~

WOODWORKER
PROJ E C T S , T I P S AND TE C H N I Q UE S

6 The Rolling Tool Center 2 Today's Wood
/ly Annette Weir and Gary Morin
A brief look at Teak, one of the most
If you're like most home woodworkers,
beaut iful woods around.
you've got a problem with space. The 3 On the level
auth ors' tool chest and cart design is
A new magazine' Why now: why us'
aimed at solving that prob lem once
\\ fhat 's next... and a few more
and for all.
Questi ons and answers.
4 Today's Shop
Roger Cliffe offers ten tips for
buying used tools.
5 What's InStore
12 ARotating End Table
Insight s int o some IIt'Wjigs. handy
/ly Greg Kossow
workshop kno bs and Vix bits.
Reduce living room clutte r with this
17 Calendar
popular rotating end table design.
Events of interest to woodworkers
everywhe re .
18 Tricks of the Trade
Ti ps and techniques from our
readers and friends.
\(j
Family Bookshelf 19 Yesterday's Woodworker

Ily Rick White

j ohn Goff sinl(s the praises of hot
A wall mounted bookshel f for all your
hide glue.
household re ference books -fenturi ng 20 Finishing Thoughts
sliding dovetail joints.
jerry TerHark compares dyes and
stains.

r TODAY'S WOOD
Teak (tectona grandis)
One of the world 's premi ere natural resources, tru e teak
is harvested in commercial volumes in India, java, Bur-
ma. Thail and, Laos, Cambodia. Vietn am and the East
Indies. Plantation s have also been es tablished in Latin
America and Africa. Th ailand continues to produce the
most desired teak - a fact not lost on that country 's gov-
ern ment, which imposed expor t res trictions in the early
19805. Teak is expens ive: there is a limit to supply levels
and harvest cost s are the highest of any wood fiber.
Teak trees attain a height of 70-100 feet with a circumfer-
ence of 5 12 feet. The weight of a mature tree is s o
immense that harvesters typically make a cut around
each tree into the heartwood and let it die over a period
of 2-3 years before felling. The tree is then ligh t enough
to be moved by elephant and float ed to market.
Th e wood has an oily surface and an odd odo r, (not
unlike old shoe leather), as the result of very high con-
centrations of silica. Woodworkers often find the wood
has a dulling effect on their stee l hand tools, not found
whe n using most other woods. Teak can be satisfac-
to rily finished and glued, but s pecial products have
been designed just for teak to aid in quality bonding.
When surfaced. teak reacts to steel and on occasion
can take on a wide var iety of colors, typically
called speckk-bull-a yellow. orange,
brown and black pattern. Over time,
however. the wood will turn to
the deep rich brown color that
has made it a favorite among
woodworkers for years. .
Richard O. Jones

January/February, 1989
Volume I, Number 1

lARRYN. STOIAKEN
Edilur
NANCY EGGEllT
Pruduction Manager
JOIl NKEl.L1I1ER
ATI Director
.. ON THE LEVEL
ANew Magazine With A
34 Year History

j EFFjACOnSOI(
Tecbnitat lllustratnr
(;ORIJON HANSOl(
CopyEd itor

ASNjACKSOK
Publishtr
JIMERNER
Director 0/MaTkfting
VAl. E. (;ERS"ll NG
Circulation Manage r

NORTON ROCKLER
RICKWll m :
PAULTHOMS
VERN RURNS
JACK1I00,\ lIl ER(;
Editorial Advisors

ROGERW. CUFFE
JOIlN GOFF
j EllHY'I: TERIIAI<K
Contributing Editors

Today '. Woodworker, (ISSN: 104' -

8113) is published bimonthly (January,
March, May. July. September, Novem-
ber) by Rockier Press. Rogers. MN
553740044, Today's Woodworker is a
trademark of RockIer Press. Copyright
1989. Sec ond class postage paid at
Rogers. MN 55374, and at additional
mailing offices.
One year SUbscription price. $18.95
(U.S. and possessions).
Send new subscriptions to the attention
of the circulationdepartment.
Subscribers are welcome to submit their
protect proposals, tips and techniques, 10
the editor, Today's Woodworker, Rogers,
MN 553740044.
For purposes of clarity, illustrations and
photos are somelimes shown without
proper protective guards in place.
Today's Woodworker recommends tor-
lowing ALL safety precautions while in
theshop.
Postmaster; P tease send change 01
address to Today's Woodworker. Rogers.
MN 553740044.
Copyri ght 1989, by Rocki er Press.
All rights reserved.
TODA' I:"S
Welcome 10 th e premier" issue of
Today's Woodworker.
Why publish a new magazine for
woodworkers now? Because wood-
working is one of the fastes t growing
hobbies/ crafts in the United States to-
day. One recent survey claims that al-
most 10 million Americans now coun t
themselves among the ranks of wood-
workers.
What ties them all together?
Go from the most rudimentary base-
ment s hop t o th e fully equ ippe d
professional shop and you'll fi nd out
soon eno ugh. II's the love of making
things with your hands. II's the smell
of sawdust. the occasional perfec tly
crafted joint, the relaxation and enjoy-
ment that star ts on the drawing boar d
and co ntinues long after the project
leave s t he sho p and head s for
its home. And it' s finding just the
plane you always wanted at a ga rage
sale for one dollar, or saving up all
year for the lathe thai will add a new
dimension and level of excitement to
your work.
II's all of thai, and one more very im-
port ant thing. II's a love of learn ing.
Woodwork ers have an extraordinary
passi on for lear ni ng and sha r ing
their ideas.
Here, more than anywhe re else, is
where Today' s Woodworker fi ts in.
Because whil e this is a new magazine.
you could say it's been on the drawing
board for over three decades. It was
34 ye ars ago that Norton (No rdy)
Rockier star led up 111e Woodworkers'
Store. It was just about that time that
he found he was also in the field of an-
swering questions. Woodworkers, he
quickly discovered, ask a 101 of ques-
tions. Before long, he had written one
of the earlier books on veneering tech-
niques. "111e questions kept coming.
Today, Th e Woodwor kers' Store is
one of the largest suppliers of hard-
ware and woodworkin g mat eri als in
the country. "111e staff at the home of-
fice includes a number of people with
just one job -answering woodwork"
er's questions. And all nine of the re-
tail stores now feature frequent semi-
nars on everyt hing from basic joinery
to advanced turn ing techniques. And
still the questio ns keep coming.
Three yea rs ago , Ann J acks on ,
chief executive officer of Th e Wood-
workers' Store, came up with another
idea. "Let's sta rt a magazi ne: she
said, "one aimed at providing a for um
for all these quest ions. One that has
no advertisements to clull er it up and
maintains a tight foc us on projec ts,
tips and techniques."
You now hold the frui ts of that idea
in your hands. The Rockier Press was
born and Today's Woodworker went
into production. As this first iss ue
goes 10 press, our foremost hope is
thaI you, the reader, will continue ask-
ing ques tions and sha ring new tech-
niques -and that you' ll ge t act ively
involved with the magazine.
What pr oject skill level is most
approp riate to you' Which technical
areas are you most in need of help on?
Today's Woodworker, due to its affil-
iat ion with "111e Woodworkers' Store,
has a vast network of woodworking
experts that it can call on. They'll be
covering all the innovations and new
products available to woodworkers to-
day - and sometimes reviewing tech-
niques as relevant now as they were a
hundred years ago.
We hope you enjoy this first issue of
To day' s Woodworker and promise
bigger and bett er thi ngs to co me .
We'll be looking forwa rd to receiving
your ideas and comme nts.
I
,. TODAY'S SHOP
Ten Tips For Buying
Used Tools
By Roger W. Cliffe
arbors. ' 111is means thal your prized
saw blade with till' standard 5/8"
arbor hol e mav not fit vour "new"
used sa\,. . .

People often ask me if there are any

hard and fast rules for buying used
IDols . BpinR' a woodworker I IWVt>f
think in terms of strict rul es. bu t I can
offer some buying' tips based on past
experiences.
These tips should help you buy used
tools with less hassles and rnore val-
ue . Re me mbe r, these are tips and
theft' will always be some exceptions
to them. \\11o:n in doubt. sleep on the
deal and think it ov... r. Tl u-re is alwavs
some tool for sale. .
Know The Market
It 's impossible 10 know a ba rg-ain or
good price for a lIsl'd tool if you don' t
know fair market value, If you've ever
been to an auction and watched used
(and beat up) clamps sell for mort'
than list price you understand what is
nu-ant by fair market value.
To know the mar ket, you can study
catalogs and mail order flyers to find
the list price and salr- price on a specif-
ic tool. It's common to see seasoned
auction buyers carryinJ,:' tool catalogs
with them to check prices before bid-
ding. Some people limit their bid to no
more than 60' 1', of list price. Decide on
what you think is fair and stick with
Be Sure Older Is Beller
"They don 't make 'em like th... y used
to" is a favorite sayinz among wood-
workers. In some cases. they don't
"make ' em" that way new
technology has replaced th e old tool.
Electricity rusts have made today's
motors milch more efficient. Consid-
ering 111(> increased electrici ty con-
sumption and the increased weight.
t he old 1001 may no t be a bargain
unless the old motor ca n be replaced
easi ly without modification. 111at will
be disrussed bf,low.
Some wuodwork<.> rs favor heavy cast
iro n tools b('causp they resist vibra
tion. The to leraon's and quality of
t mlay' s mach i ninJr{ may make t he
added weighI a liabi lity rather than an
asset. And remember the extra weight
when you move llie tool to the base-
mcnt. Will the steps it'
Determine Your Need
If you don't nl'(.'d the tool. it's not a
bargnin at any price. \Voodworker s
are notorious for buyi ng' a tool
because of its price. They don't con-
sider necd first. Wh en you buy a tool.
be sure you will be able to use it. A
tool that gathers dus t in your shop will
eventually just become a "bargain" for
anot her wuorlworkc-r tomorrow, A
horn e s hop woodworker may be
tempte d by tho price 011 a mor tiser,
yt't wh..-n m-ed is co nsidered. the mor-
tiser is best left wher... it is. \\11Ytie up
about six square fel'! of floor space on
a machine tha t will be us...d only a f... w
times per year,
Best Deals Go To The BigSpenders
lr uring an estan- sa le, too ls are often
sold as a lot. The person who boys all
til<' tools at one time usually COIlU'S
out way ahead. Many times this buyer
can sell individual tools. recoup his
money. and ket'p just those tools he
really wanted.
Bankers. insurance agents ann tax
agents all wish 10 sell le quickly with
one sa le. Don't be afraid to find ot her
willing woodworkers prior to the auc-
tion and pool your money to buy all
the tools offtn',1. Two or three buvers
and sellers can g't't rid of the excess
tools much faster.
Be Sure The Tool Is Compatible
1\0 tool is a bargain if the electrical
system is not compat ible with the
power source. It is b.. 's t to check YOll r
electrical soun.'( for volts. phase and
amps before buyi ng us...d tools. \\11i1 e
it may be possi bll' tu chang-l' motors.
sor ut' older tools had motor mo unts
t hat we re unique to t he tool. Old,' r
t able saws abo had va rious sized
Be Sure PartsAre Available
Any from Ihe small...st hand tool
to the larJ{t'st stationary power tool. is
useless without span' parts. Spare
parts fall into two categories: standard
hardware. like nuts and bolts, and
replacenu-nt parts, like the beam on a
compass or the blade of a combination
square. Replacement parts can be a
problem if they ar... no longer stock...d.
In SOIJlt' cast's. they can be made by
combining sta ndard hardware pa r ts,
bu t in other cases, you're out of luck.
Don't thi nk you're saving money on
a tool if you have to hire a machinist
to make some pa rts for you, Unless
you or so meone yo u k now is a
machinist, this is not a barg-ain. There
may be SOI Ul' cases where yo u can
buy a comparable par t for t he tool
missi ng a par t. Fo r example. yo u
migh: find a retrofit f... nee for an old
table saw. 'I11l' saw mav work like new
with th at addi tion. .
Let The Seller Find You
Huying' used tools usually bt'J, dns with
a search of t he want ads. Individual
ads and ads for auctions and estate
sales lead all till' readers to the tool.
This means a sing-Ie supplier and a
much larger g-roup of buyers - an d
hij(lwr price-s, A better approach is to
take out vour own ad: "Wanted to buv:
woodworking be nch vise: will pay f;ir
price, "all ." This ad sets
you up as the only buyer, and the sup-
ply is usually larger than the demand.
I have bought air compressors and
radial arm saws this way,
When someone sees your ad anti
remembers that old vise in the
basement or barn. they call your num-
ber. You art' the only buye r. and have
more leverag whe n it comes to dis-
tht' priee.
Compare Apples To Apples
If you art' looking at more than one
t oo l, IH' slIn' you art'
apples to appl... s. For t'Xample, one
JAWFEB 1!1.. WOOlIWORKER

The VII bil ls a

drlll btl wllhl n a jigthat
automatically cenlersthe bit.
A sl ig ht ly di ffe reot t ake 00 thi s
theme is olfered by the Vick Compa-
ny, which literally built a jig right into
their product. Their sell centeriog VI.
Bils automatically center and plumb
the drill through a hioge hole lor per-
fect hardware installation. Various size
Vix bits are available, accor diog to
screw sizes.
As usual , suc ces s is breeding a
number of foreign imitations. However ,
the genuioe Vix bits, made in the USA.
are definitely superior in performance
and durability 10 the rash of imitators.
Vix bits feature a hardened dr ill guide
with a high speed dri ll adjustable
for depth .
Repl aceyour wing
nutswith anewline01
wortcshop knobs and handles
andadd anew dimension10 your Ilgs.
Store, which seems to be
i otent on making
woodwor kiog as
easy and safe as
possibl e for i t s
customers. Their
new full size work-
shop knobs and
levers will cast your
homemade jigs in an
eotirely dit ter ent light. Star and T-
knobs, which come in a variet y of
sizes, fit the hand comfort ably. A push
button ratchet lever is perfect where
limited luming space makes the use of
a star or T-koob impractical. A post
handle is also available for applica-
tions requi ring lever action. The tall ,
slender shape
allows for a
secure gri p.
The hold down kil
shown alle
works well lor
applying down-
ward pressure
while ripping.
The stop block
kit. perfect lor
useona drill
press or roul er,
Includes a knob,
Holl and a 2"
rabbeted stop.
The leatherboard
kit Includes alive
star knob, a
lhreadedr-seu
and an adjustable
lealherboard.
For centuries woodworkers have beeo
relying on jigs in their shops to improve
control and increase precision. While
jigs tend to be personat , custom de-
vices, The Woodworkers' Stol e (612
4283200) has come up with a univer-
sal T..slot Ji g system that provides a
greal toundanon for an eodless variety
01 jigs. Their jigs are ooly available as
kits , allowi og wood worker s to cus-
tomize them for virtually any workshop
application.
The key to the system is aT-bol t ,
similar to those that hold toilet tanks in
place. The bolt travels in either a metal
track or a T-slot route d into a wood
base. Thi s T-slot desigo sec ure l y
holds the jig 0 0 track while allowiog for
incremental adj ustments.
The Iioe of T-stot jigs includes a hold
dowo jig (per fect for benches. router
tables, machioe feoces and miscella-
oeous jigs). a featherboard jig (great
for improving safety around router tao
bles, drill presses and table saws), a
master jig (the most complete kit with a
stop assembly , clamp assembly and
40 T-bolt tr ack) aod a simple slop
block. Router bits for cuttiog a T-slot
and a metal track are also available.
Anyone who has strug g led with
those small wing outs on home
made jigs will also aopre-
ciate another new line
from The WOOdworkers'
r WHAT'S IN STORE
Improving Your Shop Jigs
table s;w..' mav have several blades and
a dado lu-ar!' includ,' d in th" package.
These accessories can cloud the value
of the tool. If you need the accessories.
they ca n raise the value of the table
saw, but the tab le saw itself mav not be
as good in comparison. At this point.
vou have to ask vourself what vou'n-
bu ying , the saw or the ;u.....cs-
sones.
In some cases, a matrix of [eat ures
ca ll be used t o compare OIl(' too l to
others. List the tools down one side.
and list the feat ures across till' top.
The matri x makes analysis and com-
pariso n easy.
Oon'\ Be Alraid To Walk Away
From A Deal
Finally, once you've deci ded 0 11 a pur-
chase. do n't he afraid to walk away if
the deal changes at the last minute. If
you lind some unscru pulous sclh-r trv-
in;: t he old "bait and switc h" ll' ci"
nique: or arrive to make your purchase
only to find that some access ories ori z-
inally included in Ihe sail' have mvsie-
riously di sappeared - that's a deai VOl I
should walk away from. '!11l' owner 'has
told you en ough about his charact er
to bring the future potential of his 1001
into se rious question. Don't let your
l'gOtrip your hillfolrl!
Consider The Previous Owner
How the tool was used (or abused) bv
t he previo us owner can h el p
dete rmine its value . St ationar y tools
that have seen 10-20 years in a schoo l
or ca binet s hop wi li probably s how
signs of wea r and abuse. Compare this
10 the 10 0 1 that has been used bv a
homeu wne r 10 build a gar age a nd
some kitche n ca binets.
One clue to how the tool was used or
abused is tlu- owner's manual. If i t has
greasy thumbprints and pencil mar ks
on it, cha nces are there have bee n sev-
era l repairs made, In fact, the pen cil
mark s may tell yo u wha t parts have
been replaced.
Hand tools hold up better than pow-
cr tool s. so k nowi ng the previ ous own-
er i s not as impor tant. In fact. some
hand t ool s are guarantee d for li fe
regnrdless of who owns them. Guaran-
tees vary from one hand tool t o anet h-
er, so cheek wi t h t he manufact urer,
Dr. Roger Cliffe is the author of "Table Saw
Techniques" ana "Radial Arm Sau' Tech-
niques", published by St erling Publishing Co.
of New Yr"k, New l urk.

"]' (l !>AY'SwnOUW( )RKER JAI'\/ FEB

A portable tool chest and cart design for the
woodworker with limited space and good taste.
THEROLLING
TOOLCENTER
By Annette Weir and Gary Morin
IN
the ho me woodworking
shop, space is always at
a premium. This por-
ta ble tool ce nter is
designed to roll out of
the way whe n the shop is closed and pro-
vide quick and easy access to a "i de ar ray
of tools when it's time to get 10 work. If it
seems a bit fancy for the shop. consider
that it will still be rolling and useful when
your g-randchildr en cut their first mortise
and tenon. Like most woodworkers, we
believe in building projects tha t look good
and last a long time.
Gelling Started
(I ) Dimension all lumber 10 the width and
t hic kness speci fied in th e mater ial list.
jointing' all t'dgt's square. If your plywood
is un dersi zed in thickn ess. be s ure to
red uct' the thickness of all 3/4" wood edg-
iog according ly
(2) Cut the hardwood to leng-th. adding a
1/4" to pieces 21. 25. 27. 28 an d 29 to
allow for fi nal trimm ing after the rails have
been to tht"panels.
Cu t t he 3/ -1" hardwood plywood to
size. add inz an additional 1/ -1" to the width
of pieces 1. 2. 6 and 7 and tilt' length of
piece 9. to allow fur final sizing after the
ra ils haw been I(lued on, ("UTE: wh en
crosscut ting plywood. avoid tcarout by
us ing a sha rp plywood blade and masking
tape over all cutting lines.I
(4) Glue and clamp the cart and chest rails
to plywood panels 1. 2. 6 and 7. leaving the
rails just shy of flush at one edge (see
urc 1) to insu re a square edge agai nst the
saw fence when tr imming to exact size.
Omi t the chest's top front rail at
this time.)
(5) Sizl' the end and back panels to exact
'Widths. To avoid tear out on the rail ends .
d amp a piece of :V1" scrap to the har k of
ti lt' rail t"dg(' .
(6) If necessar y, belt sand the end and
back panel s to insure flushness of panels
and rails. Be ca reful to retain flatness of
panels to insure clean joints with the hori -
zontal panel s and rail s. Finish sa nd the
outside of the panel s for the car t.
(7) Using a 1/ 4" roundovcr hit. rout one
('dRe of the l "x3
t1
st iles. (see 2 ),
where tin- inside t'c1,1{t' meet s the panel.
(8) Glut.' and d amp the stiles to the end
panels, "Th e cart st iles should be flush with
lilt.' inside of the pane l and 1/4
11
round on
the outside. TIlt' chest stilt'S are flush on
both sides. Usint: splint's or a plate joiner
is very helpful for alignment purposes on
these steps. Ta ke extra care to avoid glue
squeeze-out nn the outer surface- of t he
carl panels, Any sq ue-eze-out should be
cleaned up with a sharp chisel before glue
ge ts brittle.
(9) Cut l/4"x3l 1" stop dados for the bot-
tom and drawer rail in tilt' side.' panels. and
a full dado on the bottom rail of the back
panel . Be sure to size tilt' dados for the
actual thickness of the plywood. Repeat as
appropriate for the chest. (See elevation
drawing on pagt' 11 for dado loc ations.)
Assembling The Cart
( la) Clamp the end panels together and.
a ban dsaw, n it a 2
1t
radius on the
UPI)('r front corners of the ca r- t st iles ,
Clean-up the cut using a f ileor belt sander.
(2.1) Before t he front rails to the
horizontal panels, dry assemble the cart
with damps and check the fit of the rails.
Inside is flush
Round over
-
To insurea square edge against the sawfence.
(for final trimming), theplywood sidesand backs
arecut a1/4- wide.
The insideedges of thestiles arerouted with a
1/4" roundover bit prior to glueing and clamping
to the panels.
Usi nga caul while clamping Isrecommended, Due
to their slight are, clampingpressure is distributed
along the full width of thejoint.
JAN/ FEB TUllAY'S WOODWORKER
Achallenging project. the authors' tool chest andcart designis not recommended tor beginners.

Using a square. draw a pencil line across

the rail and panel 10 mark the exact posi-
tion for
(3a) Rout a 1/ 4" roundovr-r on the inside
t"dge of the- top rail.
(.Ia) Glue the front rails to lilt' horizontal
panels and drawer rail. tak ing ca fe to accu-
rately alig n the pencil marks that you
math-in :--h"p 2a.
(Sa) Fi ni sh sand all panels to 150 gr it
(leave t'dges until nfu-r assembly).
(()a) Th e ca rcass should be glued in two
stage s, First glut.' the lop and bottom to
the back panel. dry damping tilt.' sides to
assure pr oper align ment . Using cauls at
thi s stage, (Sl'l' fiJ!u n ' :i ). will aid in dis-
tributing t he clamping pressur e alung the
joints.
TO[J.'\Y'SWOODWORKER JAj\;/ FEB
(7a) Glue the end pane ls to the she-If. back
and drawe r rail, again usinl{ cauls and pipe
d amps.
(&1) Mark the location for the end panel
screws, ce ntering 7/ 16" back from all
Drill holes using a fuller bit (coun-
terborr-yhi t combined) or counter bur e
with a :VS" brad point bit followed by a
7/ (iV' pilot holt, for #Sxl 5/ S" screws.
Install the sc rews and walnut plugs, pari ng
the pluJ!s flush tu the sur face with a sharp
chisel.
(9a) Us ing a I l l " roundover bit, rout all
ou t s ide r-dpr-s , includi ng the bott om .
(NOTE: Do not rout tlu- ('dges of the door
or drawer openings .)
Finis h sa nd all t'flges , plugs. stiles (i f
mar red by d amping) and soften the edges
9
Thetop front rail of the chest Is cut Into two
pieces androutered with a covebit . The two
pieces arereassembledandgl ued to the front.
of the- door and drawer openings.
(J 1a) Rip the door panel to provide two
pieces 11 7/ 16" wide, and crossc ut the
rails to 11 1:1/ 16" long . Mar k t he CuI
edues of adjoining rails an d panel s to
assure prope r placement, keeping g rain
patter ns intact . Glue the ver tical banding
nil the door edges using 1/ 1" at opening
edge'S and 1/ 8" at hinge edges. Trim to
the correct lengt h. as discussed in step 5
on six. Glue on the top and bottom
rails, making: sure 10 keep the ends flush
wi th the door edges, Maintaining full
width, trim it .j' bevel on the inside edge
of doors to aid in filting and 10 prevent
binding. Belt sand all sur faces flush.
(12a) Glut' the bark li p and front edge to
the pull-out shelves. keeping edges flush
at the side of the shelves. a 5/ S"
cure bux bit. rout the finger pull on top of
the front edge. centering t he cut 7/ 8"
back from the edge, An alternative would
be to cut a cove, using the table saw.
Assembling The Chest
(:\OTE: To assure thai the lid will fit accu-
rately. the che-s t should be bui lt as a six
sided box and the lid cut off after asscrn-
bly.)
( Ib) Rip the top front rail. (piece 3ll1, into
two pierr-e 113/ 16" and 9/ 16" wide. Mark
mating edges 10 ma intain the grain pat-
tern. using a 1/ 2" cove bit, rout the finger
gri p alung the front marked edge of the
wide piece and then san d the routed area.
(2b) Glue th e 9/ 16" strip (unmarked
edge) and 1/ 8" strip to the plywood front
as shown in figure -I above. Xow glue the
mar ked. rout ed edge of the 1 13/ 16' piec e
back onto the 9/ 16" piece (see figure 4).
Trim the ends, sizing the panel to its prop-
er dimensions, Bell sand to flush all sur-
faces .
(Sb) Dr v assemble the chest to chec k the
fit and mar k the location of the bottom
front rail as described in step 2a on page
6. Disas semble- and gilit' the rail to the
bottom.
(11h) Finish sanding all ins ide surfaces,
Glue and clamp the back and front to the
top pa nel, bei ng ver y careful to keep
edjn-s flush and panel s square. Slide the
MATERIALS LIST!" .Inese p,.cesshoo,"be over","'.y 1/4'10, II owlor Imaltnmmmg I
PLYWOOO T X W X L
1 Cart Sides (2) '1 4+ x 261'4 (Oak)
2 Can Back (1) 24.. 26 (Oak)
3 Cart Top ( 1) 19x24",(Oak)
4 Cart Bottom (1) 19 x 24314 (Oak)
5 Cart Door Panel (1) 23 x 173/8 (Oak)
6 Chest Sides (2) '9114+ x 111/4 (Oak )
7 Chest Back (1) 223'6+ x 111/4 (Oak)
8 Chest Top (1) 12 1f4 x 223.'8(Oak)
9 Chest Front (1) 31/4 x 223'8+ (Oak)
10 Cart Pull Out Shelves (2) 314 x 229/16 x 159116(Particle Board)
' 1 Cart Drawer Rail ( 1) 3/4 x 31/2 x 24 (Particle Board)
12 Chest Bottom (1) 3/4 x 12 112x 221/8(Panicle Board)
13 Ches t Tray Bottom (1) 3/8 x 12314 x 221/8 (Birch)
14 Cart Shell Slide Spacers (4) 3/8 x 1 x 18 (Birch)
15 Can Drawer Bottom (1) 318 x 171 3116)C 227/ 16 (Birch)
16 Chest Drawer Bottoms (3) 318 x 11g,,'6x 201311 6 (Birch)
17 Cart Drawer Sides (2) "2 x 31.'8 x 18318 (BIrch or Apple)
18 Cart Drawer Front/Back (2) 1/2 x 3118X 227/1 6 (BIrch or Apple)
19 Chest Drawer Sides (4) 1/2 x 2,l.'8 x 12118 (Bi rch or Apple)
20 Chest Drawer Sides (2) 1/2 x 3,l.'8x 121/8 (Birch or Apple)
21 Chest Drawer Fronts/Backs (4) 1/2 x 2318 X 20718 (Birch or Apple)
22 Chest Drawer Front /Back (2) 1/2 x 331'8 x 201/8(Bi rch or Apple)
HARDWOOO
23 Cart Stiles (4)
24 Cart Side Rails (4)
25 Cart Back Rails (2)
26 Cart Lower Front Rail (1)
27 Top Front Rail (1)
28 Cart Drawer Rail Banding (1)
29 Cart Ooor Rails (2)
30 Cart Door Edgi ng (opening) (2)
31 Cart Door Edging (h,nge) (2)
32 Cart Drawer Front (1)
33 Chest Side Shies (4)
34 Chest Bottom Side Ralls (2)
35 Chest Top Side Rails (2)
36 Chest Bottom Back Rail (1)
37 Chest Top Back Rail (1)
38 Chest Top Front Rail (1)
39 Chest Bottom Front Rail ( 1)
40 Chest Front Banding ( 1)
41 Chest Drawer Fronts (2)
42 Chest Drawer Front (1)
43 Chest Handle Stock (1)
44 Shell Front Edge (2)
45 Shell Back Up (2)
HAROWARE
46 11/2" Dla. Walnut Knobs (4)
47 1" Dra. Walnut Knobs (6)
48 Lid Supports (2)
49 6' l ength 11/2" Brass Piano Hinge (1)
50 18" Pull Out Shelf Slides (2 pairs)
51 18" Full Extension Slides (1 pair)
52 12" Full Extension Slides (3 pairs)
53 1 Pkg. Rubber Door Bumpers (4)
54 Cupboard Catches (2)
S5 a" Industrial Swivel Casters (4)
56 5/16" x 1114" Carriage Bolts (16)
57 5/16" Flat Washers (16)
58 5116" Sell l ocking Nuts (16)
59 318" Walnut Plugs (24)
60 #8 1518 Wood Screws (24)
61 #10-131.. Machine Brass SCrews (4)
62 . 10-131''' " Brass Washers (4)
63 #10 1314" Brass Nuts (4)
15/16 x3 x323,4+ (Oak)
'3/4 x 3 x 14+ (Oak)
'3/4 x 3 x 24+ (Oak)
3/4 x 1112 x 24 (Oak)
'314 x 11/" x 24 (Oak)
3/4 x 114 x 24 (Oak)
'3/4 x 3 x 23+ (Oak)
3/4 x 1/4 x 173l8+ (Oak)
3/4 x 1/8 x 17318+ (Oak)
314 x 4 x 231/8(Oak)
3/4 x 2114 x 157/8 (Oak)
3/4 x 21." x 91101+ (Oak)
3/4 x 231'8x 91/4+ (Oak)
314 x 2114 x (Oak)
314 x 23'8x 22318+ (Oak)
314 x 25:8 x 22318+ (Oak)
314 x 1112 x 223/8(Oak)
3/4 x 118 x 22" . (Oak)
1/2 x 2112;t 2211.. (Oak)
112 x 31f2 x 221.' 4 (Oak)
7/8 x 1 x 9 (Walnut)
3/4 x 2 x 229'16(Oak)
112 x 111'2 x 2291 16 (Oak)
Cart
Chest
Chest
Chest
Cart (Accunde C322'18)
Cart (Accuride C3800-18")
Chest (Aceuride C3800-12 1
Cart
Cart
Cart
Cart
Cart
Cart
Cart & Chest
Carcase Screws
Handle Fasteners
Handle Fasteners
Handle Fasteners
Cuta stop rabbet on the backedge of the chest
andchest top to accommodate theplanohinge,
tray bottom into till' dudes cut earlier ill
step 9 (set' page 6) to help square assem-
bly. If the edges an' not perfectly (lush,
carefully plane them (lush when the glue
dries.
(5b) Due to limited space in the drawer
compartment, tht-, drawer slides are best
instal led at this point. Mark ou t th e
drawer sizes on tilt' side P31Wls, allow-
ing 1/ 16'1 space between each one. Draw
ce nter line of each dra wer anti use this
line for locating mount ing screws. 01
low the instructions sUllplit'd with your
drawer slides.
(6b) Glue and damp the sicks to the top
and bottom assembly, Chec.. k for
square by measuring diagonals.)
(7b) Insta ll screws a nd plugs as
described in step Sa on page 7.
(Hb) Flus h off all outside surfaces.
(9b) Set lilt' saw fence Oil your tab le saw
to I and raise the blade 10 Ill. Care-
fully cut off the lop of the box, one side
at a time. For the third and fourth cut,
inser t 1/8" spacers in first two nits and
hold togr-ther with clamps, (NOT": Be
careful nut to go so slowly that you burn
tln- cut edges.)
(lOb) On the back ,-liRe of the chest and
lid cut a stop rabbet 5/ ().II' x 21/:l2" wide.',
to accommodate the Run till ' rub-
bel the full length of 111l' rails (see lil/-
urc 5) . Cut the piano hinge.' to the exact
length of the rabbet and mou nt, usi ng
on ly two SlTl'WS in each leaf. Test the
alignrueut of the lid, adjusting if ncces-
sary, and install the rest of the screws
and the lid su ppor ts.
(l Ib) Use aI / I" rou ndovcr bit on all
outside ('dges. Again, do not round t he
drawer openings.
(l2b) Usi ng an orbital sa nder, finis h
san d the outside of the chest to 150 grit
and soften the edges of the drawer com-
par uncnt and lid ope nirur,
Chest Handles
(NOTE: There arc a variety of ways to
const r uct these hand les. as long as (he
weight of the full chest is considered in
the se lection process. We chose to make
our's out of walnut to accen tuate the wal-
' " )l )AY's W(J() () WORKEH
One door assembly is not shown for clarity.
---
---
--
-- -
~ 3 1
~
55
30
Chest is a six sided box; -
topis cut 0 atter assembly.

11)f)I\Y'SWOODWORKER JI\II:/F1':8l ~
1st cut @ iI-_ ---i
;=J
19 I $
I Side View
Drawer construction lor this project i nvoln s theuse of li pL.n- d:-d7.":d":o-c-o":rn-.- ' :-jo"'" ln"'ts-."'Wh::::-.-n-c-u"'"tt"" in-g-'
dadoson1ft" plywood. the key measurement is between the boltom o' the dado and the outside
surface. (see " A" . above). This Is dueto thevarying thicknesses l ound with plJWood.
Thewalnut chelt handles are coyedon their
undersideusinganaUl iliaryfenceonthe table
saw, set al a 2S angle to the saw blade.
End View

nul plugs already used.

(Ic) 111l' chest handle is basicall y a rectan-
gu lar piece of walnut which is roved on
1)1(' underside usinJ.{ the tabk-saw, To du
th is. St ' ! the saw blad e 1/ 2" above the
tabl e. Clamp all angled auxiliar y fence to
the saw table at approximately 25' to the
blade and about I" in fron t of the blade
(from the point where the blade emerges
from 1}1(' table insert). Using a 7/8" x I"
scrap at leas t lung, make> a short test
cut . Check the resulting profile and adjust
the position of the auxiliar y fence as need -
cd. maintaining the fence angle, as shown
in fi gure fl,
(2c) Round over the corner (opposite cove
rut) usinz a 3/8" roundover bit. Cut two -I
1/ 2" pi tc,t' s fro m machi ne d s tock and
mark the scn-w bob -s with an awl. Drill the
sc rew holes with a Fuller br and dri ll bit
(with a 3/8" diameter countersink) . set -
ting the drill pres s stop so a :V I6" dee p
coun ter bon' is obtai ned , Using the dri ll
press, incr ease the diameter of the shank
hole with a 3/ Hi" bit.
(:k) Complete the drilling ope ration by
clamping the partially for med handles tu
the ends of the chest in their proper posi-
tion (cenu-n-d front to back, 2 1/4" down
from tilt' top edge. wit h lid open) . Now
drill holes usi ng th e han dle' s ho les to
guide the hand drill.
(40) Rem ove handles fr om ch e st an d
shape ends using a bd t sandC'r in a station-
ar y jig ur a wuod rasp. J-inish san ding and
install un r hl'st us ing 1 :\/4" by #10 brass
marhi n(' St.- n'ws .
Drawer ConstructionUsing Lip And
Dado Corner Joints
(1<1) Adjusllhe lable saw so V I" of mate-
rial remains bl'lw('ell the botlom of a dado
rut in a sc.: rap of 1/2" drawer stock and its
outer facc. ( ' otC': If you just sci thl' saw
blade 1/,1
1
' abovC' the Hlble, youIre likely tn
be left with a dado that's too dC't' ll and a
dra we-r thai 's tou nar row, siure most 1/2
11
plywood is real ly a litth' le-ss tha n 1/2" ,)
Now set the rip fence so dimension "B"
(Slt. l'i J!urc 7) is slightly J.!rt'at l'r than the
thickness of the drawe r stock. After mak-
inJ: satisfactory tes t cut s, dado all ends of
the drawer sides.
(2d) Leaving blade depth as sr-t in step 11,
set the rip ft' nct' at I / H't and make test cuts
in some scrap drawer stock until the lip
fits s nugly into the sample dado. :\OW
mak e this rut ill the en ds of all front and
back pieces. Next, set the rip fence so the
rabbet s ho ulder is re-fe-renced tu the bot-
tum of the previous cut. Fine tune to pre-
ciso lit using a test piece. first making the
cut slightly shallow, and then adjusting the
rip fence away from the blade until all sur-
fan' s lit well when squared.
Ckl) Dr y assemble the drawers and make
a pencil mark at the inside bottom edge of
all drawer Ilit'n ' (as a reference for the
next step) , Disassemble and rut a 1/1"
dado 1/4" deep and a 1/ 1 " up from the
bot tom edgl' of the ch est drawers. and
3/8" up from the bottom of the cart draw-
er.
(td) Rabbet the edm-s of 111l' 3/8" plywood
drawer bott oms to fit tlu 1/4 " WCK)Vt'S in
till' dra wer dados.
(Sci) Finish sa nd the interior sur faces of all
dr awers and dry assemble with clamps to
insure good fits on all cor ner joints.
(6<1) Disassem ble and <"ardully apply Itlm'
to appropriate joint surfaccs. taking care to
3\'oid squt'tzt....out on l ht' insidt' cor ntrs.
Reassemble and clamp t'at h drdwer on a
Oat sud an'. making sun' t'<Irh is resti ng
on all four corntrs. CIIt_'ck diagonals for
sQuarC' llC'ss, d amp pos itions if
any dis cre pancy l' xisls. \\ 1wn glue stiff-
t '!l S, rt'1l10Vl' damps and snape cxn 'ss
frum all extl'rior surfan s.
(7d) Bdore sa nding the oUlside of the
drawer box('s, mark a rt'l1lt'r lilll' along tilt'
length of the sidt' s .md mount til(' slide
membe rs. sC'ltinJ.! them back from th e
front (follow instructions su pplied with
drawer slides) , nt.' sure to US( ' slott ed
ho les fur final adjustment. Test fit the
drawers and adjust until you have an even
1/16" between all drawers, Now remove
drawers and d amp tlWJ11 to their front s,
stayirur flush on the top and bottom and
exactly cr-nn-red Iro tu side to side', Drill
anel inst all apprupriate 1('IlJ{th screws (#8 x
:{j, 1" on ch est and #8 x I" 011 car t), Check
tlu: flt of 111e fronts and adjust if necessary
If you are very careful about side to side
mea surement s. adjustment shouldn't be
nec essar y, Mark and drill for knobs. ccun-
u-rboring if needed to accommodate the
length of sc rews provided. I ' ow remove
knobs and install the fixed screvv-s in slide
members. Finish sand all boxes and fronts
and soften all edges.
(Hd) You're now read y In install the pull-
out slides in the car t, however, it' s very
importan t to install the bott om casters
before start ing this process. For mounti ng
the pull-out slides. A 3/ ft" x 1" shi m is
need ed between the slidt and case side in
order to dear the hinzes and duors .
(NOTE: A thicker shi m may be used if you
prefer nut to open doors co mple te ly in
or der to USt the pull-outs) . Drill mounting
holes ill till.' cabinet sklc and slightly ove-r-
size holes in the shims . Now drill mount-
iug hole s in the bottom of the she lves.
Install in th e ca bi nel. "dry fil" the pull
out s, cht'(' k movement and trim if ll(' l-'dNl
Install
HangingThe Doors
(I e) Cut thl' two piano hil1gf"S l /X" shorter
than l'a rl"3SS. Install hinge on the 1/ 8"
edge of tlt(' first dnnr, an 1/8" from
the inside' door fart'.
(2c) Install tht' first duor on lh l' carcass,
using a re(e re nr e Illark 5/8" from Ihe
fro nt e dge of thl' cart'ftss At this
sl.age, lise only two serews, second hole ill
JAf' / FEB TI)! h\ 'f 'S WOODWURKER

Elevation
0---- - ..... 20 - -'-- -.;
'. - 1_- - -_-:.: :::.:::.__
o
- - - - --- - -- cove
?: :c
:
1:-_.:::_-_-_- --_- "';..?..b
,
: P
,
: b
,-
26"
237,11" --
I
----- - -
-- --------

i p
].

------ - ----
- _.
0 0 2' /2
-
0 0 2' /2"
- - I
0 0
31/2" I

" -
,,- "
- - - -
-
--.
I---"J
I
0 0
,-
-
0

323,1
53'8"
I
IL

--------- ---- ------------

,
U U
.;
b
- ----- -,"
-_-::: =:. __-_-_-:,_1 _
,
,
,
1----14 "'- --1

from eac h end. Check the fit of the dosed

door (flush with face of carcass or slightly
recesse d. if you prefer) in reference to t he
carcass face. If adj us tment is re quired.
100s(,11 screws and reposition and install
two more screws in thi rd holes from eac h
end. (r\OTE: W(, used a Vix bit . whi ch
makes alignment quilt" easy. Hopefully.
you will achieve a fit after one re-
adjustment. If nut. tr y Repeat this
stell for the se-conddoor.
Aner fitting the second dour. close
doors and determine if any planing must
be done on the edges. Also clu-ck
the top and bo ttom clea rances. Remove
the doors. plane meeting to ach ieve
l /Hi
1
' clearance ..md trim the top and bot-
tOI11 edges with a table saw tu align.
(le) the doors with tilt' four "cor-
n -et" screws and assess tln- need for any
additional t r immi ng. Re peat step Sc as
needed unt il the fit is achieved. Finish
sand In 150 J.,.'Til.
(5<') When the desired fit is achieved. drill
the remaining hol es for the piano hing
(using a Vix bit if possible) and t..omplctc
installation.
(64...) Ins tall the roller carches - star ting
..... ith th... male end 011 top of door edge.
PIa..-c ro ller port right on this ma lt' en d
and close the door. Mark t ilt' placement of
the roller with an awl while holding the
duor in the cor rect close-d position. Install
the roller (it can be adjusted slightly to
cor rect any discrepancy thai occurs in the
process) .
Finishing Up
Givt' th... proiect a final inspt' ction. doinz
any last minute sandinz n-qu irvd. \Ve fin-
lsh ed tilt' prnjt'i..t golden oak Walen
nil. app lying 3- 1 coats. sandi ng with f)O()
wet dr y for a smooth finis h. After oil is
tho rou ghly dry. you may wish 10 apply
Wan-e satin wax. for extra protection and a
nice sheen.
ilm' r/tl' Ur i r operates Wrir Woodu'orks.
buildingcustomjIlrnisllillgs. She specialiees
ill solid wood construction utilizing tradi-
tional joinery Gary Mo ri n describes hi m-
sri! as -a social womer turned woodworker
turned social toorker/woodtoorkrr: Gary
and ,1lllll'ttr ' WU' skare a woodusorking'
shop ill Minneapolis. Minnesota.
ROTATING END TABLE
This popular end table/bookshelf design offers a sure
cure for living room clutier.
By Greg Kossow
W
hat I re-ally needed was a
nice end table for th e
couch, Nothing fancy, just
somet hinz to ho ld t he
average couch overflow
...remote control. books. video tapes. and a
cup of l'offt'( or two. AddinR up all that liv-
ing mom paraphernalia. however, present-
ed a problem.
And I didn't n....d a big- table .
Browsing through a number of caralous
(a place 10 god ideas! ( carne across
seve-ral ve-rsions of a rotating bookshelf
thai would solve my probh-m without dom-
inating the living room. :\1y version uses
cherry hardwood and plywood and rota tes
quie tly un a sligh tly oversized lazy SlIS<t11
bearing. It neatly takes can.. of as many as
7'2video tapes or books and provide's plc n-
ty of sur face spat,'(' for all your
re fn-s lum-nts.
CUlling
Using the material list, cut all plywood.
r-dge handing. vcr tical slats and base
assembly to silt'. I ripped both the
t'{lgt' handing and ver tical slats from hard-
wood, bUI used veneer edging on the
divider pieces since the-y'll experience lit-
th- wear and lear. To cut and apply the pat-
u-rn for the veneer top. please refer to tilt.'
box on page 15.
Assembly
Glue and damp the edge banding to tilt'
bottom shell. middle shelf an d sub top,
mak ing s ure to position it so that the
exposed cndgrnins will later he covered by
the slats (sec fiJlurl' I ). Li kewise. glue the
veneer edging to the divider pieces. After
vent'rring your top <this can be done later
if desired) apply the 3f.1" mi tered edg-e
banding. Here I used Illy new biscui t joiner
'0 I could line up the edge banding and top
exactly before the glut' dried. If you don' t
have a biscuit joiner, glut' and damp.
Next, glue and nail (the nail holt's will be
hidden by your books or video tape-s) one
of the two divider assemblies together, To
make things easier, I n it a piece of 6"x10"
scrap to USl' as a spacing guiclt (see fiJ!-
ure 2). Lay till' dividers on top of one of
lilt' shelves and, the spacing guide,
This ,otating bookshelf is designed
to sene double dutyas anend table
tor the l i,ingroom touch. Small In
stature. it nonethelesscanholda
deceptivelylargenumber a. books
or videotapes. The author's 'ers ion
usescherrystock and a unique
eight piecereverse diamond veneer
patternlor the top,
de termine where each piece got'S by work-
ing you r way slowly aroun d the shelf.
When you have the dividers spaced
exactly right. mark them and glut.' and nail
thern together. 1{('lx'al lilt' procedure for
the second divider assembly, It's critical
that they be exactly the same so they line
lip perfectly when assembled.
You're now ready to nail the sub top to
the lop divider assembly, Carefully posi-
lion nne o( the divider assemblies on top of
tho sub toI>and outline it in pendI (sec
figure Using your sparing guide. put
the assembly back below tho sub top and
position it. Th en carefully nail through the

Makesureto positionbull Joints a. banding so

the vertical slats will coverexposed endgrains.
Use a6110 scrap asa spacing guideto position
the two divider assemblies.
Belorenailing the di.,ider assembly Into placeuse
It to nuthneyournailing pattern.
JAN/FEH 'n m AY'SWOODWORKER
MATERIAL LIST
Top Banding (4)
TxWx L
314' 8' 12 x 10' 12 (Plywood)
314' 16' 12' 16' 12 (Plywood)
314 , 17'12 ' 17. 12 (Plywood)
314 , 3/4 x 19 (Hardwood)
Front slats are not shown for cl ari ty.
1

,
,
,
,
Sub Top (I)
Top (1)
Dividers (8) 4
3
2
5

5 Slats (16) 112x 314 '2311' (Hardwood)

6 Shelves (2) 314"6'12' 16' 12 (Plywood)

7
8
9
10
11
12
Shell Banding (12)
Mitered Base (4)
Base Nailers (4)
Sub Base (1)
Legs (2)
Veneer Top (8)
118' 314 , ' ~ . (Hardwood)
314 x 2 ~ . , 18 (Hardwood)
314 x 314 x 15.12 (Hardwood)
314' 16.12 x 16.12 (Plywood)
314 x 2 , 15 (Hardwood)
8518 Right Angle Triangles (Veneer)
13 Lazy Susan Bearing ( 1) 12"x 5l16
TOI>AY'S \\'OOnWORKER JA.:'1/Jolm1!lS!1
I
II
A framing square Is used to Insure that all four sides 01the two
major sub-assemblies are plumb and even.
Spring cla mps and scrap wood are used on three si des wh ile the
fou rth Is dr illed and toenail ed.
III
,---- ---,
Using nailers on the Inside 01 the base assembly (to support the
sub base) reduces the number 01 nail holes on exposed pieces.
When you're ready to attach the state. nail the two outer pieces of
each set first, us ing a square to main tain nice clean lines.

sub top (following the pencil outlines you

just made) into the top divider assembly.
Use the sallie procedure in reverse ou the
bottom shelf and divid er assembly.
However, before you nail these two pieces
together list' the bottom divider assembly
to trace a nailing patt ern on the top of the
cent er she lf. Following your nai ling pat-
tern s, attach the bott om and midd le shelf
to the bott om divide r.
Stac k the top divider assembl y (now
attached to the sub top) on top of the bot-
tom divider asse mbly (now attached to the
bottom and middle shelf). Using a framing
SQuare, line up the two major compo nent s
so they're standing plumb and even on all
[our sides (sec fi!."'rc ,I ). When they' re
lined up exactly, clamp t hree pieces of
scrap wood on the middle sh elf to serve as
stoppers. This will keep the two divi der
assemblies from movinz whi le t hey're
nailed Now start dri lling and toe-
nailing- the top divider assembly to t he
middle shelf (set:' figur e 5). Rotate and
re-clamp your stoppers until all four sides
arc drilled and tocnalk-d, bei ng' constantly
on the watch tn not move the twu assem-
blies,
Now cut and assemb le t he base. Glut'
and damp the four mi tered pieces and,
this assembly for a patt er n, cut a
pitx'e of plywood for the sub base so it fits
snugly into the ope ning (flush with top) , I
didn' t want to put any more nail holes in
the ex posed piece th an nece-ssary. so I
nailed and glued :1/.1" by :1/I" nai lers on
the inside of the base and nailed the sub
base down to these (Sl'C fi}, 'ow
screw the base assembly to the rest of the
bookcase up from the bottom.
At this poi nt I na iled the vert ical slats
on, nailing the (' nd pit,t'es of each firs t
-one direc tly on the corner uf the cabi-
IWI. the- other dir ectly in line with the
dividers . Use .1 square to come off the
divider to the exact location. as
sh own in fiJ!un' 7 . To posi tion the two
center strips, cut a spacer block to size by
using a littl e mat h, Simply su btract the
combined width of the two remaining slats
from the distance be tween the two already
up and divide thi s number by 3: that's the
width of the spacer block that you'll need
for posi tioni ng.
Now screw the venee red top ( sri' bOI,
next page) on from under tilt" sub top. Be
very car eful thai your spacing is the same
on all four sides.
Finally, cut the legs out (sa exploded
I'iel(', prerious page) and screw the m to the
lazy su san bea ring, Cen ter and screw this
asse mbly tn the sub base,
Finishing
I used (hrt'l' coats of natural oil finish for
this projt'1..'t , (two befon- assembly and one
after) . a to wi pe off excess after
about 15 minut es. On t he plywoo d and
veneer I used 320 grit sandpaper to sand
the oil in while applyin).t lilt:" first coal. This
crea tes a cher ry colored "mud" which fills
in cracks and provides a smoot h sur face.
On the following coats I rubbed in the oil
anti wipe-d off all after ten minu tes.
!'l lling- in nail holes presented a bit of a
dilemma, due to the varying' color one gets
when working with cherr y. [ experiment-
cd with some filler 011 a scrap piece and
ended up using a mixture of two parts
light birc h and on e par t che r r y fille r
mixed Tn really do the job rig-ht
you 're better off using different colored
filler on different pieces, de pendi ng on
their darkness,
W()ODWU({KER

VENEERING THE TOP

Far this project , I decided to create a
hybrid reverse diamond by using eight
pieces of veneer, cutting identical tri-
angles from Iwo successive sheets for
each quarter of the diamond.
Step 1: Carefully cut a window in slill
ca rdboard In the shape of a fight
angle triangle with two sides 8 5/8'
long. Lay this over two stacked sheets
of veneer at a 45' angle to the grain
and search for an Interesting visual
pattern. Mark lighlly w,th pencil. Using
a razar kmfe and straightedge, repeat-
edly cut edge A with light strokes (see
figure 1) right on the line. Cut edge B
and C as well , but leave an extra 1/4'
for Irimming laler.
Step 2: Using a penci l and straight -
edge, divide the 17.1/4' table top into
four quarters and divide each quarter
mto two triangles (see figure 2).
Step 3: Take the two triangles of
veneer cu t in step I , place on the
table top and flip over the top piece so
edge A of both pieces meets on the
pencil line (see figure 3). Making sure
edge A is right on the pencil line. cut
edge C (refer to figure 1) for each tri-
angle, following the pencil lines drawn
in step 2. Lay these two matched
pieces aside, and repeat steps 1-3
three more times to finish cutting the
pallern. In each case, edge B is
allowed to overhang the edgo of the
top, to be trimmed after assembly.
Step 4: When all cuts are completed,
layout the pattern and, using
gummed veneer tapa, tape all pieces
together on the side to be finished,
tirst with short strips and then with
one long strip (see figure 4). Now fold
the veneer back to expose the edges
and run beads of glue on all joints,
lorming one solid sheet of veneer.
Wipe off all excess. App ly a quality
solvent based contact cement on the
table top and on the back side of the
veneer pattern and let it dry. (Do not
use a water-based contact cement).
Then apply a second coat, let it set and
carefully lay the veneer in place. Using
two coats of contact cement serves to
help retard the penetration of the 0,1 fin-
ish, which otherwise might allect bond-
ing Use a venee r roller or smoothing
blade to assure a good bond. Before
applying 0'1, the top should be allowed to
dry for another 48 hours to allow all the
solvents intheglue toevaporate.
Step 5: Once the top is dry, remove all
overlapping edges (edge B, as shown in
figure 3) to within 1/ 16' , usrnq a ul rlily
knife or plane. The rest can be taken off
with fine sandpaper. App ly a VfY light
first coat of Oil, using 320 grit sandpaper
to sand ,t In (to fill in any cracks and
holes) . Wipe oll after several minutes.
Once the project is completely assem-
bled, two addi tio nal coats can be
applied.
Greg Kossow of Milaca, Minnesota is a finiSh
carpenter u'110 recently attended umoden boat
building school in Port Townsend. tYashingto1l .
II

D
EI
TODA'''SWt) ( )I )\ \ '() RKER JAN/FEB1989
..
B
I
By Rick White

Finishing
Consideri ng the nature of a sliding dove-
tail, I reco mmend that all surfaces bethor-
oughly sealed with a finish. finishing will
inhibit swelli ng of the sliding dovetail com-
ponents during periods of high humidity.
In addition, if yuu are planning to stai n the
project prior to finishing, I recommend
using an oil-based slain.

Wall Mounti ng
Taper co nnectors provide strong, con-
ceale-d joints for wall mountings. To install
them, first rout a groove in the backside of
each wall bracke t slightly wider than the
taper connectors bei ng used. l 11C de pth of
the b'TOOVe should equal the taper counce-
Second. rout two dovetail grooves on the
shelf underside to serve as tracks for the
wall brackets. the wall brackets
will eventually be anchored into wall studs,
positioning these two tracks depends corn-
pletcly on the exact location of the studs
on your selected wall.
Finally, dovetail pins should be cut in the
bookends and brackets to travel within
their respec tive tracks {see 1) .
The sli ding dovetails for the bookend
track 111 11 St have a relatively tight fit to hold
books fir mly upright .
Sliding Dovetails
This design features sliding dovetails for
both the bookends and brackets. Three
dovetail J{Tooves are cut in the shelf, and
pins an' cut in the bookends and brackets.
First. cut one dovetail groove from end
to en d on t he top side of the shelf. This
groove serves as the track for the dove-
tailed bookends. a nd should be locat ed
about 3 1/ 2" from till' back.
hard..... ood strips on both ends and the
front of the panel. Cut t he hardwood for
the two shelf brackets and two bookends
to size , (NOTE: Use a minimum of 3/4
lt
stock for the brackets to accommodate the
width of the ta pe r connectors to be
attached later.)
Now make cardboard template-50 for the
shelf pa nel . wall bracket an d booke nd
design. Trace the patt ern s from the tern-
plates ontu t he respective pieces, whic h
ran be cut with a band saw or scroll saw.
(NOTI';: to keep your pallern symetrica l.
fold your paper, draw OIl one hall, and cut
prior tn unfolding.) Use a roundover bit in
your router to soften the sharp edges ere-
ated from the initial cutting.
The author's sli ding dovetail bookshelf mounts conveniently In an,
rooma. the house. Theweight 01 the books locks the bookendsinto
place. assuring a safe resting place '01 all famil y reference books.
Preparing Materials
The sizes un the materials list (Sit page
/ 7) are for an average size shelf. You can
easily customize th is shelf by us ing a larg-
er or smaller plywood panel for the basic
piece. CuI the primary shelf plywood pa nel
to size and then clamp and glue the 2"
Sliding dovetails accommodate changing
family needs.
FAMILY
BOOKSHELF
M
}' search for the family die-
tionary one night turned
into an exhausting hunt.
Everyone in the house. it
seemed, had a different
place to leave it once they were finished.
After checking about five potential hiding
places. I finally found it tucked away in my
son's room. Clearly, it was time to dt sig
nate a sinJ.dt plarr- for stori ng thi s and oth-
er commonly used hou sehold books.
A cen trally located wall shelf hand y to
all fami ly mem be rs . wou ld be a perfect
solution . I wanted a shelf that would keep
books erect. but wasn't too thrilled over
the idea of heavy bookends on a wall
mounted shelf. The answer to my needs
was a shelf with built -in sliding' bookends
that could easily accommodate an ever-
changing number of books.
JAN/F..:H 1989 TOllAY'S WOODWORKER
I' OLlSII ElJ I'ERJ:ELTION: TIlE ART
OF TURNEDWOOD 80\\1.5
Tlu- collcrtiun of Edward (Bud) Jacobson
will be on display in Madison. Georgia
until March 26th.
('onCk1: Madison-Morgan Center, 4.'/4
So. Main si, Madi son, GA .'/0650.
WOOIlWORKING WOIUJl SHOW
The woodworking Associ ation elf Nor th
America will hold their "Woodworking:
Worl d Show" this year at th e locations
listed below. Shows include free semi-
nars, demonstratio ns an d sail'S:
u.C, (Feb . IH-20); l lou stun.
TX (March :1-5): Buffalu, NY (ApriI T9):
Toledo. 0 11 (April 14 16); Bos'n". MA
(April
Cnntal'C WANA, POHex 706. I 'lymouth
Nil 03264. (603) 536-3876.
FLORIDA STATE FAIR
WOOOTl JRl"ERS
The Florida West Coast woodtum ers will
cosponsor a turn ing:compet ition in
Tampa, Florida fro m Feb. 3-19th.
((Xltat Larry Hasiak, 42 7 f.'. LakeDr,
Land O' lnkrs, FL 31639.
(813) 996-3211.
ACC CRAFT FAIRS
Ame rica n e mf! Enterprises will ho ld
their cra ft fairs this year at the following
locat ions: Baltimore, MD (Feb 17-19) ; St.
Paul. (March :JI-ApriI 2): New York,
NY (May -1-7): Springfield. (luue
25) ; San Francisco. CA (Augus l 11-13).
('OOt' k1: American Craft Enterprises,
l nc.. Box to.Ne Paltz.Nv: 1256 /.
19J4) 25.' ;,(1039.
WOOIlTIi RNING:
Th e Arrowmont Sc hool of Arts a nd Crafts
will conduct four, one- week wood turning
worksh ops. fro m Feb. 27-t\itard l 2-1 in
Gatlinburg. TN.
Con1<k1: ArroU'ItlOHt, Schoo! Of Arts and
Craft s. Bos567, Gatti nbnrg. TN 37738.
(615) .
PROFF$ SIO NAL CRAl-T S11J DlES
Th e worcester Center for Crafts will be
holding- special classes th rou g hout th e
yea r with famous woodworkers .
Cont-w:t: lVorcrstrr Center for Crafts. 25
Sagamore Road, Hvrcester, AlA01605.
15OS) 753-8183.
TAGE FRi ll WORKSIIOI'
Th e Nor thwest ( iu ild of Fine woodwork-
e rs and T he Ce nte r For Wood t' n Boats
present s a Tagr- Fried Lect ure and Work-
shut), fr om April l -l-lfi.
Con tk1: 711e Centerfor IHwdrn Boats
1010 VallrySt.. Seattle, 1114 98103.
(206) 382-2628.
CALENDAR
Groove
Taper connectors (below) are an excell ent
option for hanging heavy objecls on a
wall . To get a nush mounting, router a
groove on Ihe back 01each wall bracket
pis so that the taper connectors come
tocethor.
From here tilt' pieces dovetail together
n ic el y. Sli de the shelf onto the b r ac ket s
and the bookends onto the shelf. To pre-
vent the who le she ll from sliding off th e
bra cke ts wh e n pulling off th e dictionar y, I
recommend securing the shelf onto the
brackets by drilling a hole in each end of
the shelf to p leading into its r e spe ct ive
bra cke t. Inse r ting a brad in each hole safe-
ly secures the s helf.
.------
Rick White, a professional woodwo rker,
sert'es 011 the edit orial advisory board of
Todny's Wnndzm rkrr.
Arouter table makes cuttingthe dovetails for this
project easier.
tor ts de pth to ach ieve a flus h mounting
(see figu re 2 ). Fasten half of each taper
connector into the brack et groove'. posi-
tinning the d osed end of the hardware'just
below the dovetail pill on the bracket, Fas-
ten the companion piece s of eac h taper
connect or into the wall. making sure the
hardware is ancho red into the studs and
prope rly aligned t o rec eive the shelf brack-
ets. Now simply slide on the shelf brac k-
MATERIAL LIST
T xWx L
1 She ll (1) 314 x9 x32 ", (plywood)
2 She ll Ends (2) 3/4 x 2 x 11 (har dwood)
3 SheIt Front (1) 3/4 x 2 x 361.'2 (hardwood)
4 Wall Brackets (2) 3/4 x 6 x 8 (hardwood)
5 Bookends (2) 3/4 x 4112 )( 5 (hardwood)
6 Taper Connectors (2) 4" (hardware)
D

TODAY'$ WOODWORKER JAJ'\/FEB

... TRICKS OF THE TRADE
Tips And Techniques For Tool
Maintenance And Improvement

necessar y. One of the drawbacks of

using this 7' bevel bit is marring the
piece of laminate that the pilot rides
against. Most woodworkers solve this
proble m by lubricating the edge the
pilot ri des on wit h petroleum je lly.
'I1tis is still nor perfect. 11,e met hod I
use is to cover the edge with 3/4"
masking tape and then lubr icate the
tape . , ot only is there no marring bUI
almost all of the lubricant comes off
when you remove the tape.
Bruce Kieffer
SI. 1'0111, /liN
Easy 011
Creosote buildup on your saw blades
can be a drag. .. litera lly, Not only will
your blades lose their edge quicker.
but tlu- buildup will quickly accelerate
to a point where you' re putting unnec-
essary stress on your saw's motor.
A trick I learned many years ago is
to use oven cleaner to eliminate ere-
OSOll' problems. Spray it on. let it sit
for 10 minutes and scru b off with ()()()()
steel wool. Then rinse off any excess
ove n cleaner with water and thorough-
ly dry your blade.
Tim Mauren
Minneapolis, MN
--- - - .-- - - -
Improved Bandsaw Bevel Indicator
In till' boatsh op, where bevels ar e a
way of life, we use this setup on our
handsaw, It e nables the operato r to
check th.. saw angle without ge lling a
stiff neck and also makes the cutting
of swi nging bevels possible. Swinging
bevel s. whic h cha nge angles du ring
the same cut. req uire two people, one
to saw the piece and one to move the
lable 10 the correct degree sett ing.
Whi le you may not need to cut swing-
iug bevel s, the large scale indicator
might come in handy anyway. To add
one to your bandsaw, cut a piece of
wood to se rve as the far e of the ga uge
and bolt it to the handsaw, (holes will
have to be drilled and tapped into the
Ted Gordon
St. LOllis Park, MN
Trimming Plastic laminate
When tri mming plastic laminate you
have several options for carbide tri m-
ming bits to use . I have found that the
solid carbide bits with self pilots work
best. Usc the flush bit wheo trimming
laminat e agains t parti cle board, and
usc the 7' bevel bit when trimming
laminate against laminate. You can
adjust the height of the 7' bevel bit so
accur atel y that vir tually no filing is
Coming Unglued
If you've had the problem of a nicely
done veneer job coming completely
unglued after a couple of coats of fi n-
ish. here's a till that may help. Typical-
ly. the separation is ca used by the
stai n (if used) or the finish pene trat-
ing through the thin veneer and slow-
ly releas ing or diluting the contac t
renn-nt. To solve till' problem. I rec-
ommend two coats of so lvent based
contact cement (allowing the first 10
complete ly dry). a non penetrati ng
type stain. and very light coats of seal-
er and fi nish unt il there is no danger
of penet ratio n of the top coats.
Vem Burns
Menomonie, WI
Tighter Throatplates
To ge t the best quality cross cuts (and
also for safety) replace the throatplate
on your table saw with a sho p-built
one of wood. 11,e dose fit will suppor t
the wood fibers as the sawblade cuts
them on the underside of the board,
resulting in less tear out. Here are the
steps I recommend to put in your cus-
tom throatplate.
(I) Remove the sawblade and lower
the carriage completely.
(2) Using the metal or plast ic throat-
plate that came with your saw as a
templ at e. cut a repl aceme nt out of
hardwood of s light ly less th ickness
thanthe original.
(3) Fit il caref ully to the opening in
your saw table so that it doesn't move
around (This is best done on so me
kind of edge sa nder or wit h a belt
sa nde r in a fixture.)
(4) Drill a fi nger hole that won' t inter-
fere with the blade.
(5) Mark the new pla te where the
metal tabs in the table saw opening
support it.
(6) Drill a pilot hole at each ma rk .
counters ink the holes, and install a
3/8" #6 flat head wood sc rew in eac h
hole.
(7) Level the throatplate with the saw
table, turning the screws in or out as
necessary. At this point, you may want
10 install some type of catching device
at the front end 10 prevent kickback.
(8) Ins tall a blade, and
with t he ca r r iage sti ll
complete ly lowe red, put
i n t he t hru atplate an d
careful ly run tilt' blade UI'
th rough it to the heigh t
you plan to li se it at.
Watch your hands! (Use a
2x4,) Each time you have
to raise thc blade fur ther,
be sure to have it re-cur
your plate fi rst.
Make diffe renl plates
<,..i__.....""-- - - - - - - - - - - - ---t for each dado size and
molding cutter as you need them.
keeping tilt' original throa t plate for
making bevel cuts,
19m TOIlA''1""S WO() I)\\'()RKER
r YESTERDAY'S WOODWORKER
Hot Hide Glue

saw cast ing) . The handl e. which is

also the degree indicator, is then bolt-
ed onto the ou tfeed side of t he saw
table. A 6" square is place d on th e
tablc to line it up 10 ninety degrees to
the blade. This poi nt is then read off
of the pointer and marked on to the
face of the wooden indicator. Repeat
th e process and mark the gauge at
for ty-five degrees. Then lightly mark
off, in five deg ree incre me nts. th e
ang les between, by using the mark-
ings on the existing factor y gauge -
checking for accuracy with a se t of
dividers. This is critical in orde r to get
an accurat e gauge. Then divide the
spaces between these into five equal
parts and you are done. On myoid
Rockwell I can get lS' ovcrbcvel and
about II ' und crbevel. Mark these on
the new indicator face. using the same
process .
Greg Kossow
Milaea.MN

Grinding Fine Tools

Burned edges oft en result when using
a grinder to sharpen high carhon and
high speed steel tool s. When a tool
has be e n b ur ne d , it los es temper
(hardness) at th e affected area. You
ca n prevent this. and prolong the life
of yo ur to ols. by usi ng t he soft er.
whit e aluminum oxide wheels rather
than the gray ones provided with new
grinders. They cut qu ickly and ef fi-
cicntly, but also break down faster and
co st more. Better them t han your
expensive tool s'
Martin Daughenbaugh
Minneapolis. MN
Today's Woodworker pays $30.00
for all Tr icks of the Trade published .
Send yours to Today's Woodworker,
Dept. TrT, Rogers, MN 55374-0044.
TODAY'SWOUDWORKER lAS/FED 1 ~ 9
By John Goff
T he use of hot hide glue in wood-
working is nea rly as old as civilization
itself. dat inz bac k to Ki nl(
Tutankhamen's reign 3000 years ago,
Since th e invention of plastic glues,
however. hot hide glue has seen a
sharp decl ine in use in woodworki ng,
I first began us ing hot hid e glue
. almost five years ago when faced
wit h a tric ky ve neer ing sit ua tion.
Since I "di scovered " hot hide g lue,
th e advantages it has over plastic
glues have made it my glue of choice
almos t exclusively.
To get star ted. you will need a I(lue
pot to heat the glue with water, turn-
ing it into a workable adh esi ve. I
boug ht an electric glue pot that has a
factory adjusted temperature of abo ut
140 degrees. However, l use th e glue
pot as a dou bl e boil er by ac t ually
war ming my glue in a one pint pea nut
butt er jar. The jar sits insi de t he met-
al g lue pot a nd is s urrou nded by
water. This wat e r is jus t t he right
temperature to add to t he g lue as
necessary and is used to clean excess
glue from around joints when glue-
ing-up,
The glue I now use. unlike other
brands I've tried. has a uniform color
to the pellets and seems to be mor e
sticky. Oth er brands have pellets that
var y i n co lo r fro m light to da r k
amber. This varia tion of color has
always raised the ques tion of purit y
and unifor mity in my mind.
I have discovered two advantages
to usi ng a plastic container as a lid
over my gluc pot. First. the lid causes
the glue to hea: UI' faster and it stays
a litt le hotter. This adde d tempera-
ture increases the amo unt of working
time of the glue. Secondly, the use of
a lid s lows the evaporation of water
from t he ghw and almost stops t he
formi ng of a har d crust on the sur-
face of the glue.
I keep an acid bru sh in my gl ue at
all l imes. This br ush ser ves as a
good applicator for most gluing jobs
and I use it .to sti r the g lue wh en
adding water to get the proper co n-
sistency, The best cons iste ncy seems
to be wh en the glue r uns off th e
brush in a stream when the brush is
held above the g lue sur face. To add
water. I have been using a plasti c 12
cc medical syringe.
fly nnw, you're probably wonde ring
why go to all the trouble of measur-
ing, cooking, moni tori ng and adjus t-
i ng t he co ns is te nc y of hide g lue
when it's much easier to jus t pick up
a bott le of modern plast ic glue and
squeeze it out? Following are th e
main reasons I've made hot hide glue
my glue nf choice.
First. it's reversible. With the appli-
cation of heat and moisture (stea m) .
joint s th at are glued toget her with
hide I(lue can be disassembled for
repair or cor rectio n wit hout any
destr uction to the joint. Th is may be
one of the main reasons that chairs
built during the 18th Centur y are still
sur viving and functi onal today.
Second. hide glue was used almost
excl us ively whe n the ve neering of
furni ture was a true art form. Fur ni-
ture from thi s era with loose or blis-
tered veneer can be repaired by sim-
pl y ad di ng ne w hot hid e g l ue
bet ween the veneer and s ubst rate
and t hen clamping. Hide g lue also
makes it poss ible to apply veneer by
using the hammer veneering tech-
nique. This techni que ma kes it possi-
ble to veneer cur ved or nat sur faces
without using a press or caul.
Thi rd, hot hide glue dries to pro-
vide a rigid joint that wnn't creep and
cause a glue line to appear after the
project is completed. As wit h ot her
g lues. the bond between two pieces
when joinc d wit h hi d e g lu e is
stro nger than the wood itself.
Fourth. hide glue won't show up as
a white spot on the surface of your
project should you fail to remove all
squeeze out aft er g lucing-up. The
reason it accepts sta in and finish is
be cau s e hide g lue is orga nic in
natu re. muc h t he sa me as wo od
itself.
The last good reason for using hot
hide I(lue is that it gives you a good
excuse to have that extr a cup of cof-
fee and plan your day whil e waiting
for the gl ue pot to heat.
TWW ISSUE 'I J/F 89.CORR
//1/11/ 11// 11///1/1/1/1/1/////
_------ FINISHING THOUGHTS
Dyes Versus Stains
By Jerry TerHark
38414000000
3.95

The proj ects for the next issue of Today's Woodworker are already shapi ng up.
but we want you to know that we're saving space in the departments for reader's
reactions and ideas. How can you get involved? Here's four ways:
C7 If you have a reaction to this issue's contents (project s too easy. too hard...)
drop a "Letter to the Editor, "cia Today's Woodworker, Rogers. Minnesota
55374-0044.
;'"l Have a "Trick of the Trade" you'd like to share? Send us a description and a
rough skelch (we'lf redraw it). If we use your idea. we'lf pay $30.00.
;'"l Have a new 1001 (or an old favorite) that you think warrants ment ion in Today's
Shop? Let us hear about it.
o Have you ever used a photo from a catalog as the basis for a project? Send
us a color slide of the piece and the appropriate page from the catalog. Add a
brief description of the project and, if we use it in our "REPROs " department.
we'If pay you $100.00.
S hould I use a dye or a stain? Thi s is
a question asked at every level of fin-
ishing and an area that is often mis-
leading. First nf all, what is a stain and
what is a dye? According to the 1825
issue of the Cabinetmaker's Guide:
"Staining differs from the process of
dyeing inasmuch as it penetrates just
below the sur face of the wood. instead
of colouring its su bs tance through-
out.
'111t> stains covered ill thi s ar ticle are
oil based. but the ideas presented hold
tr ue for most solvent base stains as
well. First of all, a stain has three com-
ponents; a carrier, a binder, and a pig-
ment. The carrier is the solution that
makes the stain a liquid - typically
mineral spirits. Nex t is the binder,
which makes it stick to the surfa ce.
Th e most commonly us ed substance
here would be oil modi fied alkyds .
IA1st but not least is the pigment, or
the color. This could be any so lid
mat erial that can be reduced into a
powder. For example, you could take
some dirt out of your garden, gri nd it
finel y (pigme nt) . add a litt le wat er
(car rier), then add a little yellow glue
(binder) and you have created a stain.
Probab ly a pr etty ugly stain. bu t a
stain nonetheless
Chemical companies spend millions
of dollars each year to produce quality
NEXT ISSUE
products at a reasonable price, so it
would not be practical or cost-efficient
to make your own.
Dyes are soluble in water, alcohol
and oil. an d are usu all y cl assified
according to solubility as well as color.
A dye will act ually be carried into the
pores of the wood by the carrier. and
when th e solvent evapora tes it will
leave the color behi nd. Water soluble
colors are known for their light fast-
ness and clarity, alcohol soluble colors
for their quick dryi ng and penetration.
and oil solubles for their penetrat ion
and ease of application.
Just to confuse the issue, there are a
few products that ar e a little mislead-
ing, such as the non-grai n rai sing
(NGR) stains. Th ese usually consist of
alcohol and dye but an' called stains
for marketi ng pu rposes. Th ere ar e
also some produ ct s that cons ist of
both dyes and stai ns. They have an oil
carrier and use an oil dye/pigmented
oil staincombination.
When a student asks me whether 10
use a dye or stain. Illy answer depends
on the piece in question. If it's a refin-
ished piece, I typically reco mmend a
stain - for two reasons. Th e first Is
based on the conservatory aspect of
woodworking. Remember. the design-
er of the piece chose a par ticular type
of stain or dye, whet her it was all that
was availab le or all that the person
could afford . We need to ob se rve
what was original on the piece of fur-
niture and it is our job as finishers to
tr y to preser ve our her itage. The sec-
ond reason I would choose stain for
the piece involves application. A stain
will apply a lot easier, and the clari ty
of the stains today is greatly improved
over yes ter year, Dyes are not readily
s uggeste d for a refini s hed pi ece
beca use the pores are 1I0t necessa rily
ope n to accept the dye.
On the oth er hand. alcohol dyes
work great for touch-up. Say you have
a pi ece of wa lnu t th at has bee n
stained and the sap wood appears
light. A mixture of dye with alcohol
and 10 percent water applied over the
finish in the light spot will darken it
nicely. If water is not used, the alcohol
will bite too quickly and there will be
very little control. I want 10 stress that
thi s procedure is used only over the
fi nish.
Now if the piece in quest ion is the
stude nt's own creation, I tell him to
put on whateve r he wants - it's his-
piece. and who's to say the choice is
wro ng. On my own pieces I usually
prefer a dye because of the clarity and
the depth achi eved with this material.
Last but not least, always remember
that dye s are per manent. as the result
of their ability to penetration. They
are impossible to remove completely,
eve n with sanding. While there are
some products available that claim 10
remove dye s, I have not experi mented
with them enough to see how well
they work. If they live up to the manu-
facturer 's claims, this could be a great
mile st on e for the wood fini shing
indust ry.
Until we meet again, remember, the
proje c t is nev er done unt il it 's
finished!

j erry Terl tark, who lectures nationwide on

unod finishing, studied under master finish-
er George Frank. Jerry is the head of Uako-
ta County Technical Institute's woodfinish-
ing program ill Rosemount. Minnesota.