snap chalk lines on the floor for the wall plates.

2. Cut the 2 × 4 wall plates: four at 144" for the side walls and four

at 89" for the front and back walls.

3. Mark the stud layouts onto the plates following the FLOOR PLAN.

4. Cut twenty-seven studs at 92 5/8", and cut six at 81 1/2" to

serve as jack studs.

5. Build three headers with 2 × 6s and 1/2" plywood: one at 65" for

the door opening, one at 67" for the right side window, and one at

35" for the rear window.

6. Assemble, raise, and brace the walls one at a time, then add the

double top plates.

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Woodworker Scott Armstrong On the Radio

Scott Armstrong, a member of Fine Wood Artists will be on the radio, this Saturday.  Please tune in if you have time!

 

More about Scott can be found on his gallery

http://www.finewoodartists.com/gallery/armstrong/scott_armstrong.htm

 

Antelope Table by Scott Armstrong

Please join me this Saturday, November 13th between 10:00 a.m. and noon mountain time on the like talk radio and webstream show "Circles of Change with Dr. Zara Larsen: Where Your Path is Created by Walking on It".  Tune in to Journal Broadcasting KQTH via computer http://www.1041thetruth.com/ or in southwestern Arizona, 104.1 FM.

 

Dr. Larsen has hosted over 200 shows in over two years, generating some 350 informative and inspirational podcast segments.  The show is dedicated to spotlighting the careers and organizations of business professionals, non-profit leaders, entrepreneurs, and public servants, as well as artists, consultants, academics and those with inspirational stories to help others embrace personal career and organizational change.  Arrowleaf Studio and my career as an artist and entrepreneur will be featured in a special segment, along with other guests as committed to offering pragmatic advice and likely some unconventional wisdom in the mix.

 

If you are unable to join us live, the podcast will be posted by Wednesday, November 17th in the 2010 Featured Guest library on http://www.thelarsengroup.com/  Or "opt in" to Dr. Larsens iPhone/smart phone mobile site by sending the simple text message of drzara (no spaces) to box 69852 to receive every Thursday the direct link to the four segments from the preceeding Saturday. An example is posted at http://echoflyer.com/m/drzara

 

Hope you can join us!
Best regards,

Scott

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THE POWER OF IMPACT DRIVERS

          When they first came out years ago, impact drivers were very popular in Japan but it took a while for Americans to realize what a terrific advantage impact drivers have over an electric drill when it comes to driving long screws into wood, especially decking. American companies like Porter Cable caught on to the idea and started competing with impact drivers offered by overseas companies. The idea for impact drivers was born long ago with the inventions of (1) the impact wrench, used in every automotive garage, and (2) the hammer drill used to power masonry bits into concrete and other extremely hard materials.

          The technology that allows them to do this is sometimes referred to as “hammer and anvil” meaning that, unlike the simple twisting action of an electric drill, the impact driver literally “pounds” the screwdriver bit around as if being repeatedly being hit by a hammer. This action gives these woodworking tools tremendous power that simply would not be possible if the same screwdriver bit were chucked up in an electric drill with the same size motor and battery. An additional advantage is that there are hex shank drill bits available so that your impact driver can double as a quick-change cordless drill thus becoming one of your most versatile woodworking tools.

          The first time I picked up an impact driver, a 12-volt Makita, I thought it looked, to me, like a toy. I then tried it out by driving a 3-inch deck screw into a 4” x 4” piece of fir. I was amazed as I watched (and felt) the tiny machine effortlessly drive the screw home, sinking the head below the surface of the wood. I had to remember to keep a lot of hand pressure against the tool so that the screw driver bit did not pop out of the screw head and strip it. From that moment forward, I have never been without one of these amazing machines at my side.

          Over the years, these drivers have been improved to the point of near perfection and this includes the batteries that power them. Battery size has grown from 9.6 volts to 18 volts and more. More than that, battery life has been greatly extended from what it was with the advent of Lithium Ion technology and subsequent improvements on that. In fact, a significant part of the cost of any impact driver, whether it comes from Makita Tools, Bosch or DeWalt is the battery or batteries that come with it.

          You may have noticed that most manufacturers of cordless woodworking tools have started selling so-called “bare tool bodies” meaning that they come with no battery or charger included and a greatly reduced price tag. The reason for this is that most manufacturers (but not all) have discovered that if they make all their tools run on the same 18-volt Lithium Ion battery, they can sell more bare tool bodies while locking in their customers to their brand. End users love this because they do not have to keep laying out hard-earned money for shelves full of different batteries and chargers but, rather can just buy the bare woodworking tools that share the same battery.

          Several manufacturers like Makita Tools have included two or more speed ranges in their impact drivers. Sometimes, too much power is not always a good thing. You can destroy small screw heads and break screw shafts. The more power used, the less battery life. Just because you have a 400 HP motor under the hood of your car does not mean that you drive around town with the accelerator pedal to the floor.

          While a 12 or 14.4 volt impact driver will suffice for most jobs, an 18 volt model is well worth the small increase in price. If you are interested in perhaps purchaing an 18 volt Impact driver, check out our review of four models from Bosch, DeWalt, Makita and Milwaukee at PerfectWoodworking.com/impactdriversreview/. 


Bob Gillespie
Woodworker

© 2010

For similar articles and tool reviews see:

PerfectWoodworking.com

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The Coffee Table Base

Once the top was shaped, flattened and sanded, it was time to tackle the base. The base of this table consists of only four parts. The legs and bottom rail are half-lapped together, which is a pretty simple joint to cut, normally, but in this case the legs are canted out at a 10 degree angle. Cutting the angled joint is still pretty straightforward, but requires an extra jig, and some thoughtful planning.

The secret to a well-fitting joint is to do all the angled milling operations with the same table saw blade setup.  After setting the blade to 10 degrees, I first trimmed the top and bottom faces of the legs. Next, without moving the blade, I cut the angled half-laps in the bottom rail. To do this, I used a crosscut sled. You can also see in the photo how the rip fence and a stop block defined the limits of the cut as the material is nibbled away. That meant that I could cut both sides with only a single setup by just flipping the rail, yielding two dadoes exactly the same size and perfectly symmetrical.

 

While the blade was still tilted, I also cut the front and bottom parts for the leg dadoing jig. This jig was used in conjunction with my normal 90 degree crosscut sled to cut the mating dadoes in the legs. Stop blocks again defined the limits of the cut, and allowed me to cut both legs with a single setup. The same sled setup was also used to cut the dadoes for the upper rail.

The ragged edges left by nibbling with the table saw were cleaned up with a chisel, and with all the joint halves cut using only two setups, there was no doubt that the joint would fit properly.

Now that the joinery was cut, the various parts could be shaped. First, the bottom rails upper half was given a parabolic arched profile. Using a paper template, the shape was drawn onto the rail ends, and the majority of the waste material removed with a couple of passes on the table saw. The profile was then refined with a plane, scraper, and sander. By leaving the lower half of the rail square, the joint was fully maintained.

Shaping of the legs was done in two steps. First, the outer edges were curved to give a softened trapezoidal outline. This was done on the band saw, and then faired with a belt sander.

Next the sides of each leg were given a thumbnail profile. This was done by first laying out a center line down the face and relief lines on each side, then using a compass to lay out the curve.

Then it was back to the plane and sander to fair it all out. The base was now complete and ready for finishing.

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Legacy Redwood Project The Good the Bad and the Ugly

After a flurry of activity in the shop at the end of the year, I finally got a chance to take the next step on the legacy redwood project. That entailed reloading all the big chunks I had cut back in November into the truck and taking them out to Dave Merchants milling operation at Out of the Woods in Bonny Doon. 

Daves got a great set-up, with several types of mills. 

The purpose of this trip was to remove the weathered outer surfaces of the chunks to try to assess how much sound, usable material the was in each one. My "smaller" chunks, the ones less than about 25" in width were sliced on a computer-controlled Woodmizer band mill - essentially a giant horizontal band saw.

The larger chunks that didnt fit on the Woodmizer were moved to his Lucas mill. This mill uses a large circular blade that can be rotated and used in both the horizontal and vertical positions. On these chunks, material was removed in roughly 6" wide pieces.

Now that each piece has a clean face, I can assess which ones still have significant rot, which will yield usable large-scale wood, and which might yield thinner panel material. Some of the pieces look pretty promising, with some really great burl figure, but others were a little disappointing in their extent of weather-related checking, and rot.

Stay tuned to see what develops ....

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