Popular Woodworking Editors' Blog

Look around your neighborhood. The next time you see a truck belonging to a contractor or cabinetmaker, there’s a good chance that the company uses a handplane in its logo.

Though the image of a plane is the mark of the craftsman, there are few craftsmen who really know how to use the tool. Has this knowledge been lost? Are the tools simply obsolete?

The truth is that neither statement is true. The handplane is the most advanced and cunning wood-cutting tool ever invented, and it has yet to be surpassed by anything with a power cord. After World War II, handplanes began to disappear from shops because we traded speed for skill and expediency for quality.

But now the pendulum is swinging the other way. Modern toolmakers have revived the planemaking industry and are turning out quality tools the like of which haven’t been sold for 100 years. Woodworkers are discovering that these tools are fast, satisfying to use and produce remarkably crisp work.

"Handplane Essentials" aims to get you started. Inside these pages is the knowledge you need to choose the right handplanes for your shop, set them up correctly and put them to use building furniture for a lifetime. “Handplane Essentials” contains everything you need to choose the right tool for your budget and project, take it out of the box, sharpen it and use it successfully. The chapters in this book have been compiled from more than 10 years of my writings on the subject of handplanes in magazines, trade journals and blogs.

And it's a sizable book – 312 pages – and printed on high-quality paper. The hundreds of photos in the book have been sepia-toned, just like the photos in Woodworking Magazine (our sister publication). The book is hardbound, covered in black cloth with a copper embossing and a heavy full-color dust jacket. And – best of all – the book is produced and printed entirely in the United States. Here's what you'll find inside:

Basics
Learn what the different handplanes are used for. Decode their crazy numbering system so you can focus instead on what each tool does. And figure out what specific planes you need in your shop.

Sharpening
Learning to hone your cutters to a keen edge is the secret to getting your planes to work. “Handplane Essentials” shows you how to get this done no matter what sort of sharpening system you use now.

Techniques
Learn how to flatten individual boards, panels and even enormous tabletops with just a few bench planes. Learn to use specialty planes to cut grooves, rabbets and other joints.

History & Philosophy
If you understand historical practice, you’ll be a better handplane user – even if you choose to reject the traditional methods. Learn to pick a well-made old tool based on how it is made.

Reviews
Find out who makes the best high-quality tool, whether it’s a $50 plane from India or a $5,000 plane custom-made by a machinist in Scotland. I've tried them all.

The book is at the printer now and will be in stock during the first week of August. If you order before July 31, you'll receive a discount of 20 percent off the regular price of $34.99. That means the book will be $27.99 – plus free shipping.

After July 31, the book will be $34.99 (though shipping will still be free).

To read more or place your order, click here. To download an excerpt of the book in pdf format, the link below.

2-CoarseMediumFine.pdf (3.16 MB)

— Christopher Schwarz

Monday, June 29, 2009 2:04:01 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [1] 

Even if you're experienced with using a computer, learning a new software program presents two problems. The first is learning how to get around the program; the second is learning how to make the program do what you want it to do. We're excited about what SketchUp can do to make woodworking easier and better, and I've been working on developing methods to help folks learn it. I've come to realize that instead of starting at the beginning by making simple models, you can dramatically shorten the learning curve by starting at the end.

Monday, June 29, 2009 1:11:24 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [2] 

SawStop has done it again. First, the company developed and integrated a safety system to keep woodworkers from being maimed by a spinning saw blade. Now the group at SawStop has tackled the second most crucial safety issue of table saws – sawdust.

New shroud designs under the table and above the table (the blade guard) have improved dust collection on the yet-to-be-released SawStop Professional Cabinet Saw. According to the company, dust collection on the newest member of the SawStop fleet is 99 percent. And to accomplish that you need only a 120CFM dust collector.

How did they do it? In laymen’s terms, engineers found a way to transform the normally turbulent air surrounding the saw blade into laminar air that travels like a jet stream. In other words, SawStop molded the blade guard and manipulated the lower dust shroud to move the air – and the corresponding wood dust – directly toward and into a hose connection in rear of the blade guard (shown above).

Information is just beginning to trickle out about the blade guard design and the fact that it increases the overall dust collection on the saw by four additional percentage points. (As this entry posted, SawStop had yet to update it's website with the new information.) You can bet everyone will be all over SawStop’s new Professional Cabinet Saw and the new dust-collection designs in Las Vegas at the AWFS (Association of Woodworking and Furnishings Suppliers) show come mid-July.

Thursday, June 18, 2009 1:20:51 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] 

Announcing the 'Hand Tool Olympics' at Woodworking in America

In sports, you need to compete against a superior player to improve your own game.
 
So to make you a more skilled tool user, we're holding a "Hand Tool Olympics" at our Woodworking in America conference in St. Charles, Ill., this August. During these friendly competitions, you'll get to show off your skills in a variety of hand-tool basics. And you could win prizes just for competing.

(Need a coach? Competition staff will be on hand to provide training, tips and strategies.)

Here are the details:

The Olympics will be held on Friday, Aug. 14 and Saturday, Aug. 15 (with recreational and fun events on Sunday, Aug. 16) in the Society of American Period Furniture Makers (SAPFM) booth. Three events will be held each day with the winners announced and awards bestowed during the Saturday dinner. The Grand-prize winner will receive Free Admission to a Future Woodworking in America Conference.  The "medalists" in each event will win one of the tools used for that event. Plus, randomly selected participants will also be awarded prizes. (Prizes are limited to one per attendee.)

Plus we'll be giving away DVDs, CDs, books and magazines to participants throughout the two days of competition.

The Minnesota chapter of SAPFM, headed by Mike Siemsen, will conduct the Olympics. Plus, SAPFM will hold workshops and provide tutorials for those who would like to participate but need a little last-minute coaching on proper use of a given hand tool. (And who knows – a prodigy might be discovered!) Participants must use the tools provided (don’t worry – we’ll have the necessary tools – and they’re good ones!).

The events are as follows:

1. One Meter Dash – Step away from your table saw and venture back into the 1800s. Each contestant is required to accurately rip a 36" piece of 2 x 12 stock using a handsaw.  We hope you practiced the pointers doled out in Popular Woodworking magazine’s "Arts & Mysteries" column. This event is judged mainly on time, with points deducted for going way off the line. (A kinked saw will result in immediate disqualification.)

2. Shooting Sports – Use a jointer plane to straighten and square the edge created during the One Meter Dash. That’s right – you have to do it completely by hand. Crazy. Judging, with a test bar of aluminum, a feeler gauge and an engineer’s square is for straightness and accuracy.

3. Crosscut Extravaganza – Hold your finger straight to sight down the saw (or simply channel your inner square) to accurately crosscut a piece of 2 x 12 lumber. This event is judged mainly for time with points deducted for going way off the line. (A kinked saw will result in immediate disqualification.)

4. Brace Yourself For a Hole in One – Before the advent of electric and battery-powered drill/drivers, carpenters and woodworkers used a brace and auger bits to bore holes. The challenge: Bore a 3/4" hole in a plank, straight and square to surface of plank (no squares or other aids allowed). It’s not as boring as you might think! Judged for speed. Points off for major blowouts on the backside and any degrees out of square.

5. Pins First or Tails First – You make the call on which method you prefer; we’ll track the numbers to see which is more popular. Either way, you have to complete a well-fit three-pin dovetail joint on a 1x4, using hand tools. Goodbye jig. Judging is subjective – but we know it when we see it. If the competition gets close, we may call in a jury.

6. Greco-Roman Tenons – Produce a 3"-long, 3/4"-thick tenon on the end of a piece of 2x4 stock. Your attempt has to fit into a provided test mortise. This event is judged for time and quality – with some latitude allowed if the tenon is a bit tight, as most are hand planed to final fit.

Prize Tools

* Rip Saws –Donated by Mike Siemsen’s School of Woodworking (vintage saws sharpened by Mark Harrell at Technoprimitives.com).
*Crosscut Saws – Donated by Mike Siemsen’s School of Woodworking (vintage saws sharpened by Mark Harrell).
*Back Saws – Donated by Bad Axe Tool Works – Mark Harrell
*Jointer Planes – Donated by Lee Valley & Veritas
*Dovetail Mallets – Donated by Blue Spruce Toolworks
*Brace and Bit – Donated by Popular Woodworking and Woodworking Magazine

— Glen D. Huey

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 2:24:06 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] 

Milwaukee Tools invited magazine and newspaper editors to its headquarters in Brookfield, Wis., on June 10 to unveil a number of new tools – 48 during the next 18 months – and a complete new line for the company. The buzzwords around Milwaukee Tools are "Disruptive Innovation." The company is not looking to embellish a product with a unique switch or a larger over-molded grip; it’s looking to introduce products with such new innovation that we re-think how we use those tools. And Milwaukee is OK if it cannibalizes it’s own product in the process.

Also, Milwaukee Tools reinforced the company focus. Milwaukee made no bones about where the company plans to focus its attention in the coming years. It plans to return to its core customers – the trades. Electricians, plumbers, HVAC and other similar groups are in the headlights of the 85-year-old company. And the headlights are set to high beam.

A big part of the new focus is a new line of "Test and Measure" equipment. Seven new products from this area are released or about to be released. Most of these tools are for electricians, HVAC and the building trades – clamp meters, open-jaw testers and laser temperature guns – and not so much for woodworkers. Noticeably absent were distance-measuring tools. When asked about those, the response was to be patient; those are in the pipeline.

Of the corded tools introduced at the event, angle grinders stood out the most. Milwaukee is releasing many new grinders. There are large angle grinders (7" and 9" examples), small grinders (4-1/2" to 6" 12-amp tools) and a couple cordless designs, too. And, the company has a cut-off grinder coming out. Again, for woodworking, even though some woodworkers sculpt with grinders, this doesn’t knock our socks off.

With the discussion turning to cordless tools, the event shifted closer to the interest of woodworkers. Milwaukee has three tool platforms – M12, M18 and V28. Tool introductions were made in each platform with the majority of the releases coming in the M12 and M18 platform.

The majority of the new cordless introductions from Milwaukee are hammer and/or impact tools. The largest tool is a 3/4" High-torque Impact Wrench (0764-22) from the V28 lineup and the smallest introduction is a M12 3/8" impact wrench (2451-22). While the range in tool size is huge, the choices are even larger.

Also in the mix of cordless tools is the M12, 3/8" drill/driver. The two-speed 2410-22 drill/driver, according to the company, is the only tool in its class with a metal locking chuck and it can deliver 25 percent more torque and drill 35 percent faster than the competition. For me, it’s small and feels great in the hand. It’s a great choice for all-day-long work or maneuvering in tight spaces. In the hands-on portion of the event, I compared the 3/8" drill/driver to Milwaukee’s 1/4"-Hex Compact Impact Driver (2650-21) while driving a handful of screws into 2" material. Both tools did the job.

Because both small drivers did the job, I wonder if woodworkers need impact tools. More than a few companies have introduced impact drivers – a couple companies are set to introduce a full line of accessories developed just for impact drivers – and I’ve found impact drivers mentioned on a couple woodworking forums. But I want to hear from you. Do woodworkers need this tool?

It’s time for a poll. Please take a minute to register your response, then click comment to see more detailed information.

If you are planning to purchase or if you use an impact driver consistently, please leave a comment explaining how you use the driver.

— Glen D. Huey

Monday, June 15, 2009 12:01:20 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [5] 

Back on December 23rd, I posted an entry (read it here) about Porter-Cable’s handling of a battery issue with the new line of “Tradesman” tools. PC took the bull by the horns to make sure  word got out and consumers weren't left in the dark if they had battery issues.

At this time, Porter-Cable has cleared up any problems with the 18-volt Lithium-ion batteries and has the drill/drivers and batteries back out in the stores and available to consumers – look for PCL180DRK-2 to make sure you have the corrected-battery tool.

In addition, PC has delivered two new battery designs for use with the Tradesman tools. The PC18BLX ($69.97) is a 1.3 amp hour Lithium-ion battery and the PC18BLEX ($89.97) is a second Lithium-ion battery, but with a double amp-hour rating of 2.6. Use the LX battery on your tool when you’re after a lighter feel and smaller profile. And turn to an EX battery if you’re looking for extended run times.

Tradesman Drill/Drivers are not the only tools these batteries work in. Porter-Cable has pushed out the second phase of the Tradesman line. At this time, Porter-Cable has a three-tool combo kit and a four-tool combo kit – complete with batteries and chargers (the four-tool kit includes the EX and LX batteries). Also available are "expansion tools" – tools sold without batteries – including an impact driver, 6-1/2" circular saw, a jigsaw, a reciprocating saw, a rotary saw, a detail sander, a hand vacuum and an area light; all of them use  the 18-volt Lithium-ion batteries.

Oh. If you hooked up with the Ni-cad line of Tradesman tools, no worries. The expansion tools work equally as well with your battery design.

— Glen D. Huey

Friday, June 12, 2009 2:07:13 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [0] 

The Classic Huntboard article in Popular Woodworking June 2009  (issue #176) includes traditional and non-traditional construction methods. The traditional methods involve mortise-and-tenon construction where the case back and sides meet the legs. That’s cross-grain construction.

The photo on page 45 (shown above) shows how the joint is divided and the caption explains why. In the text, when the time comes to assemble the case, I write, “First, add glue to the leg mortises for the back, then spread glue on the tenons and slip the back into the mortises.” If you read this to assume that I add glue to all the mortises and tenons before I slip the joint together, you read it correctly. However, there are many woodworkers who don’t agree with that method. A synopsis of friendly e-mail exchange is posted below.

A reader wrote: "It's entirely possible that I missed it, but I didn't see any comments by Glen as to whether a reader should glue all three mortises on the case sides, or glue the bottom and let the top two float, or glue the top mortise, pin the bottom one (and elongate the hole in the tenon for the pin), and let the middle one float (this last option would be my choice). Obviously, this affects how the piece will age - if all three mortises are glued, it's likely that the case sides will crack.  While historically accurate, that result might greatly disturb some readers, especially newbies."

My response was: "I’ve built many pieces of furniture (from huntboards to highboys and lowboys) that have case sides mortised into the legs. As a novice woodworker, I glued the sides securely into the legs without any thought of wood movement. You would think the case sides would or could crack given that arrangement. However, I have yet to see this happen to any of the pieces. Today I practice the same method – I fully glue the tenons and do not worry about wood movement issues and the possibility of cracks.

If you calculate the total movement of the sides of the huntboard, you’ll arrive at a maximum potential movement of around a 1/8". It is my contention that the glues we use and the "give" of the woods are forgiving enough to counteract any movement. Add in the idea that most homes do not experience extreme changes in humidity and I don’t see this as an issue."

OK, here are my thoughts on this issue. A board moves from the center outward when affected by seasonal changes. The middle mortise-and-tenon joint on the huntboard will not lose its hold. The top and bottom joints are the ones under stress as the wood expands and contracts. In accordance, the wood movement of 1/8" overall is reduced to half – 1/16" from the center of the board to the top and a 1/16" from the center to the bottom. I believe the wood is resilient enough to handle this movement.

On a 36" or wider tabletop that has breadboard ends, I work differently. I know the top is going to move. I’ve seen it happen over the course of a day or two, let alone during seasonal changes. In this scenario, I glue the center tenon joint and peg the remaining mortise and tenons after I enlarge the holes to allow for movement.

I asked Chuck Bender – a fellow woodworker with 30 years of furniture construction behind him – for his take on this issue. His answer was "In all these years, having made plenty of sideboards and huntboards, I can't recall any that seriously cracked." He glues the mortise-and-tenon joint fully and has experienced no major problems.

Chuck did correct me on one item though. His wrote, "During the 'period' the humidity levels ranged pretty widely but the change from the low to the high was rather gradual. In today's homes, we can go from open windows and doors on an early October day with a reasonably high humidity to the next morning having the forced hot air system making the house 90° Fahrenheit with virtually no humidity. It's that kind of nonsense that kills furniture."

I have to agree.

Additionally, I think a bigger problem – and possibly the cause of case side cracks over and above the glue question – is how tenons are fit. If tenons are fit too tightly from top to bottom and, as a result, there isn't enough room for expansion and contraction, your work is much more prone to issues such as cracks. As the wood moves and the glues creep, stresses build and something has to give.

Do you agree? Disagree? Let’s hear your take on this issue. Leave a comment. Also, if you a photo of a project you’ve built that has developed a crack, send me the photo and I’ll post it. There’s no better way to learn than from experience.

— Glen D. Huey

Friday, June 12, 2009 7:55:22 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [10] 

SketchUp is a great free program for planning your work. But there is a tremendous amount of value to it even if you never draw a line. Printing out full size patterns is but one example. We've assembled a collection of models on Google's 3D Warehouse, and have the same collection categorized on our SketchUp Page. Anyone can download and use any of these models absolutely free. Here's an example of how I made a pattern for an ogee bracket foot from one of the latest additions to our collection.



This is a blanket chest made by Glen Huey that graces the cover of our August 2009 issue (on its way to subscribers as I write this). After downloading the model, I went to the Window menu in SketchUp and opened the window named Components. I scrolled down the list until I found the foot I wanted, and dragged it into an empty space in the model window. Sometimes dragging your feet can be a good thing. Then I zoomed in until the foot filled the screen.



I wanted a dead on view from the front, and there are a couple of ways to get it. I added the Standard Views toolbar to my installation, so I simply clicked on the front facing little house. You can also get this view from the Camera menu in SketchUp under Standard Views/Front. Then I went back to the Camera menu and checked Parallel Projection instead of Perspective. Then I picked a style from the Styles window to make the model simply black lines with no background colors.

The next settings I needed are under the File Menu/Document Setup window. Uncheck Fit View to Page and type in the number 1 in both windows under Print Scale. My machine can be a little fussy on this, and I need to highlight both windows before I hit the OK button.



You might need to fiddle with the Print Setup and Printer settings on your computer. Different computers and printers do this a little differently, but the idea is you want the printer to print at 100% and not scale the image to fit the page. If you're trying to print something that won't fit a single page, SketchUp will tile the images on as many pages as it takes. I snapped in a dimension within the model to make checking the scale easier. With the full size pattern in hand I can stick the pattern to a piece of wood with some spray adhesive and start cutting.

This is an incredible time saver and a simple way to transfer outlines from the pages of our magazine to your hunk of wood. If you haven't looked at SketchUp because you don't do your own design work, I urge you to check it out. This is only one of the many things you can do in addition to drawing. If you have a favorite "after the drawing is done" task for SketchUp, share  it by leaving a comment below.

– Robert W. Lang

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 5:39:32 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)    Comments [5]