March/April 2021 Archives - Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To

“The Gold Standard” Marks 100 Years

Journal Staff — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 15:45:09 +0000

Powermatic first emerged in 1921, when Leonard F. Smith, Sr., a McMinnville, Tennessee, vendor of timber and rough-cut lumber, set out to upgrade his product by building a planing machine in the workshop of the family farm. He designed and built a planer that cleanly cut flat boards of even thickness from rough lumber better than any other tool of the day. As word spread quickly about the innovative planer, Smith filled orders to build four more of them for local woodworkers. Not long afterward, he decided to enter the manufacturing business full-time.

Stationary planers, such as this model from the 1980s, became cornerstones for the brand in its early days of manufacturing.

In 1928, Smith moved his shop to larger quarters in town and named the fast-growing business Powermatic Machinery Company. He introduced several new products, and soon the brand became known as “The Gold Standard.” By 1954, the business was managed by Smith’s sons who constructed a 38,000-sq.-ft. factory on the outskirts of McMinnville. Then in 1958, the company took the bold step of building its own 50,000-sq.-ft. foundry to ensure the precision and quality of its castings.

This green Powermatic jointer, manufactured sometime in the 1960s, is still used by a millworks company in Nashville, Tennessee.

Fast-forwarding to the present, Powermatic has joined forces with JET Tools, Wilton Tool Company and Edwards Manufacturing to form JPW Industries, which is owned by Gamut Capital Management. The company operates out of its innovation and durability will remain paramount. Woodworking professionals and hobbyists across America depend on Powermatic, and it’s that level of reliability and support they expect from ‘The Gold Standard.’

To commemorate Powermatic’s centennial, several stationary tools will feature a black finish with gold stripe. Premiums will be bundled with every Powermatic commemorative purchase.

Learn more about Powermatic’s full line of woodworking machinery by visiting powermatic.com.

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PROJECT: Bar Height Adirondack Table

Chris Marshall — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 18:10:53 +0000

If you’ve built a set of the tall Adirondack chairs that appeared in our April issue two years ago, here’s a freestanding table to complement them and make your outdoor time in these tall chairs even more enjoyable. While the table mimics the slatted styling and angled legs of those chairs, it also includes through holes in the top and shelf so you can use it with a patio umbrella on those sunny, really hot days to come.

Rockler’s 10-piece template set for this table (item 61795) includes all the curved shapes required to build it. Trace the corrugated cardboard patterns directly onto your project parts for sawing to shape.

Rockler offers a 10-piece set of corrugated cardboard templates for this table that will help you trace its top oval and all of the other curved parts. If you only plan to build one table, you could simply trace the templates onto your stock and cut the pieces with your jigsaw or band saw, taking care to stay a little outside those layout lines so you can sand the pieces to final shape.

Or use them to make more durable templates from plywood, MDF or hardboard, and template-rout the parts to shape instead.

Another method I’ll recommended, especially if you plan to build multiple tables, is to trace the corrugated shapes onto 1/4″-thick plywood, MDF or hardboard and then cut out and sand them to make a more durable template set that will be ideal for template routing. Template routing is a quicker way to make multiple identical pieces, which adds efficiency to the overall construction process.

Building the Tabletop Assembly

Fair and smooth the bottom curves of the short and long top aprons at a spindle sander or with sanding drums on your drill press. A large-diameter drum works best for this job.

Start your table project by ripping and crosscutting seven blanks for the top slats to rough length, according to the Material List. Use the four top slat templates to trace their curves onto these workpieces. Cut the curves to shape with a band saw or jigsaw, cutting just outside the layout lines. Sand the curves smooth and up to the layout lines.

Now cut blanks for the short and long top aprons to size. Use the kit’s pair of templates to trace the bottom curves onto these blanks. Cut the curves to shape, and sand them smooth. Then, ease just the curved areas of the aprons (not the adjacent flat edges) with a handheld router and 1/8″ roundover bit, a file or a sanding block. Sand the apron faces smooth.

Mill a pair of 3/4″-deep, 1-3/8″-long notches in each long top apron at the table saw using a wide dado blade. A stop block, clamped to a scrap fence on the miter gauge, can help set these notch locations accurately.

Notice in the Drawings that the top slats are secured to the long top aprons with two cleats that pass through a pair of notches in each apron. Mark these 3/4″-deep, 1-3/8″-long notches along the top edges of the long aprons. Position the notches 2-3/8″ in from the part ends. Then install a wide dado blade in your table saw, and cut the notches in a series of side-by-side passes, backing up the workpieces with a miter gauge equipped with a sacrificial scrap fence to reduce tearout.

Fasten the long and short top aprons together into a subassembly using pairs of counterbored 2″ screws at each joint. Arrange the parts so the short aprons overlap the ends of the long aprons.

With that done, you’re ready to assemble the short and long top aprons into a subassembly using a pair of 2″ counterbored screws at each joint. Arrange the parts so the short aprons overlap the ends of the long aprons.

Rip and crosscut the two cleats to size that will fit into the top apron notches. Ease the sharp ends on one face of each cleat with a handheld router and chamfering bit, a file or on the disc sander. Aim for a 1/4″ x 1/4″ chamfer on these parts.

Install a pair of tabletop cleats in the notches of the long top aprons so the cleats overhang the apron assembly evenly. Drive a countersunk 2″ screw at each joint location, centering it on the width of the cleats.

Go ahead and install the cleats in the notches of the long aprons with a single countersunk 2″ screw at each joint. Orient the cleats so their chamfered faces are down (toward the bottom curved edges of the aprons). The cleats should overhang the outside faces of the aprons by 4-1/4″.

Bore 1-3/4”-diameter umbrella pole holes through the center tabletop slat and the top blocking piece with a Forstner bit at the drill press. Center each of these holes on the parts.

If you’d like to use this table with a patio umbrella, the center top slat requires a 1-3/4″-diameter through hole to fit a typical 1-1/2″-diameter umbrella pole. Mark the centerpoint for this hole on the slat. Then rip and crosscut two blocking pieces to size — one of these will reinforce the top slat from beneath in the hole area, so it also requires a centered hole for the umbrella pole. Install a 1-3/4″ Forstner bit or hole saw in your drill press, and bore a hole through the slat and blocking piece. Back the workpieces up against a clamped fence.

Next, ease the sharp edges and ends of the top slats with a handheld router and 1/8″ roundover bit, a file or a sanding block to reduce splinters. Sand the slats smooth.

Check to make sure the blocking piece fits between the tabletop cleats in the aprons. Then glue the blocking to the bottom face of the center top slat with the umbrella pole holes and part edges carefully aligned. When the glue dries, reinforce this connection with four 1-1/4″ screws driven through the blocking and into the slat. Recess these screws into counterbored pilot holes to maximize the screw penetration.

After the blocking is glued and screwed to the center top slat, install the slat on the apron assembly with the blocking fitting between the cleats. Center the slat and fasten the cleats to it with counterbored 1-1/4″ screws.

Install this center top slat on the apron subassembly with the blocking fitting between the cleats. First, invert the apron subassembly so the curves face up, and adjust the top slat so it’s centered on the lengths of the cleats. Then, drill a pair of counterbored pilot holes through each cleat at the slat location, and fasten the cleats to the slat with four 1-1/4″ screws. Again, the counterbores help to ensure maximum thread penetration of these short screws into the slat.

With the center slat attached, you can install the other six top slats on either side of the center slat to form the table’s oval top shape. Align the ends of the slats carefully with one another to create smooth curves, and separate the slats with 1/8″-thick spacers. (Here’s a tip: 2d common nails make good spacers for this purpose.) Attach the cleats to the six slats using four counterbored 1-1/4″ screws per slat, spacing the screws evenly along the cleats.

Mark the short apron locations on the top faces of the tabletop’s middle three slats, and fasten the slats to the aprons with a single counterbored 2″ screw at each joint.

Now flip the tabletop over so the slats face up, and draw a layout line across the middle three slats, centered over the short aprons. Mark each of these slats on the layout line for a single centered screw that will attach the slats to the short aprons. Drill counterbored pilot holes, and fasten the slats to the aprons with 2″ screws.

Making the Laminated Legs

Swivel your miter saw 11 degrees off of square, and miter-cut the angled ends of the legs. Make sure these cuts are parallel to one another. Use a stop block to set the part length, which should be 36-1/8″.

I made the table’s 1-1/2″-thick legs from two 3/4″ laminations for added stiffness and to take advantage of common lumber thickness (but you could certainly use 8/4 lumber planed to 1-1/2″ thick, if that’s available to you). Start by face-gluing and clamping two 4-1/2″-wide, 37″-long boards together to form a blank that’s wide enough to produce two legs. Prepare two of these blanks. When the glue cures, rip each blank into two 2″-wide legs. Then, swivel your table saw’s miter gauge or your miter saw to 79 degrees (or 11 degrees, depending on the tool) and cut the four legs to length. Their long edges measure 36-1/8″; make sure the angles on the ends of the legs are parallel to each other.

The Drawings will show you that each leg requires a 3/4″-deep x 3-1/2″-wide rabbet at the top to house the table’s top apron assembly. Each leg also receives a 3/4″ x 2-1/2″ notch for the lower apron assembly that supports the shelf. Note that the rabbet shoulder and the notch are parallel with the angled ends of the legs. Lay out these rabbet and lower notch cuts with a bevel gauge, following the Leg Details drawing. It’s also a good idea to mark the legs so you can keep their position and orientation clear.

Using a wide dado blade and a long fence on your saw’s miter gauge, cut a wide rabbet and notch into each leg that will house the upper and lower apron assemblies. Mark these cuts carefully to avoid confusion.

You’re ready to head to the table saw to cut those joinery details in the legs. Install a wide dado blade, and mill the rabbets and notches in the legs using a series of side-by-side passes. Support the legs from behind with your saw’s miter gauge swiveled 11 degrees off of square and equipped with a long scrap fence. Clamp a stop block to the scrap fence to register the rabbet shoulders and notch locations accurately. Work carefully when making these cuts to be sure your miter gauge is angled correctly, depending upon which leg you’re cutting: it will be swiveled left for two legs and right for the other two; they are mirror opposites.

Clamp each leg to the upper aprons so its top angled end is flush against
the tabletop slats and its outer edge is even with the bottom (curved) edge
of the short aprons, as shown here.

Check to make sure the top and bottom aprons fit the rabbets and notches you’ve just cut before moving on from the table saw. If they do, shape the bottom sharp corners of the legs into 1/4″ curves to make them less likely to splinter when the table is dragged over rough surfaces. Then ease the legs’ long edges with a handheld router and 1/8″ roundover bit, a file or a sanding block. Sand the legs smooth.

Assembling the Lower Framework

Building the shelf’s apron assembly follows the same process as the one for the tabletop: rip and crosscut blanks for the short and long lower aprons, draw their curved profiles using the corrugated templates and cut them to shape. Ease their curved edges and assemble the apron framework with pairs of counterbored 2″ screws at each overlapping corner joint.

Invert the tabletop assembly on your workbench in order to clamp the legs in position against the long aprons. Align the outer edge of each leg so it intersects the bottom outside corner (curved edge) of the short aprons. Doing this will cause the opposite edge of the short aprons (directly beneath the tabletop slats) to project beyond the legs by 3/4″.

Once three legs are clamped in place, slide the shelf apron subassembly into its leg slots before positioning and clamping the fourth leg. Adjust the legs and shelf apron assembly to mimic the upper apron/leg joints.

Now set the shelf apron subassembly into place in the leg notches. Adjust the legs so they intersect the bottom outside corners of the short shelf aprons in the same fashion as the top aprons do. Clamp the legs to the long shelf aprons to hold them in place.

Mark the legs for a centered 5/16″ bolt hole at each apron joint. Drill these holes and install stainless or galvanized carriage bolts, washers and lock nuts into them.

Grab your pencil so you can mark the legs for a single centered carriage bolt at each joint that will secure the rabbet tongues and notched areas of the legs to the upper and lower apron subassemblies. Bore a 5/16″-diameter through hole at these eight layout marks. Fasten the leg/apron joints together with stainless or galvanized 5/16″ x 2″ carriage bolts, washers and locknuts.

It’s now time to cut three slats for the shelf and mark their curved ends with the corrugated templates. Cut the slat ends to shape, ease their sharp edges and sand the slats smooth. When that’s done, mark centerpoints on both the longest shelf slat and the second blocking piece you cut initially for the umbrella pole holes. Bore these holes through the workpieces at the drill press. Glue and screw the blocking to the bottom face of the center slat with the umbrella pole holes carefully aligned.

Trace the three shelf slat shapes, cut them out and install each on the lower aprons with two counterbored 2″ screws.

Stand the table right-side up, and set the shelf slats in place on the lower apron assembly. Align the curves of the outer two shelf slats with the inside edges of the legs. Adjust the middle slat evenly between the outer slats to form 1/8″ gaps between them and so the end curves line up well. Clamp the slats to the aprons, and fasten them with a single counterbored 2″ screw driven into the aprons at each joint location.

Wrapping Up with Wood Plugs and Finish

Fill all the visible screw counterbores with matching wood plugs, and trim them flush.

I cut and installed tapered wood plugs to hide the screwheads at the corner apron joints and where the screwheads are visible on the top and shelf slats from above. (It’s not necessary to fill the counterbores in the tabletop cleats, which aren’t visible when the table is standing upright.) Apply your choice of exterior stain, paint or other wood finish to complete the table. When it dries, it’s time to find that patio umbrella!

Click Here to Download the Drawings and Materials List.

Hard-to-Find Hardware:

Table

Bar Height Patio Table Templates (1) #61795
Bar Height Table Hardware Pack (1) #63918

Chairs

Bar Height Adirondack Chair Plan, Templates (1) #56771
Bar Height Adirondack Chair Hardware Pack (1 chair) #57269

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VetsTurn: Helping Heal PTSD Through Turning

Paul Mayer — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 17:22:34 +0000

Some U.S. combat veterans face a challenging reality when they transition to life back home, as is evidenced by the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alarming suicide rates. While I haven’t served in the military, I often have contemplated these challenges and wondered what I could do to help.

I’m a hobbyist woodworker and woodturner with an active social media presence and a YouTube channel (all under the name “ToolMetrix”), and I felt that something positive could surely be done for veterans through my platform.

Showing off her turned walnut mallet is Christine, a 2020 VetsTurn participant.

When I reached out to the woodturning and veteran communities for guidance, I met several veterans who credit woodturning as a crucial part of readjusting to civilian life. For instance, Burle Christopherson, a retired Army Ranger, explained to me that “turning is the only activity I’ve found that can consistently get my mind to a peaceful place. I literally cannot stay stressed and turn wood at the same time.”

Program Goal, Benefits Through conversations with other veterans who felt the same way, I was inspired to start the “VetsTurn” program two years ago. The goal of VetsTurn is to promote woodturning as a way to help combat veterans reduce the negative effects of PTSD.

Turning a bowl on his midi lathe is Patrick, one of last year’s five VetsTurn participants.

This veteran-focused non-profit Project 147 helps identify combat veteran recipients. Each selected veteran receives a full woodturning setup that includes a new midi lathe, an assortment of tools, wood, other supplies and training materials.

The woodturning community has also stepped up to support VetsTurn in meaningful ways. I’ve been thrilled to receive sponsorships from several well-known companies, including Easy Wood Tools, Teknatool (NOVA) and Rockler Woodworking and Hardware. Through social media exposure, several other vendors and individuals provide support as well. They have offered mentorship, supplies and money to help enhance the program.

Omar, a 2019 VetsTurn recipient (left), works with volunteer woodturning mentor James Carter.

When I launched VetsTurn in 2019, three veterans received woodturning awards. Feedback from them was overwhelmingly positive. “Woodturning has proven to be a great art form to help me relax and clear my thoughts,” says Omar Gonzalez, a 2019 VetsTurn recipient. “When I’m peeling beautiful ribbons of wood, I feel a deep sense of peace, calmness and satisfaction.”

Now a Shared Platform

Gordon, a 2020 VetsTurn recipient, shows the bowl he turned from thermally modified ash.

Through increased community support, VetsTurn welcomed five new recipients last year. As I had hoped, VetsTurn is shifting from being “my” program to a shared platform that allows interested members of the woodturning community — whether that be a vendor or individual — to extend support to veterans in whatever form they choose. I continue to serve as VetsTurn coordinator, promoter and instructor, while members of the community are supporting the program in other ways:

The owner of a Chicago-based retail store coordinated a significant fundraising event to sponsor a VetsTurn recipient in 2021. It will allow the program to serve one more veteran.
A woodworking company sponsored the cost of an additional recipient last year.
Several suppliers have donated some beautiful turning stock and project kits.
Nationally, some woodturning clubs have offered free memberships and in-person support to recipients.
A professional woodturner drove five hours round-trip and donated two days of private instruction to a 2019 recipient. The personal outreach was meaningful, and the results of this training were outstanding.

Training and Support

VetsTurn’s mission is to help recovering combat veterans such as David, a 2019 participant, find peace and healing through a woodturning hobby.

Training and ongoing support are key to helping the recipients quickly and safely gain the skills needed for a variety of projects. Well-known influencer/woodturners George Vondriska and Ashley Harwood have donated a set of in-depth training videos. Last year, to provide personalized training in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we began to offer free online training sessions to cover basic skills.

During these sessions, group members could also bring items that they’d turned for “show and tell,” and plenty of time was allotted for questions and answers. The recipients have expressed a strong interest in continuing these online sessions, and I believe it will be an important element of the program going forward.

Getting Involved

Each veteran receives a complete woodturning starter setup that includes a midi lathe, turning tools, chuck, face shield, wood and other supplies.

When I hear the positive stories that result from VetsTurn and see the beautiful pieces our turners are creating, I’m humbled and inspired. I hope to continue to grow VetsTurn to serve even more vets in the future. To follow the progress of VetsTurn and see the work produced by our program’s recipients so far, subscribe/follow ToolMetrix on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. If you are interested in helping with this program or providing a donation, feel free to reach out to me at VetsTurn@Toolmetrix.com.

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PROJECT: Segmented Bowl

Chris Marshall — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 16:54:15 +0000

I enjoy turning bowls, but I don’t always have green log chunks or seasoned bowl blanks on hand when the inspiration hits. That’s where a segmented bowl like this can really open up your options. All you need is some scrap board lumber to assemble into rings of miter-cut and glued segments. The more rings you stack up, and the larger their diameters, the bigger the bowl becomes.

Its size is really only limited by the swing capacity of your lathe. If you choose two contrasting species, like I have here with walnut and maple, you can create an eye-catching “tiled” pattern by alternating the wood colors on each ring, then offsetting the color pattern from one ring layer to the next. Even wood with humdrum grain will take on new pizzazz if you pair it with a lighter- or darker-colored counterpart.

Starting with Segments

Segments for eight-sided bowl rings require 22.5-degree miter cuts.

To get your bearings with segmented turning, I’ll suggest you start as I did with the simple bowl shown here. It’s made of six rings of eight segments each. The largest ring is 10″ in diameter and the smallest is 7-1/2″. I made my segments from 3/4″ stock to make each ring easier to glue together, and the segments are 2″ wide to provide substantial wall thickness for the bowl blank. This way, you’re not limited to a closed form like I’ve made; if you want to shape the profile to a more open, sweeping rim or change the curvature from the “orb” shape I’ve created here, the same blank should give you options to get creative.

The author set this angle on his miter gauge using Rockler’s Perfect Miter Setup Blocks. Cut the rings carefully to length.

After you’ve rip-cut some long strips of 2″-wide stock, it’s crucial that the 22.5-degree miter angle you’ll need for cutting the segments be dead-on. Even a fraction of a degree off will create cumulative error that will prevent the eight ring segments from closing properly on the final joint. To help zero in on this angle setting, I used Rockler’s Perfect Miter Setup Blocks to check my miter gauge’s fence angle. These blocks enable you to set a miter gauge for cutting four- to 12-sided polygons without measuring or math.

Adhere eight segments end to end to a piece of painter’s tape, then spread glue on their mating edges and roll them up into a ring.

With your miter gauge carefully adjusted, follow the Material List to cut 48 segments to the lengths shown. I used a step-off block clamped to my table saw’s rip fence to set each of these segment lengths. Make sure your blade is also exactly square to the table. Stay alert when carrying out these repetitive cuts and while working so closely to the blade.

Large automotive-type hose clamps provide excellent clamping force.

Dry assemble the segments of each ring to make sure the final joint closes. Then stick their long edges to a piece of painter’s tape, with the mitered corners just touching, to hold them in place for gluing. Spread glue on the angled mating surfaces and roll each ring up, taping the final joint closed. If you have a strap clamp, you can use it to squeeze the joints more tightly still. I opted for large, automotive-style steel hose clamps instead so I could glue and clamp all six rings individually but at the same time. They work great for this job!

Sand the ring faces flat. Two sheets of coarse sandpaper spray-mounted to MDF or a melamine board provide a flat, thrifty sanding surface.

When the glue cures and the rings come out of the clamp or clamps, their faces likely won’t be as flat as they should be to face-glue together. So give them a good sanding to flatten any mismatched joints. A couple full sheets of 80- or 100-grit sandpaper mounted to a piece of MDF or melamine board makes a low-cost sanding surface. I flattened my rings on a horizontal belt sander to speed the process along, but either option works fine. Check your sanding progress carefully; the ring faces should be as flat as possible to create super thin glue seams on the final blank.

Assembling the Turning Blank

Arrange the rings into a blank of staggered joints and spiraling colors. Mark their ordering, then spread glue on the faces and stack up the rings. Ordinary PVA wood glue is plenty strong for this application.

In addition to the six rings, you’ll also need a piece of solid stock for the bowl’s bottom. I glued my walnut bottom piece to a scrap of poplar that served as a mounting surface for faceplate screws. Cut this bottom glue-up round.

Add the bowl’s bottom piece/glue block to the stack, and clamp up the blank securely. The author used a shop-made clamping press for this purpose.

Stacking the rings from largest to smallest and staggering the glue seams is what forms the “stepped” and spiraling pattern up the sides of the bowl blank. Create the arrangement you like, but be sure to stagger the glue seams. Then mark the rings in some way so you can order them quickly as you glue them together. I marked mine with small black dots that formed a line up the blank.

When the glue dries, install a faceplate to the glue block with screws.

While you could glue this blank and bottom piece together with a board and some heavy weight on top, I chose to make a simple clamping press from scrap plywood, some 5/16″ all-thread, washers, locknuts and star knobs I had on hand. It provides tremendous and even clamping pressure, and I can reuse this press over and over again. Whatever you decide to do, spread glue over the face of each ring, stack the rings so your registration marks line up and clamp the blank and bottom piece together. Allow the glue joints to dry overnight. Any common woodworking glue will offer plenty of strength for this blank — yellow or white PVA, epoxy, polyurethane or hide glue. (I used Titebond III to give myself a bit more open time for the various gluing and clamping stages to create the rings and blank.)

Now for the Fun Part!

Start the turning process by removing the blank’s outer flat facets to bring it into round. Then continue to shape the bowl’s exterior with a bowl gouge and bevel-rubbing cuts or with a carbide insert turning tool.

Screw a faceplate to your glued-up blank, and it’s time to get down to making some shavings fly! One benefit to segmented bowl blanks like this is the absence of end grain — most of what you’ll be turning away is edge grain, so the cutting process will feel easier than when turning solid wood that’s a mix of both end and edge grain.

The author was able to shape much of the bowl’s bottom while still on the faceplate by removing most of the poplar glue block down to the faceplate. Here, shear-scraping cuts further smooth the exterior.

I started by shaping the outside of my bowl to establish its basic profile. Use a bowl gouge or carbide-insert turning tool to remove all of the blank’s straight facets and bring it into round. From there, I used basic bevel-rubbing and shear-scraping cuts to further refine and smooth my bowl’s closed-rim orb form. I also reduced the bowl’s bottom piece and glue block so I could shape this portion while the bowl was still mounted to the faceplate.

Work from the rim downward to remove the bowl’s fl at interior facets, then continue to thin and shape the walls with a gouge, scraper or carbide insert turning tool — whatever works best for you.

When you’re happy with the outer profile, swing the tool-rest around to the blank’s inside and begin to remove the bulk of the interior waste. But here’s a word of caution: if you use a bowl gouge for this operation, cut from the rim of the blank down into the interior rather than starting from the bottom and working your way up. Doing that will collide the tool’s edge into a series of bone-jarring flat surfaces that will make you wish you had known better!

Once the “flats” are cut away, the turning gets easier. Continue to thin, shape and clean up the bowl’s walls with a gouge and scraper as you normally would. The process goes pretty quickly. Once my bowl’s walls were about 5/16″ thick, I refined the rim and sanded the interior and exterior up to 220-grit.

Flip the Bowl to Finish the Foot

Turn and remount the bowl on a Longworth or jam chuck to complete the bowl’s bottom end and foot.

Now reverse-chuck your bowl. Unscrew your bowl from the faceplate, turn it around and reinstall it on the lathe however you prefer. I mounted mine on a Longworth-style chuck, but a jam chuck would work fine, too. I used my tailstock and a free-spinning Jacob’s chuck with a length of drill rod installed in it to press my bowl against the Longworth chuck. From there, I could turn away the poplar mounting surface, shape a small foot and turn a slight hollow inside the foot. At that point, I backed off my tailstock, turned away the nub of poplar that had supported it and finished turning the foot. A bit of final sanding completed my bowl.

Detail the foot with a slight recess if you wish.

Finish your bowl as you wish. I wiped on some Danish oil and followed with several light coats of spray lacquer.

Download the Drawings and Materials List.

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PROJECT: DIY Wall Shelf

Journal Staff — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 19:52:27 +0000

Every bit of organizing and storage provides helpful benefits to our lives. Even this simple shelf with handy hooks to organize an entryway can bring a sense of satisfaction, especially if you make the shelf yourself. With just three main parts and some basic power tools, here’s a great project for a DIYer to get introduced to woodworking in general and how to use a router specifically.

Following the Basics

Every woodworking project revolves around a few basic steps: you need to be able to cut and shape the wood, and you need to know how to stick those pieces of wood together to make joints.

Crosscutting the 1 x 10 with a handheld jigsaw will be more accurate if you guide the saw’s base along a speed square. Repeat this process to cut two 24″-long pieces for the back panel and shelf.

To build this little shelf, you’ll need a jigsaw and a router of some sort as well as a sander. We’ll use a standard wood-cutting blade in the saw and a 1/2″-diameter straight bit in the router. You’ll also need to drill pilot holes for the assembly screws and hook hardware. A piece of 1 x 10″ x 8′ pine from a big box store will take care of all the shelf parts, and the hooks are available from rockler.com.

The shelf needs to be reduced to 6-1/2″ wide. Rip it to width with the jigsaw. A slow, controlled cut will deliver the best results.

To get started, cut two pieces of pine to make the back and shelf (pieces 1 and 2). Crosscut them to length with the jigsaw. We used a speed square to help guide these cuts. Support the stock so that when you cut through it the parts don’t flop around or fall. Then mark the shelf piece with a line at 6-1/2″ and rip the shelf to width. Set the shelf piece aside for now.

Making a Router Jig

The back panel groove that will capture the shelf is made in a two-step process. First, plow a 1/2″-wide groove 3/8″ deep.

A handheld router is a very handy woodworking tool, but it needs to be accurately guided. In this case, we made a jig for that purpose. We attached a 1 x 2 piece of pine a to a wider piece of 1/8″-thick hardboard with screws so the pine “fence” is 3″ in from one edge. Then we took the router with the 1/2″ straight bit chucked into it and, using the 1 x 2 fence as a guide, cut away the waste hardboard. This way, the routed edge of the hardboard will locate the router cut exactly and the jig will guide the router bit accurately.

Then mark the width of the shelf, reset the router jig and make a second cut to widen the groove as needed.

Secure the back piece to your work table or workbench with double-sided tape, and mark one edge of the groove as shown in the Drawings. Clamp the jig in place. Set the router bit to make a 3/8″-deep cut, and plow a first pass with the router. Unclamp the router jig, and mark the exact thickness of the shelf onto the back piece. Reset the jig to this second layout line, and rout a second pass the same way as the first to widen the groove to the shelf’s exact thickness. Test the shelf’s fit in the groove; it should seat in the groove fully and not show a gap.

Cutting curved corners on the project parts adds attractive details to this DIY project.

Let’s add some detail to those plain rectangular boards next. Lay out the curves with pencil lines and cut their shapes with the jigsaw. Now cut the two supports (pieces 3) to size, and shape their curved ends. Then get out your sander and sand the four parts up through the grits to at least 180. Be sure to smooth the curves and exposed edges of the pieces, too.

Putting Things Together

Attach the supports to the shelf with screws driven into countersunk pilot holes. Cap the holes with wood plugs to hide the screw heads.

Before you make the last sanding pass, take a moment to drill four screw holes in the shelf and two in the back for hanging. You’ll find their locations in the Drawings. A countersink bit for the screw holes is helpful, and you can find them at any home center.

Complete your last sanding pass, then spray two coats of aerosol shellac onto the various parts. Mask off the groove and the back edge of the shelf first to keep them clear of finish so the glue will bond well. Then paint the shelf and allow it to dry; the shellac will work as a primer. Glue and clamp the shelf to the back piece (remove the tape!), check things for square and allow the glue to dry. Finally, use screws to mount the supports under the shelf and install the hooks to wrap things up. Your do-it-yourself shelf is ready for hanging!

Download the Drawings and Materials List.

Hard-to-Find Hardware:

Oil-Rubbed Bronze Wall Hook, 13 ⁄4″H (3) #63773
Birch-3/8″ Oval Top Wood Plugs (1) #20578

The post PROJECT: DIY Wall Shelf appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.

PROJECT: Waterfall Veneered Office Desk

Jeff Jacobson — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 18:29:26 +0000

Unlike those massive, multi-drawered desks from days gone by, I’ve designed this project to meet the “streamlined” appeal of today. My desk offers enough space to place your laptop or monitor, some extra room for a coffee cup and the day’s work and even concealed provisions to charge your phone and computer. Stylish metal hairpin legs take the place of big banks of drawers, and adhesive-backed walnut veneer adds a custom woodworking touch — the grain pattern flows over and down from the top to the desk’s short wings on either end.

Building the Desk’s Top Substrate

A couple of countersunk flathead wood screws can help keep the desk’s top laminations aligned, once glue is applied. Clamp the laminations before drilling these pilot holes.

This desktop is a built-up lamination of two sheets of 3/4″ (11/16″ actual) Baltic birch plywood. Rip and crosscut a pair of 24″ x 52″ panels, then pause to consider whether you’d like to add the wireless charger to your desk, as I did. If you do, you’ll need to cut a 4-1/4″ x 4-1/4″ recess hole in the desktop’s lower lamination before proceeding further. I positioned this opening 7-1⁄4″ in from the panel’s end and 7-1⁄4″ in from its back edge.

Spread a thin, even layer of glue over the face of one of the plywood top laminations. Stack and align the other panel on it, and drive in the first two registration screws.

Once the recess hole is completed, set the two panels into a stack with their edges and ends flush and the bottom panel on top. We’re going to glue them together shortly, but glue will act as a lubricant before it gets sticky, so do yourself a favor and drill a couple of countersunk pilot holes through both panels. Their exact location isn’t critical, but spread them far enough apart so two screws will hold the laminations in alignment once the glue is spread and clamps are applied.

Then install clamps and a handful of additional countersunk screws to pull this big glue joint tight. Keep these screws clear of the grommet area.

Ordinary yellow wood glue is what I used to bond the laminations together. Spread a thin layer over the inside face of the top lamination, set the bottom lamination into place and then drive in those first two registration screws.

Trim the long edges of the laminated desktop panel flush at the table saw. These cuts should also bring the panel to its final 23-1/2″ width.

Follow that up with more screws, locating the screws about 12″ apart to help pull the panels tight. I installed plenty of clamps around the edges of the desktop panel as well to ensure a tight glue seam here.

Tilt the saw blade to 45 degrees, and bevel-rip both long edges. Feed this bulky panel carefully, making sure its edge remains in contact with the rip fence.

When the glue has cured — leaving it to dry overnight is ideal — take your panel to the table saw and trim the long edges flush, bringing the panel to its 23-1/2″ final width. Then tilt the blade to 45 degrees and carefully bevel-rip these long edges so they tilt inward toward the panel’s bottom face.

Steps for Optional Charger and Grommet

Outfitting this project with an optional ZENS PuK wireless phone charger and cord grommet should happen at various points during the construction process — at the beginning, about midway through and then near the end of the construction procedure. Here’s some additional help.

Prior to assembling the desk’s top laminations, lay out a 4-1⁄4″ x 4-1⁄4″ recess for the phone charger on the bottom plywood lamination. Drill a clearance hole at each corner of this layout.

Cut out the recess hole with a jigsaw.

After gluing the desk’s top laminations together, locate the wiring grommet and bore a 2″-dia. hole through the assembly.

The author used a shop-made template to rout the 81 mm round mounting hole for the ZENS charger over the recess hole.

Opening up access holes in the desk’s top veneer happens near the end of the build.

Use a flush-trim bit in a router for this task.

Feed the router counterclockwise around the precut plywood holes you made earlier.

Making and Installing the Wings

Bevel-cut the short ends of the laminated panel to 45 degrees to match the long edges. An oversized crosscut sled like this can help make these cuts safely and accurately. A guided track saw could also be up to this task.

The best way to tackle this next cutting step is by using a large crosscut sled on the table saw to support the desktop panel. But a carefully aligned track saw will work, too. We’ll cut both wing pieces off of the opposite end of the panel from the charger opening. With your saw blade tilted to 45 degrees, trim the end of the panel to this angle. Swivel the blade back to 90 degrees and make a crosscut, 4″ in from the beveled end, to create the desk’s first wing blank. Repeat this process to make the second wing. Spin the panel end for end, and bevel the end closest to the charger. Then spin it around again, and bevel-cut the panel to final length.

Cutting the desk’s two wings involves first bevel-cutting the initial panel ends to 45 degrees, slicing off the wings with 90-degree crosscuts, then bevel-cutting the center panel’s ends to 45 degrees again.

Later on, when it comes time to glue the wings onto the desktop, you’ll thank yourself if you’ve created a means of accurately aligning these bevel joints. Otherwise, they’ll be much more difficult to clamp together perfectly.

Biscuits will help greatly to align the desk’s beveled wing joints so the parts will hold their positions during gluing and clamping. Here the author cuts three slots per joint for #20 biscuits.

So to prepare for that glue-up step far in advance, I laid out and cut three #20 biscuit slots in the wings and top blank. Once the slots are cut, dry fit the wings and top panel together to make sure the joints close tightly. With that work done, it’s time to cut an access hole through the top lamination for the wireless charger. And if you’d like to add a grommet to your desktop to use as a pass-through for other electrical cords, that hole should be bored now, too.

Thin veneer will telegraph even tiny blemishes and torn fibers in the plywood substrate, so take some time to fill any voids in the top surfaces of the desktop panel and wings with wood putty. Sand the parts up to 220-grit. I applied a coat of dewaxed shellac to further prepare these surfaces for the peel-and-stick veneer that comes next.

Applying Veneer

Score through the veneer’s backing paper on each end of the veneer panel near its beveled ends.

Rockler’s pressure-sensitive veneer is very user-friendly and eliminates the need for a vacuum press. Its peel-off backing makes veneering about as easy as applying a giant bumper sticker.

Make a second paper-scoring cut 8″ in from one end.

I started by examining my 96″-long piece of veneer for the best area of figure, then cutting a 56″-long section to length with a utility knife. Set the veneer and desktop so they’re upside down on your work surface, and position the top panel on the veneer, adjusting it evenly to allow sufficient veneer for the wings on either end. Keep in mind that to create a waterfall grain effect, where the grain pattern flows around the ends of the desk, you want the wing veneer to be made of pieces immediately adjacent to the piece you use for the desktop veneer.

Clamp the veneer to the substrate to hold the single-scored end in place, and peel off just the 8” strip of backing paper.

Using a straightedge and sharp utility knife, lightly score through the veneer’s backing paper about 1/4″ beyond the beveled ends of the top panel. On one end, make a second scoring cut through the backing paper 8″ further in from the wing-scoring cut you just made. Then flip the desktop and veneer right-side up, carefully realign the veneer over the top panel again so the wing areas of the veneer overhang properly and clamp it in place.

Adhere and clamp the veneer to the plywood on its 8″ sticky end. Then peel off the large, middle piece of backing paper and lay the veneer down into place.

Peel off the 8″ section of backing paper, press it down to the substrate and clamp the veneer and panel together using a plywood caul. Now carefully roll back the veneer and peel off the large middle section of backing paper but leave the paper in place over the other wing area of the veneer.

Use a J-roller, or a piece of scrap wrapped with a towel, to press the veneer firmly against the substrate and secure the bond.

Ease the veneer sheet down onto the substrate and roll it with a J-roller to bond the adhesive. Work outward from the middle, pressing the entire surface. Be careful not to roll over the unsupported “wing” areas of the veneer.

Peel off the backing paper in the wing areas. Carefully position the plywood wings in place, aiming for the beveled part edges to nearly touch one another.

Next, invert the desktop again. Peel off the backing paper in the wing areas, and set each plywood wing down into place on the veneer. Aim for the sharp, beveled edges of the parts to just about touch.

Carefully score through the veneer along the bevel joints to separate the wings from the center lamination. Make these cuts in several light passes.

Then carefully score along these joint lines with a sharp utility knife to separate the veneered wings from the desktop panel.

Adding Aprons and Glue Blocks

To ensure that the pressure-sensitive adhesive bonded securely to the substrate, the author placed plywood scraps around the edges of the desktop and applied clamping pressure overnight.

Check out the Drawings to see that there are four short corner aprons and one long back apron yet to make, so lay out and cut these parts to size from more Baltic birch. Apply veneer to one face of each of these five aprons, and trim off any overhanging veneer as needed.

Clamping the desk’s two wings together with their veneered faces sandwiched in between makes an effective press to further bond the adhesive. It’s far easier to take these precautions now than to re-stick loose veneer later.

When that was done, I brushed a coat of dewaxed shellac onto the veneered faces of all the desk parts at this point to help protect them from glue squeeze-out in the next assembly steps.

One face of each of the desk’s four corner aprons and long back apron also receives veneer.

Speaking of gluing, here’s where those biscuits will come in handy: go ahead and glue and clamp the wings to the desktop with biscuits installed in the joints. When the glue dries, glue the short aprons into place so their veneered faces are flush with the inside bottom corners of the bevel joints of the wings and top. Glue the back apron between the short side aprons.

Trim excess veneer from the aprons with a sharp scissors or utility knife, leaving a tiny bit of overhang. Sand that off to create clean part edges.

To strengthen each of these butt joints, I made some short glue blocks and installed them where the short aprons meet the wings and along the inside back edge of the long apron where it intersects the desktop.

Glue and clamp the wings to the desktop’s center panel. Here a combination of bar clamps, long scraps and shorter F-style clamps helped to close and secure the joints.

If you decide to use the same hairpin legs as I did for your desk, leave enough space under the glue blocks at the inside corners so the legs’ mounting brackets can fit underneath them. Now take some time to ease the sharp edges and corners of the desk with a sanding block.

Installing Hairpin Legs and Wiring Hardware

To prepare for final hardware installation, chuck a piloted flush-trim bit in your handheld router so you can trim through the top veneer to open up the grommet and charger holes. Apply a few more coats of finish — whether that’s more shellac or the topcoat of your choice — to all the “show” surfaces of the desk.

When the finish dries, flip the desk upside down so you can install the hairpin legs. That’s easily done: just press their mounting plates into the corners, flush behind the aprons, and drive the supplied screws through their four installation holes.

Snap the plastic grommet pieces into their mounting hole in the desktop, and install the wireless charger in its spot, following the instructions that come with it.

Even a minimalist desk like this can benefit from at least one drawer, so I added Rockler’s plastic organizer drawer to mine. And for more convenience for your electrical needs, consider mounting a power strip beside the drawer underneath your desk. I’ll be using that to power my laptop charger, phone charger and a desk lamp. Tidy up these cords with small zip ties to hide the fact that they’re even there.

Click Here to Download the Drawings and Materials List

Hard-to-Find Hardware:

28″ I-Semble Hairpin Table Legs, 4-Pack, White (1) #87379
ZENS PuK 3 Qi Undermount Totally Concealed Wireless Fast Charger (1) #66909
White Cover Plate for ZENS PuK 3 (1) #61587
2″ Standard Plastic Grommet, White #57269
Perfect Fit Dado Jig (1) #59385
Organizer Drawer (1) #68264
24″ x 96″ Pressure Sensitive Veneer – Walnut (Plain Sliced) (1) #14266.

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VIDEO: How to Make Segmented Bowl Turning Blanks

Chris Marshall — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 20:30:01 +0000

In this video, you’ll learn how to cut the segment pieces and glue them up to make a segmented bowl turning blank. The new Rockler Perfect Miter Setup Blocks make it easy to cut the precise angles needed to make the segmented frames. These setup blocks feature the angles required to make segmented frames with 4 to 12 sides.

The post VIDEO: How to Make Segmented Bowl Turning Blanks appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.

Woodworker’s Journal March/April 2021

Matt Hocking — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 19:59:31 +0000

Springtime offers the perfect “fresh start” frame of mind for woodworking. And in the spirit of trying something new, our April issue gives you chances to dabble in routing, segmented bowl turning and basic veneering techniques. We’ll also help you get back outside with an outdoor table project that looks great while it keeps you cool. Enjoy!

Waterfall Veneered Office Desk: This contemporary desk project is sized and wired for the way we live today. We appoint ours with pressure-sensitive walnut veneer and outfit it with the latest in Qi-technology phone chargers.

Segmented Bowl: You don’t need chunks of logs to turn eye-catching bowls. Our senior editor will show you how to make them from board lumber using a table saw and clamps first, followed by a lathe and basic bowl-turning skills.

DIY Wall Shelf: Every home can benefit from a convenient spot to hang coats. Our coat rack design is simple to make with a jigsaw, router and drill/driver. Here’s a great way to gain some experience cutting grooves with a router.

Bar Height Adirondack Table: If you built a pair of our tall outdoor chairs that were featured in the April 2018 issue, this table was designed to complement them. It’ll provide a place to set a cool drink and a home base for a patio umbrella.

Woodturning: Ernie Conover traces the history of bowl gouges and overviews several distinct ways they are sharpened. It’s time for a woodturning history lesson!

Tool Tutorial: Accurate measuring and marking are fundamental woodworking skills you’ll apply to every project. Our expert suggests 20 key tools to tackle both of these important tasks.

Tool Preview: Powermatic’s newest iteration of floor-standing drill press — the PM2820EVS — features a gear-drive transmission and a host of other smart woodworking features.

Hardworking Woods: Soft and easy to work, African mahogany is well suited for both fine interior furniture and weather-tough outdoor projects. It just might be the all-around hero for woodworking.

Shop Talk: Social media influencer Paul Mayer shares how his VetsTurn program is helping combat veterans with PTSD heal through woodturning.

Getting Started: There’s no escaping woodworking terminology if you want to get serious about this craft. We share a short list of terms to build your vocabulary and knowledge base.

Buying Lumber: A home center isn’t the only place to find the wood you need. Here are four more shopping alternatives that can save you money and expand your range of species options in a big way.

The post Woodworker’s Journal March/April 2021 appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.

VIDEO: Making and Installing Wood Bow Tie Inlays

Chris Marshall — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 19:24:18 +0000

Cutting bow tie inlays can get pretty complicated with all the angles and mortising. Luckily, Rockler’s Bow Tie Inlay Template System makes cutting both key and mortise fast and foolproof.

The post VIDEO: Making and Installing Wood Bow Tie Inlays appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.

VIDEO: Building a DIY Wall Shelf

Rob Johnstone — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 19:12:31 +0000

Rob Johnstone takes you step-by-step through the process of creating a simple wall shelf. He explains the tools, jigs and techniques you’ll use to create this project accurately every time.

Download the Drawings and Materials List.

The post VIDEO: Building a DIY Wall Shelf appeared first on Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To.