PUBTISHER

DonaldB. Peschke

EDITORTim Robertson
SENIORDESIGN
EDITOR JamesR.Downing
SENIOREDITORSBillLink,DavidStone
EDITOR
ASSOCIATE Wyatt Myers
EDITOR
ASSISTANT KateBusenbarrick

ARTDIRECTOR Kim Downing

ARTDIRECTOR
ASSISTANT Kurt Schultz
GRAPHIC
SENIOR DESIGNERDougAppleby
SENIORILTUSTRATOR ErichLage
SENIORWEBDESIGNER/ILIUSTRATOR MAtt SCOtt
PHOTOGRAPHERS
SENIOR CrayolaEngland,DennisKennedy
ASSOCIATESTYTEDIRECTOR Rebecca Cunningham
IMAGESPECIAIIST
ELECTRONIC AllanRuhnke
CONTRIBUTINGIIIUSTRATOR John Hartman

DIRECTOR
CREATIVE TedKralicek syou might guess,wetakeall kinds ofthinp into considerationwhen
DESIGNERS
SR.PROJECT KenMunkel,KentWelsh, designingthe projectsthat appearin Workbencl,. Not the leastof
ChrisFitch project will be built.Is it a
which is the sryleof housewhere the
Mike Donovan,
DESIGNERS/BUIIDERS
PROJECT JohnDoyle
SHOPCRAFTSMEN SteveCurtis,SteveJohnson Craftsman bungalow, a split-level Ranch, or a Colonid cwo-story?
In this issue,we built our feature project - a staircasefacelift - in a
house that was built in 1987.This recent date of construction makes this
MANAGERS
SATES
ADVERTISING GeorgeA. Clark,Mary K. Day house f"irly typical of a large number of our readers'homes. (Over 60 per-
NGPRODUCTION
ADVERTISI COORDI NATOR TroyClark cent live in homes built since 1980.)
ADVERTISINGCOORDINATOR KelseyDavis
( 5 15 ) 8 7 5 - 7 1 3 5 One of the things I like about houses built during this time period is
they often have a relaxed, informal feel and an open, inviting floor plan.Too
often, though, they're missing a signature style.
DIRECTOR
EDITORIAI TerryJ. Strohman The stairCaseI mentioned is a good example. As you can see in the
ARTDIRECTOR
EXECUTIVE Todd Lambirth BeforePhoto above, it was nice enough. But with its carpeted stair treads,Zr2
WORKBENCH flSSN 0043-8057) is published bimon*rly
deck-like balusters,and a builqr newel post, this staircasewas remarkable only
(Feb., April, lune, Aug., Oct., Dec.) by August Home Publishing
Audit Bufeau
:;7;:,;;;;
)- ;:,^^ ^
Company,2200 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312. Workbqthis in how very unremarkable it was.
a mdemuk of August Home Publishing. Copyright @2005 August
Home Publishing Company. All rights reserued. Because the stairway is the first thing you see when you walk in the door,
Subscription rates: Single copy, $4.99. One-year subsctiption (6 isus), $22; wo-yer sub.' $33; the homeowners felt it needed tobe jazzed up a bit. So we opted for a more
three-year sub,, $44. Canadian/lntl., add $10 per year. Periodicals postage paid at Dcs Moines'
lowa, and ar additional ofiices. "USPS/Perry-Judd's Heanland Division automatable poly"'
Postmaster: Send addresschanges to Workbenth,PO Box 37272, Boone, LA 50037-0272.
up-to-date style (Aftt Photo). Notice how the thick slabs of red oak that
Cmadiu Subscriptions: Canada Post Agreement No. 40038201. Send chmge ofaddtcss
infomration to: PO Box 881, Sation Main, Markham, ON L3P 8M6. Printed in U.S.A.
form the stair treads and the "brushed" metal spindles make for a clean, con-
temporary look that createsa new focal point for the house.
unmil.WorkbenchMagazine.com Best of all, the project is relatively simple to complete.That's because it
OilIIIIIE SUBSCRIBERSERVICES has none of the complications of actually buildinga staircase.Allwe're doing
. ACCESSyour account is refacing an existing staircaseby replacing the elements that define it. So
. payment
CHECK on a subscription be sure to check out how we turned a job that would make a professiond
. TELL US if you'vemissedan issue
.
trim carpenter proud into a do-it-yourselfproject (detailsbeginon page44).
CHAIUGEyour mailingor e-mailaddress
. REIUEW your subscription New Department -And dont miss our new department beginning
o PAY your bill with this issue,called Against the Crain.It's filled with short bits of infor-
Clickon "subscriber in theliston theleftsideof our
Services" mation that are at times edgy, often lighthearted, and always entertaining.
homepage.Menusandformswilltakeyouthroughanyof the
account-maintenance

CUSTOMERSERVICEPhone:
youneed.
services

1-3ee1
800-31
-l
I'm anxious to see what you think. Please let us know by taking a quick
poll at WorkbenchMagazine.conr./atg.hturl

SUBSCRIPTIONS EDITORIAL
WorkbenchCustomer Service WrkbenchMagazine
P.O.Box 842.
Des Moines,IA 50304-9961
2200GnndAve.
DesMoines,IA 50312 / l'tlt
T
www.WorkbenchMrgrzine.com email:Editor@Workbenchmag.com

imageby:Jonathan
CoverNASCAR lmages
Ferrey/Getty lmages
Sporycetty

2 woRKBENcH tr FEBRUARY 2006

 I
tlr \I
!
lr
)a)

)rat
'..ua )
,#
i-t
l

t,

FEATURES
Stairswith Flair
is really,iustuntapped
A plain staircase potential.
Reuealits tnrccltaractcru,ithsolid-wlodstair
treads,metalspindles,and a sturdy lmndrail.It's
easier(and lessexpensiue) tlmn you expect.
mi,qltt

ToolAwards
Top10 Innovative
Orr InnouatiueTitrtl Atuardsnrn-fiuetlis ),ear, and
tlrc 2006 crctpo,ftoolsmakeit a birtlrday tuorflt
remembering. lJetudesignsin eue\ttlting-frcmtaltle
satusto cordless n,ill reuolutionize
batteries the tuays
)tt'trttuorktuitlt tuood.

" Floating"Display
Shelves
One coolthin,gabtnfttheseslrclues is hotuthqt
appearttt "float" on the tuall tuitlt ntt uisille
srtpports,Tlrcttthct'cttttltling? AII tlrcc canbc
ff50, usirtgonly 6 tablesatt,.
htilt in a da1,.for

GarageStorageLoft
If euer1,rrttokand crannyqf )/(ntrgard,qeis-filledto
capacitlt,.. lookup!Tlis ceilin,q-nuumtcd stttrage
Ittft packsbig-tintestctraleinto a simplcproiect.

Tools
800-Horsepower
Thc DIY arrdlnmrcinrprrtuernufi is a
irrdrtstt1
in I\ASC,4R. Scclnttutltis cttrrrtcctittrr
driuilry_forcc
gttcsrucllltc1t1tnfl ilrc /ogosorl tlrcircars,
-1,,st

W()l\Ktll:N(. It n FElll{UAl{Y 200(r

IN EVERY
U
WORKBENCH TIPS
SHOP
Jig
Ripping
3 0 Shop-Made
sawwith thissimpleguideto
Outfit yourcircular
makerippinglongboards a manageableone-person
job. Plus,simplestud-fndingandplug-cuttingtips.

WORKSHOP
READER'S
4A
Cart
J+ MobileClamp
The secretto this simplecart is the "A-frame"
design,It createsa shopfixture that can corralall
your clampsin underfour square feet of space.

BASICS
BENCH
for RouterSetup
3 B 4 Rules DFPARTMFNTq
Get your routerset up and running right euery
time using thesehandy tips. B Againstthe Gra.nnrwt
10 Take to theEdge
Routing & Answers
16 Questions
Createdecoratiueprofiles,cutjoinery, and duplicate
patternswith nothing morethan your handheld
zo Tips& Techniques
routerand afew basicbits. Fundamentals
2G Finishing
THECUTTING EDGE 82 ToolClose-Up
7 B oneBit- ManyProfiles 86 Tools& Products
A look at the hottestnew trendin routerbits: s4 ModernMaterials
interchangeablecarbideinserts.Seehow thesenew
bits cansaueyou moneyand makeroutingeasier. s6 CraftsmanshipClose-Up
woRKBENCH tr FEBRUARY 2006
John Deereis just
one exampleof
unrelatedcompa-
niesgetting into
the tool business
as a new way to
promotetheir
brand.
The Label Game
Frlv';ti*:i;rh*$t**ls *r* d*siqnmrit* +:::.t+'nqJ
i;; ft f'{,r!g g**i
{ : iii#l I ;,i ,:,s i i " ' i , r* e$**# idgr;* .. {--;r1fifiir'ii r;of"{.:r!i !"'i"' 1i;r tl,,: i {ij * s',=
The tool industry is a trendy
business.Which isn't to say the
industry follows popular trends.
But it does have a history of
starting its own trends and then
riding them to the point of
exhaustion. Case in point -
laser-guided everything.
The latest, and perhaps most
curious, trend is private labeling
tools for unrelated industries. In
the past year or so, we've seen new
tool offerings under the names
Hemi and Kawasaki.Those join
establishedlines branded Hyundai,
Jeep,andJohn Deere.
The tool companies are happy
to have another channel to reach
buyers, and for companies like
Dodge andJohn Deere, these are
great promotional tools for value-
added offers - bny a tractor, get a
recip. saw. (Obviously the free-hat
thing wasn't getting it done.)
Apparently, the idea is that the
power and performance of the
tools is supposed to reflect the
qualities of the cars, trucks, and
tractors of the same name.
Frankly, we like the idea.And we
think there's a lot ofpotential for
other brands that deserve tools that
reflect the quality of their character.
So here are a few brands we'd like to
see.'Wepromise fi.rll editorial cov-
erage on the day they're released.
hf ;:tri * g
Pop Star PowerTools -This
line could be amazingly profitable
for a forward-thinking tool com-
pany. Simply build a tool to be
incredibly loud without actually
doing anything of worth.And as
long as each tool comes with only
half its housings, so most of its parts
are exposed, this is a sure winner.
Realiry TV Tools - Here's
another low-cost, high profit idea.
These tools just have to look great
onTVThey don't require working
motors or even sharp edges.In
other words, they don't need to be
substantive in any way. Pull the
trigger on any of these tools, and it
BOOKREVIEW
Finishing With Flexner
BobFlexner, largelyconsidered to
be the lastand bestword on wood
finishing,hasjust released the
secondeditionof hispopular
finishinghow-tobook,
UnderstandingWood Finishing:
How to Selecfand Apply the Right
Finish.The new editionofferssev-
eralimprovements overthe first,
i ncl udi photography
ng ful l -col or
and i l l ustrati ons
throughout, and
new chapters on advanced coloring
techniques, exteriorfinishes, and
w axfi ni shes.
woRKBENCH
e f l f ; *r * f $ * * t t h * i r
,
emits the distinctive whining
sound that is the hallmark of this
line. But don't be complacent
around these tools; they cant cut
anything, but they can sure stab
you in the back.
Politician Power Tools -These
tools are all about persuasive
packaging. When you're shopping,
they seem like the perfect tool for
the job. But as soon as you buy
into them, they either stop
working altogether, or worse, start
working against you.And don't
bother calling customer service -
they'll simply deny any knowledge
of ever having made such a tool.
Thebookisavailablein hardcover
throughtradrtionalbooksellersand
softcoverin woodworkingstoresand
Formoreinformation,
catalogs. visit
BobFlexner.com.
tr FEBRUARY 2006
 JURYDUTY
WORKBENCH

Juogmg Destgn
1lt|lRr

l,4'{63ftrfu4'y];? , t"i' le t- , ru :i"; .:

,;;1q'-

+ e r t l { i T i i ., .
Among the many other reasonsto
visit San Diego, California, add to
the list the San Diego County Fair
and the annual Design inWood
Efibition.The exhibition is spon-
sored in part by the San Diego Fine
Woodworker's Association, one of FACELIFT
MONUMENTAL
the largest and most active wood-
working groups in the country. Talkabouta problemcomplexion. A few
The highlight of the exhibition blackheadsanda patchof dryskinare
is a juried gallery show, in which nothingcompared to the lichen,algae,
woodworkers have their projects
and mossthat weremessingup the
judged by industry experts.
countenance of the Rushmore Four.
Workbenchwas honored to par-
ticipate in the 2005 exhibition by the NationalParkService
Fortunately,
providing a jury member for the teamedwith Karcher,
recently a German
contest. Creative directorTed kal-
cleaningequipmentmanufactureL to give
icek attended the fair on behalf of
Workbenchand selected Steven M.
our presidential a high-pressure,
likenesses
White's "HallTable" (below)for an hot-waterfacial.No chemicalswereusedin
Excellence in Design award. justfivedieselpressure
the process,
StevenM. White'sunique take on a
Mr.'White also received top classicdesignearned him first place washersand a teamof reallybraveguys
honors in the Art Furniture class in the Art Furnitureclass. good harnesses.
for his unusual "Tip-Top
Semainier" (aboue). Afterthe work wascompleted, visitors
Another show standout was the Ihis elaboratevase agreedthat the appearanceof formerpres-
by Ed Zbik took
"Art DecoVase" created by Ed identsWashington, Lincoln,and
Jefferson,
honorsin the
Zbik,which earned him first place Rooseveltweredramaticallyimproved.
Wood Turning-
in theWoodTurning - Laminated/
Laminated/Segmented class. Segmentedclass.
For more project photos, plus
full details on the Design inWood
Exhibition and the San Diego 14 - Yearsspentcarvingthe four presidential
Fine Woodworker's intogranite.
likenesses
Association, visit
www.sdfwa.ors.
10,000- Yearsit takesfor 1" of graniteto
erodefromthe monument.
$8 - the darlywageof a laboreron Mt. Rushmore.
The Excellence
in 450,000- Tonsof granitedynamited off the
DesignAward went to mountai n before" carvi ng"coul dbegi n.
StevenM. White for his
" H a l lT a b l e "d u r i n gt h e 0 - Thenumberof fatalities durrnq
that occurred
2 0 0 5 D e s i g ni n W o o d
the carvingof Mt. Rushmore.
Exhibition. 1,849- Gallons of boilingwaterusedeachday
of Mt. R ushmor e.
duri ngthe recentcl eani ng

10 WORKBENCH ! FEBRUARY 20O6

 i,
t
it

!
lj
lr
n'

FIRES
PENOFIN
BIG.BOX
STORES
PenofinPerformance
Coatingsrecently took the
bold moveof removing
theirproducts from
America's largesthome
centers. Penofinmadethe
decision to sacrifice
the
retailmightof the big-box
storesratherthan move
theirmanufacturing over-
-
seas a movetheysay
would havebeenneces-
saryto meetthe growing
HAPPENINGS
CURRENT listof demands fromthe

TapeRaces mega-retailers.
"We area family-
ownedcompany, " says
Penofin CEODr.Barbara
Newells, "andwe arenot
Further proof that men can turn where racers compete each week. aboutto go overseas to
anything into a competition - As the sport has caught on, the r n a k ea b u c ka t t h e
we now have tape measure races. competitors have found interesting
'What expense oTour
began as a simple bar ways to modify their tapes for
o r nI nr l l. Jnr vr ,l o oL L<J , "
game - contractors would race
Lr
higher speeds.'Vy'heels
are added,
their tapes to see who buys the springs are custom-wound, and To learnmoreabout
next round - has grown into an the blade is replaced with PenofinFineWoodFin-
organtzed league complete with a monofilament fishing line.
i s h e si ,n c l u d i nw
gh e r e
custom-built track. electronic Visit Wo rkb enchMagazine
timing, and computerized statistics. to see a video of tape measure
nyour
t h e ya r ea v a i l a b li e
The racing circuit consists of racing. Also be sure to check out area,visitPenofin.com or
three taverns in northern lowa RacersPowertpeRacins. com. call800-736-6346.

WORKBENCH
STAFF

Out of The Office

Workbencheditorsbuilda lot of projectsfor a lot of reasons- to improve
theirhomes,to demonstrate techniques at woodworkingshows,and
sometimes to meeta higherneed.WyattMyerstook advantage of just
suchan opportunityrecently at the WoodworkingExpoheldat the
WoodsmithStorein DesMoines,lowa.
Myersteamedup with advertising salesmanagerGeorgeClarkto build
a "Patriotic Box"
Planter (PlansNow.com/usaplanter.htm). Theplanterand
the toolsusedto buildit (donated by Bosch)were auctioned off to benefit
the UnmetNeeds programs, which offersassistanceto families
of U.S.
militaryservice
men and women (UnmetNeeds.com).

1,2 WORKBENCH ! FEBRUARY 20O6

 Largecapacr-
ties,smooth
o p e r a t i o na, n d
overallqualityof
construction
m a k et h e R i k o n
7 0 - 1 0 0a s o l r d
choice.
REVIEWUPDATE
PRODUCT
Rikon Midi-Lathe
It's a shame that Rikon's lathe
didn't arrive in time to be included
in the midi-lathe review that
appearedin the December 2005
issue of Workbench.
As you may recall, we tested
lathes fromJet, Delta, Grtzzly,
Fisch, General International, and
Penn Srate Industries.
Based on our testing of the
Rikon, it would have competed
with Jet for the "Editor's Choice"
award.The 70-100 is a powerful,
smooth-running lathe with more
capaciry than most in this category
(12" over the bed and 16"
between centers).We measured
1,4
virtually no runout inside the
spindle or on the shoulder.The Virtues: Powerful; Smooth-
tool rest and tailstock adjusted running; setup;Large
Easy
easily and locked securely.'Wewere Goodfit and
capacities;
also impressed with the overall fit finish;Longquilltravel;
Useful
and finish of the lathe. extrafeatures.
What's more, this lathe has a
Vices: None.
couple fearuresthat the others dont.
Those are a 1.2-position indexing Verdict: lf you haven't
head (Photo,upperrryh) that allows purchased yourmidi-lathe
you to lock the workpiece for detail yet,addthisoneto yourlist
work, and a tool rest on the back of of top contenders.
the machine for storing accessories
RikonTools.com
(Photo,lowerright).
877-884-5167
The 70-100 sellsfor about
$250. Contact Rikon for more
information.
DALLASWOMAN IS FIRST
To Make "The Cut"
She's5 feetB inchestallandweighs a seven-member squadthat travels
lessthan 130pounds. S he' attrac-
s the countrycuttingcarsin halfto
t i ve,i ntel l i gent,
w el l -spoken ...and demonstrate the strengthand dura-
shecancut a cari n hal fi n l essti me bilityof Lenoxsawblades.
thani t takesyouto ordera grande- It takes thantwo minutesfor
less
organic-blend-dou ble-espresso. So anymemberof the teamto bisecta
you maywant to rethinkdouble carwith a reciprocating saw.
parkingnextto Ann Mclean. Formoreon Team Hackman,
Mcleanisthe newestandfirst including a videoof the teamin
femalememberof "TeamHackman, " action,visitLenoxSaw.com.
woRKBENCH tr FEBRUARY 2006
acluestions
6tANSWERS
mognetic
switch
ADDSsAMSAFETY
While shoppingfor a newpower switchfor my table
saw,I noticedsomecalled"magnetic"switches.What's
the dfferencebetweentheseand standardswitches?

Mark Rasmussen
Olympia,WA

A magnetic switch is a great safery upgrade for A solenoid is an elec-

a table saw.The switch might look like any
other two-button switch (Photos,right),b:ut
it works quite differently.
Mechanical Switch - A standard switch works by
making a mechanical connection berween fvvo metal
contacts that lock together when you turn the switch on.
The problem is that the contacts stay locked together
until you turn the switch ofl even ifthe power goes out.
This may happen if you overload the saw and trip a
circuit breaker. Forget to turn the switch off, and the saw
will start running again as soon as you reset the breaker.
Magnetic Switch - A magnetic switch, on the
other hand, reverts back to the "off" position if a breaker
trips. It does this thanks to a device called a "solenoid."
tromagnet with a piston
inside.When electricity is
applied, the magnetic field
pushes the piston out.
This piston is connected
to one of the contact plates
in the switch. Push the "on" button, and the solenoid
pushes the piston to bring the two contacts together.As
long as electricity flows through the solenoid, the con-
tacts stay together. But ifpower is lost, the piston retracts,
which separatesthe contacts and turns the switch oft.
You can purchase a magnetic switch from a number
of tool dealers. Be sure to specify the motor voltage
and horsepower of your saw when ordering.

butcherblocks Several years ago, reports

claimed that wood cutting
boards shouldn't be used

&BACTERIA with raw meat because bacteria in

the meat could get trapped and then
I enjoyed learning about transferred to other foods.
butcher-blockcountersin your Newer srudies,though, show that
December2005 issue.But wood cutting boards are actually
should I be concerned
about bacteria? safer than plastic. That means you
can cut meat directly on the coun-
Mark Felder tertops, as long as you scrub them
Barton,OH with hot, soapy water.

fiOT
QUE5TION5? ANSWERS!
WEHAVE 3H#3ffiJ3:I-?::T*';."-
and daytimephonenumber.You'llreceive Forums: forums.woodnet.net
lncludefull name,address,
one of our handsomeWorkbench capsif we publishyour question. Mail: WorkbenchO&,\ 2200GrandAve.,
DesMoines.[A 50312

woRKBENcH D FEBRUARY 2006

 ANSWERS

simplesproy
RUST
STOPS
My workshopis in an unheated,
so the tenrper-
uninsulated,garage,
atureand humidityfluctuatea lot.
Because this, tlte surfaceson my cast-iron
of
toolsare always coueredwitlt a thin coat of AAfterthreehours
rust. How can I cleanthe rust of and keepit coveredwith woter,
from comingback? borecostiron
rusted.Theportion
Jason Conrad cootedwith rust
St. Paul, MN i n h i b i t odr i d n ' t .

Cast iron makes a great surface
for tool tables,but it does rust
quickly if left unprotected.
To get rid of rust, try Rust Free from
Boeshield (Uoeshieltl.con0.Just spray it
on the rusted suface.let it soak for a few
moments, and then wipe the rust away
with a rag or abrasive pad (lnset Plrcto).
Repeat the processif necessary.
Now is also a good time to get rid of
any scratchesin the sudace.You can do
this easily with a random-orbit sander
and 220 -grit sandpaper.
Next, coat the bare cast iron with a
rust inhibitor. My favorite is L9 spray,
also from Boeshield.To show how well it
works, I sprayed a coat on half of a
cast-iron wing from a table saw set it
outside. and misted the entire surface
with water.The unprotected half rusted
in about three hours. while the coated
side stayed clean (Photo,aboue).

Propersetupfor
FEATHERBOARDS
Wten ripping on the table saut,where
should a featherboardbe positionedin
relationto the bladeand the board?

J6rty Miles
CedarRapids,IA

When ripping, the featherboard should

sit just beforethe blade (Illustration).
Never put a Gatherboard alongside the
blade or on the outfeed side. It will pinch the
kerf and may causekickback.
On many featherboards, the first finger is
about 1/ir"shorter than the others.That's to aid
setup.Justsiide the featherboard againstyour AForproperholdingpower,posi-
workpiece until this finger contacts the edge tiono feotherboord iustbeforethe
(Inset).Tighten the featherboard, and the rest b l o d e , w i t h o c o n s i s t e ngt o P
of the fingers will apply the correct pressure. betweenthefingersond thefence.

wonKllENCH n FEBRUAT{Y 2006

 o
lps
te,thniques
eqsy-ohreqsy-off
BTOCK
SETUP
When muhiplepiecesto clamp to attachthe block,it fi1x orrcr
length on the able saur,it'scommon the fence.Tigfrteninga knob engages
to clarrrpascxapblocktodre rip fence a built-in "cla-p" that securesthe
I A setup beforcthe blade as a stop for setting setupblock to the fence (hua Ptnn).
blockmokesit cutofflength.Tir use iqjust butt the The body of the setup block is a
eosyto cut end ofthe wodryiae aginst he block U{hapedassmblymade of 3/+" ply-
multiplepieces to position it along the miter gauge, woodthat'ssizedtofit orterthefence.
to identicol thenpushthepiecethough theblade A dado in each side holds a sub-top
length.Just (I+nto).'t}ntslearresx gp betrnreenthe that connectsthe sides.
turno knobto worlryiece andthe fence,sothe cutoff To make the clamp mechanism
securethisone can't get uapped and kick back- uiodr,ctrt aseconddadoin one sidefor
to the rip fence This seurpblockbkesdtat concept a handqroodprcsstuebar.Tighteninga
quickly(lnset). one better.Instead of fiddling with a knob into a?nut installd in this side
pushesthe strip aginst the rip fence
to "lock" the setup block in place.
This stip distributesprcsswewenly,
Top
l3/a"Ply.x 4" x 4"f and keepsthe errd of the knob fiom
dodo, marring the fence.
d*p After scren'ing the sidesand sub-
Ta"chombr top together,just glue on a top and
!
'
PressureBor a "standof (Illustrdion,lfi).
l/t" x3/t"x 4"1 Ton Hintz
I
Concoril,NC

Fence
height
plusl7z"
Sub-Top 3/n"counbrbore;
P/n"ply.x4" x4Vz"l

- NOTE:Setupblockis sizedto
Side
l3/n"PV.x4 x4r/a"l

Stondoff
fence
fit over o Biesemeyer-style

%"chomfer
l
%e" hole
l3/a"pV.x4" xlVz"l vlEw
sEcTtoN

BEST TIPWINNER! SEND USYOUR GREAT TIPS

HinE
For*ndin(,ustltis featurctip,Tom Emai[ tlps@rvorkbenchmaglcom
CpinboKit
winsanewCPK-2PB&Tool Tips& Technlques,
MaihWorkbench
fron fusch! 2200GrandAve.,DesMoines,lA 50312

20 woRKBENcH tr FEBRUARY 2006

spqce-squng CLAMP STATIONASSE'YIBIY
''
- Spocepipe flonges

GIUE.UP
STATION
My workbench is without a doubt To use the clamping station,simply
the most useful "tool" in my shop. thread the ends of the pipe clamps
The surface of the bench, in par- into the flanges, as shown rn the Pipe
ticular, is far too valuable to tie up Flange Detail. Then glue and clamp
while waiting for a glued-up panel the boards asusual.As with any gl r.-
to dry. up, be sure to clamp on top of the
So when edge-gluing several panel, as well, to avoid bowing.
boards together to make a solid-
wood panel, I temporarily attach Lewis l-owe
pipe clamps to the side of the bench Sumter,SC
(Clamp Station Assembly).This cre-
ates a large clamping area,while still
leaving the top of my bench free for
other work.
When they re needed, the clamps
are held in place with round pipe
flanges that are fastened to the side
of the bench with screws. (Pipe
flanges are available in the plumbing
department at home centers and
hardware stores.)

Product InformationNumber 172

 -t

TECHNIQUES

simplesupports
HANGDRY]AALL
HELP .When
Hanging drywall on a ceiling is always a you've screwed the sheet to the
struggle.And this is especiallytrue if I'm joiss,just move on to the next section,and
working by rnyself. repeat the processto hang drywall across
So I use 2x4 supports to give me a the entire ceilins.
"hand" and hold the sheet at ceiling
height.You simply slide the dryrvall onto Michael Hauck
the supports like sliding a cookie sheet Ashuille, OH
onto an oven rack. Then insert wedges
berween the supports and the dry'wall to
push the sheet snugly up againstthe joists
while you screw it in place.
Each pair of 2x4s that spansthe room
is lapped and screwed together.A vertical
2x4 props each support in the middle.
Two supports are located near the ends
of the sheet.A middle support prevents
sagging and holds half-sheets (Illustratiott,
b e l o w ) .T h e e n d s o f t h e s u p p o r t s a r e
attached to wall studs under the top
plate. This spacing createsan opening
for the drywall and wedges, and it gives
you a little "elbow room" for tipping
and sliding in the sheet to reduce the
risk of breakage (Fig. 1).
With the sheet of drywall suspended
on the supports,you can easily raise it to
the ceiling and hold it there with wedges
made of scrap 2x4 (Fig.2).

Save up to $200 on select JEI

products with JET Power Rebates!

Purchasesmust be made
betweenSeptember1, 2005
a n d M a r c h3 1 , 2 0 0 6t o q u a l i f y .

For more detailsvisit your nearest

JET dealeror www.jettools.com.

JET
jettools.com WORKBENCH tr FEBRUARY 2OO6
Product lnformation Number 209
 TECHNIGIUES
t
I tt!:Til i] !1..tt{ 'lr^l{-
put potterns '!tr)
o
. SquareDriveStops
PLACE
IN THEIR rur\
fur DriverBit Slippage!
. Hardened Steelfor
ExtraStrength
I've always enjoyed cutting patterns on the scroll saw.But what I
dont enjoy is getting the pattern from paper to wood.l used to attach *A) lll lll 'Available
inCoarse

H
,'ELi ll 1{! ORFineThread
El 'lrlfr:'t,#tfl
the paper patterns with spray adhesive,and then spend severalmin-
utes sanding away the paper
I Ill flf uullt a-un ,aa
after completing the cut.
- Ti l- l/2"lenghs!
But I recently found a
better solution at the gro-
'n' =\' \-"'
-
il\ '[:::tfi$,!t'u"
cery store: this "Press .A
Seal" plastic wrap (left).
h.i-
. Over1000 Other
Now I canjust cracea pat- Dp.r of Square.Drive
tern right onto the plastic, Screwsin Stock!
then press it firmly onto
the workpiece. It adheres
well and peels offwithout UrfteforFBEE
Gatalogl

.!xtJ{{
leaving any residue.

JohnVitamuas
l-f,.
Lincoln, NE

Product lnformation Number 249

 -l

i
I
f

1.

i$
I

t-l
.ii
li
Y
ilI
:t
e.
r(t
I'
.9
{
NON.SKID
SOLUTION ,a

t
I

:
On this issue'sstaircase"facelift" Applying the Finish - To t
(page44), we replaced carpet with create your own non-skid finish, i

thick. solid-wood stair treads. start by finishing the stair treads like 1)
Although the wood treads looked you usually would. I used stain and "n
lrjl

great, they can be quite slippery with four coats of a water-based floor f
just a standard finish. To avoid this finish (seeBox, belou ri-qht).Then,nix *.
fl
hazard,we used a "non-skid" finish a small amount of the compound trl
a-
n.
as a topcoat on the stair treads. with a pint of the same finish (Pltoto,
No-Skid Compound - The belowleft).This amount of Intergrip
*
key ingredient in this finish is is actually less than what's recom-
"Intergrip No-Skid Compound" mended for marine applications,but
from Interlux. It's available through it's plenry for this job.This createsa Non-SkidFinish
Jamestown Distributors for about $9 non-skid suface without obscuring Solid-woodstoir
per 1/2-ptnt can (800-497-0010; the wood. treodslook
lanrcstou'nl)istributors.t:otrt). After mixing the finish and non- greot- but they
This compound is a marine-grade skid compound, simply brush it onto con be slipperyto
product that's mixed with paint to the treads (Photo,belou,right). Only wolk on in socks.A
add extra grip to boat decks,docks, apply it to the center portion of each good solutionis to I
and other slippery surfaces.It looks tread (where people will waik), and usethisnon-skid )
like common table sugar and is use paintert tape to establisha fine finishos o topcoot. :i
t,
ll

nothing more than fine plastic beads line between the non-skid and the aI

that produce a textured suface. surrounding finish. A.t

fr
t!
fli

a
*l
'W'ater-based

o
floor $
t. I ,r finish was:l net- il
fI
'f; I
ural choice lor
't'
the stair treads. !t

Not only does it dry

Fasterthan an oil-based
finish (a second coat can go
n two hours), but it also has
and doesn't
ratch-resist2lnce
require sanding between coats.
Mix lt Up Brushlt On One differ-enceto note berween water- and oil-
of Thenbrushthefinishontotheport
First,pour o holf-toblespoon basedfinishesis that rvater-based('1qlt)doesnt impart
the no-skidcompoundintoo pint of the treodthotgetswolkedon. an amber tone to wood like oil-based does (/cli).
of finish,ond mix thoroughly. Pointer'stopecreoteso cleonline.

Email: finishing@workbenchtlaq.cont
and daytimephonenumber.You'llreceive Forums: fclrums.wooduet.net
lncludefull name,address,
one of our handsomeWorkbenchcapsif we publishyour question. Mail: Workbench Finishing Fundamentals,
2200 Grand Ave.. Des Moines. LA 50312

wol\KBENCH n FEBI\uAItY 2006

 MADEEASY
FINISH
Ebonized finisheshave beconre quite Ebonizewith o Con
popular today. Often created with Youcqn creoteo solid-color finishthotstillshowcoses
aniline dye, ebonizing createsa black thegroinof thewood. All it tokesis o con of sproypointond
finish that allows the wood grain to o few commonhousehold items.
show through.
The only drawbacks to ebonizing
are that the dye can be messy and
expensive.But you can achieve a sim-
ilar finish using conurlon spraypaint
and a simple burnishing technique.
This "ebonizing" technique
works best with open-grain woods
l i k e o a k , w a l n u t , a n d a s h .T h e s e
woods have large pores that allow
the paint to soak into the grain. So After sondingthe wood with Holdthecon perpendiculor to
ifyou're interested in this technique, 1BOgritsondpoper, useon oir gun the wood, ond sproyon 2 to 4
choose wood with this in nrind. (rX/e to blowdustoutof theopengroin. cootsuntilthe poresore filled.
used oak for the "floating" shelves
shown here and on page 64.)
Ebonizing Technique - After
sanding the sufaces,use compressed
air to blow the dust out of the grain
(Fig. I).If you don't have an air gun,
a shop vacuum will also work well.
Once that's done, finishing the
shelvesonly requires a can of semi-
flat spray paint (I used Krylon Black
#1,61,3),syntheticsteelwool (like a W h e n i t d r i e s ,r u b t h e p o i n t M o k i n g o f i n o l p o s sw i t h o
Scotch-Brite pad), and a paper towel with ulho-finesynthetic steelwool p o p e r t o w e lw i l l c l e o nu p o n y
(seeFigs.2-4 at right). to creoteo smooth,evensheen. d u s to n d " b u r n i s ht"h e p o i n t .

W'her-rit conresto stainingwood, one all-too-
conrnron problem is ending up with end gr-ain
that'.sdarkel than the face grain of a board.
The simple reason for this startsat yoLlr
saw blade. Crosscr:ttins wood alwaysleaves
a rougher surface on the end grain. And
when you stain this ror-rgher surface, it
inevitably retains rnore of the color.
So the easiestsolution is to sand the end
grain more thoror-rgh1ythan the face grain.In
the two examples at left, the end grain and
face grain of the lower board were sandedthe
same,through 180-grit. But the end grain on
the upper board was sandedrnore thoroughly
rvith each grit, and then received a final pass
with 220-grit before being stained.

28 wor{KTJENCH n FEBR.UARY 2006

 circulorsqw
EDGEGUIDE
At over l2-feet long, the handrail for the stahcaseQtage
44)canpresent a challenge ifyou rip it on the table saw.
The main problem is space,or more to the point, the lack
of space.Therejust isn't enough room in front of and in
back of the saw in most shops to rip a board that long.
So when it came time to rip the handrail to width,
I used a circular saw and a simple shop-made edge guide
(Photo,right). A fence mounted underneath the guide *rlfl.
Eaac
SIilC"Aeei
rides againstthe jointed edge of the workpiece, ensuring ,OiCfinlgfoil .(5Al':iv$
a straight, accurate cut. ea*bl|ade
diAg,i*d
The edge guide consistsof a 1/ 4" plywood base,wood
cleats that surround the saw on three sides,and a fence.
You'll need to start with an extra-wide baseto allow for
the two side cleats and the fence.After cutting the base,
lay out and cut an opening in it to provide clearancefor
the saw blade and blade guard.
Since the saw will be contained by the cleats,some
double-sided tape is all that's needed to secure it to the
base.That done, glue and clamp the cleatsaround the saw. FFontCIeffi
'Pltl''xglt+
As for the fence,it's best to make it about 1" longer than .
the base to help guide the jig at the start of the cut.The
Gnce also must be parallel to the blade. Otherwise, the blade
will bind. And the distance from the fence to the blade
should equal the desired width of the workpiece (6" for
the handrail).With those things in mind, align the fence,
and glue it in place.To complete the jig, apply a coat of
wax to the inside face of the fence to make the edge
guide slide smoothly.

MODIFYINGA SPADE
BIT
Thespindlesfor the stqircose(pge 44)ore mode of
3/a" oluminumtubing. Howeyer,I discoveredthot the
diometrerof the tubing is octuolly23/t2".Thoflsnol o
commonbit size.And if I usedlhe next lorgest )
bil p70",, it would produceo sloppyfit. ^ {f
Soto get tight'fittingspindles,t ground ,*/ '
down s3/t" spodebit to drill smqller
holesfPhoto,nerlr rightJ.Aquick poss
?
on the grinder is oll thot'sneeded.
Grind q little ot o time, ond drill {D
a I Grind bothedgesof the spodebit, removing
"Iesl" holes until the spindle : 4 roughlythesomeomountof moteriolfromeoch
fits tightly (Photo,for right). testholesto checkthefit of thespindles.
edge.Drill

30 woRKBENCH ! FEBRUARY 2006

'laTT)c TID/\]\ ,r .rrrt rE '
.l I.f \) I'I\\-tLYlt .|. Jt I I

\
'--------*,,
r-|-LN,tilr) i
l : : i

'.-.=-=-al
pLr!''.\/.r'[- l:l

ColA ltlr
FlRSTz Re,turn
?laoe end of
lape meaaurc

quick& eqsy on aenter

ofetud owff&n
DOX
9-ECONP:
\ in-)
STUDFINDER
Before installing a wall-mounted project (like the display
\
\----=2:
'Jr--

,i
I
Mi,eaeirc
ahryl6'lb
lndeiid acinhie

Tape
Mteaaite
i
shelveson page 64),you have to make sure the mounting i *)
screws will hit the wall studs. iOurlet
F,0x i b;ox
Ifyou don't have a stud finder, another way to locate .il
Illl-
the studs is to look at the switches,outlets, and cold air
returns in the room (Illustration,right).They're almost
alwaysmounted to the side of a stud.To see which side
they're attached to, remove the cover plate of the elec-
trical box (or air return grill), and peek inside.
Once you've idencified which side of the stud the box
is mounted on, iay out a mark 3/4" thalf the thickness
of the stud) from that side, as shown in the Detail at
right.Then measure 16" over to find the next stud, and
so on. To avoid marking on the walls, use a piece of
Mezleweowrs/+"ib
masking tape to mark stud locations.
frndcnrftar ot6fiA

Tattoo wood.

Leave your mark on that special woodworking

project with one of our electric or torch
Branding lrons. For more infir, visit rocklencom
or call l-800-?79-4441. For the store nearest
g*gSSIr***
you, call l -877-ROCKLER. Create with Confidence*

Product InformationNumber 214

 tips& tricksfor
PLUGS
PERFECT
Ideally, wood plngt should be flush with the face of the
surrounding area.That would be easy to accomplish on
an unfinished project - just sand the plu$ flush. The
newel post in our staircaseproject (page44), was pre-
finished, however, which meant the plugs had to be
trimmed flush at the jobsite without marring the finish.
To do that, start by masking off the area around the
plug (Photo).That done, itt time for some chisel work.
To avoid tearing out the wood fibers of the plug, care-
fully pare oft-thin slices of material, slicing in from the
rim of the plug toward the center (Fig. 1). As you work,
keep the chisel handle low, so the blade angles up slightly.
And if you re using face-grain pluS like we did, be sure
to shaveat a 30o to 45o angle to the grain.This increases
chisel control and reduces the risk of tearout.
You'll need to peel off the tape to remove the
remaining material.Then pare oft-the waste asbefore, only
this time keep the blade flat against the post (Fig 2)
Complete the job by "spot-finishing" the plug.

thickmoldingfrom
THINSTOCK
To make the 1.1/2"-thickmolding for the dis-
- playshelveson page64 (Photo,W,I face-glued
I t'wopiecesof 3/+"-thickstocktogether.Ifyou're
I making thick moldings like this, it's not a good
I idea to glue up piecesthat arealreadyripped to
I finat width.The glue will make them slip out
I of alignmentwhen you tighten the clamps,and
t' by the time you cleanup the edges,themolding
will be too narrow.The solution is to startwith
extra-wide pieces (about 3/e" wider than needed).
Glue them together so one edge overhangs the other
along the entire length of the molding.
I When com- Once the glue dries, the thick stock can be ripped to
plete,it's hord width in two passes.First, set the fence so the blade slices
to seethotthis offone overhanging edge, along with a sliver of the edge
moldingcome it overhangs (Photoand Fig.1,).Then adjust the Gnce to cut
from glued-up the molding to final width. Flip the molding so the flush-
stock. cut edge is against the fence, and rip it to width (Fig.2).

32 woRKBENcH tr FEBRUARY 2006

 WORKSHOP

spqce'squng
CART
CTAMP
Woodworkers hovestruggled withclomp
storogeforyeors.Thiscort,withitsslonted-
sidedesign,is o perfectsolution.lt lets
you hong100 clompsor moreond only
tokesup foursquorefeetof floorspoce.

ven the most cleverlydesignedwall-mounted clamp

rack hastwo basicproblems.First, it takesup a lot
ofvaluablewall space.Second,it'sfixed in place.This
means you're always having to walk back and forth
berween the clamp rack and your project. Then the
clampsend up piled on the bench until you're ready to
use them for your project.
This dilemma hadJamesHansford of Mosinee,'Wl,
using a stepladdernear his workbench as a makeshift
clamp rest.He did this so often, in fact,that the ladder
inspired him to build a similarly shapedclamp cart. It
holds over 100 clamps,yethasan extremelysmall"foot-
print" (essthan four squarefeet),so it takesup very little
floor space.And becauseitt mobile, the cart keepshis
clampsat the ready anywhere in his shop.
The clamp cart is shapedlike the letter "A," which
createsangled reststo hold long clamps.And it's four-
sided to provide more mounting surfacesin lessspace.
This lets you load the cart on all four sides,while still
keeping everything easilyvisible and accessible. A tall,
vertical divider on the cart offers even more storage
options.It'salsoequippedwith dowelsfor smallerclamps
and a shelf for glue bottles.
Cart Overview - The clamp cart is built from
dimensionallumber and plywood. The basic structure
consistsof nvo A-shaped framesmade from 2x stock,
which are connectedby 1x4 rails.A plywood bottom
forms a trough for large clampsat the baseof the cart,
arrrda top plate capsit off.Tvo layersof plywood form
a divider in the center of,the cart.And locking swivel
castersmake the cart mobile (ConstructionViau,page j5).
The Frame-Up - Each A-frame is composed of
nvo sides(A), a top stretcher(B), and a bottom stretcher
(C). Note that the ends of all thesepiecesare mitered

34 woRKBENcH tr FEBRUARY 2006

 ..1

@
TopPlob
/ l3/n"x3Vz"x 153/s"l

Trimendsot
/,,1>
o 7'ongle

rops9r*", @
Divider (2 piecesf
llVz" x3Vz"x llV2"l
l3/a"ply.x 12" x 6V3/to"l

@
Side
llVz"xlVz" x72"1

#8 x2" Fh--l
Woodscrew J NOTE:Locotemiddle
roilsofterossembly
to fit your clomps

@
Roil
l3h"x372"x 16")

@
Bottrom
(3/a"ply.x 16"
FRAMEASSEMBTY @ x 32")
Bottrom
Stretcher
at a 70 angle to give the clamp cart llVz" x3Vz" x29"1
its "A" shape (seeFrame Assembly
aboue).That done, screw the frame
pieces together.
The next step is to join the
3" locking
A-fiames together with rails (D).These
are simply cut to length from 1x4
stock. Screw the top and bottom rails
{-=---E
SwivelCosfrer Stretcher ,- #8 x 2" Fh

in place, but dont artach the middle

rails just yet.You'll want to position
them later according to the sizesand
types ofclamps you store on the cart.
Bottom, Top, & Divider -
With the fwo main frames assem-
bled,it's time to add the bottom (E).
This is just a piece of 3/+" plywood
thati cut to size and screwed to the
bottom stretchers.Lying the cart on
its side makes it easy to install the
bottom. Once it's attached,you can
mount the casters.
Then turn your attention to the
top plate (F).This is a 1x4 with the
ends beveled at the same 7" angle
to fit between the top rails. After
cutting the top plate, screw it in
place so that its bottom face is flush
CONSTRUCTION
VIEW
with the bottom edge of rhe rop
ralls (seeSectionViewandTop Plate E
Diuider Details).
All thatt left on the basic cart
structure is the center divider (G).
This divider not only adds rigidiry to
the cart, but it alsoprovides mounting
sufaces for smaller clamps and acces-
sories (seeAccessoryOptions,page3 6).
To hold these accessories.it needs to
be thick. That's why it's composed
of two pieces of T+"plywood. Once
you've cut these plywood parts and
glued them together, go ahead and
screw the divider to the top plate
and bottom.

WWW. WO RKBENCH MA G AZINE. COM

35
 -1

wd#ffi*{sF4#s}
PegMounting Block
llVz" x3Vz" xl2"l qdd the clomp hqngers
en,,lotzlf,l,o,
Once the cart is built, you can cus- Small Clamps - To hold small
tomize it to hold your clamps.This clamps,there are severaloptions. For
#8 x2Vz"th requires adding the middle rails (cut example, a 2x4 screwed to the
Woodscrew divider on edge provides a handY
earlier) and a few clamp hangers.The
clamp hangers are made from scraP rack for shorter pipe clamps (seeTop
blocks of wood. Photo,page34, andAccessoryOptions,
374"dowel,
672" long) Long Bar Clamps - Long bar Itft).Ablock with a couple of Pegs
clamps hook over the top rails of the (dowels) installed in it holds spring
Shelf Pii,eClomp cart.To support the lower part of the clamps or C-clamps. For hand
llVz" x3Vz", Honger clamps, you'll need to attach the screws, a block with a single Peg
x I2") llVz" x
works fine. Here agarn,testdifferent
3Vz"x12"1 middle rurls (seePhotos,page34).
The exact location ofthese middle configurations and locations to see
rails isn't critical, just as long as they what works best, and then screw the
work together with the toP rail to clamp hanger to the divider.
form a stable rest for your clamps.A Shelves - Finally,you might want
Shelf Front little bit of experimenting will help to add a shelffor glue and other sup-
x3V2"
1314"
you find the best placement. Start by plies.A shelljust takesthe basichanger
x 12") MiddleRoil
(3/a" clamping the rails to the cart while idea a step farther by adding a 1.x4to
x372"xl6")
you try out difFerentlocations.Then the front of a scrapblock.This forms
screw the rails in place at the height ^"llp" that keeps your glue and other
OPTIONS
ACCESSORY that's most convenient for you. supplies from falling oft^.E

INTRO THE
TOUGHPOWERSTRIP

ProAuo;!j
 TOR
& RLJLTS
SETUP
ROUTER
rirni:lerulesfor settingup and
ii-itr,rri
,iil,i-it'i"iiuler,
'|-1 errdyou'ilEetgreat-quaiity

onlpare a roucer to many remember to ensure that the business

other woodworking tools, end of the router is ready to go.
and you'll quickly notice Depth of Cut - \s>ft up, you
that there aren't any fences, need to figure out how to establish
measuring scales,or other devices depth of cut reliably.Then you need
that help you figure out how to set it to know just how big of a cut that
up and establishdepth of cut. Heck, bit can make in a single pass.Since
there aren't even arry great indicators every bit varies in size and shape,
ofhow the tool fits against the work- there are no hard-and-fast rules. But
piece, or what direction to move it. we'll share some hints for making
Because of that, you need to sure you don't bite off more than
realiy understand how to set up your the bit can chew.
'W'ay
router for safe,controlled cuts. to Go -You'd never push
It Begins with Bits - Naturally, a circular saw in the wrong direction
the first thing you'll need to do is becausethat tool's design makes feed
instali the bit properly.This isnt hard, direction clear.A router's doesn't,so
but there are a few things to we'll help you figure it out easily.

THEBIT
FIT
To hold the bit securely, the collet
needs to grip as much of the shank
as possible.But you don't want to
just shove the bit all the way in.
Doing this can cause rwo problems.
First, the shank may bottom out
in the router shaft (Illustration,farleft).
Becausetightening the collet nut draws
the bit in deeper,a bottomed-out bit
wont allow the nut to tighten fully.
Second,the collet could grip the
small fillet where the shank and body
meet. If this happens,it can't get a
tight grip on the rest of the shank.
'When
securing the bit, don't
tighten the collet nut too much, or bit
ffiffiTe ###ffi #$qEP M#ru'T *VffiR-TIffiHTEIU removal will be a real chore.The collet
\ . I r ' j r 1 '' 1 l : , r t t i t t ' t f i, , t t r l . l - t t , , t . :r : : i I . : ]i i i i i : q , ' l i i , , , ' t l irt: i , , ' i ) t t i ' t ' a l r i i i . ,r l l v f : ' i 1 ,a i t . e l l i l l l C l O i i :{ ,. l a l i l offers plenty of holding power with
, , ' . , ' : ,t it t . ; i i - t ( l i i . . _ , r -i rt . , , , ] i 1 1 , , , , -ri t. r r i l i . . i - ) , , 1 i : . , i t l l t t i - t i i l i : ; r i l f r u L ] i r j ; ' a t , -(. : i ) t ' i i , e e : r , ji c , .Li . i ; t t l i . .c i r - r w t ' t only a moderate amount of pressure
, . t " ; - ' : l l r l r t : l r i - ; i r " r i ' l r i ' l Iiri - : : r;' l - 1 f , : - rl rj r l i l 1 3' ^ i 1 ji ' r r , 1 , - ;r 1; : r i , 9 l ; ' f from the nut (Illustration,near leJt).

38 woRKBENCH tr FEBRUARY 20O6

 MAKETESTCUTS
After mounting a bit in rhe rourer,
you have to adjust the router to set
the bit at the correct cuting deprh.
And becausebits vary in size and
placement in the collet, there's no
sin-rplemeasuring scale that can be
used accuratelyevery tinre.
The best way to set depth of cur
is to first measure how far the cut-
ting edges protrude fron the base
(Photo,right).(Jse a high-qualiry steel
rule with clear,fine nrarkillgs to get
an accurate reading.
Now you need to make a test
passin a scrappiece of wood.Then
use the same ruler to measure the
test cut (Photo,page 38).Adjust the
router, and make test cuts until the
depth is dialed in.
Iiyou kno'uvyou'll need to dr,rpli-
cate that salle clltting depth later,
then saveyollr test cut.You c:llt use
it asa setup block the next tinre von
molult that bit.
j rype of bit and wood hardness.But a general rule
PASSES
Router bits are capableof cutting a lot of material
quickly, but can make a mess of things ifyou force
the bit to cut too much material in a single pass.
If you do this, the force exerted by the bit may
causethe cutters to dig in rather than cut.This will
tear out the wood fibers and result in a rough cut.
Just how deep a cut you can make varies by
can serve as a good guide: If you need to make a
pass that will remove a cross-section larger than
3/8"x31r",cut it in multiple passes,as shown
in the
Illustrationsbelow
Viewed in cross-section,
tfris profile remoyes
for lessstockthon the
moximumollowed.
Routin one poss.

RIGHTDIRECTION Thisprofile removes

With most tools, the proper feed
direction is prery obvious.'With a
router, though, this isn't necessarily
the case.It's possible to rlove the
router along the workpiece in either
direction, and theret nothing abour
the design of a router that clearly
indicates which direction is the
correct one.
To figure out the correct way to
move the router along the edge of a
more slrockthon the
workpiece, you need to think about moximumollowed.
the rotation of the bit.When looking Routin two posses.
fronr above,the bit spins clockwise.
And you w:'rnt lo nlove the router
agairtst
the rotation of rhe bir.
Instead of having to rhink about
this every tinre you r-out,though,just
Llsethe gpridelinesbelow and "rule of
thumb" at rieht.And remember th2rt
most of the tinre yoll rout as yoll
read: Frorrr left ro riehr. Efl-

WW'W. WO I{KB E N (]H M A G AZIN E. (-() M

39
 RttjTlNfr
TAi{;r-
EDGE
TOTHE r*utei',;tfcw nit:,;lr:rJilr*sesimpie
i':endlr*irj
\',1-:l-lr
tc ,:re.rtc decnrative
ere aii ',r;ur-re+,:C
terhil-riiiues
ri;t jainery,eriri*\rc'ritiltlv pclterris.
eciges,

ome of the most useful Best of all, you'll be pleased to

things you can do with a learn that you can do all of this
router are also the simplest. without any fancy guides or jigs.
Routing the edge of a board The router itself is ali you need.
is the perfect example. To control the router, you simPlY
'With
just a handheld router and use your hands. The bits provide
a handful ofbits you can reshape the cutting control. They're equiPPed
edge of a workpiece to add a deco- with guide bearings that follow your
rative element or form simPle but workpiece or pattern to keeP you
effective woodworking joints. You on track as you rout.
can even use your router and a pat- This all sounds simple, and it
tern to trim a workpiece to shaPe. really is.But there are still some thinS
An overview of each of these you'll need to know in order to avoid
techniques is shown below and the problems like tearout and burned
details follow on the next few pages. edges.We'llpoint those out aswe go.

PROFILES
PERFECT RIGHFONRABBETS TO-A-TEETRIMMING
'ii:riirrifral
Fro m r irnpie ro i I n(icr;!:i-:, ;i rtti t,i iarr-if pt':; i t . t 3 l ; i ; ; 1 : .i t l i r : , i ; i s i n ' p i t : s h c ; . u i d * : rc i ; i ilrij i.(toroduceiite Shdpr:r-ri.
. " t 1 \ -t'. - : i, r 1 , i 1 . , i , , ' 1 i1i1l r3: i i r i t ' s q u i d e
to ogees,bear-j:;, arrr-ilc'-ttl-:lcx t,'r'cfiles, of a worl(F)iece. Br;f r,.
,ii,;iti; iirt) 1:,i-ii;e

i:.'iifr:i-iijSl.Jilol.-tt .! i.),,,; i r': r..I t:),.tI?-;l i-ti-:fn be f f: i LJi'l -

; Ii 1;','r,r1; rr; i11-i111
i_rr-:,.i1'li ,.:,'1arn5i.Tit;tt lets yOt-i
theret a decorai.t''re
ii i r , y ' c , 1 1r ..rri t i ] ' , i r i ! r l ' i r i r i { : . ' , t i - i i ' f l yl O t t t t l ; , : ! | : . t : \ i: i r I i r i r a l - d t v o c d e r i r ; t t l q f i u l r i l
evr:rytastrranci 1:r'r;lrrr-i . ii r,:frl,'"rt{.r'
'/li-i'ii
i r ' ; l r r l i , i j r r \ r ( j i ,C a r r[ L l t n l u i i t p i l : ( ' - tl i " . r l ' i ' r - ' ri . r: - i .
s h c - r r ryuo i - r i l r j ' " " r
tt.l irr''(l{ ',i'':)(;l;r, 1 , , . , 1 , , , cri ) ;
iii:jr-l'1i-ll;lr-11
pi.r..rf
tearoirt-ancJi;,;r-n-ir-ee ileslitai i a i . ; , : ; q tji,.. , 1 , : ,, ' i i i t , t r i l i - i r i i € b i i , p i L - U ;-'ei.fertly i'l'i;i'fl.il a lj,r
lr.j',\l 1f; i ilt'ti flji i aii ;i-iOi-t 1 tr,.,rr',
irli,i :, it i I r i'rir',IIIll ilI1.5,;'ri:lJ
i.I
r.r,,ijil;;l;r,. Vi;i.i a ir;i 'rf ,,,,'',i-iiit,j ,lat{-j
: ' r , 6 t1i 1 , ' : ' , ' J, - i ( . r : r '
'r 1 . . . ,r .
e v ( i r : l j r . - . \ / ( . r r' itr i : : { 1 , ..i i i i ' : ' i : r ( 1 " . i Llljijijt:l ..,r'.1:..1i irii i:ri!/.

40 woRKBENCH ! FEBRUARY 2006

 ADDPERSONALITY
WITHPROFILES
Woodworkers have always liked to
dressup tabletops,shelves,and other
flat surfaces by reshaping the square
edge into a decorative profile. For
years they did this using special hand
planes equipped with plane irons
ground to the desired shape.After a
lot of progressively deeper passes,a
decorative profile was the result.
Eventually, someone came up
with a way to speed up the process.
They attached those cutters to a
router bit and created a simple way
for anyone to create profiles. Of
course, there are a few things you
need to know in order to produce
those profiles perfectly.
Multiple Personalities - To
form a specific profile, of course,
you'll need the appropriate bit.The
good news is that you'll find an array
of styles.The roundover, chamfer,
and cove bits at right are staples in
my shop, and I d recommend them
for any starter set of router bits.
You'll also find more complex
profiles, such as ogees, "classical"
edges,beads,and flutes.You can buy
these decorative bits in sets,but they
often include profiles you may not
use.I suggestthat you purchase only
the bits you need, asyou need them.
ENDSFIRsT,THENEDGES
When routingenclgrain,wood fiberscantear as the bit
exrtsthe wood, So alwaysrout the the endsof a workpiece
first.You'iltnm off anytearoutas you rout tire edges.
WWW. WORKBENCHMA G AZINE. COM
A Bit About Burns - Router
bits spin very fast, at up to 24,000
rpm.This makes them cut very
quickly, but also generate heat that
can burn the edge of the workpiece.
Of course, you can sand away burn
marks on a simple profile, but this
can be tough to do on a complex
profile with many little contours.
Theret probably no way to com- ACCENTING AN EDGE nooinsa decorative
pletely eliminate the risk of burn, profile,suchas this beadedcove,is as simpleas passing
t h e b e a r i n g - g u i d ebdi t a l o n gt h e e d g eo f t h e w o r k p r e c e
though you can take steps to mini-
mize it. First, keep your bits clean
and sharp. If your router has vari- ROUNDOVER
able speed,slow the bit down. Both
of these strategiesreduce heat.Also,
don't move the router too slowly as
you work, or stop in one place with
the spinning bit against the wood.
Don't Tolerate Tearout - If the
CHAMFER
bit gouges away part of the wood it
shouldn't, which is known as
*#{
tearout, you may find it impossible
to repair.Ifyou know where tearout
is likely to occur, though, you can
take steps to prevent it.
Most of the time, tearout occurs
either when the bit exits the wood, COVE
or when cutting across the grain
(rather than parallel to it). See the
Photosbelow to learn how to protect
these areas.
ADD BACKERSTO STOPTEAROUT
Sonretimes, the rouied profiledoesn'tcontinueall the way
aroundthe workprece.ln tlrat case,usea backerboarclto
suplloi'ttire 1ro.r.,fibers.rstfre bit exitsti-reivorkprece
4T
 RABBET
A rabbet is nothing more than a
square-corneredshoulder cut along
the end or edge of a board, asshown
at left. But the rabbet's simplicity
belies its versatility.
This versatility stems from the
simple fact that the shoulder creates
a perfect resting place for a mating
board. So the rabbet opens uP a
broad number ofjoinery options,
especially for case assembly.
'What
this all means is that a
rabbeting bit will see lots of action
in your shop. So you'll benefit by
learning how to use one properly.
Two-'Way Adj ustabiliry - You
can controi both the width (how
#Fi much of the board face is removed)
T#
d& SHtrl,.ltmHffi F*ffiFqru
and depth (the amount of edge
removed) when routing a rabbet.
ffiffiAffifirdffis
42
This is done by adjusting the router's
depth of cut, and by using different
sizesof guide bearings on the bit.A
rabbeting bit that comes with mul-
tiple bearings lets you accomplish
left).
this easily (Photos,bottom
Two Ways To Adjust - How
you adjust width and depth depends
on how you have the router posi-
tioned on the workpiece. Most of
the time, you'll rout rabbets with
the router baseresting on thefaceof
your workpiece (Photo,below).
Sometimes. such as when rab-
beting a case to receive the back
panel, you'll have to rest the router
base on the edge of the workpiece
(Photo,bottomright).When doing this,
clamp on a piece of scrap,such as a
straight 2x4,to provide stablefooting.
*:":f* F.aqflffi
NUoRKIIENCH n FEBRUARY 2006
 " ' \

i:,"
,lii.

GOIN FORA TRIM

When building projects that have long or wide panels,
such as cabinets,bookcases,and even tabletops,it's often
easier to build them from plywood rather than have to
glue the panels up from multiple boards.The problem
is that exposed plywood edges aren't pretty.
The solution is to cover the exposed plies with solid-
wood edging.That's simple enough,but the challenge lies
in cutting that edging to exacr width, and then getting
it glued on flush with both faces of the plywood.
About the Bit - A flush-trim bit makes edging
easierthanks to its long, straight cutters.They're guided
by a bearing ofmatching diameter that is mounted at the
bottom end of the bit (Photo,farright).
Go Big -This means you can cut edging oversize,
which makes gluing it on easier.Then just trim the
edging flush by routing with the bearing riding against
the face of the plywood.
To keep the router from tipping, clamp a supporr
made from a 2x4 to the workpiece (Photo,near right).A A SOLID EDGE Thanks
to a suide
bearins
thar
wide rabbet along one edge of the support allows it to matchestlre cuttingdiameterof the bit, a flush-trimbit
clear the overhanging edging. q u i c k l yt r i m ss o l i d - w o o d
e d g i n gt o m a t c hp l y w o o dp a n e l s

DEVELOP
A PATTERN
Most of the time, edge routing is used to simply change
the profile of a piece that has already been cut to size
or shape.But with pattern routing, you can use a router
and a special bit to cut a piece to the exact shape of a
pattern (Photo,below).
Those patterns can include curves and intricate shapes
that you'd usually have to cut with a band saw orjig saw.
But sawing shapes can be inexact and result in rough
edges.Rough-cutting the shape first and then routing it
to exact shape by following a pattern, on the other hand,
yields exact reproductions with smooth, clean edges.
Get Your Bearings Straight - A pattern bit is
similar to the flush-trim bit discussedabove.In this case,
the guide bearing is located abouethe cutters, on the
shank of the bit (Photo,right).
Make a Sturdy Pattern - Of course, to rout a piece
to shape,you'll first need a pattern. I make them frorr,l/+"
hardboard.This material is easy to cut to shape,and the
edge can be sanded to provide a smooth suface for the
bit's guide bearing to ride against.
Cut, Then Thim - Once you have your pattern
made, cutting a workpiece to match it is a three-step
process.First,lay the pattern on the workpiece and trace PATTERN
around it.Then remove the pattern. POWER
Second, cut the workpiece to rough shape, about To trim a preceto
,an oY.aai ch:no
1/e" outside the lines.The best way to do this is with
a
applya hardboard
band saw or jig saw.
patternto rt, and
Next, attach the pattern to the top face of the
then follow the
workpiece with double-sided tape.Adjust rhe router so edge with the
the guide bearing on the bit rides against the pamern, b e a r i n go n a p a t -
and then trim the workpiece to final shape.rf, tern bit (/efr)

WWW. WO R KB E N CHMA G AZINE. C O M

 o' -t
$',{ - -j; . i
4 . . " * , o

, l
 STAIRS
V/ITHFLAIR

SMIRCASE
FACELIFT
staircaseshould make a strong statement. The STEPUPTHE
one in the Before Photo below looked nice
enough. It just didn't have much impact. STYLEOFYOUR
The homeowners were looking for something new STAIRCASEBY
so we arrived at a solution that's simple to build yet has
a big impact on the first impression the home makes on
REMOVING AND
visitors ($tt, Photo,below).Andhere's the best part: you REPLACINGJUST
don't have to live in the midst of a big consrruction
A FEWOFTHE
mess.You simply build the stair parts in your shop, and
then install them in a couple of days. BASICPARTS.IT'S
Removing & Replacing - For starters,we replaced EASTER(AND
the old carpeted stepswith solid-wood stair treads.These
treads are not only thicker, but also a little longer than
LESSEXPENSTVE)
the old ones,so the ends of the treadsextend past the wall. THANYOU
That along with removing the existing trim board made
the treads appear to "float" in midair.
MIGHTEXPECT
To give the staircasean up-to-date touch, we also
replaced the existing wood balusters with brushed metal
spindles.These spindles are'actually made from inexpen-
sive aluminum rubing. Combine that with our polishing
technique, and you can make spindles that look like
stainlesssteel without breaking the budget.
In place of the old railing, we installed a solid-wood
handrail.You'll notice that this rail has a clean look,
highlighted by a hand-
grip at the top that's
routed using just two
router bits.
Then to finish things
off, we added a new
newel post at the top of
the stairs.Notice that the
newel post at the bottom
was removed. Of course,
that meant figuring out
a difbrent way to stabilize
the handrail. See our
solution on page 52.

45
 STAIRCASE
GUIDE
PLANNING
The best part about planning this stair-
casefacelift is that you already have a
template for the new parts - the
existing staircase(Box, below).
Using the old handrail, newel
post, stair treads,and risers as guides,
you can take the measurements you
need to build the new components.
Handrail - fi1s1, measure the
length ofthe old handrail (yor'll make
your new handrail about 1-ft.longer).
Next, hold a bevel gauge between the
existing handrail and newel post
(HandrailAngle, rght) to find the angle
at which the new rail will rest.This
angle will be critical for cutting the
rniters and drilling holes in the rail.
Newel P651- Size the upper
post to match the old one.The lower
newel post is removed altogether.
Tieads - These treads will likely
be wider and longer than the existing
ones. Determine their size by
removing the bottom tread and meas-
uring the openin g (SizingTiead5ight).
Risers - The existing risers stayin
place,and the new "riser faces" fit in
place over them to accept a decorative
wallcovering. Size the riser faces so
the width is 1/s" lessthan the existing
risers.The length equalsthe distance
from wall to rvall (Sizing Rkers,right).
Finally, be sure to review the
"BeforeYou Build" notes at right.

lf you haven't Stringers- Thesearethe "sawtooth" 2x12boards Balusters- Verticaluprightsthat spanbetweenthe

worked on a We simply
that form the backboneof the staircase. treadsand the handrail.We replaced wood balusters
staircase to holdthe new treadsand
usedthe existingstringers al umi numspi ndl es.
w i th brushed
before, a brief risershere. Newel Post- A thickverticalpostthat anchorsthe
overview of its Treads- Treadsarethe flat stepsof the staircase that handrail(tllustration,
right).We replacedthe top newel
basiccompo- you walk on. We replaced the existingtreadswith thick post,and usedreinforced in placeof the lower
spindles
nentswill help solid-oakversionson thisstaircase. neweloost.
you better
Risers- Thevertical"kickplates"of eachstep.To H andrai l - A n angl edw ood rai lthat you gra spf or
understandits support.Typically,it runsthe lengthof the stairsand is
we facedthe
createa smoothsurfacefor wallcovering,
construction,
existingriserswith r/2" MDF. attachedto the balusters and newelposts.
as well as
what will be
involved with
this "facelift."

46 woRKBENcH tr FEBRUARY 2006

 Bolcony Newel Post
feotureso roil ond is sizedto motchexisting
spindlesthotmotch newelpostond profiledto
the stoircose motchthe hondroil

1 ] Pre-finishparts in the shopto

makethej ob easyand m inim ize
Hondroil
anymessi n yourho use.Plugsand
is cut from one
longpiece wood fillertakecareof anv leftover
of l7z"-thickook fi ni shw ork.
2 I Get a dri l l i ngguide.O neof
the keysto success with thisproject
Top Treod i s dri l l i ngaccurate h oleswit h a
is notchedto
h a n d h e lddr i l l U
. s i n ga d r i l l i n g
fit oround
newelpost gui dei sthe i dealway t o do t hat
(page53). Youcan get one for $30
throughLeeV al l ey(800- 871- 81 58;
LeeValley.com).
3 I Special-order a board for the
handrai l .l t' squi telong,andyou
Spindles
ore octuolly don't want to haveto splicetwo
oluminumtubes boardstogether.
thot ore sonded
ond polished 4 ] Go easyon the demolition.
to look like Youonlyneedto removethe first
"brushed"metol stepto take measurements (see
Detailsbeloil. The restcanwait
untilpriorto installation
(page52).

Meosureongle
mountto existing
with bevelgouge,
stoirrisersto form
ond record it
o smoothsurfoce
for o speciol
wollcovering

Stoir Treods
modefrom l7z"-thick
ook boordsglued
edge to edge

Widthof RiserFoces=
holesobove ouci

7_m
Lengthof Treods=
distoncefromwoll ThreodedRods
Widthof Treods= to woll plus172" length of RiserFoces= insidethe bottom
distoncefromriserfoce distoncefrom woll to woll
to riserfoceplusl " threespindles
replocelower newel
poslos o meonsof
stobilizinghondroil

WWW. WORKBENCHMAGAZ I NE. COM

47
 & SPINDLES
STEPS centered on the the thicknessof tl-ris
Norv that you have the critical part
dinrensions,you calr get to rvork in stringer.Then, to tnake sure that the
the shop. I started rvith the "step" holes alien flonl one tlead to thc
conlponenb: treads,risers,and spindles. next, Lrse:r setltp like tl-reonc shou,t-t
Treads - Each tread (A) is a at lelt when clrilling tl-reholes.
11l:"-thick slabof red oak with three A11thatt needed to conrplete tl-re
holes nerarone end for the spindles trcadsis to ror-rt.l l/5" rotutdovet'ott
to fit ir-rto (1//rr-stratittrt,
ltelou,).MY the front edge and outer etrd.
treadswere 10" wide. br-rtboards that R i s e r F a c e s- A s n t e n t i o l t e d
i
i wide are hard to find and have a tetr- earlier,the riserson tht: old staircasc
I
I dency to cLrp.So it's best to edge- are left ir-tt:rctand get covercd rvith
I
I glue narrow boards together to nrake 1/:" MI)F riser f,rces(B).These faces
II
\l the wide treads. create a snrooth surface for a wall-
You'll need to glr-reup enough added later (paqc55).
covering tl-rat'.s
'53 stock to make each tread wider ;ir-rd Use the infornration on page 47 to
Siop
Block longer than its finished dimensions deternrine the sizc of the riser f:rces.
'^
*rrt 47). For best appearance,selcct
(pa,qe Notice that the oLrterertd of each
boards with nratching color :rnd face is rounded over.Tl-risradius pro-
;i-
:s
\ grain. After edge-gluing thc boards, duccs a stnooth transition be[weelt
rip the treadsto rvidth, cut theur to the wall and the riscr face,rvhich will
Th e sp indl.no, . , m us ta l i g nfro m tre a dto tr..d , u n d length, and sand thenr sltlooth. allorv the uellcoverirrq to wl'ilp
t t o ens u reth i si s w i th a d ri l lp re s sfe n c e
the eas iesway The next step is to drill three snroothly around the cortlet-.Justbe
t/s"
anda stopblock.Afterdrillingthefirstholein eachtread, deep counterbores in each tread to srlre to "stop" the rotrrrdovcr I
resetthe fenceand blockfor the nextsetof holes. accept the spindles.These spindles fronr the bottotn edge, so the treacl
a r e n r a d e f r o r r r ' ' /1 " a l u n t i n t t t r r will fit tightl,v as:rinstthe riser facc.
tubing, which is available at ntany Spindles - No\\' yolr can tllnr
T R E A D SR, I S E R S , hardrvarestores. yolrr attention to the spindles(C).To
& SPINDLES One thins to be aware of is that nrake the spindles,I used 72"-long
the outside diat-neterof this tubing aluminum tubes,:'tcomltlonly avail-
is actuallysmallerthan 3/+" (23132",
to able size.To get nvo spir-rdlesfiont
be exact).So to rnake the spindlesfit each tube, cut a 35 |/2" - and t 361/2"-
tightly. I ground down ^ t/+" sprdc piece piece fiotn each one. (Tl-retlvo
bit to drill slightly srnallerholes and diflbrent lengths allows for the 1:tct
test-fit the spindles (seepagc 30). that the spindlesin each group of
RiserFoce The location of the holes is deter- three will end up diflerent lcngths,
Uz" MDF 3/n"Aluminum
xV/2" r-ninedby the oLlter stair stringer. Lay as explained on page 53.)
Spindles
x 427/s"l out the holes in one tread.so thev're Right offthe rack, the alutninutr.t
(23/sz"'dia.
rbundover x cut to fit) tubing that's ttsed to ttrake thesc
spindles h:is :r t-tutnber of srttrll
Stop
@ scratchesand nrill urarks.So in order
here Stoir Treod to get th:rt "brusl-reclnretal" look,
( 1 7 2x" 1 0 " you'll need to sand and polish the
x 443h"1
tubing.To nrake that.;ob easier,you'll
Holecentered want the tubes to be spinning while
on width
you polish them.That nleanseither
of treod
l1lour-lting the tr-rbeotr a l:rthc, or
yolr can Lrsea corded drill and the
23/sz"'dio. turning jig, rvhich is detailedat rieht.
hole, l3ls" Turning Jig - Esser-rtially, tl-re
d""p turning jig is a siniplified version of
Centerspindleholeson yB"
of outerstringer
thickness a lathe. It has a fixcd headstock tl-rat
roundovers
holds the drill, a tailstock,:rnda becl

4B w()l{ KuF,N(tII tl FEtll{uAltY 200(r

 that connects the two.A shop-made
mandrel that's chucked into the drill
makes the spindle turn.This mandrel
fits into one end of the spindle, and
the other end fits into a hole cen-
tered in the tailstock.
The headstock parts are simply
cut to size and screwed together.
) Then the drill is positioned upside
down, and a hose clamp securesit in
place.The headstock base then gets
screwed to the bed.And the mandrel
is constmcted asshown in the Spindle "BRU5H
E DM E T A L "S P I N D L E S
Mandrel Detail,below.
1l SAND SMOOTH
As for the tailstock parts, they're
A ftermounti ngthe spi ndl ei n the turningjig, t ur n
simply screwed together as well.
on the dri l l ,andsandthe surface w i th 120- gr it
Then you'll want to drill a hole in
sandpaper to removescratches and mill marks.
the tailstock that's centered on the
Fol l owup w i th 220-grisandpaper.
l
drill chuck.'When it comes time to
turn a spindle, this hole is simply 2l BUFF
TOSHEEN
slipped in place over the end of the N ow pol i shthe spi ndl eusi ngan ul tra - f ine
synt het ic
spindle, and then the tailstock is steelw ool pad(suchasa S cotch-B ritpad) .
e This will
clamped to the bed. gi vethe enti resurfaceof the spi ndi ea "br ushed
After cutting each spindle to aluminum " appearance.
rough length, it's just a matter of
3I SPRAY
WITHLAQUER
mounting them in the turning jig.
Fi nal l y,
spraya coatof l acquer on the spinning spr n-
Then, use the three steps shown in
dl es.Leti t dryfor about10 mi nutes, a ndt henspr ay
the Sidebarat right to sand, polish,
on anothercoatto bui l dup the fi rri shAllow
. t he
and finish each spindle for a
spi ndl eto dry,andthen i t' sreadyto cu t t o f inal
"brushed" metal appearance.
lengthand instali(page53).

t
'tl

SHOP-MADE
TURNING
JIG
HEADSTOCK 8" Hose 32" hole
ASSEMBTY (centered|
SupportBlocks
l3h"ily. x l7z"x 5"1 I ,o,,r,;[
l3h"ply.x 4"
i x4")
Heodstock - Heodstrock DrilfChuck Vz"de*;p
%"lh,t'0,. l3huply. x 4"
hole x 12")

Broce I
ply.x2Vz,,l
13h,,
*.2y2'l

Bed
l3h"ply.x 4"
x 60")
NOTE:Secureend of spindle
in toilstock,thenclompit to bed

WWW. WORKBENCHMAGAZINE. COM 49

 TLAIR
VT/|TH
5TA!RS

The handrailand newelpostare both madefrom thick
so l i do akand hav es im i l apr ro fi l eas t th e to p .
POST& RAIL
Like the other parts for this project,
the newel post and handrail employ
the use of subtle, decorative details.
The decorative groove that runs
around the top of the newel Post is
a good example of this (Photo,left).
It's merely an echo of the functional
handgrip in the rail.
Now these details may be subtle,
but they still take some careful con-
sideration to create.In the caseofthe
handrail, machining a tl/2"-thrck
board that's over L2-feet long isn't
something you can do on most sta-
tionary equipment (even if you do
have room in your shop).The newel
post isnt as long, but special consid-
erations will still need to be made
when machining this thick post.
Handrail - The size of the
handrail Q) -"y come into play even
before you start work in the shop.You
may have to place a special order to
get a board this long. If so,get a board
that's at least a foot longer than your
existing handrail, and speci$t a board
that's sufaced on three sides (S3S).
This designation means the board will
be suface-planed on both faces and
ripped straight on one edge. Having
a straight edge is important, as it will
allow you to use a circular saw and
edge guide to rip the board to width.
The edge gude is detailed on page 30.
With that in mind, set the board
acrossa pair of sawhorses,and clamp
it securely.Then mount your cir-
cular saw in the guide, hold it firmly
against the "good" edge of the board,
and rip the handrail to width (Fig. 1).
The next step is to rout the pro-
file that forms the handgrip of the
rail. It has a curved finger recesson
each side. and a roundover on the
the top edges that provides a com-
fortable grip (Handrail Detail).

HANDRAIL&
NEWELPOST BolconyRoil
Y2"
roundover
r/2" roundover
L
t _./
(see page 54J (+l
lYA" (\
3/4"cove, T-ffi
'
3/a"deep I l3h"cove,
3/a"deep
{seeNewel
PostDetsiil

3/4" cove,
3/a" deep 3/a"
(denil,leftl roundover
Hondroil
Hondroil
llVz"x6" xlMs/te"l
NewelPost
(3Vz"x31h"
x453h"l

*Notchio
fit over
your floor
r-__j

32" counf,erboie,
3/a"deep with
7a"shonk hole

WORKBENCH tr FEBRUARY 20O6

 Routing a cove to form the M A K I N GT H EH A N D R A I L
finger recessis the first order ofbusi-
ness.The recessis formed by routing
1l RrPtTTOWTDTH
a groove with a 3/4" core box bit.
A t over12-feetl ong.the handrail is
To ensure a straight, accurate cut, I
too awkwardto cut on the table
made a "saddle" for my rcuter (Fig.
saw by yourself. A good solutionis
2).Then I routed the profile by
thi ssi mpl eshop-made ri ppi ngj i g
making two progressively deeper
for your circularsaw.(Complete
passeson each face of the rail. plansfor building thisjig areon
To complete the handgrip, rout page 30).
the roundover on the top edges of
the rail.Then easethe sharp edgesby
routing a 1/8" roundover on the 2I R OU T TH E H A N D GR IP
bottom edges. Tokeepthe routerrunningstraight
Next, miter the top end of the asyou routthe coveprofilein the
t rail to match the angle ofthe existing faceof the handrail,
outfityour
l handrail (Newel Post Detail, Ieft).But routerwith this"saddle."lt's
I
)
leave the bottom end of the rail long nothingmorethan a plywoodbase
for now.It will get mitered to length with an openingfor the bit andtwo
before installing the rail (page52). wood cleatsthat straddiethe board.
Newel Post - The newel post
(E) is sized to match the dimensions
of the existing post.In my case,that
meant making a 3r/2"-square post. M A K I N GT H EN E W E LP O S T
Start with turo 8/4 boards that are
wider andlonger than the final dimen-
sions of the post. After gluing them
face to face,rip the post to width, cut
it to length, and sand it smooth.
Post Profile - I wanted the pro-
file on the newel post to match the
handrail.The easiestway to do this
was on a router table (Fig. j, rrght).
To support the long posr as you
rout the cove profile, screw a long 3l ROUT THE COVE PROFTLE 4l ROUND THE TOP
auxiliary fence to the miter gauge, Setthe fenceon your routertable, Switchbits,resetthe fence,and
and clamp the post to it. It's also a and pushthe postpastthe bit with reposition
the postto rout the
good idea to place outboard sup- a mrte rg auge. roundoverat the top.
port beside the router table to hold
up the end of the post as you cut.
Once the cove is cut on all four
faces of the post, you can rout the
roundover at the top.All this requires
is changing bits and moving the TobleSow
a,-Cullol
router table fence (seeFig, 4). , Blode shouldei
Notch It Out - The last step
2_T b complete
I l/- ll nokh I
for this newel post is to notch it to
fit over the floor at the top of the
staircase.This is a simple rwo-step
process.First, use the table saw and 5l cuT SHoULDER
OFNOTCH 5I COMPLETETHE NOTCH
miter gauge to cut the shoulder of Setyourtablesaw bladeto match Tocompletethe notch,setthe
the notch (Fig.s).Then cut the waste th e d e p t hof the notch,and push bandsawfence,and cirt into the
block free on the band saw (Fig. 6). the postoverthe blade. postunti lreachi ng
the shoul der.

WWW. WORKBENCHMA G AZINE. COM

51
 -NorE:
s"",.,J"?15:l't1,"*
. il EASY IN STALLAilON
| .l
sPlndlelenglns
treod surfoce,then
on poge53 fillwith colored At first, the thought of installing a the post in place.Then install rvood
.. r r wood filler staircasemay seem intimidating. But plu$, chisel them flush (seepage32)
"tl"iif it's not as difEcult as it looks. Just and "spot-finish" the plugs.
take it one "step" at a time, and you'll Lay Out Holes in Rail - Before
end up with a great-looking staircase. installing the handrail, you'll need to
#8 x 3" Demolition - Of course,you'Il lay out the locations of the holes for
Trim'HeodScrew have to renove the old balusters, the spindlesin the bottom of the rail.
handrail, and newel posts first. We Start by masking the rail, so you
J
alsohad to tear up the carpet and pry won't have to mark directly on the
I i Ia,, shonk
| | , hole offthe old treads.Also,to make sure finished rail. Now for the tricky part
<V the new treads sit flat, scrape any - transferring the location of the
dried adhesiveoffthe stair stringers. holes in the treadsto the handrail.To
_ , Add the Riser Faces-The riser do that, temporarily install the middle
lreoo
facesso on first. Position each face so spindle in each tread. Next, rest the
Eristing the top edge is flush with the existing rail on the stair treads, and butt the
riser and the end is flush with the mitered (upper) end against the
wall.Then use construction adhesive newel post. Clamp the rail to the
%"" ll I i i- ,,,'"..-V ,// | and 6nishnailsto securethe faces. spindles.and thenmarkthe location
Ihreoded| | i 1t\*ts1/ ,// .,/ Time for Treads As for the of the spindleson rhe tape /.FrI./t.
Rod
rreaos..tney
treads,they're grueor"".:.'.Y.:
re glued and screrved to ,'.'*.113
Miter Rail Lo L€ngur - While
to Length wullr
lcutv l.& i 7)7 // ,/ :"
3d;iio;gl Q*\iZ ,Z ,/ the rtair srringers.Toavoidunsightly the handrail is still clampedto the
holes,l used specialrrim-head screws. spindles,it's a good time to establish
s7s"hole, These screwshave an extremely small the final length of the handrail.The
ll"------ ,Z n _
3'deep RiserFoce goal is to miter the rail to length so
ll ,/-(---- / head. Even so, sink them below the
-.t..- '-..--
/-- | ./ surface and hide rhe heads with rhe end is evenwith *re front edge
NOJE:Centerscrewsv ],r/ \ . color-marchedwood filler. of*re bottom tread.A &amingsquare
onrhickness
of shingers ' ---..- 2-dfinish
ll", ^;---;--"
Now for the Newel Post- The makes this easy.Just set the square
n:ii"
TDE A nc EltcEEr< o next stepis to irutall the newelpost on the floor, and butt it againstthe
TREADS' RISERS' & ;il;;; # It'scenteredbottomstairtread.Thenmarkaline
SPINDLE INSTALLATION ""rs. andsecuredwhereit contacts
ou.. th.'oor..srringer thesideof therail.
with lag screws (NeurelPost & RaiI At *ris point, unclamp the rail and
Assen$ly).You'11need to drill coun- take it to the nriter saw. Rotate the
terbored shank holes for the screws. saw to rnatch the layout line and miter
Then dry-fit the post, plumb it in the rail to length. Then sand and
5/s"SpodeBit
both directions, and mark the hole "spot-finish" the end of the rail.
locations on the rim joist. After Lay Out Remaining Holes -
drilling pilot holes in the joist, screw Now you can lay out the rest of the
| l l N NOTE:
o T E : UseUselholesinthehandrail.Beginbytrans-
ll | ffi;["-tf,
"dimple"left i ferrinsthelinesuo'.,n'i'rk.i.arli.,
-by
/ -spode
r - - : -bit
:'
I | I
to centerhole
I:':"'111 | H il ,r,nr," | ,o rhebortom ortherail.rhen
edge
I hi il ,/ | nrark a centerpoint berween eachpair

@::i..--.t.'||lL,lullL\l\Jlt|lLlluuulLJ-UlllurLJ.

erurh Y you get the middlespindle

,hr""d"d -.d I ! | . .on.:
epo)ry ? I holes laid out, you can lay out the
on holes for the other two spindles in
, I I
threods
--+-----. -,eA6", . i .".h gro.rp.Becauseof the angleof
-l Threoded
the handrail. the distance between
Securerod I I I nod
;iri-;;t, I I I theseholesintherailwillbedif-
I I )-
thenslip I I | 1-' I ferent than on the treads.
spindle. I I I I I r" figure out the exactspacing,
over rod
you could dust offthe old geometry

52 w ( ) l L K l r E N c H D F E B I T . u A R Y2 0 0 6
book - or simply use the infornra- 52).The spindlesfit over these rods
tion in rhe Clmrt below Note hor,v like a sleeve,creating a rock-solid
NEWEL POST&
the spacing changes depending on support for the handrail. RAILASSEMBLY
the angle of the handrail. (Use the To acceptthe threadedrcds,you'll 3/n"Ook Plug,
angle of your original handrail.) need to drill three holes in the
W" 72" long
BolconyRoil ,
Afier finding rhe correcr spacine. stringer (Drillin,qDuail).Then brush (seepoge 54)
lay out the rest of the holes (Fi,q.2). the ends of the rods with epoxry,and =ti-i
-.-*J
Then use a drilling guide (and rhe install them in the holes (Lou,er
modifed spade biQ to drill rhe holes Spirtdle Detail). Next, brush rhe <o \ 7 4 " x 4 "
at the proper angle (Fig.3). Note: threads of the rods with epoxy, and log Screw
Drilling guides are availablefronr Lee slip the spindlesin place over then1.
3/4"counl,erbore,
Valley (Lss\&Usycatl; 800-871-81 58). The rest of the spindlesdont need "@ 32" deep,with
Cut & Install Spindles -After
driiling all the holes, it'.stime ro cur
the extra reinforcenterlt. But I did
use epoxJ to securethesespindlesin
G.
\ '@ I 7a"shonkhole

the spindles to final length. Here t h e t r e a d s .S a n d a b o u t 1 " o f t h e Hondroil

again, use the Cltart to find the Newel
bottonr end of each spindle to ensure
Post
length of the spindles.Ther-rcur the a good bond. Brush epoxy onro rhat __/_'
spindleswith a miter saw. end and in the hole, then insert each
That done, all of the spindles spindle into its respecrivehole.
except for three will be installedthe Mount the Rail After 3/ct'counlerbore,
same way. The three bottonr spin- allowine the epoxy to cure 3/n"deep, wilh
dles require sonle special attention. overnight, yoLt cau ltrorlltt the 7a"shonk hole
Since the bottom newel post is no h a r r d r a i lY. o u ' l l w r n r r o r e c r u i t e
longer there, these spindles serve as f iend to help rvith tl-ris.Br-rmthe rail V nx" 4
the main supports for the lower end against the nervel post, and work
LogScrew
NOTE:Notchtop treod
of the handrail. yollr way Llp the staircase,fitting each to fit oroundfloor
To help strengthen the handrail, spindle ir-rtoits hole in rhe rail.Then
Ta"Wosher
three long threaded rods are anchored
in the stair stringer (Illu-stratiorts,
pdgc
use a nrallet and block ro t:rp the rail
down onto the spindles.
7\^
OokPfug,
-& Y

3 STEPS
TO PERFECTLY
ALIGNED
HOLES
1 l t ' i a n , ; i e i ' t i rl oer . a t i o n
cf the RoilAngle
T i rrrc'jciie :)DIr'ri j I€: ii c r-rii i-(laj d 1.o it Ij Hole
2 l U t - , tri,r i - (: h a r l ; t t r r r r i - tro. f r i e t e r - Spocing
r - f t l i t ae t l i l I t ) n t ' fiil r i l l o a a l i c na j i
faF
\,,. l)-T
! p r l c l l e s; ? ' ja n c j1 l l /Yl 45' 3eAo" 313/e" 337/a" 363/a"

lfl
i i ; ; c i ri t i t i ei r ; i i r i t i t e r , l i r i l i r r q
3 ] D r " ie
gi.tider,,,'ltf r i,o,.tt" c'jriii 46" 3V2" 3l7(o" 337/a"36sAo"

47" 37hc" 31V2" 3313/ro"36ys"

spindle I 49" 33/su 3leAo" 3313/ro 36Vto"

rt' l 49" 3s/'to" 315/a" 333/n"35ls/ro"

ll'l
50' 3y4" 315/s" 333/n" 357/a"

Spindle 5 1 " 33/ro" 3 l l h o " 33lhc" 353/n"

#3
52" 33Ac" 3 l l h c " 33lhc" 3Ss/a"

t! 53'
54'
55'
3ys" 313/n" 335/s" 351h

3tt

3rt
313/a" 33e/te" 353/a"

3 | l3lrc 33e/tc"355Ae"

WWW. WO R KI]ENCHM AG AZIN E. CO M

53
- T,t'iYti

BALCONY
This staircasealso had a balcony, so
naturally, we wanted the look of the
balcony to match the rest ofthe stair-
case.That meant replacing the existing
balcony rail with a rail (F) that's iden-
tical to the one on the staircase.'W'e
also exchanged the balusters for meal
spindles (G). So the spindles would
'nffi
#ra have something to mount into, we
added a balcony base (H).
This balcony presented the unique
challenge of"wrapping" around Nvo
45o corners to form a landing.This
meant we had to miter the three base
pieces,and bevel the three rail pieces,
at221/2" to wrap around the landing.
The other interesting challenge
of this balcony is figuring out where
lf yourstaircase
hasa balcony, completewith a
you'llwant it to mirrorthe lookof the staircase, to locate the spindle holes.You'll want
and m o re" b ru s h e d a
handr ail
sol i d-w ood " l u mi n u ms p i n d l es. them equally spaced, but not more

BALCONYASSEMBLY

o
BolconyRoil NOTE:Forhondgrip
Bhz" hole 22y2" detoils,seepoge 50
#8 x 3" Trim- llVz" x 6" x cut to fit)
(cenbred on HeodScrews bevels
Boord width of
bose piece)
Cove 60
Molding 00
l
#20
Spindles
ongledholes (3/n"olum. tubesx 32") Biscuits
to secureroil
to woll (Woll
t1o"x4" (--__) 3/n"counbltore, Mounting
Detoil)
Sif'r'1:r'1ffi!
Newel
Posl

TrimBoords
l3h"x83/l'
x cutto fit)

NOTE:See
BolconyBose Sideborot
(lVz"x3Vr" rightto drill CoveMolding
x cuttrofit) holeson l3h" x3Z" x cut io fiil
iointline

54 woRKBENCH ! FEBRUARY 2006

than 4" apart.Also,if the rail and base
piecesofyour balcony are connected
at an angle like ours, you'Il want one Todrawtl rebeveled endsof t he
spindle hole at eachjoint line. bal conyrai l sti ght lyt oget herI,used
This time, the holes in the base cl anrpbl ocks.E achblockisjusta
align with those in the rail. Drill pl yw oodbasethat 'sgluedand
them with the modified spade bit screw ed to an angledblock.By
to ensure tight-fitting holes. cl ampi ng tw o of t hemt o t he
The only challenging holes to drill m a t i n gr a i l sa, n dt h e nc l a m p i n g
are the holes where the base and rail themto eachother you , canpull
piecesmeet.The "Drilling Floles" Box t h e r a i l st i g h t l yt o g e t h e r
at right makes that easyOnce rhe holes
are drilled, the handgrip on the rail
can be routed just asbefore (page50) #8 x lVa"th
Balcony Installation - l\z[sunf -a-Woodscrews
(countrersunk)
the balcony baseto the floor with glue
and trim-head screws.The spindles
are secured in the base with epoxy,
and the rail is tapped in place.
To join the three rails,I used bis-
cuits and glue.I alsomade some clamp
blocla to draw thejoins together once Blo,ck
llVz"x4 x6"l (3/t"ply.x 6" x 12")
the rails were in place (Plnto, aboue).
To finish up, attach the rail to the
newel post and the wall (Details,left).
Then add some trim boards (I) and
cove moldi"g (J) to the wall under- O n ec h a l l e n g ransgp e cot f b u r l d i n g
neath the balcony. E t h i sb a l c o nwy a sd r r l l i nhgo l e sf o r
spi ncl l es at theyun ct ion of t wo bal-
conybaseor rai lpieces. Fort lr e
basepreces, i t' sea siest t o m it ert he
p i e c ecsa r euf l i yt o l e a v e x a c t lhy a l f
a lroleon eachpiece(Fiq.7).an
fhe rai l ,i t' sbestto dr y- assem ble t he
pi eces w i th cl ampblocks( Phot o,
above), andthen uset he dr illing
g u i d et o d r i l la c e n t e r ehdo l eo n t h e
loint line(Fig 2)

Glass-textile
wallcovering helps
smooththe transitionbetweenthe
wall and the risers(seepage 94).

()sk
Red
()ok
Red
()ok(ove
' (l 00)#8x 3"thScrews .(8) %" x 4"looScrews
(#08 30-TS0;
l[s[seLs.c_oq .(8)7a"Wosheri
800.443-793i) .(8) 3/a"Red()okWood
Pluos
. (l00)2-dtinishNoih .134],3/a"x72"Aluminum
iubes
. (l ) Drill
Guide(#25|(18.50; (seePoils( ondG)
3A-dia. Le,e-Yqllqy.ssn; I -8158)
800-87 . (3)e/ro"
x 36"Ihreoded
Rods
Aluminum
Spindles 32 Aluminum
Tubing .(4)#20 Biscuits (U_1e.fu 800-873-3626
ss.Esm; I

WWW. WORKBENC H MA G AZINE. C ON4

55
 NN'tUdLb
r"'2006
Alan K"y, father of the laptop computer, said"The best way to predict the future is
'We
to invent it." couldnt agreemore. So we arepleasedto once agaLnrecognizethe
most innovative pov/er tools we've seenover the past yexr from manufacturerswho
are not content to await the future, but are actively inventing it.

PM2OOO
POWERMATIC
CabinetSawWith IntegralCastors
It's been awhile since we've had any-
thing new in table saws to get really
excited about.That just changed.
Powermatic's new PM2000 10"
cabinet saw is a large enough leaP the samewheel that contnolsthe blade
forward in quality and usability that
other manufacturers may have to
settle for competing for runner-up.
What first caught our eye about
this saw,and earned Powermatic the
innovation award, is the Integrated
Retractable Castor System, which is
efancy way ofsaying it has a mobile
base built right into it.
This seemed like merely a con-
venient feature at first glance, but
we soon learned it has a significant
impact on performance, as well.
Because the castors retract com-
pletely into the cabinet, the saw rests there are no excusesfor leaving the
solidly on the cast-iron base when in
operation. This is far superior to
having the tool supported by four
small wheels, such as on a conven-
tional mobile base.The additional
vibration dampening that comes
from this designis measurable.
The castorsystemis operatedbY
bevel angle,so the saw is not bur-
denedwith additionalconmls. Simply
push the wheel in to make bevel
adjustrnents,or pull it out to engage
the lift system.As you turn the wheel,
the castorsextend or retract.
Beyond the castors,Powermatic
loaded this saw with other valuable
upgrades.Mostnotablearethe quick-
releasebladeguardand a riving knife.
Being ableto quickly remove the
guard for joinery cuts (like dadoes
and rabbets)and then replaceit just
asquickly for through-cutting means
guard offand compromising safery.
The riving knife is another great
addition. These knives have long
been the standardon Europeansaws

56 rx/oRKBENcH ! FEBRUARY 2006

and are long overdue in the North
America.A riving knife differs from
a rypical splitter in that it raisesand
lowers with the blade and is shaped
to match the curve ofthe blade.This
keeps the riving knife in the most
effective position to eliminate
binding, regardlessof blade height.
Other enhancements include a
locking arbor that allows single-
wrench blade changes and an
internal blade shroud and hose that
improve dust collection dramatically.
Single-phase and three-phase
modeis are available in either 3-hp
or 5-hp versions.The sawscome with
Powermatic's Accu-Fence system and
a micro-adjustable miter gauge.
Prices range from just over
$2,000 to just over $3,000,
depending on the model.
For more information on the
PM2000, visit Porn'ernratic.com,or
call 800-274-6848.
CRAFTSMAN
- i
i'u,;1, ,- '.,' ,';??-';;t:'

Craftsman's new Powder Coating
System effectively puts one more
durable, simple finishing option
within reach ofanyone who wants it.
Powder coating works by electro-
statically applyrng a powder to metal
(and some non-metal) surfaces(Inset
Photo).Thecoated piece is then heated
in a standard electric oven (though
not one you plan to use for food
preparation) at 4000 to cure for
approximately 30 minutes. The
resulting finish looks like paint but is
more durable and scratch-resistant.
Ifyou're not familiar with powder
coating, simply look around your
home. Chances are good that at least
some ofyour appliances,tools, lawn
equipment, and maybe even your
barbecue grill are finished with a
powder coating.
This is the first time that a truly
aft'ordable, simple system for applying
powder coating has been available
to consumers. Other versions have
cost fvvo to three times as much and
required an air compressor to operate.
This systemsellsforjust $190 and
is completely self-contained. The
powder is loaded into a quick-change
powder cartridge and an internal fan
provides all the necessary airflow.
To make the powder adhere, you
simply attach a ground wire to the
piece that receives the coating. This
causesthe electrostatically charged
dust particles to cling to it (Main
Photo).Avariable-speed trigger allows
the user to regulate the volume of
powder expelled from the gun.
Cleanup is quick since any over-
spray can be vacuumed or swept up.
The powder cartridge can be wiped
or blown clean in lessthan a minute.
A wide variety of colors are available,
and addirional cartridges can be pur-
chased for faster color changes.
For more on the Craftsman
Powder Coating System, visit
Craf[snran.cor]r or call 800-349 -4358.

Powdercoatingprovides durablefinishon
an attractive,
justaboutanymetalsurface. Somenon-metalsurfaces,
likethe claypot in the Photoat left,alsoacceptthe finish.

HITACHI
Tero-Clearance
SlidingMiter Saw
Hitachi's new 72" sliding miter saw
provides maximum cutting capacity
in minimal spacethanks to an inno-
vative new rail system.
Unlike conventionalsliding miter
sawswhere the raib slide,these rafu
arefixed and the attterhead
slides.That
mearu this saw requires zero clear-
ancebehind it to operate(mostcon-
ventiond sliding miter sawsrequire a
foot or more of clearancebehind the
saw).Theend resultis the samelarge
cutting capacitywithout sacrificing
valuableworkspace.
Just as impressiveare the rack-
and-pinion mechanismsfor making
fine adjustmentsof the bevel and
miter angles.This provides an
WWV/. WO RKBENCH MAGAZI NE. CO M
HitachitnewCl2LHSmitersawuses
fixedrailswitha slidingcutterhead.
Thenewdesign allowsmaximum
cuttingcapacitywithout
sacrificing
workspace'
unprecedentedlevel of control over Thenewsaw
both settings. alsofeaturesthe
Combine that with the samedig- digitalmiterand
itd angle displaythat earnedHitachi bevelangledis-
Top 10 honors lastyear,and this saw playthatearned
has a level of accuracy that is Hitachia Top10
unmatched by its competitors. InnovativeTool
Hiachi evenmanagedto improve awardlastyear.
the display for this model by
mounting it on an articulatingerm,
so it canbe adjustedfor easyreading
from a variery of positions. An
a{usable lasercudine indicator is also madmum width ofcut s 72r/+" vmrh
standard.So,in short, if the cut's not a maximum depth sf cut of 43/6".
accurate,dont blame the saw. E4pect to pay about $650 for the
The saw will cut bevels at 45o C12LSH. For more information,
either direction, and miters up to 45o visit HitachiPowerTirols.com, or cdl
to the left and 57o to the right.The 800-829-47s2.
59

Thedigitalclutchon the Panasonic
offersthree waysto customizethe
powerand speedof the driver.
Alongwith
enhanced control
features,the
Panasonic
cordless
impactdriveralso,
hasbuilt-inLED
lQhting,
PANASONIC
lmpactDriverWith DigitalClutch
As more people discover the value
of cordlessimpact drivers, they also
find one problem: control.
The problem .is that rypical
impact drivers have single-speed
motors and ng clutch, which makes
them much 1fo* dificult to control
than a conventionaldrill. So,for the
uninitiated, all the speedand torque
these drivers deliver can quickly
become a liability that results in
snapped-offbolts and stripped-out
screw heads.
Panasonicputs a resounding end
to thosefrustrationswith their cord-
lessimpact driverwith an electronic
clutch.Just the addition of a clutch
on an impact driver is noteworthy,
but Panasonicwent so far beyond
conventional clutch design that
they'vedtogether changedthe nature
of this tool.They've actuallybrought
an impressivemeasureoffinesse to a
previously heavy-handedtool.
The clutch allowsusersto choose
from 16 different torque settingsto
match the work. As soon as the
selectedtorque is reached,the drill
simply stops running. The settings
are accurateand diverseenough to
woRKBENcH
ensure perfect control for any type
of hardware.
There are also three levels of
impact power to choosefrom ftard,
medium, and soft). Once again,this
allows users to select how aggres-
sively they want to drive a certain
fastener.Thisprovesespeciallyvalu-
able with smaller fastenersthat are
more prcne to breaking or stripping.
Findly, a"one-shot" impact func-
tion makesit possibleto make one
final turn of the hardware for the
perfect set.In this mode, eachtime
the triger is pulled, the driver makes
a half-rotation and then automati-
cally stops.This feature eliminates
over-sinking a bolt or screwbecause
of an overzealoustrigger finger.
Used in combination, thesethree
feanrresmake the PanasoncEYT202
the most versatile and user-friendly
cordlessimpact driver currently on
the market.
Other features of the driver
include an LED worklight and an
adjustablebelt hook.
Expea to pay around$300 for the
driver. For more information, visit
Panasonic. com or call 800-405-0652.
tr FEBRUARY 2006
 FESTOOL
!f#r DrilI
Festool'soutstandin g l2-volt cordless
drill, the C12, was already established
as one of the finest drills money can
buy because of its versatiliry capa-
biliry and compactness.Festool can
now add "virtual immortality" to that
list of qualities.
The C12's long life expectancy is
the product of a revolutionary new
brushlessmotor.This rype of motor
has long powered very large
machines (like CNC routers) and
very small machines (like computer
printers). But this is the first time a
toolmaker has been able to take
advantage of the eficiency, increased
power, and durabiliry that this rype
of motor is known for.
DurabiJiry is the chief strength of
a brustrles motor, and at last count, one
C12had driven over 800,000
screws without
'-!.,jt&*o,
"s*;"6,.'
WWW. WO RKBE N C H MA G AZINE.
failing or even showing signs of
decreasedcapacity.Thatmakes Festool
confident in saying these drills will
drive 1 million screwsbefore exhaus-
tion.That's five times asmany as
competitive drills.
Equally impressive is that
Festool was actually able to
reducethe size and weight of
the drill even while increasing
its performance.TheC12 is 25%
smallerand a full pound lighter than
most other l2-volt drills.
Of course. this new model still
acceptsthe excellent accessoriesthat
made its predecessor so popular
(Photos,below).
The C12 is available in a variety of
kis, sardng atjust over 9300. Call 888-
337 -8600 or visit FestoolUSA. com for
more information.
Theincredible three-headed drillfrom Festool - 1l an offset
chuckfor tight spaces, 2l a standa rd 1/2"chuckfor everyday
drilling,3l a right-angle
attachment for closequarters.
CO M 61
MAKITA
Anti-VibrationTechnology
Reciprocating sawshave a well-earned counterweight is a rotating disc that's
reputation asaggressivetools designed thicker and heavier on one edge
primarily for destruction. Part ofthat than the other (Photo,right).As the
comes from their unrivaled caprcity blade is plunging forward, the weight
to cut thrcugh nearly anything in their of the disc is moving backward to
path. But it's also due in part to the counter it. Simple but effective.
abuse the tool inflicts on the unfor- The JR3070CT sells for around
tunate soul operating it. $180 and also features four-position
Let's face it, a 1.5-amp motor orbital action, electronic speed con- Thiscounterbalanceprovidesoffset-
powering a solid steel blade back and trol, and tool-less blade changing. ting weightto minimizevibrationin
forth over a 11l+" stroke 2,800 times For more information. visit Makitas reciprocating
saw.
per minute is going to create a bit of Makita.com or call
recoil for the operator.And the more 800-462-5482.
resistance offered by the material
being cut, the greater the recoil. I'd
almost rather go to the dentist.
Makita, however, has a new saw
that takes recip. sawing out of con-
tention with root canal for my least
favorite ways to spend an afternoon.
The new JR3070CT
features a counterweight
that dampens vibration
and significantly reduces
the recoil of the
tool. The /--

RIKONJOINTER
Fence
Micro-Adiusting
Either one of two innovations found on the new Rikon
6" jointer would have qualified it for inclusion in this year's
Top 10 list. Having both simply made it a no-brainer
during our selection process.Thoseinnovations are a micro-
adjusting rack-and-pinion fence and a two-speed motor.
The fence is unlike anything oft-eredon ajointerbefore.
Both the fence position and angle are microadjustable,
allowing the user to make precise changes in the setup of
the jointer quickly and conveniently. It also keeps the
fence from moving as you try and lock it down - a
cofiunon problem on other jointers.
The two-speed motor allows you to better match the
speed of the three-blade cutterhead to the type of stock
you're working with. It's long been an important fea-
ture on planers,but Rikon was the first to see the value
of adjustable speed on a jointer. The 20-170 sells for
about $550.Visit RikonTools.corn or call 877-884-5167
for more information.

woRKBENCH tr FEBRUARY 200b

JETJOINTER
Auto-lndexingKnives
I've lost entire afternoons trying co install blades in a
jointer, and I'm never anxious to give up that kind of
productive shop time.
At long last,Jet has solved this age-oldjointer weak-
ness with an exclusive auto-set, quick-change knife
system.In this system, all three knives register perGctly
on pins.You simply can't misalign them.
Along with that innovation, this jointer features a
56"-long bed - one of the longest tables available in a
6" jointer. It also has front-mounted table adjustment
handwheels and a built-in rabbeting ledge. The Jet
JJ-6CSDX sellsfor around $600.VisitltTools.coru or call
800-27 4-6848 for more information-

ar
. _ . _ </12

Auto-indexing
knivesarethe
award-winning
innovation of
the Jetjointer,
but we also
appreciatethe
longbedand
easy-to-use
adjustments.

WORKBENCH tr FEBRUARY 2006

 FLOATING
DtSPwSHELVES ake a look at these shelves,
and you'11 immediately
notice the clean lines that
make them look great
without detracting from the
items they display.Look closer,and
you'll appreciatehow the wood
grain showsthrough the satin-black
finish.This is a subde detail that adds
a lot of style.
It's what you don't see,though,
that makes these shelves truly
unique. The shelvesappear to just
"float" on the wdl with no brackets
or other visible meansof support.
The Lrside Scoop - The secret
to this illusion liesinsidethe shelves.
As the ConstructionView at right
shows,the shelvesarent made from
thick slabs,asit might appear.Instead,
they re hollow.The top and bottom
face are made from 1/2" plywood,
and shop-made molding wraps
around the faces,leaving a hollow
cavity in between.
This systemnot only createsa
clean look, it also makes shelf
installation easy.Just mount a cleat
(-"d" from a 2x2) to the wall studs,
slip a shelfover it (Photo,below),and
drive in screwsfrom the top. It's
simple but incredibly sturdy.

ADD DISPLAY AND STYLE

SPACE
TO ANY WALLWITHTHISTRIOOF
ALL
WALL SHELVES.
EASY-TO.BUILD
YOUNEEDTO MAKEA SETIS$50,
ONEDAY AND A TABLESAW
64
 Molding Made Easy - The molding that wraps
around the shelvesis simple to make, too. In fact, all you
need is a table saw.
Starting with one long piece of thick stock, you can
create all the pro6,leswith a handful oftable saw cuts.After
that,simply miter the the moldingpieces to length,and glue
them to the plywood faces. It's so easy that I made and
installed the three shelvesshown here in just one day.
A Fine Finish Fast -To finish the shelves.l wanted
a black "ebonized" look.This is often done using dyes,
but I didn't want that much hassle.So I made finishine
these shelvesthe easiestpart of the project by applying
ordinary black spray paint. See page 26 to learn how it's
done.You also could apply a clear finish if that's the
look you prefer.
Any Length You Like - I made the shelves 6"
wide.This narrowwall-hugging design means the shelves
don't protrude too far into the room. But they still offer
ample space for displaying small items. I let the space
where the shelves hang dictate their length. Mine
measure 2-ft.,3-ft.,and 4-ft.long.That meant I could
cut all the faces from a half-sheet of piywood.

VIEW
CONSTRUCTION

NOTE:Dimensions shownore for

the 2-ft. shelf.For the 3-ft. ond 4-ft.
versions,cut the foces(B)os follows:
.3-fr. shelf:(B)is 72" ply.x SVa" x34r/2"
.4-ft. shelf:(B)is 72" ply.x SVa" x 46V2"

3/,t6,'
mountinghole
(locotedover
Cleor
45'Miters
(1V2"x 1Y2"x20"1 woll stud)
ore cut to fit oround
plywood foces

Foce
l/2" ply.x5Vt"x22V2'l

Vz"x3/t"
Robbets
cut for plywood foce
(seepage 66)
\

Molding - FrontEdge )
NOTE:
llVz" x2Vz"x24"l Moldingis glued-upfrom
Molding- End 2 piecesof 3h"-thickstock
llVz" x2Vz"x6"l (seepoge66)

WWW. WORKBENCHMAG AZINE. COM 65

 for making
steps
simple
&
MOLDING
N I MITERS
To build the shelves, start by preparing stock for the
molding (A). Each piece starts out as a 11/2"x 2r/2"
rectangular blank that is 2-ft. longer than the length of
the shelf.That gives you enough to wrap around the ends
of the shelf, plus extra in caseyou have to make several
cuts to get tight-fitting miters. Cut a short length of
extra stock, as well, to use for making test cuts.
I used flatsawn red oak (hardwood and plywood) for
my shelves.Even though they would be painted later,
I chose oak because it has large, open pores that show
up well after the paint is applied.
Thick Stock From Thin - To get stock thick
enough for the molding,you have two choices.You can
use 11/2"-thtck stock, or glue two 3/4"-thick pieces
face-to-face like I did. Getting the edgesperGcdy aligned
when gluing long pieces like this is a hassle,though, so

R CUTSMAKE THEMOLDING

f With the bladebuttedagainstan the fence,blade,and

A Reposition
faceon the ripfence,cut a
auxiliary featherboardto guidethe blank.
wide rabbetin the blank. Thencut a kerfin the blank.

AWith the bladetiltedawayfrom I Installa 1/2

" dadoblade,and
the fence,cut a bevelon the rab- thencutthe dadoes. Cutthemin
betedfaceof the blank. two passes full depth.
to achieve

66 woRKBENcH ! FEBRUARY 2006

I started with extra-wide pieces and trimmed them to
width after gluing. See page 32 to learn how.
Four Steps to Succes5 - Qn6e you have each
molding blank trimmed to thickness and width, you
can cut the profiles. Though there are several profiles,
including a wide bevei, the process is easy.To ensure
consistent,accurate profiles, use featherboardsto keep
the blank pressed firmly against the table saw fence.
The first cut to make is a wide rabbet.This is done
by raising the blade high and making a single pass,as
shown in Step 1 on page 66. Dont worry if the saw blade
leaves scoring marks on the wood. Those will get
trimmed offlater.
Next, you need to cut a kerf in the bottom edge of
the molding blank asshown rn Step2.This kerfwill later
become a subtle "step" at the base of the shelf. S*"$YHP
$Wf;Tffi
ffiffi#{SRruHffiS
Now cut the wide bevel, as shown in Step -?.Ser rhe A longmiter-gauge extensionfenceholdsthe moldingasyou mitereach
bevel angle of the blade at 1.2o,andthen raisethe blade pieceto length.Positionthe moldingwith itstop edgeagainstthe saw
2" above the saw table.The biade should enter the work- tablefor a stablecut.
piece alongside the kerfyou just cut in Step2,and exit
at the top of the rabbet cut in Step 1.
After cutting the bevel, be sure to sand any saw blade FIRST:Roughcut firstpieceof
marks smooth using a flat sanding block. moldingextro-long,then
miterend to fit corner
With that done, you can complete the molding by cut-
ting the rwo large rabbets that the plywood faceswillfit
into.This is done with a dado blade, as shown tn Step 4.
'When
cutting, the back face of the molding rides against
Foces
the saw table to keep the piece from rocking.It's a good
idea to cut the rabbetsin rwo passes.First, raise the blade NOTE:Usemosking
1/2",andmake a passalong each edge of the blank.Then tope to temporori! hlld 45"
moldingsin ploce miter Molding
raise the blade to 3/1", and complete the rabbets.
Faces - Now cut the plywood faces (B) to size for
each shelf.The face dimensions for each shelf length are
noted in the ConstructionViewon page 65. FOURTH:
Mork
'WorkAround
ForTighter Miters -All that's left ond cut nextmiter
to do now is miter the molding pieces to length.To get
the tightest-fitting miters possible,I like to srart at one
end and work my way around, fitting one corner at a
time, as shown in the lllustrationsat right.
Once both mitered corners fit tightly, you can glue
up the shelves.[f you're shy on clamps,securethe molding
to the faceswith a few small finish nails.You can fill the moldingfor frontedge,ond then
miterto fit ogoinstmoldingon end
holes, and they'll never show after the shelf is painted.
On to the Finish -This entire prqect is preffy easy,
but the finish is downright simple.All you need is spray
paint and the techniques shown on page 26.
Set Your Shelves Afloat - To mount the shelves,
start by cutting cleats (C) to length ftom 2x2s. Then
mount them to the wall, making sure they are level.
(Jse two screws in the 2-ft. cleaL and three or four
in the longer cleats.Make sure at least one mounting
screw will hit a wall stud for the 2-ft. shelf, and
two in the longer shelves.Ifyou can't hit a stud with the for \
FlffH: Cutmolding
other screws, use wall anchors. Slip the shelves on, second
endextrq-long,
ondthen
miterto fit moldingon frontedge
and attach them with black trim-head or drywall
screws (ShelfMounting Detail, page 65). 'ffi

67
 STURDYSTOWAWAY

lF LA{K 0r STORAGH Spd\tf;I5 A PRt}*tf;l\- tr'j I

YSURGARAGf;,ilflN'T WORRY-."*THIrufiSARfi
Lfl#KINGIJP.THIS{EILING-MOUNTEN
ANDSEXTRASTORAGE CAPA{iTYIN A FLA{ffi
YSIJ MAY HAVTOVIRLOC}KT$:
ooking for more storage spacein
yo,rt garage? Look up. Even
I
l-though the walls and floor may
L#FT be jam-packed with stuff, there's
often room up above that can be
used for storage.
OVf Rb"IEAil" One way to take advantage of
that space is to build this ceiling-
mounted storage loft. As you can
see in the Photo above, the loft is a
suspended platform thatt used to
hold bulky or lighwveight items that
don't fit elsewhere.
Seasonaland other special items
are stored in plastic containers with
lids to seal out dust. The loft is
designed so that each storage bay
holds two 17-gallon Rubbermaid
containers, which is a commonly
available size (Lower Photo,page 69).
Or you can use smaller containers.
I set three L9-quart containers side by
side in one bay and then stacked 12-
quart containers on top of them.
'Whatever
combination of con-
tainers you choose, you'Il want to
get them in the planning phase before
you build the loft.
Planning & Sizing-When
planning your storage loft, the first
thing to consider is the last thing
you'll actually have to do - instal-
lation. Even though the loft is
intended for lightweight items, it

68 WORKBENCH D FEBRUARY 20O6

 .i. \ Yi

still needs to be mounted securely to Verticol Supports

the ceiling. So.make sure to locate fit in dodoesin theroilsondore
the loft so it runs perpendicular to Boys spocedso contoinersfit beween them
Dimensionql Lumber
the joists or rafters overhead (Planning oresizedlo occommodote
is usedfor oll ports
Details).That way, you'll have a solid o poirof confoiners
to simplifyconstruction
mounting surface at each joist.
Once you've planned where Roil
you're going to install the loft, you
mounls to joists
for sturdysupport
can decide how long to make the
frame rails. I cut my rails from 16'
2x4s, so my first step to building the
loft took place in the lumberyard,
rather than the workshop. I started
there by choosing the straightest
boards available.You could also rip
the rails from wider stock.
After determining rail length,
divide the loft into bays (defined by
the placement of the verrical sup-
Slqts
ports).I made my baysabout 2" wider
ore screwedto the lower roil
than t'wo ofthe 17-gallon containers. with consislent
gops in between
The length ofthe vertical supporrs Depthof loff mokheslengthof longestconbiner
establishesthe height of the bay. So
make your vertical suppors the height
ofthe conainer plus 3" (SizingDetail).
The extra 3" allows for the dadoes in
the rails that the vertical supports fit
Verticol
into, the thickness of the slats,plus a support
i

little leeway to tip the container a bit I

I
length
I
when sliding it in and out ofthe loft. equols
I
theheight
As for the length of the slats,just Thisstorageloft issizedto hold I of tollest
I
measure your containers at their plasticstoragecontainers.(Weused I
I conloiner
longest point, and make the slatsthe Rubbermaid's 17-gal. Stack'n' View I
I

I
Slot lengththe someos
length of longestcontoiner
plus3"
same length. and 12-and 19-qt.Revelations.) I

WWW. WORKBENCHMA G AZINE. COM

69
 $*ru*"u,rt$ffi
fd

Loft construction starts with the
ceiling-mounted frames.Each frame
is made up of rwo rarls (A) connected
by vertical supports (B). All of the
frame pieces are cut from2x4 stock.
Rails - The first step is cutting
the frame rails to length. Then the
rails need dadoes cut in them to
receive the vertical supports (Dado
DetaiD.The kev here is that the dadoes
in one rail have
to align with
those in its mate.
In my case,
these rails were
too long to
wrestle onto the
'With
table saw.So I ganged the rails together the dadoescut, the next step
and used a circular saw to cut the is to cut a chamfer on the ends of
dadoes (Sidebar,right). Cutting the each rail. You can leave the rails
dadoesin all four rails at once ensures clamped together for this operation
that they'llalign and also savestime. (you won't need the jig, though).Tilt
Dado Jig - A shop-made jig the base of the saw to 45o, and cut
helped me make the straight cuts I the chamfer acrossall the rails at once.
'W'hen
needed for square-shouldered dadoes Vertical Supports -
page 7 1).This simple jig
(Jig Assembly, you've finished with the rails,you're
has three parts: a base that servesas ready for the vertical supports that
a platform for the saw, a fence to join them (I used six in each frame).
guide the saw,and a cleat that squares The supports are cut to length from
the jig to the edge of the boards. 2x4 stock. Screwing the supports in
After assemblingthe jig, trim the place between the rails completes
waste from one edge to create a ref- the frame construction.
erence edge.Then you're ready to Installation - It's best to install
gang-cut the dadoes as shown. the frames now, beforeyou have the

VIEW
CONSTRUCTION

#8 x 272"---------=.r-l l7z" dodo,

FhWoodscrew i Tz"deep
@
Roil
L___-
llVz" x3Vz"xl8lY2"

NOTE:Mounteoch
fromeindividuolly
beforeodding slots.

Reor Frome

7n"chomfer
l3h"xSY2"x233/a"l

3/n"chomfer FrontFrome

70 woRKBENCH ! FEBRUARY 200b

weight of the slats to contend with.
Though the frames arent particularly
heavy',they are awkward to handle. 1l Alignthe jig'sreference edge
So you'll need to round up a friend with a layoutlinerunningacross
to help with this part of the project. a l lf o u rr a i l sa, n dc l a m pt h ej i g i n
To make it easier to attach the rafu place.Adjustthe sawto makea
to the joists,pre-drill mounting holes %"-deep cut(1/q"extra,to com-
in the rails. Start with the rear frame, pensatefor the thickness of the
and screw it in place flush against the base).Runthe sawalongthe
wail, (Mounting Detail). fenceto cut oneshoulder of the
To insall the front frame parallel to dado.Reposition the jig, andcut
the rear one,fint measureout from the the othershoulder of the dado
wall the length of a slat (233/4",in my the sameway.
case) at both ends of the rear frame.
Mark these locations, then snap a 2l With both shouldersof the
chalkline to connect them. Now dadodefined,removethe
screw the front frame in position. wastematerialbetweenthem.
Slats -'With the frames installed. A goodway to startis by
you can turn your attention to the reducing the amountof mate-
slats (C) that make up the platform. rialthat'sthere.Todo this,
These slats are cut to length from makea seriesof cutsbetween
1x6 stock.To keep items from snag- the shoulders, movingthe jig
ging on the platform, cut or sand a overslightlybetweeneachone
chamfer on the front end of each slat. (there'sno needto clampthe jig
Next, drill the pilot holes for con- duringthisstep).
necting the slatsto the frames.Rather
than lay out each hole, use the tip 3l Now it'scleanuptime.Set
shown in the Photo below. the jig and the sawasidefor
Finally, space the slats evenly t h i s ,a n d u s ea c h i s eal n d m a l l e t
befween the vertical supports (the to knockout the comb-like
gap between my slatswas about 1/s"), wasteyou createdin the pre-
and screw them to the frames. E- viousstep.Whenyou get that
done,there'llstillbe somekerf
tracksin the bottom of the
dado.Justusethe chiselto
pareoff thoseridgesand
flattenthe bottomof the dado.

J I GA S S E M I B L Y Fence
^1,, x24',1
l3hr,
NOTE:Ur" youf,------} t---\
circulorsow to trim i #8 x3/4"
the bose(ond cleot) L Fh Woodscrew
to finolwidthond
creoteo referenceedge I
Bose
CZ"hordboord
x 12" x24l
A framingsquareclamped to the
drill presstableletsyou quickly
Cleot
and accurately positionslatsto
l3h xl"
d r i l lt h e m o u n t i n gh o l e s .

WWW. WORKBENCHMAG AZINE. CO M 7I

72 WORKBENCH ! FEBRUARY 20O6
 1

r=
o
f
6)
o

to
a
o

o
f
h
o

f
a
o

-/

Racefans
expectmuch
morethanjusta
racewhenthey
attenda NASCAR
event.sponsors
areanxiousto
providethebest
possibleshow,
bothonandoff
thetrack.

e-Waltand Irwin dont build cars.
Lowe's and Home Depot dont
sell auto parts. Stanley and
Hitachi ofter nothing to boost
horsepower. And yet these are
some of the biggest names in the most pop-
ular motorsport (or any sport, for that matter)
in the world - NASCAR.
Despite little or no obvious connection
to the automotive industry or racing, these
companies invest enormous amounts of
money (millions of dollars, in many cases)to
have their corporate logo painted on a car
and a matching patch sewn onto a driver's
uniform.
Honestly, I didn't give much thought to
the NASCAR/DIY connection unril I
noticed that the companies involved in the
sport are just as anxious to talk about their
NASCAR sponsorship as their new tools.
And when the DeWalt folks seemed even
more eager to talk about Matt Kenseth (driver
of the number 17 DeWalt Racing Ford) than
their latest miter saw.I had to know more.
It didn't take long to seesome compelling
reasonswhy NASCAR rs exactlywhere these
companies should be promoting their wares.
The obvious reasons are the over-
whelming populariry of the sport - 75 mil-
lion devoted fans is an enviable audience for
any message.And the length of season-
nearly 10 full months of racing - offers
ample opportunity to reach even the casual
fan. And let's face it, having your corporate
logo emblazoned on the front of a 180-mph,
800-hp hot rod is pretry cool.
But there are other sports with long sea-
sons,largefan bases,and an endlesssupply of
flashy advertising space.So what is it about
NASCAR in particular that draws tool com-
panies to the track like magazine editors to
a free buffet?
In a word, itt access.Access to you, the
race fan. And accessto the races.Becauseas
it turns out, NASCAR, more than any other
sport in the world, has the right fans, the
right events,and the right celebrities for pro-
moting tools.

73
 -l

THERIGHTFANS
Certainly part ofthe reason that tool
and home improvement companies NASCARFans Non-Fans
support NASCAR is the sheer size of Own theirown home 68.s% 62.9%
the crowd (of the 20 most-attended C ompl eted a homei mprovement
sporting events in 2003, 17 were projectin the pastyear 53.s% 46.3o/o
NASCAR races).But more impor- Didthe work themselves 71.0o/o 66.3o/o
tant than rhe numberofrace fans is the i n homei mprovement
S hopped
nature of race fans that makes them warehouse in the pastmonth 55.60/o 41.3%
such an appealing audience. Planto do a homeimprovement
Besidestheir passionfor the sport, projectin the comingyear 133% 9.9o/o
race fans share some other qualities industrv
Workin construction 17.2o/o 11.7o/o
that make these companies stand up
NASCAR
SOURCE:
and take notice.
The Thbleat right offers at least a
statistical glimpse of those qualities, The rest of the story unfolds over as many days: Friday is the
such as a greater tendency to own every weekend between February Craftsman Truck Series race,
and work on their own homes, shop and November, when the fans attend Saturday itt the Busch Series, and
in home improvement stores, and the races.They arrive not mere hours Sunday is The Nextel Cup race.
even work in the construction before the flag drops, but often days In between races, well, that's
industry. But once again, this only ahead of time.After all, a NASCAR where the real action is ... at least as
tells part of the story. weekend often includes three races far as the sponsorsare concerned.

Abo've,lt"4altKensethautographs
hats,K oozi es,andanythingelset he
fanshandl ri m.l -eft,onef an lives
orrthi spri crcw
i fantasy w it h a
i
D eW al t mpact dri ver

S po n s o ri nNgA SC AR o ffe rsto o la n d

lr or l en n p ro v e rx ecnot m p a n teas
uniq u eo p p o rtu n i ltoy i n te ra cwt tth
t he fa n srnth e " fa n e x p e ri e n c e ."
T heD e W a ltrL t rc rsk j L rsot n e
ex a m p l oe f th ed rs p l a yths a ttra v e l
w e e ka fte rw e e k
t he ra c i n gc rrc i rrt
A nd fo r th o s efa n sth a t c a n ' ta tte n d
d r d ( e m n r t q r r n n c O f Sh a V e a W l r O l e
f lee to f " tra v e l i negx p e ri e ttc e "
t r uc k sto b ri n qth e ra c eto th e m .

74 woRKBENCH ! FEBRUARY 2006

THE FAN EXPERIENCE
Somewhere just outside every
NASCAR track in the country is
an afea - nothing more than an
open field on most days - that is
transformed into what is unofficially
known as the "fan experience" each
time a major NASCAR race comes
through town.
This is where sponsors really get
their money's worth, because this is
where they get to meet face-to-face
with the fans.And this is how spon-
soring NASCAR can convert Speedis a constantthemeat any
directly into tool sales. N AS C A R event,andthe fan experi -
The sponsors park semi-trucks, e n c ei s n o excepti on.H ere,fans
raise tents, and generally create a car- drivescrewsin a raceagainsteach Thefan experience isan extremeexperience, to be sure
nival-like atrnosphere,complete with o th e ra n dthe cl ockfor a chanceto Thi scustom-pai nted
Internati onal
C X Tisoneexam pie
blaring music, bellowing airhorns, pri zes.
w i n to o l sand N A S C A R prizesthat fanscompetefor.
of the over-the-top
and barking pitch men. But instead
of questionable carnival rides and
bad fair food, the main attraction
here is tools.
IJnder any given tent, you can :Erfiq
drive screws,pound nails, or change
lug nuts for your chance to win free
tools, tickets to future races, a
weekend at a fantasy racing camp, or
a frighteningly large truck that will
never fit into your garage.
You might even be lucky enough
to get an autograph from one of the
drivers. They make regular appear-
ances in support of their sponsors.
And don't worry if you can't
make it to a race.The sponsors will
bring the experience to you. Most
sponsors have traveling displays that
visit points of interest all acrossthe
country.You can find schedules for
most "traveling experiences" on
sponsors'websites.

RACE.DRIVEN
SALES
So how does all this fanfare help sell
tools? Well, just ask yourself which
company you'd rather do business
with: The one that gave you a free
autographed Koozie at the Daytona
500, or the one you've never seen
anywhere other than the store
shelves. For my part, I'll take the
Koozie every time.
Of course, it's a little more
involved than that, but the point can
Mostfan expenence displays
arefanriiy-friendly
with lrands-on
opportuni-
tiesfor all ages.Here,someyoungerfansget to try out some"non-
power" toolsin the Invinlndustrial
Tor:lsexhibit.
be made with some simple math.Just So by simply supporting the sport,
consider that 89 percent of race fans sponsors earn enormous credibility
believe that a product featuring a with fans who are anxious to buy
NASCAR logo will be a qualiry their products.And, of course,they get
product.Then factor in that fans are to meet those fans and demonstrate
three times aslikely to purchase prod- their products once a week as part
ucts made by NASCAR sponsors. of the fans'favorite pastime.

75
 THERIGHTCELEBRITIES
The success of any major sport
hinges largely on the populariry of The tool and D IY i ndustri es are a domi nant force i n NASCAR.
its athletes.And in no other sport is that by week32 of the 2005 NASCAR
Justconsider
and DIYsponsors
hadenjoyedthe followrngresults
that more true than NASCAR,
where there is little in the way of
Wins
hometown allegiance or team spirit.
Generally, fans and sponsors choose Top 10 Finishes
their loyalties on how they feel about Pole Positions
one person - the driver. Nextel Cup Contenders
'W'inning
races,of course, gener-
ates a lot of good feelings. But no
driver can win euery race. So a
driver's role in strengthening the well-behaved, weil-spoken, and
sponsor/fan relationship that is the accessibleto the public.
lifeblood of the sport goes way To live up to these expectations,
beyond their skills in the car. many drivers attend a finishing
Sponsors expect the drivers they school, of sorts, where they are
support to be model spokespeople- instructed on everything from public
speaking to signing autographs.
Of course,no amount of schooling
would do any good if the drivers
werent decent people to begin with.
And in talking to several of them for
this article. I found each one to be
courteous and interesting. Most seem
to relish their role as ambassadorfor
the sport and their sponsors.
Even while preparing for a race,
the drivers sign countless autographs,
pose for photos, and graciously accept
encouragement from their fans.
tool
NextelCup Series,
from theirdrivers.
17
10
5 of 10
That the fans can even get this
close to the drivers is one more way
that NASCAR differs from other
major sports. Can you imagine
walking onto the field or into the
clubhouse at the World Series and
asking a player to sign an autograph?
'Well,
for a NASCAR driver, it's just
part of the workday.It's not at all dif-
ficult for fans to get accessto the
garage area and pit row before, during,
and after a race.And that puts them
right in the mix with the drivers who
are simply going about their jobs.
Away from the track, the drivers
film commercials, make cameo
appearancesin movies, attend special
eventsfor their sponsors,and are the
focus of endlessmedia coverage.

ChadKnaus (crewchiefforJimmie
Johnson's number 48 Lowe5
Chevrolet) admitted to havinglittle
)
o experience in homeimProvement.
J
a
Nonetheless, he told me an inter-
o
o
estingstoryaboutapplying a little
:<.
o
o DIYingenuity to solvea problem.
l As Chadrecalls, Charlotte,North
a
o
Carolina, (whichaverages about5'
of snowa year)was hit with an
o

6)

unusually largesnowstorm, andhewascaughtwithouta snow

@ shovel."l wentto Lowe's, buttheyweresoldout," Chadsays.
"AndI couldn't verywellgo anywhere else."
Leac:elsir"liiir:'ir,t{-ri ;iltd ilorle Chad's solutionwasto driveto workandusehisyearsof
irTrc i ova,'1ll c r-it ir'rii i-ist I ies a i e o f ie n chassisfabricatingexperience to buildhisownshovel.
l c a d e i -rs: n l h e i i . t c K ,a s w e l l . H e r e , "l startedwithsomealuminum tubingto makethe handle, "
K u r ' tB u s c -liat k e si l e t t u r n b e 9 r -7 heexplains. "ThenI wentto the lmetal]brakeandbentsome
lilviti Fci-cjirrlo a coil-rei. Vr|ii. fon.y ninety-thousandthssheetaluminum to makethescoop. lwelded
5 i e w ; : r ' i r r c i o : , eu i . i r s u ilIn h i s the wholething together,went home,and shoveled my
r.l rr i)ei. 2 0 i-Jc r-rIe Deilol C il er,'iciet
r^r driveway. BestshovelI'veeverused. "

76
 -!

All of this exposure and one-on-

one interaction gives fans the feeling
that they know the drivers personally.
Itt not unusual for afan to know the
names, ages, and birthdates of a
driver's entire family.
In short. NASCAR drivers are
more accessibleand approachable
than probably any other professional
athlete.The fans get to know them
aspeople who, apart from having the
coolestjob in the world, arejust like
the rest of us.And that goes a long
way coward building loyalry among
fans, not only to the driver, but also
to the sport and the sponsors.

DIY DRIVERS
One more areawhere fans can con-
nect with drivers, as it turns out, is
their shared DIY spirit.
In speaking with severaldrivers, it n

A c c e s s i blapproachabl
e,
=.
f

carne to light that many ofthem have dri arean i mpol tantpartof []A S C A sR
e vers
o

interestsin woodworking and home i ,ni rth

p o p ti l a ri ty [ai tsc]ndsponsors.H ere,l i nrmi eJohnsclsi
n gnsautograpl rs o

improvement that go beyond just a a rrrJg re e tsfansat l l reprtr,v;rldri

l ri nqa practi cetsessi on 6)
o

narne on their car.For many, the DIY I

@
spirit was as much a part of their Kahne enjoyed it enough, in fact, stainless-steelhandrail that he welded
o

upbringing as racing. that when asked what he might be together along an outdoor walkway.
o
l
6]
o
Toty Stewart, driver of the doing if he wasn't a race car driver, Oftentimes, Mayfield is content to
1
number 20 Home Depot Chevrolet, his standard responseis "carpenter." withdraw to his personal shop and o
o
o

recallsbeing about 8 or 9 years old Today, Kahne is an apartment get away from the fast-paced racing
and helping his father build an addi- dweller with little reason or oppor- life by building small woodworking
tion on the family home. tuniry for projects of his own, but projects like bird houses.
"He wouldnt let Even Chad
me touch any ofthe Knaus (crew chief
power tools," Tory for the number 48
says,"but I sure bent I get askeda lot what l'd be doing Lowe's Chevrolet
a lot of nails.ln fact. if I wasn't a racecar driver.All I can that's driven by
I probably bent
more than I drove."
ever think of is "carpenter." Jimmie Johnson),
who admits to
These days,Tony's
- KaseyKahne having absolutely
demanding career no woodworking or
makes it difficult to home-improvement
work on projects,but he stili gets his he's looking forward to buying some experience, showed his DIY spirit
fi.l1of the DIY lifesryle."Being spon- property and building a home. "I to dig out of a freak snowstorm (see
sored by Home Depot and making won't build it myself," he explains, Chad Knaus and His "N,4SC.,4R
eppearancesat the stores ... it's like "but I definitely want to be part of Shouel,"left).
being a kid in a candy store," he says. the process."
Kasey Kahne, whose number 9 Kahne's teammate, Jeremy CAN-DOCONNECTION
Dodge Charger carries an associate Mayfield, who also has Stanley as an Whether it's a barn, a room addition,
sponsorship from Stanley (Dodge associatesponsor on his number 19 or a shovel,it's clear that the DfY, can-
Dealers/UAW is the primary Dodge Dealers/UA.W' Dodge do connection to NASCAR is a
sponsor) also has fond memories of Charger, is another died-in-the-wool sffong one.lt's a connecfion that runs
a hands-on youth."My grandpa was DIY'er. In fact, Mayfieid was fea- from the sponsorsto the cars,drivers,
a carpenter," Kahne recalls."I built a tured on the cover of another DIY crew chiefS, and all the way to the
few decks and barns with him, and rnagazine for the work he's done on fans.All indications are that it's a con-
I always really enjoyed the work." his current home, including a unique nection that's here to stay.Ifl

WWW. WO RKBE N CH M A G AZIN E. C OM 77

 EDGE

onebit:
MANYPROFILES
-.-<
A handfu| ..,ir1,...,.-,-l :i:,::=r;ir,:cilir-*r s
o r e c h o t r f i , 't ' r f r l ** , ' . r vv o t r l n r t x n l
r o u t e r b i L l , , " ' i i i,i; Lri-:i,;*iIitjvii
iclea *-*-ii t'i,'.;r:-:i:ii !-:i I L-ir-:ij i*::',,vifh
r * i i - r r , . i ien s e r f : 1 .

Most router bits are made by brazing carbide cutters

onto a machined body and shank.But recendy, a few tool
makers have broken this mold by making bits with inter-
changeable carbide inserts that simply bolt to the body.
These new "multi-bits" offer two distinct advan-
tages.First, it's lessexpensive to buy another set of inserts
when you need a new profile than it is to buy a new
router bit. Second, inserts are made from harder carbide
than the carbide cutters brazed onto standard bits, so they
stay sharp longer. (Carbide that's brazed onto abit has
to be softer, or it will crack during the brazing process.)
'We
had a chance to try out severalof these new bits.
NOVA BIT See our impressions below and on page 80.
EXPTODED/
VIEW tock AMANATOOTSNOVASYSTEM
Wosher
Of all these bits, the insers inAmana's Nova System offer
the greatest range of profiles.With just fwo bit bodies,
you can create 28 di{ferent profile rypes.
SofetyShield
locks cutfrers There are two body styles available in the Nova
in ploce System.Type A is a bearing-guided bit for making edge
profiles, andType B is a plunge bit for creating decora-
tive grooves (seePhoto,aboue).
Interchonoeoble
- One of the first things I noticed
Corbidelnsert Quick Changes
about the Nova System was how easy it is to switch
inserts.Indexing pins on the bit body correspond with
slots in the inserts, so alignment is precise and auto-
l.obeled
lnserts matic.A safery shield locks in place over the inserts, and
the bearing and a lock washer are secured in place with
Indexing a nut (seelllustration,left).
Slot
The system made it so easyto switch inserts, in fact,
that I found it was easiestto make the changes in the
Universol Indexing router, without even removing the bit body from the
Bit Body collet. This eliminated hassling with collet wrenches
fl/2"shonkl and greatly simplified router setup.
Kits are available for both body types that include the
bit body and three rypes of inserts for $90.Additional
inserts cost $30. For more information or to locate a
dealer,visit AmrnrTool.cout or call 800-445-0077.

78 woRKBENCH tr FEBRUARY 2006

 -!

EDGE

FOUR.EDGE
FREUD'S BITS
FLUSH.TRIM
'When
the cutters on most flush- trim varieties (seePhotos,below)for
trim bits get dull, you have two anywhere from $60 to $70.And if
options: throw the bit out, or send it all four edges get dull, a pair of
off to be resharpened. replacement inserts is just $5 more.
That's not the casewith Freud's For more information or to locate
Insert-Tiimlaminate-trimmingbits, a dealer, visit FreudTools.conl or
though. They have square inserts call 800-334-41,07.
with four usable cutting edges.When
one edge gets dull, you can remove,
rotate. and remount the insert three
times for a "fresh" edge.The inserts
are secured in place with machine
screws and washers, making cutter
changesquick and easy (Photo,left).
Combine these features with the
high-quaiity carbide used on the
inserts,and you should have a flush-
trim bit that will outlast your old
one by a long shot.'When you con-
sider how tough laminate can be on
a router bit, having one that's going
to last awhile can be a real asset. INSERT INSERT
You can buy Freud's lnsert-Tiim FLUSH. BEVEL.
bits in both flush-trim and bevel- TRIM BIT TRIMBIT

BITS:
RAISED-PANEL
INSERT.PRO
INFINITY'S
Infiniry Cutting Tools recently intro-
duced the lnsert-Pro. an inter-
changeable router bit system for
making raised-panel doors. At the
heart of the system is a bit body that

r:ii"
acceptsinserts for creating beveled,
cove, or ogee raised-panel profiles
(seePhoto,right).
The inserts self-register on the
body of the router bit, and they are
held in place with heary-
dufy set screws.While I
Beveled
Profile
ffid
standardpanel-raising bits
usually cost $100 or more
apiece,this systemprovides one pro-
file for $140, or all three different acceptsinserts for creating three dif-
profiles for around $250 (seethe Cost ferent profiles on the door rails and
ComparisonChart at left). stiles. For more information on
As a complement to this panel- either of the bits in the Insert-Pro
raisingbit, InfiniryTools alsomakes system, visit IntinityJbols.conr or
a combination rail and stile bit that call,877-872-2487.

80 woRKBENCH f] FEBRUARY 2006

TOOr
The K3jig from KregToolshasseveral
overprevious modelsthat makepocket-hole joinery
ea si er
and m or eac c es s i b l e ,
Theportablebaseis perfectfor
drillingpocketholesin largework-
pieces, suchascabinetsides.
82
kregk3
POCKET.HOTE
JG
Kregjigs have become synonymous New Kit Options - One of
with pocket-hole joinery.The com- the best things about this new design
pany didnt invent the technique (the it that there's no cost penalry for
ancient Egyptians get credit for that). starting small and upgrading later. A
But their simple, affordablejigs were standard K3 kit includes the drill
the first to make pocket-hole joinery guide, portable base,clamp, drill bit,
viable for the home woodshop. Kreg and screwsfor about $80.An upgrade
continues to build on that legacy kit includes a benchtop base,support
with their latestjig, the K3. stop, and dust collection shroud for
This design brings four new about $70. Or you can get all of that
functional enhancements that make in a master system for $150.
pocket-hole joinery easierthan ever
(page84).And new kit options give
you more choices for getting
started with pocket-hole
joinery in your shop.
- The
JigAnatomy
heart of the K3 is an
interchangeable drill
guide.The guide has
three drilling posi-
tions to accommo-
date all widths of
stock (Photo,left).
enhancements It's the interchangeabfiry
however, that distinguishes the
K3 from earlier models (Box,below).
The interchangeable drill guide that is at the heart of
DrillGuide Kreg's new K3 pocket-hole jig transfers easily berween
a portable base (Fig. 1) and a benchtop base (Fig.2)
The portable basefunctions much like Kreg's popular
"Rocket" jig.To drill pocket holes, you attach the jig to
the workpiece with aface clamp.This makes drillinglarge
Benchtop workpieces quite easy.
Bose
In the benchtop base,the K3 most closely resembles
the K2 sryle of jig. In this case,the jig ir attached to a
benchtop or another sturdy work suface, and the work-
piece gets securedin the jig for drilling.
In either case,the new jig is enhanced by three hard-
Forsmallerworkpiecesthat canbe ened steel drilling guides (rather than rwo on the l{2 and
easilymovedaround,the benchtop Rocket models) that make it much simpler to position
baseisthe bestchoice. holes in workpieces of difterent widths.
woRKBENCH tr FEBRUARY 2006
 KREC'SNEW K3 JIG
ENHANCESFUNCTION
As easy as pocket-hole joinery is, the Kreg K3 simpli-
fies it all the more with repeatable stock positioning,
easier adjustments for varying stock widths, dust col-
lection, tnd a.better clamp design. MATERIAL
Repeatability - Drilling pocket holes in narrow SUPPONT
stock requires careful positioning of the workpiece in STOP
the jig to avoid drilling too closely to an edge. Kreg registersnarrow
addressesthat challenge with a material support stop piecesin the jig
that makes it easy to mark the proper position of the andsi mplif ies
workpiece, and then repeat it just as easily (Fig. 1). repetitive
Varyrrg Thickness - Kreg also simplified setting drilling.
up for different thicknesses of stock with an indexing
system that properly positions the drill guide (Fig. 2).
Other models require you to attach a spacer to the jig
when working with stock thinner or thicker than3/q".
Now you simply move the drill guide up or down in
either the portable or benchtop base and secure it with
INDEX
a set screw.
MARKS
Dust Collection - Drillingpocket holes createsa sur-
FORSTOCK
THICKNESS
prising amount of wood chips.With previous models,
let you quickly
most of that waste collected around the base of the tool.
adjustthe drill
The rest of it wound up in the drill guides, which made
gui deto
dritling difficult.The K3 master system, however, includes
accommodate
a dust collection shroud that solvesboth problems (Fig.j).
differentstock
Front Clamping - The finalimprovement on the K3
thicknesses.
is a front-mounted clamp (Fig. q.TLars simple alteration
eliminates having to reach around large workpieces to
reach the clamp lever. m

DUSTCOLTECTION
SHROUD CTAMPTEVER
FRONT.MOUNTED
acceptsa standard11l+"VdcUUm hose,keepsthe mess eliminatesthe hassle
of reaching aroundlargework-
down,and prevents guidesfrom clogging, piecesto securethem in the jig body.

84 WORKBENCH tr FEBRUARY 20O6

 bols,$$frfllffhifr
PRODUCT$
ridgid
PIVOTING
DRIVER
Ridgid's new 9.6-volt pivoting screwdriver is a good tool
to have when you're in a tight spot or need a littie extra
reach.The cordlessdriver featuresa pivoting head that
lets you choose between a conventional right-angle
configuration or an inline setup (Photo,left).
I've found this tool to be just the ticket
for working overhead.The inline con-
figuration makes it easier to apply
pressurein a straight line. And
the slim profile of the driver AWorkingoverhead isn'tquitethe "stretch"it used
when it's in the inline pivotingdriver.
to be thanksto Ridgid's
position means it will
reach into tight spacesa Other impressivefeatures of the R81030 include a
regular driil never could. a durable die-cast gear box, a 1/4" quick coupler for
Additionally, a two-finger rapid bit changes,variable speedsfrom 0 to 525 rpm, and
crigger helps you keep a solid grip on the tool 100 in.lbs. of torque.The kit includes the driver, fwo bat-
in any orientation. The 9.6-volt battery also provides teries, a 30-minute charger, and a soft-sided bag.
a very workable balance of power and light weight Look for the Ridgid R81030 at Home Depot for
that's important when working in awkward positions. about $100.Visit Ridgid.com or cali 800-474-3443.

Drill Doctor recently upgraded their
fl"Ship drill bit sharpener,the model
750, to sharpen a wider range ofbit
sizesand types,aswell asto enhance
precision and easeof use.
The new DD750X will now
sharpen high-speed steel, black
oxide, carbide,TiN-coated, cobalt,
and masonry bits from3/zz" to3/4"
with a single chuck (previous
models require two chucks to
point bits or create custom anglesfor
specific drilling applications.
Longer jaws on the chuck, a
one-piece alignment system, and
tool-free wheel changes make the
sharpener much more user-
friendiy than previous models.
The DD750X sells for about
$200.Visit DrillDr.com,or call 800-
597-61,70 for more information
on the entire line of Drill Doctor a\

sharpen the same range of bits). sharpenersand accesories.

The tool also allows users to set
sharpening anglesbetween 115o and
140".This makesit possibleto match
the existing angle of twist or split-
>The DrillDoctorDD750Xisa "one-
size-fits-all"
sharpenerfor justabout
anyimaginable typeof twistbit.

86 WORKBENCH ! FEBRUARY 20O6

ALLIGATOR
SA/V

Black & Decker's new Alligator

Lopper is the must-have yard-and- qaalifi,andprices!
ThebN selection,
garden tool for the coming spring. Sincel93l , The Iron Shophasenjoyeda reputationfbr outstandingdesignand fabricatiorr of spiralstairs.
This ingenious lopper/chain saw Today,we urilizecorrrputer-aidedtechnolorydrrouehoutour production proce.s.s successfirlly
mixing
statc-oFthc-artmanufacturingwith Old Vorld qualiw.Offcring thc largcsrsclcction,highcstqualiry,ancl
hybrid offers outstanding cutting
lowcstpriccsin spiralstairs-rvc makcsurethat you gct thc right spiralto mcctyour ncccls,
availablcin :rny
capacity in a safe,simple-to-use tool. heighrand B(XlA/UB(l codemodels.And our.s;rirals arestillrrrade with pridein dreU.S.A.
The Alligator works like an Calltor the FfrEE
colurCatalog& PriceList:
enormous pair of scissors.Simply I nsta
IIation Videoleaturing
l-800'523'7427
yisit
Ask
rorEn.wB "TheFurniture fittys"
open the jaws, and place the lower or ou WebSiteat wuy.fhelronShob.con/WB
jaw against the branch or stump to MainPlant& tlrowrowr:DeotWB.P0. Box547.400 ReedRd.Broomall.
PA19008
be cut. Depressboth triggers (one on Shovroonc/lr/arehotrc:Ontario,
CA. Sarasota,
FL. Houslon,
TX. Chicaqo,
lL. Stamford,
CT

each handle for safery),and close the

jaws to let the chain do its work. ''Tln
E=
Furniture
Guys"is
a regFleredtEdemail
The cutting is virtually effortless, b€lonoim to Edteldman
andJfo [ tmrio The Leoding Monufocturer of SpirolStoirKits@ 02003 llre lroo Shoo
and there's little chance of the Product InformationNumber 186
kickback often experienced with a
conventional chain saw.'We had no
problem taking down branches up to
4" in diameter.
The Alligator Lopper (LP1000)
sellsfor around $100. For more infor- st]t01t
mation, visit BlackAndl)ecker. cont
or call 800-544-6986
r.EffiHIk["9S"^
S t o c kN o .1 0 - 0 0 5
Holdsyour stockfirmly
againstthefenceand tobletop.

P"8-U|[F:tg$"
S t o c k N o .4 0 - 0 2 8
Mountsalmostanywhere.
Switch lights up when powered.

Stock No.40-001
> lncludes top, fence,miter track, .' \
predrilled router insertplate ond cab'tnet.

AThesimplicity of scissors,
the
powerof a chainsaw- Black
& DeckersAlligatorLoppers are
the perfecttool for cutting
branches uo to 4" in diameter.

Product lnformationNumber 219

 'NATERIAI.5
V1ALLCOVERING
TURNPROBTEMWAttSINTOPERFECT
WAttSUSING
THISREINFORCED ITHIDES
WALTCOVERING.
HASA UNIQUE
IMPERFECTIONS, ANDCAN
TEXTURE,
BEPAINTEDTOMATCHANYDECOR.
hile working on the
staircaseproject (page44),
we ran into damaged
drywall around the treads.We taped
and plastered,but still didnt end up
with a surface that would transition
gracefully to the new wood stairs.
Then I remembered hearing
about a wallcovering product made
of fiberglass that's long been used
for restoration projects in Europe.
This "textile" wallcovering is
designed to cover less-than-perfect
walls, so it seemed worth looking
into as a possible solution to our
drywall problem.
A Different'Wallcovering - very little mess this way. The wall-
Right offthe roll, the texture of this
wallcovering stood out - literally.
It felt like a stiffer version of fiber-
glass drywall joint tape. Like joint
tape, this wallcovering is made from
strands of glass that are woven
together.The result is a very durable
material with a three-dimensional,
cloth-like texture that ranges from a
subtle linen weave to more pro-
nounced patterns.
A Problem-Solving Plsdusl -
The stiffsurface and substantial tex-
ture of the wallcovering made it
great for bridging the gaps berween
the torn-up drywall and the stair
risers (BeforePhoto,aboue).The glass
fibers don't stretch or shrink, so the
wallcovering keeps its shape.And it
retains that stiffiressonce it's applied,
94
TEXTILE
GLASS
so the weave hides cracks and irreg-
ularities in the will(Afier Photo,risht)
You can even cover paneling or con-
crete block with it.
Easy Application - Applying ru
the wallcovering also turned out to
be a pretry simple matter. Because it's
intended to cover imperfections, you
dont need to spend asmuch time on
surface preparation. And hanging
this wallcovering doesn't require any
frncy tools or skills - only what
you would normally use for a stan-
dard wallpapering job.You just roll
the adhesive onto the wall, and then
smooth on the wallcovering.There's
t-
AGlosstextilewollcoveringcutseosily t
covering cuts cleanly, too, with no PhotQond isvery rigid,mokingit ideol
tendency to tear (Photo,top right). the problemwollsof thisstoircose.
Paintability & Versatility -
Glass textile wallcovering is only
available in white - but it isn't
meant to stay that way. Once it's on
the walls, you paint it any color you
like. And you can repaint it up to
eight times before the pattern loses
definition. So you're not stuck with
a particular color scheme, and the
walls can change with your d6cor.
Considering its durability and
versatiliry glass textile wallcovering
is priced competitively with other
high-end wallcoverings - around
50 cents per square foot. This is > Thewollcoveringis ovoiloblein o wide
particularly reasonable when you vorietyof potterns.Threeexomplesore (from
factor in all the prep time you'll save top to boltom):Victorion Loce,TexturedTwill,
patching and plastering. E ond BiscoyneBerber.
WORKBENCH tr FEBRUARY 2OOb

smallhousesthat
LIVELARGE
Whenit comesto homesize,designer andbuilderJay
that less- a lot less- rsreallvmore.
Shaferbelieves
l-Tlodav's home builders and
buyers seem to agree that a
I
t bigger house is a better house.
If you need proof,just drive through
any new housing development.
Or look to the National Association
of Homebuilden.Their researchshows
that the auerage
home in the U.S. has
doubled in size over the last 50 years,
to more than 2,300 squarefeet.
But some builders are bucking
this trend.They believe that a better
house is one that's smaller,with fewer
rooms that work harder. On the
extreme end of this philosophy is
California builder Jay Shafer. He
believes that if smaller is better, then
tiny is better still.
Living Small - To prove his
point,Jay built and began living in
a 1OO-square-foothouse in 1997.
Today, he designs and builds these
very small homes through his
Tirmbleweed Tiny House Company.
All of the homes are built with the
same philosophy: A well-designed
small house is like a big house with
the unnecessaryspacestripped away.
Fitting It All In - Of course,
theret no way to fit every ameniry
into a tiny house, but you might be
surprised to find out just what Jay
can manage to pack in.The house he
lives in today (he sold the first one
in 2004) has just 70 square feet of
space (Photo,top right).
But in the living area of this tiny
house, you'll find a retractable table
and vanity, a desk, and a built-in
couch. A steep roofline provides
space for a cathedral ceiling and a
sleeping loft large enough for rwo.
96
C R A F T S M A N S T II P C L O S E . U P
The kitchen has everything a
person needs for cooking (Photo,
below).And the bathroom includes
what you'd expect: a shower, sink,
and toilet. Plus. the home offers 100
cubic feet of storage space.
Options for Tiny Homes - If
you think you'd fit into a ciny house,
Jay oft^ersseveral"stock" home plans
(most bigger than this one) aswell as
custom designs.You can order the
structure ready to move into, buy a
shell that you finish younelf, orjust get
a set of detailed plans.To learn more,
visit TunrbleweedHouses.corn. E The" X S " house(forextra-smal i slone
) of sever al designs
by theTumbl ew eed Ti nyH ouseC ornpany. Thishom e
features an amazrng arrayof ameni ti es i nj ust70 squar e
feet.Thehousei ssosrnali lt canbe carri ed by tr ailert o
yoursi teandseti n pl ace.
Or l eaverton thetraileras ,
ow nerJayS hafer does,to l i mi tbui l di ng-cod e t les
bat
,,XS''FLOORPLAN
As th e Ph o toa, b o ve,andfl oorpl an
a t rrg h ts h o w ,a tinyhousecansti l l
h a v ea l lt h e a m e n i t i eIsn.t h i s
k i tc h e nth, e s ta i nl ess-steel counter
a n ds i n ks i ta b o vea refri gerator and
s to ra g e fo r a d o ubl e-burner stove.
A to a s teor v e nta kescareof baki ng,
w h i l ea w a l l - h u npgr o p a n h ee a t e r
keepsthe housetoastywarm.
WORKBENCH tr FEBRUARY 2OO6