5 cool

tools

© 2013 August Home Publishing Co.

 working with tools

putting your
Circular
Saw to
Work
With the right setup,
your circular saw can be
a valuable go-to tool.
I would wager that you could find a portable circular sheets of plywood to taking on light joinery tasks. But
} You’ll get very saw in just about every woodworking shop. But it’s in order to use your circular saw more productively,
good results usually tucked away in a corner gathering dust. A cir- you have to overcome three challenges.
with the mod- cular saw is the lonely Maytag repairman of shop tools The first is achieving a smooth, clean, chip-free cut.
erately priced — always waiting, but seldom called upon. This can be important when you’re working with valu-
60-tooth blade Most woodworkers think of a circular saw as a able hardwood and cabinet-grade plywood. Second,
below. The “construction” tool known more for its speed than when using a circular saw, you need a reliable way to
high-end, its accuracy. And because it’s hand-guided, a circular support the workpiece — both the finished piece and
40-tooth blade saw can be awkward to use and a challenge to control. the cutoff. The final element is a method of guiding
will yield a Well, it doesn’t have to be this way. In a small shop, the saw for a straight, accurate cut. The good news is
superb edge. a circular saw can be very handy for a variety of tasks, that with a little advance preparation, you’ll no longer
from cutting stock to rough size to breaking down dread the thought of getting out your circular saw.

Clean, Chip-Free Cuts

The blade that comes packaged If you’re accustomed to rough table saw. The sample cuts in chip-
with a circular saw is gener- cuts from a cheap blade, you’ll be prone oak plywood show the dif-
ally suitable for quickly tearing amazed at the difference a 40-tooth ference a good blade can make.
through dimensional lumber and general purpose or 60-tooth finish- Good Side Down. The way you set
not much else. So the number cut carbide blade will make. I’ve up for a circular saw cut will also
one thing you can do to improve found that a circular saw cut made affect the end result. When a cir-
the quality of your saw’s cut is with a high-quality blade can be cular saw cuts, the leading edge
to upgrade the blade. every bit as good as a cut from the of the blade spins upward into the
material. This means that
Upgrade
60-tooth
Rough, chippy your blade it exits the cut on the top
cut made by for a smooth,
finish-cut “stock” blade side of the workpiece and
blade clean cut
the cleanest edge will be on
Top-quality the bottom side. So if your
40-tooth gen-
eral purpose material has a good and a
blade
not-so-good side, put the
“A” side face down.

1 WoodsmithPlans.com WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2013 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
Solid, Stable Support Support
Trying to make a circular saw
cut without solid support for the
entire workpiece can be a night-
mare. And I’ve learned the hard
way that sawhorses alone are not
the best answer. As the cut is made,
the workpiece can shift and bind
on the blade. And too often one or
both pieces end up on the floor.
Rather than the narrow support
provided by a sawhorse, you need
a large surface that will steady and
support both of the pieces created
by the cut. And the cutting surface
needs to be sacrificial and non-
damaging to the saw blade.
Cutting Guides
When breaking down a sheet of
plywood with a circular saw, fol-
lowing a layout line freehand is dif-
ficult at best. A wandering, rough
cut is the norm. And this means
allowing for more waste and extra
work sizing the pieces later on.
So I don’t rely on my fine motor
skills. I always use a guide to posi-
tion the cuts and steer the saw. It’s
easier, much more accurate, and
you’ll even get cleaner cuts.
I keep two guides handy — a 60"-
long version for full width panel
cuts and a similar, shorter guide
for accurate right angle cuts, as
shown in the photos at right and
below. The basis of both guides is
a 1⁄4" hardboard baseplate with a
1⁄ " plywood fence attached. The
2
outside edge of the saw’s base, or
shoe, runs along the fence to give
{ The right-angle guide allows you to make accurate crosscuts on
panels up to 24" wide. The key is a cleat on the underside (inset
photo) that registers against the edge of the workpiece.
2 WoodsmithPlans.com
My solution is the lightweight,
but very stable, knockdown cut-
ting table shown in the photos
at right and below. The table
is made up of notched, inter-
locking slats of 3⁄4" plywood. It
can be rapidly knocked together
and then hoisted onto a pair of
sawhorses at a comfortable height.
The large surface of the table will
hold a full 4' x 8' sheet of plywood.
The “open” design provides very of both the workpiece and the cut-
solid support with virtually no ting guides shown below.
resistance when cutting through a The table is built from a single
workpiece. Another big plus is that sheet of plywood. You’ll find con-
the table makes for easy clamping struction plans on page 4.
you a foolproof, right-on-the-line,
and perfectly straight cut.
But the real key to the handy
function of the guides lies with
a simple trick. When making the
guides, you position and attach the
fence allowing a little extra waste
along the guide edge. Then you use
your saw to trim the baseplate. The
resulting “zero-clearance” edge
gives you a dead-on reference for
easy positioning of the guide and
also serves to back up the cut.
The extra-wide baseplate pro-
vides ample clamping space on
the “off” side. And the addition
of a perpendicular cleat to the
underside of the right angle guide
allows quick registration for accu-
rate crosscuts (inset photo below). { The cutting guide can be quickly positioned
and clamped to the workpiece. The cut will
always follow the edge of the baseplate.
Cleat
Shop Tip: Foam Backer
Quick and Easy. In a pinch, a thick piece of rigid
foam insulation laid on the floor provides a solid, sac-
rificial surface for making cuts on sheet stock.
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Online Extra
circular saw
Cutting Guides 60
Guide
Fence

The two circular saw cutting guides

featured on the previous page offer a big
return for a small investment in time and
material. The design is pretty basic and Baseplate
once the guides are completed, your cuts 2!/2 #6 x %/8" Fh
will be smoother, more accurate, and woodscrews
require less effort.
BASEPLATE. The long guide and the shorter
crosscut guide share similar construction.
The basis of each is a 1⁄4" hardboard base- Guide
12!/2 . Fence
plate and a plywood fence. First, you’ll rgh.
need to cut the baseplate to length and
32
approximate width. It should be wide
enough to accommodate the shoe of your
saw, the guide fence, and ample clamp- Cleat
ing space on the far side of the fence. Baseplate
GUIDE FENCE. A 1⁄2" plywood fence attached NOTE: Baseplate is made
to the baseplate guides the saw. The edge from !/4"hardboard.
Guide fences and cleat 1!/2
of the saw’s shoe rides along the fence are !/2" plywood.
12!/2 . rgh.
during the cut. To ensure straight cuts,
Attach cleat square #6 x %/8" Fh
you want to make sure the guide edge of to reference edge woodscrews
the fence is cut true and smooth.
ASSEMBLE. Once the fence is attached,
you’ll use your saw to trim the baseplate,
creating an accurate reference edge. So installed from the underside of the base- important addition — a perpendicular
before locating the fence on the base- plate to attach the fence. cleat attached to the underside of the
plate, you’ll need to know the distance TRIM. With the fence in place, you can baseplate. For guaranteed square cuts,
between the far edge of the saw’s shoe the cleat has to be installed square to
and the inside edge of the blade. To posi- keep the saw’s shoe tight against the the reference edge of the baseplate. A
tion the fence from the edge of the base- fence as you make the cut. carpenter’s square will help with this.
plate, add about 1⁄2" to this measurement. CROSSCUT CLEAT. The long guide is ready Again, I used countersunk screws and
I used glue and countersunk screws to go, but the crosscut guide gets one glue to attach the cleat.

Woodsmith
3 No. 185 Online Extras
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©2013 August Home
Home Publishing.
Publishing Co. AllAll rights
Rights reserved.
Reserved.
 Online Extra
knock-down
Cutting Table
If you’re accustomed to using saw-
horses for support while making
circular saw cuts, I guarantee you’ll
find that this knock-down table is a
vast improvement. The clincher is
that it’s inexpensive, easy to build,
and easy to store when not in use.
The table is essentially an open
grid made up of interlocking pieces
of 3⁄4" plywood, as shown in the
main drawing below. The design is
simple. Half-width notches or slots
cut into the mating pieces allow you
to slide them together into a rigid
framework. The table can be assem-
bled or disassembled in minutes.
ONE SHEET. If you follow the cut-
ting diagram shown below, you
Woodsmith
4 No. 185 Online Extras
WoodsmithPlans.com
can get all the pieces needed for
the table out of a single sheet of 3⁄4"
plywood. You’ll need three long
“joists,” eight cross members, and
two base pieces. (The base pieces
are clamped to sawhorses to hold
the table in place when in use.)
THE NOTCHES. Once all the pieces are
cut to size, the interlocking notches
can be cut. You can do this with a
jig saw, a circular saw, a router, or
on the table saw. The key is to size
and space the notches accurately. THE BASE PIECES. I cut the slots in the
And note that one pair of notches base pieces with a dado blade in
is cut into the lower edge of each the table saw. The assembled table
joist. This makes assembly of the simply rests in the slots, so you
table easier and the framework will don’t need to worry about a snug
be more stable when moved. fit. Alittle loose is better.
a.
Cutting Diagram (4' x 8' sheet) #/4" Plywood
WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2009 August
©2013 Home
August HomePublishing. AllAll
Publishing Co. rights reserved.
Rights Reserved.
 setting up
Shop
one-stop
Power Sanding
When it comes to a jack-of-all-trades power tool,
a random orbit sander is tough to beat.
I’m often asked for my advice
on buying particular tools. For
someone new to woodwork-
ing, the task of outfitting a shop
with a good set of essential tools
can be a daunting one. What can
make it even harder is that tool-
makers offer a new or redesigned
Dust-collection
canister is good, product every year or two.
but a shop Power sanders are a good
vacuum hookup example of this dilemma. A trip
is better down the tool aisle of any home
center offers a range of sanders.
Cushioned top handle reduces
vibration and improves comfort
Compact size
offers good balance
and control for long
sanding sessions
5 WoodsmithPlans.com WSS711_5COOLTOOLS
You’ll see everything from small
detail sanders, to finish and pad
sanders, up to belt sanders the
size of a small car (almost). How
do you choose which one to get?
One Choice. When it comes
to buying your first sander, my
suggestion is to get a 5" random
orbit sander. This tool provides a
good balance of features to tackle
all kinds of tasks. And once you
get an idea of its capabilities and
limitations, you can use that
{ Hook & Loop. This method
of attaching sanding disks is
fast and easy and allows you to
reuse the disks.
©2013 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
information to guide your deci-
sion for buying other sanders.
Features, Not Brands. Because
tool models are always chang-
ing, I usually hesitate to recom-
mend a specific brand or model.
Instead, I like to look for specific
features. So here are the things I
feel are important in a sander.
The Sanding Pad. Like I men-
tioned before, I look for a sander
with a 5"-dia. pad. It’s small
enough to use one handed but
large enough to keep surfaces
level (more on that later).
Another thing I look for is a
hook and loop pad. Switching
(and reusing) sanding disks is
just so much more convenient
than pressure-sensitive adhesive
(PSA) disks. Note: You can buy
hook and loop replacement pads
for most PSA sanders.
Dust Collection. Also high on
my list of priorities is dust collec-
tion. Some tasks, like flattening a
panel, can generate a lot of dust.
Keeping it out of the air (and my
lungs) is important. Although all
sanders come with some kind of
filter, I look for sanders that offer
easy hookup to a shop vacuum
for more effective collection.
Comfort. Finally, I look for a
sander that feels comfortable.
Admittedly, this is the most sub-
jective “feature.” You’ll need to get
your hands on several models to
find out which one is a good fit.
Some sanders offer two hand posi-
tions: a top-mounted handle or a
center-body grip.
Sanding Disks
What makes a random orbit
sander so versatile is the range
of disks you can use. In fact, you
can find one for almost every
step of building a project.
Flattening. A glued-up
panel usually has an uneven
joint or two. I use my sander
to flatten the panel. The secret
is to be bold and use coarse,
fasting-cutting disks. For this,
I keep a stack of 80- and 100-
grit disks. I concentrate on the
high spots first, then sand the
whole panel to create an even
scratch pattern, as you can see
in the upper right photo.
Smoothing. The job most peo-
ple associate with a random orbit
sander is smoothing a work-
piece to prepare it for finish. But
it’s easy to end up with notice-
able swirl marks once the finish
goes on. I think the reason is it’s
Finishing
> In The Finish
Room. With fine
disks (320-grit and
up), abrasive pads,
and buffing pads,
you can achieve a
glass-smooth finish.
6 WoodsmithPlans.com
FLATTENING
60
< Hardworking.
Coarse disks
(80- to 100-grit)
make quick work
of leveling joints
and panels.
tempting to think the power of
the machine allows you to skip
grits and save even more time. It
won’t. It’s best to be methodical
and step from 120- to 150-, 180-,
and 220-grit disks.
Where a random orbit sander
Smoothing
shines is smoothing cross-grain
joints. This allows you to sand a
frame and panel without leaving
deep scratches (photo at right).
Finishing. Once the finish goes
on a project it doesn’t mean you
have to put your sander away.
I’ve actually found some time-
saving uses for mine with spe-
cialty disks. Abrasive pads are
great for buffing out oil finishes
on large surfaces. Extra-fine, wet-
dry disks and thick buffing pads
level and polish film finishes. { Smooth & Easy. Use sanding disks ranging
As you can see, with the right from 120- to 220-grit to smooth out assemblies
disks, you can use your random and prepare a workpiece for finish.
a sander’s
orbit sander to save time and get
better-looking projects without
Best Friend
spending a lot of money.
The force of a spinning disk
can cause a workpiece to
slide around on your
benchtop. Besides
being annoying, it
can lead to scratches
and dings. The problem
is clamps and bench dogs
can get in the way and leave
marks, too. The solution is to { Sanding Pad.
use rubber mats like you see Low-cost pads
here. They’re cushioned to keep your work-
prevent damage and make it piece in place.
easy to reposition a workpiece
for better access.
WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2013 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
 Cordless
Impact Drivers
Q I’m seeing a lot
of impact drivers
at home centers these
arm. And you can fit
one into tight spaces
where a drill can’t go.
days. How is this tool A quick-change hex
different from a drill? chuck is standard, so
Do I really need one it’s easier to switch bits.
for my shop? ALL ABOUT TORQUE. An
Cody Tolliver impact driver also
Albany, New York secures screws with-
out binding or twisting.

A If you use a drill

primarily for driv-
ing screws, then an
That’s because an impact
driver works differently
than a drill does. When
impact driver is worth the driver meets resis-
looking into. The tool tance, a spring, hammer,
is smaller and lighter and anvil inside the tool
than a drill. That means deliver increased force
it won’t wear out your in the form of rapid,
A series of impact blows
produce a high level of
torque at the chuck
Variable-
speed
trigger gives
good control
when
driving
screws
high-impact blows at too deeply. That means
the tool’s chuck. you have to be careful
This impact action not to overdrive a screw,
creates massive torque, as the impact driver will
often three times that of just keep going. Luck-
a drill, to secure fasten- ily, most impact drivers
ers with ease. When the have variable-speed trig-
mechanism kicks in, the gers that make it easy to
tool makes a loud “rat- set screws properly.
tat-tat” sound that can MAKING AN IMPACT. In
be alarming at first. But conclusion, I wouldn’t
this same mechanism call an impact driver
also ensures that the an essential shop tool.
tool will never twist your But if you’re interested
arm during use. in a lightweight, hand-
NO CLUTCH. The one held device that’s very
drawback to an impact good at driving fasten-
driver is that it doesn’t ers without wearing
have a clutch to stop the out your arm, then this
tool from driving a screw is the tool for you.

7 WoodsmithPlans.com WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2013 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
 setting up
Shop
getting a grip on a set of
Shop Clamps
Buying clamps can be a big investment.
Here’s what to buy first and why.
(4) 12" Clamps
(4) 24" Clamps
Basic Clamp Set
(4) 6" Clamps
Until you start shopping for clamps
for your workshop, it’s difficult to
appreciate how expensive a wall
full of clamps can be. So before you
take out a mortgage on the shop,
you really need to think about what
type of clamps you really need and
what you should get first when
you’re just starting out.
What you see on these pages are
my choices for buying a starting
set of clamps. And the nice thing
is you can do it in stages. Is it
going to answer all your clamping
needs? Probably not every one.
But I’m sure it will get you off on
the right foot.
The complete set is divided into
three groups that build on each
other. The first group includes
basic clamps. The second one adds
more capability and power. And
finally, the third group rounds
8 WoodsmithPlans.com WSS711_5COOLTOOLS
things out by addressing assembly
challenges the first two groups
can’t handle.
A BASIC SET OF CLAMPS
The workhorse clamps in my shop
are the bar clamps you see in the
photo above. These clamps are
often called F-clamps due to their
shape. And I’ve used them on just
about every project I’ve ever built.
The cast iron jaws on the Bessey
clamps I prefer are stout and
sturdy. And the screw features
large, square Acme threads, which
are stronger than the conventional
V-threads on a lot of clamps. The
beefy, wood handle allows you to
get a good, solid grip.
All these features ensure the
clamp will handle the most
demanding tasks you’re likely
to run across. Yet they work just
©2013 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
fine for assembling small projects.
And as a nice touch, the plastic
protector pads attached to the
jaws help prevent any marring of
your workpiece.
To handle the assembly of a
wide range of projects, it’s best to
have a few different lengths on
hand. In the set shown, there are
four clamps in three different sizes
— 6", 12", and 24". You can expect
to pay about $150 for this set.
ADDING SOME LENGTH
As I mentioned, the set of bar
clamps shown will go a long way
toward meeting your needs. But
if you plan to glue up narrow
boards into wider panels, or
assemble a carcase for a cab-
inet, you’ll want to add some
longer clamps to your
collection. And that’s
where pipe clamps and
aluminum bar clamps
come into play.
Pipe Clamps. The
pipe clamps I like to use
are the ones you see on the
following page. These pipe
clamps are the kind where
you buy the jaw assembly and
then attach a length of 1/2" or 3/4"
black iron pipe. (The heavy-duty
3/ " Pony assembly with a 36" pipe
4
will cost about $18.)
Since the pipe is separate, you
can make the clamps any length
you’d like. As a matter of fact, to
make a “new” clamp, all you have
to do is buy a new piece of pipe
and swap out the old one. Or you
can buy an inexpensive coupler
and join shorter lengths of pipe
together to create one long one.
Pipe clamps do have one draw-
back — they weigh quite a bit.
That’s not a problem if you’re
gluing up a panel on the top of
your workbench. But they can
be a bit cumbersome to handle if
you’re assembling a project on the
floor of your shop.
Lightweight Length. So if I have
a large assembly task to take care
of, I rely on a set of long aluminum
bar clamps. You can see these at
the top of the following page.

These sturdy aluminum bars are
hollow and lighten the weight of
the clamp considerably. So you
aren’t likely to struggle with them
while assembling a project —
even if the clamps are fairly long.
(I like the 48" length for the work
I do.)
Like pipe clamps, aluminum
bar clamps do have a drawback.
They’re a little more expensive
than pipe clamps — around $90
for a set of four 48"-long clamps.
But I think they’re worth the
money.
LET’S SPECIALIZE
There are times when you’ll run
across a tough clamping job that
requires something a little more
specialized than bar or pipe clamps.
That’s when a third set of clamps
comes in handy — band clamps,
C-clamps, and spring clamps.
Flexibility. Band clamps are
a must-have for those assembly
tasks where you just can’t figure
out how to make a “straight”
clamp work, like a mitered pic-
ture frame.
The band clamp I use (see lower
right photo) is nothing more
than a long cloth strap that feeds
through a metal ratchet assembly.
After wrapping the strap around
the project, you simply tighten it
down with the built-in ratchet.
Putting on the Squeeze. When
I really need a lot of clamping
Specialty Clamp Set
(6) 2" Spring Clamps
9 WoodsmithPlans.com WSS711_5COOLTOOLS
(4) 48" Aluminum
Bar Clamps
pressure, especially in
one spot, C-clamps are
my choice. I have a set
of four 2" and two 3"
clamps like the ones you
see in the photo below.
I use C-clamps any time
I have to hold metal parts in
place for drilling or assembly.
You can also use them with wood.
Just be sure to protect the surface
of any pieces you clamp. The
serious pressure you can apply
makes it all too easy to put a dent
in the surface of your workpiece.
Spring Power. The last clamps
to add to the collection are the
spring clamps shown below. I
reach for a spring clamp when-
ever I need an extra “hand.”
A spring clamp works like a
giant clothespin. So, depending on
the size of the clamp, the capacity
is fairly limited. But don’t let that
fool you about the amount of
pressure a spring clamp can exert (4) 36" Pipe Clamps
on an assembly. (I’ve pinched my (3/4 ")
fingers enough times to know.)
A spring clamp works great for Long Assembly Set
holding a stop block in place on
a fence. Or to keep a small work-
piece right where it needs to be collection over time. As I mentioned,
until the glue dries. These clamps the first two groups each cost $150 -
are inexpensive (about $3 apiece), $160. Adding in the specialty clamps
so “spring” for a set of six 2" will tack on another $100. Overall,
clamps when you get the chance. it’s a great set of clamps that will
Summing It Up. Buying clamps handle almost all your
can be expensive. But the sets needs — and on a tab that
shown here allow you to build your won’t break the bank.
(4) 2" C-Clamps
(2) 3" C-Clamps
(3) Band Clamps
©2013 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
working with tools
5 tips & tricks for using a
Combination Square
1
Marking
Accuracy in woodworking
often starts with the simple task of
laying out a cut. And here’s a simple
tip for more accurate layouts.
Instead of sliding the blade of the
square to a layout mark and then
drawing a line, place the pencil tip
10 WoodsmithPlans.com
Simple in design, versatile in use. Here are a few handy
ways to get the most out of your combination square.
A combination square is one tool you’ll find in square, from layout work to tool setup. The
just about every workshop. I know my square tips and tricks that follow will help you get the
is never more than an arm’s length away. And most out of your combination square.
there’s a simple reason — it’s one of the most One last thing. There are all kinds of com-
versatile hand tools in my shop. bination squares on the market. And as with
For starters, I’m always using it to check most tools, you get what you pay for. The
the ends of my workpieces for square. Or to combination square shown here is manu-
verify the accuracy of a miter cut. But there’s factured by Starrett, and it’s the type that I
so much more you can do with a combination recommend for woodworking.
on the mark first. Then slide the
blade up against the pencil.
This way, you don’t have to try to
offset the blade by the thickness of
the pencil lead. This offset is a guess
at best, since it varies depending on
the type and sharpness of the pencil.
With this tip, you’ll end up with a
line exactly where you want it.
2 Parallel Lines
One layout task I find myself doing on a lot of
projects is drawing a line parallel to an edge. To do this
quickly, you can use a combination square (photo above).
Start by setting the blade of the square to the desired
distance (keep that first tip in mind as you do this).
Then position the head of the square against the
board. Now holding the pencil tight to the end of the
blade, slide the square (and pencil) along the edge to
draw a perfectly parallel line.
WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2013 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
3 Depth Gauge
A combination square
makes a handy gauge for accu-
rately measuring the depth of any
recess — a dado, rabbet, or mortise.
To do this, loosen the blade of the
square and slide it back so it’s even
with the 90° face of the square. Next,
set the face of the square against the
outside edge of the workpiece, like
you see in the photo at right. Now,
5 Tool Setup
One last thing to keep in mind
about a combination square is that it’s
not just for use on a workpiece — it’s a
great set-up gauge for shop tools.
Like the depth gauge measurement
shown at the top of the page, a combi-
nation square works well for setting the
depth of cut for a tool. I use my
combination square all the time for
setting the height of my saw blade
as well as the depth of router bits,
like you see in the drawing at right.
To get an accurate measurement,
it’s important that the end of the
blade be flush with the 90° face of
the square. So be sure to use a flat
surface as your reference when you
set the blade. Then it’s just a matter
of sliding the scale next to the bit (or
blade) and checking your setting.
A combination square is handy
11 WoodsmithPlans.com
extend the blade of the square into
the recess until it just touches the bot-
tom. Finally, lock the blade securely
in place.
Now, you can pull the combina-
tion square out of the opening and
read the depth. You’ll find it right
where the blade intersects the head
of the square — a quick and easy
measurement.
4 Centering
Another way I use my com-
bination square every day is to find
in half to find the center. But the
technique I use doesn’t require any
the center of a workpiece. Now you measuring or calculating.
could just use the square to mea- In the drawing at left, you can see
sure the width and then divide that how to use the 45° face to draw a
diagonal line from each corner of a
workpiece (like a drawer front). The
exact center of the workpiece is right
where the lines intersect.
Doing this on the narrow edge
of a workpiece is a little tricky.
So instead, I set my combination
square to mark close to the center,
then make a pair of marks — one
off each face. This will get you real-
ly close. Then it’s just a matter of
“splitting” the difference to find the
center of the edge.
even without its blade. You can use the
square to check whether your table saw
blade is set to 90° or even 45°, as in the
photo at right. To get an accurate reading,
just be sure the square rests against the
body of the saw blade and not the teeth.
WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2013 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
 Tips From
Our Shop
LEVER CAP
KNOB LEVER
CAP

Tuning up a
Block Plane
BLADE

HEIGHT
ADJUSTMENT
Whether I’m fitting a drawer, trimming a small NUT
part, or shaping the edge of a workpiece, I use my
RETAINING LATERAL
block plane on almost every project I build. SCREW ADJUSTMENT
LEVER
But even though my block plane is a precision
tool now, it didn’t start out that way.
When I first took it out of the box, the cast iron
HEIGHT
body felt rough and gritty in my hand. And the FRONT ADJ.
KNOB LEVER
adjustments on the plane were either too stiff or
too loose. Even after fiddling with them, I still
wasn’t satisfied with the quality of cut.
Fortunately, there wasn’t anything wrong with THROAT
OPENING THREADED
the plane. All it really needed was a tune-up. ADJUSTMENT POST
LEVER

FLATTEN THE SOLE
The first thing that needed attention was the
{ Setting a file in a sole (bottom) of the plane. Although it had been PIN
scrap with a 45° machined at the factory, it wasn’t perfectly flat. REAR
saw kerf makes it Why do you want the sole to be flat? Because BLADE
SUPPORT
easy to create a if there’s a slight hump, it will prevent the cutting
uniform chamfer edge of the blade from making full contact with BODY
on the bottom the workpiece. And if there’s a “dished out” area,
edges of the plane. it’s just about impossible to plane a surface flat. BLADE NOTE:
SEAT
REFERENCE SURFACE. Before you can check whether THE BLOCK PLANE
SHOWN HERE IS A
the sole is flat, you need to have a flat surface as a RECORD 09!/2. UNLIKE
reference. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy. SOME BLOCK PLANES,
IT HAS AN ADJUSTABLE
A piece of 1⁄4"-thick glass works fine. Setting the THROAT PLATE.
glass on a scrap with a cleat at each end will pre-
ADJUSTABLE
vent the glass from sliding. THROAT PLATE

flattening the sole

1 Using a permanent marker,

draw a squiggly line across
the sole of the block plane.
2 Sand the sole on 220-grit
silicon carbide paper that’s
taped to a piece of glass.
3 Remaining dark lines indi-
cate low areas. Keep sand-
ing until the marks disappear.

12 WoodsmithPlans.com WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2012 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
 checking the height adjustment
1 A loose fit between the height
adjustment lever and nut
results in a sloppy adjustment.
To check the sole, start by
drawing a line across it (Step 1 on
page 1). Then slide the plane across
a piece of silicon carbide sandpaper
(Step 2). After a few strokes, check
your progress. Any low spots will
show up as dark lines (Step 3).
The idea is to continue sanding
until the lines disappear. Then
you’ll need to polish the sole on
progressively finer grits of silicon
carbide sandpaper (up to 400-grit).
Lubricating the sandpaper with oil
will carry away the metal “dust.”
Note: Sand the sole with the blade
installed (make sure it’s retracted).
This will “stress” the body of the
plane like it is in use.
squaring up the throat opening
1 Use a fine-tipped marker to
square a line behind the back
edge of the throat opening.
13 WoodsmithPlans.com
2 To improve the fit, use a nail
and a vise to press out the
pin that holds the lever in place.
CHAMFER EDGES. Once the sole is flat,
the bottom edges of the plane may
be sharp. So to avoid accidentally
scratching the surface of a work-
piece, file a small chamfer on these
edges, as shown in the left margin
on the previous page. While I’m at
it, I run a hand-held file across the
top edges of each side to provide a
comfortable grip.
THROAT PLATE. If your plane has
an adjustable throat plate, it’s also
a good idea to see if it operates
smoothly. Occasionally, there’s a
small burr on the edge which will
make it stick. But a few strokes on a
piece of sandpaper is a quick fix, as
you can see in the margin at right.
2 Tighten the plane in a vise
and use a file to remove
material up to the line.
WSS711_5COOLTOOLS
3 Then, lightly squeeze the ears
of the lever until it fits closely
around the adjustment nut.
HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT
Another thing to check is the adjust-
ment that allows you to raise and
lower the blade. Basically, it consists
of two parts: a short lever with a
C-shaped opening and an adjust-
ment nut that travels up and down
on a threaded post. As you turn the
nut, it pivots the lever up and down,
which raises or lowers the blade.
But sometimes the blade won’t
move right away when you turn the
nut. Instead, there’s a dead zone
where you turn the nut and nothing
happens. That can be caused by a { To allow the
gap between the “ears” of the lever throat plate to
and the nut (Step 1 above). slide smoothly,
To fix this, take out the pin that sand each edge
holds the lever in place (Step lightly on a piece
2), and press the ears together of sandpaper.
until the lever fits closely
around the nut (Step 3).
THROAT OPENING
At this point, you can turn your
attention to the throat opening
— where the blade extends
through the sole of the plane.
To produce a consistent cut
all the way across the width of
the blade, the back edge of this
opening needs to be square to
the sides of the plane.
MARK & FILE. You can square
up the opening by marking a
line in back of it (Step 1 at left)
and making a few light passes
with a file (Step 2).
©2012 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
 BLADE SEAT smoothing the blade seat
One part of a block plane
that’s easy to overlook is the
blade seat. This is the angled
platform inside the body that
supports the blade. To elimi-
nate any “chatter,” it’s impor-
tant for the blade to sit flat
against the blade seat.
But in a brand new plane,
you may find that it’s rough
and covered with paint. As
a result, the blade can’t sit
flat. The solution is to file the
blade seat so it’s smooth and
flat (Step 1 at right).
REST. To hold the file at a
consistent angle as you’re
working, use the rear blade
1 Use a file to make long, smooth
strokes across the blade seat
and rear blade support.
2 Check that the front edge of
the blade seat is a consistent
thickness all the way across.
support as a “rest.” Then
make several long strokes
across the blade seat and the rear To apply pressure evenly across for the screw that secures the lever
blade support. Make sure you the entire width of the blade, the cap to the body of the plane.
remove the same amount of mate- nose has to be smooth and flat on The reason for this is simple.
rial all across the blade seat. the bottom. But here again, a rough When I put my plane away, I always
To check for this, hold the plane casting or uneven paint job will pre- retract the blade. This means I
and look into the throat opening. Tilt vent the lever cap from fitting tight have to loosen the knob that holds
the plane back and forth until the against the blade. the lever cap in place. The problem
light catches the edge of the throat A little sanding is all it takes to is that when I tilt the plane to the
opening (Step 2). The reflection of get the nose of the lever cap flat and side to check the blade, the key-
the light should reveal a consistent smooth (Step 1 below). You’ll know hole slides over the screw and the
thickness all the way across. when you’re done by the consistent lever cap falls off.
pattern of scratches (Step 2). COUNTERSINK. An easy way to pre-
LEVER CAP vent this is to drill a countersink in
Once the blade seat is nice and THE KEYHOLE the small opening in the keyhole
flat, you still need a way to hold the After sanding, the last thing you’ll (Step 1 at top of page 4). This will
blade tightly against it. That’s the need to do to the lever cap is coun- “seat” the head of the screw and
job of the lever cap. tersink the keyhole-shaped opening hold the lever cap in place (Step 2).

sanding the lever cap SHARPENING THE BLADE

No matter how well you tune up the
various parts of the plane, there’s no
way you’ll be able to get a quality cut
without one thing — a sharp blade.
There are a number of different
ways you can go about this. But the
silicon carbide sandpaper used for
the body of the plane can put a razor
sharp edge on the blade, as well.
THE EDGE. The thing to keep in
mind as you’re sharpening is that
the edge is formed by the intersec-
tion of two surfaces — the back and
the bevel. To get a sharp edge, the

1 Raise the back end of the lever

cap slightly, and sand the nose by
making a few smooth strokes.
2 The nose of the lever cap should
end up flat and smooth after
sanding off any paint.
idea is to get each of these surfaces
as smooth and flat as possible.
FLATTEN BACK. The first step is to
flatten the back of the blade.

14 WoodsmithPlans.com WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2012 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
 Although this requires a little elbow
grease, the nice thing is you only need
to do it one time. Once it’s flat, you just
need to concentrate on the bevel when
you sharpen the blade.
Here again, it’s important to work
on a flat surface (I use a piece of
glass). And as before, marking the
back of the blade will help keep
track of your progress.
To flatten the back, I start with
a piece of 220-grit silicon carbide
sandpaper and sand until the marks
disappear, as shown in Step 1 below.
At this point, the back is flat. But just
being flat isn’t enough.
That’s because the coarse grit
leaves a swirl of large scratches
behind. And each scratch forms a
tiny nick where it meets the cutting
edge of the blade.
POLISH BACK. So in order to get the
back as smooth as possible, I polish
it with a progression of finer grits. I
move on to 400-grit sandpaper next,
and then follow it up with 800- and
1000-grit sandpaper.
While this produces a service-
able edge, I continue polishing with
1500- and 2000-grit paper to get a
mirror smooth finish. (You can find
extra-fine grits of paper at an auto
body parts store.)
FLATTEN BEVEL. Once the back is
flat, you’re halfway to a sharp edge.
Now just make the bevel as flat and
smooth as the back.
CONSISTENT ANGLE. The secret to a
smooth, flat bevel is to hold the blade
1 Using oil as a lubricant, you can
sand the back of the blade with a
piece of silicon carbide paper.
15 WoodsmithPlans.com
countersink the keyhole
1 With the lever cap against a
fence clamped to the drill press
table, countersink the keyhole.
at a consistent angle. To do this, I
use a honing guide. Basically, this is
a rolling clamp that holds the blade
at the desired angle (Step 2 below).
When securing the blade in the
honing guide, try to match the
existing angle of the bevel. To do
this, position the blade in the guide
so the entire surface of the bevel
lies flat on the glass.
Now it’s just a matter of
sanding the bevel. Once again,
the idea is to proceed from a
coarse to a fine grit. The trick is
knowing where to start.
GRITS. This requires matching the
grit to the condition of the bevel. If
there’s a nick in the edge, I’ll start
with 180-grit sandpaper. But for
most work, this is too coarse. For
example, a piece of 220-grit paper
sharpening the blade
2 By holding the blade at a con-
sistent angle, a honing guide
ensures that the bevel stays flat.
WSS711_5COOLTOOLS
2 The countersink should be
deep enough to seat the
head of the retaining screw.
is fine for a new blade. But if you’re
just touching up an edge, you may
want to start with 800-grit.
EVEN PRESSURE. Regardless of
the grit, the key is to apply even
pressure across the blade. The
only exception is if the blade is
out of square. In that case, you’ll
want to apply extra pressure on
the high corner to square the
blade as you sharpen.
BURR. As you work with each grit,
a burr will start to form on the back
side of the blade. Although you
can’t see it, you’ll be able to feel the
burr by running your finger up the
back of the blade.
When you get a nice, even burr
across the entire width of the blade,
remove it by sanding both the back
and the bevel (Step 3).
3 To remove a burr, alternately sand
the bevel and the back with the
final grit used to flatten the back.
©2012 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
 working with tools

using the versatile

Shoulder Plane
Once you add this handy plane to your tool chest, you’re sure to
find one hundred and one ways to put it to work.
Before modern technology took
much of the manual labor out of
woodworking, hand planes were
manufactured in an amazing
array of sizes, shapes, and styles.
There was a plane for every task —
from smoothing boards to shap-
} Shoulder ing moldings to forming joints.
planes are Many of the more specialized
available in planes that were once “stan-
a variety of dard issue” are now obsolete.
sizes and However, there are a few of
styles. these lesser-known
planes
that still
deserve a place in the shop. One
of these is the shoulder plane.
Why a Shoulder Plane? Most
planes derive their name from
their function. A jointer is used
for edge jointing, a smoother
for smoothing surfaces. So what
does a shoulder plane do? Spe-
cifically, the name refers to the
use of this plane to square up or
trim the shoulders of tenons and
other joints. But as you’ll see, the
uses for a shoulder plane go way
beyond this single task.
How it Works. Although the
design of shoulder planes can
vary quite a bit, as you can see
in the lower left photo, they all
share one notable feature. The
cutting edge on the iron of
a shoulder plane extends
across the entire width of
the plane’s sole. This
allows you to cut
right up
to a square edge or into a corner
as is necessary when trimming a
tenon shoulder. But it also opens
up many other possibilities as
well. I think of my shoulder
plane as an all-purpose, joinery-
tuning tool.
Shoulder or Rabbet? The distinc-
tion between a shoulder and a
rabbet plane is a bit blurry. Like
a shoulder plane, a rabbet plane
is set up to cut edge-to-edge. The
difference is that a rabbet plane
is designed specifically to cut
rabbets — often having a fence,
depth stop, and scoring nickers
for making cuts across the grain.
Another difference is that a
shoulder plane has a lower cut-
ting angle. This feature allows it
to cut end grain or across the grain
smoothly and with less effort.
In practical terms, a rabbet
plane and a shoulder plane can
handle a lot of the same tasks.

16 WoodsmithPlans.com WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2013 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.

But all-in-all, a shoulder plane is
the more versatile of the two.
Which Size? Shoulder planes can
vary in width from 1⁄2" to 11⁄2".
You’ll find that a size in the mid-
range — 3⁄4" to 1" will be the most
useful and handle the widest
range of tasks. The larger sizes
of shoulder planes can be pretty
bulky for fine work.
Plane Setup. Today’s adjustable
shoulder planes are much more
user-friendly than past types.
However, to get the best results,
you need a basic grasp of the
proper setup. The upper right
drawings illustrate these points.
Since a shoulder plane cuts over
the full width of the sole, the cut-
ting edge should be honed per-
fectly straight across and square
to its sides. Most shoulder planes
allow only limited lateral adjust-
ment of the iron. If the cutting
edge isn’t square, you won’t be
able to set it parallel to the throat.
You’ll find that the iron of a
shoulder plane is actually slightly
wider than the sole. When the iron
is installed it should extend a hair
Shoulders. Set the iron for a very
light cut when trimming the end
grain of a tenon shoulder.
Dadoes. A narrow shoulder plane
is perfect for adjusting the depth
or flattening the bottom of a dado.
17 WoodsmithPlans.com WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2013 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
The iron's
beyond both sides of the plane. cutting edge a.
This allows the plane to cut more should be
BOTTOM honed at 90° Adjust the throat
effectively into a square corner. VIEW to the sides of a shoulder plane
As I mentioned, the cutting and installed to match the task.
parallel to the A narrow opening
edge also needs to be parallel to throat is usually better
the throat. If it’s not, you won’t get
a consistent, full-width cut. You
can simply eyeball this setting or The iron is
make test cuts to check it. slightly wider
than the sole Cap
Finally, many shoulder planes to ensure
clean corners
have an adjustable throat. Since
the plane is generally employed Throat
for light-duty trimming, you’ll be
taking fine cuts. Here, a narrow
throat is desirable. You’ll get a
cleaner cut with less tearout. through the cut. But a shoulder
Technique. Using a shoulder plane also lends itself to a pull cut
plane will come pretty naturally. when this is more practical.
You’ll develop your own feel and many Tasks. So where do you put
form with your particular plane. a shoulder plane to work? The
As with any hand plane, one of photos below and the main photo
the keys is firm control. Since the on the opposite page illustrate a
plane is generally used for light sampling of the tasks a shoulder
trim work, this isn’t difficult. plane can handle — from trim-
The smallest shoulder planes ming shoulders to smoothing
often work best as “one-handed” rabbets to shaping contours. Once
tools — like a block plane. With a shoulder plane finds a home
the larger sizes, a two-handed in your shop, it’s guaranteed to
grip will give you better control. become a trusted and well-used
In most instances, I push the plane problem solver.
Cheeks. A shoulder plane leaves a Tongues. A few quick passes is all it takes
smooth surface when used “cross- to fit the tongue on this back board to the
grain” on the cheeks of a tenon. groove in the mating piece.
Raised Panels. The bevel cuts on Shaping Contours. A shoulder plane can
a raised panel can be smoothed sometimes reach places even a block plane
more efficiently than sanding. can’t go, allowing you to refine contours.