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Every shop needs a good set of chisels. Here's a look at what's available and what to look for.
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.
Find out how to get straight, square plywood panels with a handheld router.
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.
With this compact unit, you'll have everything you need for making calls, paying bills, or taking messages right at hand.
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).
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.
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.
Dress up any project wiht an easy-to-apply inlay made from tinted epoxy.
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.
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.
Use your band saw to make your own veneers or thin stock. Here's how to do it right.
Storing power tools can be a challenge. Here are a few ideas to put to use in your shop.
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.
How do you get a drawer to fit just right? These tips and techniques provide the answer.
