American Style: Shaker, Mission & Country Projects (Custom Woodworking)

Shaker, Mi ion & Country Projects

American Style Shaker, Mission & Country Projects

Neptune

CONVERSION CHART WEIGHT EQUIVALENTS

TEMPERATURE EQUIVALENTS

(ounces and pounds / grams and kilograms)

(fahrenheit I celsius)

us

us

METRIC

METRIC

% OZ

7g

% OZ

14 9

0" F 32' F

%oz 1 oz

21 9

98.6" F (normal body temp.)

8

Ib)

oz (% Ib) 16 oz (1 Ibl 35 oz (2 2 Ib) 12

(water freezes)

180 F (water simmers)*

340 9 454 9

*at sea level

1 kg CONVERSION FORMULA

CONVERSION FORMULA ounces x 28.35 = grams 1000 grams'" 1 kilogram

degrees fahrenheit minus 32, divided by 1.8 = degrees celsius

LINEAR EQUIVALENTS

VOLUME EQUIVALENTS

(inches and feet / centimetres and metres)

(fluid ounces / millilitres and litres)

METRIC

us

% in

0.64 em

1 tbsp

(%

112 in

1/2 cup

(4 fl OZ)

6 in

1.27 em 254 em 15.24 em

12 in (1 foot)

30.48 em

1 quart + 3 tbsps

1 in

2

1.00 m

in

1 yd

0.84 m

15 ml

fl OZ)

120 ml

1 cup (8 fl oz)

240 ml

1 quart (32 fl oz)

960 ml

16.39 em)

1 in 1 ft' 1 yd J

2

CONVERSION FORMULA inches x 2.54 = centimetres 100 centimetres = 1 metre

1L 3.8 L

3

91.44 em

1 yd'

METRIC

1 gal (128 II ozl

929.03 em'

1 39 /2

100" C

0

227 9

212 F (water boils)*

us

1 tt

37° C

src

0

28 9

OZ (1/2

-lS- C 0- C

(freezer temperature)

0.0283 m 3

0.765 m 3 CONVERSION FORMULA fluid ounces x 30 = millilitres 1000 millilitres = 1 litre

DISCLAIMER Readers should note that this book was initially intended for publication in the United States of America, and the ex;stence of different laws, conditions and tools means that . ,,-~e reader's' responsibility to ensure that they comply :. :.. ._ all safety requirements and recommended best practices in the European Economic Area. The improper use of hand tools and power tools can result in serious injury or death. Do not operate any tool until you -::, ~ carefully read its instruction manual and understand ~ - . ~,:) ooerate the tool safely. Always use all appropriate . - - ... :::ment as well as the guards that were supplied .. :.' ~:::s a~d equipment. In some of the illustrations in

this book, guards and safety equipment have been removed only to provide a better view of the operation. Do not attempt any procedure without using all appropriate safety equipment or without ensuring that all guards are in place. Neither August Home Publishing Company nor Time-Life Books assume any responsibility for any injury, loss or damage arising from use of the materials, plans, instructions or illustrations contained in this book, However, nothing here is intended to exclude or limit liability for death or personal injury if, and to the extent that, such exclusion or limitation would be contrary to public policy or otherwise be unenforceable.

,

CUSTOM WOODWORKING

American Style Shaker, Mission & Country Projects

American Style Shaker, Mission & Country Projects

6

SHAKER PROJECTS Shaker Step Stool .. UJ£S of Shaker wuches urI.' found in this small project. There are two

versions, one mcu1e with hand-cut dotietails, the other with butt jojnt~.

Shaker Hall Table.

.

14

Simji/e lines hide the clwllen{{es that make tr.is whle Tewardillg to build. Alul the whole project can he wme with a whle saw and a router.

Rocking Chair

_._,._._

26

Its Shakr herirage has been updated with some modem techniques. And there's an old skiU that ma)' Ix! new 10 )'01t: weaving- a scat. Shakcr~Style

Footstool

- -

- -..-..-

It doesn't rake long- to buiW Ihis foo!-ltool w nuuch the. rocking chair. The two In-ojem share many of the same technujl-les.

Shaker Step Stool

MISSION PROJECTS Hall Clothes Tree A special intcrlocking design brin~ this hall tree tog-ether with a distinctive [wk. It also makes it srrong and srable, without a massjtJe "trunk."

46

Oak Sofa Table

.54

Ewrythingyou'd upecr in a Mission-slyle sofa table isf~ in this projecl, including ~tm oak, square spindles, and mortist: and feIlOI1 joiner)',

62

Glass-Top Coffee Table Made of quarrersaum ook, this rradirionaI coffee roble is enhanced with a beveled glass top. There's also an option far a solid wood wi>.

7Z

Mission Bookcase

Buill u:irh madunery and handwork, rhis cherry bookcase fearures Mrmlgh mortise and lCJ\OIl joinery. II am be buill ll'ith or U;UWII[ the glass dooTs. Oak Sofa Table

COUNTRY PROJECTS

88

Coat and Glove Rack

90

Hang coats and mittens or culls and li1ll:.:m rm this Tack featuring slOrage behind it~ door. An optional finish turns it into an "iruUlnl antique."

High-Back Bench

96

This bench can be built with or without storage unacr IN! seal, with your choice of de.lignl ill the back and finished with stain or milk jJuint.

Jelly Cupboard

.

.

106

Back when jelly was wide at home, a simj)!e cujJboard like mis .. tored the finished product. This \Il..'l'sion offr:rs sewral options w "chess it «p."

Dovetail Chest

..

.

114 High-Back Bench

l'and-cut doveUliIs jJrovilJe stmwh and beaW)" For a different look, try the frwTJe, and panel tlCT:'iicm. Bom offer loIS of Stln'age and a pulI~OUI nay.

Sources

l26

Index

127

T

he Shakers developed" uniquely American style of furniture.

By removing unnecessary ornamentation,

the Shakers kept their designs simple and h.Ulctional, yet always in \X'rfect proportion. The {me Srulker look is

detlll

-, ~-;;-., 1

/

BENCH

GLUE lEGS TOGETHER

__ I '==

TRIM BOTTOM LATER

I

I

\

LAY OUT TAILS ON STEP USING PINS AS TEMPLATE

II Before gluing the legs and steps together, the braces (D) must be cut. There arc three braces: one on the back to prevent racking and two at the front

HAlf TAlLS 2 ON BOTH ENDS SHCXJLDER·TO-SHOULDER MEASUREMENT EQUALS DISTANCE _._--~ .. BElWEEN LEGS

BRACE@

to reinforce the steps. HALF·TAIL. All three braces are joined to the legs with half-dovetail joints. This amounts to a large half-pin notch in the front. edge of each leg, and a matching

half-tail on each end of the braces. [ found it easiest to cut the half-tail first, then usc it to layout the notches. To cut the half-tail, mark a 1:5 angle

on only one end of each brace. This line starts

114" up from the bottom edge

Wig. lOa). Theil mark a shoulder line equal to the thickness of the leg. Cul down the shoulder line with a dovetail

~

BRACE

"--Jr--MARKOF THICKNESS BRACE

@

,

.' ~""J6,,",-"""--SQUARE ACROSS

MARK ANGLE~_ ON FRONT EDGE).. OF LEG

LEG FRONT EDGE OF LEG

®

," ,,

POSJTlON BACK BRACE LEVEL WITH FRONT BRACE

'

MARKOUT : NOTCH- __....L ...

l

BAO< BRACE

"

MARK ANGLE Of ) HAl.F-TAIL AND-SQUARf ACROSS

saw and remove the waste with a chisel.

Before marking the shoulder line on the ot/ler end of each brace, first dryassemble the legs with the steps. Then make sure the shoulder-tn-shoulder measurement on the brace is equal to the dist:mce between the legs (Fig. :j). Now you can mark the angle and cut out the V-notch. HALF-PINS. Once the half-tails are cut, hold the ends of the brace against the front le&rs to mark the cut lines for the half-pin notches (Pig. 6). 1 used a dovetail saw to saw down bOlh cut lines. The half-pin notch on the back is cut a bit differently. After marking the cut lines (so they're even with the front brace), I made the two shoulder Cllts to tlle depth ofthe notch (Fig. 8). Then I removed most of the waste with a coping saw, and cleaned up the cut with a chisel. After the notches are cut, trim the front edges of the steps to final width (Fig. 9).

G

[

After dry-assembling the stool to check the fit and for square, I glued everything together. I positioned the clamps on top of the tails to pull the joints tight. A piece of scrap under the le.'{s provided a clamping surface across the halfcircle cul-oul. Althou.'{h it was nice to use hand tools for most of this project, I cheated a bit and used a belt sander LO bring the pillS J1ush with the surface of the steps. FINISH. Finally, I finished the step stool with a Danish oil. •

ClIT SHOULDER -FIRST

,If""'~bl;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;-1

PARE 00\rVN \-\11TH CHISEL- -ToI

MARK POsmON OF NOTCH ON STEP

~.

-\ CLEAN OUT WASTE VI'ITH COPING SAW

LONG LEG

®

a. 1:5 ANGLE

I

f-----1~~ THICKNESS.

j

OF LEG -.----..-/

~

~~7~~r--7+----I 6'4 ,~+21 1'7'11

'"

-i

l~==!,_RADlU5~ Jl t=:= 3=:1 --1~==

SHAKER STEP STOOL

11

This country version ofthe step stool uses screws and buttjoints instead ofdovetails. For a real country look, try making it from pine and finishing it with milk paint. 'c..:..::~,---

CO ST

_

Start by gluing up four panels a little long for the two short legs (A) and two long legs (R) (see drawing below). When the glue is dry, cut the panels to finished length. (Ille legs arc not glued

\\\

·-->U

?-:f:::=--=-~1--r~

II \

together to form the stairsteps until after some cuts are made in each piece.)

I'yl bl

0) I

• Next, cut 2W'-wide notches in each panel for the braces. One way to cut these is with a dado blade on the table saw. A tall auxiliary fence fastened to your miter gauge will help keep the pieces steady during the cuI. • To lay oul a :W'-wide notch for the bottom step in the long leg (ll), set a short leg (A) next to a long leg with their bottom ends flush. The top of the short leg indicates the bottom of the step notch. Cut the notch lN' deep. • Now layout the location of the heart cutout in each of the long legs.

Y

1

~ ,

k:::::=='::-~

."

c~~_ I

I '

\

l-

.

Irk 11

,~-',

,;;;:::;--

~_J4...._

~

~"1

..r

_ __-'-- -~I, r"-------:::::--' I '~f"'-L" 'r:. t/

\

,_J

'-

Y

\

j

COUNTRY STEP STOOL

1

~.'J£

1 %

~-I

f

DRIU TWO .-' 1Y." HOLES

CHANGED PARTS A Short Lpgs (2) % x 7·9% B Long Legs (2) "3f4 x 7· 201{4 C Steps(2) %x8-16 o B'aces(3) %x2lf4 -15

f

CO"G CEG

®

r l' HOLE

t

!

AUGNMENT KEY

3Y
-·...... _.

.J

SHAKER HALL TABLE

17

CROSS MEMBERS TOP,&A MB Next, nine cross members arc cut to fit between the front and back aprons. Two of these pieces mount above the

a.

;

1~ RABBET ..J.!l.OTH ENDS

drawers for drawer guides (G), three

'W ~ lOW CROSS

MEMBER

are top mounts (H) used to fasten down

©®CD

the table top, and four sit below the

drawers as runners (l) (Fif!. 10). CUT TO SIZE. First rip enough stock

] IN' wide to make the nine pieces. To determine their length, dry assemble the table. (It may be easiest to do this with the table upside down.) Measure the distance between the front and back aprons to get the shoulder-ta-shoulder length of the cross members. Now add

1m

CROSS MEMBER LOCAnON DRAWER GUIDE-,

.

ljz,r to this measurement LO account for a

tenon on each end. After cutting the pieces to length, form the tenons bycuttinga WI-wide by 1/4'I-deep rabbet at each end (}'iy. 8). DRAWER GUIDES, The two drawer guides «;) each have a W'-widc groove cut down the center (Fig. Va). This groove guirles a pin that's mounted on the back of the drawer. The pin helps keep the drawer slraight as it's pulled out of the carcase. TOP MOUNT PIECES, To allow the table top to expand and contract I drilled oversir.ed shank holes (%"-dia.) on thetbree top mounts (II) (Pi{J.llb). These holes are centered on the width and drilled 1W' from each end on all three pieces. TABL£ TOP. r\ow glue up a blank (or the table lOP (J). 'Then cut Ihis blank to final 5ize so it will overhang each of thc side aprons by 171R" and the front and back aprons by {l/ll'l. ASSEMBLY. After the parts are cut, dry-assemble the table and check it for square. rr everything is okay, glue and clamp the front and back aprons to the leg units. Make sure the cross members arc in position but not glued in. There's one important thing to watch as you position the cross members. The rabbets face down on the drawer guides (rig, 11a), but upon the top mount (Fig. 11b), and drawer runners (Fig. l1c). Usc 3/1'1 brads to tack only the top mounts (H) in place. The other cross members will be secured after the drawers are added. Now center the table top on the aproJlsand screw (don'tglue) it down to the top mounts (Pig. llb). USC ;'I'G'I washers under the screw heads.

1/4 "-long

18

SHAKER PROJECTS

©J

<E!I

~--

,

TOP MOUNT --"

TOP(J)-",

!

p 3). DADO. To complete the olher half of the joint, a WI-wide dado is cut on the inside face of the drawer side (Step 4).

bets Oips) on the top and botLom edges of the drawer front (Step 1).

Cut the rabbets on the top and bottom edges. Set the blade -%' high and adjust the fence-%" from the outside of the blade. To complete the rabbet, set the fence 3/8 " from the inside of the blade.

To cut the tongue, set the blade height to 7/8 ". Then move the fence so the inside of the blade is on the shoulder of the rabbet. Make the first cut, and then move the fence away fmm the blade to leave a tongue the same width as the blade.

.Locked Rabbet Joint

X

DRAIJIIER; FRONT \, .--'-

CUT SIDES TO 'tIIlDTH TO EQUAL SHOULDER-TOSHOULDER

A

~TANCE

,:a ~/'< "'~~~ .;;T.i

FACE SIDE UP

,

J

:J.l,

Now cut a dado in the drawer side to accept the tongue. Use the drawer front as a gauge. Raise the blade to a height equal to the length of the tongue. Then push the end of the side piece against the fence and cut the dado.

20

SHAKER PROJECTS

•

I-

CUT TWO RABBETS (TOP AND BOnOM) FOR W x W DRAIJIIER UP

~~ ~

CUT GROOVE WITH MULTIPLE PASSES TO PRODUCE TONGUE

ALIGN BLADE WITH SHOULDER OF RABBET

A

'---

Ij

FACE SIDE AGAINST FENCE THICKNESS OF BLADE

,~

,

CREEP UP ON THE TONGUE VI'IDTH

,

3 length, To cut the tongue to raise the blade so it just clears the tongue. Next, screw or clamp a spacer to the fence for the lip to ride against. (This will help prevent the waste piece from kicking back.) Then adjust the fence to reave a l/a'-long tongue.

,

FACE SIDE --\,",~''il AGAINST FENCE '"............

A

DRAlJIIEfl FRONT

r-. •

, ,

• MOVE

FENCE AWAY FROM

'l¢AO'

ADD SPACER BLOCK---,

RAISE BLADE TIP TO CENTER ----..... OF DADO \

/

\.- CUT TONGUE TO LENGTH

USE FRONT AS A GAUGE TO rosmoN FENCE

•

A

SET BLADE AGAJNST INSIDE SHOULDER __

h

ClIT GROOVE IN

SIDE TO FIT TONGUE

I \.

OUTSIDE FACE UP ---,.

"•

By simply shortening the length, the half table becomes a lamp table with a single drawer. And because construction is so similar, it's easy to build this companion piece at the same time as the half table. l

II

)

The lamp table is buill the same as the

hall table. However. some pieces are

cut shorter ami there are fewer of other pieces (sec the Materials Usl below) .

• '111C back apron (B) and front rails (D) arc each cut to a finished length of 19W '

, '

Wig. 1). 'lllC front center (F) is not Cut only one drawer guide (G), two lop mounts (II), and two drawer runners (1). Cut rabbets at each end of ,Ill these pieces as was dOlle for the hall

~

Lablc. Also cut the g-roove for the guide

pin in the drawer runner.

en

a single knob ccntere(J on the face of the drawer front (Fi.q.l). When assembling the table. the top Olounts (H) sel against the inside edges oflhe legs (fop Vicw in fo'ig. 1).

~

..

+ I I

,

". L'®8~~~~:ON l.c--

19\1,

24'1,·

--~

.. __.

II

/~

I

..' 2'1."C , I

c;y-

,I

''"..

•

FRONT

CENJKNOB ON DRAWER fRONT ;0

"

I

H~

- ... 2'1......-

.

~FRONT RAILS I

•

+

I

I

0

U'h'

L-

FRONT ElEVATION

I I.

.

0

II

TOP VIEW

I

II I

II - -Ij-_

I --

MATERIALS LIST

~

0-

J

I

I L; I

-~

24\1,"--

,I I I II

k,

LAMP TABLE

W-.......-

It I

u J

nrawer bottom (N). The drawer uses the loded rabbet joint and is assembled the same as the drawers for the hall table. After the drawer is assembled, mount

I I

II

I

111(' table lop is cui to a finished 1cnRihof24ljz" (Fig. f). With only one drawer, you'll need just one drawer front (K), two drawer sides (I.), one drawer ba
The jig r came up with is a sliding platform for the table saw. 'Inc greatIcature of this jig is that all you have 1.0 do is rotate the leg to taper the next side. The way the jig does this has to do with the centerpoint on the end of the leg. (More on how this works in a bil.) For now. just mark the centerpoint all the bottom of the leg. To do this. draw lines on the bottom oCthe leg, connecting opposite corners (Step 1). At the point where the lines cross, drill a IN-dia. hole with a brad point bit and push in a l/t-dia. dowel. PLATFORM. To build ihe jig, start with a piece of 314" plywood about 9" wide for the platform (A). Cut it to a length of31 '1 (Step 2). RUNNER. Next, cut a groove in the bottom of the platform and add a hardwood runner (ll) that will.fit your miter

The jig- has two fences that help align the leg for each cut. When a leg is mounted to the jig, the dowcl slides into a hole in the rear fence (Step 5). After one side is tapered, the leg is rotated 90" to cut the next side. The dowel realigns the piece on the edge of the jig. But one of the problems I had was getting the hole in the fence in exactly the right position. Then 1discovered a trick - actually two tricks. REAR fENCE. First, cut the rear fence (C) to a width (height) to match the thickness of the leg. Then draw an "X" on the fence to match the pattern on the end of the leg (Detail ill Step.4). Drill a 114" hole aL the crosspoint. The second trick has to do with mounting the fence to the platform. In

hen it was time to cut the tapers on the hall table legs, I was stumped at first It was easy to make a jig to set the angle for the cut..'> on the first two sides of the legs. But then I'd have to take those angles into consideration when tapering the other two sides.

_-=G:.-P:::LA

22

SHAKER PROJECTS

order to ~et a 1/4" taper on each side of the leg, the crosspoint on the rear fcncc has to be III closer to the path of the blade. So all you do is shirt the whole rear fence so it extends IN' over the edge of the platform (Step .4). SIDE fENCE. A side fence (D) mounted on the platform helps hold the lop end of the leg. To position this fence, place the leg on the platfonn with the dowel mounted in the rear fence (Step 5). Then position the taper start line (near the top end of the leg) on the edge oflhe platform (Step 6). Now draw a line along the back edge of the leg to indicate the position of the side fence. TIltn screw the fcnce in place (Step 7). HOLD-DOWN. To complete the jig, add a hold-down clamp. You can make this Wilh a few scraps of wood (E, F) (Step 8). However, 1 like the ease of using a quick-release clamp as shown in the photo. (See Sources, page 126.)

To cut the taj>el"S on the leg, mount the leg on the platform and push it Lhrough Lhe blade (Step 9). TIlen simply loosen the clamp, rotate the leg, and cut the next side.

CONNECT

DRIU Y.o" KOlE FOR

--_.•

OOVVEl PEG

'-

CORNERS WITH X \ "--

MEASURE F R O M »

'1:~~;;"J

SAW BlADE TO SLOT ANOAOO'"

_

I I.

..

.--::

CUT OFF WASTE

32

a. --!

I

__-.-

SET GUIDE RUNNER IN SLOT AND

31

t~;"ro ';:~G CV~

®-

HARDWOOD RUNNER

WTTO FIT MrrER GAUGE SLOT

~

j-

~

WPLYWOOD PLATFORM

To find the center of the bottom of the leg, conned the opposite comers with

an "X". Drill a 112 "-deep hole at this point and insert a %" length ofdowef.

Use 3/4 " plywood for the platform. Cut 1/4 "-deep groove in the bottom to hold iJ hardwood runner that fits your miter gauge slot

a

Put the runner in the miter gauge slot 3 and trim the side of the platform. This gives you a reference edge that shows exactly where the blade cuts. A~ MARK START LINE OF TAPER ON lfG

INSERT DOWEL

INTO FENCE HOLE

\ THIRD:

...

a.

"'~'O~

r-l~--j

f '" 1--=.::..="'.:1"'_..,,,,,,1 10-,

USE SAME ·X· PAlTERN ON END OF LEG AND FACE OF FENCE

END OF FENCE --' OVERHANGS

PlATFORM 14"

A rear fence the same width as the leg overhangs the edge 1/4 ". Make an "X"

on the end to match the 'X' on the leg. Dri" a 1/4 "-dia. hole at the crosspoint.

r

118 x lW fh SCREW

To position the side fence, first insert the dowel in the leg into the hole in the rear fence. (The dowel is trimmed off later to fill the hole in the leg.)

MARK LINE ON BACK EDGE FOR

Q;,ENCE

SECOND: ALIGN START LINE WITH EDGE OF PLATFORM

Next, mark the taper start line on the leg. Then place this line on the jig's edge. Mark the location of the leg'S back edge onto the platform.

1i8x2¥.." Fh SCREW

'-...

IF USING A QUICK·RELEASE

CLAMP; SCREW TO SIDE FENCE

~~~® .~-

(!) ~.

7 The side fence is shorter than the leg thickness. Align it vlith the line and

screw it in place. Add a carriage bolt for a

shop-made hold-down (next step).

.~

Use scrap to make a simple holddown clamp. Tightening the wing nut applies pressure. (If a quick-release clamp is used, the fence should be 1112· wide.)

To cut tapers, position leg on the jig and push the platform past the blade. Rotate the leg one-quarter turn to make next cut Then repeat for other tvvo cuts.

SHAKER HAll TABLE

23

• • •

Tapering on the Jointer

sually, you think of using a jointer to goet a straight edge from one end of a workpiece to the other. But how about using the jointer to cut tapers? After alL a taper is a straight f'c1gt>.It'sjust that it doesn't run the ful11f'llgth of the piece. Another reason the jointer is an ideal tool for cutting tapers is that the jointer produces a clean, crisp cut that needs little (if any) sanding. And unlike a table :;aw, tapering on the jointer doesn't require any special jigs or complicated layouts. All you need is some masking tape and a pencil.

When Lutling a long taper, like on the hall table, you don't taper the entire leg. Instead, there's a nat at the top where the leg is joined to the apron. Note: Complete any joinery on the leg before it's tapered. LOWER WORKPIECE. The basic idea behind tapering on thejoillter is simple. Instead of starting the cut at the end of the workpiece, it's liftc(1 up and the flat portion of the leg is pushed forward, past the cUllerhead. TIlcn the le,g is lowered onto the clltterhead to start the tRper. The lrick is knowing where to lower the workpiece to start the cut. REFERENCE LINES. To do [his, I make two reference lines. One marks the start of the taper on the leg (Step t). The other line indicates the front edge

of the jointer's outfccd table (St(;!J! 2). When the two marks align, the workpiece is lowered onto the jointer. SNIPE. Si.nce the workpk'Cc is coming down at an angle. the knives will create a dishc{1 cuI (snipe) at the beginning of the cut. To prevent Ihis, I wrap two laycrs of masking tape around the leg (Stpp ,1). This raises Ihe workpiece above the cutterhead just enough to produce a smooth cut.

Another thing to keep in mind is the depth of Cllt. This determines how many passes over the jointer you'll have to make to get the finished taper. To plan the cut, start with the

~

,,

,.

amounl of taper you want at the em] of the leg amI divide it by the depth of cut. For example, if your jointer is set ror a 1/16 1' cut, four passes will Cilt a IN' laper. But in practice, to allow for a cleanup pass, I adjust the illrced table so the cut is a hair (1/64 '1) less. To do this, measure the j,!ap between the infced table and a straig-ht stick laid across the outfeed table (see photn below). CUTTERGUARD. Before making your first (,;ut, it's a good idea to get a feel for opening the cutterguard with a workpiece. This takes some practice - with the jointer turned o(f. What I've found works best is to slightly raise the end of the workpiece off the table and usc it to nudge the cutlerguard open (Skp4).

With the sclup complete, it's time to make some test culs before moving on to the real leg pieces. Measuring the Depth of Cut. Place a s!raighl piece ofscrap on the jointer's au!feed table. Then measure the gap between it and tho infoed table.

,

"

\ DRAW LINE TO

'"

FRONT EDGE OF MARK START1NG POINT OF TAPERS ON ALL FOUR SIDES

Lay Out Tapers. Usin.Q a try square, lay out the starting point of the tapers around all four Sides of the leg. 24

SHAKER PROJECTS

OVTFEED

AUGN EDGE OF TAPE WITH UNE

".~

Mark Outfeed Tab/e. Now make a pencil mark on the jointer fence to indicate the tront ot the outfeed table.

Add Tape. To prevent the jointer knives from making a "dished" cut, wrap two layers of masking tape around the leg.

TEST CUT. Once you get the feel of SECOND: FIRST: SLIDE LEG FORWARD so OPEN CUTTERGUARD opening the cutterguard, check the REFERENCE MARKS AUGN IN1TH END OF LEG setup by making- a t.est cut. You should not have any snipe at the start or end of the cut. Safety Note: Be sure to hook a push block over the end of the leg when you make the cut. CUT TAPER. Now you're rcady to taper t.he actual workpiece. Depending on the deplh of cut, you'll need to make several passes on each side (Step 5). And since it call be easy to lose track of the cutting sequence, Position Leg. With the leg against the fence, raise the end slightly above the table. r jusl label th{~ Now nudge the cutter guard open with the end of the leg and slide the workpiece cutting order right on the masking tal-Ie forvvard until the reference mark on the leg aligns with the mark on the fence. (see photo above). When it's Lime to taper the fourth SECOND: HOOK PUSH BLOCK side of the leg-, you'll have a tapered face OVER END Of LEG AND a. COMPlETE CUT _o'Q',.tv facing the fence of t.he jointer. If you press this face against the fence, the ALIGN BACK EDGE start of the taper will be angled. To preOF TAPE WITH MARK ON FENCE vent this, press the untapered top of the ! leg against the fence during the cut. 'Illis will leave a ,gap between the tapered face and the fence. FIRST: CLEANUP PASS. After the taper is cut LOWER LEG ONTO CUTTERHEAD on each side, all that's left to complete the job is to make one cleanup pass on each side. The goal is Lo take as light a pass as posBegin Cut. When the back edge of the tape aligns with the mark on the fence, lower the leg down onto the cutrerhead. Then hook a push block over the end of sible, yet still cut the taper right up to the the leg and complete the cut. layout. line. To do this, remove SECOND: MAKE FULl·LENGTH the tape and raise the a. PASS WITH LEG RIDING infeed table until the ON TAPERED SIDE knives just graze the RAISE INFEED TABLE so KNIVES SKIM line at the start of the LAYOUT LINE taper (Step (H[). Finally, instead of lowering the workpiece ont.o the CllUerhead, make a fullINFEED TABLE length pass with the leg riding on the ta!>crcd side (Step 6).

""'"

Cleanup Pass. After the taper is cut, remove the tape. Then center the layout fine on the workpiece across the opening in the jointer table. After raising the infeed table until the knives just graze the line, make a full-length pass.

SHAKER HALL TABLE

25

Rocking Chair While the heritage ofthis chair is distinctly Shaker, it's been updated with some modern techniques. And there's also one very old technique that may be new to you - weaving the seat andback. his rocker looks just like an old-

fashioned Shaker rocker. But while some of the clean lines and graceful curves are borrowed from the Shaker '"classic," some changes were made to the design. DOWELS. For onc thing, Shaker

rockers included legs that were tapered and often

~ven

a slight bend. But you

don't need a lathe or a steam box to build this chair. The legs and the rails

that connect lhem arc made from straight dowels that arc 1112", 1'" and %~ in diameter. SQUARE STOCK. But where do you

find 1W''"!I.ia. dowels - especially ones over 42" long? 111e solution is simple. You can make the dowels yourself. If you don't have a lathe. you can make the dowels wilh a rouler table and a few roundover bils. TIle technique is

straightforward. Onere's a separale article on making dowels on page 37.) There was even
n

NOTE: ALL PlEaS START AS

SQUARE 8lANKS AA EXTRA S"LONG

© BACXfI.EST POST (MAKE TWO)

@

P_[=====~j'~·-D\A.~~00WE~~'~~·~=~=~P3

BACKREST

~"-PlA..

TENON. ~"lONG

IWl

\...

• !

24Y.

@BA()(RESTRAIL(MAKETWO)

¥.r."·DIA TENON, 114" LONG

CL...i:;l.r=~;::~~,·j.O~'A.EQOOWEQiijgl==~GJ;L:=::J

I

1----" --

©

8A()(REST POST

-I

~UPPER 8ACK RAIL

,-_.-

I

o c=='~'~-O~:l;;;:9

WORKPIECE INTO BIT

..-

W...... j

L

With the tenons cut, the frame of the footstool can be assembled. I glued up lhe end assemblies first (Fir;. (i). With round mortises and tenons, it's easy for an assembly to get racked olltof square.

...J

B~K

'"

LEAVE ENDS SQUARE / '

111[ ,1"'-1-1 "''';""" ,,-J.-

CHAMFER

(-TOP AND BOTTOM ,

OF LEGS

t

@

•

II

•

lJ4@@ll I

'1'

'v--~-,-)

("

y.

,

t

LOWER RAILS

\.! ©®

y, ,.~

V.

1,

a The front/back rails (B, C) and end rail:,; (D, E) that connect the legs start out as square blanks that arc 5" longer than linishcd length. just like tlle legs. There are no holes to drill in these pieces, so the first thing to do is round over their edges. I used a IN'-radius roundover bit for the I"-diu. upper rails (B, D) and a ~18"-radills bit for the %"_ dia.lowerrails (C, E). Once the rails arc rounded over, they can be cut to final length (19" for the front and back rails and n " for the ends). Then I cuI tenons on both ends of each piece using a W'-dia. core box bit (Fi.qs. 4, 5, and the Technique box on page 31). Even though there are two different diameters for the tenons, the height of the bit should be the same for both of them (W'). But the important thing is that the tenons at the holes in the legs. So it's a good idea to stan with the bit slightly lower than W' and sneak up OIl the final size.

LEG

ROUNDOVER

!• .';

NOTE: SIZE OF TENONS VMY (SEE FIG. 4)

,

Y,'·DIA. CORE BOX / __ BIT

NOTE: MEASURE WIDTH AT TOP

AND BOTTOM

So to make sure they weren't twisted, I surface. (If the stool does rock, put a set them on a flat surface. And I also measured the widths at the top and bottom of the assembly to make sure they were the same. When the ,l{luc is dry on the end assemblies, they can be connected with the front and back rails (Fig. 6). To make sure the stool didn't rock, I made sure all four legs were resting on a fiaT.

liUle bit of weight on it.) AT. this point, t.he "woodworking" is done, so you can apply a finish to the footstool. (I wiped on four coats of an oil finish to match the rocker.) To complete the footstooL you can weave the seat with cotton tape. Refer to the Technique box starting on page ::IS for mort' on how to do this. • SHAKER-STYLE FOOTSTOOL

45

Hall Clothes Tree Aspecial interlocking design brings this red oak hall tree together with a distinctive, Mission-style look. It also makes it strong and stable, without the need for a massive single "trunk." So I played with the shape and lengths ofLhe pieces, trying to get a balpieces. But as simple as it is, anced look that worked well when working out the final design took quite a coats, hats, and umbrellas were hung on it (see photo at left). few revisions. This required building several protoPOST. For one thing, a hall tree requires a center post. A solid post Lypes. But that wasn't a bi,\{ deal; you would have been hard to find - and don't have to cul any tcnons on the pretty heavy. Plus, it would've had a ten- inside edges of the hooks or feel. dency to warp, parLkularly with sea- Instead, the pieces are simply sandwiched between the posts. sonal changes in humidity. I considered laminating the post MATERIALS. The hall tree shown here from two Of three pieces of thinner was made from red oak. Oak was a popstock. But then there would have been ular material to use for Craftsman-style visible joint lines running the length of or Mission furniture, particularly in the post. northern regions where it was abunINTERLOCKED JOINTS. So instead of a dantlyavailable. single, solid post, Tdecided on [our narOak is very hard and durable, and it rower posts (each 1'1 thick). These planes well. And when finished with oil posts afe connected by the hooks, feel (as this project was) red oak can and some special cross pieces in an develop a lich, natural l.:olor - almost interlocking style (rc(er to the all orange hue. Exploded View on the opposite page). Of course, you could also use nearly This "Lincoln Log" approach light- any other hardwood to build this proened the weight of the tree, and also ject. And no hardware is need~d, as the made it quite a bit more interesting to interlocking design makes it sturdy just look at (and build). The exposed joints with glue. and contrasting grain give it a distinct PATTERNS. Scaled-down ,\{rid patCraftsman/Mission look. terns are shown for the top hooks, HOOKS & FEET. \-Vith the post bottom hooks, and feet of the hall tree designed, next I worked on the hooks (see opposite page). and feet. Of course, these pieces have to But if you prefer not to try to transfer look right BUl chang-ing their size (and these patterns to your workpieces, you shape) also affected the stability and can purchase full-size patterns. For utility of the tree. more information, see page 126.

T

here's not much to this hall tree:

posts, hooks, feet and cross

CUTTING DIAGRAM 1 x 5·60 RED OAK {2.6 Bd. Ft.}

I '"

I

E

[

E

I

E

NOTE, All PlECES CUT FROM Ii. STOCK (PLANED 1" THICK)

~

E

84 RED OAK (2.9 Bd. Ftl C

I

c

I

c

c

I

0

0

I

0

0

~

1 x 5 - 84 RED OAK (3.6 ad. Ft.)

tJLj.~222;(22(22(2(222;22222~22)222222)2222222222;22222(; (2~ 48

MISSION PROJECTS

EXPLODED VIEW OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 22)/,W x 22 3110 x 69)/~H

MATERIALS LIST WOOD

A I'osts(4) B

(fOSS Piect'S (4)

C TopHooks(4) D

Bottom Hooks (4)

E F«!I (4)

lx1-65-" 1X1 - 3

Tx4-10 1 )14-8

lx5-13"h

@ BOTTOM HOOK

""

CROSSPlE<ES

"""""'*" """AM> KEEP THEM AUG"" t~-J

®

POST

"" ''''

CROSSPIECE

®

I

~

~~

NOTE: ALL PATTERN

GRIDS ARE 111" SQUARE.

. l

HAU CLOTHES TREE

49

POST (l·x I") .~

~-.~

,~~~!!-~~;~i==I~~i~;AlUl'!,"!A!"1~~;~ ::-=::

FENCE

("'NDTCHESON~'~ ~

SET STOP FOR EACH

ADJACENT FACES

SHOULDER

OF EACH NOTCH

STOP 8LOCK

a.

CUT SHOULDERS FIRS!...T';!EN

REMOVE WAm IN

B~IVV~EN,

POST@ - DADO BLADE

ZERQ.CLEARANCE

AUXILIARY MITER FENCE

\

"""',

ATfAOi ZERO G.EMANCE FENCE WITH ROUTER BIT r~.~ BELOW TABLETOP. THEN TURN 0fIl ROUTER AND RAISE BfT TO CUT OPENING,

CHAMfER BIT

a.

AUXILIMY

G1AMFER

MrTER fENCE

'"

~,.,

"""',

CHAMFER BOTH ENDS OF POST

@

To build this hall tree, I started with the "trunk." This trunk is made up of four long- posts (refer to the exploded View on page 4-9). Each post has a series of notches cut on two adjacent faces. Thesc notches hold the hooks, cross pieces, and feel. To make the posts, r :;tarted with a 51'-wide blank of 5/4 stock planed 1'1 thick. Keep in mind whcn you're choosing" and milling this blank (hal the straighter these pieces are now, the easier it will be to cut the notches and assemble lhe tree later. CUT TO LENGTH. With lhe blank ready, I cut it tofinal1cngth (65 1/4") and ripped it into rour l'l-widc posts (A) (see Cutting Diagram on page 48). This way, all the pieces will cnd up exactly the same length, which is importanl when it comes time lO cut the notches. CUT NOTCHES. With the post:; cut to size, r began work on the notches. These are cut on the inside races or each post (Piy. 7J. And since they trap the hooks and [eel, it's important that they line up across the four posts. To do this, first I laid out the notches on a single post (sec Exploded View). (Note that the top and bottom notchc!'l are the !'Iamc distance rrom the cnds of the post, but they're noi thc !'lame length. The bottom notch is longer.) With the notches laid out on one post, I set the dado blade to make a 114"_ deep Cilt. And I added a 101l~ auxiliary fcnce to the miter gauge to support the piece (Fig. 1), The trick lo making sure that the notches are identical is to lise a slOp block (Fig. 1). After setting it to cut the

.................. Special Sandinq Block If the notcres on the posts for the hall tree aren't smooth, you'll notice it when the hooks and feet are glued between them later. So I created a simple sanding block out of plY""0od and 1/~' hardboard (see drawing).

a.

%" PL'rWOOD ,

""."-",,.";,,_._._.• ,__

O'/!'.~·4'"

The "handle" of the block

spans the notches so their depth stays consistent and their edges aren'1 rounded over.

SO

MISSION PROJECTS

";;;;;;o"",';;;;rnot--()-", I ADHESIVE-BACKED) t Ii" SANDPAPER. -

HARDBOARD

"..- -

CROSS PIECE

®

Nore CROSS PIECES

CUT TO LENGTH AfTER HALF lAPS ARE CUT WASTE'

first shoulder, r made two passes on each piece, rolling the post between passes so the notches ended UJl on adjacent faces. When the first shoulder had been cut on all the posts, I moved the stop block to cut the second shoulder of the notch. Nter making this cut, any waste between the two shoulders can be removed with overlapping passes. 111en I worked 011 the next notch, following the same procedure W(q.la). Note: Because or the length of the posts, you'll need to flip them around halfway through this process. When the notches were cut, I noticed they had some shallow kerr marks leIL by my dado blade. I was concerned that these marks would be visible after assembly. So to remove them, I made a simple sanding jig (sec the Shop Tip box on the opposite page). CHAMfER ENDS. With the saw marks removed, all that's left is to chamfer the ends on the router table (Fig. Z). "Iltese pieces are so long that I was concerned about routing this chamfer, but I found that holding- them flat on the u.ble wasn't difficult, especially when using the miter gauge and an auxiliary fence to support the piece. But to keep the pieces frum calching in the rence opening, I added a zero-clearance fence made of 1/8" hardboard with an opcllin,g sized to cut the chamfer (Pi.IJ. Q).

With the posts completed, I started on the cross pieces. Each cross piece assembly consists of two individual pieces stacked together. They connect the posts in the middle so the spacing stays even (see photo above). OVERSIZE BLANKS. The cross pieces (B) lit in the notches in the center of the post. (Mine were 1'I X 1'1.) Their final length will be 3'1. However, since thi~ is

NOTE: HANDS REMOVED FQRCLARITY

AUX. FENCE

AUX. FENCE

RIP FENCE _ _'-_

DADO

'lAOE

~~® AUX. FENCE

..l- r-l

-' -

Yl

BlANK FOR CROSS PjECES

a. 3

N01E: HANDS REMOVED

FOR CLARITY

ZERQ-Cl..EARANCE

FENCE:--_~~

a.

® CHAMFER BfT

a bit short to work with on the table saw safely, I started Ollt with two T'-long blanks (Fig. ,1). With the two blanks in hand, I cut a haH lap near both ends of each so the cross pieces woultl overlap (Fig. ..1). To support these blanks, I attached an auxiliary fence to the miter gauge and used the rip fence as a sIOI). CUT TO SIZE. l\ow the blanks can be cut into four cross pieces (Fiy. ;"i). (This

CROSS PlEa: ASSEMBLY

time, you can't use the rip fence as a stop, because the piece will kick back.) Then all that's left is to chamfer Ihe ends of the cross pieces (Fig. 6). Here again. r used the zer()--c1carance insert. But this lime, J supported the pieces wHh a push block. :\low the cross pieces can be glued together and sct aside until after the hooks and feet are made and the tree is ready to be assembled (Fig. 7). HAll CLOTHES TREE

51

TIle last pieces to make arc the hooks and feet. 'lliere are twelve different pieces to make, but the procedure is identical (the only difference is the shape). The initial (straight) culs are

HOO'

PATTERN

!

AUX

BLOCK \

made on a table saw for accuracy, while the curved cuts arc made on a band saw. HOD'

BLANK

NOTE: ROTATE MITER GAUGE 40" FOR TOP

AND BOTTOM HOOKS. 25' FOR FOOT BlA.NK5

FIRSt. CUT BOTTONI EDGE OF HOOK

a. REMOVE WASTE IN

MULTIPlE PASSES

--', BOTTOM EDGE

SECOND: SNEAK UP ON TOP EDGE, CHEOe Slrips (4) Spindles (26)

F Cleats (2) G Stretchers (2) H Shelf(1)

I Frame FrlBk. (2) J Frame Sides (2) K Splines (4)

11'"x1%-16% '1~x2-24'h

%;:;3-24 112

'17;:;%-24'h '!Jxlf,-8% ¥4xl'/,-17

V4 x2-37'h %;:;22-32 )/. x 3lfl- 38 %X3ljl~30 1/4 )(

1 -1%

HARDWARE SUPPLIES

(1) %' beveled glass, 24· x 32" (6) #8 x 11ft,· Fh woodscrcws (18) #8;:;2" Fhwoodscrcws

CUTTING DIAGRAM r!4 x 4·48 QUARTERSAWN WIrE OAK (2.7 Bd. Ft.)

i-f·,,!.E C=W~ :y"

x 5Y.! 84 QUARTERSAVVN WHITE OAK (3.2 Ed. Ft.)

F

! -

~

~

'---L;Z;~2;;:;-~~

-.j; ~E-%~fttf:jrrelEL~;A(»;/Ji"Wd)f~ Y.> x 3'h - 72 QUARTERSAWN VVHITE OAK (l,8 Sq. Ft.)

:y"

x 5·60 QUARTERSAWN WHITE OAK {2.1 ad. FtJ

'~;'-=L ,~LZ?2vzca8

l :y" x 5 -

I

0

:--u

7l QUARTERSAWN WHITE OAK (Two Board5 . 18 and 18a). I did this by runninR the pieces through the table saw on edge ami then sanding off the saw marks. Afcer rabbeting and beveling the frame pieces, they can be mitered to length to fit the beveled glass (Fig. 19). Note: To avoid making the oDening for the glass too tight, allow a little extra (1/161') when figuring the length of the frame pieces. SPLINES, To strengthen the miter joinL (K) to fit. The thing to remember here is that in order to get a strong joint, the grain of the splinc needs to run aC1·().~il the joint line of the miters Wi!!. 20a). ASSEMBLING THE TOP. Before gluing up the top, [ dry-assembled the pieces and damped them together with band damps to check the fit of the beveled glass (Fig. 21). Hut because I didn't want to take a chance on breaking the glass. I made a templateoutofhsembly (refer to Fig. 2 on opposite page). J built up the panel assemblies first. When making a framed panel, [ generally use plywood for the panel. I;nlike solid wood, plywood isn't drastically affected by changes in humidity. 1designed each side unit (0 have 111"_ thick plywood panels with two good sides. (Both the inside and the outside of each panel will be seen when the pro-

ject is completed.)

C:®

~~

---->-® - -C:"

PANELS

t (1.:-_

-L"~~~~~~~7-\-

I-~ -. ,-

®-~

THROUGH TENONS

I

t;",

1

-

~

STEP 1 TIiROUGH TENON

J?=

I--- " ~

-

--

STEP 2

--

;=

FINAL THICKNESS Of TENON SHOULD FIT GROOVE IN POSTS

I- " -,

--

@@

~

-,

,

- --

,

~

r"'

'"" I'"

I~ J

I\ 'UND MORTiSES (l;; (W). 'l1lC glass stops are cut to finished dimensions of :IN' x 'J/8". Then a 45° chamfer is cut along one comer to provide a flat face to nail 5!R"~long wire brads into (Pi(j. 320,). 82

MISSION PROJECTS

The safest way to make these glass stops is to start with an extra·wide (lIN') blank and rout the chamfer first. Then come back and rip the pieces to final width (%") off the waste side of the blade. The glass stops are mitered at the

corners (Pig. ,12). It's tougher to remove mitered stops later, but they look belter than butt joints. To determine the correct lell~>1.hs, I find it's cw,iest to measure for each one individually and then creep up on the linal cut until they just fit.

fIf

a. ~2"HINGE

~

II==---==

I

\

:c--

·~m

!

ATIAcr...J

DOOR

-,

'I I

y/ ("'MAR
f---'-LAN-K

..;J~

[

I

"-CHAMFER BIT

, y," CORE BOX BIT

III

, , 'Yo".WIDE DADO BLADE

MISSION BOOKCASE

83

, nc of the strongest joints you'U find on a project is a mortise and tenon. Aml a through mortise and tenon joint not only gives you a strong joint. but a decorative onc as well. vVhen the tenon is glued into the mortise, the tWQ fitlogelher like the handle in the head of a hammer (see photo). The end grain on the tenon is a decorative contrast to the long grain on the sides of the mortise. PERFECT FIT. The main reason for gluing a long tenon into an open mortise is usually appearance. And for the best appearance, the parts of the joint have to be cut perfectly. If there arc allY gaps where the tenon comes out of the mortise, it. will be apparent - but it probably won't be the look you were expecting. That's why I follow a specific sequence when cutling a through mortise and tenon. SEQUENCE. Does that mean a through monise and tenon joint is made differently than a traditional blind mortise and tenon? Not exactly. The mortise is usually cut first, thcn the tenon is cut to fit the mortise. So far, no difference. But because the fit of the joint is so importanl, T take a couple extra steps as is explained on the following pages. Note: Sometimes there's a good reason to reverse the sequence and cut the tenon first. (The Mission bookcase is an example. Refer to page 76.) But the cutting operation is the samc. OPTIONS. like an ordinary mortise and tenon joint, a through mortise and tenon joint has some options. For one, the leg is oflen thicker than the rail (sec photo above and the drawing at right). But this is primarily a design decision - the parts could just as well be the same thickness. And how far beyond the leg should the tenon stick out? It could be flush to the outside of the leg (right in photo) or stand a little proud with chamfered edges (left in photo). Again, it's mostly a design decision. finally, a through mortise and tenon joint is often pinned with small wood pegs through the checks of the tenon Oeft in photo). In the past this was done to lock the tenon in the mor·tise to creatc a stronger joint. But with thc improved glues available today, the 84

MISSION PROJECTS

Through Mortise and Timon

pegs are mostly for appearance. (See page 79 for more on installing pegs.)

There's more to a lhrough mortise and tenon joinl than one I)iece of wood sticking through another. U the parts fit together properly, the joint is strong in several directions. And of course, it looks good too. The load-bearing strength of the joint comes from the bottom edge of the

tenon resting in the bottom of the mortise (see drawing). It's what supports a panel in a frame or a top on a table. The shoulders around the tenon give the joint resistance to racking and twisting - and hide imperfections. Probably the strongest: part of a through mortise and tenon joint is the lit between the checks of the tenon and the cheeks of the mortise. When prop" erly glued, the bond between the cheeks of the two pieces will produce a joint that's practically unbreakable.

,

I

I/ I

MORTISEO PIECE

\...--_.-----

LENGTH

~---

'I

./".it'", 'I'

I

,. r \ I

)

4' CHEEK -

"'"

/

( 'M~Tli

11

I~

'-R'I I."

.' I J

LENGTI1

'" \'

WIDTH

~:: \/'-V

~ .

(~

"'--- THICKNESS

i

SHOULDER

lCHEEK

, 'TCNONED PIECE

CUTTIN

~~--

The key to culling a perfect through mortise is uniformity. The tenon opening should have very straight edges to fit tight around the tenon. Here are a couple lips - and

aguide - to make cutting a perfecr mortise easier. LAY OUT ENDS. I start by laying out (marking) the mortise on the outside face of the workpiece (Step 1). To do this, first usc a try square and a sharp pencil to draw a line indicating the Lop and bottom edges of the mortise. Then

use a square to extend these lines around to the opposite (inside) face. MARK SIDES. Next, I mark the sides of the mortise. And for the most accuracy on the sides, I don't use a pencil. Instead, I make the marks using a chisel, a mallet and a shop-made guide

~~--

block (Step I). (Again, make the marks slivers from the edges of the mortise. on the face of the workpiece where the Now you should be able to sec the end of the tenon will show.) outline of a perfectUlrough mortise. All The ~uide block I use is simply a that's left is to clean out the waste. squared-up wood block with a shallow BORE HOLES. At this point the morrabbet cut along one edge. As simple as tise could be chopped out. by ham\. But it is. the block is surprisingly helpful. it saves a lot of time (especially for deep The block helps to mark a perfectly morlises) to rough out most of the straight line Cor the sides of the mortise. waste using the urill press (Step ii). To rough out the mortise, I usc a And after the mortise has been roughed out with a drill bit, it helps hold a chisel Forstner bit IlmoUa than the width of straight up for cleaning up the mortise. the mortise and drill a series of overlapSETTING OUT. There's a lrick Tuse to ping holes between the score marks. help ensure crisp, clean edges on a Note: For the cleanest mortise, bore through mortise. The trick is called halfway from each side (Step .I). "setting out." CHISEL CLEAN. 'Inc overlapping holes To set out a mortise, first chop will leave a series of ~ripples" in the straight down Oll the chisel holding the mortise. To remove these ripples and back of the chisel tight to the guide also complete the mortise, I use a chisel block (Step 1). and the guide block to pare the sides of After marking the perimeter of the the mortise (Step .'5). (Again, work from mortise, remove the guide block and both sides.) Finally, \0 insert the tenon more make a second angled chisel cut thal intersects with the Jln;t (Slep 2). easily, I like to "back cut" the mortise Then remove all the lillie three-sided slightly (Step 5a).

SETOVT PERIMETER OF MORTISE

CHISEl GUIDE BLOCK

~G

a.

CHISEL SHAllOW TROUGH

AROUND PERIMETER OF MORTISE

WITH CHISEL AND EDGE GUIDE

First mark ends of the mortise using a try square and pencil. Then make a block for marking the sides with a chisel.

After scoring sides with a chisel, "set out" the mortise by chiseling a slight bevel inside score lines. Set out ends too.

Rough out mortise by drilling a series of holes inside the score lines. Use a Forstner bit smaller than the mortise.

a.

CHISEL GUIDE HElPS CUT STRAIGHT

FACEr: ""OS."E=Dlodll-2~=:'l1n

SHOUI.DERS

CLEAN UP CHEEKS ON ALL FOUR SIDES OF MORTISE

Finish roughing out the mortIse from the opposite side of the workpiece. But keep the same face against the fence.

Complete the mortise by chiseling the sides of the mortise smooth and flat. Use the guide block to keep the chisel

-~-

CHISEL '-- SLIGHT BEVEL

straight up and down. After cutting from both sides of the mortise, chisel a slight bevel from the'good face. MISSION BOOKCASE

85

CUTT A tenon can come in any shape or size. But there's only one thing that counts how well it fit" in a

mortise. One of the easiest ways to cut a tenon is 10 usc a dado blade in the table saw. And to help set up the saw just right, I start by cutting a tenon on a lest. piece. (l;sc a piece of wood that's the same thickness and width as the actual workpiece.) TEST THICKNESS. To begin work on the tenon, raise the dado blade and make a shallow cut across one end

--

-.-TEST PIECE IS SAME THICKNESS AS ACTUAL PIECE

AUXIUARY FENCE

ON MrTER GAUGE --_. --

-

-

--J TEST PIECE

r7•

,.'1

;,

II

• Begm cutting the tenon on a test piece. Sneak up on thickness of tenon by adjusting height of the dado blade.

HOLD PIECE ON EDGE C:::::,~i.(;" TO COMPlETE I TENON

(5l(,11 1). Then flip the piece and make a second pass on the opposite face.

Note: for the most control - and the cleanest cut - I cui tenons using the miter gauge with an auxiliary fence attached. This helps prevent chipoul as the blade exits the workpiece. Now check the test tenon in one or the completed mortises (Step 2). The idea is to sneak up on the height of the blade until the end of this short tenon fits the mort.ise perfectly - not too tight and not too loose. CUT CHEEKS. \Vhcll the thickness of the tenon is set, the tenon can be cut to length (Sle-p S). To do this, I again use the miter gauge and auxiliary fcnce. But this time the rip fence on the table saw is llsed as a stop. Position the rip fence so the distance between the outside of the dado blade and the fence equals the desired length of the tenon. Now, cut the tenon by making several passes over the dado blade for each cheek. CUT SHOULDERS. The last thing to do is cut the tenon to the desired width. You may have to chang(: the hcight of the dado blade to determine this width. Note: Again, r test the height first by making cuts near the end of a test piece of the same width. To keep the position of t.he tenon shoulder consistenl all the way around the workpiece. [ used the same fence selup as I did when cUlting the tenon cheeks. The only difference is that the workpiece is stood on edge now as it passes over the blade (StepJ). 86

MISSION PROJECTS

Test the fit of the tenon in a mortise. If the tenon is too tight, raise the height of the dado blade and cut again.

USE MITER GAUGE TO GUIDE WQRKPIEG

When the blade is adjusted for the correct thickness, cut the tenon to the desired length. Use the fence as a stop.

Now the tenon can be cut to width. Don't move the fence, but the height of the blade may need to be adjusted.

Removing the doors and using blind mortise and tenon joints makes for a simpler version ofthe Mission Bookcase. The one shown here is also shorter than the original.

----r-r-

'Ille basic construction of this short

opell version is virtually the same as for the Iull Mission Bookcase. The main

I

difference is that. the size and number of some of the parts differ, and none of the

-

c,. _ 1.",..,.

--.

.

(

y,," SHElf PI N HOLES

:y,," DEEP

I . I I

,I""'IE-Y! I .I -..l .,

"l'i

~_

... \"

1

11

t:-

•

,

12Y,

CHANGED PARTS A Side Par.els (4) B Panel Cores (2) C Post.s(4) D Top Side Rdib (2)

E Btm. Side Rails (2) G Front Rail (ll K Bild: Panel (1) V Shelves (2)

''''i

(similar to those on the front rail) because the shelf standards (X) are removed (Fig. 1). Now you can drill shelf pin holes directly into the posts.

MAnRJALS UST

~

~ "-1\10

.i

•

% ply - 9 31;6 X33)/16 'Is hdbd. - 9)116 x 33>;,& l%x 13/4 -47 1 x 3'12 -11 1 x g'l< - 11

Note: Do not need partsO,EQ.R,S, r; U, V. W, X, hinges, door catches, or glass panes.

% x4'/~ -42% lid ply -41 1h x 38'1; 1 x11'h------~.--\ 1

r::.:-'

-----® ~

E CAC' (WTHICK)

BACK

"{--'-

-'-

COUNTRY PROJECTS

1 old-fashioned look. That's the V-R"roove between the boards in each panel. It highlights all of the jointsinstead of hiding them.

[ used two techniques to cut these grooves. Since the back of the bench is

made up of individual boards that arcn 'r glued together, the edges of the boards 96

COUNTRY PROJECTS

are chamfered before assembly. Then they're held together with cleats. But the scat and sides are glued-up panels. It's casier to cut these grooves after gluing up each paneL I did this on a table saw with the blade tilted to 45°. WOOD. I used %"-Lhick No. 2 Ponderosa pine for most of the bench, and straight-grained lIIt"-thick stock for the supports under the seat. FINISH OPTIONS. I actually built two benches just so , could tryout a different finish on each of them. The first bench (shown above) was stained to give the deep color that a hundred-year-old bench would have

acquired over time. To do this, I first applied a scaler to help the pine absorb the stain evenly. Then I used a 50/50 blend of a golden oak color mixed with a maple stain. For the top coat, I used two coat."l of a salin finish clear sealer. On the second bench, I used milk paint, a finish that's been used since colonial times. (You can see this bench on page 104.) After a bit of "distressing," this finish helps the bench look like an authentic antique. DESIGN OPTION. To make YOllr bench even more useful, the Designer's Notebook on page 102 shows how to build it with under·seat storage.

EXPLODED VIEW OVERAll DIMENSIONS: 52W x 200 x 47H

a. TOP CLEAT

--.---'© TOP ClEAT

REAR SLATS

©-'1,

"'=-.-'" -',

(D---

@, ---

@

!

BACK SLATS

BACK SLATS

FRONT SLATS

®,

!

;

®

"m""" CEN"TER

, "-"'"

,

( ®

CD

SEAT SLAT

-@ SIDE SUPPORT

",m,

SUPPOl\T

@ ""'ON

CD

fRONTIBACK SUPPORTS

CROSS SECTION

CUTTING DIAGRAM If. x s%· 72

(f;~ Roard~ @2.aad.

I. %x%

ft. EactI)

.I~_:

A

72

~

'

lto x %·72 (Four Boards C 2.8 ad. Ft. Each)

I

~,

1'711,;0 ""'"

L

-]

, _

~

_O

.

% ~ % - 60 (Four Boards C 23 Bd. Ft. EiKh}

MATERIALS LIST WOOD

__

~~800roS~.c2c'c'edc'c"c'e"~'

I

~

.•

~

A Back Slats (10) %x5-34% B BtmJCtr Cleats (2) Y~x5-52 C Top Cleat (1) 3f4 xl'h-14 o Apron (1) F G H I J K

7-52 YdS-24

3/4X

E Front Slats (II) Rear Slats (4)

%x5-42

(orner Blocks (2)

1'12x1%-6%

Seat Slats (4)

%x5-50

Center Supporl (1)

l'hxPh-ll%

Side Supports (2) 1112x'"h-13 /4 ' Fr.lBk. Supports (2) 1'/,x1'11-47

HARDWARE SUPPLIES (46) No. R x 1111 ' Fh woodsaews (69) No.8 x 2' Fh woodscrcws

117 x 5h - 60 (3.4 ad. Ft.)

E§",,,!,,,,,,gum!:!;,,uWfffl2W~ HIGH-BACK BENCH

97

I started work on the bench by building the back. The back consists of len slats supported by two cleats - much like a picket fence. BACK SLATS. I ripped t.he ten back slats (A) to width from %"-thick boards (Fig. i) and cut them 31:lj4'llong. Kext, to give the bench a traditional look, I routed IN' chamfers on the long edges of each slat (Fig. :laY. (Don't chamfer the ends.) BOTTOM AND CENTER CLEATS. To make the bottom and center cleats (B), first rip two boards 5" wide (Fig. 1). Then. cut them to length. Note: The cleats are 2" longer than the combined width of aU the back slats. In my case, Lhey were 52" long. The ends of the cleats serve as through tenons. To dress them up a little, I routed a 114" chamfer around both ends of each cleat (Fif!. 20). BACK ASSEMBLY. Once the cleats arc chamfered, the back can be assembled. To ensure the proper distance across the back, Ilrst position the two o'ttt.~idf: slats 50'1 apart measured from outside edge to outside edge (F'i,q. 2). Next, place the bottom deat on top of the two slats (Fig. 2). 'l1,en, adjust the position of the cleat so it overhangs the side of each slat by II', ann is flush with the bottom end of each slat. Use only one screw ateaeh cleat/slat point for now - you'll drive the second screw after the frame is square. 'Ilte center deat can be attached the same way. Position it 13Vl up [rom the lop edg-e ofthe bottom deat Wig. Z). ~ow, square up the frame and install a second screw at each joint. Then attach the remaining slats, working from the outside in. Sec the Shop Tip at riR"ht for a tip Oil doinR this. TOP CLEAT. Finally, cut a small top deal (e) to size (Fig. I). later. this cleat helps support the two cenLer slats after you've cut a design in the back. But before the cleat is screwed in place, the patterns in the back are laid out and cut

To add a bit of country flair to the back, I cut a double curve along the top edge and a diamond in the center of the back. (An alternate hearl~shaped cutout is shown in the Designer's Kotebook on the opposite page.) 98

COUNTRY PROJECTS

5O---~·1 ,.,.-©TOP CLEAT ---j S

,

\I

I

• •

J I.~

.•

• •

I

I j

.

I

• • 1h

fl-i'

"

I ~ · . · . · • . . . • . . ·1 ~

ill Ii

II

• • •

•

r-----.

®

s

CENTER CLEAT

i

BACK SLATS

j

, !

. • ..•

L

• • •

. ·®. · . . •

BonOM CLEAT

I-

\

®--

•

S

f

~

f""~~"

EDGE~SO~>~A:~~Sed a rip blade (bt:causc of the blade's flat-top profile) tilted to 45° (Fig. 7a). Before moving' the rip fence to cut the next. groove, Dip the panel over to cut the opposite side of the joint. CUT TO SHAPE. To complete the sides. make a pattern as you did for the back and al)rOn (Fi,g. 8). Then chamfer all the edgeR except inside the notdles (refer to Fig..iQ, on page 99).

n

SECOND: UFT BOTTOMfCENTER ClEATS

~~ rlnt'~l)..I-T~I--::~:~>A~""" "r---,-_______ 1'""1 ~iI ---l, ' , -- ----- f-f ii,

~-------

I

~

SSEMBL Before making the bench seat, the side panels A,

I

SLATS

:

I1 11-'--_ "l-J-.-': .=:1- _c-'-== - - - ----- - ' I ~::-:-:::::---I~~

SEAT,-_ Once t.he glue haR dried, the final steps are building the seat support and seal. SEAT SUPPORT. The scat support consists of a frame and center support made from 1W' x 1W' boards ("V/.lO). Bq,'in by cutting two corner blocks (G) to a length of 63N'. Then, glue and screw them in place. Next, cut two side supports (1-0 to fit bet.ween the back slats (1\) and the corner blocks (G) (Fig. 10). Now, drill and screw (don't glue) the supports in place. 'the sides must be able 10 shrink and swell during changes in humidity. Now, cut the front and back supports (I) to length (Fi!!. 1O). Then, drill and screw them to the apron and back slats. SEAT. To make the seat, first rip four %"-thick boards for the seat slats to a width of 5" and slightly over 501' long (pig. II). Then, glue and clamp the boards together for the scat blank. Once the glue has dried, cut the panel 10 fit between the sides. Nf'xt, cut V-grooves along all three glue joints. Then, rip the front and back slats to width unlil the V-grooves in the seat align with the side grooves (Pig.i!). l'\ext, rout a l/l roundovcr on the (ront edge of the scat (Fig. lla). Then chamfer the top outside ends, and complete the chamfer with a Iile (Fig, lIb).

a.

1M' I~ ,

I

~

,~ ~

/

i7""' ~

FRONT

t::9~ _/0" ~

~~ <J--q: ~ -'"""

, IJ

I

a.

~

':,", WOOOSW

""l--/ ~

SIDE SUPPORT

I I, NOTE: FIRST, ORIU AND SCRew CORNER """, BLOCKS IN PlACE. NEXT, SIDE SUPPORTS. '\ ~ THEN, FRONT AND BACK SUPPORTS.

NOTE: SEAT V-GROOVES AUGN 'NITH SIDE PANEL V,GR(X}VES

CORNER

"OCK

a.

w·

ROUNDOVER

,IT

en

,

,,

ROUND OVER lHE FRONT EDGE OF SEAT ONLY

_~"'®J;,b -+ll:4 +--""--11¥.,

r-

#8xZ"Fh

WOOOSCREVVS ·--'''.-j,!-,L/ NOTE: FIRST ATTACH SEAT PANEL TO SUPPORTS, THEN ATTACH CENTER SUPPORT

ATTACH SEAT. Now, drill lind screw the seat supports to the seat (Fig. 11). Finally, screw a center support (K)

FINISH CHAMFERING ROUNDQVER WITH FILE

to lhe bottom of the seat between the front. and back supports (rder to detail 'a' in Exploded View on page 97). • HIGH-BACK BENCH

101

You can make the high-back bench more versatile by building a hidden storage area under the seat. To allow access to this compartment, the seat panel doubles as a hinged lid.

c For this bench, the back is built the &fmc, except irs a bit longer (taller). So first cut the back slats (N to width (5") and to a length of37%" (Fig. O. • Af>semble the back with the bottom cleat (B) flush with the bottom edg-es of the back slat,>. 'Incn position the bottom edge of the center cleat (B) 16%11 from the lop of the boltom cleat (ll) (Pig. 1).

Now complete the back the same as for the regular bench.

Next, glue up two Slf2'I-wide boards to make a panel for UlC apron (D) (Fig. it). • After cutting the apron to length

(52'1), a tenon is cut on each end, centered on the width oCthe apron (Fig. 2). To do this, first raise the table saw blade to just under 31'. Then set the rip fence II' from the Qut8ide of the blade as a stop. With the workpiece standing on edge against the miter gaug"e, make a pass on each end. Sneak up on the final blade height, makinR" a pass on cach edge until the distance bctween the kerfs is 5 1l • If your saw blade won't go high enough, use a hand saw to finish the cuts. Then remove the wasle with a back saw. Rout III chamfers on all the edges of \.he tenons. • Cut a V-groove along the joint line as shown in Fig. 7a on page 100. • To accept the boltom panel (added later) cut a %".wide groove %'1 deep on the back face of the apron (FifJ.1!).111e top edge of the groove should align with the bottom of \.he tenon. • TIle apron pattern on this bench has shallower curves (Fig. 2). Layout the pattern so it's below the groove. • Tbe side panels have two differences from the regular bench. The mortises

,-I, I

1'1 ~

I; _

~

..

.. ,,

I5

JOINT LINE

---- " ONE SQUARE = ONE INOi

~

COUNTRY PROJECTS

I

0

.

-.J

I

I

I

,,

CENTER CLEAT

I

,

'@

0

5

,

I I

1'1"

I I-

..

1L

I. ~

BOTIOM ClEAT

. •®_

0

-~r·

,

., t _______________

--........

.-----

~

I

37,1'_1

NOTE; GLUE UP APRON BlANK FROM'f'NO %"-W1DE PIECES

'L,=====

102

for the apron and the notches for the back face of the bottom cleat and screw bottom cleat are cul so their bottom and glue it to the bottom cleat (Fig. 7). Cut two bottom supports (N) 143N' edges are 9!f4" from the bottom edge of long. Butt them against the underside each side panel (Fig.•'1). Once the remaining notch and the V· of the boltom (M), lhen screw (don't grooves are cut in each side panel, you g-lue) Ule1l1 to the side panels (Fig. 7). can assemble the sides with the back Cut three seat slats 0) and a hinge slat (L) \0 width (5'1) and to rough length. panel and apron. ~ext, cut the side supports (H) to fit Glue up the three scat slats U) to between the back panel and the apron make the seal. panel. When ies dry, cut (Fig. 4). Screw (don't glue) them to the it to rmished lensrth so it will fit betwecn sides. Tben cut the corner blocks (G) to the side panels, kss IN'. length to fit between the side supports Cut V-grooves along the glue joints and the top ofthe groove in the apron. and complete the edges of the seat as Finally, add the back support 0). shown in Figil. 11 a and 11 b on page 101. Note: -J1Jere is no frout support. To match the seat panel, chamfer the Now you can glue up a panel (or the jhnd and 'lide edges of the hinge slat bottom (M). When the glue is dry, cut it and 1-eUl' edge of the seat panel. To position the hinges on the hinge to len!-,t1.h 10 fit between the side panels. Its width will be the distance from the slat (1.), measure 3%" from each end back face of the bottom cleat (8) to the (Fig. 5). Center 111e third hinge on the back ofthe apron, plus WI (Fig. 7). slat's length. At these positions, cut Slkle the bo1.l.olll panel illto the groove mortises the full depth oIlhc hinges. in the apron. Align its rear edge with the Cenler the hinge slat between the

APRON@

---.------

~-

CUT¥o"·WlDE

GR""'"

W DEEe_--..

J

~

•

0 -

,

~.

-------

/

/

,

! 1

16% SIDE PANEL

,

I I

--t

.

5

-_ .. -

.~-,

---'6\;

I->

j 5•

~

I

.J.

MATERIALS UST CHANGED PARTS

A BackSlals(10)

%x5-37%

DApron(l)

'IAx11-52 G Corner Blocks (2) I'll x Ph - 611., H Side Supports (2) 1111. x til? - 14.lf4 I BackSupporl(1) 111;xl'h-47

J Seal Slats (3)

% x 5 - 49'1~

NEW PARTS L Hinge Slat (1)

%x5-493j~

MBoHam(l}

%x16%-50 N 8tm. Supports (2) 1'/:;, x 1 '12 - 14"% o Seat Cleats (3) 3/1 x 1. - 11 Note: Don't need part K, only one part I HARDWARE SUPPLIES

(3) PIa" x 21/2" butlhingcs (55) #8 x 11/4' Fh woodscrews (42) 1t8

x 2· Fh woodscrews

sides. Glue it to the back support (I), tig-ht againsllhe bench back (Fir,. 5). (Do not glue the slat to the back panel.) Now cut three seat deaL'I (0). Their

length is the distance from the front edge of the hinge slat to the inside edge of the apron, less '14'1. Cui a 31811 chamfer across each end (Fig. (j), Mount a seat. cleat 3%;' from each end or the seat (Fig. 6). Mount the third cleat centered on the scat's length. The cleats should be flush with the rear edge of the seat panel. Screw the hinges to lhe rear hinge slat and then screw the seat panel in place.

,I HINGESl.AT

~)

~@

NOTE: TO ALLOW BOTTOM TO

CORNER BLO<jf #Sx2"

BACK SUPPORT "

NOTE;

Fh WOODSCREVoJS ~ I NOTE: SCREW BUT DO ' NOT GLUE SUPPORTS TO BACK AND SIDE PANELS

I'I

cur j

MORTISE TO FUll DEPTH Of HINGE

II

I

,---..-'

EXPAND AND CONTRAa,

d>-/

SCREW IT ONLY TO THE BOTTOM CLEAT

®

i

BACK

SUPPORT

I

SEATCLEAT@ #8 x w.' Fh WOODSCREW""

i. I !

)

#8 x 2"

NOTE:

I

DO NOT GLUE CLEATS TO SEAT

a. r -'!J" ROUNDOVER {j) SEAT SCA"

SEAT CLEAT @~

I® ...

Fh WOODSCREW

t

(..----

:v-=~~ 'l!Y

. •'t:-®

BOTTOM SUPPORT

BOTTOM

HIGHvBACK BENCH

103

[J~D~GiJD[?8@

make their own paint. But that doesn't mean you can run down to the grocery store and get a quart of 2%, then add a few ingredients to end up with milk painl. The pigments and inR"redienrs can be found, but to be honest, it's a lot more convenient just to buy pre-mixed Ix>Wder. (For sources, see page 126.)

MIXING PRE-MIX. All you have to do with the pre-mix is add together equal parts (by volume) of water and powder. I usc a large, dean jar to mix in. A vigorous shakinJ,! (with the lid on) helps dissolve most of the powder. To remove any powder clumps (haL weren'l completely dissolved during the mixing, strain the solution through cheesecloth.Uthe clwnps are left in tile mixture, they will break open during brushing and powder will be smeared across the wood. DIFFERENT RESULTS. One of the neat things about using milk pain\" is you can get different results by using difJcrent techniques as shown below. You can just brush it on and be done, or use antiquing steps to make a project look old and worn. (For the bench shown above, I used the "Aging" technique.)

out of the first coat of paint, and it allows the paint to cure as it's drying. PAINTING. 'With the wood still damp, brush on the first coat of milk paint with a stiff bristle brush. (Foam brushes can cause streaking.) 'nlen allow the first coat to dry at least four hours. Lf you want to completely cover the wood ,grain, apply a second coat of paint.

POLISHING. For a smoother, R'lossier surface, lightly rub out the finish with a nylon scouring pad. For a really polished surface, buff in a small amount of Danish oil with a soft rag. Note: The oil will darken the milk paint, so it's a good idea 10 test it first on a hidden part of the project or on a sample piece of painted wood.

I owdo you add 150 years of age ami wear to a project in just a short time? Part of the secret is knowing whaL

finish might have been used that long ago. A good guess would be milk paint. PRE-MIXED POWDER.

It's called milk

paint because milk was one uribe materials farmers used when they had lo

The casiest way to usc milk paint is to

simply brush all a couple of coats over bare wood. The result is a flat, dull color that has a rough texture once it's dried. PREPARATION. Milk painL doesn't

require a primer. After you've mixed up a batch of milk paint, just wipe the workpiece down with a damp sponge. This prevents the wood from drawing water

Milk f1:1int

1. Apply the first coat of milk paint on bare, dampened wood. 2. When the first coat is dry, apply the second coat. 1 Let paint dry overnight, then smooth by buffing with a nylon scouring pad. 4. Polish with a light COdt of Danish oi!. 104

COUNTRY PROJECTS

In Colonial days, a couple coats of milk paint were all that was required for a piece of furniture. With daily use, the paint slowly wore away and exposed some of the wood. And \.he more the piece was used, the more polished the paint and wood became. AGED LOOK. To simulate this look, first apply a coat of stain over the bare

wood. Once the stain has dried, apply two coats of milk paint. Let the first coat

dry before adding the second coat. The next step is to simulate years of daily usc. On the bel1ch, I sanded areas that would have been rubbed on, sat 011, and even scuffed with boots and shoes. Using 180 grit sandpaper, lightly sand the selected areas down to the

stain - bUl don't sand throo... dIr stain 10 expose tht' bare wood ~ do happen to sand through the- .....'2IIL. just touch up the area ",ith mort' - . POLISH. To remove the rough te:J31Ir'r and tlat, dull look of the milk paint. I'lIIJ out the entire piece .....ith a nyloo scouring Vad. 11lCfl buff in a coat of Danish oil to darken and polish it. 1. To simulate aged wood, app 0f'Ie coat of stain over the bare 'NOOd 2. Apply two coars of piJ n! ..e7 e'( pa n' ~ on stained wood. 2. Apply the second coat of po "7 :J'? over the first color. ], Lightly sand through the rOf' cokx ::::l expose the bottom eofor. 4, Polish with a light coat 0: DiJ"rs/l

I ::\1ilk paint left in the sun or elements would often dry out and ~al1igator:' CRACKLE FINISH. To simulate this look, a special crackle gel is used. (For sources, see page 126.) First, I stained the bare wood. ll1en I applied the first coat of milk paint. Note: Only apply stain if you're going to create wear spot.." later.

Once the milk paint is thoroughly dry, brush the crackle gel on the paint Note: You may wanl" to simulate where sunlight took its toll by only applying the crackle gel on places that may have been directly hit by sunlight. Once the crackle gel has dried for two hours, apply the next color of milk paint. Don't brush this coat of milk paint

too much - the paint and gel may mix together into a messy sludge_ Simply load the brush up with painL then ~ it in one smooth stroke. The .aIligatoring~ will appear as the paint dJies. POLISH. 'When the fmal coat of paint is dry, rub out the entire piect" 'Aim ~ nylon scouring pad. Create wear _ (if desired) and buff with Danish lil 1. Apply the first coat of m Ie po r' 'f:d

on stained wood. 2. When the first coat fS dry, ,a::dy crackle gel. Allow to dry M'O hours l. Apply the second coat of pa nr g"E'!?"l over the gel. 4. Polish with a light coat of DantSh ()I HIGH-BACK BENCH

lOS

Jelly Cupboard Back when jelly was made at home, a simple cupboard like this stored the finished product. But even a simple cupboard can still offer some interesting joinery and several options to "dress it up." very fall, my grandma made home-

E

made jelly. After each jar was sealed, it was set in a jelly cup-

board similar to this one to cool. I always liked the "down·home" look

of that cabinet and tried to duplicate that appearance with this version. JOINERY. The shelves in this cupboard could have been mounted on adjustable shelI brackets. But I did

something different this time. By gluing the shelves into dadoes in

the cupboard sides, the shelves are permanently attached. '1l1is helps keep the

cabinet from racking. So the shelves are bol.h functional and structural.

The door frame is assembled with half-lap joinb reinforced with dowel pim, at the corners. This joint is easily cut on the table saw or router table. TIN PANELS. The door holds four tin panels. The pattern punched in each one is decorative, but it also serves a practical purpose. 11lC holes allowed air to circulate so moisture from the jelly wouldn't build up inside the cabinet. And making these panels is easy. Just use a punch and follow a pattern. You can draw your own pattern or Woodsmilh Project S11pplies offers the patterns shown on the opposite page. Sec page 126 for more del:1ils. The cupboard can also be built with wood raised panels instead of tin. The Designer's l\"otebook on page 113 shows how to make this option. BACK SLATS. Ordinarily 1 use plywood for a cabinet back, but for a "country" project like this. ply-wood seemed out of place. So I used solid pine - but not a glued-up panel. Instead, I cut rabbets on the slats for a "ship lap" joint. This allows them to expand and contract without pushing on the cupboard sides. FINISH. To prevent a blotchy finish, I coated the pine with a sealer first. 'Then I stained it to make it look aged. 106

COUNTRY PROJECTS

EXPLODED VIEW OVERALL DIMENSIONS: 20W x 12%0 x 58H

PUNCHeD TIN PATTERNS

(SEE SOURCES ON PAGE 126)

rc---'-----,-" :: i KEEPER

2"

Bun

HINGE

"--~

""" ®~

, 0

•

""

FACING

STRIP

@

\

t~: HARVEST FRUIT

,.

.

.

_.. .

.

:~;;

GRANDMA'S PIE

,......

..............................., :.~~::.

PUNCHED

,c:. -::::'" ?""

>, J;;;tj~;7i'

"" '--

PANEL

~

.::.....) .- ., ....:.. .'>,. ( .....:..•.....; ' ' ••••• -' ..... ,< •• >"

....................... .............. ".(..... HEARTS ON A BLANKET

FRUfT BASKET

··········:,····",,···

""'" Iii

DIVIDER

\.

~

SPRING FLOWERS

00'"

ROTTOM FAONG

OOW"

""([J

KICKBQARD

PIN

®

~ ~

V

-'.. . . -®

"""

DAISY SWIRL

MATERIALS LIST

®j

DOVVEL-_

/P

(©

SIDE FACING STRIP

®

S!DE

KICKBOARD

CUTTING DIAGRAM %.714 60 (four [email protected]. Ft. Each) NOTE: PARTS G & L ARE CUT FROM AN 18" LENGTH OF Y~·DOWEL.

KEEPER STRIPS (N) ARE CUT FROM OVERSIZE BLANKS. CUT LATCH ROD (0) FROM"" DOWEL.

CUT FLIPPER (PI FROM SCRAP.

CASE A Sides (2) :"14 x 11114 - 57 1/4 B Shelves (5) % x 10'12 - 173J~ C Side Facing Str. (2) % xl· 57'14 o TopFilcinyStrip(1) %xl-15 112 E Bot.F~cingStrip(l) %x2-16 1/;, F Kid.board (1) % X 5'/}.18 1/? G Kickbd. Dwl. Pins (4) lf4 dowel- 211~ H Back Slats (4) % x 4% - 51 1/4 I Top(1) '%x 1H,,-2Q DOOR J Door Stiles (2) %x2 1/}-49% K Door Rails (2) %x2 1h-16iJa L Door Dowel Pins (8) lf4 dowel· % M Door Dividers (3) 'l4x2 1h-12lfa N Keeper Strips (16) 1j~ x %. 13 rough o Latch Rod (1) 3Je dowel- 1% P Flipper(1) lJsx1/~·1IVI6 HARDWARE SUPPLIES (24) No.8 x 1112. Fh woodscrews (6) NO.8 x 1%" Fh woodscrevr.; (3) 2" x 19J1G " butt hinges wi screws (4 pieces) 10" x 14" tin (rough size) (40) 112· wire brads (1) JlI4" -dia. maple knob (20) 4d (1 11) "·Iong) square cut finish nails (optional)

JELLY CUPBOARD 107

TAPE SPACER TO STRAIGHTEDGE

Back when cupboards like this were a common fixture in the kitchen or pantry, they would probably have been made of knotty pil](~. So to make this jelly cupboard look authentic, I used No.2 common pine. After letting the lumber dry out in the shop for two weeks, I started work on the sides of the cupboard. CUT TO SIZE. In order to minimize the cupping that may occur with wide boards, I edge-glued each of the sides from two narrower boards. When the glue dried, I cutlhe sides (A) to a finished width of 11 W' and linished length oI57W'(Fiq. O. SHElf DADOES. Five shelves hold the sides of the cupboard together. The shelves arc held in {Jadoes spaced apart evenly (Fig. 1). But there are a couple tricks to routing the dadoes in the fiides and getting them to align after the cupboard is assembled. First, I damped bolh cupboard sides together with their top ends flush and the inside faces np (Pig.t). Then [ laid out the positions of the dadoes by mea· suring down from the top end. To follow the layout lines for the' dadoes, 1 guided the router against a straightedge clamped to the workpiece. And because the pine for the shelves was slightly lesff than %'1 thick, I Ilsecl a WI straig-ht bit in the router. J routed each dado to the correct width in two

/-

';,."/-STRAIGKT

~.,,"

BIT

SEE SHOP TIP BELOW FOR ROUTING DIIDOES

NOlt:

TO ROUT

g~t~IDES

THICKNESS OF SHELVES

TOGETHER WITH INSIDE FACES UP

THICKNESS OF BACK

AUX

FENCE

AUX. FENCE

passes by using a removable "pacer against the straightedge (Fig. 1). (Refer to the Shop Tip below for details.) BACK RABBET. After rouling the dadoes for the shelves, a rabbet call be cut in each cupboard side for installing the back slat,; (Fi,qlj. 2 und2u). :'\lotc: To make sure the rabbets arc routed along the correct CURes (the sides are "mirror" image,,), it helps to

, I a. --I:;;?;i~,,:;~1~STRAJGHT BIT-""--

stand the sides up first. and mark the edges 10 be rabbeted. DECORATIVE CUTOUTS. The last cuts [0 make on the cupboard sides look simply to be decorative - but they also serve a purpose. 'l1lC semi-circular cutout at the bottom of each piece creates a pair of "feet." (Fiy. ,7). This allows the cabinet to "bridge" uneven spots in the noor.

Routing Custom-Fit Dadoes fence with a soacer strip that determines the exact finished width of the dado. The width of the strip, plus the diameter of the router bit should equal

the finished width of the dado (Fig. 1a). After the first pass, remove the spacer. Then make the second pass to complete the dado (Fig. 2).

""'"

SPACER-

PASS

--:--.:.

REMOVE SPACER;::0 TO COMPlETE D~

108 COUNTRY PROJECTS

LINES FOR DADOES

NOr£.: DADOES ARE 12W APART. MEASURED TOP EDGE TO TOP EDGE. ~

Since lumber is rarely the exact same thickness as the diameter of a router bit, I use a smaller bit and make two passes. To do this, Iset up a

ROUT IN DIREGION OF ARROW

I

--l./I.YOUT

0[gX§)[p 'jJ!][p. . When cutting a dado in a large panel. Ifind using a hand-held router is easier than wrestling with a large panel on my table saw or router table.

r

~6­

)

-_._--'" .:.:....

cr~-~_

SECOND O'ASS

.-®

/ " SHELF ClIT FIVE SHElVES ~ FROM b12 STOCK /

SIDE@

"'.,

( FRONT EDGE

i-t---4---t--'-1

--j,

,

~,- ~------

BACK EDGE

~6~

17% ...............-......::::::::-...·

,,/-

~~1O"

C1iECK

NOTE: IF lx121S CUPPED, RIP SHElf INTO THIRDS AND REGLUE WITH MIDDLE ~ECE UPSIDE DOWN, THEN PlANE FLAT

•

Fa'

SQUARE

\.. Note: Although the feet start out different widths, they'll eml up lhe same after a facing strip is added to the front (refer to Fig. 6 on page 110). After laying out the arc.." FACING

RIPTO WIDTH.

TOP--SHElf

©

/SIDE FACING STRIP

N~

sides. Then glue these to the sides, flush with thc outside edges. TOP AND BOTTOM STRIPS. l\ext, I ripped a 2"-wide piece for the bottom facing strip (E) (Fig. 0). Then the top and bottom facing strips (D, E) can be cut to length to fit snugly between the side strips. ATTACH TO CASE. Refore gluing on the top and bottom strips, make marks on the top and bottom shelves to indicatc where the strips should be glued on (Fi{j.~. fia rt1ul fib). By leaving %'1 of each shelf euge exposed, a lip is created at the top and bottom of the door opening. These lips serve as stops for the door (attached later).

WITH TOPS OF

SIDE FACING STRJPS

SIDE

FACING STRIP

Wxl"·sn;"

b.

~~/

I"©

SIDE FACING

srn"

First, I ripped two side

facing strips (C) and one top facing strip (D) to a width of 11' (pig. (j). SIDE STRIPS. Now cuL the side slrips

to the same JenJ{th as the cupboard

AUGN TOP

FACING STRIP

©~

I

®

BOTIOM FACING SlRlP

FACING SlRIP 0/0")1. 2" - 16\0'/

A kickboanl at the bottom of the cup.board adds a decorative touch. CUT TO SIZE. To make the kick board (F), first rip a piece of 1!4'I-thick stock to

a width of 5'h" (Fig. 7). Then cnt it to

a. , "-WIDE REVEAl

"

/

® ..,

'--®r~;o"i

rD

® ',,- ---,

lilt

-

----

5~N DRILL

~l~ i"'!'"cI-1""t"i5~~ KICKBOARD

DOWEL PIN

V.·-DIA.x-~

lV,' LONG

©

110

?/

COUNTRY PROJECTS

NOTE,

ATTACH KICKBOARD WITH GLUE AND

DOWEL PlNS

--.---

-'''0..., rL' ©

'"

length Lo match the width of the case. ROUND OVER TOP EDGE. Next, to soften the transition between the kickboard and the lower facing strip, rout a 112" roundover along the top outsidc edge of the kick board (Pig. 7a). TOE OPENING. To make a toe opening on the kick board, I used my jig s are cut, the frame can be glued and clamped together.

CORNER PINS. I\cxt, I drilled two WIdia. holes through each corner of the (rame for the dowel pins (I.) (Pig. lla). Then glue the pins into the holes and trim them flush with the frame. RABBET. When the frame is assem· bled, rout a rabbet around the perimeter of the door opening in the back side (Figs. 12 nnd 12a). This creates a lip for the door panels. When the rabbet is cut. square up the corners with a chisel (Fig.12b). NOTE:

SlATS HAVE

EQUAL GAPS BETWEEN THEM

4%-..,

a. _

®

~

BACK --

SCAT

,r

CROSSSECTJON

-->j~ E~'-r-I

,

#axl\?" Fh WOODSCREW

\

a.

"

. "'-- ¥s" x 'l1l" lAPS

CROSS SECTION

CD TOP ® SHELF

D ORFRA '111e door of the cupboard isa frame and p;mel unit. Hs construction is the same whether you use tin or wood panels. DOOR FRAME. To make the door frame, start by ripping two door stiles

NOTE: ROUT%" ROUNDOVER ON All EDGES. SANDi's" RADIUS ON CORNERS

TOPJtlOTTOM IWL

®

!

r~'

® SIDE

~~"1

~

I/8xllj.,"

,

Hi

Fh

WOODSCREW

NOTE: ROlIT RABBET TO DEPTH IN

MULTIPlE PASSES (SEE DETAlL a)

~.~.J

SEE DETAlL b

----'

a.

®

TOPIBOTTOM IWL

" ~ ~

'"

'~' "\

~.

NOTE: aNTEFl

PINSON STILE

;) SQUARE UP CORNERS WITH CHISEL

'---------" JELLY CUPBOARD

111

KEEP:ER®/-~

When the frame of the door is complete, the dividers (M) can be built. The purpose of the dividers is to separateTIN and support - the door panels. 10' x 12' CENTER DIVIDERS. Start by ripping three blanks to finished width (Fig. 1.'3). DMDER Then cut them to length to fit between -¥.' x 2W -12W the rabbets in the door frame. TONGUES. The dividers are held in place by a short tongue on each end (/0 rough "Iz x % - 40 rouCJh "h x 31" - 20 rough

I

lid (1)

1V 16X 18-38

J

Tray Frt./Bk. (2)

x 311) - 24 %1.3'1,-14% 1h x 13lf2 - 23%

K Tray Ends (2)

L Tray Bo:tom (1)

3/4

HARDWARE SUPPLIES (2) NO.8 x "Is" Rh brdss~rcws (l) 15" uri:l~schain

(1 pr.l 3· no-mortise hinges wi screws

CUTTJNGDIAGRAM % x 5·96 (Four Bwrds 0 33,~,,~,~,,~,~"'~h;'~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ [--~-

*

I

;'--

--r

1

x 5 - 96 (Two Boards 0 3.3 Bd. Ft. Each) B

%x

5-96

C~

B

•

L

:

00'"

(Two

•

_T

~222~~

~_~D:.... _ _

_~:

bH Fl.: ".'· I x 8 - 96

•

{Two Boords 0 3".3"",,,",'~'~'~"~hl,,

~x8-96 (53Sq,Ft)

1- -, B::J;J

A" _

_m_C,,_=::W~

L~j#l~~~

Boards,' • 66 Bd ". ''''''

[ ."

--~F~--

~~

__-'---.J'~~..:3 DOVETAIL CHEST

115

TIlis dovew.il chest sw.rls out as you'd expect: R"luinR" up oversi'l.ed panels for each of the sides and for the bottom. There isn't anything unusual or difficult about these five ·%"-thick panels. '!lIe imllortanl thing is that they are l1at and that the four side panels are all the same thickness. 'l'hiswilJ make it much casicr when it comes time to cut the dovetails. After the panels are glued up, the next step is to cut the frollt/back panels (A) and end panels (B) to finished size (Fig. I). (lne bottom will be cut to size later.) I began by simply ripping each of these panels to width. But when crossBOTIOM :;"'x 1514'.35%" cutting, the long panels require some extra support. To do this, I added a long auxiliary fence to the miter gauge. '111is way, it's much easier to get the cnds of the panels square to the sides. added later, so oncc the chest is comDOVETAILS. Arter the panels arc cut pleted, it looks the same as the other to si'l.e, work can begin OIl the dovetails. pins (Fig. 3). 111C dovetails arc laid out 3IN' on center With the layout finished, the pins (Fig. 2). This allows for 3'I-widc tails and tails can now be cul. and 112 1' pins, Note: For !Stcp-by-!Step instrucLions Actually, not all the pins :Ire 11211 • 'nlC on cutting dovetails by hand, see the top one is a little wider (1"). l{ut the Joinery article beginning on page 120. extra width is covered by some IIlolding GROOVES. When the dovetails are complete, there arc some grooves to cut FRONTIBACK in the panels before you can assemble the case. I used a dado blade in the table ~\ saw to cut these. 'Ine first two grooves arc for the tray supports (added later). They are %" wide, %1' deep, and cut un the inside faces of the front and back panels only (Fig . .4 ). I centered these grooves in '- , I· one of the pin openings. l1Jis way the -.~' pins on the end panels will hide the grooves when the case is assembled. 3 'Ine other groove is for the bottom of ~ I the chest (/"·iy. Ii). res :W' wide, V..,I' deep, and cut in all four pieces. 'lllis groove cut