Tabla de contenidos para Issue 137 en ShopNotes Magazine

T-track has countless uses in the shop. It’s a quick and easy way to complement a worksurface or shop jig by providing a method for attaching clamps and other fixtures. So when Rockler came out with the T-track system you see above, I had to take a look. The Rockler system capitalizes on the usefulness of T-track. The foundation of the system is the T-track tabletop. From there, they offer a whole host of accessories. And the beauty is, you can still make your own jigs and fixtures to fit the system using readily available T-track hardware. T-Track Tabletop. As shown above, the T-track tabletop is everything the name suggests. It makes a great worksurface for all-around woodworking but it’s even more useful for clamping and assembly. The tabletop is…

It would be wonderful if every board we bought was perfectly straight and flat, and stayed that way. Unfortunately, warped boards are a challenge wood-workers encounter all too often. But if the board isn‘t warped too badly, it can usually be salvaged. Generally the first step when preparing a board is to flatten one face on the jointer, and then run it through the planer. How-ever, if the board is too wide for the jointer, the first inclination might be to just run it through the planer. If you do, you’ll end up with a smooth board that’s still warped. That’s because the pressure rollers on a planer will flatten the board while it’s going through, and the board will just spring back after it’s been planed. In the past,…

Hinge Mortise Jig Cutting several mortises for hinges, like those on the dust collector station (shown on page 24), involves several aspects. Each mortise should be sized accurately, cut cleanly, and located consistently on the project. While there are a number of ways to get the job done, the jig shown here does all these things without being too complicated. In a nutshell, a pair of bases support the router and guide a short dado cleanout bit. The space between the bases defines the length of the mortise. Below the bases, a pair of fences sandwich the workpiece and back up the cut to prevent tearout. The short, inside fence registers against the cabinet top, bottom, and dividers to locate each mortise. The long fence goes on the outside and…

Following the old workshop proverb, “You can never have too many clamps” means you’re prepared for any type of assembly challenge. But you’re also faced with storing all those clamps. No matter how many clamps you have, the right kind of storage system can help keep project assembly less hectic. I talked with a few editors around here to learn their strategies for storing and organizing clamps. The drawing above serves as a gallery of their ideas. The advantage here is you can pick and choose a solution or two that can work in your shop. While each situation is unique, I want to touch on a few common themes. Where You Need Them. On the surface, keeping all your clamps in one place makes sense. However, just because they’re…

I remember walking into my grandfather’s garage as a child. There, along one wall, was a heavy-duty bench with 4x4 legs and a top made from “two-by” lumber. On any given day you could see everything from lawn mower repair to woodworking being done on that workbench. The bench you see here is just like my grandfather’s. It’s strong enough for any task you can throw at it and will last for generations. And just like the old bench from my childhood, it can really take a beating. But the best part is, you can build it in a weekend using readily available construction-grade lumber. And the wood-working couldn’t be simpler. The base assembly involves a few lag screws. The top planks are held with washer-head screws. The woodworking is…

Creating trays or picture frames with angled sides can, at first, be a head-scratcher. How do you cut those compound angles so every-thing fits together? It all boils down to the table saw setup. Three Angles. Cutting a compound miter joint requires the blade and the miter gauge to be set to specific angles. But before you can do that, you need to know the angle you want for the sides of the finished project. With this information, you can use an online calculator to determine these two angle settings (refer to Sources, page 51). Using the calculated angles, it’s easy to make a setup gauge for your table saw. The box on the opposite page goes into detail on how to do this. The Process. Before setting the blade and…

As woodworkers, it’s been drilled into our heads that we should always wear safety glasses to protect our eyes. But if you’ve used a grinder or lathe for very long, you’ve no doubt experienced particles and chips hitting you in the face and neck. And when using the table saw or router, there’s always the risk of a carbide tooth breaking or wood chips flying toward the face. This is where faceshields come in. They take over where safety glasses leave off, protecting your face and neck as well as your eyes. I ordered a few faceshields to try out. These include a full-face shield from Infinity (left photo) and 3M Tekk (main photo). I also looked at the Turner’s Select from Craft Supplies, Professional face shield from Lee Valley,…

A dado joint doesn’t attract the same kind of “oohs” and “aahs” that dovetails get. But what they lack in visual appeal they make up for in everyday practicality. However, it still takes some care to get a joint that fits well and looks good, too. I’d like to take a closer look at cutting these joints at the router table. To my mind, the router table is ideal for cutting narrow dadoes in small parts like drawers, boxes, and trays. A straight-cutting router bit leaves a smooth, flat-bottomed dado for a strong glue joint. The following tips and tricks will give you an idea of the process and help you get better results. The Right Bit. For simplicity and accuracy, I like to rout dadoes that match the width…

Ever since I purchased a pocket hole jig, I’ve found more and more ways to use it in my projects. But I’ve always felt I could get more use out of the jig if I had a dedicated workstation. The portable workstation you see above is the answer. First of all, the “wings” fold down to provide a wide, stable base. Each wing contains a drawer with dividers for storing screws, drill bits, and drivers. A sliding insert on the top of each wing provides support for large workpieces. And a pair of adjustable stops allow you to drill holes at the same locations on multiple workpieces. Finally, when you’re done for the day, the wings fold up for storage. The hardwood handle secures the wings and the drawers until…

A hair, a bit, a smidgen — some-times that’s all you need to remove from a workpiece. And it can often mean the difference between a part (or a joint) that’s too tight and one that’s right on. One obstacle standing in your way is trimming across end grain. These tough fibers are difficult to cut smoothly without tearout. When faced with trimming tasks, I turn to a handful of reliable tools and techniques to get right-on-the-money results. Cut to Length. The simplest task is cutting a workpiece to length. More often than not, this is a multi-step process. That’s because I’m not usually cutting a part to a specific measurement. Rather, I’m cutting a part to fit. The approach I take is to mark the approximate length of the…

Few woodworkers would identify a shop vacuum as their favorite power tool. But ask me to give up mine and you’d get a fight. Several important features set household vacuums. For a start, and have a much larger capacity shop vacuums are more powerful to hold debris. Their larger hoses allow them to suck up big chips and piles of shavings. And most pickups. p Despitethese“brutish” features, some can be extremely effective at removing the finest, and most hazardous dust. Plus, a variety of attachments and aftermarket add-ons make them extremely versatile and able to tackle most cleaning tasks. TYPES OF SHOP VACUUMS The two most common types of shop vacuums available are general purpose and high efficiency, also called dust extractors. General Purpose. A general purpose shop vacuum can be…