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Table of Contents

Tips & Techniques4

Woodworking Chisels8

Every shop needs a good set of chisels. Here's a look at what's available and what to look for.

Safety Glasses10

Eye protection is a must in the shop. Learn what you need to know to make the right decision.

It pays to get in the habit of wearing safety glasses (page 10 of Woodsmith No. 168) in the shop. You can order glasses and face shields from the suppliers listed below.

Perfect Plywood Edges12

Find out how to get straight, square plywood panels with a handheld router.

ProMiter-10014

Digital accuracy in a miter gauge? With this technology, there's no guesswork at all.

Setting the angle of your miter gauge usually involves a lot of trial and error. But the ProMiter-100 miter gauge shown on page 14 of Woodsmith No. 168 eliminates the guesswork. It's available directly from the manufacturer, Salazar Solutions.

For setting the blade angle just right for a bevel cut, you might want to consider the Wixey Digital Angle Gauge (page 15). You can order it directly from Wixey or from Rockler or Woodcraft.

Desktop Message Center16

With this compact unit, you'll have everything you need for making calls, paying bills, or taking messages right at hand.

  • Page 19: Illustration detail a
    The dimension from the back of the case to back edge of the bottom should be 1 5/8", not 1 1/2" as originally printed. This will allow enough space for the 1 1/4" spacer and the 3/8" -thick letter trough back that are added later.

Just a few pieces of hardware is all it takes to complete the message center on page 16 of Woodsmith No. 168. The brass hinges can be ordered from Lee Valley (01D30.20).

The pop-up note dispenser is really handy. It's the spring that makes it work. I picked one up from my local hardware store. It's a 3/4"-long (free length) closedend compression spring, 0.48" in diameter. The most important dimension for the spring is its free length (not compressed).

Curved-Leg End Table22

The sleek curve of each leg is what catches your eye. But it's the technique for bending the legs that will make you want to build this project.

  • Page 23: Cutting the Laminates
    The copy should say to cut 1 1/2" wide blanks, not 1 1/4". (1 1/4" should work, but all of the art and photos show what appears to be 1 1/2" since they are flush with the jig made from two layers of 3/4" MDF.)

Adding an epoxy inlay is an easy way to turn an ordinary project into a "fine furniture" showpiece. The epoxy I used for the table on page 24 of Woodsmith No. 168 is slow-set epoxy (No. 5174) from Stewart-MacDonald. You can also order rosewood (No. 1858) and ebony (No. 1856) inlay filler from them to add color to your epoxy inlay.

Another good source for epoxy inlay materials is Lee Valley. They carry the epoxy (56Z71.03) and the aniline dye powder used to color it (56Z08.10 for six colors). The dye is also available in individual color packets.

One more thing — it's nice to have syringes on hand for dispensing the epoxy. You can find them at Rockler and Lee Valley.

Inlaying with Epoxy28

Dress up any project wiht an easy-to-apply inlay made from tinted epoxy.

Shop Notebook30

Craftsman's Tool Chest32

This chest features figured hardwood, beaded frame and panel construction, and solid brass hardware. It's the ideal home for all your prized hand tools.

Online Extras

  • Custom Storage Panels
    The recesses behind the doors of the tool chest featured in Woodsmith No. 168 offer versatile hanging storage space. To make the best use of this space, you might want to add one or two of the door panels from this online extra. These thin panels give you more flexibility by allowing you to easily attach holders for tools (or jewelry) at any spot on the back of the door.

A project like the tool chest on page 32 of Woodsmith No. 168 deserves a highly figured wood. The birdseye and curly maple I used came from MapleLeaf Hardwoods. The classic bead molding detail can be made with a 3/32" full-radius, bullnose router bit from Lee Valley (16J48.03). To make the decorative edge profile on the top and bottom, I used Amana Tool's ogee fillet bit (54112) from the Woodsmith Store.

The hardware really gives the tool chest a classic look. The handles (chest lifts) can be ordered from Horton Brasses (CL-561). They also carry the knobs with backplates (H-121K), the 5/8"-dia. knobs with wood screws (H-42), and the 11/2" x 2" ball-tipped butt hinges (PB-407B).

The 1/4"-dia. rare-earth magnets for the doors came from Lee Valley (99K31.01). And they also have the matching 1/4"-dia. magnet cups (99K32.51) and 3/8"-dia. washers (99K32.62).

Finally, to line the drawers, I used deerskin leather from Tandy Leather Factory.

Finish information: The stain was a mix of 1 tsp. of Cherry Amber Maple, 1/4 tsp. natural Antique Cherry, 1 cup water. All of the aniline dyes were from J. T. Moser.

Resawing Tips & Techniques42

Use your band saw to make your own veneers or thin stock. Here's how to do it right.

5 Power Tool Storage Solutions44

Storing power tools can be a challenge. Here are a few ideas to put to use in your shop.

Bleaching Wood46

Need to remove a stain or even out the color of a project? Wood bleaching is a valuable technique.

You can get a unique look for your project by bleaching the wood as shown on page 46 of Woodsmith No. 168. You can pick up oxalic acid and the two-part wood bleach wherever paint supplies are sold and from the sources listed below.

Q & A48

Flawless Fitting Drawers50

How do you get a drawer to fit just right? These tips and techniques provide the answer.

Final Details52