The Art of Woodworking Hand Tools

THE ART OF WOODWORKING

HAND TOOLS

TIME-LIFE BOOKS ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA

ST. REMY PRESS +MQNTREAL* NEW Y6RK

THE-

6 INTRODUCTION 110 STRIKING AND FASTENING TOOLS

12 MEASURINGAND 1 12 A selection of hammers MARKING TOOLS and mallets

14 Tools for measuring and marking 1 14 Harnmers and mallets 16 Measwingand 1 18 A gallery of screwdrivers

marking techniques 120 Screwdrivers

I 28 HANDSAWS 30 Handsaw inventory 32 Handsaw blades

m 34 Basic cuts 41 Advanced cuts

rn 48 Handsaw joinery

' 54 CHISELSAND m BORING TOOLS

56 A collection of chisels 58 Anatomyofachisel 59 Basic chiseling 66 Chisel joinery 70 A battery of tools for boring

rn 72 Boring took

SMOOTHING AND SHAPING TOOLS Anatomies of two bench planes Planes Setting u Basic tecLaues Advanced tehniaues A selection of shaping tools Shaping wood Scraping techniques

122 CLAMPS 124 A collection of damps 126 Gluingup 137 Securingwork

142 INDEX

144 ACIJO-

I' ." elly Mehler discusses the

HAND TO0,LS EXPERIENCE- ,

1 early of & meer. I got in ck the tail end of a tndltional cabin&&o- 1 at & old vocational d e g e run by a master woodworker who had learnd his

trade in his father's carriage shop. Each student was assigned a bench and a drawer' containing the basic hand tools: a plane, a backsaw, chisels, a small hammer, a square, and a marking gauge. As we worked at the benches, the teacher and his helpers walked around the shop, offering assistance. Although there were some heavy machines in the shop, the predominant~tmosphere was one of bench work Our first task was to make a half-lap joint from a rough piece of poplar using only the tools h m our drawer. We started by p h n g me face flat and from that face s q d an edge. Then we marked and planed to the finish thickness, cut the piece in halfsquady, and outlined the joint. Next, we sawed and chiseled the joint, all the while checking for- One we felt we had a good joint, an instructor would inspect it from all sides& square, flatness, and f i t This drcise demanded intense concentration a d i t prbvided the groundwork for my attitude toward woodworking. Attention to'dikail, a aqpect for handwork, and'ihe importance of good joinery provided firm cornerstones,

Twenty years later, as a professional f i nmi tu rd , I I still that it is important for me to maintain a balance between handwork and machine work. Beigg in business sets some of the limits. You may not want money to dictate how );ou work, but it is a major concern if you are going to work wood for a living. The @on of whether a particular process should be accomplished by hand or rakes a number of questions Which method is more efficient? Which produmpetter work-or makes a more valuable finished piece? -:if @ , +

~fxlFelthatdoKtlllsfOrsLarnpl<can ~ o n e b a t l + d E v m ~ * n e w & - eration of jigs, the ma-fine hand-cut look cannat be achiev+yl kt# ipakhhe; nor is jigging much faster when there are only a fav joints to do;Han+kqt dovetails will alsoginapiece amuchgreater investmentv&e ,@&~~~~~drOugh board by hand doesn't usually add value. Itmq be r e ~ a ~ d m g perso , but hand planing isdt more efficient than using a thickna planer, nor are'the r&ults better.

There are many occasions when it is qu ick to pick up a hand tool than to set up a machine for a simple operation. I usually cut tenon shoulders with a handsaw and chisel rather than working with a band savj or a table saw. But I taper table legs on the jointer, instead of bandsawing to a line and hand planing @legs h t h . Einding the right W'ceofhandandpowertooIsis ahi~individualmatter,baladngthe

Curtis Erpilding on . .

A. i' -MAKING % .

INTRODUCTION

Toshio Odate emresses

HAND TOOLS

J apanese craftsmen have a very special relationship with their tools. We believe each of our tools possesses a sod For example, when we need to get around in our shops,

we don't step over our tools; we prefer to walk around them instead. I learned these lessons as a young apprentice in Japan, when I carried my master's

toolbox for the first time. The box was made of pine, and measured about three feet long, one foot wide, and eight inches deep. Packed with steel tools, hardwood blocks, and several sharpening stones, the box was heavy enough to crush my shoulder, ape- cially with our destination-+ customer's house-still miles away. When we arrived, after strugghg to keep up with my fast-walking master, I looked for a spot to put the toolbox down. Our customer, sensing the pain in my shoulder, indicated the veranda. I set the box down carelessly-and no*. I didn't think much of it; there was nothing breakable in the box. But my master turned and yelled at me. When I looked up, I could see that he was furious. Had our customer not been there, my master probably would have struck me.

Such a scene reveals the intense experience of apprenticeships in Japan, and the setting in which I learned to respect my tools. For a shokunin- craftsman with skill, speed, and professional responsibility-tools are not just things. They have a sod. They can be an extension of the craftsman's body. Japanese craftsmen form a bond with their tools, one that more closely resembles a personal relationship than one between a person and an inanimate object.

In contrast with modem methods of mechanized fimiture production, working with hand tools allows you to take a personal approach to your work When you put your mind into your work fuuy-as hand tools permit you to d-you give your work a human touch. Qualities like love, pride, concern, and simplicity will show in the finished work itself as by-products of the woodworking process.

There is something missing from modem furniture making. Much of it lacks warmth; it isn't personal. Fitting hundreds of inlays on a tabletop by means of a com- puter program may be quick, and it may be the "reasonable" way to get the job done. However, it shows nothing of the kind of fee& you impart with the keen cutting edge of a plane blade. I respect modern technology, but there has never been a greater need for hand tools as a key to express the nuances of human values.

Toshio Odate buildsfinefirrniture in his workshop in Woodbury, Connecticut. He also teaches woodworking at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.

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a u I m u a m AND MARKING TOOLS

E very woodworking project begins As you accumulate your tools, do with a single mark-a line describ- not compromise on quality. Although

ing the size and shape of the work's first there are genuine bargains to be found- piece. Inscribed accurately and followed high-quality tools at low prim-beware skillfully,*this measurement and others of cheap goods: Nothing robs thg* lea- that follow will guide the woodcrafter =$om a project more nuidti& unerringly toward successful comple- m y edges, loose joints, and hard-to- tion of an object of beauty. But much is *rea &ark$&

m at stake: Inaccurate or erratic measure- ~ak;'@ptime to master the tech- ments can doom a noble design to the niques ofprecise layout, for they-as kindling box well as the proper tools-will assure

Fortunately, something close to per- accuracy. Some details may seem incon-

1 fection isattainable; centuries of experi- sequential, but they are not. As explained ence have produced tools and techniques on page 26, the position of the bevel on that produce reliable, accurate mea- A miter square confirms that a the thy blade of a cutting giuge can spell surements. This chapter is a guide to bevel cut on the end of a board forms the difference between cutting a groove those instruments and methods. a 4 5 O angle with the face. With the effortlessly, and laboring,endlessly to

On the pages that follow you will find workpiece and square held up to the square its sides. v 7

a wide array of instruments describnl; light, there should be no gap visiblr. Even using the bestlmeasuring and gauges of several kinds, protractors,

' marking tools and the most skilled

knives, compasses, squares, lines, tapes, and rules. Although craftsmanship will not guarantee that you will &ays measure it is possible to work well with nothing more than a pencil and correctly. Eventually-and probably inevitably-ou may mis-

1 ruler, each specialized tool has a job that it does better than read your plans or miscalculate a dimension. For this reason any substitute. Some are considered indispensable. The major- most woodworkers take out a basic layout insurance policy: ity of woodworkers would probably include among these a "Measure twice and cut once." Double-drddng each qd.every

I carpenter's square, a try square, a combination square, a tape mark and measurement helpwnsure that you will c&& your measure, and a cutting gauge. mistakes before the irreversible first cut. -, e

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A trio oj marmng too15 works together to outline thepinsfar a dovetail joint. Afier a cutting gauge wriba a sbulkr line aroutrd the end of the board, a dovetail s w r e sets the angle

,@ fir the pins on the board end. A combination square d m . t* atends the pin marks to the sh& lines on bothjkes.

13

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TOOLS FOR MEASURING AND MARKING

W m - m J G AND M.fQKrNG TOOLS

MEASURING AND MARKING TECHNIQUES

C raftsmanship begins with proper measuring and marking. The accu-

racy of every line you make is only as good as the previous one. Lines that are not quite straight or angles that veer off the mark invariably result in out-of- quare cuts and poorly fitting joints,

The tools shown on pages 14 and 15 are essential at many stages of a wood- w o r k project, &om initial setup to the periodic checking that you should do to confirm the progress of your work The balance of this chapter describes some basic operations and offers a few tips and shortcuts for taking precise measurements and setting up your tools in awk- ward and uncommon situations.

Although useful shortcuts do exist, take nothing for granted. Experience has taught that there is even a best tool and

Oneqfhsimpkstma&bgpupsiE your own hr#rd W ~ h a p d h&

bewmpmrr thumbandindgx*, ~yorcrtffiddlehWaloJ~dfaff* ofaboardtorrearkas&aigbtEine.

MEASURING AND AURKlNG 3'QQI.S

- m

MEASURING AND MARKING TOOLS

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Adjusting a drill press to bore an angled hole Install a straight steel rod or a brad-point bit in the chuck of the drill press, then use a protractor to set the drilling angle you need on a sliding bevel (page 18). Loosen the table, butt the bevel's blade against the rod or bit and tilt the table up until it rests flush against the handle of the bevel (r@t). Tighten the table. (Because of the design of its shaft, a brad-point bit provides more flat surface to butt a bevel b l g d e ~ t h a n ~ a ~ l e r ~ & f

W n g u p atpetemfwa w b r ~ u t Set the desired miter angle on a combination gauge, then lowen the adjustl ment handle on the SEW'S miter gauge. Align one arm of the a m b i n a h gauge with the miter dot in W w table ind swivel the rnb head to bring it flush against the &her ann. T i~ ten the adjW- rnent handle on the @uga M. To ckeck a 45" angle miter cnt$. a m b i n & h

'MEASURING AND IbUUKING TOOLS

Wdag 8n angle Use a compass to divide an angle into two equal parts. With the legs of the tool a few inches apart, position the pivot point at the apex of the angle and swivel the compass to make a reference mark on each arm of the angle. (In the illusbatiin, the edge gf the panel senres as one arm of the angle.) Then make two more reference marks: This time, position the pivot point at the intersedim of one of the first two marks and the arm of the angle; repeat for the other arm of the angle. The new reference marks should cross between the a m of the angle (right). Bisect the angle by drawing a straight line from the apex of the angle to the intersection of the last two reference marks (inset).

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I I ~ * M M € ~ 'I;he sbpmade compass shm at right, consisting of an arm, an awl, and a pencil, will allow you to d b e a circle of vimdly any radius. Far the arm, cut a strip of lh-inch stoclt 2 inches wide anb at least 2 inches longer than the radius of the circle yw wish to draw. Bme a hole BbOUf 1 inch ftom the end of the am, large enough to hold the shaft of the awl. Bore a seoond hole, wide enough t~ aceommod~e the pencil, making the distance betwen the h o k equal tD the radius @f the circle. Fit the anvl into one Role and a sharpened pencil igto the other, making sure the two extend from the bottom of the arm by the same amount.

Use the compass as you would trammel points, holding the tip of the awl at the center of the circle and dat ing the pencil around it to scribe the circle.

'MEASURING AND MAR.KING TOOLc rn m

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Measuring circumference I -t, . . . ... ,'!;-iL: . -.. .

To determine the circumference of a cylindrical or circular workpiece, wrap I a length of measuring tape around its girth and hold it taut so that two sections of the tape are side-by-side on the surface (above). Choose two marks that line up--for example, the 2- and 9lh-inch marks. The difference between

I the two will give you the circumference-in this case, 7% inches.

M E A S W G AND h4AJWNG J'OYaLS

L

CHECKING FOR S U E

clamp ~~. The two m(a8 5h8Uld bethemat. ~ W , t h a ~ i s w t of square. TQ c o r e th pp&E&m, install aRajblrer bar stamp aro~lss the longer of the two diagmls. Tighten the clamp a FWtr at a Mme, nwwr- ing as you p until W38 twa diagonals

Use a try sqmm to cheek &&her a wrfamPWrlPlsa Wangek~vPiPh an adiainingsM. Wiih lb wo&#iece and the qum k l d up to the light, hold

b&W. Thwe should

27

HANDSAW INVENTORY

m A 15-~mh-loty hamisaw &s&ncsd to In a licdk &s M& G&FW WIW1 " m m ~ t l o n * - , ~ e ~ l l t n ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ a r t ~ m ~ t h b . ~ W rn

t3tlfkd 114th w eolld ti-1 or bra- spine, a r+gU l;rM haws atmiglkt, accurate cu- for m / & ~ , tanone and o t k pracfacJoints; avalIaMQ In lo-, f2-, m d 14-Inch Icngfie wbh D m 1 5 W p w h w h

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Dovetail ea w A small backsaw for dovetails and other fine joinery; features a blade length of 8 or 10 inches with 14 t o 19

m teeth per inch; some dovetail saws look like shortened Typically 12 inches long; smaller compass versions of the backsaw shown above saws are known as keyhole saws m -- - .- - -

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A wwim of Gh@ dowsbil ite of%& handle can k fiI@ fa eIthsr md, allowing %;hb blade fa tout flussh MM a WRW From cMer M e

Aprutjbm their di&a&w upumna J a m rn SIEWS d#erjktin dreir W m - w k wutltqwm

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HANDSAW BLADES

A 11 saw blades are essentially alike, A CLOSE-UP VIEW OF WANDSAW TEETH fl consisting o f a row o f sh& teeth that sever wood fibers and dear the resulting debris out o f the cut, or kerf. But blades intended for different uses deviate markedly in their details.

A ripsaw blade has widely spaced teeth-five to seven teeth per inch (TP1)--designed to tear rapidly along the grain. To speed the work and prevent binding, rip teeth have a pronounced "set," that is, they are bent alternately to each side o f the blade's center line. The d t i n g edge, &ugh relatively rough, can easily be planed smooth.

A c r o x u t saw, on the other hand, must make precise cuts, usually only a few inches long. Its teeth are closely s p a d - e i g h t to 12 TPI--and possess barely any set; although they cut slowly, little cleanup is necessary. Of course. no saw cuts well if its teeth

are not &ed and set properly. For Four types of taeth the most these tasks & 6e done in Handsaw teeth are shaped according to the type of cutting they will do. The leading the shop (see h), although saws with edges of ripsaw teeth are almost vertical and filed straight across to enable them to very h e teeth, like dovetails and tenon slash aggressively through wood. Crosscut saw teeth have sloped leading edges that saws, are best left to professionals. are beveled, which allow them to cut cleanly across the grain. Japanese saw teeth cut

on the pull stroke. They are relatively tall and narrow, and feature a bevel across the top of the cutting points. Unlike Western-style saw teeth, Japanese teeth have very little set and produce a narrow kerf. Combinatiun, or dual-purpose, teeth slope forward and backward at the same angle, and are beveled on both edges. Although they rip more slowly than a ripsaw, and produce crosscuts that are rougher than a specialized crosscutting saw, combination saws do both jobs.

SllARPEH SAW TEETH

1 JWng Uu mth Mount the saw teefh-up in a vise with

a' wood pad on either side of the blade for protection. Install a flat mill bastard file in a commercial saw jointer. Holding the jointer flush against one side of the blade, pass the file baek and forth along the tips of the teeth (N'@t). The file will flatten the tips of any high teeth slightly; a few passes should be enough to file all the teeth to the same height.

2 the^ With thesaw4Y in thevise, adjustrrsawarttothecarsnrs

TPS a t h ~ Maele. MIng at the tip, or M, of the saw, ~ t P l e f S r s t t a a t ) l W a t i s b s n t t o t h e r ~ ~ ~ aFRlilrndW~kWgck. t t rs~ tQoe8 theBoo6h I&wwE. W k pw way tow& the handle, setting JI teeth th-&arasbarvttPth3~.~ntwnthesarvoreundinW vim a d repeat the qmuthn to set t b remaining teeth.

3 mm- slimtqm trb@ulslr Zite @t handle tilts! damt slightly 6houldnrPeldnfmpmdic W O r k f r a n ~ ~ t o t t M st in one directiwl. ThQI1 tm W & P W ~ Whmm* remaining teeth.

AlOlWTlWQH6FORWl'EETH T h jig shown at right is as effetiiva as a cmercial saw jointer for leveling the tec$k of P haadsaw, yet you can make it from just three wW scraps: a top and two sides. Saw the pieces to the dimen-

I s i m suggested in the illustration, then cutagraoveinthebottornfaceaftheksp piece wide and d&ep emwgh to hold a flat

I mi4 bastard tile nw. BRRI the top w- ners of the two side p i to fit the saw teeth. Screw the side pieces to the top, spacing them far enough apart to clear the saw blade, but dose enough to keep the file perpendicular to the bide as you joint the teeth.

To use the jig, slide a file into the

I groove in the top piece add pass it along the saw teeth as y p ~ would with B e m - m i a l jointer. I-

BASIC CUTS

S awing wood quickly and accurately by hand depends on the proper set-

up, posture, and sawing angle. Always support a workpiece adequately, either on sawhorses or some other stable sur- fke,andkeepitinplacewithdampsor a vise, Never attempt to steady a workpiece with your free band.

Set up your work at a comfortable height that allows you to maintain your ~ceWhilesawing.HohdthesawW in line with your arm and shoulder. As shown below,-the correct sawing angle varies with the type of cut. The saw is held c l d to the vertical for rip cuts, and mewhat l m r for crosscutting. Anevenloweranglewillyieldthefinest cut, As illustrated in the photo at right, to hnish off an interior cut, you have to hold the saw with the blade at a 90" angle to the surface.

If, in spite of your preparations, the saw drifts off the cutting line, twist the blade slightly on the push stroke to straighten it out. If the blade sticks during the cut, you may need to reset or file the teeth (page 32): As a short-term measure, you can rub a little paste wax or paraftin on the blade (not the teeth) or use a kerf splitter to keep the blade from sticking (page 35). Remove any wax buildup with steel wool and min- eral spirits. When you measure and mark a cut,

remember that the kerfwill be up to '/a inch wide. Be sure to make your cut on the waste side of the cutting line.

HANDSAWS

ikkI Qr h&rPmddfor the editter piece and 3/4-inch utvwood I ' fm 3411 skodd@rq gIWthd &me pbcee %&her. To L ie the

- d&cd s&rt the~art, $hen lnwrt ths edntar h the kerf a I

w l l g s ~ w r w k l l b Clamp the workpiece to sarrrhwses. To start the cut, with the saw blade to the waste side of the cvtting line and set your thumb mt to the blade. Pull the blade stowly toward you, keeping it flush winat your thumb (abme). Repeat a few tirnes until the kerf is d q em@ to hold the blade,2hen inow your thumb out of the way and continue the cut. Saw with slow, steady strob using the full length of the Made; mpwi- tion the workpiece on the sawhorses as necessary.

CROSSCUTTING

Ripping a short board Secure the workpiece vertically in a vke with the cutting line extending from the vise; this will keep the workpiece from rattling and the saw blade from binding. Start the cut normafly, using your free hand to steady the piece once the blade is completely in the kerf. To minimize tearout, straighten the blade until i t is nearly perpendicular to the face as you near the end of the cut.

Cutting a board to length Clamp the workpiece to sawhorses. Start the operation as you would a rip cut (page 35), then lower the saw to an angle of about 45" once the kerf is deep enough. Saw slowly and steadily with the full length of the blade. To prevent the waste piece from tearing the wood as you complete the cut, support the waste with your free hand while raising the angle of the blade until it is almost vertical.

Crosscutting a wide panel Set the panel on a work surface with the cutting line extending off the table. To help you keep the saw blade vertical and prevent it from veering off-line during the cut, clamp a board as a edge guide to the workpiece on the god side of the cutting line. The guide should be longer than the width of the panel and square with its edges. Set up the clamps so that they will not interfere with the saw as you make the cut. Saw through the panel as you would a standard crosscut, keeping the blade flush against the guide throughout the operation (above).

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The shopbuilt jigs shown at right and w':!$ , .- below wirl ensure that your crosscuts I"

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are square; each is designed for use i-: ':

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with a different vork swf- *on i Fer the bench hook jig. Wght)), rvae

l/z-inch plyllNoOd for the aige guide and strip of 2-by-2 stock for the lips. Make the edge guide at least as long as the width 5f your workpiece and wide enough to support it. Screw the tips to the guide, attachiq one to each fa=, Take care to aiign the lips flush with 6pposite ends of the guide.

To 'ow the jig, butt am lip against the edge of ymr bench and press the wwkpi i firmly against the othet lip. Align the cutting line with the edge of theg;uide and make the cut, keeping

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#ZING BOARD I

ANGLE CUTS Cutting a miter If you are using the type of miter box shown, screw its legs to a 3/'-inch ply- wood base and secure the base to a work surface. Then loosen the locking knob and swivel the saw assembly until the pointer indicates the miter angle you need. Tighten the knob. Raise the saw assembly on the guide posts high enough to slip the workpiece under the blade and set it on the base of the miter box. Align the cutting line with the blade and butt the workpiece against the fence, then lower the blade onto the wkpiece. Holding the stock firmly in position, tilt the handle-end of the saw assembly down slightly, then start the cut by pulling the assembly toward you a few times. Continue the cut with steady push and pull strokes, gradually raising the handle until the blade is horizontal (right).

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, . MlTER BOX S-tart by cutting three 15ind-i1l&g- -

p ' m of hardwad for the and :, '.t t h ~ front and back pieces. Wake - _

, the base wjde enough for the st&& you will be sawing, ayd cut a ply- MZod beck-up board to pr&tect'he -- '

base. Rip the fmnt and back pieces so that'the depth of the b ~ x will be- Y2 inch less than the width of you; backsa#r blade- fim its t e e t ~ o ' tng bettorn of the spine. Gut the front' -- 1 p ie r 1 inch wider than thi! ba2k- ;

-2:. v- piece to form a li~, %rew th&front 1 rr and beick pieces to the b a s e ' s b ~ ~ .- -

of the box wei IeNl. ;$ 'I.-

- &;. ination square to rnatlj. :,

GUM@ liiles fOT the slots on the top " ' - ofth he^. LayWd9OQarrgle: '

- slot 2 inches from one end, ihd a , a backsaw, 46O angle slot 2 inches from the to either sib of the cutti other Bhd. Ou'Yiihe a ~ ~ d . 4 5 * , s i o t - 3 guide the Made, in the opposite d i r e c t i o f l $ e ~ n ~ G . i To use the box, secure thef i . rst twoslots.Cutt 'hesl~t~ 'w~~~~ arise,thenset thewr@Weon

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SHOP TIP P r Q t e d q e a w b U ~

ADVANCED CUTS

S ome sawing tasks cannot be done pull stroke. If you are cutting a work- on the pull stroke. If the workpiece is with standard handsaws. Cutting an piece that is face down, mount the blade clamped end-up, install the blade with

intricate curve or trimming a workpiece with the teeth facing the handle and cut the teeth facing away from the handle flush with an adioinine surface, for and cut on the push stroke. example, demands spe2dty saws like those shown on the following pages. -

Gentle curves and rectangular interior cuts can be made with a compass saw. Tighter contours, however, require a saw with the thinnest of blades, held under tension to prevent it from bend- ing and breaking.

Bowsaws and coping saws are types of frame saws capable of cutting com- plicated curves while leaving a narrow kerf. Both feature blades that can be rotated in the frame for cuts that are deeper than the throat of the saw. They can also be used on either the push or

Japanese sa&s are particularly well suited to many kinds of intricate cuts. The main of the double-edged ryoba saw for cutting a notch, for example, is that the same tool can be used to make the crosscut and the rip cut (page 47). Because they cut on the pull stroke, Japanese saw blades can be exception- ally thin and l&t, so they & through woodveryquickly.ManywesternWDOd- workers keep one or more in their tool chests because the Oriental tools

The detachable blade of a sometimes are convenient to use in coping saw is thin enough to situations where a Western-style saw

follow the most intricate curve. might prove clumsy.

HANDSAWS

MAKING INTERIOR CUTS

2 Cuuingm~ Saw to one of the cutting lines,

then follow the marks, continuing until you reach your starting point and the waste piece falls away. Use smooth and gentle strokes, biting into the wood when pushing the saw forward. Once the first cut is completed, remove the blade from the saw and cut away the remaining waste pieces the same way (right). To align the blade teeth for tight curves, rotate the blade in the frame by turning the fittings at either end of the frame.

HANDSAWS

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~hlke a s q u a d g 4 interior cut usiq a compass saw. SgCm the ~ ~ ~ k p i a x in a vise and bare a hale iat each corner of the waste section wide enough to aocommodate Wtipefwblads. Sewv along Uw mwkd outline with slow and steady strokes. If newsmy, clean up the corners with a chisel.

HANDSAWS

CUTTING CURVES IN THICK STOCK

1 Coping contoured molding Rather than using 45" mitered cor-

ners to fit molding, use a coped cut to make a precise joint. First cut the end of the molding at a 45" angle with a backsaw and miter box (page 39); this will reveal a contour line on the face of the molding that you can follow with a coping saw. To make the coped cut, clamp the molding face-up on a work table, protecting the workpiece with a wood pad. Install a narrow blade on the coping saw, making sure that the teeth are facing the handle. Cut along the contour line carefully with the saw blade held perfectly upright (left), biting into the wood on the upstroke. If the blade binds in the kerf, make occasional release cuts into the end grain of the waste to let small pieces fall away.

2 f i i n g the coped molding in place Position.the coped end against the

face of the matching piece (right); the fit should be perfect. Reshape any slight irregularities with a round file or fine sandpaper wrapped around a dowel. For the baseboard molding shown, fix the pieces to the wall with finishing nails. Set the nail heads below the surface using a nail set, then conceal them by rubbing the indentations with a wax stick.

USING A JAPANESE MMBUIATION SAW

1 Making a crosscut A combination saw such as a ryoba

can both rip and crosscut-ideal if you are performing a task such as cutting a notch. To make the cut, secure your workpiece edge-up in a vise and butt the saw's crosscut teeth against the cutting line. Saw slowly at first, then continue with firmer strokes using the full length of the saw (right). Exert more pressure on the pull stroke and keep the blade upright throughout the operation. Do not allow the rip teeth on the other side of the blade to enter the kerf; their wider set wouldcause the blade to bind. If the cut is deeper than the width of the saw, make an occasional rip cut t& remove the waste piece befare continuing with the crosscut

HANDSAW JOINERY

A v 1

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I (Qch*isr fmm bottom left) a q - miter-adspline, a dish, a k g h

dovetail, a f o u r - s h o w mortise- and-tenon, and a &bet

M my woodworkers instinctively turntopowertoohtocutmost

of their joints. And while it is true that, quipped with the proper jig, a router or a table saw can churn out joints by the dozen with unrivaled dkkncy, handtooJsoffatheirownadvan sometimes tix txt-up time 2~

aprrwea~todkeJscessivc.Pormampk t h e b ~ f o r a s ~ d m m r e a a prsbabb be cut more qutcMy with a b m ~ a n d ~ t h a n a ~ a s d a * i%.

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m t b s r h o - To remove the waste fnrm the tenan

cheek, c h p the workpiece in a mitar b with the shuMer mark aligneel with t t a ~ ~ . C u t a ~ n g t h e s t w i d s l i r * onthefacerrfthestock fr&ht%tumthe w x k p k c e a a m d ~ t h r ~ o n t t w ~ s i d e . rn

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m To complete the tenon, secure the workpiece upright in the vise and

m cut the side8 of the t m n , stopping at the line. Then, with the piece the dse, WBIQ~$ the shoulder line on the edge of the stek to the tenan. Finally, turn tha tward o w in the vim and

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HANDSAWS

CUTTING A THROUGH DOVETAIL

1 Marking tho pins Outline the pins for the joint, as

shown in the diagram below. Mark the outside face of each workpiece with a big XI then set a cutting gauge to the thickness of the stock and scribe a line along the ends of both boards to mark the shoulder of the pins and tails. Next use a dovetail square to outline the pins on the end of one board. Start with half-pins at each edge, making sure that the narrow ends of the pins are on the outside face of the board. Mark the waste sections adjacent to the half-pins, then draw the center of the board end. Outline a pin at the ten-

ter line, then mark the remainder of the pins in between (ri&t), spacing them evenly. Use a combination square to extend the pin marks to the shoulder lines.

2 QdlhrgfiLyJln %cum the pi11 bawd in a visb with its

outsIda facer t d you. Use a M a i l saw to cut dong the uald~~al't$W

(Some d w k m cut the lefthand dm first, then m m on b the: right-hand edges.) For eaeh cut, align tha blah just Po the w e e s i b of

srarmBe~mttrepush~ f-. GenfiEnm swing to tha shwldw line, naakhg swa tM the blade is per- penQiular ta the line.

HANDSAWS

HANDSAWS

CUTTING A MITER-ANDSPUNE JOINT

1 Cutting the grooves Cut bevels at the ends of the boards

to be joined and glue up the corner, then secure the workpiece in a vise as shown. Scribe a line along the outside faces of both boards with a cutting gauge to mark the depth of the splines, which should be slightly less than the thickness of the joint. Use a dozuki saw to cut grooves into the joint for the splines, spacing the cuts about 1 inch apart. (A backsaw will also work well, but its wider kerf means that you will have to cut thicker splines.) Saw smoothly and evenly, allowing the blade to cut on the pull stroke. Continue to the spline depth line, making sure that the blade is perpendicular (left).

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dtb@hsrm9tcmgWrkmga&p. SpPred il little glue insert the splines lo thm rrdr f&hU. me a k w b sma of the I d W w and m l l , making a Mid jcziitt.

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HANDSAWS

CUlll WG DADOES

SAWING RABBETS

and^ Outline the rabbet on the end of the workpiece, then use a backsaw to cut it. Clamp the stock face-up on a work surface, protecting the workpiece with a wood pad. Align the pad with the cuttiq line to guide the saw and make a crosscut for the depth of the rabbet ( a h ) . Keep the saw perpendicular to the board face, taking care to stop when the blade reaches the rabbet width line. You can dso clamp a bpth atop to the blade to control the depth of the cut (&ep a h ) . To complete the rabbet, secure the workpiece end-up in a vim and cut off the waste (rkht).

CHISELS AND BORING TOOLS

T he wood chisel is one of wood- worlang's indqmsable took. This

is no wonder: Although saws, drills, planes, and other tools have been motorid su-fully, no suitable substitute has been found for the simple-

I hard use; the entire tool must be well balanced-easy to hold and easy to guide. When shopping for a chisel, dis- cuss your needs with dealers and other woodworkers. Look for high-quality steel, a well-fitted handle, and a blade

and versatile-wood chisel. &ong that is finely finished top and bottom. enough to withstand the forceful blows Also chedc that the back of the chisel of a mallet and hog out great quantities blade is perfectly tlat, particularly just of waste wood, the ordinary chisel is behind the cutting edge. A flat back is also light and well-- so that sen- essential when you are using the chisel sitive hands can use it to impart the for par& as it provides an even beanng most precise shapes. surface that increases accuracy. An old When the table saw is turned off and chisel may be pitted with rust, but it can

the whine of router and drill ceases, still give adequate service once it has the chisel is put to work squaring cor- been reground. ners, trimming tenons, smoothing Electric motors now power the drills curves, and trueing dovetails. The vari- Mounted in a brace, an auger bit bores and other boring devices in most work- eties of chisels and some of the tech- a hole through a block of hardwood. shops. Nevertheless, most woodwork- niques for using them for a number of Aligning the bit uver thegap between ers still keep a brace, hand drill, and woodworkipg tasks are explained in the workbench and the visepermits push drill handy, for these hand tools the following pages. the hole to be drilled without have unique abilities not readdy dupli-

The results you obtain at the work- marring the bench top. cated by power tools, especially workbench will be strongly influenced by the ing in tight quarters or when precise quality of your chisels and the keenness of their blades. Time control of a hole's depth is required. Some of the tools and invested in learning and using sharpening skills (page 65) will their uses are detailed starting on page 70. help produce superior work. Invest also in good-quality tools. Although new hand tools sometimes c a t as much as their Naturally, strength is one requirement. The steel must also electric counterparts, good used hand to& are more &rd- take and maintain a sharp edge; the handle must withstand able. They deserve a place in every d-quipped tool chest.

A paring chisel shaves away a sliver ofwastefim one side of a dovetail The skew chisels on the workbench are used to trim waste to the shoulder line.

A COLLECTION OF CHISELS

u CHISELS AND BOIUNG TOOLS

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STORING CHISELS

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ANATOMY OF A CHISEL

A chisel blade is attached to its handle in one of two ways. The more

common style featwes a narrow metal tang that is driven into a wooden handle or molded into a plastic one. A different construction features a hol- low socket that holds the handle.

The blade itself may be straight- sided or beveled on its upper face. While reducing the tool's strength, the bevel enables the cutting edge to get into corners and restricted spaces. Because bevel-edged chisels are com-

fortable to use with hand pressure, they rank among the cabinetmaker's favorite hand tools.

Chisels fill into three basic categories depending on the blade type. Firmer chisels are durable tools that can be struck with a mallet. They have heavy bolsters, necks, and cutting edges, along with tough handles s u p p o d by a metal Me. Some models include leather washem, one just below the ferrule and another on the head of the handle, to cushion the impact of mallet blows.

Mortise chisels are like h e r chisels but with thicker blades. The handles usually feature a f d e at both the top and the bottom.

Finally, there are paring chisels, relatively delicate tools with long, thin, beveled blades, and fine wooden handles not meant to be struck with mallets.

Woods like ebony, rosewood, and hickory were once used for chisel handles, but have been replaced mostly by beech and boxwood.

BASIC CHISELING .

A lthough the chisel, like other hand tools, is a relatively safe

instrument, its sharp edge can inflict serious injury--or destroy a workpiece-unless its user adopts a few simple techniques. Ahvays maintain a balanced, stable pasture when cutting; that way, a slip will not lead to an uncontrolled cut. Ahvays damp pour workpiece, and keep both hands behind the cutting edge.

When paring thin slivers of wood, use both hands: one on the tool handle to exert pressure and the other on the blade to guide the cut. As shown in the photo at right, butting your blade-hand against the edge of the workpiece enables you to push with as much force as necessary without exposing the hand to the cutting edge of the blade.

When you strike a chisel with a mallet, hold both tools firmly, taking care to grip the chisel down from the end of the handle. In general, use a mallet with a chisel to cut away large amounts of waste wood; paring is usually sufficient for trimming or cleaning up saw cuts.

Asthefollavingpagesill~the angle at which you hold a chisel deter- mines the kind of cut you wil l make. For aggressive removal of waste, hold the blade perpendicular to the rmrface. Paring, on the other hand, works best with the blade parallel to the surface; try to shear away waste in thin shav- in rather than with one mighty cut. k * y m d = = h W a a r e with the grain of the wood. Working @stthepincanmriLeitdif&ult to cut in a straight line; the blade will t e n d t o d i v e i n t o t h e m o d , ~ i n split wood fibcrs and mugh edges.

Chisels are usually used with the A few safety reminders Use only beveled farje up. However, certain oper- sharp chisels. A tool with a well-honed ations may produce better d t s with blade can slice through wood with ease; thebladebevel-down.Insomecases, adullblacleforcesyoutoexerttoomuch working with the bevel down will pre- premm+a recipe for error and injury. vent the cutting edge h m dqjging into Always work with .the blade cutting the wood. awlyfromy0~

The mnk-&paring chisel if the ided rool&r wttbgthe b d t m tfa dado ko aunt~~ThetooPsqffjethandleaUowsthebiLuien~mirejJat&~t ~ ~ w ~ ~ ~ ~ l ~ , a f t h e c u t e x c e s d s t h e ~ c l J f d r e ~

CUE off flrig8m and wi' a IWg machine oil on %heir inside ~urFace6 tO keep t R" e chiti$l blade fPom ruqting. Slipa flrrger m r tach blade arid eecurc: the .leather ~ih~sthe in place with an elastic band.

CHISELS AND BORING TCK3U

2 Final Ilarfl With the m r k p b still in the vim,

s h m r ~ t h 8 ~ n ~ W s l S f e w j t h . t h e i i chisel or r paring chissl. Presg thk?~sCdeafthebhdeaepinstthebot- tQfnobthenotch,Wngthedbl him- dle with your right hand and the b l a h betwen the thumb and fingers of yaur lefthand. R~theMexfihlgerofyourleft

' hand against the grid of the workpiwe to pretect the hand from the tip o# the biarde. Pmh the ohisel toward the saw kerf (rQ-hU, shaving away the last slWs ofwmtetatheeuttjngline. IfthebEadc @ ~ h ~ ~ t h e ~ o a d f k ~ , ~ t k e & - t iq dgf~ tbnruph the vvroscl by maring ~ h m $ l s f m m s i d e B o s W i e ~ L e ~ iw - -

1 Removing the waste Secure the workpiece edge-up in a

rise and saw a kerf into the edge of the itock to define the q d of the notch. Stop he kerf at the cuttitig line on the face of the board; the kerf will sever the wood fiben at the end of the notch, making it possible to shear away the waste with a chisel without splintering the wood. Using a firmer chisel about as wide as the thickness of the workpiece, butt the tip of the blade against the end of the h r d about '/e inch below the top edge. Hold the blade bevel-up and parallel to the edge of the workpiece and strike the handle firrn- ly with a wooden mallet (left), cutting off a thin layer of waste to the saw kerf. Continue slicing away the waste in this fashion until you are about ?h inch above the cutting line on the board face.

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* CHISELS AND BORING TOOLS

-parSr ToshavaamywastGfmawwthlsur- face, w h as the shmJdms 6f a t m n , clamp the w;orkpkte to a I@ strrfaw, Hoidi~thekMede c h i with yew fL&hf hand* the thumb of yaw IMthgnd to but4 theltiatddeofthe blade ~ i a s t the term shouldax, Rest t h e f i ~ c r f ~ ~ ~ # ~ ~ n ~ t ~ o f the h d . Leaning ow the -piece and ksepiq paolr arm b W in pmih,, slice avmywn d h o f w a @ e a t r the (MI, exerting gnessure b# W w ywr u p ( w r . ~ ~ t h m ~ a ~ m k i a ~ Once you reach the $ding line, turn the warkpW over and repeat on the ofther;sidedthstanan.

Keep ywr chisrelo organized and in . full view in a shop-made wall rack.

Build t&e rack f m three strips: the back piece should .be longer than the others $a its ends can be screwed to the wall; make the mjddle piece I twice as wide as the outside pieces. I Cut slats for your drivels elmg the

edges of the middle piece. The slats should be abut V2 inch deep and slightly wi&r than your ch id blades. Glue the three piece together and mount the rack on a wall as you would a screwdriver rack (page 121).


- CHISELS AND BORING TOOLS

CUTTING A DOOR HINGE MORTBE

CHISELS A N D BORING TOOLS

TRIMMING IN RESTRICTED SPACES

m w r - Uwa~cMaeltDMrnaswfaceinsr ti&spat#atasb&rdchis;elisunable tanrach,suchastheinsidecomerofa drawer, Wure tks &mar in a vise and hald the chisel in the d r a w berm1 up, caresing! the b M e flat and guiding it with yaur kft had . Push ttre chisel t d the casm lightly to trim the surFactb ~&?wI*

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SHARPENING A CHISEL

1 ---@@ Sharpening a chisel black involves

two steps: honing a m m l i w y bevel on the fonvard edge of @ existing bevel- called a mhbeueCChen removing the resulting bun: To form the microhevel, lay a combinarim stone mam side up and nail cleats to the work surface to kmp tkestone from moving. Saturate the stone with the appropriate lubrkant--either water or a light oil--until it pools on the surface. Start by halding the bt- with the existing bevel flat & the &me; then rake it about 5' and slide the cutting edge on the stone with long, elliptical passes (left). Apply moderate pressure until a microbevel forms (inset). Turn the stone obnrtomkeafew passson the fineside.

To remove the burr that f m .on the flat side of the blade+ prw%ss wood- wrkm call 'lapping' the b u ~ ~ e the stme once again. bloldiw the c h i d blade flat on the fine side of the stme, bgviel side up, m it in a cimula# pattern (r@f) until the flat sidar of tb cutting edge is smooth & the touch. A few strokes stveuld suffice.

CHISEL JOINERY

A lthough modern machinery may have relegated the chisel to a back-

up role in many joint-making operations, this particular hand tool remains indispensable for cutting the finishing touches on joints. Two everyday exam- ples are cleaning out the comers of a router-cut blind dado and shaving away the last slivers of waste from dovetails cut by a saw.

A chisel is also a good choice for chopping out mortises, particularly when only a few joints are involved. For small jobs, the speed of power tools is usually offset by setup time. It is faster .to hand-cut the mortises for one table, for example, than to set up a mortising attachment on a drill press.

There is no single correct sequence in chiseling a mortise. Some wood-

HAND-CUTllNG A MORTISE

1 Chopping the mortise Clamp your stock to a work surface.

Then, starting about I/. inch inside the cutting line at one end of the outline, hold a mortise chisel vertically and strike it with a wooden mallet, making a cut that is about 1/4 inch deep. Use a chisel the same width as the mortise and be sure that the beveled face of the blade is facing the waste. Then make another cut l/4 inch from the first (right) and lever out the waste (step 2).

workers prefer to start their cuts in the middle of the mortise outline and work toward the ends. You can just as easily start at one end and proceed to the other, as shown below.

One requireme@ that does not vary, however, is using the correct tool for each stage of the operation. A mortise chisel will cut a cavity with cleaner edges than either a hmr or ordinary bevel- edged chisel, and a swan-neck chisel sim- plifies dean-up of the cavity. A comer chiselisusefulforsquaringmortisecor- ners cut by a router.

The dado is another joint that can be chiseled ekthdy. The technique shown on page 684mhq off the waste wood

With its 90" angled cutting edge, in a series of thin layers-may seem rel- a comer chisel squares the comers atively time-consuming, but the result-

ofa mortise cut by a router. ing channel will be square and clean.

I CHISELS AND BONN(

2 Levering out tho waste With the blade wedged in the cut, tilt

the handle down toward the uncut portion of the outline. The tip of the blade will dig in under the waste wood and sever it from the bottom of the mortise. Continue making a cut every l/4 inch as in step 1 and levering out the waste (right). When you are '/8 inch from the other end of the outline, turn the chisel around so the bevel faces in the opposite direction. Make a cut and lever out the waste. Repeat the process until you reach the desired depth of the mortise.

3 S M o l m i R g . * - a d ~ the ends of the mortise

Use a lock mortise chisedelw called a swan-neck chisel-the s m width as the mortise to smooth the bottom d the cavity. Holding the rounded back face of the blade w ins t one end of the mortise, push the chisel toward the other end ( l a . The tip of the black will =ape along the

I. . bottom of the Wise, shaving df waste and leaving the surface smooth and even. For a long martise, repeat from the other end. Trim the ends of the cavity with the same mortising chisel used to chop out the mortise. With a mortise chisel held . vertically, pare away the %-inch-wide waste sections at e i t b end d the mortise. This time, align the chisel blade with the cut;tirrg marks at the ends of the outline and pare Q the line.

- CHISELS AWD BORING TOOLS a m

CHISELING A DADO I,

a thin layer of waste IrigM, stopping about halfway along the d&. Continue until you reach the the baftbm of the dado, making the final oass with the chisel blade flat - - - . . . - - - - . - - - .

against the bottom. Turn the w r k p i m wound and repeat fw the other half. 1

hnavkkanrdcut the edges of the dado ta tlla deired d e @ h m i t h a b d a w , ~ w s i n g r b v - d4ged chitel M y tmmw than the dado, mmwo the wastrj Mith o series of shallwv cuts that ~ M B an inverted V at ther bQttm of tlle F ~ . ~ t h e ~ s a t h a t o n e . s i Q ~ ~ i n s t o n e o f the saw cuts md shwe Qff thin layers af wash stopping habay ahtq the &an- nel. Angling the aub, mtintm shavina m y the waste in th& fashion until the lower edge of the blade reaches the bt- t o m d ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ m t h e OW Jds oftha e h r d (lW, then turn the workpiem wwnb and repeat to clear the!was$frnthe*Wf

I FIM-TUNING A DOVETAIL JOINT

A BATTERY OF TOOLS FOR BORING

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- CHIBU AND BOrnGTOOU

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RANGE OF BRACE AND D

Countemink Mt Used with hand kace

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TWf& d M An all-purpoee drill W h a stmight shank - ='/B- to g/,-inc), blade width tha t only fits in threejaw drjll chuck@; bores h o b from Y i to 'dz inch in d iammr w-wt w b&

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BORING TOOLS

B dore the electric drill and th dsill pas, craftsmen used braces d

hand drills to bore holes in wmd. Like their electric counterparts, t h e traditional hand tools accept a variety of bits to drill holes of different type and diameter.

Bits for braces and hand drills are not interchangeable. As shown on the previous page, brace bits featwe

i square, tapered tangs that mate with the two-jaw chuck of a brace. The three-jaw chuck of a hand drill accepts only straight-shaft bits. Hand drills frequently come with a set of driU points, which are stored in the handle. Push drills, a type of hand drill used to bore very small holes, can only use notched drill points held in the chuck bv a bd-bearing mechanism. ' '5 bore a fuii ranee of holes vou

J - neGb~thtypesoft&ls.~sir~liOf thumb, drill holes up to Y.4 inch in

Fitted with a countersink bit, a diameter with either a push drill and had brill widens the mouth of a drill point, or a hand drill fitted with

pilot hole to allow the screw ?md a twist bit, drill point, or brad-point to be &push with bte wjkz bit. The hand drill can be fitted with

MAKING STARTING HOLES

w a d - Mold the workp'm s&& on a flat &r- face md Sgt the tip of a gimlet on ,the m k e d poht for the M e . &mi the gim- M into the woed and rotate it to b e a mll H i n g Imt). Bs sum to kwp the -1 vertical ti~roPlghaut the oparation. To bwer your hole, d Wn tip of a drill ar brace bit in thh stwting hde.

bits up to Ih inch in diameter. For larger holes, from Y2 to 3 i d e s in diameter, use a brace fitted with an auger bit, expansive bit, or a center bit Auger bits are your best choice for boring deep - holes as they are e;yy to keep centered. The solid-center bit is the stronger of the twu auger style and is the preferred type for longer bits. Brace bits fre- rn quently have lead sr~ews, which makes them self-starting. If you are wing a bit with no lead screw, bore a small starting hole with a gimlet or a scrm starter to keep the bit from slipping.

You can use either a hand drill or brace to bore holes for saws, depending on the gauge of the screw. A common sequence is to start with a counterbore hole dried with a bra ' point bit, then continue with a han, driU and drill point to bore clearance holes. The pilot hole is bored next, and a brace and screwdriver bit can then be I used to drive the screw. Countersink holes can be drilled using a brace or I hand driU fitted with a countersink bit, or with a hand co II


BORLWG H W WITH A BRACE AND BIT

I SHOP TIP 1

piece &en resultti in splinaring on the opposite face. One solution is t o atop boring just as the tip of the bit's lead screw emerges. Then turn the workpicce over, setsthe bit in the small o cning pierced by Zht;he lead screw and 4 nish hritling %6e hole. A back-up bfock clamped %o the tp.dtom of the p id~e WHI 29160 reduce the chanoe of aplintcring.

CHIS@ AND BORING TOOIS

-- -

f r) Boring the hole / Clamp the work to the bench on a piece of scrap wood. With the head cupped securely in one hand, grip the handle of the brace firmly and set the tip of the bit on the mark of the hole to be bored, or into the starting hole. Crank the handle clockwise to bore the hole, applying downward pressure on the head of the brace (above). For greater power, set the brace head against your forehead or chest, and bear down on the workpiece. To ensure that the brace is vertical when you bore, you may set a try square beside the bit when you work and Ltaeg, # e ~ 4 0 a l s ~ e L


BORING WIDE HOLES

1 Selting up an expansive bit To adjust the bit to bore a hole of

the appropriate diameter, loosen the setscrew on the back of the bit and turn the dial on the front until the correct increment on the cutter's ruler lines up with the gauge line. To check the adjustment, use a ruler; the distance between the spur on the cutter and the center of the bit's lead screw will equal the radius of the hole (right). Tighten the setscrew and recheck the adjustment.

* CHISELS AND BORING TOOLS

HOLES FOR SCREWS AND PLUGS rn

DRIVING SCREWS

1 WngacbanwRdo 2 ~ a ~ b d r Clamp the workpiece to a work surface, setting a support Once all the clegrzmce holes haws been drilled, bore ttte .I rn

board under it to prevent splintering. Fit a hand drill with a Rut- countersinks. Holding a hanrJ oounmink firmly* set the tip in ed bit slightly smal ter than the screw shank. Press down on the a clewanca hok (abmJ and M it b M e n the mouth of the m drill's top handle with your thumb and turn the crank handle to hole. The countmink rn h s c i w bore the hole (above), This depth should equal the length of head and its depth 8hw heiad; test ' ~ m the screw collar. Be wre to keep the drill perfectly square to for fit with the senwv bad. the workpiece throughout the operation. +m

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3 Drilling a pilot hole Remove the clamps, put the support board aside, align the

workpiems to be fastened together and clamp them. (ln the 4 DrivingIhescrew illustration, a drawer front is being attached to a false front.) Fit Setthesaewintheholebyhand,~W& a push drill with a fluted bit of a diameter slightly smaller than er bit in the h @ g ~ Fit the bit inSR th smw the screw threads and bore th tob#r,abk,cwalc of the threads tab^,;

SMOOTHING AND . . SHAPING TOOLS

" \

I t is hard to imagine building work, you will need three of the basic even the simplest piece of fur- bench planes illustrated on page 82: a

niture without using such tools as smoothing plane for surfacing faces hand planes, scrapers, files, and and edges, a jokting plane for straight- rasps. In fact, most woodwork- ening out long& boards, and a block ers-even those with a full com- plane for smoothing end grain. b bat- plement of power tools-rely on tery of specially designed planes will these smoothing tools at different make more advanced work possible stages of their projects, from the from beveling panel edges to cutting coarse removal of stock to final dadoes aqd grooves. The combination shaping of decorative details. plane (pke 981, a forerunner of the

The range of these tools is as , electric-powered router, comes with a varied as the tasks they are called ' wide range of interchangeable cutters upon to perform. Surface-forming that enable it to shape nbl* or cut tools, such as files and rasps, give A shooting board holds the mitered end tongues and matching grooves. initial shape to rough blanks. An of a piece of molding square to the sole ofa Bench planes are available in two inshave is unsurpassed for hol- block plane. Such shop-made jigs extend configurations, $t~tcbbdied planes are lowing out the surface of a panel- the versatility of hand planes, letting them the modern standard: solid, accurate, a chair seat, for example. A spoke- smooth end grain with little risk of tearout. and comfortable to use. Wooden planes shave can help transform a block ' are still p r k d by many woodworkers. of hardwood into an elegant item such as a cabriole leg. Although they are built of an agrtkld material? today's wood- A drawknife will debark a log or shape a chair leg. For fine en planes have a modem blade adjustment Wat rnakesthqn work, there is an equally impressive array of shaping tools, every bit as accurate and easy to use as their,,steel cQpter- including rifflers, needle rasps, and needle files, to add the parts-while imparting a measure of c w comfoft that finishing touches to a contoured surface, like the foot of a their users claim is unattainable with ; ~ l p other tool. With Queen Anne leg. A hand scraper is invaluable for smooth- a good plane blade and cap iron along $&a.blo& of hard- ing or for clearing away dried adhesive after glue-up. wood, you can build your own p l d in w o p age 941,

Planes are most often used to joint faces and edges pri- c~eating a tool that w q smooth as fhi$gond acagately as or to glue-up or to prepare surfaces for a finish. For most any store-bought mod61 Vv

ANATOMIES OF TWO BENCH PLANES m

rn&-BODtED SMOQTIIMLB M E Smooths faces a d edge6

w'm- 5 w u m kkde to cliep i m

t;o pmpaw wad ~urFace6; a d adJu5te gap kwmw~ %he H a f w a r w p i n p k e typblly 9 1/2 Inches long Made's cucffng gadp md Ms

%w end of the Iron; €w ataid b U ckattcr, set gap 0% Vim imh

LaHwaf*.ka&h C e m m & M e Irr much of

5- th8 cutting depth of the blade; a - Ysz inch dapUl I5 ideal for most operations

r \

birds r - Also known ae plane Iron: m I

in@$alld be~el down on frog. I

Far bad tw@uIte, It should k r @ pr&rlrude from mouth

rn m

foak bwkftmw or n t m w h g mouth sp""Im; sBi~)(1I$ be

/-" * / - ~ W O & @ that *)36 15 kiamn 'h a d Imeh M o m m

I. SMOOTHING AND SHAPiNG TOOLS

ral &just- , Jn place

Wtic3nal woodm planes i kmpa te a simple b u t ~ m y o f ~ t r g t h e B W ~ d q t h ~ f cut T o i t t c l . e w s e t h e ~ q f a r t ~ q p t h e w p d a * . * a n s n r M s k , ~ ~ - T ~ g ~ e ~ t n J t r m m ~ o p o f f l D & p k W i u k-*~#alarr

Cutting depth ~ u s t r n s n t b c m

Intarlock6 wfth cap iron to hold blade, cap iron. and lafar-

I Locking aanr Holds blade assem- b!v in place and applie's tension

m \

50's Mouth'

PLANES

A plane must be sharp and properly adjusted to shear off shavings of

wood-often as thin as paper-with no tearout. Before using a new plane you will have to sharpen the blade and adjust the tool for top performance. The procedure involves two steps: creating a bevel on the blade's cutting edge and honing another bevel on part of the first one, called a microbevel; then removing, or "lapping," the burr that results from the honing process.

If the cutting edge is damaged in any way, or if you are trying to restore an old blade, you first need to square its end. As shown in the photo at right, a grinder is the best tool to use for this purpose.

Whether you work with steel-bodied or wooden planes, setting them up requires very little in the way of special-

HONING A PLANE BLADE

kedequipment, H ~ c a n b e ~ m - p l i s h a i d a c o ~ i n a t i o n ~ stom and a c o d honing guide, Adjusting a @me's deptfi of cut mquim onlyasmd&ex.Tbesdeofawood- en plane becomes ~faturally slick with use; hmnrbbingalirdepatewax on the bottom of a plane will reduce friction.

Hone your b l a b frequently to maintainahdgedehvolyasretrad them into the plane &er u9e. Store the plane upllght to prmat sole from being harmed by other took

A nicked or out+-squane plane Made c a n b e s a h w g e d b y ~ i t s d o n a @ d e r . T l t e p * ~ ~ t f r e W perpmdidar to thegdd3ng whed

1 ~ r ~ @ m l bsdaea-

top;Faceuphacmm&al3l0crlnemide set fora3ff h l . Wwtefhe stme w M mi oWaapriatEc l u M 4 i l h ~ o r a l i g k S ~ i ~ TBpadsonWe wrka npapl, ~tddhg the hmbg guide, s l i d h t h a b k k w d ' ~ m ~ g n d to md ahgtiwstmiMf.&giJiq the b a I ~ ' l a lPans*

2 m m - To miwe t b burr- thin ridge

of m W Sht forms 6n the Rat face d the Made as a result of honing the rnicrakvd-+move the blade from the honing guide and saturate the fine side of the stone once again. lidding t;t.Ee h W perfectly flat on the %tone, ~ g i i d e u p ~ , m n # w e i t a d r - wlar ptbm on the stone until the fiU sidedthecuttingdgeEssmwth.fss;t the sharpness of the cutting edge on a piece of paper; a sharp blade will slice a sliver from the paper's edge.

A shop-made hmingJg If you do not own a commm;lal Mfy guide, you ~ s r n still get; good resultti sharpening plane blade6 uelna -

this simple jig, Slip a +inch-lmg, S/6-inch-QLawter carriage bolt through the blade'ti slut. Fasten wi%h waehers and wing nuts on both sides af the blade. With the blade on the darpening emne and the head of the bolt on your work surface, use a pro%ractor and a slidlng bevel - to adjust the wiry nuts 650 that che blade can be slid along the sWnc a t the proper angle.

'SMOOTHING AND SHAPING mOU

ADJUSTING A PLANE

1 Podtiening the blade assembly Position the cap iron on the top face of the blade with the between l& and Y16 M. If tfte gap bfBD wkh w ~ ~ ~ ; o l ~ i u r ,

cutting edge of the blade extending about %6 inch beyond the remove the blade assembly and loman both hqj end of the cap iron. Tighten the cap iron screw (above, left). about l/i turn. Then adjust the frog adjustment sm.w to Set Then place the blade assembly--including the blade, cap iron the proper gap (above, right). Tighten the setscrews and and l e w c a p j n position on the frog. The gap between the reposition the blade assembly on the frog, locking it In front edge of the blade and the front of the mouth should be place with the cap lock.

BASIC TECHNIQUES

H and planing procedures are the same regardless of what type or

size of bench plane you use. Guide the tool along the surface by pushing it away from you with smooth, even strokes. (If you are using a Japanese plane, remember that it cuts on the pull, rather than the push, stroke.) Align your shoulder and hip with the plane, and grip the tool with both hands. Cup one hand around the front knob and keep the other at the back--either around the handle or the body.

Apply firm, constant pressure with every stroke. To keep the sole of the plane Bao, exert more downward pressure on the front of the tool at the beginning of the stroke and shift the pressure to the rear as you approach the end. Your stock should always be clamped to a work surface.

PIANIN6 WITH THE WOOD GRAIN C h d n g tlw dimtian to plane Determine the grain slope by inspecting the surface adjoining the one you are planing. The diagram at right shows several typical grain patterns with arrows indicat- ing the best direction to plane. The direction may be constant from one end of a board to the other (A). Or it may change, requiring that you plane the surface from each end toward the middle (B) or from the middle toward each end (C). If the grain does not slope at all, you can plane the surface in a single pass from either end (Dl. With irregular grain, guiding the plane at a slight angle to the direction of trav- el will help reduce the tearout by shear- ing the wood+rather than tearing it. If you must plane against the grain, set the depth of cut to remove the thinnest possible shaving.

Its blade adjusted to slice oflthe thinnest of shavings, a wooden smoothingphne evens out the surfae ofa workpieca.

It is important that you cut with the your hand is moving with the grain and grain of the wood. You can usually deter- rougher when running against it. mine the grain direction by running Another method is to make a test cut: your hand along the board face or edge: The blade will chatter or catch on the The surface will feel smoother when wood when it is cuttinn & the grain.

SMOOTHING AND SHAPING 'I'QQU

PUNIN6 A FACE

7 - <

Secure your stock face up im a mmk surface. Once you haw aridoscl %he planewiththqwoodgrrrjn,w$Wsde on the bowd with the Mde just clerw of one end. To rgmovs stock quickly, plane with smooth, even strokes, angling the tool slightly to the grain (above, to@. To smooth the su'rface, keep the plane parallel to the grain using a series of straight passes that slightly werlap. Examine the shavings as you work and adjust the cut- tingdean;rify~1Wafiicut. Keep planing until the surface is s m t h

;,, ,;<,,.,-,;r - . .~~,q-J;~ . . 5?..:-.b:1, SMOOTHING AND SHAPING TOOIS

,,,. ,.?; .- .. . .. L , ,#,,yIk*29,.! r :. I... 8

! . L . - .. ,r . L . .hr.,..--+. :

Planing edg - -

Secure the workpiece edge up in a vise. Guide a jack plane along the edge from one end of the board to the other, keeping the sole straight and flat on the surface (above, top). To help steady the plane, you can press down on the toe withtbttDwibodywr~handsnd

SMOOTHING AND SHAPING TOOLS

To the alga of a - G workpiece, we a josnting plane. Its saw to keep the board long sde. makes it less likely than a jack plane to fdlow the plane along the csdgw3 WnxiwX @king mg?XD.b w n ~ t h a t y ~ ~ H m n f b ~ . S e c u r e t h e w w k p i e c e w i t h untilyoureachtbgehge&,Wasmpeassasr#neces- the~facirrgup;c~poneendtothewwirtrenchifneces- s o l t y u n t i l t h s p l a r i b ~ d f m ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ a n r l ,

'SMOOTHING AND SHAPING T O U

smooth the mh of a warkpii. There we tool a h g the surface until the blsde ia abtwthrs- mcm t h m ways to do the job without causing tearout at the end of the end ~ . S MI, then mgmt ~~~ each cut. Two am shown abow, a third methud is skrmn below. edge. For the sscond mdhd, ad W t b g h e a t Start by securing the wwkpiece end-up in a wise. For t t ~ first an angle to fhR%n the cam^ f&m, tif#?tlb Thektmake s pas metttod, vvol4c tward the center, beginning at one edge of the alone the entia amd, &@nnirlg sWke d f.h@Ww m. board with the plane held at an angle to the sides. Guide the

~ l l g l ~ ~ k A third mathod of mmthing end grain erlh you ttmake each pass with r sin- gkstmb. Securelhewartcpleceendup with mplsart bkxb clamped to bath edges as shown. The blocks should be the same thic- as the workpiece; the m at the end of the pas should be lavel with the e d t~ be planed. Guide the p h o h g thcwrfawfromoneedgetothe~, hddingthe tool atadSghtangbtothe ?wB of the bard f@O.

rn SMOOTHING AND SHAPING TOOLS

- - . I

rn

m SmB@,Wtwptothe baswith the

md aws* rligmd. Then & fh8 lip b b making; m sure tkqt the lip lkas up with the edge dw lase, Fasten the right- langkd $@@ tam to the top flush w&the&hea~'dthej@. Center m w mitered $top IJ&I& on the tq .

70 we eimg 1% hook the tip over 'the* ~ f c r ~ ~ Set your mdtpim 4x1 the tap, butting ttre ai@ &@Inst tbe sbeg id&k so that

rn i t ~ w q ~ . ( 8 e l s r e s d t h e t e p bpabmt I h r , ~ . W ~ 2 1 S k ~ l i ~ ShmIq hmK4, Wlle!wwkp' HBC& cm $iepxit@&~nst elher side of

m ~ , & i @ Q ~ , ~ O ~ under

* S M O Q m G AND SWIE6G TOOLS

--

I

SALVAGIMG A BOWED BOARD

MhgaOorrsdbw8flat Salvage a bowed board in two Steps using a jack plane. Fit, secure the warkpka with its m- cave face up and shave away the high spots near the ench of the board (inset, top). Guide the. plane at a 45" angle to the grain, alternating the direction of your strokes by 90a, as shown by the red arrom fabow, icp). Once the surface is flat, twm the workpiece over and rapeaf the process (above, bottomI. This time, you will be removing a single high spot En the middk d the board (inset, bobom).


TROUBLESHOOTIN6 PLANING PROBLEM!,

4

-SMOOTHING AND SHAPING TOOLS rn

might fwl. ntk Iht is stmig%t- omawdt r hw- block, a @mi )lane blade and cap iron, an$ kngtb rn

T h e ~ n t i n g p l m ~ @ r i g M w a s rp* urisng thrr 'sandwich' method. ~tirj$ a sate was glued on the bottom, m*-wereMmm- of tMe hardwoad blank destitmd to I bcmethepknebady,TheRlsrtise for the btede and cap imn was sawn out next. Finally, the cheelss wpke @wd

, back on to the body, and the btade o n d w p i r o n ~ p u t i n p ~ h s k l MtbyawoadenwMge.

StsrC by cutting the Mank for the body to size. Ottwm e dense, c W

rn 3 ; -8%-'3q-2d\,; ' q y V ~ . ~ $ L ~ ~ ~ ~ ; ~ l 2, 4 SMOOTHING AND SHAPING TQOLS ' p:,*.ik+: 9 &4. , - >- .. , .- 8 r

or ligwm vitae for the sore, cutting it slightly longer end wider than the blank and at least % inch thick. Attach the sole so that the uphill direction of the grain runs from the heel to the toe. Once the glue is dry, trim the excess wood from the sole and squm the blank. Next, mark out the blade mortise as

shown on page 94 (bottom). Mark a tine across the sob far the mouth uf the plane, placing it about one-third of the way from the toe. Then, from one end of this line, draw a line across one side of the blank at a 45" angle to the sole toward the heel. Then start another lirw fnxn the sane point, curving it gew tly toward the toe to fonn a clearance angle fotP the mortise. Transfer these line% across the top of the blank to the other side. Next, extend the mouth line up the sides 13/. inches. Then measure horizontally 3/4 inch back towud the heel and mark the center of the wedge pin. Finally, mark a location point for a referme dowel inside each corner of the blank. The marks should be ctase enough to the ends so that they can be cut off when the

plane is trimmed to its finished size. Place the blank on its side on a drill

press table, clamping- a support board underneath to prevent splintering when the bit exits the blank. Bore 112-inch- diameter hdes at the corner marks (page 94, bottom) and a %-inchdim- eter hole at the wedge pin location mark. Next, install a Yr-inckwide resaw blade on the band saw and set up the rip fence on the table for a %-inch- wide cut. Feed the blank into the blade with both hands to cut off one cheek, keeping the side flush against the

fence and.Ute sole flat ~PY-the table fabow). Repeat to cut Sikfieek from the &MY side of W.blslrnk, than s& ,

.the cheeks W e . Plane the sm rPf the bla& until it

is no marethan 'As inehwjderthanthe plane W. Redraw the lines tor ah'Q Made mortise m th sides gf tlse then insW a %-hA~-wide biada,!~ the b& SW. Align the M e Vdfh Q W , ~ thelinwttbetopofthebWfhm f e e d t h e M g n k a n i $ s k i n t Q ~ W wing your right hand, v$ib@dins,& with your left hand (h&. Cutt as ofma as pcsibteto ihe point whm thg W r n a r k e d l i n e s ~ i w t d o n o t ~ e o m plebefy through the sole. Repbat to cut along the othw l i ~ . Rimtam the waste pi- and set it aside; later, yA will fashion the piece into the Glsde-- separate the Blank into Wpbcm by hand and l i t l y smd the suck%$ d the blade ma%&:

To prepare the pieces far reassan- bly, test fit t b q im and b lah sn the heel piece of 'the b W ansf mark

' cut a grwa for the xrew (page *, t ~ p l ~ stopping it 9 imkm abw? the


f@K&h Of PIW~B. $ 1 ~ the ~healrs tg& auto the blank, inserting I@ngW td %-imh.di-dowel frrtrB t5 tcvafmmxMin~sic jeaof the ch&b to help rlim Wls p%ms

6 ! & ~ , Clamp the mernL&y tq#her securely, Once the giua is dry, mmw olarnpd and cut df the doweled en& of * W k . -

I 8 point, the tuma tha mb against the b W and cap iron be flat, snd the t ~ e b u l d k wumdmd. Fw

pin, cut r 3h-in~h dim1 to length as the width af; the

plane body. Fit# a ft& wMa! on wre -tQarrwn-

Use the jointet to fine-tune the mu* openin0 of your p~ma SM up 7 tme machine frJl a *-inch depth of cut and nrW ~ n r a pasis. Then instdl the blade, sup i r ~ n , wedge, and wedge pin in the body and tmwdre the dhtmc~ fiDm the cutting Qdge to

L

w *Jqm .-- %' ;?+i*lyy+pJ&y':. .

< * A, .4.--:b%T.t.T -I L L 5 L " " . - ,.. .A ADVANCED TECHNIQUES

A lthough bench planes can handle a wide variety of smoothing tasks,

there is an array of specialtg planes 4- able to the woodworker who is faced with more delicate operations, smoothing and trimming wood in out-of- the-way places. From the diminutive bullnose rabbet plane to the b e combination plane with its host of interchangeable c u m , each speaalty plane is designed to reach a tricky place or plane a diflicult std ice .

Many of these tools were developed epxdly h r joinery. The rabbet, shod- der, router and bullnose rabbet planes all featurrprecjse blade adjwhwmts that allow you to fine-tune tenons, hinge =-ti=, dadoes, and gmm+dka that are hwhblytoo rest&ed for even

versatile combination plane, you can shape a piece of molding or cut a tongue-and-groove joint, d e p d b g on the cutter you install in the tooL A cirde plane will smooth the edges of a d piece as its rounded sole follows the contours of the wood, keeping the blade from taking off too much wood from any point mund the circumf-.

- Although all these planes can be adjusted to a wide range of cutting depths, you rarely should shave more thsln~hzt01J16hchwitheach~of these tools. To ensure precise results, ahqsdampyourstocktoaveorksurdace ~ b e f o r e p ~ $ ~ t o pmtectthesurEacesofthewo~~ wood pads where necessary.

Aspedtyphinftdjon:A router ptane tn'm the bwapm oft# hjll* w ~ i n a a z b j n e t ~ ~

UNING

Use a shoulder plane to trim a short tenon, Secure the workpiace ka wise with the tenon extending beyond the work surface. Adjust the cuttiq depth to no monr than 4h inch, then hold the side of the p h e flush ag;a1nst the shmCder and guide the sole along the cheek (istp). Check the fit "-quently, making as many light passes - n- b trim the surface to the coned depth. To Mm the tenon shwlder, place the plane on its si6 and cut along the shoulder while holding the side of the tool flat on the cheek. Turn the workpiece over and repest the procsJs on the o p p site cheek and shoulder. To trim the adpb ingsidadttre~,secumthevrakpiece edgbup in the vise. For tenons, in WhiChtheWoftheterwwncheak~ the width of the shwlder p h ' s soh, use a bench rabbet plan&

R

SMOOTHING AND S W I N G TOOLc

B

The combination plane is a mat&, w - W p r e n r w o f t h k - . Its range ofinm-le cutters ean- tongues, grooves, dadoes, flutes, reeds, ovolos, a d W i n g s . An adjustable ed& guide ensures straight cuts while a depth stop allows the tool to trim to precise depths. The model showrt at right, the Stanley 45 Multiplane, is an original ~ W h ~ r ; e d ~ h ~

C ~ w t h 8 ~ m ~ ~ w o Use a multiplane, or cambination plane, to cut a tongue and matching qroove. Begin with the m; Seeurqone wrkpi i edge up and install a tongue cutter in the plane. Adjust the edge guide to center the cutter on the workpiwe and set the depth stop to the desired depth of the tongue. Start near the far end of the workpiece and make a shallow a, beping the gdse guide flush against the stock. B@n the second pass a littie c law b you, and continue working your way to ttre near end until you have cut a shallow tangpre along the full length of the edga. Now make full-lmg& passes along the sur face~munt i l ywnaach~~depth . T o ~ ~ g r c ~ w e , ~ h m r t i n g w o r k - piece and ixlstall a $mwe cutter of the same wid4haathePonguecutbrinthephme. Set the depth stop to cut the grows slightly deeper than the tongue, then cut the gmve with


Using a rsabea a d 8 l W pknr, Secure your workpiece to a work surface, protecting the stock with wood pads. Adjust the plane's edge guide for the desilPed width of the rabbet and set the depth stop located behind the fence for the depth. Cut the rabbet as you would a tongue or groove with the combination plane: Start with short strokes near the far end of the workpiece and gradually work your way to the near end until you have plowed a shallow rabbet. Then make a series of passes along the entire length of the swface (right) until the depth stop prevents the Made from cutting further. If you need to plane both across and with the grain, work across the grain first, clamping a support block to the workpiece when planing across the grain to prevent tearout (pa@ 901.

TRIMMIW6 A STOPPED RABBET

CUTTING A DADO Making the cut Cut a dado using a router plane. Clamp the workpiece face-up, then mark two sets of cutting lines: one on the face for the width of the dado and another on the edge for the dado depth. Saw a kerf along each of the dado width lines, stopping the cuts at the depth line. Then install a chisel cutter on the plane. Loosen the depth adjustment knob and set the cutting depth to about '/16 inch; tighten the knob. Begin each pass with the plane at the far edge of the workpiece and pull the tool toward you (right). Keep the cutter flat on the surface and aligned between the saw kerfs. Increase the cutting depth of the plane after each pass, continuing until you reach the depth mark.

Leveling the rabbet A bullnose rabbet plane is designed to trim a stopped rabbet or other enclosed spaces. Secure the workpiece, then unscrew the nose from the front of the plane and set the depth of cut at no more than 1/32 inch. Starting at the end of the workpiece, guide the plane along the surface to the other end of the rabbet (left), keeping the side of plane flush against the rabbet shoulder. Make as many passes as necessary to trim the rabbet to the appropriate depth.


SHOP TIP Inddbb nailer To hi& nails in oabinst work, use an invieible nailer, also known a0 a Mind nailer. This wmmamial device w instrument maker's plan&, using a I/.-inch chisel cutter to lift a thin wood ehavlrrg under which a ,nail can then be driven. The shaving ~an<t?c g lud rigkt k c k d m ta conceal the nail. To use the mil&a adJm% it foflowirt the manufactursr's instructione. B The sharing ie u$u~IIy /sz-inch thick and 1ma enough t o enable you ta wmfortably drive a nail undernmr;h. Practice on a piecs of wrap first+ Urn a ~ C r i p of masking tape to hdd Ghs: shaving h w n whlb %hle.&e is drying,

A SELECTION OF SHAPING TOOLS


-ended file or rasp with two heads used to smooth con-

quickly without clogging

D

the cuttlng edge of a scrapr &r honing. Round models are usualb used for curved scmpm and triangular models for rccCangular scrapers: tri-burnisher combines round,

and coarse teeth on ihe otha. The mfi h-

Y W W r bun,i* A h@h& accurate, adJug4;aM~ burn\* with a dial pbmmkrg ~ f & n of any hmk B M ~ L kwtwm OQad T5'

103

- SHAPING WOOD

B etween the dmwkde, with its capac- ity to take large bites of wood, and

the precision contouring tools known as rifners, lie files and rasps, two common and frequently used shaping tools in the woodworker's toolbox.

Files and rasps are classified according to their shape, cut, and coarseness. There are flat files to smooth flat sur- fixes, round and half-round files for con-

toured surfaces, and triangular files for reaching into restricted spaces like corners and keyholes.

The cut of a file refers to the arrangement of its teeth. Single-cut files have one set of continuous, paraUel teeth running across the face of the blade. These are often d for dmpemng tool blades and scrapers. Double-cut files have a second set of teeth running across the kt, forming a series of points, which makes for a rougher cut

Although a double-cut file will cut wood quickly, the job is usually left to the rasp, which has large, individual teeth rather than a lined pattern of cutting edges. Rasp teeth shear slivers of wood with relative ease, but they leave a rough d c e which must usually be smoothed with a file or sandpaper.

The coarseness of a file or a rasp depends on the depth of the teeth and the spacing between them. In order of increasing fineness, files are graded bastard, second, and smooth cuts. Smooth tiles have closely packed, shallow teeth. Rasps are available as bastard and second cuts. In general, the longer a rasp or £ile, the coarser its teeth will be. While

any fle can be used on wood, finer cuts clog quickly with shahgs, malang sandpaper a better choice for final smoothing of a work A double-cut bastard file is your best bet for shaping tasks.

Grip the tool yith both hands and work diagonally across the grain, applying even pressure. Since file teeth face away from the handle, they cut only on the push stroke. For that reason, you should avoid moving a file back and forth like a saw; this will dull the teeth. Instead, raise the teeth clear of the surface on the return stroke. For an extra-smooth result, hold the file with both hands perpendicular to the grain of the workpiece and draw the blade gently along the grain, guiding it back and forth.

Whenever you are filing, clamp the workpiece searely. Ifthe 6le or rasp has no handle, fit it with one fist; an exposed tang can be hazardous. Almost anythmg that suits you will do: Some woodworkers use old golf balls as makeshift handles. To help reduce clogging, sprinkle file or rasp teeth lightly with chalk. 0 7 is not recommended as it attracts saw ust

Cleaning w flb 8s nep Ths flm wosd ehavingg I % _ _


SHAPING DETAILS

1 S h a p h g a t n l ~ n g t h e t a d Rasps, files, and riff lers work well in tandem for shaping until the desired contour begins to ern- E&u* hR1.

and smoothing decorative details on contoured workpieces, Rotate the leg in the clamp as rysothatystscanshdlpe like tho foot on the Queen Anne-style Iq shown in the illustra- the foot all the way around. Oncar the fat has t you tions on this page. Begin by securing the leg in a bar clamp want, smmth the wood using a double-cut flat i le. and fixing the clamp in a vise. To shape the foot, use a pat- Work the surface as you did with the r&p I-, *I. Finish ternmaker's rasp. Holding the rasp at an angle sf about 45" to the job with sandpaper, using prc@r%ssivgly finer@ papers the leg, push the tool across the surface in overlapping passe until the surface is smooth.


a d - To gine a m b w e d wkpiece such as a caWi4le leg its finished shape, and stmoth its SU&G$, urn id spcikmhrn. Secrure the leg as shown on page 105, Pull the $gmkmhm slowly toward you with both hands, att irq a thin shaving W fdlanrs the -in Ir&W. Ewt nod- embpceswnmd kwpyourmrigid. Coeinue until the contouf you want begjmtotrdtQshapemdtheMnface is sm&, adjwding the angle of the toel ~ ~ ~ t o ~ ~ t h e c u n r c s d s u r - b. If the grain dimtien chmgis part- v l r % y ~ t h e r s & e l e s , f = M # ~ - to or skip, meme your dimtikin and p l w h t b - m t h a ~ pull it. Rota& the kg in the ba shape snarl smooth

SCRAPING TECHNIQUES

S q i n g is often overlooked, or viewed asanin-testepbetweenplan-

ing and sanding a wood surface. But there are several situations in which a well-sharpened and properly used scraper is a good alternative to a plane or an abrasive.

Planes can tear irregular or interlock- ing grain and sandpaper produces minute scratches. But a scraper severs wood fibers cleanly, leaving a smooth, even surface behind. The versatile tool can also flatten high spots, scrape away dried glue, and dean up tom edges.

The two most common versions are the hand scraper and the cabinet scraper. Available in a range of thicknesses and shapes for every scraping task, hand scrapers are single blades of spring steel honed to form a cutting edge. Unlike a plane blade, a scraper has a burr, or hook, turned along each side of its cutting edge. This allows the implement to be pulled or pushed in any direction, getting the cut-

ting edge into comers and tight spots a The cutting edges of scrapers dull plane cannot reach. The cabinet scraper quickly and require regular dmpening; works much like the hand scraper, q t most new scrapers also need to be sharp- that its blade is mounted in a metal body ened before use. Sharpening a hand that resembles a spokeshave, providing scraper is a thm-step operation in which greater control. the existbg hook is reanowl, the cutting

edges are honed, and a new hook is

C' formed. The size of the shaving a scraper produces will let you know when it is time to sharpen; the duller the blade, the I Mallertheshaving.

As its name implies, a scraper works by scraping, not cutting; its burr is

I dragged along the surface by holding the blade at a relatdy flat angle. Held perpendicular, the blade will tend to gouge, dent, or scratch the sudb. Held at more ofanangle,thescraperwillcut awayless wood, but leave a smoother surbce. To

With a mere inch of blade pro- find the ideal angle for scraping, hold the ttudingfiom its body, a properly scraper almost parallel to the work sur- sharpened cabinet scraper can face and begin scraping while gradually

smooth a wood su+e as effdveZy raking the angle of the blade until it pro- as the finest grit of sandpaper. ducesthedesiredfhkh.

S ~ P E W ~ I ~ A HAND SCRAPER

1 filh*rdl[b,m / Secure a combination sharpening sbne fine side up to a Wwe the scraper in a vise, edge up, with a wood Mack on work surface with cleats and luhride it as you WdtP h

one side to keep it rigid. Clamp a mill bastard file in a commer- a plane blade Ipge $3). Holding t?w mpef fl# against cia1 saw jointer and, h d d i the jointer firmly against one side the stone, rub each face on the 8t~ne Wifh a ~~OUIIOT motion of the scraper, exeft mcKierate pressure as you make mwal (above) until any roughness poducad by filingt d i a . pases back and fwth along the edge of the tool ~~1 until €he To complete the prwess, hold tthe scraper uprigltt and di6 existing hook disappears and the edge is flat. Twn the smfm the b a c k a n d f w t h d i y ~ t h e s t g n a ~ i l t h q over in the vise and tepeat t h process for the other edge. arestmath wiittrshatrpcomers.

'SMOOTHING AND SHAPING TOOLS

3 m w a l l r r Wipe a tiny afmrasnt d oil onto the

edge of the scraper. Form a hook on each cutting edgar af h ~scmper by lay- ing the scraper fiat on a w k wiurface with an sdga adan$W~g off the tabk, then nm the burnisher Wk and forth a tong the mlga EleftJ, awEirpg stmg dormmard presswe. 8mW the other cutting edge the sawnu3 way, then turn the scraper o~plr and bmkh the edges on the uthw face.

4 C e R l p ~ M ! ~ ~ Secure the scraper edge-up in the

vise and wipe a littk more oil onto its edge. Holding the burnisher level, make a few passes along the edge in one direction until the edge swells stightly. Apply modeKate pressure to turn the edge wt- ward on one side (right). Then hold the burnisher so that the handle is 10" to 159 above the horizontal and continue burnishing until t f ~ edge turns ow. To form a hook on Weother side of the edge (insat), repeat the process with the handle in your other hand. The greater the pressure you apply, the bigger the b k . Turn the scraper over in the vise and complete the'hooks on the other edge.

STRIKING AND :u. I

FASTENING TOOLS

joints b+, Pnd dimsemble fmniaIater,wbsmnaa emerged, .forged by hand by b l h i t h s , The screw&, kown as a turnsaav until the

.71 -.. .. . A SELECTION OF HAMMERS AND MALLETS $. i - -

Brad d* A pliers-like tool for driving small nails ACSArOMY0FACLkW)kAMklER

Omphits-handled okrw hammer 5pace-qe materia!@ mead Me biz-h d the *df.tional w&n hallelk wh1.k anrw!atIng W 5 shmk-absorbing ~omforr;. The c?Iwv Ie moderaw& G U W ~ for pulllry nails a& the fa@ L elkghtly rn domed for driving naib true; $he hammer is maII- able in IS- ta 22-oom weigh rn

Features a t a ered tipfor startlng small nails and bra4, and a flat face for driving

h fasmw-5. Available In weights from 3 1/2 fa 12 ounces: 10-ounce

( hammer shown

A plain% maIIcZ with a &-faced, hollw head filled w&h metal shot ddivem a firm but bounce-free blow. Avallshl~ la ld- tn A&-* ,--- - - '

- - . - --. .-- . v e . n w ; 14- and 42-ounce shes show

5 - p . ;

W-ndhd ham- 7% WmJonal hammer wn- Unw6 to W thG standard far bolama and wmM; c u d - c l a w t$p commonly a v a W In WghM h m 1 2 t o w o u ~

~ubbsr mallkt A rubber-headed mallet with a wooden handl* r for tapping jojnt6 together and knocking them apalt; 16-ounce mallet ctehown. White-rubber 8 mallets do not leave black marks on wood

112 rn

rn rn STRIKING AND FASTENING TOOLS

m

$he heads of finiehing nails below the surfdlca

I .

- - 4 .

A

HAMMERS AND MALLETS

H ammers are simple tools that make driving nails seem the easiest of

tasks. And while it is true that pound- ing nails into a board scarcely seems to require instruction, even this most basic activity can benefit b m the use of proper technique and a few tricks of the trade Acquired skill and extra care will enable you to sink a row of fUllshmg nails into a h e cabinet without marrk the surf;ace.

For best results, use a Gll-balanced hammer with a forged head; the cast heads used on low-cost models tend to I mushroom and shatter with use. The best hammers feature a slightly convex face, &wing nails to be driven flush without leavkg hammer marks on the surface. Placing a ~ iece of ~erforated hardboard be&eei the hakner head and the wood and then using a nail set tosinknailheadsbelowthesurfaceofkrs an additional measure of protection. A &-blow hummer sh.ikes a chair leg to separate it

Consider the force you use. A short from the leg rails. The metal shot in the head absorbs swing from the wrist is sufficient to the blow, focusing the impact on the kg and prevent- drive finishing nails, but a fuller swing, ing the hummerfrom rebounding. involvina elbow and shoulder action, should b; used with larger nails.

Nails that bend or go askew as you drive them should be removed, not straightened in place. To pull a nail, place a small wood blodc under the hammer head to provide extra leverage and to protect the surface. Before nailing into dense hardwoods or an obstruction like a knot, bore a pilot hole.

Some safety reminders: Wear safety glasses and do not use a damaged hammer or one with a loose handle. Never strike one hammer head against another, the heads may shatter. Use the face of the hammer to strike a nail, rather than the cheek. Keep hammer and mallet faces free of oil and dirt.

STRIKING AND FASTENING TOOLS

DRIVING NAILS

\ P d o rated hardboard - '

Nail 4kt \ I

u $ b l g a o l a w ~ To pate@ the warkpiece, slip a piece of perfmated hardboard over the naii head once the mil has bssn stM&d, Holding the hammer near the butt of tR@ handle, drive the mil with short stroke (&ow, MI. To st tha nail head flush with or slightly below the d a c e , me a nail set with a tip the stme size as tho mil had, M e #e nail st on the center of the nail head and tap it dwd( with Wts bnm right). To conceal a nail head you have driven blow the surface, cover it by m w ' i witk a wax W.

STRIKING AND F i 4 2 3 ' m G TOOLS m m

REPlACI#B A HAMMER HANDLE rn

STRIKING AND FASTEWG TOOLS

3 tnsert a commial metal Itam- mer-wedge into the kerf you eut En step 1 and tap it into the handle until the we* is Rush with the top. Make

gms in straiebRt; tap it occasiorutlly on the W to shighten it out, if -.

A~~ Shaptwildin)3peurrm~lmmal- let tllgm kninrted p h s t ~ f k d - wood isan i ~ ~ r e w a y t o s t a c k ~sRspvvith4lpglCGtionaffJIgSe Usetorl, dwak buts. bl'though the 11- 3nckdes Qimen- ~ ~ C a r r ~ t h e m g U e t ~ ~ e u i Z m-

Cutthethresr~Mdinkgand tkMkftmamJodllkeoaku magh. To tishin, the handle, tapw tMgOdggsligh&frcrrtrkl#1 enrtsb €heMdkmtheWsaw.rtrsn ~ 1 U I n t 0 m e m f a f t ) B g m ~&~whs#odltr's~sh8pem fhswidclkWbWWsaw# outThmgWvptttedlet,alW- nutin# the gmin direction td the made M@ ill. the kerf and bad p l e ~ e s k , p r c s v i ~ ~ ~ - tap it in pf-, then shape the head M S t r B A i f t y I , ta ywr ljking on the band sew,

A l l a * h # ~ b ~ ~ Mallet. hegds a n typically wurtded mttkc~~d,irarer~sr.&asp. an the tap wiih dght angles on the.hPmdle krr a ~ l l ~ W g i p .

A GALLERY OF SCREWDRIVERS

I while Phillips and square d r k (or Robertson) models are limited to four. b

plastic molded directly onto the shaft. I Screwdrivers often feature BU, square,

I o f k t * d h Also known as cranked ~~~~ screwdriver: turns screws in Ql%& $ c m d r l w wir;h

reswicted spaces. Available with flat or M b I e r&&& r?w&wbrn Philllp tips, or one of each, in various sizes C-b -7 1:

JbwdIsr'o b~twwdrlvsr Used for turning tiny screws, especially In restricted spaces; typically available In sets which include flat, Phillips, and awl-shaped tips

$. 'kip . J ',k,-.,+y;

I ' STRIKING AND FASTENING TQC)LS

8 . , . . . . . . 89 T+.., ' . l l h $ ' ; r, Ti. .L r 8 , 8 .'15,;+: -4 .,4.. ,, $ 8; , b;, :

' SCREWDRIVERS

T ry to match the screwdriver tip as closely as possible to the size of the

screw head This will reduce the chances of slippage which can mar a workpiece or causc a screwdriver tip to break. Avoid the tem~tation to use a darwed screw- driwr.Jf.lat-tipdrkrwitha&undedor chippedtip,forexaqle,islikelytosiip off. In many cases, a damaged tip can be squared easily with a grinder (page 12 '

A long-handled mewdriver or o-_ with a thicker handle will provide extra twisting power. To apply maximum torque, select a ratchet driver.

Before! driving a sr~asr hto any k wood should predrill a hole to pre- v a t the screw heid from breaking off 0rtheworlTplecefromsplbg.Depexd- :-g on how deep you wish to drive the

rew, you may have to bore up to three wtlaping holes of different diamem, le inside the next. Begin by marking

A ratchet screwdriver is idealfbr turn- ingscrewswherespaceistimifa&& as inside the door opening 4 a cabinet.

' ,? 8 - ' 1 1 w7 ;p '

DRIVING SCREWS IN RESTRICTED S m

Using a rcmw-lwldiug s c m d r h Slide the collar on the shaft of the screwdriver toward the tip to open the screw- holding clips. Fit the tip into the screw head slot and release the collar; the clips will close and grip the screw. Start the screw in the hole, then open the clips and drive the screw as you would with a standard tool (rigjht). To magnetize the shank of a standard screwdriir, use a commercial mqmtizer/demagnetizer. Push the driw tip into the hole in the device and slide the magnetizer up and down on the shank a few times (inset). The tip will be able to hold a steel screw. To demagne- tize the screwdriver shank, slide it in the oiet on the side of the device.

1 , , ,A,<- , ' I -! = -7 q. , , 1 ,kh $8' ,. ' 1 . - Tk

t h e d s ~ w i t h m d T o s e t the screw head on the sarface of the woad, bore r plot hole for tihe threads and a clearance hole for the shank For ~ l l f n g r i p , t h e ~ h m l e L ~ b e t&bdpdkkthe--its depth &odd be h u t one-half the

"T int?thwd,dalwuta deepiw s c r e w ~ h h a r 8 w o o d . Ifyou~tthescl.ewhesrdt~sitfl~8h with the sdke , b ~ r e a corn- hoktoaonaalthe-&ad plug, bore r (K)- hole. You cre baretheseWwithabigceand bit or hand drill and a hand countersinker ($qp 76) or with an dectric drill.

~ t h e x e i s e n ~ m ~ r y w towrk~ithbothhm&holdascmv SteadyinitsholewhiJRpustartit. In tight spots, tlse a m-w saw- driver or magnetize the driver tip, w shown belaw.

A COLLECTION OF CLAMPS

sided clamp; 01% side is cbmpcd ta U1G wrk surface while $he other m u m the

@koK'wtw~n Prr &amp Ad@ known d l t ~ short: bar

do wr% surface or

Spring Clamp A plncer-like tool available in a range of s h wlth a capaci- ty and reach of up to 4 inches; some models feature plastic tips to protect stock

Inib the 6nd grain of uvo adloinfw b r & wI/lnd

m thhr com&4ng 'surfims %&her tightly. AvailaHe /n eizee off fa ?5 '/2 Inch- m

I Slip on laws of bar.

I piie, a id C clamps-to prevent marring stock

pipe c l a 4 to apply h- ward pm6tiul.c I

GLUING UP

W hether you are bonding boards together face-to-face to form a

leg blank or edge-to-edge for a panel, there are certain principles that apply to most glue up operations. First, make sure that the contacting surfaces have been smoothed and squared on the jointer. The boards should appear to be a single piece of wood rather than a composite. Experiment with the boards in different configurations to produce a pattern that is visually inkresting, but make sure that the grain runs in the same direction on all of the pieces. To minimize warping, arrange the boards so that the end grain of adjacent pieces runs in opposite directions, as shown below. When edge or face gluing, spread glue on one mating surface. To avoid marring the stock when you tighten the clamps, place wood pads between the damp jaws and the work, or slip pro- e v e pads over the jaws. --- Atthou& the three boards shown at t i t could be glued with the use of onfy four clamps, mare cbmps will distribute the pt'aam m m m l y , resulting in a s u p ~ior W. The um of eight C clamps pm dwm warty canstant force acrm the entire joint. Stating 1 or 2 inches from t h s ~ o J t h e ~ , ~ t h e c l a m p at 3- to 4-inch intervals. Alternate the handle direction to provide mom room to t imn the jaws. Tighhn the clamps just mough to hold the contacting surfaces together, and position d pads c ~ t 0 ; t h s t O p ~ o f ~ ~ e ~ so that t t ~ cimping pessm is focused on Mtpp half o f ~ ~ b l y . Twn the ammbly o v e ~ so that the first row of clamps is resting on the work surface and install the sacand row along the 0 t h edge ilrwt). Finish tightening all of the clamps until there are no gaps between the boardsand a thin bad of glw s q W e s out of the joints.

The type of clamp p a dect for

CLAMPS

GLUING DOWN TRIM , ,

Using a C c h p To increase the reach of a C clamp when you need to apply clamping pressure away from the edges of a work surface, use a wood strip as a clamp extension. Once the trim has been positioned, place a wood block of the same thickness as the trim near the edge of the surface and a wood strip long enough to reach from the block to the point on the trim where pressure is required. Install the C clamp on the strip just ahead of the wood block and tighten the clamp (above) until the far end of the strip is securely holding the piece of trim.

1- -- -- - --

L

J ,p 2 -. - ,.; . . - . , A . z. ,+?+- ,., 3; . . ,. p?*-!L%- >A;'. .,'-7' 3,~' .:&k,<:.! & .. , >J - : &, . .:. , , ! 6 -, z, G.y$3,:+q~$-&: LiQ 1 . . 2 dri? $4 @

CLAMPS ,,.,,>., :?*- .AX..&& , . . . W L : .i", - ..,L%.;:- a *,= -+::,,: .*

': .Rk. -. :

mop ?tf LPP&W&W pd8

f 2 o Y A M n g protec~1ve ,psldk Ear your ~brnp, you can make p u t - - lnexpcnsively. Film c m b t ~ r erps (mar r&M) lwill fb %he jgws of mogt C c l a m You mti also, uss FBW (prs'iiad~d or a , p W & wmym&d (&r rJ&'t;) cut la the p p - et. BIW. h ej%he~ f;mS elamping prtw

w311 -hi& * ~ d s I ~ R - P ~ . I

*M@mm a wwk SUI-

fau~)rs the boards

CLAMPS

t a r maker6 to overcot& a particu- a lar mblem: Edge gluing thin stock R wit bar clamps risks buckling the boaFds when the clamps are tightened. Place the boards to be ioined on wooden baw that are a few inches lonqer than the I wi&h-of the panel. 5 wad glue on the contacting sur?aces, thep tie a loop a t one end ofa P ength of rope and fit it around the end of' one of' $he 6Crips. Weave the rope over the boards and under the bars before making it; fast with a knot. Repeat %he prom59 v&h the other wood strip and %igh.ten.the 'opes by-driving woodm w d g i between thGm a ~ d the cop &%ha pvtd. Wax the bealting surFaw d t h e wedge IruRrsl,

- ma

CLAMPS 1; m{

GLUING UP EXTRA-WIDE PANELS

m GLUING UP CARCASES

Griiim Trigger clamps and quick-action bar clamp can be lms curnbmme than barchpsfor$&ngupdnmersandoth- a small w ~ . S j x d some due on the contacting w&ms d the joints, then assmblslthe d m w and set it on a wark wdace, tnstall brro tr@er clamps ae~nss the top of the m, aiming the bars of the clarmp~ with the from and k k d the eiranwler. InWS tm quick-acthn bar ckmps across the chawer sides Ir@t, placing a mnod pad between the stock and the clamp jaws to avoid marrime Mrrs wood. Titen the clamps just amugh to fully slase the joints, then finish tightening each clamp in turn until a thin glue b i d squeezes out ot the joints. I

CLAMPS

AurebetaKnpvrithcomarbracketsis ~ I Y handy fcK duiw up - with beueld m. The webs diib ute pfemrw evenly among all four cor- ~ e r s , w h i l e t h e Y # a c k & i ~ p t o s ~ pressure don# the kwh of each joint. Tousethe-typeofwab~lampsetshown hirre, apply due to the cantacting sw- i m ~ of the joints and set the mmse on its baek on a& surface. Then fit the wmw bW&s in place. Wrap the sbaps around the carcam and tighten then a h the b u d h Bgfm lacking them in p l a m I w I .

Corner braeke

$qtuatdflg r Wfiw you ate gluing up a l a ~ e u l k o r a m l d - , b ~ w

CLAMPS

Gtmrmping law j o i m A gmt@ curving w u d p& will ensure that gven su re is qpiid along the !r ngth of a joint Ihb is critical when bar clamps can only be inmlled at t;he ends of .the joint, as whsvl gluing a bookcase. To make the pad cut a gentle c u m 0 more than '/4 inch dae a t ite centsr- ?rotbone edge o! a 2-inch&& board %he 6ame length as the joint. Set the pad bez;w%en the p e l and the chpJawti. T i m the c h p until the pad flattens against the panel,

~ k w p s Q f ~ d r a 5 a r e ! s l ~ ~ t h a n ~ ~ ~ f ; ~ 7 .-. 5 .

~ k ~ c h & , W ~ ~ ~ th*skd;e In each Mwk+'W _ ~ s t s ~ t o t f l e b l 0 c k . ~ - with 'ihe &wr rope, .dmw h e k q $ h s i h t t h e b ~ ~ m U - v v h a r r l s a 3 t m ~ ~ ~ . M $ ~ '

r o w bioek cswnd' 6

medwpeds cmw. C d m p s *Ill the $lacks towmi each OW ;[lefiJ rnBl €?Ye &Iipbm

A s&md clamp ~rnphp a hawKtsrevv len'fl of pq%re armJndw a r l d " ~ Me BRds thug& tkwclsunp. W i tk tlp dm

. . ' . . :.:

C. I . . . ,,.. CLAMPS

GLUING UP LEGS AND RAILS B

Front rail *

-

GLUING UP MITER JOINTS

Glue up a picture frame either wit a framing clamp or indMdwl comer clamps. With the framing damp, set the clamp an a wark surface with the corner brackets spread as fat apart as possible. Apply adhesive on the con* tacting surfaces of the m a joints and set the picture f r a m flat inside the clamp. Slide the wmr W e t s until they all sit flush agtdmt ?he cotners of the frane.Tightm the nuts of mch bracket a little at a time until all the joints are clossd (WJ. sapate caner clamps ate used to secure a h corner of the frame (inset). Fit adjoining pieces of the h m in the damp and, once the foul COmelS we S B C ~ ~ , mt- en the two saw$ af each c lmg g.81- n t d y until the join& rn t@t.

CLAMPS m

J . -7

I s h w n & t ~ wot3cJ ~ae~,~atmmial llwd- el, but can emilly be ' shop. m &timmbm tfwi3lustfatian will y acccrmmMing @&re fames

I I m m i q up to 24 inches ~ 0 5 s

wr a dde. Cut ~~ and tmtw blacks

fm 1-by-3 stock and the m e r ~ d c % from 3/*jM pljwmd. Drill I a wia ot-bola fa YI-inch-diam etw machine Wts down the middle d the a m begin 1 inch frwn oneendandspa~etfmbles t 1- inch irhvwb, counterboring the

Also bore h s b through the centrw b k s about 1 inch firm each end, Finally, prepare the corner Mocks by drilling two holes through each block: the first for a machine bolt abut 1 inch from one end, and a smaller h0/6 abut 1% incW from the samg end. Finish by cutting a

the Qfth

I, mta of lhrswmd M e drillad. To ~ b k the ckmp, secure , O"8cent~~black~~pairQfarms

with bob, wmhen, and wing nuts; the nuts l m e m & to allow,

theamrsbphot. T~usethec lamp~~i to~swuck

surfme. Fiaten the comer bloeks to the arms so th& th m r s of the

up will sit in center Mock a n d w ' A

jnoh apart. Use a handssrew b p l l t h e ~ ~ n t e i 3 k J c l m ~ e g ~ h Q t ~ , tightening the clamp udil al3 tt@

I a%WjQ*MtfmcW ~~ WwJ- . L

CenWr blocks

SECURING WORK

C lamps have many uses besides holding work for gluing. During

most operations-whether you are boring a hole through a table9ail or chopping a mortise in a leg-you will need to clamp your stock to a work surface. Used this way, clamps become "third handsn-or fourth or fifth hands-that allow you to work safely and accurately.

Securing a small or irregularly shaped workpiece to the table of a drill press before boring into it will prevent the drill bit from grabbing the stock and spinning it uncontrollably. Clamping stock to a work surface before cutting it with a circular saw will decrease the risk of kickback. Using clamps to hold edge guides enhances

the accuracy of your work, as shown in the photo at right.

The type and arrangement of clamps you use to secure work depend on the dimensions of the stock and the nature of the operation. C clamps are ideal for keeping stock flat (page 139). To hold workpieces like panels and doors upright, C clamps and handscrews work well in combination. Use a pipe or batdamp in tandem with a shop-made jig and a bench vise to hold a chair or table leg for shaping and 6nishing (page 138). Whatever the procedure, use as many clamps as necessary to keep a workpiece from wobbling as you work on it. To keep clamps from marring your stock, always place protective pads between the clamp jaws and the wood.

A combination bar damp and edge guide helps a router cut a dado that is perpendMr to the p a d edges,

STEADYING WORKPIECES ,

Using a back-to-back clamp To secure a workpiece without obstructing the top surface of up the cam lever located directly above the fixed head to the stock, use a back-to-back clamp. The clamp's low profile secure the clamp. Fasten the workpiece in the clamp by keeps it out of the way for operations like planing, as shown. butting one end of your stock against the fixed head on the top First secure the device to the work surface by butting the of the clamp and sliding the tail stop against the other end. fixed head under the clamp against one edge of the table and Then push up the second cam lever to lock the device. hooking the tail stop against the table's other edge. Push

CLAMPS

CLAMPS

A-B-C Bastard fik A file with relatively deep and widely s p d teeth, providing a coarser cut than second- or smooth-grade files.

B e a m y e The angle at which a file is in sharpening the teeth of a handsaw.

Besrch stop: A jig fastened or clamped to a work surface to hold a workpiece steady for cr-tting.

Beeel cut: A cut at an angle h m face to face dmg the length or width qlf a workpiece. See miter cut.

Blade set: The amount that saw teeth are o f ib alternately to the left and to the right all0 a blade to cut a M slightly wid= its own thickness to prevent binding.

B o k : The enlarged ortion of a chid bl~de next to g e handle.

A lumber defect characterized by an end-to-end curve along the firceofst0C.k

Bumidier: A rod-like steel tool used inthesh;arpeningprocesshrscrapem

Bum A s d ridge bRned on the flat~ofchiselandplaneblades as a result of the honing process.

Cap h11: A metal late screwed to a plane blade, pfPYi$,g a chip break- er and prevenmg chatter.

Clucrse: The box-like frame of a piece of furniture, such as a chest, cabinet, or.bookease,

Chamfer: A'M cut h g the edge of a workpiece.

Chcetc The face of the projecting tenon in a mortise-and-tenon jomt.

GLOSSARY

Chuck Adjustable jaws that hold drill bits, drivers, and other acces- sories in a brace or hand drill,

Clamphq capacitr: The widest span of a h p ' s jaws.

Clenroaec hok A hole bored in a workpiece to accommodate the shank of a screw.

und cut: A saw cut through E z i e c e with the blade *resent- ed at angles other than 90' relative tothefaceandedgeofthestock.

C h a w e A rounded inward shape, like the inside of a bowL

Contour cut A cut made along a curved line, usually with a bowsaw or a coping saw.

Cowex A rounded outward shape, like the outside of a bowl.

Counterbore To drill a hole that permits the head of a screw to sit deep enough below a wood surface to be concealed by a wood plug.

Countad& Drilling a bk that allows a screw head to lie flush with or slightly below the surface.

Crosscut: A saw cut a m the grain of a workpiece.

. A marking tool b- f q , a ence, and a sharp

cutting edge h r scribing a b e on . a workpiece.

D-EP ado. A rectangda channel a t into a workpiece.

J h v a d johqc A method of joining wood at corners by mestns af inter'lockiq pins and fgilS; the name derivahmthedistinctiveshapecut into the ePlds of the joining boards.

Fiwercldrd:Ahvy+tydtigel u s d y ~~ a motaqdar b h k , t y p ~ u s a d ~ a ~ to cut awa large amaunts of waste W O K

PrPracrsaw sdlwWitZIiRm- ~ ~ i 3 e s ~ t u a i n a fmmG i n a the l.unww, coping saw, and saw.

PrqpTheswhxafabandplane that supports the b h k in gome modcas,tbe*~anbegrmoved M a n d f b r t h t o ~ t ~ m o u t h -&.

e;rit: The drsrsity wid &m dab& p a r t d c a w a ~ ~

~ A ~ ~ ~ u n n e d o n ofa h a d scraper.

1nl;ay: A decorative strip of metal, wood, or marquetry that is glued in a groove cut into a worlrpiece

Join"$ Filing the teeth of a handsaw to e same he*% jointing is thefirststepinsharpeningsaw teeth. Also, straightening the edge of a workpiece with a jointing plane.

W. A cut made in wood by the width of a saw blade.

La Rubbing the face of a plane o r m b h d e across a stone to remove the burr that resdts from haning the blade.

M-N-0 M i a - A secondary b d honed on the fiont part of the cutting edge of a plane or chisel blade.

Miter cut: A cut that angles across the face of a workpiece., see bevel cut.

MOM A rectangular, round or oval hole cut into a piece of wood.

Mortband-tenan: A joint in which a projecting tenon of one board fits into a mortise on another.

Nail set: A cylindrical, steel steel1 used to drive the head of a nail below the surhce ofthe work so it can be con- d e d with fiUer material.

P-Q-R-S Puing; Slicing thin wood shavings from a surface with a chisel.

Pilot hok A hole bored into a workpiece to accommodate the threaded part of a screw; usually dqghtly smaller than the threaded section of a screw. The holk guides the screw and prevents splitting while giving a firm grip to the threads.

GLOSSARY

Pin boardt The board containing the pins of a dovetail joint; mates with tail board.

Points per inch (PPI): See teeth per inch.

-A*-likecutintheedge or end of a b o d usually forms part of a joint.

Radiu8: The distance fiom the cen- &of a circle to its outside edge equal to one half the diameter.

ReachThegreatestdktancethata clamp's jaws are able to extend onto a workpiece.

Rip cut: A cut that follows the grain of a workpiece-usually made along its length.

Saav dh The unthreaded portion of a d s shank

Shooting board: A jig for holding the end y of a workpiece quare to the so of a hand plane.

Shoulde~ The flat portion adjacent to the tenon in a mortise-and-tenon joint; in a dovetail joint, the flat sections between the pins and tails.

Sni* Vertical ridges on the surface of a wor iece resulting from using a hand $. e with a nicked or dmag!dblaL.

Spokeshave: A hand tool with an adjustable cutter for shaping curved d c e s .

Sprin steel: A e of steel that is both %&b~e anEtrongg

Square Adjoining surfaces that meet at an angle of 90".

Squeeac out: The excegg glue that is f o r d from a joint when damping presgure U applied

~hokAsmatlboledrilled into the surface of a wmkpiece to facilitate drilling; d& e brace or handdrillbit.

s~~ not run e full length A or width ctf a workpiece.

Stopped~Ar5PBbttthatdoes no t run the f td l~o rwid tho f the workpiuu?,

T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z '3MbaPni:Inadavetail' board conainhg tho xze w i t h p i n b d .

TqThepdntedendofafileor w, typidy inserted in a handle.

Tamom The tendency of fa blade to tearthefibersoftheditis cutting, leaving mgpd edges on the wwlin,k.

Teeth per (TPI): The m ~ b e r of saw teeth per inch, a measure of a blade's fineness or coarsam in which the lower numbs indicates a blade that will cut ra 'dly but roughly. Points per i 1 b a related measum,ahpanenumberb than teeth per in&.

T-A r o ~ i o n ~ t h e m d of a d b t fits into a mB*

T~ 6 a to-aad-- joint, a ~~ fircrsn the edge or end of one board tW fitti into tbe groove of d e .

INDEX

Page referem in i& indicate an illwtntion of subject matter. Page references in bold indicate a Build It Yourself project

ABC An ecuts, 13,1&20

#amisam, 39,m

%:&, 19

Bi~drsaw, 34 #49,52,53 E d - t o - b d Clamps, 124,137 Bar damps, 123,124 128,131,134 Ben& plane, 80-82,94-96 Bench rabbet planes, 8499 Bench stops, 89 Ed-y &IS&, 57,5&62,63,68,69 Bits, 55, 1,72 Blades:

See Chisels; Hanhws; Planes; - B)indnailas:

Shop Tip, 101 Mplaaes, 82, PO Bow tools, 55,70 71

Bits, 71, Z? e;imkts, A 72 Sa~Drilligg;HanddriUs

Eowsaws, 2431, &43 Brac~s (borina tooIs~,55,70,71 .- . -

~ik'71,72- See also Boring took Drilling

Build It Y o d 'Cdrisde

d - m ~ ~ n t e d chisel 61 aamps

aossbam for edge uing, 129 framiagC'-ps,l lt pipe damp estenders, 130 web damps, 133

Handsaws

jointing --#? jigs r saw 37 teeth, 33 miter boxes, 40

t sizin~boardsforcrosscuts,UI Meamrnngaml m%rhgtools

corn asaea22 d - d & m o * g u g S 25

Planes

wall-mounted racks, 121

Woodon mallets, 117 bull no^^ rabbet planes, 82,100

C CabinebnaWshammers, 111,112,115 Carcatm Gluing, 131,132

curved wood pads for long joints (Shop Tip), 133

Squaring a carcase (Shop Tip), 132 C damps, 123,124,137-139

Protective p& for C damps (Shop TIP), 128

c$oh.s: Clamp' 134,135

Cbidh~&?& 61,6264 Dacaoea 6668

~ m u t e r p l a n e s (ShpTip),64 .

Dovaailjmk 69 MOrtirg 6667

br-hinge nmtk, 63 lwche%60

sd 55,5657,58

Chisdblades

Circle plPaa 79.82 Q a w k :

131,132

a c~rcasc (Shop TipL 132 =31

glue pmaw, 126 Face gluing 126 Lc$drai2e, 134

tubew web^

Trim, 127

?ZZZax37,3s,47 Curvedcuts,~

-m4

CuEtbggau$irq l2,13,14 16,215

D-E-F

QI

Ixwek% Plxtdr cuts, 41

DC19*LFE 131

Hand tools, front endpaper, 7,11 Maintenance, front endpaper

Inshaves, 103,104 Jack planes, 82,87-89,92 Japanese tools, 11

Chisels, 58 Handsaws, 31,32,41,47,52 Planer-rasps, 103

Jigs: Chisels

m a k e router planes (Shop Tip), 64

-ps crossbars for edge gluing, 129 curved wood pads for long joints

(Shop Tip), 133

inner md.mgb tubewe clamps (Shop Tip), 135

pipe clamp extenders, 130 web clamps, 133

Handsaw bench hook jigs, 37

cr-ttingr"de% 37 jointin jigs or saw teeth, 33 kerf sp&mn (Shop Tip), 35 sizing boards for aosscuts, 38 V-blocks for curved cuts

(Shop Ti ), 43 Measurin an'l'markingtmls

center-Lding jigs, 23 compasses, 22 determining a circle's diameter, 24 fixed-width mortise gauges, 25

Planes bench stops, 89 fences for p layy edges

h o g i f Tyih:p Tip), 84 shooting%ards, 91

J o i n 7 chds, 66-69 Handsaws, 48-53 Marking techniques, 25,25,26 Planes, 97- 100 See also Clamping

K-L-M-N Lack mortise chisels, 5667 Mdets, 110,111,112-113

Woodenmallets, 114 111,113,117 Mareg tcdniques, 12,13,14-15

Cudes, 22 shop-made compasses, 22

Curved lines, 23 Joints 25-26

--width mortise gauges, 25 Straight lines, 1418

Measuriug techniques: Andes, 13,1820

&ecking for square, 27 Cirdes, 23-24

determining a circle's diameter (Shop Ti ), 24

~ i v i d i n ~ a wo&iece into equal sections, 21

Inside measurements, 17 using two sticks (Shop Tip), 17

Measuring tools, 13,1415 Checking a try square (Shop Tip), 21 T T g ; ~ 2 ' 7 " ' ~ """

Mehler, KeJly, 6 7 Miter-and-spline joints, 4852 Miterboxes,40 Miter cuts, 19,20 Miter joints, 122,135 Moldings:

Coping, 46 Mortise-and-tenon joints, 48-49,667 Mortise chisels, 5 4 5 8 , 6 6 7 Mortisega es, 25

Fired-Jth mortise gauges, 25 MO&:

Door hinge, 63 See also Mortiseand-tenon joints

Multiplanes, 98 Nails:

Concealment invisible nailers (Shop Tip), 101

Hammering, 114,115

0-P-Q Odate, Toshio, 10- 1 1 Pd-raising planes, 82,101 Panels:

Holding large panels edge up (Shop Ti ) 139

Raised 101 Paring chisels, 55,5458 Picture frames:

C h p h g , 135,136 Pipe damps, 123,124,130

Extenders, 130 Planes, 78,79,80-82,85

Bench planes, 8042,9496 Combination planes, 98 Make&& router planes

(Shop Tip), 64 -ning, 83-84

sho -made honing jigs &hop Tip), 84

Planing, 861 01 Bench stops, 89 Bowed boards, 92 Checking for flatness with a bench

plane (Shop Tip), 87 Fences for planing edges

(Shop Tip), 88 Raised panels, 101 Shooting boards, 79,91 Tenons, 97

Pounce wheels, 14,23

R-S-T-U Rabbet and fillster planes, 82,99 Wbet joints, 48,53,99- 100

$?%%,5&4, 1 0 , l M leaning a file or rasp (Shop Tip), 104

Ratchet screwdrivers, 1 18,120 Rmers, 103,105 Ripping:

Handsaws, 34,313647 preventing saw blades from bin-

(Shop Tip), 35

Router planes, 82,97,100 MakeshiA router planes

(Shop Tip), 64 Sawinn. See Crossaabg; Handsaws;

Scrapers 102-103,107; screw- 111,ll~

Damaged tips, 121 storing, 121

*-WMper Driving

woodsurfnces from Pro- bits (Shop Tip), 77

with hand drills, 7677 with swwdivers, 120

Holes, 74 120 saapingtools, 102-106 shootbut boards, 79,91 Shop ~ib:

to&, 73,7477

Clam% 127,128,129,132,133, 135 i39

Files and r9sps, 104 Hammers, 114 Handsaws, 3 5 84 43, r15 Invidble nailers, 101 Meas* and marking wIs, 17,

21,24,27 Planes, 84,87,88

Shoulder planes, a 9 7 skewchisels,555664 Smoothing tools:

~ P S , 1 02-03,107- 109 m to&, 102- 106 -$. Smoo g wood with a hacksaw

I S b Tip), 45 &!ialdmpne!S

spokeshaves, 102,106 Spring damps, 127 Sauare:

'~ar*ws, 27 S Q ~ a carcase (Shop Tip), 132

cldcing t square, 27 %m(fd), 12, 1 3 1 4 15,2627 c3wcku a try sq- (Shop Ti), 21 Truing a" terSs square

(shop T 2 7

v-w-x-Y-z Tables:

k p i n g , 134 Tenons:

Handsaws. 48-49 Planing, 97 See also Mortise-and tenon joints

T h r o d dovetail joints, 48,8,51

Trammel points, 1522 Trigge? clamps, 123,124,131 Trim:

Clam ing, 127 wupd&mrds, 92 Web damps, 124,132,133,134

Inner tube web damps (Shop Tip), 135

The editon wish to thank thefibwing

M B h S U R I N G A N D ~ G T O o m Adjustable Clamp Co., Chicago, & Delta I n t e r n d d MtKbber~ Gd&4 Onr;

General Tools Man-g Co., Inc., NM Y& NY; LeeV qrT Ltd., , Ottawa, Ont.; Robert Lamon Company, Inc., Sari C11; !haby T&

Division of the Stanley Works, New Britain, CT; W* ~~ Saa Jose, CA

HAPJDsAws Adjustable Clamp Co., Chicago, IL; American Twl Cos, LhooIn, NE; Geacral

="Oh

Co., Inc., New York, NY; Hem Uan EL'&- Ca, h., New B e r h , WI Lee alley Tools Ltd., Ottawa, OnC Sawah TmbCo.,

Scranton, PA; Stanley Tools, Division of the Stanlep. Wwh, N w Brftaia, my Veritaf Tools Inc., Ottawa Ont/Ogdensbwg, IW Vennont American Chp9

Lineohton, NC and Loubdk,

CHISELS AND BORING TOOLS Adjustable Clamp Co., Chicago, IL, berkan Tool Coa, L k & b UE;

G e d Tools Manufa Ca., Inc., New York, NY; Great Nodc Saw klfirs. IQc. (Buck Bma D i v i s i a n s ury, MAy The

Lee Valley Tools W, Otterwa, Ont.; Robert Machine Tools, Concord, Ont.; S t d y Tools,

New Britain, C'R Vermont American Corp., Llncohton, NC Woodcraft Suppiy Corp., l'dcembubg, WV

SMWTHING AND SHAPING TWU Adjustable Clamp Co., Chicago, IZI; Anglo+American Bnterptisrs Cmp., Somedak, N];

Delta International M&r)r, Guelph, Ont.; Great Neck Saw MFrn., hc., M b d a , MA; Lee Valley Tools Ltd., Ottawa, Ont.; Record Toels he., R&etbg, Dnti . Robert Latson Co any, Inc., San Frarmcisco, C& Veritas Toale Inc, Wwa,

0n€.l0$densburg, ~ ? - m t American C~rp, Li~cdotoll, NC and L~OMOS. rn S ~ G A N D F ~ ~ L S

Adjustable Clamp Co., Chicap, IL; Delta I n t e ~ ~ -, G u e l h Qnt.2 Great Nedr Saw Mfrs. Inc. (Buck Bra. DivMen), MiUbury, MA; S t d e y Tack

Division of the Stan19 Works, New Britain, W: Venmnt Anwxica~ Carp., heohton, NC and LouisMUd, ICY

CLMEdPS Adjustable C h p Co., Chicago, IL; Advanced MacMnery Imptub Lt&, New Castle, DE; American Tool Cos., Lincoln, NE; GPiset IdusQk, kc.,

Santa Ana, CAY Hitachi Power Tools U.S.A. Ltd; b t d T d I=, l'kk&n& ht . ; Steher-Lamello A.G. S w i m M M Saw, IChpm MA, Vennont Ameriw Corp., LicoInton, NC and Luudle* KY

The f o k w k g p e ~ ~ o n s ako assisted in the p r e p d m afthis hook..

Donna Curtis, Lwiab DorO, Graphor ConsalXatioa, Leonard Lee-

PICTURE CREBITS Cmer Roba W e r

6,lMarlrTder a9 Raymond Geordresu

1@11 ian G W r

Business

The Art of Woodworking Hand Tools