Designing Traditional Breadboard Ends
Holes in the outer tenons are elongated to allow for wood movement. Apply glue only to the center 6 in. or so. Q What's the purpose behind using breadboard ends on a tabletop Apply glue only to the center 6 in. or so. A BREADBOARD ENDS KEEP WIDE TABLE ENDS FLAT while allowing the top to move seasonally. The breadboard is a grooved end cap that is placed over tenons and secured with pins. It is joined to the tabletop with a series of tenons connected by a continuous stub tenon. The longer tenons...
By Mario Rodriguez
Attaching a top to its base is a critical aspect of table design and constaiction. Regardless of the method you choose, it should meet the following criteria The top must be firmly attached to the base the top must remain flat a solid-wood top must be allowed to move seasonally and the attachment method shouldn't compromise the design of the table or complicate its constaiction. I'll describe four ways of attaching a tabletop that meet these requirements, along with the reasoning behind each...
By Garrett Hack
You can't beat butt hinges for durability, clean looks, and straightforward installation. I'll demonstrate the most common use for this hinge hanging an inset cabinet door. If you can install hinges in this type of flush door, you can handle any other butt-hinge application. Woodworking catalogs offer a variety of butt hinges some steel, others brass some with thick extaided leaves, others pressed from thin metal. Some hinges, such as those for a jewelry-box lid, have a built-in stop. While...
Panel Variations
Face-mounted panels are used when frame members are Cutting the panel grooves in line with the mortises and tenons makes layout and execution easier. Cutting the panel grooves in line with the mortises and tenons makes layout and execution easier. Applied bolection molding supplies strength without using much space in the rabbet. The corresponding contour is coped. Note On small cabinet doors, a stub tenon no mortise suffices for joinery. An profiled edge is said to have a stuck mold' ' A...
Wood Moisture Meter
New mini-Ligno E D High Performance Low-cost For hobbyists and woodworkers to avoid frustrating moisture problems. PO 30145, Portland OR 97294 503-257-8957, B X 503-255-1430, wm.lignomat.com, i Good hardware means different tilings to different people. No matter the style, there are three elements to consider Material You chose your wood carefully Choose the hardware just as carefully We use solid brass. It lasts forever. Construction Good construction is a must. Hardware reflects the countless...
Sliding Dovetail
Appearance Very good excellent if stopped or covered by a face frame A sliding dovetail adds considerable mechanical strength, but sliding a lO-in.-long dovetail into a tight-fitting slot before the glue sets up is a challenge. Using a fairly slow-setting epoxy glue will help considerably. Epoxy is a slippery glue that helps get this type of joint together without excessive expansion and stress. Strength Very good Appearance Fair Screwed cleats let you add shelves without too much fuss, but...
Building Furniture 1
Fixed shelves attach to the sides of a case with either wood joinery, hardware, or a combination of the two. Unlike adjustable shelves, fixed shelves help strengthen the entire case. And because they are attached to the case sides, fixed shelves sag less. Fixed shelves sag less and strengthen the case Appearance Good excellent if using a stopped dado one that's not exposed at the front or if covered by a face frame A dado joint houses the ends of the shelf in a long notch, providing some...
Cut The Joinery Before Shaping The Upper Rails
Cut the tenons and the inside curve of the rails before mortising. Mark the locations of the back-splat mortises using a template and drill them out on the drill press left . A curved fence helps support the tall workpiece. Next, following the lines marked from the template, square up the mortises right . Cut the tenons and the inside curve of the rails before mortising. Mark the locations of the back-splat mortises using a template and drill them out on the drill press left . A curved fence...
Metal Table Clips
Secure but free to move. The clips are screwed to the top. With humidity changes, they move side to side and in and out of the groove or slot. twin-circle clips can be screwed to the apron either before or after the base has been assembled. Check that the clips are free to move. Photos, except where noted Mark Schofield this page top left, middle left Kelly J. Dunton
FINE WOODWORKING Kcm
Photos, except where noted Tom Begnal individual shelf and product shots Michael Pekovich Mark and cut the rabbet. First, mark the rabbet location on the end of the shelf left , then use a bearing-guided rabbeting bit to cut the rabbet above . Rabbeted dado starts with a dado. A T-square jig helps cut a dado across the side. The slot in the jig is just wide enough to accept the bearing of a top-mounted bearing-guided straight bit. I'm not a fan of screwing shelves in place with the typical...
FINE WOODWORKING Rfe
Eveiyone can use a few more shelves. Indeed, in many homes, an available shelf can be as difficult to find as the TV remote. So if you build a set of bookshelves, they'll probably be filled as soon as the finish dries. Bookshelves can work in any room. You can make them free standing or built-in. They can be big or small. And they can take any form, from simple screwed-together and painted plywood for use in a utility room, to sophisticated formal library shelves made from beautiful hardwoods....
Backpanel Options
A more attractive frame and panel can be fit into the side rabbets. A more attractive frame and panel can be fit into the side rabbets. Horizontal shiplapped back boards help prevent tall sides from bowing outward. Horizontal shiplapped back boards help prevent tall sides from bowing outward. The case is joined with half-blind dovetails, which are hidden from view. Traditionally, the back consists of shiplapped boards. _______ Top and bottom r end flush with Half-blind dovetails are sized and...
Headboard With Two Tenons
Construction must allow for seasonal movement of the headboard. The headboard and footboard, if any assembly usually is built as a unit, with mortise-and-tenon joints connecting the rail to the two posts. The mortise and tenon provide the maximum strength to this connection, but the details of the joint vary based on the bed's design. On a wide plank headboard, you must allow for wood movement. With two separate tenons, glue only the upper one, or use a wide, short tenon floating in a long,...
DRAWERDIVIDER FRAMES Hqs
Only the front 3 in. or 4 in. are glued to the case, allowing the case sides to move. Choose a frame type based on the desired look and the need for strength. is the lack of sound glue surfaces between the frame and the case. Usually this isn't a problem, but for a tall case or one with unstable wood, you may want one of the other frame systems that use lap dovetails to tie the ends of the case together. The other types also offer the traditional look of exposed joineiy. Start by laying out and...
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Leg And Apron Construction
striking feature of any table is how well it fits in with its surroundings. This can mean designing in an established style such as Queen Anne or Arts and Crafts, or designing so that the general proportions, shapes, and colors are compatible with neighboring pieces. Compatibility can result from similarity or contrast. A severely modern design might fit very well with the relatively simple lines of a room full of Shaker furniture, but might look uncomfortably out of place in a room furnished...
Tongue And Rabbet
Though it takes a few more tool setups, a half-blind tongue and rabbet adds built-in mechanical strength to the joint. For this reason, it's usually not necessary to reinforce this joint. Pins hold joint secure against pulling forces. Pins hold joint secure against pulling forces. Tongue adds mechanical strength to resist pulling forces. Tail portion, or key, should extend into at least half the thickness of the drawer front. Joint can be reinforced with small pegs at the top and bottom. Joint...
Installing Bed Bolts 1
Drill the bolt hole. After drilling through the post into the tenon, remove the post and complete the hole to its full depth. plunge router and a straight bit to cut a mortise on the inside of the rail. Drill the bolt hole. After drilling through the post into the tenon, remove the post and complete the hole to its full depth. plunge router and a straight bit to cut a mortise on the inside of the rail. Locate the nut. Fit a tenon into the mortise, insert the bolt, and give it a sharp tap to...
Installing Bedrail Brackets
strike plate is recessed into the post. In addition, deeper mortises are required to accommodate the two clips. Dowels prevent the side rail from twisting. Head or foot rail is glued to the post with a nut embedded in the tenon. There are many types of two-part fasteners for attaching the side rails to the posts. Look for the most solidly made hardware. Because screws driven into end grain don't have a lot of holding power, you should glue dowels into the rails to provide some long grain for...
SLIDING DOVETAIL Ppe
The sliding dovetail has built-in mechanical strength instead of glue alone to help hold the joint tightly. As with the dado above , leaving the sides long at the back will give you access to the full depth of the drawer when it's open. Shoulder helps keep the drawer square. Shoulder helps keep the drawer square. Key should extend into at least half the thickness of the drawer side. The sliding dovetail has built-in mechanical strength instead of glue alone to help hold the joint tightly. As...
The Golden Mean
The golden mean may be expressed as a ratio, BC AB as AB AC. This is approximately 5 8. ABCc is a golden rectangle. Squaring a golden rectangle leaves another golden rectangle shaded area Aabc squaring this rectangle produces yet another golden rectangle double-shaded area a1b1c1c . This smallest rectangle produced the shape of the door's upper panels left .
The Classical Orders Of Architecture
The Tuscan column the first of the five classical orders of architecture is built on a ratio of 1 7. The column width 1, the column height 7. All other dimensions are multiples or fractions of this ratio for example, the base and the capital are each one-half the column width. Use the ratio of the Tuscan order or any other order to proportion a door. Divide the height of the door by seven, then use multiples or fractions of the resulting unit to size the panels and frame members. For an 84-in....
The Taunton Press
Chief Financial Officer Timothy Rahr Executive Vice President amp Publisher, Magazine Group Jon Miller Creative amp Editorial Director Human Resources Director Technology Services Director Controller Advertising Director Fulfillment Director Financial Analysis Director Circulation Director Susan Edelman Carol Marotti Jay Hartley Wayne Reynolds David Gray Patricia Williamson Kathy Worth Dennis O'Brien Adding solid-wood keys to mitered picture frames or mitered boxes not only makes the joint...
In Rabbeted Cleats
Rabbeted cleats are screwed to the rear top and bottom of the case. Three panels of Vi-in. plywood slide easily into place. ordinary. Mortise-and-tenon frames that separate the drawers are glued in the front 3 in. or so but not at the back. Leaving space at the back ensures that when the case shrinks, the frames don't push against the back of the case. Both the frame-and-panel doors and the dovetailed drawers are built using the usual methods, but I put small vertical stops behind the doors....
Angledjoint Detail 1
This jig allows you to cut angled and straight mortises in the legs with a plunge router. It also allows for mortising for the loose tenons in the ends of the side rails. Bottom, IV in. thick by 3 2 in. wide Fence, 8 in. long, rides along box sides to ensure straight cuts. Notch for end-mortising, IV in. wide by 4 in. long Wedge leg in box for mortising. Adhesive-backed sandpaper prevents the wedges from slipping. Plywood sides, 3A in. thick by 47 i6 in. wide by 26V in. long Angle block orients...
Flat Vs Rabbeted Molding Frame
The type of molding frame will determine how much of the top or bottom edge of the carcase is visible. Internal frame is the same thickness as the molding. Internal frame is the same thickness as the molding. A flat frame is easier to build and fit. But it shows the entire case edge and must lie perfectly flat. A flat frame is easier to build and fit. But it shows the entire case edge and must lie perfectly flat. Molding overhangs the frame, creating a lip that covers any gaps. Molding...
Caseback Detail
first cut across the left side, beginning at the front corner and working toward the rear. Make the second cut across the front, beginning at the right corner, and then the third cut across the right side, working from the rear to the front. This progression of cuts helps eliminate tearout at the corners. The narrow submolding applied just below the top should be shaped on a wider board. Then you can rip the thin molding from that board. I shaped the edge molding on the base and the top...
Installing Bed Bolts
Traditional bed bolts are forged to have a square-drive head that flares out, creating a broad bearing surface on the wood. Regular bolts employ a washer for the same effect. To install both types of bolt, drill a counterbored hole through the bedpost and into the rail, where it meets either a nut embedded in the rail for the traditional bed bolt or a nut and washer in a recess. The bolt alone is not enough to hold the rail securely and to prevent rotation, so either a shallow mortise and tenon...
Installing Hidden Bed Bolts
nut is inset into the tenons on the head or foot rail and faces away from the side rails. You also can bolt a bed together from the inside of the rail, leaving no holes or hardware visible on the outside. This involves embedding the nut in the tenon of the headboard or footboard rail, then routing a specially shaped recess on the inside of the side rail. A jig is helpful for routing the recess in the rail. Install the clip plate. Glue hardwood dowels into the inside of the side rail to give the...
Lipped Halfblind Dovetail
For overlay drawers with excellent strength, use lipped half-blind dovetails. With this joint, the front is rabbeted and joined to the sides with dovetails. Joint begins and ends with a half-pin. Joint begins and ends with a half-pin. corner joints hardest. For these reasons, front-corner joints should be as strong as possible and have some mechanical reinforcement. This mechanical connection can be as simple as pegs or pins in a rabbet joint, or it can be the interlocking strength of the...
Making The Ogee Bracket Feet
Once you've completed this series of cuts, remove the temporary fence and replace it with the regular fence. Angle the blade to 45 and set the fence so that the square corner at the top of the foot can be cut away by running the blank on its top edge. Then adjust the blade angle to 22 and cut a second bevel, taking away the sharp corner of the angle you've already cut. Cut at this angle two more times, first with the blank lying flat on the table, profile down. The second cut is made with the...
By Michael Pekovich
Look through a catalog of cabinet hardware and you'll find dozens of gadgets made for keeping doors shut. Nonetheless, many woodworkers create their own catches and latches because they're attractive, not difficult to make, and cost little. Another benefit is that you won't see any clunky metal hardware in the cabinet. We asked four woodworkers to show us how they keep cabinet doors closed. The solutions include hidden rare-earth magnets, a traditional Shaker spinner, a wooden flipper catch...
Making The Ogee Bracket Feet 1
To shape the convex curve, set the blade at an angle. Make successive rip cuts, adjusting the blade angle each time. For stability, be sure to use a tall auxiliary fence. Cut the concave section first. Mark the profile on the end of the workpiece. Next, adjust the blade height and angle of the workpiece to match that profile. Clamp a fence to the table at the correct angle, lower the blade completely, and then raise it Vie in. per pass. To shape the convex curve, set the blade at an angle. Make...
Discover The Joy Of Furniture Making
When I started at Fine Woodworking magazine 10 years ago, I had well-honed editing skills but only basic woodworking knowledge. Back then, I was making very simple projects, things I needed to keep my house organized, such as basic bookcases, tables, and shelves. But after reading and editing hundreds of articles on furniture design and construction, I know how to build furniture that s sound both structurally and aesthetically, and I have the confidence to tackle more complex pieces. I d like...
Making A Haunched Mortise
Chisel the sloped section of the mortise by hand. This area, called the haunch, helps prevent twisting. When chiseling, leave the table legs long to keep them from splitting near the top. Use a plunge router with a fence. The plunge router will allow you to creep up on the full depth of the mortise by taking light passes. The fence will ensure accurate alignment of the mortise with each pass. For efficiency, size the mortise to a straight bit in your collection. Check the results using a small...
By Christian Becksvoort 1
Spinners have been used for years to keep barn doors shut. I ve redesigned the spinner for my cabinets from the simple but effective exterior latch to a refined and almost completely hidden mechanism within the door stile. The earliest spinners consisted of a small piece of wood with a pin through the center mounted on the frame next to the door. With the spinner in the vertical position, the door can be opened. With the spinner turned horizontally, the door is locked. A few years back, I...