WIN SORBY CARVING CHISEL SETS WORTH E14UU Practical May 2001 ?2.65 The leading magazine for woodworkers www.getwoodworking.com Two in one A versatile ^éñ;-sun bed/garden able project I n side • Bu • Sha^p ra- cupboard r carving tools ecial effects ã ã i ÏÍ I¦ 11 [¦1?÷ î. IV); (.1 -ôÜ" Make this ornamental wooden barrow All you have to remember Is ¡ Precisely what you need the name of your machine! If you have a circular saw machine, Choose easilv from the chart in the FREUD PRO catalogue or on the point of sale display the right saw blade for vour needs. 1 AEG Portable Machines Saw Blade Dimensions (dimeter-kerf-bore) Long Grain Cutting Long & I Cross Grain Cutting \ Cross Grain Cutting HK125A 125x2.4x20 ¹1 Skill 559U 184x2.4x16 ¹12 ¹12 ¹12 ¦ Stayer SCE250 250x2.8x30 ¹25 ¹25 ¹25 1 Only FREUD can offer you the right saw blade for any machine: AEG, Atlas Copco, Black & Decker, Bosch, Casals, De Walt, Elektra Bekum, Elu, Eumenia, Fein, Felisatti, Festo, Flottjet, Haffner, Hitachi, Holz-Her, Kity,Kress, Mafell, Makita, Metabo, Perles, Peugeot, Protool, Rockwell, Ryobi, Scheer, Skil, Stayer, Techline, Tip, Valex, and many more! • From 125mm (5") to 350mm (14") diameter • Laser cut, high strength steel blade body • Whisper quiet expansion slots • Flat, triple chip or alternate top bevel grind • Super Micro-grain carbide tips • Anti-kickback tooth design • Teflon coated Call us now for your nearest stockist of Saw Blades Tel: 0113 245 3737 Fax: 0113 243 8883 rLeedsLS12 1 Practical www. getwoodworking.com Nexus S Nexus House, Azalea Drive, Swanley, Kent BR8 8HU practicalwoodworkingt« getwoodworking.com Nexus Special Interests is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Highbury House Communications Pic EDITORIAL Editor Mark Chisholm Tel/fax:01923 286421 Group Editor Mark Ramuz Editorial Admin. Sarah White PRODUCTION Designer Yvette Masson Illustrator Michael Lindley Production Manager Mike Burns Production Admin. Lucy McGeough Printer ET Heron Origination Atelier Dataset Ltd SALES Group Sales Manager Jez Walters Senior Sales Reza Zaman Classified Sales Emma Padwick Tel: 01322 660070, Fax: 01322 616319 Northern Area Sales Colin Walker Tel: 0161 776 4460, Fax: 0161 777 6524 CIRCULATION Group Circulation Director Steve Hobbs Circulation Manager Richard Kingerlee Specialist Outlet Development Daniel Webi MANAGEMENT Managing Director Robert Lehman Publisher Dawn Frosdick-Hopley Divisional Sales Manager Roy Kemp SUBSCRIPTIONS & BACK ISSUES Tel: 01858 438897 Fax: 01858 461739 SUBSCRIPTION RATES |1 YEAR) UK ?3120 Europe & Eire ?41.50 USA (Surface) ?42.50/$68 USA (Airmail) ?48.50/$77 ROW (Surface) ?48 ROW (Airmail) ?53 NORTH AMERICAN SUBSCRIPTION AGENTS Wise Owl Worldwide Publications, 1926 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 204 Redondo Beach, CA 90277-6145, USA Tel: (310) 944 5033, Fax: 310 944 9963 Visa/MC/Diseover accepted wiseowkn'sprintmail.com www.wiseowlma0azines.con1 Ë Making space Spring is a good time for 'clearing out the dead wood'; in other words, getting rid of all the things that you've been hanging on to in the J belief that they'll 'come in handy one day'. The V^ ¦ -Ó usual scenario is that those potentially 'useful' items languish in their boxes and bags for years on end in attics, garages, sheds and workshops — all prime breeding grounds for junk. The old arguement, put forward by all die-hard hoarders, is that as soon as you throw away something 'useful', a need for it will suddenly arise. The reality is that anything which has been sitting idle for half a decade or more is never going to be of use and, for the majority of those unused 'useful' objects, gadgets or widgets, once it's out of sight it's out of mind. Having a grand clearance is an envigorating experience, and once you get over the initial sentimental pang of seeing familiar things on their way to the charity shop or skip, the process becomes almost addictive. And it's not really surprising. Any environment where there's space is very relaxing, while an uncluttered workspace makes very good practical sense. Apart from having a clear out, the next best way to create space is by using available space efficiently, whether indoors or outdoors. Lars Dalsgaard follows that tenet by making this month's cover project — a dual-function piece of furniture which is both a sun bed and a garden table, while Jim Robinson's alcove cupboard (page 39) is the ulimate space-saver and it looks good too. Even Chris Child's turned mug tree on page 60 makes the best use of space! If the thought of ahving a clear out sounds too exhausting, distract yourself by entering this month's competition which gives you eight chances to win a set of woodcarving chisels from Robert Sorby. If you're a lucky winner, Ben Russell's essential sharpening tips for carving tools (page 22) should see you in good stead. * Good luck! www.getwoodworking.com Î Nexus Media Limited 2001 All rights reserved ISSN 0032-6488 GetWoodworking.com • GetWoodworking.com • GetWoodworking.com Volume 36 issue 12 Dual purpose Combine two pieces of furniture into one, with this attractive sun bed/table from Lars Dalsgaard 32 Mini barrow Make Dave Mackenzie's scaled-down wooden wheelbarrow Take a look at our new website. See page 5O for details 39 Saving space Create useful storage space with a built-in alcove cupboard. Jim Robinson explains how he did it 60 Hang that mug A bamboo effect tripod mug tree turned by Chris Child 74 Frame & panel Dave Mackenzie gives his bath a makeover with a framed wooden side panel 18 A fine finish Special effects Technical advice for achieving special finishing effects from Mark Finney 21 Sorby competition Win top-quality carving tools in our great competition 22 Sharpening and reshaping Tips from Ben Russell on sharpening your carving gouges for optimum performance 29 Book reuiews Mike Collins gives his opinion on three new woodworking books 45 Roof construction Jim Kingshott looks at on the most important tool in the roofer's kit — the framing square 54 Long hole boring George O'Brien turns a lamp stand using long-hole boring techniques 67 Sliding U-jig David Bryant's jig for drilling angled holes is especially useful for chair making 26 Perform CCM morticer 28 Proxxon FMS75 precision uice 49 DeUUalt DW008K cordless reciprocating saw 52 Ferm FKS-180 circular saw 62 Rexon BT-2500A table saw 64 Chair doctor repair kit 70 Record Scan 200S & SM200 grinders 73 Trend cutters Subscribe and get a FREE CD! See page 30 6 News & diary 8 On the bench 10 New products 37 Crossword 5 Ë Letters 58 Q&A "7 "7 Trading post SS Next month WIIM Top-quality carving tools from Robert Sorby see page 21 news Making buildings A new touring exhibition called Making Buildings, opening at the Crafts Council Gallery in London on the 12th April, looks at the integral crafted elements of building design and construction and shows how the architect's vision can only be brought to life by the skills of the craftsman. The exhibition will feature sections of buildings and life-size models. It presents a new view of the relationship between materials, building techniques and style. Runs from 12 April to 17 June 2001. For further details contact The Crafts Council Gallery on tel: 020 7278 7700, fax 020 7837 6891, website: www.craftscouncil.org.uk Liberon supports Children's Hospital By pledging 5p for every'250ml can of Palette Wood Dye sold in the past six months, Liberon has raised ?3,360 and donated it to the Evelina Millennium Appeal, for the Children's Heart Unit of the Evelina Children's Hospital, where essential cardiac surgery is provided for children with heart conditions. The money will help the unit to buy much needed specialist equipment. The Evelina Children's Hospital is a specialist regional centre in London and the South East, and part of the internationally renowned Guy's and St. Thomas' teaching hospitals. It sees more than 100,000 children every year and specialises in the treatment of heart, kidney and neurological problems as well as supplying a full range of NHS services. Woodcraft: skills at Ickworth Now in its twelfth year, the Wood Sale at Ickworth Park is a mecca for woodworking professionals and enthusiasts who want to obtain unusual varieties of reasonably-priced wood. This year varieties include oak, ash, beech, sycamore, redwood, cedar, douglas fir, larch and holly, seasoned and green, and all the product of conservation management of the historic park and garden. Together with planks and rounds, a qualified sawyer will be available to cut the wood to customer's requirements. All the money raised from the wood sale goes towards the continued conservation and management of the 1800 acre Park and Gardens. On Sunday 29th the Wood Fair is held from 10am - 4pm, a chance to see a variety of fascinating woodcrafts, demonstrations and stalls selling all sorts of products with a wood theme. Demonstrations feature tree surgery, pole lathe turning, mobile saw milling, wood carving, basketry, pyrography and walking stick making. Wooden toys, gift boxes and herbs will be on sale and there are also activities for children. Ickworth Park is owned and managed by The National Trust and is 3 miles south-west of Bury St Edmunds, in the village of Horringeron the A143. Dates and times are subject to change so always call the venue to check details Woodturning Clinic 14th Copy turning. Free woodturning clinic with Ian Wilkie at the Tewkesbury Saw Company Run from 9 to 12am. Call Tewkesbury Saw Company on 01684 293092 for further details Rocking Horse Shop 7th Carving demonstration. Call The Rocking Horse Shop in Fangfoss on 01759 368737 for further details Craftmakers Materials Show 20-22nd Craft materials and supplies, demonstrations, workshops and seminars. Held at the Flower Hall, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, N. Yorkshire. Open 10am-bpm daily. Trent Valley Woodturners events Held at Kegworth Community Centre, The Dragwell, Kegworth, Leics. Call 0116 267 7233 for details 11th Apples & pears: John Johnson Craft Supplies Free Demos Held at the Mill on the first weekend of every month. Sat 10am - 4pm, Sun 12 -4pm. Call 01298 871636 for further details 7th Turning bowls: Jamie Wallwin 8th Inlaid work: Bill Morley Isaac Lord Events Held at Isaac Lord, 185 Desborough Road, High Wycombe, Bucks. Tel 01494 462121 for confirmation of events and times. 14th Natural finishes: Ecotec 28th Spindle turning: Roger Foden Turners Retreat Demos Free demonstrations held at the Woodturning Centre, Brunei Industrial Estate, Harworth, Nottinghamshire, DN11 8OA. Tel: 01302 744344 14th Turning: Reg Slack Boddy's Fine Wood & Tool Store Free demonstrations held in the • schoolroom. All start at 10am and finish at 3.30pm. Further details, tel: 01423 322370 7th Carving: Dave Johnson 14th Turning: Tony Wilson 21st Robert Sorby machinery workshop 28th Finishing: Jim Kitson Peter Child Woodturning Demos Free demonstrations starting at 10am and 2.30pm at The Old Hyde, Little Yeldham, Halstead, Essex. Further details, tel: 01787 237291, www.peterchild.co.uk, info@peterchild. ñî. èê 7th Spindle work: Derek Philips 21st Salad bowl: Tony Witham Robert Sorby Demos See new tools, learn techniques from the' experts and have your questions answered 6-7th Yandle & Sons. Tel: 01935 822207 14th Turners Retreat. Tel: 01302 744344 21st John Boddy's. Tel: 01423 322370 27-28th Timberman. Tel: 01267 232621 Midlands Woodworking Show 27-29th Held at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, Fosse Way, Leamington Spa. Competitions, demonstrations, workshops. Tel: 01926 614101 for tickets. Berkshire, Hampshire & Surrey Fellowship of Woodworkers Talk by Michael Huntley and Howard Page at Godalming, Surrey, starting at 7.30pm. For details call 01252 542901 26th Construction & Restoration of Traditional Furniture Making Buildings 12th - 17th June. Looks at the craft processes behind the making of a building. Venue: Crafts Council Gallery, Pentonville Road, London. Call 0207 278 7700 for further details or visit the website at www. craftscouncil. org. uk Chelmer Valley Woodturners 28th Event hosting five AWG8 branches with displays of work, demonstrations and sales. Professional demos by David Reeks (book in advance). Held at Springfield Parish Centre, Springfield, Chelmsford. Call 01621 960447 for further details or email huntma@bigfoot. com Finishing Seminar/Workshop 2nd Traditional wood finishing seminar/worshop at the Geffrye Museum, London. Practical demonstrations and advice. Further details from BAFRA by calling 01305 854822 Trade Day's Summer Sale 4-5th At S. J. Carter Tools, Kennington Park, London. Demonstrations, gifts, raffle. Free parking. Tel: 0207 587 1222 for further details Craft Show 5-7th Demonstrations, workshops, crafts for sale, bands, birds of prey, dancers. Held at Penshurst Place, Tonbridge. Open Wam-6pm. Call 01425 272711 for more details, or 01425 277988 for tickets Craft Supplies Free Demos Held at the Mill on the first weekend of every month. Sat 10am -4pm, Sun 12-4pm. Call 01298 871636 for further details 5th Turning goblets: Mick Hanbury 6th Scrollsaw techniques: Paul Foote Peter Child Woodturning Demos Free demonstrations starting at 10am and 2.30pm at The Old Hyde, Little Yeldham, Halstead, Essex. Further details, tel: 01787 237291, www.peterchild.co.uk, info@peterchild. ñî. èê 5th Boxes: Derek Philips 19th Colouring fruit & pyrography: Tony Witham Trent Valley Woodturners events Held at Kegworth Community Centre, The Dragwell, Kegworth, Leics. Call 0116 267 7233 for details 9th Hamlet tools Open Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th April from 10am. Normal park and gardens admission applies which includes entrance to the Wood Sale and Fair. Adults ?2.50, children 80p. National Trust members and under fives are free. For further information call 01284 735270, or visit the website at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/regions/eastanglia WWW.GETW00DW0RKIIMG.COM Practical Woodworking Turning Green Wood by Michael O'Donnell book Book & Video An inspiring & thought provoking guide to the art of turning delicate bowls & goblets from freshly felled unseasoned wood. \ VIDEO With many stunning close-up shots, this ' video illustrates how to make six exciting projects. Starting with \ green wood, fresh from the log, Michael I demonstrates the use of cross-grain and end- \ grain techniques. He I turns translucently thin bowls, some with natural edged rims, and turns a functional bowl using the microwave to dry it before finishing. Book ?14.95 Video ?22.95 P&P ?1.50 each (UK) C&M O'Donnell Brough, Thurso, Caithness, Scotland KW14 8YE Phone 01847 851605 Fax 01847 851793 Email - odonnelltools@cs.com Web page - woodturning.uk.com Made by Mr Paul Hyde from Maryland, USA, using one of ten designs from The Rocking Horse Shop. With over 20 years experience we can provide the best plans for you to make a superb rocking horse. Projects for all abilities. All Plans supported by our Unique High Quality Accessories, Tools & Timber Packs. We also publish 'The ROCKING HORSE & TOY Magazine' - annual subscription only i.19-00. Write, phone or email for free Colour Brochure: DeptpwO4, Anthony Dew & Company's THE ROCKING HORSE SHOP FANGFOSS, YORK, YO4l 5JH, ENGLAND Tel - 01759 368737 Email - info@rockinghorse.co.uk See Our Website at www.rockinghorse.co.uk The new ProTouch™ handle provides you with a positive, durable grip, even after prolonged use The two component handle helps absorb and reduce the effect of harmful vibrations. Marples chisel blades are manufactured from high-grade specialist steel. This produces a cutting edge which is slow to blunt yet easy to sharpen right to the very last inch. The blade is then honed, sharpened and ready May 2001 on tne oencn Fasted pockets Blade grip If a table top is to be held to rails with pocket screws, the usual method of making the pockets is by careful work with gouge and chisel, which can be tedious if a large number have to be cut (A). Instead of chopping out, I drill the pockets with a Forstner bit — a diameter of Vi" (19mm) will suit most jobs. The hole is drilled in at an angle square to the line of the screw hole (B), and just far enough to give clearance for a screw head. B. Gleeson, Durham Nib half worn away where blade pushes against it Grinding guide When you get older your eyesight may not be as sharp as you'd like it to be. When I sharpen woodtuming tools, I use a black marker pen to make a mark on the bevel and then offer it up to a rotating grindstone (I use a grinding jig). When 1 take the tool away from the stone, I can see immediately if I'm grinding the bevel correctly by examining where the ink has been removed on the bevel. A few taps on the grinder platform, up or down as required, will give you the correct angle. D. Williams, Luton, Beds Black & Decker Power Tools The sender of the 'Tip of the Month' wins a Black & Decker power tool. Choose from: KW8OOEK 8OOW router • KA230E 17OW multi sander • KS638SE 4OOW scrolling jigsaw • KS865N 1300W circular saw • KC9682CK 9.6V cordless drill • KW715 550W planer (shown). The senders of every other tip will receive a KC9O72 cordless screwdriver (shown below). When submitting tips, please indicate which tool you'd prefer if yours is the 'Tip of the Month'. Send your tips to: On the bench, Practical Woodworking, Nexus House, Azalea Drive, Swanley, Kent, BR8 8HU. ,. Please include your full address and daytime telephone number. Tool models are subject to change without notice. For details of the full Black & Decker power tool range call O1753 574277 After using a Stanley knife for some time, the blade becomes loose because the nib, which holds the blade in place, gets worn away. This causes the knife to cut inaccurately and makes it dangerous to use. A simple solution is to glue or stick sandpaper (150 grit is fine) to each side of the inside of the casing where the blade fits. Replace the blade in the normal position and reassemble the knife. The sandpaper grips the blade and stops it wobbling about. Try it, it really works! M. Wiley, Bilston, W. Midlands Sandpaper each side of casing Stop the When I'm making handrails for staircases, I always run into a problem when I come to make the curves at the end of the rail; when I cramp the moulds together, the top layer of the veneer splits. To avoid this happening, my simple solution is to put a sheet of polythene or laminate between the top layer of veneer and the mould. This allows the mould to slide over the veneer which protects the top layer and stops it from splitting. Justin Dimmock, Coseley, West Midlands We're always grateful to readers for a!i tips submitted but, owing to the volume involved, we can't acknowledge receipt. split; Layers of veneer Cracks and splits Hole for G cramps or sash cramps .Laminate or /polythene Due to the time lag in publishing schedules, it may also be some time before accepted tips are used. Practical Woodworking Fed Up With Paying Parking And Entrance Fees? Then Try: Yandles Spring Woodworking Spectacular Friday 6th and Saturday 7th April between 10am and 5pm each day The Show with a Difference Where parking and entry is FREE Enjoy watching and talking to top crafts people displaying their skills in turning, carving, routing, pyrography, colouring, marquetry, stick making, furniture restoration, longbows, sharpening, craft demonstartors plus much more. See the latest equipment on offer to the woodworker on the numerous trade stands run by many leading manufacturers. Take advantage of the special show prices and massive sale of timber, machinery, tools, craft accessories and woodworking aids also Arts & Crafts Centre with demonstartors, Craft exhibitions, Refreshment Marquee All held in a traditional working sawmill. AA sign posted Free information sheet available from March All at Yandle & Sons Ltd. Hurst Works, Marlock, Somerset TA12 6JU Tel: 01935 822207 Fax: 01935 824484 The next generation of chisel protection allows you to carry and store your ProTouch™ chisel. Our unique scabbard comprises an integral sharpening system that allows you to keep your chisel sharp while away from the workshop. Scabbards can be stacked together for easy storage. UNIVERSAL BUILT IN BELT HOOK CARBIDE iPGNING 5T6M INTERLOCKING CAPACITY SILICON CARBIDE SHARPENING sfrom the mstjcers of get td grips vwth, ProToiteh,™ at your localstockTstf or c^H, 0II4 251 9IOI Recora-Jools Ltd.. 'parkway Woirks, Sheffield S3 Ç&Ú. Sizes available in the ProTouch™ range Ó4"-ç/ü". 1/ã". 3/4". i set 4 includes: W-W-!W-1H May 2001 9 new proaucis Freud Tooling UK have added a portable circular saw to their UK power tool range, which has features associated with more expensive machines, such as a cast base and saw blade guard. The FCS 184 is driven by a 1200W motor (MOOWat 110V) delivering a no-load speed of 3,800rpm, and comes with a 184mm (7 'A") TCT ripsaw blade, a dust extraction facility and a rip fence. A 45° maximum saw tilt provides a 65mm depth of cut at 90° and 46mm at 45°. nusually, the baseplate doesn't hinge down, but lowers horizontally, which Freud claim gives greater control of the operator's grip on the machine. Available at around ?80 (inc. VAT) from Screwfix. For more details on Freud's complete range call 0113 245 3737, fax 0113 243 8883, or visit the website at www.freudtooling.co.uk Webwatch M. D. Finney Special Wood Finishes now have their own website at www.mdfinney.co.uk. Find out about wood finishing courses and Mark Finney's range of wood stains, polishes and other finishing products. Price Tool Sales Limited have just launched their website at www.pricetools.co.uk where you can buy a range of tools from major manufacturers such as Makita, Bosch, DeWalt and Hitachi. Includes special offers and a database of FAQs. DIYtools.com has relaunched with a new site and a new design and is the first to display dynamic price switching (switch prices from inc.vat to ex.vat). You can view, track and cancel orders, speak to a sales representative online, as well as read and submit product reviews. There's also a discussion forum plus improved security with a 100% safeguard guarantee against credit card fraud. Gripping stuff Record Tools Quick-Vice™ is a new portable work-holding device made from strong, lightweight resin, with a unique locking base system which can be attached to any surface. The vice slides and locks onto this base and can then be used horizontally or upright for a variety of applications, including woodworking, metalworking, household repairs and model making. Other user-friendly features include an ergonomic tightening handle, which allows pressure of up to 'A ton to be applied. The handle's quick-release mechanism means that the vice can't be over tightened. , The Quick-Vice jaws feature replaceable non-marring pads for gripping delicate objects without causing damage. Remove the pads, and the the grooved jaws will firmly grip pipework and other hard materials. Costs about ?19.99. Call Record Tools on 0114 251 9101 for stockists, or the website at www.recordtools.co.uk/quickvice What a blast! i 3M claim that their new Sandblaster™ Sanding Sponges and Pads last three times longer and cut three times faster than traditional sponges of comparable grits. Sandblasters are less tough on hands and nails than sheet abrasives, while each Sponge and Pad has been coated to resist clogging and are also washable. Sandblasters come in three colour-coded ranges: 'Green' for heavy to moderate stripping such as removing old paint, varnish and finishes on wood and metal; 'Purple' for preparing bare surfaces for paint or finishing; and 'Gold' for between-coat and final finish sanding. They can be used on both flat and contoured surfaces and retail individually at ?2.49, individually packaged with details of recommended applications and corresponding grit levels across the range. Stockists include B&Q and Focus Do-it-All stores nationwide. Call 3M United Kingdom PLC on 01344 858617 for further details 1O WWW.GETW00DW0RKIIMG.COM Practical Woodworking ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ¦ The right-hand column is notched so that the pinion can engage with it the deepest mortice which can be formed is 75mm. Slots and holes The cast-iron base measures approximately 250mm x 195mm, and there's provision for bolting it down. The base also has four slots and a couple of tapped holes. The slots are for securing a drill vice and holding metal components directly in place, as the morticer can also be used for some drilling and boring. The tapped holes allow the false MDF table to be mounted (340mm x 150mm), which provides extra support to the workpiece and also offers protection to the business end of the chisel. Twin columns The head of the machine is also an iron casting and is mounted on twin columns. One of these is encircled with a compression spring which raises the head back when it has been lowered. The same column is also notched in its Setting up The chuck key is self ejecting so there's no fear of leaving it in the chuck front edge; this is the 'rack' along which the 'pinion' engages when the lever is moved.The lever locates in the same spindle which carries the pinion, is around 50mm overall and is secured with a set screw allowing for adjustment if needed. The second column carries the depth stop, a simple collar which can be slid up and down and secured with a ratchet lever. Height has to be manually established as no scale is provided, but setting is easy. Chisel and bit The arrangement for holding the bit and chisel is just the same as for any other morticer. The bit is gripped in a three-jaw chuck, while the chisel is held by its shank in the lower end of the head. For access to the chuck, plastic covers on both sides easily snap in and out of place and are included as a safety feature. The chisel housing has a removable sleeve, allowing for shanks of W and à/÷" diameter to be used. Incidentally, it's worth noting that these last two sizes Locating the tooling in the morticer is quite straightforward; I use a 2p piece to set a gap between the end of the chisel and the bit. Anything more than a 2mm gap is unnecessary, and simply results in the lower part of the cut not being completed with the chisel. It's important to check that the chisel is square to the fence; to adjust it, simply use a spanner to turn the chisel as necessary. Check also that the 'window' on the chisel faces sideways so that chippings will be ejected efficiently whilst morticing. / added some packing behind the workpiece to set the chisel correctly ' remain as imperial dimensions, even with metric chisels which are available alongside imperial ones. Second chuck A second chuck is included as an accessory and has its own extension spindle allowing the upper end to be gripped in the main chuck. When fitted, this second chuck projects below the head casting and allows for engineer's pattern of twist bits to be used. Woodworking bits can also be secured in this chuck, although this will depend on their length, combined with the thickness of wood being bored, as the space is restricted. Both chucks are identical, the extended spindle being a close fit in the sleeve which normally holds the chisel and thus gain added control. A '/a" chisel and bit are included. The fence is 340mm long, and this and its supports are mostly of alloy. It's supported at the rear of the base, and is secured with a ratchet lever. The work hold-down clamp is held in place over the fence and can be locked in place with a large knob. In use Using a '/2" chisel to cut hardwood means progress is quite slow, especially at the start of forming the joint. I found Boring with the hold-down shoe in use. The long bit is held in the main chuck May 2OO1 WWW.GETWOODWORKING.COM 27 Tested Using the accessory chuck for boring that a heavy cut was likely to result in the chisel becoming wedged in the wood, and raising the lever had a tendency to strain the hold-down shoe. No such minor problems with smaller chisels, but it's worth noting that with any morticing machine, a 'A" chisel removes almost double the amount of wood that a 3/«" chisel removes, and four times that of a 'A" chisel. Boring with a saw-tooth bit Using the morticer as a drilling machine is a handy secondary use, but the bits need selecting with care. This is because of the limited space between the table and the second chuck. I had no problems boring holes up to 50mm diameter in softwood, and around 35mm in hardwood. This machine performs very well considering its relative simplicity. The Uerdict What has to be kept in mind with the CCM morticer is its value for money, and limitations of use have to be accepted. Perhaps the one feature which could be improved is the work hold-down shoe, which isn't wholly effective under certain conditions of use. Nevertheless, a capable machine for fairly light work. List price: ?94.95 inc. VAT but not carriage. Cost of a set of three chisels and bits are ?20, either metric or imperial. Axminster Power Tool Centre, tel (sales and enquiries) ÎÒ297 33656, fax: 01297 35242, email: emall@axminster.co.uk capacities are obviously limited as they are with any smallish machine, but the quality is very good considering that the machine costs less than ?100, especially as a second chuck, as well as a chisel and bit, are all included. Tested by Gordon Warr Proxxon FMS75 precision vice Most of us dabble with materials other than wood, even if it's only to modify an item of hardware, and here the need for an engineer's pattern of vice is realised. The usual requirement is for a smallish vice, but with its jaws well raised from the top of the bench, and preferably one which can be quickly mounted in place then just as speedily removed and stored away. Such a vice is manufactured in Germany by Proxxon, well known for their range of small precision tools and their drill/grinder in particular. Multiple uses The FMS75 vice has 75mm wide jaws of hardened steel which open to around Ideal for intricate cutting and sanding work 28 70mm. They're replaceable and both have one horizontal V-groove and two vertical ones which allow round bar and smallish-section square material to be gripped effectively. To protect delicate workpieces, they're also provided with separate soft faces that can be easily added or removed. The vice is made from a combination of zinc die castings and steel, with a triangular base which holds the upper part on a ball-joint principle. This allows for the vice to be locked in an endless number of positions using a single tommy bar. The base has a suction cup on the underside which provides a strong fixing to any smooth, flat surface. For it to be effective, the mounting surface must be smooth and dense so that air can't creep under the pad and break the bond. However, the suction pad can be quickly removed and the vice permanently fixed to a bench using three machine screws through ready-tapped holes. Limitless uses The uses are almost limitless. I used the FMS75 to grip a gent's saw while I sharpened it, and for holding small pieces of wood for intrictae sanding WWW.GETW00DW0RKING.COM The ball joint allows an endless variety of positions to be achieved work. The quality of this product is excellent, the steel parts are plated and the painted cast components are very smooth. Tested by Gordon Warr Uerdict An excellent product for those who work in materials other than wood, or who work on a small scale. A high-quality product that's a delight to use. Price: ?21.25 inc. VAT. Carriage extra. BriMarc Associates, tel: 0845 6590 000, fax: 01926 491357, email: iles@brimarc. ñî. èê Practical Woodworking Book reviews Small Tools Handbook by Peter Bishop (Crowood Press, 176 pages, ?18.99) Some years ago, jack Hill wrote a small book called Woodworking Tools and How to Use Them. It was a simple title that perfectly explained the content of the book. This new work from Peter Bishop is very much in the same vein, and once again hits the spot very satisfactorily. For the beginner to woodworking, or for the occasional weekend enthusiast, this is a real must; it has a wealth of useful readily-understandable information conveyed simply with basic text and intelligible photographs and drawings. Particularly useful are the tip panels, found on most pages, which offer that little bit more in the way of advice than even the most diligently prepared photographs. The chapters are predictably arranged to include such areas as Sharpening and Setting, Cutting and Planing, Holding and Fixing etc., all of which work well. The glossary is frankly a waste of space; for example, it explains at length that an 'edge' is a narrow surface, and that 'bare' means slightly undersize, but fails to explain what 'proud' means. Overall though, this is a well-produced and very useful book covering a satisfying cross section of both power and hand tools in an informative and understandable way — well worth having around! Call The Crowood Press on 016762 520320 for further details. ISBN: 1 86126 349 X Reviewed by Mike Collins ^Scroll Saw Art by Patrick Spielman and Kerry Shirts (Sterling Publishing, 12$ pages, ?12.99) Simple to follow through all six stages (fr basic to inspirational), this work addresst happy combination of scroll saw cutting and wood staining to produce some really attractive and challenging pictures. The mastered but it explains how the applicatii of several simple processes is used to produce some really wonderful effects. Basically, this is a pattern book which i alive with ideas and full of inspiratio There's just sufficient technical informatio the selection of saws and blades, applying the patterns, get the beginner off the ground and hungry to improve. Photographically, it works very well and the reader is left in no doubt as to the subtleties of staining techniques and the even more subtle variations in natural timbers. At the higher levels, these are really quite sophisticated pictures even if they are predictably American folk art. Kiln-dried maple is predominantly the timber used, readily available in the States but less so in Britain; sycamore, holly or birch may be good alternatives in the European market. Those keen enough to experiment will soon know which! Available through all sood bookshops. ISBN: 0 8069 2897 2 Making Shoji by Toshio Odate (Stobart Davies, 119 pages, ?16.95) As with most things Japanese, shoji looks deceptively simple. At its most easily understood level it's merely the construction of sliding doors and screens in largely symmetrical patterns, and at its highest level it represents the craftsman's preoccupation with serenity and perfection through the repetition of simple joints made faultlessly. Toshio Odate goes to great lengths to invite the reader to undestand the cultural context of the techniques shown and the attitude of the craftsman towards his work. A previous publication by Odate, Japanese Woodworking Tools: Their Tradition Spirit and Use, would serve many readers well as an introduction to this current work. For all that, this is a very practical book which includes detailed information on how to lay out joints (some very specific detail on the Japanese mortice and tenon) along with information on gluing and assembly. Pictures of the tools used and good clear drawings add to the quality of this information. Photographically, the book has a slightly muddy feel to it and it would have benefltted greatly if it had been in colour. This is particularly true of the pictures of finished work which can't be shown at anything like its best in monochrome. Even with this visual shortfall, there's sufficient depth and clarity of information to earmark the work for a place on the bookshelf. Call Stobart Davies on 01992 501518 for full details. ISBN: 0 85442 0908 <____________________Ó May 2OO1 WWW.GETWOODWORKING.COM SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION OFFER SUBSCRIBE IMOW AND A SUPERB CD CAIYI BE YOURS FREE! frame Build your own wood-framed greenhouse Misidfi'this month. Shaker-style side caSle CartJmg a'*daH agd claw Tested: Rexon's.-new man fids: tips«tests-~and news ' .•¦¦¦•¦>;.. ¦ & > .-*•'. ù Time ãîïå Turn to texture - outine usmglbivorU-smostHrsttilrpmerTlect \. _J THE JIG * Stockist Guide • Top Tips Ù m (3 • Features .Latest Products , 11 :*' If you subscribe to any IMexus woodworking magazine we will give you a FREE CD. Plus when you subscribe for two years you can save 1O% on the usual subscription price! Call our subscription hotline on O1858 438897 for details. THE CHOICE 16 YOURS. ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ [faistinsj Gloss Va Our prize crossword is sponsored by Rustin's Ltd., manufacturers of an extensive range of quality household wood preparation and finishing products, including traditional items such as French polish as well as acrylics, strippers, finishing oils, specialist paints and varnishes. The sender of the first correct entry drawn will receive ?50 worth of products from the Rustin's range and each of the six runners-up will receive ?20 worth of products. NB: This crossword is not compiled by Rustin's Ltd. Entries accepted from the UK only Rustin's Across 4 7 Cheat's tool (6) Provide with ledges put to one side (6) 8 Make larger laminated sheets of wood? (5-3) 9 Drying oven with faulty link (4) 10 Saw returned by nonet (5) 12 Entrance for crowd (4) 18 Wax, say, from Warsaw? (6) 19 yand tool for athletic event (6) 20 Observe memorandum (4) 23 More's transmitted with this code (5) v27 Drill to send one to sleep (4) 28 Rectangular column in which parts lie damaged (8) 29 Book plant? (6) 30 Swerve outside points for laminate (6) Down 1 2 Links a group of shops (5) Outspoken about tool that needs sharpening (5) 3 Melon sliced with another fruit (5) 4 Mark given to company with 50% capital (5) 5 Frosting as cake decoration (5) 6 Cleat remodelled to dazzling effect (5) 11 Seat ruined by point. . . (4) 13 ... came apart on top (4) 14 Deserve sea eagle, we hear (4) 15 Receptive, it's obvious (4) 16 Lots cast for mortise? (4) 17 Beams lift up, we hear (4) 21 No evergreen to reveal a view (5) 22 Scratch in comfort, that's about right (5) 23 Instrument for measuring rhythm, we hear (5) 24 River, Russian river in the sticks (5) 25 Moved one by dark wood (5) 26 Foot the bill for tasty morsel (5) Winner and runners-up of crossword 72; Winner: J. A. Botwnght, Dagenham, Essex. Runners-up: F. Owers, Luton, Beds; D. Everett, Menai Bridge, Anglesey; J. P. Dixon, Banstead, Surrey; T. Grace, Amesbury, Wilts; M. Yeomans, Milton Keynes, Bucks; P. Roskell, Deal, Kent. ¦ ¦ ¦ 1 5 z _ d d ¦ d ¦ z ¦ 3 d i d d d z d ¦ d 12 i^n ¦ ¦ To 11 J 175 ¦ 16 d ¦ 1 ¦ 17 ¦ d ¦ d d d 19 I d Z H ¦ z ¦ ¦ ¦ Z ¦ ¦ [20 21 22 1 23 | 24 I ¦ ¦ d ¦ d 3 z d J d d z ¦ z ¦ Z 1 d ] z ] Z z z J ¦ Zl ¦ Zl ¦ Name:..... Address:. .Postcode: Tel: Answers to crossword 74 Across: ' Mallet, 4 Double, 8 Round-nose, 9 Rift, 11 Cocobolo, 13 Sawn, 14 Gang, 15 Eggshell, 18 Scot, 20 Octagonal, 21 Exiled, 22 Drawer. Down: ' Metric, 2 Leaf, 3 Toolboxes, 5 Odds, 6 Bookcase, 7 Eleven, 10 & 14 Tongue-and-groove, 12 Confetti, 16 Lather, 17 Ogle, 18 Claw. Cut out and send your completed crossword to: Crossword 75, Practical Woodworking, Nexus House Azalea Drive, Swanley, Kent, BR8 8HU. Closing date for entries is 27th April 2001. \ j/lsdtey lies? ñòø in The complete range of honed ready-to-use carving tools and full range of carbon and high speed steel turning tools are manufactured by time served craftsmen in our factory in Lincolnshire and are unconditionally guaranteed for life. We undertake to regrind or rehone any tool returned to us, which we have manufactured, free of charge. Any tool purchased from us that in any way gives dissatisfaction we will exchange. Quality is not expensive its priceless! Factory tours are available by appointment for groups of about fifteen people, so come and see 'How its done'. Send for our free mail order catalogue. 16 pages in colour. Please enclose two first class stamps towards postage Ashley lies (Edge Tools) Ltd., East Kirkby, Spilsby, Lincolnshire PE23 4DD. Telephone (01790) 763372. Fax (01790) 763610 Email sales@ashleyiles.co.uk J Let Craft Supplies then only your imagination will limit your design al starter packages available on Lathes including free wood and tuition vouchers to get you started • Woodturning Course centres in the Peak District and South of France - Well stocked shop, timber store and Gallery • Comprehensive catalogue and on-line shopping on the internet www.craft-supplies.co.uk Send for our full colour 140 page catalogue packed with ideas for the woodturner to turn into individual products both useful and decorative. i*3Ep$*,P PLIES he ÌØ, Mill» fiale, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 8SN Tel: 01298 871636. Fax: 01298 872263. e-maif: sales@craft-suppties.cp.uk Î Î î í 12 VARIABLE SPEED BANDSAW -CBSI2WV TABLE SAWS • Table tilts 0-45' • Max throat depth 305mm • Max depth of cut 110mm ALSO AVAILABLE Clarke 14" 3 speed bandsaw with sanding disc - CBS355. 95 EXVAT (270.19 INC VAT CABINET MAKERS CIRCULAR SAW BENCH GRINDERS POWER PLANERS »95mm depth of cut • Powerful ØÐ 3ph induction motor, 230v (Iph available) scale B&DKS633E 400w 60mm 100mm rise an Complete with horizontally mounted, six bearing cast aluminium sliding carriage plus TCT blade and dixed side extension table B&D KW710 JjO HO 16-82 550 È1525 750 Bosch PST650E450w 65mm •CJS350 includes 3 free blades for wood, metal & plastic. 4nm steel. TUNGSTEN CARBIDE TIPPED SAW BLADES •Professional Routers, I lOv available ©bosch ROUTER T IWTools-RTeO ncudes HAMMER DRILL CHDSOO 500w motor 13mm chuck Variable speed 0-2200 rpm Depth stop gauge Drill/hammer selector switch Lock button for extended use Adjustable front/side handle Electronic variable speed & reverse control mounting plate for GOF900/ GOFI300ACE, ELU-MOF96E/I77E Suitable for B&D. Makita, Rvobi, Freud & Skil routers with additional mounting plate - call your store for details Clarias 74 WOODWORKING BENCH MOUNTED BAND SAW -CBSI90 35Ow motor Belt speed 1100-ISOOm/min 3mm sanding belt 30mm bore, plus brushes to reduce to BELT/DISC SANDER -CS4-6C 10" COMPOUND MITRE SAW - CMS2S4 • Powerful 350w, 23Ov motor 1 Max throat depth 190mm Dust Extraction facility • Powerful I200w; 23Ov, Iph motor • Max depth of cut 76mm • Max cross cut cap 152mm • Blade/bore dia 254/16mm DRILL STAND-CDS I Converts your electric drill into a pillar drill, ideal for drilling accurate 90" holes Suits all drills with scd 38mm & 43mm collar > Profiles for V grooves, fen chamfering, dovetailing etc. FORSTNER BITS • For angled boring, pocket holes, veneer work, boring half holes and overlapping holes. iCtarkc SCROLL SAWS ALSO AV Clarke 8" Compound Mitre Saw CMS200 ONLY ?44.95 EX VAT ?52.82 INC VAT WAS ?58.69 INC VAT SAVE ?5.88 INC VAT All models complete with dust bag CHT218 15pce - '/2 shank FORSTNER BIT SETS CHT215 7pce-Vtol CrTT716"?pce-15mni5 BRAD POINT BIT SETS CIRCULAR SAWS DRILL PRESSES 1 Bench & Floor models (B or f) • Precision engineered bearings, columns and tables CHT213 7ðñå-'/8 to CHT214 13pce - V B&DKA85EK* 600w 30-200 Makita9911v^650w 75-270 TITANI ÇÎÐÑ DRILL SETS CSS18B 35/50mm 457mm ?79.95 " 10T6w 2KM40 ?1 Dust extraction facility SANDERS BUCK& DECKER CDP5DD 13mm CDP101B 13mm ÎÌß 13mm CDP201B 13mm CDP251FT3mm~T7 ÃÎÐÇØ I6mm IT" OT351F"16mm DUST EXTRACTOR -CDE7 Large bag volume Powerful OJShp, 230v motor 6IOcfm collection capacity • Can be re-sharpened • Titanium bits last upto 6 times longer than standard bits WOLFCRAFT WORKBENCHES WORKBENCHES WOODWORKING LATHES Versatile sawing L j tables, for use with Ù/ circular saws, all PORTABLE CHIP COLLECTOR. CDE35 • 2ft3 collection bag • I hp, 23Ov motor *Hose optional extra ONLY ?20.95 EX VAT ?24.62 INC VAT Machine Mait NEW SPRING/SUMMER CATALOGUE! •Collect one from your local branch •Phone us on 0115 956 5555 •e-mail us on sales@machinemart.co.uk 24hr MAIL Î 276 COLOUR PAGES 344 NEW PRODUCTS 440 REDUCED PRICES Tel: 0115 956 5555 Fax: 0115 988 1212 Scotland Tel: 0131 659 5919 ' Fax* 0131 659 5915 VISIT YOUR LOCAL SUPERSTORE, OPEN MON-FRI 8.30-6.00, SAT 8.30-5. B'HAM GREAT BARR 01213587977 CROYDON 020 8763 0640 LEICESTER 01162610688 NOTTINGHAM 0115 956 181 I STOKE-ON-TRENT 01782 287321 4 Birmingham Rd. Great Barr 423-427 Brighton Rd. South Croydon 69 Melton Rd. 21 I Lower Parliament St. 382-396 Waterloo Rd. Hanley B'HAM/HAY MILLS 0121 771 3433 DARLINCfTON 01325 180841 LIVERPOOL 0151709 4484 PETERBOROUGH 01733 311770 SUNDERLAND 0191 510 8773 1152 Coventry Rd. Hay Mills 2l4Northgate 88 London Rd. 417 Lincoln Rd Millfield iUNUtRLAND Ol»l JIOB77J BOLTON 0.204365799 DERBY 01332290931 LONDON 02074882129 PLYMOUTH 01752254050 13-15 Ryhope Rd.Grangetown IThynn_e_St _ DerwentSt lOOThe Highway, Docklands T»L Ëê!.™„, ÐÍ SWANSEA 01792 792969 1-3 Church Rd, Lawrence Hill CARDIFF 44-46 City Rd. CARLISLE 85 London Rd. CHESTER Black Diamond St. COVENTRY Bishop St. 50 Lobley Hill Rd. UN"Hvml 88LondonRd «¦*¦""'-«« rtitt(euKUUUHUi/JiJii/«i SUNDERLAND 0I9ISIO8773 oo London no. 417 Lincoln Rd M fied 01332 290931 LONDON 020 7488 2129 PLYMOUTH 01752 254050 13-15 Ryhope Rd.Grangetown 0131 659 5919 LONDOigNWayDOC020 8803 086. ^^.Ð. SWANSEA 0.792 792969 0Ï I 659 5919 LONDON ^ 0208803 086. poOLE 01 202 71791 3 7 Samlet RdXIansamlet 0191493 2520 LONDON 020 8558 8284 137-139 Bournemouth Rd, Parkstone SWINDON 01793 491717 503-507 Lea Bridge Rd. Leyton ÅÞ PORTSMOUTH 023 9265 4777 21 Victoria Rd. 029 2046 5424 GLOUCESTER 0.452 417 948 MANCHESTER 0.6194.2666 277-283 Copnor Rd.Copno 169 Chesterfield Rd. South MIDDLESBROUGH 0. 221A Barton St 71 Mancheste 01228 591666 GRIMSBY 01472 354435 MANSFIELI Ellis Wav I *' Chesterfif 01244 31 1258 HULL 01482 223161 MIDDLESBR 8-10 Holderness Rd. Mandale trian 024 7622 4227 LEEDS 0113 231 0400 NORWICH 227-229 Kirkstall Rd. Heigham St. 71 Manchester Rd. Altrincham 01472 354435 MANSFIELD 01623 622160 53 Blackpool Rd. 01772 703263 TWICKENHAM 020 8892 91.7 83-85 Heath Rd. TWI WOLVERHAMPTON 01902 494186 outh SHEFFIELD O.I4 258O83I WOLVERHAMPTON 01902 494186 rn°abv42 67788' ^LonionRd.Heele"' '* "8 ^ ' ¦«-*. Rd.Biiston 01 áÜç 766402 SOUTHAMPTON 023 8051 7788 WORCESTER 01905 723451 516-518 Portswood Rd. 48a Upper Tything Project : Saving Why not make use of an empty alcove and create some useful storage space with a built-in cupboard. Jim Robinson did just that Storage space is always a problem, especially in small houses, and it's not easy to find room for more freestanding cupboards or chests of drawers. One of the most effective ways to create storage space without encroaching on living space is to use an empty alcove, for instance at the side of a fireplace. However, open storage shelves don't always look very attractive, and can be better hidden behind doors. If, as in this case, the alcove is arched, then floor-to-ceiling panelled doors will hide the shape, and give a very pleasing result. Timber choice The doors for my cupboard were to be stained and polished rather than painted so I used southern yellow pine which can be obtained in 1" sawn boards in lengths up to about 15 feet, and up to 12" wide. This wood is relatively free from knots and defects so there's no problem machining to the lengths required. If you don't have the necessary machining facilities then redwood PAR, (Planed All Round), would be a good, alternative, particularly if you decide to give the project a painted finish. Out of line The problem with old houses (and sometimes new ones!) is that walls aren't always exactly vertical, which means cutting the framework of doors etc. to fit the shape of the walls. I preferred to keep my framework square and overcame the problem by overlapping the chimney breast with the left-hand frame, and fixing a small return to the right-hand wall. If this small return is overlapped by the cupboard's outer framework and coloured the same as the side wall then any variation in the vertical width of the alcove won't be obvious. Construction The finished project had to be installed some distance from my workshop, so I constructed it in two sections. The lower section was made to finish 37" from the floor which is the usual height for this type of cupboard. I made the framing for the top section 60" high, which left room for a decorative bead to disguise the join between the two sections, and a similar bead to match at the top of the upper cupboard framing. This left a gap of about 3" between the top of the framing and the ceiling which I filled with a piece of wood when everything else had been installed. The size of the sections will of course have to be adjusted to suit your particular circumstances — the dimensions given here are therefore only a guide. May 2OO1 WWW.GETW00DW0RKING.COM 39 Project 3k 60 98V2 / cut the mortices using a router and a straight cutter guided by a fence The tenons ready to be cut to length. Note the waste left on to guide the router 37 -37- Batten fixed to wall Outline of alcove arch Î Î -93/8—> "* Panel mouldinh Î Î Front elevation Using a bearing-guided beading cutter to form the 3/s" diameter bead on the outside of the frame The upper and lower frames glued and cramped Section B-B Making the framing All the wood for the outer framing and door components was planed and thicknessed to 7«" then dimensioned to width and length. I jointed the framing in the traditional way using mortice and tenons, cutting the mortices with a hand-held router guided by a fence. The ends of the routed mortices can be squared off with a chisel, or you can round the tenons with a coarse file. I also used a router to cut the tenons cheeks. I cut the rail about '/V' longer i Front elevation All dimensions in inches Ceiling 2V2 3 22V2 3V2 -ó ã 10 10 22V2 3V2 2V2 2V2 22V2 3V2 5V2 L à 10 12V2 10 10 Underside of alcove arch 2 x 1 batten fixed to wall Ç/4 MDF / ¦Panel moulding Wall Section A-A Batten fixed to wall than required so that I could use the square end of the rail to guide the router fence. Beading & trimming Rout a '/-("-diameter beading on the inner faces of the rails before gluing the framing together, and cut a Ve"-diameter bead on the outer edge of the side pieces; this can be done before or after gluing together. A bearing-guided cutter can be used for both sets of beading. Incidentally, I left the stiles a little longer than the finished length, and then 4O WWW.GETW00DW0RKING.COM Practical Woodworking Any surplus Cascamite along the joint line can either be removed at the rubbery stage or sanded off when dry. Avoid removing with a wet cloth which spreads the glue trimmed to size after assembly. To complete the frames ready for fixing in position, screw and glue the 3A" beaded strips to the top of each frame, making sure that they're flush with the back of the frarne. Door frames The doors are framed and panelled with an off-the-shelf pine panel moulding applied to the front. After thicknessing and dimensioning the frame components, rout a s/i«"-wide groove to a depth of V«" to take the panels. The mortices can then be routed to depth. I cut the tenons using the same technique employed for the outer Cutting list Resawing a 1" board to achieve the book-matching for the panels framing, then cut the haunches to fit the groove depth. Make the doors a little overside so that they can be trimmed later to the exact size, and remember to allow extra on the width for the door overlap. Book-matched panels I selected a piece of 1 "-thick timber with the grain running almost parallel to the front and rear face then, after cutting it to width, resawed it on the bandsaw to make two book-matched panels which ¦ 'could then be thicknessed for a good fit in the grooves. When resawing with the bandsaw, it's best to use a new blade about '/2" wide and with 3 or 4 skip teeth to the inch. I next edge-jointed the panels using Cascamite; any surplus can be easily These dimensions serve as a guide, but the lengths in particular will vary according to the size of your alcove. All dimensions are in inches Item Qty L W T Stiles (upper frame) 2 61 3 7 / Top rail (upper frame) 1 36 2% V» Bottom rail (upper frame) 1 36 272 7h Stiles (lower frame) 2 37 3 7s Top rail (lower frame) 1 37 272 7« Bottom rail (lower frame) 1 37 572 7» Outer stiles (upper doors) 2 57 27. 7» Inner stiles (upper doors) 2 57 3 7» Top rail (upper doors) 2 13 3 7s Middle rail (upper doors) 2 13 372 7» Bottom rail (upper doors) 2 13 372 7b Outer stiles (lower doors) 2 31 27. 7» Inner stiles (lower doors) 2 31 3 7» Top rail (lower doors) 2 13 3 1h Bottom rail (lower doors) 2 13 372 7h Panels 6 237. 107. 7i Divider and top bead (round-nosed) 2 38 17. 7« Top filler 1 37 3 7= Shelves (MDF) 8 to fit to fit 7. Also required: Panel moulding, sycamore for knobs, 2Ó2" brass hinges, catches, battens for shelf supports and fixings The striking symmetry of the book-matched panels removed by sanding once dry. If you use PVA, remove any surplus glue at the rubbery stage with a scraper or putty knife, rather than using a wet cloth which just spreads the glue and stops adhesion of the polish. Cut the panel to size, then sand to a sliding fit in the grooves. When making doors of this type, I generally stain the panel before gluing the door frame together to prevent any unstained wood appearing should the A palm sander is ideal for final smoothing, especially at the joints Cutting the 'A"-diameter bead at the door sides with a bearing-guided beading cutter May 2OO1 WWW.GETWOODWORKING .COM 41 Project Turning the knobs The first stage of turning the knobs between centres, four at a time Trimming the front î the knobs with th pin held in a chuc I turned the knobs from sycamore which is denser than pine and takes detail well. I fitted a blank long enough to make four knobs between centres on the lathe, turned it to a cylinder the diameter of the knobs, then used a parting tool to turn the pins to fit the holes. The shaping work was done with a small fingernail gouge, a deep-fluted roughing gouge and a large skew chisel. The knobs can then be sanded and separated with a saw before remounting each in a pin chuck or a home-made jam chuck and trimming the face. After sanding, I generally burnish the knobs with a handful of shavings. Leave the fitting of the knobs and panel moulding, as well as the drilling of the holes for the knobs, until after polishing has been done. This way there's no danger of wax entering the holes to prevent the adhesion of the glue used to fix the knobs. Cutting the rebate on the meeting stiles of the doors I used a pattern cutter to trim the top and bottom of the doors square and to size. The bearing runs against a straight batten cramped to the door panel shrink after assembly. However, in this case, I applied a panel moulding which will hide this, so it's easier to assemble the door and then stain everything after. The moulding is stained and applied later. Door assembly Apply glue sparingly to the mortices, so that surplus glue is pushed in rather than being scraped off the tenons, creating an overflow when the joint comes together. Be careful not to allow any glue to contact the panels which should move freely in their grooves. To make the door overlap, first rout a '/<" bead on the closing edge of the right-hand door then a rebate in the back edge, and a matching rebate on the front edge of the left-hand door. The 7i" beads on the outer edge of the doors are cut after the doors have been fitted in the outer frame. Fitting the doors Fit the doors to the frames by planing the hinging edges, taking the same amount off each door until they fit with about '/i6" clearance all round. Now rout the '/<" bead along the hinge sides. I used three 2'/2" hinges for each top door and two for each lower door. They're set into the doors only, so that the knuckles line up with the beading. Hanging doors isn't the easiest of tasks but it can be very satisfying when you get it right first time. Place the hinge in position on the door and use a marking knife to scribe round it. A router fitted with a straight cutter and set to the depth required will effectively remove much of the waste, and you can then use a sharp chisel to trim to the line. Use a marking gauge to scribe a line to indicate the screw positions on the door, and a similar line can then be marked on the frame. This ensures that the door, when fitted, is in line with the frame and leaves you free to concentrate on getting the clearances correct at the top and bottom of the door. When you're satisfied with the hinge positions, drill a pilot hole to start the screws which helps to stop the screws following the grain; if they go in at a slant, the screw head won't seat properly in the hinge and this can prevent the doors closing properly. Once you're satisfied with the fit, the doors can be removed ready for finishing. Finishing off Mitre the panel mouldings to fit before staining and polishing, and then fix in place with pins. Be careful to knock the pins in at an angle so that they go into the outside frame rather than the panel. If the pins are punched below the surface the holes can be filled with stopping. I use a water-based Brummer pine stopping which readily takes a 42 WWW.GETWOODWORKING .COM Practical Woodworking stain, so the pin positions will be almost invisible. The stain can be applied after filling or alternatively mixed with the filler before applying. Finishing I used a palm sander to do the final sanding of the frames and panels, starting with 120 grit followed by 240 grit. j To achieve a darker pine finish, I first applied a water stain (Vandyke crystals dissolved in water with a dash of ammonia to give it a little more 'bite') which, when dry, was followed by a mid-brown wax polish applied using a drill-mounted pine brush. A final burnish with a soft lint-free cloth brings up the shine. Installation Before the front can be fixed in position, the shelves need to be fitted and supported by battens plugged to the back and side walls; I used Vi" MDF board cut to size by my supplier. Two shelves are wider than the rest and form the base of the lower and upper cupboards. In order to fit the face frames, two further battens need to be fixed to the walls. The left-hand batten is fixed flush with the face of the chimney breast, while the right-hand batten needs to be wider so that when the front overlaps there 'svstill about a 1" gap between the right-hand edge of the cupboard and the wall. This is painted to match the wall later. The shelf supports were first glued to the walls in the correct position, then drilled and plugged Lower frame construction All dimensions in inches Upper rail The frames fixed in position, ready for the doors to be fitted 3/b0 bead Using slotted plates to fix the frames to the wall battens allows some adjustment to be made to the frames to achieve the best fit for the doors May 2OO1 WWW.GETWOODWORKING.COM 43 Position the lower face frame first, resting it on the floor and fixing it» in position with slotted angle brackets which allow some adjustment to be made. The use of these slot fixing makes it easier to fix the front tight to the wall; screw the plate to the wall batten and to the back of the face frame. Adjustability When you fit the frame to the wall it's easy to twist it slightly without realising, and you then find that the doors are no longer a good fit. The slotted plates allow you to make slight adjustments to get the best fit. Fit a batten to the back of the bottom rail on the lower face frame, level with the wall battens which support the cupboard base. A length of 3" x 1" needs also to be screwed to the back of the top rail on the lower frame, to support the front of the top cupboard's bottom shelf. This batten also links the two frames together with screws driven in from behind. The upper frame is fixed in the same manner as the lower frame using slotted brackets. After finally hanging the doors, I fitted magnetic catches and an infill strip 44 Joint detail: Top door, left side All dimensions in inches 5/16 Side elevation of door knob A hinges are set into the doors only so that they follow the line of the bead 5/8 between the top frame and the ceiling using 'No Nails' adhesive which gives a secure fixing and is much easier than using screws. WWW.GETWOODWORKING.COM There's plenty of space inside The turned knobs and book-matched panels Practical Woodworking ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ Tested The DW008K is supplied in its own kitbox with a one-hour charger DeWALT DeWalt DW008K 24v cordless reciprocating saw DeWalt have recently extended their assortment of cordless tools to include a selection of 24 volt models. I was impressed by the DW007 circular saw (tested in the March 2001 issue) and so was looking forward to trying the DW008K reciprocating saw. It's classed as a heavy-duty, high-performance tool powered by a motor with an output of 460 Watts. Both wood and metal cutting blades are included, as well as a one-hour charger in a carrying case with space for a second battery. Power house This is a meaty tool with an overall length of 470mm, and with two speeds of 0-2400, and 0-2900 strokes per minute to suit various materials. The stroke length is 29mm, and the tool is equipped with an electronic brake. The main handle and switch are at the rear, and The blade is held by a quick-release locking lever Blades can be stored in underside of body. the whole of the front part of the tool is covered in rubber to provide an easy grip in any position. The shoe at the front of the body can be quickly extended to maximise blade life. Blade changing is very simple and doesn't require the use of a tool as a built-in lever near the front locks and ..releases the blade. There's also provision for blade storage on the underside of the body. On test My trials included sawing various pieces of branch wood and some rough-sawn square timber. I also tried cutting some U-section aluminium, and some plastic piping. What I did find with this tool is that the material being sawn must be firmly held so that it can't move. The speed of sawing is pleasing. This is a professional product made to professional standards and able to carry out professional work. It's a typical DeWalt tool from a firm who place quality and performance as their main aims. Tested by Gordon Warr Verdict This isn't really a tool for use within the workshop, but rather for work utside. Ideal for professional ontractors as we'll as the DIY enthusiast. Would also suit woodworkers involved in woodland crafts such as pole lathe turning, urdle and rake making. 1st price: ?495 plus VAT, but expect to pay a lot less. DeWalt Power Tools, tel: 0700 433 9258, website: www.dewalt.co.uk The DW008K is just as happy slicing through branch wood as it is cutting squared timber May 2OO1 WWW.GETW00DW0RKING.COM 49 .PLANE Astounding Looking for the best in woodworking news, features and tools? 1ook no further • it's all online at GetWoodworking.com Four of the UK's leading woodworking *.. magazines, The Woodworker, Practical Woodworking, The Woodturner and Routing have combined forces to bring you GetWoodworking.com -the definitive online resource for UK woodworkers. Whatever your speciality, you're bound to find •something of interest at GetWoodworking.com, so boot up your computer and take a look now. • Search our online database of tool tests before you invest in an expensive new product * • Plan your spare time with events from our online diary - you can submit dates too • Exchange tips and ideas in the busy online forum • Browse and buy woodworking plans and books in our secure online shop - save ???s if you order online • Many of the best projects and techniques from the pages of The Woodworker, Practical Woodworking, The Woodturner and Routing • A growing array of online resources - Conversion Calculator, Routing Wizard, American Hardwood Database - with more to come • The latest news before it reaches the pages of the magazines • Subscribe to The Woodworker, Practical Woodworking, The Woodturner or Routing online • See what's in the latest issue of your favourite woodworking titles, and what's coming up gext If you think all of that looks too good to be true, then just wait and see what we've got planned for the future! KTWOODWORKING. em X. is; | The Online Home Of ÙØË ass _j ml ^×^^â - ¦' suits • * «¦ ì fg PIANSHOP 1 ÇÈ1ÊÊ MdllCrt iFSNEW RESOURCES ÂØÈÌØÌØ rww. «*wt titwt rfm ÷øà ^.à ttlWOOO .cm IBHWOODWORKINGMH get aonwoRKiNG-MH x©asa| i Ø* our online flouting Wu.nrd U find t«mplat* offiet *hfcn rctrtmg wrth guide bush • ^øËê. f òðåò jjIy,"^,, Dem --TU ¦> «Ml leners Lesson in movement All these years I've read that provision must be made for the movement of wood, especially across the grain. Although always aware of it, and careful to allow for 'float' in large panels, this hasn't been much of a problem where I live in Cape Town where the mild climate and the humidity doesn't differ much between summer, winter, irudoors and outdoors. I came to Britain over Christmas and helped my family with building alterations. One of the jobs was to install doors in the bathroom to cover the hot water cylinder, pumps, etc. I bought solid slatted pine doors and varnished them outside in the garage. After three coats they looked very good and were installed. Two days later the joints between every four horizontal strips were visible. A week later, some of the gaps were about 2mm wide and I had to repaint all the thin white strips that were showing through! Î Î The wood had shrunk on a scale I've never seen before; I estimate the shrinkage to be about 2mm" per 90mm. This was a lesson well learnt — next time I'll store the timber indoors for a few days! J. F. Loedolff, Cape Town, by email ØØØØØßØØØ I was interested to see the question and answer about stay-set plane back irons on page 60 of the August issue. Of my four planes, two have original Record stay-set back irons and they seem to give a smoother cut than the two with standard back irons, one of which I remember filing to make it bed down closely. However, the big advantage is when sharpening becomes necessary. The end of the back iron can be lifted off and the blade sharpened on an oilstone at least a dozen times before needing to slacken the screw and move the whole thing back. A standard back iron has to be unscrewed and removed every time the blade needs sharpening. F. Watson, Worthing Imprisoned skeleton Sometime ago I sent off to get the plansheets for an all-wood skeleton clock, and after much hard work I've almost finished it, as you can see from the photograph. I haven't got it ticking quite yet but I'm not far off! S. Delceppo, Felixtowe, Suffolk Timber tips I use quite a lot of softwood (loosely described as pine) bought from my local building supplier, but the problem is that seasoning and storage aren't as good as they might be. While not actually running wet, the moisture content is higher than it should be, so there's a risk of shrinkage and warping. These tips, based on my experience, can be useful. • Buy the wood as long in advance of your needs as possible. • Store it so that air can get to both sides. • Treasure any boards cut radially (end grain lines across the thickness of the board). They won't warp. Keep them for wide parts. • If you need to glue up widths, do this in the same session as truing edges. • As far as possible, make up assemblies as soon as parts are ready. Corner joints stop both pieces warping. • If the finished item is to be in a centrally heated environment, store the wood in that atmosphere for a few days so that any tendency to warp become apparent. Cut narrow parts from the warped boards. • Avoid knots with black rings round them. They will fall out. • Buy the widest boards and cut them down yourself. You can get around flaws and some knots and pick the best parts for the job. It's cheaper. • I allow 10% for wastage when I buy softwood, but it usually works out better than that. R. S. Fortune, Northampton WIN a Skil cordless drill If yours is chosen as the Star letter, you win a Skil 12v cordless drill with 10mm keyless chuck, 5-position torque settings, variable speed and reverse. As well as the drill and a 12v battery pack you also get a 6-piece screwdriver set and a 5-piece HSS drill set all in a robust carry case. For further information about the full range of power tools call the Skil Advice Hotline on 01895 838743 May 2OO1 WWW.GETWOODWORKING.COM 51 Tested Ferm FKS-180 The FKS-180 has a 180mm blade and maximum cutting depth of 62mm circular saw Screwflx Direct has extended its range of both power tools and machines to include an exclusive collection under the 'Ferm' label. One of these is the FKS-180 circular saw, the 180 indicating the diameter of the blade which gives a maximum depth of cut of 62mm at 90°. The motor is rated at 1400 Watts, providing a blade speed of 4200 Depth of cut can be adjusted down to rpm. The blade, which has a bore of 20mm, has 18 TCT teeth. The wrench needed when removing the blade is included. Angle cutting The blade will tilt up to 45°, and the main control for this is at the front where a knob locks the desired setting with a The fence, fitted to the left of the blade protractor scale as a guide. A secondary lever lock at the rear ensures the sole plate is positively set whatever the angle, including normal rightangle sawing. Maximum sawing depth at full tilt is 45mm. The depth of cut can also be readily adjusted down to zero. A depth scale is provided, and again a small lever is used to lock the chosen setting. Body parts The main part of the body is an alloy ê die casting, while the motor housing and built-in main handle are plastic. The main handle incorporates the switch, with a safety button which has to be depressed first, and a good-sized secondary handle is located towards the front. The body extends to form the upper section of the blade guard which incorporates a dust outlet, but a dust bag is not included. The spring-loaded guard which covers the lower part of the blade is steel and an adjustable riving knife is provided. The sole of the saw, like the other steel components, is plated and measures 32mm x 145mm. It's designed to carry a side fence which will locate to the right giving a maximum setting of about 120mm, and to the left where the maximum width which can be sawn is 200mm. Useful refinements to the sole plate are the two notches at the front edge to help guide the saw along a line when using the tool freehand; one for normal right angle sawing, the other when the sole is fully tilted. On test I used the FKS-180 to cut sheet material, always a popular use for a hand-held circular saw and especially when tackling large sheets. This is where the A vacuum hose can be connected 52 WWW. GETWOOD WORKING. COM Practical "Woodworking notches at the front are very useful, although an alternative to freehand sawing is to cramp a batten to the board and use thfs as a guide. It's when sawing man-made boards, which are frequently less than 25mm in thickness, that the cutting benefits from reducing the projection of the blade. I also tried cutting solid hardwood and softwood of various thicknesses, and found that there's adequate power for all normal uses, with the two handles providing good control. Adjustments are easy to make, and are positively locked as required. I couldn't detect any bad habits with this saw, and it gives a feeling of confidence to the user. Tested by Gordon Warr Verdict The quality of this tool is difficult to fault, and more so when the cost is considered. A tool with an impressive performance and more than adequate for any user. List price: ?44.99, includes VAT Screwfix Direct, Tel 0800 317 004 (catalogue), 0500 414141 (sales), fax: 0800 056 2256, website: www.screwfix.com AIRPINER DIRECT LTD. Unit 6 Verulam Industrial Estate, 224 London Road, St Albans, Herts ALI 1JF "THE BABY" COMPRESSOR IT'S QUIET, IT'S LIGHT (10KG) IIT'S SMALL (15" High x 16" Long x 5-112" Wide) WITH OR APD AF50 18 Gauge 15-5Omm APD 16/50 16 Gauge 2O-5Omm THE COMPLETE KIT, WITH HOSE, FITTINGS AND SELECTION OF BRADS DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR FOR ONLY ?199 INC. VAT TELEPHONE: 01727 853751 ADVERTISERS PLEASE NOTE Copy Date for the July Issue of Practical Woodworking is 26.04.01 Carroll Tools For speedy, accurate pocket hole joints every time these robust range of tools are a must. Manufactured from cast aluminium there is a model for everyone from the occasional user to the professional and manufacturing processes. These tools are manufactured using a unique photochemical machining process creating a razor sharp multi-bladed surface that cuts cleanly with efficiency and control . Smooth, effortless shaping and carving requiring only light sanding to finish. No more scraping, tearing or gouging. 18 Factory Lane, Croydon, Surrey CRO 3RL May 2OO1 WWW. GET WOOD WORKING .COM 53 Turning aking a stand George O'Brien turns a lamp stand using long-hole boring techniques Turned lamps, whether modest bedside models or towering standards, are usually made using a similar set of processes. This project demonstrates these techniques as I make a mid-sized lamp of my own design. Readers can alter the scale, or number of elements, to produce an example specifically geared to their own requirements. Material I normally prefer to turn native British timbers but have been harbouring a yearning to widen my horizons for some time. I decided to try using something a little different and chose a timber from Craft Supplies extensive range called Amazaque, a species previously unknown to me with beautiful black grain patterns rippling across its deep brown surface. Lamp stem I mounted the stem blank between centres in the normal way, except that I used a ring centre in the tailstock to suit my Vie" long-hole auger. I also made use saw?» of the lathe's sliding headstock to position the tailstock conveniently near the end of the bed. My first job was to remove the blank's sharp corners with a roughing-out gouge. I chose not to reduce it to a true cylinder, at this stage, in case I needed the extra material later. With the lathe speed reduced, I then inserted the end of the auger into the hollow tailstock. A great deal of care was needed to slip the tool's fragile cutting tip through the hollow ring centre within the tailstock quill without damaging it. Making the cut As soon as I was confident that the tip was in contact with the timber, I pushed the auger forward by about Vie" (4-5mm) and withdrew it again. An auger, unlike a twist drill, has no spiral flute to remove the shavings so it's imperative to withdraw it regularly (and completely) to clear them. I estimate that the shavings shown in the picture below constitute only about 60% of those generated at each cut. The rest had fallen from the auger on its journey back down the hole and through the tailstock. For this reason it's advisable to have make a 'clearance run' after every 3-4 cuts, by advancing the tool to the 'coalface' and withdrawing it again, without cutting, to collect the loose shruff from the length of the tunnel. Allowing a build up of shruff, or advancing by too much in a single cut, risks the tool jamming in the hole and being spun painfully out of the operator's grasp — long hole boring is not a job to be rushedI The hole needed to 54 W WW.GETWOODWORKING .COM Practical Woodworking The four-prong drive centre was replaced with the one fitted with a parallel 'proboscis', the same diameterMs the bored A rubber band around the auger's shaft makes a handy depth gauge the blank stationary, and feed it care revolving drive centre be deep enough to reach the blank's halfway point, and a rubber band around the auger's shaft made a handy depth gauge. Remounting When the auger had reached halfway, I demounted the blank and cleared the tailstock of any stray shruff. Leaving any to become compacted within the quill could cause it to bind at some future date. I then replaced the four-prong drive centre with one fitted with a parallel 'proboscis' the same diameter as the bored hole. Because mine has continuous 'teeth' from rim to centre, it can also be used for counterboring — but more of that later. I reversed and remounted the part-bored blank so that boring could be resumed from the opposite end. Once the hole is started, the auger is fully self centring so the two holes will (or should!) meet accurately in the middle. Counterbore After completing the boring, I reduced the tailstock pressure and held the blank stationary as it was fed carefully onto the revolving drive centre. The resulting counterbore, accurately centred on the cable hole, could form a mortice between the multi elements of a standard lamp's stem. I, however, would only need one in the top of the lower section, which I would be cutting later. Having cut this shallow counterbore for the camera's sake, I intended to cut it away before proceeding. In the nick of time I realised that if it were left it would 'lose' a little of the plastic bulb holder's height. Good fortune shines on those with an open mind, don't they say? I remounted the blank between counterbore and standard tailstock centre (to ensure the stem's concentricity around the cable hole) and increased the lathe speed to complete its reduction to a cylinder. I then used a beading and parting tool, in conjunction with 'bow-legged' callipers, to cut an accurately-sized tenon which would fit into the base's yet-to-be-cut mortice. Each of the male joints of a standard lamp's stem would be formed in this way. Stem shape I would normally have used a roughing-out gouge for the lion's share of the stem's shaping, but I decided to see how well the cutting edges of a pair of high-performance spindle gouges would stand up to the heavy work. I'll tell you how they faired next month. I completed the long curves with my largest (V/*") skew chisel. In common with other tools, like bench planes, the larger the tool the fairer the finish. The quirks on either side of a large bead were highlighted by undercutting them with a smaller (3A") skew's long corner. Fine, sharp detailing such as this always enhances a project by introducing girdles of deep shadow. In my opinion, simple procedures like this, carefully carried out, make the difference between good pieces and great ones. Sanding and finishing Once satisfied with the stem's shape, I started sanding with 180 erit and Î Î progressed, in even steps, down to 320, (on a more troublesome timber, or a f Stem and feet — A single piece 35" x 3" x 3" (about 900 x 75 x 75) Base — One 'bowl blank' 12" x 12" x 3" (about 300 x 300 x 75mm) Hardware: One switched lampholder, one fixing nipple or screwed plate to attach the lamp holder to the top of the stern, one three-pin plug, a length of flex May 2OO1 WWW. GETWOODWORKING .COM 55 Turning The quirks on either side of a large bead were highlighted by undercutting the. Using a beading- and-parting tool and 'bowlegged' callipers to cut an accurate tenon 'bad tool' day, a courser initial grade may have been called for). I wrapped the abrasive sheet around a piece of foam rubber to even out any small hollows or ridges left by the tool. The result was a series of sweet, super-smooth curves, running from one to another with no hint of flat or bulge. A liberal first coat of Chestnut Finishing oil was rubbed well into the grain and left to penetrate for a few minutes before the excess was removed. Properly applied, oil finishes extend below the surface of the timber and consequently are impossible to chip. They have the added advantage that they can be easily refreshed with further coats whenever the need arises. I choose to wear latex gloves when applying finishes, in the belief that any product designed to penetrate the pores of a piece of timber may well do the same to my own. The feet The advantage of designing a piece with three feet is that it can't rock no matter how uneven the floor. On the other hand, standing a round object on three points effectively reduces its 'footprint' to a less stable triangle. The taller the project (and the smaller its base to start with) the 'more the resulting directional instability becomes a problem. I eventually settled on three feet for this project but would have gone for four, or perhaps five, had it been taller. The simplest way to have made the set of feet would have been to turn each, spindle-fashion, from the end of the 3" x 3" blank but I decided that their grain ought to run in the same direction as the base so my next move would need to be on the bandsaw. I marked the blank's centreline for a length of 6" and ripped it along the grain before dividing it into 3" slabs and crosscutting the four resulting pieces. Another tool new to me, was the multipurpose carpenter's gauge from Veritas and I now pressed it into service. First, as a straightedge, to discover each footblank's centre point before conversion into a trammel to mark the diameters to be bandsawn. Each bandsawn foot blank was gripped in the large O'Donnell jaws while their spigots and top curves were sized and shaped before the smallest jaws were inserted to grip each spigot while the foot was shaped, sanded and finished. eral coat of Chestnut inishing oil was rubbed well into he grain and left to penetrate for few minutes before the excess was removed The base I mounted the already circular base blank securely onto a woodscrew chuck, trued up the face and periphery and dished what was to become its bottom surface with a bowl gouge. Removing this material was important, not only to improve the look of the piece but also to allow sufficient space for the cable to escape from beneath the finished lamp. Next, I cut a dovetailed recess to suit my chuck (with a little more fancy shaping within) leaving a small area in the centre to accommodate the yet-to-be-bored cable hole. A shallow groove was added (a little less than half the foot diameter from the edge) and the lathe's indexing facility used to mark the positions of the three, equally-spaced spigot holes. The groove wouldn't look out of place beneath the finished lamp and would provide an accurate guide for the Forstner bit during the next operation — the drilling. Drilling Having reversed the timber onto the dovetail I trued up the new surface before boring the cable hole and mortice joint using the same tools and methods as on the stem. They were just as I marked the blank's centreline for a length of 6" and ripped it along the grain before dividing it into 3" slabs and crosscutting the four resulting pieces 56 WWW.GETWOODWORKING.COM Practical Woodworking smallest jaws were inserted to grip each spigot while the foot wa shaped, sande and fin successful despite the base's grain running in the opposite direction. I assembled the stem temporarily onto the base and supported it with the tailstock. This gave me the chance to stand back and consider the best way to achieve harmony between the two pieces. The Veritas gauge, in yet another of its many guises, was used to mark the cutting limits. Once the amount of excess timber was ascertained I was able to remove these Final sanding of the base with all surfaces curving smoothly towards the outside edge Contacts • Timber and electrical compone from Craft Supplies: 0800 146417 • M950 lathe and accessories from APTC: 01297 33656 • Turning tools from Robert Sorby: 0114 225 0700 • Veritas Carpenters Gauge from BriMarc: 0845 6590000 • Bradcap powered visor from Bradwest safety: 01628 660908 May 2OO1 two rings of usable material. Because the timber's grain was running the wrong way for efficient cutting with a partingoff tool (especially with the large overhang required), I was forced to scrape with it and accept the numerous visits to the grinder as par for the course. The pre-cut rebates, on the inner edge of each ring, will be used to rechuck them just as soon as I decide what they're to become. I will put my thoughts to the possibilities and report back next month. Dust trap During the weeks leading up to the making of this project I'd sought out other turned lamps, both factory and craftsman made. One of the things that had stuck in my mind was that almost all of their bases had become ingrained with dirt. Some of this was down to bad toolsmanship, leaving rough endgrain or torn sidegrain to snare the passing dust, but most, it seemed to me, was due to a widely shared but ill-thought-out design feature. They had been shaped (some very tastefully, I should add) with areas of the top surface dished. In effect, a circular gutter had been formed which, despite regular dusting, had encouraged dirt particles to settle and become amalgamated into the polish layer at the bottom. Bearing this in mind, I set about shaping my own base with all surfaces curving smoothly towards the outside edge and as soon as I stood back to inspect the results, I realised why so many others had fallen WWW.GETWOODWORKING.COI stem assembled temporarily onto the base and supported with the tailstock Once the amount of excess timber was ascertained I was able to remove these two rings of usable material into the almost universal (dust) trap. While still mounted on the lathe, and without its shapely stem to 'lift' it, my base looked positively plain and the temptation to glorify it with sharp grooves or a reverse angle or two was very strong. I'll leave you to ponder the results of my labours before deciding about your own project. Assembly After each finished component had received two coats of oil (except on their joint's mating surfaces) they were glued together with PVA. Once dry, the whole assembly received two further coats before being buffed to a deep, satisfying sheen. Being made of wood, with exclusively plastic fittings, my lamp only needed two core flex but if any exposed metal parts had been involved an earth would have been imperative for electrical safety. Special thanks to Craft Supplies' Ken Allen for his helpful advice on lamp design. JVexf month I'll be testing à number of new tools and related products in addition to finding a use for the pair of rings liberated from the lamp base. 57 Q&A Whether it's advice on turning techniques, joinery, using finishes, or what machinery to buy send in your woodworking queries and our expert panel will find an answer. Questions relating to other specialist areas will be answered by an appropriate expert in that field. Send your questions to: Q&A , Practical Woodworking, Nexus House Azalea Drive, Swanley, Kent, BR8 8HU. Or fax on 01322 616319, or email to practicalwoodworking@getwoodworking.com Jim Kingshott Cabinetmaking & joinery Gordon Warr Machinery & supplies Chris Child Turning Ben Russell Carving Mark Finney Finishing Recycled saws / have a number of rusty hand saws that I bought from a car boot sale. Some of them have badly-damaged wooden handles which I need to remove and replace, but the retaining screws have seized up and I'm having trouble removing them — any suggestions? Can you also suggest a good method for cleaning up rusty blades? K. Booth, by email The screws which hold on saw handles are usually removed with a forked or plain screwdriver bit in a brace. Cheap saws with steel screws or rivets aren't worth the bother — save them for use in the garden. If the screw is particularly stubborn, heat a metal rod, about the same diameter as the screw, to red heat, then place the end of the rod in contact with the screw for a couple of minutes. Allow the screw to cool down before attempting to unscrew it. The expansion caused by the heat and the subsequent contraction should free the screw. Rust can either be on the surface or it can form pits, and a blade that's pitted isn't worth the time and effort to restore it; pits leave the surface irregular and it's impossible to get a sharp edge on the tool. Screwfix supply a scaling disk on an arbour which is the best tool that I've found for the fast removal of surface rust. A final polish with 600 grit wet-and-dry abrasive paper lubricated with oil will give a reasonable surface. Jim Kingshott By hand Can you suggest any good books on woodcarving with hand tools only. I need information about choosing appropriate woods and hand tools, as well as some help on clamping methods and finishing. I'm particularly interested in Welsh love spoons and figurative work. Are there any carving organisations which may be able to provide technical advice? Tudor Davies, Barry, South Glamorgan Many woodcarvers still work entirely with hand tools and, to most of us, this is one of the great attractions of the craft. Even as a professional carver, I would do at least 95% of my work by hand. Certainly, my bandsaw speeds up the initial roughing out, but this stage can be tackled with hand saws. Most of the carving articles in Practical Woodworking have been written with the hand-worker in mind (though some forthcoming articles will be looking at power-assisted carving techniques). The Guild of Master Craftsmen (01273 477374) publishes a specialist magazine devoted to carving, which is available widely and has projects and techniques for all levels. Stobart Davies Ltd (01992 501518) have a wide range of books on woodcarving. For a guide to Welsh love spoons, try Carving Spoons by Shirley Adler, price ?14.95. The UK organisation for woodcarvers is the British Woodcarvers' Association, and I think you'll find that many members have a preference for hand carving. The secretary is John Sullivan, 25 Summerfield Drive, Nottage, Porthcawl, Mid Glamorgan, South Wales CF36 3PB. They may be able to tell you about evening classes in your area. 3en R Practical Woodworking «ê A smooth finish I've been trying to turn some salad bowls out of some very dry ash discs 3" thick and 10" wide. Shaping the outside and the inside walls of the bowl is no problem, but I'm having difficulty getting a smooth finish on the floor of the bowl. I'm using a 3A" HSS bowl gouge and even though I bring the tool rest up as close as I can to support it, it ke snatching when I try to feed it across the floor of the bowl. B. Hancock, Spilsby, Lines There are two techniques that I know of for achieving a satisfactory finish on the floor of a bowl and both methods are sometimes worth trying because some woods respond better to one rather than the other. In one, you need to sharpen the largest round-nosed scraper that you have and draw this slowly across the floor from the centre outwards towards the sides of the bowl. I use a I'A" round scarper which has been ground with a 60° bevel. After grinding, the edge is honed very sharp using an oil stone. With the edge held horizontally and flat on the tool rest, you can scrape the floor area flat or form a smooth, continuous curve to blend into the side of the bowl. As long there are no large areas of end grain in the floor, you should be able achieve a clean finish where any roughness that exists is very shallow and will sand away without a problem. Another method which possibly needs a little more technique skill than the scraper, is to use a bowl gouge with a modified 60° bevel ground on the end. You can lie the obtuse bevel of this gouge flat against the work surface without the sides of the bowl getting in the way. It works just like any bowl gouge, held slightly on its side, with the bevel planing across the floor of the bowl, and usually produces a better finish than the scraper. Chris Child Blade slip For some time now the blade and/or tyre of my bandsaw has been thrown off of the bottom wheel. I've replaced both top and bottom tyres as they had become damaged by the blade, and I've adjusted the top wheel and checked that the blade is running true on both top and bottom wheels, both while rotating them by hand and under power. Once the blade appears to be running true, I've put everything back together to cut a test piece only to find that the lower tyre jumps off the wheel again. Is there anything that you can suggest that I try? Paul Stewart, Hythe, Southampton Without closely examining your bandsaw, it's difficult to diagnose the problem accurately. However, the following troubleshooting suggestions may help: 1. Re-fix the tyre using a contact adhesive. 2. Check that the lower thrust bearing is correctly set. It requires adjusting if you fit a blade of different width, as does the upper thrust bearing. Both should have a gap of around 0.5mm between them and the rear edge of the blade. 3. It may be that the frame has become slightly strained, if only slight this can possibly be corrected in the same way as 4 below. 4. Possibly the two wheels are not in good alignment with one another. Check across both wheels for this. When the upper wheel has its front face vertical, it should align with the face of the lower wheel. Use a straightedge to check. Whichever wheel lies back from the other can be packed out slightly by introducing washers on the securing bolts between the body of the machine and the mounting bracket of the upper wheel. I once had this problem with a small three-wheel bandsaw, and washers introduced behind the top wheel did the trick. Gordon Warr A question of width I've acquired some very large rough-sawn oak boards for making some substantial shelves. They're radially sawn and kiln-. dried so don't expect any trouble with warping. The biggest shelf will be in an\ alcove about 18" wide by 6' long and.I have a single timber big enough to fit. However, without a large planer thicknesser, I'm unsure of the best way) smooth such a large flat surface from its rough-sawn condition. I'm also interested in making wooden to for my young son. I fancy something like < large wooden truck that he could sit in, and other substantial toys as well as simple eductional toys. Can you recommend any particularly good books on the subject? Peter Jarvis, West Yorksl There's no magic way of preparing wood after sawing to make it smooth and flat. The only real option is to hand plane it, which is a slow and laborious task. It's debatable whether it might 1 easier to first saw it down the centre, plane the two pieces produced, then joint up again. This partly depends or how flat the wood is at the outset. I do have a planer thicknesser but: capacity is far less than 18", so I wot machine plane the two halves, then joint them up, probably using biscuits The alternative would be to rely or sanding which far less satisfactory tr planing, as gaining and maintaining : surfaces would be very difficult. In ar case, a professional model of belt sander would be needed, preferably 100mm wide and also with a sanding frame attachment. Good-quality coarse-grit belts would also be needed. For toy designs and plans visit the GetWoodworking website at www.getwoodworking.com, or get he of a copy of Hobby's catalogue which is full of information on the supply of plans for toys, small tools, books, and fittings for toy making. The choice of plans for toys is wide, from scooters to forts and rocking horses to mobile cranes. W. Hobby Ltd, tel: 0208 761 4244, fax: 0208 761 8796, email: mail@hobby.uk.com Gordon Warr > iu May 2OO1 WWW.GETWOODWORKING.COM 59 ING ug trees bought in the shops are usually very simple and rather mediocre affairs, so why not make one that will be noticed and liven up a dull kitchen corner. For my mug rack, I've turned the motive, and used seasoned ash which goes with the informal country farmhouse look. This wood can be quite coarse in texture so your tools will need to be kept sharp to obtain crisp detail. The centre column is supported on tripod legs which, as well as providing the tree with its stability, prevents it from coming into contact with a wet or damp work surface. There are nine mug 'branches' which are staggered in sets of Chris Child turns a tripod mug tree in ^ bamboo style ifc. |! WM fa ë ^_ Han irahat three, at a slight upward angle to the column. To get th~ ¦ inbetween the branches so that the mugs hang without touching, suspend one of your mugs by its handle and mark out its base on the side of a suitable piece of timber. Centre column Fit a block of wood 350mm x 80mm x 80mm securely on the lathe between centres. Set the lathe to a fairly fast speed (about lOOOrpm) and taper the block down to 40mm at one end using a sharp roughing-down gouge. Don't forget to wear a protective face mask. Drilling the holes Mark out the three mug support positions along the length of the taper, then divide the column's circumference into six equal segments. You can do this with a pair of dividers, but the simplest way is to cut a strip of card which is a convenient length for dividing into six Î Î and rap this around at a point along the taper where the tape meets end to tail. Mark clearly where the holes for the branches and legs need to be drilled, remembering to stagger the positions up the column. You now need to make a simple drilling jig to get the holes drilled at the same angle. This is made by drilling a hole at right angles through a block of wood which is then held in the tool rest support by means of a dowel or spigot which has been turned in the base of the block. Make sure that the hole in the drilling jig is positioned at the centre height of the lathe, before resting it against the side of the workpiece. Twist the column round to line up the end of the drill with the hole positions and drill each one in turn. Use the same technique with a larger drill size to drill the hole for the legs. Now that the functional side of the project has been completed, the real turning can begin. To form the bamboo shape, use a skew chisel to cut a seri~v of V-cuts at intervals along the column and then, with a small gouge, reduce the m sections of the bamboo diameter inbetween. Form small radiuses at each end of this shallow hollow, but leave a 5mm section of column uncut on each side of the V. When the whole length of the column has been treated in this way, take up the beading and parting tool and round over the two sides of the V-cut. The tool is used by laying the the edge flat on the tool rest with the < positioned on the handle is lifted so that just the corner of the cutting edge engages with the work and lifts a tiny tuft of wood. The tool is then slowly twisted so that the corner slices through the fibres of the wood as it rotates. On the top of the mug tree I acorn finial. This was done combination of a convex curve of the and a small spindle i rest of the shape. Legs First turn the block to a c\ 24mm x 24mm the roughine- the rounded curves of the V-cut. After reducing the dowel to the correct diameter so that it fits into the base of the mug tree, sand, polish and part off the work with the skew chisel. When it comes to making the other two legs, you don't have to make the bamboo exactly the same; as long as they are roughly the same diameter you can vary Branches To make the nine mug tree branches, follow the same methods as for the tripod legs, by reducing the 50mm x 20mm x 20mm blocks to a cylinders and then forming dowels at the ends. Hollow out the middle area of the branch using a 7." spindle gouge. Round the ends of the peg with the beading tool andlhen part off, after sanding and polishing with the skew chisel. 3 Drill out the dowel holes for the branches using a drilling jig 8 Form the lip shapes between the bamboo sections with the beading and parting tool 9 The same cut on the leg using the standard parting tool down gouge and then part down to form an oversized dowel at one end using the beading and parting tool. Part down at the base of the leg to determine its length and then form the bamboo shapes in the same-way as you did the on the column. As an alternative to the beading tool, I've used a standard parting tool which 5 Cut the V-cuts with a skew chisel W Part off the branch with the skew chisel ¦B Sanding polishing and assembly To sand the work free of any I I use aluminium-oxide " abrasive and start off' followed with 240 ¦¦ scratches of the < give the work a I grit to be certain of timber. Because of the its probable contact with water in the kitchen, I sealed the wood with cellulose sealer. Brush this all i a paint brush, using a sheet of hardboard to protect the lathe •''*¦¦- , g If I ashes. Then, before it dries, wipe off with a clean cotton cloth which will absorb any surplus polish and leave a completely even coat. This method avoids the overlapping which occurs sometimes when the polish is applied with a cloth or rubber only. To create a thicker finish simply repeat the coats. May 2OO I Tested Rexon BT-2500A table saw One of the main requirements in any woodworking workshop is the need to saw wood, and the most basic yet useful of the various circular saws on the market (including mitre saws and radial arm saws) is the bench saw, or table saw. The size of such a saw is measured primarily by the diameter of the blade fitted to it, and the size most favoured for the small workshop is 255mm, or 10", which will normally give a maximum cutting depth of around 76mm, or 3", (although, because of safety regulations, this is a little theoretical — more on this later). One of the two table saws in the Rexon range is the BT-2500A, which has a 255mm diameter blade with 30 TCT teeth, and a bore of 30mm, giving a maximum cutting depth of 75mm at 90°, and 63mm at 45°. Its 1300 Watt motor spins the blade at 4200 rpm. The body is a heavy-duty plastic moulding, with all the controls at the front, the main one being the rise and fall hand wheel. The blade can be tilted manually to the right, and a ratchet lever locks the angle as required. A protractor scale is provided with an adjustable pointer, and there are stops at both ends of the tilt mechanism, which are also adjustable using an Allen key on the top of the table. The cross-cut fence and the two wrenches provided can be stored on the left-hand side of the body. Table talk The table is made entirely from aluminium extrusions, the central area being 640mm x 540mm. The overall size of the table is 1010mm x 640mm, which includes the extension rails which are normally added to the left-hand side. The fence is of box form with a section of 60mm x 30mm, and extends to the back of the table. When the handle is tightened, the fence locks to both front and back edges, and there's provision for adjusting it to ensure parallelism with the blade. Pre-drilled holes in the fence allow a home-made fence to be added. A scale on the front edge of the table, and a pointer on the fence anchor, facilitates setting the fence. Pleasingly, this scale is graduated in millimetres rather than centimetres which are often adopted. Cutting capacities With the fence positioned on the right, the maximum ripping width is approximately 470mm, around 10mm more when the fence is located on the left. However, it's possible to fit the extension rails on the right, when the ripping capacity is increased to 670mm. Thus, the capacity of this machine is then sufficiently large to cut a standard size sheet of man-made board lengthways into any width. However, because of the pattern of the fence, it can't be positioned very close to the blade, because the fence and the guard clash. This small problem could easily be overcome by making a false wooden fence. The cross-cut fence will locate on either side of the blade, and the fit of the fence supporting bar in the grooves is very good with hardly any slack, the bar being much longer than usual which helps to give added control. The fence can be adjusted up to 60° to the left and right, with the locking knob A small extension to the scale needs to be added during assembly Adding the table extension rails A vacuum hose can also be connected to the outlet in the body 62 WWW.GETW00DW0RKING.COM Practical Woodworking All the controls are at the front of the machine The table insert removed The mitre fence is better than most fitted to similar-sized machines designed to act as a handle to assist movement of the fence across the table. Maximum cross-cutting capacity depends in part at least on the thickness of the wood being saw, and is around 270mm for wood 25mm thick. Blade changing Access to the saw arbor follows the usual arrangement of lifting a panel alongside the blade, which is secured by a screw at each end. This also provides access to the two mounting screws which hold the riving knife in place; blade changing, and adjusting the riving knife, are made much easier if the blade is first fully tilted. The blade guard is plastic, bright red in colour to make conspicuous, and mounts by a pivot to the top of the riving knife. The guard has clear plastic side extensions which also pivot. Extraction One extraction outlet is built into the top of the crown guard, the other in the body, and the lower part of the blade is enclosed to improve the effectiveness of dust extraction, with the outlet for this being at the rear of the body. A leg stand is included as'standard, and is very rigid even though only a Maximum depth of cut The woodworking regulations, as laid down by the Health and Safety Executive, state that an effective blade guard must be in use at all times, and that it must cover the teeth and extend downwards as far as the roots of the teeth. Thus, to stay within the regulations, the maximum depth of cut is the amount of blade which projects through the table, measured not to the tips of the teeth but to their roots. All manufacturers of table saws state the maximum depth of cut of their saws from the table to the tips of the teeth. single nut and bolt are used between each end of the rails and the legs. This rigidity is helped by a series of dimples and depressions in the top rails and the legs, which engage to make a simple but effective arrangement. On test The BT-2500A performs well for all ripping and crosscutting procedures, and it's useful to be able to use the fence on either side of the blade. The cross-cut fence is surprisingly steady when sawing close to the maximum width possible. For most cuts there's ample power, Ripping with the fence on the right of the blade although for very hard timbers the feed rate will need to be slower. This is a well-engineered machine within its class with a generous table size. The fence is very rigid and locks readily into position, and the cross-cut fence is better than most similar ones. Manual setting of the blade when making bevel cuts has to be accepted, but I found this to be far easier than a similar arrangement on an old saw in my workshop. The guard would benefit if the front lower corner was more rounded to ease it over the wood, alt-hough it operates reasonable well as it is. Bevel sawing is straightforward A f Ripping can also be done with the fence to the left of the blade May 2OO1 WWW.GETW00DW0RKING.COM 63 Tested Cross-cutting is possible with the fence either on the left or right of the blade Compound cutting can also be achieved Uerdict The saw is a little noisy, resulting from a combination of the type of motor fitted, and the rather high rpm of the blade. Universal motors are inheritently more noisy than induction motor, and the peripheral speed of the blade is greater than the optimum of around 2700 metres per minute. However, these are common features on saws of this class, and much of the noise is actually lost once sawing is underway. Tested by Gordon Warr The end of the body showing the storage facility The BT-2500A has a lot going for it, including the large table, robust rip fence, and above-average cross-cutting fence, while the way in which both fences can be located to the left and right of the blade is also advantageous. On the down side is the noise level, but newer machines are to be equipped with a soft-start feature, which should reduce the noise considerably. An ideal machine for the smaller workshop where furniture making and general woodworking are undertaken. Quality always has to be considered alongside the cost, and when the price of this machine is taken into account then the quality is very acceptable. List price: ?398.32 inc. VAT. Rexon's recommended retail price of ?309 is what most merchants are likely to be asking for this machine. Rexon Ltd, tel: ÎÒ709 361158, fax: 01709 821966 t Chair doctor repair kit _ \ _Al The kit comprises adhesive, . , , . , . c , , , ^^^Ë. \ ^Ø ¦ , .. mav sometimes be desirab e for a ho e to Chairs are notorious for developing loose joints, the joints usually being mortice and tenons with dowels also being used. The faults develop from a combination of factors, including very delicate construction in the first place to keep the chairs from looking too heavy, poor gluing techniques, and misuse. Perhaps the biggest factor in the failure of chairs comes from misuse, the users often tipping themselvs partway backwards so that the chair racks on just its rear legs. All the weight then imposes a great deal of strain on the joints causing them to loosen. Quick fix Dismantling a chair and completely reassembling is not always as easy as it The kit comprises adhesive, syringe and needles might seem for several reasons, including that some joints remaining firmly together, and that some may be pegged. Trying to force adhesive into a joint which is loose but with the tenon remaining engaged in the mortice is likely to have little effect, but now there is a straightforward answer to the problem of loose joints. The solution is appropriately called Chair Doctor. The system works by injecting an adhesive of low viscosity into the joint. It soaks into the end grain of the wood as well as surrounding the joint and creeps into the finest of cracks. The adhesive swells the tenon and then freezes it in its swollen state as it dries, bonding adjoining surfaces, thus firmly locking the joint. Cramping is of course desirable to ensure the tenon is fully home. The kit consists of four fluid ounces of adhesive, a syringe, and three square-ended needles with diameters of approximately 0.5mm, lmm, and 1.5mm. According to the looseness of the joint, it may sometimes be desirable for a hole to be bored into the assembly. More than one hole may be required, and need to be made so that, as far as possible, they're hidden. The adhesive is water based, and the needles and the syringe are therefore readily cleaned. I managed to find a chair in its early stages of falling apart — an ideal item to test the effectiveness of the this product. Several of the joints were injected, left cramped overnight, and so far have remained firm. The use of the Chair Doctor is not confined to chairs however, and will have many applications in furniture restoration where dismantling is not appropriate or justifiable. Uerdict Tested by Gordon Warr This is an excellent product which will solve many problems difficult to tackle by conventional techniques. Easy to use and of particular suitability for restoration work and antiques. rice: ?6.25 (inc. VAT) Brimarc, tel: 0845 6590000, fax: 01926 491357, email: sales@brimarc.co.uk 64 WWW.GETWOODWORKING .COM Practical Woodworking |*P^ HAMILTON EDGE TOOLS LTD ATTENTION ALL NORTH AMERICAN READERS! ¦ » Did you know that you can order an annual subscription to this magazine direct from our official U.S. subscription representative? For more information and rates contact: Wise Owl Worldwide Publications, 4314 West 238th Street, Torrance, CA 90505 Tel: (310) 375 6258 ViF BANDSAW BLADE SPECIALISTS WE WELD TO ANY LENGTH LENGTH (inches) WIDTH (inches) THIN GAUGE TOOTH PITCH/STYLE AVAILABLE UP TO AND INCLUDING 60" Ve" 3/8" V2" ?9.60 ?5.60 WIDTH & THICKNESS SKIP REGULAR 6 10 14 24 'A x .014" Vsx.014" 'kx. 014" * * * * * * * * OVER 60" UP TO AND INCLUDING 72" ?6.20 1 INDUSTRIAL QUALITY CARBON FLEXIBLE BANDSAW BLADES If SIZE Ve" vv 3/8" V2" 5/8" 3/4" 1" OVER 72" ?8.40 ?6.20 ?8.70 OVER 96" Add50p per foot for blades over 8ft long ADD 40p PER FOOT FOR BLADES OVER 8FT LONG ADD 58p PER FOOT FOR BLADES 0VER8FT LONG ?12.00 EACH FOR BUDES UPTOia ALL PRICES INCLUSIVE OF VAT and P&P (UK only). 10% DISCOUNT FOR ORDERS OF 5 OR MORE BLADES. Plane and simple New and serviced planer blades available by mail order. Speak to our sales team for prices and delivery. TCT circular saws, router cutters and more available. We are suppliers of Trend, Freud, Titman and Kiwo products. GRANGE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, «? ˆ¨ ØË LLANFRECHFA WAY, CWMBRAN, SOUTH WALES NP44 8HQ TEL: 01633 838900 FAX: 01633 873803 GET TOOLED UP FOR THE HOME, GARDEN & WORKPLACE AT TRADE PRICES. Everything you need delivered to your door fast. Fixings, tools, electrical, plumbing, gardening products, general household items...... The range is massive. The easy way to buy, get your free 128 page catalogue n FAST FREE DELIVERY NO QUIBBLE GUARANTEE MASSIVE RANGE LOW, LOW PRICES! v?3 ÷> É 0500 003 854 May 2001 I Please rush me my free 128 page catalogue " ................. POSTCODE........... Freepost HQ10020 Warehouse Direct, Esslemont Estate, Ellon.Aberdeenshire AB4I 8NW 65 1.001 Reader's Digest HIN Tricks, short cuts, how-tos and other nifty ideas TIPS Painting tips to make home decorating easier and more effective ? YES! Please send my copy of 1,001 DIY Hints & Tips I enclose a cheque for___________made payable to Nexus Media Ltd OR Please charge my credit card for the total amount of________ .?Visa QAMEX Cardholder's Name:.............................. Card Number: ________________/______________I Expiry Date: ..................................... ? Mastercard Signature: ....................................... Title (Mr/Mrs etc.) .......................... Initials: . Surname: ........................................ Address:......................................... Date: The essential guide to tackling all aspects of household care and repair -both indoors and outdoors -with professional results every time. 1,001 DIY Hints and Tips is your key to DIY with the master touch. Fast, easy ways to repair, maintain and improve your home Clever ideas to help you to do a first-class job and save money Clear advice on the best way to tackle DIY tasks Tricks and tips from experts for a professional finish Every hint and tip tested to ensure successful results Handy hints on how to maintain your car Country:..............-............... Post/Zip Code: ..................... Tel: (in case of query).....'.___¦............................................... Email:...........................................................-.'___.... Please return your completed order coupon to: Nexus Special Interests Books Dept, Nexus Media Ltd, Nexus House, Azalea Drive, Swanley, Kent BR8 8HU, England. J Please tick if you do not wish to receive direct mail. ?24.99 ñ Postage & Packaging To order your copy of 1,001 DIY Hints & Tips simply complete and return the coupon or call the Nexus Customer Service Hotline on 01322 616300 ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ ÍÅÒ Achieving a polished edge on a chisel Th, heels an to acces: for changinc Water is added to the trough to ensure the wheel is fully wetted, and is emptied by simply inverting the grinder. Swilling of the trough is needed from time to time to ensure debris doesn't build up, and that the water remains reasonably clean. Easy to use A wetstone grinder is straightforward to use, and I found this one to be very effective with the honing wheel an added bonus. Care, though, is needed with this feature, as excessive use on the flat side of chisels and plane blades can result in a slight loss of flatness. An advantage of this pattern of single wheel grinder is that there's usually no restriction of use when larger-bladed tools need attention — draw knives and even garden shears, for example. However, a grinder of this type isn't suitable for planing machine blades which require a jig to control their movement. SM200 The SM200 is the larger of Record's two double-ended dry grinders. For obvious reasons, this type of grinder is sometimes referred to as a high-speed grinder and is classified according to the size of the wheels; for typical workshop use the diameters of the wheels are likely to be either 150mm or 200mm, with 125mm being the smallest for serious use. Thicknesses are typically from 16mm to 25mm. May 2OO1 Because of the curvature of the wheels, the ground surface of a tool will be slightly hollow, the amount of concavity depending on the diameter of the wheel, and the thickness of the tool being ground. The smaller the wheel and the thicker the tool, the greater the amount by which the surface is concave, and the larger the diameter, then the nearer the surface is to being flat. A hollow-ground surface helps when the edge is subsequently honed because rather less metal is presented to the stone. Features The wheels on the SM200 are 200mm diameter and 25mm thick, driven by a 650 Watt induction motor which provides a speed to the wheels of 3000 rpm. The base of the machine, the motor housing, and the main part of the wheel guards are all aluminium castings. Rubber feet are provided an the underside, and there's provision for fastening down. The grey wheel is coarse at 30 grit, and primarily intended for general-purpose grinding and attending to carbon steel tools. The other is a 60 grit white wheel for grinding most types of woodworking tools, and all high-speed steel tools. Carbide-tipped tools can't be ground on this pattern of grinder. Access to the wheel mountings is gained by removing the outer pressed steel parts of the wheels guards. Smallish adjustable tools rests are provided for both wheels, as well as good-sized sparkguards. The wheels are well spaced at over 300mm centre-to-centre which provides plenty of manoeuvrability when using either wheel Grinding the chipped edge on a chisel Keeping cool Apart from setting the tool rest, no other adjustments are needed. The important point to note with dry grinders is not to wait until the tool becomes quite hot and then quench it, but to frequenty dip it into a container of water during grinding to ensure that there's no appreciable built up of heat. This grinder is a pleasure to use, as it's very quiet and smooth running and is quite stable even without fastening down. Verdict Scan 200S This grinder is very kind to tools, as overheating is impossible, and the added bonus of the honing wheel means you can get an very sharp edge. It's robustly made, with the tool rest components being of alloy so rusting won't be a problem. The switch is a little small and fiddly, and a better position on the body would be an improvement. SM200 A solid and heavyweight grinder suitable for workshops large and small, and it should last a lifetime. The cost is very reasonable when the quality is considered, along with the advantages offered by the larger wheels. There's plenty of power available from the motor which is very quiet running. Prices (inc.VAT) Scan 200S: ?149.99 Scan 200: ?129.99 (no honing wheel) Scan 150: ?74.99 (150mm wheel) SM200: ?109.90 SM155: ?74.90 (smaller with 155mm wheels) Record Power, tel 0114 251 9115, fax: 0114 261 7141. NB: Record don't supply directly to the end user. WWW.GETWOODWORKING.COM 71 AN ADDITIONAL ?3.OO OFF WHEN YOU ORDER ON LINE www.simbles.com COMPLETE I DR63272 DRAPER COMPRE! & NAILEI FIRE UP TO 5Bmm NAILS AS QUICK , AS YOU LIKE! LIST PRICE ?366.58 WITH NYLON RECOIL HOSE ?199 Carriage paid UK mainland IncL Vat Now you can nail the modern way. The compact compressor a oil-free so you ñåâ stare it on it's «del Its compact for the smallest of vans -butcanfirean«tupto2*longM 1à website for complete Draper THE BRCACWAY, QUEENS ROAD WttTFORD, HBRTS. WD17 2LO www.slmbles.com e-mail: adv1@slmbles.com Subject to terms: see web-site for details tek 01923 212 022 fax: 01923 817 526 emv emv ^ø^ÿøøâ^ø ¦åâÿíå^èíåòã èèèèèèèíå^ ^^^r niMi^er Experience the best mail order service for router cutters today! Our mall order catalogue is packed with technical information, tips afcl illustrations on our range of over 770 cullers with many unique Kerns. Order your FREE copy, call our FREEfone orderline 0800 328 4183, fax on 07000 564636 4 or email: sales@wealdentool.com Visit î Hegner stands head and shoulders above its competitors ... Worth every penny." (GOOD WOODWORKING MAG. "TOOLS ON TEST") ßÍ — World patents protect the critical design factors that make Hegner fretsaws truly unique. No other saw therefore matches the benefits of cutting precision, smoothness of operation and blade economy automatically enjoyed by every Hegner owner. HEGNER QUALITY & IN YOUB HANDS FO OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES include an extraction system that reduces airborne dust emissions to concentrations of less than one quarter of one thousandth of a gram per cubic metre of air! RING TODAY and read the incredible facts for yourself tomorrow. *ZT(O-|323) 44244O ltd, www.hegner.co.uk UNIT 8, NORTH CRESCENT DIPLOCKS WAY, HAILSHAM, E. SUSSEX, BN27 3JF. The Triton Roadshow is coming to a town near you Come along and see how you can make your power tools REALLY PERFORM!! Triton Premier Stockists Roadshow Venues: 01492530391 01215253133 01492 530391 01483423610 01213271806 01492 530391 01267232621 01594 544521 01782 747007 01215253133 01782 747007 01937 833757 jjJ 2UU-J 3 CSM Tools, Rochdale 5 Graham Eng., West Bromwich 7 Fixit Power Tools, Colwyn Bay 17 Hunter Tool Co., Godalming 21 E W Lucas, Birmingham 24 CSM Tools, Rochdale 27/28 Timberman, Carmarthen 27/28/29 Toolite, Mitcheldean 30 Lawton Tools Ltd, Stoke on Trent 12 Graham Eng., West Bromwich 12 Lawton Tools Ltd, Stoke on Trent 26 Wighill Park Guns, Tadcaster For further details on these and other demonstrations: 0800 856 7600 72 Practical Woodworking Tested cutters Trend have been the leading force behind routing technology for many, decades and offer a tremendous range of cutters, their own brand of routers and router table, a wide range of jigs, and enough accessories to keep the most dedicated enthusiast happy. Amongst the cutters recently introduced are template profilers, mini trimmers, guided V-groove panel cutters, and an extra long rebater. V-groove cutters Two guided V-groove panel cutters are available, one with a 60° point and a Vt" shank, the other with a 'A" shank and a 45° tip. Both sizes have bearings which correspond diameters of the cutting edges, i.e. 12.7mm and 19.1mm respectively, and both are TCT with two flutes. Because of the bearings, their main purpose is to form veins and grooves by being guided along the shaped edge of a template, or indeed along the edge of a straight batten. If the router is fitted with the Trend Plungebar, then veins of varying depths are possible. With care and practice, the router with one of the cutters in the chuck can also be used freehand for decorative cuts. Mini trimmers Again two are offered, both with shank and cutter diameters of 6.35mm. The twin TCT cutting edges have alternative cutting lengths of 12.7mm and 25.4mm, and are fitted with bearings. Their prize purpose is for profile cutting in conjunction with a template, and lend themselves to use with the router mounted in a table although this will depend on the size and nature of the shape being formed. Internal cut-outs, require a hole being made in the waste through which the cutter can be passed. Template profilers Both these new cutters have Vi" shanks, and bearing guides which correspond to the diameters of 3-4". One has a cutter length of V4", the other 2". They're designed to follow a template secured to the workpiece, with this having been sawn 2 or 3mm oversize. The cutters then trim off the waste leaving the material the exact shape of the template. They can also be used for trimming off excess facing such as ply or laminate when added to a frame or base. Here, though, the workpiece must be secured to the bench with the facing on the underside to enable the bearing to follow the edge of the base. Extra long rebater This has a diameter of 35mm, a cutter length of 12.7mm, with the extra long l/f diameter shank (60mm). The cutter is supplied as standard with four bearings and an Allen key to allow rebates of different depths to be formed. The depths possible are 7.9, 9.5, 11.1, and 12.7mm, and are determined by the bearing fitted; the extent of the rebate can of course be varied. In addition, by adjusting the projection of the cutter from the base of the router and making more than one pass, it's possible to form rebates larger in extent than 12.7mm. The ó rebater features chip limiters to the two cutting edges. It's also possible to use this rebater for some grooving. However, while the depth of the groove can be controlled according to which bearing is fitted in just the same way as for rebating, the minimum width of the groove is dictated by the extent of the cutting edges of 12.7mm. Adjusting the settings and making repeat passes allow for making wider grooves. Verdict Tested by Gordon Wan Precision engineering makes these cutters extremely accurate with the bearings fitting like the proverbial glove. Applications beyond the avious will be found by the router ithusiast. Prices (+ VAT): Guided V-groove cutters: ?22.95 ÑË" 60°), ?27.95 ('/»" 45°); Mini trimmers: ?10.50 (12.7mm); ?11.00 (25.4mm); Template profilers: ?17.95 PA"), ?29.95 (2"); Extra long rebater: ?49.95 Trend Machinery and Cutting Tools Ltd, tel: 01923 224657, fax: 01923 236879, email: mailsaver@trendm,co.uk, website: www. trendm. ñî. èê e extra long bater can be used for May 2001 WWW.GETWOODWORKING.COM 73 - Project Dave Mackenzie gives his bath a makeover by fitting a framed wooden side panel î At one time or another I've tried a number of different ways of covering the side of the bath. I've used cork and ceramic tiles and also considered leaving the panel off altogether and going for the Victorian look with lion's paw feet. But as I'd recently made a new panelled cupboard around the hand basin, I decided to make a bath panel to match. Before you can consider fitting a panel to your bath, the first job is to make a frame to support it. In most cases, if the bath has been panelled before, one should already exist but if not they're easily made. Before fitting a panel to your bath you may need to make a frame to support it The panel support Using sawn 2 x 1" (50 x 25mm) timber, cut five vertical studs and the top and base rails. Following standard building industry practice, these pieces aren't jointed in any way but are simply nailed together. Place the base rail on the floor and join the Panel support construction Nails driven down into stiles 2(50) studs to it using nails driven through the sides of the studs at an angle of about 45" into the base rail (see drawing). The top rail can then be nailed down on top of the studs. Move the structure into its final position and screw it to the floor and walls or use a 'No-nails' type adhesive. Nails driven at 45° All dimensions in inches and millimetres in brackets 74 WWW.GETWOODWORKING.COM Practical Woodworking Cut the biscuit grooves using a router fitted with a slot cutter, or a biscuit jointer Apply glue to the edges, push the biscuits into the grooves, assemble and clamp Scribe the ends of the rails with the wood face up on the router table The panel Begin by making the two raised panels by biscuit-jointing enough material to achieve the width. First, lay out the pieces to be jointed and choose the best sides to face outwards. Plane the edges flat and square to ensure a good butt joint, mark the biscuits positions onto the face, then cut the biscuit grooves. You can use a router fitted with a slot cutter, or a biscuit jointer. Apply glue to the edges, push the biscuits into the grooves, push the planks together and clamp with sash clamps. Use at least three clamps per panel and lay them alternately on top and underneath to avoid distortion. It sometimes helps if G-clamps are also used at the ends of the panel to hold the joint flat; put some polythene over the joint and use flat cramping blocks above and below before fitting the G-cramps. When the glue has dried, remove the clamps and plane the edges flat and square to each other. Plane or sand the front and back of the panels flat. Cutters for routed joints Stile Muntin / Stile Rail Raised panel \ Raised panel Rail  Section at A Section at  Raised panel Next, use a raised panel cutter to reduce the edge of the panel so that it fits into the frame, and also to form a decorative edge. Mount the router inverted in a table and, with the panel face down, rout the edges. Don't try to cut to the full depth in one pass, but make several shallow passes. Apply your chosen finish to the edges at this stage, as it's impossible after the panel is assembled. Framework Now cut the top and bottom rail, the stiles and the muntin to size. To cut the groove and at the same time form a decorative edge, I used a profile-scribing cutter. This is a single cutter that has both a profiler and a groover mounted on an arbour with a bearing to guide it along the edge. The cutter is first set up to cut the scribe on the ends of the rails and Cutting list {Ö Item Qty Millimetres Inches Panel support rails 2 1708 * x 52 x 25 671/.* X 2x 1 Panel support studs 5 441* x 52 x 25 177»* X 2 x 1 Panel rails 2 1607 * x64x 18 63V«* X 2'A X V. Panel stiles 2 492* x64x 18 197=* X Tli X v. Panel muntin 1 390* x64x 18 157s* X Th X 7. Raised panels 2 768* x368*x18 30'/.* X 14V ã* x7« Also required: six brass screws and cup ) washers * = these sizes will need adjusting to suit individual requirements May 2OO1 WWW.GETWOODWORKING.COM 75 Project A bearing-guided rounding-over cutter can be used to make a decorative moulding around the edge of the panel muntin before being taken apart and reassembled in a different order to cut the matching profile and panel groove along the inside edges of all of the frame components. The muntins are grooved and profiled along both edges because both panels fit into it. Don't use this cutter unless you have a router table, and I recommend doing a trial run on some scrap wood first -to check the fit. The scribe on the rail ends are all made with the wood face up on the router table with the scriber set in Apply a couple of coats of exterior-quality clear varnish scribing mode, while the profile along the edges is cut with the work face down and the set in profiling mode. After you've scribed the ends of the rails and reassembled the cutter, place one rail on the router table to set the height for cutting the profile. Panel assembly Apply glue to the ends of the rails and the muntin, fit one stile onto the ends of the rails and put one panel in place. Slide the muntin into position, then the second panel before fitting the last stile. Clamp until dry, then plane the edges to fit. I used a bearing-guided rounding-over cutter to make a decorative moulding all the way around the edge of the panel. The panel will be in a hot steamy environment much of the time so protect it against the damp by applying a couple of coats of exterior quality clear varnish. Fix the panel in place using six brass screws in brass cup holders, as it will need to be removed if any plumbing work is carried out on the bath. John Boddy's Fine Wood & Tool Store Ltd Self Service Store Self Service Timber Store J Mail Order Catalogue ?3 Woodworking Courses Woodworking Workshops Free Demonstrations 2001 Courses, Workshops & Demonstrations Programme available now awmills * Borou Opening Times Mon to Fri 8am - 5pm Sat 8am - 4pm Sun 10am -4pm PLEASE NOTE From 1st December 2000 we will no longer be opening on Sundays & Bank Holidays Tel: 01423 322370 Fax: 01423 323810 or 324334 e-mail: info@iohn-boddys-fwts.co.uk 76 WWW.GETWOODWORKING .COM Practical Woodworking Trading Post For Sale DIAMOND HEAVY DUTY FRETSAW 25" throat, 4" cut, will take 12"jacksaw blade, ?400 new will accept ?175 with spare blades. Tel: 01284 787360 (Bury St Edmunds). AXMINSTER BELT DISK SANDER 10" disk, 16x6" belt, mitre table cabinet stand, dust extraction pipes, cost ?440 accept ?275 as new condition. Tel: 01452 538546 (Gloucester) VICEROY WOOD LATHE 36" centres, 18" outboard attachment, 4-speed ?600- Tel: 02392 245207 (West Sussex). STANLEY #5 USA very old ?50, #60' * new ?24, record #6 stay sharp ?40, #4'ã s/s ?36, all excellent condition. Other-Items. Tel: 0161 789 5417 (Manchester). WOODRAT As new, used tew times, ?200 only. Ask for Mr Lac. Tel: 020 8690 6395 (London). MEDDINGS COPING SAW Single phase, four speed, 20" Ihroat, ?150 ono. Power hacksaw, ?100 ono. Tel: 01260 227 282 (Staffs). CORONET MAJOR Combination Lathe, saw, planer, morticer, 1hp motor, good condition, ?350. Tel: 01977 647248 (W. Yorks). BOXES OF HARD WOOD BOARDS and squares at E11 discount on four boxes. Tel:024 76370911 (Nuneaton) MYFORD ML8 Multi-purpose Woodworking Lathe, complete with all accessories, on cabinet stand, ?400 ono. Buyer collects please (nr Siockport). Tel: G Oppermans on 01663 732259, daytime. ELU PLANER Thicknesser, Model 1161 10"x6", Tyrack Dust Extractor ?500 the pair. Excellent condition, both 240v. Buyer collects. Tel: 01280 706239 (Northants). DEWALT 1370 12" RADIAL ARM SAW complete with stand, good condition ?450.00. Tel: 01493 728099 (Norfolk). ELU CIRCULAR SAW heavy duty 9'A", 1800w, 240v, hardly used. Boxed ?100. No offers. Phone 01702 585222 (Southend). Due to retirement, ELEKTRA BELKUM PK200 with side extensions ?250, Planer, Joiner ?200, compound mitre saw ?100, Elu router + W-Jop Jig, ?100, morticer & 3 chisels ?100, Scrolll saw ?45. Tel: 01947 893254 (N. Yorks) DEWALT 1150 PLANER THICKNESSER, 10" cut, 3 hp, c/w stand mortising attach and DeWalt 611 Dust Extractor, complete ?525. Tel: 020 8660 0057 (Surrey). CL5 RECORD LATHE SWIVEL HEAD, 51" bed bars ?200. Tel: 01582 582400 (Luton). SHOPSMITH MK5, plus planer & many cutters etc. All excellent condition ?850. Tel: 01775 820351 (S. Lines). NU-TOOLS HOLLOW CHISEL mortiser type 01-10, fully adj table single phase ?350, o.n.o. Tel: 0113 2682382 (Leeds). HOBBYS EARLY TREADLE FRETSAW, needs one or two small items (screw), (nut) etc, to bring to good working order, any small money offered (or swap). Buyer collection. Tel: 01245 222 567 (Chelmsford). KITY 613 BAND SAW with stand etc. new ?450, ono. Tel: 01246 415619 (Derbyshire). MEBA 14" BANDSAW, cast iron tilting table, good condition, light use 2 blades single phase. Buyer collects. ?400. Tel: 01707 882621 (Herts). STARTRITE TA275 12" TILTING ARBOUR rise/fall saw bench, good condition with some sliding table parts ?500. Tel: 01707 882621 (Herts). Wanted COMBINATION MACHINE, single phase, in good condition, Tel: 01279 651002 (Herts). CHUCK to fit tyme cub lathe 20x2mm thread. Tel: 01225 420968. QUALITY Cabinet/Joinery tools and accessories. Especially unusual pieces. Tel: 01912 366173 (Newcastle-upon-Tyne). WOOD WORKING HAND TOOLS wanted by collector especially old wooden and metal planes. Tel: 01780 761768 or write B. Jackson, 10 Ayr Close, Stamford, Lines, PE9 2TS. Thankyou. NORRIS SPIERS & PRESTON PLANES wanted by private collector. Please phone 01323 847567, E.Sussex. Good prices paid. Distance no problem. Write your advertisement here in BLOCK CAPITALS - one word to each box. Then add your name, address and area. Send completed coupon to: Trading Post, Practical Woodworking, Nexus Special Interests Ltd., Nexus House, Azalea Drive, Swanley, Kent, BR8 8HU England. Please publisftihe following small advertisement in the next available issue. 1 am not a dealer in woodworking machinery or associated equipment. Signature FOR SALES/SWAP/WANTED delete as reqi red Date Name Address Postcode Area Tel. No. THE PERFECT START FOR THE PERFECT FINISH Danish Oil Easy wipe- on Ion lustre finish For a beautiful, low-lustre finish for all types of wood, there's nothing better than Danish Oil - a formulation specially developed by Rustin's. Based on tung oil (also known as Chinese Wood Oil) the special ingredients used in Danish Oil penetrate deep into the wood, drying to a hard, durable, water-resistant finish. It is the ideal finish for turned woodwork and won't leave a thick surface film which could end up cracked, chipped or peeling. It also conforms to toy safety regulations. Use it on bare wood or wood stained with Rustin's Wood Dye. As manufacturers for over 76 years of a wide range of quality wood preparation and finishing products. Rustin's can be found exactly where you'd expect - in all „ good DIY stores. Send s.a.e. for full information and literature on Rustin's Woodcare and Decorating -Products to: Rustins Ltd, Waterloo Road, London NW2 7TX or visit our website at: www.rustins.co.uk IF A JOB'S WORTH DOING DO IT WITH Ãîà Rustin's May 2001 77 NEXUS PLANS SERVICE LOOKING FOR A SEAT? Bow Headed Wtkecdiacli CAair These photocopied plans from a 1934 issue of Woodworker detail a standard chair and refer to the possibility of adding arms. The basic pattern is for a bow headed wheelback. There is also a bowed "crinolin" style stretcher; so this is an exercise for steam bending. Order Code WW156 ?6.15 Smoker$ Bow Ñêîë* A Jack Hill masterpiece recreating a chair popular both sides of the Atlantic. The design calls for Elm for the arms and seat and Beech for legs and back spindles.The construction is made'very easy by Jack's comprehensive notes and profiles for all shaped and turned components. Order Code JH3 ?7.65 Spinning Ciiair Mick O'Donnell designed this classic style of Hebredian stool to go with the spinning wheels he makes. The basic design and construction are extremely simple, but makers often incorporate beautiful carved Celtic motifs on the back. Please note that this is a photocopy of a magazine article. Order Code WW I SO ?6.15 Windsor SingCe Bow âéàê In a 1988 Woodworker booklet Jack Hill provided detail for this construction. The plan set and instructions have now been reprinted. Order Code JH5 ?7.65 Windsor Rocuinq CAair In a Practical Woodworking article Jack Hill provides detailed instruction for the making of a rocking chair version of this classic design. In the article Jack uses the seat as the bending former for the bows which have to be steam bent. An Elm seat is suggested with the legs and back in Ash. Order Code JH4 ?7.65 SAafyer CAair A very "vertical" armed rocking chair drawn by David Bryant from an original in the American Museum in Britain.The back is a four slat ladder; the legs simple turned; and the seat is woven. As with all Shaker furniture construction techniques are basic. Order Code DB29I ?7.35 ã,/ Pari*t(lonse KitcAen CAair Very detailed measured drawings of a Victorian piece with turned legs and curved splats back. Height 1168, width 508mm. Please note that this is a photocopy of a magazine article. Order Code WW I 37 ?6.15 FarmAouse KitcAen CAair These chairs were popular in the early 19th century with their characteristic triple beading on legs, arms and back rest supports.The plans give full details of every part.This is a good first furniture piece for a turner. Order Code DB16 ?7.35 LadderGacfi Rocking CAair A David Bryant measured drawing on an 18th century classic original. It has a six slat back, simple turned legs and a rush seat.The plans are very comprehensive with full details of all components. Order Code DB14 ?7.35 ALL PRICES INCLUDE UK DESPATCH - FOR OVERSEAS CHARGES PLEASE ADD 10% TO PRICE COUPON I enclose my cheque/PO made payable to Nexus Special Interests Please debit my Mastercard/Visa/Switch ???? ???? Expiry ??/?? Name..................................... Address................................. ???? ???? Issue No ,? (Switch only) Plan No......... Price ?. Plan No......... Price ?. Plan No......... Price ?. Plan No......... Price ?. Total..........................?. Postcode............................................................................................................................................ Telephone........................................................................................................................................... Send your completed order form to Nexus Plans Service, Nexus House, Azalea Drive, Swanley, Kent BR8 8HU You can telephone or fax your order to us if you wish - Tel 01322 616300 Fax 01322 667633 ? If you do not wish us to forward your name and address to certain carefully selected model related suppliers, please tick the box CLASSIFIEDS Business Opportunities Da you want to run your own business and reap the rewards of your efforts... do you want a secure future and be your own boss? . You already know that there is no magic formula what it takes is motivation, enthusiasm, commitment., and a business package that is proven to work. We are a part of a franchising organisation who for forty years have been providing individuals, and couples, with just such a package. At Furniture Medic®- we know what makes unqualified sucess and are proud to offer, to the right kind of person, a number of new, home based franchises throughout the UK. Furniture Medic® is one of the fastest growing franchises, offering on-site furniture repair and restoration to residential and commercial businesses. The package includes: • Full Training Comprehensive back up • Marketing Assistance • Unique Systems • National Accounts • Constant public demand • Opportunities to expand Want to share in our success and shape your own future? Call now for a full info pack on: 0116 236 à á* á or Fax 0116 236 2139 or write to: FlIRMRE "the prescription for damaged furniture."si ServiceMaster Ltd. ServiceMaster House, Leicester Rd, Anstey, Leics LE7 7AT Furniture Medic is part of the Quality Service Network and wholly owned subsidary of ServiceM CASESTVDY We began our business in 1992 and by the end of our 1st year had achieved a turnover in excess of ?36,000. With help of ServiceMaster we have expanded to include an increase in staff and turnovei approaching E200k Ernie Blair, Tyneside YOUR PROFILE You will need to be motivated and commited to owning a business. Management skills are not essential although an affinity with home improvement is. Drive and ambition will ensure that vour business realises its full potential. Clocks Timecraft Grandfather clocks, Vienna regulators, wall and bracket clocks. We have all the plans, all the dials, all the movements and all the brassware. Send for our colour catalogue illustrating our complete range including HERMLE and URGOS mechanical movements and JUNGHANS quartz movements. Send ?1 in stamps deductible from first order to: TIMECRAFT, Oept PW, Unit 19, Sefton Lane Industrial Estate, Maghull, Liverpool. L31 8BX. PI,KASKSKND4\ 1st CLASS SI OR CATALOGUE - REFUNPA FIRST ORDER. CLOCK BUILDERS Deal direct with the importer Mechanical, Quartz and Insertion movements. Brasswork, Dials etc. Lowest prices Martin H Dunn, Glebe Farm, North Killingholme, North Lines DN40 3JQ. Printed catalogue Tel. 01469 540901 http://www.clocksnbits.co.uk Shop Open Tuesday-Friday 1 pm-6pm. Saturday 10am-4pm CLOCKMAKERS!! Yes! Believe it or not. Quartz movements from ?74 inc VAT and delivery. Pack of 5O movements including metal hands and second fingers. Pendulum, Melody Striking and Chiming movements. Dials - card, metal, brass, ceramics, plans, mechanical movements etc. Send 4x1st ;lass stamps for brochures. Refundable on order YORKSHIRE CLOCK BUILDERS 654 Chesterfield Rd, Woodseats, Sheffield S8 OSB Tel: 0114 2550786 QUARTZ CLOCK MOVEMENTS from ?1.35 (inc. hands). For brochure send ?1.50 to Rowneybury Clocks,4 Elizabeth Way, HatfieJd, Peverel, Chelmsford, Essex, CM3 2RU. Tel: (01245) 382268. MECHANICAL GERMAN clock movements. Good selection - best prices. Clockwise 2 Dorset Way, Yate, Bristol, BS37 7SN. ^ 01454 312664 nts including hands, VAT and postage 10 for ?15 5O for ?55 10O for ? Credit cards welcomed Hand, dial and accessory Courses Make a set of three Shaker Boxes in fine veneer. A two day course requiring no previous experience. Write or phone for Brochure and course dates. Oliver Plant, 50 Howard Rd, Plymstock, South Devon, PL9 7DT. Tel: 0I752 401233. WOODTUBNING COURSES. Reg Slack formerly of Coronet offers 1/2, 1, 2 & 3 day courses. Closed Friday open all other days. Details write or phone. Reg Slack, SARACENS HEAD WORKSHOPS, Brailsford, Derbyshire DE6 3AS. Tel: (01335) 360829. Evenings (01332) 519563. lwnin§ Ø?ðã tk Ø of it Covers tool choke, tool sharpening, fimber, lathes and safety Shows êê to ÿêå Bowls, Û Spindles, (including tapstads) as well as end grain Mlevinj ind little taes with tlese fining lids. Kits & Hobbies Materials & Finishes SS Rocking "Horse Speciatists FUU SIZE PIANS FOR FUUY CARVED AND PLYWOOD ROCKING HORSES. FUll RANGE OF MAIL ORDER ACCESSORIES Book on "Making & Restoring" only ?12.99 Send 2 x 1st class stamps for free catalogue to: Dept PW, 1 Woodhouse Cotts, Chaffcombe, Chard TA20 4AU. Tel/Fax: 01460 68057 Musical Instruments Violin and Guitar Makers' & Repairers' supplies Choose from our wide selection of tonewoods, tools, parts, accessories and books for amateur and professional alike. Callers or Mail Order welcome. Catalogue ?1.50 Touchstone Tonewoods Ltd 44 Albert Road North, Reigate, Surrey RH2 9EZ Tet 01737 221064 Fax. 01737 242748 To advertise Call Emma )1322 660070 Ext 2379 Publications The Yearbook for Modelmakers poges\ Issue No 31 |Only ?2.90 pAp FREE 276 pages... containing everything for the dolls house enthusiast, modelmaker and hobbyist... tools, accessories, plans, materials, articles, new matchstick kit range, and new ideas Plus Free Table Decoration Plan W.Hobby Ltd. (Dept PW) Knight's Hill Square, London SE27 0HH tol: 020 8761 4244 web: www.hobby.uk.com HOUSE SPECIALISTS Available from WH Smith. Menzies, and leading newsagents or direct Cutting Lists Prepared Sawn & P.A.R Sheet Materials Turning & Caning Blanks Crown Tools Books & Timber Supplies Ø S. L. Hardwoods QUALITY TIMBER STOCKIST 390 Syifcnham Rend, Cmycfcm, CRO 21Ë Tel: IWW 731 6345 Fax: 0208 683 0404 Tools & Equipment IMkrocIenc Filters* now in stock! Oak, Ash, Mahogany, Maple, Iroko, Wenge, Shcoak, Walnut, Cherry, "fecech, Tulipwood & many mow'. ORDER ON-LINE! Ø÷Ô. ÑÒÇÄ INTERESTING TIMBERS Wide selection of English grown timbers in most sizes. Air and kiln dried. Boards prepared to size. Turnery blanks, spaltecl woods and burrs also available. Send for details (SAE please) or come and see us (please ring first). We will ensure a helpful personal service. David and Catherine Simmonds, Wells Road, (13) Enborough, Bath ÂÀÇ 4SP Tel: 01761 241333 Wood Sale Ickworth Wood Sale & Fair A must for serious craftsmen, furniture makers and DIY experts alike! \Ä//~\f\r[ Coin Saturday 28 April 10am - 4pm VVUUU Odiy Sunday 29 ApriMOam-4pm Your opportunity to buy native species and exotics harvested from the Ickworth estate. Timber is milled and in the round. WOOCl Fsir Sunday 29 April 10am - 4pm See woodland skills such as pole lathing, charcoal burning, basket making, hurdling and bodging. Craft stalls. Admission on each day ?2.50 adults. 80p children, includes park admission. NT Members & under 5's free. Telephone 01284 735270 Ickworth Park is located in the village of Horringer on the A143. 2 miles south of Bury St Edmunds, signposted fromttieA14 ^ THE NATIONAL TRUST CARBON STEEL TRClC/Ul BANDSAW BLADES FLEXBACK - HARDENED TEETH - INDUSTRIAL QUALITY MAKE EXAMPLES V ÃÐÈ4-18 '/." 6-10-14 %" 6-10-1' V 4-6-14 10% DISCOUNT WHEN YOU ORDER 5 OR MORE BURGESS 54Ó _ 5.55 5.65 5.70 WE NOW SUPPLY NEW SUPETOR QUALITY BURGESS 56 V1 _ 5.60 5.70 5.75 INDUSTRIAL TCT CIRCULAR SAW BLADES DEWALT/B&D 59'*" _ 5.65 5.75 5.85 PLUS SAW SHARPENING SERVICE 6Y MAIL CORONET 67V _ 5.85 5.95 6.10 ORDER.TCTS, PLANER BLADES ETC AND NUTOOL 70'A" 7.35 6.20 6.45 6.55 ARE SUPPLIERS OF NUTODL PRODUCTS All other sizes available - Please take price of next largest size. V ÃÈ14-18 %" 6-10-14 v v %" v ã1 3-6-10-14 4*8-10-14 4-6-10 3-4-6-10-14 2-4 INCA/STARTRITE 73" 7.45 6.30 6.50 6.60 7.80 DEWALT 82V' 8.10 6.80 6.95 7.05 8.80 9.15 KITY612 83Ó 8.10 680 6.95 7.05 8.80 9.15 MINIMAX 86" 8.20 6.85 7.00 7.20 8.95 9.35 STARTRITE/RECORD 88" 8.30 6.90 7.05 7.25 9.00 9.40 KITY613 90Ó 8.35 6.95 7.10 7.30 9.10 9.45 12.45 STARTRITE 351 102" 9.60 8.00 8.25 8.40 10.20 10.60 13.00 STARTRITE 352 112" 10.10 8.30 8.50 8.70 10.55 11.10 13.60 ELEKTRA 133" 10.85 8.80 9.00 9.20 11.25 11.80 14.40 MINIMAX 144" 11.25 9.00 9.25 9.45 11.55 12.00 14.95 All price;, i ¦elusive of VAT. P&P (1st CLASS) Blades over 12ft also available Send cheque or posuil order to- TRUCUT Spurside Svice™ portable workholding system where will you use yours? woodworking. to metal work. to general repairs Replaceable —----- non-marring ' jaw pads Jaws and jaw pads calibrated for accurate - Quick release locking mechanism Grooved jaw "instruction 1 holding pipework ¦ Heat-treated steel bars Unique, locking base system for maximum portability Base release lever The unique nature of the Quick-Vice™ opens up a new dimension in portable workholding applications. Manufactured from strong, yet lightweight high-tech resin, the Quick-Vice™ has a revolutionary locking base system, which allows total versatility and portability with dozens of uses for both the professional tradesman and DIY enthusiast. Designed with a quick-release mechanism, an ergonomic tightening handle and a wide jaw opening, the vice also comes with replaceable non-marring pads, allowing you to work with delicate objects. Removing the pads allows you to use the moulded grooves to clamp cylindrical shapes horizontally, vertically or at 45 degrees. The new Quick-Vice™ from Record®, the most portable and versatile vice ever. The question is 'Where will you use yours?' From all leading trade and DIY outlets www.recordtools.co.uk/quickvice or call: 0114 251 9101 Visit our website at ! mtspowertools.co.uk BOSCH GOF1300ace 1300 Watt Variable Speed Router with 1/4" & 1/2" Collets ?199 GOF900ace 900W Router 159 ZF60 Dovetail jig kit 169 GST2000 Jigsaw with 15 blades 129 GBS100 4" Belt sander & 20 belts 215 PBS75 3" Belt sander & 20 belts 99 GEX150AC 6" Randonrsander 175 GFF22A B/jointer & 500 biscuits 199 POF500A Router 59 GSR9.6V Cordless + 2 batteries 89 GSB12VE2 12V Cordless combi 199 GSB24 VE2 24V Cordless 2 bats. 249 BOSCH RECONDITIONED TOOLS LIKE NEW-12 MONTHS GUARANTEE 12V Cordless twinpack 1 PSB12VSP-2 percussion drill 1 PSR12 drill/driver 3 batteries, case & 1 hour charger ?89 PSR9.6VES-2 9.6V cordless 1 battery, case & 1 hour charger ?39.95 PST700PEA 550 Watt jigsaw van speed pendulum action SDS blade change ?39.95 DELTA 14-650 Mortiser with 3 chisels 175 28-185 Bandsaw with 5 blades 149 36-075 10" Mitre saw 149 36-525 Saw + stand & table extns.199 22-560 12x6" Thicknesser 315 40-540 16" Vari. speed scrollsaw 149 40-560 16" 2-Speed scrollsaw 135 40-530 16" 1-Speed scrollsaw. 79 40-650 18" Vari speed scrollsaw 299 36-040 8.25" 1000W Mitre saw 99 36-210 10" Mitre saw 110/240V 235 36-235 12" Mitre saw 110/240V 295 36-240 10" Slide saw 110/240V 399 36-250 Slide saw with stand 499 23-660 6" Bench grinder 49 23-700 Wet & dry grinder 135 23-710 Sharpening centre 139 31-080 1" Belt & 5" Disc sander 75 31 -340 1" Belt & 8" Disc sander 165 31-460 4" Belt & 6" Disc Sander 119 31-780 Oscillating spindle sander 185 46-255 36" Variable speed lathe 235 50-840 Dust extractor 199 ) Dust extractor 119 6226DW 9.6V Cordless & 2 bats. 85 6227DW 12V 2 Batteries 105 BO4553 1/4 Sheet palm sander 49 9036 1/3 Sheet orbital sander 49 9911 3" Belt sander 79 9903 3" Heavy duty belt sander 149 3612C 1850W Router 209 1902 82mm Planer 75 4324 Jigsaw 59 4304T Jigsaw 115 LS1013 X-cut mitre saw inc stand 575 LS1040 10" Mitre saw 2 199 5703 190mm saw in case 119 5903 235mm saw in case 189 DRAPER Check these machines out before you pay more for the name! R1900V 1900W Vai speed router ?169 R850V 850W Vari. speed router ?99 MTS (Power Tools) DEWALT FREE DEWALT FLEECE WITH EVERY TOOL «¦¦¦IHi DW912K12V ' CORDLESS WITH 2 BATTERIES & CHARGER ?199 DW914K2 14.4V 2 batteries 229 DE9071 12V 2Ah BATTERY 30 DE9091 14.4V 2Ah BATTERY 40 DW914KS 14.4V DRILL/SAW KIT WITH 3 BATTERIES 299 DW625EK 1850W Router 269 DW682K Biscuit jointer 219 DW621 & 12 cutters 219 DW997K2 18V 2 batteries 299 DW933K 18V Jigsaw 345 DW700 Mitre saw 395 DW733 12" Thicknesser 475 DW788 20" Vari. speed scrollsaw 475 DW720 10" Radial arm saw 745 DW705 12" Mitre saw 375 DW708 12" X-Cut mitre saw 649 DW744 10" Table saw 549 ELEKTRA KGS301 x-cut mitre saw & stand 365 KGS301 & stand 110 volt 385 BAS316 Bandsaw inc. stand, mitre fences 5 blades 310 HC260M Planer thicknesser 595 SPA1100 dust extractor 195 KGT500 flip over saw with stand 699 PK200 8" Saw 369 TF100 Spindle moulder 565 Sliding carriage for TF100 199 TKHS315E/P 315mm 2200W saw 310 RECORD DML24X STARTER LATHE 159 DML36SH Swivel head lathe 229 Swivel head upgrade for DML24X 69 CL1 36*15 1/3HP 325 CL2 36*18 1/2HP Lathe 399 CL3 36*30 3/4HP 529 CL3 36*48 3/4HP 579 CL4 36x30 Variable speed 849 VLSK Variable speed kit for 2 & 3 475 RP4000 Scroll chuck 129 RP3000X Collet chuck set 69 CL3B Bowl turning rest 69 RPCHS6 6 Pc HSS Chisel set 69 RPLB24-18 Lathe bench 99 DMG750 10" DISC SANDER 179 DMG250 7" DISC SANDER 89 RDX800i Dust extractor 149 RDX600i Dust extractor 129 DX5000 Wall mounted extractor 359 RD26 10" Planer Thicknesser 499 RD30 12"Planer Thicknesser 695 RPBS12 Bandsawaw inc. stand, mitre fence & 5 blades 299 RPBS8 3.5" Cut bandsaw 95 SCAN150 Wetstone grinder 69 RPTV20 Turbo visor 149 RPM75 Mortiser Inc FREE Chisel 149 1/4,3/8 & 1/2" Chisels (each) 26 SM155 6" Bench grinder 69 MAXI26+ Woodworker 1880 Leigh 24" Dovetail jig ?279 Specify metric or imperial scales, 1/4 or 8mm shank cutters TREND T5EK 850W Vari. speed router Inc.Case, Fine height adjuster 1/4+8mm collets & fences ?149 T5E Basic Router Inc. 12 Pc TCT cutter set 119 299 20 26 99 69 T9EK 1850 W Router in case T5 Plunge bar T9 Plunge bar DJ300 Dovetail jig MINI MACH Vacuum bench CRT Mk2 Router table inc. plate spring clamps, profiling guard, hose & adapter 159 Combi 600 Worktop jig 89 24" Clamp.guide 32 36" Clamp guide 37 50" Clamp guide 42 UNI base for routers 13 T30A Dust extractor 139 Airshield powered respirator 159 REXON BTS10A Saw, stand & table extns 319 MS10RA 10" Mitre saw 240v 199 MS10RA110V 219 SCM8EA 8" X-cut mitre saw 229 MS12RA 12" Mitre saw 339 SCM12A 12" X-Cut mitre saw 525 SS16SA 16" 2-Speed scrollsaw 129 SM16A Mortiser & 1 chisel 219 DTS16A 16" Vari. speed scrollsaw239 WG180A Wet grinder with jig 99 GPT317A 12" Thicknesser 389 Ë 560À 156mm bench jointer 219 BD46A 4" Belt & 6" Disc sander 149 EDS300A 12" Disc sander 179 EBD61 OR 6" Belt & 10" Disc sander 329 DP255A luxus 1/2HP Bench drill 159 DP380F 1hp Floor drill 229 RD34A Radial drill 289 SCHEPPACH TS2000 with stand & precision sliding table 745 TS2000 folding width extension 99 CAPAS3 12" X-cut mitre saw 469 HMS260 10x6" Planer & stand 669 Wheel set for HMS260 35 Pair of blades for HMS260 29 TKU Saw with sliding carriage 425 TKU Panel cutting attachment 99 TS2500 10" Saw 730 TS4010 12" Saw 1049 TS2500/4010 1.4Mtr carriage 298 TS2500/4010 2Mtr carriage 420 Folding table width extension 204 Rear take off table 175 SUVA extraction guard 230 BASATO 5-2 12" Cut bandsaw 1057 HF3000 Spindle moulder 899 HMS3200 12" Planer thicknesser 1198 BSM2010 Belt sander 845 HA2600 Extractor 295 EUMENIA 300 EXACT Radial saw 399 600 EXACT Radial saw 499 Stand 89 Drill/Router bracket 99 Wobble washers 12 M115/600 Radial saw 699 SKIL 5466 1400W Classic Saw 190mm Blade 66mm cut depth ?99 fltt 1ST S40T TCT BLADES 1810 Biscuit Jointer in case 99 Epic 130mm saw in case 39 LEGEND 9 1/4" Saw in case 179 5240 130mm 500W saw 35 4580 VARI & Jigsaw in case 59 1200H 3" B/sander 5 belts + frame 49 KITY 613Bandsaw with stand, mitre fence & 5 blades 549 619 270mm Saw with sliding carriage & table extn. 999 419 8" P'recision saw Inc. stand, extn table & sliding table 575 439 8x8" Planer thicknesser 575 429 Spindle moulder 425 1637 10x8" Planer thicknesser 799 629 Tilting spindle moulder 1090 Bestcombi 4-Function universal 1198 CHARNWOOD W580 260x150mm Planer thicknesser ?419 W002 Router table 75 W004 Router table 135 W003 Router table 165 W306 Mortiser & 1 chisel 459 W610 10" 2HP table saw 119 Stand & extensin tables for W610 25 W412 12" disc sander 1 HP 95 W409 8" disc & 2" Drum sander 125 MICROCLENE 400 400 Cu. Metres per hour 129 1000 1000 Cu. Metres per hour 189 1200 1200 Cu. Metres per hour 199 RYOBI RE601 2050 Watt router & case 229 RT6000 sliding table router bench 279 BE4240 4" belt sander with case 159 Sanding frame for BE4249 35 CPW1800CW 18v drill & saw 275 12 PIECE TCT 1/4" SHANK TCT CUTTER SET IN WOODEN BOX ?19.95 FT2000E 1900W Router in case 189 FT1000E 1000W Router in case 109 JS102 Biscuit jointer + 500 biscuits 139 91 -100 13Pc 1 /2" TCT Cutter set 99 Free next day delivery on all credit card orders over ?50 where possible. We accept all government dept orders. Please 'phone for off-shore delivery charges ALL PRICES INCLUDE VAT WE ARE 5 MINUTES FROM M1 JUNCTION 15A 97 ST. JAMES MILL Rd. NORTHAMPTON NN5 5JP TEL 01604 751688 FAX 759041