5 Cool Tools

8/16/2019 5 Cool Tools

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5 COOL

TOOLS

© 2013 August Home Publishing Co.


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The blade that comes packagedwith a circular saw is gener-

ally suitable for quickly tearingthrough dimensional lumber and

not much else. So the numberone thing you can do to improvethe quality of your saw’s cut is

to upgrade the blade.

If you’re accustomed to roughcuts from a cheap blade, you’ll be

amazed at the difference a 40-toothgeneral purpose or 60-tooth finish-

cut carbide blade will make. I’vefound that a circular saw cut madewith a high-quality blade can be

every bit as good as a cut from the

table saw. The sample cuts in chip-prone oak plywood show the dif-

ference a good blade can make.GOOD SIDE DOWN. The way you set

up for a circular saw cut will alsoaffect the end result. When a cir-cular saw cuts, the leading edge

of the blade spins upward into thematerial. This means that

it exits the cut on the topside of the workpiece andthe cleanest edge will be on

the bottom side. So if yourmaterial has a good and a

not-so-good side, put the“A” side face down.

With the right setup,

your circular saw can be

a valuable go-to tool.

I would wager that you could find a portable circularsaw in just about every woodworking shop. But it’s

usually tucked away in a corner gathering dust. A cir-cular saw is the lonely Maytag repairman of shop tools— always waiting, but seldom called upon.

Most woodworkers think of a circular saw as a“construction” tool known more for its speed than

its accuracy. And because it’s hand-guided, a circularsaw can be awkward to use and a challenge to control.

Well, it doesn’t have to be this way. In a small shop,a circular saw can be very handy for a variety of tasks,from cutting stock to rough size to breaking down

sheets of plywood to taking on light joinery tasks. Butin order to use your circular saw more productively,you have to overcome three challenges.

The first is achieving a smooth, clean, chip-free cut.This can be important when you’re working with valu-

able hardwood and cabinet-grade plywood. Second,when using a circular saw, you need a reliable way to

support the workpiece — both the finished piece andthe cutoff. The final element is a method of guidingthe saw for a straight, accurate cut. The good news is

that with a little advance preparation, you’ll no longerdread the thought of getting out your circular saw.

putting your

CircularSaw to

Work

working with tools

You’ll get very

good results

with the mod-

erately priced

60-tooth bladebelow. The

high-end,

40-tooth blade

will yield a

superb edge.

Rough, chippycut made by

“stock” blade

Upgrade your blade

for a smooth,clean cut

Clean, Chip-Free Cuts

Top-quality40-tooth gen-eral purpose

blade

60-toothfinish-cut

blade

1 WoodsmithPlans.com WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2013 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.


3/182 WoodsmithPlans.com WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2013 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.

Trying to make a circular sawcut without solid support for the

entire workpiece can be a night-mare. And I’ve learned the hardway 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 needa 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.

My solution is the lightweight, but very stable, knockdown cut-ting table shown in the photos

at right and below. The tableis made up of notched, inter-

locking slats of 3 ⁄ 4" plywood. Itcan 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

solid support with virtually noresistance when cutting through a

workpiece. Another big plus is thatthe table makes for easy clamping

of both the workpiece and the cut-

ting guides shown below.The table is built from a single

sheet of plywood. You’ll find con-struction plans on page 4.

Solid, Stable Support Support

Cutting GuidesWhen breaking down a sheet of

plywood with a circular saw, fol-lowing a layout line freehand is dif-

ficult at best. A wandering, roughcut is the norm. And this means

allowing for more waste and extrawork 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, andyou’ll even get cleaner cuts.

I keep two guides handy — a 60"-

long version for full width panelcuts and a similar, shorter guide

for accurate right angle cuts, asshown in the photos at right and

below. The basis of both guides isa 1 ⁄ 4" hardboard baseplate with a1 ⁄ 2" plywood fence attached. Theoutside edge of the saw’s base, orshoe, runs along the fence to give

you a foolproof, right-on-the-line,

and perfectly straight cut.But the real key to the handy

function of the guides lies witha simple trick. When making the

guides, you position and attach thefence allowing a little extra wastealong the guide edge. Then you use

your saw to trim the baseplate. Theresulting “zero-clearance” edge

gives you a dead-on reference foreasy positioning of the guide andalso serves to back up the cut.

The extra-wide baseplate pro-vides ample clamping space on

the “off” side. And the additionof a perpendicular cleat to the

underside of the right angle guideallows quick registration for accu-rate crosscuts (inset photo below).

Shop Tip: Foam Backe

Quick and Easy. In a pinch, a thick piece of rig

foam insulation laid on the floor provides a solid, sa

rificial surface for making cuts on sheet stock.

{ The cutting guide can be quickly positione

and clamped to the workpiece. The cut w

always follow the edge of the baseplate.

{ 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.

Cleat



BASEPLATE. The long guide and the shortercrosscut guide share similar construction.

The basis of each is a 1 ⁄ 4" hardboard base-plate and a plywood fence. First, you’llneed to cut the baseplate to length and

approximate width. It should be wideenough to accommodate the shoe of your

saw, the guide fence, and ample clamp-ing space on the far side of the fence.

GUIDE FENCE. A1 ⁄ 2" plywood fence attachedto the baseplate guides the saw. The edgeof the saw’s shoe rides along the fence

during the cut. To ensure straight cuts,you want to make sure the guide edge of

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

before locating the fence on the base-plate, you’ll need to know the distance

between the far edge of the saw’s shoe

and the inside edge of the blade. To posi-tion the fence from the edge of the base-

plate, add about 1 ⁄ 2" to this measurement.I used glue and countersunk screws

installed from the underside of the base-

plate to attach the fence.

TRIM. With the fence in place, you can

keep the saw’s shoe tight against thefence as you make the cut.

CROSSCUT CLEAT. The long guide is readyto go, but the crosscut guide gets one

important addition — a perpendicular

cleat attached to the underside of the baseplate. For guaranteed square cuts,the cleat has to be installed square to

the reference edge of the baseplate. Acarpenter’s square will help with this.

Again, I used countersunk screws andglue to attach the cleat.

12!/2rgh.

2!/2

60

3 2

1!/2

12!/2

NOT E: Baseplate is madefrom !/4"hardboard.Guide fences and cleatare !/2" plywood.

GuideFence

GuideFence

Baseplate

Baseplate

Cleat

Attach cleat squareto reference edge

#6 x %/8" Fhwoodscrews

#6 x %/8" Fhwoodscrews

circular saw

Cutting GuidesThe two circular saw cutting guidesfeatured on the previous page offer a bigreturn for a small investment in time andmaterial. The design is pretty basic andonce the guides are completed, your cutswill be smoother, more accurate, andrequire less effort.



If you’re accustomed to using saw-horses for support while making

circular saw cuts, I guarantee you’llfind that this knock-down table is avast improvement. The clincher is

that it’s inexpensive, easy to build,and easy to store when not in use.

neponayllaitnessesiel batehTgrid made up of interlocking piecesof 3 ⁄ 4" plywood, as shown in the

main drawing below. The design is

simple. Half-width notches or slotscut into the mating pieces allow youto slide them together into a rigidframework. The table can be assem-

bled or disassembled in minutes.

ONE SHEET. If you follow the cut-ting diagram shown below, you

can get all the pieces needed forthe table out of a single sheet of 3 ⁄ 4"

plywood. You’ll need three long“joists,” eight cross members, andtwo base pieces. (The base pieces

are clamped to sawhorses to holdthe table in place when in use.)

THE NOTCHES. Once all the pieces arecut to size, the interlocking notchescan be cut. You can do this with a

jig saw, a circular saw, a router, or

on the table saw. The key is to sizeand space the notches accurately.

And note that one pair of notchesis cut into the lower edge of each

joist. This makes assembly of thetable easier and the framework will

be more stable when moved.

Cutting Diagram (4' x 8' sheet) #/4" Plywood

THE BASE PIECES. I cut the slots in the base pieces with a dado blade in

el batdel bmessaehT.wasel bateht

simply rests in the slots, so youdon’t need to worry about a snug

knock-down

Cutting Table

a.

fit. Alittle loose is better.


6/18

I’m often asked for my adviceon buying particular tools. For

someone new to woodwork-ing, the task of outfitting a shop

with a good set of essential toolscan be a daunting one. What can

make it even harder is that tool-makers offer a new or redesignedproduct every year or two.

Power sanders are a goodexample of this dilemma. A trip

down the tool aisle of any homecenter offers a range of sanders.

You’ll see everything from smalldetail sanders, to finish and pad

sanders, up to belt sanders thesize of a small car (almost). How

do you choose which one to get?

One Choice. When it comesto buying your first sander, my

suggestion is to get a 5" randomorbit sander. This tool provides a

good balance of features to tackleall kinds of tasks. And once you

get an idea of its capabilities andlimitations, you can use that

information to guide your deci-sion for buying other sanders.

Features, Not Brands. Becausetool 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 Ifeel are important in a sander.

The Sanding Pad. Like I men-tioned before, I look for a sanderwith a 5"-dia. pad. It’s small

enough to use one handed butlarge enough to keep surfaces

level (more on that later).

Another thing I look for is ahook and loop pad. Switching(and reusing) sanding disks is

just so much more convenient

than pressure-sensitive adhesive(PSA) disks. Note: You can buyhook and loop replacement pads

for most PSA sanders.

Dust Collection. Also high onmy list of priorities is dust collec-

tion. Some tasks, like flattening apanel, can generate a lot of dust.

When it comes to a jack-of-all-trades power tool,a random orbit sander is tough to beat.

one-stop

Power Sanding

SETTING UP

Shop

{ Hook & Loop. This method

of attaching sanding disks is

fast and easy and allows you to

reuse the disks .

Dust-collectioncanister is good,but a shopvacuum hookup

is better

Compact sizeoffers good balanceand control for longsanding sessions

Cushioned top handle reducesvibration and improves comfort



7/18

The force of a spinning disk

can cause a workpiece toslide around on your

benchtop. Besides being annoying, itcan lead to scratches

and dings. The problemis clamps and bench dogs

can get in the way and leavemarks, too. The solution is touse rubber mats like you see

here. They’re cushioned toprevent damage and make it

easy to reposition a workpiecefor better access.

Keeping it out of the air (and mylungs) is important. Although all

sanders come with some kind offilter, I look for sanders that offereasy 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 tofind 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 orbitsander so versatile is the range

of disks you can use. In fact, youcan 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 sanderto 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 thehigh spots first, then sand the

whole panel to create an evenscratch pattern, as you can see

in the upper right photo.Smoothing. The job most peo-

ple associate with a random orbitsander 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

tempting to think the power ofthe machine allows you to skip

grits and save even more time. Itwon’t. It’s best to be methodical

and step from 120- to 150-, 180-,and 220-grit disks.

Where a random orbit sandershines is smoothing cross-grain

joints. This allows you to sand a

frame and panel without leavingdeep scratches (photo at right).

Finishing. Once the finish goeson a project it doesn’t mean youhave to put your sander away.

I’ve actually found some time-saving uses for mine with spe-

cialty disks. Abrasive pads aregreat for buffing out oil finishes

on large surfaces. Extra-fine, wet-dry disks and thick buffing padslevel and polish film finishes.

As you can see, with the rightdisks, you can use your random

orbit sander to save time and get better-looking projects withoutspending a lot of money.

> In The Finish

Room. With fine

disks (320-grit and

up), abrasive pads,

and buffing pads,

you can achieve a

glass-smooth finish.

{ Smooth & Easy. Use sanding disks ranging

from 120- to 220-grit to smooth out assemblies

and prepare a workpiece for finish.

{ Sanding Pad.

Low-cost pads

keep your work-

piece in place.

60

FLATTENING

SMOOTHING

FINISHING

a sander’s

Best Friend



CordlessImpact Drivers

QI’m seeing a lot

of impact drivers

at home centers these

days. How is this tool

different from a drill?

Do I really need one

for my shop?

Cody Tolliver

Albany, New York

A If you use a drill

primarily for driv-

ing screws, then an

impact driver is worth

looking into. The tool

is smaller and lighter

than a drill. That means

it won’t wear out your

arm. And you can fit

one into tight spaces

where a drill can’t go.

A quick-change hex

chuck is standard, so

it’s easier to switch bits.

ALL ABOUT TORQUE. An

impact driver also

secures screws with-

out binding or twisting.

That’s because an impact

driver works differently

than a drill does. When

the driver meets resis-

tance, a spring, hammer,

and anvil inside the tool

deliver increased force

in the form of rapid,

high-impact blows at

the tool’s chuck.

This impact action

creates massive torque,

often three times that of

a drill, to secure fasten-

ers with ease. When the

mechanism kicks in, the

tool makes a loud “rat-

tat-tat” sound that can

be alarming at first. But

this same mechanism

also ensures that the

tool will never twist your

arm during use.

NO CLUTCH. The one

drawback to an impact

driver is that it doesn’thave a clutch to stop the

tool from driving a screw

too deeply. That means

you have to be careful

not to overdrive a screw,

as the impact driver will

just keep going. Luck-

ily, most impact drivers

have variable-speed trig-

gers that make it easy to

set screws properly.

MAKING AN IMPACT. In

conclusion, I wouldn’t

call an impact driver

an essential shop tool.

But if you’re interested

in a lightweight, hand-

held device that’s very

good at driving fasten-

ers without wearingout your arm, then this

is the tool for you.

Variable- speed

trigger gives

good controlwhen

driving screws

A series of impact blows produce a high level of

torque at the chuck



Until you start shopping for clampsfor your workshop, it’s difficult toappreciate how expensive a wall

full of clamps can be. So before youtake out a mortgage on the shop,

you really need to think about whattype of clamps you really need and

what you should get first whenyou’re just starting out.

What you see on these pages are

my choices for buying a starting

set of clamps. And the nice thingis you can do it in stages. Is itgoing to answer all your clampingneeds? Probably not every one.

But I’m sure it will get you off onthe right foot.

The complete set is divided intothree groups that build on each

other. The first group includes basic clamps. The second one addsmore capability and power. And

finally, the third group rounds

things out by addressing assembly

challenges the first two groupscan’t handle.

A BASIC SET OF CLAMPS

The workhorse clamps in my shopare the bar clamps you see in the

photo above. These clamps areoften called F-clamps due to theirshape. 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 andsturdy. And the screw features

large, square Acme threads, whichare stronger than the conventionalV-threads on a lot of clamps. The

beefy, wood handle allows you toget a good, solid grip.

All these features ensure theclamp will handle the mostdemanding tasks you’re likely

to run across. Yet they work just

fine for assembling small projects.

And as a nice touch, the plasticprotector pads attached to the

jaws help prevent any marring ofyour workpiece.

To handle the assembly of a

wide range of projects, it’s best tohave a few different lengths on

hand. In the set shown, there arefour 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 barclamps shown will go a long waytoward 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 yourcollection. And that’swhere pipe clamps and

aluminum bar clampscome into play.

Pipe Clamps. Thepipe clamps I like to useare the ones you see on the

following page. These pipeclamps are the kind where

you buy the jaw assembly andthen attach a length of 1/2" or 3/4"

black iron pipe. (The heavy-duty3/4" Pony assembly with a 36" pipewill cost about $18.)

Since the pipe is separate, youcan make the clamps any length

you’d like. As a matter of fact, tomake a “new” clamp, all you have

to do is buy a new piece of pipeand swap out the old one. Or you

can buy an inexpensive couplerand join shorter lengths of pipetogether to create one long one.

Pipe clamps do have one draw-

back — they weigh quite a bit.That’s not a problem if you’regluing up a panel on the top ofyour workbench. But they can

be a bit cumbersome to handle ifyou’re assembling a project on the

floor of your shop.

Lightweight Length. So if I have

a large assembly task to take careof, I rely on a set of long aluminum bar clamps. You can see these at

the top of the following page.

getting a grip on a set of

Basic Clamp Set

(4) 12" Clamps

(4) 6" Clamps

(4) 24" Clamps

Buying clamps can be a big investment.Here’s what to buy first and why.

SETTING UP

Shop

Shop Clamps


10/18

These sturdy aluminum bars are

hollow and lighten the weight ofthe clamp considerably. So you

aren’t likely to struggle with themwhile assembling a project —

even if the clamps are fairly long.(I like the 48" length for the workI do.)

Like pipe clamps, aluminum bar clamps do have a drawback.

They’re a little more expensivethan pipe clamps — around $90

for a set of four 48"-long clamps.But I think they’re worth themoney.

LET’S SPECIALIZE

There are times when you’ll runacross a tough clamping job that

requires something a little morespecialized than bar or pipe clamps.

That’s when a third set of clampscomes in handy — band clamps,C-clamps, and spring clamps.

Flexibility. Band clamps area must-have for those assembly

tasks where you just can’t figureout how to make a “straight”clamp work, like a mitered pic-

ture frame.The band clamp I use (see lower

right photo) is nothing morethan a long cloth strap that feeds

through a metal ratchet assembly.After wrapping the strap aroundthe project, you simply tighten it

down with the built-in ratchet.

Putting on the Squeeze. When

I really need a lot of clamping

pressure, especially in

one spot, C-clamps aremy choice. I have a set

of four 2" and two 3"clamps like the ones yousee in the photo below.

I use C-clamps any timeI 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. Theserious pressure you can apply

makes it all too easy to put a dentin the surface of your workpiece.

Spring Power. The last clampsto add to the collection are thespring 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 onthe size of the clamp, the capacity

is fairly limited. But don’t let thatfool you about the amount of

pressure a spring clamp can exerton an assembly. (I’ve pinched my

fingers enough times to know.)A spring clamp works great for

holding a stop block in place on

a fence. Or to keep a small work-piece right where it needs to be

until the glue dries. These clamps

are inexpensive (about $3 apiece),so “spring” for a set of six 2"clamps when you get the chance.

Summing It Up. Buying clamps

can be expensive. But the setsshown here allow you to build your

collection over time. As I mentioned,

the first two groups each cost $150 -

$160. Adding in the specialty clampswill tack on another $100. Overall,

it’s a great set of clamps that willhandle almost all your

needs — and on a tab thatwon’t break the bank.

Specialty Clamp Set

Long Assembly Set

(4) 48" AluminumBar Clamps

(4) 36" Pipe Clam( 3 / 4 ")

(6) 2" Spring Clamps

(2) 3" C-Clamps

(4) 2" C-Clamps

(3) Band Cla




5 tips & tricks for using aCombination Square

Accuracy in woodworkingoften starts with the simple task oflaying 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 thendrawing a line, place the pencil tip

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 ofthe pencil lead. This offset is a guess

at best, since it varies depending onthe type and sharpness of the pencil.

With this tip, you’ll end up with aline exactly where you want it.

One layout task I find myself doing on a lot of

projects is drawing a line parallel to an edge. To do thisquickly, you can use a combination square (photo above)

Start by setting the blade of the square to the desireddistance (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.

A combination square is one tool you’ll find in

just about every workshop. I know my squareis never more than an arm’s length away. Andthere’s a simple reason — it’s one of the most

versatile hand tools in my shop.For starters, I’m always using it to check

the ends of my workpieces for square. Or toverify the accuracy of a miter cut. But there’s

so much more you can do with a combination

square, from layout work to tool setup. The

tips and tricks that follow will help you get themost out of your combination square.

One last thing. There are all kinds of com

bination squares on the market. And as withmost tools, you get what you pay for. The

combination square shown here is manufactured by Starrett, and it’s the type that Irecommend for woodworking.

2Parallel Lines

Simple in design, versatile in use. Here are a few handy

ways to get the most out of your combination square.

1Marking

working with tools



A combination squaremakes a handy gauge for accu-

rately measuring the depth of anyrecess — a dado, rabbet, or mortise.

To do this, loosen the blade of thesquare and slide it back so it’s evenwith the 90° face of the square. Next,

set the face of the square against theoutside edge of the workpiece, like

you see in the photo at right. Now,

extend the blade of the square intothe recess until it just touches the bot-

tom. Finally, lock the blade securelyin place.

Now, you can pull the combina-tion square out of the opening andread the depth. You’ll find it right

where the blade intersects the headof the square — a quick and easy

measurement.

One last thing to keep in mind

about a combination square is that it’snot 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 thedepth of cut for a tool. I use my

combination square all the time for

setting the height of my saw bladeas 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 flatsurface as your reference when youset 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

even without its blade. You can use thesquare to check whether your table saw

blade is set to 90° or even 45°, as in thephoto at right. To get an accurate reading,

just be sure the square rests against the body of the saw blade and not the teeth.

Another way I use my combination square every day is to findthe center of a workpiece. Now you

could just use the square to mea-sure the width and then divide that

in half to find the center. But the

technique I use doesn’t require anymeasuring or calculating.

In the drawing at left, you can seehow to use the 45° face to draw a

diagonal line from each corner of a

workpiece (like a drawer front). Theexact center of the workpiece is righ

where the lines intersect.Doing this on the narrow edge

of a workpiece is a little trickySo instead, I set my combinationsquare to mark close to the center

then make a pair of marks — oneoff each face. This will get you real-

ly close. Then it’s just a matter o“splitting” the difference to find the

center of the edge.

4Centering

3Depth Gauge

5Tool Setup


13/1812 WoodsmithPlans.com WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2012 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved

FLATTENING THE SOLE

Whether I’m fitting a drawer, trimming a small

part, or shaping the edge of a workpiece, I use my

block plane on almost every project I build.

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

body felt rough and gritty in my hand. And the

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 withthe plane. All it really needed was a tune-up.

FLATTEN THE SOLE

The first thing that needed attention was the

sole (bottom) of the plane. Although it had been

machined at the factory, it wasn’t perfectly flat.

Why do you want the sole to be flat? Because

if there’s a slight hump, it will prevent the cutting

edge of the blade from making full contact with

the workpiece. And if there’s a “dished out” area,

it’s just about impossible to plane a surface flat.

REFERENCE SURFACE. Before you can check whether

the sole is flat, you need to have a flat surface as a

reference. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy.

A piece of 1 ⁄ 4"-thick glass works fine. Setting the

glass on a scrap with a cleat at each end will pre-

vent the glass from sliding.

3Remaining dark lines indi-

cate low areas. Keep sand-

ing until the marks disappear.

2Sand the sole on 220-grit

silicon carbide paper that’s

taped to a piece of glass.

1Using a permanent marker,

draw a squiggly line across

the sole of the block plane.

TIPS FROM

OUR SHOP

TUNING UP A

BLOCK PLANE

{ Setting a file in ascrap with a 45°

saw kerf makes iteasy to create a

uniform chamfer

on the bottomedges of the plane.

LEVER CAPKNOB

FRONT KNOB

RETAININGSCREW

HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT

NUT

THREAPOS

LATERALADJUSTMENT

LEVER

HEIGHT ADJ.

LEVER

THROAT OPENING

ADJUSTMENT LEVER

BLADESEAT

REARBLADE

SUPPORT

THE BLOCK PLANE

SHOWN HERE IS ARECORD 09 . UNLIKE

SOME BLOCK PLANES,IT HAS AN ADJUSTABLE

THROAT PLATE.

!/2

NOTE:

ADJUSTABLE THROAT PLATE

BODY

PIN

LEVERCAP

BLADE


14/1813 WoodsmithPlans.com WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2012 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserve

CHECKING THE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT

To check the sole, start by

drawing a line across it (Step 1 onpage 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.

3Then, lightly squeeze the ears

of the lever until it fits closely

around the adjustment nut.

2To improve the fit, use a nail

and a vise to press out the

pin that holds the lever in place.

1 A loose fit between the height

adjustment lever and nut

results in a sloppy adjustment.

{ To allow the

throat plate slide smoothsand each ed

lightly on a pof sandpape

CHAMFER EDGES. Once the sole is flat,

the bottom edges of the plane maybe 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.

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

gap between the “ears” of the lever

and the nut (Step 1 above).

To fix this, take out the pin that

holds the lever in place (Step

2), and press the ears together

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 extendsthrough 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).

SQUARING UP THE THROAT OPENING

2Tighten the plane in a vise

and use a file to remove

material up to the line.

1Use a fine-tipped marker to

square a line behind the back

edge of the throat opening.


15/1814 WoodsmithPlans.com WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2012 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved

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

support as a “rest.” Then

make several long strokes

across the blade seat and the rearblade support. Make sure you

remove the same amount of mate-

rial all across the blade seat.

To check for this, hold the plane

and look into the throat opening. Tilt

the plane back and forth until the

light catches the edge of the throat

opening (Step 2). The reflection of

the light should reveal a consistent

thickness all the way across.

LEVER CAP

Once the blade seat is nice and

flat, you still need a way to hold the

blade tightly against it. That’s the

job of the lever cap.

To apply pressure evenly acrossthe entire width of the blade, the

nose has to be smooth and flat on

the bottom. But here again, a rough

casting or uneven paint job will pre-

vent the lever cap from fitting tight

against the blade.

A little sanding is all it takes to

get the nose of the lever cap flat and

smooth (Step 1 below). You’ll know

when you’re done by the consistent

pattern of scratches (Step 2).

THE KEYHOLE

After sanding, the last thing you’ll

need to do to the lever cap is coun-

tersink the keyhole-shaped opening

for the screw that secures the levercap to the body of the plane.

The reason for this is simple.

When I put my plane away, I always

retract the blade. This means I

have to loosen the knob that holds

the lever cap in place. The problem

is that when I tilt the plane to the

side to check the blade, the key-

hole slides over the screw and the

lever cap falls off.

COUNTERSINK. An easy way to pre-

vent this is to drill a countersink in

the small opening in the keyhole

(Step 1 at top of page 4). This will

“seat” the head of the screw and

hold the lever cap in place (Step 2).

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 forthe 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

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.

SANDING THE LEVER CAP

2The nose of the lever cap should

end up flat and smooth after

sanding off any paint.

1 Raise the back end of the levercap slightly, and sand the nose bymaking a few smooth strokes.

SMOOTHING THE BLADE SEAT

2Check that the front edge of

the blade seat is a consistent

thickness all the way across.

1Use a file to make long, smooth

strokes across the blade seat

and rear blade support.


16/18

SHARPENING THE BLADE

COUNTERSINK THE KEYHOLE Although this requires a little elbowgrease, 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 keeptrack 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 theback 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

2The countersink should be

deep enough to seat the

head of the retaining screw.

1With the lever cap against a

fence clamped to the drill press

table, countersink the keyhole.

3To remove a burr, alternately sand

the bevel and the back with the

final grit used to flatten the back.

2By holding the blade at a con-

sistent angle, a honing guide

ensures that the bevel stays flat.

1Using oil as a lubricant, you can

sand the back of the blade with a

piece of silicon carbide paper.

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

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 ofthe 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).

15 WoodsmithPlans.com WSS711_5COOLTOOLS ©2012 August Home Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved


17/18

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 tookmuch of the manual labor out of

woodworking, hand planes weremanufactured in an amazing

array of sizes, shapes, and styles.There was a plane for every task —from smoothing boards to shap-

ing moldings to forming joints.Many of the more specialized

planes that were once “stan-dard issue” are now obsolete.

However, there are a few ofthese lesser-known

planesthat still

deserve a place in the shop. Oneof these is the shoulder plane.

WHY A SHOULDER PLANE? Mostplanes derive their name from

their function. A jointer is usedfor edge jointing, a smootherfor smoothing surfaces. So what

does a shoulder plane do? Spe-cifically, the name refers to the

use of this plane to square up ortrim the shoulders of tenons and

other joints. But as you’ll see, theuses 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 seein the lower left photo, they all

share one notable feature. Thecutting edge on the iron ofa shoulder plane extends

across the entire width ofthe plane’s sole. This

allows you to cutright up

to a square edge or into a corneas is necessary when trimming

tenon shoulder. But it also openup many other possibilities awell. I think of my shoulde

plane as an all-purpose, joinerytuning tool.

SHOULDER OR RABBET? The distinction between a shoulder and a

rabbet plane is a bit blurry. Lika shoulder plane, a rabbet plane

is set up to cut edge-to-edge. Thedifference is that a rabbet plan

is designed specifically to curabbets — often having a fencedepth stop, and scoring nicker

for making cuts across the grain.Another difference is that a

shoulder plane has a lower cutting angle. This feature allows ito cut end grain or across the grain

smoothly and with less effort.In practical terms, a rabbe

plane and a shoulder plane canhandle a lot of the same tasks

using the versatile

Shoulder Plane

working with tools

} Shoulder

planes are

available in

a variety of

sizes and

styles.



18/18

But all-in-all, a shoulder plane isthe more versatile of the two.

WHICH SIZE? Shoulder planes canvary 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 mostuseful and handle the widest

range of tasks. The larger sizes

of shoulder planes can be pretty bulky for fine work.

PLANE SETUP. Today’s adjustableshoulder planes are much more

user-friendly than past types.However, to get the best results,

you need a basic grasp of theproper 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 planesallow only limited lateral adjust-ment of the iron. If the cutting

edge isn’t square, you won’t beable to set it parallel to the throat.

You’ll find that the iron of ashoulder plane is actually slightly

wider than the sole. When the ironis installed it should extend a hair

beyond both sides of the plane.

This allows the plane to cut moreeffectively into a square corner.

As I mentioned, the cuttingedge also needs to be parallel to

the throat. If it’s not, you won’t geta consistent, full-width cut. Youcan simply eyeball this setting or

make test cuts to check it.Finally, many shoulder planes

have an adjustable throat. Sincethe plane is generally employedfor light-duty trimming, you’ll be

taking fine cuts. Here, a narrowthroat is desirable. You’ll get a

cleaner cut with less tearout.

TECHNIQUE. Using a shoulderplane will come pretty naturally.You’ll develop your own feel and

form with your particular plane.As with any hand plane, one of

the keys is firm control. Since theplane is generally used for light

trim work, this isn’t difficult.The smallest shoulder planes

often work best as “one-handed”

tools — like a block plane. Withthe larger sizes, a two-handed

grip will give you better control.In most instances, I push the plane

through the cut. But a shoulderplane also lends itself to a pull cut

when this is more practical.

MANY TASKS. So where do you put

a shoulder plane to work? Thephotos below and the main photo

on the opposite page illustrate asampling of the tasks a shoulder

plane can handle — from trim-ming shoulders to smoothingrabbets to shaping contours. Once

a shoulder plane finds a homein your shop, it’s guaranteed to

become a trusted and well-usedproblem solver.

Shoulders. Set the iron for a very

light cut when trimming the end

grain of a tenon shoulder.

Cheeks. A shoulder plane leaves a

smooth surface when used “cross-

grain” on the cheeks of a tenon.

Raised Panels. The bevel cuts on

a raised panel can be smoothed

more efficiently than sanding

Dadoes. A narrow shoulder plane

is perfect for adjusting the depth

or flattening the bottom of a dado

Shaping Contours. A shoulder plane can

sometimes reach places even a block plane

can’t go allowing you to refine contours

Tongues. A few quick passes is all it takes

to fit the tongue on this back board to the

groove in the mating piece.

The iron'scutting edge should behoned at 90°to the sidesand installed parallel to thethroat

The iron is

slightly widerthan the soleto ensureclean corners

BOTTOM VIEW

Adjust the throatof a shoulder planeto match the task.

A narrow openingis usually better

Throat

Cap

a.

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