Canadian Woodworking__Home_Improvement_-_JuneJuly_2022

34 p.8 KNOW YOUR p.41 SHOP p.20 BENCH TOOLS: TESTED: ON SMALL SHOP SCREWDRIVERS ESSENTIALS LAGUNA BENCH PX12 PLANER ISSUE #138 JUNE/JULY 2022 SMALL TOP10 SHOP HanU$dn1yd0eItrems 2022 SPECIAL ISSUE p.10 3 Pros Suggest What to Buy Display until July18, 2022 To Get Into Woodworking p.24 Build a Minimalist $$75..9995 PPUUBBLLIICCAATTIIOONNSS MMAAIILL RREEGG.NNOO..4400003355118866 Workbench p.48 At-Source Dust Collection p.44 How to Shop For Lumber p.56 3 ESSENTIAL SHOP-MADE ROUTER JIGS



CONTENTS JUNE/JULY 2022 FEATURES 20 Build a Bench-on-Bench BY CARL DUGUAY A mini-bench that brings your work closer so you can see it better. 34 Small Shop EssentialsI A great list of products that make working in a small shop fun and efficient. 44 At-Source Dust Collection 12 BY MARK SALUSBURY Collect dust as it’s made, rather than allowing it to become airborne. 48 Build a Minimalist Workbench BY CARL DUGUAY This compact workbench will excel in a small shop. DEPARTMENTS 44 20 2 Editor’s Letter 14 Shop Jigs: 3 Shop-Made Router Jigs 41 Shop Tested: Kinex Square, Laguna Planer 4 Letters 56 Shop Skills: How Much Lumber 6 Web Shavings Should You Buy? 64 Beginner's Journey: A New Office 8 Know Your Tools: For an Old Desk Screwdrivers Back Cover: Andrew Szeto, 10 Top 10: Louis Cube Cabinet Handy Items Under $10 12 Canadian Quotes: Andrew Szeto COVER STORY Cover photo by Rob Brown 24 How a Beginner Woodworker Can Make 24 the Most From Their First $1,000 BY ROB BROWN, STEVE DER-GARABEDIAN, CHRIS WONG CCaannaaddiiaannWWooooddwwoorrkkiinngg..ccoomm

editor'sletter IsIssuuee##113289 Working in a Small Shop PUBLISHER 2022 Edition Michael Fox We’ve been putting together ADVERTISING DIRECTOR “Working in a Small Shop” edi- Chad Martin EDITOR ART DIRECTOR Rob Brown Jonathan Cresswell-Jones tions of Canadian Woodworking & Home CONTRIBUTORS Steve Der-Garabedian, Carl Duguay, James Jackson, Improvement since 2011. They’re some Rich Keller, Mark Salusbury, Chris Wong of our biggest sellers and we regu- larly get more mail about these issues PROOFREADING Beckie Fox than any others. I really enjoy putting them together, as it allows me to speak ADVERTISE WITH CANADIAN WOODWORKING Reach engaged, enthusiastic woodworkers and directly to the challenges of build- active homeowners in print and online ing furniture in a small space, which Contact [email protected] or phone 289-783-4430 is something I’ve done for the past 20 years. We’d all love to have a spacious [email protected] SAVE WITH A SUBSCRIPTION workshop to build in, but that’s not the Online: canadianwoodworking.com/save Email: [email protected] case for most of us. Toll-free: 1-800-204-1773 The truth of the matter is that you can do a whole lot without much space. Print and digital subscription in Canada (plus tax) Power tools like routers and drills are very multi-functional, especially when you 1 year 6 issues $27.97 know how to use them. Hand tools don’t take up much space and by their nature 2 years 12 issues $47.97 they’re versatile in the kinds of tasks they can help you accomplish. Add a few 3 years 18 issues $62.97 Single copy $7.99 larger machines like a bandsaw and planer to the mix and all of a sudden the pos- sibilities are almost endless. If you’re just getting into woodworking all of this may sound overwhelming, but it Canadian Woodworking & Home Improvement is published by Inspiring Media Inc doesn’t have to be. To give you a few pointers as to where to start, three woodwork- PO Box 808, Niagara on the Lake, Ontario L0S 1J0 Canada ing professionals (who all work in small shops) share their thoughts on how you Telephone 289 868 9065 should spend your first $1,000 on woodworking tools and machines. And if you’re Facsimile 647 370 0864 well beyond your first $1,000, this article should make for some fun reading, as Email [email protected] everyone has their own ideas of what to buy first. I can picture the emails now. NOTICES & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Purchasing lumber is a basic skill that every woodworker needs to be comfortable Contents copyright © 2022 Inspiring Media Inc. All rights reserved. with. Jigs and fixtures play a large role in making the most of the machinery and Reproduction of any article, photograph or artwork without prior space you have. Controlling dust is as important as ever, not only to your health, but written permission of the Publisher is strictly prohibited. your enjoyment and efficiency while you work. And what is the focal point of all Canada Post Publications Mail 40035186 workshops? The workbench, of course. All of these topics are covered in this issue ISSN 1921-6432 (print) ISSN 2371-9028 (online) with an emphasis on the specifics of working in a small space. And just wait until HST 85195 6862 you see what a bench-on-bench is. Not only is it functional, it’s darn cute. Please exercise caution when working with any tools or machinery. Follow common safety rules and precautions as outlined in any manuals related to the Send me photos of your small space in action — the smaller the better. I love equipment being used. This publication is sold with the understanding that (1) the authors and editors are not responsible for the results of any actions taken hearing from our readers, especially when they share their thoughts on how they’d on the basis of information in this publication, nor for any errors or omissions; and (2) the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional advice/services. spend their first $1,000. — Rob Brown The publisher, and the authors and editors, expressly disclaim all and any liability to any person, whether a purchaser of this publication or not, in or respect of anything and of the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done by any such person in reliance, whether whole or partial, upon the whole or any part of the contents of this publication. If advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Connect with us @canadianwoodworking.com Privacy Assurance: Canadian Woodworking never shares your information with any third party without your permission. Full details at canadianwoodworking.com/privacy We acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada In partnership with Michael Fox Chad Martin Diane Lane Carl Duguay CMCA Publisher Advertising Director Subscriber Service Web Editor mfox@ cmartin@ service@ cduguay@ AUDITED 2 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022

FOR THE PRO IN YOU Professionals prefer Titebond wood glues more than 7 to 1. Pros trust the Titebond wood glue brand for the proven performance, respected advice and reliable solutions they demand each and every time. So should you. titebond.com | 1-800-347-4583

letters More information needed Thanks, Canadian Woodworking magazine and Bessey! I’ve been a subscriber for many years. I On behalf of the Grade 10 construc- Thanks for the great photo and letter. Both wish your project articles would include tion class at Dundas Valley Secondary the magazine and Bessey are very pleased to diagrams of boards with dimensions about School, in Dundas, Ontario, we would help. If other teachers would like to receive how to obtain the different workpieces like to express our gratitude to Canadian free issues of Canadian Woodworking & from them. For example, in the X-base din- Woodworking & Home Improvement and Home Improvement for their class they can ing table article in the Feb/Mar 2022 issue Bessey for their generous donation of sign up here: canadianwoodworking.com/ there is no information about what size free magazine issues, T-shirts and Bessey woodworking-instructor-registration/. solid wood boards to buy and how to cut clamps as part of the education pro- Keep up the great work! — Rob Brown, the parts from those boards. I like the proj- gram. With these donations, our students Editor ects, and the articles are good, but a bit will feel the commitment to continue in the more information would be helpful. trades and develop their transferable skills. Can you advise the reader on how much Mr. Bogul wood will be needed? Technical Instructor Dundas Valley S.S. Bob C. Via email Great wax finish article Hi Yvon, Glad to hear you enjoyed the finishing Hi Bob, Great article on wax finishes (Wax article. Yes, indeed, we did print an article Thanks for your email. Purchasing lumber Finishes, Apr/May 2022). I have finished on hardwax finishes (Hardwax Oil, Aug/ is a skill in and of itself. The short answer is several kitchen cabinets with sprayed lacquer Sept 2018). It’s a very durable, easy-to-apply that telling you what boards to purchase, finishing. I now make smaller pieces of fur- product that’s perfect for almost any project. and how to cut the workpieces from those niture and like the idea of waxes. Have you I’ve been using OSMO hardwax oil for the boards, will rarely work well. Lumber is sold ever done an article on hardwax oils? I am past five years and continue to be very in random widths and lengths, and defects looking for a product that’s durable, easy to pleased with the results. It has become my like knots, splits, wane, etc. are always going apply and environmentally friendly. go-to finish for 90% of the work I do. to pose challenges when cutting workpieces — Carl Duguay,Web Editor from solid wood lumber, so it would likely Yvon L. be difficult to find the specific boards if we Via email were to give you a list. Rather than give you information that would be helpful only in some cases, and might even be confusing and frustrating at other times, I’d rather offer advice on how to decipher a drawing and materials list to come up with the best approach for purchas- ing lumber that you could use on all your future projects. Because this skill is one that other wood- workers could benefit from learning about, I’ve included an article on the topic on page 56 of this issue. I hope you find it useful. — Rob Brown, Editor shopnotes Power, Capacity and Convenience Sponsored: King Canada Variable Speed Drill Presses provide you with the power, capacity and convenience needed to drill precisely positioned straight or angled holes quickly and easily. The 12\" benchtop model with its 3/4 HP, 8.6 amp motor is perfect for the small shop with limited floor space and for the home hobbyist. Avid woodworkers will appreciate the greater power and functionality offered with the 15\" 1/2 HP, 5 amp stationary model. The benchtop model has 3\" of quill travel, while the stationary model has 4\" of travel. Dual intersecting adjustable laser guides enable you to drill precise holes quickly and easily. Visit KingCanada.com for more information. 4 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022



webshavings Product Watch Tool Reviews Epoxy adhesives are great to have in the Festool TopRock shop, on the jobsite Bluetooth Speaker and around the home. They provide superior View these reviews and more at: adhesion to a wide canadianwoodworking.com/reviews variety of materials, are exceptionally chemi- Events 32nd annual show cal and heat resistant, and are water resistant. Hamilton Canadian National Wildfowl We like them because Woodworking Show Carving Championship and they’re extremely versa- Wood Art Competition  tile and can be used for bonding, sealing and filling jobs. (Live event) Sometimes a five-minute epoxy sets too fast, while a June 3-5, 2022 30-minute epoxy takes too long. With a gel time of Oct 28-30, 2022 Manulife Financial Sportsplex, RIM Park 14 to 16 minutes, C-POXY 15 is a great compromise Canadian Warplane Heritage 2001 University Ave., E. epoxy. This general-purpose, unfilled, fast-setting epoxy Museum.  Waterloo, Ont. is made in Port Coquitlam, B.C., by CEC Corp and comes 9280 Airport Rd, CanadianNational.net in 8.5-ounce kits.  Hamilton, Ont. ceccorp.ca Woodshows.com Micro Previous issue: Video Links Mystery Router bit canadianwoodworking.com/videos Can you guess this object commonly found in most shops? Canadian Follow us on Instagram to see Quotes: regular “Micro Mystery” challenges. We will post the answer to this one Andrew in our Aug/Sep issue. Szeto Best Build Forum Thread Check out the woodworking section of Check out these and many other home improvement our forum for our latest “Best Build” thread, threads at forum.canadianwoodworking.com a kids’ clubhouse. This month’s winner, Ryan • Repair options for a scratched maple floor? – Wettlaufer, wins a Hardwood floors are gorgeous, but even they can get Veritas Dual Marking scratched. Read about some considerations when it Gauge from Lee Valley. comes to dealing with scratches in hardwood flooring. To find out more about this project, go to: forum.canadianwoodworking.com • Adding bookcase-style shelves to a closet – or simply go to CanadianWoodworking.com and click FORUM. need guidance – One of our members wasn’t sure of the best way to add shelving strong enough for every- Free Plan day use. Our forum members gave him some great ideas. Build a Clamp Rack Got a question? Join our forum so you can ask our skilled and All shops have their organizational challenges, and experienced members any home improvement question you like. there are as many solutions to these challenges as It’s free, and is just a click away. there are woodworkers. Here’s a simple and effective way to store parallel clamps. June/July 2022 canadianwoodworking.com/free-plans 6 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

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knowyourtools Screwdrivers POPULAR STYLE BITS Handle HANDLE STYLES There are dozens of different types of Slot Cushion-grip screwdrivers on the market. Generally, Phillips they’re classified by the type of drive Square/Robertson Pistol-grip tip that corresponds to a specific scre- Hex T-grip whead. The three most common types Torx for woodworkers and DIYers are slot Pozidriv In-handle storage (a.k.a. flat), Phillips (a.k.a. cross- head) and Robertson (a.k.a. square). MULTI-BIT There are also application-specific screwdrivers such as insulated (pre- SINGLE BIT TIP Shank ferred by electricians), torque (widely Tip used by mechanics and machinists) and tri-point (used in the digital COMMON TYPES industry). Ratcheting screwdriv- Stubby ers rely on wrist power but use an internal ball-bearing mechanism that Ratcheting Insulated Precision Torque Push-pull Yankee Offset Hex enables you to make multiple turns of the screw without removing the tip from the screw, saving time and reducing effort. The most impor- tant part of the screwdriver is the tip, which can be made of high-speed steel, stainless steel, tool grade steel, titanium or a blend of metals. Tips on low-cost screwdrivers tend to deform prematurely. Handles can be made of wood or plastic, and in a variety of shapes, sizes and configurations. Select a handle that best suits your hand size. Screwdriver sets can con- sist of a single type (e.g. Robertson) in a range of sizes or a range of screw- driver types in various sizes. Price: $5 to $50 (per single); $10 to $300 (sets) Get the Most Out of Your Screwdriver Photos by Rob Brown Illustration by Len Churchill It’s a “screw” Use the right head Use the right tip size The shocking truth Pre-drill and wax driver not a… Use a screwdriver with Just as most common wood screws Don’t use a standard Pre-drilling holes puts less Any good-quality screw- the right tip for the job at come in different sizes, so do screw- screwdriver when doing stress on screws (so heads driver will last about a hand. A slot driver isn’t drivers. Select a screwdriver that’s electrical work. Even are less likely to break off) lifetime, provided you meant for Phillips head designed for the specific size of those with plastic or rub- and the wood is less likely don’t abuse it. Don’t use screws, nor a square for screw you’re using. For example, ber handles won’t protect to split. Putting a dab of it as a pry bar, chisel, hex screws. Robertson screwdrivers are available you from an electrical wax or paraffin on the screw punch, paint scraper, in five sizes (#00 to #4) to match shock. Use a properly threads makes setting the wedge, pinch bar or Robertson screw sizes, which range insulated screwdriver. screws easier, especially in whatever. from #1 (1/16\") to #12 (3/8\"). hardwoods. 8 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022



10topten Top Small Shop Items Worth Under $10 Not every helpful tool is expensive. Here’s a list of 10 worthwhile items for a small shop that cost $10 or less. BY ROB BROWN 1 Mechanical Pencil – If you’ve ever marked a line only to 7 Brad Point Drill Bits – Now that you have dowel centers Photo by Rob Brown realize the line itself was over 1/16\" wide, you’ll understand the to mark the location of dowel holes, a brad point bit will bore benefit of a mechanical pencil. An accurate pencil mark is the first step accurate, clean holes. The pointed tip will keep the bit from skating in creating accurate joinery. And a simple click and it’s ready to make around while starting the hole. As I mentioned, I use 1/4\" dowels most marks. Get a few while you’re at the store. often, so one 1/4\" bit will get you started. 2 Eraser – And while you’re there, grab a high-quality white 8 Utility Knife – Although it won’t take the place of a nice eraser to remove any errant pencil marks. An eraser on the end of marking knife, a simple, cheap utility knife will assist with many a pencil only lasts for so long, so be prepared. I keep one in my apron shop tasks. Opening boxes and packages, trimming paper templates, and it sees regular use. cutting veneer to rough size and more. I carry small- and medium-sized utility knives in my apron at all times. 3 Package of Blank Paper – For sketching, making tem- plates, placing between veneer and caul while pressing veneer 9 Masking Tape – What can’t standard masking tape do? ,and for making curved templates. Go one step further and save a few Joining bevelled parts, taping down paper, keeping shims in place, newspapers; they’re great for placing under messy glue-ups. applying solid wood edging to sheet goods, labelling workpieces…the list goes on. 4 6\" Steel Rule – Accuracy, especially when dealing with small measurements, is important in most woodworking projects. 10 Veritas 1-1/2\" Pocket Layout Now that your pencil lines are precise, it’s time to ensure your measur- Square – At $11.50 this item shouldn’t ing devices are also contributing to accuracy. be on this list, yet here it is. It fits in my apron pocket 5 Plastic Ketchup and Mustard Bottles – While not nicely and helps with all sorts of general layout tasks. technically a woodworking product, the small tips and reclos- able caps make for accurate and clean glue application. Although often ROB BROWN the tip that your glue bottle came with is perfectly adequate, there are [email protected] many situations where having a small bottle tip will keep things tidy and strong. Go Online for More 6 Dowel Centers – Although dowel drilling jigs work won- RELATED ARTICLES: Top 10 Ways to Get the Most from Your ders, there are times when a few dowel centers are the only way Cordless Drill (Feb/Mar 2017), Top 10 Ways to Make Better Use to save the day in my shop. I reach for 1/4\" centers very regularly, and of Your Shop Time (Feb/Mar 2011) have a collection of 3/8\" and 1/2\" centers just in case. A few of each will get you started. June/July 2022 10 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT



CanadianQuotes How long have you been woodworking? About seven years Andrew Szeto What sort of furniture do you specialize in? I make lots of bespoke paddles and I have a huge admira- …on Instagram, his A-frame tion for mid-century modern staples. cabin and how many mistakes woodworkers should make. Tell us a couple of interesting things about your personal life. I work for the Coast Guard and travel across Canada quite BY ROB BROWN a bit. We live in a wonderful place and I’m always in awe of what folks make and are able to do in their environments. If you weren’t a furniture maker what would you be? Skateboarder, videographer, engineer (which I already am, I guess). In order, what are the three most important items in your shop apron? Square/good ruler, some five-minute epoxy/CA glue and a good pencil. Do you prefer hand tools or power tools? Power! I’ve got places to be. Solid wood or veneer? Either; just depends on the application. Figured wood or straight grain? Figured for sure! Inherited vintage Stanley Sweetheart or fresh-out-of-the- box Veritas? Probably vintage Stanley. Flowing curves or geometric shapes? Both can be beautiful. Favourite wood? Skateboards (dyed veneered maple). Least favourite wood? Skateboards because of how much of a pain it can be to actually get your raw material. Make a Paddle – Szeto (center) has taught Photos by Andrew Szeto (Lead Photo by Jen Bernard) paddle-making classes at the Ottawa City Woodshop. (Photo by Richard Scott) June/July 2022 A-Frame Cabin – One of Szeto’s favourite projects is his A-frame cabin. Here he is with his nearly completed cabin and some friends who lent a hand building it. 12 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

Andrew Szeto, 35, maruthecirclebrand.com, @szetoszeto Something practical, functional and value Location and size of studio – Wakefield, Que., 200 sq. ft. added is my definition of good design. quotesEducation – Masters in Environmental Engineering  My studio is brand new. It’s the walkout I work fairly closely with my customers. basement of my home and it’s got every- I’ll send progress shots all throughout the When designing something I start with thing I need for small projects. I often work process. That connection is really impor- purpose and application, and then move to outdoors just to keep the dust down. tant to me and why I do what I do. the overall design.    I work wood whenever I get a chance to. I I get most of my business through Coming up with something that’s unique work a full-time job with the Coast Guard, Instagram. and special is the portion of the design pro- so during my evenings and weekends, I go cess that excites me the most. Everything’s hard. I usually make about three paddles a  been done, but how are we going to really week and can turn a bunch of goods, too. turn some heads? I’d like to see more classes offered where  students see a product through from start  to finish. Because of my small space, my Saw Being a woodworker is pretty neat. Having Stop is fantastic and doubles up as my  folks know that you’re handy and knowing workbench. that you’re a good source of information and Some Canadian makers I look up to are help is awesome.  Matt Wallace (taught me woodworking through the Ottawa City Woodshop and  I get most of my inspiration from mid- makes incredible furniture), Richard Scott century design and Instagram. There’s too (he was my mentor), Jack Forsberg (he’s Making things that blow my mind and much amazing stuff out there. insane and amazing) and Michael Alm trying to push my boundaries are what moti- (great builder and produces fantastic vid- vate me.  eos). There are so many more!  My work says I’m whimsical and crazy.  Make a bunch of things and iterate as you  The internet has had a huge influence go along. Keep trying things and don’t be on my work. There are many things that afraid to fail. I live in a beautiful little village and it’s you’ll see from many incredible makers constantly inspiring. Lots of great wood- from various time periods, and that’s all a  workers and makers up this way, too. huge influence. If I had to pick a few folks to name, makers like Nick Barna, Michael After building a series of projects, includ-  Alm, and Ray and Charles Eames are a ing a canoe, hundreds of paddles, chairs, few. etc., I felt comfortable constructing a build- Have fun and make mistakes. Make a LOT ing — my A-frame cabin. It’s something I’m of mistakes. Only way to learn and get better.  really proud of having embarked on and completed.   I mostly do commissions because it’s at my I need to work with my hands. I really own pace with work. I don’t know if I have feel a void in my life when I don’t. Thank In the near future I want to bring back a enough attention to detail for spec work. goodness for the Ottawa City Woodshop. few historical mid-century Canadian designs and perhaps produce them on the CNC. Go Online for More  With shops like LD Shoppe, I think Canada can be a good loca- tion for makers. You really have to be able to market yourself. SLIDESHOW: To view a slideshow of Szeto’s work visit the Videos section of our website. ROB BROWN You can also view a video of his shop at (youtube.com/watch?v=TCuGFujsS3g) RELATED ARTICLES: Nick Barna (Feb/Mar 2022), Kenton Jeske (Apr/May 2020) rbrown@ canadianwoodworking.com CanadianWoodworking.com 13CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

shopjigs 3 Routers can be Photos by Rob Brown made even more Simple (Yet Essential) efficient and accurate with Shop-Made the use of jigs. Router Jigs Jigs don’t have to be complicated to work well. Even beginner woodworkers can make these router jigs with limited tools. 14 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022

BY ROB BROWN Ajig is a device that guides a tool (usually a power tool) to cut or shape wood. The results are gener- ally very accurate and repeatable as long as the jig is made properly. The jigs covered here are all quite simple to build and are just the tip of the iceberg. If you have a need for a specific, repeated operation, making a device for controlling a tool might be the answer. A bit of imagination and some material are all that’s needed. I opted to showcase some router jigs here because routers are not expensive, they’re multi-functional and it’s likely woodworkers of all skill levels own one. Jigs can be made for pretty much any tool, though, so once you understand the basics of how jigs work, let your imagination run wild. A few basic usage tips Make a Few – Different circle cutting jigs can be made for different routers, though it’s not mandatory. Shorter jigs do make it easier to cut smaller radii. Routers work best when they’re not overloaded. Don’t remove a lot of material with a single pass. And although a Measure Carefully – Once the jig is made and the router and bit are ready thin router bit will remove less material with each pass, thin bits are for action, make sure you measure from the correct side of the router bit. Shown also weaker so still proceed conservatively. Routing grooves and here, Brown is measuring for an outside circle cut because he’s measuring from the cutting mortises with multiple passes is the best approach. inside (or close) cutting edge of the bit. Always consider which direction you move a router. Since a router bit rotates in a certain direction, climb cutting is always a risk if you’re not careful. To avoid climb cutting, always move the router in the same direction as the bit is travelling when the bit is cutting the material. For example, if you’re rounding over an edge, and the router is being held in its usual way (with the motor above the bit), you want to move the router from left to right. This is because the portion of the bit that’s actually doing the cutting is also moving in a left to right direction. When you climb cut, the router will want to quickly move ahead, or “climb” onto the mate- rial it’s cutting. A router that jumps forward like this can damage the bit, router, workpiece or user. When selecting materials for jigs, plywood is usually what I reach for. It’s stronger than particleboard and MDF, and doesn’t shrink and swell like solid wood does. Having said that, using hardwood for cer- tain jig parts (stops, cleats, etc.) makes for a strong and lasting jig. Circle Cutting of the jig so your router can be attached to the jig, bore a hole for Router Jig the router bit to protrude through the jig and you’re done. Straight lines are relatively easy to work with in woodworking. In operation, install a straight router bit. I usually opt for a 3/8\" Curves, on the other hand, can be much harder to create. The ability bit; thinner bits are weaker while thicker bits take a lot of energy to make a full circle, a half circle or just an even arc adds a lot to our to remove the waste from a workpiece. Fix the router to the jig, flip design and build options. Circular table tops, arched rails and aprons the router upside down and mark a line for the radius you want. Be are just some of the workpieces you can create with this jig. sure to reference off the correct side of the router bit, depending on whether you’re cutting an outside circle (for example, a round I’ve made three circle cutting router jigs. The two 48\" long 1/2\" tabletop) or an inside circle (a curved table apron). Drill a small plywood jigs are for different fixed-base routers I have, while the hole through the jig at the pencil mark, insert a screw through the last is for a laminate trimmer and is only about 15\" long and is hole and drive it into the center point of your workpiece. If you’re made from 3/8\" thick plywood. The differences between the jigs cutting an inside arc you’ll have to clamp or screw the workpiece are in their overall size and the hole pattern I drilled in the jig to to a work surface and drive the screw through a piece of material secure the base of a router to one of the jigs. the same thickness as the workpiece, then clamp or screw that piece of scrap. This is to ensure the router bit is perpendicular to the Cut the jig slightly wider than your router’s base. The length is up workpiece. to you. Longer jigs can cut larger radii, though they can be more cumbersome for making smaller radius cuts. Drill holes in the end Multiple passes, adjusting the depth of the router bit with each pass, is safer than a single, deep pass and gives best results. And if CanadianWoodworking.com 15CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

Extra Long – You don’t need to make an extra-long circle cutting jig; you can Right Angle for the Job – Making more than one 90° angle jig is easy to do. easily screw an extension to the one you have. Here, Brown used a walnut plywood You can even label them for a specific router you have, as this makes it easier to offcut to screw the jig to, then clamped the offcut to the workpiece. align the jig to locate each cut. you need to cut a larger radius than your jig is long, screw a piece Cut two lengths of 3/4\" thick plywood. How wide these pieces of plywood to the end of the jig to act as an extension. should be depends on how long the joints you want to cut are. Longer joints mean wider parts are needed to reduce flex in the jig 90° Router Jig parts. Countersink a few holes in the end of one length, then add glue to the mating surfaces and screw the parts together, making Essentially two pieces of plywood fixed at a 90° angle to guide a sure the parts meet at exactly 90°. router, this jig will help you cut dadoes, grooves, rabbets to accept shelves, gables and other workpieces. I often use it to machine dove- Once dry, you can clamp the jig to the workpiece. The edge tail grooves in carcass pieces. Whatever joint I’m machining with this that will guide the router must be offset from the location of the jig, one piece sits flush against the edge of a workpiece while the other groove you want to make. If you make a jig for each router you guides the router. Clamps hold the jig in place when in use. own, you can write the offset distance on the jig. I made a num- ber of these jigs so I can actually mark the location of the joint I made a few of these for the different routers I have, as well as on the workpiece and align the notch that’s already been cut in the different bits I would use with the jigs. You could easily make the jig from previous operations with the pencil lines. There’s also just one jig and use it for all your router and bit options, but my nothing wrong with guiding the router with either side of the jig’s approach allows me to quickly and easily align the jig with a pencil straightedge. mark on my workpiece before I clamp it in place, because the loca- tion of the groove the bit leaves is visible on the portion of the jig Because of the bit’s rotation, you must avoid climb cutting while that aligns with the edge of the workpiece during use. using this jig. If you move the router in one direction, the rotation of the bit could cause the router to leap forward or away from the Easy Alignment – Using dedicated jigs for specific routers, or even for both a Which Direction? – It’s acceptable to reference the router on both sides of the router and a bit, makes it easier to align the jig with the workpiece. If you mark straightedge. To avoid climb cutting always move the router in the correct direction. where the mating workpiece will go you can easily center the pencil marks or It’s different when cutting on the opposite side of the straightedge, but in this routed groove on the marks. instance Brown started the cut at the outer edge of the workpiece and finished the stopped dado he was machining at the masking tape. 16 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022

Screw on a Stop – In this example, Brown started routing at the far edge of Make Two Kerfs – Start with a piece of plywood and cut two kerfs in it the workpiece and finished his cut at the near edge. He also screwed a piece of so the distance between their outer edges is exactly the same as the width of wood to the jig to act as a stop because he was machining a number of grooves your template guide. A stop block will give you a solid starting point; press the the same distance. workpiece against the stop and tilt it down over the blade. Next, trim the waste from the center. straightedge. If the router is moved in the opposite direction, the rotation of the bit constantly presses the router into the jig. Basic Mortising Jig Mortise and tenon joints are typically very strong. The main downside is that it can be hard to accurately and precisely machine a mortise. Tenons are fairly easy to machine, though making “slip” or “loose” tenons is also a good option. This simple jig will have you creating accurate mortises with a plunge router. Once you have a straight router bit the width of your mortise and a template guide that will fit on your plunge router’s base, you’re ready to make this jig. You need to be sure the router bit you’re using will fit inside the template guide, as some guides are very small. I made my jig with 3/4\" plywood, though thinner plywood would work okay. Thicker plywood offers a bit more rigidity, which is good. The overall size isn’t crucial, though it needs to be large enough to support the plunge router when in use. Make a pair of kerfs with your table saw so the distance between the two kerfs fits the template CanadianWoodworking.com BRING THE FOREST TO YOUR FRONT DOOR. Announcing right-sized, ship-to-hobe hardwood plywood panels in 13 beautiful species. Not only does Hobe Depot stock forbaldehyde-free 4x8’ Red Oak, Maple and Aspen plywood panels in stores throughout Canada - now you can access 2x4’ panels in 13 species (In ¼”, ½” and ¾” thicknesses!) Your choices include Alder, Walnut, Maple, Red & White Oak, fashionable new Rough Sawn textured itebs, and bany bore…delivered directly to your hobe or your nearest store. A great, convenient new array of options, with less waste, and no added forbaldehyde. To begin please visit HomeDepot.ca and search for “Columbia Forest 2ft” 17CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

Two Pieces of Wood – Although there’s Add Blocking If Needed – If you want to rout a The End Result – The resulting mortise, made with nothing saying you can’t skip adding the two mortise in the end of a workpiece, add some blocking multiple passes, will accept either a slip tenon or a pieces of solid wood, Brown finds it easier to rout to the underside of the jig to allow you to clamp the jig workpiece with a tenon machined on its end. Both will to an even edge. It’s also easier to set the width of to the workpiece. Getting creative here will allow you to provide a strong, lasting joint. the mortise when adding these pieces, but that’s rout all sorts of mortises. only important if you need a very specific width of mortise. guide perfectly. Sneak up on the final width, as any slop between the You could also make a few of these simple jigs so you have a jig template guide and the template will cause this jig to not work. Glue setup to rout mortises in a range of different two pieces of solid wood in the opening so they will create the length workpieces. of mortise you want. The distance between the two pieces should be equal to the length of the mortise you want to cut, plus a bit extra Rob has six routers yet still feels the need for more. They’re to account for the fact that the template guide will stop the travel of so helpful in a small shop setting; you can never have the router bit before it becomes flush with the pieces of solid wood. enough. They’re the clamps of the power tool world. If I really need to obtain a specific length of mortise, I’ve driven #8 screws into the inner edges of the mortise recess, instead of the two ROB BROWN solid wood blocks. I can use a screwdriver to adjust the distance the [email protected] router travels. Go Online for More In use, the jig can be clamped to the workpiece to guide the plunge router while it machines the mortise. If a mortise on the RELATED ARTICLES: Top 10 Ways to Amp Up Your Router end of a workpiece is needed, screw a few pieces of blocking to the Game (Feb/Mar 2021), Top 10 Jig-Making Parts (June/July 2020) underside of the jig and clamp the jig on the end of the workpiece. shopnotes Bessey EHK Series Clamps Sponsored: The new EHK Trigger Clamps have been engineered to offer a clean design, comfortable handles, up to 600 pounds of potential clamping force and the ability to quickly transform from clamping to spreading without using tools. The EHK Series is ideal for the home owner or professional craftsperson seeking a range of clamping options that are ergonomically designed, well-engineered and competitively priced. Clamping force from 4-1/2\" to 50\" and 14 configurations to choose from make this product an attractive solution. Visit BesseyTools.com for more details. 18 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022

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shopproject ?INFO: DIFFICULTY – 2/5, LENGTH/TIME – 2/5, COST – 1/5 Build a Photos by Carl Duguay Illustration by Len Churchill Bench-On- Bench This versatile, handy workbench addition will bring your hand work up close for increased accuracy and comfort. 20 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022

BY CARL DUGUAY Materials List Alot of workbench tasks – particularly hand work – can benefit Part Qty T W L Material from having the work closer to your eyes. This not only helps 9-3/4 20 Hardwood you be more accurate, especially when it involves detailed Top 1 1-1/2 4-1/2 9-3/4 Hardwood work, but can also take the strain off your back and neck. A Moxon 6 10 Hardwood vise is one way to elevate your work, but another option is with a Apron 1 7/8 1-1/2 9-3/4 Hardwood bench-on-bench. 2 6 Hardwood A bench-on-bench (BOB, for short) is essentially a mini-workbench Legs 2 3/4 4-1/2 11 Hardwood that sits atop your main workbench or any other work surface. It’s easy to make and is a great learning project if you’ve never built a Rails 4 1-1/2 full-size workbench before. Support Block 1 1-1/2 Front Jaw 1 7/8 Irwin 6-1/2\" Vise (#226361) Make it personal on the front of the bench, causing it to tip in use. A BOB isn’t really for heavy work, so a large vise isn’t needed. A groove on While I’ve provided an illustration and material list, I encourage the underside of the benchtop was needed to allow the vise to sit you to use it only as a guide. Build your BOB to suit your height, the at the proper height. A support block screwed to the underside height of your workbench and the type of work you do. Nothing is of the top provides extra rigidity for the fixed jaw screwed to the sacrosanct; make your BOB taller, wider, narrower or longer. Mount back face of the apron. After temporarily installing the fixed jaw, I the vise to the front of the bench, to one side or install vises at both marked the locations of the guide bars and threaded rod, removed sides. Add dog holes. Install folding legs so you can more easily store the jaw, and then drilled clearance holes in the apron. I reinstalled or transport your BOB. After using my bench almost daily for several the fixed jaw and then glued the apron to the top. months, the only change I made was to add dog holes. My BOB and I have now become BFFs. Before making the legs, I propped the top onto my workbench, trying out different working heights. A low-profile scissors jack The build works well for this (or small cardboard boxes and cut-offs of plywood). For me the sweet spot turned out to be 11-1/2\", neces- I made the top out of 1-1/2\" thick maple. Another option is to use sitating 10\" tall legs. two layers of ply glued together. I installed an Irwin 6\" vise in my bench. You probably want to avoid installing a heavy vise as it will likely put too much weight 9-3/4” 1-7/8” 10” support block 9” leg assembly 6” SIDE VIEW top rail front jaw leg apron 1/2”-deep x 1/4”-wide mortise rail CanadianWoodworking.com 21CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

All Shapes and Sizes Extra Blocking – Duguay had to make a notch in the underside of the top to allow the vise to be positioned properly, though each vise is a bit different. Here Working comfortably and holding your work securely are important the vise is shown with the support block in place, ready to be screwed to the aspects of woodworking. Ergonomics has become even more relevant the underside of the top and the rear face of the apron. older I get. While my main workbench is at a comfortable height for most operations, I was finding with some tasks that I was leaning over a lot Each leg consists of two rails with a 3/4\" vertical slat assembled more. Tasks like detailed work on small boxes or flushing solid wood edg- in an “I” style. There are a lot of options when fastening the slats ing to veneered surfaces had me bending over to get closer to my work. to the rails. I cut a 1/2\" deep mortise into the upper and lower rails, then sized the tenons on both ends of the slat to fit. Other options I’ve not only had the idea of building a raised bench for a while, but I could include lag bolts or long screws holding the parts together, or even bought the materials more than a year ago. An aching back forced a series of dowels or Dominos. Use whatever approach you’re most me to find a solution immediately and as a bonus it became a mockup to comfortable with. see what aspects I would like or dislike. Years ago, I had made a portable bench, a version of the milk man’s bench, that I could take to demon- The leg assembly is bolted to the top with 2\" lag bolts counter- strations and set up on a pair of Krenovian sawhorses. The bench was sunk into the upper rails. Fairly wide feet add stability. I applied attached to the sawhorses via bolts into threaded inserts on the bottom of self-adhesive, high-friction tape (Lee Valley #99K3401) to the bot- the bench. tom of the feet. The tape works extremely well on reasonably smooth surfaces. Occasionally, when doing a bit of aggressive chis- To settle on the right height, I used a long pair of plywood pieces, cut- elling or planing, BOB gets a bit feisty, so I clamp his feet to the ting them shorter until I was happy. Then, using hardwood stock I had on workbench. hand, I built simple legs with stretchers lifting the top of the bench to a 9\" height. I kept the joinery simple with butt joints reinforced with Dominos, Mark and drill holes in the front jaw for the guide bars and however, dowels, biscuits and other techniques you have the tools and threaded rod, then screw the vise’s movable jaw to the front jaw. comfort level for will work just fine. There’s nothing wrong with using a If you intend to put dog holes in the top, ensure the front jaw is at proper vise, though I’ve found the work I do on this smaller bench lighter least 1-1/8\" thick to accommodate a 3/4\" dog hole. I neglected to in nature, and a simpler approach to a vise is perfectly adequate. do this and had to beef up the front jaw when I finally installed dog holes. Apply a finish While applying a finish isn’t required, it will help keep glue and other gunk from sticking to BOB. I applied two coats of OSMO POLYX–OIL, but just about any penetrating oil will work. Really, almost any finish will do the trick. To keep workpieces from slip- ping about I use a piece of yoga mat that I picked up at the local thrift store for a couple of bucks. The raised bench is secured to my workbench using either clamps or CARL DUGUAY hold-downs. I had made the bench with 3/4\" holes so I could utilize the [email protected] same accessories made for my larger bench, such as bench dogs. So far, the height seems perfect but the width could use a bit more girth. Now, Go Online for More could someone let me know why I didn’t do this a year ago? —By Steve Der-Garabedian RELATED ARTICLES: Build a Moxon Vise (June/July 2013) 22 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022



shopskills 3 Pros Suggest How to Spend Your FIRST $1,000 on Woodworking Outfitting a small shop is easy if money’s not an issue. But if your budget Photos by Rob Brown is limited, here’s what three experienced woodworkers recommend. 24 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022

Introduction The main challenge to getting into woodworking is the lack of wood our readers want to work with, as opposed to sheet goods tools you’ll have to build anything. And because you’re not an but, again, preference will be given to those tools that can do experienced woodworker you’ll likely not even know what tools both. and machines to best spend your money on. Everyone has a dif- ferent approach, and what tools and machines you purchase to Most of these tools can be found second hand, but the prob- get started will depend on what you want to make. A turner will lem is most new woodworkers don’t want to risk purchasing need a lathe and a selection of turning tools. Someone making a lemon when they don’t know much about these tools or small items like whirligigs and toys will likely need a bandsaw, machines to begin with. drill and a few hand tools. If built-ins and storage cabinets are your focus, a table or track saw should be where you start your And speaking of pricing, even when bought new, many of journey. these tools can vary in price quite a bit. For instance, a brand new basic block plane can be had for under $25, or you could For our “First $1,000\" articles in this issue we’re going to pay well over $500 for a really sleek model that’s a true joy to assume general woodworking is your goal. We’ll also assume see and use. Obviously, everyone has their own version of value you own a few basic tools that just about everyone has in their and can make adjustments as they see fit. We included pricing homes. A hammer, set of screw drivers, a couple pairs of pliers, to give you a sense of what some products can be purchased for, drill, tape measure, utility knife, some twist and driver bits, and even though some retailers will charge different prices for simi- a few other items won’t be on these lists, even though they come lar or like products. Although we don't want to turn this into an in handy. And we’re assuming you have a basic workbench or exact science, we've decided to keep some general pricing in this work surface already. article, along with some potential sources, even though these products can be found many places. If a source isn’t mentioned We’ve leaned towards woodworking, as opposed to home it’s because you can get that product from multiple sources, improvement, tools though a slight preference will be given to while we've included sources for specific items we feel should be tools that can do double duty. Also, we’re assuming it’s solid on this list. Rob Brown is the editor of Canadian Woodworking & Home Improvement and has built studio furniture for the past 20 years. He loves machines for their accuracy and repeatability, and hand tools for their flexibility and ability to fine tune a joint. His approach to spending your first $1000 includes a few very hand-held power tools to do a lot of the grunt work, a simple collection of critical hand tools to fine tune joints and a few other accessories to bring it all together. BY ROB BROWN Start with a few power tools. A table saw is the central Add Some Power – Power tools are fast and can be very accurate when used machine in my shop, but not all small shops can fit a machine properly. A router and circular saw will take care of a lot breakout and joinery tasks. this large. A table saw would also take up a lot of the budget. A circular saw will be able to trim all sorts of solid wood and sheet goods to size, and even help with very basic joinery from time to time. A circular saw guide will provide the accuracy needed to size material properly, but a shop-made version might be a good place to save north of $100. A fixed-base router with a 1/2\" collet is a small shop workhorse. It can take care of a lot of joinery options and add decorative details to edges and surfaces. A combo kit with motor, standard and plunge base is a good investment. To make a router cut, bits are next on the list. Although you can purchase single bits as needed, a set of bits is more economical to get you going. The price you pay is going to vary widely according to what type of bits you feel you need and how large the set is. Single bits can come later, as needed. CanadianWoodworking.com 25CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

Handy Tools to Have Around – Hand tools work best when they’re A Router Is King – removing small amounts of material. Fine tuning joints cut by power tools is maybe According to Brown, a the best example of this. A sharpening stone and honing guide will keep your hand router is likely the most tools sharp. Remember, a sharp tool is a safe tool. multi-functional tool on his list. From big tasks like levelling slabs to much more refined and accurate jobs like cutting lasting joinery, a router is often the answer in a small shop. Get the best you can afford, though there’s no reason to pay a lot for one early in your woodworking hobby, either. Add the flexibility of hand tools maintaining your plane blades and chisels. Although purists will disagree, I think a honing guide is the best approach to consistently The first hand tool I’d recommend is a hand saw; specifically, a good results, especially for a beginner. There are many options here, Japanese ryoba saw. The double-sided blade on this saw can rip and but a stone/jig set is a great first step into the world of sharpening. crosscut, and will be a joy to use if you treat it well. A basic block plane is next on the list and will chamfer edges, remove high spots A random orbital sander will help you smooth surfaces and pre- from a gentle curve and smooth all sorts of edges. A chisel will pare them for finishing coats, but would cost close to $100. Buy help you pare inside corners and cut a wide range of joints. A set some quality sandpaper and make a sanding block instead. of three chisels is more economical per item. If you get only one, a 3/4\" wide one should work fine. A half-round file will surely come in handy from time to time. To up your measuring and layout game, grab a 6\" long metal ruler to make measuring short distances much more accurate. A 4\" engineer’s square will check for right angles during machine setup, dressing stock and much more. A few mechanical pencils will leave you with thin, accurate marks to cut to. A sharp tool is a safe tool. It’s also the only type that will slice wood properly. A two-sided sharpening stone will assist you in Boring Tools – Holes of all types and sizes are a big part of woodworking. Clamps Are Crucial – You’ll never have enough clamps. And because they Dowels and pocket screws will get you started with joining workpieces together, come in so many different sizes and styles, it can be confusing to figure out what to while a set of spade bits will assist you both in the shop and around the house. get first. A few small, medium and large clamps is a good place to start. A single- handed trigger clamp will come in handy as you work alone in your shop. Safety gear like a mask, ear plugs and eye protection is even more critical than clamps. Protecting yourself from a serious long-term injury is never a bad thing, though obviously knowledge about how to use power tools, machines and hand tools will go a long way to preventing incidents from happening in the first place. 26 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022

Honourable Mentions – Whether you just don’t need something on Brown’s while I’m in my shop. Safety footwear is a good idea if you’re working list, you’re planning into the future or you just came across a few hundred dollars with even medium-weight material and machines, but I won’t officially under your mattress, these are the next items on his list. Layout and accuracy will add these to my list. It’s always a good idea to protect yourself. be improved by the squares, a hand plane will allow you to straighten edges of solid wood for gluing up large solid wood panels, and a few longer bar clamps will Add it up help you glue up larger panels or cabinets. A random orbital sander will make the important task of sanding easier. An apron will help keep all your most used items This assortment of tools, machines and supplies will get you nearby while you work; searching for a pencil is a waste of valuable shop time. started. After a while you’ll learn what other tools you need, Trust us, he knows. depending on the style of work you want to do. What’s next on my list? I’m so glad you asked. After grabbing a random orbital sander, Boring is exciting coping saw and 3/8\" and 1/2\" brad point bits and dowel centers, I would add a combination square, a framing square, a longer hand Boring holes is common while working wood. Drilling them plane, a couple of 60\" long bar clamps if larger projects interest accurately and cleanly is especially important when drilling dowel you, and a shop apron to keep a few tools within reach, before seri- holes. Dowels help strengthen and align joints. Diameters of 1/4\", ously considering a 12\" thickness planer. Then you just need…well, 3/8\" and 1/2\" are common in woodworking. Get a set of dowel maybe that’s for another article. centers as well as a quality 1/4\" diameter brad point bit; leave the 3/8\" and 1/2\" bits for now. Power Tools Boring other types of holes is going to happen often, so a set of Circular saw – $170 about 10 spade bits will take care of the medium- to large-diameter 1/2\" Fixed-Base Router – $200 holes. Bits – Busy Bee R926, $99 While you can’t plug in a pocket hole jig, it works with a corded Hand Tools or cordless drill to create pocket hole joinery. Pocket holes cer- tainly aren’t bomb-proof, though they are an easy and quick way to Hand saw (Japanese ryoba) – $40 add strength to many beginner joints. A pocket hole jig will come Block plane – Stanley, $30 equipped with the jig, bit and likely a few pocket-hole screws to get Chisel set (1/2\", 3/4\", 1\") – $35 you started. Grab some extra screws while you’re at it. Half-round file – $15 6\" cabinet makers rule – Lee Valley 06K2006, $4.90 Clamps Engineer’s square – Workshop Supply, $12 Mechanical pencil – $3 Although you’ll literally never have enough of them, that’s Sharpening set – Lee Valley 05D0501, $106 no reason to not even try. They come in a fairly wide range of Sandpaper – $20 sizes and types, but just a couple of a few styles is a good start- ing point. Although you can (and should) make clamps, you’ll Boring likely want to start with a few purchased clamps. A pair of 4\" C-clamps, a pair of 24\" F-clamps and a 6\" trigger clamp will get Dowel centers – Lee Valley, 66J4501, $6.20 you going. 1/4\" brad point bit – Lee Valley 07J0216, $8.90 Spade bit set – $25 Think safety Pocket hole jig – $50 Pocket hole screws – $25 Protective eyewear, a small box of disposable ear plugs and a dust respirator are important. New woodworkers should get in the habit of Clamps using each when needed. I wear my respirator at least 99% of the time 2 × 4\" C – $13 each (Mastercraft) 2 × 24\" F – $30 each (Mastercraft) 1 × 6\" trigger – $20 each (Mastercraft) Safety Safety glasses – $5 Ear plugs – $4 Dust respirator N100 Trend – $40 CanadianWoodworking.com 27CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

Chris Wong builds furniture, works around woodworking tools all day and is a large presence in the Canadian woodworking scene. While Chris is fortunate to have a shop full of reliable, high- quality tools, he finds it beneficial to modify most of them to better suit his needs, and design and build custom jigs to expand their capabilities. Here are his thoughts on what’s more impor- tant to a beginner woodworker. BY CHRIS WONG When deciding on a particular tool purchase for wood- How to choose Photos by Chris Wong working, think about how it can increase your abilities. Few tools are truly irreplaceable; most simply allow With so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to make work to be done more efficiently or with greater accuracy. For the right decision for your needs and budget even if you know a lot example, a $30,000 table saw, $200 circular saw and $10 hand saw about tools. It helps to be able to get your hands on the tool and are all capable of cutting material to size. Each has benefits and operate all the adjustments, or even try it out to see how it per- weaknesses. forms. Many retailers have excellent displays and generous return policies to make it easier to decide. In picking this list of tools for beginner woodworkers, I consid- ered function, alternatives (including possible shop-made ones) and Working with a $1,000 budget doesn’t allow for many, if any, top- cost. Most woodworking projects, without getting into special areas quality tools. It does, however, allow for an assortment of tools that like carving or turning, can be accomplished with these tools. will get you well into woodworking and be dependable for many years to come. 28 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022

The Question of Quality – Tools made with better materials and to higher Power Tools – You don’t need to break the bank at first. Most medium-level tolerances are nicer to use and often produce an overall better experience for the power tools will provide years of service if they’re cared for and used appropriately. woodworker. Having said that, it’s usually not possible to buy the very best every time. Diamond sharpening plates, a Veritas plane and Stanley Sweetheart chisels Physical stores, are quality tools, but you might have to settle for lesser quality at first. customer service and warranty What’s in a price tag? Online retailers sometimes sell things at lower prices than brick- and-mortar stores but buying from a physical store has some In choosing which tools to buy, think about this: better tools are benefits. For example, you can pick up and examine 12 different usually made from better materials machined to higher tolerances. routers before making a choice and ask the salesperson to walk you Some are also designed better. through all the features, operations and accessories. And you get your new tools right away without having to think about shipping Tolerances charges, delays and damages. Higher tolerances result in better accuracy, smoother operation Personally, I like to know that if I have an issue, I can go back and, ultimately, better results. With patience, the back of an inex- to the store and get help, rather than send a message to a customer pensive chisel can be lapped flat. With care, the registration points service inbox and wait for a reply. on a combination square can be carefully filed down until the blade locks down at exactly 90° to the body. With a little time, all sharp Final thoughts edges and burrs left from a rushed manufacturing process can be removed. However, it is unreasonable to improve the tolerance of In making the right decision, it helps to keep all of these things certain things like ball bearings, which can ultimately affect the in mind, as well as what your own needs are. Will you be run- quality of the cut. ning hundreds of feet of moulding through that ogee router bit, or only eight feet? Do you need a square that is accurate to 0.001\" Materials per inch of length out of the box? Will you be using chisels for two hours a day or only five minutes every other week? Do you have the The choice of materials is always a compromise. Harder steels patience to fiddle with an imprecise mechanism? are more brittle, titanium is lighter but more expensive, and proper heat-treating takes time and care. A circular saw with a stamped Don’t forget, you can save money by making many tools and steel or plastic baseplate may weigh more or flex more than an accessories in your own shop. You can make all sorts of clamps, aluminum or magnesium one. A router bit with a lower grade of fences, guides, fixtures and jigs from scraps of wood, grind brad carbide can’t be sharpened as finely and won’t retain sharpness as point bits from standard twist bits, and even forge high-quality chis- well as a premium one. els from old files. Design Making the tools you use can be very satisfying (and challenging at times). However, other tools are very difficult to make yourself – Many higher-end tools are full of thoughtful features and conve- most power tools fall into this category. Decide where you want to niences. However, if you’re clever, shop-made modifications can invest your money and your time, and you’ll be able to put together provide other tools with that missing functionality – at least to a a capable set of tools for woodworking while staying on budget. degree. An uncomfortable plastic handle on an otherwise good Remember to keep the subscription of your favourite woodworking handsaw can be replaced. Many router accessories can be easily magazine current, too. made with scraps of wood and a few pieces of metal hardware. An auxiliary table can significantly improve the safety, convenience A few details and performance of the standard cast-iron drill press table. Get a piece of granite at least 3\" × 9\" from the offcuts bin of a coun- tertop manufacturer and apply wet-dry sandpaper to it so you can sharpen edges. Use wood glue to attach leather, rough side down, to 10\" × 3\" piece of MDF so you can put a very keen edge on tools. CanadianWoodworking.com 29CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

Variety Is Important – You’ll learn to love clamps very quickly. Start off with Wet-dry sandpaper, $10 a few medium-duty clamps and add to your collection as you go. You can also Granite offcut, free from countertop store make some tools, jigs or fixtures to further expand on what you can accomplish in Veritas honing compound, Lee Valley 05M0801, $18 your shop. Making clamps is a great project for a beginner. Shop-made strop, $2 Chisels, 3-pack, $35 A three-chisel set will go a long way. When buying a used #4 Plunge Router, Ryobi, RE180PL1G, $150 plane make sure nothing is missing, broken or cracked. The clamps 1/4\" solid carbide end mill, $10 you buy can also act as a bench vise to hold workpieces. Jigsaw, Black and Decker, BDEJS600C, $50 Jigsaws blades, $15 12\" combination square, Stanley, $20 Drill press, Ryobi, DP103L, $150 Corded 3/8\" drill, Ryobi D43K, $40 Brad point bit set, Lee Valley, 33J0232, $29 Circular saw, Ryobi, CSB125, $60 7 1/4\" 60T fine crosscut blade, Diablo D0760R, $30 7 1/4\" 24T ripping blade, Diablo, D0724R, $15 #4 hand plane (used), $30 10\" handscrew clamp, #20 2 × 60\" aluminum bar clamps, Magnum, KMS, $25 2 × 24\" aluminum bar clamps, Magnum, KMS, $15 4 × 6\" F-clamps, ROK, $20 Dust collector, Ridgid WD4070, $110 Belt sander, Ryobi, BE319, $70 Japanese handsaw, Lee Valley, 60T5201, $27 www.stockroomsupply.com Wainfleet, ON. Call: 1-877-287-5017 Lathes Drum Sanders Camvac Dust Extractors Little Ripper Sawmills Bandsaws Chucks Moulding Sanders Sandpaper & Much More INNOVATIVE WOODWORKING TOOLS & SUPPLIES Bandsaw & Lathe Specialists @Recordpower @StockroomSupply 30 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022

Steve Der-Garabedian started woodworking in his early 20s and became serious in 1999 when he started Black Walnut Studio Inc. He loves all aspects of woodworking but delved into fine furniture and veneering. Steve’s recent passion is for detailed smaller projects such as boxes, wall- hung cabinets and tool making. His bandsaw is his go-to machine, and that’s clearly reflected in his ideas for what you should spend your first $1,000 on. Photos by Steve Der-Garabedian BY STEVE DER-GARABEDIAN smoother, a block plane is one of the handiest. There are a lot of choices and prices from less than $50 to upwards of $300. The Thinking back to when I started out, I was thrilled for Veritas apron plane is a great starter, but you’ll also have it around for any tools my family and friends were able to give me. a long time. I bought mine years ago and haven’t regretted it. This is (Although I remember there was a table saw that I swear where buying quality pays off. You can use it to free up sticky doors, was out to test my patience.) Chances are, however, put a smooth edge on a box or just take a little off a piece of wood. you’re going to need to spend some money and buy a few tools. This always works better with a block plane rather than a power tool. It can be difficult to pick out the right tools. There are different One of the facts of woodworking is that you need to sharpen your brands and prices for what I’m suggesting below; some cheaper, some more expensive. I’d like to add my two cents to your $1,000 Hand Tool Workhorse – A block plane will do many things in a woodworking and give you some hard-learned advice. If you have to wait a bit shop. From adding chamfers to flushing edges, it will be a main go-to tool in a longer and drop some more toonies into a piggy bank to buy better beginner’s shop. quality, then do so. Some of the tools I bought were cheap because it was a way to quickly equip my shop with as many tools as possible. Some either failed or frustrated me enough so I didn’t use them. Why should you buy the particular tools I’m recommending? The scraper, for one, is the cheapest, best tool you can buy. It can do rough work like scraping glue off your workbench or smooth a sur- face no matter the grain direction. There are different thicknesses of scrapers, but starting off with a medium one seems right. The file, burnisher and water stones will help you tune it up. You’ll end up buying more. The file is going to come in handy for more than just the scraper. Files do an excellent job of shaping wood, and while there are all sorts of sizes and shapes, I reach for my mill bastard quite often. While it’s nice to have a variety of planes such as a jack or CanadianWoodworking.com 31CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

tools. Even your power tools need sharp The saying goes that you can never have blades. While the packaging on planes and enough clamps. It’s true and I still add chisels suggests they’re sharp, they really to my collection. I’ve added a set here aren’t where we need them to be. I use that includes four one-handed and two three different courses of stones: 1000x, ratcheting-style clamps. When it comes 4000x and 8000x. This combination stone to gluing up your work the last thing you will get your tools sharper and more usable want is the added pressure of your clamps than what the factory provides. Keep in not working properly. Start saving again mind that you’ll need to keep these flat. because you’re going to buy more. A piece of marble or float glass with 120x wet/dry sandpaper will allow you to do The last item on the shopping list this. Down the road, a diamond plate will is a butt chisel. I bought my first from also work but these can be pricey. Canadian Tire and I still have it today. It takes a good edge and I’ve used it for all While sharpening by hand is possible, sorts of work. I’ve relegated it to more it also takes a bit of skill. A sharpening rough work these days. There are lots of jig will give you consistent results and let other chisels to think about down the road, you do it efficiently. If you do a search on but never for opening paint cans. sharpening jigs you’ll find many choices. Some are good, others not so much. It No matter your choices, the key is to reminds me of a saying about fishing lures. use these tools. Take lessons and learn to Some are meant to catch fishermen and use what you bought. Use them on scrap not fish. When it comes to sharpening, as wood and learn how to best use them. well as other aspects of woodworking, find Talk to other woodworkers and see what a sharpening method that’s not a chore. they like and recommend. When buying You’ll need to do it regularly. tools, put your hands on them to see how they feel. A bandsaw should be the first stationary power tool you buy. This and my router Card scraper, 0.032\" – $10 are what I alluded to when I said that I Veritas burnisher – Lee Valley, 05K2040, initially bought cheap and paid the price. $15.50 The 10\" Rikon bandsaw is a good tool. Mill bastard file, 8\" – $10 You can set it up to accurately rip, cut Veritas apron plane with O1 blade – Lee curves, shapes, circles, re-saw and cross Valley, 05P2701, $132 cut, among other things. It’s also a safer King combination sharpening stones, tool as all the pressure is against the table 1000x/4000x – Lee Valley, 60M5004, and kickbacks don’t happen. $53.50 Veritas sharpening jig – Lee Valley, 05M0940, $49.50 Rikon 10\" bandsaw – $680 Bessey 6-pack clamp set – $40 Butt chisel, 1\" – $12 Flexible, Accurate and Lasting – A quality bandsaw is what Der-Garabedian would recommend spending the bulk of your money on. It’s capable of making a lot of different cuts accurately and will last a lifetime. Go Online for More RELATED ARTICLES: A Serious Small Shop for Under $10,000 (June/July 2012) June/July 2022



small shop essentials There are lots of choices to be made when setting up a first workshop or upgrading an existing shop. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned woodworker, these hand and power tools, machines, and workshop accessories will help you work smarter, safer and more efficiently. This is our 12th annual roundup of Small Shop Essentials. Flexcut 3-Knife Starter Set Flexcut Spoon Carvin’ Jack We’ve packaged some of our most popular knives in one, 3-Knife It has both a shallow and a deep hook knife, designed to form Starter Set. The comfortable the hollows of spoons and bowls. It also features a straight curved ergonomic handle allows for blade for shaping and carving fine details into the design. long periods of carving without hand This tool fits neatly in your pocket, so you can carve wher- fatigue. The set includes 3 knives to ever you go. The handle is made of rugged aerospace get you started carving today: KN12 aluminum with an ergonomic design that con- Cutting Knife, KN13 Detail Knife, tours to fit the palm of your hand. There is KN14 Roughing Knife and Flexcut also deep crosshatching on the handle to Gold polishing compound. Perfect keep the knife from slipping while carving. for beginners and pros and easy Flexcut’s Spoon Carvin’ Jack makes it easy to maintain the razor-sharp edges. and convenient to handcraft spoons from every KN500 – SRP: $61.95 kind of wood stock. JKN96 – SRP: $132.95 Flexcut.com Flexcut.com Flexcut Carvin’ Jack King Canada 6-1/2\" Variable Speed Plunge Cut Track Saw The 6-Blade Carvin’ Jack is the world’s first fold- ing multi-tool for woodcarving. It’s equipped with The new affordable King Canada 2 scorps, straight gouge, a hook knife, KC-8365 Plunge Track Saw fea- chisel, and a detail knife. You also get a tures a powerful 12-amp soft-start slip strop, a bar of Flexcut Gold polish- motor with constant torque tech- ing compound to keep your blades sharp, nology. You get a full 2-1/8\" depth and a leather belt-mounted sheath that of cut at 90° (2-5/16\" without the looks good with jeans or even your bet- track) and a 1-1/2\" cut capacity at ter pants. The only tool like it 45° (1-21/32\" without the track). in the world – A woodcarving The flat blade housing design allows wall cuts at 11/16\" from the wall. set in your pocket. JKN91 – Includes a depth stop feature for splinter-free cuts, a fully enclosed blade, SRP: $169.95 anti-kickback control (when used with the optional 50\" track), dust bag, Flexcut.com dust chute, set of carbon brushes and hex key with on cord storage. Kingcanada.com 34 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022

RALI 220N Evolution Hand WORX Nitro 20V 18-Gauge Plane Brad Nail/Staple Gun The ergonomically designed, two The WORX WX840L 2-in-1 fires both 18-gauge handed RALI 220N is a great brad nails from 3/4\" to 2\" and narrow crown way to bring the revolutionary staples from 3/4\" to 1-1/2\". The magazine has a RALI design into your workshop. capacity of 100 fasteners and the high efficiency The RALI disposable blade design air impact technology fires up to 80 fasten- allows for changes in seconds, ers per minute. With the included 2.0Ah battery with the blade always square to you can sink up to 500 fasteners per battery the sole and instant height adjust- charge. Select from 2 firing modes – contact actu- ment quickly controlled by a lever. Each blade has two cutting edges for ated mode for quick firing and single sequential quick rotation. No more sharpening or setup required! At 8-5/8\" long, the mode for precision placement. The WX840L offers 220N is a classic medium length RALI plane featuring a precision laminated tool-free precision depth-adjustment for properly setting nail heads, a non- steel sole and anti-corrosion smooth nickel sides. It comes with four chrome marring pad to protect work surfaces and dual LED lights to illuminate steel knives – replacement knives are available in chrome steel and carbide. fastener placement in low light environments. Tersaknives.com Canadiantire.ca WORX Nitro Brushless 20V WORX 20V Sandeck 5-in-1 4-1/2\" Circular Saw Multi Sander The WORX WX531L saw With the WORX WX820L features a compact design you get 5 sanders in one tool for excellent maneuverabil- by simply switching sanding ity and portability. Quick rip bases: finishing, random orbit, and plunge cuts have never detail, finger or detail contour. been easier – just grab the The Hyperlock clamping sys- WORXSAW and go. The tem makes changing bases and brushless motor provides pads easily and securely without the use of tools. Choose from 5 variable a 50% longer runtime and speed options (4,000 to 10,000 RPM) for the material at hand. The unique 25% more power than a DustStop micro filter reduces airborne dust. The sander has a 3-year war- traditional motor. With the WORXSAW you can make cuts up to 1-1/2\" ranty and comes with 5 sanding bases, 20V battery, battery charger, dust (at 90°) and bevel cuts from 0° to 46°. The saw has a 3-year warranty bag, 3 sanding sheets, hole punch and a carry bag. and comes complete with a 20V battery, battery charger, 4-1/2\" blade, Canadiantire.ca dust adapter, parallel guide and carry bag. Shopworx.ca Oneida Dust-Free Router Hood Orion Pinless Wood Moisture Meters This unique wet/dry vacuum accessory from Offering superior Oneida Air captures accurate readings, nearly all the wood remarkable versatil- chips and dust produced ity, and built tough by handheld rout- to last. Since 1965, ers. Molded from clear Wagner Meters has polycarbonate – the established one of the material used for indus- best reputations in the trial safety glasses – this woodworking and wood products industry. Our wood moisture meters universal router are built tough for consistently high performance in the most punishing mill and workshop environments. The Orion line of the best pinless wood hood offers excellent clarity and superior durability. It’s designed to work moisture meters offer the exact features you need along with the Wagner with most of the fixed base and plunge style routers from major brands. The tradition of superior accuracy you trust. dust hood collects waste at the source both above and below the router bit, Wagnermeters.com eliminating post-project cleanup. Tame the Dust! Oneida-air.com CanadianWoodworking.com 35CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

SmallShopEssentials2022 Diablo Reusable Hand BORA Centipede 4'x4' Sanding Block Workstand Diablo’s new reusable hand sand- The BORA Centipede CK9S Workstand ing block maximizes sanding is the most flexible solution for your job site, performance by enabling users to workspace, or workshop. When folded it sand flat and contour surfaces with measures 8.75\" × 9.25\" × 38.5\" for easy one tool. This premium 2-3/4\" by 5\" storage or transporting. It quickly unfolds foam tool includes two sides: cush- into a lightweight, portable, and durable ioned for controlled material removal 4' × 4' workstation with a 30\" working in contour sanding, and dense for height. It sets up in seconds and supports up to 3,500 lbs. Heavy-duty steel aggressive material removal on flat surfaces. Hook Lock backing allows struts are flexible to absorb the impact from heavy objects and machinery, repeated attachment and removal of Diablo SandNET sheets. Included with yet durable enough to ensure long-lasting, smooth operation. The Centipede the Reusable Hand Sanding Block are five SandNET sheets, ranging from comes with 4 quick clamps, 4 X-cups, and 1 carry bag. To view the full line coarse/removal to ultra-fine finish. The reusable SandNET nylon design is of Centipede workstands and accessories, or locate a Canadian retailer, visit easy to clean and reuse multiple times, simply shake, vacuum or rinse to their website. Also available at Home Depot Canada stores. remove any build up. Boratool.com Diablotools.com Laguna P|Flux:3 Cyclone Bessey EZR-SET One-Handed Dust Collector Table Clamps The 3HP, 1624CFM P|Flux series gets a host of The BESSEY EZR-SET gives you exciting new upgrades including an auto-clean- three clamping functions – table ing feature standard on all models in this line. clamp, standard clamp and step- The auto-clean conveniently activates every 10 over clamp. The EZR-SET track minutes, or you can simply activate from the system clamp not only makes sleek redesigned remote. Overfilling the drum clamping easy with a one-handed is a thing of the past, thanks to the super-sized trigger lever, but a quick push-but- 46-gallon octagonal drum and a bright LED ton release mechanism allows an light illuminating the drum on all P|Flux mod- easy conversion to spreading without the use of tools. Insert the included els. Plus, LED and audio warning lets you know 2\" adaptor into the upper or lower jaw for step-over work. A cross prism when the drum is full – features that are now design integrated in the plastic cap allows secure fastening of round, standard in this line. pointed and angular pieces. Engineered with a 2K ergonomically shaped Lagunatools.com handle for comfort and safe handling. Bessey Beeswax Furniture Polish Laguna C|Flux:1 Cyclone Clapham’s Beeswax Dust Collector Furniture Polish is a non-toxic, museum-quality The popular 1.5HP 900CFM C|Flux cyclone dust polish made with or with- collector keeps the user-friendly aspects of the out lavender essential oil, previous generation while adding smart new from beeswax with a little car- features to improve the user experience. Among nauba wax and deodorized the upgrades is a dual-paddle filter cleaning mineral spirit solvent. Apply it design, a max level indicator to increase filter sparingly over any cured fin- longevity and variable dust port positioning. ish, including waterborne, solvent-based varnish, polyurethane, lacquer and The iconic octagonal drum provides 25-gallon penetrating oil. It can be applied directly to bare wood to get a gorgeous, capacity and the newly redesigned 3-piece drum soft beeswax shine that will become part of the patina as the years go by. construction requires far fewer joints and fas- Apply thinly using a cloth and after five minutes buff lightly with a differ- teners cutting assembly time, while the locking ent cloth. Available in 50g/1.75oz, 200g/7oz and 1134g/40oz sizes. Use casters provide additional stability. WOODWORKING10 for a 10% discount when you place your order. Expires Lagunatools.com December 31st, 2022. Claphams.com 36 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022

Steel City 12\" Production Steel City Radial Arm Saw 14\" Band Saw For heavy duty crosscutting nothing beats The 1HP SCM20302S1 professional band saw the Steel City SCM10722S3 with its brake features a sturdy welded steel frame that provides equipped 3HP motor. Crosscut stock up to 3\" robustness and stability. It offers 2 cutting speeds – thick and 16\" wide (1\" material) and rip stock 2300 and 3200 feet per minute and accepts 101\" up to 26-3/8\". You can install either 10\" or blades from 1/8\" to 3/4\" wide. You get a maximum 12\" saw blades. Use a dado stack for cutting cutting capacity of 13-3/4\" and a resaw capacity half laps, cross laps and rabbets. Key features of 7-1/2\". The blade guides are fitted with Bakelite include an ultra sturdy cast-iron frame on a cool blocks for easy setting and maximum blade heavy-duty stand, exclusive height adjustment stability. The 14\" square polished cast-iron table by means of a removable front handwheel, pre- rests on two aluminum alloy trunnions and tilts from cision adjustable indexing with stops at 90°, -10° to 45°. Quality and simplicity at a very afford- 45° and 22.5° on both sides for bevel and mitre cuts and transparent blade able price. guard with anti-kickback attachment and splitter. Versatile and efficient. Normand.ca Normand.ca Steel City Bench Top Steel City 17\" Bench Edgebander Top Drill Press The SCM60400S1 bench The heavy cast-iron SCM40300S1 drill press edgebander melts the glue has a powerful 3/4HP (12A) induction motor that on the back of edging tape, delivers 12 easy to configure speeds from 340 to automatically applies the tape 2800 RPM. The 12\" square table tilts 45° (L and to the workpiece and allows R) in front and can also rotate 360° in order to it to be cut to length. It has offer more drilling capacity for end boring on long a 1500W - 110V heating workpieces. A raising device offers 15\" of height element with electronic control that provides a variable choice of tempera- adjustment. Key features include high quality tures to accommodate a wide variety of tapes. It features 2 blowing levels sealed ball bearings on the spindle, 18\" maxi- and an easily accessible variable temperature control rotary button (100 mum distance between spindle and table, 5/8\" key to 200°C). The large 26-3/4\" by 7-1/2\" aluminum table makes it easy to chuck capacity and a #2MT tapered adaptor. The handle large pieces, while a robust cut-off knife with protective guard and maximum boring stroke is 3-1/4\"and a depth stop palm handle allows for straight and precise cuts. is included allowing repetitive drilling. Normand.ca Normand.ca Steel City 5/8\" Hollow Steel City 8\" Slow Speed Chisel Mortiser Grinder The massive cast-iron head, column, table and The SCM70200S1 bench fence on the SCM40510S1 make for better grinder is equipped with a 3/4 vibration absorption, while the 1/2HP motor HP induction motor running delivers ample power for 5/8\" and 3/4\" shank at 1725 RPM and a wheel chisels. The large 15-3/4\" by 17\" worktable balancer that provides opti- provides additional stability. A robust rack-and- mum balancing of the wheels pinion gear drive with a damper for less vibration. Key features cylinder ensures soft and con- include two 1\" by 8\" grind- trolled descent of the mortising ing wheels – 36 grit (coarse) and 100 grit (medium/fine); 2 large adjustable chisel. Two stops allow you to adjust tool rests with quick adjustment handles, spark arrestors and transpar- the plunge depth from 0 to 5\" deep. ent eye shields; built-in dust extraction that includes 2 dust ports located Adjustable non marring rubber pressure on the rear inner side of each wheel guard and a compressed flexible hose rollers press and hold the workpiece against the with 2-3/8\" port to connect to a dust extractor; and 4 anti-vibration rubber fence. Includes 1/4\", 5/16\", 3/8\" and 1/2\" chisels. pads. No more bouncing or vibrating, just smooth running. An economic way to drill square holes. Normand.ca Normand.ca CanadianWoodworking.com 37CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

SmallShopEssentials2022 Salad Bowl Finish Arbortech Precision Carving System Clapham’s Salad Bowl Finish Featuring Mini is a non-toxic, food-safe fin- Ball Gouge ish made of beeswax, carnauba wax and mineral oil. Use it on The Precision Carving System is the wooden kitchen utensils and smallest attachment in the Power Carving surfaces, including countertops, Range. Highlighted by the Mini Ball Gouge, butcher blocks, cutting boards, this 3-piece set will open the door to more salad bowls, wooden toys, spoons intricate power carving, detailing and tex- and spatulas. The finish helps pro- turing. It includes a Universal Base that, when fitted to the Power Carving tect wood from the elements and gives it a soft lustrous shine. Apply thinly Unit or a standard 4\" - 4 1/2\" angle grinder with a 5/8\" spindle, allows and buff to a light shine once dry. Available in 50g/1.75oz, 200g/7oz and users to interchange the precision carving and sanding bits to carve smaller 1134g/40oz sizes. Use WOODWORKING10 for a 10% discount when you radii, intricate details and fine textures in wood. place your order. Expires December 31st, 2022. Arbortech.com Claphams.com Choose From 14 Different FEIN MultiMaster MM300 – Multitool For Precision Results Accessory Sets The entry level MM300 multitool FEIN’s oscillating accessory sets handles a wide variety of jobs. Its were designed to include our most pop- StarlockPlus tool mount gives you ular and best-selling Starlock blades. access to over 100 FEIN accessories Each set was perfectly combined based and with the game changing QuickIN on customer feedback, is designed to tool clamping system, accessory meet a specific application, and offers a changes are super quick. A soft-start price advantage. Simply pick a set and have everything you need to get the motor for super smooth speed accel- job done. And did you know? Our Starlock blades are compatible with FEIN eration, electronic speed control that MULTIMASTERS and competitive oscillating multitools that have a Starlock delivers constant speed under load, mount. With the largest range of accessories in the world, the applications overload protected motor for effective work, and exceptional build qual- are limitless. ity for maximum durability and long tool life. No vibration, no kickback Fein.ca – just precise control. It’s ideal for woodworkers, finish carpenters, reno- vators, hobbyists and DIY enthusiasts. Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 720PRO Fein.ca With the Pocket-Hole Jig Dust 720PRO you will build pocket-hole Right projects faster than ever. Features Universal like Automaxx one-motion clamping Pipe Port help you save time and effort – by Set simultaneously clamping your work- piece and automatically adjusting Power tools generate a lot of dust where you want it least: under your to the exact thickness of your mate- nose. Unfortunately, the wide variety of non-standardized dust ports makes rial (from 1/2\" to 1 1/2\"). GripMaxx connecting to the pipe more difficult – until now. This Rockler 48212 anti-slip holds the project piece set includes two sizes of flexible rubber ports – 1'’ and 1-1/2'’ – that fit secure so you never have to worry on almost any tool, plus a 2-1/4\" port that connects to multiple sweeper about shifting while you drill pocket models and dust separators. The pipe stretches from 3' to 15' in length. A holes. Included with the 720PRO are the Kreg Docking Station material sup- flexible and durable way to control dust in your shop. port wings with a repeatable stop, as well as a Pocket-Hole Jig Clamp. Elitetools.ca Kregtool.com 38 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022

Affordable Handheld CNC Routing Shaper Origin is an easy-to-use handheld CNC router that brings digital precision to the craft of woodworking. With Shaper Origin and Workstation you can create perfect box joints, mortise and tenon joinery, and more with ease and accuracy. Best of all, Origin is portable and compact, taking up zero space in your home shop or small business. Learn more about how woodworkers from around the world rely on Shaper Origin + Workstation by visiting Shaper Tools online. Shapertools.com Titebond Speed Set Festool TS 55 F Track Saw Wood Glue Launched on March 25, the new Titebond Speed Set is an extremely fast- Festool TS 55 F Track Saw delivers setting, high solids PVA adhesive with a 15 excellent work results and a top-class minute clamp time and requires only 175 to sawing system—truly meeting every 250 psi clamping pressure for hardwoods. challenge. New, ultra-thin saw blades It provides exceptional gap filling properties achieve up to twice the cutting speed developing a bond stronger than the wood of the earlier generations with maxi- itself. It offers excellent sandability, unaf- mum cutting performance. The 360° fected by finishes, and increases productivity swiveling connection allows the suc- through its shorter clamp time with no tion unit to be adjusted to any working position. With accessories, such as increase in viscosity. Titebond Speed Set is guide rails and the angle stop, or sophisticated and proven details, such as non-toxic and cleans up with water. the splinter guard and extraction system perfectly matched to the machine, Titebond.com the TS 55 provides excellent work results and a top-class sawing system. FestoolCanada.com Pre-cut Sheets of Plywood for Your Next Project It can be quite a challenge to wrestle a 4'× 8' sheet of plywood home, especially without a truck or van. And cutting a full sheet on a table saw can be nerve rack- ing. The solution is with PureBond's convenient, ship-to-home 2' by 4' project panels, available in 1/4\", 1/2\" and 3/4\" thicknesses. Panels are available in a wide range of species choices, including maple (in raw and pre-finished forms), red oak, white oak, aromatic cedar, walnut, poplar, birch, mahogany, alder, hickory and innovative new Rough-Sawn faces in red oak and birch. Maple and walnut are also available with an exposed-edge “EuroPly” core. Made with a soy-based technol- ogy instead of added urea formaldehyde, Purebond Project Panels are available through The Home Depot Canada website (just search for “Columbia Forest 2 ft” at HomeDepot.ca and you’ll see these great choices). Better for you in the workshop and in the home. CanadianWoodworking.com 39CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

SmallShopEssentials2022 Fuji Spray Q5 PLATINUM HVLP System The Q5 Platinum turbine with its powerful 5-stage motor devel- ops approximately 9.5 psi, making it ideal for all kinds of tasks including heavy duty projects. Yet, it’s super quiet – only 63 decibels. The extra power allows for less thinning of viscous paints and achieves finer atomization producing a flawless finish in less time. It features a Heat Dissipation Chamber that expels excess heat from the turbine resulting in much cooler operating temperatures, while a variable speed dial allows the user to adjust motor speed, providing the ultimate in versatility. Fujispraysystems.com The Ultimate Joinery System The PantoRouter makes woodwork- templates can be shop-made to produce the ing joinery fast, accurate, safe, repeatable perfect size and shape for your project. and fun! Mortise and tenon has never been easier with over 150 perfectly fitting sizes Hobbyists and custom furniture makers use using their patented tapered templates. You the large table and numerous clamping posi- can set up and cut angled or compound- tions as a convenient platform for custom angled joints in minutes, virtually dust-free jigs and fixtures so the tool never limits their due to the incredibly effective dust collec- design. Customers rave about PantoRouter’s tion hood. Go from setup to glue-up in under thoughtful design, engineering and high-quality five minutes in most cases. Box joints and construction. And because there’s no safer way dovetails can be variably spaced, and custom to use a woodworking router, the PantoRouter is popular in high school shops across the country. Visit their website to see videos of the PantoRouter in action and learn more about how others are using this unique tool. PantoRouter.com 40 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022

ShopTested Kinex Precision Try Squares Accurate, reliable, durable and affordable Reviews Laguna PX12 Planer Our experts review new tools A small shop planer that’s big on features and products especially suited to the woodworker and DIYer. Kinex Precision Try Squares (Photo by Carl Duguay) BY CARL DUGUAY 41CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT Furniture and cabinet making is all about accuracy. Repeatable, accurate measurements are one of the keys to producing quality work and making efficient use of your time. This is achieved by having accurate measuring and marking tools. Over the past couple of months, I’ve been using two Kinex try squares – a 150 × 100 mm all-steel and a 60 × 40 mm made of titanium and carbon fibre. The squares are manufactured in the Czech Republic by a small company that specializes in measuring tools for use on high-pre- cision machinery. The larger one is square to +/- 0.008 mm (0.00031\") along the entire length of the blade while the smaller is a remarkable 0.007 mm (0.00028\"). In comparison, both my Engineer’s and Starrett squares are rated at 0.0254 mm (0.001\"). I’ve been using the larger square for marking and checking right angles, laying out joints and all manner of machinery setup. With a 7.8 mm thick blade and weighing 400 grams, it’s hefty enough to stay in place during use but light enough to carry around in a shop apron. The surface grinding is superb and all edges are nicely eased. I also like that it resists scoring from a marking knife, which I use to define layout lines. The smaller square is a beauty to look at as well as to use. At only 11 grams and with a 3 mm thick blade, it’s best suited for smaller scale, detailed use. For example, it’s ideal for marking tail boards when laying out dovetails. Both squares come with a limited lifetime warranty. The 150 × 100 mm represents outstanding value in an everyday square. The 60 × 40 mm ultralight square comes in a nifty aluminum storage box and is likely to put a smile on your face every time you pick it up. Kinex Precision Try Square MSRP: $44 (150mm × 100mm), $62 (60mm × 40mm) NorthwestPassageTools.com Tester: Carl Duguay CanadianWoodworking.com

Laguna PX12 Planer BY RICH KELLER Aplaner is a must for preparing stock in any wood shop. After Accuracy Matters – The top of the PX12 has several predetermined thickness face jointing a board, the planer will make the other side par- gauges. When the board slips in the groove you know you’ve arrived at the allel to the face-jointed side. You can also use the planer to marked size. reduce the overall thickness of stock or smooth out glue lines after gluing up a panel. If you’re doing a project with multiple boards, the planer can be used to make all the boards the same thickness. There are a couple of nice features on this machine that are a bit different from competitive models. Up top, there is a series of grooves of different sizes you can use as a gauge to check stock thick- ness for various common measurements. This is a handy feature as it saves using a tape measure or calipers when planing. There is also a hard depth stop for four common sizes, so you can stop planing at a number of predetermined depths: 5/32\", 1/4\", 1/2\" and 3/4\". This is great if you need to come back halfway through a project and do another board, because you’ll get the same thickness even though you didn’t plane all your wood at the same time. Inside the machine there are four heavy posts on which the cut- ter head moves up and down. The movement is controlled by two threaded rods, one on each side. Both threaded rods turn in sync as you crank the handle thanks to the chain drive underneath the machine. The chain drive is heavy duty and the machine is very smooth going up and down. The lock mechanism feels solid when you actuate it. Up front is a depth-of-cut gauge to let you know how much stock you’re removing. The gauge is used to set your depth for your first pass, rather than by trial and error. The overall thickness scale has a magnifying cursor so it’s easy to read. The PX12 has folding infeed and outfeed tables. The tables of the machine are smooth and polished, and the heights of the infeed and outfeed tables are adjustable with a series of levelers. This machine has virtually no snipe for a couple of reasons. First, there are no table rollers, a common source of snipe on bigger machines. If table rollers aren’t adjusted properly, your board will jump around, causing snipe. The infeed and outfeed tables on this machine also play a role in eliminating snipe. They need to be set level, of course, but that’s easy to do. With the stock properly sup- ported in and out of the machine, the board isn’t going to jump around and you shouldn’t have any snipe. The cutter head is the main feature that sets this machine apart. Laguna calls this the “Quadtec” head. It’s a fairly simple design, shopnotes June/July 2022 Big Bear Tools Sponsored: The Tormek T-8 Original is a powerful and versatile water-cooled sharpening system that includes every- thing you need to take your sharpening to the next level. Its advanced design and user-friendly operation give you the best possible conditions for successful sharpening with top results. The Tormek T-8 Original is ideal for quality- conscious DIYers as well as professionals. Please see Big Bear Tools’ complete line of Tormek sharpening systems and accessories at BigBearTools.com. 42 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

(Photo 2 by Laguna, Photo 3 and 4 by Rich Keller) Dust Collection – The dust chute connects to a 4\" hose. A reducer for a 2-1/2\" vacuum hose is also included. yet very effective. There are four rows of cutters, each set in a straight line. This is a lower-cost alternative to true helical cutter heads like Laguna’s “Sheartec” cutter head, however there are still several advantages to this type of cutter head. One big advantage is the knives are much easier to set for the end user than tradi- tional straight knife cutter heads. If you can operate a screwdriver, you’ll be able to set these knives perfectly every time. The other big advantage to this type of cutter head is the noise level. Because you don’t have one knife cutting into the board all at once, it’s a lot quieter than a traditional straight knife cutter head. This machine runs around 90 to 95db, reasonably quiet for a portable planer. I would still recommend hearing protection when using, but you won’t be annoying the neighbours when it’s running. This cutter head also uses carbide inserts and these will stay sharper a lot longer than HSS knives would. The machine’s dust collection works very well; there is no dust to speak of outside the machine. I hooked it up to a dust collector to test it. The machine comes with a reducer if you want to use a smaller shop vacuum instead of a dust collector, but planers make a lot of chips so I expect a shop vacuum would not be able to keep up with the dust like a proper dust collector can. A good planer is an important machine in the shop. It’s an abso- lute necessity for preparing stock accurately. In the good ol’ days you had to do all of this work by hand with a plane. Some people still do, but why do that when you can make a board smooth and even in thickness so quickly? The Laguna PX12 has some great features and would be a great addition to any small shop. It has lots of power and produces a smooth finish quickly on any wood. Visit the Videos section of our website to watch Rich do an in- depth review of this PX12 Laguna planer. Laguna PX12 Planer MSRP: $950 Website: LagunaTools.com Tester: Rich Keller CanadianWoodworking.com

shopskills At-Source Photos by Mark Salusbury DUST June/July 2022 COLLECTION Dust can be harmful to your health if it’s not dealt with properly. The first place to harness dust is right where it’s created. 44 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

BY MARK SALUSBURY I’ve found when working anywhere, cleanliness adds value Start at the Miter Saw – One of the first machines to create lots of dust, a to the project and my enjoyment of it. Keeping dust, shav- miter saw can be fitted with a dust extraction hose quite easily. ings and chips away from the working surfaces improves sightlines, yields more precise cuts, better fitting joinery and keener tooling. On top of that, there’s the obvious health benefits. A clean work space also changes my mood and my thought pro- cesses; things just seem to go better. I can focus on the task at hand, not unplanned errors, and I think more clearly about the design and the steps involved. This approach often saves me time and creates pleasingly unforeseen results. And when a change of plans presents itself, solutions come more readily when I’m not being bugged by having to clean up. Have I talked you into the advantages of clean- liness yet? Stationary machinery has always had dust takeoffs, but only recently in woodworking times have portable power tools come designed, or optioned, to vacuum off dust and shavings at-source. Let me show you the benefits I’m enjoying in my shop since outfitting my portable power tools with at-source dust collection. These benefits are seen not only in my shop space, but in reduced tooling and consumables costs, shorter build times, and improved project quality, precision and finish. Compound miter saws Slab Levelling – With a levelling bit chucked into his router, Salusbury fixes his router to a clear baseplate equipped with a dust take-off (above). The take-off sits Entering my shop, lumber usually goes first to my compound just below the surface of the levelling sled and extracts much of the dust produced miter saw to be roughly cut to length, then later trimmed to a final while levelling slabs (below). fit, generating plumes of sawdust that can plug up the table, the fence and the pivot area behind the saw base. By replacing the stock dust and shavings as they’re created, the bit can do its prime job dust bag with a 35mm i.d. / 2-1/4\" o.d. vacuum line to my shop of cutting, working more quickly, efficiently and cleanly. I fit the vac or central dust collector, far less dust becomes airborne, plus Oneida’s port with the same 55mm i.d. / 2-1/4\" o.d. vacuum line heavier dust is drawn away from the work and work surfaces so used on my compound miter saw. I’ve been able to create deeper material being cut fits accurately against the table and fence. mortises, with less setup time between cuts, and far less cleanup Routers Routers are multi-functional, taking care of many tasks in a workshop setting. I’ll go over a few options here. A while back I made a slab levelling setup to flatten too-wide planks. Anticipating the large dado cutter and volume of mate- rial to be removed would make a heck of a mess, I custom fitted a skirt around the sled to contain the dust as much as possible. Then, rather than simply running the stock router along the sled, pass after pass, I crafted a custom base for it featuring a dust collec- tion port for the router to fling dust into as it was being generated. The base is simply a rectangle of 1/4\" Plexiglas (could have been high-density fibreboard) and the dust port I created began life as a multi-step vacuum fitting from Lee Valley (03J6099) trimmed above to accept my 55 mm i.d. / 2-1/4\" o.d. shop vac hose and shaped below to scoop up the dust. It works a like a charm. Now I’m imag- ining another version with two vacuum fittings and a “Y” setup to a 4\" hose for double the extraction to a central dust collector. When mortising, I use a 1/2\" plunge router fitted with either an end- cutting straight fluted bit or an up-cut spiral bit, depending on the width and depth of mortise. Both bits produced wads of dust and spread it all over. That is, until I invested in an Oneida Universal Dust-Free Router Hood (Oneida-air.com/contractor-tools/router-hood). The uni- versal base fits a host of router makes/models and is designed to extract dust from both above and below the bit. By drawing off the CanadianWoodworking.com 45CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

The Underside – With Salusbury’s slab levelling attachment flipped upside Just About Any Router – The Oneida Universal Hood will attach to the base down you can see how it was made. It’s equipped with dust skirting along the four of just about any router. sides to help contain the dust so an extractor can remove it. Tame Your Router – When it comes to making and dispersing dust, a router is Dust-Free Dovetails – Leigh dovetail jigs can be fitted with a clever dust prodigious. A dedicated extraction base, like the Oneida Universal Dust-Free Router take-off and router support that accommodates all routers. Hood, makes the task of controlling and removing dust while routing easier. once all the mortises are done. And because the Oneida base travels I’ve been able to safely raise both my mortising and dovetailing with the router, any and all hand-held routing operations bene- setups to a more comfortable 42\" working height, improving vis- fit. Plus, router bits stay sharp longer and have a longer life due to ibility, making adjustments much easier and faster, plus gaining reduced heat and pitch buildup. valuable space below the jigs to machine longer furniture parts. Dovetail joinery is done in my shop with a Leigh dovetail jig, Trim routers are often accessorized with bases equipped for and until they introduced their VRS vacuum and router support dust extraction. For example, my versatile little Bosch has many (Leightools.com/vrs1200-vacuum-router-support-features/), it exchangable bases. One is a plunge base with a removable, revers- was a messy chore. Using resinous or oily woods quickly fouled ible dust “dome” which when fitted with a 25mm i.d. vacuum hose the bits with resin or pitch, slowing the job and dulling the cutters. with 2-1/4\" end can be positioned toward or away from the user as Plus, avoiding the obvious flying dust meant keeping my setup low, preferred. It’s very effective for routing small dadoes and prepping at 32\" bench height, so I couldn’t see or “feel” the cut as I was mak- for inlays. ing it. Since fitting the VRS to my jig, its universal design allows me to use any router I choose, and the dust is drawn away as the bit I set up my router table to extract dust from both above and creates it. Here, I fit the VRS with a 25mm i.d. hose with a 2-1/4\" below the table. My experience is the lion’s share of dust, especially fitting to suit my shop vac. the most harmful, finest dust, is drawn off instantly. Shop-built table routing setups can be customized to include effective top As a bonus, the VRS eliminates any temptation for the router and bottom dust extraction, especially when connected to a high- to tip as it weaves in and out as it transverses the length of the jig. volume source like a central dust collector. My cobbled setup has This improves results and reduces the stress of every cut. 2-1/4” hoses top and bottom with a “Y” connecting them to a 4\" duct feeding into my central dust collector. 46 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022

From Above and Below – When viewed straight on, you can see the “Y” A Big Culprit – A simple matter of connecting a hose to your random orbital split in Salusbury’s dust extraction hoses that draw dust from both above and sander will help contain one of the worst dust-creating culprits. below the bit. a 25mm i.d. hose with 2-1/4\" shop vac fitting, the job goes more quickly, the cutter lasts longer, mortises are crisper and more pre- cise, and there’s zero cleanup afterwards. Simple Setup – A biscuit joiner doesn’t produce a lot of dust, but it’s also easy Sanding to connect a dust extraction hose to it while in use. Hand power sanding also benefits from localized extraction. Biscuit joiners Fitting a flex hose to a random orbital sander just as you would a biscuit joiner produces smooth results much faster. The abrasive Plate or “biscuit” joiners are another great candidate for at- works more effectively, not having to wade through its own dust, source dust extraction. I use mine often for spline-mitered frames, and any loose grit cast off by the disc is instantly removed for more plank alignment when edge gluing, etc., and quickly pack the uniform results before changing to finer grits. And because the dust stock dust bag with dust. But with its accessory dust take-off and is removed instantly there’s less resin buildup on the discs, greatly extending disc life. And if a belt sander is what you use for rough levelling or plank prep, then a vacuum take-off is a great feature. No more re-sanding dust-covered surfaces the first pass failed to clean, endlessly purging dust bags and prematurely replacing costly pitch-packed belts. As I see it, at-source extraction is a wonderful complement to the quality, enjoyment and product of the wood- working we craft, regardless if we also create dust, shavings, chips or swarf. Universal hoses, adapters and fittings can be sourced at retailers across Canada. MARK SALUSBURY [email protected] shopnotes Festool’s New Refined OF 1010 R Router Sponsored: Festool’s new OF 1010 R Router is a refined, class-leading router, now even better with column clamps on both sides, making it extremely torsion-resistant. The double-sided clamp is useful to have extreme torsional rigid- ity guaranteeing perfect routing results. This new router is very versatile and offers a variety of system accessories such as a guide stop, template bushings, edge guide, guide rails and the LR 32-hole drilling set which makes possible appli- cations unlimited. The routing depth can be adjusted to the nearest 1/256\" (0.1 mm) in seconds. Router bits can be changed quickly and easily thanks to the easy-to-access work area. For more information visit FestoolCanada.com. CanadianWoodworking.com 47CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT

workshopproject ?INFO: DIFFICULTY – 3/5, LENGTH/TIME – 3/5, COST – 3/5 Photos by Carl Duguay Illustration by Len Churchill Minimalist Workbench 48 CANADIAN WOODWORKING & HOME IMPROVEMENT June/July 2022