The Secret to Seamless Problem-Solving Tools

Mitered Edging For Your Shop

ShopNotes.com Vol. 18 Issue 108

Finally,
Dovetails
ANYONE
Can Make
safe, easy, & accurate

PLUS:
•Must-Know Router
Table Technique
•Tight-Fitting Tenons
Every Time
•Fast Fillers For
Flawless Coverups
•Weekend Project:
Super Sawhorses
A Publication of August Home Publishing

s108_001_SUB.indd 1 9/22/2009 8:12:57 AM

 Contents
Features
best-built jigs & fixtures
Sheet Metal Bending Brake ___________ 14
This easy-to-build bending brake opens up
a whole new avenue for making projects out
of sheet metal. You’ll even find a few project
ideas to get you started.
storage solutions
Hobby Bench______________________ 24
Every hobby needs a dedicated space and an
ample worksurface. This bench provides just
the right solution for a wide range of hobbies.
hands-on technique
Bending Sheet Metal page 14 Hand-Cut Tenons___________________ 32
Cutting tenons with a hand saw is a great way
to build your hand tool skills. Here’s the step-
by-step process for doing it right.
weekend project
Super Sawhorses ___________________ 34
These sawhorses are beefy enough for the
most demanding tasks in your shop. Best of
all, they’ll only take a weekend to build.
best-built jigs & fixtures
Table Saw Dovetail Jig _______________ 46
This shop-built jig makes it easy to cut both
the tails and pins to create a snug-fitting
dovetail joint that’s quick, easy, and accurate.

Departments
Dovetails on the Table Saw page 40
Readers’ Tips _____________________ 4
router workshop
Routing Slots ______________________ 8
A router table makes quick work of making
stopped cuts. Learn the tricks to getting great
results every time.
jigs & accessories
Tools for Working with Metal __________ 10
Working with sheet metal requires just a handful
of tools. Here’s what you need to get started.
hands-on technique
Perfect Mitered Edging ______________ 12
Wrapping mitered edging perfectly around a
panel can be a challenge. Here’s a straight-
Hand-Cut Tenons page 32 forward technique for flawless results.

2 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_002.indd 2 9/19/2009 7:00:22 PM

 Cutoffs
I think every article we publish is a win-
ner. But in this issue, there’s one that’s
my hands-down favorite. And it’s the one on
cutting through dovetails on the table saw.
I expect it to generate a lot of interest and,
honestly, maybe a question or two.
At first glance, cutting dovetails on a table
saw doesn’t make sense. But the fact is the
table saw is a surprisingly quick, easy, and
accurate way to create dovetails that look
hand cut. Plus, you won’t need to spend a
lot of time practicing to get great results.
All it takes is a shop-built jig that you can
knock together in an afternoon. After a cou-
ple test joints, you’ll be ready to cut through
dovetails for a wide range of projects, from
boxes to blanket chests.
Hobby Bench page 24 And be sure to check out Shopnotes.com for
even more great information.

Shop Short Cuts____________________ 22

Check out our shop-tested tips and techniques
for solving your woodworking problems.
in the shop
This symbol lets you know
Fast Fillers — Flawless Coverups _______ 38 there’s more information
Flaws are a fact of life. But with the right filler, available online at
you can make them disappear. ShopNotes.com
mastering the table saw
Through Dovetails __________________ 40 STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION
(Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685)
Cutting dovetails on the table saw doesn’t 1. Publication Title: ShopNotes. 2. Publication No.: 1062-9696 3. Filing Date: August 21, 2009. 4. Issue Frequency: Bimonthly. 5. No.
of issues published annually: 6 (six). 6. Annual subscription price: $27.95. 7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication:
seem possible. But with a simple jig and step- 2200 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, (Polk County), Iowa 50312-5306. 8. Complete mailing address of the headquarters or general business
offices of the publisher: 2200 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, (Polk County), Iowa 50312-5306. 9. Full names and complete mailing addresses
of publisher, editor, and managing editor: Publisher: Donald B. Peschke, 2200 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50312; Managing Editor:
by-step process, you’ll be cutting great-looking Bryan Nelson, 2200 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50312. 10. Owner: August Home Publishing Company, 2200 Grand Avenue, Des
Moines, Iowa 50312; Donald B. Peschke, 2200 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50312. 11. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and
dovetails in no time at all. other security holders owning 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities: None. 12. (Does not apply.) 13.
Publication Title: ShopNotes. 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: July/August 2009 (No. 106) 15. Extent and nature of circulation:
great gear Average no. Average no. copies
copies each issue of single issue
The Latest Cool Tools _______________ 48 during preceding
12 months
A. Total number of copies (net press run). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205,594
published nearest
to filing date
. . . . . . . . . 189,527
These products deserve a place in every shop. B. Paid and/or requested circulation:
1. Paid/requested outside-county mail subscriptions stated on Form 3541 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128,550 . . . . . . . . . 122,182
2. Paid in-county subscriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 ...............0
Take a look at the latest tools that caught our eye. 3. Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales, and other non USPS paid distribution . . . 23,084 . . . . . . . . . . 19,193
4. Other classes mailed through the USPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 ...............0
C. Total paid and/or requested circulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151,634 . . . . . . . . . 141,375
D. Free distribution by mail, samples, complimentary, and other free copies

Q&A ____________________________ 50 1. Outside-county as stated on Form 3541 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2. In-county as stated on Form 3541 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. Other classes mails through the USPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
132
0
0
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
...............0
...............0
E. Free distribution outside the mail (carriers or other means). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 ...............0
Have a woodworking or shop-related question? F. Total free distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
G. Total distribution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151,766
132 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
. . . . . . . . . . 141,518
H. Copies not distributed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53,828 . . . . . . . . . . 48,009
Send it in and we’ll answer it here. I. Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205,594 . . . . . . . . . .189,527
J. Percentage Paid and/or requested circulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99.91% . . . . . . . . . . .99.90%
16. Publication of Statement of Ownership. Will be printed in the Nov./Dec. 2009 (No. 108) issue of this publication.
17. I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. (signed) Bryan Nelson, Managing Editor

Sources __________________________ 51 On occasion, we allow companies whose products and services may be of interest to you to send advertising mail to our
subscribers. We are careful to choose ethical companies that have information of genuine interest to our subscribers. Most of
our subscribers appreciate receiving these materials. However, if you prefer to have your name deleted from the mailing list
made available to other companies, please write to us at ShopNotes, 2200 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312

ShopNotes.com 3

s108_002.indd 3 9/21/2009 8:22:27 AM

 from our
Readers
Tips
for
Your
Shop
Tool Caddy
There are a few items I like to keep You can see in dadoes in the tray sides hold
at hand in the shop. To easily carry the drawings below the vertical tool rack securely.
them about, I built the simple tote how it goes together. I After gluing up the base, you
you see above. The shallow tray is used 1⁄2" plywood for the can start on the rack. The frame of
divided into two sections by a ver- majority of the construction. The the rack has parallel grooves on
tical rack. The rack has pegboard base of the tote and rack frame the inside to accept pegboard and
on one side and a shelf and handle are built with tongue and dado plywood panels. These spaced
on the other. This provides a lot of joints (Front View and Top View grooves create clearance for
flexibility for storage. below). A hardboard bottom fits the pegboard hooks. But before
RACK TOP into a groove cut into the tray assembling the rack, you’ll need
(1!/2" x 10" - !/2" Ply.)
sides. And a pair of wide to make the handle and shelf.
HANDLE
PEGBOARD (4" x 6" - 1" Ply.)
(!/4" x 9#/4" - 11!/2")
!/8
FRONT SIDE VIEW
VIEW
!/4 !/4 !/4 !/2
1!/2"
#/8 RACK TOP #/16
RACK
TOP
#/8" !/8
RACK SIDE ROUND- PANEL
(1!/2" x 12" - !/2" Ply.) OVER
SHELF RACK PEG- PANEL
(3" x 9#/8" - !/2" Ply.) SIDE BOARD
PANEL
(9#/4" x 11!/2" - !/4" Ply.)
BOTTOM PEGBOARD

RACK BOTTOM END RACK

(1!/2" x 10" - !/2" Ply.) BOTTOM

BOTTOM #/16" ROUNDOVER #/16

(10!/2" x 15!/2" - !/4" Ply.)
SIDE
SIDE
(3!/2" x 16" - !/2" Ply.) 3!/2 1!/2
#6 x %/8" Ph
WOODSCREW END TOP VIEW
(3!/2" x 10%/8" - !/2" Ply.)

4 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_004.indd 4 9/21/2009 8:53:01 AM

 The handle is glued up from two
layers of 1⁄2" plywood and rounded
over for a comfortable fit. For the
shelf, it’s simply cut to size. Then ®

you can drill holes and cut slots to Issue 108 Nov./Dec. 2009
store your most-used hand tools.
Now you’re ready to fasten the PUBLISHER Donald B. Peschke
handle and shelf to the plywood EDITOR Terry J. Strohman
panel. To make it easier to access MANAGING EDITOR Bryan Nelson
the screws, you’ll want to do this SENIOR EDITOR Phil Huber
before you assemble the panels ASSOCIATE EDITOR Randall A. Maxey, Joel Hess
and the rack’s frame. CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Vincent Ancona,
Ted Raife, Dennis Perkins, Carol Beronich
After assembling the rack, slip it
into the dadoes in the tray and screw EXECUTIVE ART DIRECTOR Todd Lambirth
it in place. Now just load the tote up ART DIRECTOR Cary Christensen
with a few supplies and tools. SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jamie Downing
SENIOR ILLUSTRATORS David Kreyling, Dirk Ver Steeg,
Mark Thiel Harlan V. Clark, Peter J. Larson, David Kallemyn
Coral Springs, Florida GRAPHIC DESIGNER Shelley Cronin

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ted Kralicek

SENIOR PROJECT DESIGNERS Ken Munkel, Kent Welsh,
Chris Fitch, James R. Downing, Mike Donovan
Fence Rail PROJECT DESIGNER/BUILDER John Doyle

Bumper SHOP CRAFTSMEN Steve Curtis, Steve Johnson

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Crayola England,

The rail for my table saw’s rip fence Dennis Kennedy
is a hollow steel tube. It serves the ASSOCIATE STYLE DIRECTOR Rebecca Cunningham
SENIOR ELECTRONIC IMAGE SPECIALIST Allan Ruhnke
purpose well but it causes me an-
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Minniette Johnson
other problem. Walking around VIDEO DIRECTOR/EDITOR Mark Hayes, Nate Gruca
the shop, I’ve bumped into the rail
and caused a scrape or two. The ShopNotes® (ISSN 1062-9696) is published bimonthly (Jan., March, May, July,
shop-made, hardwood “bumper” Sept., Nov.) by August Home Publishing, 2200 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312.
ShopNotes® is a registered trademark of August Home Publishing
you see here solves the problem. ©Copyright 2009 by August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.
I sized the bumper for a flush fit Single copy: $4.95 U.S. / $6.95 CDN
Canada Post Agreement Number 40038201.
with the outside of the rail. Shal- Send change of address information and blocks of undeliverable copies to:
low rabbets on all four sides allow P.O. Box 881, Station Main
Markham, ON L3P 8M6
for a tight friction fit inside the rail. Canada BN 84597 5473 RT
Finally, the outside is shaped and Periodicals Postage Paid at Des Moines, IA and at additional mailing offices.
Postmaster: Send change of address to:
the edges rounded over for a user-
ShopNotes, P.O. Box 37103, Boone, IA 50037-2103
friendly fit and finish.
William Fulcher
ShopNotesCustomerService.com
Ottumwa, Iowa
ONLINE SUBSCRIBER SERVICES
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ShopNotes.com 5

s108_004.indd 5 9/19/2009 7:05:34 PM

 Foot-Controlled
Air Nozzle
There are a few tools in the shop
that generate chips and dust that
THE
WINN make it difficult to see what you’re
ER! doing. The biggest culprits are the holds that position. It connects to a easy access with the tip of your
drill press, band saw, and scroll fitting in a small hardwood base. shoe. From the foot switch, you’ll
saw. The portable, foot-powered The base has a pair of rare-earth need a section of hose to connect
air nozzle shown above is my magnets set into the bottom. This to your air compressor.
solution to this problem. makes it easy to position and hold There are a couple of benefits to
The drawings below show you the nozzle on the tool. this system. It’s easy to set up on
all the parts you’ll need to put it From the nozzle base, a small- any tool in a matter of seconds.
together. The “business end” of the diameter hose connects to the foot And a simple tap of the “switch”
assembly is the air nozzle. I used switch assembly. Here, a few fit- with my foot directs a puff of air to
a flexible Loc-Line hose from Reid tings are trapped in a hardwood blow away debris as I’m working.
Supply (Item No. LP-40413). It can base. The “switch” is a blow gun Robert Curtis
be aimed where you need it and it with the handle positioned for Big Lake, Minnesota

HOSE BASE
TO TOOL FOR DUST (#/4" x 2!/2" - 3")
BLOW GUN COUPLING BLOW-0FF CLAMP BASE
VALVE BASE REPLACES (#/4" x 1!/4" - 2!/2")
(#/4" x 2!/4" - 7!/4") NOZZLE TIP

CLAMP TOP
(#/4" x 1" - 2!/2")

!/2" DIA.
HOSE FROM RARE-EARTH
COMPRESSOR MAGNETS

LOC-LINE
FITTING
LOC-LINE
#8 x 2" Fh FLEXIBLE HOSE
WOODSCREW

VALVE HOUSING
(#/4" x 2!/4" - 7!/4") NOTE: CUT HOUSING BLANK
TO FIT SHAPE OF BLOW GUN
VALVE BASE
(#/4" x 2!/4" - 7!/4")

6 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_006.indd 6 9/23/2009 12:46:58 PM

 Shop-Made Set-Up Gauge
Locating the depth of drill bit collars, determining the
length of dowels, or setting the cutting depth for tools
accurately can be challenging. To make these tasks easier,
I built the set-up gauge shown in the photo at right.
The gauge frame is simply made of a piece of 1" x
1" aluminum angle. To this I added a second piece
of shorter aluminum angle with a wood stop block
attached, like you see illustrated in the drawing below.
A threaded insert on the top of the wood block accepts
a thumb screw that is used to set the tool. Adding a
penny in the bottom fills in the space so the knob can be
#/16" - 28 x 1"
tightened firmly and accurately. Finally, stick a length KNURLED
THUMB SCREW
of measuring tape to the inside and you’re set to go.
Len Urban #/16" - 28 x !/4" PRESS-IN SELF-ADHESIVE
THREADED INSERT MEASURING
Rancho Mirage, California STOP TAPE
BLOCK

8
&/8

END VIEW
(CROSS SECTION)
!%/16
SELF-ADHESIVE KNURLED
MEASURING THUMB SCREW
TAPE
1

PRESS-IN
THREADED
INSERT PENNY

PENNY NOTE: PENNY

1" x 1" - 2" BETWEEN BLOCK
!/16 ALUMINUM #6 x !/2" Fh AND ALUMINUM
ANGLE WOODSCREW ANGLE SEATS
ADJUSTMENT
KNOB FIRMLY

Quick Tips

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BY EMAIL
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ShopNotes.com 7

s108_006.indd 7 9/19/2009 7:07:43 PM

 router
Workshop
creating
Accurate
Slots
Follow this must-know
router table technique for
smooth, straight cuts.
{  Routing a Slot.
One way to make a jig or accessory Routing a slot is easy
adjustable is to use fasteners in slots. if you make multiple
So over the years, I’ve made a lot passes. Each pass
of slots. The process I use to create starts by pivoting the
perfect slots takes place at the router workpiece onto the
table with an ordinary straight bit bit (inset at right).
and a quick-and-easy layout.
Start with a Layout. The first The key is to mark the end points of table fence. The router fence shown
part of the process of routing an the slot on the top face of the work- here has adjustable faces that can
accurate slot is to do a little lay- piece. Since these marks serve as a be closed together. This provides a
out work. The workpiece has to guide, they should be drawn along place to mark the bit location and
be lowered over the bit to rout the the edge of the workpiece that will it creates a continuous guide sur-
slot, so you need a way to accu- ride against the fence (photo above face for the workpiece.
rately line up the workpiece with and left photo below). If your router table fence has a
the bit. This is done in two steps. Smooth Fence Face. For the sec- one-piece fence with a fixed bit
The first step is to lay out the loca- ond step of the layout, you’ll need opening, you can attach an auxil-
tion of the slot on the workpiece. to make some marks on the router iary face to provide a surface for
the layout marks.
The idea here is to create align-
ment marks that define the front
and back cutting edges of the bit.
One mark indicates where to start
the cut and the other where it ends.
After setting the fence to locate
the slot, mark the leading and
trailing edge of the bit. I like to
use a thick block of wood for this.
Rotate the bit so the cutting edge is
parallel with the fence. Then bring
the block up to the bit and against
{  Layout Lines. Mark the starting and ending {  Mark The Fence. Use a block the fence and make a line (lower
points of the slot on the edge of the workpiece that to mark the router table fence to right photo). The alignment marks
will ride against the router table fence. show the position of the bit. should extend up the fence a few

8  ShopNotes No. 108

 { Starting Block. Align the mark for the beginning { Ending Block. Slide the workpiece over so the
of the slot with the left edge of the bit (inset). Then right-hand marks on the workpiece and fence are
attach a stop block to the fence on the right end. aligned (inset). Then, position the other stop block.

inches so it will be visible as you you can turn off the router and lift table, slide it along the fence until
lower the workpiece over the bit. the workpiece off the bit. the end line and right bit line meet.
Stop Blocks. You have one more Completing the slot is just a Since you don’t have positive
step to take before you’re ready to matter of raising the bit slightly starting and stopping points, you
begin routing. And that’s to attach and repeating the process. may find that the beginning and
stop blocks to the fence. The stop Pull Out the Stops. I men- ending of the slot are stepped or
blocks provide positive starting and tioned earlier that I prefer to use uneven. This results from slight
stopping points for the slot. stop blocks, if possible. But when variations in where the workpiece
To do this, lower the bit and align a workpiece is long, you need to was lowered over the bit.
the “start” mark of the workpiece do things a little differently. That’s The solution is pretty simple.
with the left bit mark on the fence because the fence isn’t long enough You can use a round file or even
(left photo above). Then clamp a to attach a pair of stop blocks. sandpaper wrapped around a } Long Slots.
stop block on the right side of the Since there’s no stop block, you’ll dowel to clean up the ends. Finally, If you can’t attach
fence. The left stop block is posi- need to use the edge of the router I like to soften the edges of the slot stop blocks, use
tioned in a similar way, with the table as the pivot point. Line up the with some sandpaper to keep it the layout lines on
end mark on the workpiece aligned left fence mark with the starting from chipping out or splintering. the workpiece and
with the mark on the right side of line on the workpiece and lower The result is a smooth, straight fence to control the
the fence (upper right photo). the workpiece onto the bit. Once slot. All it takes is a bit of layout beginning and end
Start Routing. With the setup the workpiece is resting flat on the work and a simple process. of the slot.
complete, you can rout the slots.
Depending on the thickness of the
workpiece, it may be too tough on
the router and bit to rout a slot in
a single pass. Instead, it’s best to
rout the slot in several, shallow
cuts — no more than 1⁄4" at a time.
Note: When I’m working with
plywood, I make a very shallow
first pass to score the face veneer
and minimize any chipout.
To begin the cut, rest the work-
piece against the right stop block
and slowly lower the workpiece
onto the spinning bit. As you do
this, be sure to keep the workpiece
held firmly against the fence. Once
it’s on the table, push the work-
piece forward until it contacts the
second stop block. At this point,

ShopNotes.com 9

s108_008.indd 9 10/2/2009 10:02:09 AM

 JJIGS &
Accessories
essentials of a
sheet metal
Tool Kit
You only need a
few simple tools to
easily cut and
securely fasten
sheet metal.
As a long-time woodworker, work- pair of leather utility gloves pre- cutting tools for sheet metal, rang-
ing with sheet metal can make me vents cuts and scrapes. ing from basic tin snips to special-
feel like I’m in foreign territory. Other Basics. There are a few ized “aviation” snips.
But as I found out when making other tools and accessories you’ll Simple Snips. If you could take
the storage box on page 17, all you need. When working with sheet a look inside Grandpa’s work-
need is a small set of inexpensive metal, I like to use a fine-point, shop, you’d probably find a set of
tools and a little practice. permanent marker for laying out tin snips similar to the pair shown
cuts and bends. below. The simple design has
BASIC SUPPLIES Then when it comes time to proven effective for generations.
To start with, there are a few acces- attach hardware or fasten parts The long handles and hardened
sories you’re probably familiar with rivets, you’ll also need a cen- steel jaws easily cut through sheet
with — and may even have on ter punch and a set of twist drill metal like scissors on paper. Tin
hand. The first thing on the list bits. Finally, it’s a good idea to snips are most effective at long,
is a good pair of gloves. Sheet have a pair of ordinary pliers on straight cuts. But the key to a smooth
metal, with its sharp corners and hand. They’re perfect for smooth- cut is to keep the intersection of the
razor-like edges, isn’t very kind ing out bent edges and seams. jaws in contact with the workpiece
to hands. Wearing an inexpensive as you open and close them.
CUTTING TOOLS Aviation Snips. While you can
The other tools you’ll need for cut- use tin snips for gentle curves,
ting sheet metal pieces to size aviation snips are the way to go if
and fastening them together your project call for tight curves.
are more specialized. For These special snips have short,
starters, you’ll find a slender jaws and are designed for
wide variety of specific cuts. For example, you can
buy snips designed specifically for
straight cuts or for cutting a small-
radius curve to the left or to the
{ Tin Snips. Simple right. For this reason, you may
tin snips excel at making find it handy to have a set
smooth, straight cuts without of all three snips for the
a lot of effort (photo at left). most versatility.

10 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_010.indd 10 9/22/2009 9:42:40 AM

 Aviation snips have a couple of < Specialized.
other handy features. For one, the The compound
jaws are designed to curl one side action of aviation-
of the cut up and away. This pro- style snips
vides clearance for your hand and multiplies your
tool. The other nice feature is the hand pressure
compound lever action that makes and makes cutting
it easier to cut sheet metal. This sheet metal
way, you don’t apply as much effortless.
pressure to make a cut.

RIVET-SETTING TOOL
One of the easiest and fastest ways Note: Straight
to assemble sheet metal projects and left-cutting
is to use blind rivets. And for that version also
you’ll need a rivet-setting tool available
(main photo on the opposite page).
It’s sometimes called a “pop rivet” Snips cut straight, left, and right
gun because of the noise it makes
when the rivet is set.
Squeeze and Snap. The way
this tool works is pretty simple.
First, insert the long mandrel of Snips cut straight and right
the rivet into the tool. Then press
the rivet into a through hole in the
workpieces that need to be joined. back side of the rivet. At a pre- (For more about blind rivets, take
As you repeatedly and gently determined pressure, the mandrel a look at the box below.)
squeeze the handles, the tool grabs finally snaps off inside the rivet, Working with sheet metal isn’t
the mandrel and tries to pull the making the familiar “pop” sound. complicated and opens up new
round head through the rivet. The The deformed rivet squeezes the options for shop projects and jigs.
head of the mandrel compresses sheet metal pieces against the head And all it takes are a few simple
and deforms the material on the of the rivet to hold them securely. tools that won’t break the bank.

choosing & using

Blind Rivets < Variety. Blind
rivets come in
For all their simplicity, blind rivets do a remarkable To select the right blind rivet, choose one that’s com- an assortment of
job of fastening sheet metal. They’re available in a patible with the material you’ll be fastening. You’ll colors, materials,
variety of colors and materials like aluminum, cop- also need to know the total thickness of the materi- and head styles.
per, brass, mild steel, and stainless steel. You can find als (Figure 2). The package will tell you the thickness
them in three head styles, as shown Figure 1. range appropriate for the rivets.
The anatomy of a blind rivet is pretty basic (photo To install the rivet, first drill a through hole in all
above and drawings below). The common compo- the parts that will be joined. The diameter of the hole
nent to all blind rivets is the mandrel. It’s the nail-like should closely match the diameter of the rivet. Then
piece that runs through the center of the rivet and is use the rivet setting tool I talked about above to install
typically made of soft steel. the rivet, as shown in Figure 2.

1 RIVET TYPES
DOME
2 MANDREL RIVET MANDREL
SNAPS OFF
AT FIXED
FLAT
COUNTERSUNK BEFORE PRESSURE

RIVET LENGTH BASED AFTER

ON THICKNESS
OF MATERIAL MANDREL HEAD
WORKPIECE LAYERS TO BE JOINED EXPANDS RIVET

ShopNotes.com 11

s108_010.indd 11 9/21/2009 5:07:07 PM

 HANDS-ON
Technique

perfect
Mitered Edging
With the right setup and a few simple techniques,
you can cut perfect, gap-free joints.
When I saw the hobby bench Start Square. It goes without method, the top of the saw table
(page 24), one of the first things saying that you need to start with fully supports the workpiece. This
that got my attention was the per- a straight and square panel. This helps keep it stable during the cut
fectly mitered edging (inset photo makes the process of fitting the and minimizes any flexing.
above). Getting seamless miter edging go a lot smoother. It also
joints can be a challenge so I asked means making sure your table saw APPLYING THE EDGING
Steve, our shop craftsman, how he is set up for accurate 90° cuts. And With the saw set up, you can start
did it. He uses a simple technique an accurate setup carries over to to work on the edging. Let me give
that guarantees great results. cutting the mitered corners of the you an overview of the process.
edging that wraps Instead of starting on one side and
around the panel. working around the panel, the
Table Saw Setup. process starts with the ends (short
While I sometimes sides) of the panel first. Once those
angle the miter gauge pieces are positioned accurately,
to cut miters, Steve you fit the longer pieces between
pointed out that he them. You’ll see the benefits of this
gets better results method on the step-by-step pro-
by tilting the blade, cess that follows.
as in the photo at Reference Blocks. Before get-
left. He uses a digi- ting started, the first step is to miter
{ Accurate tal angle gauge to a couple short pieces of edging to
Setup. A digital set the blade to 45°, use as reference blocks. You’ll use
angle gauge helps leaving the miter these blocks to help locate and fit
guarantee an { Tilted Blade. Using the table top to support gauge square to the the first piece of edging. The photo
accurate miter. the workpiece along its length yields an blade (inset photo at at the top of the opposite page
accurate cut and a tight-fitting joint. far left). Using this shows you what I mean.

12 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_012.indd 12 9/18/2009 6:44:22 AM

 < Reference
Blocks. A mitered
scrap piece
clamped to each
end will help you fit
the first piece
of edging.

< Handy Helpers.

Use clamps to
help hold the
workpiece when
applying glue.

Cut to Fit. Start by temporar- the panel to keep the edging tight
ily clamping one of the reference along the top and bottom edges of
blocks on the long edge of the the panel for a gap-free joint line.
panel at the corner. You can use Glueup. It’s during the glueup
the second reference block to posi- that the reference blocks provide
REMOVE CAP SO BOTTOM
tion it precisely at the corner. one last benefit. They keep the IS FLUSH WITH WORKPIECE
Now cut a miter on one end of edging from slipping side-to-side
the edging and fit it against the on the wet glue as you tighten the cutting and fitting the long pieces.
reference block. Then it’s an easy clamps down. And the shorter ver- Here again, concentrate on one
task to mark the length of the edg- tical clamps help provide a work- piece at a time (photo below).
ing along the opposite edge of the ing platform for applying glue and These longer pieces have a ten-
panel. This mark will be a guide- rotating the piece into place, as you dency to bow and twist more than
line as you sneak up on the fit. can see in the photos and drawing the shorter ones, so they require
At this point you can clamp above. With one end complete, a little more time and test-fitting.
the second reference block to the you can repeat the process at the But it pays off in a seamless fit, as
opposite edge, as shown in the opposite end of the panel. the inset photo on the opposite
photo above. Now you’re ready to Long Edges. After you’ve page shows. The result of a little
do a little fine-tuning on the short glued on the two short edges, patience and taking one step at a
end piece. Cut the edging a little they’ll become your references for time will speak for itself.
long and check the fit. T
Keep checking the fit and shav- < Take It Slow.
ing a little at a time until you get After the short
a perfect joint. You’re aiming for pieces are glued
a seamless miter and no gap all in place, turn
along the edge of the panel. I like your attention to
to use a couple of bar clamps to the long edges.
lend a helping hand during this
process (drawing at right).
Time For Clamps. Once
you’re happy with the fit, it’s
time to apply the glue and
clamp the edging in place.
Parallel-jaw clamps are ideal for
this, as you can see in the main
photo and photo at right.
But I find F-style bar clamps
work as well. Just make sure to
place a few both under and over

ShopNotes.com 13

s108_012.indd 13 9/17/2009 12:52:32 PM

 best-built
jigs &
fixtures

sheet metal
Bending Brake
The possibilities for shop projects are endless with
this simple jig for bending sheet metal.
Most of my time in the shop is spent on woodworking The sheet metal is clamped under a piece of angle
projects. But learning how to work with sheet metal iron that creates the bending point, or mandrel. As
has opened up a lot of potential for practical projects. you lift the handle, the metal is easily formed into a
In the next few pages, I’ll show you how to build tight bend between a metal breaker bar and mandrel.
and use a simple bending brake like you see above. It So, for minimal cost, you can build a tool you’ll use
makes crisp, clean bends on sheet metal (up to 22 ga.) over and over again. As a matter of fact, you can use
for great-looking results. It’s made from a few pieces the bending brake to build a handy supply box. You’ll
of hardwood to form the base and hinged handle. find the plans starting on page 17.

14 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_014.indd 14 9/23/2009 6:35:03 AM

 FRONT RAIL
(#/4" x 2!/2" - 32")
MAKING THE BRAKE FIGURE

The mechanics of the metal brake

1 #8 x 1!/2" Fh
WOODSCREW
A

are pretty simple. Figures 1 and 2 INDEX STOP 6

(!/2" x 1" - 1") 3" HINGE
#8 x 1!/2" Fh
show you how a base frame with a WOODSCREW F
hinged handle creates the bending 1!/2
jig. You can start with the base.
Simple Base. The base starts
with a front apron and two end
E
pieces assembled using simple INDEX BLOCK
butt joints to make a frame. A front (#/4" x 1!/2" - 1#/4")
rail sits on top of the frame and
is where all the action takes place #8 x 1!/2" Fh NOTE: POSITION
WOODSCREW BEVEL FOR INDEX BLOCKS WITH
when bending sheet metal. HINGE KNUCKLE STOPS SPACED 20" APART
CENTERED ON FRONT RAIL
Hinges. There are a few things
B
to do before you can attach the
rail to the base frame. The first is
REAR RAIL
(#/4" x 1!/8" - 32")
a. END VIEW
to rout mortises for the hinges. INDEX F HINGE BEVEL
BLOCK MORTISE
Figure 2a shows how the mortise
depth centers the hinge pin at the D
FRONT
front edge of the rail. And for extra FRONT APRON RAIL
(#/4" x 2" - 30!/2")
strength, I drilled and countersunk
extra screw holes in the leaves. C END
Index Blocks. The next things END
(#/4" x 2" - 8")
to add are the index blocks that
hold the bending mandrel in posi-
tion on the front rail. Then you can strip of metal to form a breaker lend a hand. Use the clamps to
fasten both the front and rear rails bar. This mates up with the man- hold the handle assembly tight
to the base frame. drel and does the hard work of against the base as you fasten the
The Handle. The handle assem- forming the sheet metal. The key hinges to the handle apron and
bly is just another hardwood here is that the breaker bar should hinge blocks. You can see what this
frame. The hinges are attached be flush with the top of the front looks like in Figures 2a and 2b.
to the apron. And a pair of hinge rail on the base when the handle is You’re on the home stretch to
blocks provides the extra material attached to the base frame. completing the brake. Go ahead
needed for the hinge screws. Attaching the Handle. When and clamp the brake to your bench
You can see in Figure 2 that the you fasten the handle to the hinges, (main photo) then turn the page to
handle assembly also includes a you’ll find a couple of clamps can make the bending mandrel.
FIGURE
2 BREAKER BAR
(#/4" x 20" - !/8" STEEL)
END VIEW a.
K HINGE PIN
F REMOVED FOR
E CLEARITY

#8 x #/4" Fh FRONT
WOODSCREW RAIL

END D G H

b. END VIEW b.
F BREAKER
HANDLE ARM E BAR
(#/4" x 1!/2" - 8!/2")
FRONT
I RAIL

a. #8 x 1!/4" Fh
WOODSCREW
END D G I
HANDLE APRON
(#/4" x 3" - 26")
G
H NOTE GRAIN
DIRECTION
HINGE BLOCK J
(#/4" x 3" - 3")
HANDLE
(#/4" x 1!/8" - 20")
ShopNotes.com 15

s108_014.indd 15 9/23/2009 6:36:11 AM

 MANDREL
FIGURE (!/8" x 1!/2" x 1!/2" - 20")
3 L

#8 x #/4" Fh
WOODSCREW

M
CLAMP BAR
(1!/2" x 1!/8" - 20")

{ Location. Getting the brake to function

properly means the mandrel, breaker bar,
and hinges must be properly positioned.
BREAKER BAR

a. M MANDREL
END
NOTE: REFER TO VIEW E BREAKER
SHOP SHORT CUTS ON
PAGE 23 FOR SHAPING F BAR
ANGLE IRON
FRONT
RAIL

mandrel END HINGE PIN

REMOVED FOR H

Assembly
D G
CLARITY

The brake isn’t complete without the index stops, there’s one other clamp bar. The clamp bar is a piece
a bending mandrel. The mandrel thing you’ll need to do. And that’s of hardwood beveled to fit on the
and hinged breaker bar are the to file off the rounded edges of back side of the metal mandrel
two main components that put each leg of the angle. This creates a you completed earlier. Its purpose
all the pressure on the sheet metal sharp 45° edge that will yield crisp, is to provide a flat bearing surface
when making a bend. Since this clean corners. I won’t kid you, the for the clamps you’ll need to use
requires quite a bit of force, all of filing will take some elbow grease, when bending sheet metal. You’ll
the components need to be able to but with the right setup, it doesn’t learn more about that as you build
stand up to the task. take long. Turn to Shop Short Cuts the box in the following pages.
Shaping the Mandrel. The on page 23 for some helpful tips. Final Assembly. With the holes
mandrel is made from a length of Clamp Bar. To complete the drilled in the mandrel, head back
steel angle for strength. Besides mandrel assembly, drill the coun- to the table saw to cut the clamp
cutting it to length to fit between tersunk holes for attaching the bar, as shown in Figure 3a. To
make beveling the edge a safer
operation, I tilted the blade of the
Materials & Hardware table saw and ripped the clamp bar
from a wide blank. With that done,
A Front Rail (1) 3/ x 21/ - 32 J Handle (1) 3/ x 11/ - 20
4 2 4 8 all you need to do is cut it to length
B Rear Rail (1) 3/ x 11/ - 32 K Breaker Bar (1) 1 3
/8 x /4 - 20 Steel Bar
4 8 and fasten it to the mandrel.
C Ends (2) 3/ x 2 - 8 L Mandrel (1) 1/8 x 11/2 x 11/2 - 20 Steel Angle
4
3/ x 2 - 301/
Final Test. After all this work,
D Front Apron (1) 4 2 M Clamp Bar (1) 11/2 x 11/8 - 20
3/ x 11/ - 13/ you’re ready to put your new
E Index Blocks (2) 4 2 4
F Index Stops (2) 1/ x 1 - 1 • (2) 3" Hinges bending brake to the test. And
2
G Handle Apron (1) 3/ x 3 - 26
4 • (6) #8 x 11/4" Fh Woodscrews there’s no better way to do that
H Hinge Blocks (2) 3/ x 3 - 3
4 • (33) #8 x 11/2" Fh Woodscrews than build the storage box starting
I Handle Arm (2) 3/ x 11/ - 81/
4 2 2 • (17) #8 x 3/4" Fh Woodscrews on the next page.

16 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_016.indd 16 9/23/2009 5:28:58 AM

 weekend
project

sheet metal
Supply Box
With a shop-made jig,
you can easily make this
handy storage box.
Working with sheet metal isn’t difficult — if you
have the right tools. All it takes to make the items
shown here are some basic tools, a pair of tin snips,
and the metal brake featured on page 14. You’ll also
need patterns for laying out the cuts and bends.
In the next few pages, I’ll show you all of the
easy-to-follow techniques you’ll need to build the
supply box. After that’s completed, you can use
those same techniques to build any of the storage
items at right. You’ll find all of the patterns for these
projects on our web site at ShopNotes.com.
I think you’ll discover that after fabricating these
few simple projects, you’ll be ready to design and
build your own. And to me, that’s half the fun of
being in the shop — applying what I’ve learned to
build something that’s practical and long-lasting.

ShopNotes.com 17

s108_016.indd 17 9/23/2009 5:30:06 AM

 NOTE:
BOX BLANK
OVERVIEW IS 13!/2" x 18"
1
NOTE: 3 !/4
DASHED LINES BACK
ARE BEND LINES
FLANGES
45°

%/8

FRONT
!/8 END
3
NOTE:
ALL PIECES TOP VIEW
ARE 22-GAUGE (CORNER)
SHEET METAL

!/4 45° FLANGE

TAB

storage sheet metal. For shop projects like the flanges will align after all the

Box
this one, 22-gauge steel is about bends are made.
right. It’s easy to cut and bend but Cut It Out. With the layout
still has plenty of strength. done, it’s time to grab the tin snips
Layout. With your sheet metal and get to work. While cutting
There are a few key components in hand, it’s time to lay out the sheet metal is an easy task, there
to guarantee success when build- project. For this, I like to use a fine- are a couple of things to keep in
ing any sheet metal project. They point permanent marker. (You mind. The first is to put on a pair
include an accurate layout, a sharp may have to remove oil and dirt of gloves to protect your hands
set of tin snips, and a metal brake, from the metal with solvent first.) from cuts and scrapes.
like the one on page 14. Figure 1 and the pattern above When making a cut, open the
Sheet Metal. But the first thing will give you all the dimensions snips wide and make the longest
I want to talk about is sheet metal. you need. Since all four corners cut you can with one stroke. And
You’ll find it in a variety of thick- are the same, you can repeat the if a cut requires more than one
nesses, or gauges. The higher the dimensions at each corner. Using stroke, keep the jaws of the snips
gauge number, the thinner the the drawings as a reference, mark in constant contact with the cut
the cut lines with a continuous line. Following these simple tips
> Layot. Use line. For indicating where to bend gives you the smoothest cut with-
continuous lines the metal, you’ll want to use a dif- out leaving sharp, jagged edges
to identify cuts. ferent type of line so you won’t cut (bottom photos below).
Dashed lines along this line by accident. I like Filing. After cutting out the pat-
indicate where to to use a dashed line. You can see tern, I like to run a file along all
form bends. what I mean in the photo at left. of the cut lines to ease any sharp
To lay out the tabs that form edges. It’s easier to do this now
the corners of the box, a 45° plas- than after the box is put together.
tic drafting triangle works perfect
and makes the task easy. An accu- BENDING
rate line here helps ensure that With the blank in hand and the
metal bending brake securely
> Long Cuts. clamped to your benchtop, you’re
Make the long cuts ready to form the box. I’ll step you
first (left photo), through the process of making the
followed by the bends in the right order. You’ll be
shorter cuts (far surprised at how quick and easy it
right photo). is to make the box.
Some Pointers. When using the
metal brake, there are some tips I
want to point out. The first is to
make sure the metal is clamped
tightly all along and underneath

18 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_018.indd 18 9/23/2009 5:31:18 AM

 FIGURE
2
FIRST: ALIGN
FLANGE BEND LINE
WITH EDGE OF
MANDREL
NOTE: CLAMPS
NOT SHOWN
FOR CLARITY

THIRD:
LIFT HANDLE
TO FORM TABS AND
ENDS (SEE MARGIN)
{ Flanges.
The first bends
to make are the
END VIEW (CROSS SECTION) ones that form all
MANDREL four flanges.
H
M FLANGE
SECOND:
CLAMP MANDREL E FRONT
SECURELY WITH F G
BAR CLAMPS (REFER
TO PHOTO ON p. 14)
FRONT RAIL BREAKER
BAR

the clamp bar. This is a situation can see in Figure 2. Note: It doesn’t Tabs and Ends. The next two
where you almost can’t have too hurt to go a little past 90° because bends extend all the way across
many clamps. You don’t want the metal has a tendency to spring the blank. These form the ends of
the metal to creep out of position back. Once you make a couple of the box and create the tabs that tie
as you apply pressure during the bends, you’ll get the hang of it. the corners together. You can see
bending operation. You can get an Work your way around the blank how this is done in Figure 3. The
idea of how the clamps work in to form all four flanges before process is the same as before: line
the main photo on page 14. moving onto the tabs and ends up the bend line, clamp it tight,
Bend the Flanges. The first (upper right margin photo). and then make the bend in one
bends to make are the ones that smooth operation. } Ends & Tabs.
form the flanges. You can see the You can see how, after making All it takes is two
flanges in Figures 1 and 2. The key just six bends, the box is already bends to form
to a straight bend is to make sure starting to take shape. Your box the ends of the
the bend line is aligned with the should look similar to the one box and the tabs
front edge of the mandrel as you shown in the lower right margin that connect
tighten down the clamps. photo. The goal is to end up the corners.
The next step is easy. Just lift with straight, tight bends
up on the handle in one smooth that will help you in
motion to form a 90° bend, as you the next steps.

FIGURE
3

FIRST:
ALIGN BEND
WITH MANDREL

END

TAB

SECOND:
CLAMP MANDREL THIRD: LIFT HANDLE
SECURELY IN PLACE TO FORM TABS AND ENDS
(REFER TO PHOTO ON p. 14) (SEE MARGIN)

ShopNotes.com 19

s108_018.indd 19 9/23/2009 9:46:33 AM

 FIGURE FIRST: ALIGN DASHED
4 LINE ALONG EDGE OF
BREAKER BAR
SECOND:
CLAMP MANDREL
BLOCK OVER
MANDREL DASHED LINE
BLOCK (SEE PHOTO
AT LEFT)
BACK

FRONT

10° BEVEL ON
FRONT EDGE
BREAKER
BAR

MANDREL BLOCK

THIRD: LIFT 70°

HANDLE TO BEND
FRONT OR BACK

{ Clamping. Plywood mandrel NOTE: MANDREL

BLOCK MADE FROM 4
blocks replace the steel mandrel #/4" PLYWOOD CUT TO FIT
INSIDE BOX
when making the final bends.

final box make the final two bends to com- clamps across the box to hold the

Assembly
plete the box. The key here is to corners tight. After laying out the
make sure the mandrel blocks are rivet locations (margin photo), tap
clamped securely with the edge them with a center punch. Then
aligned along the bend line. use an 1⁄8"-dia. twist bit to drill the
There are just a couple of bends to Don’t worry if you slightly bend rivet holes (left photo below).
make to complete the box bottom. the flanges as you complete these After the holes are drilled, you
But these bends require a little dif- last two bends. You can easily can install the rivets, as shown in
ferent technique. If you take a look straighten them with pliers. the right photo below. Move on to
at the partially formed box, you’ll Rivets. Now you’re ready to the opposite corner and repeat the
notice there’s no way to fit it under install the rivets that tie the corners process all around the box.
the clamp bar of the bending brake together. It’s best to work on one Finally, you can remove the
1 to make the next bends. corner at a time, install the rivets, clamps and inspect the flanges.
Instead, you’ll make a couple of and then move on. You’ll want them nice and straight
CL
mandrel blocks out of plywood. With all of the tabs on the out- so the lid will fit tight. Straighten
1
These fit inside the box to take the side of the box, add a couple of bar any kinks with pliers.
place of the clamp bar and man-
drel assembly (Figure 4).
Mandrel Blocks. There are a
5⁄
16 couple of things I need to point
out about the mandrel blocks. First
{ Box Corner. of all, the edge that forms the cor-
After the final ner of the box is beveled at about
bend, the corner 10°. This creates a tight corner
should fit tight. when bending the sheet metal and
allows you to bend a little past 90°.
To make it easier to fit the blocks
inside the box, I tapered the sides.
Finally, I made the length of the
blocks about 1⁄4" shorter than the
inside dimension of the box. { Punch & Drill. After laying out { Blind Rivets. With the box still
Final Bends. With the mandrel the rivet locations, punch the clamped, install the rivets through
blocks in hand, you’re ready to centerpoints and then drill for rivets. the tabs for a secure connection.

20 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_020.indd 20 9/23/2009 9:51:32 AM

 1!/4" x 11"
CONTINUOUS
finishing the 5
OVERVIEW
HINGE !/4 1
NOTE:

Lid & Box

HINGE FASTENED DASHED LINES
WITH BLIND RIVETS ARE BEND LINES
(SEE PHOTO AND
DETAIL BELOW) 45°

%/8
1
If you take a look at Figure 5, you
can see that the lid is created the 45° !/4
LID !/8
same way as the box. You’ll start (9!/2" x 14")
with the flanges, then the ends, B
TOP VIEW
and finally the front and back. A (CORNER)
single rivet in each corner is all NOTE: FOLLOW
THE SAME BENDING
you need to make the lid solid. SEQUENCE AS USED
ON THE BOX BOTTOM
After taking a little time to ensure
the flanges are straight, it’s time to
marry the lid with the box. To do make sure the lid fit tight with with compressed air. Then you’re
this, I started with the hinge. the box, I clamped them together ready to apply a couple of light
Hinge. All of the hardware to lay out the holes for the rivets coats of enamel. After letting the
is installed with rivets, includ- (photo at left). To make sure the paint cure, you can finish install- CL
ing the continuous hinge. And to hinge stayed parallel to the joint, I ing the hardware.
installed a rivet in each leaf at each Handle. The toolbox handle is
5⁄
end. After installing the remaining easy to install and is centered on 16

rivets in between, you’re ready to the lid. You can use the handle { Lid Corner.
decide on a paint color. hardware to locate the rivet holes. After the final
Paint. Before getting out the Just remember to lightly punch bend, the corner
aerosol can of paint, it’s a good them before drilling to keep the bit should fit tight.
idea to wipe the box and lid with from wandering off-center.
solvent to remove oil and grime. Draw Catch. Next comes the
And I like to take the extra step draw catch that secures the lid. To
of blowing off any remaining lint install the catch, you’ll find it goes
a lot smoother if you clamp the
lid to the box like you did when
END VIEW
(CROSS SECTION) installing the hinge. After placing
HINGE RIVET the closed draw catch on the cen-
ter line of the box, align the bottom
edge of the catch with the bottom
{ Easy Installation. Using the edge of the lid. You can see what
hinge as a layout guide, you can this looks like in the photo below. To see more
punch and drill the rivet holes. Like before, punch and drill the
patterns for sheet
metal projects,
holes and install the rivets.
go to:
Toolbox handle is Final Thoughts. By now I’m ShopNotes.com
centered on lid and sure you can see how quick, easy,
installed with rivets and enjoyable it can be to make a
at ends project out of sheet metal. Remem-
ber to go to ShopNotes.com and
check out the other projects you
can make for your shop.

Materials & Hardware

CASE
A Box (1) 131/2 x 18 - 22 Ga. Sheet Metal
B Lid (1) 91/2 x 14 - 22 Ga. Sheet Metal

• (1) Draw Catch

Draw catch • (1) Toolbox Handle
holds lid secure for • (1) 11/4" x 11" Continuous Hinge
transport and storage • (36) 1/8" Blind Rivets

ShopNotes.com 21

s108_020.indd 21 9/23/2009 9:52:24 AM

 TIPS FROM Our Shop

Shop
DRAWER
FRONT
LIP COVERS
Short
Cuts
FRONT OF
DRAWER SIDE

Locking Rabbet Joint

The drawer front in the You can use the test pieces to set
hobby bench on page 24 up the table saw.
RABBETED
TONGUE uses a locking rabbet joint. Rabbeted Tongue. To make the The next step is to create the
The drawing and inset at tongue on the drawer front, you’ll tongues by cutting back the lip on
left show how the drawer first stand it on end and pass it the inside face of the drawer front,
front and side fit together over the dado blade to make a as shown in Figures 2 and 2a.
with a rabbeted tongue groove along the end. A tall auxil- Dadoes. With the tongue com-
DRAWER on the drawer front. The iary fence and featherboard make pleted, you can cut the dado in the
SIDE tongue fits into a dado this job easy, while a backer board sides. Size the depth and width of
(sized to fit the tongue) in reduces chipout (Figure 1). the dado to match the size of the
the drawer sides. Figure 1a gives the dimensions tongue. Again, use a test piece to
!/2
Cut the Drawer Pieces. Start for the groove. Once you have the make the setup simpler, as shown
!/4 by cutting all the drawer pieces setup adjusted, go ahead and cut in Figures 3 and 3a.
DRAWER !/4 #/4 to size, plus a couple test pieces. the groove in the front. Your goal is to have the end of
FRONT
!/4 the side piece fit snugly
AUX.
!/4 1 BACKER
2 MITER GAUGE
FENCE
into the rabbeted front
of the drawer, as seen in
BOARD
DRAWER the inset photo above.
SIDE
DRAWER
AUX.
FRONT
RIP FENCE DRAWER a.
FRONT
AUX. AUX. FENCE
RIP
FENCE !/4
DADO
BLADE
AUX.
RIP
FENCE

!/4"-WIDE
DADO
BLADE
3 AUX.
MITER
FEATHERBOARD
GAUGE
FENCE
a.
AUX. AUX.
RIP RIP AUX. FENCE
FEATHER-
a. FENCE DRAWER
SIDE
FENCE
!/4
AUX. !/4
RIP BOARD
!/4
FENCE

!/4"
!/2 DADO
BLADE

22 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_022.indd 22 9/23/2009 5:32:42 AM

 a.
2"-DIA.
HOLE
Large Holes SAW

One of the best ways to drill large

holes is with a hole saw. The cen- FIRST:
DRILL PART
ter guide bit starts a pilot hole and WAY THROUGH
WORKPIECE
the sawtooth edge brings the hole So I like to use a sim-
to full diameter, as you can see in ple, two-step method for
the drawing and detail ‘a’ above. drilling large holes. First, I start by
These “bits” cut through plas- drilling part of the way through
tic laminate, as well as wood, so from one side. Then, I flip the work- Finally, to keep any cords from
they’re perfect for drilling the large piece over and complete the hole catching on a sharp edge, I eased
access holes in the melamine back from the back side, as shown in the the edges of the hole by adding a
of the hobby bench on page 24. drawing above and detail ‘b’. chamfer on both sides (detail ‘c’).
There’s one drawback to using a
hole saw, though. As you can see
in the drawing above, this type of
b. c.
bit has rough, deep-set teeth which
can cause lots of chipping, espe-
cially when the bit is exiting the
backside of a workpiece, where
SECOND: CHAMFER THIRD: ROUT
blowout can be a problem. REMOVE WASTE BIT !/8" CHAMFER
FROM OPPOSITE SIDE

Easy Template Routing Filing Angle Iron

For the hobby bench on page 24, equipped with a pattern bit, as
part of the process of making shown in the drawing below.
“legs” is to add a cutout on the As you can see in the draw- STEP 1
side and back panels. ing, I used a full-size template To make the bending
Making identical cutouts on as a guide. Use the dimensions mandrel for the sheet
all three pieces is a challenge, shown on page 26 to make the metal brake on page 14,
though. I made this easier by first template. Then, clamp the work- you’ll need to file off the
rough cutting the pieces with a jig piece to your bench and attach rounded edges of the
saw. Then, I came back to clean the template with double-sided angle iron. To do this,
up the finished profile using a tape before cleaning up the edges first make a “cradle” to
template and a hand-held router with the pattern bit (detail ‘a’). hold the angle iron as
shown. Then fasten the
angle iron in place with
FIRST: CREATE A a few screws to keep it
FULL-SIZE TEMPLATE
FOR BOTH SIDE AND from shifting while filing.
BACK PANELS
Finally, clamp the assem-
SECOND: bly to the benchtop.
ATTACH TEMPLATE
TO PANEL WITH
DOUBLE-SIDED TAPE
STEP 2
Using a large, coarse-cut
file, start to work remov-
DOUBLE-SIDED ing material until the
TAPE
WASTE
edges of the angle iron
become crisp, as shown at
right. To do this, pass the
BENCH
EDGE
a. file across both edges of
the angle iron while push-
ing it slightly along its
THIRD: USE PATTERN
BIT TO ROUT PROFILE PATTERN length. To create smooth,
TO SHAPE BIT
straight edges, finish up
WORK- WASTE by drawing the file along
PIECE the entire length.

ShopNotes.com 23

s108_022.indd 23 9/23/2009 5:33:08 AM

 storage
solutions

hard-working
Hobby Bench
This compact bench has storage
galore, plus plenty of room to
spread out and get to work.
Most workbenches are great for building furniture. but it features a lot of storage options, like the open-
But, they’re often too large for smaller hobby activi- front cabinet shown above. The cabinet holds eight
ties. Plus, they often lack storage for both large and storage bins that are ideal for organizing small parts.
small items. That’s why I really like this hobby It also has a few other handy features like a built-in
bench. Its small size allows you to put it anywhere, lamp and adjustable bookends.

24 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_024.indd 24 9/19/2009 7:15:55 PM

 BOOKENDS LOCK
IN T-TRACK USING
FLANGE BOLT,
WASHER, AND KNOB
Exploded
TASK LIGHT BASE IS
View Details
OPEN-FRONT
FULLY ADJUSTABLE
CABINET
ALONG T-TRACK OVERALL DIMENSIONS:
PROVIDES EASY 24"D x 481⁄2"W x 38"H
ACCESS TO BINS
AND SUPPLIES (EXCLUDING ACCESSORIES)

MELAMINE
PROVIDES
A CLEAN,
DURABLE
SURFACE FOR
WORKING ON
PROJECTS

NOTE: SEE PAGE 31

FOR PLANS ON HOW
TO BUILD YOUR OWN
SHOP-MADE WOOD BINS

DRAWER FRAMES
CONNECT THE SIDE SOLID WOOD TRIM
PANELS AT FRONT PROTECTS EDGES
OF BENCH, AND OF MELAMINE
CREATE SPACE USE MOUNTING
FOR A DRAWER RAIL TO ATTACH
BENCHTOP
ACCESS HOLE
FOR POWER STRIP
AND LAMP CORD
METAL SHELF STANDARD
IS SCREWED DIRECTLY TO
THE SIDE PANELS

MELAMINE
SHELF

1"-WIDE TRIM AROUND

SHELF PROVIDES A LIP
TO HOLD TOOLS AND
SUPPLIES IN PLACE

NOTE: BENCH SIDE

AND BACK PANELS,
TOP, AND SHELVES
ARE MADE WITH 8" SHELF
3⁄ " MELAMINE. THE SUPPORTS
4
DRAWER BOTTOM
IS 1⁄4" PLYWOOD. ALL
DIVIDED DRAWER OTHER PARTS ARE
PROVIDES LOTS OF SOLID WOOD
SPACE FOR
CUSTOMIZED STORAGE

To download a free
cutting diagram for the
Hobby Bench, go to: HEAVY-DUTY LEVELERS AND
CUTOUTS CREATE LEGS IN SIDE
ShopNotes.com PANELS, PROVIDING A STABLE
WORKSURFACE ON UNEVEN FLOORS

ShopNotes.com 25

s108_024.indd 25 9/21/2009 8:23:51 AM

x

4
a. SIDE
PANEL
LEG
construct the 1
FIGURE
6 2!/2

Base 2"-DIA. HOLE

(ONE ON EACH SIDE)

SIDE VIEW
3!/2

NOTE: REFER C
TO PAGE 23 FOR
One of the first things you’ll notice MORE ON HOW BACK PANEL
about this bench are the clean, white TO CUT CHIP-FREE (28" x 28!/2")
HOLES IN
panels in the base and top. You could MELAMINE NOTE:
REFER TO
use plywood or MDF for this proj- SHOP SHORT
CUTS ON
ect, but I chose to use melamine. 28 B PAGE 22,
SIDE FOR MORE
It’s made of particleboard that’s PANEL ON MAKING
(20!/2" x 28") THE CUTOUTS
coated with a plastic resin on both IN THE SIDE
AND BACK
faces, so it’s super durable. Best of PANELS
A
all, it’s inexpensive and available LEG
at most home centers.
NOTE: THE SIDE AND
Melamine does have one draw- BACK PANELS ARE #/4"
MELAMINE. THE LEGS
back, though. Avoiding chipout A ARE MADE FROM
when you cut it can be a challenge. 1!/2"-SQUARE STOCK B
But don’t worry, I’ve spelled out a
TOP VIEW
few guidelines for success in mak- b. 1!/2 BACK !/4
ing clean, chip-free cuts in the box PANEL NOTE: DRILL 1!/2"-DEEP
LEG HOLE FOR T-NUT AND
on the next page. LEG LEG LEVELER
1!/2
Base. Unlike a traditional bench %/8 %/16"-18
!/4 T-NUT
with four large legs, this base has SIDE
end assemblies made up of two PANELS LEG LEVELER

hardwood legs connected by a

panel. Then a third panel connects plus the back legs have a second to rough size. Then come back and
the end assemblies to form a back. groove for the back panel. And, make a cleanup pass, trimming
The construction of the base is as you can see in Figure 1b, the the parts to finished size. To learn
pretty straightforward. The pan- grooves are centered on the legs. about the specialty blade I used to
els are connected to the legs with The next step is to drill holes in make clean cuts in melamine, see
tongue and groove joinery. You can the bottom of the legs for T-nuts and the box on the next page.
get started by making the legs. add the leg levelers (Figure 1a). Cutouts. In order to create a
Legs. The legs are made from Melamine Panels. Now, it’s good, solid foundation for the
11⁄2"-square stock (Figure 1). Each time to make the side and back base, I added cutouts to the bot-
leg has a groove for a side panel, panels. Start by cutting the panels tom edge of each panel (Figures 1
and 1a). Along with the legs and
FIGURE
2 E
levelers, the cutouts help keep the
bench level on uneven floors.
To make the cutouts, use a jig
1 saw to rough them out. Then, clean
G up the edges using a template and
TOP
MOUNTING RAILS
(1!/2" x 19&/8")
a. FRONT VIEW b.
FRAME D SIDE VIEW
SIDE
!/4
!/4

FRAME F
FILLER
!/2
#8 x 2" Fh FRAME
WOODSCREW F FRONTS E
#8 x 1" Fh
WOODSCREW FRAME FILLER FRAME
(2!/4" x 20") E FILLER
FRAME SIDE
(1!/2" x 19!/2")
FRAME
SIDE NOTE: FRAME LEG
D
SIDE FRONTS, SIDES, AND
FRAME FRONT TOP MOUNTING RAILS
PANEL (1" x 28#/4") ARE MADE FROM
#/4"-THICK STOCK.
FRAME FILLERS ARE
#/8"-THICK STOCK
26 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_026.indd 26 9/19/2009 7:17:04 PM

 DRAWER BACK
(#/4" x 2!/8" - 27!/4")
FIGURE J
a hand-held router equipped with
a pattern bit. You can learn more
3 I
13#/8

about how I made the cutouts in NOTE: SEE PAGE 22 TO

LEARN MORE ABOUT MAKING
Shop Short Cuts on page 22. LOCKING RABBETS
Next, you’ll need to cut tongues 3
3!/2
on the panels to fit the grooves in L
3!/2"
the legs. To do this, use a dado DRAWER
blade to cut them and set the PULL

height of the blade to establish the CL

thickness of the tongue. I like to
get it close, then sneak up on the H DRAWER FRONT
thickness until I have a snug fit. (#/4" x 2!/8" - 27#/4") I
DRAWER SIDE
Before assembling the base, K (!/2" x 2!/8" - 20")
there’s one more thing to do. And a. TOP VIEW L
DRAWER BOTTOM
!/4 DRAWER (19" x 27!/4" - !/4" Ply.)
that’s to cut a couple of holes in the !/4 DIVIDER
(!/2" x 1%/8" - 19")
back panel for cord access (Figure J
I
1). To get a clean cut, I used a hole
saw, drilling from both sides. Turn DRAWER
c. FRONT VIEW
!/4 BOTTOM
to page 23 for more details. E
Assembly. Now you can attach
the panels to the legs with glue, b. I
!/4
L
TOP
I
then apply clamps. !/4 VIEW F
!/4 L !/4"
!/4 Ply.
Drawer Frames. To provide H
!/4
space for a drawer, I added a pair
!/4 E
of drawer frames. As you’ll notice 6!#/16 !/2 DRAWER BOTTOM
in Figure 2, the frame fronts are
trapped between the side panels.
The frame fronts have a centered rabbet joint (Figure 3b). Refer to the dividers, as shown in Figure 3b.
groove to accept stub tenons that Shop Short Cuts on page 22 for tips The dividers give you an opportu-
are cut on one end of the frame on making locking rabbets. And, nity to customize the drawer for
sides. You can use a table saw and the drawer back uses a simple your own needs.
dado blade to cut the grooves first tongue and dado joint (Figure 3a). Once the dividers are cut to
(Figure 2b). Then, cut the stub ten- Plus, grooves on the inside faces of size, go ahead and assemble the
ons to match the grooves. all these pieces hold the bottom. drawer, as shown in Figure 3.
Between the two frames, you After all the joinery is cut, you Now you can get started on the
need to add some frame fillers. If need to also cut some dadoes for benchtop and shelf system.
you take a look at Figure 2, you’ll
see how everything goes together.
The frame fillers keep the drawer
aligned between the legs and are
Cutting Melamine
screwed directly to the side panels,
as shown in Figure 2a. When cutting melamine on a table saw, at the edge of the blade. Its teeth have alter-
Finally, to provide an easy way chipout can be a real problem. So to get the nating bevels that are ground at a steep angle
to attach a top later, I made two cleanest cuts possible, I like to do a couple with a negative hook. You’ll get the smooth-
mounting rails with countersunk things. First, I always use a zero clearance est cuts by using a slow, steady feed rate.
screw holes (Figure 2). insert to support the workpiece along the Joinery. For cutting dadoes and rabbets in
Once the frames and fillers are cut line. Plus, I like to use an 80-tooth HiATB melamine, I use a dado blade. The teeth on
in place, install the mounting rails (High Alternate Tooth Bevel) blade, like the the outside cutters provide the same scoring
by cutting stub tenons like the ones one shown below. (The cleanest face will be action as the specialty melamine blade.
on the frame sides and add screws the one that is facing up during the cut.)
through the back panel. This blade is specially designed to make
smooth cuts in plywood and melamine by
ADDING STORAGE scoring the workpiece with a knife-like action
With the base of the bench com-
pleted, you can now focus on the > 80-Tooth Saw Blade. The high angle
drawer. The drawer front is con- of the teeth make clean, chip-free
nected to the sides with a locking cuts in plywood and melamine.

ShopNotes.com 27

s108_026.indd 27 9/19/2009 7:17:30 PM

 FIGURE
4
M
BENCHTOP
(22!/2" x 47")

N
O
EDGING
(1!/2" x 24")
O
EDGING
(1!/2" x 48!/2")

N
FILLER STRIPS #8 x 2" Fh
(5" x 47") WOODSCREW

NOTE: BENCHTOP AND

FILLER STRIPS ARE
MADE FROM #/4" MELAMINE.
EDGING IS #/4"-THICK STOCK a. EDGING END VIEW !/8" ROUNDOVER

BENCHTOP

clean and durable #/4

Benchtop FILLER STRIP FRONT

!/4 EDGE

Now that the base is complete, the melamine top, but it’s 11⁄2" thick the top with contact cement. The
you can turn your attention to the to match the overall thickness of difficult part is getting the strips
benchtop. It’s hard to imagine a the built-up melamine benchtop. to align with the top. I solved this
better material for the top of the Build the Benchtop. As you problem by gluing on oversized
hobby bench than melamine. It’s a can see in Figure 4, the benchtop filler strips, then trimmed them up
durable surface that doesn’t need starts as a solid layer of melamine. with a router and flush trim bit.
a finish, so it’s easy to keep clean. Then, a couple of filler strips add Mitered Edging. The top and
Alternate Top. But, if you’re seek- strength and thickness to the top. bottom faces of the melamine are
ing a more traditional look for your This is the most visible part of pretty durable, but the core is not.
hobby bench, a good option is the the project, so take some care to So to avoid damaging it, I wrapped
solid-wood, laminated benchtop avoid chipout. Once the pieces are the benchtop with 3⁄4"-thick edging
shown below. It’s the same size as cut to size, attach the filler strips to that’s mitered on all four corners.
Now, cutting and fitting mitered
edging is one of those tasks that
can be a real challenge. But don’t
worry, you’ll find some great tips
> Top Option. and techniques for getting perfect
Instead of using mitered edging every time in the
melamine for the article starting on page 12.
benchtop, you can Once the edging is attached, you
make a solid-wood can soften the edges on the top
top for a more and bottom by adding a small, 1⁄8"
traditional look. roundover (Figure 4a).
Attach the Top. The top is
attached to the base with screws. If
you take a look at Figures 4 and 4a,
you can see how it’s done. I used
the holes drilled in the mounting
rails and positioned the top accord-
ing to the dimensions in Figure 4a.

28 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_028.indd 28 9/21/2009 8:01:44 AM

 SHELF STORAGE FIGURE a. END VIEW
The bench is great as is, but to
5 Q
SHELF
STANDARD
make it even more useful, you
may want add some extra storage
3!/4
to the side panels. As you can see
in the drawing at right, there’s a SHELF !/8

pair of shelves on each end panel. TOP b. SHELF BRACKET

The shelves are pretty basic. As

VIEW
SHELF SHELF
shown in Figure 5, you can tell that
I’ve used metal shelf standards EDGING
and metal supports to hold them BUTT JOINT
in place. The important thing to AT CORNER
%/8" x 24"
SHELF
remember here is that the shelves STANDARD
are sized to fit snug on the sup-
ports from front to back. And the
shelf length should match the 8"
SHELF
space between the legs (Figure 5a) SHELF EDGING SUPPORTS
(1" x 8")
Simple Edging. Once the Q
shelves are cut to size, you can
wrap them with solid-wood trim.
The extra-wide trim provides a lip NOTE: CUT
!/8"-WIDE
around the top of the shelf to keep KERF FOR
SHELF
things in place. Butt joints make SUPPORT
sizing the parts a snap, as shown P
SHELF
in Figure 5b. And gluing them in (7!/2" x 19!/2") CL
place is quick and easy. 3%/16

Metal Shelf Standards. Once Q

SHELF EDGING NOTE: SHELVES ARE MADE
the shelves are complete, they’re (1" x 19!/2") FROM #/4" MELAMINE.
EDGING IS !/4"-THICK STOCK
ready to be installed onto the sides
of the hobby bench. As I men-
tioned earlier, I used sturdy metal standard kerf saw blade to cut 1⁄8"- At this point, you could get to
shelf standards and supports to deep grooves from front to back work at the bench. But you still
hold the shelves. They’re available in the bottom of each shelf. These need a place to store tools and sup-
at most hardware stores and home grooves are for the shelf supports plies so they’re always close by.
centers (Figure 5). to fit in (Figures 5 and 5a). The solution is an open-front cabi-
The thing is, you don’t want Now, when the shelves are net that holds eight storage bins
the shelves sliding around on the installed, they’ll slip over the sup- for small parts. You’ll find plans
brackets. To avoid this, I used a ports and lock into place. for the cabinet on the next page.

Materials & Hardware

BASE N Filler Strips (2) 5 x 47 - 3/4 Melamine AA Braces (2) 3/
4 x 31/2 - 41/2
A Legs (4) 11/2 x 11/2 - 28 O Edging 3/ x 11/ - 156 Rgh.
4 2
B Side Panels (2) 201/2 x 28 - 3/4 Melamine SHELVES • (10) #8 x 11/2" Fh Woodscrews
C Back Panel (1) 28 x 281/2 - 3/4 Melamine P Shelves (4) 71/2 x 191/2 - 3/4 Melamine • (14) #8 x 2" Fh Woodscrews
D Frame Fronts (2) 3/ x 1 - 283/
4 4 Q Shelf Edging 1/ x 1 - 240 Rgh.
4 • (4) 5/16"-18 T-Nuts
E Frame Sides (4) 3/ x 11/ - 191/
4 2 2 STORAGE CABINET • (4) Plastic Leg Levelers
F Frame Fillers (2) 3/ x 21/ - 20
8 4 R Cabinet Top/Bottom (2) 3/ x 7 - 48
4 • (2 pr.) 24" Shelf Standards
G Top Mounting Rail (2) 3/ x 11/ - 197/
4 2 8 S Cabinet Ends (2) 3
/4 x 7 - 6 1/4 • (4 pr.) Shelf Supports, 8" Long
DRAWER T Cabinet Dividers (3) 3/ x 63/ - 6 1/
4 4 4 • (2) 31⁄2" Drawer Pulls w/Screws
H Front (1) 3/ x 21/ - 273/
4 8 4 U Cabinet Back (1) 61/4 x 47 - 1/4 Ply. • (1) 3⁄8" x 3⁄4" - 48" T-Track w/Screws
I Sides (2) 1/ x 21/ - 20
2 8 V Bin Supports (16) 1/ x 3/ - 63/
4 4 4 • (8) Plastic Storage Bins
J Back (1) 3/ x 21/ - 271/
4 8 4 W Cabinet Edging 1 3
/4 x /4 - 240 Rgh. • (1) Task Light w/Screws
K Bottom (1) 19 x 271/4 - 1/4 Ply. ACCESSORIES • (3) 1/4"-20 x 11/2" Flange Bolts
L Dividers (3) 1/ x 15/ - 19
2 8 X Bases (3) 3/ x 4 - 4
4 • (3) 1/4"-20 Knurled Knobs
TOP Y Keys (3) 5/ x 3/ - 4
16 8
M Benchtop (1) 221/2 x 47 - 3/4 Melamine Z Bookend Plates (2) 3/ x 4 - 6
4

ShopNotes.com 29

s108_028.indd 29 9/21/2009 8:02:35 AM

 a. END VIEW
FIGURE NOTE: CABINET TOP, BOTTOM
6 CABINET TOP
ENDS, AND DIVIDERS ARE MADE
FROM #/4"-THICK STOCK. THE BIN #/4
#/4 2
TOP !/4
(7" x 48") SUPPORTS ARE !/4"-THICK STOCK
R
48" LONG T-TRACK
T-TRACK #6 x !/2" Fh CABINET
WOODSCREW DIVIDER BACK
BIN
SUPPORT

S
T U
CABINET BACK
(6!/4" x 47" - !/4" Ply.)
b. FRONT VIEW
!/4
T TOP
CABINET CABINET
DIVIDER DIVIDER #/4
(6#/4" x 6!/4")
T V
11!/16
CABINET
END
V
BIN R !/4
S 2!/4
SUPPORTS #8 x 1!/2" Fh CABINET
(#/4" x 6#/4") WOODSCREW BOTTOM CABINET
(7" x 48") END
(7" x 6!/4")
!/4 #/4
eight-bin !/4
BOTTOM

Storage Cabinet 11!#/16

Just about every hobbyist ends up for how to build them are in the Dividers & Sides. As I men-
with drawers full of small supplies box on the next page. tioned earlier, each bin rests on a
that get used on a daily basis. So Another unique feature of this pair of bin supports. The supports
it’s a real benefit to have an eas- cabinet is the two accessories that are actually thin strips that fit in
ily accessible place for everything. are mounted on top — a task light dadoes cut in the sides and divid-
The bin cabinet that sits on top of and bookends. I’ll talk about each ers. To make the supports, I first
the bench provides the solution. of them a little later. cut the dadoes. Then, I ripped the
The cabinet has four side-by-side Build the Cabinet. The stor- strips from the edge of 3⁄4"-thick
bays. Each bay has space for two age cabinet is basically just a box stock to match the width of the
plastic storage bins, as shown in divided into four compartments. dadoes (Figure 6b).
the photo at lower right. The bins It’s made from solid wood with T-Track. There’s one last step
slide on solid-wood supports, and solid wood edging. You can start to take before you can assemble
the front is open for easy access. by cutting the top, bottom, sides, the cabinet. And that’s to cut the
Note: If you’d rather build your and dividers to size. groove for the T-track that will
own wood storage bins, the plans Top and Bottom. There are three hold the accessories. The location
evenly spaced dadoes in the top of the groove is shown in Figure
FIGURE and bottom pieces sized to hold 6a, and I used the table saw and
7 the dividers, as you can see in Fig-
ure 6. A table saw equipped with a
dado blade makes quick work of
cutting them. I started by making
the center dadoes, then adjusted
the rip fence to complete the two
W other sets of dadoes.
W
CABINET The next thing to do is cut a rab-
EDGING bet along the back edge of the top,
(#/4" x 48")
W bottom, and sides to hold the cabi-
net back (Figure 6a).

NOTE: CABINET > Bins. Plastic bins provide

EDGING IS MADE W
FROM !/4"-THICK STOCK customized storage for small
CABINET
EDGING parts and accessories.
(#/4" x 5#/4")

30 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_030.indd 30 9/21/2009 8:03:10 AM

 BOOKEND BRACE
PLATES (3!/2" x 4!/2") NOTE: BASES, BOOKENDS,
FIGURE (4" x 6") AA AND BRACES ARE MADE
a dado blade to cut it. With the 8 Z FROM #/4"-THICK STOCK

groove cut, you can get started

putting the cabinet together. AA X
Cabinet Assembly. Like the X TASK LIGHT
bench base, the cabinet goes Y w/SCREWS
together pretty easily. Start by glu- KEY
(%/16" x #/8" - 4")
ing up the top, bottom, sides, and
!/4"-20 x 1!/2" !/4"-20
dividers. Then glue the supports FLANGE BOLT KNURLED KNOB
in place before adding the back. w/WASHER
Once the cabinet is complete,
you can hide the joinery on its BASE
(4" x 4")
front and back faces by adding #8 x 1!/2" Fh X
some trim, as shown WOODSCREW

in Figure 7. I glued the

trim in place and used BOOKEND
a.
PLATE
masking tape to hold END Y
it until the glue dried.
VIEW b. TASK
LIGHT END
!!/16 !!/16
AA VIEW
ACCESSORIES #/4
FLANGE
Now you can get BOLT BASE

started building the X

two accessories: a
task light and a pair #10 x 1"
CL KEY Ph SCREW KEY
of bookends. They’re
very similar in con-
struction and they’re held to the that keeps it aligned in the T-track reinforce it with a triangular brace
top of the cabinet with a flange (Figures 8 and 8b). A hole, drilled (Figure 8a). Now, all that’s left is to
bolt, washer, and knob that rides through the base and centered on add the hardware.
in some T-track. The track rests in the key accepts a flange bolt. To With the accessories built, sim-
the groove you cut earlier. lock everything in place, I added a ply place the storage cabinet on
Cabinet Add-Ons. The light knob and washer. top of the base. After finding a nice
is mounted to a solid-wood base. The bookends use the same spot to set the bench up, you can
(Refer to Sources on page 51 for base design as the lamp. To keep round up your supplies, pull up a
information on where to find the the books upright, glue and screw chair, and enjoy some time work-
task light.) The base has a key a bookend plate to the base and ing on your favorite hobby.

Optional Wood Bins a. TOP VIEW

BACK !/8
!/4

DIVIDER
Building your own wood bins is (1#/8" x 6#/4")
!/8 !/8
simple. Like the drawer, you’ll 2
need to cut a series of shallow rab- BIN SIDE
DIVIDER
bets, dadoes, and grooves. I used SIDE
1⁄ "-thick solid wood for the bin BACK
4
(1#/4" x 11")
parts and 1⁄8" hardboard for the
bottoms and dividers.
The rabbets are cut in
the bin front and back FRONT
(detail ‘a’). Then cut SIDE
(1#/4" x 6#/4")
dadoes in the front and
back to hold the dividers and a
groove for the bottom (details ‘a’ FRONT VIEW
and ‘b’). Once the pieces are cut to BOTTOM DIVIDER
(6#/4" 10#/4")
size you can glue up the main bin SIDE
NOTE: FRONT, BACK, BOTTOM
parts. I left the dividers unglued so AND SIDES ARE MADE FROM !/8
!/4"-THICK STOCK. DIVIDERS
they can be repositioned as needed. AND BOTTOM ARE MADE
FROM !/8" HARDBOARD !/4
ShopNotes.com
b. 31

s108_030.indd 31 9/21/2009 8:03:52 AM

 HANDS-ON
Technique

hand-cut
Tenons
Here’s an easy technique
for building your hand
tool skills and making
tight-fitting joints.

When it comes to hand-cut join-

ery, most woodworkers think of
dovetails. But there’s another tra-
ditional joint that’s less intimidat-
ing to master — tenons. Cutting
tenons by hand builds skills like
making accurate layouts and cut-
Score ting straight and square. Layout. Cutting a tenon begins of the tenon on the end of the
shoulder line The sawhorse project on page with an accurate layout. The lay- workpiece (photos below). It’s a
to guide saw 34 provides a perfect opportunity out serves as a road map for the good idea to lay out the marks so
and reduce for practice since there are only a saw cuts. It’s a good idea to have the tenon ends up just a hair larger
tearout couple of tenons to cut. The pho- the mortises complete before you than the mortise. This avoids the
tos on these pages give you a good get started. This way, you have a problem of ending up with a tenon
overview of the steps. In addition, reference to lay out each tenon. that’s too small. And it won’t take
I’ll provide some other tips and Thickness & Width. Begin by much time to fine-tune the tenon
tricks to get the best results. marking the thickness and width for a perfect fit later on.
Tenon Length. The
next step is to mark
the length of the tenon.
Here I do things a little
different. I like to use a
cutting gauge (upper
left photo on the oppo-
site page). The scored
line creates a starting
point for the saw. This
results in a cleaner line
at the shoulder when
the joint is assembled.
The final layout step is
to carry the marks from
Layout lines Mark { Thickness. Line up the tenon { Width. Rotate and turn the the end of the workpiece
on all faces tenon size piece with the edge of the com- workpiece to mark the width on across the faces and
help guide on end of pleted mortise. Then mark the the other edge. Extend the marks edges (upper right photo
saw cuts workpiece thickness of the tenon. across the end with a square. on the facing page).

32 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_032.indd 32 9/17/2009 9:36:32 AM

 Cut the Shoulders. With the
layout complete, you can start
cutting. And the tool for this job
is a medium-sized back saw. The
stiff back helps keep the blade
traveling straight during the cut.
Although you can buy an expen-
sive, specialty saw, an inexpensive
pull saw like the one shown here
will do the job just fine.
The first cuts define the shoul-
ders, as in the lower left photo.
The scored lines make it easy to { Shoulders. With a cutting { Cheeks. Transfer the marks on
align the saw. Place the saw in the gauge, score the shoulders to the end of the workpiece down
scored line and start cutting. Keep establish the tenon length. each of the faces.
the saw level to avoid cutting past
the layout lines. Stop when the
saw teeth just contact the layout
lines on the front and back. } Perfect Tenon.
Cheek Cuts. The next cuts will Crisp shoulders
form the cheeks. It’s best to cut and smooth
these with the workpiece held cheeks ensure a
securely in a vise. The key to great strong joint that
results is getting a good start. also looks great.
The way I do this is shown in the
main photo on the opposite page.
By tilting the workpiece, I can use
the layout lines on the end and
face to cut straight and square. { Shoulder Cuts. Clamp the { Cheek Cuts. Level the saw to
Once the kerf is established, workpiece to the bench and cut complete the cheek cut. Take it
lower the front of the saw and cut all four shoulders. slow to avoid over cutting.
parallel to the shoulder line. Bring
the saw down in long, even strokes. After making two cuts, you’ll you’ll need to do some fit-
As you approach the shoulder need to re-mark the layout lines on ting. Take a look at the box
line, slow down and make a few the freshly cut faces. Then after two below for some tips. Your
light strokes until the waste piece more cuts, the tenon is complete. goal is a tenon that can be
just falls away. Repeat the process Now it’s time for a test fit. Since slipped into the mortise
for the opposite tenon cheek. the tenon was cut slightly oversize, with hand pressure.

fine-tuning
Test Fit. Angle
Tenons the tenon and
compare it to the
It would be nice if the tenon fit snugly in mortise to find
the mortise right off the bat. And the more out where the
practice you get, the easier this is to do. But tenon needs
it’s best to cut the tenon a little oversize. more work.
This way, all it takes is a some fine-tuning
for the tenon to slip snugly in place.
The first thing to do is to compare the
tenon to the mortise to see where the fit is
too tight (first photo at right). From there,
you can use a hardwood sanding block to
touch up the faces, as in the second photo. { Sanding Block. A hardwood block
Be sure to sand equally on both faces to with sandpaper on one face makes quick
keep the tenon centered on the workpiece. work of fine-tuning the fit of the tenon.

ShopNotes.com 33

s108_032.indd 33 9/17/2009 9:46:43 AM

 weekend
project

{ Short Version. Reducing the

length of the posts creates a shorter
sawhorse that’s more comfortable
for some tasks.

super
SawhorsesTraditional joinery and a
heavy-duty trestle design add up
to a sawhorse that’s built to last.

34 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_034.indd 34 9/19/2009 7:18:18 PM

 FIRST: CUT NOTCH IN BASE BASE
BEFORE ATTACHING PADS (2" x 3!/2" - 18")
(SEE FIGURE 2)
start with the A
2

Bases
FIGURE
1 1 !/2

!/2

A pair of sawhorses is a must-have

for any workshop. The trouble is 3
3
most designs are more suited for
knocking together at a job site. THIRD: CUT
BASE TO SHAPE
For an alternative, take a look
at the sawhorses shown in the NOTE: USE PATTERN
AT BOTTOM OF PAGE PAD
photos on the opposite page. It’s FOR SHAPING BASE
clear this isn’t a cobbled together
END VIEW
design. But behind the sturdy look B
are some great features. PAD SECOND: ATTACH PADS
(1" x 2" - 4" rgh.) AND CUT RADIUS
For starters, these sawhorses ON BOTTOM EDGE
are made from hefty, solid lum-
ber. And the trestle design is stout
enough to support a huge amount
2 AUXILIARY
FENCE
of weight. Finally, they’re quick to
build, and give you a chance to BASE
hone your skills with some tradi-
tional, rock-solid joinery.
Solid Support. I began by mak- ROTATE PIECE
END FOR END
ing a solid base for the sawhorse. TO CENTER
NOTCH
You can see how it’s shaped in Fig-
ure 1. But what’s more important
is how each base is attached to the POSITION
STOP BLOCK
posts. I used an interlocking bridle TO DEFINE EDGES
OF NOTCH
joint for a solid connection.
This requires cutting a notch on
the top and two side faces of the This automatically centers the pads are glued on you can cut a
base. I cut the notches on the base notch on the base. Once the shoul- radius on the inside edge.
before shaping it. You can see the ders are defined, you can remove At this point, the base is ready to
table saw setup I used in Figure 2. the remaining waste. shape using the pattern below. The
Since the notches are wider than Attach Pads. After cutting the shaping is done in two steps. The
my dado blade, I set up a stop block notches, the next step is to cut the first step is roughing out the base
attached to a long auxiliary fence base to shape. But before doing at the band saw.
on the miter gauge. The stop block this, you need to cut and glue a pad The band saw blade often leaves
helps define the outside shoul- to each end of the base (Figure 1). a rough surface. So the last step is
ders of the notches. After making The thin pads create two feet which to smooth the curves and remove
one pass, flip the workpiece end- gives the sawhorse more stability the saw marks. For this, I used a
for-end and make another pass. on uneven shop floors. Once the sanding drum in the drill press.

Materials
#/4" RADIUS
TALL SAWHORSE (1 pair)
A Bases (4) 2 x 31/2 - 18
B Pads (8) 1 x 2 - 4 rgh.
BASE PATTERN C Tops (2)
D Long Posts (4)
3 x 31/2 - 36
21/2 x 3 - 30
(1 SQUARE = 1")
E Stretchers (2) 1 x 31/2 - 291/2
F Beams (3) 21/2 x 3 - 60
1" RADIUS
SHORT SAWHORSE
G Short Posts (4) * 21/2 x 3 - 20
* Replaces Long Posts (D)
CL

ShopNotes.com 35

s108_034.indd 35 9/23/2009 11:12:55 AM

 C
TOP
(3" x 3!/2" - 36")

4 a.
!/2" WASTE
FORSTNER 2
OVERVIEW BIT
3 4" RADIUS 3
2

TOP

1!/2 2
6 END VIEW
4
10 3!/2

3!/2
top, stretcher, & piece over to the drill press and

Posts
drilled out most of the waste with
3!/2 a Forstner bit, as you can see in
Figure 4. It’s a good idea to use a
G fence to position the workpiece so
SHORT POST
(2!/2" x 3" - 20") After the bases, the next part of the mortise is centered and paral-
#/4 the sawhorse to focus on is the lel to the edge of the top.
top. The reason for this is simple. Even with careful drilling,
The posts are connected to the top the mortise will still have some
with mortise and tenon joinery, as remaining waste to clean out and
shown in Figure 3. I find it’s easier the corners to square up. To do this,
a. 2 D to cut the mortises first and then fit clamp the top to your workbench
LONG POST the tenons to them. and use a wide chisel to bring the
(2!/2" x 3" - 30")
Making the Top. The top of the mortise to final shape.
sawhorse starts out as a pretty stout Now, the Posts. At this point,
2
blank (3" x 31⁄2") so it will stand up you’re ready to connect the bases
to the heaviest loads. I eased each and top by making the posts. But
!/2 end with a curve that complements you have a decision to make —
the curves on the base. and that’s the length of the posts.
!/4 TOP
VIEW Then I cut a large mortise near Figure 3 shows dimensions
each end to accept a leg. After for two sizes of posts. The longer
laying out the mortise, I took the posts will make a sawhorse that’s
32" tall. This is a good working
5 height for most tasks. The shorter
post length makes a 22"-tall saw-
BASE
horse — just right to create a low
assembly or finishing table. Once
you make your decision, you can
b. AUXILIARY
cut the post pieces to final size.
Joinery. The next step is to cut
POST FENCE
some joinery on the post. There’s
1
an open mortise to receive the
notched foot at the bottom of the
END post. In the middle is a through
VIEW BASE
a. FIRST CUTS mortise to accept the stretcher. And
3 the top of the post has a tenon to
SECOND CUT
match the mortise cut in the top.
CLEAN UP I decided to cut the tenons on
WASTE
WITH CHISEL the top of the leg first. Usually, I
!/4" PAD use a dado blade in the table saw
CHAMFER THIRD CUT
to cut tenons, but since there are
TOP VIEW only two, it was a perfect oppor-
tunity to cut the tenons by hand.

36 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_036.indd 36 9/21/2009 8:40:58 AM

 It doesn’t take much time and the
material I used for the sawhorse
6 !/4" RADIUS
(Douglas fir) is easy to cut. You THROUGH
can read a step-by-step technique MORTISE
for how to do this on page 32.
The open mortise at the bottom
uses a different approach. Here, I a. POST
turned to the band saw. With the
POST
help of a fence, I made the long,
straight cuts to define the sides of STRETCHER
the mortise, as shown in Figure 5.
Then I removed the fence and E 3 TOP
made a sweeping cut from one side STRETCHER !/8 VIEW
to the opposite corner to define the (1" x 3!/2" - 29 !/2")

end of the mortise. A final cut from

the opposite direction cleans up
the other corner. post and are rounded over on the The beams simply rest on the top
The remaining joint to take care top and bottom edges. of the sawhorses and are sized to
of on the post is the through mor- There’s one other thing to note support a sheet of plywood to cre-
tise (Figure 3). As you drill out and about the tenon on each end. There ate an assembly or finishing table.
clean up the mortise, keep a cou- are only shoulders cut on the wide I cut a notch near each end of
ple goals in mind. First, the walls cheeks — not the top and bottom. the beam to fit over the top of the
should be smooth and square to Some Assembly. At this point, sawhorse. Finally, the beams have
the face. And you want both faces you can do a little assembly on a curve cut on each end to match
of the mortise to be free of tearout. the sawhorse. First, you can glue the top of the sawhorse.
There’s one last detail to com- a base to each post. I applied a It doesn’t matter what size
plete on the post. And that’s to rout clamp across the joint so the sides sawhorses you build, you’re sure
a chamfer on the inside and outside of the mortise were in firm contact to find them a handy addition to
face of the lower end, as illustrated with the notches on the base. your workshop.
in Figure 3b. You can do this at the Cross Beams. To make the saw-
router table. Just be sure to use a horses even more versatile, I made
backer board to prevent tearout. a set of three beams (Figure 7).
Stretcher. The final piece of the
FIGURE
sawhorse to make is the stretcher.
This piece provides side-to-side
7
rigidity to the sawhorse. The
stretcher attaches to the legs F
with a through mortise and CROSS BEAM
(2!/2" x 3" - 60")
tenon joint, as in Figure 6. SIZE NOTCH FOR EASY FIT
With the mortises complete, OVER TOP OF SAWHORSE
(SEE DETAIL ‘a’)
you can dry-assemble the posts
into the top to determine the final
length of the stretcher as well as its F
shoulder-to-shoulder length. You
can see in Figure 6a how the ends
of the stretcher extend through the F

a.
1!/2
CROSS BEAM
3!/2

3 1
TOP
4" RADIUS
6

SIDE VIEW

ShopNotes.com 37

s108_036.indd 37 9/21/2009 8:41:13 AM

 IN THE Shop

fast fillers for

Flawless Coverups
Learn some simple solutions for getting
better-looking projects with wood fillers.
I have one overall goal in mind Filler & Putty. Throughout the to use. All you need to do is apply
when I’m building a project. And building process, I’m sure to find a dab of filler over the gap. After
that’s to make it look the best I can. small gaps, holes, or other blem- working it in a bit, wipe away
That involves everything from ishes that I want to camouflage. To the excess. Wood filler hardens
materials to joinery and finish. But do that, I use wood fillers and put- quickly so you can sand the filler
I also rely on a few “secret ingredi- ties. There are three types — latex flush with the surrounding wood.
ents” to make sure the results are wood filler, wood putty, and epoxy I use wood filler most often to
top-notch — wood fillers. filler (photo below). Each one has cover small gaps in joinery, as
characteristics to meet different shown in the photo above. I also
needs. Best of all, you can find use it to conceal tiny gaps where
them at most paint stores, hard- molding meets a case.
ware stores, or home centers. There’s one thing I’d like to note:
On wood with open pores like red
LATEX WOOD FILLER oak, latex filler can plug the pores
The problem solver I turn to most and create a visible spot once a
is wood filler. It’s made from finely finish is applied. The solution is
ground wood and a binder and has simple. Mask off the blemish with
the consistency of toothpaste. You tape and apply filler in as small an
can find it in tubs or tubes. I prefer area as possible.
the tubes, because the filler is less Color Choices. You can find
likely to dry out in the container. latex fillers in a variety of colors.
Gap Filler. What makes latex Here, things can get a little con-
filler so versatile is that it’s so easy fusing. The colors are named after
different wood species like pine,
< Problem Solvers. Latex wood birch, and cherry. So you’d think
filler, putty, and epoxy filler are all that to fix a gap in a pine project,
you need to fix minor problems. you grab the tube of “pine” filler.

38 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_038.indd 38 9/21/2009 5:03:40 PM

 But that isn’t necessarily the best
choice. Instead, I try to have a
range of colors and use the wood
filler that matches best.
Color Matching. This brings up
the question of how to choose the
right color since wood is made up
of a range of tones. I have a couple
of guidelines to help me decide.
If the piece will get an oil or
“natural” finish, I choose a filler
that’s a shade lighter than the pri- { Apply the Putty. Press a small dab of { Wipe Away Excess. With a soft cloth
mary color in the wood. The rea- putty over the nail hole. Work it in so the remove the excess putty and buff away any
son is the filler will absorb oil and hole is completely filled. residue from the surrounding surface.
darken more than the wood.
You can do the opposite if the small amount of putty over the kneaded together, the filler begins
project is going to be stained. In hole. Then using a soft cloth, I wipe to harden similar to latex wood
this case, the stain will not pene- away the excess. The putty stays in filler (middle photo below).
trate the filler as well as the wood. the hole but it’s easy to buff off the Super Hard. The main advan-
So I choose filler that’s a shade surrounding finish. tage of epoxy filler is it’s much
darker to match the final color bet- Since the putty is applied after harder than wood filler. So it can
ter. If you’re unsure, it’s best to try finishing, it’s important to match be used in places that are subject to
it out on a sample board. the color as closely as possible. wear and tear, like the door edge
Like filler, putty comes in a range shown in the lower right photo.
WOOD PUTTY of colors. You can usually find the Once dry, the epoxy filler is rock
Another handy cover-up in my color your need. But you can also hard and waterproof. It can be
cabinet is a few cans of wood mix two or more colors together to sanded, routed, or even drilled to
putty. At first glance, wood putty match your project (margin photo). accept screws. If there’s a down-
looks a lot like filler. The key dif- side, it’s that epoxy filler won’t
ference is that putty doesn’t really EPOXY FILLER accept stain. So you need to match
dry out and harden. The third type of filler is a relative the color closely right off the bat. { Mix & Match.
After Finishing. That may not newcomer — epoxy filler. You can To get around this, you can add a Mix colors of
seem like much of a benefit. But see what it looks like in the left small amount of artist’s oil color putty to create a
putty is designed to be used after photo below. Like standard epoxy, it while mixing the filler. custom match
a finish is applied to a project. The has two parts — resin and hardener. These problem-solving fillers to your finished
photos above show one common But instead of being liquid, it’s soft and putties are inexpensive, too. project.
use — covering nail holes after like modeling clay. When the two But you’ll get big time results and
attaching molding. I wipe on a different-colored components are your projects will look better.

{ Cut A Slice. With a knife, slice { Knead Together. Use your { Apply. You have about five
off a piece of epoxy filler. Wear fingers to combine the two parts minutes to apply the filler. Once
gloves to protect your hands. until the color is uniform. it’s hard, sand or rout it to shape.

ShopNotes.com 39

s108_038.indd 39 9/21/2009 4:01:31 PM

 MASTERING THE
Table Saw
through
Dovetails
Cut through dovetails
on the table saw?
You bet. It’s quick,
easy, and accurate.
A table saw isn’t the first tool you
think of when it comes to cutting
through dovetails. Okay, maybe
it’s not a tool you think of using
at all. So it might surprise you
to learn that you can use your
table saw to make perfect-fitting
through dovetails, like the ones
shown in the inset photo at right.
All you need is a simple shop-
built jig and a saw blade ground
to leave perfectly angled corners.
Best of all, this technique results
in through dovetails with that dis-
tinct, “hand-cut” look. needed for the dovetails, you’ll
The jig is similar to a crosscut sled end up doing a fair amount of
but the fence is adjustable to allow hand work to clean up the inside
for cutting both the pins and tails. corners. The conventional tooth
(For more on building the jig, turn configuration just doesn’t make
to page 46.) Besides the jig, you’ll for a good result.
also need a special saw blade to cut On the other hand, a sharpen-
} Angled Grind.
dovetails on the table saw. ing service can grind the teeth of This means you’ll have very little
Have a general-
The Blade. If you use a regu- a saw blade to match the angle clean-up work to do later.
purpose blade
lar blade to make the angled cuts of the dovetail (lower left photo). Most sharpening services will
ground to cut
regrind a saw blade for a reason-
dovetails.
NOTE: BLADE SHOWN able fee. But you will need to
FOR A RIGHT-TILT SAW
provide very specific information
7.1o when requesting this service.
7.1o The photos and drawing at left
GRINDING THE show the relationship between a
TEETH OF THE
BLADE TO MATCH right-tilt saw and the saw blade
THE DOVETAIL
ANGLE CREATES grind angle. The grind you’ll need
A FLAT-BOTTOMED
CUT
< Setting the Blade. A digital
angle gauge makes quick work of
adjusting the saw blade to match
the desired dovetail angle.

40 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_040.indd 40 9/24/2009 1:04:12 PM

 for a left-tilt saw would simply be
the opposite.
Once you’ve determined the
direction for the custom grind,
you’ll also need to specify an
angle. And this is really just a mat-
ter of the slope you like in your
dovetails. For most of my work, I
prefer an 8:1 tail ratio. This means
the grind angle needs to be 7.1°. 1
{ Layout Marks. With a bevel gauge set
TAILS FIRST to the proper dovetail angle, mark the tail
This technique starts with cut- locations on a test piece.
ting the tails first. You can then
use them to accurately lay out the layout needs to be symmetrical (waste side) of the
pin positions. Like any method of about the centerline of the work- first layout mark.
cutting dovetails, this table saw piece. Plus, the space between the Next, slide the stop
technique depends on your stock tails, where the pins will go, shouldn’t block against the workpiece
being perfectly flat and square. be any narrower than 3⁄16" to provide and lock it in place. Once the stop
While you’re milling your stock, clearance for the saw blade. block is set, you’re ready to make
go ahead and make a couple of Finally, to avoid making any the first cuts in all your tail work-
test pieces as well. The test pieces mental mistakes as you work, pieces (photo 2 and inset at lower
will give you a chance to practice mark the waste areas with an “X”. left). Be sure to set the blade height
the technique and become familiar First Cuts. After tilting the blade to match your layout line. In fact,
with the overall process. on your saw, as shown on the pre- I like to go just a hair deeper than
Layout. Once you’ve finished vious page, you’re ready to make the overall stock thickness to be
preparing your workpieces, you the first cut. Start by putting the jig on the safe side.
can start laying out the tails, as in into position on the table saw with Photos 3 and 4 below show you
photo 1 above. The nice thing is, the fence positioned square to the how I use a simple, cut-and-flip
you only need to do this on one blade to make the tails. Holding sequence to make four cuts. You
end of one workpiece. the workpiece vertically against just need to make sure to hold the
Keep in mind that you can vary the fence, slide the jig forward workpiece securely against the
the size of the tails, but the overall to align the blade to the outside stop block and fence.

2 3 4
{ Set the Stop Block. After aligning the { Cut and Turn. Rotate the workpiece to { Both Ends. Flipping the workpiece
layout mark with the blade, lock the stop make a matching cut on the opposite side. end-over-end allows you to make identical
block into position and make the first cut. This technique ensures uniform spacing. cuts on the opposite end.

ShopNotes.com 41

s108_040.indd 41 9/23/2009 12:12:06 PM

 1
completing the
Tails
Now that you’ve made the first
set of cuts that define one edge of
the outside tails, you have a good
understanding of how the jig and
overall technique work. You’ll
repeat this process to complete the
rest of the tails on all your remain-
ing workpieces.
The nice thing is
you won’t need to
worry about work-
ing to any layout 2
lines for the rest { Second Cuts. At { Both Ends. As before, flip the
of the work on the this point, the spacer workpiece over and repeat the
tails. That’s going to accurately controls the cuts on both ends.
be taken care of by position of the work-
a set of spacers, like piece for the next cut. To verify the correct spacer is
the ones you see in installed, simply set the workpiece
the box below. They’re the key to spacers and the layout already with your layout lines in place.
accurate tails — and tight-fitting completed on the tail workpiece. Then just slide it up to the saw
pins, as you’ll find out later. Completing the Tails. At this blade and double check that the
Spacers. The trick is sizing point, completing the tail cuts starts blade will cut into the waste area
the spacers. For the technique to with inserting the first spacer into between the tails.
work, the spacers must be sized the T-track, sliding it up against Stay Organized. Once that’s
accurately. The box below shows the stop block, and then locking complete, you’re ready to use the
the relationship between the the spacer in place (photo 1). same process to make four cuts in
all of your tail workpieces. One
note of caution: It’s easy to lose
sizing the your concentration as you repeat
the cuts four times on each work-
Spacers piece, especially if you’re making a
big project with a lot of parts (like
a set of drawers, for instance).
When it comes to sizing the spac- While the jig takes care of prop-
< Spacers. ers, the drawing at left covers what erly positioning the workpiece in
Size the spacers you need to keep in mind. relation to the distance from the
to match the center- Basically, to position the work- blade, you still need to make sure
to-center spacing of the pieces correctly for each cut, you’ll you’re keeping it tight against the
pins (Top View). need the same number of spac- fence and stop block/spacer setup.
ers that you have full pins. In the Keep an eye out for sawdust build-
example here, there are two full ing up on the jig as well, since this
SPACER SPACER WORKPIECE pins (the two center pins), so two can also throw off the position of
ONE TWO
spacers are required. the workpiece.
Sizing the width of each spacer In photos 1 and 2 above, you can
WASTE is just a matter of starting at the see the cuts being made with the
center of the half pin at one edge first spacer in place. Adding the
X TAIL X TAIL X TAIL X and measuring to the center of the second spacer results in complet-
first full pin. Then you continue ing the shape of the tails, as you
across the workpiece, measuring can see photos 3 and 4 at the top of
CL CL CL
from pin center to pin center. You the opposite page.
TOP VIEW don’t need a spacer for the last half After wrapping up all the cuts
pin on the workpiece. on all of the tail workpieces, you’re

42 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_042.indd 42 9/23/2009 2:05:45 PM

 3

5
{ Clean Up Work.
A sharp chisel
makes short work
of removing the
4 waste between
{ Final Spacer. You can see how { Finishing Up. To complete the tails on the the tails.
installing the last spacer creates other end of the workpiece, flip and rotate every-
the final shape of the tails. thing one more time.

ready for a little bit of cleanup You can also use a fret or coping saw you’re halfway to a complete
work to finish the tails. to remove the bulk of the waste. dovetail joint. Now you can turn
Clean Out the Waste. Depend- For removing small amounts your attention to the other half of
ing on your dovetail layout, the of waste and final cleanup, I turn the joint — the pins.
amount of cleanup work may to a freshly sharpened chisel, like You can see how to lay out the
vary. So you have some options on the one you see in photo 5. A sharp pin workpiece using a completed
how to accomplish this task. chisel helps prevent tearout as you tail piece in photo 6 at the lower
If there’s a lot of waste to clear work across the grain. left. Here again, you’ll only need
out, simply remove the stop and Start by cutting down at the lay- to lay out the pins on one work-
spacers from the jig. Then you can out mark. Then cut in from the end piece. The spacers will position
simply cut away the waste with to remove small pieces of waste. Be the rest of the pin workpieces
the saw blade, positioning the sure to flip the workpiece over to properly after the initial cut is
workpiece by eye. make the initial cuts on both faces made for the first pin.
The thing to make sure here is that rather than just cutting through These layout marks will only be
you don’t cut into any of the tails. from one side. used to initially position the stop
Lay Out the Pins. Once you’ve block. Plus, it helps during the
6 finished removing all of the waste, actual cuts so you know which
spots are the waste areas. I make
7 sure to sharpen my pencil and
make the marks as accurately as
possible.
Now, using a
square, trans-
fer the layout
marks for each
pin down both
faces of the work-
piece (photo 7). I like to
mark the edge, like you see
in the margin again, to identify
which pin I’m going to fit first.
Finally, mark the outside faces of
{ Locate the Pins. Use the { Transfer. Transfer the layout all the workpieces.
completed tail workpiece with marks down the front face of one At this point, you’re ready to
the original layout to locate the workpiece. Finally, mark the outside start cutting the mating pins. For
pins on the mating workpiece. face of all the pin workpieces. more on this, turn to the next page.

ShopNotes.com 43

s108_042.indd 43 9/23/2009 1:26:23 PM

 1
{ First Pin.
Position the stop
block so the size
of the first pin
matches the tail
workpiece. Then,
make a cut on
both ends of all
the workpieces.

3 4 5
{ Reposition & Cut. Flip the { Add a Spacer. Just like with { Final Cut. With the last spacer
workpiece and make a cut for the the tails, add a spacer and make in place, cut all the workpieces to
pin at the opposite corner. the next set of cuts. complete one angle on all the pins.

fitting & fine-tuning the Pins

With the layout complete, you’re you used to cut the tails. To get a
just about ready to start cutting flat bottom as you make the cut
the pins. But there are a couple and minimize any extra clean-
adjustments you’ll need to make up work, you’ll want to use a rip
to the jig and your table saw. Plus, blade. A dado blade does make
there’s a slight change to the over- removing the waste go quicker,
all process of cutting the pins. But but I’ve found I get the best results
I’ll get to that in a bit. with a rip blade. 2
Adjustment. The first thing to Sizing the First Pin. The key to { Sizing the Pin. Sneak up on
do is reset your table saw blade to locating and sizing all of the pins the final size of the first pin until
90°. Unlike the tails, the pins are cut lies in carefully matching the first it matches its mating opening in
with the blade square to the table. pin with the tail piece. For the edges the tail workpiece.
Instead of tilting the blade, you’ll of the workpieces to end up flush,
set the angle of the jig to match the the first pin needs to match its mat- using the spacers once again. Then
tail angle. ing opening in the tail piece exactly. you’ll do some fine-tuning right on
6 The last thing
you’ll need to
The nice thing is, the process for
doing this is just a matter of sneaking
the table saw for a perfect fit.
Making the Cut. First things
do is remove the up on the final size. After that, com- first, though. Pull the indexing pin
dovetail blade pleting the rest of the pins involves and angle the fence on the jig back

7 8
< Oversized Pins. After adjusting the fence to angle forward, reposition the stop block
to form an oversized pin on the workpiece (photo 6). Then, install each spacer in turn to
complete the remaining pins, as shown in photos 7 and 8.

44 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_044.indd 44 9/23/2009 12:48:50 PM

 to match the dovetail angle. Then
reinstall the indexing pin. And
be sure that the depth of cut of
the saw blade matches the layout
line on the pin workpiece. At this
point, you’re ready to create the
first pin (photo 1).
Check the Fit. What you’re look-
ing for here is that the pin matches
its mating tail piece. Since you can’t
actually slide the pieces together, 9
checking the fit means comparing { Remove the Waste. Without moving the stop
both next to each other, as in photo block, remove as much waste as possible, then com-
2 on the opposite page. plete the rest of the task with a chisel (photo 10). 10
Cutting All the Ends. Once you
have a good “fit,” you can lock the This way, you can sneak up on the is a fit that just slides together, as
stop block in place and cut both final fit (more on this later). pictured in photo 11 below.
ends of all the pin workpieces for For now, simply use your layout Fine-Tuning. Since the pins were
this position. Note: The outside line as a guide to set the stop block oversized, they probably won’t fit
face will always be out for the to cut oversized pins, as shown in together. So you’ll need to fine-
entire pin-cutting process. photo 6 at the bottom of the oppo- tune the fit by trimming one side
As you can see in photos 4 and site page. Once the stop block is of all the pins. This is just a mat-
5 on the opposite page, you’ll con- set, complete the cuts across the ter of making another cut with a
tinue the process using the spacer bottom of one pin piece, using the thin paper shim between the stop
blocks. Again, use your layout spacers as necessary, like you see block and workpiece. Now, leave
lines to be sure you’re only cutting in photos 7 and 8 at the bottom of the shim in place and use the spac-
into the waste areas. the facing page. ers to trim the other pins.
Shaping the Pins. To form the Checking the Fit. At this point, Simply sneak up on the fit by
final shape of the pins, you’ll need you’re ready for a test fit. Since adding shims until the pins just
to cut the opposite sides of the the pieces won’t slide together slide into the tails. With the shim
pins. This means angling the fence because of the waste, you’ll need to thickness set, you can complete
forward and locking it in place. remove that. I use the table saw to all the cuts on the remaining pin
You’ll also need to reset the stop remove as much as I can (photo 9). pieces. After removing the waste,
block for these cuts. The goal here Be sure to avoid accidentally cut- every joint will slide together with
is to cut the pins slightly oversize. ting into any of the pins as you do an identical, smooth fit.
this. Then, clean up any remaining As you can see, a shop-built jig
waste with a chisel (photo 10). and step-by-step process make
Once you’ve finished cleaning up cutting through dovetails pretty
the pins, it’s time to test the fit of the straightforward. And you can’t
joint. What you’re looking for here beat the “hand-cut” look.

13

11 12
{ Checking the Fit. The pins { Fine-Tuning. Zeroing in on the fit is just
should be sized so they just slide a matter of slipping in a shim and repeat-
into the tails. If they’re too tight, ing the cuts with each spacer (photo 13)
you’ll need to fine-tune the fit. to shave a small amount off each pin.

ShopNotes.com 45

s108_044.indd 45 9/23/2009 12:49:35 PM

 best-built jigs & fixtures
table saw
Dovetail
Jig
Cutting through dovetails on the jig, a cross for holding a stop block and spac-
table saw might seem a little out of bar at the front ers for cutting the pins and tails.
the ordinary. But with this jig, you helps keep it together Start with the Base. The jig
can get perfect-fitting joints every and stable. isn’t very complicated to build. It
time without a lot of effort. The To cut both the tails and the starts with a plywood base (Figure
article starting on page 40 walks angled pins of the dovetail joint, 1). After cutting it to size, I first
you through the process. the fence can be indexed. It pivots marked out the centerline that will
The Jig. As you can see, the jig is at one end and locks in place at align with the blade.
made of 3⁄4" plywood. Since you’ll the other to set the proper angle. The next thing to do is draw
be cutting through the base of the The face of the fence has a T-track several lines you’ll use later to
CROSS BAR install and locate the fence. Figure
BASE FIGURE
(2!/2" x 23" - 1!/2" Ply.)
B
(16#/4" x 26" - #/4" Ply.)
A
1 1 shows you how to do this. Note:
The lines shown are for cutting
REFERENCE LINE dovetails with an 8:1 ratio.
MUST BE SQUARE
TO SAW BLADE Cross Bar & Runner. Next, I
1!/2
added the cross bar at the front.
6!/4 And then to fit the jig to the saw,
FRONT
EDGE you can add the runner. I used
1!/2 a strip of phenolic I had lying
SECOND:
DRAW STRAIGHT around, but a hardwood strip or
REFERENCE LINE ON BASE
FROM PIVOT POINT THIRD: manufactured miter bar would
TO OPPOSITE LAY OUT AN
FIRST: EDGE 1
CL ANGLED PIN LINE work just as well.
LOCATE PIVOT ON EACH SIDE OF
POINT REFERENCE LINE To locate the runner, position the
TO MATCH jig so the blade is aligned with the
1!/2 8 DOVETAIL ANGLE
(8:1 RATIO SHOWN) centerline of the base. Then mark
RUNNER
(#/8" x #/4" - 19#/4")
the location of the miter slot to
C
#8 x 1!/2" Fh
attach a runner. Be sure to keep the
WOODSCREW base square to the saw blade.
6!/4 #8 x 1" Fh
WOODSCREW
46 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_046.indd 46 9/24/2009 7:35:42 AM

 CUT 1!/2" x 1!/2"
BEVEL
INSERT T-TRACK
FIGURE (2" x 6" - !/4" Hdbd.) (12" LONG)
Fence. You can turn your atten-
tion to building the fence. The
2 FENCE FACE
E
(6" x 26" - #/4" Ply.) #6 x #/8" Fh
first thing you’ll need to do is cut WOODSCREW
D
a wide but shallow, centered dado STOP
that holds a replaceable insert, as in (1#/4" x 6" - #/4" MDF)
H
Figures 2 and 2b. The insert backs
up the cut to prevent chipout. I
!/4"-20 x 1!/4"
used my custom-ground dovetail FLANGE
BOLT
blade to cut the beveled sides of 2%/8
the dado and remove the waste.
Then, cut the 3⁄4"-wide groove for
the T-track and ease the top, out-
side corners of the fence face.
!/4"-20 x 1"
Once that’s complete, you can WING
make the fence base. To secure the KNOB

fence to the jig, you’ll need to drill

a hole at each end (Figure 3). Go
ahead and extend the centerline a. STOP
b. TOP VIEW FENCE
FACE
to the end of the base, as you can 2
see in the lower right photo. This
helps align the fence for drilling SIDE
#/4
the indexing holes in the base. VIEW
To keep the fence face square #/8 INSERT
to the fence base, I added a set of 7.1˚ T-TRACK
braces. After trimming them to
size, cut dadoes in the two mid-
dle braces to hold a blade cover. as in Figure 3a. Then, secure the the base, using the hole in the
Finally, screw the fence face, base, fence in place with a carriage bolt, fence as a guide. Simply repeat the
and braces together, and then slip washer, and lock nut. At the oppo- process for the other two holes.
the blade cover in place. site end, align the centerline on the Finally, you can make the stop
Fence Installation. To install base with one of the layout lines on block and fence indexing knob (Fig-
the fence, drill a counterbored hole the base of the jig. After clamping ures 2 and 3). For more on using the
at the pivot point on the bottom, the fence to the jig, drill through jig, turn to page 40.
FIGURE !/4"-20 x 1"-DIA.
3 BLADE COVER
OVAL TAPERED KNOB
CUT HEAD OFF
(4!/4" x 6" - !/4" Poly.) !/4"-20 BOLT TO FORM
1#/8"-LONG SHANK

#8 x 1!/2" Fh
2 } Index Holes.
7#/8 G
WOODSCREW !/4" x !/4" Use the layout
DADO BRACE
3 (3!/2" x 4" - #/4 Ply.) lines to position
and drill the index
#/4" 2!/2 holes in the base
NOTE: PIVOT RAD.
AND INDEX of the jig.
HOLES IN
FENCE AND
JIG BASE
ARE !/4"-DIA. 1!/2

CL 1!/2
D a. FENCE b.
FACE
INDEXING
KNOB
BRACE
F
FENCE BASE
(3!/2" x 26" - #/4 Ply.)
!/4"-20 x 1!/2" F F
CARRIAGE
BOLT WITH
WASHER AND A A
LOCK NUT

ShopNotes.com
END VIEW END VIEW 47

s108_046.indd 47 9/24/2009 1:07:59 PM

 GREAT
Gear new products
For Your
Shop

Trammel Optional
Head Cutter
Steel
Scribe
Multipurpose. Turn your
combination square into a
panel marking gauge.

Just when you think there can’t to tip, making it difficult to get a you more control so your layouts
be anything really new for wood- consistent arc or circle. The new will be more accurate. The angled
workers, manufacturers come out Tri-Scribe trammel heads shown in points do the work as you slide the
with some surprises. Here are a the photos above by M-Power Tools heads along the workpiece.
few items worth taking a look at. step up to the plate with some The kit shown above comes
Refer to Sources on page 51 to find unique and innovative features. with a steel scribe and pencil. You
} Gripping. out where to buy them. Versatility. The first thing to can also purchase an optional cut-
Rubber pads note about the trammel heads in ter with replaceable blades.
grab your FLAT-LYING TRAMMEL HEADS the kit is that they can be attached
workpiece and When it comes to drawing large to any metal rule, straightedge, BENCH COOKIES
hold it securely. arcs and circles, a traditional beam or square. This gives you a wide What do you get when you cross
compass or trammel can be a little range of options for layout work. a router pad with a hockey puck?
awkward to set up and use. But what’s even better about You get the Bench Cookie by Rock-
As you draw the arc, these heads is that they lie flat. ler (photos at left). Each disk is fit-
it has a tendency The low center of gravity gives ted with a soft rubber pad on both
sides. It’s a great concept for which
you’ll find a number of uses.
Grip and Elevate. The textured
rubber pad grips your bench and
the workpiece. And the more pres-
sure you put on it, the tighter it
grabs. If it starts to lose its grip
because of sawdust, all you need
to do is give them a quick wipe
with a damp cloth. The soft pads
also protect your workpiece from
scratches and dings.

48 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_048.indd 48 9/17/2009 1:32:19 PM

 { Clean, Accurate Holes. The sharp cutting spurs and cutting edges
allow you to drill crisp, clean holes with little or no tearout.

The Bench Cookies also elevate that would normally clog up a

your work about an inch. This bit or climb up the shaft. Instead, { Anti-Clogging.
works great for edge-routing these bits generate smaller chips. This unique, self-adhesive tape Shallow grooves in
operations. Or for slipping some Besides this beneficial feature, I is printed with a measuring scale the cutting edges
clamps underneath an assembly found the ultra-sharp spurs do a that repeats every foot. The divi- break up chips
when it’s time for glueup. superb job of drilling smooth holes sions are in sixteenths of an inch. while drilling.
without tearout. There’s no doubt And there’s a line printed down
MAXI-CUT DRILL BITS these bits would be a worthy addi- the center that proves useful for
If you study the Maxi-Cut drill bits tion to your shop. a lot of layout tasks like locating
in the photos above, you may not shelf pin holes, for example.
notice much difference from a tra- RED TAPE The possibilities for this product
ditional Forstner bit. But these bits For some measuring and marking are wide and varied: from marking
have a feature that sets them apart tasks, you almost need an extra workpieces for cutting to adding a
from the rest — the chip-breaking pair of hands to hold the mea- measuring scale on shop-built jigs
grooves on the cutting edges. suring tape and workpiece while and fixtures. A quick check with
At first, these might seem making the mark with a pencil. my steel rule proved the scale on
insignificant (upper right margin Inventor Chris Messina answered the tape to be plenty accurate for
photo). But after using them to this frustration by combining two any use around the shop.
drill holes in a variety of hard- workshop staples (packaging tape
wood, softwood, MDF, and ply- and a measuring tape) into one
wood, you’ll see the benefit. These handy layout tool. The result is the
grooves break up the long curls Red Tape you see below.

{ Multiple Uses. You won’t have trouble finding a { Two in One. Red Tape
use for this double-duty tape. It comes in handy as combines a high-quality tape
a reference scale on temporary or one-use jigs. with an accurate scale.

ShopNotes.com 49

s108_048.indd 49 9/17/2009 1:19:18 PM

 questions from
Our Readers

choosing the
Right
Drill Bit There are some common traits choice for drilling partial holes on
I have several holes to drill that need flat bot- that are important though (photos the edge of a workpiece.
toms. I know I need to use a Forstner bit, but I’m below). They both have a small The big drawback to this type
confused. I’ve seen two styles — one with a solid centerpoint that makes it easy to of bit is the fragile rim — you can
rim and one with multiple teeth. Which is best? align the bit. And a pair of chisel- overheat or dull one in no time if
Kermit Hess like lifters on each of these bits you use a speed that’s too high or
Bend, Oregon plane away the wood, producing apply too much pressure.
a nice, flat bottom. Sawtooth Bits. That’s where a
The two most common types of Both designs are great at drill- sawtooth bit can help out (lower
Forstner bits, continuous rim and ing overlapping holes, too. A fea- photo at left). This bit gets its name
sawtooth, essentially do the same ture that comes in handy when from the saw-like teeth that line
thing. They both drill holes with you’re roughing out a mortise like its rim. They’re usually found on
flat bottoms. The biggest difference the one in the photo above. large-diameter bits.
is found in the design of the outer Use a Drill Press. These bits are Breaking up the rim into teeth
rim. And that can have an affect on designed to be used in a drill press. forms gaps that help dissipate any
some drilling operations. This way, you can maintain a slow heat buildup. Since a sawtooth bit
speed and avoid overheating. Plus, is less likely to heat up, it’s going
Continuous rim unlike regular drill bits, there aren’t to stay sharp longer.
Forstner bits are any long flutes on a Forstner-style In most cases, a sawtooth bit
ideal for drilling bit. So that means you’ll have to works great for drilling overlap-
small holes with raise the bit often from the hole to ping holes. And you’ll still end
clean sides clear away the wood chips. up with a flat bottom. But you’re
Both bits have traits that make likely to be disappointed any time
Lifters remove waste
them a great choice for any shop. you try to drill a hole at an angle or
to form flat bottom
But to choose the one that’s right drill a partial hole along an edge.
for you, you’ll need to look at the That’s because the teeth tend to
differences in the rim. catch and tear the wood as you try
Continuous Rim Bits. The tra- to start the hole.
ditional style of Forstner bit has Which One? In the end, the bit
a continuous rim (upper photo at you use will depend on the situ-
left). This solid rim scores the out- ation. If you’re drilling a number
For aggressive
side of the hole, forming a super- of large-diameter holes (over 1"),
cuts where
clean edge. It also makes it easy to a sawtooth bit works best. But for
overheating is a
problem, use a drill angled holes in a workpiece any hole where clean sides and
sawtooth bit without wandering. But it’s this edges are a priority, a continous
rim design that makes it the perfect rim bit is the best choice.

50 ShopNotes No. 108

s108_050.indd 50 9/19/2009 7:20:35 PM

 Sources MAIL
Most of the materials and sup- TOOL BOX (p.17) TABLE SAW DOVETAILS (p.40) ORDER
plies you’ll need for the projects The hardware required to build You should be able to find a saw SOURCES
are available at hardware stores or the tool box includes blind rivets, a blade sharpening shop in your area
home centers. For specific products rivet gun, and a continuous hinge. that will custom grind your blade
Woodsmith Store
or hard-to-find items, take a look You can find these items at most for cutting dovetails. Or, if you 800-444-7527
at the sources listed here. You’ll hardware stores or at some of the prefer, Forrest Blade Company offers
find each part number listed by sources listed at right. dovetail saw blades for either left
Rockler
the company name. See the right or right tilt table saws. The blades 800-279-4441
• ALRO Metals
margin for contact information. are available with a 7°, 9.5°, or 11.5° rockler.com
22ga. Steel . . . . 00030-CRS-24"x24"
The Woodsmith Store in Des bevel angle. Materials for the blade
Moines, Iowa is an authorized • Lee Valley cover and runner are available
ALRO Metals Plus
Rockler dealer. They carry many 9⁄ " Tool Box Handle . . . . 00S03.20 from McMaster-Carr. They could
16 877-668-0676
of the hardware items used in our Draw Latch . . . . . . . . . . . . 00S55.40 also be made out of hardboard or asapsource.com
projects. And they ship nation- plywood if you prefer.
wide. Their customer service rep- HOBBY BENCH (p.24) Forrest Blades
• Rockler
resentatives are available for your • Reid Supply 3⁄ " x 4' Universal T-Track . . .20054 800-733-7111
8 forrestblades.com
calls from 8am – 5pm Central Time, 31⁄2" Drawer Pulls . . . . . . . KHO-5
Monday through Friday. Clear Plastic Bins . . . . . . . FSC-606 • Reid Supply
24" Task Lamp . . . . . . . MOF-95050 Tapered Knob . . . . . . . . . . . . . BD-6 Hartville Tool
SHEET METAL TOOLS (p.10) 1⁄ "-20 Star Knob . . . . . . . . RST-94
4 Wing Knob . . . . . . . . . . . . . DK-228 800-345-2396
hartvilletool.com
Several styles of general purpose Nylon Plastic Leveler . . . . . . AG-15
• McMaster-Carr
sheet metal snips are available at 1⁄ " Polycarbonate Sheet. . 85935K28
4
most local hardware stores and • Woodworker’s Supply 3⁄ " Phenolic Strip . . . . . . 9322K17
Lee Valley
8 800-871-8158
home centers, as well as a few of Shelf Standard . . . . . . . . . . 906-048
leevalley.com
the sources listed at right. 8" Shelf Bracket. . . . . . . . . . 906-244
GREAT GEAR (p.48)
• McMaster-Carr • Rockler Lee Valley offers a complete line of McMaster-Carr
3⁄ " x 4' Universal T-Track . . .20054 630-600-3600
Sheet Metal Snips . . . . . . . . 3902A6 8 Maxi-Cut Forstner drill bits, as well mcmaster.com
5⁄ "-18 T-Nut . . . . . . . . . . . .26062 as drill bit extensions.
16
BENDING BRAKE (p.14)
• Rockler Reid Supply
The angle iron and steel bar stock WOOD FILLERS (p.38) 800-253-0421
Bench Cookies . . . . . . . . . . . . .26357
needed for the bending brake You’ll find a wide variety of wood reidsupply.com
Red Tape Measuring Tape . . .39387
can be found at a local hardware fillers at hardware stores and home
store or home center. A few of the centers and from a few of the • Hartville Tools Woodworker’s Supply
sources listed at right also stock sources listed at right. Tri-Scribe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32915 800-645-9292
these products. Tri-Blade Accessory . . . . . . . .32917 woodworker.com

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ShopNotes.com 51

s108_050.indd 51 9/23/2009 12:05:17 PM

 Scenes from Building projects with sheet metal only requires a few
basic tools and a sheet metal brake. Learn all about the
tools on page 10 and then use the plans beginning

the Shop on page 14 to build the brake.

F
A

The process for routing perfect

slots every time is easy.
Turn to page 8 to
find out how.

{ These sawhorses feature a simple design and stout

construction. Best of all, they look great and will last a
lifetime. For detailed plans turn to page 34.

ShopNotes.com

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