PLANS PROJECTS JIGS TIPS PAT T E R N S

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2002
Vol.5, No. 1

Build a
Computer Armoire
Work Centre
Make Your Own
Spline Jig
Ten Best Tools
Turn a
Four Centre Vase
Make a
Back Door Bench
FREE Intarsia Pattern
$3.99
Canadian Carving Competition
Visit our website at:
www.canadianwoodworking.com
 A
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VOLUME 5, NO. 1
CONTENTS
FF EE BB RR UU AA RR YY // M AA RR CC HH
M 22 00 00 22
EDITORS
PAUL FULCHER, LINDA FULCHER

WRITERS
CARL DUGUAY, MARK EATON,
HANK ETHIER, REA GIBSON, GARNET HALL,
JIM KOUDYS, GRAHAM MCCULLOCH,
BARB & RUSS MILLER, LOU PEETERS,
DANNY PROULX, PAUL ROSS,
FEATURES
STEVE SIDDALL, MICHEL THERIAULT,
CHESTER VAN NESS
6 POLAR BEAR
BY GARNET HALL
ADVERTISING
PAUL FULCHER, LINDA FULCHER
9 COMPUTER ARMOIRE WORK CENTRE
BY DANNY PROULX
CIRCULATION
NEWS STANDS ACROSS CANADA,
15 SPLINE JIG
SUBSCRIPTIONS VIA CANADIAN POST BY LOU PEETERS
CORPORATION, PARTICIPATING
WOODSHOWS ACROSS CANADA, CANADIAN 17 FOUR CENTRE VASE
WOODWORKING ADVERTISERS, BY PAUL ROSS 9
WOODSHOW EXHIBITORS & COMPETITIONS

CANADIAN WOODWORKING 19 LIE DETECTOR PUZZLE

IS PUBLISHED SIX TIMES PER YEAR: BY REA GIBSON
FEBRUARY/MARCH; APRIL/MAY;
JUNE/JULY; AUGUST/SEPTEMBER; 21 THE REAL THING
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DECEMBER/JANUARY
24 SKID & PALLET PROJECTS
SUBSCRIPTIONS
BY BARB & RUSS MILLER
1 YEAR: 6 ISSUES PER YEAR $15.99 GST INCL.
ATLANTIC CANADA $17.99, USA $25.99, 27 BACK DOOR BENCH
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BACK ISSUES $5.75, USA ORDERS ADD $3.00,
17
OVERSEAS ORDERS ADD $5.00 31 ROUTER ADJUSTMENT
INCLUDES GST, POSTAGE AND HANDLING
MARK EATON
G.S.T. REG. #120447560
ISSN #1497-0023
MAIL PUBLICATION AGREEMENT #40035186
37 DUST COLLECTION
COPYRIGHT 2001 BY CANADIAN WOODWORKING BY CHESTER VAN NESS
MAGAZINE DIV. OF VISION QUEST INCORPORATED

CANADIAN WOODWORKING MAGAZINE 40 BOOK REVIEW: FURNITURE &

RR#3 BURFORD, ON N0E 1A0 CABINET CONSTRUCTION
TEL. (519)449-2444 FAX (519)449-2445 BY MICHEL THERIAULT
email:letters@canadianwoodworking.com
website: www.canadianwoodworking.com
REPRINTING IN WHOLE OR PART IS FORBIDDEN EXCEPT
BY WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHERS. DEPARTMENTS
Please exercise caution when working with any tools or machinery. 3 EDITORS LETTERS
Follow common safety rules and precautions as outlined in any manuals 4 DEAR EDITORS
related to the equipment being used. This publication is sold with the
understanding that (1) the authors and editors are not responsible for the 22 CANADIAN COMPETITIONS 27
results of any actions taken on the basis of information in this publication,
nor for any errors or omissions; and (2) the publisher is not engaged in 23 TOOL TEST
rendering professional advice/services. The publisher, and the authors
and editors, expressly disclaim all and any liability to any person, whether a 25 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
purchaser of this publication or not, in respect of anything and of the 33 COMING EVENTS
consequences of anything done or omitted to be done by any such person
in reliance, whether whole or partial, upon the whole or any part of the 34 TOOL REVIEW
contents of this publication. If advice or other expert assistance is required,
the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Cover photo by
Michael Bowie from Lux Photography, Ottawa

Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com CANADIAN WOODWORKING 1

 RYOBI 18.0V 4-PIECE
SUPER COMBO KIT
includes drill, circular saw,
reciprocating saw, flashlight,
RYOBI 14.4V CORDLESS 2 batteries, 1-hour charger,
DRILL / SAW COMBO KIT and case for
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1-hour charger,
and case for
$198

What’s amazing is not only how many Ryobi™ cordless tools your money
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with any others for features, power, and ergonomic comfort. Once you
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of course. (Where else would you expect to find such values?)
18V SKU# 178-533 14V SKU# 101-243
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editorsletters
LINDA FULCHER
M I
any of us check our answering machines,
mailboxes and email daily to communicate
with others. In our house we discovered a new
way to keep in touch. It’s very low tech and
appeals to the fun-loving side of our friends
and family.
So how does it work? Well, on the half-wall, at the entrance of our
home, we have three little carvings of hound dogs. One is sniffing
the ground, one is howling to the moon and the third is sitting with
that hangdog expression that tells you he ate one of your shoes for
lunch. There is something comical about the carvings to begin
with. I don’t know who was the first one to rearrange my original,
somewhat ordinary display. However, from that day to this, these
dogs have been arranged in what seems to be an infinite variety of
positions. One day someone added a small candy bone. How nice
to give the poor dog a bone. The next day the bone was replaced
with a dog kibble. The third day the kibble had found its way to the
other end of the dog!
As I walk in or out of the house I am intrigued to see
what these dogs will be up to next (and of course, to
make a small adjustment of my own). When we
brought these simple little carvings home from a
wood show we could never have guessed how this
small carving display would refresh our sense of
humour and connectedness.
I have often noted, at various carving competitions,
that many carvers have a good sense of humour. Some
of the displays remind me of a 3D Norman Rockwell
painting.
Other carvings are more realistic and many of them are simply
breath taking! The carvers who produce incredible realism can, as
one carver described it to me: “see with their fingers.” If you think
you have eyes in your fingers, and have never developed this talent,
then attending a wood show and carving competition could lead
you to a carving club you might like to join.
If you want a little inspiration, then take a look at some of the
winning entries from the Windsor Woodcarving Competition on
page 22. Check out our Coming Events and make a note on
your calendar to invite a friend to the next wood show for
a tour around the carving exhibit. Speaking of shows, I
would like to welcome a new show to Canada. The
Moncton Woodshow is coming up this fall. The
woodworkers in the east will be thrilled I am sure.
Look for it in October of 2002.
In carving, as with any area of woodworking, it is
always good to get started with a small project. Get
the feel for it and see if you like it. You never know
what effect your carvings might have on people. Those
three hound dogs sure add a bright moment to our day!
CORRECTION
Re: Office Bookcase (Dec/Jan 02)
The top and bottom boards should be 11 5/8” deep (not 11 7/8” as
stated). The sides will get a 3/8” wide by 1/4” deep rabbet and when
the top and bottom boards are aligned with the front edges of the
sides, everything will fit properly.
Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
PAUL FULCHER
s it just me or is EVERYONE getting into woodworking
these days? As I was was pulling together this issue’s
‘letters to the editors’ I was amazed at both the number of
new woodworkers and their diversity.
Check out the letters yourself. They’re from young and
old, male and female, east coast and west. People writing
for themselves and people writing for family members.
Woodworkers starting out, woodworkers planning their
woodworking shop for their retirement and woodworkers starting
businesses. We heard from teachers looking for projects for their
students and potential students looking for teachers. It seems that
woodworking is being picked up by more people than ever before!
Read through this issue and you will notice that we’re taking note
of these letters to provide you with the woodworking information
that you want and need. After all, as our slogan points out:
“Information is the most important tool in your workshop”.
All the machinery and power tools in the world can’t build
a desk or armoire. You need to know which are the right
tools for the job, how to use those tools and
– especially for beginners – what the finished
product is going to look like.
That’s why we’re packing in as much
woodworking information as we can into this
magazine. Like this issue’s feature by Graham
McCulloch: “The Ten Best Woodworking Tools of
2001”. And, to make your woodworking both more
efficient and safer, we’re giving you a woodworking jig
every issue. This issue gives you a spline jig for cross grain mitre
joints: a joint that is both practical and attractive. By the time this
series is done you’ll have a great range of jigs that will make a real
difference in your shop. For those of you who already know the
value of jigs, and have some of your own, be sure to get involved in
our Jig Contest. There are some great prizes from DeWalt,
MinWax, LePage and Quick-Grip. All you need to do is send us
info on your jig (see ad for the contest on page 39). You may even
get your creation published in a future issue of Canadian
Woodworking.
Talking about contests, check out our new
subscription contest (also on page 39). We are giving
away a Bosch Random Orbital Sander. If you are
already a subscriber, don’t be discouraged. You can
still be eligible by renewing or extending your
subscription.
So read on. Take in all the woodworking
information and put it to good use. If there is something
you want to see in upcoming issues, let me know. If you
would like to submit something so other woodworkers will
benefit, send it through. But most importantly, pass on some of
what you know to the beginning woodworkers around you. There
are a lot of them, and they’ll advance in their hobby by learning
anything you teach them. If you like, send them to our website
(www.canadianwoodworking.com) to get a free sample copy of
Canadian Woodworking.
CANADIAN WOODWORKING 3
 LETTERS
deareditors
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
I may very well be interested in a
subscription to Canadian Woodworking.
The free issue is a nice sales tactic. I am not
at all interested in getting unending sh*t in
my email.
Gary Oates
Torbay NF
Dear Gary
Don’t worry Gary. We treat others as we
would like to be treated. No hidden
agendas, no tricks or gimmicks. We send
out free samples because we know that
once you see what we’ve got you’ll want it.
We don’t sell our lists or flood you with
unwanted letters and email ... we hate that!
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
I am a beginner hobbyist (for me that
means high in interest, but low in skill).
Your magazine has been highly recom-
mended to me by one of your subscribers. I
look forward to receiving my first copy.
Joe Molloy
Perth, ON
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
Please send me a trial issue of your
magazine. I just got a rotary tool and am
very interested in finding new easy
projects to do. I have never used one, so I
may waste a few pieces of wood.
Mrs. E. Bedard
Anjou, PQ
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
I’m beginning to make woodworking a
hobby, so I am just trying to find a
magazine to learn more. Thanks for the
trial issue.
Karl Hammer
Sydenham, ON
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
I’m getting into woodworking and I’m
looking for magazines that have projects,
information and recommendations for
woodworking tools. I appreciate the trial
issue
Marc De Groote
Nobel, ON
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
Just beginning to make my own furniture.
Need a good step-by-step magazine to
show me the ins and outs. Your magazine
looks like it. Thanks.
Pascal Beauchamp
Aylmer, PQ
4 CANADIAN WOODWORKING
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
I’m a new woodworker looking for a
down-to-earth woodworking magazine.
Can’t wait to see yours!
Don Sabean
Lantz, NS
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
I would be interested in anything helpful
to the beginner woodworker. Thanks.
Michael Jarosz
Toronto, ON
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
I am in the process of setting up a hobby-
ist woodworking shop for my retirement. I
hope that your magazine will help.
Donald Posluns
Toronto, ON
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
Starting to turn my hand to various wood-
working projects...still a beginner...have
obtained various tools (and power tools)
over the years to enable me to attempt
slightly more ambitious projects than
hanging shelves! Thanks muchly.
Pete Tomlin
Whitby, ON
Graham McCulloch replies to a letter
from Mike (see Dec/Jan 2002 issue)
Dear Mike
The PTL (pressure treated lumber)
industry has been down-playing the toxic
issues for decades and has an extremely
strong lobby in Ottawa. This is probably
the cause of the delay in issuing a federal
study of the problem by our environmental
experts. The government has finally
“asked” the PTL producers to voluntarily
put a small warning label on each board
that they produce. A mere slap on the wrist.
I think that these “labels” will get lost in
the shuffle.
If being factual about the safety hazards
of PTL seems like alarmist reporting, so be
it. I would rather see production of PTL (in
its present chemical makeup) halted
altogether rather than see my grandchild or
family pet put their mouth on the edge of a
picnic table. Your reference to PTL built
garden planters being used for decades is
really inconclusive. The leaching has long
term effects and it is highly unlikely that
people that own them have ever done soil
tests. They have built their planters out of
PTL as a result of the hype issued by the
industry.
I truly hope that by reporting the truth
about this hazardous material will deter
people from using it or, at the very least,
spur the industry into issuing large, perma-
nent “Hazardous Material” warnings on
every piece produced and sold.
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
I would like to receive a free sample of
your magazine. I am interested to see what
it has to offer in regards to helpful hints,
features and possible projects for the
average weekend woodworker.
Russ Bissett
Duncan, BC
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
I’m interested in anything related to
scroll saw projects, techniques,
accessories, patterns, etremely fine blades.
Bill Hlibka
Hamlet of Bridgenorth, ON
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
Your magazine looks very interesting. I
am mostly interested in any type of
woodcraft projects. Thank-you!
Susan Plaus
Surrey, BC
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
I would like to find more information
about woodworking shops near me.
Thanks.
George Loukas
Pickering, ON
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
If you have any information on courses in
the Whitby/Oshawa area I would really
appreciate it if you would let me know.
Thank-you.
Bob Rodkin
Whitby, ON
Dear George and Bob:
You wouldn’t believe the number of
requests that we get like yours. Woodwork-
ers everywhere are seeking to hone their
skills and build new skills with a variety of
equipment.
You’ll be glad to know that there are a
number of woodworking shops opening up
across Canada to respond to your need. We
have a couple of them advertising in this
issue and several more coming online in
the next couple of months.
Until then, go to our WOOD FORUM
(www.canadianwoodworking.com) and
ask there where such shops are. I have
recently seen a number of such shops
mentioned.
Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
fulcher@canadianwood- fulcher@canadianwood-
working.com working.com
Love the Forum. Thanks so much for sending
Brad Harron
Erin, ON
me a second copy of Canadian
Woodworking, after I didn’t
receive my first. It came today
Tax Free
fulcher@canadianwood- and I’ve already started on this
working.com
Outstanding website (and
Forum) for us up-and-coming
month’s puzzle. I like your
magazine because your instruc-
tions are clear and the projects
Event!
woodworkers! are varied and not too difficult. A discount equivalent to the tax will be deducted from your tuition.
Steve Gallant Keep up the good work. Mark Eaton
Halifax, NS Cathy Rideough Head Instructor
Point Claire, PQ
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Thanks. of material. The choice is yours.
Jean Lefebvre Ron Thompson
Waterloo, ON Brandon, MB

fulcher@canadianwood-
working.com
Classes
■ continued on page 30
We are just setting up a small
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and are looking for
starting at just
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NOW
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Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com CANADIAN WOODWORKING 5

woodcraft BY GARNET HALL
Polar Bear
T
his project is fairly easy and
straight forward. It should be a
good craft seller because it can
be made to sell for under $50.
I used aspen for the bear and
spruce for the ice to provide
some contrast. Both are easy woods to find
and not too expensive.
Transfer the pattern to the wood.
Start by transferring the project to the
wood. I like to make a template, but gluing
the pattern pieces to the wood will also
work.
Cut the pieces out.
Cut carefully and the pieces will fit
better. A good blade and the way you hold
your mouth are very important. I like a #7
Precision Skip or Double Tooth/Reverse
blade.
MATERIAL LIST
1 p c . 1” x 6” x 24” - Aspen
1 p c . 1” x 4” x 16” - Spruce or Pine
1 square inch - Black Walnut
1 p c . 1/4” x 10” x 16” - Plywood
6 CANADIAN WOODWORKING
Assemble and check for fit.
Fitting can be a grief. Use a ‘light box’ to
see where the places are that are holding
the pieces apart. Mark them and sand or
cut these places down. You can also use a
piece of carbon paper between the pieces.
The high spots will be marked by the
carbon paper and you will know where to
sand or cut.
Work away until you have all the pieces
fitting within 10.000 of an inch, or a saw
kerf, whichever comes first.
Raise or lower the pieces as the pattern
suggests. I use scrap 1/8” and 1/4”
plywood for this. Lower pieces by
resawing them thinner.
Shaping and Sanding.
Any sanding tools will work, including
sand paper. Make sure you wear a dust
mask. Take wood dust seriously. All your
tools should be hooked up to a dust
collector with an air filtration device. I like
using a small pneumatic drum sander in a
flex shaft. I use a carving style to get the
shape I want. I have found this method
gives more control over the process.
Try to achieve as much definition with
the shaping as possible. You want to make
it look realistic, so round over the pieces. It
will give the bear a more realistic
appearance.
I don’t sand past 220 or even 180. I figure
the less dust I create the better.
Glue up and round over.
Trace the project on the backing material.
The best backing is baltic birch but any
good quality 1/4” plywood will work. I
usually use oak or birch.
Cut out the back and glue the project on
the backing material with ordinary white
carpenter’s glue.
Finish.
The final step is the finish. To keep the
wood as white as possible use a water base
clear finish, like Flecto’s Diamond finish.
A water base finish raises the grain of the
wood, so more sanding will be required
between coats.
Three coats on the front and one on the
back should be enough.
Attach a hanger and it’s done.
If you enjoy making this project,
remember, it’s ideal for selling at craft
shows for under $50.
GARNET HALL is an intarsia artist living in
Stoughton, SK. 1-800-729-2473 www.sawbird.com
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 Pattern reduced to 50%.
Can be sized to preference.

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8 CANADIAN WOODWORKING Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com

featureproject BY DANNY PROULX

Computer Armoire
Work Centre
A
n armoire work
center solves many
housekeeping
problems for the busy home-
office worker.
Most importantly, the center organizes all
your documents and equipment in one
place. You don’t have to lug everything out
each time you begin working – just open
the doors and start being productive. When
you have guests drop in, simply close the
doors. It’s the instant office that’s perfect
for the bedroom, family room or a large
kitchen. This is an easy project to build and
will be very much appreciated by a busy
home office worker.
The armoire has large doors that have
bulletin and memo boards on the backside.
There’s even a place to hold documents
that you are currently using.
The adjustable bookshelf is large enough
to store CDs, books and directories. The
drawer bank has two utility drawers, as
well as a hanging file drawer.
The computer monitor sits directly above
a large wood pullout that holds a keyboard.
It’s set low enough to make keyboarding
comfortable and the computer CPU is
mounted on a pullout tray for easy disk
insertion and removal. There’s even a
small shelf beside the CPU tray that’s
perfect for storing all your paper supplies.
■ Photo Credit: Michael Bowie, Lux Photography, Ottawa, Ontario

BUILDING THE ARMOIRE

STEP 1
Prepare both side panels by cutting a 3/4”
wide by 3/8” deep rabbet on the inside
back edge of each panel. Use a router and
straight bit with a guide or form the rabbet
on a router table.

STEP 2
The backboard is secured to the two side
panels in the rabbet cuts. Use glue and 2”
finishing nails driven from the back side of
the panel into the side edges.

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MATERIAL LIST
2 ( A ) 3/4” x 23 1/4” x 72”
Sides, Oak Veneer Plywood
1 ( B ) 3/4” x 48” x 72”
Back, Oak Veneer Plywood
1 ( C ) 3/4” x 22 1/2” x 47 1/4”
Top, Oak Veneer Plywood
1 ( D ) 3/4” x 15 1/4” x 47 1/4”
Bottom, Oak Veneer Plywood
1 ( E ) 3/4” x 1 1/2” x 47 1/4”
Bottom Edge Board, Solid Oak
2 ( F ) 3/4” x 3 1/2” x 23 1/4”
Base Trim Boards, Solid Oak
2 ( G ) 3/4” x 3/4” x 18 3/4”
Desktop Cleats, Solid Oak
1 ( H ) 3/4” x 3/4” x 45 3/4”
Desktop Cleat, Solid Oak
1 ( J ) 3/4” x 18 3/4” x 47 1/4”
Desktop, Oak Veneer Plywood
1 ( K ) 3/4” x 1 1/2” x 47 1/4”
Desktop Edge, Solid Oak
2 ( L ) 3/4” x 1 1/2” x 72”
Stiles, Solid Oak
1 (M) 3/4” x 5 1/4” x 45 3/4”
Rail, Solid Oak
2 (N) 3/4” x 3 1/4” x 26 7/8”
Side Head Casing, Solid Oak
Angle Cut
1 (P) 3/4” x 3 1/4” x 54 3/4”
Front Head Casing, Solid Oak
Angle Cut
2 (Q) 3/4” x 3 1/8” x 26 1/4”
Side Crown Moulding, Solid Oak
Angle Cut
1 (R) 3/4” x 3 1/8” x 53 1/4”
Front Crown Moulding, Solid Oak
Angle Cut
Drawer Compartments & Drawers
2 (S) 3/4” x 18 3/4” x 27”
Sides, Oak Veneer Plywood
1 (T) 3/4” x 18 3/4” x 17 1/4”
Bottom & Top, Oak Veneer Plywood
1 (U) 3/4” x 2” x 27”
Side Spacer Cleat, Oak Veneer Plywood
2 (V) 3/4” x 2” x 18”
Top Spacers, Oak Veneer Plywood
2 (W) 1/2” x 4 1/2” x 18”
Top Drawer Sides, Baltic Birch Plywood
2 (X) 1/2” x 4 1/2” x 15 3/4”
Drawer Front & Back,
Baltic Birch Plywood
1 (Y) 1/2” x 16 1/4” x 18”
Top Drawer Bottom, Baltic Birch Plywood
2 (Z) 1/2” x 5” x 18”
Middle Drawer Sides, Baltic Birch Plywood
2 (A A) 1/2” x 5” x 15 3/4”
Front & Back, Baltic Birch Plywood
1 (B B) 1/2” x 16 1/4” x 18”
Middle Drawer Bottom,
Baltic Birch Plywood
10 CANADIAN WOODWORKING
MATERIAL LIST
2 (C C) 1/2” x 10” x 18”
File Drawer Sides, Baltic Birch Plywood
2 (D D) 1/2” x 10” x 15 3/4”
Front & Back, Baltic Birch Plywood
1 (E E) 1/2” x 16 1/4” x 18”
File Drawer Bottom,
Baltic Birch Plywood
1 (F F) 3/4” x 6 1/2” x 18 1/2”
Top Drawer Face, Oak Veneer Plywood
Edge with wood veneer tape.
1 (G G) 3/4” x 6 1/2” x 18 1/2”
Middle Drawer Face,
Oak Veneer Plywood
Edge with wood veneer tape.
2 (H H) 3/4” x 13 1/2” x 18 1/2”
Bottom Drawer Face,
Oak Veneer Plywood
Edge with wood veneer tape.
Keyboard Pull-Out
2 (J J) 3/4” x 3 1/4” x 18”
Horizontal Support Cleats,
Oak Veneer Plywood
2 (K K) 3/4” x 3 1/4” x 18”
Vertical Support Cleats, Solid Oak
2 (L L) 3/4” x 1 1/2” x 18”
Sides, Solid Oak
2 (M M) 3/4” x 1 1/2” x 21 3/4”
Front & Back, Oak Veneer Plywood
1 (N N) 3/4” x 21 3/4” x 12 1/2”
Centre Panel, Oak Veneer Plywood
CPU Pull-Out
2 (P P) 3/4” x 3/4” x 16”
Cleats, Solid Oak
2 (Q Q) 3/4” x 3 1/2” x 16”
Vertical Supports, Solid Oak
1 (R R) 3/4” x 11” x 16”
Pull Out Tray, Solid Oak
Paper Storage Shelf
2 (S S) 3/4” x 11” x 20”
Sides, Oak Veneer Plywood
3 (T T) 3/4” x 11” x 12”
Shelves, Oak Veneer Plywood
Bookcase
4 (U U) 3/4” x 12” x 20”
Sides, Oak Veneer Plywood
4 (V V) 3/4” x 12” x 22 1/8”
Bottoms & Tops, Oak Veneer Plywood
2 (W W) 3/4” x 12” x 22”
Adjustable Shelves, Oak Veneer Plywood
Doors
2 (X X) 3/4” x 3” x 71 1/4”
Hinge Support Spacers,
Oak Veneer Plywood
4 (Y Y) 3/4” x 3” x 67”
Stiles, Solid Oak
6 (Z Z) 3/4” x 3” x 18 3/8”
Rails, Solid Oak
4 (A B) 1/4” x 18 1/4” x 30”
Centre Panels, Oak Veneer Plywood
HARDWARE LIST
Screws
Nails
Glue
Biscuits or Dowels
Three-quarter Extension Drawer Guides
Full-extension Drawer Guides for the File Drawer
107˚ Hidden Hinges
170˚ Hidden Hinges
Cable Hole Grommets
Commercial CD Racks (optional)
Pull-out Keyboard Tray
Drawer and Door Handles
Metal Brackets
STEP 3
The top board is attached to the sides and
backboard with glue and 2” screws. It’s
installed flush with the top edges of both
sides as well as the backboard. The screws
can be driven through the side panels
because the heads will be covered with
trim molding.
STEP 4
Cut the bottom board to size as detailed
in the materials list. You’ll also need to
prepare the solid wood strip (E) to cover
the front edge on this panel.
The edge strip should be rounded over on
the front face with a 3/8” round over bit.
Attach it to the bottom board, with its top
edge flush with the top surface of the
panel, using glue and biscuits or nails.
Install the bottom board using glue and
2” long screws driven through the sides
and back panel. These screw heads will
also be hidden with trim molding. The top
surface of this board should be 1 1/2”
above the bottom edges of the sides and
back panels.
STEP 5
The solid wood base trim boards (F) are
installed on the lower end of each side
panel. Before securing the boards use a
3/8” round over bit to remove the top and
both end edges.
Attach the trim pieces with glue and
1 1/4” screws. The screw heads are
installed under the bottom board and the
trim is clamped only where the screw
heads would be visible in front of the
bottom board.
Pre-drill the holes in each
TIP cleat for screws that will be used
to support the desktop. The
cleats are only 3/4” wide and it’s difficult
to get a drill located correctly after they
are installed. Use a bit larger than the
screw shaft so the desktop will be tightly
drawn to the cleat surface. The screws
can only spin freely in the cleats and
thread tightly in the underside of the
desktop, securing it properly.
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 Side
Head Casing N
Front
Head Casing P
Crown Molding R
Adjustable Shelf WW
Crown Molding Q
Side A

Top C Rail M
Hinge Support
Spacer XX
Side UU Groove for rail
tenons & panels
Top V V Rail ZZ Tenon
Bottom V V
Back B
Hinge Support
Strip XX

3/8" deep x Center

3/4" wide Panel
rabbet for back Desk Top J AB
Cleat G
Desk Top Edge K
Center Panel NN
Wire Passage
Hole

Cleat H
Horizontal Side LL
Support Stile
Cleat JJ YY
24 1/4"
Vertical Front &
Support Back MM
Cleat KK

29 1/4"
Wire Passage Hole

12"

1 1/2" 4"

5"
Bottom D
Pull Out Tray RR
Side Spacer Cleat U
Cleat PP
Drawer Face HH
Edge Board E
Top T
Vertical Drawer Side S
Support QQ
1/4" deep x 3/4" Top Spacer V
Stile L wide dado
Shelves TT
Base Trim Board F Side SS

Illustration by Len Churchill

Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com CANADIAN WOODWORKING 11
STEP 6
Secure the three desktop support cleats
(G) and (H) with glue and 1 1/4” screws.
Pre-drill the holes in the cleats to avoid
cracking the thin strips. Attach the cleats so
their top edges are 29 1/4” above the floor.
STEP 7
The desktop (J) requires a hardwood
edge strip (K), similar to the bottom board.
Dress the hardwood edge with a 3/8”
router bit after attaching it to the desktop.
Secure the completed top to the support
cleats with glue and 1 1/4” screws.
STEP 8
Cut the two stiles (L) and install one
before proceeding further. The stiles are
secured flush with the outside face of each
side panel and secured with glue and
finishing nails. Countersink the nail holes
and fill with wood putty.
STEP 9
The upper rail (M) is secured with glue
and biscuits into the stile edges. It is also
face nailed to the edge of the top board. If
you don’t own a biscuit joiner, use dowels
or small wood blocks on the backside to
attach the rail and stiles. Install the second
stile now.
STEP 10
While the cabinet is on its back, cut and
install the head casing. The trim is made by
rounding over the front edge of a 1 x 4
board and cutting it to size. Once the edge
is rounded over, cut the 45-degree mitered
STEP 2
STEP 7
STEP 10
12 CANADIAN WOODWORKING
corners. This head casing extends 2 1/2”
past the front and side faces of the cabinet.
It’s secured with glue and 1 1/4” screws.
Now is a great time to sand the
TIP face frame smooth. It’s also
worth taking time to fill the nail
head holes before the crown moulding is
attached.
STEP 11
Stock 3 1/8” high crown moulding is
glued and nailed at an angle between the
cabinet and head casing. You’ll need three
pieces cut at a 45-degree angle as detailed
in the materials list.
Crown moulding can be
TIP accurately cut at 45 degrees if
placed correctly in your miter
box or saw. Always place the crown
upside-down on the miter saw. In other
words, think of the saw table as the
ceiling and the backboard as the wall
surface. Orient the crown so its top rests
squarely on the saw table and the bottom
tightly against the saw backstop. You’ll
get a perfect miter cut each and every
time.
STEP 12
Use a 3/8” roundover bit in a hand held
router to ease the outside edge of both
cabinet stiles. The router will stop at the
crown, which will be the end point of each
cut.
STEP 4
STEP 8
STEP 12
BUILDING THE DRAWER BANK
STEP 13
The drawer compartment contains two
utility drawers and a file drawer. Hanging
hardware for file folders require the
supports at 15 1/4” wide. This dimension
determines the width of the drawer
compartment. The outside dimensions,
using 3/4” thick veneer plywood, will be
18 3/4” deep by 18 3/4” wide and 27” high.
Cut pieces (S) and (T) to size and apply
wood veneer edge tape to the outside
edges. Join the sides to the bottom and top
boards using 2” screws and glue. Counter-
bore the screw holes on the left hand side
and fill with wood plugs. The other side
will not be visible.
STEP 14
Attach the spacer cleat (U) to the right
front edge of the compartment using glue
and screws. This spacer will provide
clearance when opening the drawers. A
piece of 3/4” thick plywood veneer will
work fine. Secure the two top spacers (V)
on the underside of the desktop using
1 1/4” screws. These spacers will fill the
compartment to desktop gap. Install the
compartment and anchor it with two 1 1/4”
screws through the top and bottom boards.
STEP 15
Cut all the pieces of 1/2” thick Baltic
Birch plywood for the three drawer boxes.
Each drawer side requires a 1/2” wide by
1/4” deep rabbet on both inside ends.
Install the bottom mount drawer glides so
there’s a 2” space above the file drawer and
1” space above each utility drawer box.
STEP 5
STEP 9
STEP 14
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 Use 18” long full extension drawer glides
for the file drawer and 18” bottom
mounted glides for the utility drawers.
I’ve installed 1 1/2” wide by 1/8” thick
flat aluminum, 3/8” above the drawer edge,
to support the hanging file folders.
STEP 16
The three drawer faces are made with
3/4” thick veneer plywood. All the edges
have iron-on veneer tape to hide the
plywood core. The bottom drawer face is
installed first and secured flush with the
lower edge of the compartment’s bottom
board. Install the middle face with a 1/16”
space between faces. The simplest way to
locate drawer faces is to drill the handle
hole and drive a screw through that hole
into the box. This will secure the face until
two 1” screws can be installed through the
back of the drawer box front board and into
the drawer face.
THE KEYBOARD PULL-OUT TRAY
STEP 17
The plywood supports are attached to the
underside of the desktop with 1 1/4”
screws and won’t be seen. There are four
pullout keyboard tray supports. Two are
made from 3/4” thick plywood veneer and
the two vertical members that will be
visible, are solid wood. Glue and screw the
plywood pieces to the solid wood verticals
forming two right-angled brackets. Round
over the front lower corner on the solid
wood supports with a belt sander. Secure
the brackets to the desktop so the inside
faces of the vertical supports are 24 1/4”
apart.
STEP 18
Assemble the keyboard tray as shown.
The hardwood sides, front and back strips
are secured with glue and screws so they
are 3/4” above the plywood veneer panel.
Counterbore the screw holes and fill with
wood plugs.
STEP 20
STEP 26
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Use a 1/4” roundover bit in a router to
ease all the hardwood support edges.
The tray is fitted with a full extension 18”
drawer glide. The side pieces are 18” long
but the tray platform, including the
hardwood front and back rails, are 14”
deep. This will provide room at the back of
the pull-out for wires from the keyboard,
monitor, and printer. Mount the drawer
glide cabinet members as low as possible
on the support brackets.
STEP 19
Drill a wire passage hole for a grommet
at the back of the desktop. Position the hole
near the centre of the keyboard pullout
tray. Use a large diameter grommet to
accommodate the large printer cable end.
Drill an additional hole under the desk top,
through the back board, for a power supply
cord.
BUILDING THE CPU PULL-OUT
STEP 20
The CPU pullout is mounted on 16”
bottom mounted drawer glides. Cut the
parts and make the two support brackets as
shown. Round over the tops of each
upright.
STEP 21
Install the CPU pullout brackets with
1 1/4” screws driven into the bottom board.
Space the inside faces of the vertical
members 12” apart. The platform is 3/4”
veneer plywood with iron-on taped edges.
Mount the platform on standard 16”
bottom mounted drawer glides.
STEP 15
STEP 23
STEP 28
PAPER STORAGE
STEP 22
Build a paper storage compartment using
3/4” veneer plywood and apply wood
veneer to the front edges. Dado and rabbet
the compartment sides and clamp the
assembly until the adhesive sets. Edge tape
the boards before making the router cuts so
the edge veneer will be cut cleanly. This
compartment fits between the CPU pullout
and drawer compartment and does not
have to be secured to the armoire carcass.
BUILDING THE BOOKCASES
STEP 23
The upper bookcases are two simple
boxes with shelf pinholes drilled for
adjustable shelving. You must build two
boxes, as one full width case cannot be
installed in the armoire carcass. Apply
wood veneer edge tape to all exposed
edges. Join the sides to the bottom and top
boards using glue and 2” screws.
I installed the cases with 1 1/2” long
screws and decorative washers. I did not
glue them in place in case they need to be
altered when I purchase new computer
equipment.
FRAME & PANEL DOOR CONSTRUCTION
STEP 24
Before constructing the doors, install two
hinge plate support spacers as shown,
using 1 1/4” #6 wood screws. These are
necessary when using hidden hinges with a
STEP 18
STEP 24
STEP 29
CANADIAN WOODWORKING 13
standard mounting plate. The cabinet side,
where the plates will be attached, must be
flush with the inside faces of the stiles.
Apply wood veneer edge tape to one long
edge of each board. This will be the inside
visible edge. Use glue and clamp the
supports in place until the adhesive sets.
The required door width is
TIP calculated by adding 1” to the
interior cabinet dimension.
Inside stile face to inside stile face is
45 3/4” making the combined door width
46 3/4”. Dividing this value by two (for
two doors) means that each door is
23 3/8” wide. The height is not as critical,
but you want the door 1 1/2” off the
ground and overlapping the part of the
top rail. For this application the height is
67”.
STEP 25
The four stiles require a groove in the
centre of one edge that’s 1/4” wide and
1/2” deep. These cuts are easily made with
a properly aligned table saw.
STEP 26
Four of the rails need a 1/4” wide by 1/2”
deep groove in the centre of one long edge.
The remaining two, which are the centre
rails for each door, require the groove on
both long edges.
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14 CANADIAN WOODWORKING
STEP 27
All the rails require a tenon centred on
each end. This tenon is 1/4” thick and 1/2”
deep. The table saw is the perfect tool to
make these tenons. You’ll need to make a
number of passes on each board but it’s a
quick and easy task to complete.
STEP 28
Attach the middle rail in the centre of two
stiles. Use glue on the tenon and pin the
joint with a brad nail on the backside of the
door. Dry fit the two end rails by clamping
them in place temporarily.
Use a 3/8” round over bit in a router to
round over the inside frame edges. Be sure
the router bit bearing is riding on solid
wood below the grooves.
STEP 29
Cut the four 1/4” thick veneer plywood
centre panels (AB). Slip the panels into
their grooves but don’t glue them in place.
Apply glue to the tenons on each end rail,
install them in the grooves making sure
they are flush with the stile ends, and
clamp each assembly. Pin the tenon with a
brad nail on the back side of the door.
STEP 30
Once the door joints are set, round over
the outside profile using a 3/8” round over
bit.
STEP 31
Drill 35mm diameter holes, 1/8” from the
door edge, for the hidden hinges. Each
door will be mounted on three 170-degree
hinges for maximum opening swing and
support. Attach the mounting plates with
1 1/4” screws when the door is held 1 1/2”
above the floor.
STEP 32
The backs of each door, in the centre
panel area, can be fitted with various
materials. On one door I’ve installed a 1/2”
thick cork bulletin board. This material is
available in sheets and can be found in
most home stores.
I secured the corkboard with mirror clips
for easy removal and replacement.
Remember to drill pilot holes for the
screws, as you will be installing them near
the frame edges.
STEP 33
Another alternative for door backs is 1/4”
thick white board. It makes a great note
board for those telephone calls and
meeting reminders. I found that common
storm window clips made of plastic
worked well to hold the panel. It is also
easily removed when I want to change
boards.
STEP 34
There are dozens of inexpensive plastic
trays, bins, and paper holders available at
your local office supply store. You can
install any number of these to suit your
own requirements. I’ve used plastic file
holder trays and attached them to wood
strips. It’s the perfect place for active files
or phone books.
CONSTRUCTION NOTES
The armoire was finished with three
coats of polyurethane. I then rubbed on a
hard coat of paste wax with extra fine steel
wool and buffed all the surfaces.
The interior compartment positions and
sizes can be altered to suit your needs. Any
layout is possible, with the exception of the
desktop, which should be 30” above the
floor, and the interior width of the hanging
file cabinet drawer.
Your centre may be better suited to your
needs with the keyboard tray on the right
hand side. If that’s the case, install the
drawer compartment on the left. You may
not require a file drawer so the
compartment size can be changed.
The bookcase module shown on my
armoire will hold reference manuals, a few
CDs, and software. But the case can be
built higher, lower, or shorter. If you have a
lot of CDs, a longer section, extended to
the desktop with smaller shelf spacing, is a
possible option.
For those of you with a number of
accessories such as a scanner, external
drives, or other hardware, consider
eliminating one part of the bookcase to
make room for an equipment shelf stack.
The pull-out tray for the keyboard can be
widened to accommodate a mouse pad by
lowering the drawer compartment. The
paper storage shelf can be a printer stand
with a few modifications. Mine is only one
design – there are many possibilities.
My wood of choice for this project was
oak. However, any sheet material is
suitable. Using medium density fibreboard
(MDF) or plywood and then painting can
reduce the cost. I’ve used 3/4” plywood
veneer for the carcass, including the
backboard. The “box” must be strong and
stable to support all the equipment and to
provide a sturdy workspace. The overall
“look” of the cabinet can be changed with
different mouldings to match any furniture
style. For example, a thin top moulding
will make the cabinet appear more
streamlined and modern.
Finally, search the office supply
stationery stores for some of the great
plastic accessories that can be attached to
the doors or installed in the cabinet. They
are usually inexpensive and really help to
organize your workspace.
DANNY PROULX is a woodworking author and teacher.
www.cabinetmaking.com or
email danny@cabinetmaking.com
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woodjigs BY LOU PEETERS
Spline
Jig
O
ne of the most
difficult joints to
assemble is the
cross grain mitre
joint. This joint
always tends to slip out of
alignment when the glue is applied.
Whether you are using solid wood
or plywood veneered stock, one of
the easiest ways to stop the slippage
is to insert a spline. Another way to
stop such slippage is to use a
biscuit, but that is not as decorative.
When you use a spline, you can
actually accent the joint with a
different coloured wood.
The spline jig is a very popular jig
that I have designed for the sliding
compound mitre saw. It was
featured on the television show “In
the Workshop” on HGTV. Since the
show, there has been a lot of interest
in knowing how to make and use
the spline jig.
The jigs in my shop may not look
fancy, but they do work! I have
actually tried to re-make some of
them in an effort to make them look
better. But for some reason, they
just don’t work as well.
MAKING THE SPLINE JIG
Select some 1/4” plywood that is
1 1/2” wider than the table of your
mitre saw.
Glue a 3/4 x 3/4 locator cleat on
each side of the plywood to stop
any side to side movement.
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Fasten an auxiliary fence to the
plywood. That will allow for the
radius (of the back of the blade) so
that when you cut down, you will
start cutting at full depth. I used a 2”
fence for my DeWalt DW 708 saw.
Yours could be different, depending
on where the blade is in relation to
your fence.
Your saw needs a depth stop. Flip
the stop down and adjust the cutting
depth with the saw beveled at 45
degrees and the mitre angle at
0 degrees.
Find the location in the mitre that
you want to cut and mark the tip of
your workpiece. Glue a small stop
block at this location to ensure
repeat accuracy.
With the jig removed cut your
mitres at 45 degrees.
Place the jig on you saw and don’t
forget to flip your depth stop down
or you will cut right through your
new jig.
Now cut your spline grooves in
both pieces.
Make and install your splines to
match your groove widths, but be
careful – there are many different
blade widths on the market. You
will have to adjust accordingly.
There you have it. Now you have
a jig to help you make a cross grain
mitre joint.
LOU PEETERS is a professional cabinetmaker
and seminar presenter, living in
Woodstock, Ontario. (519) 539-1437 Oak cross grain mitre joint, with a walnut spline.
CANADIAN WOODWORKING 15
 • Scroll Saws • Compressors
• Table Saws • Air Nailers
• Blades • Planers
• Routers • Intarsia Patterns
• Router Bits • Books
• Jointers • Bandsaws

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16 CANADIAN WOODWORKING Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com

woodturning BY PAUL ROSS

Four
Centre
Vase
back in the lathe on true centre. Now use

D
on’t let the title of the tool-rest as a guide and draw a pencil
Note: I use a ‘Steb’ centre with
a small head. These are spring
this project frighten line from each of the three centres along
loaded and have many teeth,
the outside of the cylinder and down to the
you. It’s actually other end (photo #1). which always bite in at the same
Take the piece out of the lathe. Draw into centre. This is ideal for
quite simple. Basically, you the centre (on the end that is not marked) production turning. It is also
from the lines you have made. Now mark handy for going back on centre.
start on true centre, then 3/8” in from the edge of the cylinder on
turn on three off-set centres, each line. You now have the opposite end
of each centre.
It is now off-set. You will only be cutting
1/3 of the cylinder (ie. the far side of the
and then back to true centre. On one end (headstock) number each centre). Cut the off-set portion of the vase
centre 1, 2 and 3. This way, if you have to with a roughing out gouge (photo #3).
The sizes and shapes can be put it back into that centre, you will already It is very important that you take clean
have it numbered for easy reference. Put and light cuts. This portion must be hand
varied. the piece in centre 1. sanded, and by taking clean cuts, you can
For your first attempt at this, start with a
relatively small piece of wood, about 2” x
2” square by 4” long. The proportions of
the vases can be easily increased or
decreased according to your taste.
Find the centre on each end of the block
and, with a roughing out gouge, turn it
down to a cylinder. Practice smooth cuts at
this point, as you will need this technique Photo 1 Photo 2
when it comes to turning it off-set.
Take the piece out of the lathe and on one
end, divide the 360 degree circle into three
equal parts (i.e. 120 degrees each). At each
point on the outside circle, draw a line into
the centre. Looking at the end, there should
now be three equal shapes, like three
pieces of a pie. Mark 3/8” in from the edge
of the cylinder along each line. You now Photo 3 Photo 4
have three off-set centres. Put the piece
Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com CANADIAN WOODWORKING 17
avoid as much sanding as possible. It will This is a good point at which to sand. Use
appear to be bouncing at this point. The your choice of grit, depending on the finish
bounce will lessen as you remove more you want.
wood. Periodically, stop the lathe and Mount the piece into a chuck. Grab the
check that you’ve come to both lines spigot on the bottom and drill for either a
running parallel to the cut. When you’ve plastic or glass vial. If you intend to use the
come right up to each line with the cut, you piece as a dry bud vase then use a Jacob’s
are done that section. chuck and drill bit in the tailstock (photo
Now repeat this procedure with centres 2 #6). Photo 5
and 3. When this is complete, put the piece Finally, turn the spigot off the bottom and
back into true centre and, with a 1/2” turn the bottom to conclusion. You do this
spindle gouge, shape the neck to your by mounting a jam spigot into the chuck
design. Cut the ends clean with the point of the same diameter as the hole you have
a skew (photo #4). Then make a ‘v’ cut into drilled into the neck. Push the piece onto
the triangle shaped bottom (photo #5). This this spigot and leave the tailstock up for
will avoid splitting when you use your support for a short time. Then finish the
parting tool to create a spigot on this end. bottom by removing the tailstock and
turning the last little
‘pip’ (photo #7).
FREE Always take your Photo 6
time. The key is not
80 Page colour to be too aggressive.
catalogue A cut which is too
heavy could knock
the piece out of
Call Now centre. Remember,
the bigger the piece
1-800-565-5066 that you turn off-
set, the slower you
want the lathe to go.
Photo 7
Order On-Line Use common sense
and safety first.
www.woodparts.ca PAUL ROSS owns and operates Chalet Woodcraft and
teaches woodturning in Boston, Ontario. (519) 443-5369
www.kwic-com/~chalet

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18 CANADIAN WOODWORKING Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
woodenpuzzle BY REA GIBSON
For All Your Clock
Building Supplies

Lie Detector raftime Clockery

“ONE STOP CLOCK SHOP”
8 Mill St. Elmira Ontario N3B 2J9
Phone (519) 669-4170 Fax (519) 669-8448

Puzzle
Clock Kits
Movements • Dials
• Bezels • Fitups
Epoxy Resin • Pens

T
his is a fun project that is easy told!). Weather Instruments
to make and will create lots of Hold the shaft in one hand and rub the
laughs at a party. It has been notches, as shown, with one finger on each Music Movements
around for many years and side of the shaft. When you detect a lie,
has been called many names. simply change the pressure from one Catalogue Available!
The fan spins as you rub the finger to the other and the direction in
notches with another piece of wood, while which the fan turns will reverse. It takes a
PRICE ROLL BACK
at the same time, holding a finger on one bit of practice, but is easily mastered and NE
W • F145 WATCH FITUPS
side of the shaft. When you hold your quite effective. Size 1 7/16” Fits 1 3/8” Hole
finger on the other side of the shaft the fan Don’t tell how it works right away, and • Gold, Cream, White
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REA GIBSON owns and operates Forest Hill Studios and

lives in Mount Forest, Ontario. email:egibson@golden.net

Solution
From last issue’s Three-Way Cross Puzzle
1. Set block #3 into block #2 with the thin
end up.
2. Drop the top of the #3 block back 90˚
as shown.
3. Push block #1 into block #2 as shown
as step 1.
4. Lift blocks #1 and #3 up as far as they
can go into block #2.
5. Slide block #3 back into place and the
puzzle is complete.

Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com CANADIAN WOODWORKING 19

 Woodworking Supplies

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20 CANADIAN WOODWORKING Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
woodfinish BY HANK ETHIER
The Real Thing
Y
ou are at a garage sale and there
is an old dresser for $10. It
looks to be made of oak and in
very good shape. Once
refinished, it will match the oak
furniture in the guest bedroom.
How can you be sure it is really made of
oak and does not have a fake finish?
Fake finishes have been around a long
time and show up on many antiques. Some
are very good. A fake finish, generally, is a
finish that makes one species of wood look
like another. One common example is
making birch or maple look like oak.
These fake finishes are accomplished by
using a graining tool (sometimes made of
rubber) and streaking a stain onto the
wood. By careful manipulation of the
graining tool, a grain pattern very similar
to oak can be applied to another wood.
How do you know if you are looking at a
fake finish? Look for any break in the grain
pattern. You may be able to see such breaks
if some of the finish is rubbed or worn off,
Visit our website at:www.canadianwoodworking.com
or at a scratch in the surface. If the grain
stops at the worn spot and no grain, or a
different grain is seen in this area, you are
dealing with a fake finish. Grain patterns
continue in wood even through worn areas
and scratches.
Check the back of a drawer front. See if
the grain patterns on the inside match the
outside. If they don’t match, it may mean
the unit has a veneer on it, in which case
the grain pattern would be different on the
backside. To confirm if veneer has been
used, look for a thin line along the outer
and inner edges.
A veneer is perhaps 1/32 of an inch thick
and leaves a glue line where it is bonded to
a thicker board. The veneer on the
backside, called a backing veneer, can be a
different species of wood than the front. If
you confirm there is no veneer and the
grain on the outside does not match the
inside grain, then it is likely a fake finish.
If it is a fake finish, once you strip the
drawer, you will end up with the grain
pattern displayed on the back of the
drawer. Be warned that sometimes the
manufacturer may use a solid oak top and a
fake finish on the rest of a birch unit. Do
not assume that because the drawer is
birch, that the top will match.
Perhaps you have inspected the unit,
found a fake finish and decided to buy it
anyway. You are pretty sure the main part is
birch and the top is oak. You will live with
the difference in grain pattern between the
two woods. It’s still a good deal for $10.
One last warning: the light and dark
streaks of the fake finish may still be
visible after multiple applications of
stripper. This is due to more light reaching
the wood through the thinner part of the
stain. Usually the only way to remove it is
to sand it out. If you are not prepared to do
that much sanding, then think again before
making your purchase.
HANK ETHIER is a furniture maker and refurbisher in
Prince Albert, SK. Tel. (306) 922-3323 Fax (306) 763-37389
email: ammena@ak.sympatico.ca
CANADIAN WOODWORKING 21
canadiancompetitions

T
he Windsor Wood
Carving Museum
hosted its 4th
annual Wood Carving
Show and competition. The
competition drew carvers
and spectators from across
Ontario and Michigan.
Here is a sampling of some
of the prize winning entries
to inspire you to get your Flathead Chief Turtles
1st in Open for Human Figure Best of Show in Group 2
own works out to the By: Ron Pearce By: Sharon Bailey
carving shows.

Pair of Swans Rainbow Trout Reef Scene

2nd in Intermediate for Confidence 1st in Open Category for Fish 2nd in Open Category for Fish
By: Bill Kalfeish By: Ron Bailey By: Gary Brockelbank

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22 CANADIAN WOODWORKING Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com

tooltest BY GRAHAM MCCULLOCH

High Performer
We just received one of the best gluing
tools that we have seen since “Crazy Glue”.
Franklin International has just introduced
the Titebond HiPURformer Advanced
Bonding System and it has filled us with
awe. This is a “hot melt” line of adhesives
but with a difference. Franklin does not use
glue sticks. Instead, the adhesive is in a 50 g
capped metal container that you insert into
the cordless glue gun. The glue gun is then
placed into the heater unit for about 10
minutes. A green light tells you when the
adhesive has turned to liquid and the gun is
ready to use.
There are three types of adhesives that
come with the kit, all based on polyurethane
chemistry. The WW30 hot melt glue is a
woodworking glue that sets up in 30
seconds. The WW60 is also a woodworking
glue that fills gaps and sets up in 60 seconds.
The third hot melt glue is the MP75 and is
an all purpose adhesive that will glue almost
anything and has a 75 second set-up time.
The HiPURformer is a bit pricey and it
won’t totally replace your liquid glues.
However, it is a time saver and you will find
a multitude of uses for it in your shop. The
initial kit, including the gun, heater and a
50g tube of each of the three adhesives sells
in Canada for about $220. The replacement
glue tubes run about $14 each. Having said
all that, I must emphasize that a very little
bit of this glue goes a long way.
Strength
We tested both the WW30 and the WW60
woodworking adhesives on the rough end
grain joining of pine, oak and maple. The
full cure time is 24 hours, although 10
TOOL TEST RATING SYSTEM
★ .............. below average quality
★ ★ ........... average quality
★ ★ ★ ........ very good quality/value
★ ★ ★ ★ ..... excellent quality/value
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ .. top of the line
minutes is enough time to start handling the
joint. After 24 hours the 30 develops 1360
psi and the 60 develops 1480 psi. The 75 is
an all purpose adhesive that will, with few
exceptions, bond anything to anything and
develops 900 psi after 24 hours of cure time.
We tried breaking the wood joints with
some powerful hammer blows. The joints
did not fail, the wood samples, however, did.
All of the polyurethane adhesives are
waterproof.
The Titebond HiPURformer deserves our
★★★★★ rating.
Ryobi
Ryobi has become very aggressive in its
marketing and is rounding out its line of
woodworking tools. There are two new ones
that we have tested and can tell you right up
front that these are great tools for the
weekend woodworker. They will do all that
they promise and more.
The latest is a Combination Router and
Router Table that sell in Home depot for
$179. That is a real bargain considering the
high quality of the tools.
The router is a 1/4” tool and develops
25,000 RPMs and has some great features.
The dual depth gauges are very convenient
when using a freehand router. They also
make for easy reading when the tool is
working under the router table. We liked the
‘D’ base and the see-through base for
freehand routing. It features a locking shaft
and single wrench for bit changing.
The R161RT has a nice feel and balance to
it. You’ll appreciate just how easy it is to
install or remove from the router table.
The included router table has a 1” thick top
and measures 12” deep x 24” long. The
stamped steel base stands 12” high and has a
built-in power switch. The fence is solid but
has an adjustable left side to use when
removing stock (as in jointing). A miter
gauge and standard (3/4”) miter slot are also
included.
That’s quite a package for such little
money. We give the R161RT ★★★s for
quality and value.
RO Sander
The RS241 is a Random Orbital Sander
from Ryobi and has a 2.4 amp motor that
turns at 12,000 OPMs. The RS241 has a spin
control to prevent damage to the workpiece
on start-up.
Also included in the $70 package is a felt
type base pad that can use adhesive backed
8 hole disks and a conversion pad for hook
and loop disks. A very efficient dust
collection bag is attached and may be
adapted to a collection system.
The sander is comfortable in the hand with
no excessive
vibrations
and is small
enough to get
into tight
areas.
All of the
R y o b i
woodworking
tools offer a 30-day return and a two-year
full warranty. The RS241 is a ★★★★ tool.
Craftex
Talking about sanders, Craftex (the Busy
Bee tool label), has a tool that we’ve been
testing for some time now. The B2322 is a
bench top Oscillating Spindle Sander with
some great features. First, if you have never
used one of these tools, you don’t know
what you’ve been missing. They’re great!
The B2322 is a heavy duty machine with
an effective dust
port, a 7.5-amp
motor and a tilt-
ing cast iron
table. The table
tilts to 45
degrees one
way and 15
degrees the
other. A 90-
degree stop
pad keeps it straight.
This is a quiet machine. You’ll hardly
notice that it is on and it runs very
smoothly. The spindles are a cinch to change
and the B2322 will accept sizes from 1/4” to
3” diameters.
A ★★★ tool from Busy Bee Tools &
Machinery.
GRAHAM McCULLOCH is a woodworker and writer living
in Halifax, NS. (902) 479-0221 graham@shortcuts.ns.ca

Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com CANADIAN WOODWORKING 23

 recyclewood BY BARB & RUSS MILLER

Skid and Pallet Projects

1”. The skids can be made of oak, maple or dried, put it through the jointer to true up

B
arb and I do our
woodworking from
reclaimed skids and
pallets. We have been
collecting the skids and
pallets for about three years.
Such collection takes a bit of
time and patience, but as you
can see from the projects we
have made from recycled
wood, it is well worth the
effort. Here are some tips for
gathering a supply of
recycled wood and working
with it to make your own
projects.
Collecting the Wood
Find a company that uses hard wood
skids, and ask permission to use the un-
wanted skids. Most companies are more
then happy to get rid of the wood, as it is an
expense for them to dispose of it.
The runners on a skid are usually about
1 1/2 to 2” x 3” and about 4 to 10’ long. The
top boards can be anywhere from 1/2” to
other hardwood. one side. Then use the bandsaw to cut into
1” boards. Glue the boards together to
Tips for Working with Skid Wood make the correct width and then plane to
After you get the wood home, pull the size.
nails and sort the good from the bad. RUSS AND BARB MILLER are avid woodworkers and
Purchase a metal detector to find broken recyclers who live in London, Ontario
rmsr@sympatico.ca
nails or any metal fragments embedded in
the wood.
Check the moisture content. Most skids
run 25-35% moisture (skid makers don’t
go to the expense of using dried wood). If
the wood is too high in moisture, store the
wood to dry it out. We use a room with a
dehumidifier. Dry to 8-l0% moisture.
With reclaimed skids or pallets, there are
usually nail holes or some other defect to
repair. Skid wood may be made from the
core of the tree. This has to be worked
around or cut out and then glued back
together. Nail holes can be filled, or a
section can be inlayed to fix knots or bad
spots. For this, use a tool for your router
called an Inlay Set. With this tool you can
remove the bad spot and install a matching
piece of wood to hide the imperfection
(sometimes called a Dutchman patch). You Spinning Wheels
can make the template for the patch in the Here are two spinning wheels made from
form of a heart or an animal. You can also oak skids. One is a Nor wegian and the
use a different wood to add contrast and other is an Upright spinning wheel. Both
character. The wood is not always long are full-working models.
enough but can be made longer with a
finger jointer.
When working with skids or pallets, you
must have (or have access to) a jointer,
band saw and a planer. After the wood has

Oak Roll Top Desk

Ever since I saw them in the old movies and antique stores, I have always wanted an oak roll-top
desk. Just sitting at such a big, heavy desk gives me a feeling of comfort and peace.
The desk is 66” long by 31” wide and 55” high. It is made of solid oak, all reclaimed wood.
24 CANADIAN WOODWORKING Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
questionsanswers
Q I had my property logged about two
years ago and I asked the logger to
leave me some logs so I could have
them sawn for lumber. Well, time has
flown by and I finally would like to have them
milled. Is it too late? Some friends say you must
let the logs cure for a year or two and others say I
should have cut them right away. What do you
think?
A
I’m in the “cut them right away”
camp. My experience has shown
me that problems develop with
logs that sit around too long. The biggest
problem is end checking. The log begins
to dry, which creates unequal stress and
causes the log to crack. Another problem
is bluing, which is predominant in white
woods and pine, but also occurs in other
species. Fungus begins to form in the
sapwood and then spreads to the rest of
the log, affecting the colour. Sometimes
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Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
BY JIM KOUDYS
this is a good thing, such as spalting in
maple, but most of the time you just get
a rotten log. Your logs are only two years
old, so depending on the conditions of
considering the cost of the mill you
would buy and the amount of cutting
you plan on doing. Milling your own
lumber can be very rewarding, not only
their storage, they are probably fine to financially, but also in turning logs into
be turned into usable lumber. The best something other than firewood. It can
way to know for sure is to have a sawyer also be frustrating, as it is not just a
look at them before you decide to cut. matter of putting the log on the mill and
cutting it up. You need to know when to
Q I own a bush lot in eastern Ontario. It’s turn, what thickness it should be and so
about fifteen acres and about ten of it on. My advice would be to have a
is bush. I have joined a wood lot sawyer come in and cut a few thousand
association with the idea of logging feet and learn from that experience. If
the trees and think I’m ready to take out the you find that it’s something you enjoy
trees. As I calculate it, there will be a lot of and are adept at, then do the research
lumber. Instead of hiring someone, I thought and purchase a mill. On the other hand
about buying a mill and doing it myself. Which is you may discover that an experienced
my best option? sawyer will get a higher yield from your
lot and make more lumber for you than
you could yourself.
A
Hard to answer without seeing
numbers and knowing your
future uses for the mill. You will
JIM KOUDYS is the owner/operator of Kootur Lumber
have to weigh out the investment by in Smithville, Ontario. (905) 957-4217 jkootur@yahoo.com
STOCKROOM SUPPLY
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1-877-287-5017
ruff@sprint.ca
www.stockroomsupplies.com
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Chuck
Hamlet ASP2030
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CANADIAN WOODWORKING 25
 CLARENCE CREEK WOOD SELECT
BOIS FRANC HARDWOOD
PIN BLANC WHITE PINE
SÉCHÉ AU FOUR KILN-DRIED
PLANAGÉ DE BOIS DRESSED LUMBER
MOULURES CUSTOM
SUR MESURE MOULDINGS

SERVICE DE KILN DRYING

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CARVING WOOD AVAILABLE
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26 CANADIAN WOODWORKING Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
easyproject BY STEVE SIDDALL
Back
Door
Bench
W
hen preparing yourself
for the great outdoors,
this little bench is a
perfect place to lay hats
and gloves. It’s also an
ideal height to rest your
foot on while tying laces.
I built this one from standard lumber yard
pine. Four feet of 1 x 6 and six feet of 1 x
10 is all it takes. Be sure to have the top and
legs all the same width. The board I used
was of uniform width so I didn’t have to
trim it. This is important because you want
the side skirts to fasten up tightly to all
three pieces.
Some of you may have noticed the lack of
fancy joinery. It’s surprising how strong
this bench is without structural joints
locking the skirts to the legs. Some readers
may have a limited variety of tools, so I
designed this project so that anyone can
build it.
If you have the tools to cut dadoes and
rabbets, I suggest that each skirt have a
Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
rabbet where the top fastens and two
dadoes for the legs to lock into. Why didn’t
I show the details on this? If you have the
tools to do it, you’ve likely built something
with dadoes and rabbets before and you’ll
know exactly what to do! If you’d like a
diagram, just give us a call. MATERIAL LIST
Fastening the bench together requires 2 5 1/2” x 24” x 3/4”
18 - #8 x 1 1/2” wood screws, countersunk
so you can cover them with 3/8” wood Bench End Skirt
plugs. I’ve given you an idea of where I 2 9” x 18” x 3/4”
fastened this one together but don’t
hesitate to add a few if you think your Bench Leg
bench is going to experience rough use –
such as size 13 boots or the neighbourhood 1 9” x 24” x 3/4”
kids. Bench Top
Don’t forget to do a good sanding of all 18 #8 x 1 1/2”
the pieces before assembly. It’s hard to Wood Screws
sand the legs properly if you wait until
after the bench has been assembled. 18 3/8”
Assemble, plug screw holes, stain and Wood Plugs
finish.
There you have it ... a handy little back
door bench! STEVE SIDDALL is president of Workshop Supply Inc.
1-800-387-5716 www.workshopsupply.com
CANADIAN WOODWORKING 27
28 CANADIAN WOODWORKING Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
woodworkingtools BY GRAHAM MCCULLOCH

The 10 Best of 2001

you. The BN200V12 is a 12v tool and Franklin

H
ere is what I believe to be the best
tools of 2001. I would like to stress accepts 3/4” - 2” 18 gauge nails. Franklin International are the people who
that the tools are listed in random From Delta we get another first: adding a bring you Titebond adhesives that are
order and there is no first or last. They are second speed to a Thickness Planer. Why considered the best in the woodworking
all great tools. would you want two industry. Franklin recently introduced a
speeds in a new product called the HiPURformer.
Porter-Cable Delta thickness The HiPURformer is a cordless hot-melt
Of the major manufacturers, Porter-Cable planer? Well, glue gun. The adhesive range for this new
Delta (the same company, Delta making the slower tool consists of hot polyurethane adhesives
stationary tools and the Porter-Cable speed will that have tremendous strength. You can
making portable tools) have produced bring the glue end grain to end grain without even
many of the new and innovative tools of boards thinking about joint failure. (See Tool Test
2001. down to on page 23)
Porter-Cable recently size
released a Cordless a n d
Router powered by a t h e
19.2 v NiCAD battery. h i g h e r
The 9290 has a 600 finishing speed
watt, 23,000 RPM will give you an ultra-smooth
motor (compatible finish. This new planer is a 13” model
with the P.C. model with a 1/8” to 6 1/2” capacity. It also has a
690 router). It can depth stop for more convenience. The head
use the optional lock virtually eliminates snipe, that pesky
plunge base or little dip on the ends of the boards.
the standard
fixed base.
The advantage
is that you do Craftsman
not have a power Craftsman has a
cord trailing and neat new tool they C. H. Hansen
you can do your routing call the 3-D Sander. Sharpening a carpenter’s pencil
without the concern of being close The sander is small has always been a hassle for me.
to a power supply. and comfortable Inevitably you get the lead point
Speaking of cordless, Porter-Cable has and has three small almost right but it needs just one
also added another first: a Cordless Brad rotating sanding more cut. That “one more cut”
Nailer. You may not think that is discs that adapt to usually cuts the lead off as
really innovative, but consider this: the contours like well. Very soon you are down
BN200V12 is both a 12 v cordless and a railing tops. The to sharpening a “stubby”.
pneumatic 3-D will also hug C.H. Hansen in the US has
nailer. A c o n c a v e solved the problem with an
great idea if surfaces and ingenious $4 tool. A
you are has a variable Carpenter’s Pencil
refinishing a speed motor. It Sharpener. Put it on a
room and is about the size of an string and tie it to your
don’t want electric razor and the 3-D is priced shop apron. This little
to lug 50 under $80. As with all Craftsman tools, tool will keep a nice
feet of air they are only available at Sears. sharp point on your
h o s e pencil. It’s available at
a l o n g Home Depot.
w i t h

Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com CANADIAN WOODWORKING 29

Wizard
Another product line from the US is the
Wizard line of Metal Detectors. Perhaps
there is nothing new about metal detectors
as such, but these are made especially for
woodworkers. The two that I think deserve
mention are the Lumber Wizard and the
Wood Wizard. The former is
about 18” long
a n d
looks like an airport
security wand. It will beep and/or
vibrate to detect metal up to a depth of six
inches in wood.
The latter is a
rectangular
frame that will
scan a board
12 1/2” x 6
1/2” x (any
length) and
pick up the
smallest
trace of metal.
■ continued from page 5
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
I am a 4H woodworking leader and
would like to find a magazine that has tips
on machinery and projects the kids can
make. Please forward a sample copy.
Herb Foster
Charlottetown, PE
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
Please send a sample issue. I hope the
students can use the magazine to help in
their designs and projects
Mr. Dodd (EJ James School)
Oakville, ON
THE ORIGINAL ONE PERSON ONE TRIP STAND
HD2950 contractors miter saw stand
PORTABLE SAW INTO SHOP SAW IN SECONDS
PM2700XL shown w/Makita 2702-2703
30 CANADIAN WOODWORKING
A loud, audible beep and LED lamps light
up in both units to pinpoint the tool
damaging metal.
See www.wizardtools.com for more
information.
Boa Constrictor
What a great idea! The Boa Constrictor
will open just about anything from jam jars
to those stuck vacuum cleaner wands. It
has a rubber belt attached to a handle and is
fully adjustable. The Boa Constrictor is
sold in two sizes, either separately or in
pairs. It is available at Canadian Tire
stores.
Dear Herb and Mr. Dodd:
Thanks for your letters looking for ways
to help out young woodworkers. I am
always inspired when I see people helping
out “our future”. Instead of a trial issue,
please accept a full year subscription at no
charge.
fulcher@canadianwoodworking.com
My father bought an issue of this
magazine a few weeks ago and I thought it
was the best magazine I had ever seen on
woodworking in Canada.
Chris McQuinn
Sutton, PQ
Quality Power Tool Accessories
Make your portable tools work like
professional shop equipment!
To view the complete line & dealer
close to you
www.rousseauco.com
Canadian Distributor
Trencon Distributors 250-338-4693
Email - trencon@telus.net
Vaughan & Bushnell
The Perfect Saw Guide from Vaughan &
Bushnell is one of the finest hand tools that
we tested in 2001. Simple yet accurate, this
Dozuki style, thin kerf handsaw cuts on the
pull stroke. The saw cuts like a hot knife
through butter and, with the guide, it
makes compound miter cuts a breeze. If
you want to master hand cut dovetail joints
quickly, this is the tool to use.
GRAHAM McCULLOCH is a woodworker and writer living
in Halifax, NS. (902) 479-0221 graham@shortcuts.ns.ca
Dear Linda:
We have enjoyed providing copies of
Canadian Woodworking Magazine to our
show attendees in the past and value the
relationship that your magazine has with
woodworking shows across Canada. We
look forward to providing copies of
Canadian Woodworking at all of our future
shows.
Chuck Stoffle
www.woodshowscanada.com
BEST SELLING PLATE ON THE MARKET
RM3509 Deluxe router base plate
IN SHOP MITER SAW STAND
SS2875 Mitre saw stand
Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
routertips BY MARK EATON
Router Adjustment
W
hen I demonstrate at
wood shows, I am
nearly always asked:
“How do you adjust
your router so easily?”
It seems that a lot of
new woodworkers and many veterans have
plunge routers mounted in their router
tables. The reason they can’t adjust the
height of the routers easily is because they
have not removed the springs from the
plunge mechanism. I will take you step by
step through removing the springs from
most of the common routers on the market,
beginning with the Hitachi M12V. If I
don’t cover your router this time, then look
for it in upcoming issues.
These instructions are strictly the
opinions of the author and do not
necessarily reflect those of the
manufacturer. Always refer to your
owner’s manual for exploded views of
your router and, if you don’t feel
comfortable with these directions, do not
remove your springs.
Make sure that your router is always
unplugged before attempting any
procedures such as those listed in this
article. SAFETY FIRST!!!
Fig. 1
Fig. 4
Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
Step 1
Lay the router on its back with the
threaded rod face up and lock it into
position.
Step 2
Remove the two 13mm nuts that are at
the top of the rod. (fig. 1)
Step 3
Lay the router on its back with the lock
mechanism down to the table surface. (fig.
2)
Step 4
With your body against the base plate,
and your hands on the router, release the
lock mechanism. The base will press
against you and will start to slide off. (fig.
3)
Step 5
When there is no pressure against you,
grab the base and pull the base off. The
springs will be hanging from the router.
(fig. 4)
Step 6
Begin pulling the springs out of the body.
As you pull, bend them down a bit. This
Fig. 2
Fig. 5
will grab the two metal posts inside the
springs. They are inside the springs to keep
the springs from coiling up on themselves.
(fig. 5)
Step 7
Remove the springs and metal posts.
NOTE: the lock mechanism is a small
brass pin that cams out to lock the router in
place and cams in to unlock it. DO NOT
LOSE THIS PIN OR YOUR ROUTER
WILL NOT BE ABLE TO LOCK. The
pin sits in a small hole about 1” in from the
bottom of the column hole. It sits in the
router like a barrel and is not attached. It
has no left or right so if you pull it out
remember to put it back in again. (fig. 6 &
6A)
Step 8
Slide the base back into the router body.
Make sure that the threaded rod slides
under the horseshoe shaped body housing.
With your router on its back and the lock
down to the table, slide the long column
into the left side of the body and then slide
the right side in. Do no force the short
column into the router (it should slide in
easily). Maintain pressure on the long
column as it slides in. This will allow the
Fig. 3
Fig. 6
CANADIAN WOODWORKING 31
short one to slide in also. You may notice a
lip on the router body that the short column
slides into. Wiggle the base until the short
column hits the hole. (fig. 7A & B)
Step 9
Once the base is in, lock your router into
place and turn it over with the threaded rod
face up.
Step 10
Thread the two 13mm nuts over the
threaded rod and turn them until they are
about 3/4” from the top of the rod. Lock
them together so that they won’t vibrate
off. (fig. 8)
Your router is now ready to mount into
your table and will be much easier to adjust
without the springs installed.
Safety Note: These instructions are
strictly the opinion of the author and
do not reflect those of the
manufacturer. Always refer to your
owner’s manual for exploded views
of your router and, if you don’t feel
comfortable with these directions,
do not remove your springs.
MARK EATON is the founder of
The National Router Academy
www.nationalrouteracademy.com
nra@futureway.com

Fig. 6A Fig. 7A

Fig. 7B Fig. 8

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Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com CANADIAN WOODWORKING 33

toolreview BY CARL DUGUAY
Doweling Jigs
D
oweling jigs provide an
efficient and cost effective
alternative to biscuit joiners
and pocket hole jigs for
joining stock. They excel at
the most common kinds of
joinery operations: edge-to-edge, edge-to-
end, edge-to-inside, rail-to-stile and miter
joints. There are a number of doweling jigs
on the market, three of which I recently
tested. I used each of these jigs
extensively over a three-month period,
trying them out on all five basic joinery
operations. The best jig for you will
depend upon the kind of doweling you do.
The Smart Doweling Jig from the
United States is the most compact of the
three jigs, designed so that you can clamp
two boards at
once; the boards
can be from
1/2” to 1 5/8”
thick. For 3/4”
boards, just pop
them into the jig
and drill away.
For other board thicknesses you need to
use shims. When drilling 1/2” stock you
place two 1/8” plastic shims (provided)
against the clamping surfaces, and insert a
1/4” shim (which you provide) between
the boards. The alignment slots work not
only for the edge-to-inside joints but also
indicate where the dowel holes are being
drilled. The guide holes are 3/8”, set 1”
apart. The jig comes with a drill bit, depth
stop (that conveniently fixes to the end of
one of the guide rods) and an allen wrench
that, thoughtfully, attaches to the body of
the jig. You also get an instruction booklet
and an assortment of 3/8” dowel pins. The
bushings aren’t removable but they are
hardened, so they should last a long time.
The Smart Doweling Jig did a
commendable job on all five joinery
operations. It’s
certainly the
fastest jig to use,
particularly for
doing edge-to-
edge, mitre and
rail-to-stile
joinery. There is no slop along the guide
rods and the handle clamping screw turns
smoothly. Except for edge-to inside joints,
there is no need to draw alignment marks
on the boards you are joining together, as
you drill the holes in both boards at the
34 CANADIAN WOODWORKING
same time. I found this to be a real time
saver. For edge-to-end joints you have to
remove the main body of the jig and turn it
around. The jig also allows off-centre (or
reference face) doweling. The guide holes
are only 1” apart, so when drilling long
stock you end up moving the jig quite a
bit. I’d love to see a wider version of the
jig, with guide holes, say, 6” apart (the
spacing I use when gluing up wide, solid
wood panels). However, this is an
uncomplicated, easy to use jig that is very
well constructed.
The DowelMax is a new Canadian jig
from O.M.S. Tool Co. It’s an impressive
jig, having won the International
Innovator’s Gold Medal Award last year
at the Tomorrow’s World Exhibition held
in London, England.
The body is machined
aluminum, the
fittings are solid
brass, and the
guide bushings are
hardened steel. The
jig comes with five
3/8” hardened steel
bushings, one 3/8”
slotted spacer and an instruction booklet.
Optional accessories include two 3/4” and
one 1 5/8” spacers, an indexing tool,
adjustable distance gauge, angle clamp
bracket, and 1/4” bushings with related
1/8” spacer.
I liked the wide clamping surface of the
DowelMax (a generous 3 1/2”) and the
fact that it has five
guide holes. The
knurled brass
knobs are
substantial,
making them
easy to tighten.
You get a choice of
drilling holes 5/8”, 1 3/8”,
2” or 2 5/8” apart. With the
optional register pin you can easily chain
drill dowel holes. The jig handled all five
major joinery operations with ease. One of
the nicest features of the DowelMax is the
ability to dowel large stock. By utilizing
the 1 5/8” spacers the jig can readily
accommodate up to 4” by 4” stock,
something no other jig on the market
offers. You will notice a mark inscribed on
the end of the reference block that holds
the bushings (see photo) and a similar
mark on the inside of the reference plate
(the marks are inscribed on both ends of
the block). These check marks help you
correctly align your stock: it ensures that
you are always drilling holes from the
same reference face of the stock. So, if you
have two boards of slightly different
thicknesses, any variation will show up on
one side only. The optional adjustable
distance gauge enables you to join longer
boards, spacing the dowel holes further
apart. When doing edge-to-end and
edge-to-inside doweling you have to
remove the clamp bracket and attach it to
the base of the reference plate (see photo).
For larger dimension stock this jig
is unbeatable. The DowelMax is a
well-engineered, professional quality jig
that will provide years of service.
The Veritas Dowelling Jig (another
Canadian product) is largely a dedicated
edge-to-edge doweling jig (although you
can dowel the ends of boards, you can’t
dowel the inside face). Like the other two
jigs above, it does both centered and
reference face doweling. The body of the
jig and the bushing carrier are anodized
aluminum; the fittings are solid brass. The
jig comes with 3 hardened steel bushings
(1/4”, 5/16” and 3/8”), a register pin, allen
wrench and instruction booklet. A variety
of bushings in other sizes (including
metric) are available.
The Veritas Dowelling Jig enables you to
drill holes as close as 5/8” – at a more
common 1 1/4” and a full 6 3/8” apart. I
found this last dimension perfect for
doweling long boards. I only needed to
make one alignment mark on both boards,
and then use the register pin to chain drill
holes. This makes for very fast panel
assembly. If you need the flexibility of
smaller dowel size holes, this jig can’t be
beat. You can even get a 3/32” bushing that
is made of unhardened steel so you can
drill it to any custom size. The
hole spacing on the
Veritas jig is
based on
the 32mm
system
which is
part of
the more
comprehensive 32mm shelf drilling
product line available from Lee Valley.
Like all Veritas tools you get exceptional
quality: really well machined parts and
high tolerances at competitive prices.
Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
 COMPARISON CHART
Smart Doweling Dowel Max Veritas
Jig size ( H x W x L) 1 7/8 x 2 1/2 x 4 2 1/8 x 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 1 5/8 x 2 3/4 x 8 1/4
Clamping surface length 2 1/2 3 1/2 3/4(1)
# of guide holes 4(2) 5 7
guide hole spacing 1 5/8 3 holes at 5/8, 5 holes at 1 1/4
bushing hole size 3/8 3/8(3) 1/4, 5/16,3/8(4)
minimum board thickness 1/2 1/2 1/4
maximum board thickness 1 3/16(3) 3 1 3/32 all measurements in inches;
prices in Canadian dollars
removable bushings no yes yes (US converted at 1.45)
includes register pin no optional yes (1) two clamp screws of 3/4”
(2) two holes in each clamping body
does off centre doweling yes yes yes
(3) optional 1/4” available
does edge to edge joints yes yes yes (4) 3/32, 7/32 and a variety of metric sizes
does edge to end joints yes yes yes also available; the 3/32” bushing can be
drilled to any size not offered.
does edge to inside joints yes yes no (5) Removal of the nut from the clamping
does rail to stile joints yes yes no screw and adjusting the guide rods in the
clamping body enable you to drill on two
does mitre joints yes yes no
1 5/8” boards.
Price $80.00 $116.00 $85.00

Sources: Veritas Dowelling Jig (05J08.01 Charis Products Inc DowelMax

Lee Valley Tools 877-434-3951 (toll free) O.M.S. Tool Company Ltd
800-267-8761 www.smartdoweling.com (604) 986-1850 CARL DUGUAY is a writer and woodworker from
www.leevalley.com www.dowelmax.com Sidney, British Columbia. 250-888-5067
carl@finewoodworking.ca www.finewoodworking.ca

CARL DUGUAY is a writer and woodworker from

Saanich, British Columbia. 250-655-6480 carl@finewoodworking.ca

Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com CANADIAN WOODWORKING 35

 UARY 22, 2 3, 24 , 2002
FEBR B, WINDSOR
3993 Stouffville Rd. • Stouffville, ON
CIOCIARO CLU . 10-5
Tel (905) 640-2350
I. 1 -8 , S AT. 10-5, SUN
Fax (905) 640-4735 FR
NEW
WOODWORKING
COMPETITION
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NEW SEMINARS
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Skil
Trademaster
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Kango Rockwell Briggs & Stratton
Generac Ridgid Dewalt 888-366-0357
1188 FRANCES ST., LONDON, ONT. N5W 2M1
TEL: (519) 451-4020 TOLL FREE: 1-888-465-9316
www.woodshowscanada.com

WWW.TUFFTOOTH.COM Chester Van Ness

Your Band & Scroll Saw Toys, Wood Products and Equipment
Blade Supplier DUST REMOVAL CONSULTANT
DUST SYSTEM CONSULTATION, DESIGN AND INSTALLATION
Carbon, Swedish & Industrial Silicon Bands
Bandsaw Fences • Fasttrak Accessories Wholesale Distributor:
Call for your FREE CATALOGUE BIFF replacement filter bags
R & D BANDSAWS (for all makes and models)
Dust-XAC remote controls
Toll Free: 1-800-461-3895 (for starting and stopping your dust collector)
Phone: (905) 840-0399 • Fax: (905) 846-0035
Available at Woodworking Stores across CANADA.
Call today for the store nearest you.
Wholesale and Retail:
BIFF CUSTOM filter bags
Air boxes, piping and fittings
Flecto diamond finishes
Watco indoor and outdoor stains

For more information on the goods and services

that we provide, please call, fax or write.

RR#1 Scotland, Ont. NOE 1R0

Tel: (519) 484-2284 Fax: (519) 484-2073
Email: chester.van@sympatico.ca
36 CANADIAN WOODWORKING Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
dustcollection
Dust Hood
R
ecently, I was asked to design
and install a dust pickup for a
radial-arm saw.
Let’s look at the
construction of two different
hoods for the radial-arm saw.
The first thing to consider are the various
tasks this particular saw is being used for
and, second, the positions of the support
arm (angles, heights, etc). For this process
use some cardboard boxes and take several
measurements. Lay out the measurements
on cardboard and then cut the pieces out to
make sure that they will fit together. Duct
tape is a good fastener for this. Later, when
using sheet metal, you will need to leave
extra material on the sheet metal pieces for
tabs. In this case the face of the hood is
13”h x 10”w tapering back to the outlet
pipe, which is 4”. See photo 2.
Install and test the hood. It may need
tuning up to be more efficient.
I installed two cardboard inserts during
the optimization phase. These inserts
greatly improved the air velocity and dust
flow at the hood face. Determine the best
configuration using cardboard baffles
Photo 2
Photo 4
Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
BY CHESTER VAN NESS
before making them out of sheet metal. I
also added a wing to the post side of the
hood, which improved its performance
when cutting compound miter angles. See
photos 3 & 4.
Installation Note: Place the hood as
close as possible to the vertical post.
Make sure that the bottom front edge of
the hood is just below being flush with
the saw table.
In this case, the radial arm saw was the
main saw in the shop and was also used
for ripping. That meant that the saw was
often turned 90 degrees, making a cross-
cut hood ineffective. This particular saw
came with an adjustable guard on the
front of the blade cover. By removing this
guard I was able to utilize its hold-down-
knob for the new hood. I again took
several measurements and by fitting and
bending I was able to come up with a
hood. I used 20 gauge body steel, a
modified generic 2 1/2” dust port and a
few pop rivets. The result is shown in the
photos. See photo 5.
Photo 3
Photo 5
The last photo shows the interior details
of the hood. These were added to stiffen
the hood. Note the brush along the bottom
(the brush stops the sawdust from
spreading and directs the air flow to pick it
up). See photo 6.
Here is an easy safety barrier
TIP you can install in your
system, once you have piped
everything directly to your
collector fan.
Photo 1
If you look closely at the photo you will
notice that there is a “T” fitting installed
at the fan inlet. The leg of the “T” points
down and is closed off with a “plug” (the
plug has a “D” handle installed on it). The
drop leg acts as a trap for things like
screws, nails, knots, and heavy bits that
may have been sucked up and are heading
for the fan. These heavier objects will
drop down into the leg before they get to
the fan and avoid damaging it. The
removable plug lets you clean them from
the system. It is only effective, however, if
you remember to periodically clean out
the drop leg. Remember to check often as
it can fill with heavy wood chips in a
relatively short period of time.
Safety Note: Remember ALWAYS
disconnect the fans power source
before opening the inlet pipe.
Photo 6
CHESTER VAN NESS is a Dust Removal Consultant
in Scotland, Ontario. (519) 484-2284
chester.van@sympatico.ca
CANADIAN WOODWORKING 37
classifiedadvertising
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CRAFTS
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ENGRAVING
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Next
ADVERTISING DEADLINE
February 22 for April/May 2002 Issue
38 CANADIAN WOODWORKING
HARDWARE PLYWOOD
www.classiquehardware.com PLYWOOD FACTORY SECONDS
The best selection of reproduction, 1/2” Birch $32
cabinet and architectural hardware on 5/8” Birch $30
the internet. 1-800-619-6511 3/4” Birch $35
5/8” Maple $35
........................................................... 3/4” Maple $40
5/8” or 11/16” Knotty Pine $40
Slides, hinges, fasteners and 5/8” or 3/4” Cherry $55
woodturnings at distributor pricing. 3/4” MDF Plycore $27
Plans and patterns for every area of 3/4” Oak $45
woodworking. 3/4” Quarter Sawn Oak $70
FREE colour catalogue. 1/2” Cherry $50
1-877-296-7574 B.C.W. (519)770-3460
HELP WANTED POWER TOOL ACCESSORIES
Rbindustries Inc. is looking for an Make your portable saws, routers etc.
independent sales representatives for work like professional shop equipment
the Canadian Market. Would include with ROUSSEAU stands & accessories!
travel to woodworking shows to Visit our web site;
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enjoy extensive travel. The perfect
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start Feb. 2002. To register call Sheets – premium 60 - 800 grit,
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1” Cherry $4.25 Contact: Al Forler (519) 743-6774 or
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1” Pine $1.45 John McBride at: jpmcb@golden.net
BCW Brantford, ON (519) 770-3460 Grand Valley Woodcarvers, P.O. Box
25011 Hiway Market Postal Outlet,
Kitchener, ON N2A 4A5
LUMBER
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WOODWORKING WEB SITES
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samples, classified advertising, wood-
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Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
 Canadian Woodworking Home-made Jig Contest
To enter, send in a picture or
THE diagram (with an explanation)
of your home-made
FIRST woodworking jig.
If Lou Peeters
PRIZE chooses your jig
as “Canadian
DEWALT’S Woodworking’s
NEW XRP favourite”, your jig will be
published in Canadian
Heavy-Duty, 12v, Woodworking Magazine.
Cordless Drill You will also receive a prize
Lou Peete
from one of our sponsors. rs, Jig Jud
Model DW980K-2 ge
Send a picture/diagram of your
Contest closes March 31, 2002.
Enter now! home-made jig and explanation to:
Canadian Woodworking Jig Contest
(Prizes have a retail value of approx. $250)
Enter often! c/o Lou Peeters
Contest prizes will be awarded bi-monthly. RR #7, Woodstock, ON N4S 7W2

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Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com CANADIAN WOODWORKING 39
bookreview
Furniture
& Cabinet
Construction
T
his book is a reference for
designing and building
furniture, providing useful
design information for those
who want to design their own
furniture and step-by-step
construction details for anyone who uses
plans to build from. It provides a solid base
of information either for creating new
future designs or for modifying existing
plans.
Divided into six parts, there are from two
to six sections in each part, illustrating two
to ten aspects of furniture construction. It
packs a lot of information into each page,
with lots of colour illustrations and step-
by-step instructions.
There are also many tips throughout the
book, as well as useful reference material
(ie: the characteristics of common glues,
average furniture sizes, heights of various
types of tables and the depths of cabinets).
A reference table for maximum spans of
shelving, based on different materials and
thicknesses, is also provided.
The book starts off talking about the tools
and materials, with particular emphasis on
the materials, from buying to preparing ,
including hand work, sanding and layout
BOOK TYPE Technique/Reference
LEVEL All Levels
AUTHOR Andy Rae
PUBLISHER The Taunton Press
HARDCOVER, 9.25" x 10.875", 308 PAGES, $64.50 CDN
ABOUT THE BOOK’S AUTHOR:
Andy Rae has written numerous
articles for American Woodworker
magazine in addition to serving as
senior editor. Designing and building
for over two decades, he has received a
fellowship for his furniture designs, and
currently builds, teaches and writes
about woodworking.
40 CANADIAN WOODWORKING
BY MICHEL THERIAULT
methods. This is followed up with a
discussion on dealing with wood
movement, an important consideration
when designing furniture.
The next part discusses box and case
construction, a fundamental part of
many types of furniture. In this part Andy
talks about joinery, shelf options,
clamping, drawer construction and
fasteners. Many design and construction
options are shown, providing you with an
arsenal of techniques, along with tips to
make them work.
Doors are next, including a discussion on
frame and panel construction, hinges,
pulls, locks and bumpers. Andy even
shows how to make shop-made hardware
such as hinges and pulls.
The next part focuses on bases, feet and
stands. This includes basic “kitchen”
cabinets, as well as more elegant and
stylish furniture. There are many design
options, ranging from simple to complex.
After that, Andy focuses on frame
construction. This includes legs, frame and
panels as well as chairs and stools. Legs,
both for cabinetry and chairs, take a great
deal of abuse and it is imperative to design
CONTENTS:
Tools and Materials
*Shop Necessities
*Woodworking Machines and Tools
*Working Wood
*Designing Furniture
Box and Case Construction
*Basic Cases
*Shelves
*Nails, Screws and other Fasteners
*Assembling Cases
*Cutting and Attaching Mouldings
*Drawers
*Drawer Hardware
them to last. Andy provides many
different options and ideas, including some
discussion on making tapered, curved and
turned legs.
The final part discusses tabletops and
work surfaces. He presents several
different designs for tops, along with how
to build them effectively. This includes
how to keep the top flat, dealing with wood
movement and different strategies for
attaching the tops to your frame.
This book is very complete in its
coverage of design and construction of
furniture, combining a comprehensive list
of topics with lots of colour illustrations
and step-by-step instructions for making
the components he discusses. This is
rounded out with good background
information, techniques and tips.
MICHEL THERIAULT is a Canadian writer and woodworker
living in Guelph, Ontario. www. woodstoneproductions.com
mjtheriault@sympatico.ca
Doors
*Building Doors
*Fitting and hinging doors
*Door pulls and hardware
Bases, Feet and Stands
*Bases
*Feet
*Stands
Frame Construction
*Legs and Aprons
*Chairs and Stools
*Face Frames
*Frame and Panel
Tabletops and Work Surfaces
*Making Tops
*Attaching Tops
Visit our website at: www.canadianwoodworking.com
 including
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 Powerful. Precise.
Portable.
10" Worksite Table Saw
Precision
25" of Rip Capacity Rip Fence
Square-Lock™ technology aligns and
Rear Outfeed Support* locks rip fence front and back
Extends working depth to 39 1/2"

Left Side
Support* Carries
Easily Rips Through 2" Oak Extends width of
table to 52"
Comfortably
Molded grip areas
for more secure and
comfortable carrying

On-Tool
Storage
Rip fence and miter
gauge lock in place
4.4 HP,
On-tool cord wrap
15 Amp Motor
Transports Easily Most powerful in its class
Soft Start
Technology
Provides smoother start-ups
and quieter performance

Torque Response
System™
Monitors torque demand and
instantly delivers additional power
Won’t bog down in hardwoods
*Shown with optional accessories Folding Stand*
Sets up in seconds,
Portable Folding Stand folds for easy storage
Rear Outfeed Support Extension
Left Side Support Extension