September/October 2020 Archives - Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans | How To

Stationary Tool Plug Storage is a Snap

Reader Submitted — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 17:54:48 +0000

I used to keep the power cords of my stationary tools draped over the top of the tool when not in use, but often they would fall to the floor where I would inevitably step on them. No more. Now I clip one of those inexpensive keyring carabiners to a convenient place on the tool, and I capture the plug inside it. The carabiner’s spring-loaded gate makes it easy to store or remove the power cord, and those delicate electrical prongs are never underfoot.

– Ed Klodnicki
Durham, North Carolina

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PROJECT: Five-spindle Inlaid Bench

Rob Johnstone — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 18:17:19 +0000

Here’s a hybrid that combines basic woodworking, spindle turning, CNC carving and even an epoxy “inlay” pour in the same build.

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PROJECT: Easy Live Edge Table

Dan Cary — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 16:09:30 +0000

Modern-style live edge tables with metal legs like this one have exploded in popularity in recent years. If you’ve ever shopped for one, however, you know how very expensive they can be at a furniture store or gallery. And building one can be challenging if you don’t have access to slabs or the shop machinery to process them.

But take heart: there’s a simple solution for both the tabletop and legs. Timber-Link pine and maple slabs, available from Rockler, come in both live edge and straightedged pieces that are ready to assemble and finish right out of the package.

Timber-Link slabs are pre-drilled for pocket screws and come in both 4- and 6-ft. lengths. Waney-edged slabs are 5″ to 8″ wide, and straightedged slabs are 8″ wide.

Pre-drilled pocket screw holes make the top as easy to build as applying glue and screwing the slab sections together. The number of pieces you buy determines the top’s width, and you can cut it to any length you prefer.

Combine them to create custom tabletop widths. Start by arranging boards in the order you prefer and marking them.

Arrange the 2″-thick live edge and center sections for a pleasing grain pattern — there will be some variation, especially if you order online and can’t handpick the pieces.

Invert the boards so their bottom faces are up and, keeping them in order, assemble the joints with glue and 2-1/2″ pocket screws.

Mark the boards order, then spread glue on their mating edges and assemble with 2-1/2″ pocket screws. When the joints dry, remove the edge bark with a scraper, drawknife or chisel and sand the surfaces up to 180-grit.

Here, a helper makes minor adjustments to keep the boards flush while the screws are being driven.

Then apply your choice of finish. I used wipe-on urethane for my table.

Remove the bark from the tabletop edges and sand its surfaces smooth. Apply your choice of finish — the author used urethane. Then install the pre-painted steel leg sets with lag screws.

Rockler offers several styles and sizes of painted or unpainted welded-steel leg sets that simply fasten to your new tabletop with lag screws. Then voilà, you’re done. There’s no faster way to build a custom on-trend table than this!

Hard-to-Find Hardware:

Pine Timber-Link Slab, Edge Piece, 6′ Long x 2″ Thick x 5-8″ Wide (2) #63608
Pine Timber-Link Slab, Center Piece, 6′ Long x 2″ Thick x 8″ Wide (2) #64197
28″ H V-Shaped Welded Steel Table Leg Set, Black (1) #66014

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Woodworker’s Journal – September/October 2020

Matt Hocking — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 16:49:41 +0000

The September/October 2020 issue of Woodworker’s Journal Magazine features plans for a Ginko Leaf Table, Live Edge Table, a Five-spindle Bench and a Retro Clock.

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September/October 2020 What’s in Store Roundup

Matt Hocking — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 16:02:17 +0000

Rockler Router Fence Storage Tray

Rockler Carbide Cutter Honing System

Wagner FLEXiO 4300 Paint Sprayer

Milwaukee M18 FUEL 2-gallon Compact Quiet Compressor

Pony Jorgensen E-Z HOLD Expandable Bar Clamps

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Five Spindle Bench Inlay Pattern

Matt Hocking — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 15:28:19 +0000

Want to carve your own version of Rob’s bamboo pattern? We’ve got a downloadable version of the bamboo motif from his Five-spindle Inlay Bench.

Download the Full-size Pattern Here.

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Air Compressor Water Woes

A.J. Hamler — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 21:08:12 +0000

All compressors accumulate condensed water, which can rust a compressor’s tank if not drained regularly. And, yes, the water always looks nasty.

To keep liquids from entering tools, an inline filter – installed between the compressor and tool – help minimize the amount of water traveling through the hose.

A filter can also be installed permanently near a compressor, with all air being filtered no matter which hose or tool is attached. This model includes an auxiliary pressure regulator.

Condensed water is an inevitable side effect of compressed air. Most collects at the bottom where it can be drained off, but some finds its way into the hose and through the tool. For this reason, all tool manufacturers recommend putting a few drops of lubricating oil in the tool’s connector before use to mitigate moisture-caused rust.

Performance-wise, the amount of moisture passed through the hose isn’t a huge issue for fastening tools, but water traveling through sprayers applying paint or a final finish to a project can ruin the finish.

Water can be handled a couple of ways. For shops with air plumbing, water traps can be installed at low points in the airline to collect water through gravity. A drain valve at the bottom of the trap releases collected water.

For hoses, you can install an inexpensive inline water filter that collects not only water, but also any dust or small debris (like tiny rust flakes from the compressor) sent through the hose. These simply screw in place between the hose and tool, or two sections of hose.

For a more permanent solution, a larger filter can be mounted to the wall at any point in an air run – either a hose or plumbing. These are larger filter assemblies with higher capacity for trapping water and debris, but function the same way. Some of these include an auxiliary regulator that can be used in place of the one on the compressor. This can be handy when mounted away from the compressor and closer to the work area or, if using multiple hoses or plumbed airlines, each line can be regulated separately. High-end versions can include an oiler, useful for shops that regular use air tools frequently (but not sprayers) to constantly keep them lubricated.

Click Here to Download a PDF of This Article.

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VIDEO: Five-spindle Bench with Carved Epoxy Inlay

Rob Johnstone — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 20:50:43 +0000

This Asian inspired Five-spindle Bench is enhanced with bamboo motifs carved with a Shaper Origin and then filled with colored epoxy to create easy, effective inlay. Follow the bench’s construction and carving technique in this video.

Free downloadable SVG files for the bamboo images are available here.

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VIDEO: Building a Live-Edge Slab Table with Metal Legs

Dan Cary — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 20:42:22 +0000

Modern-style live edge tables with metal legs like this one have exploded in popularity in the past few years. If you’ve ever shopped for one of these tables you might have been hit with sticker shock. And the prospect of building one of these tables might seem out of reach because the slabs alone can be tough to find and most of us don’t have the equipment to mill our own slabs. Also, welded metal legs aren’t something you can find at every corner hardware store. We’ve found an easier way to build a live-edge slab table.

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Retro Starburst Clock Drawings

Jeff Jacobson — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 20:33:17 +0000

Find the measured drawings and a full-size template for the base of the clock.

Click Here to Download the Drawings.

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