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I I SnrrlyFrllrrue ATnrr I lrusrnll I LnUtNATE Fr-oonrrue THr OnICINALHomr WooDWoRKING nrup ITTapRoVEMENT MAGAZINE llllJIilill ililti k kbbff HoMEWRIGHT 2 6 rA" BackyardPlayhouse Big ideasin a small package. Thafs what kids are, and our children's playhouseis a perfect match.With built-in swings,a slide, and a lookout plafform, adventureis neverfar away. Yourfun?Buildingitwith our stepby-stepplans. WOOOwORKING SSeTable TimesThree Cottagecharmandroomfor fwr-The BackyardPXayhouse,page26. Don't let a modestshoplimit yourimagination.With this table trio you won't needa lathe. Instead,ino<pensive,off-theshelf hrrnedlegsgive you room to stretchbasicskills andtools into elegantresults. WEExeNDPRoJEcT 46luv a IaminateFloor It looks just like wood, but laminateflooring calls for some new techniques.We'll showyou the hicks for installing this new flooring alternative. WonrcsHoP Prefublegs stetch the limits of your toolsn A TableT'i.maThree,page38. 6OSto*-R*"y Storage Insing the battle for more shop space?Use your head (or rather the spaceaboveit). Both garage and basementshopsoffer room betweenthe ceiling joists for our fold-downstoragesystem. Iny a La.rni.nate Floor, page46. Workbenchr September/OctoberI 998 StowAwayStorage,page60. ft & 6 Quesrrorus Aruswens L2rles & TecnTIQUES Oven Tne FeNce page12. Tips & Techn'iques, OaertheFence,page18. 18N"*s andEvents KitchenDesignContestwinners! IN-DEPIn RevIEW 5oeuying a ChainSaw Gearingup for fall firewood cutting?We sampleda dozen popularchainsawsto learn which featuresreally make a differencein performance. TEcnnqIQUEs 56P.ttins ATree Proventechniques- developed - will help you by professionals Our guideto featuresand performancefor Buyinga ChainSaw,page50. take a fee down safely. Snop lupnovEMENTs 62 N"* TbolOfferings WnRt's New 68noauds ForYourHome CNNPTSMANSHIP 72r*t^sy Garden fuchitectural salvageand eclectic statuary,gatheredby a British landscapearchitect makefor a decidedlywacky garden. Techniquesfor Felling A Tree,page56. Spenser's FantasyGarden,page72. 'tJ?'orkbench r September/October1998 D-I-YRewards f I were in charge of everything - a recurring fantasy of mine - I'd require building centersto post really big warning signs. I'd hang these blaze orange signs above entrance doors and at each aisle. I'd even put matching stickers on every product. They'd read something like this: 'lVarning. Remodeling your home can be hazardousto the health ofyour bank account,your marriage, and your mental state. These products have been linked to nervous breakdowns. This goes double if you're redoing a kitchen." Readers who've been following along the past few issuesknow that we stumbled into some expensivetrouble with our kitchen remodeling project. Thanks to termite and water damage, uneven and out-oflevel floors, and a host of small setbacks,we jetted past our budget line faster than Richard Petty ever pushed a final lap. Not that this is uniqueto us. Ask most D-l-Yersand they'll tell you horror storiesof budget-busting overruns and heart-stopping return trips to the building center. And that includes many of the entrants in our Kitchen Design Contest. The old adage, "figure how much time it will take and how much it will cost, then multiply by three," truly applieshere. At the very least, you can't afford to lose your senseof humor. But despite these pitfalls, or praffalls as the case may be, we all live through the mess to enjoy the results. Before and after photos of our kitchen overhaul give you a taste for the difference (below). And the winning entries in the Design Contest (seepage 18) speak even more eloquentlyof remodeling'svirtues. So, to remodelers everl'where, I say "Hang in there. It's worth the effort." But in caseyou forget what big projects can do to you, I think my sign idea could be a helpful reminder. Maybe all they should say is "Remember, look beforeyou leap!" 4/ L.'0/?2 WmKBEI\ICII VOI-UME 54 NuMeen 5 EDITOR Christopher A Inman ASSOCIATE EDITORSWilliam laHay Kerry Gibson ASSISTANT EDIToR David E. Stone ARTDIRECTORRobert L Foss SR, ILLUSTRAToR Erich lage ILLUSIRATORSusanJessen SR. GMPHIc DESIGNERPaul E Stigers CREATIVEDlREcroR Ted Kralicek SENIORPHoToGRApHER CrayolaEngland PRoJECT CooRDINAToRKentWelsh SHOPMANAGERSteveCurtis SHOPCRAFTSMAN SteveJohnson PROJECT DEVELOPER Ken MunKeI SENTOR PRoJEcrDESIGNER Kevin Boyle ELEC.PUB.COORDINATOR DouglasM. Lidster PRE-PRESS IMAGESPECS. Troy Clark Minniette Bieghler PRESTDENT & PUBLISHERDonald B. Peschke ADVERTISING SALESMANAGERS Mary K Day (515)282-7000 ext. 2200 GeorgeA Clark (515)282-7000 ext. 2201 MARKETING CoMMUNIGATIoNS MANAGER TaraMeier (515)282-7000ext2135 PUBLISHING CONSULTANT Peter H. Miller (202)362-9367 FoR HELPWITHYoUR SUBSCRIPTION CONTACT: WORKBENCH Customer Service PO.Box842 DesMoines,IA 50304-9961 Phone:(800)311-3991 Fax (515)283-0447 To ORDERWoRKBENCH PRoJEGTSUPPLIES: Call l-80G311-3994 TO SENDA LEITERBY E-MAIL: [email protected] FORMOREINFORMATION ABOUT HOMEIMPROVEMENT, WOODWORKING, GARDENING ANDCooKING,VIsT TxT WORKBENCH WEBSITE: http://www.augusthome.com Audit Bureau of Circulations WORIGENCHISSN0043-8057) is published bimonthly Sepl,Nov.)byAugustHone Publishing 0an.,Mar.,May,Jr.rly, Compmy, 2200 GmdAve., DesMoines, Iowa,50312. Worhhench is a registered trademark ofAugustHome Publishing. CopyrightOl998August Home Publishing Compmy. All rightsreserved. Subscription rates: Singlecopy,$3.95.Oneyear suosnpnon(b lssuesr, il).v4; Mo yetr suD.,DZl.YD; threeyearsub.,$39.95.Canadian/Foreign, postage paidat add$6.00peryer. Periodicals DesMoines,IA andat additional offices. "USPS/Heartland PressAutomatable Poly." Postmmter: Sendaddresschmgesto Worhbnch, POBox37272,Boone, IA 50037{272. Printed in U.S-A- &Ans\Mers Questions Create Curved Moldings with Kerf Bending I haue an arched entryway into my dining room, and I'd like to add moldingsimilar to that shownin thedoorwayofthe cofferedceilingarticlein yourJune 1997 issue.How do I makemoldingtofollow thecurue? toe Kennedy Abington,PA more fragile it will be. With solid wood, leave all Oul t/rorr16 t/srrof the stock's thickness. In plywood, cut through all but one or two plies. Spacing of l/tr to 1/zrrbetween kerfs should be fine for all but very tight curves. The simplest method for making this type of arched casing is calledkerf bending.As the name implies,kerf bendinginvolvescuttinga seriesof sawkerfs acrossthe width of a board.By cuttingthroughmostof the board'sthicknessandleavinga thin layerofwood,you createflexiblesectionsthat allowthe woodto bend. Youcankerf bendsolidwoodor plywood.If you usesolidwood,select stockwith straightgrain - quartersawnstockhasthe mostpredictable grain.With plywood,the grain pattern doesn'tmatterasmuch.Cut the kerfs acrossthe facegrain.Kerfscutparallel to the grain leaveweak spotsthat could breakwhenyou bendthe wood. How flexible the woodwill be dependson the kerf depthandthe dis tancebetweenthem.The closertogether anddeeperthe kerfs are,the more flexibility the piecewill have,but the Whenyou attachthe kerfed stock to the arch,rememberthat the thin areasdon't offer much holdingpower for a nail. so mark the full-thickness spotson the faceand driveyour nails at thosepoints. Beforecutting your prizedcasing stock,kerf andbend somepractice piecesof scrapstock.Fit them into the arch to get familiarwith the process and to iron out the depthand spacing of the kerfs. Kerfsopenupwhen stockis bent, allowing it to followcurves. kerfs/+"-Vz"aparl, Nailthrough Space fulFthickness portion ofstock, -Va" Leaveha" ofthickness in solidstockor 1 - 2 layers ofplywood. EST|0il$! AucusrHotlm President md Pubtshen Donald B. Peschke Corporate Services: I/re Prxid.ent of Planning and Finance: Jon Mactrthy . Controller: Robin Hutchinson . Seniol Accountant: Iatra Thomas . Accounts Palable: May Schul9 . Accounts . Receioable:Mugo Petrus Ptoductian Director: George Chmielrz . Productiot A$istant: Susan Rueve . New Med.ia Marager: Gordon Gaippe . Web Site Alt Dilectol: Gele Pedereon o Network Admin&rator: Chris Hdrison . Human Rwurca Asstazti Kireten Koele . SPecial Projects Director: Saville Inmm. Adminbtratiue Asistant: Julia Fish . Receptionists: Jemne Johnson, Sheryl Ribbey . BuildinC Maintenance: Ken Griffith Circulation: SubscriberSeruicesDirector:9ndy Baum . New Brcinw Director: Glenda K Batdes o Nep Breinx Manager: Todd Bierle . Promotion Manager: Rick Junkins . Reneual Manager: Paige Rogers . Billing Manager: Rebecca Cunninghm . Asistant Subsciption Manager Joy Krause . AMciate Glahhic Daign Director: Susie Rider . Sezror Graphic Dxigner: Cheryl Simpson B,mks Exemtioe Editor: Douglas L Hicks . .4zf Dierctor: Stqe lteder cSenior Grafhic Designer: Chris Glowacki Products Grcup: O,eratiorc Difector: Bob Baker . Materiels Marager Muk Mattiussi . Cwtomer Semice Manager: Jennie Enos . Warehoue Sufenisor: Nmcy Johrson . Errer: Unda Jones . Technical Senice Repruentatioe: Matt TeRonde . Opelatiow As&azl: Tmmy Aldhi . Cwtoner Senice Re|resentqtioes: Anna Cox, Tmy Truckenbrod, Nmcy Domey, Adm Besg Deborah Rich o Warehorce: Sylvia Caey . Quality Control Tech: Frmk Johnson c Woodsmith Storet Manager Dave lmon AsMant Manager: Paul Schneider . Salc Sta/f, Pat lnwey, Wendell Stone, Jim Banett, Kathy Smith, John Johnson, Jerome Herr o Offi ce Ma nager : Y icls Edw u ds 1\ilrgffi If youhavea question aboutwoodworking or homeimprovement, writeit downandmailit to WORKBENCH Q&,\ 2200GrandAve., DesMoines,tA 50312. Please includeyour name,addressand daytimephone number in casewe have any questionsfor you.YoucanalsoreachusviaFaxat (515)28$2003 or by E-mailmessage at [email protected]. If wepublishyourquestion, we'llsend you oneof our handsomeand W'orkbenchr September/October 1998 Sorting Out Table Saw Power Chimney Cricket Sheds Water rePorton ThehomeinsPector's thehouseI just boughtstated that thechimneyis in goodshape,but I'm thi.nkingof uPgradingmY tablesawfrom an inerPensiae thecricketshould, brobablyberebuilt.I want to get thistakencareof, but I'ue at LL/zhf benchto|model.I'ue looked, justgot oneproblem.What'sa cricket? and S-hPmodels,but I'm not sureI Aaron Bean power saw Is the smaller the extra need Pierre. SD use? workshoP home adequate for DauidMilburn A chimneycrickethas an odd Mi.arni,FL name,but an importantjob. When a roof slopesdowninto one wall of a chimney,a valley is created Generallyspeaking,a 7L/ rhp where rainwaterwill sit and potentialsaw table contractor-type ly causea roof leak.To preventthis, a type of for the adequate shouldbe you'll smallA-framestructure,or cricket,is doing. like be work it sounds get on the uproof sideof the chimbuilt money to the Ratherthan spend (and It spansbetweenthe roof and probably ney. unecessary) the extra and divertsthe wateraround chimney savof the I'd sink some horsepower, involverepointingthe mortar.If the chimney. fence. the ings into upgrading you're not comfortabledoingthis, I you make your rebuild the cricket, When is consideration One other hiring a professionalrooferor advise flashing going metal replace all the to to sure is A model shopwiring. 3-hp mason to makesurethe new cricket roof. and it into the chimney ties that which can outlet require a22}volt properly. gets sealed may you this chimney, your have a brick If saw upgrade. addto the cost of I.olkrt for less. AssocioteEditor Workbenchwouldliketo find on osociote editorto join its condidotesmust stoff.Serious ond hove excellentwritingskills for woodworking enthusiosm Prior ond home improvement, mogozineexperienceiso plus, to DesMoines,lA, Relocotion isrequired,Tobe considered. sendcoverletter,resumeond writingsomplesto August WorkbenchHomePublishing, Dept,E,2200GrondAve., 50312. DesMoines,lA Or fox to: (515)282-6741 Garryit for nothin$. ..' )/[| ffi, ffin ;:?:,::':: !;!;: ' - Starrett's ControLokria lowprice modelat anunbelievably designed newergonomically plqg..'1@heavydutycarrier. Nosnapbacks! is released. whenthumb-pressure autolocks I Blade (common in retraction position accidental eliminates I Toplever designs). bottomlever rubber topgrip features design sizeandcontoured O Compact forcomfort andease-of-handling. 1"x25'blade yellow casewithheavy-duty highvisibility I nuggeO, breakage. to eliminate bladeprotector Tough-Tip@ andtripleriveted A greatdealona greattape.Askforit today. ControLok. $ttrffibTr lnnovationwith value- nobody else measuresup! VrsltStmettontlrcwil at www,lsstarrett,com The L.S.StarrettCompany,121 CrescentStreet,Athol,MA 01331 Tel:(978) 249-5330 . FltX:(978) 2498495 Number189 Information Product \Torkbench r September/October1998 Dry Well Helps Solve Rainwater Drainage Problems E Ore of nty downspoutsdrains l[l)I ,rrn 0 tow area rn my yara, ana El arterheouyrain I end wp with standing u,ater \\hat can I do to get rid of this standingwater? R. Hammond Santa Fe. NM By far the simplestway to get rid of the water would be to reclirectthe downspoutso the water clrainsto another part of the yard. If this isn't possible,you'll have to improve the clrainagein the low area. One option for increasingthe drainagecapacityof the low spot is a dry well. Iluriecl underground,a dry well gives water a place to collect, then leachout into the soil. You can make a clry well by digging a hole 24rrto ,18"in diarneteranclseveral feet deep. Fill the bottom part of the holc r.vithlarge stonesand put snrallcrgravel on top of the stoncs. N0TE: Placedrywellunder lowestpartof yard. Cover drywellwith soilandgrass. Addgravelto fill holewithin several inchesof surface. Fillholey2to 2/stull with largestones. Then cover the top with soil anclgrass seed or socl. Plasticclry wells are also available in horne centers.Placeone in the hole anclsurrounclit with gravel to keep the soil frorn filling the well. Then cover it with gravel, soil, anclgrass. You can either bury thc drain line leading to the well, or let the water run over the ground to the well. ProductInformation Number208 Workbench r Seoternber/October Backrvired Switches Made for Speed I'm installing seaeralnew light switchesand outlets. The E^ Jrtl Backwire holesoneleclri- H cal switches accept the wires and hold them in place using \ spring tension.They speedup the __.wiring processsince all you do is Insertwirefully, pullto testfit.- replacement components all haae bothscrewtermi,nals the wiresas for wellasholesi,nthebackto insertthe strip the insulationoff the end.and wires.WhichshouldI use? )\{f / Backwire Mark Willis pushthe barewire into the hole. hotes Lexington,KY (Pressing a small screwdriver into a Release slot /' t /\ spring clip to release the wire.) Most manufacturers mold a gauge into the back of the switch that shows how much insulationto remove, usually about l'/arr. umemdnnd$ heendrawn to speed [ffi ! ,i PAIIITSIIGIf I i W 10 tal IJI ffi 'ffi ordepartment sto res !::[ilJ[ii,il:iTf fil fJJf.!H:i,'#.Jiffi ffflJardware ProductInformation Number184 \Torkbench r September/October 1998 If you're using the baclsrire holes, make sure your wiring meets the switch specificationsfor type and gauge size (typically#12 or #14). Use only solid copperwire, never stranded wire. (Consultan electricianif your house has aluminum wiring.) Fully insert the wire and pull to test the fit. If you don't mind the extra work, the screw terminals provide a larger contact area with the wire, and allow a quick visual check of the connection. Hook-up is a bit slower,though. Always loop the wire around the screw so that when you tighten the screw down, the head of the screw forces the loop closed. ffifl Erq A betterwayto paint. fu shows amount of insulation fromwire. to remove Sincethe h.eginning.of PaintStick' is geared for performance. You can paint in 1/3 the time - while eliminating messy paint trays, dripping rollers, and clumsy ladders. PaintStick carries all the paint you need, right there in its handle. Roll paint on evenly and beautifully achieving fast, dramatic results. No drips. No mess. No gimmick. Simply push in the handle to feed more paint to roller, as needed. The PaintStick painting system also includes two s for quick and easy clean-up. A best-sellerfor over 1O vears. the PaintStick has been embraced by millions of homeowners. Isn't it time you raced through your next painting project? Stripgauge Plane Reference I just boughttwoantique blanes.Is therea bookthat I can use to identify them and illustrate their proper use? Roland Cardenas APO AE TheHandplaneBookby GarrettHack (1997,Taunton Press) is a relatively new reference that provides a wealth of information on collecting, choosing, using, tuning, and repairing planes. - Feed Direction for Safe Routing I'm fairly new to using a router, and I still get mixedup about which way I shouldmouethe router in dffirent situatiotts.Can you help straightenme out? Karl Jameson Ft. htuderdale, FI. Keeping feed direction straight is easierif you remernbcr two things. The router bit spins clockwise (when viewed from above),anclwhen edge-routingyou want to rnove the router asainst thc direction of rotation so the wood offers some resistanceto the cutting flutes.This resistance counterbalancesthe pressureyou're applying to rnove the router along, making the router easierto control. Moving the router with the direction of rotation (a technique called "climb cutting") is sometimesdone to rccluce tearout in certain woods. As the name suggests,the router climbs along the edge becauseboth the bit rotation ancl the force you're applying are assisting its travel, rather than balancing each otl.rerr. It's tougherto controlthe cut. 'fhere's no sirnpleanswer because the orientationof the workpiece edge can change depenclingon the task. But each situation involvesthree basic elements- you, the router, and the workpiece edge. If the edge is toward you and the router's betweenyou and that edge, rout from left to right. If the edge is away from you (sayyou're reaching over a workpiece to rout the far edge).rout right to left. If the bit is cutting into the face of a workpiece rather than its edge when routing dadoes,for exampleguide the router base againsta fence and apply the same rule: left to right if the fence'sguiding edge facesyou; right to left if it faces away.Because the bit will still want to climb the cut edge oppositethe guide, it's best to use a bit narrower than the dado and cut it in two passeswith a guide on either side. ,-> N0TE: Router bit spinsclockwise whenviewedfromabove. dl [IxnxrsHED To FrxrsHED Ix H,rLFTilETiun -'-.-t t I I I ,l ,1 : 1l j, i"l Now wood finishing is twice as fast, twice as easy with Minwax@ Polyshades@. 'Ihat's because Polyshades combines stain and polyurethane in one. Stain tcr add rich color and enhancewood's natural grain, and polyrrrethanefor long-lastingprotection and a warm luster. Polyshades comesin a variety ofcolors, and can be usedover raw wood or even previously finished wood, without having to strip awaythe old finish. Polyshades. A beautiful finish in a lot lesstime. SrruN& PorvuRHrlrANE IN ONp ffi MakesAnd KeepsWoodBeautiful' www.minwax.com @Minwd and Pollshada ue registererltrademarks. o1998 Minwd ProductInformation Number'l93 All riehts rswed Tips & Techniques Using Squares to Measure Round Stock I sometimeshavea tough time finding the exactdiameterof dowelsand roundpieces,sinceI'm not alwayssure if I've measuredexacflyat the center. Ratherthan strugglewith it, I let a couple of squaresdo the work for me. One squarecanbe any type,but the other has to be a try squareor combinationsquarewith a headthicker than its blade.I usuallyuse a combination squareand a try squaretogether. For example,setthe bladeon your combinationsquarewith an inch mark indexedright at the edgeof the head. Placethe dowelin the cornerof the combinationsquare,thenhold the headof the try squareagainstthe bladeofthe first squareand slideit againstthe dowel.When the bladeof the try squaretouchesthe dowel,just scandownto whereit crossesthe bladeof the other square. I've alsousedthis methodto meaobjects.Even sure other odd-shaped on flat boards,I'11usethis technique square Combination Read scalefrom your"zero"markto findtheobject's diameter 1/a". inthiscase. Trysquare square Setheadofcombination ataninchmarkontheblade. your"zero"mark. Thisbecomes scaleon my combination framingsquareinsteadof the combiandthe l,/oarr squareif I needa very accuratemea- nationsquare. SidneyPhillips surementof the board'swidth. For just Meluille.NY grab pieces, my I checkinglarger Disposable Dust Mask Filters Thinner The other dayI wascleaningpaintbrusheswith paintthinner I'd poured into a coffeecan.In no time the thinner got dirty andfilled with gunk, so the brushesweren'tcomingout very clean. I just happenedto havea box of disposablewhite paperdust masks sitting nearbyon my workbench.So I took one and put it on top of another coffeecan (a l-lb. canis just right), makinga sort of bowl. I wasevenable to slip the rubber strapunderthe can to hold the maskin place. I pouredthe dirty thinner through the maskinto the can,andthe thinner camethroughvery clean.I finished cleaningthe brushes,then filteredthe thinner againso I coulduseit later. tet the maskdry thoroughlybefore throwing it awayin the trash. Rick Sandberg Ottumwa,IA IDEAS Al{D TIPS, JIGS, Y()IJR SI|ARE If you have a unique way of doing something,we'd like to hear from you. Just write down your tip and mail it to WorkbenchTipsand' Techniques,2200GrandAve.,Des Moines,IA50312.Pleaseinclude your name,addressand daytime phone number in casewe need to reach you. If you like, Fa:<us at (515)2832003,or email us at Well pay you $5O$150and [email protected]. cap if we publish your tip. sendyou a Worhbench T2 'W'orkbench r September/OctoberI 998 Mouse Pad Sander Base My palmsanderhasseena lot of use on woodworkingprojects.Evenfually, the padthat the sandpapersticksto wore out causingthe sandpaperto slip and rip. Finding a replacementpadwas aggravatingto saythe least.The store where I bought the sanderdidn't have new padsin stock,and I thought the price quotewasa bit high anyway. My solutionwasto makemy own sanderpadfooma computermouse pad.A mousepadhas the right thicknessandconsistency,andthe cloth surfacegrips the stick-onsandpaperwell. To makea new pad,I removedthe baseplatefrom the sanderand scrapedoffthe old rubber pad.I put the sanderbaseon the mousepad, tracedaroundthe outside.and markedthe locationof the mounting holes.Then I cut the new padto size andgluedit to the sander'sbaseplate with contactcement.For about$4 I got enoughmaterialto makeseveral sanderpads. Mike Ricchetti Northport,NY Spray Halts Rust I don'thavean air<onditionedshop,so the summertimehumidity wreaks havocwith the castiron surfacesof my tablesaw,jointer,andbandsaw.Wax works fine until the friction from using the tool rubs the wax off. Now after I makethe last cut of the day,I just give the tools a quick sprayof protectant (suchasTopCote)to keeprust away. Norm Smith Houston.TX lgrDeercnl I|tefiarafitr. lmyl' ReYeall lt. Nothingcomparesto the warm,rich look of wood furniturethat only comes with age.But often,it's hiddenby a dark,worn finish To uncoverthat naturalbeauty,rely on Formby's'quality refinishingproducts From foolprooffinish removersto protectivetung oil, our time-honored formulashaveall you need for an exquisite hand-rubbedlook. TrustFormby's, becauserestoringwood is a beautifultradition. ||nroru lhod'l llatulol ftum" @Formby's is a registered trademark. @Formby's 1998 ProductInformation Number193 ScrewsProvide a NeededIiftfor SaggingGufters Every time I've hung gutters that are heldin placewith spikes,IVe endedup leavingat leastonehammerdentin the gutter.Plus,overtime the spikes tendto work looseandneverhold very wellwhendrivenbackin. SoI've switchedto usinglong screws.Screwshavemuchbetterhold- ing power,makingthem lesslikely to pull out overtime.And becauseyou're not hammeringthem in like you do with spikes,you're lesslikely to damagethe gutter.If there'sno 2x framing stock (calleda sub-fascia)backingthe thinner fasciaboard,drive the screws into the rafterendsfor betterhold. I used6rllongscrews(to hang{rrwidegutters).Homecentersmaynot havethem,but an industrialfastener supplyor topnotch hardwarestorewill. BobSettich DesMoines.IA Drivescrewthrough gutterandferrule intofascia. Fence Post Jack I had a chain-linkfencearoundmy home'sbackyard that wasin bad shape.Ratherthan salvageit, I decided to tear it out andbuild a wood one. Removingthe fencefabricwaseasy, but the postswere anotherstory. Whoeverput them in sunk concrete footingsabout2 ft. into the ground.I dug out the first oneby hand,then decidedthere had to be an easierway. On eachpostI left oneof the lowest fenceclamps,andtightenedit down goodandsnug.Then I wrappeda short length of heavylink chain aroundthe postandclamp.I scroungedup an old-stylecarjack (the type that hooks into a slot in the car's bumperandratchetsup usingthe lug wrench as a handle. I set the jack next to eachpost, hookedthe jack into the links of the log chain,andjackedthe postout of the hole.It wasmuchfasterthan digging, and it savedmy back. Matt Sulliuan Denuer.CO T4 1998 \7'orkbenchI September/October Studnutis reverse-threaded. Turnleftto tighten, rightto loosen. ReverseThreads Cause Toilet Troubles Here's a tip that may save you the aggravation I suffered. I had to replace the flush lever on my toilet, and while removing the old one, I had a hard time loosening the nut that holds the lever to the tank. I used a little more force, and cracked the tank. That's when I realized the nut was reversethreaded! This "simple" repair ended up costing me $50 for a new tank, and a lot of wasted time. William McLean San Marcos, CA (Editor's note: Toilet leuer mounting threadshaue reuerse(lefi-hanil threads to help keepthe leuerfrom working looseeachtime you flush.) Our line of bandsawsis truly remarkable. Cut It Close. Not only for the selection,with over a dozen a; Put Router/Vac on Same Switch To pick up dust and chipsfrom my routertable,I usea shopvacuum with a hoseconnectedto the fence. But I've alwaysfound switchingthe two toolson separatelyinconvenient. To get them both up and running simultaneously, I installeda singlegangbox and a 20-ampduplexrecep tacleon onefront leg of the router table.I wired this outletto a2}-amp switchmountedin a separatebox. Then I wired a 3-wire,12-gauge cord(aboutl2-feetlong)with a groundedplug to the switch. With the cord pluggedinto a regular wall outlet,the switchcontrols electricityto the table-mounted outlet. I plug my router andvacuuminto the outlet,and leavetheir powerswitches on. When I flip the switch,it sends powerto the outlet,andboth the vacuum and router turn on - and off at the sametime. Havingthe router plug within easy reachis alsohandy,sinceI always unplugwhile changingbits or setups for obvioussafetyreasons. WendellStone DesMoines.IA modelsto drool over,but for the amount of machineyou get for your money.\7e give you larger f€-s?wcapacity,greaterpower, and biggerbladewidths. Exquisite Europeancraftsmanshipbuilt to last and perform cut after cut. Buy the only bandsaw you'll ever needfrom the largest and most experienced direct se[er in North America, LagunaTools. Consistentlythe choice for value,you can't buy a more dependablebandsaw.Backedby the most completecustomersupportin the industry. Call our 800 number today to receiveyour free demo video and vou'Il drool too. /4J w \ LAGUVATCTGILS 2265LaguraCanyonRoad,LagunaBeach,CA9265I 800-234-1976. (949) 494-7006. Fax (949) 49?.1346 r Vsit our\Tebsite:www.lagunatools.com E mail:[email protected] ProductInformation Number190 WorkbenchI September/October 1998 Anchor Bolts for Hear4y-Duty Clamp Rack Anchor bolts, the Lshaped fastenersused to cinch wood mudsillplatesto concretefoundations, havea lot ofother usesin the shop. I used some (Vzildia. ,8rr long) to make a wall-mountedrack for hanging clamps.Take a length of 2x4 framing lumberandcounterborea row of.lr/2"dia.holesinto oneface,eachabouts/+t' deep.(Determinethe hole spacingby laying out the clampsyou'll want to store on the rack.)Then drill through the centerof thesecounterboreswith at/znbit. Run a hex nut all the way onto the anchor bolt thread until it jams, and insert that end into thel/zn hole.Put a flat washer and another hex nut onto the bolt from the back (counterbored) side, and cinch it tight. The first hex 3"-longscrews nut will bite into the front face of the board Scrap2x4 stock and keep the bolt spinning. from Anchor bolt Screw the board to wall studs, placing two 3rr-long screwsat each stud location. With the rack firmly attached,you can hang a load of clamps- and the anchorbolt deepcounterbore "hooks"won't complaina bit. DauidHarrison Salem.OR ONE.MANSAWMILL INTROOUCINO T\rrnsTimber IntoCash! . erui/Eizlrttroducs$ Tetail a Nary Concspt farqsfiru Recyclino" o Refod Ornen frahchise Eusines atd Cornpletu fiaining Erdoy froil anlnduslry Asistance Sawmill goes right to the trees...tumsout smooth,true-cutlumber- evenbeginnersget excellentresults. o Fuy, Usdand SdlandTrade NavTools! Feihsto t'Cost trlarkeil Retailer ihYottr Tool Just one man (no crew needed) can easily cut enough on weekends to save thousands of dollars over high lumberyard prices. Factory-Direct selling keeps prices low. Easy tenns... made in U.S.A. 42-4406extension SA38 1-800-9 rIIrIrIr-rrlrrrl YES! YEslPl."r.^shlroohctsonTimbsfiingMills, IIBEFKII{G,||iC. 1431NToppingAve. 64120 Dopt.SA3S,KansasCty,MO I Address CityPhone I I State-Ap rrvrrv- hrrr-rrrrrrrrrrrr L6 \Torkbench r October/November1998 I I I I I - flhn fcy*t{ ftul$tCoila{tr ftftdb hrf 0tthkwlirfaih0f Miltt+r1 4rO hilha rtu.lrhiaFh J Number199 Productlnlormation NewsandEvents Kitchen Design Contest Winners When we put out the call last year for entriesin our KitchenDesign Contest,we didn't anticipatethe overwhelmingresponsewe'd get. Designentriesincludedeverything from simple makeoversto full remodels,and evenaddingon new space.We sawdesignssketchedout on paperand refinedwith the help ofprofessionals,and thoseconceivedand executedsolelyby homeowners.Somereaders installedcommercialcabinetsothersbuilt their own from scratch. All the entrieshad somethings in common,suchas carefulplanning, attentionto detail,and obviouspride We studiedthe in craftsmanship. photosand examinedeachplanin detail.Needlessto say,picking a winnerwasn'teasy,and congrafulations are due to everyonewho sub mitted their designs. But from all the entries,we needed to pick a winner and two runners-up,so here they are:First prize goesto Davidand Kitt Deyarminof Havelock,NJ.Togetherthey plannedtheir new kitchenusing a home designsoftwareprogram. David,a sergeantin the U.S.Marine Corps,built all of the cabinetsin the basewoodworkingshop.He also installedthem, built the countertops, did his own plumbing andwiring, and l8 W'orkbench evenbuilt the new ceiling arch. Congratulations,David and Kitt! It looks like you'll put your prizes- a HitachiC8FB2(872r')slidingcompoundmiter sawanda Boschl4.,fvolt cordlessdrill - to greatuse. Our first runnerBradSettEnon's access up awardwent to ftiendlycabinet designs Brad Settersonof himfint runner-Marinette,WL Brad eamed up -andaPorbr- bought rough-sawn Cable rcublpaclogB. ash and built a full set of customcabinets from scratch. The cabinetrv features pull-out trays and bins that simplily accessfor Brad and his wife. both of whom suffer setoutb David andKittDeyamin of updabfteir kibhenwitr a budgst as $2,0fl)- a sumhat doubled gew he od$nally modest upgnde job. inb a larprrcmodeling Their hardwod< eamed he cupleour gandpdze- a Hhchisliding miter sawanda Bosdrodlessddllkil from arthritis. Nicely done,Brad you can indulge your woodworking hobby evenmore now with your prize - a Porter-Cable693Krouter kit for both plungeand fixed-baserouting. Our secondrunner-up,Frank Barilla of Parkville, MD, had a kitchen with a nearly universalproblem lack of space.He wantedto correct that shortcoming before attendingto the details of his cabinetsand storage, so he designedand built an addition that almost doubledthe kitchen's size (fhoto nert \age). Aflterall that work, he decidedto install manufactured cabinetsrather than tackle building his own. (continueil on nert tage) THE NNN ACCUSET*LINEOF T00t's FRO'VI \/tl J /rJ tIl/,'.ti )----L J I i n L n l i r v i l l i . ( ' ( ' ( ' i i , ( ' l i : r t ' ri i i { ' l i i < l r g l-ui t i t r l 1 o o l s " s o h t " l l l t r . t t l t i t l o i ' l i r : r : ( , 1 tr ( ' , ) i i l t t ' l l t i t c l s - o l tt v o r i t l v , , o t ' l i i n g r t l l i l t r ' i 1 : r 1 ' q , r , . , r , . ii l t t t ' i t t g l t i s l l t t ' g l - , . , . ' l t | , r ' t ' t t t r l r l t ' 1 . ( o i r r - 1 rr -, ,i , , i , . 1 o l u i - l l t n . r ' n ' i n r t o - s l l r r t t r l r l i t i o nt o , \ i ) i l . r . l t " 1 lt i l s l l t t l l l : i i ' l ' : t t -t r i t ' t t c l t r i l - i i i t ' ; t , r , ,' .:r,.-ri'-,r'il,ii,'rt'.. ' I r r n t ' $ ' l l o t ' r t l t ' r ' t . i ti "i u i r l i : l r g l r i r ti i r r s l l r r . ',ri - . i r l 1os l V o l i l -t ' l l 0 t - 1 1 ' ))i\-,'(i i;tuetJ2litt )uit e;il? ituiJ#li;p li i9;t 5a h" ---rrc d-,-r ae.- # \" ':, *q*l$ F FrankBarilla's kitcheraddition, whichwon him a setof i"akagi tools,included a dining areaplusnewrabrnets andappliances. r.;tu; i*. r '- i; .; gt'1 i ' ' l r c p ,l , , i , , r \ \ i l r l , , l . , " r ] o o t ' s ;"t t t t l' i , t ! i r fl t l s i r 1 ; t V { : t s i ! t , l : , r i . . .1 r l t ( , , \( ' i l ( ' l ' ! \ ' i ) ( ' i ' l t ) i - | [ i l 1 ( ' ( ' t - l t l iI tt t- g0 st t t i l t r ' \ r r l r , , r , : 1 1 1 ' r1111l i r t lt (t l l t i t t q{ . , r r r r t t ' r( l. \ l r l l ( ) ( 1 1r l L r l) ltll-\It;! tit-!t /tu \'li lit J lt'i tD)i It ;'-:Lt;).t i , , i , t - i r i g u i t l t ll i ' n c s lr ' : 1 1 r oi :l . X ' l t t t t t u t t l l l l r s l l r . sI ' , , - , ; r l r ' I ) i r ' l i r t t t n l t ' r l t ' l i t r ,r ,t .l L , "- i l r t ' j i l - l - i L I l . q ( ' |l ,l l ( , , r ' l r 0 i ' l i i l i t i t t tl]t n t l r l t ' s t , l | , , 1r r i n r l 0 $ s l i i t t lr i o , r t 'isr r , , r , , i l r l r r"i 'r . I l r t ' N l : l i ( i s i r , , rl r r ' ,L l r r i r i ivo i r ! ( ' n ( ' \ \. 1 , r r r 1 r t . i - s l r i l l r ' ; 1 , - i r ' 1 ivl r i i U t t l t t t ' r l. t l t , r r , r : r i t l l ; r r ' l l l - r ' i - \ , r t l' i(l ( ' l l l ,' . r,itli,.rir-glrrriztrtio I ltrri . L . : . i i. . r r c r g vS t c t ' tl l r r - r i i \r ' r l l r '; r o r v t ' r ' tlol l o n l i o ll l r t ' \ l : l i ( ' t o c r r : r r l t . r l I t t tl l r , ' q r l l ' l r t ' i t ' r r t ' rl 'r t i r i i r r r 1 t r - L r vi It r' st ' l t t ' r ' t r t - l t r ' \ i ) l l ) 1 ' tl r ) t I . 1 l i ' ( ' l ' i t t i l l g s . 'l'ltt' r r , ' t rr , r i r r r r llsr t ' i r r gr l t ' v t ' l o p t ' ri rl i i ! r t ' N I f l l ( ' r v i l l r t t ; t i i t ' i(t' l l \ i ( ' i { ) i o l l l ) i l l ' ( ' l l t lc r r o - r ' ir ' i l i ti t ' r r t ' t ' orlv i r r t l o u s " t l o o r s .l t r r r sl l i r ' l i l l r l sr n l r r l ii' t v r l l i l t , r ' r ' nr lr t l r n r r l a t ' i L i i - t ' r -ls' l.v r ;t t r r r n i r l - cl ) i 1 \ r 1 ' ( '(nj l r r t r ll i l r r i l l l t c l i s l t ' r l , r r t i l t l t c l s .O t l t ' t ' t ' 1 ) t ' r ' r: ,r rl i i u t ( ' ( 'r i t r i ' i r i gl l t t ' s t n l r r , , I { l l r - r ' . i ( ' i ) ltS1 S1 ) t ' t ' l ( ) t ' t i I t l i , ( L , r ' i . r ' r r i l il .r t ' o n l v r ' ; i t r r r ' . I lr ( ' ! . : r ' l t ( ' l - , q r ' 1l('rlilr. ,' ( ilson. l'lrt'olltct' r( ' l ' . i i ' ( ' ( l ( ) r l r ' r ' i r r r l o w ,r k t r t r , r u r r ls l i r l i i : 1 t tl i r l r r ' l si s t l r t ' i r i - i ' l r tl o r ' ,r ' i ' p r - t ' s t ' n t i ttrl gt t ' i r i r r s t r l z r i i n ! ' r ' r r l rIrl rL' r. tt l r i r .i r r i i r l r l l r t i r ; iits l r t ' t t t ' r ' s t r i l t ' t ol i r t r i l c i i n gi n s l r c t ' 1 o rasr r r lr ' o t l t 'o l l l t ' i : r l st l l u r t o c o l l s u n l ( ' r s . i \ r i t h t l t t ' n ( ' \ \ ,s v s t ( ' l l t .) ' o u ' l l I i r l o \ vl h l r t l t r o r l u c t sl t ' u r r r i i i l i l n ' n i n u r n u l z r t ' l t r n ' rt 'lst z r lt ' : r r r r ,t l r c s a n t t 'l ' a 1 i n gn u n r lrr'r': 1lu,r' t'rlrralcnt'rtr' 1tt'r' iorrrurrrct'.'l'hc trt'w N I.']l(' r " r t t i r i t si . , i 1 l1t p p t ' i r ro n r , ' n i i t r l ol.r,rvt l r l r i o r l' a b t ' l s s r i o n . )t' ;l;;\;l 1)<il:\t) '/') t) ;?, '\j<iiP'i \t/,,);1.;<,1 !,:j;\| l ?')lill'J ;'.,iP /,.)t):t 4 'i/tit;(,il,i:\il / :\llD ));\il i]lii Wont to do woodworking like fhe pros? Then check oul lhe new AccuSel'" line of oir-powered foslening lools from SENCO the brond chosen #1 by professionolbuilders.* AccuSet-" brod noilers ond {inish stoplers hove more power, more feolures ond lhe best worronty in fhe business. And with prices storfing oround $100, you'll hove money left over for prolect moleriols. To find the retoil oullel neoresl you, coll our toll-free number, l-888-222-8144. Accu*t fHE TOOLSYOUNETDFORIHE WORKYOUDO. * Professiono/ Euilders Brond UseStudy, 1996,1997. Askus.Colltoll-freel-888-222-8144 Orvisituson thewebffi.occuset corn OI99BSenco Producls, lnc.B4B5Broodwell Rood, Cincinnoti, Ohio45244-1699 Sofety Fir$.{l Theonlywoyto work." P r o d u c t I n f o r m a t i o nN u m b e r 2 0 3 Boat Building Program Takes Kids Off Sfreets, Onto Water ChadBrennerandJeff McKonly grew up together with an appreciationfor boats,especiallywoodenboats.As adults,theyte turned their love of boatsinto more thanjust a hobby. In 1996,the men startedthe PhiladelphiaWoodenBoat Factory,a nonprofitschooldedicatedto passing alongboatbuildingand sailingskills to youngergenerations,and to providing a positivelearningexperiencefor kids at risk. "Our fore Philadelphia's most concernis youngpeopledisadvantagedby their environmentor their homelife, and off to a rough start in life," saysMcKonly. Studentsin the school'sclasses work together to build a version of the "six-hourcanoe,"a plywoodcraftthafs easyto build and stableon the water. The kids learn how to readplans,use hand tools, and work togetherto solve problemsduring the consfuction process.They alsolearn marketable Callfor tbe FREE 32 page cohr caulog: iPi;;;;il wBes lN*"1-800-5 2 3 -7 427 Ext. or visit ou WebSiteat http://w.theironshop.om Showoom/Warehouse Inations; Bmrnll, PA (610)54+7100| Houston,TX Ol3\789Nfr Onario,CA (909)605-1000 | Chiogo,IL (Un95Lnrc | StartfodcT (mi325W Sorotr,Fl (941)92+1479 20 For more information,you can contact the PhiladelphiaWoodenBoat Factoryat (215)3341758,or by email at [email protected], skills, and seethat there are alternatives to the lives theyte known. Studentslaunchtheir completed canoeson locallakes. ;"- A;FREE t ;;;-;"t-.-;;"; I | tl ! Address- ic.y-----------;tate | Zip . I Mail to: The Iron Shop, Dept, WB98, Ru 547, I I 110-0-B:"4!4':-B:ggr4!-P4-lZ0-0-8:---------..i Number187 Productlnformation 'Workbench r September/October1998 Number185 ProductInformation Center Offers Wide Range of Craft Education Workshops Since1954,the BrookfieldCraft Centerhasworkedto preserveand passon the skills andvaluesof fine Eachyear the Center craftsmanship. offersone-,two-,andfive-dayworkshopson over 200topics,ranging fr om woodworking,metalsmithing and ceramics,to glass,decorative arts.fabricsand more. Within eachof thesecategories, you'll find a varietyof subjects. Woodworkingworkshops,for example, covereverythingfrom handtool use,to boatbuilding,to kitchen design.Workshopsrun year-round, with manytaughtby respectedvisiting artistsfrom aroundthe nation. Brookfield'steachingstudios,an exhibitiongallery,and a retail shop are housedin four colonialvintage buildingson a 2r/ racre campus. The nonprofitCenteris supported mainlyby tuition andretail sales,with fundingfrom somesupplemental state,federal,andprivatedonations. Tuition is $135for one-dayworkshops,$2tSfor two-day,and $480for five-day.Brookfieldalsooffers scholarshipopportunities,and an hour-forhour volunteerwork/study program. For more information,or to get a catalog,contactthe BrookfieldCraft Center,PO Box 122,Brookfield,CT 0680+0122, or call (203)77U4526. At theBrooHield CraftCenterin classes Connecticut, covera widennge of subjects, fiom traditional turning methods, above,to and blaclsmithing meblforging, shownat lEft. ==1 Econ-Abrasives WEMAKE ABRASIW BELTS ATW SNE, ANY GRITI ABRASIVE BELTS a seltsEffi-Ei?fd6ffiith bi-directionaloplice, specify grits. 1X3O $ .81ea l3)@4 $ .9il ea .96 ea .81ea l3)@7 1X42 1X44 .81 ea l4)@1 3/4 1.06 ea 1'10 ea 2112X16 .85ea| 4)@4 I .35 ea 3x1 I .86 ea | 4X36 3.50 .90ea ea 3)el 16X48 80A $ 11.15 $18.90C 6.24 ea 100thru2804 10.00 16.70C 3X233A .93eal6)<89 OTHERSIZES ON REQAEST NO LOAD PAPER(white) CABINETPAPER 100/pk 50/pk 60D $16.70 $30.00c 15.60 27.80C 80D 100thru150C 14.50 25.60C FINISHINGPAPER 00thru4004 $12.25 $21.25C 'C' = 100SHEETS VacuumDiscs Velcro@ come w/PVCtips and grips. Price Size -4$lFea JUMBO ROUTERPAD(24'x361 h will not allowsmallblocksof wood to slip out under routeror sanding applications. ROUTERPAD ONLY$8.95ea. ;Fuhp Si""v"s-pSA OisiJ'- | IUMBo BELT-CIEANINGSTICK *Router&.WoodBits*WoodGlud ONLY $8.80 ' Mastercard,Visa,C.O.D.or Check . SATISFACTION GUARANTEEDIII . CALLFORFPEECATALOG -TX addappropriate salestax - Continental add$6.00 U.S.shipping Econ-Abrasives P.O.Box 1628 Frisco,rx7s034 =:l - ; (972)377-9779 LINE(800)367-41 01 TOLL-FREE ORDERING 22 1998 W'orkbenchI Seotember/October Productlnformation Number173 Earth-Friendly Fluorescent Ughts Have Reduced Mercury For yearsweVeknown the eco- put in, which meansat the end of a lamp'slife, most still contain nomicvirfues of fluorescent excessmercury.Ifnot disposed lighting.The lampsproduce of properly,this mercurycan bright light yet consumeless bulbs. leakinto the environment. energythan incandescent To reducethe environmental But one drawbackof fluorescentsis the environmentalhaz- hazrd, engineersat Philips Lighting Co.createda buffer that ard presentedby the mercury inhibits the phosphorlayerfrom they contain. absorbingmercury. Fluorescent lampsneedmerThe buffer makesthe mercury cury to excitethe phosphormole contentmorestable,soit's easier culesthat coatthe insideof the to determinethe right amountfor lamp'sglasstube,causingthe phosphorto glow andproduce eachlamp.By not usingexcess mercuryjust to ensurebulb life, light. In the process,mercuryis of consumedeverytime the lampis Philipswill cut its consumption used.Tb keepa fluorescentlamp the heavymetalby 2r/ztons each year.The low-mercurytechnolo from failing prematurely,there mustbe enoughmercuryto start gy,calledAlto,is beingincorpo the lightingprocessfor aslong as ratedinto all of Philips'fluorescentlamps,whichfeaturegreen the phosphorremainsactive. haven'tknown endcaps.For information,call Manufacturers (800)55F0050. the exactamountof mercuryto P resenting the ALL-T ERRA/N* DR@FTELD and BRUSH MOWER Sq wHv MESSwith -- the amazing self-propelled, walk-behind brush cutter that -- brushcutters that are so dan- CLEARS& MAINTAINSmeadows. gerous,slow fences,woodedand , roadsides, non-lawnareaswith ease.Mows l/2 acreper hour! tiring to use...OR with mowersthat shake unmer- CUTStallgrass, weeds, brush, crfully brambles,sumac- eventough up to 1" thick! leavesuch a mess? PlusCHOPS/MULCHES mosteverythingit cuts; leavesNO 'ANGLE - Htr l€6) E8{-66rr material to trip over or to pick up likehand-held brushcutters and sicklebar mowers. . POWERFULuoto 14HP:overhead -Starting valveengines, withor withoutElectric REVERSE;4-SPEEDS. POWER BIGSELF- PLEASE MAIL COUPONfor FREE DETAILS aboatthe Amazing DR@FIELD Abrasive Belts, Sleeves, and Rolls available in all Grits and Sizes. Call for Quote Savings nowin effect. WHEELSroll throughditches, lels,and"Off-Season" I spots,up slopeswith ease! iName Perfect for low-maintenancewildflower ws...European-style woodlotsfree of :rgrowth...walkingpaths...anyareathat only wantto mow oncea month...or a season! 24 I WBN d leoores rE iciry-state - ZtP-E Dept. 433IFi lro: cotnvtnYHOMEPRODUCTSo, L--Y:'g'-l':1'l-o.!g-2i.IqcimII-0J1el.j 1998 \TorkbenchI SeptemberiOctober Number202 ProductInformation Base Consfuuction View Frontpost (pressure 4x4,905/6" long) treated joist Rim treated2x8, 95"long) ts- - Corner Detail Upper stebher (pressure 46,92" long) tseated F-- /.u ?-- '// I tl8x 17s".deck screws Y2"xg" lag /a post Back (pressure 4x4, treated 60"long) scr€ws /2" x 3" lagscrews Lowerstebher (prcssure treated2x8, 92"long) Gusset Detail the screws and drive themhome. Using lap joints betweenthe posts and the rim joists and bottom rails helps prevent the end framesfrom racking. Plywoodgussets Frome rhe Plqtfiorm To simpliff construction,we designedthe pro on the stretchersbetweenthe end frames add ject so Doug could build portions of it in his to the plafform's rigidity. garageashe had time,then assemblethosesecCut the gussetsto shape(Gusset Detail). tions on site.Using pressuretreatedlumber,he Then align the gusset notchesflush with the assembledthe plafform end framesfirst (Base ends of the upper stretchers and atiach the Construction View). He beganby gangcutting gussetswith deck screws.Drill a 34rrcounterdadoesand notchesin the four corner poststo bore (Ylrrdeep)on the backsidesof the upper acceptthe rim joists andbottomrails (Flgiure I and lower sffetchers, then drill L/zt'clearance holesfor the lag screws. andPost Elevations). The longer front posts also get dadoedand notchedfor the railings now even though you don't install the railingsuntil later 0eavingthem off makesit easierto hoist the playhousewalls into place).When you cut the railing notches,be sure to orient the posts so the rim joist dadoesare to the outside. Onceyoute cut the notches,dryfit eachframe together,checkit for square,then drill the counterbores and pilot holes for the lag screws Clamp fte fuurcomerposbbge$erandgang-cut thenotches, mak(C,ornerDetail). Slipa washeronto ingmultiple passes wiilra circular saw.Chisel outhe wasb. end. A Dutch door doublesasa makebelieve store counter. Simple windowgrids preventfalls,yet letin lots oftght and air. Post Elevations \Torkbench r September/October1998 Plafform Construction View Decking (prc$sure-treated 74x6",95"long) I Joisthangers (galvanlzed) 1/z"x//2" x1Vz"l Skinboard 2x8,88"long) Seat Detail [op View) \ Seat 5/x6u,88u (pressure-feabd Thanks to theSouthern ForestProducts Association fortheirhelpwiththisproject. tc"-1- t 4"-+f- 14"-T- 14"-+f- Erect the Bose Doug had already leveled the backyardsite for the playhouse,so the next Saturday morning I helped him carry the end frames out andget them positioned.Doug had drilled the through-holes (for the lag screws) in the stretchers, so while I held each frame, he lined up the lower stretchers, drilled pilot holes in the posts,and 28 r0?'orkbench r September/October 1998 14"-+f- 14'---tl lagged the stretchers to each end frame. We then tacked in some temporary 1x2 bracing between the stretchers and posts to help hold the sfructure upright. As I positionedone of the upper stretcher assemblies,Doug drove one screw through each of the gussets into the posts.Then we attachedthe other upper stretcher. 'With the frame assembled like this. plumb .\r' tne posts and drive more screws through the gussets to keep the framework aligned square. Then drill pilot holes in the posts and secure the upper stretcherswith lag screws. Hong the Joisls After breaking for lunch, we spent that Sahrday afternoon installing the plafform deck (Plaform Construction View). The deckhas five joists spacedevenly between the rim joists, approximate$121/zn on center (Joist Elevation). After laying out the joist locations,Doug grabbedthe joist hangersand was aboutto nail them to the rim joists, Deck Trimming Detail decking Note:Totrimtheendsoftheprcssurc-treated a chalkline flushwiththeskiftboads,begin bysnapping aboutV+"prcudoftheskirtboid. Cutalongthislinewith a porhble circular saw.lf thelumhrisstillwet,letit dry fura ftw days, thenusea rcubrwitha %'shank bitb cutthedecking endsflush flush-tdm withtheskirtboad- weara dust glasses maskandsafuty whenmuting, flushwiththe Toenail thejoisb,crcwnupandon14ncenters, underneath the bp edge oftherimjoisb.Fitthejoisthangen joisbandnailthehangen in place. the skirt boards.To installthe last board. you'll need to rip about an inch off the width to get it to fit. Routing a Ylrr roundover on this board'sripped edge matchesit to the rest of the decking. To trim the deck boards to lengttr,Doug snappeda chalkline ftrr proud of the skirt boardsand useda portablecircularsawto cut the boards (Decking Trimming Detail). Iater he useda router and a flush-trimming bit to machine the endsflushwith the skirt board. If you alsouse this technique,be sure to wear eye protection and a dust mask.Somenontoxicvarieties of treatedlumber are making their way onto the market,but the wood you buy at your local supplierwill Add rhe Deck Since the pressure-treateddeck likely be CCA-teated, which conboards were still a bit wet, I sug- tains forms of arsenicand chromigested laying the planks edge to um. Ifs safeto work, but you don't edge.When they dry - and shrink want the dust in your eyesor lungs. - gaps will appear but won't becomelarge enough to entrap a Seots for the Sondbox child's smallfingers. Our quickly draftedplanscalledfor Starting at both ends of the plat- seatson just two sidesof the sandform, Dougnotchedthe outermost box, but Doug was condeckboardsto fit aroundthe front cerned about leavposts. He aligned the outside ingthe edgesof the edgesof these boards flush with 2x8 shetchers the rim joists, and screwedthem exposed.We down, driving two deck screws at up using leftover eachjoist location. deck boards around the The rest of the planks go down sandbox's perimeter. We quicklywith the endsoverhanging butted the ends of all four when I suggestedtaking a more pragmaticapproach. Variations in the width of 2x dimensionallumber are common.If the hangers are already installed, this can position joists above or belowthe top edgeof the rim joists. To keep things level, I alwaystoe nail the joists, crown up, to the rim joistswith the top edgesflush.Then I go back and nail in the joist hangers (Figure 2). After you install the joists, add 2x8 skirt boards that fit between the posts on the front and back. First, screwblockingto the upper stretchers,then screw the skirt boards to the blocking, keeping their top edgesflush with the top of the stretchers. seats against the posts, mitering the inside corners for a tight fit (Seat Detail). Screws attach the seats to the lower sffetchersand bottom rails. In addition.he drovea screwat an angle through the seat and into each post on the front and back seatboardsfor extra support.This firmed up theseseatsso considerably that we scrappedplans to installblockingunderneath. With the plaform completed, Doug was anxiousto get going on the playhouse construction. He vowedto his children to haveit up the following weekend,then asked if I was going to be aroundjust in casehe neededsomehelp. iJ'il i;r:'11 d ,t' t,f.q # Slirj Wall Framing Construction View Topplate(Cutto len$hafter connecting endwalls) Wallplate Topplateoverlaps corner offrontandbackwalls Swingset beampocket N0TE: Leftfrontpost is cutawayforclarity. Frqme rhe Wolls Doug hadn't done much wall framing, so the playhouseproved to be a good learning o<perience.While the framing may seemoverbuiltfor this sizesffucture, the way he built the walls simplified the consfuction process (Wall Framing Construction View). The two end walls are identical (Wall Frame Elevations). Having the top plate overlapthe front and back walls helps tie all four playhousewalls together. Though he could have managed with his circular saw, I loaned Doug my miter saw and showed him how to set up a stop block to cut all the studs and nailers to the same length. He also used this technique to cut the window and 30 Workbenchr September/October I 998 door parts - sills,headers,blocking, and cripple studs. Doug used 3rr deck screws to attach the studs to the plates and the window framing to the studs. This not only madefor a rock-solid strucfure,but when he neededto replace a sill board that split, he simply backed out a couple of screwsand fixed the problem. You frame the front and back walls nearly the same- the window layouts are identical, but the back wall has two studs in placeof the rough door opening that you build into the front wall (Wall Frame Elevations). To build the front and back walls, screw the first stud in place to the wall and sill plates,then add a 2x6 nailer, installing it flat and flush with the outer face of the wall. (Ihis provides a nailing surfacewhen you install the frim later, and it helps pull the wall and sill plates into square with the first stud.) Then work your way across the wall, adding shrdsand window and door framingpieces. Dougleft the top plate(alsocalled a "doubler,"becauseifs the second plate that caps the wall) off these walls for now, opting to cut and install them after the four walls were set in place on the plaform andplumbedwith eachother. The front wall has a ledger, installed to the right of the door opening,that supportsthe inboard endof the swingsetbeam(hdger BackWall(0utside View) Wall Frame Elevations SideWall(Outside View) TI 55Y2" lI I II 55T2" Flat2x6 I 1V/2"-+-16n 11Vt" 57u Front Wall(Outside View) . I-edger Detail r\ the cornerstogether. Then add the front wall. Doug made a final check with the level to make sure all the walls were plumb, then drove screws through the end wall top plates where they overlappedthe front and back walls (Figure a). While I drovemore screwsthrough -.l 16. -.l 7" k-t 8y2,4-25y2"--->|<-22'---fi-16. the sill platesto further anchorthe walls, Doug measuredfor the top Detail). Becausethe ledgerhasto Sinkinga coupleof screwsthrough plateson the front and back walls, carry a hefty load, drive several3rL the sill plate into the deck joists then cut some 2x4 stock to length long screws through the ledger lockedit in position(Figure 3). andfastenedthe boardsin place. into the 2x4 nailers, then drive a If you get an end wall in place With the walls firmly attached,I couple of screws through the right away,you won't haveto brace cut the sill plate out of the door studs and into each end of the the back wall. Plumb eachend wall openingwithahandsaw,taking care ledger to secureit firmly. with the back wall before screwing not to gougethe decking. You build the end walls using a similar sequence,but add the doubler plates now so you can drive screws through them where they overlapthe front and back walls. Rqise the Wolls Working severalweeknights,Doug assembled allfourwallframesin his Strage,and earlythe next Safirrday morning I helpedcarrythem down to the plaform. Starting with the back wall, we hoisted it into posi. Ddve scewstrrcughhe backwallsill tion, with its outer face flush with plabinb fte deckjoisb.Check he wall the back edge of the decking. forplumb wih a lwel. Thebp plabofhe endwallsorcrlaps he fiontandback walls.Check he twoadjoining wallsturplumbanddrive plabs. scrcws trroughthebp (doubler) '\0?'orkbench r September/October 1998 3l Roof Consfruction View Ridge Detail l--s:;12--r| (!-l Driledge ulPJl[", V+"-deep 'Flashing r."'n"!t Ridqecao gPove lprcssulre-treated 2x4,112" long) grcoue,%" Saw/e"-wfde deep thelength oftheridge beamonbothsides b accept roofflashing. Ridge beam (pressure-teated 2<8,109"long) Rakerafters Blocklng (pressure-feabd 2x4) (pressure-t"ated 2x4; Inshllod aftersldlng) Common rafters (pressuiE-troated 2x4;16"on N0IE:Rakerafterssameas common, butwlthout blrd'smouth Roise the Rofters We discussedthe next phase the roof - while we broke for lunch. Even though Doug had been a quick study on wall framing, it was clear he didn't have a handle on how to top off the structure @oof Construction View). His eyes started to glazeover as I e:qplainedroofpitch, so I offered to help with the layout and show him the cuts required on a common rafter (Rafter Elevation). Becauseeverything is tied to the ridge beam, thafs where to start @oof Elevation). Cut the ridge beamto length and rip a groove in eachside to accepta pieceofflashing (Ridge Detail). Then cut the ridge posts to length and toenail them to the top plates on the end walls. Scrap2x4 scabsattachedto one side of each 32 Workbench r September/October 1998 Rafter Elevation Approximately 60' ridge post help hold the ridge beam in place until you can screw it to the posts (Figure 5). Dougmadea 30oplumbcut at Roof Elevation the top endof onerafter,buttedit against the ridge beam and clampedit to the scab@igure 6). Positioning the rafter against the faceof the endwall, he alignedit to the top plate and markedthe bird's mouth. He unclampedthe raftef, cut outthe bird's mouthwith a handsaw, then checked the rafter'sfiL Common rafterr t-- Rake backer 31Vt' Rldgebeam Toenall fte rldgeposbb thet6pplaEaandbmprarilyscrcwa 2x4scab Miterthebp endoftherafbrb fit against theddgebeam. b eachpost.ThescabshelpholdtheddgebeamInposition untilyoucan Position therafbragalnst theddgpandf,ushwiththeoubrface benailfte hamb he posb. ofthesidewall,thenmarkthelocation forthebid'smouth. Once he had a good fit, DoW used this rafter as a pattern to lay out the rest of the conimonrafters, and the 2:16rake backers.With the rafters marked, he clamped them together,then used a staightedge guide to gangcut the bird's mouth plumb cuts as well as the rafter tail cuts.Then he madethe seatcut on eachbird's mouth with a jig saw. Screw through each rafter into the doubler plate to hold the lower end of the rafters (Rafter Spacing Detail). At the upper end, one' screwthrough the top and another from eachside into the ridge beam is sufficient. Blocking installed between the rafterspreventsthem from twisting and also closes openings in the eaves.Positionthe blocking so the bottom efues butt againstthe wall @locking Debil). Doug screwed through the rafter into one end of eachblock, then drovescrewsat an angleinto the other end. Gop rhe Ridge Ratherthan leavethe flat top efue of the rifue beam exposedto the elements, we designed a simple ridge cap.It shedswaterand dress es up the roof (Ridge Detail). Rip two dripedgegroovesin the bottom frce, then rip bevelson the top face of your h<4 stock to create the slopedtop surfrces. Mount the cap using screws near each end of the ridge beam and about evety 24ttin between. Tempondly scrcwa 1x4b fte rafurblls, thenslidetrb plywood rmfsheatrlng Inb place. Add rhe Sheothing Theledger holdslt turnalling. I offered to help install the roof sheathing, but Doug said he'd To prevent a repeat perforimposed enough already. But mance, I grabbed a piece of lx before I reachedthe gate, I heard scrap and screwedit to the rafter him yell and I turned just in time to tails (Figure 7). This temporary see a sheet of plywood narrowly ledger holds the roof sheathingin miss his head as it slid off the roof place until it can be nailed down. on its way back to the ground. "I The sheathing needs to extend supposeyou sawthat" he mumbled beyondthe rake backersby 2rfso it sheepishlyas I helped him lift the will overlapthe siding and the rake sheetback into place. rafter you still have to add. Rafter Spacing Detail Rake backer *!_t l'+- l g"--->$-16'-->t Common rafters Rakerafter fnstallaftersiding is attached) 'Workbench r September/October1998 33 Siding and Tlim Construction View Window Trim Detail NOTE: Cutsidingsoffe joinbfallovera stud andtte groovepatternremains consistent. Siding Detail 1x2rakefilm Rakerafter Siding P/a"x48"x96" T 1-11 plywood) Rake Rafter Detail 7 N0TE: lnstallballusterc frumcsnterlinooutward and riptheoutermost ballusters b flt. Put on rhe Siding Rail Elevation & Baluster Details Toprail I*5V"'l 34 W'orkbenchr September/October1998 With the roof on, Doug promised me he'd call only if he really needed help. He wasusing plywoodsiding (4rlon-centerT 1-11),but the pieces were manageable(Siding and Trim Construction View). He fit the siding so all the joints landedon studsandkept the groove pattern consistenl He also let the siding extend %rr below the decking on the end and back walls (Siding Detail). On the endwalls,the top edgeof the siding is covered by the rake rafter, so you don't have to cut it precisely in line with the roof. Notch the large piecefor the ridge beam and window, then nail the sidingto the studs. Sidingon the front andbackwalls butts againstthe blockingunderthe eaves.Position the siding on the front so the edgesof the ,l-ft.-wide main sectionfall on the stud underneath the window and above the dooropening.Leavethe frontsiding L/zttabovethe surfaceof the decking - this preventswaterpooledon the decking from wicking up into the siding (Siding Detail). Tb avoid a lot of precisionpainting, consider painting the siding now beforethe trim goeson. Then fit the fim boards,but paint them before you nail them in place. PaintinCthe backs as well as the frces of the tim boards also seals the'tridden" surfaceswherewater seepagecould damageunprotected wood. @oug used Flood EB Solid Color Stainon the siding andtim.) Window Elevations 3Y2" 30' Time for the Trim Oncethe stain dried on the siding, Doug began fitting the ftim along the roof line - the rake rafters, rake trim, and under-eavetrim (Rake Rafter Detail). Next came the corner boards. Dougripped3/+iloff.theedgeof the tim boards that attach to the end walls. Then he installed the tim boards on the front and back wall so they overlappedthe end trim, creating equal face exposureson the adjacentwalls.The trim boards extend 1,/a"below the bottom edge of the siding. With the fim cut to size, he paintedthe boards on both sides and nailedthem in place. Windows qnd Door The windows consist of a simple box frame with a half-lappederidwork of 32rrx lr/2ttstock (Window Elevations). Doug rippedthe grid muntins from 1x4 stock, then cut the half-lapdadoeson a table saw, using his miter gauge equipped with a stop block. Exterior grade glue and screwshold the window assembliestogether. Half-lap joinery also connects the rails and stiles of the Dutch door frames. Doug built the framesfirst. then attachedthe T 111 plywood to the back (Door Elevations).With the door halves assembled,he marked and cut mortisesto acceptthe fulI depthof the hinges (bothleaveswhen folded). Shallow scoring cuts with a circular sawroughedout the mortises; a chisel was used to pare them clean.Then Doug mounted the hingesin placeand addedthe shelfon top of the lower door. It's best to paint the windows anddoor prior to installation.Once they'repainted,set the windowsin the rough openings,shim them level, then drive screws to secure them. Nail the prepainted door jamb assembly in the doorway, and surface mount the hinges to the left side jamb. You'll need to notchthe sidestopsfor the doorto accommodatethe door shelf. A slide-boltconnectsthe two doors. Once the windows and door were installed, Doug added the trim aroundthe window and door openings.He left a Ysrlwidereveal on the windows and door jambs (Window Trim Detail). The top and bottom trim boards extend beyondthe sidetrim piecesroughly il on each side. This lets you avoidthe needfor a perfectfit and alsoallowsfor woodmovement. 1Y2" k_ Door Elevations [:rll^ffifl'ou" Y Side View) Gonstruct the Roiling Installthe upperand lower rails in the front posts and add the cap (Rail Elevation and Baluster Details). Doug gang-cutthe decorative balusterswith a circular saw, notching all but the outside two boardson both sides.Like the rest of the trim, the balusters were painted prior to their installation on the railings. Working left and right of the centerline,he installedthe balustersby butting them together with their bottom endsflush. The outermost balusterswererippedto width to fill the remaining space.He touched up the exposededges with paint, installed the final balusters,and tacked on a thin tim sffip to hide the slightly uneventop edges. 3/t" dado,s/l'deep F- 9"-->1 fs/t" 1{121/2" I rl- llj lr\-- - Build the Lodder Kids can't get to the plaform without a ladder,and we designedone with closelyspacedrungs to accommodate small climbers (Ladder Elevations). By insettingthe rungs into the legs, we gave the ladder greaterstrength,and by now Doug was an old hand at gangcutting dadoes.Two screws at each joint hold the rungs in place. Despite pleas from his kids to install the ladder, Doug delayed putting it up to keep the kids off the plafform until he could finish the roofing and get the slide installed.A coupleof wheelbarrow loadsof sandin the sandboxkept them occupiedand out of harm's wav in the interim. (Side View) --6'^A I-adder Elevations 1/2" deepforrungs Cut372"dadoes, (Side View) \V'orkbenchI September/OctoberI 998 35 Roofing Construction Vi Trimthefinalcourseof shingles Flashing Detail t0 6" lengthandnaildownoverflashing, Rollflashing fitsintothegroove intheridgebeam. Cedar shingles (6"reveal) TIP:Forrraximum weafier protsction, dipshlngles in exterior oilflnlshpdorto Installaton. WeusedFlood's -3444. cwF-w,t -800-321 Shinglerhe Roof Roofingfelt provided someprotection, but Doug was eagerto make the roof watertight. Having laid asphaltshinglesgavehim the confidence.totacHe cedarroofing on his own, although I helped install the drip edge and starter course (Roofing Construction View). Before installing each final course, we caulked the groove in the ridge beam with silicone and inserted the flashing (Flashing Detail). We nailed the the final courseof shinglesoverthe flashing. Nails profuding through the underside of the roof sheathing pose a haz.ardto small playhouse occupants,so clinch them over.Ifs tedious, noisy work, but worth it from a safety standpoint.(Foam earplws help.) 36 W'orkbench r September/October 1998 Unsure just how tall the post neededto be, he plannedto trim its top end later.Sohe notchedthe post for the feet and brackets, which by now was secondnafure, and cut stock for the braces,feet and brackets (hg Elevations). Doug used \/ztt-dia."3rllong lag screwswith washersto securethe leg assemblyjoints. The beam consistsof three 2x6 spacers - two for hanging the swings and one at the end of the beamfor the beampocket- sandwiched by two long 2x6's (Bmm Elevation). Any swing hardware you choosewill include installation insbuctions,and you can alter the Add the Swing Set spacersif needed. Drive 3rr-long Now that the ladder and slide were deck screwsto secureall the 2x6's in place,the kids could finally give in the beamassembly. the playhouse a proper testing. Cut the playhouse siding to While theyplayed,Dougput togeth- exposethe beam pocket, then get er the swing set strucfure. help to heft the beaminto position. Lqdder qnd Slide Before mounting the ladder,Doug eased all the edges vnth a 1/zn roundover bit. He also routed any other edges that would make the playhousemore kid friendly.Edges inaccessibleto the router were roundedoverwith a rasp. By driving 3rrdeck screwsfrom inside the rim joists and bottom rails, Doug fastenedthe ladder to the plafform. Ifs best if the top of the ladderis flush with the deck. Doug bolted the plastic slide to the deckingfollowing the manufacfirer's insfuctions. 12" long Spacer, (Endof spacerflushwith end0f beam.) Beam Elevation fiopView) ; ),t fis/4t4<__1'y2n ><_20,,______ With one personon the plafformand one on a ladder,slidethe beaminto the pocket. Ievel the beam and squareit to the playhouse,then tack 2x4 legs to the beamto hold it in this position.Now you canscrew the beamto the framingaroundthe pocket. At this pointDoug coulddeterminethe positionfor the leg assembly.By trial and error he leveledthe sitewith a shoveland plumbed the post, then he marked the beamlocationon the post.And from there it was clear sailing(Beam Detail). For a nicetouchhe addedtrim aroundthe beam pocketto covera few smallgaps. Doug mountedthe swinghardwareand the kids helpedhim adjustthe chainsto the right length - extra chain was added to the lengthsthat camewith the swings. Judging by the worn grass and everpresent squealsfrom excited children, the playhouseis a hit throughout the neighborhood. And though he vigorouslydeniesit, I know Doug delights in the fact that his kids now own bragging rights to the best little playhouse around.ff >t<_1y%,___*__2}n Swing Set Consfuction View Swingsetbeam (pressure-treated 2xos,144"l0ng) 4x4,120"long) Bracket (pressure-treated 2x6,11sla" long) WhatYou'll Need Lumber (1) lGft" pressureteated4x4 (2) &ft. pressurefreated 4x4's (2) &,ft.pressurefeated4x4's (1) l0ft. pressurefeated2x8's (B)&ft pressurebeated 2x8's (4) tz-ft.pressurefeated2x6's (2) 1Gft.pressurefeated2x6's (9) &ft. pressurefeated2x6's (16)12-ftpressureteated2x4's (10)l0ft. pressuretreated 2x4's (13)&ft pressurefeated2x4's (4) &ft. pressureffeated1x6's (9) 12-ft.pressureteated1x4's (6) 10ft pressureteated1x4's (1) &ft. pressurebeated1x4 (27)5h x 6 pressureteated deckboards g4 1/2trx4ft.x8ftsiding (3) 1/2" 4 ft.,, 8 ft. pressure " treatedpineplywood Beam Detail Brace (pressure-treated 2x4,813A" long) Foot (pressure-treated 2x6,96" long) (2) r/zttx 4r2rrcarriagebolts (58)7/ro"washers (4) 3rrbutt hinges (1) 2rrslidebolt (1) roll lS#builder'sfelt (2-3)bundlescedarshingles (2) lengths(10ft.) drip edge (2) lengths(10ft") flashing (5) lbs.ll/tttcedarshinglenails (1) lb.#8, 15/sil deckscrews (5) lbs.#8" 21/zttdeck screws (10)lbs.#8" 3rrdeckscrews (FINISHES:L gal.solidcolor stainfor siding;1 qt solid colorstainfor kim.) Ve"x41y'e" bolb cardage NOTE: Cut1" deepnotches. l-eg Elevations 1998 \Torkbenchr September/October 37 It'slike this.A yearor twoago,checkbook in woodworkeron the planet,but this hand,you tooktheleapinto woodworking. Yourshopspace projectis proof that modestshop is now modestlyequippedand strewnwith sawdust,and you build a little more confidencewith eachnewproject,maybe evenget a little smugasyou learn a new techniqueor managesome nicedetailwork with handtools. Then reality knocksat the door. You're sketching ideas for your next project, and you realize you've just designed something you can't build. That enthusiastic craftsman inside your head lets 38 Workbench I September/October 1998 out a howl of protest so horrifc that hadyou actuallygivenit voice, your neighborswould haveheard it andassumedyou drilledthrough your thumb again. Don't imagine the universe is toyingwith you alone.The frustration of having your reach exceed your grasp hits just about every tools or skills don't alwayshaveto limit the furniture ideasyou have. My solution?Usingreadilyavailable wood components- turned legs in this case - along with parts I mademyself,to build a set of three tables - a coffee. end. and sofa table. I purchasedthe legs from Adams Wood Products of Morristown,TN (423-587-2942). This approachkept the cost and time reasonable,and still gaveme the designI wanted. Coffee Table Construction View x22"W x 48"1 OVERAII SIZE: 1614"H Top(edge-glued maple) Vt'x22"x48" Table top fastener cllps(10) Hanger bolb(4) s1r5,'x21./2" %o"Hexnub(4) Sideapron(2) 3/4',y!', x41V2', Coffee Table Elevations IUrned legs(4) F/t'xliVztl (Adams WoodProducb 423-587-25421 Tqke lr fiom the Top Deciding to use commercially turned legs not only offers you more in the way of designoptions (unlessyou'rea turner yourself),it lets you concenfrateon the other main componentsof the tablesthetops.Youhavechoicesheretoo. Hardwoodplywoodor a shopmade veneeredpanel (if you edgeband them) and of coursesolid wood are all good options.I thought a solid top was appropriatehere. Using solidwood doesrequire a designthat allowsthe top to safely expandand contact with changes in humidity.I accomplished thatby using table top fastener clips to hold the top to the aprons(Coffee Table Construction View). If you're patient and careful milling your stock, or very selective when buyrngsurfacedboards, gluing up a smoothflat top isn't difficult. I madeit easierby routing a self-aligning glue joint on the board edges (see Edgeglued Panelson page 40). One helpful technique is using clamping cauls across the panel to hold it flat (Figure 1). Use scraps of plastic laminate (facedown) orwax paper to prevent the cauls from sticking to anyexcessglue.Another hick is to alternate the placement of clamps on the panel - some on top, some on the underside.This prevents unequal pressure that would pull the panel more on one facethan the other. These steps help ensure the panel is flat when you make it. To help it stay that way,you'll need to apply finish uniformly to both the top and bottom. More on this later. Whethuyousimplybnttandgluetheboadedges or milla joint,atbmabtheclamps self-allgning aboeandbelow. \Torkbenchr September/October 1998 39 androuta 3"-long Designate an inside corner oneachlegbolster a flatfaceforthe chamfer, starting at thetopend.Thiscreates bolt, drillbitto enterwhenyoudrilla pilotholeforthehanger jig (facing page) Mymortise-routing features built-instopsthat indextheendandsideof eachleg.Themortise on automatically facegetscutusingtheotherendof thejig. theadjacent Modifying the legs The table legs I purchasedarrivecl crisply machined and finely sanded, but I did rnodiiy thern a little for my table design. First, I clesignatedan inside corner on each leg antl rouled a :'/*"wide charnfer along the first 3rrof the bolster (Figure 2). This will rnake it easier to clrill pilot holes for the hanger bolts useclto secure Afterrouting,squaretheendsof the mor- the corner brackets to the legs. The next step - cutting shallow tiseswitha chisel.Leadwiththeendcut (shown), mortises on the two inside facesof thenparethesidecorners. eacl'rbolster (for the apron tenons) Double-check the top's flatness - also calls for a router. Here you by laying a straightedgeacross its have to guiclethe bit's path either width. After the assemblyhas hacl with a route-r table setup or by an hour or so to set, scrapeoff the using a jig like the one I clesignecl (Mortise Details and Router Jig rubbery glue squeeze-out. Details). The mortises aren't centered in the bolster faces, which complicatesthe job a little. With a router table,you set the fence position for the offset frorn the chamfered corner',tl-renfeed the stock (with its charnfered corner down ancl against the fence) from one direction for the first cut. Next, rotate the acljacer"rt face down and feecl fron'r the other sicle of the table. Clarnp a stop block to the fence each time so you clon't cut the mortisestoo long. If you don't havc a router table, don't worry. The jie shown aligns both workpiece anclrouter for you, anclit has built-in stopsthat control the router's travel. Like the router table proceclure,you have to work Panels: FourSimple Edge-glued Joinery 0ptions Whenever I glue up solid boards to make a wider panel, I always machine some kind of joint so the f a c e s o f t h e b o a r d s a l i g n a u t o m a t i c a l l y .T h e r e ' s n o t h i n g w o r s e d u r i n g g l u e - u p t h a n s c r a m b l i n g a r o u n d with clamps while slippery glue lines shift and move with each turn of the clamp handles.Tongue-andgroove and spline joints are among the simplest solutions, and either can be cut on a table saw or with a handheld router. Aside from making the assembly process a little less frantic, these joints provide good inherent mechanical strength and also give you additional gluing surface area. 40 Workbenchr September/October 1998 jointcanbe A simple tongue-and-grcove Theguidebearing ona slot-cutting routerbit gooves youcancutslots cuteasilyona tablesaw.Or,cut controls cutdepth. Again, onbothedges andgluea splinebeftrteen. fora splinejoint,ormilla tongueand-groove, Router JigDetailsllffi'#ffi:Uli',T,ffl##11-01 Mortise Details '/2" mortises, -3/e" r I (Bottom V iew) flop View) I 21A"square bolster I y2'\ A) fiopView) l.< zui, 1 l'Itl '"'T|| 16" ( 3/4,, x 1,,endstop registers topend of tablelegs. 1" \5"20 -rT (- 1"1 v3" / l< from both ends of the jig to get the offset right for the rnortise. Place the chamfered corner up and againstthe index cleat,butt the top of the bolster againstthe end stop, /'- Indexcleat < (Side View) -e 8" then clamp them together in a vise to cut the mortise (Figure 3). Squareup the mortise ends with a chisel afterward (Figure 4). And don't panic if your chisel work isn't perfect - the joint is designed so srnallglitches don't show. 5%'l )f (EndView) Y 34" A Ur'l Although a table-sawn or routed spline joint offers a substantial improvement over a butt joint, other t e c h n i q u e s p r o v i d e e v e n m o r e a d v a n t a g e s .S o m e s p e c i a l t y c u t t e r s , f o r e x a m p l e , m a c h i n e a t a p e r e d j o i n t that fits tightly only when it's fully closed. This lets you press-fit the boards together with just hand pressure, then cinch them tight with a clamp. My favorite bit - and the one I used for my table tops - is the reversible glue-joint cuttel but it has to be used in a router table. After adjusting the cutter height for the board thickness, you simply machine adjoining boards, one of them face up and one face down. to create a mated joint. Another option is biscuit or . plate joinery. This European-born system uses small footballshaped wood biscuits inserted in slotd cut with a special tool. gfue.joint Revenible bib cuta self-aligning Platejoinenplungecut shortslobin boad joint.You'llneeda hble.mounM edges (andfaces) hpered to helpjoinbalign.Then rcubr,buttheeasyassembly isworthit. smallfootball-shaped blscubgetgluedin. WorkbenchI September/October 1998 4T V-Block DrillGuide jig fordrillingthelegbolster, TomaketheV-block your tilt sawblade 45'andcuta grcove in a lengh passes of 2x4stock.Two willrcmove thewedge. Afteryoucutfte V-block intotwosections, mark oneofthem2"fiomtheendandusea V+'bolt b punch a dimple inthebottrom ofthegroove. Drilling pilot holes for the hanger bolts completesthe work on the legs.The chamferyou routed earlierwill makethis much easier,but using a V-block jig (cut on the tablesaw)rendersthis stepalmost foolproof(V-Block Drill Guide). First, tilt the blade45" and set the cutting height to 3/an.Then adjust the rip fenceso the tip of the blade cuts right to the center of.a 2x4 (about 12rrlong), and make two passesto cut the wedgefrom the face of the board (Figure 5). Cut the V-blockinto two 6rrlengths. If you havea drill press,you can just nest the leg bolster (chamfer up) in one of the blocksand drill a Y+ilpilot hole for the hangerbolt. If you're using a portable drill, the processis a bit different.First, set a V+rldia.bolt or steel rod in the bottom of the 'T" in one block (placed2tt fuomone of the ends), then strike it with a hammer (Figure 6). The punch mark you createwill mark the hole location and alsokeep the drill flutes from catching and "walking" on the sides of the groove. Next, drill a farr guide hole through the jig, using the faceor end of a boardto align the drill (Figure 7). Now you'rereadyto tacklethe leg itself. First,placethe undrilledV-block on your bench, with the groove facingup. Setthe leg bolster (with its chamferedcorner up) in this block, then clamp the drilled (guide)V-blockon top, like you're building a sandwich(FigUre 8). The end of the guide block should be flush with the top of the table leg, so the hole positionis indexed correctly.(If it helps,you can fasten a smallcleatto the guideblock to act as an end stop.)Then drill through the V-block into the leg bolster,to a depthof aboutil. Tying Up the Aprons Machining the aprons involves anotherset of simpleprocedures, and you can do them all on the table saw.After cutting the pieces to size,you needto cut a rabbeton each end to form the one.sided tenonsthat fit into each leg mortise, plus someshallowsaw kerfs to acceptthe assemblyhardware (Apron Details). The orientation of all the cuts is critical, but for simplicitythe bladeheight setting (%r) staysthe samefor eachstep. I started by milling the long grooveon the insideof eachpiece (Figure 9). This groove accepts the table top fastener clips that allowthe top to movewith seasonal changesin humidity.Next came the cross-grainkerfs that hold the ends of the corner brackets (Figure 1O). I changedthe rip fence'spositionso I coulduseit as an end stopto indexthe cuts,but I usedthe miter gaugeto guide the stock through the cut. The same thing goes for machining the Clamp bolsterandV-blocl assembly b bench. Endsflush Clamp a quaeedged blockonbp ofthewofuiece b guide theddllbit.tayoutlineson$e blockhelp evenmorcbyprcviding a visualrc{erence furyou. 42 'W'orkbench r September/Ocrober 1998 Withthe legbolsternesting in the undrilled V-block, settheguideblockon topandalign ib endflushwiththeendof the leg.Thenddllthrcughtheguideblockholeb makea pilotholeforthe hangerbolt.Forstability,proptheotherendof the legup. Y+"-dia. tenons- which you produceby cutting rabbetson the outsideface and bottom edge of each of the apronpieces. The tenon length is %", so you can't cut it in a single passwith a standardblade.There's no sense installing a dadobladefor this one step,however.In the time it would takeyou to changeblades,you can already have the joints cut. Just scoot the rip fence close to the blade,so that the far edgesof the cutting teeth are r/+tt away from the rip fence (Figure 11). Using the miter gaugeto guide the workpiece'stravel, butt the board end againstthe fencefor the first pass, then back the board off the fence for a secondpass to remove the leftover "tail." be tuimmed and sanded. If there's glue squeeze. out still on the panels,use a sharp chisel or scraper to clean it off, then figure out how you want to cut eachone to finishedsize. As I explainedearlier,whenever possibleI'll glue up a panelslighfly wider than I need.so I cantrim the edges clean of clamp dents or other incidental damage.And of coursethe endswill needto be cut. If youVe got a table saw with a large support surface, rip the panel to within about %0il of finished width, then crosscut the ends using a miter gaugeto guide the stock. Keep the top face of the panel up so any tearout from the saw blade will occur on the Bqck to the Tops underside. (If you don't With the machiningdone on the have a table saw, or at legs and aprons,you haveto back- least one large enough to track a little to the tabletops.Once handle panelsof this size,you can they're unclamped,they need to use a portablecircularsawto tim the tops.Ifyou do,reverse the panel orientation so ifs upsidedown,sincethe TrimBit RoutsCleanEdges teeth enter the workpiece Undo saw marks easily with a router from the bottom.) and a flush-trim bit. Leave %" of extra Clean the saw marks material and clamp a guide board from the long edgeswith a hand plane or a sanding along layout marks for finished size. block. Becauseend grain Both edge and end grain rout cleanly. is tougher to tame with hand tools, I used a finishing sander there. A flush-trim bit in a hand held router works great also (Pro Tip). Apron Details A bblesawcandoallfte machlning offte aprcns, sbrtingwiththegrcove furfte bblebp fasbnercllps.Besurc b keepfte bp edgeofeachboadagainst fte ftnce, AdJust he dpftncesoit act asanendsbp,thenusethe mlterpugeb guide$e sbckwhilecuttingkerfsfoi he comerbracke6, Keephe samefacesdownasbefoie. SideApron(Side View) LI -l I k-2'l4", eachend ,l<vr' EndApron(Side View) I-.s T 4' L-t a s;" 1b' -"1 \H*#l,?#H,,., "'lll'#L--tn ;k/+", eachtenon Vt) Cuttingrabbebandshouldesat he endsof he aprcnscnahs fte onesidedbnonshat seatin he legmortises. Witr a findad blade,maketwo passes b complebeachsbp. \(orkbench r September/October1998 43 Hanger Bolt Installation To drive a hanger bolt into wood, tighten two hex nuts on the machine-thread end until they lock. One wrench on the top nut drives the bolt - a pair "unjams" the nuts. G'' \* qr E the threads, but I think driving them in that way is awkward. Hordwore Brings it Home Instead, I use another technique The hardware I used for rny table (Hanger Bolt Installation). I run group probably won't be on the a pair of hex nuts on the machine shelves of your local hardware thread ancl tighten them against store, but it's certainly not rare. I one anolher until they jam. Then I got mine from The Woodworkers' put a wrench over just the top nut Store (800-279-444D.For each and drive the bolt in like I woulcla table you'll need a set of four metal lag screw. When the wood thread leg corner braces (#24299), four is buried as far as you want in the s/rcttx 2112tt hanger bolts (#24422), leg, use a pair of wrenches to spin and a pack of ten table top fastener the hex nuts apart anclback them clips (#34215). off the end of the bolt. Installation of the hanger bolts 0nce the hanger bolts are presentsthe only tricky procedure securely home in the leg bolsters, with the hardware.That's because each table assemblyinvolves or"rly instead of having a drive head like two basic steps,anclboth are easia conventional fastener, they fea- er if you work with the materials ture a wood thread on one end and upside-downon your workber.rch. a machine thread on the other. Start with the apron installation. The center of the shank has a Insert the tenons fror.n one end blank areayou can grip with a pair apron and or"reside apron into the of locking pliers and not disturb mortises in a leg, fit a metal corner brace onto the hanger bolt and seal ils errrlsinto the cross-grain kerfs, then run the nut onto the hanger bolt and cinch it tight (Figure 12). Repeat the process for the other three legs, and make sure the assernblysits flat on the bench when everything's snug. To mount the table top you have to clear your workbench surface ancl set the top upsicle-clown on it. Then set the leg/apron assembly clown on the top, check for a consistent overhang on each edge, and fit the table top fastener clips into the grooves in the aprons two on each end, three along each side (Figure 13). As you screw lf theairis dry, leaveroomfor thetopto expand In humidair, seatclipsdeeply sothey'llstayin '1'--la; ' l ' . , 6 1 1, - ,t/\q youcanstartassembling Oncethehanger boltsareinstalled, the legsandaprons, Withthe partsupside-down on a bench,fit the corner brackets in place, thencrankthehexnutstight. 44 WorkbenchI September/October 1998 Fitthetabletopfastener clipsin theirgrooves andfasten them.Remember to allowforseasonal movement of thethreeclipsalongeachside.Anysignificant kavelwill happen across thetop'swidth;theendclipswon'tmovein andout. -t these clips to the underside of the top, be sure to consider the humidity. The hardwood will most likely have been kiln-dried, but itwill still move some with the seasons.If the relative humidity is low (typical winter conditions), don't seat the clips all the way into the grooves or the top won't have room to expand when the humidity rises. Conversely,an August installation shouldhavethe clips fully seated, to allow for winter shrinkage. Sealingthe top thoroughly (I used a gel stainanda satinpolyurethane on a// surfaces)will help. As your skills and shop grow, you can make all your own furniture parts, but for now there's no harm in buying a little help.tF \4lhatYou'll Need Ilmber Hardware (4) 23/+r' l5rrturnedmaplelegs (4) leg cornerbraces (14)bd.ft. 4/4 softmaple (4) s/ro"' 2%rrhangerbolts (Note:Lumberquantityrequired (4) s/rc"hex nuts will vary accordingto roughboard (10)tabletopfastenerclips (10)#6 l/zttpan-head sizesandwastefactor.) screws " HowtheOthers Measure Up End Table lL l- Except for sizing the tops and the apron boards differently, building the end table and sofa table to match involves exactly the same proce- r_______--]|l. 4" Apron tyr" Apron ll 14' r;;-r -17 F-zo' dures used for the coffee table. The part numbers for the table legs are as follows*: Coffee table legs: AO9Ol-15 End table legs: AO9Ol-2 1 Sofa table legs: AO9O1-28 *(Adams Wood Products 423-587-2942) Sofa Table I ordered maple legs, but the same style and sizes are offered in red oak as well. Aside from the change in leg length, the other tables in this group also require different quantities of the 4/4 lumber Apron l4" T [_ll]L Anron ll [l[.-1r l- lJ4" 16,'-l used for the tops and aprons. You'll need about 8 bd. ft. of 4/4 stock for the end table, and about 12 bd. ft. for the sofa table. These figures allow about 15 percent for waste, but note the minimum lengths you'll need for certain parts. \W'orkbench r September/October 1998 +> Lay aLaminateFloor Newcabinets and countertopsable clinched it as the perfect prodto wrap up our kitchen project. transformed thekitchenu)e'ueuct (You can find the cabinet and coun- harder to make it more scratch- and stain-resistant. This construction createsa tough, durable floor that is beenremodeling,but we needed tertop installation in the April and much less susceptible to seasonal climate changes that can cause solid wood flooring to swell or the metamorphosis. We wanted settichchosewilsonartFlooring.shrink dramafically. While not reconthemar- ommended for potentially wet locathe look of wood,flooring but ket, *".::ilij:loucts this flooring consists of a thin tions, most laminate flooring can not the installation and finishing layer of plastic laminate bonded to even be laid on a concrete floor as hassles or expense of traditional 3^"-thick medium-density fiber- long as you put down a polyethyl(MDF) (see ene vapor barrier first. hardwood flooring. laminate floor- board backing Some people confuse laminate ing offered these advantages as Anatomy of a lnminate Floor). flooring vith laminated wood floorwell as low maintenance, and the The laminate is like that used for product made of patterns ing, engineered variety of colors and an avail- countertops, but is 10 to 20 times tl""f:H'J:" newfloorcoaering tocomplete {"{"*f.#o*^ 46 \?'orkbenchr September/October 1998 Anatomy of a I^aminate Floor Laminate's Older Cnusins t Flooring pad Bacldng three or five thin layers of hardwood laminated together. Like solid wood flooring, engineered wood products such as this are mechanicallyfastenedto the flool usually with staples,doublefuced tape,or adhesive. Iaminate flooring isn't frstened butgoesdownon top of athin foam backing pad. By fitting and tirn ming the tongueand-grooveplanks or tiles, then efuegluing the joints, you create in essencea searnless, onepiecefloor that ifloats" on top of the pad.This eliminatesthe need for a specializedflooring nailer or a messyadhesive. The only tools you need are a table saw or miter saw to cut the planksto length, a router equipped with a specialslotcutting bit for re grooving the ends of cut pieces,a hammer,a utility knife, and a big roll of maskingtape. layer of L/zn CDX plywood with screwsand consfructionadhesive. Eventhen,we foundthat the floor had settledin an areanearthe doorway to the dining room. We filled this depressionwith a twopart leveling compound(Flgure 1). These fillers are mixed to a thick liquid consistencythat flowsout andlevels itself when pouredonto the floor. To help minimize shrinking or swelling,let the flooring acclimate to the room for 48 hours beforeifs installed.Eventhough ifs relatively stable,big changesin temperature andhumidity cancausethe flooring to e:rpandor shrink slightly. After the flooring stabilized,we laid out a temporarybaseline18rl out from the toekicks of the new base cabinets, marking the floor every few feet with a felt-tip marker. You typically want to lay the planks parallel to the longest a:<is - l'lailedorstapled b subfloor - Aailableinstip (2/2"-wlde) andplank(3-10"-wide) - Unfrnished orprsfnishsd; canbesanded andrcfnlshed Laminated Wood Flooring - Fasbned b subfloor witl glue,ord0ublo-faced staples, hpe - Prcfinlshed; canbesanded andrcfinished of the room and use the longest (and straightest) wall to reference your baseline. With a baselineroughed out we dry-fitted some planks to check our pattern alignment (FigUre 2). We also madesure the fnal row of plankswouldbe at least2rrwidefor both joint and visual sffength. If necessary, shift your baseline toward or awayfrom the reference wall, then snapa chalkline to mark your final baselineposition. Flotten the Subfloor Like most floor coverings,laminate flooring needs to go down over a smoothsurfacesuch as an existing vinyl floor or plywood underlayment nailed over the subflooring. But Bob'skitchenpresenteda prob lem. It alreadyhad two layersof old vinyl andunderlaymentthat created a wary surtrace,so the old sfuff had to come oul If we used standard underlaymentwe'd wind up with a gapbetweenthe floor andthe trim. Usea lewlingcompound b fill inany Establish a baseline alongthelongest, straighbst wall.DrySo we stipped the floor down to depressions. Fedrerhe edges ofhe com- fit he planlsbgefierb checkhe flooring allgnment and the original planks and installed a pound b rcduce sanding ftr it ddes. b crcatehe proper spacing foranyinsetboden. 'W'orkbench r September/October 1998 47 Pod First,rhen Plonks Oncewe had the alignmentfigured oul we picked up the test planks androlled out awidth of foambacking pad the length of the room Gf$re 3). Don't fustenthe pad to the underlayment,since this will Rollouta widhothe ba*irUpadandtrlt it b lerUhwih a wldrq but he edges utliUlolfr. Rolloutadditioml bp. don'torerlap thern andlolnftan wth masldng taythegrcoved edgeoffte flrstrowof planlsaginsta Remove he cleatandfill in cleatbckd alonghe baseline. be oubideedgeoncehe rcstoffte floorisdown. Applydueonlyb theedgB andendgmva of a plank.Thegluebdte nozlehelpsplacethe ofSluein theioint, coneclamount 48 affect the flooringfsability to floal Subsequentwidths ofbacking pad are tapedtogetheralongthe edges. Wetansferred our baselinemark onto the pad and tackeda sfaightedged ?x4 cleat to the floor along the line. Then we dry-fittedthe frst rowof planksend-toendagainstthe cleat to determinehow long to cut the last plank (figure 4). Even thoqh the movement is minimal, you need to allow some room for the floor to float and orpand.Placeatemporary%rltlfck spacer between the wall and the starting end of the frst row, and leavea r/tt' gapat the oppositeend. Cutting the planks produces loads of fine dust, so I recommend you set up your saw outside.Also, make sure the saw blade's teeth enter the top of the flooring (the laminate face) to minimize chip ping.Use a sharp,finetoothed carbide blade. If an edge does get chipped,cut anotherplank and set aside the damaged piece to be ftimmed andusedelsewhere. With the first row of planks dryfitted, take them apart and squirt a liberal bead of glue in the end grooves of the planks. Wilsonart supplieswater-basedglue in bottles thathavea spoutdesignedto fit into the groove.Lay the planks back in place and temporarily insert a wedgeor pry-bar betweenthe wall andthe endof the lastplankto force the joints together and prevent excess glue from forcing a joint back open.As you fit the planks in andbp upttn pirtb usinga hammer Tigl.rten pingblod< trds gooredb ptobctthebtUue - $e MDForc dam4Bs mily. \U7orkbenchrSeptember/October 1998 place,wipe up any glue squeezeout with adamp rag. This F/Lwide flooring comes packaged n 46V2il lengths, and Wilsonart recommends offsetting the endjoints on adjacentrows by a minimum of 10il.Since we used a fulllength piece to start the first row, we cut the second course starterta Mr/zx for al2n ofhet, then followed with 22r/zx and lOYzrl starters for the third and fourth rows respectively. We dry-fitted the secondrow of planks, then applied glue to the edgeandendgroovesofeachplank as we installed them (FtgUre 5). Tighten up the joints by tapping a block held in placealong the edge and end of the plank being glued @gure 6). Onceeachjointistight and the excess glue wiped up, masking tape spanning the joint lines will hold everything together until the glue sets up, typically 45 to 60 minutes (Figure 7). Becauseof the extensiveremodeling in the kitchen and entryway, we plannedto install new door cag ing on all but one doorway.Adding casing after the flooring simplified the processgreafly,butwe still had to do a little fitting in andaroundthe doorways (see Deali,ng with Doorwaysand Casi.ng). Add o Pollrern An added twist in Bob's kitchen was a squure field of flooring set off by a border of darker laminate (Figure 8). This pattern was rela- wih a dampr4, Wpeupanygluequeereout afilm.Man-lg anddnseit fui b awidleaving bpehokbtheloinbwhilehe glueddes. tively straighforward, but you can mix and match square laminate tiles with planks to create more complexpatterns if you want. The toughest part of creating a pattern is cutting planks to precise lengths. When you're fitting trimmed pieces,even slight variations in length will result in gapsor a visible shift in the pattern.Planks must also be cut off squarely,so checkeverycut. planlacreatea squarcborderin themain When you cut a field plank to Contrasting Usethebitsupplied bythemanufacturer length, you'll be cutting off the kitchenarca.Suchpatterns piece. aresimpleto makebutrequire to cuta groove in thetrimmed Glue tongue it needs to mate with the cuttingplank to precise gaps. lenghsto avoidcreating thespline in place, theninsblltheplank. border.Wilsonart offers a special slotcutting bit and splines to take care of this situation.We chucked Wilsonart (800) 710-8846 the bit in a smallrouter,madesome test cuts in flooring scrapsto adjust BHK of America (800) 663-4176 the cutter to the right setting,then slotted the end and installed the Bruce Floors (€00)722-4647 spline(Figure 9). After completing the squareFormica shapedborder of darker laminate, (aoo)367-6422 we laid the remaining planks. We M a n n i n g t o nM i l l s had to rip the final row of planksto @oo)443-5667 a narrowerwidth for a customfit. Pergo Drillpilotholesthroughthe laminate-covered basemolding (€00)337-3746 Finishing Up andquarter-round beforedrivingthefinishnails.Weuseda lnoking at the completedflooring, nailsetto sinkthemjustbelowthe laminate surface. Bob noticedthat someof the joints seemedslightlyraised.We assured him, however, that there was no causefor alarm. The water-based glue causes the MDF to swell Laying laminateflooringaround door- then glue the plank and tap it into slightly, but the joints shrink back ways isn't difficult - it just requires place with a tapping block. to normalafterthe glue driescoma little planning. lf possible,consider Where flooring runs past a doorway pletely(in a weekor two). r u n n i n g t h e p l a n k s l e n g t h w i s e opening, you'll need to trim the casWe usedmatchinglaminatecov- through the doorway and parallel ings so the flooring can slide undereredbaseboards andquarter-round with the traffic flow. Notch the floor- neath without leaving an unsightly fim to finish up the project.The ing to fit around door framing. Testfit g a p . A h a n d s a w i s a l l y o u n e e d t o laminate-coveredpoplar trim is the piece by sliding it in from the end, accomplish this task. impact resistant - although it requiredus to drill pilot holes for the finish nails(Figure 1O). As we packedup our tools, Bob and Barbara admired their new floor.They appreciatedhow quickly itwent downandcommentedonthe conspicuousabsenceof any finish fumes and the fact that they didn't have to wait for a finish to cure. After weeks of dust and makeshift plankb fit arcundthe Nobhan L.shaped Totim dmr casing,laya pieceof floodnglamijamb. meals,they were more than ready glue, door Apply slidetheflooringin nab sidedom, onbp of a pieceof ba*ing pad. to havetheir kitchenback.'E fmmtheend,thentapit fimly intoplace. Thenusea handsawb cuthe casing;, Dealing withDoorways andGasing \TorkbenchI September/October 1998 49 :.;i?r. l' I\a BuyingAChainSaw For mosthomeowners, chain sawsbelongin that diffi,cult probably cover the purchase cost (seeFelling a Tree Safely,page 56). generators, Of course some situations might tool categorythat alsoincludesair compressors, Youmightnot require the skills or equipment of or snowthrowers. and maybebrushchippers a professionalcrew. useoneall thatoften,bwtwhenyoureallyneedit there's For your own work, we'll show precious little else that will get the job done. Rentalcenter equipment providesan answerfor some,but if their inventory and scheduledon't cooperatewith the timing of your emergency,you could be up youknow-which creek cryin'for a paddle. Besides, doesn't the closet survivalist in you just want one? Not to worry - the Workbench staff feels your pain. That's why we gathered a dozen saws, ranging in price from around $200$+OO,for a hands-on evaluation of 50 r September/October 1998 S7'orkbench their features and performance. The chain saws in this group, fitted with their standard 16rror 18rr bar lengths, can down a sizable tree or buck firewood to length, and will also trim limbs and brancheswithout wearing you out from heavy lifting. Even the lowest cost model among these saws isn't inexpensive,but if the choice comes down to tackling a tree removal with your own saw or paying someone else to do it, your sweat equity will you the features on today's generation of chain saws, and the different ways various manufacturers tackle the same problems. We'll explain chain brakes, catchers, and other safety features, plus maintenancetasks such as chain tensioningand air filter upkeep. Does Size Motfer? Stren you start shopping for a chain saw, your initial temptation may be to buy the biggest chainsaw you can afford, or to size it Chain Saw Anatomv NOTE: Thelocation andavailability of someof thesefeaturuor controls will varybysawmodelandmanufacturer, hub .-.- Bartipsprocket accordlng to the largest job you might tackle. Better instead to plan around likely scenariosand regular use. Ifyou neecla saw only for sectioningthe occasionalfallen tree limb, choose your weapon accordingly.There's no sense paying for power you clon't need or excess weight you won't want to lug around. Chain saws are sized by engine displacement(statedin cubic inches or cubic centimeters) and also by the bar lengths they accept,typ ically ranging from \2t to 48tt. Most manufacturersdon't publish power output figures for chain saws,and that's just as well - the power rating claims you see on some tools are equal parts horsepower and another horse product. Generally speaking, though, smaller engines produce less power and are teamed with shorter bar lengths. (lncidentally, all feature two-stroke engines that burn a gas/oil mixture rather than straight gas. They also have a reservoir for a different kind of oil to lubricate the chain and bar.) The pros settle the size dilemma by using a big chain saw (typically with a 24tt to 36tt bar) to fell the tree and buck the trunk to length, then switch to a small saw (1211 bar) for limbing. For frequent treeclearing or cutting of assorted logs or timbers, this is the way to go if you can justi{y the added expense. When you're buying only one saw, however, you have to choose. Midsize models offer a balance,so that's what we rounded up (see the specifications chart on page 55). Airfiltercover Handguard/chain brakelever Throttlelockbutton (Usedfor startingonly.) Recoil starter pull Exhaust mutfler Throttle safetylock Bucking spike - Fuelfillercap lftklback zone (lnside_ dotted[rne) A rcmovable covershields thebarmount, drive sprocket, andcluhh.Astheengine rpm'srise above idle,theclutchengages thechaindrive. Theupperquadrant oftheba/stip isthekickbackzone, where conbcting anobjctcan cause thesawb lurchbackabruptly. Thedain brake larcrgebbumped fuiwadby yourwist if a kickback lurchche barbnad you.Youalsoenga$$e bnkeforsbting. Thechaincatcher isthereto snaga brcken or derailed chain,prarenting it fiomlashing back at$e operabr, 0nthisMakib,ifs a flatbar. First lmpressions Much to the relief of all the standing trees in our area,our evaluation sessionslasted only long enoughto get a few solid impressionsof how eachof the test saws behaved.Still, the hands-ontime provedenlighteningand valuable. Here,beginningwith the medium- duty sawsaimed at home use, is what we learned. The Poulan 2750, priced toward the lower end of the group, surprisedjust abouteveryonewith its tenacity.It started easilyand didn't complain whenwe ran it steadilyat high rpm levels.lnw-end torque was a little weak (typicalof enginesthis size), W'orkbench I September/October 1998 5r Finda FitThatWorksForYou Control: Fingertip Ergonomics and the placement of controls rank among the critical features affecting a chain saw's safety, performance, and ease of starting. Make certain you can easily reach the switches or levers and operate them comfort- bulb,aflodble Some saurftabrca pdmer pull helpe clearplastlc caphat whenpressed foreasiet coldstatting, fud Inbhe cylinder ably without removing your hand from the grip (the primer bulb is an exception here). Also, watch for switches that could be accidentally triggered while you're cutting, either shutting off the saw or locking the throttle open. Location ofhe oiloffsulibhisanimpothnt (andpenonal) Tryoutallhe consideration. glove. yourwod<ing contolswhileweadng but it rewed happilywithout producing a lot of vibration. The choke lever was easy to set, but the onloff switchwasn'tas handy, and it had a touch some of us thoughtwastoo light. Our test saw had no chain brake,but the company'sPoulanPro (yellow) series doeshavesawswith this feature. The Sears Craftsman sawhasa similar look and feel, and it too lacksa chainbrake.Surprise- it's made by Poulan. These weren't identical models, though. Our Searssaw had a slightly smaller engine,and featuredminor design switchnearthumb) Thefiiggerlock(orange pailiallyopens thethrottleto aidsbrting.You fircs. it immediately oncetheengine rclease differences, including a filler cap with the oil/gas ratio molded in handyl The consensuson this saw was close to our take on the Poulan -we11-mannered, and fine for medium-duty cutting chores. Our McCulloch 46OO test saw had an unwelcome two lbs. on the Poulan, though the engine displacement of the two saws was the same. The tuning was different, however, because the Mac pulled much stronger at low rpm levels and didn't seem as comfortable in the scream zone. It was also a little bulkier, but was ruggedly built, reliable, and a very consistent starter. The extra weight, unfortunately, kept this unit out of the contenders for limb sawing. With more guts than finesse,it seemed a sort of hybrid between a homeuse tool and a commercial-duty saw,with a mid-range price. The Homelite d385ob earns points for coming standard with a bar scabbardand a carrying case. It's also the only noncommercial model that had an inertia chain brake. This type of brake stops the chain if kickback forces the saw back abruptly, regardless of the position of the guard lever. The brake can also be set manually. r-l The bulky housing on this saw got a thumbs down, especially considering its relatively small engine. Starting was easy,though, and cutting power respectable (if we kept the engine speedup). A suggested list price of $265 seems pricey, but this saw package typically retails for well under $200- a good buy consideringthe extras. the manualclearedup someof the mystery.The full-downpositionon the controllever setsthe choke.A few pulls on the starter cord will get the engine to burp, then you switch to high idle to start. A few seasonedStihl users confirmed this sequenceworks. Our other test saws were much more forgiving of our starting technique,though we had no complaints once we had the Stihls running. Both delivered healthy lowend power and kept vibration in check, and the manuals were detailed and fairly comprehensive. The Makita DCSS2Oi showed similar manners, perhaps because it too shares German lineage. (Makita is a Japanese company, but its Sachs& Dolmar subsidiary in Europe makes the chain saws.) Our Makita test saw was fairly light for its engine size, but didn't feel like it - its wide bar made the balance slightly front-heavy. The overall feel was tight and solid, and the motor pulled strongly from the low end up. The word "workhorse" aired several times when staffers talked about this saw - not necessarily flashy, but reliable, with good usable power and a tough build. A certain Workbencheditor, who shall remain nameless here, dropped it six feet onto a blacktop driveway, but the saw suffered nothing but a few scuff marks. One gripe - the kill switch toggle was short and uncomfortable Commerciol-Dufy Sqws The design and retail distribution network of the other saws in our test group clearly reflect the different market they're intended to serve - professional users such as tree service companies. The cost differences aren't that great in some cases,though, and there's no harm in upgrading to a heavy-duty saw ifyou can afford it. Among the first saws we got in were the German-madeStihls, fitted with a number of user-friendly features such as tool-free accessto the air filter. a sideaccesschain tensioner,an inertia chain brake, and a drive sprocket mounted on the outboard side of the clutch (to make chain inslallation and removal easier). A dual-ring piston is also standard, a feature that helps retard wear and the loss of performance due to reduced compression. Unique to this product line is Stihl's "Master Control Lever," which groups the on/off switch, choke, high idle, and run functions into a single lever. A lot of attention went into making the saws easy to ser- to use. vice in the field, a plus for pro use. Our sole complaint was that we had fits getting the Stihls to start consistently, but a phone call to a company rep and a closer read of --_3:_ Ghain Adjustment All manufacturers supply a combination screwdriver/socketwrench for routine maintenance. Given the location of most chainadjustment screws, however, a conventional screwdriver works better. For convenience, Stihl's side-mounted adjustment is tough to beat, especially the tool-free version. Mostsawshave thetensionadjustment screwparallel to theblade,which makesusingthe T-handle screwdrivera little awkwad. Relocating the adjustment screwonthe othersideof the bladeimproves access, butit doesntreally solvetheproblementirely. Sidemounted adjustment makestensioning thechaineasier, andavoidsthe gunkbuildup on thebar,Some Stihlsawsadjust withouttools. A pair of Husqvarna sawsrounded out our Europeancontingent. From the country that brings you SaabandVolvoautomobiles,these Swedishsaws ooze the same nononsenseNordic philosophy. Like the other manufacturers,the Husqvarnafolks addressvibration problems by isolating the engine from the handleassemblywith rubber mounts or steel springs,but their approach seems to allow a freerfloatingsawheadthansome others. Vibration levels TheElecticAltemative Electric chainsaws let you forget about mixing and storing fuel, keeping an engine tuned, and breathing exhaust fumes. The trade-offs? Reduced power, shorter bar lengths (most range from 1O" to 16"), and being tethered to an electrical outlet. Still, they're convenient, quieter, lightweight, and typically cost a lot less (from about $75 to $3OO). lf you get a big gas chain saw for heavy work, an electric can make a nice limbing saw. were nicely subdued, espe cially on the model 55, which had a throaty engine with good low-end power. \ The Husky peoplemake much ado about their air injection sysThe JapaneseEcho CS-440O power-to-weightratio. Another tem, which uses a fan on the engine flywheel to divert wood sports a personalityvery different Japanesesaw, it seemedslightly chipsand dust beforethe air flows from the Europeansawswe tried. beefierin the low rpm rangethan into the filter.A local repair center It weighedin about the samebut the Echo, and startedas easilysaidthe systemis very effectiveat felt lighter, and most of its serious usuallythree pullsfrom deadcold. prescreeningflying debris around power came from the upper rpm A twin-ring piston and chrome the saw,but addedthat most saws range.We buzzedthe enginequite cylindermark the enginefor comhave some way to scrub the a bit, but vibration stayedat bay. mercialuse,and air filter accessis airstreambeforeit entersthe filter. Like the Stihl engines,the Echo a no-tools-requiredaffair. Very Starting was the typical "More powerplanthas a dual-ringpiston hiehly regarded by professional users, the Shindaiwa'sreputation gas!" ritual Europeantwo-strokes for better performance. but it too prices Safety features include Echo's is well-deserved, demand,but the Huskies seemed more willing to fire up than the removable Kick-Guard (a small out at the top of our testgroup. German saws. Opinions on the metalnosepieceon the bar), and Sizing Up rhe Field controlswere mixed,andthe saws an inertia chain brake.The Echo were slightly on the heavy side, was an easy,reliable starter,with Okay,soyou'vestayedwith us this but the smoothpoweroffsetthose goodbalanceand maneuverability, far and now you want the goods. complaints.Other considerations: but this sawtied for priciestof the Vlhich saw shouldyou buy?Keep a thorough operator'smanual, a bunch. Perks include a detailed in mind the inescapablelogic of 'You get whatyou payfor" (mostly lifetime warranty on the ignition, user manual/partslist and a lifetrue here). and understandthat anda productlineof overtwodozen time warrantyon the ignition. The Shindaiwa 488 cameto us these same manufacturersoffer models- onlyStihloffersmore. late in the game, but made dozensof othermodels.That said, friendsquicklywith its healthy I'm happyto shareour findings. 0 I Among the medium-dutysaws, the Poulanproveditself the pick of the litter. Its combinationof light weight, easystarting,and healthy power gave it a slight edge over the smaller Sears saw and the equally powerful but bulkier Homelite and McCulloch saws, andit's pricedvery competitively. group is a The commercial-duty tougher call to make. Here the preferencestended to sort themselves out by the balance and powercharacteristics ofeach saw. Most everyoneliked the throaty power of the Europeansaws,but the occasionallytemperamental starting of the Stihls and the Makita did dampen enthusiasm some for these models. The Makita proved itself sturdy and reliable,though,andthe Stihlsoutdistancedthe field with their list of standard user-friendly features. Preferencesamong professional users vary some by region, but tree servicecompanytrucks in our area carry Stihls and Husqvarnas like they're standard issue, certainly strong evidencethat both these brands offer durabilitv and reliableperformance. The Echo and Shindaiwasaws won convertsdespitetheir higher cost. Both got votes for top picks for their impeccablestarting manners,light weight,and balance. Readyfor the biggestlessonwe learned?It's this: whereyou buy a chainsawis probablyasimportant aswhich oneyou get. Iarge home centers offer attractivepricing (on sawsintendedfor home use) but not much technical support. If priceis the only issue,the decision is half-madefor you.Spendinga little more at a specializedpower equipmentshop,though,opensup the choicesto include pro model saws,and the dealerwill often set up andtune the sawfor you before it goes out the door.Maintenance or help frorn a trained pro will likely be in your saw'sfuture, and it will pay to havethat relationship.rE- Chain SawSpecifications Manufaclure/ Modet Engine Barlength WeighlApprox. | I J 1 lConsumer I Country phone number number ranoe. oforioin {in.} (rbs').* I l;:i*ti I | fi:1! l*'""tvtl l(ttEE}lo cs4400 (8OO)432-3246 d3850b 2.3(38) l{omelite (800)72s-9500 6 Husqvarna 18" 1 0 . 0 $200 1 year 1 3 6 2.2 (36) 12",16", 1 8 " o o (800)487-5962 @Husqvarna 55 (800)487-s962 Itd 2.7(44) 1 6 " 1, 8 " , 2 0 . 10.2 $390 2 yearsr Japan USA $180 2 yearst Sweden 3.2(53)1 6 " 1, 9 " , 2 0 " 11 . 6 $340 2 yearst Sweden (800)462-5482 DCS 3.2 (52) 1 s ' , , 1 8 " , 2 11' 0, . 0 $350 520i 1 year Germany (800)423-6302 4600 2.8 (46) 1 6 . ,1 8 " , 2 0 " 11 . 9 $275 1 year USA $200 1 year USA 11 . 5 $170 1 year USA Poulan 2750 2.8(46)16',,18",20' (800)554-6723 SEAFS 358351161 2.4 (40) @ 16" (800)235-5878 oo shindaiwa 488 (800)521-7733 STIHL 025 2.7(44) 1 6 " , 1 g ' (800)467-8445 STTHL 1 0 . 3 $270 1 yearr Germany 029 3.5(s7)16",'l9",20' 13.2 $300 1 yeart Germany (800) 467-8445 ** ' t 2.8 (48l, 1 6 " ,1 8 " , 2 0 ' 1 0 . 1 $390 1 year+ Japan Boldnumeralsindicatestandardbar lenoth. Dryweight= saw headonly;lessbar,chiin, fuelandoil. Pricesshownmay vary from one retailerto anotherand may nol reflectseasonalpromotionsor otherdiscounts. Lifetimewarrantyon ignition. \ r<r +-1- Rlling aTiee Safely Last October,the Midwestgot reminderthat an unwelcome winterhadn'tforgottenabout return triP.An itsscheduled blewacross earlysnowstorm the region,randomlydowning power lines for hundreds of miles. It wasn't wind that wreaked the havoc, though. It was trees and gravity, or maybe that old physics rule that two objects can't occupy the same space at the same time. Until thatweekend, the fall weather hadn't been cool enough to coax the trees into their annualleaf-shedding ritual, and when the heavy wet snow descendedit clung to all the foliage like spit on a dry sidewalk. The weight proved too much for a lot of stately old hardwoods.They groaned complaints for a while, then let go huge branchessuddenly with loud cracks that penetratedthe snowfall like rifle shots. Some weakened trees literally split through their trunks and fell, inflicting enough damage to cars and homes in my town to make an insurance claims adjuster teary-eyed. There was no mistaking the lesson of that day - trees have power, and pushed hard enough they will move. \Mhen they do, that potential energy becomesvery dangerous. Storms bring trees down, but so do people,and there's no less room for caution and respectwhen you're felling a fee deliberately.Here's a look at some basic tools and methods to make it a safe experience. Suit Up for Sofety Chain saws are today's weapon of choice for felling trees, and wearing protective clothing while using one is essential. Quick, aggressive cutting is what these tools are designed for, so you have to think 56 1998 W'orkbenchI September/October of safety items as necessities, not luxuries.\44renyou buy a tool, you often need to buy accessoriesthat protectyou fr om it. Starting at the top, you'll need a hard hat. The $35 moclel I chose has hearing-protectior.r earmuffs that lock out of the way when not needed, plus a flip-up screen face shield. Even with the screen,safety glassesare recommended. A long-sleevcshirt helps guard against poisonous plants, burns fronr hot saw parts, and abrasions fronr lcaves ancl limbs. Leather gkrvcsltrotectyour handsfrorn the saure hazards. I'addecl logger's glovcs cost about $25,but stanclarcl leatlier work gloves cost less ancl still offer clecentprotection.(iloves must fit well so you can work the saw'scontlolswith a firm grip. The most specializeditern I wear are the loggc.r'schaps.If you accidentally cut through the cloth outer layer, thc long nylon fibers insiclt'jam a running chain almost instantly. V-lu can also purchase pants,a vest, or a shirt with similar built-in protection. At about $65, the chaps seem pricey only until Tree Felling Site Plan Primary Escape Route\. zone Clear extends 50o/o tree's beyond height. of fall Drive iarget stakeat distance equal totree'sheight; r Secondary Escape Route you think about the alternativea serious injury they could have p r e v e n l e d .T h e r n o s l e x p e n s i v e apparelitem - leather work boots with a non-slip tread pattern and steel toes - may alreaclybe part of your D-l-Ywarrlrobe. Think Before Cuffing Before you even fuel up your chain saw, stucly the tree and its surrour"rclings very carefully (see Tree Felling Site Plan). Examine it from all siclesto deternine the natural direction of lean, ancl make sure you have enough clear space for the tree to fall. (See Gauging a Tree'sHeight for a reliable method to check that clearance.) Also, check the wind speed and direction. Individually, a tree's leavesor needlesappearsmall,but multiplied by the thousands they represent the surface of a giant sail. If there's a wind strong enough to sway the treetop especially against the desired direction of the fall - postpone the felling until the air calms. lnok up into the canopy of the tree for dead branches that are broken or snaggedon lower limbs. Gauging ATree'sHeightWalkandGarry a BigStick A logging instructor recently showed me a clever method to gauge the height of a tree. Here's a quick rundown of the until the sighted height of the tree (from the cut line up) matches the gauge stick. That makes a proportional triangle, and you're technique. First, you have to make a gauge stick, marking its length the same as your reach (Figure A). When you hold the stick in front of you, you create a triangle with a base and height that are identical (Figure B). Then you walk forward or back youram andnestan endof the Extend gauge stickin yourarmpit.Markonthe stickwhereyourthumbandpalmmeet. Sightthetree,holdingyourarmlevel andthestickvertical. Alignthegauge markwiththecut lineof thetree. Movefonrad or backto mahhthetree to thestick.You'tenowshndingat a distance equalb thetree'sheight. standing about where the top of the tree will hit (Figure C). WorkbenchI September/October 1998 57 lnggers call these snags"widowmakers" with good reason.The vibration from cutting can travel up the tree and shakethem loose. Limbs may alsobreaklooseas a tree falls. and the frunk's momentum cancatapultthemforward.It's a goodideato allowa clearzonein addition to the minimum space requiredfor the tree itself.The site plan drawing also shows that you need to clear two escaperoutes when the tree beginsto fall. (Use the secondaryrouteif the tree falls in a directionyou didn't expect). Clear a comfortable working radius aroundthe tree - six feet shouldbe enough.Chop through any vinesclingingto the tree, and remove them from the trunk at least6rraboveandbelowthe notch height. Otherwise,the vinescould interfere with the intendeddirection of the fall. And while you're cleaning up the trunk, cut away anylow limbs that are in your way. A Gluick Overvtew BeforeI get to the details,I cansum up the stepsthat bring a fee down. First, you'll drive a target stake into the ground to mark the spot where the tree top will land.Then you'll make two angledcuts, creating a notch that facesthe stake. Moving to the oppositeside of the fee, you'll make a horizontal back cut, stopping short of the notch to create a wood "hinge" that folds over asthe tree falls. The hinge is at the heart of the entire techniquebecauseit keeps the tree tethered.Without it, you have almost no control over the direction of fall nor any way to keep the end of the trunk from bouncingviolentlysidewaysor up. The notch created also provides clearancefor the trunk to closein on itself as the hinge bends.You get the tree moving by driving a wedge into the back cut. Gravity doesthe rest. Notching the Tree When your site's prepared and you're in your safetygear,you can start the chain saw and make the two notch cuts in the trunk. Remember,the notchweakensthe trunk and must face the direction you intendto fell the tree. Stand next to the tree and rest the bar on the trunk (Figure 1). Many saws,like the Stihl I used, have a felling sight that runs acrossthe saw'shousingat 90' to the bar.If your sawdoesn'thavea sight, you can create one with a felt-tip marker or sometape.Align the sight with your target stake,tilt the bar forward 45', then rev the engine and pull the saw into the funk (Figure 2). Stop when you areabout% of the wayinto the tree. For the lower cut, tilt the bar up at 45"(Figure 3). Make sure that this cut meetsthe upper cut precisely, creating a straight front edgefor the hinge (Figure 4). nodto thetrceandfacing to cutthenotchbystanding withthetarget Prepare Alignthesaw'sfellingsight(blacklineonhousing) angle. sbke,Holdthesawat a 45"downwad thetarget one. stake. Usetapeora pento adda sightif yoursawlacks Thelowercutof thenotchslopesupwadat about45'. Make surethattheendsof theupperandlowercub meetexactly. 58 1998 \Torkbenchr September/October Fromthefiont, the notchis about80%of the tree'sdiametel. Frcmtheside,ib depthis about16of thetree'sdiameter. A horizontal linescoredintothebarkjoins thetwotipsof thenotch.Thislinehelps youguidethesawduringthefullingcut. Drive a wedge inthebackcutassoonas Whenthetreeis downandyou'rctrimming a limb youcan,Finish cutting thehinge, remove thatwillfallfiee,cutpartway through fromthebotsaw,thenpundthewedge to droptree. tomupto prcvent a split,thenfinishwitha topcut. Moke the Bqck Cuf Prepthe backcut by scoringa horizontal guideline around the tree (Figure 5). This line, an inch or two abovethe creaseof the notch, helpsyou keepthe backcut level. Move to the sideof the tree and begin the back cut directly opposite the notch.Refercontinuallyto the scored line to keep this cut level. Advance the saw straight toward the notch so the hinge's width decreasesevenlyacrossthe tree.Stayalert - the tree canstart falling at anytime. As soon as the trailing edge of the chain saw'sbar is an inch or two into the trunk, insert a plastic fellingwedgeinto the backcut and give it a coupleof healthywhacks with a mallet or a sledgehammer (Figure 6). (Don't use a metal splittingwedge- it will dull your saw'schaininstantlyif you hit it.) Advancethe back cut until the hinge width is approximately7ro of the tree'sdiameter,thenturn off the saw and remove it from the cut. Put the sawout of the way so it won't block either escaperoute. Hammer the wedge until the tree startsto drop.For a largetree, you may want to alternatehits on two wedges.When the tree starts to move, get out of the way.The trunk can split or bolt backwardif the canopy hangs up, so don't linger. Drop your mallet and walk 15 or 20 ft. down your escape route. You'll be safer and have a clearerview of the fallingtree. A tree that doesn'tfall completely createsa potentiallyhazardous situation, becauseit can move unpredictablyand without warning. You may need a professional, who will probablyuse a winch to pull it down. Until help arrives, neverleavethe tree unsupervised. Rerrerse theprccedure whena logissupported at both ends. Thistime,cut16intothebp, thenfinishfiom below. Thiswillkeepthebarfiombinding inthekerf. You can buck (crosscut) logs with a top cut (Figure 7) or a bottom cut,but mostof the fime you'll use both. For example,when the wastepiece can fall awaycleanly, cut r/z of the way with a bottom cut, then finish from above.When Cur lr Up, Move lt Our a log is supported at the ends When the tree is safely on the (Figure 8), avoidpinchingthe bar ground, remove the limbs, work- by cutting 7s of the way from the ing from the bottomof the tree up. top, then finish with a bottomcut. Standuphill of the trunk and cut Remember- first think, then limbs on the oppositeside. cut. That's the key to safety.tE- Knowing YourTree(andYourLimi$) lf you ever stacked logs from a freshly cut tree, you know how heavy green timber is. So it won't surprise you to learn that even a safely and drop it where you want it, call a professional tree service. Trees close to buildings or power lines are obvious pro jobs. The modestly sized tree can outweigh a car. And with no steering wheel to guide its fall and no brakes to stop it, a tree can be more dangerous. So if you're not absolutely confident in your ability to fell a tree same goes for large dead or hollow trees (a bell-shaped flaring of the root base is often a telltale sign). Trees that lean heavily or grow on slopes may be the most deadly, because they conceal enormous uneven stresses that keeo them standing. Cutting into one can unleash those forces explosively. Even fallen trees sometimes harbor these "spring-loaded" stresses. Finally, if you're a beginner, limit yourself to trees with a diameter smaller than your chain saw's bar length. Felling larger trees is possible but requires more expertise. 'Workbench r September/October 1998 59 Stow-AvryStorage Thisstoragesystemtakesaduan- held in the closed position by 2rl bolts. spacein barrel tageof thelast wnused I started by cutting the plywood my basement shop- betweenthe exposed floor joistsoaerhead giaingmeouerfiuemorecubic feet of conaenientstoragewhereI previouslyhad none. The simple systemconsistsof 32rlthick birch plywood frames that hold clear plasticlidded tubs that keep their contentscleanand visible. 0 used Sterilite 75-qt.,#1754.purchased at a local departmentstore.)The frames swing on spring-loaded hinges for easy access,and are 60 1998 \Torkbench r September/October frames to size (Stow-Away Storage Construction View). Mine are 141l+rrwide to fit between 16rroncenterjoists. This spacedictatedthe widest tub I could use. The tubs I chose (and most of the others I saw) have small ledges on each end. Size the frame openings so the tubs slide in to this depth and the ledges rest on the wood frame (Frame Detail). Drill 32rr-diameterholes inside the corners of the layout lines, then cut the openings using a jig saw (Figure 1). Next, ease the sharp edgesby routinga Yrrrroundover on all the frameedges. Mark hinge-mountinglocations on eachframe,and drill pilot holes for #10" %rllong pan-headsheet metalscrews.But don't mountthe hinges to the framesyet. Instead, drive the screwspartwayinto the holes for now. You'Il secure the framesto the hingeslater,afterthe hingesarein placeon thejoists. Install the barrel bolts near the other end of eachframe.Note that they're positioned on the face oppositethe hinge screws. With the framescomplete,mark the positionof onehinge on a joist (Mounting Detail). Useaframing #10 x 5/a"pan_head sheetmetalscrew Stow-Away Storage Construction View ,0,',)'-,ouoro' hinges '>,t S T o W - A W AS YT o R A G E 3%" A kit hasbeenassembled for this project that includesthe springhinges,barrel bolts,andall mountingscrews to buildoneoairof frames. Drill3/+"-dia. holesat c0rners. O r d e r n u m b e r 1 1 3 0 8 1 0 .0. . . . . .S. .1 7 . 9 5 To order,callWorkbench at (8O0)31l-3994. square to transfer this location to the adjacentjoist (Figure 2). Then drill pilot holes ancl fasten the hinges by driving #6 x lrl.rrr-long flat-headsheet metal screws. Mount the frames on the hinges by slipping the screws you partially drove earlier into the hinge keyhole slots.Swingeach frameup to make sure it clears the joists. Adjust the positionof the framesas necessary,then fully tighten the hinge screws. Mark where each barrel bolt contactsthe joist, and drill a.%rr-diame ter x 3/srt-6""phole in the joist. Frame i\f" u When I started building this simple systern,I knew it would help ease my slorage problems. As I loadedeachtub and stowedit away,though, I was amazed by the amount of stuff the system can hold. Granted, this isn't the place to store an anvil collection - I'd keep the load on each frame under 25 lbs., and make sure to support each frame as you swing it down. Layoutthetubopenings, thendrilla holeat eachcorner. Cuttheopenings usinga jig saw, thenrouta %" roundover onall edges. t [^ lnr" f<l 14Y4 IY v Mounting Detail Subfloor-) Drill%"-dia.hole,3/a"-deep injoist. But now in a spacethat was olherwise wasted, I've stasheclthe seldom-usedstuff that had filled several shelves to overflowing. The system works so well I'm building more for my garage. tEil- Aftermarking thehingelocation drawa lineto thebottomedgeof thejoist,thenusea framing joist. square to tnnsferthismarkto theadjacent l: r_\ r." .1,.'\ NewToolOfferings Festo Brings Euro Influence to America AmericanMichael McGibbonhas over 35 yearsexperiencein the construction trades,with 14 of thoseyearsspentliving andworking in Paris,France.While there he took particularliking to portable powertools from a Germanmanufacfurer calledFesto.McGibbonfound these portabletools rivaledthe precisionof the stationarymachinesin his workshop. When McGibbonmovedback to the U.S.he decidedto import Festotools,forming a company calledToolguideCorp.The companysells14 Festotools, includingjig saws,sanders, cordlessdrills, circularsaws, and routers. The OF 1000router offersall the expectedfeatures- variablespeed,fine depthadjust- ments,andturret stops- plus integral dust collectionand a uniqueguiderail system.The rail aligns the bit with a layout line andhelpsproducestraight, accuratecuts.The OF-1000sellsfor around$330with the guide. Festo'sAT 65 E (772r)circularsaw featuresplunge-cuttingcapabilitywith control,integraldust collecdepth-of-cut electronic brake.The saw tion, and an works with the sameguide systemas the router to give accurate,splinter-free cuts.Ifs not an averagesaw as reflected in its $55Gpluspricetag (including guide rail). Pricesfor someFestotoolsmight seemhigh, but if you long for stationary tool performancehigh performance from portabletoolsthey may be worth a look. CallToolguideat (888)337-8600. Maldta Rolls Out Next Generation Ni-MH Cordless Drills One of the big newsmakersat last year'sNationalHardwareShowwas the alliancebetweenEnergizerPower Systems(the pink bunny people)and MakitaU.SA The companiesworked togetherto developa new generation of batterypacksfor cordlesstools. Made with nickel metalhydride cells (Ni-MH),this batterytypecould eventuallyreplacetoday'snickel cadmium (Ni-Cad)batteriesasthe pre ferred powersourcefor cordless drills and saws. Comparedto Ni-Cadbatteries,NiMH cellsoffer higher powerratings (2.2amp/hotrs versus2.0 amp/hoursin the SuperHigh CapacityNi-Cadcells) at a lower werght.And sincethey don't contain cadmium,they're alsomore environmentallyfriendly. Now Makita hasintroducedthe first Ni-MH-poweredtools- two 3/a[drills. Both the l4.4.volt6233DWBEandthe 12-volt6213DWBEhavekevless 62 chucks,l& positiondrive clutches, and eachcomeswith two batteries,a carrying case,and charger.The chargerhandlesboth Ni-MH and NiCadbatteries. Makita also offers Ni-MH packsto fit their existingdrills in 14.+V,lz-V, and 9.GV"pod" and "stick" styles,. Pricesfor the drills and batterieswill run LG20% higher than equivalent Ni-Cadversions. In tests.the Ni-MH drills droveabout50 more 2rl drywall screwson a single chargethan the samedrill with a Ni-Cadpack (349vs. 296),a boostof about17%in total run-time. You can contactMakita at (800)462-5482for moreinformation. W'orkbenchr September/October1998 Skil Introduces a New Power Plane Thesedaysit seemsthere'san electric-poweredversionof almostevery tool, includingthe hand plane.One of the latestpowerplanesis the 1555 Planefrom Skil PowerTools(a division of S-BPowerTool Co.).It hasa 4amp, 15,00Grpmmotor that turns solid carbide, reversible cutting biades.Other featuresinclude \7/sztt-wide rabbet- the shoeto protectthe bladewhile not in use,and on-toolbladewrench storage.The 1555Planeretailsfor around$70.ContactSB PowerTools or on the web at at (800)301-8255, www.skiltools.com. ing capacity,a support that raises Delta Draws Dust Delta'snewestadditionto its line of dust collectorswasdesignedwith smallshopsin mind.To that end, the companyput the model50-840 collectoron swivelcastsingle-stage ers, makingit easyto wheelfrom machineto machineas needed. Unlike someportables,though,the Deltahas a l-hp motor that runs on 115or 230volts.The motoris partneredwith a steelimpellerto produce650cubicfeet per minute (CFM) of air velocity.A finnedaluminumhousingkeepsthe motor cool during extendedperiodsof use. The collector'slower bag holds 2.1cubicfeet of dust and shavings, and the upper (filter) bag is ratedat 30-microns.Deltaalsoprovidesa S flexiblehose. ft. length of 4rr-dia. Youcan contactDeltaat (800)4382486,or checktheir web site at The www.deltawoodworking.com. model50-840 shouldcarry a streetprice of around $230. \rI Wolfcraffs 5-in-1 Forsftrer Bit Set The ideabehindthis designis that by usinglesssteelthan wouldbe neededto makefive individualbits, the #7650set canbe producedmore and in turn sold at a economically, lower price.Retailcostfor the set is around$40. The set is madein Germanyfrom high speedsteel,andincludesheads with diametersof 32rr,7/ar,lr,lr/at, and 13lsrr. Steelqualityand machining are goodfor a lower-pricedbit set. The shearanglesof the cutting edges are steeperthan on someForstners IVe used,but the bits still cut clean, flat-bottomedholes. A nice touch in the set'sdesignis the round shankatopeachdrill head that slipsinsidethe hollowed-out lower portion of the shaft.This preventsthe headwobblethat might If two headsare better than one,are five headsbetter still?Thafs apparenfly occurif only the mountingthreads engagedthe shaft.You'llfind the what the folks atWolfcraftbelieve,as #7650ForstnerBit Setin hardware evidencedby the new#7650Forstner storesandhomecenters.Or call Bit Set Its singleshaftacceptsfive Wolfcraft at (630)773-4777. different Forsbrerbit heads. 64 1998 r September/October \Torkbench 'ffip EE I Craftsman Compact Welder If you'veeverwantedto own a welder, but thoughtyou'd haveto buy a lot of expensive,complicatedequipment, then you'll want to checkout the new Craftsman8GAmpGaslessWireFeed Welder.This compactunit could make weldingpracticalfor us doit-yourselfersandwelderwanna-bes. Unlike traditionalgasfedwelders that requirea torch androd,this unit operateson llGvolts, andweldswith wire thafs automaticallyfed through the weldinggun asyou work. It draws just lFamps,but producesSGamps of outputpower.Four settingsallowyou to regulatethe welder'spowerto match the needsof your weldingjob.Youcan weld steelasthick as3/rorr andasthin as l&gauge. Weighingin at only 31pounds,the welder is easyto carry and store.All of you'Il needto get startthe accessories ed areincluded.There'sa full face shield,weldinggun andtips,a ground clamp,anda spoolof fluxcorewelding wire. A two-yearfull warrantyandfive yearlimited warrantycoverthe welder, whilethe weldinggun andcablescarry a one.year warranty. You'llfind the 8GAmpGasless Wire FeedWelderfor 5199.99 in the CraftsmanHandandPowerTools Catalog.Call (800)377-7414. WoodysdJs...66Why settlefor economicalsandpaperwhen you can get industrial-grade sandpaper at competitive prices" SaveUp to 45% Aluminum oxide sanding belts Discs. w & w/o vacuum holes Pliees/belt Grit slze hcddtsc PSA Yelcro .10 60 slze E0 lfi) to 220 Grtt 8{l lfiI-400 80 l{X}-400 I x 30 $ 0.80 0.80 0.80 5" $ 0.19 0.18 0.22 0.20 I x42 $ 0.80 0.80 0.80 3 x 2l $ 1.00 0.95 0.90 0.85 3 x2A $ 1.05 1.00 0.95 0.90 4x24 $ 1.50 1.35 1.25 l.l5 4 x 36 $ 2.35 2.25 r.85 135 ..f.119. $ i.s9..3,7.0..?,Iq. . . ?.19 Sanding Sheets - prices/S sheets Aluminum oxide (A/0) Silicon carbide (SiC) HeaW iluty paper WeUdry paper Grtts 60 80 llX) to 320 100 120 180 4tlzxlt/z $0.75 0.70 0.60 $ 0.60 0.55 0.45 3zlzx9 $ 1.00 0.90 0.80 0.80 0.70 0.60 9 x I I $2.50 2.25 2.00 Z.OO r.75 1.50 Fledble ClothA./0 Finishing SiC Grits 60 80 llXl to 400 4rlzx5r/z$ 1.05 0.90 0.75 2zhx 9 $1.40 | .20 I .00 ? 1.1! $119..1,q9. . . ?iQ 80to 320 0.40 0.50 !,?!.. .. 220 to 1200 0.40 0.50 1.25 Sandpaper bargain box (odd sizesbut good) $upound! i Visa, Mastercard, money order, check <) Minimum order $20.00 a Order shippedsameday received Woody'sWorkshop www,woodysworkshop. com Dept. WO . 1012 E. Wabash. O'Fallon, MO 63366 ) Toll-free I-800/869-7338 66 ProductInformationNumber212 - $6,539Pckgs.incl.steelframes, 27'x48' $lz,760value Someothersizes avulableatloWR nices galv,sheeting, endwalls, trim & complete assembly instructions. . 16 ContemporaryColors To ChooseFrom . I.C.B.O.ApprovedManufacturingTo Government Specifications . Clear SpanWidths From 18'-80' - Heights& Lengths AdiustableTo Meet Your Needs ffi nnffrETnilffis' 1-s00-6 63-0553 FtX612-544-1835 wBEN Productlnformation Number195 Products For)burHome Home Director Controls Ligflrts, Appliances Via Computer When home automationsystemswere inffoduced, I was intrigued by their ability to run all typesof household devicesautomatically.Unfortunately, many of these early systemswere overly complex,expensive,and not alwaysreliable.As technologyhas improved,how- ever,home automationhardware and softwarehavebecomesimpler,more dependable, and more affordable. HomeDirectorfrom IBM representsthis new generationof home automation.This systemruns on any 386or higher Windows-based PC (sorry Mac users),and sendssignals to various controllers that operate lights, switches,and appliancesusing your home'sexistingwiring. The basickit, at around$100, includesthe software,a PC interface,one light controller, lul applianceconfoller, r A ^ andamulti-function remoteconfrol. Additionalcontrollers, switches.and accessoriesare also available. Connectthe interfaceto your computerand it storesthe commandsyou program, running Nail-by-Number Building Panels WheneverI've installedwall, roof, or floor sheathing,my biggestchallengehasbeendriving a fastener into the studsor joists hidden beneaththe sheel I've either markedguidelines on the sheathing or useda hit-and-missapproach. To eliminatethesehassles,the folks at LouisianaPacific (LP) haveinkoduced new Visual Precisionplywoodand oriented strandboard (OSB)panels.Each panelhas a grid paintedon one surfacethat dividesthe sheetinto ilr increments,with markings that indicatecommonconstruction divisions,such as on-centerstud or joist spacing. 68 Visual Precisionpanelswere originallydesignedfor buildersand confactors to reducelabor costs and improvebuilding quality.For us doit-yourselferswho may not be ableto divineproperfastenerplace ment as easilyas a professional,LP alsowill offer the productat home centersin someareasandmay expandavailabilityin the future. The VisualPrecisiongrid is availableon a range of OSBand plywoodfloor, roof, and wall sheathingpanels.Expectpricesfor VisualPrecisionpanelsto be about 10%higher than comparableLP panelswithout the grid. Call LouisianaPacificat (800)82&8436. W'orkbenchr September/OctoberI 998 the systemevenwhen your computer is turned off ftattery backupstores your programif powerfails). Plug a light or applianceconfoller into any wall ouflel and plug the deviceto be controlledinto it. The contoller receiveshigh-frequenryradio signals from the interface,meaningno addi' tional wiring is necessary. By clicking on-screeniconsyou can, for example,hrrn on, furn off, or dim a lamp.You can do the sameusing the remote,which will alsowork with your TV, VCR and satellitesystem. Where the systemshinesis running routines.You program times for itemsto turn on and off, dim, etc., then downloadthe information to the interface.The systemcan evenmonitor how you useconnecteddevices, then devisea customprogram for you. You can also set up dusk-to-dawn running of exterior lights, and control HomeDirectorby telephoneusing an optionalinterface.ContactIBM at (800)42G7235,or on the web at www.pc.ibm.com/homedirector. Spiral Stairs in a Kit Mud in a Tube ffyou'd like to add a secondstairwayin your home,but conventionalstairsjust won't fit, spiral stairs offer anotheroption. But if youVe ever shoppedfor spiral stairs,you know that custom-builtunits can be expensiveand difficult to install. Building your own spiral stakcasefrom scratchis a complicatedprocess, but for doit-yourselfers,there's a new route; Albini and FontanotSpiral Stair Kits. Albini and Fontanot basedin Rimini,Italy, has sold stair kits abroadfor years,and is now offering three kits in the UnitedStates.The one outdoorandtwo indoor modelscome ready-toassemble, with a centersupportcolumn, stair treads,railing, landing,andbalus ters.Varying ceilingheightsare accommodated by using different numbersof risers and treads,andthe stairwaysinstallwith either a clockwiseor counterclochriserotation. Kit pricesrangefrom around$1,000to $2,200.For more information,or to locatethe dealernearestyou, call Albini and Fontanotat (888)782-4758 or visit their web site at www.iper.netlalbini-fontanot. Drywall joint compoundis great for making repairsto drywall or plaster. Unfortunately,the smallestcontainers availableusuallyhold a gallon, so you often haveleftovers that dry out and go to waste.Now United States Gypsum(USG)has intro ducedSheetrock LightweightTbuch-Up Compoundin 10.$oz. cartridges.Slipone into your caulking gun, andyou can applythe compound exactlywhere ifs needed.Evenifyou haveextra,the small sizeminimizeswaste. Cartridgessell for around$2 each.CallUSG at (800)87M968. utionary"2-ln-1" RIMMER/ MOWER Thks theplace of bothyour hand-hcld timmer and *eel-bladedmower! DROTRIMMERA{OWER" Iightasafeatherontwo BIGWHEEIS! TRII\4Sfareasier. r, more precisely than handtrimmers. Plus MOWS :verythingfrom wholelawns evenwet!)to tough,waist-high with ease! Rocks. roots. erc..do it no harm because has no steel blade to ordull. PerfectforALL and trimming around properties, vacation etc.,or for finish-up and imming after mowers onlargerparcels.Adelight for anyone MADE IN USA Hehing You Becomea BetterWoodworker HouteNct --lt--- detailed tool Weprovide specs. usef ul techniques, descriplions, of aswellasa schedule seminars. educational AllAbout Your Home & Gqrden CallforFREEcatalog ui==1-888.500'4466 Do ltYourselfers ^t)! Gnrrlaninn us on the Internelat Number183 ProductInformation Fnihr,ci^<tc Itr/AGNER fit :F Hintsond Tips SAFE.T.PtANER' ,npotrtbla b gnb or klck D'dt. .. Abtotubry Stlol For Drlll Prcr or lrdhl Su LiveChotRooms Visit us fodoyl wvwv.housenet. com AOLKeyword: housenet A r€volu0onry rolry woodphnr - Roqukr|m .hDorrbr6l-upl Drlll.Preu f,lt S42oo Fib my l2' CapacityChuct Radlal Saw f,lt $45' Pdde Mrke. Model & Shaft Size Dia ,5N S&H , Ouhlde USAadd $5.N . 0K R6i&nb N! Stl6 TG Kit includeE:3 Hispeed Steel Cutters, SharD€ning Tool5 & Photo Insbuc{ons. Thousands in use! Order direcl or through catalog and stor€s. Satisfaction Euaranteed or your money back! G&W TOOL. lNC. i?5"?,1'!,S?^16i @3''&EoI':F;,ffic,I"Yb'?f 70 \Torkbench r September/October1998 Number181 Productlnformation Troy-Bilfs 2-in-1 Tiller If youVe got a big tilling job there's no substitute for a powerful rear-tinetiller. But for tasks like cultivating or weedinga garden, a front-tine machineis more maneuverable and usuallyeasierto seearound.Most of us, though,can'tjustify owningboth types. Combinethem into one machine,and you'd havea versatiletiller. GardenWay,the manufachrrerof o Troy-Bilt equip ment,hasdonejust that and dubbedthe combinationmachine the VersaTiller. In rear-tinemode, the tiller is self-propelled,andthe tines rotate counterto the wheelsfor serious digging power. Deeplytreadedpneumatictires provide additional traction. Pull a releaseand spin the handlebars around,and you're set for front-tine operation. The wheels aren't driven in this mode, but the rotating tines pull the tiller along. You can removethe tine coverfor a better view during front-tine operationand differential steering allowsfor precise sidetoside control. Handleheight is adjustableto accommodate short or tnll gardeners. ln either mode,you can adjusttilling width po Tr/zrt-l2rr, and tilling depthis up to 11'r. Poweris suppliedby a 4cycle, $hp Tbcumsehengineand a worm-gearffansmis sion.A primer bulb helpsensureeasystarting. VersaTillerweighs in at approximately 125pounds. Optionalaccessories includea border edger and an aerator,plus a soon-tobe releaseddethatcher.The VersaTillerretails for a suggested$799.Call Troy-Bilt at (800)82&5500for additionalinformation. BuckboardBenchKat BeA Jurniture& Cobineltloker! (Real Springs) '100pogeRlLL Train at home in your spare time for an exciting new career. Design and build your own beautiful furniture - Kit includes: Authenticallydesigned steel springs that give a little. steel arms and backrails,completehardwareand full-sizeplans with detailed instructions. 42"Lx22"W,18"Hto Seat, 30" to Back Prlc€:$496(Quantitydiscountsavailable) Prc-cui & drlll€d oak: $7ODAdditional work for an established woodworking business or start one of your own! Complete program includes professionalquality tools from Craftsman@and Stanleyo, plus instructional videos! The RoudebushCompany State - - PO Box 348A, Star City, lN /t6985 Zo 800-847-4947 MC acceDted. Price includes shiooino UPS ProductInformation Number200 ProductInformation Number191 iloil CoupnDelow forIRII tcds0r (oll ldFtree: 3.?-4 |'8OO'595-55O5 err. e425 FUR}IIIURE * !l N * RESTORE Call Anvtime - l,mffiN lffiI YESIi'itr#X"fi iffi ;";n* "t'J##l Fumiture& CabinetMaker.There'sno obligation '. Wth wr stercil systms 6 vidco, anyore able to trte lines in just abut atty ruttri4l uithin Name ULTRASPEEDPROD 18500 18s00E.ASCHOFF, ASCHOFF, TI"GZAG OR97 ZSQz s03-6224387FA$l# -ezz-s zsz Citylstate _ Phone ( www.mornet.comffi.ftaspeed '170 for for handpiece. handpiece, foot foot contrdl,oair contrdllai; filter. $170 filter.video. vi 2 ProductInformation Number192 burs, lubrication, itencil sampli and bur catalo!. Or sendrefundable$14 + $3 shippingfor video ProductInformation Number207 Age - ADt. # Street lfiffi,rd,F-*iiH.iffiiN '.i ;'63-i$$-i?itl i il'iftlilEff'ffii' lxryW 24 hours a dav. 7 davs a week ffi ffi I w.v Zip _ )- (onespardane Internotirnol Sdrools nBmce &companv E it^T"lr-"::::'u oaksrfeer, Scranton,PA 18515 "r3l,fYir*?25 ProductInformationNumber 186 $?'orkbenchr September/October1998 I 7l