contents

WOODamagazine April2002,lssue141

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

46 contemporaryW stand
Letthisprojectprovidea handsome
homefor yourelectronics.

50 model speedboat
Expectwavesandraveswiththis
runabout.
rubber-band-powered

60 build-to-suitpergola
Shadeyourdeck,patio,or yardwith
c
thispleasing structure.
architectural
E
6
E 66 how to installposts
C
- Learnthe tricksbuildersuseto locate
E
co
andset postsin the ground.
=
E
(L 68 arbor/swingcombo
o summer
Planfora relaxing withthis
o
freestanding
outdoorproject.
72 deluxe deck-railing system
Planter-boxcolumnsand tough mate-
I rials make for lasting beauty.
,i.,ir I
d;is;#.
80 on-wall trellis
Combine 2x2sandlatticeto createa
greatframework
forclimbing plants.

92 glass-domed snack tray

f4 Serve thisplate,
upstylebyturning
cheeseboard,and knife handle.

96 10waysto tablesawsuccess
Make your tablesawthe best it can be
with these shop-smarttricks.

50

www.woodonline.com
contents
April2002,lssue141

TOOL REVIEW

U 7lq" circularsaws
We test the power, performance,and
featuresof eight competingmodels.

4 wood close-up:baldcypress
il how to craft cutlery handles
Checkout the resultsof threestaffers
who usedmail-order knifekits.
90 who built LadyLiberty?
See the role wood playedin the con-
structionof our most famous statue.

DEPARTMENTS

6 editor'sangle
I talkingback
12 greatideas:rip-fencesaddle
Machinebridlejoints, open morlises,and
tenonswith this handyjig.

14 short cuts
1 6 shopskills:step-building
Learnthe guidelines
whenworkingon
outdoorprojects.
2. joinery:mark with precision
24 talkingshop:glassshelving
Seewhatyouroptionsare,andhowthey
impactprice.
26 how dry shouldwood be?
32 askwooD
36 shoptips
42 WOODONLINEo
100 outdoorproductsrcsourceguide
101 prcductsthat perform
111 wood anecdote:coffeetree
112 what'saheadin our next issue
Better Homes and Gardensa (ISSN-0743-894X)is published
l-OOOa- magazine nine times a year in
'November,
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WOOD magazine April 2002

 Better llomes and Gardenso

editortsanete w0CID.
April2002o vol.19,No.3 o lssue
No.141
Editor-in-Chief
BILLKRIER
Executive
EditorJIMHARROLD
ManagingEditorMARLEN KEMMET
Features
EditorDAVE ST0NE
ProductsEditorDAVE CAMPBELL
Projects
EditorJANHALESVEC

Sorne special people Projects

Senior
Editor0WENDUVALL
TechniouesEditorJIMPOLI0CK
DesignEditorKEVIN B0YLE

you ought to know Master

DesignEditorJEFFMERTZ
Craftsman
Production/0ffice
CHARLES
Manager
L HEDTUND
MARGARET CL0SNER
Administrative
AssistantSHERYT MUNY0N
lllustrators
L()RNAJ()HNS()N,R0XANNE [eM0lNE,
lf you'vevisitedour onlinedis- Don Sindledecker,Ketchikan, AK, TIMCAHILL, MIKEMITTERMEIER
Contributing
PhotographerMARTY BALDWIN
hostat Inrge
cussiongroupsyou know how Technical
Consultants
RICHBRIGHT, JEFFHAIL,
Jim Frye, Toledo, OH, hostat large KIRKHESSE, GARRY SMITH
muchwoodworkingwisdom Jim Becker,New Hope, PArtoolbuying
Contributing
Craftsman JIMHEAVEY
Proofreaders
JIMSANDERS. BARBARAKIEIN
can be gainedby tuningin to Willy Driscoll, Surrey, BC, ArtDirector
TIMALEXANDER
woodworking plansfinder Assistant
ArtDirectorCHERYL
A. CIBULA
them.That exchangeof infor- Jamie Downing, West DesMoines,IA, PublisherMARKHAGEN
Advertising
Office:
333N.MichiganAve., 1500,
Suite
mationwouldn'tbe possible downloadableplan support Chicago,
lL60601Phone:312853-2890Fu:312580-7906
Jim Kull, McKinney, TX, SalesAssistant.
LARA KALI-AL
withoutthe helpof thesededi- finishing and refinishing
MailResponse ManagerCAR0LYN DAKIS
AccountExecutive
R()NG()tMINAS
cated readers. Phil Brennion, Chino Yalley, LZ, AccountExecutive
NEILKIRBY
woodturning AccountExecutive
J0HN TH0RNBURGH
Detroit,
Phone:2481356-1
149 Fax:248/356-8930
think I speakfor everyoneon the staff Kathy Hutton, Dubuque, IA, AccountExecutive
PATT0MtlNS0N
f
lwhen I saythat the bestpart of working scrollsawing Northeast,
Phone:2121551-7043Fax:2121551-7192
Lagomarsino,
Southeasl: Dempsey& Dennis,
Inc.
atWOOD magazineis producinga publi- RossCanant, Greenville, TX, ol.dtools 2951PiedmontRd,,NE, 100,
Suite Atlanta,
GA30305
cationfor readerswho are so passionate RussellFloyd, Jericho, VT, Phone. -5400Fax4041261
4041261 -5404
abouta subjectmatter.If there'sa group woodworkingplnnsfinder GroupMarketingDirector
CATHY E.SMITH
Phone: -7178 Fax.2121551
2121551 -7192
of peoplewho enjoy their craft and pursue Doug Mount, PeachtreeCity, GA, Senior
Marketing
Services
ManagerATEXANDER D.CIARKS0N
it with morezealthanwoodworkers,I'd homeimprovement GrouP
p ublishe
SrT E P H E
BN.L E V I N S O N
like to meetthem. Tim Rundal[ DesMoines,IA, Associate Business
Director FEAR
CRAIG
So it's no surprisethat thousands of woodcaming Senior Product
ManagerRICKGR()W
Advertising
Services
ManagerPATHENDERSHOTT
woodworkerssharetheir knowledge,and Consumer Marketing
Director
KATHI
PRIEN
seekit from others,by activelypartici- To learn more abouttheseenthusiastic Consumer Marketing
Manager DAVE
H0N0LD
patingin our Internetdiscussiongroups woodworkers,and seetheir pictures,go VicePresidenVPublishing
Director
WlttlAMR. REED
at www.woodonline.com. The I I groups to www.woodonline.com and click on MEREDITHPUBTISHING GR()UP
covereveryareaof woodworking,and President
STEPHEN M. LACY
WOOD TALK. And while you're there,
Magazine
GroupPresident JERRYKAPTAN
the talk can get ratherlively, the view- don't forgetto add your two centsto one GrouoSalesMICHAEL BROWNSTEIN
pointsprettystrong.I've alwaysfound it or moreof the discussions.We'll be Creative
Services
ELLEN OELATH0UDER
Business
DeveloomentTINAGE()BGE()U
fun and informational. expectingyou. Manufacturing
BRUCE HESTON
The discussions arehostedby a corpsof Consumer Marketing
KARTA JEFFRIES
Finance
andAdministrationMAXRUNCIMAN
dedicatedvolunteersfrom acrossNorth
America.They monitorthe conversations,
^lUleredfth
I conponnrroru

lend a helpinghandto needywoodwork- WlLtlAMT. KERR.

ers,andyes,they stepin from time to time
to keepthingscivil. If a participantraises
a concernthat requiresthe immediate
attentionof one of our editors,they alert
us to it. They do thesethingsbecausethey
love woodworkingand sharinginforma-
tion. For that,I would like to acknowledse
them here.Someof thesefolks have
expertisein specificareas,andI've listed
thoseafter their hometown.
President
andChiefExecutive
Officer
E.T.MEREDITH
lll, Chairman
of the Executive
Committee
OCopyrightMeredithCorporation 2002
All rightireserved.
Printedin theU.S.A.
Customer Service Information: For service on your sub-
scription, including change of address, contact us at
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Subscription mailing address: Better Homes and Gardens
WOOD magazine,P.O. Box 37439, Boone, IA 50037-0439.
Pleaseenclose your addresslabelfrom a recentissue.Editorial
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Street.GA3l0. Des Moines. IA 50309-3023.For ouestions
on editorial, questionsabout how to reachan advertiser,or to
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52247, checkor moneyordermadepayableto WOOD magazine.
,o ilrr
WOOD rnagazine April 2002
talkin back
boardforletters,
Ourbulletin andtimelyupdates
comments,

Increase the performance Drilling for quarters

Yourframeddisplaycasefor commemo-
of your cyclone rativestatequartersis a drop-dead
I downloaded the plansfor the projectthat l'm surelotsof peoplewill
cyclonedustcollector fromyourWeb wantto make("OurCountryin Quarters"
site,and builtit prettymuchas i n i s s u e1 3 1 ) .
shown.My only departureswere a You specifyusinga 1" Forstnerbit to
2-hpblowerand feltfilterbags. drillthe %o"-deepholesfor the quarters.
At the end of a 4' lengthof duct Neutral And becausethis resultsin a loosefit,
vane you say to use a removableadhesive
connectedto the cyclone'sinlet,I
measuredan air flow of 350 cfm. underneathto keepthe quartersnice
Afterinstallinga "neutralvane" and aligned.Well,thiswillwork,but why
insidethe cyclone,shownon not save yourselfthe trouble?| used a
r5lro"Forstnerbit to drillmy holesand
Drawing1, the flow increasedto
525 cfm. This is a significant then "punched"the quartersin place
increasein performancefor such with a 3/+"dowel.The fit is perfect.No
a simplemodification, and is well adhesiverequired!
-Tom Epps,Denver
worthtrying out.
-John Dillbeck,ShellKnob,Mo. E nnootFtcATloN
Another reader recently called usfor advice on building the cyclone, and described
the same sort of deflector inside an old cyclone that was once part of a piece of farm
machinery. Perhaps they knew something we didn't when we designed our cyclone.
It wouldn't be too dfficult to retrofit an existing cyclone in this manner. But better
yet, incorporating a similar detail in a new cyclone would simplify its construction.
Whenforming the teardrop-shape cutout in the cyclone's cylinder (H), leave three
tabs around its perimeter, where shown on Drawing 2. Bend the tabs into the cylin-
der, and trim the end of the inlet duct (l) at an
angle so it clears the outlet duct. Insert the inlet
and pop-rivet the tabs to it, where shown on Thanks, Tom,for your suggestion,but we
Drawing 3. Seal around the inlet/cylinderioint on would sound a note of caution. Force fit-
the outsi.dewith caulk ting a quarter into alsha" hole might split
one of the states like West Virginia or
, Tennesseewhere the coin recesscomes
I very close to its edge. Even if you got a
^YftLeave.r,,rabsto t quarter into Texas or Arizona without

--------t.--"/ ; splitting it, seasonal wood shrinkage

attach PartQ' ' woulcl probably do the job.
: What nmy be the perfect solution comes
'
@ from Rockler Woodworking and
: Hardware. Anticipctting a needfor dis-
: playing these comntemorative quarters,
I they are selling a special quarter-size
; (.995") carbide-tipped Forstner bit (cata-
: Iog no. 26057) for $21.99. To order one,
OPTION
EI CYI.IIVDER-NEW E IruWT-NEWOPTION ' call 800/279-4441.
Continued on page l0

WOOD magazine April 2002

 Footbridge is short a couple of spindles 36
I justfinishedmaking thegarden foot- drawings
wereveryaccurate
andeasyto
bridge featured
in issue133,andam follow.I'ma rookieat thissoftof thing,
extremely happywiththewayit turned andI wantto thankyouforthewonder-
out.lt'sbetterlookingthanthepictures. ful,constructive
hoursI spenton this
Thereare,however, a coupleof cor- project.Thisbridgeis thecenterpiece of
rections thatshouldbe noted.TheRail my backyard.
Holesdrawingon page43 showsholes -Tom Mateer,Naperville,
lll.
for 16spindles on eachside.Thepho-
tographs andBridgeSidesdrawingon Thanksfor your compliments,Tom,and
page46 show18spindles. Also,theRail you're right about the spindleholesand

P-,"f; f'.:'sxsi
EndandCenterMountsdrawingon the centermounts.Seethe drawings,
page44 impliesthat the below and ight for the corrections. HB E
;d Y',?B
bottomends of both the end
No screwsin shadedareas
mounts(l) and the center 411q" 613/ro 6 1 3 / ro 41|c" ,,
Bottomrail@ 1 holes
mounts(J) have a 15o L 21/q"deep,drilled
bevel.Only the end mounts 41/q"on center
needthe bevel,The center
mountsare cut square.
Asidefrom thesetwo Center
rail@ No screwsin shadedareas
items,your instructions
and 45"

Buying guide revised Not untilrecently.Some good friends Wehopeso too, John,and thanksfor
for the arched-top clock of mine were aboutto move intotheir writing. Just to underscoretlrcpoint,
Pleasenotethe revisions. indicated dream retirementhome,whichwas stainingragsaren't the onlypotential
belowin red type,to the almosttwo years in the buildingand on problem. Ragssoakedwith drying oils,
BuyingGuidefor the whichthey were puttingthe finishing suchas boiledlinseedoil and Danish-oil
arched-topclockin touches.The weekendbeforethey were finishes,arejust asprone to spontaneous
i s s u e1 3 8 . to move in, fire totallydestroyedtheir combustionif not handledproperly.
Brrying Grride new home.The cause?A pile of wet Don't takechances.Neverrellt on "air-
trrass KnoDs n0. stainingragsaccidentallyleft on the tight" containers.Lay out (or hang up to
39500, $1.25 each(4); wood floor. dry as shown,left)any ragsor paper
5%"-diameter press-in
clockmovement no, I hope this letterwill hit home with towelsyou've usedto apply thesefinishes.
15343, $11,95.Order your readersand save someoneelse
fromKlockit, P,0.Box from such a tragicaccident.
636,LakeGeneva, Wl -John R. Good,Kewanee,
53147, orcall800/556- lll, Write Us!
2548,orgoto Doyouhavecomments, criticisms,
sugges-
www.klockit,com. tions,or maybe evena compliment specifically
relatingto an articlethatappeared in
W00b magazine? Pleasewriteto:
Don't fet youS drearn home TalkingBack
go up in s'moke W00Dmagazine
1716LocustSt.,GA310
l'ma regular
readerof WOODa, andI Des Moines,lA flX109-3{f23
havereadyourfrequent cautionsabout
ore-mailusattalkingback@mdp.com.
therightwayto storepotentially
com- Dueto the volumeof lettersande-mailswe
bustible
stainingmaterials
andsupplies. receive,wecanrespondto andpublishonly
Butyourgoodadviceneverreallyhit thoseof thegreatestinterestto ourreaders.
homewithme.

10 WOOD magazine April 2002

great ideas for your shop

rip-felilce
saddfe
An inerq)ensive,shop-built jig for
top-notch machining and joinery

uild this auxiliary wood fence and Positioned to cen-

mating saddleto bevel-cutthe post ter the workpiece
over the dado
capsfor the pergolaon page 61, or blade, the jig is
build it for supportingstilesandotherwork- the perfect setup
piecesasshownin thephotoat right.Use for machiningbri-
dle joints or open
onehandto pushthe saddleandworkpiece mortises and the
acrosstheblade,andyourotherhandto mating tenons.
keepthe saddleriding firmly on theauxil-
iary fence.Wax thematingpiecesif neces-
saryfor easysliding.

Note: Our auxiliaryfence is screwed

securelyto our metal tablesawrip fence,
withthe top edgeof thefencesittingI"
abovethe top edgeof the metalfence. The
awriliaryfence mustbe 90" to the saw
table.Sizeyour woodfenceso the saddle
3/+xBx 8" plywood 1
rides smoothly,withoutfree play, along
I
8"
the top edgeof the auxiliaryfence. *
3/+x2x8" stock
lllustration:Roxanne LeMoine; Tim Gahill
Photograph:Baldwin Photography

3/cx 11h x 8" stock

Tablesawrip fence

to rip fence

RIP.FENCESADDLE

WOOD magazine April 2002

short cuts
Newsandnotesfromthewoodworking
world
A touching tribute
fromAmericats
woodworking clubs
After the tragediesof September11,2001,
peopleacrossthe country askedwhat they
could do to help. In SanRamon,
California,just eastof SanFrancisco,a
woodworkernamedPhil Cullen hatched
an ideathat took hold in severalwood-
working clubs acrossAmerica.The idea:
build flag casesfor the families of police
officers,firefighters,and otherswho lost
their lives from the terrorists'acts.
At that point, Phil e-mailedhis idea to
severalwoodworkingclubsto seeif they
were up to building the needednumberof
flag cases.As Phil describesit, the
responsewas both instantand impressive.
"GeorgeDuBois from the Guild of
OregonWoodworkersvolunteeredto be
the nationalcoordinatorof the effort. He
Want to help? Contact the WUFA regional representative nearest you.
r George DuBois,503/365-7636
gdubois@woodworkersunitedforamerica.org lwrine@execpc.com
n BillTarleton,
925/939-8052
btarl@attbi,com
DickMeuler,515/967-7686
3 workersunitedforamerica,org dmeuler@wood-
' 4 ' EarlAshurst,9721727-3542eashurst@wood
workersunitedforamerica.org
-
Seen here with Diablo
woodworking club
members, founder of
WUFA Phil Cullen (mid-
dle row, second from
right) has received the
nod to make the flag
case for the chief of the
FDNY who lost his life
on September11.
contactedkey officials at the Pentagon
and spokewith membersof otherwood-
working clubs." In no time, the ideagrew
into a nationwideorganizationthat is
referredto asWoodworkersUnited for
America (WIJFA).
Phil's local Diablo woodworkingclub,
above,pitchedin andmade60 cases;
Membersof the DesMoineswoodwork-
otherclubs,suchasthe DesMoines ing club showoff theirflag cases.This
WoodworkersAssociation,right, and batchis slatedfor the familiesof those
otherIowa clubs mademore than 50 lost in the Pentagon.DickMeuler(center
right)headedup the effortin lowa.
cases.Clubs from practicallyevery state
in the country,includingAlaskaandHawaii, volunteeredtheir woodworkingtalents
andtime.And becauseof the tasksize.the
work continues.And that'sto saynothing
ffi LarryRine,8151577
-1307 of the distributionlogistics.Solicitedcom-
paniesfrom aroundthe country alsoare
6 Mickey Hudspeth,770l441-9202
mhudspeth@mindspring.com
doingtheir part by donatingglass,wood,
and flags to help the woodworkingclubs.
m Al K.Spitzer
Jr.,603/669-3416
alspitzer@woodworkersu
nitedforamerica.org
Thoughthe constructionof the triangu-
lar casesvariesfrom club to club. the
r JohnE.Mielcarski,3151476-6571
SLICKROVER@aol.com
basicplan (found on the Internetat
www.woodworkersunitedforameric a.org)
Mr.RayTaylor,
703/490-8103 calls for sidesthat measure t/qx33/axl8s/q"
I yar_rolyat@hotmai
l.com
and a z/qx3t/qx26Vz" base.Sideendsare
miteredat22Vz' and45",andheld togeth-
er with splines.Groovesin the sidesand
basekeepthe glassin place,while a ply-
wood back fits into rabbetededgesand
screwsoff to hold a folded flag inside
(typically, one that is 5x8' or 5x9Vz').
If you, too, would like to help WUFA,
whetheryou are a woodworkingclub
memberor not, contactthe nearestregion-
al representative usingthe map at left. For
more info, log onto their Web site.al
Photographs:Chris Kammeyer;
Baldwin Photography
WOOD magazine April 2002
develop your shop skills

simple
steip builtrrrg
Get off the ground one step at a time with a
framing square and these tricks of the trade.

deckbuilt closeto the ground,like Measurefrom the top of the deck sur-
the one shownabove,givesyou faceto the ground.This numberis the Step building
an excellent chance to learn the total "rise" of the steps. by the numbers
skills of stepbuilding.You'll usethe same Now, you needto makesurethat each Here'san exampleof how to figurea
principlesthat apply to any run of steps, of the individualstepshasan equalrise. stair run for a low deck.In this case,the
but you canpracticethemwith small,eas- If one or more are off, vour feet will top of the deck is 26" abovethe ground.
ily handledpieces. feel the difference. 1. Dividethe total rise by your chosen
We'll showyou how to build stepswith Divide the total rise by the preferred riserheightof either6" or 7" (26 divided
openstringers,which supportthe treads rise of eachstepin inches---cither6 or by 6 = 4.33).
from underneath.Laying out these 7 will give you a comfoftablestep.The 2. Roundup or downto the nearest
stringersrequiresaccuratemeasurements resultprobablywill includedecimals, wholenumberto get the actualnumber
and a bit of arithmetic.After that, it's just so round it to the nearestwhole number of steps (4).
a matterof making basiccuts. to determinehow many stepsyou'll 3. Dividethe total rise by the numberof
build. Now, dividethe overallriseby stepsto get the actual rise per step (26
Figrrre the rise the numberof stepsto get the actual dividedby 4 = 6.5, or 6V"').
Take a look at the drawingsbelow to get rise per step.Seethe box at right for a You can add or subtracta step and
familiar with step-buildingterminology. typicalcalculation. dividethat numberintothe total rise if
Now let's get to the constructiondetails. you're not satisfiedwith the riserthat
Figrrre the run you calculatethe firsttime. lf you end
The total "run" is the horizontaldis- up with a risernumberthat'snot a
tancefrom the edgeof the deck to the wholenumberor standardfraction,one
bottom end of the stringers,as shownin riserwill be slightlydifferentthan the
t" the drawing.The run of an individual rest. Make it the first one at the bottom
.1 stepequalsthe width of the tread-l 1"
Stringer-_.//2 end of the stringer.
is typical. As for treadwidth,consider11" the
Continuedon page 18 standard.As you makeyour plans,
allowfor one lesstreadthan the num-
ber of risers.Becausethe stringer
The total run of a set attachesto the deck joist belowthe
of steps equals the
distance from the level of the deck surface,the deck itself
edge of the deck to servesas the top tread.
the point where the Beforeyou buy or rough-cutstringer
stringers rest on a
pad. The total rise is boards,calculatethe approximate
the distance from lengthyou'llneed.Add up all of the
pad to deck top. tread widthsto find the total run of the
Each step consists
of a riser and tread. steps. Use a tape measureto mark that
pointon the ground,then measurefrom
thereto the highestpointwherethe
stringerwill contactthe deckjoist.This
numberis the stringerlength.

16 WOOD rnagazine April 2002

 develop your shop skills

The treadcanbe one wide boardor severalnanowerboards
with equalgapsin between.We useda pair of lV+xl%" com-
positedeckingboardsto makeeachtread,or you canusepres-
sure-treated2x lumber.To matchthe deckdesign,we attacheda
boardto eachsetof risercutsso that its top edgeservesaspart
of the tread,as seenin the lower right photoon page20. lt's
morecommonto fit thatriserboardunderthe tread,leavinga
1" overhang.
Figurethe approximatelengthof your stringers,asdescribedin
the box on page 16, andmark the spotwherethey will sit on the
ground.Installa 4"-thick concretepadon a 4" gravelbaseto sup-

Lay out the stringers

Now you're readyto lay out your stringersfor a two-step
assembly,as shownin the drawingsbelow.Choosestraight
2x12 lumber,anddraw your linesso that any
pressure-treated
sienificantknotswill lie in the wasteareas.

@:inJ:::,,'
gauge on the out-
side edge of the
square's long leg at
the number equaling
the run. The other EDrawasecondsetofriseandrun|ines,withthe
gauge goes on the lEflrise the previousrun lineat the
line intersecting
outside of the short
edgeof the board.Drawa third rise line,markits end point,
then extend the line across the board.
leg, at the number
equaling the rise.

starting from the end point.

@::1T?#T::f,:
your framingsquare
use
to mark the rise and
run. This will be the
top end of your
stringer.

Thicknessof bottomplate
Thicknessof tread

@ il Hffi
:'3.?,lll J[i,:ffi,s'ili"l[*:"8;
:llr""ol
the first tread. Then, mark the stringer's bottom end. Write
@li'"";:lli'?31,:fi
xxl'";fi i:
ifliffiiSii,Il??:f
to mark the waste areas, shown here in a lighter color.
"pattern" on your first stringer, and trace around it to lay out
each of your other stringers.
Continuedon page 20

1B WOOD magazine April 2002

develop your shop skills

Cut and assemble the steps

Follow the techniquesoutlinedbelow to completethe steps.
Use stainless-steel screwsthroughoutto avoid rust or corrosion
problems.Make your stepsat least3'wide for safety,and useat
least three sffingers,evenly spacedfor full supportunderfoot.
For wider steps,you'll needto usemore stringers.Make the
spacing24" or less.

"
@$:"',tli"'J::,'"?=#i:;.?'ix,?:"xo""i5
For open steps, let the treads overhang the stringers by
about 1" at each end. We made each tread with two boards of
G#ICUT THE STRINGER: Mount a coarse-toothed
the same composite material that covers the deck. Attach
Ebladeinyourcircu|arsaw,thencutcarefu||ya|ong
your layout lines. Always keep the blade on the waste siOe of each board with two screws in each stringer.
the line. At the inside corners, stop when the leading edge of
the saw blade reaches the perpendicular line. Use a handsaw
or jigsaw to finish the cuts.

THE STRUCTURE: Attach a 2x12 base

GI;IIIASSEMBLE
Eplate to the bottom ends of the stringers with
screws. Then, locate a2x12 backing plate at the top ends of
the stringers, where it serves as the final riser, and attach it
with screws. Set the assembly squarely in place atop your
concrete pad. Secure the entire unit in place with several 3"
deck screws through the backing plate and into the rim joist.
@;l,'jf,JJilf:L';li:%:x1i""",:::Tf,
il;:3'
cause tripping accidents, too. A single board nearly covered
the gap in our steps. We used shims to coax the top edge
flush with the next step, then fastened the board in place with
a pair of screws into each stringer. lF
Photographs: BaldwinPhotography
lllustrations:
RoxanneLeMoine

UIOOD magazine April 2002

just-rightjoinery

rnark $zitfr O O

Top-quality joints depend on

layout lines that are accurate,
sharp, and easy to follow. Try
these tips in your workshop.

Measure by holding your rule on edge, and fit the pencil point into the
incised line. This method eliminates the slight inaccuracy that can result
from looking across the thickness of a rule lying flat on your workpiece.

ure, you shouldmeasuretwice

and cut once,but don't ignore
the crucial stepin between.
Mark thosemeasurements preciselyin
your questfor perfectjoints. Here are a
few basictools that will help you do
just that, along with sometips about
how to usethem.
Use a pencil for most markingjobs,
but make sureit's an accurateone.
Don't settlefor a flat carpenter'spen-
cil, or evena standardwriting pencil.
Their lines get wider and wider as you Make your mark with an arrow shape, like To draw a line after measuring a dimen-
the one shown here. When you take the sion, hold the pencil point on the tip of the
usethem.Get a good mechanicalpen- rule away, you'll still know the exact point arrow, then slide your square or rule until
cil, instead.We chosea model that that matched your measurement. The it contacts the pencil. This method
uses0.5 mm lead,which producesa longer leg denotes the waste side of the ensures that your line will match the point.
cut to be made through this point. Now, pull the pencil along the square.
nilrrow, consistentmark.
Marking knives comein handyat
times becausea sharpknife makesthe
finest line possible.However,remem-
ber that the cut can posea problemif
it's visible in your finishedproject.
Finally, equip your shopwith steel
rules and squaresthat haveincised
measurement lines.They'll be much
more accuratethan tools with painted-
on lines.Also, the incrementson your
variousmarking tools shouldmatch
one anotherexactly,so you can switch For a line parallel to an edge, place the Use a knife that's flat on one side and
tools without losing accuracy.Com- pencil at the correct spot, then adjust your beveled on the other to define a recessed
parethem to make sure.iF combination square to match. Put the area, such as a hinge mortise. The line
grooved side up, so the pencil won't slip will guide your chisel. This marking knife,
into the notch. Hold the pencil against the item number 127680 in the Woodcraft cat-
Photographs: Baldwin Photography square as you slide it along the edge. alog, costs $11.99. Call 8OOl225-1 153.

WOOD magazine April 2002

our project builderstalk shoP
lrrrying gfass=
aclearview
Size,price, options-
what you need to know to be a smart shopper
hen we designedthe televi-
sion standonpage 46,we
wanteda glasstop to comPle-
ment its clean,crisp lines and to highlight
the beautifulmapleand mahogany.Once
that decisionwas made,a whole rangeof
issuescameinto play.
Design with price and
availabitity in rnind
In our original plan, we sizedthe glass
to fit the project. But, we were surprised
by the almost$100 price tag from our
local supplier for the Vzx26x36"top
piece that the TV restson. We also
plannedto make the stand'sadjustable
shelf from %" glass.Though smaller,
this piecewas almostas expensive.The
high price, we learned,was becauseboth
pieceshad to be custom-cutto size.
We turnedto a mail-orderglasssupplier
that offereda Vzx24x36"pieceof glassat
a much lower price: $66. So we modified
the standfor the 2"-narrowerpiece.The
lesson:Justas with hardware,it's critical
to determinethe glassyou'll usebefore
finalizing the designor cutting wood.
Norm Levine of WholesaleGlass
Brokers(seethe Buying Guide below)
saysmany local glasssuppliersstockrel-
atively small glasssheets.Often, the cut-
offs from thesesheetsare too small to
be usedastabletops,so you maYend
up essentiallypaying for the waste.
Lar:geglassretailers,suchashis,
buy very largeglasssheets.This
resultsin lower cost,as one
sheetcan yield many small-
er pieceswith lesswaste.
Wholesale
II
Keep in mind, also, that thick-
er glassalwayscostsmore than
thin glass.We could haveused
3/s"glassand savedaboutI0Vo Ogee
of the cost, but we felt the Vz"
glasslookedbetter.Glasstable-
-r
tops are also availablein V+",
3/+", and 1" thicknesses. Tell
your supplier what weight the
1" Bevel
glassmust hold and the span
betweensupportsto determine
the proper thickness.
Hold your
ternper
Glass,of course,canbreak,and Chamfer
the thoughtof a televisionor Grandma's
china smashedatop shardsof broken glass
isn't pleasant.That leadsmany peopleto "standard" profile for a tabletop. Most
believe they needtemperedglassfor a supplierscan producethe custom edge
tabletop.Temperedglassis four to five designsshown,and sometimesmore.
times sffongerthan standard,but more Expectto pay at least50Vomorc for a
expensive.Standardglasswill beara sur- customedgethan the standard-edge cost.
prising amountof weight-aVz" piece Ottr Vzx24x36"piecewith a 1" bevel
supportedevery two feet will bear about would havebeen$118.
80 poundsper squarefoot. SeeAsk Dependingon where your tabletop will
WOOD in issue#137 for more informa- be located,you may want to consider
tion. Also, tabletopsseldomare subjectto radiusedor cut corners,like thoseshown
heavyimpacts,so usestandardglass.Save below.Most suppliersoffer this service,
the temperedglassfor doors,room with or without a customedgeprofile, and
dividers, and areassubjectto impacts. can ffim the cbrnersanywherefrom 1" to
6" for addedsafety.
Add life to the edge If theseoptions aren't enough,
Glassedgescan be finishedin a variety of round and oval tops are avail-
ways. Someof the common profiles are able,too. For a price, you can
shownabove.We chosea flat-polished get glasscut in almostany
edgefor our televisionstand.This style, shapeimaginabte.i zu
or a flat-groundprofile (similar but lllustrations:
with a frostedappearance), is often the Tim Cahill
Buying Guide
Formore onglass
information write
tabletops,
WTwelve
19785
GlassBrokers,
Ste.357,
MileRoad,
Ml48076,
Southfield, orcall800/288'6854,
WOOD magazine April 2002
wide world of wood
How dry should
vvood fte?
How dry is dry when it
comes to woodworking
stock?That depends on
what you're planning to
build, as well as where
you'Il build it.
ood freshly cut from a log,
calledgreenwood, can con-
tain a lot of water.And the
amountoften variesbetweenthe heart-
wood and the sapwood.(Seethe chart on
page 28 for the greenmoisturecontentof
somecommonlyusedwoods.)That's
becausewood is actuallya network of
close-knitcells-like microscopicopen
barrels-with spongelikewalls. These
cellshold andtransportthe tree'ssap,also
known asfree water. Someof the free
water alsogetsabsorbed,saturatingthe
cell walls and becomins.boundwater.
Why rnoisture tmatters
As wood dries,it first losesthe free water
to the atmosphere.The bound water,
though,takeslongerto escape.(Think of a
sponge.Wringing it out getsrid of the free
water,but the spongestaysdampuntil all
the water escapesfrom its cell walls.)
Moisturein the air influenceshow
quickly and completelywood dries.The
lower the relativehumidity, the more
waterthe wood losesand the drier it gets.
Wood neverdriesout completely,but
eventuallyreachesan equilibriumpoint
basedon the humidity of the air aroundit.
Given the averagerelativehumidity of the
United States,air-driedwood can reacha
minimum moisturecontentof only about
12-15 percent.That's good enoughfor
boardsutilized in building construction
and outdoorprojects.
your
To further reduce
wood's moisturecontentand
makeit fit for indoor use.sav for The advisable moisture content of wood
furniture,manufacturersdry it in an oven- used for interior projects varies due to
like facility calleda kiln. The dry heat changes in relative humidity. Let wood
acclimate to its surroundings before
slowly bringsthe wood'smoisturecontent cutting or assembly.
down to anywherefrom 6 to 9 percent
(typical for hardwoodspnly). Those may shrink and check,split, warp,
percentages are more in line with the or causejoints to fail asit dries.
relativehumidity found in modernheated Commercialprocessors
anddehumidified buildinss. delivering wood to the
furniture and floorins
Where you live Continued on page 28
rnakes a differerlee
Accordingto datacompiledby the U.S.
ForestProductsLaboratoryGPL) in
Madison,Wisconsin,the recommended
moisturecontentfor wood destinedfor
interior usevariesacrossthe nation.as
shownin the mapabove.For maximum
stability,the moisturecontentof such
wood shouldvary only about I per-
centfrom thoselimits. Wood
that's too dry may expandand
make drawershard to open,
or evenpushassemblies
apart.Woodthat's
too moist. a much
more cornmon
problem,
wide world of wood

industrygenerallydry wood to a moisture
contentslightly lower than it will finally
encounter.This practiceassumesthat the
wood will take on somemoistureduring
furtherprocessingand consffuctionstages.
for proiects that last,
care io- yorrr wood
If you're suspiciousof the moisturecon-
tent of the wood you arebuying, askthe
supplierto checkit for you. It might pay
for you to buy a moisture meter (from $70
to $150),especiallyif you buy air-driedor
rough-milledstock.With a meter,you can
checkwood's moisturecontentbeforevou
buy, and then track it at home.
Most moisturemeterswork by passinga
small electricalcunent betweensensor
pins insertedabout Vq"into the wood.
More moisture ffansfersmore current,
resultingin a higher percentagereading.
For the most accuratereading,checksev-
eral locationsalongthe board'sedgeor
face,or cut a few inches hardwood species heartwood sapwood
Ash, white 95 113*
from one end and check the Hickory 70 52
end grain.Ask first; suppli- Maple, sugar 65 72
ers may frown on poking Oak, red 80 69
Walnut, black 90 73
holesin their stock.Pinless
metersare also available. softwood species heaftwood sapwood
Always let your wood Gedar, red 58 249*
Fir, Douglas 37 115*
acclimateto the relative Redwood 86 210*
humidity whereit will be
* Becausemoisturecontentis definedas the weightof the
used,rememberingthat dry
wood will pick up moisture water expressedas a percentageof the wood's dry weight,
not the total greenweight,it oftenexceeds100 percent.
from the atmosphere.If it's
for your home,stickerthe
wood (stackit with wood spacers)for a into a project.As relativehumidity
week or more in an areawith the same changes,wood still absorbsand sheds
relativehumidity beforemachiningit. moisture.The bestway to minimize this
(Checka pieceof furniture in your home is to sealall surfacesof the completed
and compareit to your stockfor a bench- project,notjust the exterioror exposed
mark.) You alsocan storestockstanding parts,with a few coatsof finish. aF
straightup, but neverput dry stock
Written by Peter J. Stephano
directly on a concretefloor. lllustrationinformationprovided by the
Don't think that wood movementstops U.S. ForestProducts Laboratory
Photograph:Baldwin Photography
onceboardsare machinedand assembled

28 WOOD magazine April 2002

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 askwood
toyourquestions
Answers fromletters,
andW00DONL|NEo
e-malls,
Gut rno lree forming over the knots. Generally, a
sawmill doesn't saw boardsout of the
trefiore its lirnc middle of a big tree becausethe knots
fi About20walnuttreeswillbe start to show up."
Y taken out for a highway proiect Dan Johnson,with the U.S. Forest
in ourarea,thelargest beingabout12" Servicein Indiana, saysfederal hardwood
in diameter. Arethesetreestooyoung gradingcategoriesdon't go below an 11"
to salvage for lumber? diameter.He saysthe best time to harvest
-,9teveDiSeruio.
wbW00DONLINEmost hardwoodtrees-including walnut,
oak, hickory, and cherry-is when they
You might get a few boardsout measure24" to 28" in diameterat breast
of them, Steve,but they're a long height. Growth slows after that.
-{t1,00Domagaine
way from their prime as lumber sources.
According to Joey Gallion, a forest
products specialistwith the Indiana
Departmentof Natural Resources,a I2"- Rernoving a chrrck
diameterwalnut tree will contain a high takes rrlore than lrrck
proportion of light-colored sapwood,and 1|i NowI knowwhatthe"immov-
the heartwoodwill have a large number Y able obiect"reallYis-it's the
of knots. "Hardwood treeshave a lot of chuckon mydrillpress.I triedto
limbs in the beginning, then as those remove it so I couldinstalla mortising
limbs get shadedout and die, knots accessory, andhadnoluckwhatsoev-
remain," Joey says."As the tree grows er.What'sthesecret?.
bigger, you get good-quality wood -Dave Goodman, Calif.
Carmichael,
Smallwatnuttrees produce Amazing how tight a Morse-taper
boardslike this one. connectioncan be, isn't it, Dave?
Insteadof clear,dark
heartwood,you Here's the right way to remove the typi-
get knots and cal drill-press chuck. Lower the quill,
white sap- exposingthe slot in its side. Inside the
wood.
slot, you'll seedaylight through a gap.
You should have receiveda tapered
piece of steel with your drill press,a tool
that we've seenreferred to as a wedge
or drift key. If you don't have that
tool-it's the kind of item that
tendsto disappearover the
years-ask your dealer
to get a replace-
ment from the
manufacturer.
Or, go to a
machine shop
and have one
Sapwood made.Make sure the
32
It doesn'ttake much force to drive the
chuck out of your drill presswith a
wedgeand a hammer.
machinist includes a hole at the wide end,
then run a string or plastic tie through that
hole, and hang the tool somewhereout of
the way on your drill press.
Raisethe table until it almost touches
the chuck, or have someonehold the
chuck. Insert the narrow end of the tool
into the gap, and tap the wide end with a
hammer,as shown in the photo above.
That should force the chuck to drop out.
To reinstall the chuck, slide it firmly
back into the quill, place a board on the
table, and raise the table until the board
contactsthe chuck. Open the belt housing
on top of the drill press,place a block of
hardwoodon thg exposedend of the spin-
dle, and tap it wittr a hammerto set the
chuck's Morse taperin place.
JrVOOD magazine
rWhatts the key to
staining end grain?
f| | ambuilding anArtsandCratts
Y mirrorframe outofquartersawn
whiteoak.I planto usea Watcodark
walnutfinish.Howdo I prepare
theend
grain?Myexperience withotherwoods
is thattheendgraintendsto soakup
lotsof stainandgetmuchdarkerthan
thefacegrain.
-Kevin Herber;
Austin,
Texas
Continued on page 34
WOOD magazlne Aprit 2002
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ask wood

I apply a one-poundcut of shellac

on the end grain.Anothergood
way is to usewhite glue mixed with
water and apply it on the end grain.
-MichaelDeBonis,Yardlev,
Pa.

Take a pieceof scrapand sand

the end grain with sandpapera
coupleof gradesfiner than the sandpaper
you usedon the facegrain.Test stainit to
seehow well it matcheswith the face.
-Jim Green, Use sandpaperon your turnings, ratherthan burnishingwith shavings.Hold the
Placentia,
Calif. paper like this, to keep your fingers safe in case the paper catches on the wood,

We've heardthat too, Ron, but ings on one portion and used320 paper
To brrrnish or it's an old-timemethodthat's on the rest. "The resultswith sandpaper
rrot to brrrnish . . . beenmadeobsoleteby today'smateri- were far superiorto the shavings,"Alan
1|i Some woodturners
talkabout als. ProfessionalwoodturnerAlan Lacer reports.He found that the shavingscut
Y usinga handful
of shavings to says,"Turnersusedto do that to give the little groovesin the pine.They didn't
burnishtheirworkon the lathe.I've wood someluster,but that was before groovethe mapleas noticeably,but they
justfinisheda spalted-maple bowl,and we had 320-gritsandpaper."Out of didn't do much to improveit, either.
l'm wondering,whatarethe prosand curiosity,Alan experimentedwith a cou- If you really wantto burnisha turning,
consof thattechnique? ple of samples,onepine and one hard you couldusea roundbar of steel.
-Ron, yr,a
W00DONL|NEo maple.On eachpiece,he rubbedshav- However,Alan pointsout that anybur-

34 WOOD magazine April 2002

ask wood

nishedlook disappears the momentyou thengo aheadwith staining-if you're : wood afteryou applya smooth,consistent
applya liquid finish."And if you burnish seton usinga stain.(Skippingthe stain ot* finish to the table'
'take' and going directlyto a cleartopcoatof -vv00Dmagazine
it reallyhard,somestainswon't
very well," he says.Our advice:Forgetthe varnishor lacquerwould eliminatethe ,
burnishing,andjust concentrate on doing risk of a dark spot.) : Got a question?
a thoroughjob of sanding. When sucha spotappears, it's difficult ; lf you'relookingforananswertoa woodworking
-W00Domagazineto eliminate.You would haveto sandthe , question, writetoAskW000, 1716Locust
St.,
. GA310,DesMoines, lA50309-3023orsendus
entiresurfacebelow the extentof the Forimmedi-
i ane-mailat askwood@mdp.com.
damage,or hide it with fairly sophisticated; atefeedback post
fromyourfellowwoodworkers,
Didntt like the dent, touch-uptechniques. The goodnews, i yorrquestion groups
ononeofourdiscussion at
really hates the spot accordingto Bob, is thatthe spotwill : www.woodonline.com.
1|ri Whilebuildinga tableof hard appearto be a naturalcharacteristicof the
!| dentedthe
maPle,I accidentallY
top.I ironedout the dentwitha warm
ironanddampcloth,sandedthrough
all the gritsagainto 220,andsawno
evidence of scorching.ButwhenI
applieda colonialmaplestain,a black
spotappeared wherethe denthad
been.I'vetriedsandingandbleaching,
but can'tgetthe spotout.Whatcaused
this,andis thereanything elseI can
do to fix it?
-Ed Cloonan,
Cincinnati

Soundslike you took all the right

steps,Ed, but the resultingdefect
is not uncommon.FinishingexpertBob
Flexnersaysthat steamingout a dent
"stretches"the wood fibersand makes
that spot softerthan the surrounding
wood.When you apply stain,sometimes
the repairedareasoaksup more colorant ,,h{
andbecomesdarker.It's impossibleto
predict,however,so all you can do is dF
I
sandthoroughlyafter fixing the dent,
q

g/

You can steam out small dents in wood

with an ordinary household iron, but
staining might leave a dark spot.
 sho youworkfaster,
Helping andsafer
smar[er,
ti wilrner

They say the

longera couple
staystogether,
the more they
3/tx31/2x3"
becomelike eachother,and that seems
3/qx3x l2" hardwood hardwood
to be true in the caseof Tom Freyerand
7+" plywood . his wife of 45 years,Samantha. Our
cramprngpao
Top ShopTip winnerlovessteam
11/z" hole
engines,andSamantha enjoysthe old
machinery,too.
You'll oftenfind husbandandwife,
11/e"
11/e" sideby side,working with wood as
3/ax3/c" hardwood well. "Sometimes,shedoesmy finish-
miter-slotguide 1r(", ing," Tom says,"and whenI built new

Spindle
-l ll t' - l
| , - ?
11/2"
cabinetsfor our kitchen,Samantha
punchedthe brassinsertsfor the upper
i
Carriage I cabinetdoors."Tom seemsto have
Cross 13/q"
Section beena prettygoodcatchhimself,judg-
),,L"1
./r'li Spindlecarriage ing from his Top ShopTip, at left.

;6;'- '
ffq:,
i
, For sending this
issue's Top Shop
- S

edgesas shownin the Tip, Tom Freyer

-ry-& receives a Tool
SpindleCarriageCross
Dock TD300CH
Sectiondrawing, Router Station
-
Fi nal l y,I w entto the --!ffi from Waterloo
r--
lathe,turnedeachend lndustries.
Terrific tip, Tom!
of the carriagelo 1t/2" --ili

i n di ameter. and mount-

ed the carriageintothe
bearingassembly.
To usethe j i g, I
attacha zero-clearance Tell us how you've solveda workshop
auxiliaryfenceto my router-table fence, puzzler,and we'll sendyou $75 if we
and set a straight bit to cut the length print your solution.And, if your tip is
Solrrcd: Sqrrarte and diameterof the tenon,Next,I posi- chosenas the Top ShopTip of the
peg in rorrnd hole tionthe jig in my routertable'smiterslot issue,you'll alsowin a tool prize
Whilebuildingan Artsand Crafts-style so thatthe spindlecarriageis centered worth at least$250.
bed recently,I didn'texactlyrelishthe on the routerbit,and clampit to the Sendyour besttips,alongwith pho-
thoughtof chiselingthe 54 roundspindle tabletop.Then,I fire up my router,insert tos or illustrationsand your daytime
holesintosquaremortises.Yet the rails a scrapof spindlestockintothe car- telephonenumber,to: Shop Tips,
weretoo wideto fit intomy benchtop riage,and gentlyplungeit intothe spin- WOODaMagazine,lTL6 Locust St.,
mortiser.So, I madethe router-table jig, ningbit untilthe stocktouchesthe auxil- GA-310,DesMoines,IA 50309-
shownabove,to cut roundtenonson the iaryfence.One completeclockwiserota- 3023.Or postyour suggestions on our
squarerails. tionof the carriage roundsoffthe spindle. Top ShopTip discussion group at
The heartof the jig is the spindlecar- Finally,I test-fitthe roundtenonin a www.woodonline.com.
riage,whichI madeby firstcuttinga railhole,and adjustthe bit height,if nec- Becausewe try to publishonly origi-
right-angled
V-groovein a 14t/z"long essary,to fine-tunethe fit. Oncesatis- nal tips,pleasesendyour tips only to
pieceol7/8"hardwood. Aftercrosscutting fied,I switchto the actualspindlesand WOOD magazine.Sorry,but we can't
the groovedpieceintotwo 7" lengths,I startcrankingout roundtenons. returnyour materials.
gluedthemtogetherand beveledthe -Tom Frever,Phoenix

36 WOOD rnagazine April 2002

Good to tlre finish
Here'san age-oldproblem:applying
finishto all sidesof a projectin one ses-
sion.My solution:the portablefinishing
rack,shownbelow.Buildingthe rackis
prettystraightforward-justmakesure
you alignthe holesin the top and bottom
piecesof perforated hardboard. Insert
the sharpeneddowelswherethey best
supportyour project.lf you breakor dull
the fine points,you can touchthem up
a g a i nwi tha qui cktri pto the penci l
s h a rp e ner,
-David Luttrell,
Xenia, )hio,viaW00D0NLINE@

An irattractivett idea for drrst hoods

I recentlyoutfittedmy shopwitha dust- , the tool sectionof my localhomecenter
collectionsystem,includinga lathedust : for lessthan $5. The surprisingly strong
hood (Woodcraft,8001225-11 53, part magnet holds fast to the cast-ironlathe
no. 141207)I.ns te a do f p e rm a n e n tl y bed, yet I can repositionthedusthood
mountingthe hoodto the lathebed, I instantlvanvwhere at:i:,:x;:;i;rht
attacheda round magnet that I found in , city,
Mo

Continued on page J8
37
shop tips

Need a tern1rorary
table? Pipe up!
I havea smallshop,so benchtopspace
is alwaysan issue,especially whenit
comestimeto finishmy projects. To gain
the extrarealestate,I makea temporary
tableout of a pieceof plywoodand four
3' pipeclamps.Whenassembled, as
shownat right,it's at a perfectworking
height,and whendisassembled, it only
takesup as muchspaceas the plywood.
-Darin Wallace,
viaW00D)NLlNEo

No-bandsaw rnethod
to crrt corrrers
I lovedthe Arts and Crafts-style family-
room makeover in WOOb magazine
issue132,and incorporated the platerail
and bracketswhen I put togethera room
for our firstchildlastfall.However,I
don'thavea bandsaw,and cuttingmore
than 30 of thoselittlebracketswitha
copingsaw wasn'tat all appealing.
Instead,I turnedto my drillpressand
fit'.i;
a 5" holesaw,as shownbelow. Atter
aa
removingthe half-moon-shaped waste
piece,I cut the bracketblankwhere
shownand nettedtwo brackets.This
techniquesure madethe job go quickly,
and I was surprisedat how littlesanding
I had to do on the curves.
-MatthewWhite, lnd.
FortWayne,

WOOD rnagazine April 2002

Zeto-clearance extGtt- board.(Pressthe hardboarddownto the
sion rmakes a rnini-rnill tabletopwitha pieceof scrapwooddur-
Whilebuilding a s c a l emo d e lre c e n tl yI , ing this operation, keepingwellclearof
neededto rip some %" stockto t/a"wide th e e m e rgi ng bl ade.)
to m ak em iniat ur lu
e mb e r.R i p p i n g To rip my 1/2x1/8"strips,I startwith a
piecesthat smallagainstmy tablesaw 7+"-thick blank.Usinga straightbit in my
fencewas just beggingfor big trouble, routertable,I createat/+" rabbels/q"
so I madea zero-clearance fenceexten- deepin the edgeof the blank.Taking
sionfrom a pieceoI1/ex1x24" hardboard the blankbackto the tablesaw,I place
and an equallengthof 3/+"stock,as the rabbetfacedownand againstthe
shownbelow. edgeof the hardboard, whichguidesthe
After installingan 80-toothcrosscut blankthroughthe cut.Witha littletrial
bladein my tablesaw,I loweredthe and error,I can adjustthe routerbit's
bladebelowthe tabletop.Next,I cuttingdepthto wherethe rabbetleaves
clampedthe zero-clearance fenceexten- me witha preciset/e"-thickness. After
sionto my tablesaw's fence,set the each rip, I re-routthe rabbetfor the next
fenceso that the hardboardhungover rip.Onceset up, I neverhaveto read-
the bladeby about1/2" , lhen cranked the just the bit'scuttingdepth.
sp inning blade up t h ro u g h
th e h a rd - -Dan Myers, Kelso,
Wash.

Continued on page 40
wrvrn woodonline,com
shop tips

Stow the bench,

and save tlre storage The6"-widepermanent portionof the
I readwithinterest yourFold-Down benchtop is boltedto mygaragewall.I
Workbench projectin WOOb magazine usedbutthingesto makethe legset
issue139.WhenI designed a similar swingoutof thewayto stowthe bench.
bench24 yearsago,I madeit so I could Usingmy lefthandto liftthefrontedge
keepfrequently useditems,suchas glue of the benchtop I grabthefront
slightly,
bottlesandfasteners, at the ready,even apronwithmy righthandand
withthemainbenchtop dropped. That swingthe legsetflatagainst
bench,mademostlyof 2x4stockwitha thewall,thenlowerthetop.
laminated plywood
1t/2"-thick top,shown -Jack Turnage, Kan.
Shawnee,
al right,is stillin usetoday.

3" butt
hinges

1x6 stretcher

TOPVIEW
I
I
I
I
1x4 apro\n
w
I
,
I
I
(\ 2x4 rear
t \ \ \-1 apron
\ attached
t)l to wall
r-!
I
Slide leg I 3" butt
assembly I hinges
right and , on bottom
fold down' side of top
top to I
store. I
I

h\ \
'\ Y-

WOOD rnagazine April 2002

Stretch 18x18" of space to theflooranchor.(You'llneedto drill a ceilingjoistwitha conduitstrap.
into 4x6' of stonge an accessholein thebottomto drivethe Finally, hangstoragehooksin the peg
Here'sa wayto squeeze a lotof storage screwsintotheflooranchor.) holes,andyourtoolson the hooks.
intoa smallamountof floorspace:a Usingconstruction adhesive, cement louis Grivetti,Latonia,Ky.
rotatingtoolkiosk.Startby rippingthe theflooranchor to thefloorat least18"
perforated hardboard to width,joining fromthewall,andletcure.Attachthe
thethreepieceswithplasticcableties, topandbottomtriangles insidethe
as shownbelow,thencuttingandfitting perforated-hardboard sideswithscrews, You'llfind mordgre.atShOpTips
thetriangular plywood topandbottom. runa lengthol3/t"conduit throughthe throughouteveryissue'of'WOOD@
Don'tattachtheendsto thesidesjust holes,thensliptheconduit intothe magazine.Lookfor bo<eelile this
yet,though. anchorholeas youstandupthe kiosk. one nestledamongthe projectand
Drilla 1" holein thecenterof eachtri- Whentheconduit is plumb,secureit to technique ailicles. ,i ,,, , ,
angle,andattacha 3" lazy-Susan bear-
ing(partno.28951,Rockler Hardware,
8001279-4441) to thebottom.Now,cen-
holet/2"deepin the plywood
ler a tsAa"
flooranchor. Position thebottom's 1"
holeovertheanchor's hole,andattach
theothersideof the lazy-Susan bearing

" electricalconduit
Er+\

* *'K,,tityng

3/e"access hole

www.woodonline.corn
 od online.
youbenefit
bygoingtowww.woodonline.com

Great Reasolts to Visit Irnprove yorrr

rporkshop
WOOD ONIJNE! today!
l- 20 active woodworking discussion groups Time to revitalizeyour
2. Free serninars shop? Seldoma day
3. Free home page software goesby whenwe don't
4. WOODo magazine searchable index get a letteror e-mail
>tWOODIU-an.FIA-me.
5. Shop tip of the day from someonelooking )tEditor's Welcome
to upgradeor redo their )tEditorhl Extras
)fHandcrafte{Home
Ilrrdos for free classilieds workshop.If this )t$hop Tours
We recentlyreceivedthis e-mailfrom a WOOD ONLINE user: describesyou, help is >t$hop'lipofthe Day
I just wantedto pass along my thanks.I placedan ad in the only a click away.Just )IWOOD lndex
)tWood Profilss
WOOD ONLINE classifiedad sectionto sell my old air com- visit WOOD maga- )tHallof Farne
pressorand sold it today. Not only that, I had the opportunity zine'sfive Idea
to meet a really nice woodworkerand show off my shop to Shopso,completewith )tWoodworlcing
- @
him. He was happy to get the compressorto take to job sites floor plans,shoppro- Basics Liuenup
$ummer
with him and I was happy that I do not have two air compres- jects,andhundredsof pair.The
sors taking up the space in my tiny shop that can barely greatideasyou canput
accommodateone compressor.I promptlydeletedmy ad so to use.Bestof all,
that no one else will contactme about it. we'vebuilt eachshop
BillBoehme,
Arlington,
Texas to verify the results.JF

UIOOD magazine April 2002

Rockler.com
\^/OOD\^/ORKING SUPERSTORE

@HJeg"

Circle No. 877

Circle No. 900
 *t?' )':'rc '.v
.-,"*y"
:.
,.:4
'' il' i' :;
tu
i: "'
ii
,.1
:

,l
i4
1r

The buttressed
belle of the bayou* : i:...,:j

i;4i?*"1:he
, rI-
lust rcnraininu speciesol' an
:5 ancient trcc l'antilv that oncc
.',t!'. t-angcclover Norlh Anrerica ancl
northerrr ELu'o1tc. tlte lralclcypress
( T i t . u x l i u r t td i . t t i c l r t r n ri)s t r r - r l vu n i q u e .
This tree is classifieclus a conif'crancla
solirvt'roclbecause it has ncc-cllesrather
t h a n l e a v e s . B L r t . b a l c l c v p l e s si s n ' t a n
e v c r - ! : r e el ni k e o t h e rc u n i l ' e r sI.t s h e c l si t s
firliagc as ckr clecicluor-rs (harclrvoocl)
;e*
trecs. a trait shareclonly by the larch.
Ancl. balclcypressf'eelseqLrallyat hortre
grou ing in r,r'ater'or'on clr'1,lancl.
, i,,
ii:.

:il
In its SoLrthern raltgc. balclcl,;trc-ss
di r
i' o n c e g r e \ \ ' t o i n - r u r c n ssci z e s .T r e e s l - 5 0 '
{ .r t a l l u , i t h l 2 ' c l i a r n e t e rw s eren t Lrncorrr-
r . n o r tI.n t h c L o u i s i a n as w ' u l n l l sa n c lo t h c r
places r,r'lrere it gron,s in stancls.itn lrcre
of olcl-_cror,r'th lralclcypl'esstrees coLrld
vielcl 100.0(X)btxrrclf'eetof' lLrnrber.By
thc I930s. trccs o1'tl.rosc_ulancl propor-
t i o n s h a c la l l l ' a l l e nt o t l i e s a w ' .l ' u r n i s h i n - u
c l e c a v - r e s i s t a n tl r o a r c l s a n c l t i r l t r e r s
firl countless ckrcks. rvarchctuses.ancl
otherstnlctures.
Frorri Floriclato castcnt Tcxas thcrc's
no\\' rur abnnclant sLr1tpl1, o1' seconcl-
gro\\,'thbalclcyprcss. Althorrgh it isn't as
Growth range
resistant to clecay as thc- olcl-growth
w ' o o c l .i t ' s s t i l l a n e x c c l l c n t c h o i c e l i r r
olrtckror' prcr.jects. SaIvage o1terat ions aIscr
contribLrtcto tlrc-sLrltplv.They provicle
"sinkcr cyllress" olcl-sl'orvth logs
clrcclgccl fkrrn lakes.rivcrs. anclswnn.tlts.
"1";
Too. as clccrcpit facturics ancl wiu'e-
il holrscsarc rcplacccl.stnrctlrraltintbcrsof
/o'r
K olcl-gnrwthwoocl retltnt tcttlte saw.
-.r
r.-l
i-- Finding the tree afield
n'
i-)11 S w a n r l t f i t r c a si n t h e b a l c l c y p r e s sr a l t g e
r;. p r o v i c l e t i r c b c s t c n v i n t n r t r e l t tl o r t h e

44 WOOD rnagazine April 2002

largest trees. There, they'Il grow in
stands, their thickly buttressed trunks
providing storm-proof anchoragein the
sodden footage. Baldcypress growing
in water also feature above-waterexten-
sions of their roots called "knees,"
which provide added stability and air to
the tree. On drier ground, baldcypress
trees stand unaided by knees and have
lessbuttressing.
Young baldcypresstreeshave a rough-
ly conical shapewith a thin layer of light
brown bark. As baldcypressmatures,it
develops a thick, tapering trunk that
approaches120'in height and a diameter
of 3-5'. Its irregular crown of foliage is
frequently drapedin Spanishmoss. The
reddish brown, ridged bark peels off in
long strips about 2" thick.
Baldcypress' yellow-green needles
(leaves) are Vz3/c" long and arranged
spirally around the twig. Come fall,
they turn yellow or brown before
dropping to the ground. Scaly, purple-
colored conesabout 1" long follow the
blooms of spring.
fhe wood and its rrses
Baldcypressheartwood,becauseit's so
durable in contact with the ground, long
ago earnedthe title "the wood eternal."
Approximating the weight of cotton-
wood or willow at 28 pounds per cubic
foot air-dry, the wood is somewhatsoft
and even textured. Although it has a
Baldcypress is weather resistant and
easy to work with, making it a good
choice for outdoor projects, such as this
potting bench found in issue 140.
www.woodonline.corn
waxy feel, baldcypress contains no
resin ducts.
The thin sapwood is much lighter in
color than the pale- to reddish-brown
heartwood, which carries an unpleasant
odor. Baldcypress is also relatively
sffong, stiff, and stable for its weight.
It occasionally can have attractive,
although not outstanding,figure. A fairly
rare architecturalveneermade from bald-
cypresscrotch wood, called faux satine,
is quite beautiful, as well as expensive.
Traditional usesfor baldcypresswood
include docking and structural timbers,
siding, posts, boat planking, flooring,
water tanks, coffins, and shingles.Don't
overlook it, though, for both indoor and
outdoor furniture, as shown at left.
Somebaldcypressffees are attackedby
a fungus that causespockets of decay.
The resultantwood is riddled with small,
shallow holes and is called "pecky
cypress." Still durable, such wood is
used for decorativepaneling.
In its range, you'll find baldcypress
relatively abundant. Elsewhere, it is
becoming more available as an alterna-
tive to western red cedar and redwood.
Baldcypress veneer is available from
marquetry suppliers. You won't, how-
ever, find it availableas plywood.
Batdcypress in the shop
Although fairly hard, baldcypressis easy
to work with, behaving much like other
softwoods,such as pine.
. You can work straight-grainedbaldcy-
presswith hand or power tools. Though
not prone to burn, usecarbide cutters and
bladesfor the bestresults.
. Tear-out isn't a problem when planing
or machining straight-grained boards.
Make lighter passes when working
cathedral-grainedboards.
. Baldcypressholds screwswell. Predrill
shank holes, pilot holes, and counter-
boresto avoid splitting.
. Baldcypress' waxy feel won't hinder
gluing. Use weatherproofadhesivesfor
outdoor projects.
. Sandthrough 180-to 22D-gntabrasives
to impart a smooth finish for fine pro-
jects. Baldcypresscan be left rough for
use in construction or to provide a more
rustic look on outdoor projects.
. If staining, avoid cathedral-grained
boards.The dark latewood absorbsless
stain, as shown below. al
Stained with "Antique Cherry," this bald-
cypress board takes a lighter tone in the
denser latewood. Use wood conditioner
or gel stain to achieve consistent color.
Writtenby PeterJ. Stephano
Illustration:
SteveSchindler
Photographs: BaldwinPhotography
45
 lean lines,sleekstyling,and a touch of
flair make this televisionstand the ideal
placeto set your set. Buildit as a stand-
alone piece or as paft of a matchinglivingroom
ensemblewith the futon sofa/sleeper and modular
knock-down shelving set, both shown at right. The futon sofa/sleeperabove
All three piecessharethe same designstyle and (issue 139)is great for sitting or
snoozing.The modular shelving at
simpleapproachto construction. lelt(issue 143)can be configured
to match most any space or task
thanks to special hardware.
46

Il ense
Tse"shank hole,
countersunk
Staril at the base
3/c" milrogany, cut the
I From
I stretchers(A), foot bodies (B),
and foot faces(C) to the sizeslisted in
the Materials List. Laminate the feet
(B/C), as shownin Drawing1. Once the
glue dries, use a chamfer bit in your
router to rout a %" chamfer around the
boffom of eachfoot. Then clamp the feet
to the stretchers,and drill the pilot and
countersunkshank holes where shown.
Glue and screw the stretchersto the feet.
$ Cut the lower reveal trim (D) to
&r2v2x20". Then notch each piece
where shownin Drawing 1. This can be
done using a jigsaw or bandsaw.Just
make sure the edges of the notch are
squareand straight.
{} Finish-sandthe lower revealtrim (D)
*) and the foot assemblies(A/B/C) to
220 gnt. Then glue the reveal trim to
each foot assembly to create two base
assemblies (A/B/C/D), leaving a V+"
reveal on the sides,front, and rear edges,
where shown in Drawing 1. If you wish
to stain the base assemblies(AlBlClD),
do so now. We useid Bartley's
PennsylvaniaCherry gel stain.
if Cutthe bottompanel (E) to sizefrom
\t/q" maple plywood. From 32" solid
maple, cut the bottom panel edging (F)
to size,aswell. This is a good time to cut
the adjustableshelf (G) and shelf edging
(H) to size,too.
f Glue the edging (F) to the front and
iJback edgesof the plywood bottom
panel (E). Sandthe edging flush with the
faces of the bottom, taking care not to
sand through the plywood's thin veneer
layer. Also glue the shelf edging (H) to
the shelf (G), sand them flush, then set
this assembly (G/H) aside. Once the
standis assembled,you can perform one
last operationon the shelf to help keep it
in position. Seethe shop tip on page 48.
f, N"*t, glue and clamp the bottom
lJ assembly (E/F) to the base assem-
www.woodonline.com
3/+"
lt7"
t/a"chamfers
t/e" chamfer
blies (A/B lClD), then drill the pilot and
countersunkshank holes, where shown
in Drawing 1. Drive screwsto join the
assembliestogether.
Add tlre ernds
I From
3/4" poplar, cut the frame
I tops/bottoms(I) and frame ends (J)
to size. Glue and clamp the frames (VJ)
together,keeping the ends flush, where
shown in Drawing 2. ,Measure the
frames' diagonals or use a framing
square to check each for square, and
place them on a flat surface while the
glue dries. Once the glue sets, remove
the clamps, drill pilot'and countersunk
shankholes, and drive in the screws.
{} Cut the four end panels (K) to size
kfrom 3/q" maple plywood, making
sure they match the length and width
of the assembledframes. Chuck a VB"
rabbetingbit in your router and rout %"
rabbets V+" deeparound the perimeter of
the good faces of all four panels,where
shownin Drawing2.
Q Choose two panels (K) to be the
rlinsides of the end assemblies.Then
lay out and drill the shelf pin holes in
these two panels, where shown in
Drawing2.
Note: The dimensions shown for the
shelf pin locations are measuredfrom
the edge of the panel, not from the edge
of the rabbet.
accentuatethe reveal formed by
'*ATo
ttre rabbets around the end panels,
stain the bottom of the rabbet,as shown
in Photo A. Use the same stain you
applied to the mahoganyparts earlier.
#8 x 11/qF
' .H.
screw
3"
I--wood
t
- 11/2"
21/z'
#8 x 1Yz'F.H.
wood screw
z/o+"
pilot hole
s/q"dee?
1
Tse"shank hole,
countersunk 2V4"
ffi Glue and clamp the panels(K) to the
*# frame assemblies(VJ). Make sureto
apply one shelf-pin-drilled panel to each
assembly and check that the panel's
edgesare flush with the frames.
f, Cut the top/bottom trim (L) and end
f# trim (M) to width and about I "
longer than dimensionedin the Materials
List. Fit the trim aroundthe panel assem-
blies (VJ|K), miter-cutting each piece to
length. Glue and clamp the trim pieces
in place, where shown in Drawing 2.
After the glue sets, finish-sand the end
assemblies(I through M).
ff Cut the upper reveal trim (N) to size
* from t/q" mahogany.Finish-sandthe
pieces,then stainthe top face, edges,and
ends with the same stain used earlier.
Don't stain the bottom face. Glue the
upper reveal trim to the end assemblies
(unstained face down), leaving a Y4"
reveal on all sides.
Mask the edge of the rabbet to keeP
stain from accidentally bleeding onto it
or the panel's surface.
47
 television stand
21/z'
261/z'

t'/4

13/q"
7+"-diameter
7sz"shankhole, rubberbumper
countersunk @ \ -1'(-

71/2"
I
I
t/e"chamfers
(insideand out)
7 g z "s h a n k h o l e ,
c o u n t e r s u n ko n i n s i d e f a c e

Brritd the bacl:

Cut the back panel(O) to the dimen-
sionslistedin the MaterialsList. As
you cut the panel, remember that the
grain runs veftically.Rabbetthe perime-
ter of the good face of the back panel,
just as you did earlierwith the end pan-
els, and apply stainto the rabbets.
Use a Forstneror spadebit in your
drill pressto bore the lt/2"-diameter
cord-access holesthroughthe backpanel
(O), where shown in Drawing2. (Once
again, measurefrom the edges of the
panel.)Chuck a chamferingbit in your
router,and rout %" chamfersaroundthe
holes on both faces of the panel. This
easesthe edges,which reducesthe risk
of chip-out when pulling wires through
after the televisionstandis completed.
From /+" solid maple, cut the back
side trim (P) and top/bottom caps
(Q) to size. Drill countersunkshank
holesthroughthe back side trim, where
shownin Drawing2. Now finish
Clamp and glue the back side trim assernble your stand
(P) and top/bottom caps (Q) to the The base.end. and back assemblies facedown,and countersinkthe underside
back panel (O). Make sure the caps are simply screwtogether,meaningyou
flush with the face of the panel and that canbreakthe standdown if it ever needs
I I
Solution for stay-put shelves
To preventthe adjustableshelffrom sliding
fonruardwhen you need to access VCR or DVD
playerwires, we routed recessesfor the shelf
pins.Afterassemblingthe stand,put the shelf
in positionand mark aroundthe pins.Transfer
the centerlinesto the end edgesof the panel.
Chuck a lz" slraightbit in your table-mounted
router,and raiseit for a Ve"-deep cut. Position
.thefenceto centerthe bit on the layoutmark.
Clampa stopblockto the fence,and rout a
7e"-longrecessat each pin location.
A
I
7ez"shankhole, VIEW
E EXPIODED
countersunk
on bottom # B x 2 1 / q "F . H .
wood screw
the counterbores to be packedawayor moved.Lay out the
on theside trim facethe
locationsof the mountingholes on the
inside.After the glue dries,finish-sand
the back assembly(O/P/Q)to 220 grit.
upper surface of the base assembly,
where shown in Drawing2. Then, from
and the top side, drill a 5A2"shank hole at
each location. Turn the base assembly
of eachof theseholes.
Becausethere are no glue joints to
worry about,go aheadand finish all
the partsprior to assembly.We applieda
coat of gloss polyurethane,then sanded
lightly wrth 220 grit, and added two
coats of satinpolyurethane.
After the finish dries on all the
assemblies,lay some cardboardon
your benchtopand assemblethe stand.
The processis easierif you assemblethe
standupsidedown. Start by placing the
back assembly(OlPlQ) on a 7+"-thick
scrapwood spacer. Position the end
assemblies(I throughN) alongside,with
the upper revealtdm (N) restingon the
bench.Referringto Drawing2, you'll see

48 WOOD magazine April 2OOZ

 #8 x 1t/z' F.H.wood screw
REVEALDETAIL

F=-1g"
't/q"
hole
t/2" dgep
(inside
OE \NI
@

\
@
1/a

l
face only)

v
'=-"
OE
I-r-\ \:2i
6" 3" F Va
-->l F--
3"
F R O N TV I E W S I D EV I E W
Miteredends
Rest the stand on cardboard to protect
that the back assembly is positioned /+" Clear View" on page 24. Finally, insert the finish. Use clamps to keep the pieces
forward of the rear edges of the end shelf-support pins and position the aligned as you drill and drive the screws.
assemblies. Temporarily clamp these adjustable shelf. Now you're ready to
install your television and components, Writtenby David Stone with Charles l. Hedlund
assembliestogether. Projectdesign:Kevin Boyle
Place the base assembly on the ends and sit back to watch the tube or at least Roxanne LeMoine;Lorna Johnson
lllustrations:
jl Photographs:Baldwin Photography
and back, aligning it so the feet are admire the stand it sits on.
flush with the outer faces of the end
assemblies, as shown in Drawing 2a.
Note that the rear edge of the back bot-
mnaterials list
tom cap (Q) should be flush with the rear
edge of the bottom panel edging (F). A stretchers Y4" 3" 19" MY I frametopsi
bottoms 3/cu 11/z' 19"
Once you have everything aligned, use B footbodies 3/t' 3" 2Vq' MY 12
J frame ends 3/q' 11/z' 131/z' P
the countersunk mounting holes you C footfaces 3h' MY
drilled through the base assembly as K endpanels 3/q' 1 9 " 1 5 " MP
D*lowerrevealtrim 3/qu 21/z' 20' MY
guides. and bore'%:" pilot holes into the trim
L. top/bottom 3/tu 3" 201/z' M
panel
E bottom 3/r' 163/q' 30"
back and end assemblies.Then drive in M-endtrim 3L' 3 161/z' M
panel
F bottom
the screws, as shown in Photo B. Using e0grng 3/q' 3/qu 30" N upper revealtrim3/qu 21/z' 20' MY
the shank holes in the back sides (P) as
guides. drill pilot holes into the end 3/c' O backpanel 3/q' 26Vz' 15" MP
G adiustable
shelf 15', 263/s',
assembliesand drive those screws. 3h' 1V4" 15"
H shelfedging 3/4' Yi 263/a' M P backsrdetrim
Remove the clamps and turn the
-Parts
initially Seetheinstructions.
cutoversize. Q backtop/bottom
stand right side up. Adhere clear rub- caps 3/4u 21/2" 261/z' M
ber bumpers to the upper reveal trim (N), Key:MY-mahogany,
fl,{aterials MP-maple plywood,
M-maple, P-poplar. Buyirrg Gr.ride
where shown in Drawing 2.
Position the Vz" glass plate on top of Supplies:#8x11/2"flatheadwoodscrews #Bxlt/o'
(38), Glass.
%x24x36" glass withflat-polished
tabletop edge,
flatheadwoodscrews (11),#Bx2t/q"
flatheadwood $66plusshipping.
WholesaleGlassBrokers,19785
the stand. For more information on screws (6),spoon{ype pins(4),
shelf-support WestTwelve Ml48076;
MileRd.,Ste,357,Southfield,
the types of glass available and pur- s/a"-diameter clearrubber
self-adhesive bumpers(4), 800/288-6854.
chasing options, see "Buying Glass: A polyurethane
stain, (gloss
finish andsatin).

mxn**frnnEctffmgitrffitr**

3/ax 71/cx 96" Mahogany

3/qx 51/zx 96" Maple

3/qx 71/qx 96" Maple

3 / qx 3 1 / z x 9 6 " P o p l a r 3/qx 48 x 96" Mapleplywood

wrrtrv.woodonline. c om 49
 ome toys arefor play,othersfor
display.With this snaz4yrub-
ber-band-powered speed-boat,
you haveboth.Modeledaftera 1930s
hydroplaneracer,this fully-functional
boat can whirlacrossa bac(yardpool
or sit handsomelyon its stand.
Constructedwith scraps of cedar
2x6, straight-grained pine,and brass
rod,tube,and sheet,it requiresonlya
smallinvestmentin materialsto com-
plete.Happymotoring!
Note: Thebrassrod, tube,andsheetwe
used in this project are available at
hardware and hobby stores, or see the
Buying Guidefor our source.
Forrn the hrill first
.$
Cut a 20"-longpieceof cedar2x6for
#* the hull (A). Cut a centeredgroovein
the bottom of the hull, where shown in
Step 1 on Drawing1.
ffi Chuck a V2" straight bit in your
#* table-mounted router, and, using a
stopblock clamped to the fence to con-
trol the groove's length, rout a 3t/c"-long
stoppedgroove, shown in Step 2.
ffi From a 2O"-long piece of dark,
%#straight-grained cedar 2x6, resaw
two 3/s"-thickbook-matchedpieces for
the deck halves (B). Rip them to the
width in the Materials List. Cut a
Vsx3/sx20"pine piece for the center strip
(C). Edge-glue the deck halves (B) to
both sidesof the center strip (C), shown
in Step 3. With the glue dry, plane this
deck blank (B/C) to V+"thick.
,ff Ctue the deck to the hull, shown in
*ffiStep
4, keeping the ends and edges
flush. To spreadthe clamping pressure
evenly, lay down waxed paper, and
clamp the assembly, deck down, to a
piece of 3/q"plywood. Remove any glue
that squeezesinto the Vzxs/e"gloove.
ffi Scrape any excess glue from the
q# sides of the hulVdeck assembly.
Sand the stern so the deck and hull are
flush. Install a 3/+"dado blade
in your tablesaw, and cut the
STEP 4
Gluedeckto hull.
STEP 1
CulaVa" groove
th" deep centere{ '
on Uottomot tiutt@. F,--.-r'
f5-"_-j*:
Tii,---',*F*
3"-wide cockpit, shown in Step 5. To
avoid chipping the blank's side,back the
cuts with an auxiliary extensionattached
to your miter gauge.
ffi Copy the deck from the WOOD
&#paftf'RlUso inserr.Adhere it to the
deckftrullblank with sprayadhesive.Tilt
your bandsawtable 15o, and cut along
the pattern lines, shown in Step 6. Save
the cutoffs. Sandthe saw marks from the
hull assembly.
ff Select a piece of wood with straight
S grain, and resaw and plane the
planks (D) to the size listed, book-
matching the two sides.Glue and clamp
the planks, one piece at a time, to the
hull, shown in Step 7. Use the hull
 II ronurNc THEHULLANDDECK
51/z'
---d<-
STEP2
Rout a t/2"groove7a"deep,
stopped3gZ"from end.
cutoffs as clamp blocks. Make sure the
planksprotrudebeyondthe edgesof the
hull all around with at least 3/to"over-
hanging the stern. Trim the first plank
where it overhangsthe bow before glu-
ing and clamping the second plank.
When the glue dries, use a block plane
and a sandingblock to trim the planks
flush with the deck and the bottom of the
hull. Do not trim the stern.
Cut a Vsx2x43/q" blank for the tran-
som (E). Use your bevel gaugeto
transfer the planking's angle onto the
transom,and trim the endsto shape.Fit
the transom between the protruding
planks (D), and sand it flush with the
hull at the top and bottom. Then trim
and sand
II
I formed in the sternby the t/zxs/c"groove
lw f :y.i$415+S-
arnd
7o+"shankhole,
STEP5
Cut a 3"-widedado
17a"deepthrough
hulland deck.
VA STEP6
Tilt bandsawtableto 15', and
cut hull/deckto shaoe.
the protruding planks flush with the
transom.Mark the screwhole locations,
where shown on Drawing 1a, and drill
Vro"prlot holesthroughit, into the stern.
Remove the transom,enlargethe holes
to 1/oq"for the screw shanks,and coun-
tersink them. Install a Vs" stratghtbit in
your table-mountedrouter. Using your
miter gauge fitted with an auxiliary
extensionand a stopblock,cut the lVq"-
long slot in the transomfor the rudder,
whereshown.Setthe transomaside.
Sandan angledflat at the bow where
the planks come together,as shown
on Drawing 2. Cut the bow stem (F) to
size,and glue it to the hull, holding it in
placewith maskingtape.When the glue
dries. carefullv sand it flush with the
planks,deck,and bottom.
#3 x 7a"brass
F.H.woodscrews
countersunk t/e" slot \
on back 1t/+" long ll
.,,
t))
STEP8
Formthe transom.
)
t/a
STEP7
Glueplanksto
bandsawn
hullassembly.
TRANSOM
7%+"
shankholes,countersunk
Now, outfit the cockpit
Cut a lV+xIzAxlO"blank for the seat
(G). Make the two cuts shown on
Drawing2a to form the back and bench.
Match the compoundcuts at the seat's
endsto the insideof the cockpit. (To get
a good fit, we angledthe miter gauge3'
and tilted the blade 15".)Make the cuts
on scrapto testthe fit. After making any
necessaryadjustments,cut the seat to
finished length. Sand the round-overs,
whereindicated.Set the seataside.
Cut a Ixlt/axl}" blank for the wind-
shield(H). Bevel-ripthe 45" angle,
shownon Drawing2b. Angle your miter
gauge30", tilt the sawblade30o,andcut
the windshield to final length. Set the
windshieldaside.
Cut the rudderblock (I) to size,and
test-fit it in the rectangularhole
and the deck.The fit shouldbe snug,but
still allow easyremoval.Hold the block
with a handscrewclamp, and drill the
hole with your drill press,where shown
on Drawing2c. Drill and countersinkthe
hole in the deck for the screwthat holds
the rudder block in place,where shown
on Drawing2.
51
 rubber-band runabout

Trim both ends to match

insideof cockpit.

:.
'..''''..":
I

i *
. ;^

^ " - 1€€
_-*6qe,dl
\l
#3 x t/2"brass
F.H.woodscrew
;?*\\ 7
4te 7/a+" 1 1/s'
E hole,countersunk
9

It's tirne to fit the keel

and trrrild a cradle
Cut a t/gx2v2x20"blank for the keel
(J). Make a copy of the keel fiom
the pattern insert, and adhere it to the
blank. Scrollsaw and sand to the pattern Rudderassembly .025"-thick
brass
propeller
line. Remove the pattem, and glue and
clamp the keel into the groove in the
bottom of the hull.
Adhere two V+x6xl2" pieces of
Baltic birch plywood together with G l u ek e e l @
double-faced tape for the cradle frames into groovein
(K) and cradle stretchers (L). Make bottomof hull.
copies of the frames and stretchersfrom 1/2"ra'
-l

the pattern inseft, and adhere them to 1/2tt

' - ra-
| z
the plywood. Scrollsaw and sand the
6-32 brassnuts
parts to the pattern lines. Glue and
#6 brassflat washers
clamp the frames to the stretchers, as
Rubberband
shown on Drawing 2.

.025x 2x2t/+" brasssheet

Apply varrrish and 7sz"-O.D.
brass bentaroundtubingand
1 / a x 4 t / 2 " - l o n gb r a s s l i f t r o d
paint, arrd brrild the s/0"-1.D.
brass (Prethreaded, prebent eye)
tubing3" long solderedin place
runrring gear screw eye
Finish the hull assembly, transom,

KJN
rudder block, and cradle with gloss E EXPIODED
VIEW
polyurethane. To make sure the parts are
well protected, we brushed on the first
coat, sandedwith 220 grrt, then finished
up with two light coats from a spray can.
Prime and spray-paint the seat red and
the windshield black.

n
Cut a 3"-long piece of sAt" brasstub-

ing for the propeller shaft sleeve. Cut
a 2t/+"-long piece from a .025x2x12"
strip ofbrass sheet for the sleeve bracket.
Bend it to fit around the sleeve,as shown
on Drawing 2. Solder the tube to the
bracket so V2" protrudes at each end.
Polish away any discoloration from the
soldering. Put a dab of silicone sealanton
the keel's bottom edge, and slide the
sleeve/bracket assembly onto the keel.
Make a copy of the propeller from
the pattern insert, and adhere it to the
brass strip. Drill the center hole and
@J
CRADLE
Bend and thread your own pro-
peller shaft, or use a brasstoilet tank
scrollsaw the propeller to shape. stopperlift rod. (We found one at the
File the edges smooth. Holding hardware store, threadedon one end
it with a small C-clamp, shape the pro- with an eye on the other.)Drive a brass
peller, as shown in Photos A and B. screw eye into the keel at the bow, and
Removethe pattern. string up a couple of sturdy rubber
Slide the propellershaft throughthe bands. We used loops of rubber strip
sleeve,and assemblethe washers, from a hobby store(SIG ContesrRubber
nuts, propeller,and cap nut, as shown. no. CR-825).

52 WOOD magazine April 2002

 SEATENDVIEW

IELD
Twist each propeller blade, pushing Now, maintainingthe twist, bend an
I
1t/t
down on the short lobe, and pulling up
on the long one.
upward curl in each blade. The side with
the pattern is the back of the propellel.
$
H TOPVIEW

fl 30"

,
W,,
E N DVIE W

FRONTVIEW
1 RUDDERASSEMBLY
t/e"brass rod
8/+"long^,r4 /f A pair of clothespinsholdsthe rudder
centeredon the shaftwhileyou solderit
in place.
To wind the propeller, pull the rudder
shaft out of the transom slot, and swing
it out of the way.
ffi 51/q

hold it with pliers while you flatten the rreaterials list

90' ,r,,

W
tip of the shaft with a hammer just
t/e" hole
enough to keep the washer from sliding
f'\-spring from off the end. A hull 11/z' 51/z' 20'
pen
ballp,oint
\ Slide the rudder assembly into the B-deckhalves 1/t' 211Aa"20'
#6 brassflat washer sternrecess.Fushthe rudderblock in 1/t' 20"
C-centerstrip V8
.025"-thickbrasssheetfor to compressthe spring Vt", anddrive the D planks l/su
rudder.solderedto rod 21/4' 21'
screw through the deck hole. Screw the E*transom 1/s, 13/4' 4sAa"
transom(E) in place. Glue the seatand l/zu
F bowstem 1/," 21/c'
Make a copy of the rudder from the windshieldin placewith a coupleof dabs
G*seat 11/q" 13/4" 4s/s-
pattern insert, adhereit to the brass of silicone sealant.Wind the propeller,
'er tip. t H-windshield 1" 11/4" 415f16" c
strip, scrollsawit to shape,and file the as shownin Photo D, and let
I rudder
block f2 5/a' 17/s' P
edges smooth. Bend an 8/+" length of
Written by Jan Svec J- keel 1/sn 2sAa"191/t" P
%" brassrod for the rudder shaft, shown Projectdesign:JamesR. Downing; Jan Svec
K-cradleframes 1/t' 41/z' 7u BP
on Drawing2c. Clamp the shaft in your Kim Downing; Lorna Johnson
lllustrations:
Photographs:Hetherington Photography; 1/tu
vise,and solderthe rudderto it, asshown Baldwin Photography
L*cradlestretchers 1u 101/+' BP
in Photo C. Slide the shaft through the -Parts Seetheinstructions.
cutoversize.
initially
rudder block (I), spring, and washer. Materials P-pine,
Key:C-cedar, birchply,vood,
BP-Baltic
Compressthe springwith the washerand 4r/2"-long
Supplies: brasstoilettankstopperliftrod,#6
(3),6-32brass
flatwashers
brass nuts(2),6-32capnut,
crrtting diagranr l/qx 6 x 12" Baltic birch plywood
eye,%2"'1,D,x1"
screw
%0"-1,D,
headwoodscrew,
spring,
#3x%"brassflathead
#3xt/2"brass
woodscrews
flaf
(8),
(2 needed) rubber
solder, bands, glue,glosspolyurethane,redand
black
spraypaint, sealant.
silicone
Brrying Guide
Brass.,025x2x12"brassstripno.G7669,
$2.40;
.125x12"brassroundrodno.G7646, 5/ezx12"
$0.88;
11/2x51/zx 48" Cedar (2x6) brassround no.G7612,
tubing $t,OO. Industrial,
Grizzly
4777
Call800/523- , or goto www.grizzly.com.

1x4).Planeor resawto thicknesslistedin the

www.woodonline.com 53
 the WooDolfangcnfts

Interested in making your own larives?

Tluee WOOD staff members were, so we let them have at it.

"i,o createtheir cutlery pieces, masking tape. Without the taPe, the and feel of the handle, I completed the
paper sheathstill tended to slide down sandingusinga palm sander,progressing
accidentally as I worked, leaving the from 120-to 220-gntpaper.
'r' ' '
" itemsfrom mail-ordersup- sharpblade exposed. BecauseI prefer a satin finish on a
Becausethe fillet knife's tang had a work knife, I didn't buff the handle,
pliers.In eachcase,they received
nice handle shape,all I had to do was although Dymondwood can be brought
bladeswith pre-drilledtangs(the por- match the two Dymondwood(a "plasti- to a glass-like sheen.Plasticized wood
tion that fits into the knife's handle). cized" wood madeof birch veneerlayers requires no protective finish, and holds
impregnated with resin) up well to the abusea fillet knife faces.
Two of the builders orderedkits that scalesto it. I did this by trac-
camecompletewith scales(the handle ing the shapeof the tang onto
each scale,then bandsawing
slabsthat fit on eithersideof the blade eacha bit oversize.
tang).Eachof our intrepidbuilderstook In my kit, the holes for the
threebrassrivets were already
their own path to completion.
drilled in the blade tang and
the scales.I just glued the
scales in place with cyano-
A fillet knife acrylate (instant) adhesive,
in a flash making sure the holes lined
By Marlen(Perkins) up. Next, I used a hammer
Kemmet,Managing andnail punchto settherivets
Editor
in the handle. Buying Guide
Prior to any work on I sandedthe scalesto rough Filletknifekit:7"polishedandhoned bladepre-
vanadium'steel
shape using a 3"-diameter drilled twoprebored
forrivets; andcountersunkDymondwood handle
the handle, I taped handle,
forattaching Kit,
blanks (rosewood threebrassrivets
color),
the suppliedcardboard drum sanderin the drill press $30including postage.Leathersheath,
$14,
sheath to the blade, and a I" spindlesander,both Easley Knives,638 N.14thAve., NE68008.402/426'2481.
Blair,
then I wrapped the with 8O-grit paper. When I crickettoms@aol.com,SendSASE forfreebrochure.
entire sheath with was satisfiedwith the shape

54 WOOD rnagazine April 2002

 Wittr double-faced tape, I fastened ttre middle. This left the middle of the han-
. two scales together, then taped them to dle a little thicker for a hand-hold. I
one side of the blade's tang. I drilled the shaped the tapers with a drum sander
pin holes in the scalesat the drill press, mounted in the drill press.
as shown in Photo A. Using 80-gdt paper,I rounded over the
Keeping the scales in the same handle edges slightly. Then I moved on
orientation,I pulled them away from the to 120-grit and finished with 150-grit.
lO.step blade tang. I cut three pins from Holding the protected blade in a vise, I
steak knives the mosaic-patternedbrass pin stock, wiped on three coats of polyrethane,
By Kevin (the carni- making them slightly longer than the sanding between coats with 600-grit
vore) Boyle,Senior combined thickness of the scales and wet/dry sandpaper. After the finish
DesignEditor
blade'stang. dried, I applied a coat of paste wax and
When I received my I applied two-part epoxy to the back buffed the handles at the benchtop
order, I discovered side of the scales and placed them onto grinder with a buffing wheel.
that I really didn't care the tang, lining up their holes. Next, I
for the color of the tapped the three pins into the holes, as
handle scales I'd shown in Photo B, and clamped the
selected,so I made my scalesdown tightly.
own scales from scraps of bubinga. To After the epoxy cured, I sanded the
get started, I taped on the cardboard pins flush with the scalesurfaces.Next, I
sheathes that came with each sharp sanded the scales with an 80-grit drum
blade. This protected me and the blades. sanderin the drill press to the outline of
After performing each of the steps in the knife's tang.
fashioning the first handle, I brought all
the other knives along to that step before A crrstortl shape
moving to the next one. That helped I personalizedthe handles with a double
keep all the handles consistent. taper on top that ran each way from the

BuYringGuide
KnlfeSupplies. Blades:
hollow ground stainless
forpins,withsatinfinish:(6ea.)
steel,pre-drilled
49rq"
bfadewilh2t/2"ofserrationsattip,9"-long'
#8L477,
overall, Mosaic t/ex12",
$5.25; pins:
brassandstainless #MPP200-12,
steel, $16;
t/ax6",
brassandstainless steel,#MPP200'06,
$9;Scales:Dymondwood, pair,eachapprox.
#DW41S,
{ax11/zx5u, $3.25.Shipping and
handlingextra,
TexasKnifemake/s Supply,1062t9Haddington,
Predrilledholesin the tang guidethe drill The pins help hold the scalesto the #180,Houston, TX77043. 888/461-8632
bit to createholesfor pins that, along tang, and add decoration,with stainless (orders).
www.texasknife.com, Catalog,$6.95.
with epory, attachthe scalesin place. rods arrangedinsidea brasstube.
Grrt-above crrtlerv
m ByJan(Ginsumafi)
Svec, Projects
Editor
Rather than follow-
ing the traditional
method of letting
the shape of the
tang dictatethe han-
dle profile, I made
my handlesfrom z/q"-thickblanks glued
up from granadillo and redheart scraps.
This allowed me to make a handlewider
than the tang, a design inspired by the
fins on a late 1950sChrysler.
Greating a prototype
I beganby tracing the outline of the knife
blade's tang on %" hardboard,then drew
the handle design around this outline,
keeping the top edgesof the handle and
tang flush. I cut out this hardboardtem-
plate, and traced the pattern onto 3/q"-
thick scrap,which I cut and sandedto the
patternlines to act as a prototype.
When I was satisfied with the feel. I
installed a thin-kerf blade and a zero-
clearanceinsertin my tablesaw,and cut a
groove in the prototype's top edge to
acceptthe tang, as shown in Photo C.
Jan's cook's knife
I needed.I saweda tang slot in
this blank. then used the hardboard
template to trace the individual handle
outlines onto the blank. Next, I cut the
blank into individual handles, and
sawedand sandedthem to final shape.
Using the rivet holes in the tangs as To finish the ::i-
guides,I drilled all the way through the handles, I soaked
handles, as Kevin did. I counterbored them in tung oil for an
each hole so the rivet headswould pro- hour or so, as shownin Photo D.
trude just a hair from the surface, then I let the finish dry, then buffed each
drilled holesfor the rivets. Next, I routed one with a cotton cloth. al
a partial round-over on the handles'
edges.To avoid chipping, I sandedthe Photographs:Baldwin Photography
end-grainround-overs.
After dry-fitting the bladesin the han- Buying Guide:
dles, I masked the blades where they KnifeSupplies.Blades, pre-punched
heaftreated, for
met the handles.To install the handles.I polished,
rivets, andhollowgroundfrom440-C stainless
appliedslow-setepoxy,making surethe steel:8" cook's,
#SS821, cook's,
$10,02;6" #SS820,
epoxy filled any void at the slot's $6.50; 5%"boner,#SS823,$6,58;8"carver,
#SS822,
$7,43; carving
fork,SS825,
$6,49; s/roxt/2"
Rivets:
bottom. With that done, I inserted the brass,(pkgof25)#RV125, %ox7e"
$3.95;
rivet halves and drove them together brass,(pkgof25)#RV325, $3.95,Plus
with a hammer. shipping andhandling.
When the epoxy cured, I filed and JantzSupply, 309W,Main,Davis, 0K
sandedoff any excess,then refilled any 73030. www.jantzsupply.com,
voids. I let the epoxy again cure, then 800/351-8900. e-mail:
jantz@brightok.net.
Catalog,
$5, I
sandedthe rivets flush with the handles. i

Note: Becausethe blade tangs are set in IT

Jan also crafted three t
epoxy when they're riveted to the han- \
other knives and a
dles,the tang'sfit in the grooveshould serving fork to create
be slightly loose. Epoxy needs a thick a complete kitchen
glue layer to developany strength. cooking set.

Hands-otr handle rlrrorL

I glued up, using epoxy, a blank long
enough to accommodateall the handles

Unlike the two-part handles of most Soaking the handles lets the tung oil
knives, Jan's one-piece design allows penetrate deeply, beautifying and pro-
for more grip area (prototype shown). tecting the wood.

56 WOOD rnagazine April 2002

 Ternpting trellis,
page 80
Big impact with little expense
or effort: That's what you'll
get with this trellis. The west-
ern red cedar frame will hold
up for years, and surrounds
ummerwill be herebeforeyou knowit, accents made from plastic
so now'sthe timeto startthinking lattice that wears like iron. lt
aboutprojectsthat will helptransform never needs painting, won't
pop apart when cut, and
your outdoor livingspacesinto Invitingget- doesn't split or warp like
aways.To help out, in this issuewe'll show wood lattice can when
you how to buildthe pergolas,trellis,and exposed to the elements.
planterbox/railingsystemshownhere.The
gardengate and fence,also shown,are
coming up in the next issue.We designedall
of these projectswith versatilityin mind so
that they'llfit with most homes,backyards,
and gardens.To give you a senseof how
they look groupedtogether,we built all of
them in the backyardof
the home shown at left.
Now,you don't haveto
do such a total transfor-
mation.You'llfind that
any outdoorareawill
greatlybenefitby adding
just one of these projects.
Eachis designedto mini-
mize maintenanceby appropriatelycombin-
ing long-lastingsyntheticmaterialswith
durablenatural
woods.To learn
moreaboutthe
outdoor-tough
productswe
chose,seethe
afticle"Outdoor
products
resource guide"
on page 100.

Versatile, drrrable planter box

and railing systern, page 72
High style meets low maintenancewith this deck railing
system. Built from expanded polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
lumber, these rails and balusters won't warp, split, or
splinter. Topped with a coat of paint, the material
appears just like wood. And you can work it just like
wood, with basic skills and a few common tools.
The railing sections are joined by columns with built-in
planter inserts. The columns are made from economical
exterior plywood, and sheathed with fiber-cement
shingles that hold paint for years. More PVC trim dresses
out the columns' corners and the inserts.

58 WOOD magazine April 2002

 A gracefrrl garden gate,
lrrneflrrly issrre
We'll show you how to create this dramatic entrance
to your yard or garden. The main structure matches
the pergolas and railing system, iust in case you want
to build all of them. The hefty cedar gate features
ornate (but easy) trim around its "window."

Ft.rrr
r'lttl Fancifrrl fencingr
ffi issrre
iq':r.'
lrrnefirrly
tlltl
-t This fence defines the boundaries of your yard while
llrll enhancing your landscaping.Whateverthe size or
llllll
contours of your outdoor spaces, you can build the
fence to fit, with its pressure-treated posts and pan'
els made of cedar and plastic lattice. Construction
goes quickly, but the beauty lasts for years.
,\?
- tt-t"-.' -- 1:-rl =-t-
-.r*'-l

+a- i.:
.-, -, -: j:::: ::: -- l
.: ,-1-.-:'r:,---

i :;i I ti:-;l:: ,r,i;a /' ,r:

-: l i
: - . I I l r i, i j i l:,:,
!:1-lFl I I
',ir:;11.;1,., i l F .: t i I itl::: ! ,
i:-- ll-:r I
; i

t'l ; i
-"
il i:,::I I
:'rl i-:;-:';i,

A pergola lit
for a swing,
Page 68
This scaled-down
version of the large
pergola makes the
perfect place to hang a
swing. To build the
swing, follow the
instructions available
from WOOD PLANSo
(no. WP-OFS-I002,
$10.95).To order go to
www.woodstore.wood mall.com
or call 888/636-4478.

Pretty pergola, page 60

Add dappled shade, classic styling, and a sense of defined space
to any outdoor area with this pergola. The design is flexible, so
you can dress up an existing deck, as shown here, or create an
"outdoor room," as seen on page 60. (Check out page 66to see
proper techniques for setting the posts into the ground.) Building
the pergola is a straightforward process, employing a few
portable power tools and hand tools. For longevity, it's made of
high-quality, rot-resistantwestern red cedar. 'F

www.woodonline.eorn 59
I
\ t?
:
Add elegiance to )rour out-
door living wittr this airy
p on.Easilysi 6'to frt
qrryqpace,this versttile
pe will errh e ]rour
-
patioor :tard.'
hecfr;,
 o two of us havethe sameoutdoorlivingSpaces,So we designed
adaptable.
this pergolato be infinitely Theoneshownhereoccupies
a 111x148""footprint,"but you'lllearnhow to increaseor decrease
How to plan y_our
its dimensions as needed.Youcan buildit as a freestanding structureon an perfect pergola
Usingthese instructions and the draw-
existingdeck or patioor set its postsin the ground.To shrinkit to the sizeof
ing belowas a guide,Youeasilycan
an arborand add a relaxingswing,seethe articleon page 68. customizea pergolato fit your needs.
No matterwhich way you go, you'll appreciatehow your pergolagoes H ere' show .
Startwith your pergola'sfootprint.
togetherlike LincolnLogs.You startwith a pileof machinedparts,raisethe to
Thi s i s si mpl ythe outsi de- of - post
posts, construct the frames, then fit the slotted canopy subassemblies outside-of-post lengthand width.
B ecause16' i s the l onges com
t m onlY
together.lt's that easy.
availablecedar2x6, and the girders
and joistsextendbeyondthe footprint
by 10" at each end, your footprintcan-
Grrt the parils not exceed 172x172".
for yorrr pergola kit Althoughyou can orientthe mainjoists
Cut four 6x6 (5 t/zx\t/z" actual) posts and sidegirders(D, E) in eitherdirec-
(A) to the length in the Materials tion,for planningpurposeswe'llreferto
List. To get a square cut, mark your cut-
line on all four sides. Using a crosscut
guide, cut all around the post to the full i
depth of your portable circular saw. -. t i
ct/2-
Finish off the cut with a handsaw. Sand {
the posts to 120 grit, and set them aside. 24"t
For the post caPS, start bY cutting i
four 1Vzx5l/zx5t/2"cap tops (B) and 51/z'-

four t/qx4t/zx4/2." cap bases (C). Bevel I

24'!
the lVz"-thick cap tops, where shown on
Drawing 1. To make these cuts, we used t
51/2"-
the auxiliary fence and sliding saddle
Footprint I-
length 24','t
,4" deckscrew Use your jigsaw to cut the ioist and gird-
g/0"shankhole, er ends to shape before smoothing the
\ countersunk final profile with your router.
15'bevel

shown in "Great Ideas for Your Shop" 24'! ll)l

on ptge 12. To hold the blank, drive a
3/q"
wood screw through the back of the jig
4d galvanized
finish nail into the blank's center. Cut one face,
rotate 90o, cut, and repeat until all four
tI bevels are cut. Glue and nail the cap
bases,centered,to the cap tops, using an
I exterior glue and 4d galvanized nails'
1073/q'
Sand the caps to 120 grit and set them
aside. (We installed the caps after the
pergola was completely assembled.)
Cut the 2x6 main joists and side
E posr girders (D, E) to length. Make the
marking/trimming template shown on
3/e"lag screw
Drawing 2a, and use it to mark the
3" long
3t/2"-radtus cutouts on the parts' ends,
Postbase where shown on Drawing 2. Cut close
Mitered to the lines, as shown in Photo A.
ends Chuck a flush-trim bit in your hand-
held router. Clamping the template to
each part to guide the bit, rout the final
profile. For smooth routing, rout from
1/2" CIYQ
I the cutout's "heel" to the part's end.
2" deck screw . / l l
,/4
Chuck a t/s" round-over bit in your
L
51/z'
Footprint
width
the outside-of-post to outside-of-post
dimensionparallelto thesemembersas
the footprintlength.To findthe lengthof
the mainjoistsand sidegirders(D, E),
add 20" to the footprint'slength.To find
the lengthof the end girders(H),add
20" to the footprint's width.
Positionthe mainjoists(D) across
the end gi rders(H ),keepingt he dis'
tance betweenthe close-spaced pairs
aI51/2".Adjustthe numberof pairs
and/orthe lengthof the blocking(F) to
evenlyfill the distancebetweenthe
posts.(We triedto keepthe interval
betweenadjacentjoist pairsin the
neighborhood of 24".)The interval
betweenthe pairsis the lengthof the
bl ocki ng(F).
Now,usingthe same sPacingmethod
(thoughnot necessarilY the same
spaci ng),posi ti onthe bl ockingand t he
stubjoists(l) alongthe mainjoists.

61
rwnur.woodonline.com
pergola

ASSEMBLY
@ unruJorsr/BLocKrNG

,-1,1,t/'" 23s/a"
c,/2 | , -/
11/2"-, ) l'f -4
MMINGTEMPLATE
MARKING/TRI
151/2" th" hardboard
614"
3" deck

l/"""1"n^nkr'or",
\
3" deck screw countersunk
/
( 3" deck screw
83/a" 11/z'

Rout t/a"round-overs
R=31/2" on theseedgesafterthe
end profilesare shaped.

.,:''
i' router (to matchthejoists'
factory edges), and rout the
end profiles' edges.
'Turn
the joists and girders
upside down on a pair of
sawhorses,and clamp them together
with their endsand edgesflush. Using a
square,draw lines acrossthe parts' bot-
tom edges(now facing up) for the IVz"-
wide notches, where dimensionedon
Drawing2. Using your portablecircular
saw,a straightedge, and a I" chisel,form
the notches,asshownin PhotosB andC.
(These photos show cutting similar
notchesin the swing pergolajoists. See
page 68 for this project.)Checkthe fit of
your I Vz" stock in the notch. For good
appearanceand easy assembly,you'll
want a closebut not tight fit.
.' Take two of the partsjust notched,
' and clamp them together,with ends
Set your saw to c.tl2t/q" deep. Clamp a
straightedge to the joists, and cut a
series of kerfs to define the notches.
and edgesflush. In the samemanner as
before, use a handsaw and chisel to
deepenthe notches to 23/q"(or half the
actual width of your 2x6s). Mark these
as the side girders (E) that, along with
the end girders (H), form the pergola's
outer frame. Sandthe parts (D, E) to 120
grit, and set them aside.
Cut the blocking (F) and upper
,,,,,:
',.,,,ibracketcleats(G) to size.Sandthem
to 120 grit, and setthem aside.
Cut the end girders(H) and the stub
joists (I) to size. As with the main
joists and side girders,usethe template,
jigsaw, and router to mark and form the
end cutouts,where sho'rvnon Drawing3.
' Following the same procedure as
, with the main joists and side girders,
form the notchesin the end girders (H)
and the stubjoists (I), where shown on
Drawing 3. Note that the notchesin the
end girders are cut in their top edgesto
Use a chisel and hammer to clean out
the notches, smoothing their bottoms to
a uniform depth.
mate with the notchescut in the bottom
edgesof the sidegirders.As with the two
sidegirders(E), extendthe notchesin the
end girdersto23/c"deep.Sandthe partsH
and I to 120 gnt, and set them aside.
;, '. Cut eight 2x8 blanks 417/8"long for
' - the brackets(J). Using your circular
saw or tablesawand miter gauge,make
the angled end cuts, where shown on
Drawing 4a. Mark the centerpointof the
curve on one blank. Bend a narrow strip
of hardboardto join the centerpointand
ends, and draw the curve. Jigsaw or
bandsaw,then sandto the line. Use this
completedbracket as a templateto trace
the curve on the other bracket blanks.
Saw to the waste side of the lines. Then
clamp the template bracket, in turn, to
eachof the sawnblanks,and usea flush-
trim bit in your handheld router to
smooth the curves.Finish up by routing
%" round-overswhereshown.
Cut the lower 8Y2"
bracket cleats 1Vz'
(K) to size.Rout the Vq"
23/q'
cove. and drill three
shank holes counter-
sunk from the back and
six shankholescounter- 131':
sunk from the front in each
piece, where shown on Drawing 4.
Sandthe cleatsto 120 gnt.
Note: The 4/4 cedar that many lumber-
yards carry is about 7/a"thick and rough-
sawn on one side. To get smoothfaces
and edges,we planed a lx6x8' board to
s/t" thick and ripped and jointed it to
31/2"wide beforecutting the 10" lengths.

62 WOOD rnagazine April 2002

 How to assemble the pergola (continued on next page)

Screw together main joisUblocking (D/F)
subassemblies,where dimensionedon
ffir*wlng *. Fasten the upper bracket
cleats (G) to the subassemblieswhere
shown on Srawings ? and 5.
Screw together the two main joisUstub
joist (D/l)subassemblies,where dimen-
sioned on Orawing 3. Fastenthe upper
bracket cleats (G) to the main joists,
where shown on the drawing.
Lay out your pergola's footprint, and
lag-screw four post bases to the deck.
Take diagonalmeasurementsto check
your layout for square. The post bases
allow you to fine-tunetheir locations.

For the cove caps (L) and base trim Prime all the pergola parts with an Prrt it all together
(M), plane two lx6x6' cedar exterior-grade latex primer. Apply and voili, pergota
boards to 3/+"thick, as noted above. Joint two coats to the end grain and the notch- Now that you have all your pergola
one edge of each board. Rout a th" cove es. When the primer dries. lightly sand parts made, primed, and painted,
in the jointed edges,and rip off a 7-r"-wide with 220-grit sandpaper.Finish the parls you're just an afiernoon away fiorn
strip for the cove caps (L). Joint the sawn with two coats of exterior transforming your yard's personality.
edges of the remaining boards, and rip latex paint. Refen'ing to the nine-stepsequenceof pho-
them to 3t/+" wide fbr the base trim (M). tos that starls cbole and ends on page 65,
Sand the base and cap stock to 120 grit.
You'll miter-cut the cove caos and base
trim to fit aroundthe postsafter
168"
the pergolais in place.
I enncrETMouNTrNc
3" deck screw
-ls"ro"
51/2"
1 , / r " 1 ,(

151/2"
16s/a"

d < / t l
J'/2
21/q" 114a" I
il
,\ r
1r/r' 361/4' c'/2

W
B1/2"

R=31/2"

p ururuJorsr ANDENDGTRDER
1t/z" deck screw
-{ 2"
@ \
I
I
4s/a" f-
-R=31/2"

417/a"

wwur.woodonline, com 63
 pergola
How to assemble the pergola (continued)

Lag-screw each end girder to two posts,
where shown on Drawing 4. Stand these
assemblies up in the post bases, plumb,
and brace them in place. Screw the bases
to the posts, as shown on Drawing 1.
Slip the end notches of the side girders
(E) into the notches of the end girders
(H). The tops of both girders are flush.
Drill th" pilot holes, and lag-screw the
side girders to the posts.
Hoist the main joisUstub joist assem-
blies (D/l) into place, slipping the stub
joist and main joist notches over the
side girders (E) and the end girders (H).
Fasten with deck screws. as shown.

4" deck screw

rllr
3" deck screw
f---7 4" deck screws

%tuI g"oeck-ffl 1" counterbore

SCTEW t/z"deep with
a 7e"hole
centeredinside

21h'
\__t

\
e/e"lag screw
4" long
Ta"washer

1lz" deck

--)

1r/2"deck screw
e/a"lag screw
4" long
7e"washer
148"

111"
a
2" deck screw

EI CXPIODED
VIEW

64 WOOD magazine April 2002

Positionthe mainioisUblocking assem-
blies(D/F),slippingthe mainioist notch'
es over the end girders.Leave5lz"
spacesbetweenthe mainioists of adia-
cent assemblies. Fastenwith screws.
Screwthe lowerbracketcleats(K)to the
brackets(J),whereshownon Drawing 4.
Screwthe bracketassembliesto the
postsand the upperbracketcleats(G),
whereshownon Drawings4 and 5.
Miter-cut the base trim (M) to fit around
the post bases. Apply construction
adhesive and band-clamP,as shown'
Miter-cut the cove cap (L) to fit around
the post, and nail it in Place.

make up the subassemblies,erect the Finish off your pergolaby driving 3" rrlaterials list
posts and girders, and assemble the deck screwsthrough the side girders
canopy and braces.All you'll need is (E) and the end girders(H) into the upper A posts 51/2, 51/z' 1073/q', c
some basic hardware:deck screws,lag bracketcleats(G). Removethe temporary B captops 11/2. 51/z' 51/2',
screws,and steel post bases(Simpson bracesfrom the posts.Drill countersunk C capbases 3/q' 41/2', 4r/2',
StrongTie no. ,4.866).To give us secure shankholesthroughthe post caps(B/C).
D mainjoists 11/z' 51/z' 168'
anchoragefor the post bases,we added Apply constructionadhesiveto the bot-
E sidegirders 11/z' 51/z' 168"
blocking underneaththe deck. When toms of the caps,and screw the capsto
F blocking 11/z' 51/2' 22' 30
lag-screwingthe girders to the posts, the tops of the posts.Touch up the paint
drill counterboredshank holes through where needed.Jl G yppqr
cleals
DracKet 11/z' 51/2, 83/a',
the girders and V+" pllot holes into the H endgirders
'
11/2" 51/zu131
posts. When fasteningparts with deck Written by Jan Svec with Kevin Boyle
Projectdesign:Kevin Boyle;James R. Downing I stubjoists 11/z' 51/z' 151/z' c 20
screws, drill only countersunk shank lllustrations:Roxanne LeMoine; Kim Downing; J- brackets 11/z' 71/q',403/a' c
holes. The deck screws drive into the Lorna Johnson
K lower
cedarwithout pilot holes. Photographs:Baldwin PhotograPhY cleats
bracket 3/t' 31/z^ 10" C
L- covecaps Vtu 3/q' 7' C 16
crrtting d ragrarnr M*base trim 3/qu 31/q' 71/a', c lo
.Partsinitially Seetheinstructions'
cutoversize,
MaterialKey:C-cedar.
51/zx 51/zx 120" Cedar (6x6x10)(4 needed)
Supplies: 1/2"deckscrews, 3"deck
2"deckscrews,
screws,4"deckscrews, %"lagscrews 3"long,3/e''
lag
(2x6x14)(10 needed) screws 4dgalvanized
4"long,%"flatwashers, finish
1 1 / 2 x 5 1 /xz 1 6 8 "
steelpostbases
nails, (4),construction
adhesive,
primer,paint.
1 1 / 2 x 5 1 /xz 1 6 8 Cedar(2x6x14)

x 192"Cedar(2x6x16)(3 needed)
1t/zx51/z

168"Cedar(2x6x14)(2 needed)
11/2x51/zx

x 168"Cedar (2x6x14)(2 needed)

e --.,:.)1.:.'.'---
11/2x51/z
"."e "'/ -.o_-..::)1.:.'-"---._
,:: a._.1
s/+x51/2x72"Cedar(1x6x6)(2 needed)

1Vzx7t/ax 168"Cedar(2x8x14)(2 needed)

r,)\ .A rA G\ O\ /O\ JA__fi\-
\-v \_y \-v {_v \_v {y \_v l\_v
3/qx 51/zx 96" Cedar (1x6x8)

www.woodonline.com
65
 bea

Well-built outdoor projects start with

accuratelayout of post locations.
he pergolas featured in
this issue.as well as the
garden gate and fence
projectsstill to come,call for postssetin straightlines
and with square corners. A few lx2s, a length of
mason'sstring,and simple arithmeticwill get you to
that goal.
The illustrations and captionson thesepagesshow
you the essentialstepsin locating and lining up the
posts you'll need. Posts set in the ground, and
anchoredwith concrete,are the best way to supporta
gate,a fence,or a pergola with an attachedswing.
Use posts made of pressure-treated lumber or foun-
dation-grade (heartwood) cedar. Make sure to sink
them deeper than the frost line for your area, to
counter the effects of frost heaving. For a neaterjob,
and addedprotection againstheaving, buy cardboard
tubesat your home centerto line the post holesbefore
filling them with concrete.
Before you go too far, check with local or county
governmentofficials to make sure your project plans
are in compliancewith building codesand ordinances
regarding setbackfrom your property line. Also, call
the "One Call" phone number for your state or
province, and ask to have the buried pipes and wires
on your property located and marked before you dig.
If you can't find the number,call the North American
One Call ReferralSvstemat 888/258-0808.Jl
lllustrations:fUife Uittermeier
1. Get
organized
You don't need much equip-
ment to lay out posts for an
outdoor structure. For an
easy way to visualize its size
and shape, use a tape mea-
sure and a garden hose to
outline your project's dimen-
sions on the ground. Then
gather some 1x2 lumber and
cut it into 3' lengths for "bat-
terboards." You also will
need a heavy hammer to
drive the upright stakes into
the ground, a drill and 1th"
deck screws for quick
assembly, a plumb bob, and
a spool of mason's string.
2- Go to yorrr cortilers-
Define each corner with a pair of batterboards. For each bat-
terboard, make a pair of stakes by cutting two 1x2s to a point
at one end, and drive them into the ground. Set them 2' away
from the planned post location, and spaced so that the post
will stand about halfway between the stakes. Attach a cross-
piece with screws, as shown. Use a framing square to help
you set the corner's other batterboard at a right angle to the
first. When you have installed all of your batterboards,wrap a
length of mason's string several times around a crosspiece,
pull it tight to the facing batterboard at an adjacent corner,
and wrap it there, marking the side of the structure through
the center of each post. Continue until you've marked all four
sides, with a pair of strings intersecting at each corner.

66 WOOD rnagazine April 2002

 3. Itts
At one corner of your planned structure' measure
from the corner to a point 3' away on one string, and
mark the spot on a piece of masking tape folded over
the string. Then, measure the perpendicularstring 4'
out from the corner, and mark that point. Now, mea-
sure between your two marks. lf the distance equals
5', the strings lie at right angles to one another. lf the
distance is less than or greater than 5', relocate the
string on your batterboard until it's right on the
money. Mark the correct spot on the board with a 4. lI rnarl.s the s1rot
nail, or a handsaw kerf, in case the string gets moved At each corner, transfer the strings' inter-
by accident. Gheck the adiacent corners for square' section down to the ground with a plumb
and finish up at the opposite corner. line. You can find an inexpensiveplumb
bob at a home center, and a camera or
telescope tripod makes a handy holder.
Keep the plumb line about 7a" away from
the strings, so that you're not pushing
them out of position.The Plumb bob
locates the spot for the center of the
post. Mark that point, then remove the
strings to make room for digging.

5. Dig, alignt
arrd finish the iob
Dig an 8"-diameter hole at least 6" deeper than your
area's frost line for each 4x4 post, using a power auger'
hand auger, or post-hole digger. A 6x6 post requires a
1O"-diameterhole. Shovel a 6" layer of gravel into the
hole to provide drainage. Now, put the strings back on I
the batterboards,but move them toward the outside of
the layout by one-half the post thickness. Set each post
in its hole, and move it until the outside edge lines up I

with the string. Attach two braces to adiacent sides of the I

post with screws, and drive a stake next to each brace. I
Use a level to make sure the post is plumb-check adia-
cent sides-and fasten the braces to the stakes with
u
screws. When everything lines up, add water to premixed
concrete, and fill the holes.

67
www.woodonline.com
Tlris freestanding shrcture lets you
venture be,yondthe deck.
 l=i> 4,,deckscrews
e/ro"shank hole,
countersunk 3/e"nut
3/au
11/2' ---1
t ( 31s/+" WAShETS

-. svr'lI
he construction method
used in the previousarticle
for the deck pergolais very
versatile.With a little imagination
and planning,it adaptsto any num-
ber of outdoorapplications.
\' 3/e"washgr
We combineda porch swing from \
\ ./r" rag screw
our libraryof WOODPl-ANSowith a 4" long
reconfiguredpergola.The resultis a 1" counterbore1/2"deep with a
great place to relax and watch the 7a"hole centeredinside
world go by. See the BuyingGuide
for the swing plan. (We made our 953/4"

swing out of cedar.)Here'show to

buildthe swing'spergola.
vrEW
E exploDED
Plant forrr posts
on a level spot
Dig four lO"-diameterholesspaced
whereshownon Drawing1.Thearti-
cle"Be a postmaster"onpage66 shows
you how to accuratelylocateandtem-
porarilybraceyourposts.To supportthe
swing,the postsextendat least.36"
belowgrade.Because of thefrostlinein
ourlocation,ourpostsextend42" below
grade.Check your local requirement.
Dig holesdeepenoughto allowfor a 6"
layer of gravel at the bottom for
drainage,asshownon Drawing2.
Note: Our swing is 581/2"wide. The hole
10"-diameter
pergola is sized to leave about 8" of
clearance at each end betweenswing
and posts. If you use a dffirent swing,
you may have to modify the pergola to the blade. Measure this offset distance
maintainthis clearance. down from the markedtop line, and draw
Positionfour 6x6x12'(5Vzx5Vz" actu- a level line aroundall four sidesof each
posts (A) in the
al) pressure-treated post. Temporarily nail a short board to
holes, plumb them, and brace them in one sideof the first post with its top edge
place. Make sure that the distance at this lower line. Settingyour saw to its
betweenthe postsis the sameat the top maximum depth, use the board to guide
as at the grade.Set them in concrete,as your saw as you make the cut. In this
shownon Drawingla. manner,work your way aroundthe post's
When the concretehardens,remove other three sides.Finish cutting through
the bracing from the posts.Make a the post with a handsaw.Repeatthis pro-
mark 953A"up from grade on one post. cedureon the other three posts, making
Using a straightboard and a level, trans- themevenin height.
fer this top mark to the other posts. Make four post caps (B/C), as
Measurethe offset on your portablecircu- explainedin Step2 on page 61. Set
lar saw betweenthe edee of its baseand them aside.

69
arbor/swi ng

I ururu
Jotsr
106"

I 31/z'1 1" counterbore

Post location lz" deep with as/a,'holecenteredinside

E cnossJorsr
Y

Grrt the parts for
tlre overhead grid
',,.
Cut the main joists (D) to the length
''' in the Materials List. Form the end
cutouts, shown on Drawing 2, as
explainedin Step3 on page 61. Drill the
counterbored32" holeswhereshown.
''
Cut the crossjoists (E) to the length
. in the Materials List. Form the end
cutouts, shown on Drawing 3, in the
samemanneras thosein the main joists.
'
Turn the crossjoists upsidedown on
togetherwith their endsand edgesflush.
Lay out the notch locations, where
shown on Drawing3. Form the notches,
as explainedin Step4 on page 62.
Note: Check the actual dimension of
your 6x6 posts. The spacesbetweenthe
paired notches in the cross joists (E)
must match this dimension.
$ Sandall your pergolapartswith 120-
'.ffigrit
sandpaper.Prime the parts,
including the posts, with an exterior-
grade latex primer. Take special care to
coat the end grain and the notches.When
the primer dries, lightly sand with 220-
grit sandpaper.Finish the parts with two
coatsof exteriorlatex paint.
shank holes through the crossjoists at
eachnotch.Drive 4" deckscrewsthroueh
the crossjoists into the main joists.
..*Hpritt /s" holesfor the eye bolts,cen-
";,*1;teredbetweenthe posts and in the
thickness of the cross joists, where
shownon Drawing1. Touch up the paint
whereneeded.With the paint dry, install
the eye bolts, and hangthe swing.rl
Written by Jan Svec with Kevin Boyle
Projectdesign: Kevin Boyle; James R. Downing
lllustrations:
Roxanne LeMoine;Kim Downing;
Lorna Johnson
Photographs:Baldwin Photography

Nour put it all together A posts 51/2' 51/z' f' PT

''l{] B captops
Apply construction adhesive and 11/2" 5r/z' 51/z'
- glue andscrewthe postcaps(B/C) to C capbases Vqu 41/z' 41/z'
the posts,as shownon Drawing4. D mainjoists 11/z' 51/2' 106"
*rffiClamp the main joists (D) to the
E crossioists 11/zr 51/z' 50'
r#*#posts, where shown on Drawings 1
tlengthvariesdepending
ondepthoffrostline.Seethe
and4. Make surethejoists arelevel side- instructions.
to-sideand that the front pair of joists is MaterialsKey:PT-pressuretreated
lumber,C-cedar.
level with the back pair. Using the coun- Supplies: 4"long(16),
%"lagscrews %"flatwashers
Fasten the main joists to the posts with terbored holes in the joists as guides, (32),4dgalvanized
(20),4' deckscrews finishnails,/a'
lag screws and flat washers. drill pilot holes into the posts.Drive in eyebolts8"long(2),%"nuts(2),construction
adhesive,
the lag screws,as shownin PhotoA. primer,paint,
gravel,
concretemix(approximately
5
'€$ Place the cross joists (E), where cubicfeet).
taruffshown on Drawing1. The notchesin BuyingGuide
Swingplan.Order
porch planno.WP-OFS-1002,
swing
the crossjoists fit over the mainjoists, as bycalling
$10.95, orgotoW00D
888/636-4478,
shown in Photo B. Drill countersunk PLANSo atwww.woodstore.woodmall,com,

crrtting diagrarn
A
51/zx 51lzx 144"Pressure-treated
lumber(6x6x12)(4 needed)

1 1 l z x 5 1 /xz 1 2 0 " (2x6x10)(4 needed) 3lqx51lzx24"

Drop the cross joists in place over the Cedar (1x6x2)
main joists.
(2x6x10)(3 needed)

70 WOOD rnagazine April 2002

GREAT
PROIESTS
Go from plain to pleasing
with new railings and
planter-box columns
 CARCASE
E COI.UMN

11/+"deck screws

eplacewimpy corner
posts with shingled
columns,and give 7sz"shank hole.
countersunk
your deck a solidstructurallook
and architecturalflair.Then,add
planterinsertsin the columns'
2" deck screw
tops to brightenyour deck with
floweringgreenery.
Constructedwith pressure-
treatedplywood,PVC lumber
(seethe sidebaron page 74),
and fiber-cementshingles,
thesecolumnsand railingswill
give you yearsof maintenance-
free enjoyment.And for added tr
tl
Distance
to the
grouno
m i n u s1 "
3" deck
SCTCWS

\r.-tl
strength,we builtthe railing's
top memberaround1Yz"galva-
2" deck
nizedsteelpipe.

Brrild and install

the colrrmns
Note: This section covers the installa-
tion of a columnat the corner of a deck.
The installation of a column between
corners is the same, except that three
sidesof the column must be notchedto
fit over the deck's edge. The Materials
List specifiesthe materialsfor one col-
umn and one lengthof railing.
Once you determine the length of
your columns' sides (A) (see the
sidebar, "Planning your installation"),
cut the plywood, and glue and screwthe Planrdng your installation
columns together. (We glued with We locatedplanter-box columnsat the deck's
polyurethane construction adhesive.) outsidecorners,wherethe railingsterminatenextto the
Lap the corners,as shownon Drawing1, house,and alongsidethe stepsthat descendto the yard.Also,if a lengthof
making boxes whose inside dimensions railingwouldexceed12',we addeda columnto shortenthe span.
are 15x 15" . The columnsare notchedso theiroutsidefacesextendalmostdownto
Cut the insertcleats(B) to the sizein groundlevel.This givesthem the appearanceof supportingthe deck.To
the Materials List, and attach them determinethe overalllengthof your columns'sides(A), measurefrom the
whereshown. deck surfaceto the ground,and subtract1". Add this dimensionto 41" (the
Mark lineson the deck lIt/z" in from columns'heightabovethe deck).Our deck surfaceis about 18" abovegrade,
s o we cut our si des58" l ong.To fi t the col umnsto our deck,w e then cut
the edges,thenextendthe linesdown
17"-longnotchesout of the columncarcases,shownon Drawing1. Once your
columnsare in place,measurebetweenthem for railinglengths.

wrvrv.woodonline.com 73
deck railing

VIEW
E TXPIODED
1t/2" 1/2" schedule
deck screw 4 0 g a l v a n i z e d s t e e l p i p e
1 1/2"
-\.-
deck screw
Zt/z"deck screw

7e"rabbet
t/e"deep

3t/z"deck screw

V\Ihenlumber isn't wood:

a look at cellular PVC
lf trim is goingto be painted,does it reallyneedto be
madeof wood?We askedourselvesthis questionand
decidedto try out Azek cellularPVC.Azek Trimboardsare
madefor non-load-bearing exteriortrim applications.(Seethe
BuyingGuidefor Azek dealerinformation.) They can be sawn,routed,
drilled,and sandedwith standardwoodworking tools.Theirsawn or routed
edgesare void free and have a fine densetexturecomparableto MDF.
Azekis availablein 4'-widesheetsup to 20' long in3/q"and 1" thicknesses,
and in nominallumberwidths(3r/r",51/2",71h", 91/+")18' long in 5/s",3/q",and the deck's outside face. Cut 2x4 deck
1" thicknesses.Some prefabricatedcomponents,such as the 1s/qx13/qx26" cleats(C, D, E) to size.Align theiredges
balustersused in the railings,are also available. with the markedlines,and screwthem in
Azekcan be screwed,hand-nailed, or nailedwith a nail gun. Glue it to place,as shownin PhotoA.
othermaterialsusingstandardconstruction adhesives.Bond it to itselfwith Mark thecutout,shownon Drawing1,
PVC cement.(The manufacturer recommendsGorillaPVC,a nonflammable
on the column. Guiding your saw
cementthat providesadequateworkingtime. See the BuyingGuidefor our
with a straightedge, cut out the notch,as
Go r illaP V C c em en ts o u rc e .)
Althoughthe materialis whitethroughout,and has a smoothsemigloss shownin PhotoB.
surface,the textureof cut or routededgeswill look dull,so you may want to Set the notched column over the
paintit. For best results,use high-quality 1O0%acryliclatexprimerand paint. cleats,and check it with a level for
Becauseit absorbsno moistureand is imperviousto watervapor,Azek has plumb. Secureit with deckscrewsdriven
superiorpaint-holding characteristics, and will neverrot.
is insectproof, throughthe plywood and into the cleats.

74 WOOD magazine Aprr} 2002

El nrulsEcloN UPPERRAILBRACKET

.1'
V-groove mraterials list
/e" dgep %r"shankf
@ hole,
countersunk
31/2" onfront A sides 3/q' 153/q' t PTP 4
1154a
I hole B insert
cleats 3/4' s/tu 14Vt' A
i 1/2" schedule 61/q"
C deckcleat1 1Vz' 3Vz' 15" PT
i40 galvanized
steelpipe %r"shankI D deckcleat2 11/2" 31/z' 111/2', PT
hole,
countersunk E deckcleat3 11/z' 3Vz' B1/z' PT
onback F narrow
battens 3/qu 1t/z' t
t G widebattens 3/q' 21/t' t

41/q"
strrps
H.starter 7/,16" 3/q' 54"

I shingles th' tt tr l-t/

LOWERRAILBRACKET
1/z"cove J upperrailsides 3/tu 23/q' t
1" r- 1"
K upperrailtop 1u 3t/z' t

iltl
s/e"rabbet
/a" deep L upper
21/2" stringer 1u
baluster 21/a' t

'rI -?-r
i i '.o,' li
i M lower
stringer 1
baluster 31/q' t
,/
7sz"shankhole. 21/2" rail
N lower 1u 31/z' t
on back
countersunk 0 balusters 13/t' 13/q' 26'

P
LI
/ t l
2 1/2
@ @- P railbrackets 1u 41/t' 6t/t'

, deck screw 2" Q blocking 13/q' 13h' 4'

Tse"shank hole,
&r'
,/2 cove
f

E
B
countersunk on front
_i R sides Vc' 113/q"14' A
I .._.. E
S bottom Vq' 133/c'133/q' A

v @\ I"labricate
T trimbase
U trim
3/tu 23/4' 171/2"
3/c' 3Vz' 163/q' A
A

the railing cap -Parls initrally

cutoversize.Seetheinstructions.
@ With the column carcasesin place,
tlengths or numbers of parts
determined byyourdeck's
_ g1/4".
measurethe distancebetweenthem,
requirements.
_ and subtract2" for the thicknessof the
31/2' ttCuttofit,Seetheinstructions.
two rail brackets (P), as shown on
Materials Key:PTP-pressure-treated plywood,
A-Azek
@ Drawing2. Cut the upperrail sides(J), lumber,
Trimboards PVC,PT-pressurelreated
cellular
4u upperrail top (K), upperbalusterstringer FC-fiber-cement shingles.
I (L), lower baluster stringer (M), and
lower rail (N) to this length. Rout the
$rrpplies : 11/t',11/z', 3",and3%"deckscrews;
2',21/z',

I
I coves in the lower baluster stringer,
where shown on Drawing 3 Set the
4dgalvanized
1"roofing
finish
nails;
polyurethane
4dgalvanized
nails;
1/2"schedule
constructionadhesive;
boxnails;
40galvanized steelpipe;
maskingtape;
latexwoodfiller;acrylic latexprimer; latexpaint;
acrylic
packing peanuts; potting
soil.Forthebaluster'spacing
jig,you'llneedtwo1/cx4x5" pieces of hardboard
and
E!,,, eighlshxe/ox7t/2"woodcleats.
'bb Buying Guide
Bits,%"covebitwithtzb"
shank,no.8643,$16;1rslr6"
bitno.9228,
Forstner $13.95.MLCS, P0 Box4053,
Rydal,PA19046-6053.Call800/533-9298,orgoto
mlcswoodworking.com.
PVC.ForAzekTrimboards
Cellular information,
ca,,
Vycom at 800/235-8320,or goto www.azek.com.
- * , ;N
, "w anddeckcomponents,
Forbalusters
www.deckandporchsupply.com.
goto

PVCcement. 32-ounce PVCcement,

canGorilla no.R'
3200, Gorilla
$16,95. PVCCement LLC,POBox
848969, FL33084,
Hollywood, orcall888/367-4583.
Fiber-cementshingles.ForHardieShingleside
,i'.f 'x', ', Single
Heritage Shingleproductanddealerinformation,
'y' .- callJamesHardie Products,
Building or
888/542-7343,
Fasten the cleats (C, D, E) to the deck To guide your saw, temporarilynail a gotowww.jameshardie.com/shingleside.htm.
with 3"-long deck screws. short, straight board to the column.

wwwwoodonline,com 75
deck railing
upper balusterstringer (L), lower balus-
ter stringer(M), and lower rail (N) aside.
{} Chuck a3/q"straightbit in your table-
fr mountedrouter, and rout s/s"rabbets
Va"deepin the upperrail sides(J), where
shown on Drawing 3. Clamp the upper
rail sides together, separatedby tempo-
rary 2x2" spacers,as shownin Photo C.
Make sure the rabbetsface inward and
the endsof the rail sidesare even.
Q SpreadPVC cementon the top edges
t#of the rail sides.Slide the upperrail
top (K) underthe clamps,and secureit to
the sides with masking tape. Make sure
the endsand edgesare flush.
,1{ With the cement set, remove the
'ttape.
Using your table-mounted
router and tablesaw, follow the four
steps shown on Drawing 4 to form the
upper rail. Sand the saw blade marks
from the top bevel, and blend the round-
overs into the beveledsurfaces.Remove
the spacers,and set the railing cap aside.
AssermJrle
a strrrdy balrrstnde
I To figure the number of balusters
I tOl you need, make a "story pole"
about I' longer than the length of your
railing, and mark it off in 53/q"intervals.
(The maximum allowable spacebetween
the 13/+xlz/+" balustersis 4".) Shift the
pole back and forth on one baluster
stringer until you can locate balusters
equally spaced no more than 3" from
eachend.(3" plus the 1"-thickrail brack-
et equals the 4" maximum spacing.)
Count the number of neededbalusters.
Clamp 2x2" scrap blocks between the
upper rail sides (J) to keep them proper-
ly spaced and parallel.
76
E ronurNcTHERAILING
cAP
STEP 4
Routthe edges.
1/a"round-over
bit
5/e"rabbets
1/e"deep
(previously
cut)
(We purchasedthe prefabricatedAzek
balusters mentioned in the sidebar on
page 74. Seethe Buying Guide to find an
Azek dealernear you.)
S fo make baluster spacing/centering
#*iigs, cut two Vqx4x5" hardboard
spacers and eight tAx/cx7v2" cleats.
Glue and clamp together the upper and
lower jigs, as shownon Drawing5.
{} Mark the upper and.lower baluster
tlstringer (L, M) centers(if you have
an odd number of balusters),or 27/e"to
one side of the centers(if you have an
Use the spacing jigs to maintain 4"
spaces between balusters and keep
them centered on the stringers.
STEP3
Sawthetopbevels.
Blade tilted 8" from vertical
45" V-groovebit
STEP 1
Rout the grooves.
STEP2
Routthecoves.
t/2"cove bit
evennumberof balusters).Drill pilot and
countersunk shank holes, and cement
and screwthe first balusterin place,cen-
tering it on the widths of the stringers.
Then use the jigs to position the rest of
the balusters, as shown in Photo D,
cementing and screwing them in place.
In the finished rail, the railing cap's rab-
beted sides fit over the top baluster
stringer,housing a length of 1/z" galva-
nized steel pipe, as shown in Photo E.
The cap will be cementedin place after
the balustersectionis installed.
The hollow space formed by the railing
cap and upper baluster stringer houses
a fength of 1lz" galvanized steel pipe.
WOOD magazine April 2002
Install tlre railing
ft Cementandclampthe lowerrail (N) to
#' ttre lower baluster sninger Qvt). Cut
four rail brackets (P) for each section of
railing. With a Forstrer bit, drill ltsAe"
holes in the upper pair, where shown on
Drawing3a. (SeettreBuying Guidefor a bit
source.) Then drill countersunk shank
holes,whereshownon Drawings3aand3b.
Cement and screw the brackets to the
ends of the upper and lower baluster
stringers,where shown on Drawing3.
ffi Slide the railing sectionbetweenthe
#previously installed columns. With
the bottom rail bracketsresting directly
on the deck, screw the brackets to the
columns,where shownon Drawing2.
S Using the hole in the upper rail
q"#bracket(P) as a guide, drill a ltsAe"
hole through the column side, as shown
in Photo F. Mark a correspondingcen-
terpoint on the corner column's opposite
side, and drill anotherhole.
ffi Measure the distance between two
''r$g61umns.
Add the thicknessof two
column sides.Cut lVz" galvanizedsteel
pipe to this length. Feed it through the
first column, over the balusterassembly,
and into the secondcolumn, as shown in
Photo G. The pipe must engage the
columns' plywood sidesat both ends of
the railing.
*,;i Cut pieces of baluster stock for the
-t*#?blocking(Q), and centerthem under
every fourth baluster space.Drill coun-
tersunk shank holes through the lower
stringer/rail assembly,and drive in the
screws.as shownin Photo H.
Guided by the hole in the upper bracket,
hole through the column.
drilf a 115/rs"
Repeatat the railing's other end.
www.woodonline.corn
p sencrNc/cENTERtNc
Jtcs
Position
of@
Centerline
3/+xs/qx7t/2"rails
1/qx4x5"
hardboard
i -------------------r
r l
'F--15/8"+-
--------------------
15/8"--d
UPPERJIG END VIEW LOWERJIG END VIEW
l/qx4 x 5" hardboard
Vqxs/c x7t/2" rail
UPPER/LOWERJIGS SIDE VIEW
ffi Center the pipe so its ends are flush ffi Rip one 54" length of starter strip
%,#with the insides of the columns. t"# (H) for eachcolumn. From this strip,
SpreadPVC cementon the railing cap's cut piecesto fit around the bottom of the
bottom inside rabbets and slide the cap column. Nail them in place with 4d gal-
over the pipe, seating it on the upper vanized box nails. Where the column is
balusterstringer. notched around the deck, install the
strips on the horizontal portions. Leave
Shingte the colrrrnlr Vq"betweenthe strips and the decking.
$ Measuring the column's corners for ffi Now, calculate your shingle needs.
-& their lengths, cut 'the narrow and r#' The V+"-thick I 8"-long fiber-cement
wide battens (F, G) to size. Glue and shinglesthat cover the columns come in
clamp them together,forming L-shaped 6", 8", and 12" widths. Because the
assemblies.Nail them to the columns width of our sidesis l3vz", we usedonly
with 4d galvanizedfinish nails. the 6" and 8" widths. (See the Buying
A hole in the column face opposite the To prevent sagging install 4"-long
railing facilitates the installation of the pieces of baluster stock between the
1lz" galvanized steel pipe. deck and bottom rail assembly.
77
 deck railing
E PUlrER INSERT
2" deck screw
1 13/q"
7sz"shankhole 3/q"dado V+"deep
countersunk 3/q"ftom bottom edge
Guide for shingleinformation.)Using a
7Vc" carbide-tippedblade in a tablesaw,
we cut the lengthsin half, making 8ts/te"-
long shingles.
First you'll needto figure out the shin-
gle course spacing,then count the total
number of courseson all the columns.
To do this. divide the column's total
height by 7Vz" (the optimum exposure),
then stretch or shrink the exposure to
obtain consistentcoursestop to bottom.
Try to maintain a 7t/+--73/q"exposure
(lV4-134" course overlap). Keep the
courselines even all aroundeachcolumn
Starter strips nailed to the bottom of
each column side give the first course
of shingles the appropriate slope.
78
and from column to column. To keep the
courseseven where the columns notch
over the deck, you may have to cut short
coursesof shingles.When counting the
courses,include any short ones. Now,
divide the total number of courses by
two. (You're getting two 81%0"-long
shingles out of each l8"-long one.)
Finally, divide this numberby two, and
purchasethis many each of the 6x18"
and 8x18" shingles.
/ Use one 6"- and one8"-wide shingle
tp"r course,trimming the 6" shingleto
fit. Fastenthem with consffuctionadhe-
sive and 1" roofing nails, maintainingthe
proper exposure,as shown in Photo l.
Staggerthe joints in successivecourses.
As you shingle the column, notch the
shingles around the rail brackets.Keep
the shingles Vq" off the deck. Because
nothing overlaps the top course, trim
theseshinglesto the exposurelength.
Make the planter inserils
I Cut the planter sides (R) and the
I planterbottom (S) to the sizeslisted.
Install a3/c" dadobladein your tablesaw,
and cut the Vq"-deepdadoesin the sides,
where shown on Drawing 6. Drill a half-
dozen Vq" drain holes in the bottom.
Clamp the bottom and sides together,
and drill pilot and countersunk shank
holes, where shown. Disassemblethe
box, apply PVC cement to the mating
surfaces,and screw it together.
The planterInsertsin the top of each
columnlift out for easymaintenance.
*)Cutthe trim base(T) and trim (U) to
ksize. Clamp the trim base to the
insert sides, butting the corners, as
shown on Drawing 6. Drill pilot and
countersunk shank holes through the
sides(R) into the trim base.Remove the
trim, apply PVC cement to the mating
surfaces,and screw the parts in place.
QSpread PVC cementon the trim base
rJ(T), and clamp the trim (U) in place.
To add strength,overlap the corners in
the opposite direction, as shown. When
the cement cures, sand the edges of T
and U flush. then rout the Va" round-
overs on the top and bottom edges.
finish up with a coat of
paint arrd add plants
1 Apply a coat of acrylic latex primer
I to the railings and columns. Prime
only the planterinsert'strim base(T) and
trim (U). Finish with an acrylic latex top-
coat. We painted the columns to match
the house's siding and trim colors, then
paintedthe railing a warm off-white.
9To ensure good drainage, place
&rabout 3" of plastic packing peanuts
in the bottoms of the planter inserts,then
fill them to about 1" from the top with
potting soil. Lower them into the
columns, and put in your plants.tl
Written by Jan Svec with Kevin Boyle
Projectdesign: Kevin Boyle;James R. Downing
lllustrations:Roxanne LeMoine; Kim Downing;
Lorna Johnson
Photographs:Baldwin Photography
WOOD rnagazine April 2002
 GREAT
PROIECTS

his wall-or fence-

hungtrellisdresses
up any outdoorarea,
l
providingan attractive
,.r

,"ffi
"i .r"I
for a climbing
background
plant.But the realbeautyis
in its simpleconstruction.
n@t
Lay orrt and shape the
rrprights and crossbars
, \ o t e : B c , q i t.tt r t t r t 1' t t ' r t .li tt' tt l l l t t ' l t t t t t l t c r -
t'ttrtl itt' .sclct'titrg .stockt'ru't'titllt.,'\ll tltc
ltttt'l.s Irtt'tItc trcIIi.;.lt'(un(,('()tn(, .ft'()tntv ()
l0'-lortq t ttlttr 2x1.;. Lrxtk lltr ltottnf.s
t t ' i t l t . s t t ' t t i , q l,tqt r u i t t ; r ' i t l t n o r ' ( r r po t '
1 r l i 1 , ' t u t l i l ' i t l t r t t t k t t r t t .ost ' . s t r r u l lt.i , q l t t
l r n r ) l sl l t t t l r r o t t ' t 1 t o 1ott t l . , \ l . s ol t i t ' k t t l tt t
- --ru J' t'cdur 1x.1.urttl tt 21x18" slrcetof ltrt-
ticc. (II/c tt.sadltlu.stiLlultit t' irt Lr.stlLtttt't'
I t , ' 2 "1 1 1 111' 1 t tt1.n,u i l u l t l c i t t l t o n t t '( ( ' n l ( ' t ' .)\ .
Rin trio l0'lx-ls into Ii,:xlf':"-riiclc
ffi
rq
s t r i p s .T h c n c r o s s c L tr ht c s t r i p st o t h c
l c n s t h s l i s t c c li n t h e \ { a t e r i a l s L i s t a n c l
D r a w i n g 1 a t 0 c r c u t ct h c u p r . i - u h (t A s . Bt
a n t l c n r s s b l r r (- C s - .D ) .
L a r o r r ta r r cnl r a r l it h e l o c a t i o n so l ' t h e
cllrclocsin cach 1-riccc. ri hc-r'cclinrcn-
sioneclin Drawing 1a. N'larktlrc arei.rto
b c r c r l o r c c l n i t h a n " X " t o l ) r ' c c\ n t c o n -
t'Lrsion uhcn vou nrr.ichinc thc-clrcloes.
l n s t l l l l " + " c l l c k rb l a c l ei n v o r t rt a b l c -
sW s r l \ \ ' . l t n r l c l l t n t p a r . + ' - t h i c l ' s. c t t t l t
i'1 "G% b l o el . 1 ol l r c f ' c i r c ca. b o L ril' a h c a col l ' t h c
_i
b l u c l c ., \ l s o . a t t i r c ha n a L r r i l i u r ' \c \ t e n -
s i o r .tro r o r . l rn r i t c r g i . r L r St oc l t c l p \ u l l l ) ( ) r ' t
%' rqI
I
thc long ri orl.,picccs.
N o u c u t t h c I ' i r s tc l a r k ri n o n c o f t h c
-l'o
I o n u L r p r i r h t s( A ) . do this.position
t h c l c r r c cs o t h c s c t L l lb) l o c k i s t h c u p p r o -
l " r r i u trcl i s t u n c cl l ' o r nt h e t r l u c l c( 7 " l i r ' p l r t
, \ ) . F l L r ti h t c c n c lo l ' t h cr i o r k p i c c cu g u i n s t
t h c s c t L r lb- lro c k .t h en n i l t k co n c l l l s s o \ c r '

'#F
""*iFf *, ."*'e{iw:
WOOD magazine

,Lrj \*,
 1/2" dadoes 3/4"deep

oc

631/2"
l[ onooLAYour
1t/q" deck
SCTCW
,1'/?"
11/2"

kr 11/2"
31/2"

J,,,
561/2" Tsz"shankhole,
countersunkon back side
1 281/z' I
7sz" pilot hole t/2"deep 25

1/qx157/ax157/a"
lattice panel I
g/0"shank hole
561/z
___l
'/4
a / l l

-T
|'t/q" deck screw

_) II
t/qx157/ax1St/a" 25
latticepanel
-l
t/2" rabbets't/+" deep
81/z'
1/2"-1.Dx .1 " 31/2"
copper pipe coupling

1tl2" dadoes
-_12"_4 s/+" deeP
L F-7"--1 |

/;;v'
1t/2.
T

*g7r"-(fr 1tl" dadoes

s/+"deeP
7sz"shankhole. 31/2"1+
Il exploDED
VIEW countersunk
| l--

1 1/2u

the blade.as shownin Photo A. Pull the

Butt the workpiece against the setup
block, holding it securely against the
miter gauge. Then make the first cut.
For the second pass, butt the workpiece
against the fence. This doubles the dado
width without a setup change.
workpiece and miter gauge back, slide
the workpiece against the fence, and
make anotherpassto completethe dado,
as shownin Photo B. Flip the pieceend-
for-end and repeatthe process.Then cut
the matching dadoesin the other long
upright using the samesetup.
lrir Repositionthe fence/setupblock and
".ii:,cutthe rest of the dadoesin the long
uprights(A) using the sameprocedures.
Then dado the short uprights (B), long
crossbars(C), and shortcrossbars(D).
Note: The locations of the first two
dadoes in the long uprights(A) match
those in the long crossbars (C). Cut

wwur.woodonline. corn
one terrific trellis

tltese pieces consecutively 7o eliminate dadoesfacing up. This will be the back
ertra fence setups. The dadoes irt the side.Lay the shorluprights(B) just out-
short uprights (B) und the short cross- side the long uprights.Now spreadan
bars (D) nmtc'h one another as well. exterior-grade glue in the dadoes.Join
the long and short crossbarsto the
Assernble, add lattice uprightswith the dadoesfacingdown to
panels, and rrlourrt lock the piecestogether.Usingthe shank
Predrill7r:" countersunk shankholes holesin thecrossbars asguides,drill-7::"
through the long crossbars(C) and pilot holesinto the uprights.Then secure
shortcrossbars(D) befbregluing them to eachjoint with a | /+" deck screw.
the uprights.Centertheseholes in the Chuck a t/2" rabbetingbit in your
dadoes,whereshownin Drawing1. handheldrouter,and setit to make a
Lay the long uprights(A) on a flat t/t"-deepcut. Rabbetthe squareareasof
surface,about 16" apartand with the the trellis frame to receive the lattice
panels, where shown in Drawing 1.
Squareup the cornersusinga chisel.Cut
mrlcE/sroP TNSTALLATToN lattice panelsto fit the rabbetedopen-
B
s/oq"pilot hole ings,but don't installthem yet.
r/z"rabbel Use your handheldrouter,equipped
t/q"deep with a chamfering bit, to rout a
t/1" chamfer along each edge of the
Attach all four mounting screws loosely
#6 x 3/q" 4'-long lx4. Then rip a l"-wide strip at first, then snug them down to hold
panhead from each edge of the board. Chamfer the trellis firmly to the wall.
t'-tfi;it"t"l
and rip one edgeof the remaininglx4
SCTCW
againso you end up with threetAxlx49" Hold the spacers between the trellis and
s/0" shank hole
chamferedstrips.Miter-cutthe stripsto wall, and secure the trellis with 4" deck
length to create the lattice stops (E). screws, as shown in Photo C. JP
Attach the stops to the trellis frame
Writtenby DavidStonewithCharlesl. Hedlund
1/qx157/ex157/a"
using 4d galvanizedfinish nails, where Projectdesign:Charlesl. Hedlund
latticepanel shownin Drawing2. lllustrations:
RoxanneLeMoine;LornaJohnson
Stain or paint the trellis as you Photographs:BaldwinPhotography
prefer.(We paintedoursto matchthe
exterior trim on the house where it is
installed.)Then mountthe latticepanels
to the frame,whereshownin Drawing2.
4d galvanized To mountthe trellisto the wall, first A- longuprights 11/z' 11/z' 631/z' C
f i n i s hn a i l dnll sAt" countersunkshank holes B-shortuprights 11/z' 11/z'561/z' C
throughthe long uprightsfor the mount- C*lonocrossbars 1l/zu 11/z' 42' C
ing screws,whereindicatedin Drawing1.
D-shorlcrossbars 11/2' 11/z' 35' C
Temporarily position the trellis, then
E- latticestoos 3/qu 1" 15' C
pushan awl or long nail throughthepilot .Parts
holesto mark the locationsof pilot holes initially Seetheinstructions.
cutoversize.
on the wall. To hold thetrellis awayfrom MaterialKey:C-cedar.
the wall, we used spacersmade from Supplies: woodglue,
Exterior paint
exterior orstain,
157/ax157/a" panels
lattice (2),4dgalvanized
finishnails
standard copper plumbing-pipe cou-
(16),1/+ deckscrews(24),4' deckscrews
(4),#6xth"
plings (t/:" inside diameterx 1" long) panhead sheet-metal
screws (12),
%"-1.D.x1"
copper
purchasedat the local hardware store. pipecouplings(4).

crrttirrg diagrarrr 3/qx 31/zx 48" Cedar (1x4x4)

/4,
\D/

1 1 / 2 x 3 1 /xz 1 2 0 " C e d a r ( 2 x 4 x 1 0 )

1 1 / zx 3 1 / zx 1 2 0 " C e d a r ( 2 x 4 x 1 0 )

82 WOOD magazine April 2002

 ometimes. it's easier to take the
tool to the work than the other way
around. That's why we have a
well-worn portable circular saw in our
shop. and we'll bet you do. too. For large
bLrilt-in-placeprojects, snch as the out-
door projects in this issue, a circ saw is
worth its weight in -eold.Meanwhile, in
the shop. it earns its keep by helping
break down sheet -9oodsinto tablesaw-
rnana-ueable sizes.
Circr,rlarsaws come in two basic vari-
eties-helical-drive rnodels (sometimes
called "sidewinders")and worm drive-
with blades ran,ein-ufrom 4" to 16" in
diar-neter.and costing anywhere between
$30 and $700. For this test. we focr:sed
or.lsaws with 7 t/+"bliides and drawin-g I 3
to l-5 amps.Tl'resetools provide the best
balanceol'power. price. por-tability.and
versatility. Also. you'll find the widest
selectionof specialtybladesin this size.
for cr"rttin-gnon-wood materials. such as
concrete.tile. and metal pipe.
Torrgh testing
for torrgh tools
To make certain we evaluatedthe saws
and not the bladesthat came with them.
rve first set aside each saw's supplied
blade and installed identical 24-tooth.
carbide-tipped Freud Diablo blades.
We bevel-cutthin strips of medium-den-
sity fiberboard to test each saw's lower
blade guard for hang-ups.
After a short motor break-in, we got to
work ripping pressure-treated2x8s. as
shown in the photo opposite-a
denianding task for any saw. While
pushin-ethe saw to the point that it was
under heavy load, but not ready to stall,
we timed a 5' rip. This test was per-
formed three times with each saw. and
times averaged.
the cr"rttin-e
Next. becausethe blade guards on cir-
cular saws harvea repr.rtationfor hanging
up when cuttin-ubevels, we made sever-
al %"-wide cllts tn 34" medium-density
fiberboard (MDF) at both 22.5' and 45"
(Photo A). We're happy to report that
none of the guards hun-eup in this test or
in -generaluse.
To see how dust would impact the
saw's workings, we made 50 crosscuts
with each saw in 8"-wide cement-and-
cellulose siding, a notoriously dusty
material. Again, all of the saws passed
this test with no apparent effect on
motors, bearings,or blade guards.
Finally, we spent a month just using
the saws; sometimes with the supplied
blade, sometimes with the Diablo blade;
cutting freehand and guided by a
straightedge. We even made pocket
(plunge) cuts in oriented-strand board
(OSB) and oak plywood. This month of
"playing" gave us a -9oodfeel for the set-
tings, adjustments,and how easy it is to
follow a cutline.
What to look for
in a good circrrlar saw
.Powerfulmotor. A circular saw's
ampere ratin-etells you how much elec-
trical current the motol'uses.but it can't
tell you how well the saw uses it. The
First to the Finish Line chart on the ne.r/
page does. For example, the l3-amp
Bosch 1657 made a 5' rip cut in pres-
sllre-treatedlumber faster than all of the
l5-amp models in the test except the
Milwaukee 6390-21.

What about rnlorrn drives?

Unlik et he hel i c a l -d ri vmo
e d e l si n o u r te s t,w o rm-dri ve
saws,such as the Skil 77 shownbelownElhlput the
m ot orm or ebe h i n dth e b l a d eth a n b e s i d ei t. T h e name
"wormdrive"comesfrom the worm gear on the motor
shaftthat transfersthe powerto the bladearbor.
Thesesaws are popularwith contractorsbecause
t heirs lowers p e e d(u s u a l l ya ro u n d4 ,0 0 0rp m ,com-
paredto the 5,000-5,800rpm of a helical-gear saw)
m eanshigherto rq u e T . h e l o n g ,n a rro wb o d yo f the tool
also givesthe operatora longerreachand allowsthe
saw to get into spotstoo tightfor a sidewinder, where
the motorsticksout one side.
However,worm-drivesaws weigh3-8 poundsmore
than the saws in our test.And their pricetags are no
ei ther,starti ngat about$165and runn ing
l i ghtw ei ghts
as highas $250 (ourtestedhelical-gear saws range
makesmor e
from$80 to $165).A l l i n al l ,a si dew i nder
sensefor woodworkingand occasionalremodeling.

With its motor shaft perpendicularto the blade arbor, rather than parallel to it, a worm-drive saw (rightl is longer and
narrower than a helical-gearsaw (/eff).

www.woodonline. corn 85
circ saw tool test
F I R S T T O T H EF I N I S HL I N E
Rip-cutting speed reveals power
of 3 cutsin pressure-treated
(average
MAKITAsOOTNHK
RYOBICSB1SOK
If you useyour circularsaw day in and
day out, you'll eventuallyneedto replace
the motor's brushes, and the Hitachi
C7BD, Makita 5007NHK, and Porter-
Cable 347K allow you to change the
brushesfrom the outsideof the casewith-
out disassembling the saw.
,Easy cutting-depth adjustments.
Although all of the testedmechanisms
worked smoothly, we found plenty of
differencesin the ease of using them.
First, the locationof the depthlocks var-
ied. We gavelower marksto the Hitachi,
Makita, and Ryobi CSB130K,wherethe
locking lever is betweenthe saw's han-
86
2x pine)
3.4
seconds
perfoot
4.7
seconds
perfoot
Depth-locking leverslocatedbetween
4.7 the handleand bladeguardare awkward
seconds to operatewith the left handwhilehold-
per foot ing the saw in your right.
Porter-Cable(Photo D). And, although
you can adjustthe 0' bevel stopon all of
4.7 the saws,only two-Makita and Porter-
seconds
per foot Cable-provide calibration screws for
the 45' stops.
As for the bevellocks,we preferlevers
4.3 to thumbscrews,which often put your
seconds fingers into tight spots.Bosch,DeWalt,
per foot Makita, and Milwaukee uselever locks.
,Stnmpedfoot.The baseof a circular saw
is called its "foot" (or sometimes,
3.4 "shoe"),andmostof thesefeethavegone
seconds high-tech.Only Ryobi still uses a steel
per foot foot, while the other modelssport a foot
of stampedaluminum, cast aluminum,
magnesium,or compositeplastic.
4.7 When dropped, a stamped foot may
seconds bend,but a castor compositefoot is more
per foot
likely to break. A bend can be straighr
ened; a broken foot must be replaced,
which could meandowntimeon a project.
5.8
seconds
per foot
dle and the upper blade guard, as shown
in Photo B.
Most of the sawshave a depth-of-cut
scale,but some are easierto read than
others. See the model-by-model sum-
maries for specifics,but Ryobi's depth
scale(Photo G) readseasierthan any of
the othersin the test.
.Convenient beveling. All of the saws
will bevel at least45o, and most can go
beyond. Getting past the 45o stop, on
those saws that have them, can be as
simple as slipping past a ball-bearing
Clearly marked graduations make set-
detent on the DeWalt DW369, or as ting the correct cutting depth easy with
clunky as the bevel-stopsleeveon the the Ryobi CSB130K.This saw also had
the most marked graduations.
WOOD rnagazine April 2002

Porter-Cable'sbevel-stopsleeverotates
to openthe bevelscaleabove45'and
below0'. However,thereare no mark'
ings to indicatewhetherthe stop is in
placeor not.
Some saws also come in a left-bladed
configuration that allows an unimpeded
view of the blade and cutline (see the
chart onpage 88). However, this config-
uration places the wide part of the foot
and the weight of the tool on the waste
piece during cutting instead of the
"keeper" piece, which can contribute to
inaccuratecuts.
'score
DeWalt and Milwaukee high
marks here, partly due to large openings
in the foot, and partly becausetheir front
handles don't interfere with your line of
sight at 0o or 45o bevel. Ryobi's viewing
window (Photo F) allows you to get
closer to the sight line while minimizing Insteadof an open space,Ryobiincor-
the splatter of dust in your face. poratesa dust-deflectingwindowfor
viewingthe cutline.lt remainedsurpris'
ingly clearthroughoutour tests.

.Safe blade guard,. The lower blade

guard should retract automatically in
most sifuations, but some procedures,
such as pocket cuts, and thin-strip
bevels and rips, require that you manu-
ally retract the guard. Bosch's unique
remote lift lever (Photo E) keeps your
hand well away from the blade when
pulling back the guard. Four of the test-
ed saws-Bosch, DeWalt, Milwaukee,
and Ryobi-have mechanisms that
automatically retract the guard slight$
when the foot is tilted to 45o or beyond,
reducing the risk of the guard hanging
up on such cuts.
c Good sightlines. The blade mounts on
the right side of the motor on all of the
tested saws, so right-handedusers must
sight the cutline through a'gap between
the body of the saw and the blade guard.
This leverretractsthe lower bladeguard
of the Bosch 1657so you don't haveto
reachdown aroundthe bladewhen mak-
ing pocketcuts.
Bosch 1657
8771i267-2499
www.boschtools.com
Besidesranking as one of the most pow-
erful saws in the test, the 1657 also
offers nice feafures, such as its remote
guard lift, an electric blade brake that
stops the blade within two secondsof
releasing the trigger, and handy on-
board storage for the blade-changing
wrench. The spring-steel45o-bevelstop
feels positive and is easyto defeatwhen
necessary.
Two sets of markings on the depth-of-
cut scale let you set either the actual cut-
ting depth, or the thickness of material
you're cutting. However, the scaleis hard
to read from the back of the saw because
the markings face the handle. We had to
look through the handle to use the scale.
At 12.3 pounds, the Bosch 1657 is
almost half a pound heavier than the
next-heaviest,the Craftsman. It's also
the loudest in the test, tied with Ryobi.
Craftsman 27108
Visit your local Searsstore or
www.sears.com/craft sman
There's an awful lot to like about this
circular saw, starting with its price:
$100. The comfortable soft-grip materi-
al on the handle, and the large,
well-placed, loop front handle (like
those found on wonn-drive saws) gave
us good control of the tool, in spite of its
11.9-poundheft.
The 27108 could be improved,
though, by changing the bevel and
depth-of-cutlocks from thumbscrewsto
levers. Also, although the depth scaleis
numbered from 23/a"to l3/q", there are
no numbered markings from IVz" on
down, making it more difficult to set the
depth for thinner stock. A 1/4" dust pott
comeswith the.27108,but the weight of
our vac hose often detached the port
from the saw.

www.woodonline.com 87
 circ saw tool test

Hitachi CTBD You do get an electric blade brake,

DeWalt DW369
800/433-9258
www.dewalt.com
This saw covers all the angleswhen it
comesto beveling,with its 56' capacity
(the most in the test) and 1o increments
on the bevel scale. (Most scalesoffer
only 5o markings.)Ball-bearingdetents
mark 22.5" and 45o bevels, and we
found it easyto overridethem. We also
like the substantial locking levers on
both the bevel and depthmechanisms.
The plastic compositefoot keeps the
weight of the tool down, making the
DW369 the second-lightestsaw in the
test. And, as we mentionedearlier, the
tool providesgood visibility of the cut-
line at all angles.Like the Bosch, this
saw has an electric blade brake.
800/546-1666 though. And our Canadianreaderswill
www.hitachi.com/powertools appreciatethe depth-of-cutscalemarked
We really like the way this saw helped in both metric and English.
us follow a line. With most of the other
tested saws, we were able to hold the
line well enoughwith a little attention.
But the CTBD tracks a straight cutline
almosteffortlessly.
Beyond that, though, this is a saw in
needof updating.For example,the bevel
angle maxes at 45o, making it the only
sawthat doesn'tgo beyond.And without
soft-grip material, or even molded tex-
ture, the smoothplastic handlesslipped
in sweatyhandsduring our tests.We'd
also like to see the thumbscrew bevel
lock replacedwith a lever. Makita 5007NHK
8001462-5482
www.makitatools.com
This saw turned in the second-best time
in our 5'-rip test, and the secondlowest
weight. The 5007NHK boasts beefy
locking levers and a fine-adjustment
screwfor the 45o stop. And, going past
the 45" stop is easy,thanksto a simple
knob that you turn to openthe way to the
full 50" bevel scale. The factory-
equippedbladeis coatedwith a nonstick
materialthat reducesthe amountof sunk

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NOTES: For specifications on other types of tools, click on

1. (.) Electric-brakemodel also available. 2. (CA) Cast aluminum
("-) No-brakemodel also available. (SA) Stampedaluminum
(C) Composite
(SS) Stampedsteel
(M) Magnesium
"Tool Gomparisons" at www.woodmall.com
s. !excetlent Measured24" trom saw equippedwith 6. (R) Rip fence
standardblade. (D) Dust-collectionport
(C) Case
@oooo (P) ThermoplasticPVC
ffirait (R) Rubber 7. (LIFE) Lifetimewarrantyagainst
factory defects.

WOOD rnagazine Aprll 2002

building up on the blade and causing saw trackednice and straight with virtu-
friction, a plus if you do much work with ally no effort on our part. The 6390-21
pressure-treated lumber. also comesin a blade-on-leftconfigura-
We were surprised to find that the tion. The model we testeddoesn'thave
5007NHK doesn't have a depth-of-cut an electric blade brake, but a sister
scale.Although we didn't think we'd use model(6394-21,$190)does.
thesescalesmuch, we quickly came to The unique Tilt-Lok handle can be
rely on them, and we missedthe conve- locked in any of eight positions to keep
nienceon this saw. The 5007NHK also your hand at approximately the same
comesin a left-bladedversion. angle for any cutting depth. As much as
the tilting ability, though, we like the
comfortable soft-grip material found on
both the front and rearhandles.Although
the 6390-21has no bevel stops,its scale
is marked in 1o increments like the Ryobi CSB130K
DeWalt.And it's theonly scalein the test 8001525-2579
that's markedon the back, so it can be www.ryobitools.com
read from the normal operatingposition. The CSB130Kis everythingyou expect
in an $80 circular saw, and a little bit
more. As we mentionedbefore,we like
its depth-of-cutscale and cutline-view-
ing window. However,in our 5'-rip test,
this saw took nearly twice as long to
Milwaukee6390-21 make the cut as the top performersin our
8771279-7819 test (which, not coincidentally, cost
www.mil-electric-tool.com nearlytwice as much).
From its excellentpower, to its heavy- This tool sharessome features of the
duty lockinglevers,to its middling$155 more expensivesawsin the test,suchas
price tag, we liked almost everything a dust port (with an odd 1%" diameter),
about the 6390-21.Like the Hitachi, this a blade guard that retractsslightly at 45"
bevel, and onboard wrench storage.
Porter-Cable 347K Unfortunately,the CSB130Kalsoshares
800/487-8665 some of their foibles. such as noise
www.porter-cable.com (Bosch), smooth handles(Hitachi), and
ACCESSORIES Perhapsthe most notablefeatureof the the absenceof bevel stops(Milwaukee).
(6)
347K is the dust-collectiontube, which
A rorrnd of applause
l^ll
/s acceptsa standard 1/+" vacuum hose,
/>
sproutingfrom the top front of the upper for the top circ san ts
t@
blade guard.Where a vac isn't conve- Milwaukee's 6390-21 offers almost
lFt
lu, I
nient, the tube directs debris anywhere everything we're looking for in a circ
//' ./q/ you want, which we found handy when saw: lots of power, straight-as-an-alrow

#F
t4t
o
e
rRlr/s/i working outdoorson breezydays.
The 347K is also the only saw in the
tracking,and a boatloadof performance-
enhancingfeaturesat a reasonableprice.
e6
F
q

c,R 1 yr.
f/=-.
U 12.3 $1s5 N/A
testwith a bypassable stopat 0o bevel,as
well as the typical 45' stop. With the
bevel stoprotatedout of the way, you can
DeWalt's DW369 trades a little power
for bevel stops at 22.5o and 45o, and
doesit for about$20 less.
c,D 1yr. 1 1. 9 1 0 0 N/A back-bevelasmuch as-3o,or bevelup to If you don't think you'll use a circular
48'. Although similar in function to the saw often enoughto justify the cost of
c 1 yr. U 1 1. 2 1 3 5 N/A
stopon the Makita, it's lessintuitive and the DeWalt or Milwaukee, the
D,R 1 yr. J 1 1 . 1 165 N/A
requires2t/z tums of the locking thumb- Craftsman27108will fill the bill nicely
c R 1 yr. U 1 1. 2 1 6 0 r007NLl($160
for you. For occasionaluse,we canover-
screwto rotateit in or out of position.
R LIFE U 1 1. 6 1EE 6391-21l$155
All of the tested saws have spindle look the thumbscrewlocks.i
c,D R 1 yr. U 1 1. 1 1 3 0 743Kl$130 locks for changing blades, but the
c Writtenby Dave Gampbellwith Kirk Hesse
C,D 2 yr. 1 1. 5 80 N/A 347K's is in a tight spot between the Photographs:Baldwin Photography
front handle and the upper blade guard,
making it more difficult to accessthan
8. (U) UnitedStates
(C) China the others. However, we'll give P-C Visit wur,',w.woodonline. cofir to
(S) Singapore
credit for including onboard storagefor talk about circular saws with
9. All saws weighedwith identicalbladesinstalled. other woodworkers.
the bladewrench.
10. Pricescurrentat time of article'sproduction.

www.woodonline.corn 89
 the vyoodrruorkers
whobuilt
Hy
Look beyond the Statue of Liberty's metal exterior and
you'll find the handiwork of skilled woodworkers.
t was a grand day that Fourth of
July in 1884 when the Statueof
Liberty was presented to the
United Statesin a ceremonyheld at the
Gaget, Gauthieret Companiefoundry
outside Paris. There, for eight years
underthe directionof sculptorFr6d6ric-
Auguste Bartholdi, nearly 200,000
pounds of copper had been meticu-
lously formedinto the panelsthat
a, would becomeLady Liberty.
I Though all the attentionmay
have gone to the shiny metal-
work-then as brieht as a new
penny-it was the scores of
French woodworkers and carpen-
ters behind the scenesthat made it all
possible. On these shores, it took
American woodworking know-how
before the statue could take its place of
honor in New York Harbor.
A statrre like no other
Because the statue is constructed almost
entirely of copper and steel, it may be
t{
Some 310 huge sheets of copper were hammered into shape against intricate wooden
molds to shape the skin of the Statue of Liberty.
difficult to seewhy woodworkingskills
were critical in its construction.To
understandwhy, it's helpful to know a
bit about the properties of that most
malleablemetal-copper.
Copperwas the ideal materialfor the
Statueof Liberty. It can be shapedand
bent without breaking, making fine
contours possible.Pure copper won't
rust,andactuallygainsprotectionasthe
surfaceoxidizes,forming the greenish
patinathat shieldsthe metalunderneath,
providing built-in protection against
salt air and dampness.
Through an ancient metal-forming
techniqueknown as repouss6,raw cop-
per sheets were carefully hammered
againstintricatewooden forms (possi-
bly built from pine or ash) until the
copperwasjust 2.5 millimetersthick-
about 7r:". See the photo below, The
resulting thin contoured copper
plates-some 310 of them-formed the
three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle that
would becomethe statue.
'?
"#
ffi
fr-
W
r;p
WOOD magazine April 2002

Before the final wooden molds could be constructed, it was necessary to make
actual-sizereplicas of the statue's components out of wood lath and plaster.
Three sepaaiate statues
To createthe molds, woodworkersfirst
built three progressively larger wood-
lath-and-plasterenlargementsof Lady
Liberty. The first stoodjust over 9' tall.
The second version-about 36' tall-
was sectionedoff, and eachsectionwas
measuredsome 9,000 times in order to
enlargeit yet again.Theseenlargedsec-
tions,shownabove,were assembledinto
a l5 1' colossus that was used to
createthe final statue.
The real work begins
More than 300 full-size wooden forms
were modeledfrom the contouredplaster
sections of the final enlargement.On
theseforms, workers shapedthe copper
plates that make up the statue's skin.
This was delicatework, partly because
of the intricate contoursof the sculpture
and the thinnessof the copperskin, and
because the wooden molds weren't
solid. As shown in the photo at right,
many curved sections of the wooden
molds were an open matrix, which
required extreme care with the wooden
mallets and implementsused to shape
the copper. For the most detailed sec-
tions,the coppersheetshad to be heated
to give them maximumflexibility before
they were formed.
Eventuallyit cametime to put the elab-
orate planning and construction tech-
niquesto their ultimatetest-a complete
assembly in Paris before disassembly
and shipmentto America. Again, wood
was key to the ultimatesuccess.
To assemblethe statue,workers built
an elaborate wooden scaffoldine that
www.woodonline.corn
ili
gavethem safeaccessto the exterior skin
while, inside, other workers (who were
able to enter through an access in
Liberty's right foot) assisted.
Working from outside and within,
workers affixed the outer skin panelsto a
96' iron pylon inside the structure.The
pylon was designed by Alexandre-
Gustave Eiffel, who had yet to begin
work on the tower that bears his name.
Sproutingout on all sidesfrom the pylon
is a network of flat metalbars.Bolted to
the pylon at the center, this armatureis
affixed to the copper skin with some
2,000 steel bracketscalled saddlesthat
provide elasticity in the face of winds
and changesin temperature.
The workshops at the Gaget, Gauthier et Companie foundry were filled with activity,
and with hundreds of wooden forms, such as this one, used to shape the copper.
A forrndation for Liberty
The French had pronouncedthe statue
completedon IndependenceDay 1884,
but it took more than two years before
she could stand in New York Harbor.
First, American workers had to build a
fitting pedestal atop the pyramid-
shaped concrete foundation that had
just been completed. That foundation
weighedan incredible23,500tons and
rose more than 52 feet above the
ground. At the time, it was believed
to be the largestmassof solid concrete
in the world.
The pedestal, designed by architect
Richard Morris Hunt. was crafted from
concreteand granite, and standsanother
89' tall. It incorporatesa balconyand 40
escutcheonsbearingthe coatsof arms of
each statethen in the Union.
In May of 1886,the statueat lastbegan
to take shapeover the new edifice. On
October 28, 1886, more than a million
people turned out for the dedication
ceremony to unveil this new symbol of
freedomand democracyto the world. 'l
Written by Dave Kirchner
Photographs:Courtesyof National Park Service:
Statue of Liberty National Monument
-r!..rr,.:,.,.i!'t,,.'
:. i i5 ;; ; ::',,,',
lJt :r;i..rs. :?},,i
li.'t :;.F"!l.$,:i;1.
Write: The Superintendent, The Statue of
Liberty National Monument, Liberty lsland,
New York, NY 10004. You will receive
information about the Statue of Liberty and
Ellis lsland.
91
 ^_
dorned- -r' ^_

\
--/ \/ \ -*/ \/\-

Senrecheese and
crackers on this terrific
turned tray.

maple cheeseboardgracesthe centerof this domed mahogany

tray,makingan idealservicefor all kinds of snacks.A knifewith
a turnedbird's-eyemaplehandlecompletesthe set.

Note: See our Buvittg Guicle .\our('c.\on page L)5for the

g/rr.r.idorrte, kttile blude, .f itti.sltt'.s,
utttl rrrultogurt.t'untl
ltirtl',s-eyentuple tuntittg bltnks. Cltack tlte .spet.iulkit
., prit'ittg.for WOODo rcutler.s.

Prepare the blank.

Cut a Ax6t/s6t/t" bird's-eye ntapleblank fbr the
cheeseboard.Draw diagonal lines to locatethe center on
the sicleof the blank that will be tlie bottonr.Draw I %"
and 3r,/s"-radiLrs
circles arrcllrnd
the center.BanclsawiLrst
outsicletlie larse circle.

92 WOOD rnagazine Al.rr.rl.1f l-,2

 1-
1 Tray blank

Attach an auxiliary faceplate. True the blank. I

fr
Use your 3" faceplateto tracea circleonto a pieceof Mount the tray blank 2"
I %"-thickscrap,and bandsawto the line. The disc on your lathe.Use a
doesn'tneedto be perfect,but get it as closeas you can. bowl gougeto true the
Apply cloth-backeddouble-facedtapeor hotmeltglue to blank'sedgeandturn it
this auxiliaryfaceplate,and fastenit, centeredrnthe lt/z"- to a 12"di ameter.
Repositioning the tool
oTrue face
with one
radiuscircle,to the cheeseboard blank.If you usedouble- cut.
continuous
facedtape,squeezethe two partstogetherwith a clamp, rest parallelto the
or in your benchvise. blank'sface,turn it
almost to finished thickness.Then Turnto finished
true the face with one continuous @ thickness.
Turn the cheeseboard. cut from rim to center.
Screwyour 3" faceplate T00[: %" bowlgouge. Truethe disc,and
3" faceptatel | - turn it to finished
to theauxiliaryfaceplate. -1 T00[ REST:Slightlybelowcenter.
, \ ffi- | "i""."_
ii;;g diameter.
and mount thecheeseboard iffi | | blank SPEED: 600-800rom.
blankon your lathe.Use a -+ ff --+ -{- Round
bowlgouge
totrue_the L+l I | ,n"f;Xii Make the gauging cuts.
With the lathe at
3/s' @ Uart<edge bead.
slow speed,and refer-
dome. The dome should faceplate $ .lrueIne ring to your tray front
l J d i s c ,a n d
slip over the boardeasily lf tr. it to and back templates,
$,
n
withoutbeingtoo loose.
Form a %" round-overon
finished
diameter'
mark the 3" radiusfor
the cheeseboard recess "il"Tl!l."'l
bevel li'T
ano I
@ Vart<bottom
of rim bevel.
G to 320 grit.
the front edge.Sandthe cheeseboard and the 37s"radiusfor beoinninq
reSeparatethecheeseboardfromtheauxiliaryface- the bottomof the rim of bottoni' Markcheese-
plate,and set it aside. bevelon the blank's recess. board recess.
ffi
face.Measuringfrom
W'l"T;Iil',Xiffifi.''center
EF SPEEI):600-800rpm.
the blank's edgeand
front face, mark the plat-
_eente-rlne
Makegauging
-- ter's-78"edgebead. cut #1 inside
Again measuringfrom recessmarK.

htr*Wffmt* th* tr*y the edge,mark the end Makegauging

cut #2 outside
of the back bevel and the begin- first cut.
Create a pair of ternplates. ning of the bottom recess. Makegaugingcut
Make a copy of the tray full-sizehalf pattemsfrom the Using a parting tool, make the #3 centeredon
WOOD PATTERNSoinsert at the centerof the magazine. four gauging cuts, where shown on the bottomof
rim bevelmark.
Use sprayadhesiveto adherethem to %" hardboard.Cut the drawing, to the depths indicated.
Makegaugingcut
and sandthe front and back templatesto the patternlines. T00[: Parting
tool.
#4 behind edge
T00[ REST:Center. beadmark.
SPEED: 800-1,200rpm.
Prepare the blank.
Startwith a pieceof U4 mahoganyI2A" square.If
you can't find a piecethis size,glue up nalrowerstockto Forrn the back bevel
makeone.(Theblank listedin the Buying Guideis glued and edge bead.
up from color-blended stock.)Draw the square'sdiago- Usinga bowl gouge,roughout the
nals on the bottom of the blank to locateits center.Draw backbevel,cutting away the corner
circlesaroundthe center.Bandsaw
lth."- and6t/s"-radius until you connect the
just outsidethe largecircle. bottom of gauging cut #4
with the marked bottom of
the back bevel. Change to
Attach an auxiliary faceplate. a skew chisel and roll the
With the auxiliaryfaceplateyou usedto turn the bead. Smooth the bevel
cheeseboard still mountedto the faceplate,cleanoff any with a squarenosescraper.
double-faced tapeor hotmelt,elueresidue.Using regular T00[S: %" bowlgouge,%" skewchisel,
woodworkingglue, glue and clamp the auxiliary face- scraper.
%" squarenose
plate,centeredin the I %"-radiuscircle,to the tray blank. T001,REST:Slightly
abovecenter.
Let the glue dry thoroughly. SPEED: 800-1,200rpm.
@ turn
the back. €) ro,,t
edgebead.
rrwur.wo odonline. corn 93
snack set

Forrn the front bevels.

Usin-ea bowl gouge,
G_eta handtreon the knife __ j
I
rou,9hoLrtthe front bevels.
Work fl'om the ed,eebead to Prepare and rnount the blank.
the bottom of gauging cut To make the knife handle,right, mark the centeron
#3. then from _eaugingcut #2 eachendof a lxlx8" blank.Drill a %0"hole2" deepat
to the bottom of cut #3. the centerof one end.Centerpunch the otherend.Installa
Srnooth the bevels. and sharpenthe line @ Formthe
snortbevel. drive centeron the latheheadstockand a revolvingcone
where the two bevels meet with a centerin the tailstock.(Seethe BuyingGuidefor a cone
sqLlafenosescraper. @ Shapethe centersource.)Mount the blank betweencenters,engag-
meetingof
T00[S: %" bowlgouge,%" squarenose
scraper. the two bevels. ins the hole in the end on the conecenter.
T00L REST:Slightly
abovecenter.
O Formthe
SPEEII:800-1,200rpm. long bevel. True the blank.
Using a spindle gouge, round down the blank to 3A"
for a distance of 6" from the tailstock end. Leave the 2"
Fit the cheeseboard. portion at the headstock end square.
Hollow or.rtthe tray's center to the T00L':%" spindlegouge.
depth of gauging cut #l with a bowl T00L REST:Slightlyabove center.
goLlge.As you near the bottom of the SPEED: 600-800rom.
cut, stop the lathe periodically and use a
strai_ehtedge to check the bot- Centeris Mark the blank and
%0"deeper
tom of the recessfor flatness. thanthe edge. turn the beads.
With the bottom flat, switch to_ Draw guidelineson the blank. Mark the first bead A"
a sqllarenosescraper,and, orm the from the blank'send,whereshownon the knife handle
while smoothing the recess,cut recessfor the full-size patternon the patterninsert.Then mark the other
the center about t/rr." deeper cheeseboard.
beadsand the steppedfinial. Use a skewchiselto form
than the edge. This will ensure
that the cheeseboarddoesn't rock. Check
recess
@ 4.ojust.
otameler rI
the beadsand finial. Turn the finial only as far as the end
"button." Do not part off the turning.Finally, make index @,
rr*
the cheeseboard'sfit in the recess.The necessary.
markson the blank and drive centerso you can remount
diameter of the recessshould be about Flattenlip the turning in the samepositionafter removingit to sand
r/tr." larger than the cheeseboard. Use the for the the grip recesses in the next step.
glassdome.
scraper to enlarge the recess,if neces- T00Ir:%"skewchisel.
sary. Flatten the lip where the glass dome sits. T00[ REST: Slightly
abovecenter.
T00[S: %" bowlgouge, %" squarenose
scraper. SPEED: 800-1,200rpm.
T001,REST:Slightly abovecenter.
SPEED: 800-1.200rom. Sand the grip recesses.
Referringto thJ knife handlefull-size pattemon rhe
patterninsert,mark the lengthof the grip recesses.
Finish up the tray. Dismountthe workpiece.Sandthe concavegripson
Form the %"-deep bottom recesswith a oppositesidesof the handlewith a drum sander.To keep
bowl -9or"r_ee. cutting slightly into the waste the grips parallel,keepthe squareend of the workpiece
block as you work toward the center. flat on your spindle-sanderor drill-presstable.
Chan-eeto a parting tool, and continue cut-
tirr,eto within t/2"of center. Sand the platter Remount the turning.
to 220 grit, then part it off with a Finish-sandthe handleto 220 grit. Trim it at the
piirting tool. Finish-sand the tailstockend,cuttingin as closeto the conecenteras
center of the bottom recesswith possiblewithoutdisengaging it. For the cleanestcut, cut
a sandingblock. straightin at the guidelinewith the long point of a skew
Note: You ccut lppb' a finish to chisel.Use the skew to finish forming the finial as you
the platter before porting it front part off the handle.Touchup the finial's tip with sandpa-
@eartto/
tlte uu.rilian' .fuceplate. See the Wllnln Y2" per,and sandthe handle'sbladeend smooth.
Ittst.sec'riort oftltis article, "Ort to of center.
T001,:%"skewchisel.
tlrc.finislt lirte." ($ Holtow T00[ REST: Slightly
above
center.
T00[S: 1/2"bowlgouge, partingtool. thebottom. SPEED: 800-1,200 rpm.
T00L REST:Slightly abovecenter(gouge), (parting
center toot).
SPEED: 800-1,200 rpm. Note: You can appb' a finislt to the kniJehancllebefore
pctrtingit.from the waste.See"Ort to the finish line."

94 WOOD magazine Aprrl 2002

 On to the finish line
Apply a clearfinish to the platter
and the knife handle.To withstand
Sandto z/ra"thick. the rigors of occasionalwashing,spray
on threecoatsof glosspolyurethane
Bladeno. from an aerosolcan.Rub out the finish
betweencoatswith 0000 steelwool or
an ultra-fine(gray) Scotch-Britepad.
As an alternative,you canapply the fin-
ish while the part is still on the lathe.
Drivecenter 3/+"diameter. 3/ro"hole2" deep Although it ties up your lathe for addi-
@ finisn-turnto
2- 2tl tional time, it is easierto get good results
when finishesare appliedin this manner.
Simply slow your latheto about300 rpm,
and follow the directions on the finish
Leavethis se9theBuvilsc9109:
gon!3ln-gl:
sectionsquare. Revolvingcone center
Becausethe cheeseboard will be
subjectto knife cuts,do not usea
film finish.Apply an oil finish,reapply-
ing periodicallyas needed.Seethe
Qvart< bead and Buying Guide fo1 a finish sourc"
topknotlocations.
With the finishesdry, epoxy the
bladetang into the handle.Placethe
cheeseboard in the platter'srecess,and
cover it with the glassdome.lP
T/ ff^ \ \ G) nottthebeads.
G)rorr the but
topknot, donotpartoff.
I t"n" indexmark. Written by Larry Johnston and Jan Svec
on the spurand blank. with Ray Wilber
Projectdesign:Ray Wilber
Roxanne LeMoine; Lorna Johnson
lllustrations:
Photographs:Baldwin Photography

Q finisn-sandto 220grit.
@rorm thetopknotbutton t CraftSuppliesUSA.
as youpartoffthepiece. ll
(DCut in as closeto conecenteras
- oil(16oz.)no,
possible without it,
disengaging
Materials
'ltl2"{hick
Supplies: face-
stockforauxiliary
plate,
hotmeltglueordouble-faced
tape,
woodworke/s glue,finish,
epoxy.
BuyingGuide
Turning blanks,1shx121Ax121/t" mahogany
(edge-joined
fromcolor-blended stock);
3/4x61 maple; 1x1x8"bird's-eye
/4"bird's-eye
/4x61
maple. Kitno.W-141, $19,95 ppd.,Minnesota
residentsaddsalestax.Heritage Building
Specialties,205N,Cascade, Fergus Falls,MN
56537. Call8001524-4184.
Conecenter. Conecenter no.914-0001 (#1
Morse taper)orno,914-0002 (#2Morse taper),
$39.99 ppd,CraftSupplies USA,1287E.1120
S.,Provo, UT84606. Call800/551-8876, orgo
towww.woodturnerscatalog.com.
Domeandknife.6"glass domeno,011-0120,
$7,99;deluxe cheese knifeno.199-1001,
$6.50.
Finishes. Mylands FrictionPolish(4oz.)no.
949-400,$5.50; butcherblock
076-0830, $6.99.CraftSupplies USA.
W00Dospecialkit.Glass dome, knife,
friction
polish,
butcher blockoil,kitno.900-9000,
$26.99 ppd.CraftSupplies USA.

95
 . t

,.*tM

Get blade height right.

Everyone has a diff-erent idea
on how f-ar saw-blade teeth
should protrude above the stock. As a
t/2" above
-generalrule. raise the blade
the surface of softwood stock to
reduce heat buildup. For hardwoods,
raise it to 34" above the surface. You
want the blade to eject waste from the
-qulletsbetween the teeth. That means
that the bottom of the blade's gullets
should be almost flush with the sur-
face of the stock, as shown above.
Finesse the fence. To set
the fence parallel to the blade,
staft by cutting two 2"-lon-9
blocksto fit snuglyin onemiter gallge
slot. Positionthe fence againstthem.
and use a thin shim to check for an
equalgapat bothends,asshownat left.
Settingthefenceexactlyparallelyields
thebestresults,especiallywith dadoes.
If the workpieceburns or binds, cant
the outfeedend away from the blade
between.010" and .030" (about the
thicknessof a business card).

True the blade and table.

For straight,burn-freecuts,the
saw blade must run parallel to
the miter-gauge slots and the f-ence.To
ali,gnthe blade, mark one blade tooth and
measure,at the front of the throat open-
ing, from one miter gauge slot to it using
a cornbination square,as shown at riglt.
Then rotate the blade and measureto the
same tooth at the back of the throat open-
ing. If the distances vary, reposition
either the trunnions or the saw table.
Check your owner's manual to see
which method applies. Also check and
adjust the blade's 45o and 90' bevel
stops.Proceduresfor this vary widely, so
check your owner's manual.

96
 aDAdd function to the fence. For some operations,such as
Jll*hen cutting tenons with a dado blade or cutting with the blade
Vagainst the rip fence, you'll appreciatehaving an auxiliary fence
face. Easy to make, this accessorypreventsdamageto the fence, and can
support a tall face for cutting wide workpieces on edge.
For generaluse, cut a z/q"plywood face 4"-wide by the length of your
fence. How you attach the face dependson your fence. If your fence has
holes through it, attach the face with bolts. Just counterborethe holes in
the face so the bolt heads sit below the surface. Or make a "saddle" that
slips over the fence,
^a Gover the angles. To ensureaccurate as shown at right.
frcrosscuts, make sure the miter gauge is Clamp it at the out-
Iaccurate at 90' and45'. Restone edgeof a feed end, or mount
plastic drafting triangle on the blade body-not on a pair of T-nuts in
the teeth. Loosen the miter gauge knob, stde the the saddle's back
head against the ffiangle, and lock the knob, as "legr" and use short
shown above.Do the same at45o. Thesetriangles bolts as setscrewsto
are available in artist's supply stores and are very securethe saddle.
accurate.Adjustablemodelsalso are available.

Get prcper clearance. The standard throatplateon most

sawshasa wide openingto allow tilting the blade.This leaves
the undersideof the workpieceunsupported and susceptibleto
chip-out, and can allow thin wood strips to drop into the gap. To mini-
mize theseproblems, make a zero-clearanceinsert. Just fface your insert
onto plywood of the proper thickness (you may have to plane it down)
and cut it to rough shape.Plywood is better than solid stock, which may
warp. Either sandthe insert to exact shape,or attach it to ttre throat plate
using double-facedtape and shapeit using a
pattern-routing bit in your table-mounted
router, as shown below. You also can use
thinner plywood and drive short flathead
screwsinto the bottom face to act as levelers.
Lower your saw blade all the way and
check the insert's fit. If the blade doesn't
reffact far enough to allow the insert to
sit flush with the table surface, reinstall the
standard throat plate and cut a kerf in the
underside of the zero-clearance insert.
Recheckthe fit, then clamp the insert in place
using a long board. Turn on the saw and
slowly raise the blade to fulI height to cut
through the plate, as shown at right. Use the
sameproceduresto make a dado insert.

www.woodonline.corn 97
tablesaw success
Crcate a mightier gauge. When
crosscuttinglong boards or cutting
multiplepiecesto the samelength,an
auxiliary extension board for the miter gauge
is a must. Make one from scrap 7+" plywood,
about3" wide andup to 36" long, suchasthe one
shown at right. For even greateraccuracy,give
the extensiona grip on the workpiece by cover-
ing the face with adhesive-backedsandpaper.
Screw the extensionto the miter gaugeso it pro-
trudesbeyond the blade, then cut a kerf through
it. Next, make a clamp-on stopblock about /+"
shorterthan the fence height to prevent sawdust
from building up and causinginaccuratecuts.
Wax for smooth sliding.
Cast-ironsaw tableswill rust
if left bare, which prevents
workpiecesfrom sliding freely. You can
get rid of rust by sprayingthe table with
penetrating oil (such as WD-40) and
scrubbing with a synthetic steel-wool
pad or 22}-gntweVdry sandpaper.Form
a barrier to new rust by coating the table
with a commercial product such as
Top-Cote (available from Woodcraft at
800/225-1153),or by applying a couple
coats of paste wax to the table and
buffing it out well. Recoat the table
every few months to prevent rust from
coming back.
98
G) Make sacrificaal guides, Any
fltime you are ripping pieces nar-
-rower than 6", use a pushstickto
guide your stock while keepingyour hands
safely away from the blade. Make your
own by simply cutting a birdsmouthnotch
in one end of az/qx2xI2"pieceof stock. If
you have to rip piecesniurower than 1",
make a wide pushblock from a 2x4 and a
piece of hardboard,as shown at left. T\e
blade will cut into the pushblock, but the
hardboard "heel" pushes both the work-
piece and waste safely past the blade.
Ratherthan getting fancy, make your push-
sticks from scrapstock, and sacrificethem
to the blade insteadof your fingers.
I 4lTake time for rcgular maintenanoe.
I I lYour saw will run befferand last longer if you take careof it on
IfV a regularbasis.Do the following every month or two:
'Wipe sawdustand debrisfrom the saw table. Sprayprotectantor polish the
table with wax severaltimes per year.
. Vacuum,blow, or brush sawdustfrom the trunnionsand lubricateper the man-
ufacturersinstructions.
. Turn blade-heightand bevel handwheelsthrough their full range of motion,
and check45oand 90o stops.
. Use blade-and-bitcleanerto removepitch from your saw blade.Oven cleaner
works, but is caustic.Try Formula 409-brandcleanerfor minor cleanups.
. Checkthe condition of drive belts,and replacethem if crackedor worn. Check
pulley setscrews,and tighten if necessary.
. Make sureall electricalcords and connectionsare in good condition. aF
Written by David Stone with Robert Settich
Photographs:Baldwin Photography
WOOD rnagazine April 2002
 TATTICE
Tuff-BiltClassic
Privacy
Square plastic
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hen we designedand built 8001443-7937
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100 WOOD magazine April 2002

 roductsthat
passed
wares ourshoptrials
woodworking
These
Portable planer finislres the iob
Considerwhat you dislike about your
portableplaner and, chancesate, Delta's
22-580Two-SpeedFinishing Planerhas
addressed them.The 22-580'sdisposable
and self-aligning 13" knives make knife
changinga snap.But one of its best attrib-
utes is one you might never have thought
you needed:dual feed speeds.
At "dimensioning" speed,this planer
delivers about 60 cuts per inch and leaves
a relatively smooth surface.I was sur-
prised at how quicHy I planed away Vz"of
walnut in multiple passes.For the final
pass,though, I switchedto "finishing"
speed,which slows the feed rate and
leavesa silky-smooth 90 cuts per inch.
The differencein surfacequality was
clearly visible.
Snipea problem?Not with the 22-580.
The cutterheadlock and 35" long (com-
er rm
bined) infeed and outfeedtablesvirtually
eliminate detectablesnipe,even on my
8'-longtest workpieces.
Delta engineersaddeda unique "blade
zero" device for quickly zeroingthe cut-
terheadto your workpiece's starting thick-
ness.After using the blade-zeroon a piece
of 4/4 rough-sawncherry, the cufferhead
just barely skimmed the top of the board,
proving it to be an accuratestartingpoint. Defta22-580
I've alwaysfound thicknessscaleson Two-Speed Planer
Finishing
portableplanershard to read<n top of Performance *****
the machineis too high; on the cufferhead *****
is too low. The 22-580'sscaleis on the
CallDelta
Machinery orvisit
at800/438-2486,
face of the case,near the top, and angled iner!'.com.
www.deltamach
for good viewing.
Many portable planershave a cutting- anywherealong the full 6%"-thickness
depth stop that ensuresuniform thickness capacity of the machine.
to one or a few fixed dimensions,up to -TestedbyGarry
Smith
3/+"ot 1". The 22-580'sstopcanbe set Continued on page 102

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 products that perform

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1l4i'R
Straight Bils-
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ililf*rffi
t rflfS s
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and found the fine grit aggressive,but not
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',n
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rtlf m 1/2"Shank
Router
Bits eningstones,and again,DuoSharp
lncludes: I
3/4"BoreShaper Cutler
1-pcBail& Stile(Roman Ogee)
ril?3 nn excelled.I checkedthreedifferent stones
Otw s99 set using a surfaceplate and found them to

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wooci anecdote

Its beans were once better than nothing

s the only species of its genus
in North America, the sparsely
appearing Kentucky coffeetree
(Gymnocladus dioicus) was a welcome
sight to eady explorers and pioneers
tmveling into the wilds west of ttre
Allegheny Mounains. Not that it's an
attractive tree-it leafs out in late spring
and sheds early, causing it to stand
naked for at least half of the year. In
fact, becauseit often looks so stark, the
French called it chicot or "dead tfee"
while to Southemers it became "stump
tree." Rather than its eye-appeal,the
attraction was its bean-ladenpods.
Iacking coffee beans for their trav-
els, frontiersmen ground and brewed
the beans of the Kentucky coffeetree
as a stimulating replacement. The
result was a bitter imitation at best,
but they made do.
Reachingheights of 100'and diame-
ters to 4' in its range from southem
Carradato Kentucky and west to
Nebraska,the Kentuclry coffeetree has into fumishings and
so wide a distribution and so single a other necessities.
growth pattem that it has never reached Today, if you are able
commercial importance. Although, to find the wood of the
farmers always have used the coarse- Kentucky coffeetree, its
grained yet durable wood for fence known as coffeebean.
posts and barn timbers. Light brown to Be sure to build some-
reddish brown in color, the heavy and thing of it, but leave
hard wood machines easily and takes a the beans behind. .l
high polish. Pioneers no doubt crafted it Illustration: Brlan Jeosen

www.woodonline.com

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Projects

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It'sa ringer
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Lookingfor a placeto storeyourtoolsthatshowsoff yourwoodworking skills?ThisArts& Crafts- horseshoesetwillgivekids
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Tooltest: W00D's guideto

router-elevation
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finishing,
Built-instorage places Onegorgeous
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articles
Makeuseof spacebeneath stairsandbehind Theclassylooksofthissturdy workmuchmoreconvenient. Nowonder coveredwoodpreparation
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Weputeightmodels through
their finishes
clear andhowbestto
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materials pacesto seewhichworkbest. applythem.

1 12 WOOD rnagazine April 2002