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In this article, I’ve provided some thoughts on ways to include turning in your household, along with some projects I have done over the years, with the hopes that they will get your mind to thinking turning in all woodworking.

Clotheshorse Closet Rods

My wife, Susan, is a talented fiber artist, so we both have an affinity for clothes; much of this clothing is wool or linen. I long ago grew tired of the box store clothes rods in our closets sagging under the weight of our threads.

The answer was simple: turn 1-1⁄2″-diameter clothes rods from oak. The supports holding the rod will break before the rod sags. I like to faceplate turn the supports, but simple housings cut in 1×3 trim at either side work well, too. This is simple straight turning that gives a high-end custom look to your home.

You can find construction details in the illustration above and more information on turning long, slender spindles in the April 2015 issue of Woodworker’s Journal.

Jar and Canister Lids

Every home has at least one jar or canister with a missing or broken lid. It is an easy matter to turn a new one and give this jar or canister a second life. This is a great faceplate turning job that will make the owner very happy.

These days, I do a separate spindle turning to create a knob for the lid, as it saves wood. You can also turn your knob as part of the lid if you start with 5/4 or 6/4 material — but you have to sweep up a lot of shavings.

You can also turn wooden lids with a recess that offers a snug fit for the original metal lid. This gives you a method to create an attractive storage option from a jar that was previously headed straight for the recycling bin.

Lamp Finials

The average floor or table lamp has a finial that secures the shade to the harp. Many are made of plastic and look cheap. Turning a new finial is a great project and one that can be done in a mini-lathe.

There is one slight speed bump to this project. The threaded stud on the top of a lamp harp is of a very peculiar pitch: 1/4″-27. Standard hardware threads are either 1/4″ by 20 or 28 threads per inch. This leaves you with a limited number of choices.

One is to buy a brass 1/4″-28 thread, superglue this into the blank for your finial and accept that there will be a bit of cross threading. Since the distance is small, this usually is not a problem. Or, you could order some 1/4″-27 nuts from a lighting parts supplier (I use GrandBrass).

Another solution is to drill a 1/2″ counterbore in the blank with a Forstner bit to the depth of the nut you’re going to use. On average, 1/4″-28 or 27 nuts are 7/16″ across the flats. This puts the corner-to-corner distance at just a tad over 1/2″, making them a press fit. Superglue seals the deal. Before pressing in the nut, you may want to drill a tad deeper with a 1/4″ drill to give the excess screw thread on the harp someplace to go.

A final option is to order a 1/4″-27 tap from an industrial hardware, such as McMaster-Carr. Just run the tap through a 1/4″-28 nut, and you are good to go. This is also a good option if you want to use plastic or tagua nut for the finial and tap it directly.

I have made a few finials from tagua nut, which is the nut of the ivory palm tree and is indistinguishable from ivory except by chemical test. There are a wide variety of turnable high grade plastics (not the cheap plastic that came with the lamp) sold by turning supply houses that would make dandy finials.

You’ll drill a 1/2″ counterbore in the finial blank, then drill deeper with a #3 twist drill. Superglue in a 1/4″-28, or even a 20, and tap the nut. Using a live center in the tailstock to support your tap holder will ensure the thread is on an axis with the hole.

Other Options

What else can you turn for your home? The sky’s the limit — or is it your ceiling?

For instance, you could turn ceiling medallions for chandeliers. Expensive or unobtainable these days, they are nonetheless easy to make with a sheet of plywood and some wood scraps glued to it. Straight scraping — outboard, of course.

Circular molding. Can’t buy it (or, if you can, it is ugly). Scrape your own with mitered pieces paper-jointed to a disk of plywood.

Escutcheons for doorbell and garage door buttons. You can make them look much better than the cheap plastic escutcheons that come with such items today.

Use your imagination and turn a woodturner’s eye toward your household.

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There’s a special place on the shore of Lake Superior, in Grand Marais, Minnesota, that combines the loves of handmade crafts, the outdoors and northern traditions. That place is the North House Folk School, a school that offers classes about such varied topics as woodworking, pottery, blacksmithing, traditional outdoor skills, boat making and cooking. I recently spent a couple of days there when the activities on campus included basket weaving, sausage making, canoe building and, in my case, making a paddle

I can explain the basic process of making a paddle and share the plans with you, but I don’t think I’ll do the experience justice. You can learn to make most projects with a good set of plans and instructions, but the benefits of attending a class at a school like North House are meeting and working with other people that share your enthusiasm and the insights you gain from the instructor. Mike Schelmeske, a resident of Grand Marais who has been making paddles and other hand tools for over 30 years, taught my class. He’s made nearly 200 paddles and helped others make another 200.

VIDEO: Paddle Making at North House Folk School

Choosing the Wood

Contrary to many assumptions, a paddle does not have to be made from moisture-resistant wood. As long as you apply a finish and hang your paddle to dry thoroughly after each use, you can make a paddle out of just about any wood. The best wood species for paddles are both strong and lightweight.

Mike’s go-to choice is basswood. Other popular options include white cedar and Alaskan yellow cedar. These woods tend to have less character to their grains, but they are light- weight and easy to shape. If you’d like something with more interesting character, then you might choose a hardwood, such as ash, black cherry or walnut, but these woods will be heavier. Another consideration to keep in mind is that more interesting grain patterns tend to be more challenging to plane. Whatever species you choose, start with a piece that is 5/4″ thick by at least 7″ wide by roughly 60″ long (the length depends on the intended paddler’s height; see photo, page 46). It’s also best to select a board that has a symmetrical growth ring pattern.

Design

There are countless variations of paddle designs. Mike had a selection of several templates that he has collected over the years. He was even kind enough to share his 26″ Northwoods beavertail style blade and handle templates for you to use (see Drawings). We made a traditional solid wood paddle, but you can also laminate multiple pieces together and use the same templates and techniques to make a laminated paddle. Keep in mind that using multiple wood species and grain directions in the same paddle blank may create hand planing challenges.

Download Canoe Paddle Template PDF

Shaping

The steps to make a paddle are fairly easy to follow (see below). As the 
old woodcarver’s joke goes, you simply start with a piece of stock and remove all the wood that doesn’t look like a paddle. Depending on your ability with a hand plane, making your first paddle will take the better part of a weekend. You can speed up the initial blade planing process with a power planer, but the rest of the shaping is best done with hand planes, a spokeshave and maybe a carving or crooked knife.

The goal is to remove as much material as you can without compromising strength. The most common mistake for participants in my class was actually being too cautious and not removing enough material. Unfortunately, knowing when to stop removing material is something that comes with experience — another reason attending a class with a seasoned instructor was helpful.

Step-by-Step:

Finishing

There are two schools of thought when it comes to finishing a paddle. One approach is to use a marine varnish or epoxy to provide maximum protection. The downside of this approach is that when the finish eventually breaks down, it requires more work to refinish. The other approach, the one that Mike endorses, is to apply an oil finish, such as tung oil finish, that will seal the wood, but does not create a thick film layer. An oil finish must be reapplied more frequently, depending on how much use the paddle gets. In either case, the best way to keep your paddle in good condition is to hang it up to dry thoroughly after each use.

Whether you make one for yourself or as a gift, making a paddle is a very satisfying project. It will pay you back everytime you use it. Even if you choose not to make a paddle, I highly recommend seeking out a craft school in your area and enrolling in a class. The experience will leave you with new skills, a new project and new friends.

Dan Cary manages and creates digital content for Woodworker’s Journal and former Editor in Chief of HandyMagazine. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter at @danrcary

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Wafting sawdust can ruin a good stereo system; accidentally spearing a speaker with a wayward plank will kill the music.

Jobsite radios are designed to withstand the bumps and knocks that can happen in transit or at a worksite or workshop. They’ll run on AC or on the same battery packs used in cordless power tools, so they’ll work outdoors at a remote worksite or a deck or patio lacking electricity. What’s more, jobsite radios aren’t just radios: They can play music from a smartphone or MP3 player, and some can even connect wirelessly via Bluetooth.

I was anxious to review the features and test the performance of the latest crop of jobsite radios. Being a part-time musician and recording engineer, I was especially anxious to hear how they sounded! I tested 13 models made by seven different tool companies (see pictures and specs of all radios at the end of this post): Bosch PB360S – Bosch PB180 – Bosch PB120 – DeWALT DCR012 – DeWALT DCR015 – Makita LXRM03B – Milwaukee 2792-20 – Milwaukee 2790-20 – Milwaukee 2590-20 – PORTER-CABLE PCC771B – RIDGID R84083 – RIDGID R84084 – RYOBI P742

The DeWALT DCR018 didn’t arrive in time for my review, but I’ve included its specifications and features along with the other radios in the chart on page 54. To help dispel a common misconception that all jobsite radios can recharge the battery packs they run on, I’ve divided the models into three groups: radio/chargers (large radios that can also serve as battery pack chargers); large radios (units roughly the size of boom boxes); and compact radios (the smaller, lighter models).

Click here to download the test results spec sheet.

VIDEO: The Audio Tests – Listen to all 13 radios

Shared Features

With the exception of the compact RIDGID and RYOBI radios, which are battery-powered only, all jobsite radios run on either 120v AC or battery pack power. Some radios accept only one type of battery pack: for example, the Milwaukee radio/charger only runs on (but also recharges) 18-volt M18 lithium-ion packs. Others may be powered by more than one type (NiCd, lithium-ion, etc.) and/or voltage of pack.

When AC power is handy, most radios plug directly into a standard household outlet and have a cord wrap on the back or bottom. The majority of compacts, as well as the Makita, require a plug-in AC adapter, which is included with each. I’m not a big fan of these “wall warts” because it’s easier to plug in a power cord than have to lug an adapter along.

Something that distinguishes a jobsite radio from a standard radio is its sturdy construction. These units feature protective reinforcements that range from simple corner guards to armor-like enclosures to full exoskeleton-like “roll cage” bars. All offer protection should the radio be dropped, slam around in the back of a pickup truck, or even fall off a scaffolding or rooftop. While I didn’t actually hurl any of these radios from the top of my two-story roof, I did toss them around a good deal, and none stopped working (to paraphrase a classic Timex® watch ad: “they took a lickin’ and kept on tickin’ ”). On the downside, heavy-duty construction adds bulk and weight, especially to larger models. At more than 24 and 17 pounds respectively, the Bosch and Milwaukee radio/ chargers — the two heaviest in this group — require some muscle to pick up and carry, especially compared to the smallest compact units.

To aid portability, all jobsite radios have carrying handles, although these are better realized on some models than others. I liked the models with top-mounted handles the best, as these made the radios easy to grab and carry. I wasn’t fond of the side-mounted handles on some of the smaller radios, as I often fumbled around trying to figure out where to grab these to pick them up. The Milwaukee radio/ charger and large model sport an additional feature that’s really handy: a built-in bottle opener, perfect when it’s time for a cold drink at the end of a long, hot day.

Buttons, Dials, Displays

All radio audio and other features are controlled by, depending on the model, various types of buttons and dials. Roughly half the radios use a rotating dial for adjusting volume, while the other half employ a pair of up and down volume buttons. I liked being able to change volume or tuning with the quick spin of a dial, rather than having to toggle the volume up or down by repeatedly pressing buttons. The DeWALT radio/charger and RIDGID compact have a separate dial just for radio tuning. Uniquely, the Milwaukee radio/charger’s volume ramps up gradually after the unit is switched on, kind of like soft start on a router. I liked this feature, as I didn’t get blasted when the radio was last left at an earsplitting volume.

Typically, jobsite models have separate buttons for power On/Off, mode selection (FM, AM, auxiliary input, etc.), radio tuning and clock display. The majority of these buttons are rubberized and comfy to push and larger buttons, as found on the Milwaukee radio/charger, are usable even with work gloves on. I found the small membrane-style buttons used on the compact RYOBI hard on bare fingertips. Some radios have buttons dedicated to specific features — EQ, Bluetooth, presets, etc., which I preferred to units with buttons that perform multiple functions. The Milwaukee compact and large models, as well as both compact Bosch radios, feature a dedicated “mute” button, which lets you turn the sound off in a hurry, say when you need to answer a ringing telephone. On most models, adjustments such as setting the clock, radio presets, EQ, must be done by pressing buttons and scrolling through computer-like menus, a process that’s often confusing and frustrating.

All radios feature a backlit LCD panel that displays the tuning frequency, volume, sound source, and the time, — most radios display the time even with the power switched off. Some models display other information, such as how much juice is left in the battery pack and, on some radio/chargers, the pack’s recharging status. The Makita LXRM03B not only shows you the time and date, but it also has a built-in alarm clock, complete with a “snooze” setting, I suppose in case you want to take a siesta in your shop. It also displays Radio Data System (RDS) information which, depending on if the station transmits it, shows you the station’s call letters (KPIG, WKRP, etc.) and sometimes even the name of the artist and song currently playing!

Radio Tuners

Pulling in AM and FM stations is a jobsite radio’s primary duty, so good reception is a must. A radio’s station-grabbing power can make the difference between listening to your favorite programming or settling for some megawatt station that blasts a commercial every 30 seconds. I tested the reception of each radio by seeing how many stations it could tune in strongly and clearly, without excessive chatter or distortion. I gave the one that pulled in the most stations (the Bosch P180) a score of 10, and scored the other ra- dios proportionally (see the individual model info boxes). The large RIDGID and Makita allow you to switch the radio’s normal stereo reception to mono, a feature that helps weaker stations sound better by reducing annoying intermittent static.

All but one of the radios — the compact RIDGID — feature tuning presets that allow you to set and choose your favorite FM or AM station with the push of a button. The number of presets varies from model to model, but only about a third have dedicated preset buttons. The other radios require you to scroll through your presets by continually pressing a button(s), which can be a bit tedious, especially if the model has 10 or more presets. To retain your presets, time settings, etc. when the radio’s power is disconnected, all units employ replaceable backup batteries, typically AAs or AAAs.

Seek vs Scan

Designed to help you find radio stations more easily, tuner seek and scan functions are often misunderstood. All the radios, save the Makita, have a seek feature: Press a tuning up or down button and the radio automatically sets itself to the next available station. Only a handful of radios have a scan function: Once the scan button is pressed, the radio stops at each available station in turn, one after the other, pausing for a few seconds. To retain the last station found, press the scan button again. Both features are useful for finding available radio stations, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the area; say, you’re at a new worksite far from home. In practice, neither of these features works perfectly on any jobsite radio: seek and/or scan sometimes bypassed strong stations while stopping on other stations with weak signals.

Auxiliary Inputs

In addition to tuning in your favorite radio shows, all jobsite radios can play audio from an auxiliary device, such as an MP3 player, smartphone, tablet, CD player, etc. via a short cord plugged into a 1/8″ (3.5mm) mini stereo jack that’s standard on most portable electronics. The Makita offers even handier connectivity through a top-mounted dock (unfortunately, the connector doesn’t fit all models). The Bosch radio/ charger has sockets for SD memory cards or thumb drives inside a closeable digital media bay. Buttons on the front of the radio allow you to pause/play the music, advance between songs, and even randomize song order. This is a great way to play MP3 audio files while leaving valuable electronic devices at home.

Device Compartments

To house and protect auxiliary devices, most jobsite radios have built-in sealable compartments (the RIDGID and RYOBI compacts have a place on the back for se- curing a device with a small strap). Most compartments’ doors have rubber gaskets to keep out dust, and latches that are easy to open — a good thing because of the need to access the device to start/stop the music. Although the Milwaukee 2790-20’s top-mounted compartment/battery bay is conveniently located, its two rotating latches are hard to turn and tedious to operate. The majority of compartments also have a built-in USB port; however, some units (see chart) only provide USB power when the radio is plugged into an electrical outlet, a real drawback if you need to recharge your phone/device at a jobsite lacking AC power.

Bluetooth Connectivity

One of the coolest features found on a few jobsite radios is Bluetooth connectivity. Bluetooth is basically a radio-frequency signal that’s transmitted by most modern smartphones and tablets. Unlike FM or AM radio transmissions, Bluetooth signals have a range limited to about a hundred feet at best. That’s usually more than adequate for playing music (or audiobooks, or podcasts) in your shop from
a device that’s safely located inside your car or home.

With my iPad in hand, I tested the Bluetooth-capable Milwaukee radio/charger, and RYOBI and PORTER-CABLE compacts. All three quickly connected to the iPad without a hitch and performed well, reproducing clear and glitch-free audio even when the iPad was 50 feet away in another room. Passing through doors and walls had varying effects on the signal, but whenever the connection was lost, each radio automatically reconnected when the device was relocated. Buttons on all three units offer some control over the remote device, either allowing pausing/playing and/or advancing songs.

Equalization

To better suit different styles of music and the sonic preferences of the listener, the majority of jobsite radios offer adjustable equalization (a.k.a. “ EQ”), allowing you to boost or cut treble and bass frequencies. In lieu of these adjustments, the DeWALT DCR012 and DCR018 have a dedicated bass boost button, which adds more low-end punch to the sound, and the Makita has a “loudness” setting, which boosts both bass and treble. The Bosch radio/ charger features five equalization presets: jazz, rock, pop, classical and a customizable setting. I really liked this feature, as it allowed me to change the radio’s tonal quality to suit different kinds of music without having to fiddle with individual bass and treble settings.

How Do They Sound?

Here are the two main factors to consider when evaluating the audio produced by a jobsite radio: loudness and sound quality. The first is important because these radios should be audible even in a noisy environment. In addition to producing a considerable volume of sound, a radio’s power amplifier must do so without driving its speakers into distortion. Good radio sound should also be as natural and true to the source as possible.

Measuring Loudness

To get a good sense of just how loud these radios were, I played the same musical selection (a contemporary big-band jazz tune with a full-spectrum sound) on an iPod connected to each radio. I turned the volume up until just before the speakers distorted and measured the sound pressure level, in decibels (Db) with a sound meter set a few feet away. The loudest radio, the Milwaukee radio/charger, measured 102 Db — roughly as loud as a roaring chainsaw! At 86 Db, the Milwaukee compact was the least loud. Unfortunately, decibel measurements don’t provide a clear means of comparing the volume of different radios because the Db scale isn’t linear: To the human ear, music playing at 90 Db actually sounds only half as loud as when it’s played at 100 Db. Therefore, I gave the top-Db-producing Milwaukee a rating of 10 and scored the other radios on a linear scale relative to it. For example, the 92 Db RYOBI compact measured only half as loud as the big Milwaukee, and thus received a score of 5 (half of 10). The scores (found in the model info boxes) should give you a reasonable notion of how radio loudness compares in the real world.

Just how loud does a jobsite radio need to be? In my experience, even the units with the least amplification were loud enough to hear clearly even in a large shop, and the most powerful radios were plenty loud enough to blanket a big outdoor area.

Sound Quality

Even the loudest radio isn’t a great choice if the sound it produces isn’t pleasant to listen to. Obviously, sound quality is a highly subjective issue, depending not only on personal preferences, but on the kind of programming you’re listening to. To rate the sound of these 13 radios, I played a variety of music on each one. Relying on my experience recording and mixing records, I awarded the highest points to models that sounded the most clear and transparent, with deep In general, the large radios and radio/chargers sounded better than compact models. This is due to the fact that physically larger units with bigger (and/or specialized) speakers are simply more capable of reproducing fuller and richer bass and low-mid frequencies. The top-rated Bosch radio/charger produced very strong bass, thanks to its bottom-mounted 41⁄2″ “sub- woofer” speaker designed specifically for reproducing low frequencies prevalent
in bass-heavy music genres like reggae and hip-hop. The next highest rated radio, the Milwaukee 2792-20 (as well as the DeWALT DCR015), produced good bass through two regular 31⁄2″ speakers and clear highs through a pair of small “tweeters.” The three top-sounding compacts — the Milwaukee 2590-20, Bosch PB180 and PORTER-CABLE PCC771B, all produced surprisingly rich sounds despite their small speakers and space-saving sizes.

Conclusions

Usually at this point of a tool review article, I sum up the various pros and cons of each model tested and identify my favorites. But in this case, there’s a significant factor in play: None of the jobsite radios in this review come with a battery pack, nor do any, save the radio/charger models, come with chargers. So unless you’re willing to invest in these expensive extras, it’s much more practical to buy a radio that uses the same charger and packs you already own.

But what if you own several different brands/voltages of cordless tools, or are willing to invest in a new brand/battery type? If tool brand and battery were not a factor, my first choice in jobsite radios would be the Bosch PB360S. I think it’s the best-sounding jobsite model, plus it’s got lots of connectivity (save Bluetooth) and more useful features than any other model. All that, and it recharges Bosch’s 18-volt lithium-ion battery packs, too. Yes, it’s heavy, but I like to think that each time I lift it, I get a little upper-body workout.

If you don’t need a super loud radio and size and weight (and price) are important considerations, I’d suggest choosing one of the three top-performing compact models by Milwaukee, Bosch (the PB180) and PORTER-CABLE. All three pack a lot of sound and features into a light, portable package and sell for around half of what the big models cost. Whichever type or model you choose, it’s a good idea to sample a particular model’s audio qualities before you buy it (you can hear high quality recordings of all the radios in my Audio Tests video, above).

Click here to download the test results spec sheet.

The Radios We Tested

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