Woodworking Tip of The Week - Push Block

At first glance, the push block in the photo at right appears to be rather simple. But don’t let its appearance fool you. The right push block not only makes the work safer, it also improves the quality of your work.
One thing I like about the push block shown in the photo is the “high-mounted” comfortable position of the handle. It keeps your fingers well above and away from the spinning saw blade.
Best of all, you don’t sacrifice any control. The forward sweep of the handle lets you place constant downward pressure on the work-piece for a steady, controlled feed into the saw blade.

As you might expect, the body and cleat are going to get chewed up after you pass them overthe blade a number of times. So this push block is designed with replaceable parts. All you need to do is flip the body or cleat over when you need a new edge or simply replace them with new ones. Then you can quickly attach the handle with a screw and get back to work again.

Have a nice weekend,
Phil Huber

Editor, ShopNotes

Woodworking Tip of The Week - Edge Trimming Panel Supports

Whenever I use plywood to build a project it usually means having to deal with exposed plywood edges that need to be covered. But you’ll find a few challenges to applying edging and making it look great.

Since I want to be sure the edges are completely covered, I like to start with the edging just a hair wider than the thickness of the plywood. Then once the glue dries, the edging can be trimmed flush. I like to use a hand-held router with a flush trim bit to do this. But the challenge is balancing the router on the edge of the plywood to make a clean cut.

To provide stability to the panels while I routed the edges, I used to clamp two panels on edge with 2x4 scraps between them. But accomplishing this always seemed to take more hands than I had to get everything clamped in place. To make the job easier, I made the panel supports shown in the photo at right.

The supports are easy to build and can be made from scrap pieces of stock. I made mine from 3/4″ plywood.

Each support begins with a long base to provide an area to clamp the support to the workbench. Next, glue up two layers of plywood to create a center divider and attach it upright on the base. This separates the two panels to be trimmed and provides a wide surface for clamping the panels securely in position. Then, to hold the plywood panels in place while I attach the clamps, just add a shorter outside support on either side.

The supports are easy to set up and simple use. All you need to do is align the two supports with one another and then clamp them to your workbench. After slipping a panel between the center divider and each outside support, clamp the panels to the divider at each end, as shown in the drawing below.

Both panels are now securely supported, making it easy to trim the edging flush. Just be sure to rout each panel in a clockwise direction to avoid kickback.
Have a nice weekend,
Phil Huber

Editor, ShopNotes

Woodworking Tip of The Week - Revolving Finish Station

First I would like to say that I'm sorry for not posting these tips every week. There has been a week or two that I have forgot.

I am a BIG Gamer, as well as Scroll Sawer and getting into Woodworking, and having so many Hobbies and all, you have to Juggle your time here and there.

I have been Stuck on World of Warcraft which i'm sure some of you woodworkers and scrollers out there are familure with or have even heard of the game it's self. And this is what I have been doing, Spending most of my time on World of Warcraft.

Anyway, Here is the Woodworking Tip of the Week.

One of the biggest challenges in a small shop is having room to apply finish to a project. I needed something that wouldn’t take up much room but would still provide easy access to all sides of the project. The station you see here is the solution.

First, the top sits on a lazy Susan. This allows you to rotate the project and apply finish easily on all sides. Second, the hinges allow you to set the station up and tear it down quickly. And third, it can be set up in a corner of my shop out of the way and without taking up a lot of valuable space.

The base consists of two side panels made from 3/4″ plywood and connected by a hinge. Another hinge connects one side panel assembly to the turntable, which is made up of two plywood disks and the lazy Susan (left drawing).

Then you set the station up, swing the two side panels open. The top will rest on the side panels and fit down onto a dowel pin (drawing above right). The dowel acts as a safety catch to lock the station open and adds stability. When you’re done with the station, all you have to do is lift the top up, fold the panels together, and hang it on a wall hook, as you see in the drawing above.

Have a nice weekend,
Phil Huber

Editor, ShopNotes

Woodworking Tip of The Week - Shop-Made Pull

When it’s time to choose drawer or door pulls for a project, there’s an option that’s often overlooked. Rather than buy something off the shelf or order from a catalog, save the cash and make you own pulls.

Shop-made pulls have some neat advantages. I like the fact that you’re not limited to what’s commercially available. When the work stays in the shop, you can better match the style, size, and wood of the pull to the project. You use up some scrap wood and get unique-looking, custom pulls out of the bargain.

So to get you started, here’s the step-by-step process for one great-looking, easy-to-make pull.
The real key to making this “cut-out” pull is doing things in the right order. I started by laying out the pulls on an extra-wide blank and drilling pairs of holes (upper drawing). You’ll get two pulls from each section. After ripping the blank down the center, the cutouts are completed by removing the waste between the holes on the band saw (left lower drawing).

Then, before cutting the individual pulls from the blanks, you’ll want to bevel the sides on the table saw, as shown in the lower right drawing.

Have a nice weekend,

Phil Huber
Editor, ShopNotes

Woodworking Tip of The Week - Adjustable Assembly Table

Projects come in all different sizes. So I found that a one-height-fits-all assembly table was not very practical. To solve this problem, I built an assembly table that can be adjusted to suit the project, as shown in the drawings below.

My simple design features two-piece legs that are hinged in the middle. At its full height, the legs are firmly locked in position with barrel bolts. When a shorter table is needed, the top can be lifted off and the legs folded down (Figure 2).

The construction is simple and solid. I used 4x4s for the legs and 2x4s for the stretchers. The removable top is cut from 3/4″ plywood.

Have a nice weekend,

Ted Raife

Editor, Woodsmith

Woodworking Tip of The Week - Custom-Fit Dadoes

Routing dadoes or grooves to hold a plywood panel can be a challenge. The problem is it measures a little less than the stated thickness. Whenever I need to rout a perfectly sized dado to match a piece of plywood, I turn to a pair of guides like those shown in photo at right.
The guides consist of a hardboard base with a fence on top. I use the router and a 1/2″ straight bit to trim the base of the guide.

Once you’ve made the guides, using them is straightforward. You can use a combination square to set one of the guides square to the edge of the workpiece. Then place a plywood spacer alongside the guide and clamp the second guide against the spacer.
Now, you can rout along one edge guide then turn the router around and make a return pass to complete the dado.

Have a nice weekend,

Phil Huber

Editor, ShopNotes

Woodworking Tip of The Week - Router Table Indexing Jig

Recently I had to cut a series of evenly spaced dadoes across the sides of some small display shelves I was making. I wanted to make the dadoes on my router table, and I needed a way to space them evenly. That's when I came up with the idea for an auxiliary table fitted with an index pin as shown in the photo.

To make the auxiliary table, I started by cutting a piece of ½″ MDF (medium-density fiberboard) that fit on top of my router table. Then I drilled a hole in the center of the MDF for a router bit.

Next I inset a strip of wood into the top to serve as an index pin for spacing the dadoes, see Figure 1. I made sure that the distance between the router bit and the index pin equaled the spacing I needed for my dadoes, then I clamped the top to my router table.

Now cutting evenly spaced dadoes is easy. Simply butt one of the workpieces against the index pin and push it forward with a backer block to cut the first dado. Now just shift the workpiece so the dado you just cut fits over the index pin and cut a second dado. Repeat this process until all the dadoes have been cut, as you can see in Figure 2.

Have a nice weekend,

Ted Raife
Online Editor, Woodsmith

Woodworking Tip of The Week - Organizing Drawers

Drawers are a good way to organize tools and other supplies. The problem is, it’s all too easy for stuff to get lost in deep drawers. To solve this problem, I like to divide each deep drawer into two layers, as shown in the photo below.

Dividers. For the bottom layer, I made a divided box. When you measure for the box, you’ll want to leave a 1/16″ gap between the box and the drawer. This way you can take the box out if you ever need to.

The dividers are dadoed into the sides of the insert box. They also accept subdividers, so you can customize the box for whatever you need to store (drawing below).

The Totes. To take advantage of the space above the box, I made some totes to rest on top. Each tote has a pair of fixed dividers and a handle. Besides making it easy to organize small items, you can remove a tote from the drawer and take it right where it’s needed.
Making the totes is similar to making the divided box. But there are some things to keep in mind while building them.

It’s a good idea to allow a 1/16″ gap between the totes. This makes it easy to slip one tote in place while the other is in the drawer.
You’ll also notice that the rabbets and dadoes for the tote dividers are cut in the front and back pieces, not the sides like in the divided box. And don’t forget to cut notches for the wood handle and the groove for the 1/4″ hardboard bottom.

Have a nice weekend,

Phil Huber

Editor, ShopNotes

Woodworking Tip of The Week - Pickup Plywood Rack

I discovered that hauling large sheets of plywood in a small pickup truck isn't a good match. So to make my truck a little more accommodating, I built a simple plywood rack.

The rack is made from common 2x4s. As you can see in the drawing, it's nothing more than three supports connected with two cross rails. The rear cross rail is positioned just behind the tail gate to keep the rack from sliding. I positioned the front rail to clear the wheel wells of the truck.

The detail drawing shows how the supports and rails are fastened together with hex bolts and lock nuts. The heads of the bolts and nuts are counterbored to prevent damage to the sheet stock or the truck.

I also placed washers between the supports and cross rails. This allows me to easily fold the rack and store it out of the way when it's not in use.

Have a great weekend,

Ted Raife

Editor, Woodsmith

Woodworking Tip of The Week - Over-the-bench Tool Rack

Since my workbench is in the middle of the shop, there isn’t an electrical outlet nearby to plug my power tools into. And trailing an extension cord across the floor is a safety hazard. So I decided to hang a strip of outlets above the bench. With the cords running up, there is less of a chance of tripping on them or accidently cutting through them. And to make it even more useful, the outlet strip is attached to a plywood tool rack, so I can store tools and clamps near the workbench.


As you can see in the drawing at right, there’s not much to this tool rack. You just cut a piece of ¾″ plywood to shape and screw a power strip vertically in the middle of it.


Then to hang it from the ceiling, I drilled two holes in the long end and hung it from a pair of bicycle hooks that were screwed into a cleat attached to the ceiling. This way the power strip/tool rack can be easily removed if I need the extra space for working on a tall project.
Next, I made a couple of shelves and holders for the power tools I use most often at the bench: a sander, drill, and jig saw. All that’s left is to run an extension cord across the ceiling and plug in the outlet strip.


Have a nice weekend,


Phil Huber

Editor, ShopNotes

Thank's to Woodworkingtips.com for the wonderful Tips on a Better Workshop.

Table Saw Bumper

All my large power tools are on casters. So when I need to make extra floor space in my small shop, I simply roll them up against the wall. But I found that my table saw created a problem. As I backed it up to the wall, likely as not, the protruding motor would hit with a “thump”.
The solution to this wall (and tool) abuse turned out to be pretty simple. As you can see in the photo, I added a scrap wood bumper to the caster base of the saw. The bumper extends out from the base to end just beyond the motor. Now I can push the saw up to wall, confident that the bumper will stop its progress before the motor puts another dent in the wall.

Have a great weekend,

Ted RaifeEditor,

Woodsmith

Installing Drawer Slides

Installing metal drawer slides can seem a bit intimidating, but I’ve found a simple method that eliminates complicated measuring for each drawer slide. For this, I like to use the drawers themselves to mark the position. The idea is to use an MDF spacer to install the slide accurately, and keep both sides level. The photos show this procedure on a frameless cabinet, but it works for face frame cabinets as well.


Getting Started. The first step is to install the slides on the drawers. For convenience, I usually place them on the lower edge of the drawer. Here, I use the slotted horizontal holes to attach the slide. Using these holes allows me to make small adjustments as needed. Then, I assemble the slide so both pieces are attached to the drawer. Now, with the cabinet turned on its back, I put each of the drawers in position, as shown in the photo above. The drawers simply rest on the back of the cabinet.


Mark the Location. Once the drawers are in the proper place, I mark the bottom of each of the slides on the side of the cabinet, using a square. Once that’s complete, I remove the drawers and cut a spacer to the length of the mark for the top drawer.
Using Spacers. After clamping the spacer in position for the top drawer, you can use it to support the slide while you attach it to the cabinet side, as shown in the left photo below. For this, I use the slotted vertical holes.


Now, using the same spacer, you can attach the slide to the opposite side. Once both slides are in place, insert the drawer and test it for a smooth-rolling fit. You can then make small adjustments both horizontally (on the drawer piece) and vertically (on the cabinet piece) to fine-tune the position. Once you’re sure of the placement, you can add a couple of screws in the round holes to fix the position.


Cut the Spacer. The next step is to transfer the mark for the next drawer to your spacer (middle photo). Using that mark, you can cut it to the correct size and repeat the installation process for the rest of the drawer slides.



Good woodworking,
Phil HuberEditor,
ShopNotes

Sandpaper Sharpening Platform

Sharpening edge tools with sandpaper and a honing guide makes great sense. It’s quick, inexpensive and the results can’t be beat. So in order to get the maximum efficiency from this simple technique, I put together a sandpaper sharpening platform.

Take a look at the drawings below and you’ll understand how it goes together. First, you’ll need to find a glass supplier who will cut a piece of 1/4″-thick plate glass to size and soften the sharp edges.

The glass is clamped to a plywood base using a pair of rabbeted cleats. But before installing the glass, I drilled a hang hole in one end and cut a set of angled notches in one edge, as shown in the detail drawing. These notches are used to quickly set the tool and honing guide to a couple of standard honing angles.


Sandpaper is the final ingredient. I added a couple of pieces of self-adhesive, aluminum oxide for the initial coarse honing. The remining space is filled with four grits of wet-or-dry silicon carbide paper atached with spray adhesive.

That’s all there is to it. Happy honing.

Have a great weekend,

Ted Raife
Online Editor, Woodsmith

Woodworking Tip of The Week - Sheet Goods Cart

Storing assorted scrap pieces of plywood and MDF is always difficult. Because of their size, these sheets usually end up leaned against the wall, taking up valuable wall space. And the larger pieces always seem to hide the smaller pieces, making them hard to find.

To fix this problem, I built the cart you see at right for storing and organizing sheet goods. The cart has two sides. One side is designed to hold larger pieces. And the other is made to store smaller sheets and plastic buckets for small odds and ends of various sizes.

The cart is built using 2x4’s for the base and uprights. Lengths of ³/₄″ PVC pipe are used to make partitions for holding larger sheets on one side of the cart. A single PVC pipe is used on the other side and provides a place to hook a bungee cord for holding smaller pieces and plastic storage buckets in place.

I placed the cart on a set of casters. This way, it’s easy to move around.

Good woodworking,

Phil Huber
Editor, ShopNotes

I have found a way it seems to give me the Whole picture and all during the Posting process, So Pictures and Link will be provided as well for reference.

Enjoy

Handi

Woodworking Tip of The Week - Small Parts Carousel

I like to keep extra screws, bolts, and other hardware on hand to save me trips to the hardware store. The problem is all these parts can be difficult to store and organize. To fix this, I built the small parts storage carousel you see in the drawing to the right.

The carousel consists of a single base unit and a set of storage units sized to hold plastic bins. The storage units rotate so you can find the part you need quickly and easily. And, as shown in the drawing to the right, you can build and stack as many units as needed for additional storage.
Base. To make it easy to access the storage bins, I built a simple base (drawing below). First, cut the top and bottom shelves to size. And then connect them to the L-shaped legs and frame. Finally, add a lazy Susan to allow the unit to rotate.

Storage Unit. Each storage unit is built from 3/4″ plywood and 1/4″ hardboard. Start by cutting the base and top to size. Then make four separate storage compartments to hold two different sizes of 4″-wide bins (one deep and one shallow).

The two larger compartments are made by joining two sides and a divider to a back. Dadoes in the sides and back hold the 1/4″ hardboard shelves and divider (main drawing and inset below). The small center compartments are formed by connecting the backs of the large compartments by two spacers and a set of small shelves. Here again, dadoes hold the shelves in position.
To use the carousel, just slide in the bins and fill them with small parts.

Good woodworking,
Phil HuberEditor,
ShopNotes

Please refur to the title link for All Graphics for a Visual effect of what it looks like, And I would also like to say thanks to www.woodworkingtips.com for putting out some Great tips and all the contributors that contribute to the tips to help woodworkers learn more the easy, quick and efficient way of woodworking!

Handi

Woodworking Tip of The Week - Small Parts Clamp

Cutting small parts on the table saw doesn’t always involve making a lot of repetitive cuts or identical pieces. Often all I need to do is cut or trim one or two short pieces to length. Or possibly cut several small pieces to size that are each a little different. For a long time, I struggled with making these crosscuts cleanly and accurately without losing my fingers. The solution turned out to be the simple clamping jig you see at use in the photo at right.

This small parts clamp attaches to the miter gauge of the table saw. It holds the workpiece firmly between the two jaws so all I have to worry about is sliding the miter gauge past the blade.

Building the Clamp. As you can see in the drawings below, the construction is pretty simple. Basically, the clamp consists of a back jaw, an adjustable front jaw, and a slotted spreader that connects them.

You start by cutting the front and back jaw to identical size from 3/4″-thick hardwood. Then you drill matching holes at the “blade” end of the jaws to hold the carriage bolt that tightens the clamp.

Once the slot is cut in the spreader, you can screw it to the opposite end of the front jaw. The slot fits over a hanger bolt installed in the end of the back jaw. Both ends of the clamp are tightened down with wing nuts and washers.

Using It. Putting the clamp to use doesn’t need much explanation. First, you adjust the jaws to loosely fit the workpiece. Then line up your cut mark on the workpiece with the blade and tighten the wing nuts. Making the cuts is just a matter of sliding the miter gauge past the saw blade.

Good woodworking,

Phil HuberEditor,
ShopNotes

Pictures are Provided by clicking the Above Title Link, you will be directed to www.woodworkingtips.com.

Handi

Woodworking Tip of The Week - Adjustable Bench Stop

Whenever I have to smooth a panel with a hand plane or belt sander, you'll find me stationed at the workbench. And for years I relied on a simple stop board clamped to the end of the bench to keep the workpiece in place. Well, to make a long story short, I finally grew tired of the hassle of positioning and clamping the stop every time it was needed and I resolved to find a more convenient solution.


The adjustable end stop you see in the drawings at right is what I came up with. As you can see, the stop has a pair of angled slots intersected by a series of stepped vertical slots. Gently tightened lag screws allow you to easily adjust the stop to the correct height by positioning it in the appropriate set of vertical slots. Or you can drop the stop below the surface of the benchtop, as also shown.


It's a pretty simple solution. And those are the best kind.

Good Woodworking,

Ted Raife
Online Editor, Woodsmith

Pictures are available at the following Link by clicking on the Title of the post!

Thanks,
Handi

Woodworking Tip of The Week - Custom-Fit Dadoes

Routing dadoes or grooves to hold a plywood panel can be a challenge. The problem is it measures a little less than the stated thickness. Whenever I need to rout a perfectly sized dado to match a piece of plywood, I turn to a pair of guides like those shown in the photo below.


The guides consist of a hardboard base with a fence on top. I use the router and a 1/2″ straight bit to trim the base of the guide.

Once you've made the guides, using them is straightforward. You can use a combination square to set one of the guides square to the edge of the workpiece. Then place a plywood spacer alongside the guide and clamp the second guide against the spacer.


Now, you can rout along one edge guide then turn the router around and make a return pass to complete the dado.

Good woodworking,

Phil Huber
Editor, ShopNotes

Pictures are Available by clicking the Title of the Post, which will take you to woodworkingtips.com.

Handi

Woodworking Tip of The Week - Sander Stand

My random-orbit sander sees a lot of use. But I always found it annoying that I couldn't just set it down on the bench after turning it off. I would end up wasting time holding the sander while the pad stopped spinning. Finally, I decided to take the bull by the horns and find a solution.

As you can see from the drawing below, what I came up with is pretty simple but also pretty effective. It's just a stand made from scraps of plywood that I can "drop" the sander into once I turn it off.

The key to the stand is the top plate with its two "fingers" that wrap around the sander to suspend it above the base. You'll need to "custom-size" this piece to fit your particular sander. And then just make sure that the stand is tall enough to hold the sander above the base.

Now when you have your sander in hand, you'll be getting the job done, not cooling your heels.

Good Woodworking,

Ted Raife
Editor, Woodsmith

Pictures are available on Woodworkingtips.com, Please refur to the available link by clicking on the Title of the Post!

Thanks
Handi

Woodworking Tip Of The Week - Success with Threaded Inserts

Threaded inserts are must-haves in my shop. I keep them on hand for building jigs and fixtures I need to adjust easily. And they come in just as handy for building and assembling furniture projects.

The challenge with an insert is installing it without any problems. To do this, I follow a few simple steps — size the hole properly, prepare the hole for the insert, and then install the insert straight and flush.

Sizing the Hole. The first step is to properly size the hole for the insert. The chart you see below provides a good starting point for determining the size of the hole you'll need to drill. In most cases, I drill the hole to match the size of the insert body. The problem here is that in some materials (like hard maple) this may not provide enough "give" for the threads as you screw the insert in place.


To prevent the workpiece from splitting, I like to increase the hole a 1/32″ (or even a 1/16″). Although this makes the insert easier to install, it doesn't provide as much material for the threads to bite into. In most cases, I find it's usually a good idea to drill a test hole in a scrap piece of the same material, install the insert, and see how well it holds before drilling into my workpiece.

One thing that's easy to forget until it's too late is how deep to drill the hole. What you need to keep in mind here is the length of the fastener that will thread inside. You may need to drill the hole deeper in order to provide clearance, as in the drawing below.

Prepping the Hole. Once you have the hole drilled, you could install the insert. But I take a little extra time to add a small chamfer to the top edge of the hole.

The reason for this is simple. As you install an insert, the knife-like threads have a tendency to "lift" the material around the edges of the hole. With a chamfer, you end up with a smooth, clean surface.


Installing the Insert. All that's left to do at this point is install the insert. Now, don't be tempted to grab a screwdriver and simply drive the insert in place using the slot at the end. It's all too easy to install the insert crooked doing this. And, in some cases, you end up stripping out the slot, ruining the insert and your workpiece.

To get the best results, I like to use an installation tool that threads or locks securely to the insert (see above right). This makes it easy to drive the insert in place by hand so it goes in straight and ends up flush with the surface of the workpiece. (Plus, you can install the insert with the slot down for a cleaner look.)


Since I use inserts frequently, I like to use the installation tool you see in the photo (see right). This tool allows you to install 1/4″ and 5/16″ inserts quickly and easily with nothing more than a wrench.

Good woodworking,

Phil Huber
Editor, ShopNotes

Pictures avaiable by clicking the Title of the Post, this will direct you to www.woodworkingtips.com for this particular Tip.

Thanks,
Handi