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Tips & Techniques4

Knock Down Fasteners8

Take a look at some handy hardware that makes assembling and disassembling projects a breeze.

Knock-down fasteners come in a multitude of styles. The article on page 8 shows just a few of the more common ones.

The Blum KD fittings (#148415) and surface-mount connectors (#148575) both came from Woodcraft. Lee Valley carries the metal biscuit fasteners (00S21.10), the tension rod nuts (05G07.10), and the corner joiners (00S14.02). The connector bolts, cap nuts, and cross dowels are available in a number of sizes and finishes from Lee Valley and Rockler.

Secrets to a Smooth Surface10

A couple of traditional hand tools can take the hard work out of smoothing a workpiece.

A scraper is a great way to get a glass-smooth finish without sanding. Both the cabinet scraper and scraper plane shown in the article on page 10 will help make this task easier. The Veritas cabinet scraper is sold by Lee Valley (05P32.05) and the scraper plane is from Lie-Nielsen. Both companies also offer other styles of scraper planes as well.

Using Brass Set-Up Gauges12

When fast, precise tool setup is the goal, here's a simple accessory that gets the job done.

Brass set-up blocks (like the ones shown on page 12) can be purchased from several of the wood-working suppliers shown below. The aluminum set-up blocks were purchased from Lee Valley (05N58.01).

Vertical Cuts on the Table Saw14

With help from a couple of shop-built jigs, you can make more than just the basic cuts.

Frame and Easel18

This beautiful frame and easel is guaranteed to put a favorite family photo in the best light. After an enjoyable weekend in the shop, you'll be rewarded with a lifetime keepsake.

  • Page 21: Materials List
    The Backer Top/Bottom (A) for the 8x10 frame should be 8" long, not 8 1/2" as originally printed.

Online Extras

  • Frame & Easel Optional Size
    Treasured photographs and artwork deserve a distinctive place in any home. And this frame and easel combination makes a great place to display those gems. You can also build a set for an 11 x 14 photograph or art.

To build the picture frame on page 18, all you’ll need are some brass-plated turnbuttons. These are available from Rockler (27912).

The brass knurled thumb nut, machine screw, and washer used for the clamp on the easel can be obtained from a local hardware store or home center.

When it came to finishing, we used General Finishes’ Gel Stain (Java) on the easel and the frame trim. To bring out the figure of the curly maple, a coat of General Finishes’ Seal-a-Cell was wiped onto the frame facing. Then everything was finished with a couple coats of lacquer.

Glass-Panel Coffee Table22

Building this uniquely designed coffee table is guaranteed to teach you a couple of new tricks. You'll get a healthy dose of quality shop time along with a very stylish end result.

The only hardware you’ll need to build the coffee table on page 22 is a handful of woodscrews. We purchased the ¼″ tempered glass from a local glass shop.

The legs and frame of the table are unstained, but the cherry grids were stained with a mixture of three parts Zar Cherry Stain and one part Wood Kote Jel’d Stain (Cherry). Then the whole table was finished with lacquer.

Shop Notebook30

Drop-Front Desk32

You might want to build this project for its classic appearance - or maybe for its practicality. But I think you'll agree, the real hook here is the challenging woodworking.

  • Page 41: Materials, Supplies, and Cutting Diagram
    The materials list shows one pair of Flush Bronze Hinges but you need two pair.
  • Page 39: Main illustration
    The drawing incorrectly calls out the Outside Panel (CC) and the Inside Panel (DD) with the same length, 37 1/2". The inside panel should be 1" shorter, 36 1/2" long. It's listed correctly in the materials list on page 41.
  • Page 37: Detail 'b'
    The hole for the magnet and cup is incorrectly labeled as 1/2" dia. This should be a 3/8"-dia. hole.
  • Page 41: Supplies list
    Two (2) 1/2"-dia. Rare-Earth Magnets W/Cups & Washers are listed. These should be 1/4"-dia.
  • Page 38: Detail 'e'
    The type of screws needed to attach part 'A' to part 'S' were not given. Detail 'e' would be a good place to add the following callout: Use #8 x 11/4" Fh woodscrews to attach lower cabinet top to lower cabinet top panel.
  • Page 39: Body copy
    Additional instructions for how to attach the upper and lower sections of the drop-front desk: As shown on page 34, you'll drill 14 countersunk screw holes in the Lower Cabinet Top (A). These holes are also visible (and easier to see) on page 35 drawing. When you attach the Lower Cabinet Top Panel (S) to the Lower Cabinet Top (A), you will use #8 x 1 1/4" screws through the 4 holes along the front edge only of the Lower Cabinet Top (A). There is a side view of this shown on page 38, detail 'e'. Now, when you go to attach the upper cabinet, you'll use the remaining 10 countersunk holes (they'll need extended through part S) and #8 x 2" screws. This is also shown on page 38, detail 'e'.

All of the hardware items used to build the desk on page 32 are available from Lee Valley. The list includes the no-mortise hinges (00H51.23), steel shelf pins (00S10.52), shelf pin sleeves (00S10.62), card table hinges (00W23.01), drawer slides (02K62.45), bronze knobs (02W14.44), and the rare-earth magnets (99K31.01), steel magnet cups (99K32.51), and steel washers (99K32.61).

The solution used to antique the card table hinges came from Van Dyke’s Restorers. And the desk was stained with three parts Zar Cherry Stain and one part Wood Kote Jel’d Stain (Cherry).

Seamless Plywood Edging42

Here are the tips and tricks we use to guarantee perfect edging on plywood panels.

Online Extras

  • Thin Strip Ripping Jig
    When it comes to cutting strips thinner than 1?4", the conventional method of setting the rip fence for the width of the cut isn’t always the safest method. Trapping the thin strip between the fence and the blade can result in the workpiece being kicked back at high speed. But moving the fence between cuts so the strip falls to the outside of the blade requires tedious measuring. A safer and more reliable way to cut the strips is to use this simple jig.

Avoiding Router Table Tearout44

It's easy to tame tearout on the router table by following a few basic guidelines.

A Distressed Milk Paint Finish46

We'll show you how to give your project the time-worn look of a classic antique.

  • Page 46: Text
    The article refers to a box-jointed pine tray. That project was from Woodsmith issue 182, not issue 183 as the article suggests.

We purchased the milk paint used in the article on page 46 from Woodcraft. It’s also available directly from the Old-Fashioned Milk Paint Company.

Carving Berry and Rod Molding48

You'll find that carving this traditional decorative molding is surprisingly simple.

Q & A50

Final Details52