Outdoor Projects - Summer 2004

8/17/2019 Outdoor Projects - Summer 2004

1/76

COLLECTOR S EDITION

BACKYARD CLASSICS

You

CAN BUILD

Summer 4

42>

7447007245

S 99US 8 99CAN


2/76

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Build a backyard stru ture th t will be the envy of your neighborhood. Choose from eye-catching

garden footbridge arbor/bench octagon gazebo Colonial barn and more gre t designs

Rockier has all

the

deck-building hardware you need to get

the

job done right from stainless steel exterior screws to hidden deck

fastening system and deck bench brackets.

s u ~ s s


4/76


5/76

Doge

7

lge

64

Doges48856

Doge

6

DClgel8

Summer

4

8

Woodworking for

the

Great Outdoors

By Chris Marshall

18

Oriental Redwood Arbor

By Stan Schmidt

Build a trellised classic for the yard.

26

Gardener s

Workstation

By

Stan Schmidt

Gardeners need workbenches too.

32

Portable Outdoor Chairs

By

Rick

l hite

Classic two piece nesting chairs.

38

Patio

Furniture Spruce up

By Michael Dresdner

Make sure your outdoor furniture lasts.

48

Spanish Cedar

Picnic Table

By

John English

Secrets to tackling a curved outdoor table.

56

Picnic

Table

Benches

By John English

Curved benches complete John s table.

59

Child s Adirondack Chair and Settee

ByJohn English

This h rmer converts from chairs to settee.

64

Victorian Birdhouse

ByLarry Stoiaken

Share some shop time with a youngster.

66

Portable Folding Bench

By John English

Light and portable: perfect for the big game.

73

Modular Bench with Planter

By Rick l hite

Define the deck and boost your seating.

76

Classic Croquet Set

By Ron Hampton

All you need is a lathe and a weekend.

Outdoor Projects

Summer 4 Outdoor Projects

5


6/76

SUMMER

4

woodworllersjournal.

com

LARRY N.

STOlAKEN Editor

ill

Chief

JOHN KELLIHER Art Director

ROB

JOHNSTONE Editor

JEFF JACOBSON Associate Art Director

JOANNA WERCH TAKES Associate Editor

STEVE HINDERAKER Photographer

J lN ROCKLERJACKSON

Pubtisher

JILL ARENS Ciretttalioll Director

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SARAH M. GREER Advertising

Productioll Director

LISA

REJ IMAN Advertisillg Assistallt

JOE FAHEY

Production

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Special

Projects

Editor

CHRIS

MARSHALL

Contributing Editors

MICHAEL

DRESDNER JOHN ENGLISH

mCK WHITE MIKE McGLYNN

ADVERTISING

S LES

].F.

Van Gilder Company

P.O. BOX 802405, Dallas Texas 75380

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6

Summertime Projects

etween the baseball tournaments and lawn care, you may let a few

cobwebs gather in the shop these summer months. There s no

arguing that

summer

is

too

short

to

stay holed up inside. But the

o

days

are the perfect time

to dig into some fresh lumber and create a project or

two for the great outdoors. In this special Collector s Edition I've pulled

together some real classics that

will

add charm and grace to your outdoor

scene. I'm confident you'll find

a project or two that will beautify

your yard while offering enough

of a challenge to keep your

woodworking skills sharp.

To start your planning, Chris

Marshall boils down the best

choices for weather-resistant

lumber, glues, finishes and

hardware, starting on page

8.

your patio doesn't host as

many barbecues as it used to,

maybe John English's Spanish

cedar Picnic

Table

see

page 48

and

Benches see

page 56) will

renew your outdoor entertaining.

While you're at it add some

seating for those guests and a bit

of

greenery

with the

Modular Bench with Planter

on page 73. I'll be t the

kids would love their own pint-sized

Child s

Adirondack

Chairs,

and our

plans showyou how to convert them into a handy Settee

see

page 59).

Long evenings on the sidelines of the soccer field

will

be more enjoyable

if you build a couple of Rick White's Portable Outdoor

Chairs

see page 32

or the equally sturdy and comfortable Portable Folding Bench see page 66).

gardening is one of your many passions, we've got you covered. Stan

Schmidt's Gardener s

Workstation

on page

26

is designed to keep your

potting supplies and tools within easy reach.

your yard or garden is

missing a signature focal point, have a look at the

Redwood

Arbor on page

18.

Do you have curious kids around the shop just waiting for a chance to

build something, too? Th e Birdhouse on page 64 may be just the ticket to

start

passing on the craft

had a great time putting this one together

with my daughter years ago. And when

summer

finally draws to a close,

give it a proper send-off

on

Labor Day with a croquet tournament.

You can build Ron Hampton's

complete

Croquet

Set -

including balls - with

the plans on page 76.

Happy woodworking

Outdoor

Projects

Summer 2004


7/76

R

299

Worldwide

Patent Pending

PCT GB 2l 253

Ideal for

cabinet

chair

and table

construction

the jig

is easy

and

quick

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is

required to

rout both

the

mortise and

tenon

for

perfect

fitting

joints. The

jig

can

produce

widths

of

tenons

from

3/16

to 1/2

and the timber positions can

be

adjusted for compound angle

joints. The reversible templates

enable

round or

square

end

tenons

to

be

routed and

h v

template apertures for

producing

accurate dowel joints.

4 11


8/76

o o w o r k i n ~

for the reat

utdoors

hen

it

comes

to lumber glues ndfinishes few sm rt choices

on

the

front

end

will dd ye rs of

life

to

your exterior furniture

By Chris Marshall

Old growth redwood is now

protected

and can be

hard

to

find as lumber Recycled planks

from

old

barns

are

often the best source

for

this precious timber

for

outdoor use but it has a higher percentage

of

sapwood

than the lumber that came from its mammoth forebears

a hundred years ago. Old-growth redwood ranges

in

color from tobacco brown

to

deep crimson but

second-growth redwood is more typically a m x of

reddish heartwood and lighter sapwood. The wood is

fine-grained and surprisingly lightweight. Old-growth

lumber is often knot-free.

Redwood is a softwood that s easy

to

mill with sharp

blades and bits but dull cutters produce splinters and

l t the grain. Be sure:to wear a mask when working

hotos courtesy alifornia

Redwood

Association

- - - - - - - -11 1;

Redwood

Redwood

is

still available

in

Western states but you won t

typically find it stocked in the lumberyard elsewhere

in the country. Tannins and natural oils in the wood

resist fungal decay and insect pests. Once prized as the

premier lumber for siding exterior furniture and deck

construction first-growth redwood is a rare commodity

these days with a premium price tag. What you re more

likely to find now is second-growth wood from younger

faster growing redwood trees. It s still a durable wood

Choosing

Outdoor tough

Lumber

Most furniture lumber can withstand a season

or

two

outdoors before rot takes hold

especially under a couple of coats

of primer and paint. However

a handful of lumber species have

natural tannins and extractives that

make them especially well suited

for exterior use with or without

a finish applied. Some are easy to

find regardless of where you

live

while others are

in

shorter supply

Here are your best options:

n advantage to outdoor furniture is that

on the whole it s easier to build than indoor

furniture. But even with easier construction

what s critical to the success of patio or yard

furniture is how it stands up to the elements

over time. Sunlight w ater damage and

insects can spell doom for outdoor projects

unless you make some preemptive material

decisions before you build. Choose wisely

and that Adirondack settee you make this

month for the kids

will

probably still be

around when they graduate high school.

Here s a s ho rt study on choosing outdoor

woods adhesives hardware and finishes so

you can get your project off on the right foot

and ensure that it

will live a long useful life

8

Outdoor

rojects

Summer 4


9/76

:Wood. froni t e n n i t e ~

and other insect Pests.

Quartersawn whiteoak is

dimension31ly

more s t a b l ~

- and mote·'

expensive - than flatsa.wn white oaK,but

either cut is

aU

excellent

cholc;e

for outtloor

projects. The, wood

f i b e r ~

are hard; so

they'll stand up well towe.ar all;d tear, hut

white oak isn't difficult to cut or shape

wit ). carbide bIts and

b l a d e ~ .

Be careful

'that the ,s tock you buy isn't red oak,

~ h i c h

lacks. thetyl6ses ,and won't fare

well

oUfsid,e.

bntique, reClaimed sinker cypresS' is .an

emerging lumber source y U

might

consider

for your outdoor projects.

Muc ).

of thIs wood

c,.omes[fom virgin timber logs dredged up,from

the 15Qtfom$.of lakes 'and rivers

The

logs sank

en route toIU1l1ber.mills a century or So ~ g o l arid

thew Jod may,be hundreds, upwards

fo.

a thousand,

.Years Qld.>Thickriesses

of4/4

or more aren't hard to

find in oversizedwidtns arid in lengths exceedil)g 8'.

hite ak

•White

o a k h a s b e ~ n u ~ e d

for c e n t p r i e ~ inthe'manufac

t u n ~

of

Wine

and whiskey barrels

in

part

because it

cpntail)s the pore-filling substance tyloses. $ince water

,doesn't peneJrate the pOfes, neither'doesfUnglls.

'Tannic acids in theo


10/76

Mahogany

Mahogany is a general term that covers several species

of semi-exotic hardwoods, but the two most common

types are Honduras and American mahogany. American

mahogany comes from Central and South America or

Cuba, with the Cuban variety being most valuable and

rare. Honduras mahogany primary hails from South

Americaand iswidely available from managedplantations.

Avoid lauan or Philippine mahogany, which isn t actually

a true mahogany and won t withstand the elements like

Honduras or American varieties.

Among a laundry list of virtues, mahogany is a dense

lumber that cuts and planes like softwood and accepts

fasteners and finishes readily. Its density helps it resist

shrinking and warping - a real benefit for outdoor

applications where temperature and humidity levels

change dramatically. The huge size and rapid growth

rate of mahogany trees also make it easy to find both

wide and thick lumber. Grain pattern ranges from

straight and uniform to

interlocked, swirled or flaked.

Teak

A beautiful, dense and oily hard

wood, teak grows in Southeast

Asia, the East Indies and

now in both Latin

America and Africa.

Burmese teak is

most prized, but

be careful

to

shop from

suppliers

that sell

lumber

eak

Selecting

the

Right Hardware

ater is

a

common enemy

to

both the lumber you pick

for outdoor projects and the hardware that holds it together.

Fasteners that stand up best

to

the elements are those the

boatbuilders use: stainless steel bronze or solid brass. The

primary advantage

to

these three metals is corrosion

resistance. Both brass and stainless steel are softer metals

than typical hardened steel screws drill ing pilot holes

is

a

must especially if you re building with rock-hard white

oak

or

teak. Lubricate the screws with beeswax to make

driving them even easier.

r

tap the screw holes first with

a

harder screw then drive the softer fasteners home.

from managed plantations using

renewable growing methods.

Teak s limited availability and

steep import costs make it the

priciest of these outdoor lum

ber

options. I t s also the

heaviest choice.

the

board foot cost doesn t

dent your wallet, the

shipping charges

will

Teak contains high

concentrations of silica

so the lumber will dull

steel cutting tools

more rapidly than other

lumbers, but carbide cutters ahogany

hold up better. The natural

oils in teak can impair the bonding strength of some

adhesives. For optimal gluing strength, use epoxy or

polyurethane glue here.

ouglas ir or

Southern

Yellow Pine

Both .of these softwoods are relatively strong and

dimensionally stable, which is why they re commonly

used for larger framing lumber. Read the grade stamps

printed on the 2 x lOs and 2 x 12s at your home center

or lumberyard to be sure of what you re buying.

Although neither option

will

hold

up

as long as teak,

mahogany or white oak, they re still viable choices

for outdoor furniture when painted - and they re

affordable. Definitely choose one of these two woods

over less durable spruces, pines or firs for outdoor

applications.

Another cheap option for a painted project is to use

treated wood, which generally is either Douglas fir or

Southern yellow pine anyway

continues on page ...

Another option is

to

use coated

or

galvanized exterior

grade screws bolts and nails sold for deck building.

h

screws are made from hardened steel

to

resist stripping or

breakage and some styles have self-tapping auger tips and

heads. On soft lumber like cedar you may not even need

to

predrill before fastening.

h

downside

to

galvanized

hardware is that the coating sometimes reacts with acidic

woods like redwood

or

cedar and leaves black stains that

are tough

to

remove.

utdoor rojects Summer 4


11/76

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12/76

Exterior inishes that Weather the est or

ime

dhesives

that

Hold Tough

Rain

or

Shine

Several

varieties of

wood glue are formulated

to

stand

tough

against water

exposure

temperature extremes

and

degradation from sunlight. The most user-friendly options are yellow

PVA

wood

glues intended for exterior projects. itebond

and

the new itebond varieties

among others clean up with soap

and

water and have

good

bonding characteristics on a ll

but

the oiliest exterior lumbers.

fy ou re building with teak or other exotic woods with high oi l content polyurethane

glue

is a better choice.

t

cures

by

tak ing a s mall

amount of

moisture from the wood

or air and

c om bi ni ng with i t to form a

permanent

bond.

ost

formulations foam up

as

they cure so

clamping is essential to keep glue joints from separating. However Franklin International s

HiPURformer poly glue dis pens es from a heat gun similar to hot-melt glue without foaming

or expanding.

Two-part epoxy a third weatherproof adhesive is also a

good

option for bonding oily woods.

I t doesn t expand

as

i t cures

and

even fills gaps on misfitt ing joints.

Outdoor Projects Summer 4

continues on page 14 ...

Finish

Options

For an exterior finish

to

do its job it needs to slow down

the degradation of

UV

light form a water resistant seal

and offer at least some degree of protection from nicks

and scuffs.

So

your choices of finish amount to three

options: marine spar varnish a penetrating wood

preservative or a good coating

of exterior primer

and several coats

of paint.

Marine spar

varnish has made

its way into wood-

working from the

boatbuilding industry.

The best spar varnishes are

combinations of tung oil and

phenolic resin with a high

oil to resin content. The more

oil

the varnish contains the

more flexible the surface

film

remains as it polymerizes.

Your

choice

of

a spar

varnish should also

pores. Add oxygen and moderate temperature

to

the

equation and conditions are right for fungus and

mildew

to

grow Blue black stains on the surface are sure

signs that mold is setting in Moisture not only initiates

rot but further loosens the bond between the wood and

finish exposing more bare wood.

also attracts

termites and other wood boring insects.

R egardless

of which outdoor lumber you use the

ravages of sunlight and moisture

will

eventually have

their way in the end. Although this might be decades

from

now

the best way to extend the life of your patio

and yard furniture is

to

protect it with a tough surface

finish. The best finish

to

use depends on the particular

project your maintenance efforts over time and the

amount it

will

be exposed to the elements.

erry TerHark who lectures nationwide on wood

finishing says outdoor wood finishes face

two

major

natural challenges. Sunlight is an ever present enemy.

For paint and varnish finishes sunlight initially helps

the surface

film

polymerize and dry when it combines

with heat and air However polymerization continues

even after the finish dries and as the finish continues

to harden it eventually becomes brittle. Sunlight also

breaks down the line where thewood and finish

meet which loosens the adhesive bond

resulting

in

cracking and peeling.

Where sunlight leaves

off

moisture continues the

destructive work.

Water penetrates

under the coat-

ing of finish -

either through

the end grain

which is harder to

seal or through cracks

and openings left by

ultraviolet sunlight.

Once under the finish

water enters the wood


13/76

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14/76

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15/76

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ADVER TISER S

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PRODUCT INFORMATION CARD.

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Summer 2 4 Outdoor roje ts

15


16/76

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Outdoor rojects Summer 4


17/76

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Outdoor

roje ts

Summer 4

17


18/76

Oriental R edwood rbor

an

element of

s Phistication

to

your

garden

or

yard

By

Stan Schmidt

T

he last tool I expected grab

center stage for this redwood

arbor was the radial arm

saw

which

lately h s taken a back se t to

motorized and portable compound

miter saws. But I quickly found out

that my trusty old radial arm was the

perfect power tool for cutting a lot of

dadoes on long pieces of wood.

So i

a radial arm saw is gathering dust in

a c or ne r of your shop wipe off the

cobwebs because you ll create

a mountain of

redwood garden mulch

building this Oriental-flavored arbor.

rbor is a multi-functional

structure.

t

can be the focal point

for your garden or an inviting lawn

centerpiece.

You

can use it to create

an entranceway accent a path or

frame a spectacular river view This

arbor equipped with a trellis m

two sides is ideal for displaying

a nd growing climbing roses

ivy

morning glories clematis or other

flowering vines.

The arbor was crafted entirely of

redwood including the screw hole

plugs. However I didn t splurge for

x ~ n s i v

clear all-heart redwood

which is kiln-dried and void of knots

Outdoor

roje ts

Summer 4


19/76

, on the graded faces. Instead, I used

air-dried construction heart redwood.

I did have to buy a

few

more pieces so

I could cut around some

of

the knots,

especially while making the fragile

trellises, but I was still money ahead.

Of course, if you live in or close to

California, the cost differences

between clear or construction

redwood may be smaller, but not

where I live

here

in Minnesota.

You also could substitute other

decay-resistant woods like cypress

or cedar instead of using redwood.

The arbor features an Oriental look

with shaped trellis rails, stretchers

and beams. Construction consists

of

mortise-and-tenon, half-lap, lap and

bridle joints. But the wedged tenons

that appear to hold the trellis rails to

the posts are just decorative touches.

Those rail tenons sticking through

the post mortises are really held in

place with stainless steel screws

hidden beneath redwood plugs.

Making wo Trellises

You could rip 28 lattice strips for the

two trellises and then cut the half-lap

dadoes on each strip, but there s an

easier and faster method - and one

that virtually eliminates tearout.

Figure 1: Make

the

lattice

strips gang style

from 1 8 boards

by

first

dadoing them

on

a radial arm saw with n indexing

key on

the

fence. Then rip the

wide

boards into

3/4 wide

lattice strips

on

the table saw.

umm r 2 4 Outdoor Projects

Cut three pieces of 1 x 8 redwood

to about 32 and two pieces to about

52 . These will be used to create the

lattice strips (pieces 1 and

2

and the

cleats (pieces 3 and 4). Rip the eight

cleats from these boards and set

them aside. Now rip a couple

of

strips

offone of the longer boards to create

some test pieces. Mount a 3/4 dado

set on your radial arm saw and set

the depth of cut to 3/8 . Cut dadoes

on the test pieces and adjust your

depth of cut until you achieve a perfect

half-lap joint. (Note: For safety,

clamp your pieces firmly to the saw s

table and use both hands to carefully

pull the saw forward.)

he first dado is cut 5 from one

end of each board (see the

Elevation

Drawings page 24, for

all

the dado

locations). Set up your saw s fence

with a 3/4 wide indexing key

to

cut

the second dado 4

1

4

from the first

dado (see

Figure

1). Now you can

proceed to cut the rest of the

dadoes. When they ve all been cut,

trim each board to final size, 5 from

the last dado. This way, if you re off

even the tiniest fraction, you ll still

end up with lattice strips that are

equally spaced, even after the cleats

are attached later. Now rip all your

lattice strips to size.

he

easy way to make

sure

you achieve a square lattice frame

is to st rt with a mounting board

(see Figure 2, above) that has been

squ red up on the table saw. I

used a flat piece of 3/4 plywood

approximately 21 x 41 . This allowed

me to glue and clamp the strips

in place, aligning one horizontal

strip and one vertical strip with

the respective edges of the mounting

board. I covered the board with

wax paper to make sure I didn t glue

the strips and the board together.

Figure 2:

A

square piece of plywood makes

a good mounting

board to ensure that each

trellis

remains

square during assembly.

Cutting Mortise

and Tenon

Joints

This project requires two different

through mortise and tenon joints.

he first is centered on the posts

(pieces 5 and will hold the trellis

rails (pieces 6 . Start by laying out

the mortises on each post (see the

Detail Drawings on page 22 and the

Elevation Drawings on page 24 and

then, with a 3/4 Forstner bit in your

drill press, drill out as much waste as

you can. your bit isn t long enough

to go completely through the post,

remember

to

keep the same side

of

the post against your drill press

fence when you flip the post over.

This

way,

the bit

will

cut the mortise

evenly through from both sides.

Finish each mortise by squaring it

up with a sharp chisel.

The odds are good that you will

run

into some wet redwood while

cutting these mortises. Construction

heartwood is air dried, so the center

of a

4

x

4

post may not be entirely

dry. Two of myposts were noticeably

heavier than the other

two

- a good

clue that they weren t totally dried.

h t doesn t pose a construction

problem, but itmay mean itwill take

a little more effort and time squaring

up the mortises as you painstakingly

cut through some slightlywetwood.

You

also may have to resharpen your

chisels during the process.


20/76

rellis

xploded

View

1 Horizontal Lattice Strips 18)

2 Vertical Lattice Strips 10)

3 Horizontal Cleats

(4)

4 Vertical Cleats

(4)

5 Posts

(4)

6 Rails

(4)

7 Wedges

(8)

8 Stretchers (2)

9 Stainless Steel Screws 88)

10 Stainless Steel Screws 88)

x x

3/4 x 3/4 x 30

3

/

3/4 x 3/4 x SOW

3/4 x 3/4 x

30%

3/4 x 3/4 x

50%

3'/2' x 3'/2' x 96

1'/2'

x

3'/2'

x 43

3

/

1 2 x1 x3

1'/2'

x 3'/2' x 65

8

x

2'/2'

Flathead

6 X

1 /4

Flathead

Before you cut the trellis rails to

length, notch the ends and drill the

mortises for the decorative wedges

see the Halfscale Patterns

on

the

facing page), simply because it s

easier and you don t have to worry

about tearout. The end corners of

each rail are notched with a 1

1

/2

diameter Forstner bit chucked

in

your drill press. Locate the point

of the bit on the corner of each end

to creat e the quarter-circle see

Figure 3 on page 22). Because

you re not cutting a

u

circle in

your wood, make sure you firmly

clamp the workpiece down so the bit

doesn t wander.

The wedge mortises are located

slightly into the post mortises

so

that the wedges pieces

7)

will

fit

tightly into their respective holes.

They are drilled out with a 2

Forstner bit, but you can square the

mortises with chisels once you ve

cut the tenons.

After the rails are notched and the

wedge mortises bored, it s time

to

cut the cheeks

on

the tenons see

the Elevation Drawings on page

24).

I s et the depth of cut on my radial

arm saw still set

up

with the dado

blade) for

3 8

•

I also clamped a stop

on

the saw s fence that would create

6 f2 long tenons. It s a good idea

to

cut tenons on some t est pieces to

make sure your setup is correct.

Also

note that the outer

3

of these

tenons

will

have

to

be sanded to

eliminate the dado blade marks.

So

sand your test pieces, too,

to

ensure

a tight fit.

After you ve cut the tenons, and

mape sure they

fit

their respective

post mortises, you can square up



21/76


22/76

the mortises for the decorative

wedges with 1/2 and

1

chisels.

The decorative wedges are cut from

scrap redwood. Taper the wedges on

your disc sander (see

Halfscale

Patterns

previous page).

The final shaping of the trellis

rails as well as the shaping

of the

stretchers (pieces

8) is

done on the

band

saw.

Use the

Halfscale Patterns

to create a template I made mine

from some scrap 1/2 plywood).

Trace the outline of the template

onto the rails and stretchers and

cut them out on the band

saw.

An

oscillating spindle sander does a great

job of easily removing the band saw

marks. I also rounded over

all

the

edges with 100-grit sandpaper.

Making Stretchers

and Bridle Joints

The stretchers are attached

to

the

posts with

full

lap joints. In other

words, dadoes must be cut

in

the

posts (see the

Rail and Post Joint

Detail

at right, and the

Elevation

Drawings

on page 24 for the dado

sizes and locations), but none are

needed in the stretchers.

Rail n Post

oint etail

I used the same dado setup in my

radial arm

saw,

this time adjusting

the depth

of

cut for a

fz

deep dado.

I cut the dadoes in two matching

posts at the same time. I know I ve

said this before, but be extremely

careful during this process. Clamp

your workpieces securely to the

saw s table and operate the saw with

both hands. Watch out for knots in

the wood. A dado set

in

a radial arm

saw tends to grab and climb a knot

the saw is pulled forward too fast.

This could easily stall the saw, over-

load the motor, or even cause an

injury

you lose control of the dado.

I thought about using the radial

arm saw

to

cut the bridle joints

in

the tops of the posts (see the

Rail

and Post

Joint etail this page),

u

it seemed like an awfully

cumbersome setup.

You

could use

a circular saw and slowly nibble

away at each dado, but I think the

easiest and safest method is to

chop out the dadoes with a Forstner

bit and chisels (see

Figure 4). After

the open bridle mortises are cut, use

a miter saw

to

put a

27°

chamfer on

the top of each post, as shown on the

Rail and Post Joint Detail

Figure

3:

Before

you

cut

the

tenons

o

the

trellis

rails notch

each rail end

with

Forstner bit chucked your drill press


23/76

Figure 4: Cut the mortises in the top of each

post

y

hogging

out

most

of the waste with

Forstner

bit

and

squaring up

with

sharp chisel.

Assembling

the Trellises

With

all

the joints on the posts cut,

it s time to start assembling each

trellis. You ll need plenty of room

for this process, either

on

the floor

or on a large bench. Begin by

mak-

ing sure the rails are oriented with

the notched sides facing away from

the trellis. Apply Titebond® II

weatherproof glue to each rail s

tenon and use the decorative wedges

to hold the rails

in

place. Drill 9/64

pilot holes and 3/8 counterbores

before driving the longer stainless

steel screws (pieces 9) through the

posts and rails to lock these parts.

The cleats that were ripped earlier

can now be fastened

to the posts and

rails. I didn t bother to measure the

cleats; instead, I marked each one

individually and cut the

45°

miters

with my miter

saw.

The horizontal

cleats are fastened to the outside

edges of the rails first (see the

Exploded

View page

20).

Then the

vertical cleats are fastened to

the posts so they line up with the

horizontal cleats. Attach these with

the shorter stainless steel screws

(pieces 10), countersunk just

enough

to

let the heads sit flush with

the surface. The lattice strips are

then screwed (but not glued) to

the

cleats, also with the shorter

flathead stainless steel screws.

Make sure you drill pilot holes for

Summer 4 Outdoor

Projects

everyone

of

these screws

to

prevent

splitting the lattice strips. The fragile

lattice assemblies aren t glued to

the cleats so they can be replaced

if necessary.

constructing

the

Canopy

Start the canopy by cutting the

beams, joists and top rails (pieces

11,

12

and 13) to the sizes listed in

the

Material List

page

25.

Clamp the

five beams together and layout the

dadoes (see the

Elevation

Drawings

page

24)

that will hold the top rails.

Gang cut 3/4 deep dadoes on the

radial arm

saw,

as shown

in

Figure

5

Set aside the

two

beams that

will

sit inside the bridle joints on the

posts. The other three beams

will

need half-lap joints on the bottom

edges to accept dadoes cut

in

the

joists. Clamp these three beams

together, layout the dadoes as

shown

in

the

Elevation Drawings

page 24, and the

Inside Beams

detail,

page

25,

and gang cut them

on

the

radial arm saw. Follow the same pro-

cedure to cut the corresponding

dadoes on the two joists.

Figure 6:

Once you have

everything built

and the arbor

posts

located

in

your favorite

garden or

lawn

spot ask

couple of

friends

to

help

you hoist the

canopy

into

place

o top of

the two trellises.

here s

one last shaping step

before the canopy can be assembled:

Cutting the curved shape on

the ends of the five beams. Make

a

Wooden

template from the Half-

scale Patterns on

page 21, and use

Figure

5:

The radial

arm saw

allows you

to

gang cut the

dadoes

in all five

beams

at

one

time.

Make

sure

you

clamp

the workpieces

and

use two

hands to

pull

the saw carriage.

the template to trace the pattern

onto each beam. Cut out the shape

on the band

saw.

(Note: I tried using

a jigsaw, thinking the

58

beams

would be too unwieldy to handle

on the band

saw,

bu t my jigsaw

created too much tearout

on

the soft


24/76

3 1. 0

o

50 /4

23 1

3 {,

I

12 {,

Post

Side View)

1 1.

NOTE: he top rails pieces 13) require

no machining.

All of the dadoes on

the top of the beams

can be gang cut. ,

58

1 { . ~ { l

43 1

- - - - 4 r - - - - ~ ~ - - _ t - - - - - - _ _ _ . _ _ _ - - : - ; ; r -

Lower half-lap

joints are

only cut on

the three

inside beams.

leat

Location

Detail

Screw locations are only

required on the two outside beams.

Trellis Rail

op View)

43

3

/

Joist Side View)

1137 8 11137 8 1 1 r

1

I

I u

@ A - - - _ u _ ~ _ = _ _ = _ _ = _ - - - - r = _ i u

1

I

3 4 I

1 60

eam

Side View)

Horizontal Lattice Strip

Side View)

1)

I,

5 J ~ 4 I <

4 1

r- ~ t

U U

u-4 I

U U II

/4

30 /4

__

8 -

T

Vertical Lattice Strip

Side View)

r

5 1 r

4 1 1

r4 1 1

2

18

r 4 /4 1 r

5

i.J

50 /4

....__: \

ul__

u

__

\t 3/

redwood. I got a cleaner cut on

the band

saw.

Because redwoo}i is

so lightweight, I didn t have any

problems maneuvering the beams.)

Wrap up this shaping work with

a drum sander in your drill press to

eliminate the saw marks.

Now you can assemble the canopy.

Dry-fit all the pieces

to

make sure

everything goes together properly

and the assembly is square. Apply

glue to the half-laps connecting

the beams and joists as well as to

the dadoes

on

the beams that hold

the top rails. Drill pilot holes and

counterbores from the top for the

longer stainless steel screws. The

joists are anchored

to

the

two

outside

beams with additional screws driven

through the sides of the beams (see

the Exploded

iew

next page, for the

screw locations).

While the glue is drying, chuck

a 3/8 diameter tapered plug cutter

into your drill press soyou can create

enough redwood plugs (pieces 14)

to cover

all

the arbor s screw holes

except those connecting the lattice

strips and cleats. Install these plugs

on the canopy top with dabs of

Titebond II glue and, once the glue

dries, chisel and sand the plugs flush

to

th.e

workpieces.

Outdoor Projects

Summer

2004


25/76

M TERI L ST· NOPY

Beams (5)

x xL

1 /2 x 3 /2 x 58

nopy

xploded

iew

Joists (2)

3 Top Rails (6)

4 Screw Hole Plugs (88)

1 /2

x 3 /2 x 60

1 /2

X

5 8 x

75

3/8 Dia. redwood

Finishing

You

can apply various finishes to

redwood, including paint, penetrating

oil

and marine spar varnish. Or you

can let the redwood age naturally.

I opted for two

coats of General

Finishes Outdoor Oil which contains

UV and mildew prohibitors, using

cloth and a foam brush. Reapply

the finish annually

to

help retain the

redwood color.

8

1

11

/ 1

8

I

.L

@

i

1

3

/.

I

t

I..

19

I

Inside Beams

Side View)

previous page) while you supervise.

(After

all

what are friends

for? Now

you can attach the stretchers to the

posts with the longer stainless steel

screws, drilling pilot holes and coun

terbores as you did for all

the other

screws. Then screw the canopy to

the posts as shown on the Exploded

View

above. Complete the assembly

process by installing the rest of the

screw hole plugs and rounding off

all the sharp edges with sandpaper.

1

4

/, 1

1

/, 1\

r : : ~ . L . ; ; 4 i

Installing the rbor

The arbor can be set in concrete

or on concrete pads, but there s

an easier alternative - metal

anchors that you can

find

at

home improvement centers.

The installationprocess is simple:

Mark the precise location of

your arbor s posts and fit

a foot-long piece

of

scrap 4 x 4

into each anchor. With a sledge

hammer, drive the anchor until

the top end is near the ground.

When the tops of all

the anchors are

level, replace the scrap stock with

the arbor s post/trellis assemblies.

N

ow

you ll need at least one friend

and a couple of stepladders

to

finish

the assembly. First, place the

stretchers in their respective dadoes

and clamp them

to

the posts. With

the stepladders placed on solid

ground, have two friends heft the

canopy onto the posts (see Figure

6


25


26/76

G }rdener s

Workst }tion

Whether you re

three-season g r ening junkie or

weekend dabbler this

workstation

is

sure

to

satisfy.

It

features

pull-out potting

tray

removable mixing

tub n

loads

ofshelf n storage space.

t n chmidt

Outdoor roje ts Summer 4


27/76

Figure 1: After you ve carefully marked

all your

workpieces,

cut

the

lap joints

o

the bench

legs

with

dado set

mounted

your table

saw.

top together

in

several

narrow assemblies, letting the glue

dry, then gluing and clamping them

together to make the full panel.

Otherwise, too many wet joints

will

make the top difficult

to

clamp

up,

resulting in shifting - and lots of

expletives I made my top from two

pieces of

lfz

wide oak sandwiched

around four pieces

of

3

1

2 stock.

Here s a technique I frequently

use to achieve flawless butt joints

without worrying

if

my jointer is set

precisely at 90 degrees. I cut my

stock

to

rough width and length,

then arrange the boards to alternate

the growth-ring patterns (see the

Exploded View above). Number the

boards so they stay in sequence and

mark alternate Pis

Away

from the

fence) and O s On the fence) along

the joint lines on the top face. With

each board s top face away from the

fence, joint the A edges. Then, with

each board s top face on the fence,

joint the

0

edges. This

way, if

your

A cuts are 9

you ll be guaranteed

that your 0 cuts

will

be

9

and

you ll end up with a nice flat top.

Figure

2: The 45°

miters

o the

bo om aprons

are cut

o miter

saw. Nibble

at

the cut to

prevent

your saw from

flinging small

pieces

of oak across

the

room.

Arrange your benchtop boards

y

alternating the growth ring

patterns Number the boards

they stay

sequence

n

mark alternate s and s

along the joint lines for jointing

tight fitting edges

Building the

Benchtop

Start this project by making the

rather massive benchtop (piece 1).

f this is your first try at gluing

together a large tabletop, save your

self some headaches by gluing the

Summer

4

Outdoor Projects

T

his fine piece of outdoor

furniture says one thing loud

and clear: Style and grace aren t

always t victims of durability.

This gardener s workstation features

a removable mixing tub, a hidden

potting tray, lots

of room for storing

extra clay pots or even bags of

fertilizer, and room to hang plenty of

gardening utensils. It s also designed

and built to take whatever you and

Mother Nature can throw at

it. Even

if

you don t leave it outdoors, you ll

want your potting bench to stand up

to

humidity and bugs. Virtually all the

wood on ours

is

white oak, a good

choice for outdoor applications.

White oak s pores are filled with

tyloses, which gives the wood water

resistant properties. It also contains

tannic acids, which protect the wood

from insect and fungi attacks. There

are alternatives to white oak, of

course, like cedar, redwood, cypress,

Honduras mahogany, teak or even

pressure treated lumber. (For more

on choosing outdoor woods, see

page

8.

While tannic acid can be beneficial,

it also can cause problems.

Mix

tannic

acid, a little humidity and regular

steel screws and you ve got the

perfect recipe for unsightly stains.

That s why I opted for exterior-grade

screws, even where they re covered

with plugs. The outdoor factor also

dictated the use of Titebond®

II

weatherproof glue and spar varnish.


28/76

Making the

egs and prons

Once you ve double-checked all

your markups, install a sharp dado

set on your table saw and set it at its

maximum width. Since white oak

has a tendency

to splinter easily,

I stuck masking tape over every

marked dado to minimize tearout.

After using some extra pieces of

stock to test your settings, cut

all

the

lap joints on the legs pieces 3 and 4

and aprons pieces 5 6 and

7 as

shown in

Figure

1 on page

27.

Stick with the dado set

to

cut the

wide notch on the top front apron

this will later accommodate t he

tops ofyour flowerpots), the notches

on two of the six slats pieces 8), the

tenon cheeks on the back boards

pieces 9 and 10 and the notches on

the fronts of the tray runners pieces

11).

Finish up with the dado s et by

cutting the grooves

in

the runners.

Move to your miter saw

to

shape

the mitered front apron and two side

aprons see Figure 2

on

page 27 as

well as the bevel

on

the tops of the

rear legs. The miter saw is also the

perfect tool for shaping the straight

edges on the corner brackets

pieces 12).To

make the six corner

brackets stronger, follow the grain

Figure 3: Cut three sides of the mixing tub hole

with your jigsaw, then screw a holding bracket

to the waste

piece

so it doesn t

pinch your

blade

while you cut the fourth side - or bruise your

big toe

when

it falls to the floor.

Standard biscuits aren t made for

exterior applications, so I opted

to

join the boards with white oak

splines pieces 2 . I used a dado set

on my table saw to cut the grooves

three inches short of each end and

finished up this step by gluing and

clamping the top.

The most difficult and time

consuming step in making a large

tabletop is flattening the glued-up

panel. I resolved this hassle a couple of

years ago by investing in a Performax

drum sander capable of surfacing

half of a 44

wide slab

in

one pass.

This machine is an immense time

saver. Alternatives include a belt

sander, a hand plane, or simply paying

a cabinet shop to flatten it for you on

their oversized sander.

t

shouldn t

cost much i you have the surfacing

done for you. I used

my

table saw

to

rip the panel to width and a circular

saw to cross cut to length.

With the benchtop finished, it s

time to cut all the other pieces

to

width and length according

t( )

the

Material List on the next page.

While you re at it cut some extra

pieces

to

use for testing during the

machining stages. Label everything

carefully and remember that there s

a left-hand and right-hand se t of

legs. All the details are presented

in

the

Pinup

Shop

rawings

starting on

page

39.

28

Figure

4:

Drill the 1

deep

counterbores in the

tops

and

bottoms of the

aprons

with a 3/8

countersink.

- -

: +

~ 3 8

Dia.

pattern shown on the

Pinup

Shop

rawings

Next, you ll need your band

saw

drum sander and router table. Use

your band saw and drum sander to

form the arc

on

the corner brackets.

Use your router table, equipped with

a

2

straight bit, to mill the

stopped groove

on

the inside faces

of

the rear legs. Also on your router

table make the stopped groove

on

the inside of the tray front piece 13

for housing the potting tray, as

shown on the

Pinup Shop rawings

Switch to a jigsaw

to

form the

notches at the rear of the benchtop,

which

allow

the top to wrap around

the rear legs. Even though the top is

2

thick, a good jigsaw equipped

with a sharp blade shouldn t be

overwhelmed cutting through white

oak. I also used the jigsaw to cut the

hole for the mixing tub piece 14).

Since you already have considerable

time and money invested in the

white oak top, purchase your tub

really just a plastic dishwashing

pan) and cut a test hole in scrap

before you tackle the white oak.

Aim

for a tight friction

fit.

T he hole in

my

top measured 11 11 x 13

, but

when I cut my test hole in some

scrap plywood, I discovered that the

tub lip wouldn t hide square corners.

In order

to

prevent the cutout

from dropping on your toes, cut

three sides and then attach a scrap

brace see

Figure

3 to the cutout

with a couple screws.

The

brace

will

also prevent the cutout from

pinching your jigsaw blade as you

cut the fourth side.

Now turn to your drill press,

equipped with a circle cutter,

to

form

the arcs on the

top

back board and the

tray front. Adjust the speed to

250

rpm and your cutter for a 3

diameter

circle. To eliminate tearout, clamp

your boards down securely, cut

Outdoor

Projects Summer 4


29/76

xploded

iew

MATERIAL LIST

1 Benchtop (1)

2 Benchtop Spl ines (5)

3 Front Legs (2)

4 Rear Legs (2)

5 Side Aprons (4)

6 Front & Rear Aprons (3)

7 Mitered Front Apron (1)

8 Shelf Slats (6)

9 Top Back Board (1)

10 Lower Back Boards (3)

Tray Runners (2)

Corner Brackets (6)

Summer 4 Outdoor

Projects

x xL

1 /2 X

22

/

x

44

1/4

x

3/4

x

38

1 1 x 2'/2' x 34 >

1

/

x 2'/2' x 50X

1

/4 x 2'/2' x 21

13/4 x 2'/2' x 38X

1 1 x 2

'

/2

x 40

3/4 x 5'/2' x 36

3/4 x 2 x 36

x 4'/8' x 19'/4'

1 x 3'/4' x 3 4

3 Tray Front (1)

4 Mixing Tub (1)

5

Potting Tray (1)

6 Shelf Stretcher (1)

7 Tool Hangers (3)

8 Tray Spacer (1)

9 Back Board Spacers (8)

Leg Caps (2)

Potting Tray Cleat (1)

Screw Hole Plugs (15)

3 Exterior-grade Screws (10)

Exterior-grade Screws (73)

x xL

3/4

X

5 /2 x 40

Plastic dishpan

3/4 x 15% x 19%

13/4

x 2'/2' x 17'/2'

1/4 x 2 Dowel

3/4 x 2lil x 17'/2'

1/2 x 1/2 x 1

1/4 x 13/.' x 2'/2'

3/4 x 3/4 x 13'/2'

3/8 Dia. white oak

6 x 1X

8 x 2'/2'


30/76

Cutting

Tapers

in

Two Easy Steps

l

1--2 12

fp er

Cleat

2

t

:

t •

3

Cutting the tapers

on

the tray front and

the top back board

of

the potting bench

is

easy

w t

this simple

jig even though the

tray front is longer

than the top back

8

board. Cut the jig

and spacer from 3/4

birch plywood

as

shown

n

the drawing

at left using table and

jigsaws. Now

just

follow the two-step

process shown below.

Step 1:

With your fence set

at 10 cut one end of the

tray front. Now flip the

workpiece and cut

the

other end.

Step 2: Screw the 2

spacer and the cleat to the

tapering iig and

cut

one

end of your top

back

board. Flip your workpiece

and cut the other end.

halfway through and ilip them over

to finish the cut. A circle cutter

forms a clean circle requiring little

sanding, but

i f

you don t have one,

you could use a jigsaw and clean up

with a drum sander.

I also used the circle cutter for the

holes

in

the potting tray (piece 15).

Again, check your flowerpot sizes

before you cut the holes. I have

4

and

6

standard clay pots, requiring

3

7

/8

and 5

1

/4

holes, respectively.

No

matter what size pots you buy, aim

for a loose friction

fit.

Arrange them

in

a pattern that

will

allow you

to

remove a pot full ofsoil and fertilizer

easily, even if you re wearing damp

and dirty gardening gloves.

Accounting for Wood Movement

A unique feature designed into this

potting bench is the way it handles

wood movement. Basically, it consists

of matching 1

deep counterbores

that allow the wide, thick benchtop

to

shiftwith the seasons (seeFigure 4

on page 28).

n

additional benefit of

this design is that it allows you to

use shorter exterior-grade screws

that are only 2

1

2

long.

Mark the screw hole locations on

the aprons and the shelf stretcher

(piece

16)

as indicated on the

Pinup

Shop Drawings.

With a 9/64 bit

in

your drill press and a fence set 7/8

from center, drill all theway through

the aprons. Now switch

to

a 3/8

countersink and set your depth stop

to

form a 1 deep counterbore. Drill

the holes on one edge of an apron

and ilip your workpiece

to

drill the

matching holes, using the 9/64

pilot hole as a guide. Follow the

same procedures on the rest of the

aprons and the stretcher. Finish up

on the drill press by cutting holes for

the tool hangers (pieces 17) at a 5°

angle on the top back board.

Putting the Pieces Together

With all this machining work behind

you, it s time for some assembly.

Dry-assemble and clamp the legs

and aprons, making sure everything

fits precisely and the full framework

is square. Once you re satisfied, drill

1/8 pilot holes and 3/8 counter

bores where they are marked on the

Exploded View page 29.

Now unclamp the dry assembly

and call a buddy who can supply

a couple of extra hands. Brush on

Titebond®

II

glue, then reclamp and

screw the pieces together, again

making sure that everything remains

square. Note: For final assembly,

I recommend square-drive screws.

Once you use them, you ll be sorely

tempted to throwaway every slotted

or Phillips screw you ever see. You ll

need a square drive bit, but these

are worth every penny, simply

because square drive screws seldom,

if ever, slip.

Once this assembly dries, glue and

screw the tray spacer (piece

18)

in

place and attach the tray runners

(see the

Pinup Shop Drawings .

N

ow

tip the bench on its back to

tackle the top and shelf. Clamp the

top

in

place and use an

awl to

mark

the locations of the screw holes (see

Figure 5).

Remove the top and drill

the 1/8 pilot holes 1

deep, then

reposition the top and screw it in

place. Follow the same procedure

with the shelf slats, but first sand

a roundover on the top edges.

I attached the

two

notched shelf

slats first, and followed with the

other four slats spaced an equal

distance apart. Slip scrap spacers

in

between the shelf slats

if

this

helps, or tack the boards

in

place

with hot-melt glue to hold them

while you drive the screws.

As

long

as you have the bench on its back,



31/76

Figure 5: With

the

top

firmly clamped to

the

aprons

drop the

bench on its back and

mark

the locations of the

pilot

holes

with

an awl

now is a good time

to

glue and screw

the corner brackets in place, too.

Return the bench to an upright

position and glue the spacers

(pieces 19 and back boards - but

not the top back board - in place.

Dry-fit the top board just to make

sure the taper you ve marked on the

board meets the top of the bevels

you ve already cut on the rear legs.

Making

the

op

Back

Board

and

Splitting the

Tray Front

The tapering jig that s described

in

the

sidebar

on the previous page is

different than most jigs because it

will

cut the same taper on boards of

different lengths. With this project,

I wanted the arcs and tapers to

match, even though the top back

board is four inches shorter than the

tray front.

Cut the taper on the top back

board using the tapering jig and glue

it in place. The tool hangers are

glued in place along with the leg

caps (pieces 20), which protect

the end grain of the rear legs from

moisture and cover the grooves cut

for the back board tenons.

Cut the tray front in half. Screw

but don t glue - the left half

to

the

potting tray, using the tray cleat

(piece

21

and 1

1

4

exterior-grade

screws. I didn t glue the plywood

tray in place so I could easilyreplace

umm r 4 OutdoorProjects

it when needed in a couple years.

S lide this half into the tray runners

and then glue and screw the right

half to the front apron from behind,

making sure it lines up with the left

half covering the potting

tray.

Finishing

p

I cut my

own

3/8 diameter screw

hole plugs (pieces

22

from white

oak using a tapered plug cutter (see

Figure

6 . Glue the plugs in the

screw holes on the front and side

surfaces and use a sharp chisel

to

pare them evenwith the surrounding

wood.

Figure 6: You

can

cut your

own screw

hole

plugs

with

3 8

plug

cutter

in your

drill

press Cut

the

plugs

loose by

resawing to

3 8

on your band saw

I sanded with

80- 120-

and 180-grit

sandpaper before applying two

coats of McCloskey s Satin Spar

Marine Varnish, sanding lightly with

180-grit paper between coats.

Once the varnish dries, your

workstation

will

be ready for many

seasons of green thumbing to come.

When the varnish takes a hazy cast,

just sand lightly and recoat.

_ / ~

@

0

®

®

t

_

®

®

®

CD

®-

®

P

ardener s

Workstation ,

Front view

__._----

®

0


32/76

Portable utdoor hoirs

ick hite

Fun to make

comfortable

to

sit

in

n surprisingly lightweight

these out oor chairs will be welcome ition to your

backyard.

Made

from

white

oak

they ll provi e

years

ofservice.



33/76

Getting

Started:

Pair

of Templates

I wanted

to

make a

few

of these

chairs, and the thought ofmaking all

the curved side pieces one at

a time was out of the question.

Instead, I constructed a couple of

hether you re sitting around

. a warm fire after a day

in

the boat, cooling your heels at camp

after chasing upland game, or just

leaning backand soaking

up

a couple

of cold ones after you mow the lawn,

it s nice to have a comfortable place

to take a load off. hese slide

together outdoor chairs are not

a new idea; in fact, the inspiration for

this updated white oak version was

rolled out 20 years ago in the

May/June

1984

issue of the Journal

I did spruce up the design a bit

(with some help from my cohorts

here at

Woodworker s

Journal by

making them more compact when

they are nested together for storage.

We also added a

few

strategically

placed cleats, to eliminate the

chance of racking.

I chose white oak for building

these chairs because it s so durable

and because these chairs really don t

eat up a lot of material - there are

only about 12 board feet in each one.

I raided my scrap bin for some of

it.

At a little over 3 a board

foot,

these

chairs come

in

at a very reasonable

price. Spanish cedar or cypress

would also work well.

With your perfectly-

sized

templates

complete transfer

the shapes

onto

the

seat

and

backrest

stock

Then band

saw

the

pieces

to shape

keeping

just

outside

the pen il lines

perfectly-sized templates (see the

Seat and ackrest Sides Drawing

on page 34 and traced around them

to

layout a series of paired seat

and backrest sides (pieces 1 and 2

on my hardwood stock. hen

I carefully cut these pieces to shape

on

the band saw (see Photo above),

staying just a hair outside of the

pencil line. I used double-sided

carpet tape

to

attach the templates

to

the stock for template routing and

added three small brads - just

for insurance. With a 1/2 flush

trimming, bearing-guided router bit

mounted

in

my router table, I was

Cleaning up your

edges

on

spindle sander

takes just

few minutes

n

of the nice

things

about template routing

is that it

leaves

just few

machining marks that are

snap to

remove


34/76

3/4 x 2 x 17

8

x x

3/4 x 6

'

/2 x 41

1/2 x 1

'

/2 x 18

/ 6

3/4 x

6

/2 x 44

3/4

x

2

x

18

/ 6

1/2 x 1

'

/2 x 17%

hamfer

Detail

End

iew

Seat Side

Slat

n

Cleat Locations

-J

1

'

/2 f


35/76

Guide

to

Template

Routing

Step 2: A ach the template to the stock with

double-sided carpet tape.

The author also used

three small brads driven through the

template

to ensure that they

were

firmly secured to the

hardwood.

Router Bits

and

n

Grain:

Deadly

Combo

35

Split woo

Step 3: Great care

must be

used

when

routing around

the ends

of

template.

The end

grain is susceptible to

fracturing as shown in

the illustration below)

and rushing cut

can

ruin

your

piece.

Step

1:

Begin the template

routing sequence

by

using your

template

to

trace the

shape of

the

piece

onto the hardwood

stock.

Step

to

the

band saw

and

cut out the piece, staying just

outside the layout line.

A flush-trimming, bearing-guided router bit follows the shape of the

template exactly But using such a bit to cut across end grain can

lead to big trouble. Limiting the depth of the cut y first trimming

close to the layout line (thus reducing the

penetration of the cutter s blade) will

greatly reduce your chance

of splitting the wood.

contributing editorMike McGlynn once said, Template routing is

a

great

way to ensure multiple pieces are identically shaped. It s also a great way

to

destroy parts nd injure yourself if you are not careful.

Here are four rules you should always follow:

Leave

a

bare 1 16 of stock

to

mill off

Keep your hands well away from the cutter.

3 Attach your template firmly

to

the stock.

Be keenly aware of the bit s rotation before you begin trimming.

One final caution: Template routing t each end of

a

piece (across the end

grain) must be done slowly and with the utmost care. Rick ruined one of his

side pieces before he got the hang of this aspect of the task. We suggest you

make a test run on scrap before you move to the real thing.


Moving to

the Seat

and Back

Slats

The seat and back slats (pieces 3

and 4 have the same thickness and

width, but differ in length.

Rip

a sufficient quantity of slat stock and

then cut them to their appropriate

lengths. Again, i like me you are

making more than one chair, set up

and cut them in groups. (Maybe

even make one or two extra in case

of a machining error

not that I ve

ever had that sort of problem )

Next, I drilled counterbored holes

centered at each end of the slats

(one setup works for both types of

slats). Later these holes will be

plugged to hide the screws.

As long as you are ripping and

drilling, go ahead and make the seat

and backrest cleats (pieces 5 and 6

from 3 4 stock. The cle ats are

ready

to

rout. (For tips on template

routing, see the sidebar at right.)

The

only problem I had with this

whole project was when I first

attempted to trim a rounded end of

a seat side. With my template firmly

in place, I started

to

trim across the

grain at the end of the part. In the

blink of an eye the bit caught and

shattered the stock.

t

was like the

wood exploded My second and

third attempts (on scrap wood)

ended in the same dramatic fashion.

After a little more experimenting, I

came up with a successful technique

for this task. The key is to band saw

your stock, particularly at the ends,

so that you leave just the barest bit

to

be trimmed awayby the flush-trim

cutter. Equally important, go slow

and hang on tight your bit creates

a bit of a burn on the ends, don t

worry, it sands off easily. I sanded

the edges on a oscillating spindle

sander.

Go ahead and make all the

shaped parts at one time.


36/76

Drilling

the

ounter ored screw

holes

both

the

slats

and

the

cleats gets

you

ready for

the final

assembly step


exterior grade polyurethane or spar

varnish would also look great on

these white oak beauties, but it

would scratch and chip with the use

I had

in

mind for them. I like the oil

for many reasons: it s easy to get into

nooks and crannies formed by the

slats and cleats, it looks great and,

most important

to

me, it s simple

to touch up and renew. You will need

to reapply the finish on any piece

of outdoor furniture, and

oil

is the

easiest way to go, in my opinion.

A good cleaning and then a quick

rubdown with a coat

of oil,

and your

chairs

will

be ready for another

season of outdoor adventures.

Whether that would include a trip

to the BoundaryWaters Canoe Area

or setting them

up in

your outdoor

BrewArea, is entirely

up

to you.

Finishing

and

Upkeep

I considered a

few

finishing options

for my chairs but settled on an easily

applied outdoor oil finish. I think

an

you place the

final

seat slat, use the

spacer again

to

locate the seat cleat.

Make sure you square up the

assembly before you drive in these

screws. Simple as pie.

When you ve placed the

last back slat, you need

to go to the

Elevation

Drawings once more to

locate positions for the two

backrest cleats.

Plug the screw holes with

white oak dowels (you

should use a water-resistant

glue to make sure they stay

put), and after the glue

cures, sand each

of the chair

ssem l ies

thoroughly. You

are almost ready

to sit back and make yourself

comfortable.

wider than the slats and have two

screws

in

each end. They keeps the

backrest and seat assemblies from

racking, although their main

func-

tion is locking the chair securely

in

each of the various seat positions

possible with this design. Cut them

to size and bore the screw holes.

Now grab the slats and cleats and

move over to your router table.

Chuck a chamfering bit

in

the router

and get busy easing the edges of the

combined slats and cleats.

And

i

you happen

to

be unlucky and

machine thewrong side of one of the

slats, don t worry; remember you

made extra ... I wish I had.)

Putting

it llTogether

you have two drill/drivers, get

them ready. First make a 7/8 x 7/8

20 spacer. Start attaching the seat

and back slats as shown in the

Elevation Drawings on page 34, and

use the spacer to locate each

successive slat. Drill a pilot hole with

the first drill and then drive the

screw home with the second. When


37/76

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Outdoor Projects - Summer 2004