Furniture

Box hinge
with hasp
& staple

&cabinetmaking
D E S I G N I N S P I R AT I O N P R O J E C T S T E C H N I Q U E S T E S T S N E W S E X C E L L E N C E

Hybrid Joinery
Create perfect joints
with style and strength
Short cuts

Solutions for running

a big project from a
small workshop

Historically accurate details

The 17th-century axeman

The Saw Dr will see you now Festool shelf pin drilling jig

Unit 2, Sovereign Business Park, Joplin Court, Crownhill, MK8 0JP MILTON KEYNES
Tel: 01908 635 000, info@ukfelder.co.uk, www.ukhammer.co.uk

Combination machine

C3 31 Comfort
COMBINATION
MACHINE +
STARTER-SET

4.0 HP (3.0 kW) motor

Format sliding table 2000 mm
1100 mm outrigger table
Precision mitre index system
1300 mm crosscut fence for outrigger table
Planer fence tilts from 90 to 45
Surface planer table length 1400 mm
Planing width 310 mm
Remarkably user friendly
Allows rapid retooling

6.718,05

5.390,00

Save up to 1.328,05 excl. VAT

Universal saw blade

Cutterhead set

315 mm, Z 48

Universal cutter head

(steel made)

AF 12 dust extraction extractor

with dust bag quick change system

IFC_FCM_232.indd 1

10/04/2015 15:36

WELCOME TO FURNITURE & CABINETMAKING

Welcome to...

Rethinking green woodworking

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PETER WOOD

ts hard avoiding stereotypes

sometimes when you tackle
certain aspects of woodworking.
Through the prism of a largely
unimaginative public perception,
green woodworking is something
that rustic folk do to pass the time
when theyre not down the allotment,
Morris dancing or listening to folk
music. That could all be about to
change, however, as more and more
of us discover the attraction of
making things from scratch from
natural materials using the most
basic of hand tools.
At a well-known tool auction
recently, I noticed a chap bidding
almost exclusively for draw knives,
axes and other green woodworking
tools. We were fi rst acquainted more
than 20 years ago so I already knew
him as a dealer. After the obligatory
exchange of pleasantries, I quizzed
him over his purchases. Cant get
enough of them, he said really
popular with the office lot who
love playing around in the woods

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

F&C_232_1_LEADERtfDJJRSD.indd 1

at the weekend. By this, I think he

meant that his customers were not
collectors and by the sounds of it,
not professional woodworkers, either,
but recent converts to the craft.

Skills to learn

It doesnt matter which route you take

to get into woodwork eventually we
all end up in the same place, just not
all at the same time. As long as there
is a skill to learn, well remain
Peter Follansbee
interested and if youre not into
Ive heard it said that the increase in
16th-century joinery today, then you
green woodworking is in part down
will be tomorrow or maybe even by
to the rise in interest in survival
the time youre through with this issue.
Ive yet to succumb to the Windsor
techniques. If that sounds a little
experience myself. That day will come
extreme, you can take it down a
and when it does, no doubt Ill be better
notch to the more genteel activity of
for it. For now, though, my contribution
bushcraft the kind popularised by
this month is part of a team effort that
Bear Grylls and Ray Mears. Refi ne
makes the most of the resources you
things even further and inevitably
have on your doorstep to tackle projects
youll come face-to-face with Peter
Follansbee as we did this month. Peter that wouldnt usually get through the
told us a while back that, over a period door quite literally, in some cases.
Throw in a little Japanese joinery and
of a couple of decades, he practically
a quick visit to the saw doctor, and you
researched himself into a corner from
which the only escape was to teach his should be prepared for anything.
way out.In the process, hes built up an
army of followers eager to master these
skills and understand the simplicity
of their function to create beautiful,
Derek Jones
practical objects.
derekj@thegmcgroup.com

F&C232 1

24/04/2015 16:32

Contents
Issue 232 June 2015

EDITOR Derek Jones

Email: derekj@thegmcgroup.com
Tel: 01273 402843

Projects & Techniques

DEPUTY EDITOR Tegan Foley

Email: teganf@thegmcgroup.com
DESIGNER Oliver Prentice

SENIOR EDITORIAL ADMINISTRATOR Karen Scott

Email: karensc@thegmcgroup.com
Tel: 01273 477374
ILLUSTRATOR Simon Rodway

ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE

Russell Higgins, Email: russellh@thegmcgroup.com
ADVERTISEMENT PRODUCTION & ORIGINATION
GMC Repro Email: repro@thegmcgroup.com
Tel: 01273 402810

PRODUCTION MANAGER Jim Bulley

Email: jimb@thegmcgroup.com
Tel: 01273 402810
PRODUCTION CONTROLLER
repro@thegmcgroup.com

PRINTED IN THE UK
Stephens and George Print Group
DISTRIBUTION Seymour Distribution Ltd
Tel: 020 7429 4000
Furniture & Cabinetmaking magazine (ISSN 1365-4292)
is published every four weeks by Guild of Master Craftsman
Publications Ltd
SUBSCRIPTION RATES (includes p&p)
UK
Europe Rest of World
12 issues 51.00 63.75 71.40
24 issues 102.00 127.50 142.80
US subscribers visit www.lightningpublications.com for
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Cheques made payable to GMC Publications Ltd
Current subscribers will automatically receive a renewal
notice (excludes direct debit subscribers).
Post your order to: The Subscription Department,
GMC Publications Ltd, 166 High Street, Lewes,
East Sussex BN7 1XU Tel +44 (0)1273 488005,
Fax +44 (0)1273 402866 Email: pubs@thegmcgroup.com
Website: www.thegmcgroup.com
Views and comments expressed by individuals in the magazine
do not necessarily represent those of the publishers and no
legal responsibility can be accepted for the results of the use
by readers of information or advice of whatever kind given in
this publication, either in editorial or advertisements. No part of
this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior
permission of the Guild of Master Craftsman Publications Ltd.

Japanese joints part 5

35

Wooden box hinge

with hasp & staple

44

Router planes:
the joiners helper

48

The saw doctor will see

you now

53

Cutting it down to size

61

Practical router jigs part 2

66

Festool LR 32-SYS shelf

pin drilling set

Pete Simpson shows how he made and tted

wooden hinges to a box

PUBLISHER Jonathan Grogan

SUBSCRIPTIONS Helen Christie

Tel: 01273 488005, Fax: 01273 478606
Email: helenc@thegmcgroup.com

28

John Bullar continues with his series

and this month looks at the gooseneck joint in
a number of variants

CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Anthony Bailey

MARKETING Anne Guillot

Light & shade

17th-century style

In this extract from Make a Joint Stool from a

Tree, Jennie Alexander and Peter Follansbee
demonstrate two brilliantly simple techniques
to recreate authentic 17th-century mouldings

GROUP EDITOR WOODWORKING Mark Baker

Email: markb@thegmcgroup.com

CIRCULATION MANAGER Tony Loveridge

21

Create hybrid joints using Japanese methods see page

28 for the full article. Front cover image by John Bullar

Design & Inspiration

16

Carrying on from the last issue, Mark Harrell

tackles the next stage of bringing your saw
back to life disassembly and cleaning

In the workshop with

Peter Follansbee

We speak to Peter Follansbee, who

specialises in 17th-century joinery

42

Our correspondent

Kieran Binnie talks about the effect

of community in the woodworking crafts
and its positive impact

74

The apprentices notebook

Having learnt all the necessary skills,

we are now ready to learn how to set up a
traditional bench plane, ready to make those
rst shavings, Waters & Acland student Jim
Cooper demonstrates here

80

Router planes are nothing like their electric

counterparts. Ditch the cord and start making
some very tight tting joinery, as Anne Briggs
Bohnett explains

Under the hammer

This month, we take a look at

another prized lot from Bonhams recent
Fine English Furniture and Works of Art sale

How can you make a piece of

furniture twice the size of your workshop
and still get through the door? With a
little help from your friends, thats how

Chris Yates completes the handhold

jig from the last issue and also makes a
stopped rebate jig

Geoffrey Laycock puts this specially

designed shelf pin drilling set from Festool
through its paces and sees whether its worth
all the fuss

Guild of Master Craftsman Publications Ltd. 2015

Problems finding F&C? Call Tony Loveridge, our
Circulation Manager, on 01273 477374 or email him
at tonyl@thegmcgroup.com Alternatively, save up
to 20% on the cover price by subscribing. Visit www.
thegmcgroup.com/publications
Woodworking is an inherently dangerous
pursuit. Readers should not attempt the
procedures described herein without
seeking training and information on the
safe use of tools and machines, and all readers should
observe current safety legislation.

2 F&C232

F&C_232_2_3_CONTENTStfJRSD.indd 2

21

18

Dont forget there

are plenty more articles
and discussions
to be found on the
Woodworkers Institute
www.woodworkersinstitute.com

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

24/04/2015 16:34

YOUR F&C
Contents

Purveyor of Fine
Hand Tools
& Accessories
since 2004
Cabinet Making Tools
Lie Nielsen
Blue Spruce Toolworks
Clifton, Auriou, Starrett
Ron Hock, Veritas
BenchCrafted, Barr
Thomas Flinn, Ashley Isles
Japanese Saws & Chisels

35
Your F&C

Leader

Derek Jones welcomes you to this months

issue of F&C

News & events

F&CUK

Wood/Stone Carving Tools

Pfeil, Auriou
Flexcut

A round-up of whats going on in the

world of furniture

An open invitation for furniture makers

to let us know what youre up to

10

Woodturning Tools
Robert Sorby
Hamlet Craft Tools
Finishes + Books

Editors choice

Having trouble sourcing the right

tool for the job? Derek Jones sets about
identifying the essential tools and equipment
on offer this month

26

Next month

72

Workshop library

Fine Cabinetware
Brusso Hardware

Get a peek at what well be bringing

you in issue 233

Mark Langston reviews The Furniture

Bible and Derek Jones looks at a book on
the great planemaker John Green as well
as Classic American Furniture

28

Sharpening Supplies
Toishi Ohishi, Shapton
Dans Whetstone Company
Norton Pike, Tormek
Books & DVDs
Lost Art Press
Astragal
Lie Nielsen Toolworks

All of the above

and much more at
www.classichandtools.co.uk

Hill Farm Business Park,

Witnesham, Ipswich,
Suffolk IP6 9EW

48
www.woodworkersinstitute.com

F&C_232_2_3_CONTENTStfJRSD.indd 3

Tel: (+44/0) 1473 784983

sales@classichandtools.co.uk

F&C232 3

24/04/2015 16:34

News&Events
The Wood Awards:

Excellence in Architecture and

Product Design 2015 call for entries

he Wood Awards: Excellence in

Architecture and Product Design
launches its 2015 call for entries
with exciting new categories and a
high-calibre panel of judges who will
evaluate and recognise projects made
out of the only naturally sustainable
material in the world. Architects and
designers from around the UK are
invited to enter their wood-based
projects into The Wood Awards and
have until 26 May to submit their
entries. There is no fee to enter.
The Wood Awards was established
in 1971 and recognises, encourages
and promotes outstanding design,
craftsmanship and installation
using wood in projects throughout
the UK. With permission from the
owner, anyone associated with an
eligible building or furniture project
completed in the last two years
can enter. The judges travel to visit
each of the short-listed projects and
view the short-listed products to
ensure a thorough, final evaluation.
2015 sees exciting changes within
the Wood Awards, including new
judges, revised categories and a new
website. As the original and leading
competition focused on the material
in use, the elite judging panel of
independent professional experts and
specialists not only judge the entries
but also visit the shortlisted projects
in person, making The Wood
Awards as meaningful and rigorous a
competition as possible.
The Wood Awards is made
possible by the major sponsorship
from American Hardwood Export
Council, Carpenters Company,
Wood for Good and TRADA.
See www.woodawards.com.

Ditchling Museum of Art

+ Craft Arnold Laver
Gold Award and Existing
Building Winner 2014

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF FRIENDS & CO

Contribute to these
pages by telling
us about matters
of interest to
furniture makers.
Call Tegan Foley
on 01273 402 839
or email teganf@
thegmcgroup.com.
Please accompany
information with
relevant, hi-res
images wherever
it is possible

Endless Stair
Judges Special
Award Winner 2014

Makita UK celebrates 100 years of global business

akita UK is celebrating 100 years of global

business and marking this benchmark occasion
with a portfolio of 100 different cordless power tools
that all use the same 18V Lithium-Ion battery. This
means that if a Makita power tool owner has only one
18V Makita Lithium-Ion battery, they could still power
100 different products with that single battery. This is
confidently believed to be the largest inventory of power

4 F&C232

tools ever manufactured by one company that fits

one single battery format.
The 100 professional cordless power tool range
includes just about every type of power tool available,
anywhere, from entry level drill drivers and impact tools,
to screwdrivers, radios, torches, vacuum cleaners and
even a coffee maker.
For more information, see www.makitauk.com.

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

YOUR F&C
News

News from Northern Contemporary

Furniture Makers: chairs fit for queens

This serious pathogen caused the destruction of

over 282,000 hectares of Eucalyptus marginata
in Western Australia in the 1970s

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF CHRIS TRIBE

Chippendale. Its construction is complex,

with many compound angled joints, some
meeting curved surfaces. It is completely
hand-made, depending entirely on the hand/
eye coordination of the maker. The flowing
curved back gives very good lumbar support,
making the chair extremely comfortable.
The chair has been made as a prototype
for an advanced seminar-based course in
chairmaking, but is also available for sale
on Chris website. For more information,
see www.dovetailors.co.uk and www.
christribefurniturecourses.com.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

ovetailors was recently commissioned

to make a new seat for the Queen ahead
of her visit to the county last month. The
company, which is based in Farsley near
Leeds, worked on the project with architects
Thomas Moor and Sheffield Cathedral,
where the Queen attended this years
Maundy Thursday service.
Creative director David Wilson said the
chair was being manufactured using English
oak (Quercus spp.) and Sheffield stainless
steel. Three ceremonial chairs were made
in the same style, one of which will be used
by the Queen.
Furniture maker and teacher, Chris Tribe,
has just completed his chair, based on an
iconic design by the Swedish designer/
maker, Vidar Malmsten. The chair, which
is made in ash (Fraxinus spp.) with a soap
finish and a Danish cord seat, blends
Scandinavian minimalism with the grace of

Phytophthora
cinnamomi
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF WWW.ANDREWMCCULLAGH.COM

TIMBER TRADE NEWS

Kevin Stamper's Morning Storm, sideboard and mirror

A heath landscape in the Stirling Range,
Western Australia, with a dieback-infested
valley in the mid ground

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF DOVETAILORS

Three ceremonial chairs made by Dovetailors

Chris Tribes chair in ash

The Cotswold Show and Food Festival

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PHILLIPA STAGG PR

The Cotswold Show will have all hobbies

covered in 2015

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

F&C_232_4_7_NEWS_&_EVENTStfJRDJSD.indd 5

lans are well underway for this event to be

held in Cirencester Park on 4 and 5 July, 2015
with more attractions and trade stands than ever.
Two pavilions on the 100 acre site will be
showcasing the very best Cotswolds, UK and
international crafts, including ceramics, jewellery,
art and fabrics. Many of the traders will also be
demonstrating how they work and offering useful
hints and tips.
Outside the pavilions, some 200 trade stands will
feature shopping for inside and out with garden
features, tools, kitchens and log burners.
The traditional rural skills area plays host to a
range of artisans, including blacksmiths, beekeepers,
fish smokers, saddlers, thatchers and woodcarvers
and perhaps a chance to try your hand at some of
these ancient skills for yourself.
Childrens entertainments are plentiful with free
circus skills lessons as well as a fun fair, donkey rides,
a climbing wall, bouncy castles and lots more.
Tickets for the show are on sale via the new website
www.cotswoldshow.co.uk which is constantly
being updated with attractions as they are confirmed.

everal Phytophthora species have

been featured in this column
and they have been characterised
by a narrow host range: P. alni, for
example, only infects alders. By
contrast, P. cinnamomi affects a
very wide range of plants including
many trees; over 950 species had
been recorded as susceptible by 1980.
It has caused major destruction
of eucalypts in Australia. It was
originally described from cinnamon
trees in Sumatra, but has now been
found in many countries.
Like other Phytophthoras, it
produces infective spores, which swim
in water and infect principally roots,
occasionally above-ground parts if
conditions are suitable. The roots
die and the foliage then discolours.
In northern Europe, it is principally
a problem in nurseries, where it
causes extensive damage. Since early
stages are undetectable, there is a
risk that moving infected plants will
spread the disease. Lawsons cypress
(Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) and
yew (Taxus baccata) are susceptible,
Leyland cypress (Cupressus leylandii)
and oak (Quercus spp.) are resistant.
Several systemic fungicides are
available to professional users and
give good control: they are usually
sold as mixtures with protectant
compounds to minimise the danger of
fungicide resistance. Copper is available
to amateur users and gives good
protection but is not systemic and of
limited value for treating root infection.
Chris Prior

F&C232 5

21/04/2015 16:18

PHOTOGRAPH BY JON CARDWELL

The Invisible Store of Happiness

at Clerkenwell Design Week
T

he Invisible Store of Happiness is a

celebration of wood and craftsmanship
and brings together two of the UKs brightest
talents: furniture designer/maker Sebastian
Cox and artist Laura Ellen Bacon, who
will fuse their ideas and skills to create an
installation for the Clerkenwell Design Week
CDW out of American hardwood.
This 3m high wooden sculpture made
out of American maple (Acer saccharum)
and cherry (Prunus serotina), consists of
a mighty steam-bent frame that gives way
to thinner, weave-able strips manipulated
to twist and flow into a whirlpool of
texture and shape will be showcased
in the dramatic archway in front of the
historic Museum of the Order of St John in
Londons Clerkenwell neighbourhood from
1921 May, 2015.
The American Hardwood Export Council
(AHEC) is sponsoring this project because:
The core of what we do is to celebrate
the potential of our timbers. By supporting
installations for events like CDW we can be
experimental and do unusual things with
our timbers through exploration of design

Sculptor Laura
Ellen Bacon with
designer/maker
Sebastian Cox

and craftsmanship. Sebastian Cox, as one

of the UKs foremost makers, challenges
the way wood works in a way nobody else
does, says David Venables, Director of
AHEC Europe. Laura Ellen Bacon, with
her artistic sensibility coupled with her

wonderful sculptural work in willow (Salix

spp.) wood, is the perfect complement to
Sebastians approach. We want to ignite new
thinking and excite designers about new
ways to use wood. For more information,
see www.clerkenwelldesignweek.com

The European Woodworking Show 2015

woodworking in action
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF CLASSIC HAND TOOLS

You can expect to see a wide selection of wood-related demonstrations at this popular event

fter a one year break, the European

Woodworking Show returns to the
show calendar with its usual mix of top
class demonstrators and exhibitors across
a wide range of woodworking disciplines.
The show will be held at the historic
Cressing Temple Barns near Braintree
in Essex over the weekend of 12 and 13
September, 2015.
Demonstrators who have already
confirmed include woodturners Joey
Richardson, Nick Agar and Mark Hancock,
pyrographer extraordinaire Bob Neill,

6 F&C232

F&C_232_4_7_NEWS_&_EVENTStfJRDJSD.indd 6

timber hewer Steve Woodley, woodcarvers

Peter Berry, Tim Atkins, Dave Johnson and
Gerald Adams and marionette maker Lenka
Pavlickova. In addition, scrollsaw expert
Fiona Kingdon will be present, as well as
spoon carver Anna Casserley and Sophie
Heron with her converted VW camper
van, which was featured on Channel 4s
Amazing Spaces. You can also expect to
see Japanese joint maker Brian Walsh, plus
furniture makers David Charlesworth,
Dylan Pym, David Barron, Treeincarnated
and many more besides. The British

Woodcarvers Association will be hosting

their popular public vote competition.
There will also be many familiar tool
suppliers including Turners Retreat, Trend
Tools & Machinery, Lie-Nielsen Toolworks,
Jet Tools & Machinery, Gransfors Bruks
axes, Pfeil, Auriou and Flexcut carving
tools, Classic Hand Tools, Lincolnshire
Woodcraft, Chestnut Products, David
Barron Furniture and a host of other
retailers. The masterclasses are being
presented by Simon James. For full details,
visit www.ews2015.com.

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

21/04/2015 16:18

YOUR F&C
Events diary

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF WWW.BRYNUCHEL.CO.UK

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF WWW.DESIGNBOOM.COM

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF WWW.SOUTHWALESARGUS.CO.UK

Events

The South Wales stickmakers display at last

years Wood Show

A view from the 2013 May Design Series event,

at ExCeL London

Centre for Alternative Technology

Isca Woodcrafts 10th

anniversary Wood Show

over 20 countries across furniture, lighting,

kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms, decor
and DX. Organised by UBM, one of
the worlds leading event organisers and
experts in bringing business together.

Traditional timber frame

joints short course

Isca Woodcafts is once again hosting its

popular woodworking show on 16 May,
2015 at Newports magnificent Tredegar
House. The business is also celebrating its
10th anniversary, thus making it a very
special year. The Wood Show takes place in
the 17th-century stable block and courtyard,
which is minutes away from the shop and
will run from 10am-4pm. Entry is free but
car parking charges will apply within the
grounds.
For 2015, the company intend to keep
the same ethos, putting emphasis on
showcasing woodworking techniques
and skills to encourage more people into
woodcrafts. Local clubs will be on hand to
offer valuable help and advice to all.
As always, the show will be supported
by The British Woodcarvers South Wales
Branch and Crow Valley Woodturners
will be representing the AWGB. The South
Wales Stick Makers Association will also
be carving and answering questions.
In among that you can also expect to
see fretsaw work, pyrography, furniture
making, knife handles, lovespoons and
musical instrument craftsmen and women.
Isca Woodcrafts will have a large
selection of wood in both board and blank
form, plus a range of exotic hardwoods.
The shop will open all day and the General
Tool Store of Abergavenny and Ross will
once again be selling their interesting array
of wares.

May Design Series

May Design Series is the most
commercially focused interiors trade
show in the calendar, showcasing a
comprehensive range of products from the
best British and international talent from

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

F&C_232_4_7_NEWS_&_EVENTStfJRDJSD.indd 7

Clerkenwell Design Week

Clerkenwell is home to more creative
businesses and architects per square mile
than anywhere else on the planet, making
it truly one of the most important design
hubs in the world. To celebrate this rich
and diverse community, CDW has created
a showcase of leading UK and international
brands and companies presented in a series
of showroom events, pop-up exhibitions
and special installations that take place
across the area.
2015 marks its sixth year and the awardwinning event has firmly established
itself as the UKs leading independent
design festival and annually attracts the
international design community to this
small area of London for three days of
exciting events.
When: 1921 May, 2015
Where: The festival is in many venues
around Clerkenwell. See the website for
all locations and events
Web: www.clerkenwelldesignweek.com

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF WWW.D-TALKS.COM

When: 16 May, 2015

Where: Tredegar House, Newport,
Monmouthshire NP10 8YW
Web: www.iscawoodcrafts.co.uk

When: 1719 May, 2015

Where: ExCeL London, Royal Victoria
Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL
Web: www.maydesignseries.com

Jaguar and RCA students for Clerkenwell Design

Week 2013

Learn how to measure, mark out and cut

perfect joints used in traditional timber
framing with this short course at the
Centre for Alternative Technology in
Powys, Wales, which covers an overview
of the tools and techniques used in
marking and cutting joints.
Using a hands-on workshop, you will
be taken through the initial stages of
constructing a timber frame and the course
uses buildings on site as a reference to
the joints you will make, employing the
one we made earlier method. The course
is suitable for anyone who is considering
building their own timber frame project,
including individuals and community
groups. The cost of the course is 80.
When: 30 May, 2015
Where: Centre for Alternative Technology,
Machynlleth, Powys, Wales SY20 9AZ
Web: www.courses.cat.org.uk

Get hands-on with Japanese

saws and sanding plates
Taking place at Axminster Tools &
Machinerys Nuneaton branch, join tutor
Lee Stokes as he gets hands-on with a
range of high quality and easy to use
Japanese woodworking hand saws and
sanding plates. The event will involve some
demonstrations and explanation regarding
these tools, plus the opportunity to try
them for yourself and get a feel for the
precision and quality of Japanese products.
Whether a beginner or more experienced
woodworker, Lee will be happy to answer
questions and offer advice. Find out how
these tools can be used to simplify and
improve your work.
When: 6 June, 2015
Where: Axminster Tools & Machinery,
Bermuda Trade Park, Nuneaton,
Warwickshire CV10 7RA
Web: www.axminster.co.uk
F&C232 7

21/04/2015 16:18

F&CUK
F&C
UK

An open invitation for furniture makers

to let us know what youre up to...

CHIPPENDALE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF FURNITURE

Government minister visits Chippendale School

nnabelle Ewing MSP, Minister for
Youth and Womens Employment
in the Scottish government, visited the
Chippendale International School of
Furniture recently to see for herself
how young people can forge successful
careers as furniture designers, makers
and restorers.
The minister, who represents Mid
Scotland and Fife, met Alice Holttum,
Janie Morris and Jo Meyer, all from
Edinburgh, and Fiona Thorburn
from Balerno. All four are planning
woodworking careers after graduation
in June.
Annabelle Ewing MSP said: It is
wonderful to see such talented students
keeping traditional skills alive and
carrying on the well-earned reputation of
the school. There is such a beauty to the
work of these designers, woodworkers
and restorers and it is clear that this is a
career where the methods that have been
honed over decades and centuries can be
combined with modern influences. I am
delighted to be here and would hope that
the success of the students I have met
today will inspire more young people to
follow this path, she said.
Anselm Fraser, principal of the
Chippendale International School

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE CHIPPENDALE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF FURNITURE

Fiona Thorburn left with Annabelle Ewing MSP

of Furniture said: It was a pleasure to

welcome the minister and to raise the profile
of woodworking as a career option. Many
young people and their career advisors are
unaware that a nine-month course at the
Chippendale school will provide all the
skills they need to set up in business and
we also have incubation space where

graduating students can immediately

begin their own careers, he said.
This year for the first time, furniture
designed and made by graduating students
will be exhibited at the Scottish parliament
in June. For more information on
furniture courses at the school, see
www.chippendaleschool.com

RYCOTEWOOD FURNITURE CENTRE

Award winning students at Rycotewood Furniture Centre

lot has been going on at the
Rycotewood Furniture Centre lately,
including students from the second year
of the Furniture Design and Make degree
course, taking part in the Centres third
annual exhibition at Pitt Rivers Museum.
Their work, following the theme of
containing, was displayed in the Didcot
case until the middle of March.
The Centre are also very pleased to
announce that former student Stuart
Evans has now been awarded the City and
Guilds Medal of Excellence for his side
table, which was completed in June, 2014.
In terms of student commissions, the
furniture department were asked to design
and make a pair of tables as a gift for two
retiring governors. The commission was
completed with great success by Avian
Evans-White, who is taking the Year 1
FdA Furniture Design and Make.
In other exhibition news, the Centres
appearance at the OFS gallery in the city

of Oxford came to an end at the beginning

of 2015. Gallery manager Sarah Mossop
reported that she was very pleased with the
quality of the work produced by the students
and practically all work was sold. The shop
will continue to stock Rycotewood-made
items and they are already looking forward
to the larger scale month-long exhibition in
July of this year. For more information, see
www.cityofoxford.ac.uk.

8 F&C232

F&C_232_8_9_F&CUKtfJRDJSD.indd 8

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF RYCOTEWOOD FURNITURE CENTRE

Stuart Evans award-winning side table

One of Avian Evans-Whites side tables

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21/04/2015 16:21

YOUR F&C
F&CUK

COLEG CEREDIGION

Furniture students learn the craft of harp-making at Coleg Ceredigion

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF COLEG CEREDIGION

harp-making process in the woodworking

workshop where they learnt about the
different woods used in harp production.
The students were enthralled at the
machinery and innovation used in our metal
workshop to produce our levers, bridge pins
and tuning pins, and impressed at the spray
room capabilities, said Justine Dodd at
Telynau Teifi. The students were also shown
our assembly room where the finished harps
are strung, tuned and regulated. They were
also very lucky to see an original Wurlizter
harp dated 1910 that has come in to the
Centre for restoration.
The visit was arranged between the
college and Telynau Teifi by Kay Davies,
a student on the furniture course who is
also a gifted harp tutor in her own right.
Kay performed on one of the magnificent
harps in the showroom for the other
students, where they got to see each of the
examples of harps ready to be distributed
to customers all over the world.
Richard Evans, furniture tutor at Coleg
Ceredigion, said: This tour was a fantastic
opportunity for students to observe at first
hand the techniques and craftsmanship used
by experts in this unique industry. For more
information, see www.ceredigion.ac.uk or
www.welsh-harps.com.

Coleg Ceredigion furniture students touring the Telynau Teifi workshops

ast year, Coleg Ceredigion furniture

students paid a visit to one of the
countrys leading harp makers. Telynau
Teifi, in Llandysul, manufacture bespoke
Celtic and Lever harps sought after by
harpists worldwide.
As the only college in Wales to provide

studies in furniture-making and restoration,

students were given the opportunity to see
first hand the techniques and expertise
employed by professional craftsmen in a
working environment. Students were given
a guided tour of each of the departments
within Telynau Teifi, from the start of the

Bucks New University gears

up for art and design show
B

uckinghamshire New Universitys art

and design show takes place from 1218
June, 2015. The show features a range of
work from undergraduate and postgraduate
students on the Universitys art and design,
creative and furniture courses at its campus
in Queen Alexandra Road, High Wycombe.
This years show will also for the first
time make use of exhibition space in the
Universitys newly-refurbished South Wing.
Creative Advertising, Fine Art, Foundation
Studies: Art, Design and Media, Furniture,
Graphic Arts, Product Design, Spatial
Design, Fashion Design, and Textiles and
Surface Design.
Andreas Fabian, co-curator for the show,
said: This should be another great show
and we are looking forward to welcoming as
many people as possible over the four days.
Our talented students are working hard

on the pieces and we would like plenty of

members of the public to visit and see the
eye-catching fruits of their labour.
The show is part of Bucks Open Studios,
where over 500 artists and makers,
in over 200 different venues across
Buckinghamshire, open their studios and run
exhibitions and events for the public to visit.
Textiles and Surface Design students will
also be showing work at New Designers
Part 1 from 2427 June; Premiere Vision
Designs in Paris from 1517 September;
and also TENT London for London Design
Week from 24-27 September. Advertising
Creative students will be exhibiting their
work at D&AD New Blood from 30 June
2 July. The Furniture courses will be at New
Designers Part 2 which runs from 14 July.
In previous years, furniture work
displayed has included a crafted traditional
cabinet made from yew (Taxus baccata)
and maple (Acer campestre) and a
contemporary-style shelf unit made
of a glue-less construction method.
Makita UK also presents the Makita

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF BUCKS NEW UNIVERSITY

BUCKS NEW UNIVERSITY

Example of a piece of work from the Bucks New

University art and design show 2014

Award for Excellence of Design combined

with Excellence of Craft to a winner and
runner-up studying Furniture courses.
For more information, see www.bucks.
ac.uk.

If youre a member of a collective and would like to raise your profile then submit a story to teganf@thegmcgroup.com

www.woodworkersinsitute.com

F&C_232_8_9_F&CUKtfJRDJSD.indd 9

F&C232 9

21/04/2015 16:21

Editors round-up...
PHOTOGRAPH BY GMC/DEREK JONES

Having trouble
sourcing the right
tool for the job? Derek
Jones sets about identifying
the essential tools and
equipment on offer this month
All sterling prices include VAT,
correct at time of going to press

nce mastered, spokeshaves have

got to be the most rewarding tool
to use to shape wood beyond the
straight lines that it often arrives in. The key
word here is mastered, as I dont think they
are the easiest tools to get the most out of
when starting out. Ive been using the new
Woodjoy shave this month to shape up
the walnut (Juglans spp.) legs on the main
project on page 51. Theres a mini review
of it over the page as well. Also through the
doors this month was a reasonably priced
250mm planer/thicknesser from Warco. For
around 695 inc VAT, it definitely punches
above its price tag considering the distance
its travelled to get here! Twice the price
isnt always twice the quality and although
this machine is a little rough around the
edges, it performs as it should. The faults
are few: a rather flimsy guard, a slower than
expected feed rate while thicknessing and
a less than substantial fence. On the plus
side, however, the built-in extraction hood
works like a dream and disengaging the feed
rollers reduces the noise on a machine thats
already pretty quiet in the first place. There
are dearer machines out there that dont
have a rising table lock but do feature three
knives in the block thats a possible trade
off, I guess. For a good entry-level machine,
suitable for home use that you could trade
up from, Id give the Warco a second look.

10 F&C232

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Mafell Erika 70EC pull-push

precision saw system
This pull-push precision saw system is
the lightest, most stable and most universal
machine with the most comprehensive
range of optional accessories of 70mm
pull-push saws on the market. The builtin Quickstand
Qu
uickstand sets the Erika on four
stable
e aluminium legs within seconds
and pr
rotective rubber stoppers on the
protective
feet al
lso prevent slipping or knocking.
also

2,448

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15/04/2015 14:31

YOUR F&C
Editors round-up
The unique suction channel concentrates
the sawdust and extracts it to the rear and,
thanks to this new development, your vacuum
unit is used even more effectively. The result
is clean work on a clean construction site.
The Erika features clearly designed operating
elements, which are all logically arranged on
the front of the machine. With the E-control
electronic system and the corresponding
Mafell original saw blade, it is possible
to process other materials in addition to
wood, such as plastics or aluminium profiles.
This saw system also features an
extremely stable table profile, a tilt range
from -3 to 48 and a riving knife, which can
be lowered in use.

Axminster Trade Clamps

There is an old woodworking saying, or some
might say clich, that you can never have
enough clamps. If you are just starting out
on your woodworking journey or have come
to the point when you need to throw out the
old and bring in the new, then the timing of
the introduction of the new Axminster Trade
Clamps range could not be better.
These clamps are high quality yet
affordable and the range includes all the
standard types of clamp, including G
clamps, F clamps, bar spreaders, parallel
bar clamps, sash clamps and T bars. Most
clamps are made from steel of one form or
another or ductile iron. The bars of sash
and F clamps tend to be made from cold
drawn steel, which has greater tensile and
yield strength than hot rolled steel bar.
Other clamps will be made from forged steel
or ductile iron depending on their usage.
The strength and reliability of a forged
steel clamp gives it the ability to exert the
maximum clamping pressure time after time,
with no misalignment of the frame. Ductile
iron is a better choice where a casting
is used. It possesses high strength and
resistance to breakage from physical
load or if accidentally dropped onto the
workshop floor.
These clamps come with a lifetime
guarantee and many of them offer the
benefit of bulk discounts. Prices valid
until 31 December, 2015.

From
1.96

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F&C_232_10_13_EDITORS_ROUND_UPtfJRSD.indd 11

Proxxon GE20 engraving device

The Proxxon GE20 is a small engraving pantograph,
suitable for nameplates, jewellery and other valuable
objects. It can also be used with self-made stencils or
commercially made templates such as plants, animals or
coats of arms.
A maximum of 14 characters can be fastened in the
guide bar or template holder. Template contours can be
precisely followed by using the ball-handled guide marker.
During transfer, the lettering to be milled is scaled down
to either a ratio of 2:1, 3:1, 4:1 or 5:1 by simply adjusting
two screws. The workpiece is aligned and fixed on the
movable guide block by means of clamping jaws not
supplied or a vice.
The engraver is supplied with two sets
of letters from A to Z, hyphen, full stop and
dash a total of 52 pieces three Allen
keys 1.5, 3.0 and 5.0mm as well as
a 2.5mm HEX ball-head screwdriver.
A detailed instruction manual is also
included. Price valid until 31
December, 2015.

189.96

Makita
DTD148 18v
brushless impact driver
The new Makita DTD148 18v brushless
impact driver is even more compact than
its predecessor, the DTD147, while
generating a massive 175Nm of impact
torque. The 10mm reduction in overall
motor body length aids confined space
access while the 5Nm increase in driving
torque makes this the most powerful 18V
impact driver on the market.
The DTD148 has an electronic switch
system that enables you to select the
rotation speed and corresponding impacts
per minute performance. The maximum
power selection will see the DTD148 run up
to 3,600rpm and deliver up to 3,800 impact
blows per minute. The medium setting gives
up to 2,100rpm and 2,600ipm while in soft
setting the rpm maximum is 1,100 with
parallel 1,100 impacts per minute IPM.
Its 290W brushless motor will drive an
M14 high tensile bolt and, in addition to
the three-stage impact settings, there is a
T-mode selection for tightening self-drilling
screws. Speed control is by the variable
position trigger with the forward, locked and
reverse selector conveniently positioned at
the top of the grip handle. An electric motor
brake stops the shaft rotation immediately
the trigger is released. The battery fuel
gauge is clearly and concisely displayed on
the tools battery mount and an LED job light
illuminates the 1.4in hex drive bits and the
fixing in operation. It also features the Makita
Extreme Protection Technology XPT
which provides weather and dust ingress
protection for long life and rugged reliability.
Weighing just 1.5kg and with an
ergonomically designed soft grip handle,
the new Makita DTD148 impact driver is

available with two 4.0Ah 18V Lithium-Ion

batteries, complete with a DC18RC charger
and MakPac case.

From
289

F&C232 11

15/04/2015 14:31

Hilti launches new 12V cordless range

From 79

Hilti has launched its smallest and lightest

range of cordless tools to date to help
customers reach new levels of productivity,
control and accessibility in everyday lightduty drilling and screwdriving work.
Operating on a new 12V battery platform
and only weighing around 1kg each, the
SF 2-A, SFD 2-A and SID 2-A have been
designed for working in tight spaces, dark
corners or overhead for prolonged periods.
Each tool in the range is well-balanced
and ergonomically designed for excellent

comfort They are also

handling and working comfort.
designed with two LEDs in the foot of the
tool to illuminate the task in hand.
The 12V range is fitted with Hiltis
Lithium Cordless Power Care CPC
system, which features electronic battery
management for extra-long lifetime and a
rubberised, impact-resistant battery casing
meaning they are built to last.
As with all Hilti battery platforms
including the 22V and 36V one battery
can operate all tools on the same voltage

ch
while an LED indicator enables the charge
to be checked at the press of a button. In
addition, an adaptor is available so that each
tool can fit users existing Hilti chargers.
All 12V tools can be purchased through
Hiltis Fleet Management programme
whereby a fixed monthly charge covers all
tool, battery, charger, service and repair
costs over three years. For customers who
prefer to own their tools outright, Hiltis
Lifetime Service gives a complete no-cost
period of two years.

release to instantly set the desired width.

Two adjustable pins hold the workpiece
down against the table when they are
tightened in place flush against the top of
the workpiece. Large handles extending
vertically on either end of the product make
it easy to control while holding workpieces
up to 220mm wide.

range includes a Credit Card Stone, Router

Cutter Stone, 125mm File, Twin Handle File,
200mm Workshop Stone and bench holder.
Trend has also just launched its 2015
Routing and Woodworking Catalogue, which
is packed with Trend products, including
router cutter ranges, power tools and tables,
routing jigs and accessories, saw blades,
the Trend Snappy Drill System as well as
sharpening and clamping products.
To get your hands on the brand-new
catalogue, visit your local Trend Routing
Centre or download/request a copy online
at www.trend-uk.com. Alternatively, call
01923 249 911 to request your copy.

Rockler Small Piece Holder

Rockler Woodworking and Hardware
has introduced the Small Piece Holder,
a clamping device designed to confidently
hold small project pieces when machining
on a router table. Projects such as toys,
plaques and birdhouses often involve small
pieces that require edge treatment. The
Small Piece Holder features abrasive faces
that sandwich small pieces to secure them
while they are machined. Large handles
provide control and stability, allowing the
user to create smoothy routed edges while
keeping their hands a safe distance away
from the sharp cutters of the router bit.
This product features opposing clamp
faces with abrasive anti-slip material
similar to that used in gripping
strips on stairs to hold the
workpiece in place. One face is
adjustable with push-button quick

33

12 F&C232

F&C_232_10_13_EDITORS_ROUND_UPtfJRSD.indd 12

Trend Diamond Cross

Sharpening range
Trend are excited to announce a very special
new product range, which will leave Trade
professional tools super sharp and back to
their best. The Diamond Cross Sharpening
range is now available from Trend and
the products can be used to
sharpen chisels and plane
irons and are specially
designed for router
cutter sharpening.
This sharpening range
is ideal for shaped
router cutters, chisels
and woodturning
as well as for
sharpening larger
bladed gardening
tools. Diamond Cross
Technology provides the
perfect balance between diamond
and recess, maximising abrasion
rates and clearance of debris. The

From
13.99

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

15/04/2015 14:31

YOUR F&C
Editors round-up
Festools Unplugged range
Manufacturing power tools since 1925,
Festool plans to showcase its latest
Unplugged range of precision-engineered
products at UK Construction Week, which
takes place from 68 October, 2015 at the
Birmingham NEC. This new range works
for 25% longer between charges, thanks
to their new 5.2Ah batteries. Incorporating
Festools tried and tested brushless EC-TEC

motor technology, this new offering from

Festool offers tradesmen a reliable and
flexible investment, as its universal battery
compatibility means that older NiCd and
NiMH battery packs can be used with the
new machines. Festool unplugged frees
you from the constraints of electrical
sockets and guarantees the best results
every time with the combination of 5.2Ah

high-performance battery packs and

brushless EC-TEC motor. New tools in the
range include the CARVEX PSC 420 and
PSBC 420 cordless pendulum jigsaws,
the QUADRIVE DRC cordless drills and
QUADRIVE PDC cordless percussion
drills, the T18+3 cordless drill, the TSC
55 cordless plunge saw, the BHC 18
cordless hammer drill.

Contacts
Axminster Trade Clamps
Contact: Axminster Tools
& Machinery
Tel: 03332 406 406
Web: www.axminster.co.uk
Festools Unplugged range
Contact: Festool
Web: www.festool.co.uk
Hilti launches new 12V
cordless range
Contact: Hilti
Tel: 0800 886 100
Web: www.hilti.co.uk
Mafell Erika 70EC pull-push
precision saw system
Contact: NMA Agencies
Tel: 01484 400 488
Web: www.nmatools.co.uk

MINI TEST:
Woodjoy flat-soled spokeshave
Ive got metal ones, wooden ones made
from beech (Fagus spp.) and boxwood
(Buxus sempervirens) and one made
from stainless steel, but none compare
to the maple (Acer saccharum) flatsoled spokeshave from Woodjoy for
unadulterated simplicity. Firstly, I dont
have a great need for a spokeshave in
my work, although I cant imagine a life
without them. Either Ive found a series
of effective work-a-rounds, or their
capabilities have just gone unnoticed.
Maybe its the blade-holding mechanism
on the Woodjoy shaves that make
them so user-friendly. A small hex nut
arrangement clamps the blade in place
so that minute adjustments can be made
and, more importantly, maintained. Theres

no backlash and a sloping projection

can be obtained. Made from wood and
therefore light, when the blade becomes
dull, you notice a drop-off in performance
immediately. With very little sole
referencing the workpiece, I find the more
feedback I have from the tool, the better. In
some circumstances, extra mass can have
you struggling on for longer than is good
o sharpen,
for you. And when its time to
there are no posts to get in the way.
e that might
A great tool to have and one
unities. F&C
open up a few new opportunities.

Makita DTD148 18V brushless

impact driver
Contact: Makita
Tel: 01908 211 678
Web: www.makitauk.com
Proxxon GE20
engraving device
Contact: BriMarc Tools
& Machinery
Tel: 03332 406 967
Web: www.brimarc.com
Rockler Small Piece Holder
Contact: Rockler Woodworking
and Hardware
Tel: (001) 800 279 4441
Web: www.rockler.com
Trend Diamond Cross
Sharpening range
Contact: Trend
Tel: 01923 249 911
Web: www.trend-uk.com

81

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F&C_232_10_13_EDITORS_ROUND_UPtfJRSD.indd 13

Woodjoy flat-soled
spokeshave
Contact: Classic Hand Tools
Tel: 01473 784 983
Web: www.classichandtools.com

F&C232 13

21/04/2015 16:26

S S N
N A TOREW
O LF E
W O
O R
P D
EN

4" BELT/
6" DISC
SANDER

CS4-6D

84.99
EX.VAT
101.99
INC.VAT

Includes stand
1 Hp/ 230v/
1ph motor

MULTI FUNCTION
TOOL WITH
ACCESSORY KIT

HUGE
RANGE IN
CATALOGUE
& ONLINE

109.98
EXC.VAT
131.98
INC.VAT

Great for sawing, cutting, sanding, polishing,

chiselling & much more
250w motor
Variable speed

199 EXC.VAT
238.80
INC.VAT
.00

MODEL

CMFT250
MODEL
CL CBS190
CL CBS250

CPF13

1" BELT & 5"

DISC SANDER
Inc. 2 tilt/lock tables
and mitre gauge
300w motor

.98

59EX.VAT
INC.VAT
71.98

CBS1-5

CJS380

ELECTRIC
POWER
FILE

Variable
belt speed
Tilting head

*Black & Decker

FROM ONLY
.99
44EXC.VAT
.99
53INC.VAT

FROM ONLY
.99

6EX.VAT

FROM ONLY
.99
12EXC.VAT
.59
15INC.VAT

.39

8INC.VAT
QUICK RELEASE
ALUMINIUM SASH CRAMPS

DEVIL
6003

Rugged fan heaters

for small to medium
sized premises Tough
steel cabinets
Adjustable heat
output with thermostat

MODEL SIZE
CHT374 600mm
CHT375 900mm
CHT376 1200mm

EX. VAT INC. VAT

6.99
8.39
7.99
9.59
9.98
11.98

BELT
SANDERS
ENGINEERS
DRILL PRESS

Ideal for surface removal,

sanding and nishing

Tables tilt
FROM ONLY
0-45 left & right
.98
59EXC.VAT
Depth gauge

.98
Chuck guards 71INC.VAT

ABRASIVE SANDING
BELTS IN STOCK

.99
37EXC.VAT
.59
45INC.VAT

FROM ONLY
.98

BS1
MODEL
Clarke BS1
Clarke CBS2
Makita 9911

CORDLESS
DRILL/
DRIVERS

NOW
INC VAT
45.59 was
59.95 71.98
89.99 inc.VAT
155.98
227.87

EX VAT
37.99
49.98
74.99
129.98
189.98

Powerful, bench mounted disc sander 900W

No load disc speed: 1490rpm 305mm Disc
Diameter (1 x 60 grit sanding disc included)
Dimensions (LWH):

119.98
EXC.VAT
440x437x386mm

Weight:
143.98
INC.VAT
28kg

PSR18

34EXC.VAT
.99
41INC.VAT

FROM ONLY
.99
64EXC.VAT
.99
77INC.VAT

INCLUDES 12
PIECE BIT SET

HUGE CHOICE
IN-STORE & ONLINE

MODEL
VOLTS BATTS EXC. VAT
CCD180
18v
1
34.99
CCD240
24v
1
39.98
Bosch PSR18 18v
1
49.98

INC.VAT
41.99
47.98
59.98

MODEL
CON18Ni
CON18Li

WATT M/MIN EX VAT INC VAT

900w 380 29.98 35.98
1200w 480 69.98 83.98
650w 75-270 94.99 113.99

860W Motor
11000rpm Operating Speed Max thickness
14mm Cutting Depth capacity 130mm
Planing depths
adjustable
from 0-2.5mm
Powerful
1250w motor
8000rpm

.98
49EXC.VAT no-load speed

CROS1

.98
59INC.VAT

INC 5 DISCS

29EX.VAT
INC.VAT
35.98

Great for 3mm to 10mm

HSS drill bits 70W motor
Drill bit guide

.99
ensures
sharpening at the 21EXC.VAT
.39
26INC.VAT
correct angle
Saves cost of
new drills

BATTERIES
2 x Ni-Cd
2 x Li-Ion

EXC.
VAT
64.99
84.99

BJ900

BOLTLESS
SHELVING BENCHES

Simple fast assembly

in minutes using only a
hammer
FROM ONLY
.98

29EX.VAT

INC.VAT
35.98

10%
WHEN YOU BUY
ANY MIX OF 5
FROM THIS RANGE
SAVE AT LEAST
17.99 INC.VAT

(evenly
distributed)
Strong 9mm
breboard
PER SHELF shelves
PER SHELF

RED, BLUE, BLACK,

SILVER & GALVANISED
STEEL

(evenly
MODEL SHELF DIMS
distributed)
WxDxH(mm) EX VAT INC VAT
Strong 12 mm 150Kg 800x300x1500 29.98 35.98
breboard
350Kg 900x400x1800 49.98 59.98
shelves

FROM ONLY

CON300

.99
12EXC.VAT
.59
15INC.VAT

STATIC PHASE
CONVERTERS

PC60
FROM ONLY
EX.VAT
229.00
INC.VAT
274.80

CONVERT 230V
1PH TO 400V 3PH

MODEL

EX VAT INC VAT

PC20
PC40
PC60

MAX.
MOTOR HP
2Hp
3.5Hp
5.5Hp

FUSE

10amps 229.00 274.80

20amps 269.00 322.80
32amps 319.00 382.80

TABLE
SAW

CTS13L
Powerful 1800W Motor
5700rpm No
Load
Speed
Laser Guide for
accurate cutting
With folding
legs and
wheels
- Large
PRICE CUT
930 x 640mm

Table
229.98
EXC.VAT
.98
275
INC.VAT
WAS 287.98 inc.VAT

*110V in stock
SHEET SIZE MOTOR EX VAT INC VAT
190X90mm 150w 12.99 15.59
230X115mm 330w 29.98 35.98
112X102mm 200w 54.99 65.99

13" MINI
WOOD LATHE
.98
129EX.VAT
.98
155INC.VAT

1000MM VARIABLE
SPEED WOOD LATHE

SUPPLED
WITH
ROBUST
STEEL
STAND

EX.VAT
179.98
INC.VAT
215.98

SAVE

CAPACITY EX.
MODEL
MOTOR WET/DRY VAT INC. VAT
CVAC20P 1250W 16/12ltr 47.99 57.59
CVAC20SS* 1400W 16/12ltr 59.98 71.98
CVAC25SS* 1400W 19/17ltr 64.99 77.99
CVAC30SSR* 1400W 24/21ltr 86.99 104.39
* SS = Stainless Steel

CWL1000V

CHOICE OF 5 COLOURS

ALSO EXTRA WIDE

INDUSTRIAL UNITS
AVAILABLE

PORTABLE
THICKNESSER

INC.
VAT
77.99
101.99

SHEET SANDERS

MODEL
COS200
C0N300
Makita
BO455*

A range of
compact, high
performance
wet & dry
vacuum cleaners
for use around the
home, workshop,
garage etc.

ROTARY
PHASE
CONVERTERS
ALSO AVAILABLE

18V PRO
CORDLESS
DRILL/DRIVERS

.99

.99
47EX.VAT
.59
57INC.VAT

WET
& DRY
VACUUM
CLEANERS

Run big 3 phase

woodworking
machines
from 1 phase
supply
Variable
output power
to match HP
of motor to
be run

10mm chuck size

2 Speed, Variable
control - 0-350/0-1250rpm
21 torque settings

FROM ONLY

BISCUIT JOINER

RANDOM ORBITAL
SANDER

For sanding
& polishing
125mm
diameter
sanding discs
4000-11000 opm

DISC SANDER
(305MM)

CDS300B

HEAT
MODEL
OUTPUT
Devil 6002 0.7-2kW
Devil 6003 1.5-3kW
Devil 6005 2.5-5kW
Devil 6009 4.5-9kW
Devil 6015 5-10-15kW

DRILL BIT SHARPENER

B=Bench mounted
F=Floor standing

.99
27EX.VAT
.59
33INC.VAT

57.99 69.59

CBS16

MODEL WATTS/ EXC.VAT INC.VAT

SPEEDS
CDP5EB 350/5 59.98 71.98
CDP101B 245/5 79.98 95.98
CDP151B 300/5 106.99 128.39
CDP10B 370/12 169.98 203.98
CDP301B 510/12 199.98 239.98
CDP451F 510/16 239.98 287.98
CDP501F 980/12 429.00 514.80

21.99 26.39
49.98 59.98

MODEL

INC
VAT
15.59
29.99
35.98
59.98

CEP1
EXC.VAT INC.VAT

POWER DEPTH
(W) OF CUT
EX
(WOOD/STEEL) VAT
Clarke CJS380* 420w 55/6mm 12.99
Clarke CON750# 750w 80/10mm 24.99
B & D KS600*
450w 60/5mm 29.98
Bosch PST700* 500w 70/4mm 49.98

INPUT DEPTH
POWER OF CUT
Clarke CEP1
650W 2mm
Einhell RT - PL82 850W 3mm
B&D
KW750K - GB
750W 2mm
was 65.99 inc.VAT

FROM ONLY

MODEL MOTOR EXC.VAT INC.VAT was

CPF13 400w/230v 44.99 53.99 63.59
KA900E* 350w/230v 49.98 59.98 inc.VAT

*DIY #Professional

MOUNT MOTOR THROAT EX VAT INC VAT

Bench 350w 190mm 109.98 131.98
Floor 370w 245mm 179.98 215.98

INDUSTRIAL
ELECTRIC
FAN HEATERS

LIGHTWEIGHT
ALUMINIUM

JIGSAWS

FROM ONLY

82mm
cutting
width
CBS250
INCLUDES
STAND

INC VAT
83.98
167.98
179.98

21EXC.VAT
.39
26INC.VAT

EX VAT
69.98
139.98
149.98

.99

.99
34EXC.VAT
.99
41INC.VAT

BLADE
200mm
254mm
254mm

FROM ONLY

INCLUDES LEFT
& RIGHT TABLE
EXTENSION

*Moulded base
MODEL MOTOR
CTS800B 600w
CTS11* 1500w
CTS10D 1500w

POWER
PLANERS

BANDSAWS

CS6-9C

69EX.VAT
INC.VAT
83.98

SUPERSTORES
NATIONWIDE

WHERE QUALITY
COSTS LESS
6" BELT/
9" DISC
SANDER

FROM ONLY
.98

CTS10D

Dust extraction
facility
4" x 36" belt tilts
& locks 0-90
225mm x 160mm
table, tilts 0-90
370w, 230v motor

LEG STANDS AVAILABLE

FOR CTS11 & CTS10D
22.99 EX VAT
27.59 INC VAT

TABLE
SAWS

CPT250

CWL325V
.00
239EXC.VAT
.80
286INC.VAT

Large 350mm turning capacity Variable speed

Lockable tailstock High quality cast iron build

PLANERS &
THICKNESSERS
CPT800

Ideal for enthusiasts/

hobbyists with small workshops
325mm distance between centres 200mm
max. turning capacity (dia) 0.2Hp motor

WOODWORKING
LATHES

3 PCE CHISEL SET

INCLUDED WITH
CWL1000

CWL1000
Ideal for DIY &
Hobby use Dual
FROM ONLY
purpose, for both

EX.VAT
139.98
nishing & sizing of

timber (CP-6 planer only)

INC.VAT
167.98
MODEL
MOTOR MAX THICK. EXC.
INC.
CAPACITY
VAT
VAT
CP-6
1100w
*
139.98 167.98
CPT600
1250w
120mm 169.98 203.98
CPT800
1250w
120mm 189.98 227.98
CPT1000 NEW 1500w
120mm 269.98 323.98

SEE CATALOGUE
FOR ACCESSORIES
MODEL CENTRE TO TURNING TURNING EX
INC
CENTRE (mm) CAP. SPEEDS VAT
VAT
CWL1000 1016
350mm
4 114.99 137.99
CWL12D 940
305mm
5 189.98 227.98

FROM ONLY
.99
114EX.VAT

.99
137INC.VAT

23228(LH)

014_015_FCM_232.indd 14

20/04/2015 11:40

PRODUCTS
INCLUDING
NEW

CLICK &
COLLECT

See www.machinemart.co.uk

CHISELS AVAILABLE FROM

7.99 EX VAT 9.59 INC VAT

WOODWORKING
VICES

13EX.VAT
INC.VAT
16.19

WV7
MOUNTING JAW
(WIDTH/OPENING
/DEPTH)mm EXC.VAT INC.VAT
Bolted 150/152/61 13.49 16.19

Clarke
CHT152
Stanley
Clamped 72/60/40 16.99 20.39
Multi Angle
Record V75B Clamped 75/50/32 18.99 22.79
Clarke WV7 Bolted 180/205/78 24.99 29.99

10" SLIDING
MITRE SAW

1500

0844 880 1265

54EXC.VAT
.99
65INC.VAT

.99
64EXC.VAT
.99
77INC.VAT

ROTARY TOOL
KIT
CRT40
.98
29EX.VAT
.98
35INC.VAT

DOVETAIL JIG
Simple, easy to set up & use for producing
a variety of joints Cuts work pieces with a
thickness of 8-32mm Includes a 1/2" comb
template guide & holes for bench mounting

Kit includes:
Height adjustable stand with clamp Rotary tool
1m exible drive 40x accessories/consumables

PRICE CUT
.99
54EXC.VAT

.99
65
INC.VAT
WAS 71.98 inc.VAT

CDTJ12
Router not
included

CLARKE 8MM
AIR HOSE
FROM ONLY
5.99 EX VAT
7.19 INC VAT

ROUTERS

For sanding/shaping
wood,
plastic
&
metal
Supplied
with coarse
grinding
wheel
& sanding belt

CBG6SB

.98
79EXC.VAT
.98
95INC.VAT

MODEL
MOTOR CFM
Tiger 8/250
2Hp 7.5
Tiger 7/250
2 Hp 7
Tiger 8/36
1.5 Hp 6.3
Tiger 11/250
2.5Hp 9.5
Tiger 8/510
2Hp 7.5
Tiger 11/510
2.5Hp 9.5
Tiger 16/510
3 Hp 14.5
Tiger 16/1010 3 Hp 14.5

CTS14

8/250
TANK EX VAT INC VAT
24ltr 79.98 95.98
24ltr 89.98 107.98
24ltr 109.98 131.98
24ltr 119.98 143.98
50ltr 129.98 155.98
50ltr 149.98 179.98
50ltr 219.98 263.98
100ltr 269.98 323.98

TABLE SAW WITH

EXTENSION
TABLES (250mm)

Ideal for cross cutting,

ripping, angle and
mitre cutting
Easy
release
/ locking
NEW mechanism
for table
extensions 0-45 tilting
blade Cutting depth:
72mm at 90 /

.98
65mm at 45
119EXC.VAT

.98
230V/50Hz,
143INC.VAT Motor:
1800W,
No load speed: 4700rpm
Shown with optional leg kit
CLK5 22.99 exc.VAT 27.59 inc.VAT

FROM ONLY
.98

ACCESSORIES
IN STOCK

* DIY
MODEL

MOTOR PLUNGE EX VAT INC VAT

(W)
(mm)
CR1C*
1200
0-50 39.98 47.98
Bosch
1400
0-55 74.99 89.99
POF1400ACE

SCROLL SAWS

EX.VAT
109.98
INC.VAT
131.98

Powerful heavy
duty machine
ideal for
trade use
Variable
speed control from
7,400-21, 600 rpm 2100w motor 0-60mm
plunge depth. CR3 Router with 15 Piece Bit Set
also available only 94.99
113.99
INCLUDES 15
PIECE SET WORTH
OVER 20

FROM ONLY
.99
64EXC.VAT
.99
77INC.VAT

ROUTER TABLE

120w, 230v
motor 50mm
max cut thickness
400-1,700rpm variable
speed Air-blower removes
CSS16V
dust from cutting area
SPEED
EX
INC
MODEL MOTOR RPM
VAT
VAT
CSS400B 85w
1450
64.99 77.99
CSS16V 120w 400-1700 79.98 95.98
CSS400C* 90w 550-1600 99.98 119.98
* Includes exible drive kit for grinding/polishing/sanding

50 litre tank capacity

183 m3/h ow rate
1000W
OTHER
input
wattage MODELS
AVAILABLE

.99
27EX.VAT

.59
33INC.VAT

CRT-1

Router not
included

EX.VAT
99.98
INC.VAT
119.98

BENCH GRINDERS
& STANDS
6" & 8"
AVAILABLE
WITH LIGHT

STAND AVAILABLE FROM

ONLY 41.99 EX.VAT
50.39 INC.VAT

CBG8W
features
8" whetstone &
6"drystone.
# With sanding belt
MODEL
DUTY WHEEL
DIA.
EX VAT
CBG6RP
DIY 150mm 27.99
CBG6RZ
PRO 150mm 37.99
CBG6RSC
HD 150mm 47.99
CBG6SB#
PRO 150mm 49.98
CBG6RWC
HD 150mm 54.99
CBG8W (wet) HD 150/200mm 55.99

FROM ONLY

Great range of DIY

and professional
saws Ideal for
bevel cutting
(0-45)

.99
34EXC.VAT
.99
41INC.VAT

CON185
*Includes
laser guide
MODEL

MOTOR MAX CUT

90/45
(mm) EXC.VAT INC.VAT
65/44

34.99 41.99

60/45

59.98 71.98

60/40

59.98 71.98

HARDWOOD
WORKBENCH

Includes bench dogs and guide holes for

variable work positioning 2 Heavy Duty Vices
Large storage draw Sunken tool trough
LxWxH 1520x620x855mm

INC VAT
33.59
45.59
57.59
59.98
65.99
67.19

CHB1500
.98
129EXC.VAT
.98
155INC.VAT

5PCE FORSTNER
BIT SET
Contains 15, 20, 25, 30 &
35mm bits Titanium
nitride coated for
improved
cutting nish

255mm
MULTIPURPOSE
TABLE
SAWS

.98
9EXC.VAT
.98
11INC.VAT

FURY 5 ONLY

.98

149 EXC.VAT
.98
179
INC.VAT
WAS 191.98 inc.VAT

CHT365

MODEL

.99
56EX.VAT

.39
Converts your router
68INC.VAT
into a stationary router
table Suitable for most
routers (up to 155mm dia. Base plate)

MAX
TABLE
EXC.
INC.
DEPTH CUT SIZE (mm)
VAT
VAT
45
90
FURY5* 54mm 73mm 625x444 149.98 179.98
RAGE5 55mm 79mm 868x444 269.00 322.80
*FURY power: 1500w (110V available)
RAGE power: 1800w/230V (110V available)
table extensions included
* was 191.98 inc.VAT was 334.80 inc.VAT

MON-FRI 8.30-6.00,
VISIT YOUR LOCAL SUPERSTORE OPEN
SAT 8.30-5.30, SUN 10.00-4.00 *NEW STORE

23228(RH)

.00
209EXC.VAT
.80
250INC.VAT

Clarke
CCS185B 1200W
Clarke
CC52
1300W
Clarke
CON185* 1600W

BARNSLEY Pontefract Rd, Barnsley, S71 1EZ

01226 732297
BHAM GREAT BARR 4 Birmingham Rd.
0121 358 7977
BHAM HAY MILLS 1152 Coventry Rd, Hay Mills
0121 7713433
BOLTON 1 Thynne St. BL3 6BD
01204 365799
BRADFORD 105-107 Manningham Lane. BD1 3BN 01274 390962
BRIGHTON 123 Lewes Rd, BN2 3QB
01273 915999
BRISTOL 1-3 Church Rd, Lawrence Hill. BS5 9JJ
0117 935 1060
BURTON UPON TRENT 12a Licheld St. DE14 3QZ
01283 564 708
CAMBRIDGE 181-183 Histon Road, Cambridge. CB4 3HL 01223 322675
CARDIFF 44-46 City Rd. CF24 3DN
029 2046 5424
CARLISLE 85 London Rd. CA1 2LG
01228 591666
CHELTENHAM 84 Fairview Road. GL52 2EH
01242 514 402
CHESTER 43-45 St. James Street. CH1 3EY
01244 311258
COLCHESTER 4 North Station Rd. CO1 1RE
01206 762831
COVENTRY Bishop St. CV1 1HT
024 7622 4227
CROYDON 423-427 Brighton Rd, Sth Croydon
020 8763 0640
DARLINGTON 214 Northgate. DL1 1RB
01325 380 841
DEAL (KENT) 182-186 High St. CT14 6BQ
01304 373 434
DERBY Derwent St. DE1 2ED
01332 290 931
DONCASTER Wheatley Hall Road
01302 245 999
DUNDEE 24-26 Trades Lane. DD1 3ET
01382 225 140
EDINBURGH 163-171 Pierseld Terrace
0131 659 5919

BARREL

CIRCULAR SAWS

CDE1000
DUST
EXTRACTOR

FROM ONLY

CR2 ROUTER

39EX.VAT
INC.VAT
47.98

6.9kW

FROM ONLY

FLOW BAG
MODEL MOTOR RATE CAP. EX VAT INC VAT
CDE35B 750w 850 M3/h 56Ltrs 119.98 143.98
CDE7B 750w 850 M3/h 114Ltrs 139.98 167.98

complete with
bolt mountings
and feet
anchor holes

EX.VAT
49.98
INC.VAT
59.98

CR1C

Powerful
750w motor
56 litre bag capacity
Flow rate of 850M3/h

6" BENCH GRINDER

WITH SANDING BELT Stands come

89.98
EXC.VAT
.98
107
INC.VAT
WAS 113.98 inc.VAT

TH-SM 2534
Quality Range of Mitre saws and blades available
MODEL BLADE DIA MAX CUT
EX. INC.
BORE (mm)DEPTH/CROSS VAT
VAT
Einhell 210/30 55/120mm 54.99 65.99
TH-MS 2112
Fury 3 210/25.4 60/200mm 119.98 143.98
Einhell 250/30 75/340mm 159.98 191.98
TH-SM2534
Makita 260/30 95/130mm 199.98 239.98
LS1040

CFMSS1

POT BELLY
PRICE CUT

11.8kW

MITRE SAW
STAND

LARGE & XL MODELS

IN STOCK

20 GREAT STYLES
IN STOCK

QUALITY CAST
IRON STOVES

FLUES, COWLS &

ACCESSORIES IN
STOCK

.99

Suitable for most

sizes/makes of saw
Inc. outriggers & rollers

HUGE RANGE
OF AIR TOOLS
IN STOCK

METABO
ALSO
AVAILABLE

FROM ONLY

TURBO AIR
COMPRESSORS

DUST EXTRACTOR/
CHIP COLLECTORS

119.98
EXC.VAT
143.98
INC.VAT

CMS10S2

131INC.VAT

IN-STORE
ONLINE
PHONE

PRICE CUTS &

NEW PRODUCTS

.98
129EXC.VAT

.98
155INC.VAT

Superb range
ideal for DIY,
hobby & semiprofessional
use

CATALOGUE

CWS200

PAGE

MITRE SAWS

For fast, accurate

cross, bevel &
mitre cutting in
most hard & soft
woods
1800w
motor
Laser guide

WHETSTONE
SHARPENER
Produces accurate
razor sharp cutting
edges on chisels,
scissors, tools etc
120w motor
Grinding disc 200mm
Wet bath Leather
honing
.98
wheel 109EX.VAT
.98

NEW

500

Over

SPECIALIST PRODUCTS

It is fast and accurate with a

good solid feel...Excellent value for
money, Im really pleased with it.

MODEL

15,000

FOR
OVER

Accurately creates deep square

recesses Table size 150 x 340mm
Maximum chisel cap.76mm Robust
cast iron base & column ensures
stability & accuracy 95mm depth
of cut

FROM ONLY
.49

GET
YOUR
FREE
COPY
NOW!

visit machinemart.co.uk

.99
144EXC.VAT

.99
MORTISING 173INC.VAT
MACHINE
CBM1B

EXETER 16 Trusham Rd. EX2 8QG

01392 256 744
GATESHEAD 50 Lobley Hill Rd. NE8 4YJ
0191 493 2520
GLASGOW 280 Gt Western Rd. G4 9EJ
0141 332 9231
GLOUCESTER 221A Barton St. GL1 4HY
01452 417 948
GRIMSBY ELLIS WAY, DN32 9BD
01472 354435
HULL 8-10 Holderness Rd. HU9 1EG
01482 223161
ILFORD 746-748 Eastern Ave. IG2 7HU
0208 518 4286
IPSWICH Unit 1 Ipswich Trade Centre, Commercial Road 01473 221253
LEEDS 227-229 Kirkstall Rd. LS4 2AS
0113 231 0400
LEICESTER 69 Melton Rd. LE4 6PN
0116 261 0688
LINCOLN Unit 5. The Pelham Centre. LN5 8HG
01522 543 036
LIVERPOOL 80-88 London Rd. L3 5NF
0151 709 4484
LONDON CATFORD 289/291 Southend Lane SE6 3RS 0208 695 5684
LONDON 6 Kendal Parade, Edmonton N18
020 8803 0861
LONDON 503-507 Lea Bridge Rd. Leyton, E10
020 8558 8284
LONDON 100 The Highway, Docklands
020 7488 2129
LUTON Unit 1, 326 Dunstable Rd, Luton LU4 8JS 01582 728 063
MAIDSTONE 57 Upper Stone St. ME15 6HE
01622 769 572
MANCHESTER ALTRINCHAM 71 Manchester Rd. Altrincham 0161 9412 666
MANCHESTER OPENSHAW Unit 5, Tower Mill, Ashton Old Rd 0161 223 8376
MANCHESTER SALFORD* 209 Bury New Road M8 8DU
0161 241 1851
MANSFIELD 169 Chestereld Rd. South
01623 622160

MIDDLESBROUGH Mandale Triangle, Thornaby

NORWICH 282a Heigham St. NR2 4LZ
NOTTINGHAM 211 Lower Parliament St.
PETERBOROUGH 417 Lincoln Rd. Milleld
PLYMOUTH 58-64 Embankment Rd. PL4 9HY
POOLE 137-139 Bournemouth Rd. Parkstone
PORTSMOUTH 277-283 Copnor Rd. Copnor
PRESTON 53 Blackpool Rd. PR2 6BU
SHEFFIELD 453 London Rd. Heeley. S2 4HJ
SIDCUP 13 Blackfen Parade, Blackfen Rd
SOUTHAMPTON 516-518 Portswood Rd.
SOUTHEND 1139-1141 London Rd. Leigh on Sea
STOKE-ON-TRENT 382-396 Waterloo Rd. Hanley
SUNDERLAND 13-15 Ryhope Rd. Grangetown
SWANSEA 7 Samlet Rd. Llansamlet. SA7 9AG
SWINDON 21 Victoria Rd. SN1 3AW
TWICKENHAM 83-85 Heath Rd.TW1 4AW
WARRINGTON Unit 3, Hawleys Trade Pk.
WIGAN 2 Harrison Street, WN5 9AU
WOLVERHAMPTON Parkeld Rd. Bilston
WORCESTER 48a Upper Tything. WR1 1JZ

01642 677881
01603 766402
0115 956 1811
01733 311770
01752 254050
01202 717913
023 9265 4777
01772 703263
0114 258 0831
0208 3042069
023 8055 7788
01702 483 742
01782 287321
0191 510 8773
01792 792969
01793 491717
020 8892 9117
01925 630 937
01942 323 785
01902 494186
01905 723451

MUCH MORE
WOODWORKING
ONLINE

OPEN 7 DAYS
3 EASY WAYS TO BUY...
IN-STORE
65 SUPERSTORES

ONLINE
www.machinemart.co.uk
MAIL ORDER
0115 956 5555

CLICK &
COLLECT

Minimum call charges from a BT landline are 5p/min to 0844. Calls from mobiles and other networks may vary.
For security reasons, calls may be monitored. All prices correct at time of going to press. We reserve the right to change products and prices at any time. All offers subject to availability, E&OE.

014_015_FCM_232.indd 15

20/04/2015 11:40

In the workshop with

Peter Follansbee

PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETER FOLLANSBEE

We speak to Peter
Follansbee, who specialises
in 17th-century joinery

wouldnt mind betting that for a lot of

woodworkers, the route into furniture
making starts with a casual foray into
the world of green woodworking, though
I doubt they really have much of an inkling
as to what the genre has to offer. Just as
we either love or loathe Arts & Crafts or
Victorian Gothic revival, green woodworking
is similarly divisive. At first glance, the
uninitiated may perceive the raw simplicity of
this style as just plain rustic or even crude.
If appearances were everything by modern
standards, youd be right. However, I also
wouldnt mind betting that the single most
important lessons to learn to make sound
pieces of furniture can be learned from
working in the green style. No other process
gets you closer to the material in all its glory,

16 F&C232

F&C_232_16_18_In the WorkshoptfJRSDDJ.indd 16

faults and all. Like your times tables, learn

these and you have a solid foundation for
every other woodworking discipline.
In its most refined state it is an
understanding of joinery from which all
strains of cabinetry are based. Although
pegs, wedges and draw-bored tenons have
been found on ancient artefacts, it wasnt
until the 16th century that a clear line of
demarcation evolved between the carpenter,
joiner and cabinetmaker. Its possible that
demand rather than any notion of seniority
had more effect on the defining of the
trades. A craftsman capable of making doors
and windows but more adept at building
casework would be better off playing to his
strengths. And we know what comes from
doing one thing repeatedly: refinement and

perfection. This is precisely where we

find the subject of our profile this month,
Peter Follansbee.
Peter lives in Kingston, Massachusetts
where he makes reproductions of
17th-century joined furniture using the
techniques from the period and working
exclusively with hand tools. He writes a blog
about 17th-century joinery, green wood
and hand tools called Joiners Notes
pfollansbee.wordpress.com. Personally, Im
not at all happy with the term reproduction,
far too many negative connotations from a
part of our industry that has systematically
diluted every known style of furniture into
lukewarm approximations. At Peters bench
we can take the word at its true meaning
and comfortably add the prefix authentic.

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

15/04/2015 14:50

DESIGN & INSPIRATION

In the workshop with Peter Follansbee

Joined chest with brackets, 2010

Carved oak box

Background in woodworking
Peter told us that he got into woodworking
by accident after inheriting several electric
tools. He was 17 years old when he was
given the 1960s-era tools, which included
a tablesaw, drill press, jointer and lathe and
figured he should learn how to use them.
A couple of years later, in 1978, he read two
books about green woodworking, Make a
Chair From a Tree by John now Jennie
Alexander and Country Woodcraft by Drew
Langsner. I met both of these craftspeople
in 1980 when I was a student in Alexanders
chair-making class at Drews Country
Workshops school. That led me to hand
tools, riving stock from logs and beyond,
Peter explains. At the Country Workshops
Peter learned the fundamentals of ladder

www.woodworkersinsitute.com

F&C_232_16_18_In the WorkshoptfJRSDDJ.indd 17

Eighths of red oak panel stock

back and Windsor chair-making, as well

as timber framing, cooperage, basketry
and spoon and bowl carving. Together
with Jennie Alexander, Peter visited several
museums to study the furniture in their
collections, rediscovering the craft of the
joiner by examining the artefacts, documents
and tool collections. They also conducted
many practical experiments in their own
workshops based on this research. The
inevitable outcome of this work was to write
Make a Joint Stool from a Tree in 2012,
published by Lost Art Press. Weve obtained
an extract for you this month on page 21.

Design ethos and inspiration

The main inspiration behind Peters work
is historical furniture: My work is based

on, and closely follows, period furniture.

Specifically 17th-century joiners work
oak (Quercus spp.) furniture, lots of carving,
mortise and tenon joinery, chests, chairs,
stools and benches, cupboards, boxes all
the household stuff of that period. Several
people have influenced his work, including
Drew Langsner and Jennie Alexander, as well
as other mentors that he met through the
Country Workshops school. I spend a lot of
time making woodenware that I learned there
from Jogge and Wille Sundqvist, he tells us.

17th-century joinery
Nowadays Peter specialises in reproducing
17th-century oak furniture, a subject he has
researched extensively. Over the past 25 or
more years, I have totally immersed myself in

F&C232 17

15/04/2015 14:51

DESIGN & INSPIRATION

In the workshop with Peter Follansbee

Book stand

Lincoln chair

Hand-carving panel detail

understanding joined furniture of this period.

To the point where I feel like my approach to
building a piece is perhaps pretty close to
that of the period joiner. When I start with an
oak log, I rive, hew and plane all the stock by
hand, then proceed to layout the joinery and
carve the decorations. These patterns are
ones I have done so often that I feel I have
a pretty good command of the vocabulary,
which then allows me the freedom to just
proceed with the work. Its more fun than I
can stand!
Peter put all this experience to good
use when he worked as a joiner at Plimoth
Plantation, a living history museum in
Plymouth, Massachusetts. While working
in the Crafts Center, he would explain his
working methods to members of the public.

18 F&C232

F&C_232_16_18_In the WorkshoptfJRSDDJ.indd 18

An example of Peters hand-carved additions

Favourite pieces
His joinery studies are rooted in the early
New England works of the 1630s-80s,
although as he points out, these works
themselves are, of course, rooted in Old
England. I have had the chance to study
furniture and related joinery in three research
trips to the UK, but this summer will be my
first trip there in 10 years. I hope to see
some oak work while between classes,
he comments.
When asked he confessed it would be
hard to pick out any particular items of his
own furniture as favourites, preferring to
focus on current work: My favourites are
often the ones on the bench now! he said.
Romanticism and an attachment to objects I
guess arent high on his agenda. At the top

of the list is an unwavering respect for

the process in which he is working.

Future projects
As well as his trip to the UK, Peters future
plans include expanding his woodworking
range: Im exploring woodenware more
and more these days, when time permits.
Ive made it almost as long as I have done
joinery, but never in much quantity. I hope
to continue to expand this aspect of my
woodworking, although timing is tricky.
You can find out more about Peter
and his work by seeing details below. F&C

Contact details
Email: peter.follansbee@verizon.net
Web: www.pfollansbee.wordpress.com

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

15/04/2015 14:51

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF LOST ART PRESS

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Joint stool from a tree

LIGHT & SHADE

17th-century style

In this extract from Make A Joint Stool from a Tree, Jennie

Alexander and Peter Follansbee demonstrate two brilliantly
simple techniques to recreate authentic 17th century mouldings

Two methods of moulding

One method of decorating the rails of joint
stools features mouldings cut either in the
face of the rail crease mouldings in the
period or at the bottom edge of the rails.
For either of these mouldings we prefer a
scratch stock to a moulding plane. The
scratch stock is a shop-made tool used to
scrape the mouldings profile in the stock.
Both methods were known and used in the
17th century. We dont know what period
scratch stocks looked like, nor what they
were called, but some period joined work
has short runs of mouldings that fade in
and out at the ends, something that usually
cannot be done with a plane.

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

We use two different configurations of

final pattern with smaller files, both
scratch stocks, depending on whether the
round and flat. The blades edge is square
moulding is a crease moulding or an edge
to the sides. The mouldings profile is
moulding. For the crease mouldings, make
perpendicular to the surface of the blade
a scratch stock that works like a marking
and will scratch from both directions.
n this
article, we See
will be
looking
the gooseneck
in the
gauge: simply use a profiled cutter
instead
page
22 foratsome
suggestedjoint
profiles.
formkerf
of aincouple of The
variants,
as well
some examples
of a pin. Secure the blade in a saw
scratch
stockaspictured
here cutsof the
of dovetails a Japanese
style.
I will
discuss
the particular
the beam. Close this kerf with ause
screw.
small bead.
In this
case,
the bead
is
of each
joint as
well as
talking
Blades are made from saw strengths
steel theand weaknesses
the first step
in some
carved
decoration.
to go
making
them.
thicker the better. Shaping thethrough
profile the
on way I would
Hold suggest
the tool just
asabout
you would
a marking
Goosenecks
andor
dovetails
twoand
groups
of scrape
joint patterns,
the scratch stock calls for careful
work.
mortise are
gauge
lightly
the
which
common than
just being
named
after parts
A saw-sharpening vice is a nice
toolhave
to more inmoulding.
Repeated
strokes
will develop
they boththe
feature
sides
that will
secure the stock for filing. Useofabirds
large, flat
shapeangled
cleanly.
By now,
the give
surface
a wedging
themust
joint have
if thereached
two halves
file to remove the bulk of the material,
justeffect, tightening
of the stock
thatstart to
separate.
outside the desired shape. Then
cut the
point that we call workable moisture

F&C232 21

content dry enough to cut cleanly, and

still green enough to cut easily. Next, use
a small carving gouge to chop straight into
the bead shape to begin defining a simple
pattern. Ideally, the scratch stock is made
to match the size of your carving gouge.
Hold the gouge perpendicular to the stock
and strike it once with a mallet. Eyeball the
spacing of these cuts. The next step is to
angle the gouge behind the first cuts and
chop out the chip. You will sometimes need
to move the tool laterally at the end of the

cut to get the chip to pop out. Avoid

the urge to try to flick the chip up with
the gouge.
For mouldings at the bottom edge of the
rail, use a scratch stock in a pistol-shaped
handle. The blade fits tightly into a saw kerf
that runs down the barrel to the handle or
fence. The blades inner edge seats firmly
against the end of the saw kerf and is locked
in place by a bolt or screw immediately
tangent to the blades outer edge. For edge
mouldings, run the saw kerf 6mm into the

handle so that a matching projection on

the blade can fit into it. The bottom edges
of the barrel are chamfered so that shavings
do not jam in front of the blade. Things go
easier if you first bevel the rails edge with
a plane, then the scratch stock removes
less stock to finish the mouldings profile.
You can mark this profile on the end grain
before you begin to see how much of a
bevel to cut. Then scratch the moulding.
Concentrate on keeping the handle tight
against the edge of the rail.

Adjustable bevels are often small enough that you can

grip the handle and blade in one hand, pinching the
whole tool against the rails top edge. However you hold
the tool, be sure it has not lost its setting and keep it
steady while scribing the shoulders

Make your scratch stocks from hardwoods. This one

has a maple staff, an ash fence/head and a hickory
wedge. A mixed bag to be sure, but its worth keeping
a selection of dry, straight-grained hardwoods around
for just this sort of project

The most common form of scratch stock, this time its

made from an offcut of riven oak. You can cut a shape
on each end of the blade, then switch it around for a
different moulding. Make these as you need them. The
price is right, as is its effectiveness and ease of use

Rabbets and edge moulding

Rabbets, a special case of edge moulding,
can be used to emphasise the bottom edges
of rails. Make these with a rabbet plane.
You can use a shoulder plane, essentially
a metal-bodied variation on the rabbet plane.
One nice thing about shoulder planes is
that they usually have a low-angle blade,
set with its bevel up. This slices the wood
very cleanly. The downside is that they take
a thinner shaving than we like. Thus, the
wooden rabbet is still our tool of choice. If
your rabbet plane has no fence, run it against
a batten clamped to the stock. Make your
rabbet about 12-20mm wide. You can eyeball
the depth; its just enough to throw a shadow
on the rail. And dont make the rabbet so
deep that it cuts into the face of the tenons.
Rabbets are sometimes enhanced with
gouge-cut decoration similar in technique to
that described above. Others can use a zigzag motif cut with a chisel, often then treated
with a two-colour paint scheme.
Some period moulding profiles have a
central flat section a fascia flanked by
beads, ogees or other shapes. We make
these mouldings with a combination of
a plough plane and a scratch stock. The
plough plane is a grooving plane with an
adjustable fence. It has interchangeable
irons, often in sets of eight. First, set the
plough plane to cut a flat groove about
12mm wide down the centre of the rails
width. Now, using a scratch stock that will
reach into the area just ploughed, scratch
a small moulding that runs right against the
edges of the ploughed groove. If you made

22 F&C232

F&C_232_21_24_SCRATCH_STOCK_TECHtfJRDJSD.indd 22

a scratch stock that has the full-width profile,

you can make this moulding with one setting
of the tool; if you have just made the detailed

shape that flanks the groove, then you need

to scrape one side, then adjust the scratch
stock and scrape the other side.

The names of moulding profiles are derived from architectural antiquities. Both Joseph Moxon and Randle Holme list
a number of moulding planes by name. Both writers include the round, hollow and ogee. Moxon adds snipes-bill and
rabbet planes and includes the grooving plane as a moulding plane. Holme adds the Belection [bolection] and the
back-ogee planes. An additional unpublished note by Holme mentions the Phalister plane. Names we have seen in
probate inventories and other court records add revolving, cresing and inboring planes. It can be confounding to
try to match these names to existing shapes, especially given the regional nature of some terminology and the
mutable shapes created by blacksmiths or the joiners themselves. Well leave it to the tool historians to
work out the details

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

21/04/2015 16:28

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Scratch stock

DAVID BARRON
Tools for
Fine Woodworking

Carving is a study by itself, but this is the simplest shape to get the hang of one tool, two moves.
This form of carved work is utilised in most 17th-century carved oak

90 Degree Magnetic Guide

Dovetail Marking Knife

Here is the chip coming up as the gouge meets the first incised vertical cut. Learn this and any blank piece of oak
becomes something more

Magnetic Honing Guide

This pattern is best used on a moulding like this; the effects of light and shadow are quite strong

Chisel Hammer in Rippled Ash

See my videos

This is a moving fillister plane, which is basically a rabbet plane with a movable fence attached to its sole. The best
ones have skewed irons. This one has a depth stop that you neednt be concerned with for this sort of work

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

F&C_232_21_24_SCRATCH_STOCK_TECHtfJRDJSD.indd 23

www.davidbarronfurniture.co.uk

F&C232 23

24/04/2015 13:05

The zig-zag motif

The sawtooth, or zig-zag motif is a simple
one to cut. Once you have planed the rabbet
in the bottom edge of your rail stock, use the
awl and mitre square to mark the alternating
lines to form the pattern. Then holding a wide
chisel perpendicular to the rail, chop down
heavily into the stock.
Its best to chop all the marks that aim one
way, then turn the chisel around and come
back to chop the other half. This method
helps you be more consistent and its easier
on your body. Now, using the chisel with
hand pressure, hold it with the bevel up
and pare toward the incised lines you just
cut. It sometimes takes a couple of passes
to reach the full depth. Again, do all the cuts
heading one way, then turn around and do
the others. F&C

The shop-made mitre square is taken right from

Moxons plate of joiners tools. Sometimes weve seen
this zig-zag motif done freehand, but it only takes a
moment to lay it out

Make sure the rail is flat on the bench when you chop into it. It can bounce around a lot if its unsupported
underneath, making the work awkward and difficult

Make a Joint Stool from a

Tree: An Introduction To
17th-Century Joinery
This excerpt is taken from Make a Joint
Stool from a Tree: An Introduction To
17th-Century Joinery by Jennie Alexander
and Peter Follansbee. To purchase a copy
for yourself, see details below.

Use a nice sharp chisel and some raking light for these cuts. In a sense, this is like the gouge-cut carvings done on the
scratched mouldings earlier. Make a vertical incised cut, then remove a chip down to that cut

24 F&C232

ISBN: 9780985077709
Price: $43 (29)
Contact: Lost Art Press
Web: www.lostartpress.com

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20/04/2015 11:49

NEXT MONTH in

ISSUE 233

ON SALE
11 JUNE

Construction
PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN BULLAR

Japanese joints

Conservation
Tea caddy restoration
Feature
Painting in wood: the art
of French marquetry
Project
Build David Barrons
Scandinavian-style workbench
Workshop tech
Install a BenchCrafted Moxon kit
26 F&C232

F&C_232_26_NEXT_MONTHtfJR.indd 26

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22/04/2015 10:20

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JAPANESE JOINTS
part 5 I

John Bullar continues with his series

and this month looks at the gooseneck
joint in a number of variants

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN BULLAR

n this article, we will be looking at the gooseneck joint in the

form of a couple of variants, as well as some examples of the
use of dovetails Japanese style. I will discuss the particular
strengths and weaknesses of each joint as well as talking
through the way I would suggest to go about making them.
Goosenecks and dovetails are two groups of joint patterns,
which have more in common than just being named after parts
of birds they both feature angled sides that will give
a wedging effect, tightening the joint if the two halves start
to separate.

28 F&C232

F&C_232_28_32_JAPANESE_JOINTS_PART_5tfJRDJSD.indd 28

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

15/04/2015 15:07

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Construction tech Japanese joints
Gooseneck joints
Gooseneck joints always look particularly
Japanese to me. Being such a versatile
and sturdy joint pattern it is surprising that
it does not feature more in conventional
Western furniture. The gooseneck combines
the length and depth of a tenon with the
wedging quality of a dovetail. It has extra
insertion depth compared to a conventional
dovetail and a larger area suitable for
pinning, as shown below.

Gooseneck corner
The Kiguchi-ari or gooseneck corner joint
is a half-blind or lapped joint, well suited,
for example, to fixing the top rail of a framed

cabinet into its corner post or leg. Joints

like this need to resist sideways force, so
conventionally in Western furniture a dovetail
would be used. However, where the design
permits, a gooseneck joint can be employed
to place the wedge deeper into the end grain
of the post, making it less likely to split out
under excess force.
The joint illustrated here is between a
relatively thin rail, such as might feature in
the top of a chest of drawers and a post of
the same width. Start by marking out the
gooseneck shape for the Kiguchi-ari in pencil
and then saw it out using a combination of
tenon saw for the straight cuts and use a
coping saw to reach the inside corners.

The gooseneck shape for the Kiguchi-ari is marked out in pencil then sawn with a
combination of tenon saw and coping saw

After sawing out a gooseneck pattern it is

used as a template to mark the outline of
the corresponding socket on the end grain
of the post. I would use a knife for marking
this, rather than a pencil, which would not
be accurate enough.
The gooseneck socket needs to be pared
out in the end grain of the post, but first the
edges of the socket are chopped to clearly
define them with a chisel so the parings
come out cleanly. Alternate between vertically
chopping the edges, then paring across the
grain until the socket is deep enough to take
the gooseneck pin. A little water-based glue
is applied to the socket as the Kiguchi-ari or
gooseneck corner joint is fitted.

A sawn-out gooseneck pattern is used as a template to mark the socket outline on the
end grain of the post

Gooseneck socket is chiselled out in the end grain of

the post

Offering up the gooseneck to its corresponding socket

The Kiguchi-ari or gooseneck corner joint is fitted

Pinned goosneck

Kiguchi-ari then the corresponding

socket on the end of the other rail using
the first as a template. The two rails are
trial fitted in open space to ensure there
will be no slackness.
A through-mortise socket is chopped in
the corner post to receive the gooseneck
parts. The assembled gooseneck jointed
rails are slid through the mortise socket and
the pin is inserted through both sockets in
post and the gooseneck, completing the
Komisen-uchi joint.
The locking pin can be given a chamfered
head and made from contrasting wood as
shown here to make a feature of the joint,
or alternatively, it could be made from
matching wood and shaved off flush.

The two mating parts of the pinned gooseneck or

Komisen-uchi are marked out and sawn, one used
as a template for the other

The pinned gooseneck or Komisen-uchi is a

concealed form of splicing joint between two
rails, meeting inside a mortise as they pass
through a post. The gooseneck socket sawn
in the end of the rail would not be strong
enough if unconstrained because it would
split open, but once inside the throughmortise it has excellent tensile strength.
In the example here, I have used different
woods for the two rails, but they might
alternatively be two rails of the same wood
with different cross-sectional dimensions
or simply using shorter pieces of wood for
reasons of access, cost and/or environment.
The gooseneck is marked and sawn out
on the end of one rail in the same way as the

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

F&C_232_28_32_JAPANESE_JOINTS_PART_5tfJRDJSD.indd 29

F&C232 29

21/04/2015 16:42

Gooseneck pin and socket are trial-fitted and the corner post behind has a mortise
socket chopped through it ready to receive the gooseneck parts

Rebated dovetails
Rebated dovetails are used to join a
horizontal rail partway up a vertical post,
such as you might find joining the stretcher
rail of a chair or table to a leg.
Clearly the dovetail part resists movement,
which tends to tighten the joint rather than
weakening it as would be the case with a
mortise and tenon, but it may not be so clear
why the joint is rebated. The purpose of the
rebate is to place the dovetail deeper into
the post so it is less susceptible to vertical
racking movements. Because the joint is half
blind or only visible on one side, it has a clean
shoulder line on the other. This also gives it
a large long-grain gluing area for additional

Assembled gooseneck jointed rails are slid through the mortise socket and the pin is
inserted through both sockets in post and the gooseneck, completing the Komisenuchi joint

strength against horizontal movement.

The ari-kake or shouldered dovetail lap
is a straightforward version for right-angled
joints. In essence, it is the same design as
the Hiuchi-ari-otoshi discussed below, but
with a symmetrical dovetail on the end of the
rail, which is fitted at right angles to the post.

Angled lapped dovetail

The Hiuchi-ari-otoshi or angled lapped
dovetail uses the same principles as the
ari-kake but the dovetail is sawn on an
angle, while the dovetail socket is straight.
This results in a rail fixed into a post at a
slight angle with a straight shoulder on the
reverse side. The dovetail shaped pin is

sawn to full depth then used as a template

for knife-marking the outline of the socket.
In this case, the tail is angled while the
socket is straight to make a shallow angled
Hiuchi-ari-otoshi joint. Alternatively, both
tail and socket can be angled to give the
joint a greater overall angle.
The socket is alternately chopped and
pared out with chisels to about two-thirds
of the depth of the post and then the
underside of the dovetail is sawn away to
one-third of its depth. The two halves of the
Hiuchi-ari-otoshi are fitted together, leaving
the dovetail pattern visible on one side of the
joint only and the other side showing a clean
vertical shoulder line.

Dovetail shaped pin is sawn to full depth, then used as a template for the socket. In this
case, it is angled to make a Hiuchi-ari-otoshi joint

Socket is chopped and pared out with chisels to two thirds of the depth of the post

The underside of the dovetail is sawn away to one-third of its depth

Two halves of the Hiuchi-ari-otoshi are fitted together, leaving the dovetail pattern
visible on one side of the joint only

30 F&C232

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www.woodworkersinstitute.com

15/04/2015 15:09

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Construction tech Japanese joints
Cross-lap dovetail
The Shi-ho-ari-kumi-te or dovetailed crosslap joint appears to be a development of the
simple cross-shaped halving joint.
At first sight it may not be obvious what
the dovetails are here for. Consider what
happens to a conventional wide halving joint
over time. Even when it was originally firmly
fitted and that is not the easiest task any
shrinkage due to drying will reduce the width
of each piece of wood with little change to
its length. This creates gaps each side of the
joint, which allows it to rack and potentially fall
apart. However, by including a small dovetail
on each side of each socket, the joint will
be kept tight despite any wood movement.
The tails, being visible on both faces of the
finished joint, are also a visual bonus.
Start by sawing full-depth dovetail pattern
sockets on one rail so these can be used as
a template to knife-mark the pin outlines on
the other. These sockets are easy to cut so
long as the saw is kept straight to ensure the
socket sides do not taper through the wood.
The central section of the Shi-ho-ari-kumite joint is similar to a conventional halving

joint and can be cut in the same way, but

the regions on either side of the dovetail
pins require an extra bit of attention.
A series of six saw cuts or kerfs are made
across the joint ready for removing the waste
for the wide socket with a chisel. The two
central kerfs are made to the socket depth,
which is half the wood thickness, but four
kerfs to define the shoulders either side of
each tail must be cut with a slanting saw
blade so as not to cut into the tail itself.
Start sinking this wide socket by using a
wide chisel to pare out the central channel
between the two opposite tail pins. Next,
chop with a vertical chisel to mark out the
rebated areas on either side of the dovetail
pin and then pare away the waste between
the saw kerfs and the chopped chisel marks.
Both halves of the joint should be more or
less identical, although any minor differences
are accommodated by the fact that the
second half is marked directly off the first.
Finally, confirm that the socket base is
level all over to half the wood thickness then
the Shi-ho-ari-kumi-te dovetailed cross lap
joint can be trial fitted before gluing.

Cutting the full depth sockets for one side of the Shi-hoari-kumi-te dovetailed cross lap joint

The full-depth socket pattern on one rail is used as a

template to knife-mark to other rail

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Sawing the shoulders of the dovetail the blade is held
at an angle so it will not cut into the tail itself

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

F&C_232_28_32_JAPANESE_JOINTS_PART_5tfJRDJSD.indd 31

Sawing the central channel between the tails the blade

is held level so as to make a horizontal base to the kerf

www.newenglishworkshop.co.uk

F&C232 31

24/04/2015 13:06

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Construction tech Japanese joints

Rebated areas on either side of the dovetail pin are chopped with a vertical chisel

Central channel between the two opposite tail pins is pared out with a wide chisel
After chopping the edge maybe a couple of millimetres
at a time, depending on the hardness of the wood,
waste chips are pared out either side of the peg. The
chop and pare cycle is repeated until the rebate is level

Conclusions
The gooseneck joint is strongly characteristic
of Japanese work. It can be considered as a
hybrid between the tenon and the dovetail,
ideal where space permits for combining
the best features of both. I have chosen two
significantly different joints here, using the
same gooseneck pattern. There are many
other possible applications of the gooseneck
principle and by varying the proportions,
it can be even more widely used.
Dovetails, on the other hand, are known
and used worldwide and it is the specific
patterns that make these Japanese in
style, particularly when the dovetails are
incorporated as strengthening features in
combination with larger joints as shown here.
The Shi-ho-ari-kumi-te dovetailed cross lap joint is trial fitted ready for gluing

NEXT MONTH
In next months article, I plan to focus on applying the Japanese influence to joints intended for use in contemporary furniture design. F&C

32 F&C232

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www.woodworkersinstitute.com

15/04/2015 15:10

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PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Construction tech wooden box hinges

WOODEN BOX HINGE

with hasp
& staple
Pete Simpson shows how he made
and fitted wooden hinges to a box

PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETE SIMPSON

he idea of drilling holes and

chopping recesses into a newly
made box to fit metal hinges always
made me uncomfortable. Wooden hinges,
on the other hand, seem more of a continuation
of the boxs construction and add character
and individuality. The box has a base measuring
176 266 198mm high and is made
of rock maple (Acer saccharum) and utile
(Entandrophragma utile). When I began using
contrasting woods, it made everything Id made
previously look a bit dull. Ive always admired the
makers of acoustic stringed instruments, and
guitars in particular. I regard this as one of the
pinnacles of woodworking, where mixing
light and dark woods is standard practice
the results are undeniably striking.

The completed box

with hinges in place

F&C232 35

F&C_232_35_40_ HINGE_MAKING_TECHtfJRDJSD.indd 35

21/04/2015 16:47

Dont be afraid of the drilling

Marking out and drilling

Separating the two halves

For anyone considering making wooden

hinges, the biggest fear is likely to be drilling
the holes accurately. This is understandable,
particularly with very thin, flexible drill bits.
As a test piece, I drilled a series of 1.5mm
holes through 30mm of maple and some
drifted off line as much as 0.5mm. This
doesnt sound much but for two hinges
to work together, with accurately fitting pins,
they need to be a lot nearer than that. The
drift is no doubt mainly due to the irregular
structure of wood.
Given that metal is so much stronger than
wood, the pin should be proportionally much
smaller than it would be in an all-metal hinge,
so its necessary to overcome this problem.
By leaving the wood oversize and drilling as
accurately as possible, the inevitable error
can be corrected by shaping the wood to
fit the hole. As drilling is a bit of a shot in
the dark and planing is very controllable
taking off as little as a 30 microns at a
time very accurate holes are possible.

A rough template was made from cardboard

and the pin positions marked; it was then
moved up the thickness of the hinge
plus a saw cut and the second hole was
marked. The two holes will come into line
when the hinge is cut. The positions of the
pins were transferred to the edges using an
engineers square and the centres marked
with an awl prick. Each hinge was then set
on its edge, cramped to a right-angle block
and the 2mm holes drilled.

The hinge was then cut into its two sections

and the squareness to the pin was checked
and planed accordingly. Everything must be
square to the pin if not, the hinge will bind
or even split. The holes had drifted to various
degrees as expected, so the one closest to
the edge, i.e. the one that had drifted the
most, was found. A wooden spacer was
made spanning the distance between the
pin and the edge. With this, a series of
straight lines were drawn, forming a radius
around the pin. The backs, fronts and ends
were then planed to this line. Each piece
must also be parallel and the same width.

A rough cardboard template used to find the position of

the pins

The hinge cut after being marked to ensure the grain

match is maintained

With the pin in the hole, the squareness can be checked

Exit holes drilled along a dead straight line through

30mm of maple, showing how they wandered off line

Choosing suitable wood

Each hinge was made of a single piece
of boxwood (Buxus sempervirens). It was
marked to ensure the grain match was
maintained after cutting. Boxwood is a lovely
wood to work with: it is very slow growing,
has a tight even grain and a lovely buttery
colour. It can be worked easily to very crisp
edges and is very stable. Its main strength
for this project is its resistance to splitting
and this particular piece grew less than 20
miles from my home. Any hard, split resistant
wood could be used. The pin is 2mm
stainless steel and was very tight in a 2mm
hole. It was reduced in diameter to an easy
push fit by spinning it in a drilling machine
while holding fine emery paper around
it. Care should be taken when doing this
because it gets very hot very quickly.

36 F&C232

F&C_232_35_40_ HINGE_MAKING_TECHtfJRDJSD.indd 36

The template moved along the thickness of the hinge,

plus a saw cut

A spacer used to mark a radius around the pin

The pin holes drilled while the hinge was cramped to a

right angle block. Slightly oversize wood ready to make
the inevitable corrections

Now ready to be planed to a thickness and length

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

15/04/2015 15:18

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Construction tech wooden box hinges
Planing true to the pin
Holding small pieces securely enough
for planing can be a tricky procedure
I personally use a piece of maple measuring
100 28 600mm long with a 4mm strip
glued on one side and one end, which I
find works well for this purpose. A long 4
80mm piece cramped to the top prevents
back movement from occurring. With a block
plane set very fine, candle wax on the sole
and downward thumb pressure on the toe,
this becomes easy.

Holding small pieces can be a problem, this method

works well

Planes tend to rock about on small pieces making it

difficult to achieve a flat surface. This can be overcome
with downward pressure on the toe, candle wax on the
sole and a very fine setting on the plane

Marking the segments

The symmetrical, three segment version Ive
used is a little more forgiving with regard
to the alignment than multi-segmented
versions, with the single central segment
being shorter than the hinge width. The
segments measured 7.5, 12.5 and 7.5mm.
This worked out as the two outside
combined widths were 55% of the total
which looked and felt right. The marking was
done with a square and mortise gauge and
the cutting with dovetail and jewellers saws.
The baseline was chiselled as you would
when sawing a dovetail.

Cutting the segments is similar to cutting dovetails,

they can be marked with either a gauge or square
As with dovetails, its a good idea
to mark the waste to be removed

Fitting the pin: a hinge is born

The segments were cut and the pin fitted,
holding the two halves together. It now starts
to look like a hinge. The back, front and
edges were then planed flat again, removing
any error that may have crept in and checked
on a granite tile. The radius around the pin
was then chiselled, planed and finally sanded
to a perfect round. It now works like a hinge
and any points that rub can easily be spotted
and removed. The full sweep should be just
past 90 and both the same.

The radius around the pin can be shaped with a chisel and plane

Starting to look like a hinge

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

F&C_232_35_40_ HINGE_MAKING_TECHtfJRDJSD.indd 37

and finally sanded smooth

F&C232 37

15/04/2015 15:19

Strength without bulk

In order to retain enough mass for the
hinge to be strong but not looking clumsy,
I reduced the thickness of the flaps and let
the knuckle into the box; this was done by
marking the edges 2.5mm from the back
with a marking gauge. The spacer was
again positioned against the pin and a line
drawn to a point 8mm from the pin on the
gauge line. The waste was then sawn off
and planed to the mark. To ensure the backs
of the flaps were still in the same plane, two
identical 3.55mm thick plane cutters were
laid on the granite tile with a gap between
them. The hinge was placed on top with the
knuckle in the gap.

Checking for flatness on a granite tile

In order to reduce the thickness, a gauge was set to 2.5mm to mark the wood
to be removed

With the pin in place, the spacer was used again to connect the gauge line to the
radius, 8mm from the centre of the pin

A flat surface restored with a rebate block plane, level with the gauge lines

Two identical 3.55mm plane irons on a granite tile used to check the flatness of the
hinge backs

Alignment and final checks

The position of the hinges were marked in from
each end with a gauge. Wedge-shaped recesses
were cut into the top edge of the box to accept the
knuckle. The bottom parts were then lightly cramped
in place. A sight line through one hole to the other
reveals the accuracy of the alignment and with a few
gentle taps, they lined up perfectly. The centre of
the pins need to be at the same height, either level
or slightly above, the box side. The cramps were
tightened and the backs of the flaps were checked
for a gap-free fit to the side of the box. A piece of
scrap wood was planed and wedged inside the box
to prevent splitting out and a 3mm hole was drilled
through the bottom of the hinge and the box side
on the centreline. A bamboo skewer, sanded down
to 3mm in the drilling machine, was then fitted.
This will be drilled out later and a peg fitted its
purpose is to hold the hinge in place while gluing.
The position of the two top pegs were marked with
awl pricks.

38 F&C232

F&C_232_35_40_ HINGE_MAKING_TECHtfJRDJSD.indd 38

Wedge-shaped recesses cut to accept the

knuckle of the hinge
Checked for alignment, cramped, drilled
and pegged with a bamboo skewer

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

15/04/2015 15:20

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Construction tech wooden box hinges
Shaping the flaps

Gluing and removing glue

A template was made for half of the hinge and lined up with the
centreline and top peg line; this was drawn around, flipped over
to the other side of the centreline and the mirror image drawn.
The flaps were then cut with a jewellers saw and shaped with
gouges and 240 grit abrasive wrapped around a tube. The front
edges were chamfered in the same way before a final clean up
and they were then ready for gluing.

Because the knuckle fits into a recess and the bamboo pin positions
the bottom, its a particularly easy glue-up. Light coloured wood
darkens with age and blooms of glue that were invisible when
applied, can become visible. To avoid this, I use a toothbrush, dipped
in clean, hot water and dabbed onto a clean cloth to scrub away
any glue that squeezes out. A dry paper towel rubbed over the area
immediately after prevents too much water from penetrating.

A template of half of the hinge drawn around then flipped over for the other half,
ensuring symmetry

The hinge glued in place, located by the bamboo skewer and the recess in the top

Making and fitting the round head pegs

A piece of waste wood was again wedged
inside the box at the back of the hinge to
prevent splitting out. Three 5mm holes were
then drilled: two below the pin and one in
the bamboo skewer at the bottom. Several
lengths of 5mm dowel were then made.
There are many ways to make dowels and
the smaller they are, the harder it is because

theyre prone to breaking, particularly the

brittle utile used on this project. I used the
pencil sharpener type arrangement with
the wood driven by a power drill. Getting
everything just right takes time but when it
works, its very satisfying as a single shaving
peels cleanly off, leaving the exact size dowel
needed. So satisfying in fact that you may be

The pencil sharpener type dowel cutter

Utile pegs ready to go with one end rounded and a lead

in the other

tempted to turn every piece of wood you have

into dowel. They were then cut into 12 pegs a
little longer than the holes and the ends were
then rounded with 240 grit abrasive while
spinning in the drilling machine. Final fitting
was done the same way. These should be
an easy push fit so the round ends are not
damaged when theyre tapped in.

The 5mm holes ready for the pegs

Tapping in the pegs

Shaping and fitting the top halves of the hinges

In order for the rounded ends of the pegs to stand proud by the same
amount, a notch was cut in the end of a piece of 30 10 200mm
oak and used as a punch. The end of the peg sits in the notch and is
tapped home, giving the appearance of a rivet.

A final fit between the lid and the

bottom was done. With the pins
in place, the lid was cramped to
the bottom and 3mm holes were
drilled through the hinges and
box sides for bamboo skewers as
before. A shorter half template
was made and the methods used
earlier were repeated. The tops of
the hinges were glued in situ to
ensure a perfect alignment, then
the 5mm holes were drilled and
the pegs taped in as before. With
the pins in place, it was ready for
a test opening. There was a very
pleasing cushion effect as the lid
and bottom meet, caused by the air
escaping through the closing gap.

The pegs tapped in until the flat of the notched punch reached the hinge, leaving them
standing uniformly proud

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

F&C_232_35_40_ HINGE_MAKING_TECHtfJRDJSD.indd 39

Box with the lid cramped to the bottom,

3mm holes drilled through the hinge and
box side for the bamboo skewers. Note
the cramp preventing the flap from rising
up the drill bit

F&C232 39

15/04/2015 15:20

Hasp and staple

Instead of a lock, I fitted a hasp and staple
to match the hinges. A triangle was cut
from 3mm stainless steel and a 4mm hole
drilled to take a wooden pin. The base of
the triangle formed a dovetail and a slot
was cut the same to receive it but long
enough to get the staple in. A parallel key
was then glued in at the end, filling the
gap and securing the staple. The pins were
trimmed to length and fixed with a dab of
epoxy resin and a 4mm pin was turned with
a slight taper to hold the hasp in place.
A stay was made to prevent the lid

Glued and pegged with the pin in place, ready for a

test opening

12.0

8.0

from being opened too far and potentially

damaging the hinges; this was made from
sailing cord and a mechanism similar to a
lift in a lift shaft. A weight, cut from 3mm
brass plate, pulls the cord back down the
shaft when the lid is closed.
Although there are some very high-quality
hinges available that work well and contrast
beautifully with the wood, these were a joy
to make. Their uniqueness and character
make them well worth the effort. They
certainly wont be the last wooden hinges
I make. F&C

The staple, set into a slot the same dovetail shape but long enough to get it in, a tight fitting parallel key then glued in,
filling the gap and securing the staple

12.0

25.5

23.0

6.0

9.0

6.5
18.0

5.0

16.0

16.0

5.0

2.0

2.0
81.0

13.5
30.0
20.0

13.5

9.0

10.5

9.0

83.5

12.5

19.0

12.0
4.0

26.0

FRONT & SIDE ELEVATIONS OF CLASP

40 F&C232

F&C_232_35_40_ HINGE_MAKING_TECHtfJRDJSD.indd 40

25.0

10.5

4.0

Scale 1 to 1

12.0

16.0

32.0

12.0

3.0

12.5

13.5
27.5

17.5

14.5

24.0

FRONT & SIDE ELEVATIONS OF HINGE

Scale 1 to 1

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

21/04/2015 16:47

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY KIERAN BINNIE

Community is...

The solution

Jamie Ward, course leader at Warwickshire College

Over the years, F&C has acquired

readers from all four points on the
compass and since going digital in 2013,
that trend has increased. You can find
us anywhere in the world with a link to
the web. As the content of the magazine
is a true reflection of our readership,
weve decided to introduce a new style
of article that will take us on a workshop
tour of the globe.
Our reporter this month is luthier
Kieran Binnie, who wrote for us in issue
230 on the benefit of lutherie techniques
for furniture makers, as well as the
importance of parallel skills back in
issue 227. In this issue, he draws on that
sentiment and talks about the importance
and effect of community on the
woodworking circuit and the expanding
network of global craftspeople, all of
whom are helping to reinforce the sense
of community even further

42 F&C232

F&C_232_42_43_OUR_CORRESPONDENTbdtfJRDJSD.indd 42

Kieran Binnie talks about the effect of community

in the woodworking crafts and its positive impact

am happy to report that there is an easy

antidote to being too focused on the
past and too isolated in our respective
workshops: the international community
of woodworkers. Not a cult despite the
tendency for facial hair in some members
but an expanding network of craftspeople
across the globe, who in many ways have
become a modern substitute for the medieval
guilds and the mechanics societies that
followed. The community is not something
I went in search of, but when I stumbled
across it, I found woodworkers with a wealth
of very different experiences, unified by a
passion for the various woodworking crafts,

and who were intent on sharing knowledge

and preserving skills.
This willingness to share information,
discuss experiences and most importantly,
to encourage and inspire each other, is life
affirming and so valuable. This is a community
that inspires each other to build and to push
the limits of our skills, that commiserates
over mistakes and celebrates each others
successes, that shares knowledge, and
solves those knotty problems which would
otherwise keep us up half the night trying
to devise ever more complicated solutions.
The community doesnt just work for the
transmission of knowledge, but also enables

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21/04/2015 16:49

new entrants to woodworking. For instance, in

2014, Chris Schwarz announced that he would
be delivering beginners classes to young
people and made a plea for old or unused
tools with which to equip the junior anarchists
on these classes. Chris tells me that he has
been overwhelmed with donations and is still
cataloguing the enormous volume of tools he
has received. This is community spirit in action!

Community is
where you look for it
So where do you find the international
community of woodworkers? This is actually
a lot easier than it sounds. Eight years ago,

Blogger, writer and founder of the

Community Tool Chest project, Anne
Briggs Bohnett

when I took my first steps in learning how to

build musical instruments, I knew only one
other luthier and no one, save for my maternal
grandfather, who built furniture. Now it seems
like new woodworkers are everywhere I
look, in large part thanks to the internet and
particularly the advent of social media. So
read and comment on woodwork blogs
bloggers love nothing more than receiving
comments. My own blog can be found at
www.overthewireless.wordpress.com, or
write a blog about your own workshop
experiences. A special mention must also
go to Instagram, a picture-based social
network. The ability to upload a snapshot of

Phil Edwards of Philly Planes

your work, or what is happening right

now in your workshop, gives an immediacy
that words alone rarely offer.
If you prefer real-life contact with
fellow humans, then woodwork classes
are the perfect way to make connections
with likeminded craftspeople and a
great opportunity to develop your parallel
skills either enrolling on a class as a
student, or teaching one. Organisations
such as New English Workshop www.
newenglishworkshop.co.uk offer an
excellent range of short courses, while
evening classes can still be found at some
educational institutions.

Fellow luthier, Sue Johnson

Chris Kuehn of Sterling Tool Works

Community is... the future and the future starts with you
Crafts and specialist skills always engender
a sense of community and I am not trying to
suggest that the community of woodworkers
is a new development. However, the decline of
many educational woodworking programmes and
woodworking trade organisations means that
traditional crafts-based community structures are
increasingly obsolete, while the rise of the internet
has helped create a more international form of
community. Equally, I am not blind to the risk of

Chris Schwarz of Lost Art Press

many woodworking crafts dying out, nor of

the challenges in preserving traditional skills.
But the more I engage with the international
community of woodworkers, the more I am
convinced that these risks will be overcome
and the challenges will be met. Because under
the stewardship of a community which cares
passionately about preserving traditional crafts
and does so much to foster an appreciation
and enthusiasm in the crafts, the skills and work

Alex Primmer of Classic Hand Tools

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F&C_232_42_43_OUR_CORRESPONDENTbdtfJRDJSD.indd 43

which we all care about really do have a future

and are important. In my opinion, this is a truly
egalitarian community where every contribution,
by every craftsperson, is valuable and valued.
Simply by building something, and talking to
other craftspeople and aspiring makers, you
can contribute to the community and ensure the
preservation of the craft for the next generation.
And really, if you think about it, isnt that what we
are all trying to do? F&C

Mark Harrell of Bad Axe Tool Works

Jason Thigpen of Texas Heritage

Woodworks

F&C232 43

15/04/2015 15:25

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANNE BRIGGS BOHNETT

outer planes are absolutely essential

to any hand or electrically powered
workshop. While they arent
typically used to create the joinery in a
project by themselves, they are the perfect
accompaniment to fine-tune many joinery
components. For example when trenching
with a mitre saw or electric router to cut a
dado, a high spot can be easily taken down
by a few strokes with a router plane without
the risk of widening the dado through
repeated passes on a machine.
Router planes can clean up after a
shoulder or fillister plane to guarantee an
even depth of cut, can make stopped dadoes
with a uniform depth, can level the floors of
large mortises or slots, can level the cheeks
of tenons, can create uniform grooves for
inlay and can create recesses for patches or
butterfly joints. So, as you can see, they are
a very versatile tool to have.

Router planes:
The joiners helper
Router planes are nothing like their electric
counterparts. Ditch the cord and start
making some very tight fitting joinery, as
Anne Briggs Bohnett explains

Cutting dadoes

Finessing tenons

Adjusting grooves

Form and function

Traditional router planes were and still
can be made of wood, which had the
advantages of an easily flattened sole
and being light in weight. Their less bulky
cast iron successors, such as the Stanley
No.71 and No.71 were slightly more
manoeuvrable and offered a blade that could
be easily raised and lowered with greater
accuracy. Many pattern makers modelled
their own fancy versions on the basic Stanley

design. Stanley still makes the No.71 in the

UK, but the quality pales in comparison to
the early models produced. As time went
on, the japanning from the early models was
replaced with nickel plating, the maple (Acer
saccharum) and beech (Fagus sylvatica)
turned knobs were traded for black painted
knobs, and finally, for composite or plastic
knobs. Buy a quality pre-war router plane
and fix it up nicely or opt for a shiny new tool
produced by Veritas or Lie-Nielsen. The new
router planes offered by boutique makers
are, in my opinion, the best yet. They brag of
an accurate removable fence, a depth stop
that is actually functional and their blade
adjustment mechanisms are far finer than
those of their vintage brothers. They are
also made out of ductile iron, which wont
shatter if it falls off your bench, and that is
a huge plus for a plane that wont sit flat on
the bench with its blade advanced. Another
valuable addition to any shop is a small
router plane. These are great little tools for
getting into tight spaces and for small work

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F&C_232_44_47_PRODUCT_TECH_ROUTER_PLANESbdtfJRDJSD.indd 44

like hinge mortises. Plus, they are really cute.

There are router planes with open and
closed mouths. In my experience, the
difference isnt earth shattering. The open
mouth provides more visibility; the closed
mouth provides more stability due to having
a greater surface area in contact with the
wood. Some newer models offer the option
to purchase an attachment that closes the
mouth. Choose whichever option you think
will better suit your projects.

Blades
Blades of many shapes and sizes are
available, but Ive found I can get by really
well with a 12mm spear point and a 3mm
straight ground blade. If you go the vintage
route like I did initially, save yourself some
heartache and buy new replacement blades.
It takes a lot of careful work to get vintage
blades reground with a proper bevel and a
flat back and since router plane blades take
quite a beating, new steel wears far better
and longer than the old.

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21/04/2015 16:50

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Product tech router planes

Using the router plane

Cutting a dado

Assorted blade options

Mark the thickness of the dado using chisel width

Establish the sides of the dado with the saw

Start with a board that is square and true.

Grab a chisel that is the exact thickness of
your stock in a pinch you can use a chisel
thinner than your stock, but not thicker or
your dado will end up oversized. Mark the
outer edges of your dado with a combination
square and a knife. Deepen your line and
pare it back with a chisel to create a V in
which your saw can ride to ensure a perfectly
straight cut.
Use the radius of your thumb to guide
your saw square to the wall of the V.
Saw to your baseline on both sides, then
chop out the waste stepping along the
dado with your chisel and mallet. Be careful
when chiselling to stay above your baseline;
that last bit will be taken away by the router
plane. If you are cutting a deep dado, take
the waste in several passes with the chisel.
Come in from one side with your chisel bevel
up, go halfway and then come in from the
other side to meet in the middle to remove
the majority of your waste and, at the same
time, reduce the possibilityof blowout on the
front or back of your dado. Use this same
meet in the middle technique when you use

the router plane and your dado will come

out much cleaner as a result.
If you have a router with a depth gauge,
advance your blade and set the depth
gauge to the final depth of your dado by
checking it against your baseline. Then,
retract your blade so you can take away
a small shaving at a time, advancing the
cut after every few passes until the depth
stop prevents you from advancing the
blade any further, which indicates your
dado is at the desired depth. Some vintage
Stanleys came with a depth rod, which, in
my experience, is more of a hassle than its
worth. Newer router planes, like those sold
by Lee Valley and Lie-Nielsen have very
accurate depth stops that make repeatability
a breeze. When youve reached your
baseline, test the fit within the dado. If the
mating piece is too wide, its thickness near
the joint can be adjusted with a few strokes
of the plane. I find this far more accurate
than trying to fiddle with the sides of the
dado itself because your dado can go out
of square very easily with one errant pare
of the chisel.

Mark the sides with a combination square and knife

Create a V groove for the saw

Chop out the waste

Set the depth

Dont cross the baseline

Meet in the middle to avoid blowout

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21/04/2015 16:50

Adding a butterfly key

If youve got a board with a large split, rather
than scrapping it, use a series of butterfly keys
to add variation in design and strength to the
board. I like to use contrasting woods for my
keys, but you can also make a nearly invisible
key or even patch over a knot or bad spot
using this method and a scrap of the same
kind of wood. First, cut your key. This can be
done with a router, a bandsaw, or by hand.
The size, wood selection and even shape
of these keys are totally arbitrary. Use your
key and a pencil or knife to mark the recess
for the repair. If you are trying to stop a
split, make sure your butterfly is placed

with its long grain going perpendicular to

the split, as wood is much stronger along
the grain and thus your key will have much
more holding power. Using a combination
of Forstner bits and chisel work, I clean out
the majority of the waste then use the router
to level the bottom of the recess. Then, I
add glue to the butterfly and the recess and
use a hammer on a solid surface to pound
the butterfly home. When it is fully seated,
the sound of the hammer against the wood
will change. If Im repairing a split, I like to
add a clamp before inserting the butterfly
lest I accidentally drive the split even further

Adding a butterfly key

Remove the waste

Level the recess

Clamp the joint tightly

apart. Keep the clamp on until the glue dries

for good measure. Some people like to cut
thick butterflies and leave them very proud
of the surface to later plane down; some like
thin butterflies that sit shy of the surface so
they can plane the main board down to meet
them. Because the grain of the butterfly is
often perpendicular to the grain of the piece
being repaired, it can pose some finishing
challenges regardless of the method you
choose. I leave mine proud, cut them flush
after the glue is dry, then smooth the whole
area with a very light cut using a scraper
followed by a little sanding.

Skill-building project
If you fancy giving your new router skills
a bit of practice, grab a piece of live
edge timber. Plane it square and true
on as many faces as possible at least
three and find some contrasting scraps.
I happened to have a piece of maple
firewood for the main component, a piece
of cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa) for the
butterfly and a scrap of walnut (Juglans
spp.) the exact width of my chisel for the
feet. The entire design is arbitrary. Mark
the location youd like the feet and cut
two dadoes for the feet, as described
earlier. Cut your dadoes slightly skinny so
you can plane the feet down to a perfect
fit. Cut a recess for your butterfly, fit it in
and finish however you choose

Practise routing skills on a tea board

46 F&C232

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21/04/2015 16:50

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Product tech router planes

The components of a good router plane

followed by scrubbing with a nylon brush
and a citrus cleaner. If the metal is fairly
rusty, an overnight soak in white vinegar
should loosen that up. When youre satisfied
theyre clean, dry all the metal components,
add a coat of paste wax and reassemble.
The wooden knobs can be soaked in oil
overnight, wiped clean and finished with
paste wax or even mounted into bolts in your
drill press, sanded down and refinished using
your favourite technique. I recommend new
blades, but if it comes with an old one, try
your hand at sharpening it. With the whole
plane reassembled, the sole can be flattened
by rubbing it on a known flat surface with
your choice of abrasive, until the wear is
even across the whole sole. Heres what you
need for a functioning router plane:

Removable fence not essential, but handy

for helping keep the plane square with little
registering surface

Essential features
A flat sole
A sharp blade
A good old-fashioned Stanley No.71, ready for 100 more
years of service

Nice to have features

available on newer planes

A router is a very simple tool, but it is a real

workhorse in the shop. If you run across
a vintage router plane, buy it and try your
hand at restoration. The metal can be
cleaned with dish soap, water and a sponge

Accurate blade adjustment not essential,

if your plane doesnt have an adjuster, you
can use a piece of paper under the plane
to extend the blade and set it
Depth stop not essential, but very handy
for accuracy and repeatability

Community Toolchest
The Community Toolchest is a project to
inspire people to make things with their
hands. It is intended to get quality tools
into the hands of beginner woodworkers
and to provide instruction and education
in an effort to preserve the traditional craft
of woodworking. Tools donated outright
will be given away at the end of the year
on a scholarship basis to a woodworker
or woodworkers in need. Woodwork
doesnt have to be a solitary pursuit.
Many influential people in the industry
tool makers, users and educators are
contributing tools, time and expertise in
an effort to foster community and to raise
up the next generation of woodworkers.
If youre interested in taking part in the
rich community that is forming around
this project, join us on Instagram using;
#woodworking #handtoolthursday
#preservetradition or check out www.
anneofalltrades.com or like Anne of All
Trades on Facebook F&C

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F&C232 47

4/23/15 2:37 PM

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK HARRELL

The saw doctor

will see you now
Carrying on from the last issue, Mark Harrell tackles the next stage
of bringing your saw back to life disassembly and cleaning
Disassembly tools

A disassembled saw will typically consist of nine items

A bench plane disassembled can easily total twent items

parts on the right to the far simpler anatomy

of a disassembled backsaw on the left
here you have only a handle, plate, saw back
and fasteners, see? So lets stop treating
saw disassembly as a mystical practice
hailing from the realm of Merlins black arts
and get on with it.

ets put the disassembly and cleaning

of a backsaw into proper perspective:
who hasnt disassembled a hand plane
early into ones foray down the hand tool
worlds proverbial slippery slope? Not that
much to it, right? But, in the two images
above, compare the inventory of hand plane

48 F&C232

F&C_232_70_72_SAW_DOCTOR_TECHtfJRSDDJ.indd 48

Leather-lined wood clamp

Leather-lined Angle iron
305mm mill file
Sharpening files
Dead-blow mallet
Stout screwdriver
Small crowbar
Ruler
Felt-tip pen
Brass hammer
Leather patches
Canning wax
Whetstone
Masking tape
Stout vice

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21/04/2015 16:56

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Product tech disassembly & cleaning

The process explained

Step 1
Most likely, the modest array of tools youll
need are already in your workshop. The
photo here on the left shows what we
typically use at the Bad Axe workshop.
These are common items youll either already
have, or can easily buy. You dont need a
particularly large vice, such as the Wilton
with the 200mm jaws from my workshop
something far more modest will suffice.

Step 2

To do this, youll only need a modest array of tools

Remove the handle first. Doing so can

present a challenge, particularly if the
fasteners are locked tight and your
screwdriver serves only to spin them around
without releasing, so lets discuss how to get
our frozen nuts off our Canadian friends in
the frozen north assure me this is a common
malady. Drill a 20mm hole in the upper jaw
of a wooden clamp for screwdriver access,
and because leather is your friend when it
comes to tool maintenance, glue the inside
faces of the clamp with some cheap deer
hide, which is available at craft stores and
on eBay. Secure the handle tightly in the
clamp and ensure the business end of the
saw bolt is exposed within the access hole.
Now unscrew it. Easy, see? Leather and tight
compression works every time.

Step 3

Taking care of the frozen nuts

Now lets remove the saw back. But first, we

have to understand saw back technology.
Until 20 years ago, all backsaws were made
with the traditional folded saw back the
thick rib of folded brass or carbon steel
metal sprung tightly onto the thin plate of a
backsaw. Unlike handsaws, backsaw plates
are deliberately thin for making furnituregrade joinery cuts and the saw back keeps
the plate rigid. When interest in hand tools
renewed during the mid-90s, sawmakers
adopted a more production-friendly process
by milling a slit along the underside of a
piece of brass bar stock and gluing the plate
in place. While this is a perfectly serviceable
method, one must never attempt to remove
the saw back on a new saw using this
method of attachment, or else youll ruin the
plate. The photo here tells the story.

Step 4

The story of saw backs

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F&C_232_70_72_SAW_DOCTOR_TECHtfJRSDDJ.indd 49

As for lifting the saw back, its always a

good idea to apply a penetrating oil along
the underside of the sawback and let it work
into the metal overnight; this will prevent the
softer metal of the saw back from bowing
when you lift it afterwards. When youre
ready, cinch the plate in between leatherlined angle-irons simple enough to make
with deer hide and 3M spray adhesive
which are in turn clamped by the vice. Leave
about 6mm of the plate exposed at the toe
end of the plate/back assembly and rest the
heel end of the saw back onto the surface
of the angle iron, with your vice clamping
the plate quite tightly. If you have a small
vice, use C-clamps to cinch up the ends
of your angle iron. Now jam the fork of your

F&C232 49

21/04/2015 16:56

crowbar underneath the leading edge of

the plate where it enters into the saw back.
Again, leather is your friend at this step.
Stick a small square of it inside the fork
to protect the underside of the saw back.
Lift the back while pushing inward with the
crowbar. Do NOT lever the saw back by
pushing down with the crowbar youll dent
and mar the underside of the saw back.
Rather, put your shoulder into the equation
and press your crowbar upwards. See the
saw back shift upward from the spine of the
plate? Dont get in a rush at this point by
attempting to complete this process with just
one lift. Release the jaws of your vice and
reposition the plate like before, then repeat
the process. It usually takes about three lifts,
maybe four, until you have raised the saw
back sufficiently off the spine to the point
where you can pull off the rest by hand. Now
you have completely separated the handle,
back and fasteners apart from one another
youre ready to clean.

Step 5
Note the products I have laid out around
the saw, but heres the main thing: all
youre doing is gently cleaning the saw.
There is no school solution here no one,
true way, only common sense. Rust invites
friction, so lets get rid of it. Youre going to
scrape away paint blotches and scaly rust
with your razor or a sharp wooden edge
for a brass saw back followed by working
over the plate with a rust eraser and/or
an abrasive pad. Often there will be a
grime line tracing the outline of the handle
and underside of the back this is where
your razor comes in handy to gently scrape
off the rust and hardened grime along this
area. Youll use some sort of rust-dissolving
agent pick a brand, Im partial to the
Wizards products here in the US to work
through the rust. Again, adopt a coarse,
medium-fine approach and eventually you
will clean your way through a series of
unused cotton cloths to clean your plate
and saw back. Take care that you dont
wipe out the etch on your plate if it still
exists. Your goal is to simply clean and
make your plate smooth, NOT to turn it into
a mirror. Use your dental pick and gently
clean and buff out your fasteners there is
no need to make them brilliant, but rather
to achieve a dull gleam youd find on a very
well-protected antique. As for the wood,
all that is required is to gently clean and
rejuvenate. If you have a handle repair or new
horns to graft onto the handle which will be
explained in the next article then hold off
on treating the wood, but simply sand and/or
scrape away the grime and paint splatters.

Raising the saw back to separate the handle, back and fasteners

Cleaning tools
Dental pick
3M abrasive pads: coarse and medium
Dremel
Rust eraser
Kramers wood treatment
Wizards metal seal
Spraybees rust shield and wood
treatment
Wizards metal renew
Dust mask
Cotton polishing cloths
X-Acto knife
Brass toothbrush
Scraping razor
Apply a penetrating oil along the underside of
the saw back

Conclusion
And your work here is done. Remember,
a clean plate not a mirror reflection
is all that is required to achieve your goal:
a smooth saw cut. Dont worry about the
dark, even blackish rust stains underneath
the rust once youve cleaned off the rust.
There is surely no sense in grinding metal
away to reveal the bright all youll do is

50 F&C232

F&C_232_70_72_SAW_DOCTOR_TECHtfJRSDDJ.indd 50

Products needed for cleaning the saw

waste hours doing so, which might even

compromise the temper of the spring steel.
All you need to do is clean your saw to
achieve the very well-preserved antiqued

look youre seeking to achieve at this stage.

In the next article, well look at the next
stage in this process: restoring the handle
on your vintage saw. F&C

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

21/04/2015 16:57

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21/04/2015 11:13

PHOTOGRAPHS BY GMC/DEREK JONES

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Chest of drawers

Cutting it
down to size
How can you make a piece of furniture
twice the size of your workshop and
still get it through the door? With a
little help from your friends, thats how

oud think that we were overrun with

projects to feature in the magazine
and to some extent thats true were
certainly not short of offers. But the truth
is, we get to hear about most of them when
theyre complete. For the really unusual ones,
we can sometimes reverse engineer some
aspects of the build process and treat them
as deconstructs. For the less than dynamic
projects we, regretfully, wring our hands and
have to pass. So when we got to hear of this
project well in advance, my offer to help out
wasnt entirely without motive.
From a technical point of view, building
case furniture from sheet material is relatively
straightforward. The biggest problem youre
likely to encounter will be the sheer size of the
raw materials and not having a workshop the
size of an aircraft hanger in which to work.
Add to this a level of equipment that puts you
in the professional league and such projects
can easily become off limits. In this article,

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F&C_232_53_59_CHEST_OF_DRAWERStfJRSD.indd 53

Im going to look at some of the steps you can

take to bring this type of project under control
and give it all the attention to detail you would
apply to a bespoke piece of furniture on a
smaller scale.

of veneer: typically, one side will be faced

with crown cut veneers and the other with
quartersawn. In some cases, you may find that
both sides of the board have the same type of
veneer. Its hard to be sure sometimes if this is
by design so if you are unable to inspect the
Material selection
boards beforehand, its worth checking with
First of all, you need to overcome the thorny
your supplier to establish whether or not they
issue of using sheet material in particular,
know there is a difference, as the person out
the pre-veneered variety and the notion of it
in the yard picking on your behalf may not.
being inferior to solid timber. Im not going to
And before we get too hung up on
argue that point as its clearly not a like-for-like terminology, Im not entirely convinced the
comparison. Typically, you can reconcile the
crown versus quartersawn description is
situation with a horses for courses approach
equal with that which we use to identify solid
and by incorporating as many of the techniques timber. For the purpose of this exercise, we
that you would carry out on a traditional build,
are basically looking for good, clean sheets
starting out with material selection. Generally
that could pass for boards that have been
speaking, the substrate for pre-veneered sheet constructed from solid timber. For case
material is MDF, which is commonly available in furniture, that means selecting the quartersawn
thicknesses ranging from 7-19mm.
side for all our external faces, just as you
In the case of pre-veneered sheet material,
would expect to find on a solid sheet made up
you tend to get boards faced with two types
from separate boards edge-jointed together.

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Pretty but not convincing

As these two photos demonstrate, the crown
cut face may look pretty but you wouldnt
necessarily want to build a carcass out of it.
Theres no guarantee the veneers have been
laid out with a consistent book-match pattern,
either. For imitating solid carcass work,
however, it may turn out to be a blessing. To
find a good representation of a quartersawn
face, I had to go a further six or seven sheets
into the rack. Theres a little crown pattern
on the top edge but the majority is fairly
plain and lacking any real character. For
quartersawn walnut (Juglans spp.) this is what
you would hope to find if using solid material
and dimensionally stable boards suitable for a
carcass. If the joins in the veneer are obvious,
then use the widths to imitate a solid board
construction. Consider following the grain
pattern through from the side of the carcass
to the top if both faces are seen. Avoid thin
strips on the edges of boards. Unless youve
made a mistake, you wouldnt generally see
this on a solid timber construction.
If the grain pattern on these two sheets
looks a little too perfect, theres a good
reason for that. Veneer companies prefer
to work with the cleanest logs they can to

A crown cut veneer face. Hardly likely to be found on a

board made of solid timber

A quartersawn face. Note the slight pattern at the top of

the board

avoid faults. In the commercial production

process for sheet goods, what we see as
boards with character will often be regarded
as undesirable. Ill leave you to debate the

rights and wrongs of this among yourselves,

but as long as all the material harvested is
actually used, I guess this is as much as we
can expect.

Cutting lists
The most important decisions you make on a
project will undoubtedly be those concerning
dimensions. If you generally make things up
as you go along, like cutting pieces from a
sheet as you require them, perhaps a little
oversize to trim later, then this next step might
make you a little nervous its a finished
dimension cutting list. There are two things
to consider if this is the right approach: the
first will depend on whether you have the
resources to convert the pre-cut components
into accurately dimensioned boards in house
afterwards; the second depends on how
accurately your supplier can prepare your
cutting list. Its highly likely they will be using
a machine way more sophisticated than yours,
so the odd half a millimetre here and there will
still be within your tolerance. Ive found that
most errors occur when a list is prepared on
a wallsaw. Theres nothing wrong with them
but the process can fall foul of unintentional
discrepancies when trying to repeat depth/
length stop settings. A beamsaw will
generally result in more consistent dimensions
as the cuts are determined by a numerical
value keyed into the machine. Think CNC.
Its important to agree with your supplier a
system that identifies long-grain dimensions
from cross-grain ones. This will be less of a
problem on long, thin components, but not
when length and width dimensions are similar.

Industrial size wallsaws are capable of cutting boards to finished dimensions

Costing
I dont think Ive ever heard anyone say how
much they enjoyed humping a pile of 84
sheets around, so in my book, the extra
expense to have it done for you is money well
spent. There is a range of ways your supplier
will pass this cost on to you, either at a single
rate per board regardless of the number of
cuts, or at a lower rate per cut. On average,

54 F&C232

F&C_232_53_59_CHEST_OF_DRAWERStfJRSD.indd 54

expect to pay between 3-5 per sheet

when you are factoring in the expense.

Taking care of the edges

Solid lippings are the best way to cover the
edges of any sheet material and although
these can be bought off the shelf, its not
the cheapest way of obtaining them. My

preference, and the method used on this

project, is to rip successive strips, about
6mm thick, from a matching board planed
to 1mm thicker than the sheet material and
apply with either tape or clamps. Passing the
lippings through a thicknesser will remove
the saw marks. Taking a hand plane to the
edge of the sheet material will square that

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24/04/2015 16:37

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Chest of drawers

MDF is very porous so apply glue right up to the edge to

ensure a good join

edge and produce an almost seamless join.

Use whichever tools you have to level the
surface: block plane, thumb plane or cabinet
scraper. Although there will be sections where
the lippings appear quite obvious, a uniform
thickness throughout the project is less
startling than a mixture of sizes. The front face
of solid lippings can also be planed, scraped
or sanded to a finish, unlike veneer. I wouldnt
recommend the pre-glued iron-on veneer for
quality work.

Masking tape is a quick and easy way to

fasten lippings in place while the glue dries

Gather a good selection of tools to trim the lippings down

to the surface of the board

Pre-finish
The success of a large-scale project is as
much about forward planning as it is logistics
and when it comes to finishing, you can
apply a little of both. Whether you spray, oil
or brush varnish your work, doing so on large
items that are fully assembled can be difficult.
My advice is to pre-finish as many surfaces
as you can before they become unwieldy.
Pre-veneered boards may be considered
inferior to solid timber but treating it like the
real McCoy will improve the quality of the
finish quite considerably. Lightly spraying the
surface with water before any sanding will
raise the grain just as it would on solid timber.
It may seem like a waste of time, but will get
you closer to a good finish much quicker.
In some cases, the veneer will be less than
0.5mm-thick so the less sanding you do,
the better. Raising the grain in this way will
also help to swell any bumps to the surface
where they can be levelled off. Attempting
to remove even the slightest scratch with
a scraper or sander without wetting the
surface is surely tempting fate.

Wetting the surface of the veneer with water to raise the grain

Taping up
Taping over the joins before
applying a finish will ensure the
adhesive has the best chance
of doing its job. A low-tack
masking tape is preferable as it
is easier to remove afterwards.
Tape over slightly less area than
the joint requires so that the
finish runs through into the join.
On 19mm thick material, aim for
about 17mm

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F&C232 55

24/04/2015 16:37

Joints for assembly

Regular biscuits are a tried and tested method
for building case furniture. The only downside
is that the joints need to be held in clamps
until the glue has dried. Accepting that youre
never going to be awarded a Guild Mark
for a piece of furniture made from MDF or
garner any house points from your peers, lets
consider the logistics for a minute. In a typical
scenario, you may need as many as eight
sash clamps to assemble a single carcass.
Id put that at around 600 of reasonable
quality clamps. Lets say you want to glue up
more than one cabinet at a time after all, it
only takes 10 minutes to do and the next four
hours are down time. For around the same
investment, you could be staring down the
barrel of a Lamello Zeta P2.

Axe head style slots for the Lamello Zeta P2

The Lamello Zeta P2

P System two-part connectors

Zeta P2 System

Templates

The P System operates like a biscuit but

does not require clamps, meaning that
providing the cabinets are small enough to
handle, they can be moved around without
the risk of having somebodys eye out and
worked on if necessary. What used to take
an octopus and his helper to do can now
be done singlehandedly without breaking a
sweat. Tackle each joint individually, slot in
the connectors, apply glue where appropriate,
assemble and lock in place. Brace the
corners with diagonal supports if you need
them and move on to the next joint. As youve
pre-finished your components, cleaning up
the glue is simple.

There are often lots of repeated

measurements to be found when building
a cabinet in this fashion. The biscuits, for
example, can be laid out identically for all the
carcass components. This project features
drawers that are mounted on metal runners
with sufficient after fitting adjustment to
absorb tolerances of a couple of millimetres
in any direction. By cabinetmaking standards,
these are a tad crude but part of a good
all rounders repertoire. There are far too
many variants on the market to give exact
instructions for the fitting and assembly of
these mechanisms, so my advice is to draw
a full-size rod of the assembly with all the
drawer components in place and locate the
drilling positions for each set of runners. Use
it to either drill holes before assembling the
cabinets my preferred option or after.
Either way, if you can standardize as many
processes as possible it will speed things
up and dial in some much needed accuracy.
Fewer decisions means fewer mistakes so
for continuity chosen a common datum for
all your layout templates. For this type of
project I use the front edge of the carcass
components and mark the templates to
reference from this edge. Admittedly, I was
a little late to the party when it came to using
the continental method of a triangle mark to
lay out components. If you think youre missing
out as well, see F&C 225.

The P2 connectors slide into a slot and are prevented

from falling out

56 F&C232

F&C_232_53_59_CHEST_OF_DRAWERStfJRSD.indd 56

Align the components and lock into place with a hex key

Fix temporary corner bracing to support the carcass

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24/04/2015 16:37

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Chest of drawers

A full-size rod is the best way to locate fixing holes and

establish the size of drawer components

Adjust a portable drill press to drill perpendicularly to

the face of the board

SUBSCRIBE
AND SAVE UP TO

30%
A range of templates used to position connectors and pilot holes for drawer runners and drawer fronts

Show faces
The worktops and drawer fronts are the most
visible surfaces of this piece and the areas
that will receive the most wear. These were
made from solid timber out of boards that
were between 2.4-2.7m long. Over the years,
I have built up a good relationship with my
local timber yard and they are mostly happy
for me to self select the boards I need. If you
can, start work on a similar relationship it
can save a lot of inconvenience later.
I wouldnt advise trying to plane this
amount of timber on anything less than a 4ft
long jointer. But just in case youre tempted,
consider the time and effort involved and

the wear on your knives. To have these

boards flattened on two faces to a standard
overall thickness costs around 175. That
may not be cheap but its still cheaper than
I could do it and I wont have to empty the
extraction, dispose of the waste or rearrange
the workshop in the process. Remember, you
need a good 5.5m run to machine a single
length at 2.7m. It also means that selecting
boards for layout is easier now that I can see
the grain clearly. With the grunt work done
by large machines, you can now turn your
attention to the more refined work, like hand
jointing boards.

If you can, try and get permission to select the boards

at the yard

Machined stock is easier to place in sequence and match

the ends of boards as they butt up

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F&C_232_53_59_CHEST_OF_DRAWERStfJRSD.indd 57

www.thegmcgroup.com

or call 01273 488005

F&C232 57

24/04/2015 16:38

With a good saw bench, crosscutting by hand isnt

so bad

There are still plenty of opportunities to show off your

planing skills

Jointing by hand is still the most accurate way of mating

two edges

The worktops are finished underneath and brought to

their final dimension just prior to fitting

Rout slots in the carcass top so the bolts can move freely
if so required

Attaching worktops
Fixing solid timber worktops to an engineered
substrate requires the same rules to be
applied as for a solid timber carcass.
Seasonal movement will have less of an
effect on engineered material than on solid
timber, so make an allowance for the top to
move across the grain and the substrate to
stay put. My method for doing this is to rout
slots in the tops of the cabinet with which I
can pass an M5 screw into a brass threaded
sleeve embedded into the worktop. The row
of fixings at the front of the cabinet are plain
holes so that any movement will occur at the
back and therefore maintain the amount of
overhang above the drawer front. The brass
sleeves are a tight push fit and expand when
the screw is wound home. I find it pays to
carry out a dummy run beforehand so that
final assembly is much easier.

Colouring filler
There are times when its not practical to
carry out repairs to some imperfections
with timber in-fills. In such cases, you can
either reach for the wax sticks, shellac
bars or two-pack fillers. Invariably, the
coloured fillers bear little resemblance
to the timber youre using at the time but
this neednt be a problem if you have

a selection of earth pigments to hand.

Mixing some brown umber with this
nondescript mahogany filler before adding
the hardener results in a very good match
for American black walnut. Using the same
pigment mixed with shellac polish helps
disguise the filler even more and carry out
an invisible repair

The brass sleeves are a tight push fit. Chamfered tops

are easier to locate when it comes to assembly

Carry out a dummy run with the screws to expand the

brass sleeves in their hole

58 F&C232

F&C_232_53_59_CHEST_OF_DRAWERStfJRSD.indd 58

Choose a suitable combination of filler and

pigment powder

Combine pigment powders with shellac

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24/04/2015 16:38

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Chest of drawers
More hand work
The base section for this project was
also made out of solid timber and joined
together mainly with dowels. This is a fast
and effective method of construction and
wholly in keeping with the build. The feet
were laminated from three pieces of timber
and shaped by hand with a spokeshave.
The middle section houses dowels that are
located into the frame. The outer parts clamp
either side of the frame.
The finish was a hard wax oil from Osmo.
Ive been using the rapid version for a
number of years now. Although its unlikely
you would be able to get a second coat on
in the first 24 hours, third and fourth coats in
one day are quite possible.
Dowel holes were drilled into the middle section of the
feet before gluing up

More hand work was required to shape the feet

Conclusion
Fully assembled, this piece is about 2.7m
long and 1.4m tall. In a commercial workshop,
this might not add up to much, but for the
smaller home shop its verging on behemoth
proportions. However, by breaking the parts
down to manageable sizes and outsourcing
the grunt work, it is possible to fabricate
pieces that are larger than the space your
workshop occupies. All of the constituent
parts were ordered in what I think VW coined
as just in time stock control. All of the activity
was completed on a single 6ft bench with
just enough space to walk around. At the
beginning of this article, I mentioned making
the most of the resources around you, but
what I didnt say is that it would cost you.
All in all, the cutting and machining put an
extra 200 on the cost of materials, which
I think is a fair price to pay to get access to
nearly 100 times that value in state-of-the-art
equipment without the cost of investment
and upkeep. Now Id say that was a good
return. What I didnt mention either was
that by working to a rigid and well-prepared
cutting list, it was possible to have a large
percentage of the components prepared in a
separate workshop. The first time the drawers
in this chest met the carcass was the day we
attempted to take the final photograph. Guess
what? There wasnt enough room in the
workshop so we broke it down loaded it into
the owners van and sent it on its way. F&C

The base frame was a separate component

Supplier details
Lamello Zeta
Contact: Axminster Tools & Machinery
Web: www.axminster.com
P15 connectors
Contact: Scott & Sargeant
Web: www.scosarg.com
P14 connectors
Contact: Axminster Tools & Machinery
Web: www.axminster.com
Metal drawer runners
Contact: Wurth UK
Web: www.wurth.co.uk
Apply the polish to the filler with a fine brush

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F&C_232_53_59_CHEST_OF_DRAWERStfJRSD.indd 59

Test with a layer of your chosen finish to check

the match

Threaded brass sleeves

Contact: TR Fastenings Ltd
Web: www.trfastenings.com

F&C232 59

24/04/2015 16:39

Forsa Series Professional Panel Sizing Saws

Designed in Germany - Manufactured in Germany - Proven in Germany

Scheppach Forsa Series professional panel sizing saws are distinctively German from head to toe. German technology - German innovation
- German quality - and five models to choose from offering between 1.6m and 3.2m length of cutting stroke. All Forsa Series come complete
with patented integral motorised cast iron pre-scoring unit whilst still retaining a 107mm depth of cut for ripping solid timbers plus micro rip
fence setting to within 1/10mm. The precision sliding beam can be equipped with optional professional sliding table carriage with telescopic
arm and table width extension (TWE) as illustrated. (Both included in prices quoted below.)

2 separate hand wheels for

precise height & angle settings.

107mm

Micro fence setting scale to

within 1/10th mm calibrations.

Forsa 4.1

HEPPAC
SC

TY

AR

Forsa 4.1 c/w optional professional sliding

table carriage with telescopic arm & table
width extension - but included in price
quoted below.

YE

2.1m Precision Panel Sizing Saw

Professional Series

Order
Online

Patented cast iron sawing

assembly c/w integral
motorised pre-scoring unit.

WA RRA

Terms and
Conditions apply

Height & side setting of the scoring

blade conveniently accomplished
with the tool provided.

Forsa 6.0*
2.1m Precision Panel sizing saw
Professional Series

Forsa 8.0*

Forsa 9.0*

2.6m Precision Panel Sizing Saw

Professional Series

3.2m Precision Panel Sizing Saw

Professional Series

Also available. Precisa Series of Classic circular sawbenches with optional pre scoring function.

Optional Pro DUO guard system c/w 2

hoods for straight and bevelled
cuts. Also ideal for hidden cuts.

Forsa 6.0 / 8.0 / 9.0 above illustrated without professional sliding table carriage (Pro STC) with telescopic arm. All prices below include Pro STC & TWE. Substantial price reductions available if
*standard
solo outrigger table required. All prices ex works. Carriage extra. Forsa 4.0 / 4.1 - tail lift required. Forsa 6.0 / 8.0 / 9.0 - fork lift truck required. P3 models inc extra support table & clamp

Model

Product Group
Series

Specification Includes
(as per quoted price)

Mc HP /
Scorer
/ Volts

Depth of cut & length of

stroke

Price Exc
VAT - Plus
Carriage

Price Inc
VAT - Plus
Carriage

Forsa 4.0 - P2

Professional

Inc Professional STC + TWE + TLE + Scorer

6.5 / 1.0 / 415v

107 mm x 1.6 m

2,995.00

3,594.00

Forsa 4.1 - P2

Professional

Inc Professional STC + TWE + TLE + Scorer

6.5 / 1.0 / 415v

107 mm x 2.1 m

3500.00

4,200.00

Forsa 6.0 - P2

Professional

Inc Professional STC + TWE + TLE + Scorer

5.4 / 1.0 / 415v

107 mm x 2.1 m

3,995.00

4,794.00

Forsa 8.0 - P3

Professional

Inc Professional STC + TWE + TLE + Scorer

6.5 / 1.0 / 415v

107 mm x 2.6 m

4650.00

5,580.00

Forsa 9.0 - P3

Professional

Inc Professional STC + TWE + TLE + Scorer

6.5 / 1.0 / 415v

107 mm x 3.2 m

4,800.00

5,760.00

STC = Sliding Table Carriage. TWE = Table Width Extension. TLE = Table Length Extension. P3 models inc extra support table & clamp.

w
www.nmatools.co.uk
Birds Royd Lane, Brighouse, West Yorkshire, HD6 1LQ

060_FCM_232.indd 60

Phone: 01484 400 488

Email: sales@nmauk.com

EE ge e.
FR0 palogue on
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16 ata ab est
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A re

21/04/2015 11:14

Practical router
jigs part 2
PHOTOGRAPHS BY LEWIS KWOK

From the workshops of the Peter

Sefton Furniture School, Chris Yates
completes his handhold jig and
produces a stopped rebate jig

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F&C232 61

28/04/2015 15:03

Production stage for

the handhold jig
Once you have cut an acceptable working
handhold jig, fit any guide battens to it and
you are ready to go into production, following
the same process previously described
for cutting the working jig. The last step is
to add information about guidebush and
cutter sizes, etc. to the jig and mark on it
the direction of rotation clockwise for
an internal cut with the router above the
workpiece. You now have a useful jig that you
can adjust to suit different projects, which
will enable you to make professional-looking
handhold cut-outs quickly and repeatably.
Before moving on to the second jig, lets
recap some of the less obvious things to
bear in mind when designing a jig. The
temptation is always to start making the jig for
the job immediately in hand. However, a little
forethought about other applications of the jig
might save a great deal of time and effort at a
later date. This may not be so important when
using the master jig approach as it should be
relatively quick to make additional production
jigs using the master, so that they can be
tailored to particular projects. In other cases,
however, think about the probable largest
sizes of workpieces to be accommodated and
any particular workpiece fixing requirements.
If these can be accommodated in a single
jig that is still fine to use on the immediate
project, then you may have saved yourself
time and effort in the future.
Lastly, where will you be using the jig? Will
it always be used in your workshop where
you have good facilities to mount it securely
and to manage to navigate the router without
it overbalancing? If not, think about how to
address these additional challenges, perhaps
by fixing additional supports to the jig base.

Stopped rebate jig

Our second example is one we use to cut
stopped rebates on the routing course at
Peter Seftons Furniture School. Basically,
it holds a workpiece against an end stop
to position it accurately and then guides a
router across it. Plunge depth and transverse
stops are easily set and adjusted and it
facilitates a job that would be a little tricky
to do repeatedly and consistently by other
means. This jig has been used repeatedly
by students on our beginners/intermediate
course and produces consistent results.
The transverse guide needs to be made
to fit a particular model of router, but it
requires only simple woodworking skills
to make. Any router with a base that has
parallel sides can be used; if your router is
a different shape, simply fit a false base with
parallel sides to the underside of the router.
As before, a little thought before we start
to assemble the jig may save heartache in
the future, so some consideration of key
dimensions of workpieces in advance will
be worthwhile. Bear in mind that you can
use a big jig to cut small workpieces, but
not the reverse, so I tend to err on the side
of larger rather than smaller.

62 F&C232

F&C_232_61_63_ROUTER_JOINERYtfJRSDDJ.indd 62

The rebate jig is very simple to make and the only thing requiring particular attention is that the router guide
must be mounted square to the longitudinal fences. The jig took less than half an hour to make from offcuts

This photo shows the jig about to be used for the first time, with a workpiece mounted against an end stop,
clamped using my favourite toggle clamps and with a stop mounted on the transverse router guide to limit the
length of the rebate

and we are in business!

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21/04/2015 17:00

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Machine & equipment tech general purpose jigs

This is one I prepared earlier

The photos of the jig I made for this article
show clearly how it is constructed and it is
simple to make. You need to take reasonable
care that the router you plan to use with the
jig is a sliding fit between the transverse
guiderails, and that the guiderails are at 90
to the long sides of the jig take care when
fixing the router guide to the base to ensure
that they really are square to one another.
The size of the slot in the router guide is just
a matter of convenience to enable you to
see the workpiece and to accurately locate
the rebate on the router centreline. You can
produce this slot as the first cut in the jig,
before using it on your workpieces; it needs

to be at least as wide as the largest diameter

cutter you expect to use, although if things
change, you can always enlarge it later.
Note that the slot performs no guidance
role, so you do not need to use bearingguided cutters or guidebushes. You could
use the slot with a guidebush, rather than
the guiderails, but it is important that the
transverse router guide does not deflect
downwards when cutting, as this will affect
the depth of cut. Therefore I make a virtue of
necessity and fit the guiderails, which also
stiffen the transverse guide. However, it is
your choice.
If you are using a new router, it may be

necessary to clean up the sides of the

router base using a suitable abrasive paper
wrapped around a wood block this will
remove any flash from the manufacturing
casting process. If you find that there is
any tendency for the router to stick rather
than slide smoothly, make sure that the
guiderails are straight and accurately located
a constant distance apart. Gentle lubrication
with a candle on the sides of the router base
can help. After rubbing a candle along them,
rub the surfaces with stiff backing paper,
such as the reverse of abrasive paper; this
will spread the candle wax thinly over the
rubbing surfaces.

Positioning and clamping the workpiece

A useful aid for lots of routing setups is a
pointed pin of the same diameter as the
collet; this makes finding the centre of the
cutter very simple and accurate and you can
use it to mark the long faces on the jig to aid
positioning of workpieces, as well as settingup the end stop for the first workpiece.
A friend turned mine for me and I have
pointers in in, 8mm and in and I use

them all the time. Mark the centreline of

the first rebate on the first workpiece and
use the setup pin to accurately locate the
workpiece under the router. Then decide
how you are going to clamp the workpieces
they need to be fixed both longitudinally
and transversely and either proprietary
clamps or purpose-cut blocks and wedges
or shop-made cam clamps can be used.

If you are cutting through rebates, off

you go. However, if you want a stopped
rebate, when everything else seems to
be as it should be, use a wood block(s)
screwed to the router guide to limit the
transverse movement of the router; this
enables either single or double stopped
rebates to be made repeatedly and they
can be repositioned at will.

Label the jigs

Once you are ready to use the jig, dont
forget to mark on it which way round the
router is intended to be used, as router
bases are not often centred precisely on
the collet centreline.
As always, be prepared to try the jig on
some offcuts first, as this will help you to
select the router cutter that gives you the
best fit, as well as enabling you to adjust
the depth of cut. Bear in mind that as one
side of the cut will be made with the router
cutter in the wrong direction, you are likely
to cut the rebate a tiny whisker wider than
the cutter diameter. However, if you take
gentle cuts and move the router steadily
back and forth, this will limit the oversize cut.
More on how to deal with this aspect in a
future article.

Calculation of offsets using

guidebushes
The offset of the cut edge from a guide
edge is given by: offset= (G-D),
where G = guidebush outer diameter;
D = router cutter diameter.
For example, if you use a 24mm
diameter guidebush and a 16mm
diameter straight router cutter, the
combination will produce a cut that
is 4mm from the guide edge.
See various websites for online
calculators; search for guidebush
offset and formula

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

F&C_232_61_63_ROUTER_JOINERYtfJRSDDJ.indd 63

Master and production jigs cut and labelled

Conclusion
The jigs described are both straightforward
to aid relatively simple operations, which
would nevertheless be more challenging
and time consuming without the use of jigs.
However, both jigs can be developed for
more sophisticated tasks for example, by
changing the shapes or angles of the cuts.

You are limited only by your own imagination!

I hope that you feel able to design and make
your own jigs for all manner of routing and
other tasks. Jig making can be interesting
in its own right. Indeed, one of my sons has
said that he thinks I dont enjoy woodworking
so much as working out how to do it! F&C

F&C232 63

21/04/2015 17:00

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21/04/2015 11:17

It is possible to work righthanded across a standard

width panel and a lower
workbench height than
my 980mm example would
make it much easier. Here
the holes are located the
maximum distance the side
fences can be set, 110mm
from the panel edge. I am
wearing eye protection and
hearing defenders, although
you cant see them

Festool LR 32-SYS
shelf pin dril ing set
PHOTOGRAPHS BY GEOFFREY LAYCOCK

Geoffrey Laycock
Lay
puts
this special
specially designed
shelf pin dr
drilling set from
Festool thro
through its paces
and sees w
whether its
worth all th
the fuss

66 F&C232

F&C_232_66_68_FESTOOL_PIN_DRILLING_JIGtfJRSDDJ.indd 66

rilling a series of holes in a straight line

doesnt sound too difficult, until you
have a go. As a one-off project you may
be satisfied with accurate marking and using
a drill stand or pillar drill and good results,
albeit slow and tedious, can be achieved.
There are plenty of examples around of how to
make a simple jig using a piece of ply or MDF
where in conjunction with a router fitted with a
guidebush, the process speeds up enormously
but you still have the holes in the jig to cut
accurately. A number of manufacturers make
adjustable jigs specifically for this purpose and
the Festool LR 32-SYS is versatile with easily
variable settings. This is not cheap at a RRP of
over 400, nor is it simple to use or at least
not at first glance but read later. It is also a
relatively well kept secret as trying to find it on
the Festool website is almost impossible, but
if you make cabinets, bookcases or any other
items where accurate straight-line repeat hole
drilling is required, this may be the tool for you.

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

21/04/2015 17:01

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Workshop & jigs tech shelf pin drilling set

Assessing the options

There are several versions of kit available
and we are testing the complete one with
everything included, except the guiderail. This
is a standard guiderail as used with the TS55
plunge saw and routers but with the addition
of a series of holes that form the stops for
the LR 32-SYS; at 103.32 it makes the total
system cost substantial. The good news is that
the guiderail also functions as the others in the
range so could be your addition to an existing
one for longer saw cuts. The kit itself comes
in a Systainer with moulded internal tray, all to
the high standard we expect.
As supplied you have the main guide plate
onto which the router fits and a centring
mandrel to do this accurately. Three cutters
are included: a 5mm flat bottom dowel drill
for shelf fixings; a 5mm pointed dowel drill for
fully penetrating timber with a clean entry and
exit point and a 35mm hinge location cutter.
As with some other Festool products, a target
user for this kit is probably kitchen makers
and fitters. There are two stops, one for each
end of the guiderail to set first hole position,
two parallel side fences that determine the
distance of drilled holes from your workpiece
edge and two clamps to keep the guiderail
securely in place a slight disappointment
with one of these was a lack of any dimple
stops to prevent the moving clamp head falling
off the L clamp bar. I have a few of these
clamps and this is the only one to fall apart in
this way plus it was twisted and, overall, not
the same quality as the others.
The guide plate is designed to work with
two current routers in the Festool range
and older version OF 900 and OF 1000 but
the OF 1010 is the one recommended
and the one that uses the plate clamps for
quick fixing. Use of my bigger brother OF
1400 necessitates fixing with screws into the
router baseplate so is not so convenient. I did
try my Trend T5 for size and I could possibly
have also fitted this but only by drilling further
holes in the guide plate and that might be a
risky experiment. The OF 1010 comes with
an 8mm collet, which is required for the three
supplied cutters. Using the included centring
mandrel, the router was soon accurately in
place. Either before or after this the guide
plate location on the rail must be checked and
adjusted by means of two screws to remove
free play.

In use
There is a further initial setting to adjust for
guide plate to rail play, shown in the user
manual. It is worth taking time over these
adjustments as they help understanding of
how everything works and of course makes
it more accurate and hence gives repeatable
results on multiple workpieces. Both the
parallel side fences must be adjusted to zero
once the router is fitted to the guide plate.
Once done, these two fences allow spacing
away from the workpiece edge to an accuracy
of 0.1mm, thanks to an in-built Vernier scale.
The fences feature the one element of design
I would like to see changed the small knobs
that clamp the fence to the guiderail. Because
of their position they are difficult to tighten and

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

F&C_232_66_68_FESTOOL_PIN_DRILLING_JIGtfJRSDDJ.indd 67

The OF 1010 router snugly in place on the baseplate. One of two clamps can be seen that hold it in position. It is sitting
on the special guiderail and you can just see the row of locating holes

This is ready to use. The large rocker bar releases the locating pin from the guiderail so the jig can slide to the next
hole. Bottom left you can see one of two adjustable blocks that remove any play between guide plate and guiderail

loosen and really do need to be extended

to sit outside the edge of the rail a potential
easy future update.
As an expected use would be with laminate
in kitchen and similar cabinets, I decided to
experiment and learn how to use the setup on
a piece of not very good quality offcut.
If it produced clean holes in this it should
handle anything. It is important to practise
and as written above, the combination of
reasonable instructions, lots of parts and
settings to get to grips with it appears
complicated; practice and playing with
settings is vital. I soon realised it was far easier
than I had thought and quickly understood
how it all worked. More detailed instructions
are available on the Festool website.
Spacing from the ends of panels is set
using a bar at each end of the guiderail. This
has markings which do take some effort to
understand but eventually becomes clear and
allows settings of 9.5mm, 16mm and 32mm

spacings to the first hole. Using the latter two

settings, it is easy to drill a series of holes
with spacing of 16mm rather than the industry
standard of 32mm if you want more flexibility of
shelf positioning. I resorted to using masking
tape across the guiderail so it was very
obvious not to move beyond that location.

The two side fences would normally be set at either end

of the workpiece and only during setup. Once the rail is
clamped, these are removed. The end stop in the rail is
easily installed in the three different spacer positions,
which determine distance of the first hole from the
workpiece end

F&C232 67

21/04/2015 17:01

Drilling
Drilling is straightforward and the router/
guide plate is moved until the locating pin
drops into the respective hole in the guiderail.
Using maximum speed setting, the resultant
holes were very clean in this old, poor quality
laminate unless trying to rush and use too fast
a feed. To move to the next position, a large
rocking lever is depressed to raise the pin,
slide along the guiderail and the pin drops
into the next position.

I drilled quite a few 5mm shelf pin holes and just one had
a small chip in the edge. This was in a series of holes
where I was trying to do them as quickly as possible
taking a more reasonable approach all had clean, crisp
edges. I also drilled selections of open- and closed-grain
hard and softwoods, MDF and beech plywood with the
same clean results

Working position
Because of the orientation of the router fitted
to the guide plate, I found on wider panels
and working on the MFT table featured
in F&C 229 it was easiest to work lefthanded but with hands crossed, so I had my
left hand on the router pistol-grip handle to
operate the trigger and plunge, with my right
hand around the front of the combination to
hold the guide plate steadying knob, plus
operate the pin release fiddly but workable.
My version of the MFT has a top height of
980mm so taller than most workbenches and
with a lower height working from the other
side would be far easier. I did one series
of holes working like this and, although a
stretch, it wasnt difficult. For narrow panels
and where you have more space for larger
ones, working over the panel is more natural
with your right hand on the router and left
hand falling naturally onto the guide plate,
assuming you are a right-handed user.
The one disadvantage I found working with
crossed hands like this was a tendency to
operate the router trigger lock almost every
plunge OK, if you want the router to run
during movement between locations, but
not if you prefer a stationary cutter. Overall,
though I found using the OF 1010 router to
be a delight and with the inbuilt extraction
connection, I found almost all dust removed
from the workpiece drilling the 5mm holes.
To finish testing, I drilled a series of
cabinet hinge location holes using the 35mm
cutter. This requires the guiderail end stop
to be changed to show 16mm spacing from
the workpiece end and the fences to be
reinstalled set at the appropriate distance.
In my photo example, the distances from
the edge are not correct I was practising!
The cutter can run at up to 27,000rpm and
once through the hard laminate surface,
cut quickly to the pre-set depth. I did one
hole in two stages removing the router
between, as I know I occasionally fail to
plunge to full depth and wanted to see if
the hole was still clean-edged. It certainly
was with no evidence of having taken two
bites at it, testament to the repeatability of
the drilling jig. F&C

68 F&C232

F&C_232_66_68_FESTOOL_PIN_DRILLING_JIGtfJRSDDJ.indd 68

Here I am drilling a series of cabinet hinge mounting

holes using the supplied 35mm cutter. Unfortunately,
as part of the router extraction enclosure has to be
removed to use this cutter, dust capture was not
so good. I was also trying out the Festool sleeved
Plug-It hose. This is recommended for sanding but
not work that generates larger chips it worked
satisfactorily with the router

Every hole was crisp, clean and accurately placed, even

this one I double drilled

F&C verdict
This is a high quality and supremely
accurate system for drilling rows of pin
holes in cabinets and shelf units and
could be used for other purposes with a
little thought, such as drilling decorative
or ventilation holes in cabinets. With a
little practice in a short time, it becomes
very easy to set up and use. It is probably
only for those with a regular need as
the cost is otherwise prohibitive, but if
you already have the router and need a
second guiderail for your plunge saw, it
makes more financial sense and shopping
around can result in substantial savings.

Pros
The usual exceptional quality standard
except for the errant clamp
Extreme accuracy of setting out
possible
Allows drilling of fixing hole for standard
kitchen cabinet hinges
Detailed additional guides available on
the website see the router OF 1010
for this application example

Cons
Seriously expensive compared with
other available jig systems
Designed for Festool routers
Cutters require a 8mm router collet

A surprise to find one of the supplied clamps twisted and

without the restraining dimple on the clamp bar; this
must have escaped their normal rigorous quality checks

The numbers
Model: LR 32-SYS
Features: Guide plate, centring mandrel,
operation tool, hinge location cutter
HM 35mm, dowel drill HW 5mm
V-shaped tip, dowel drill HM 5mm
with centring bit and pre-cutter, two
parallel side fences with adjustable
stop, two clamps FSZ 120 and two
longitudinal stops
Prices: LR 32-SYS hole drilling set
406.68; FS 1400/2-LR 32 guiderail
103.32; OF 1010 router 411.60;
AS-GQ GB suction hose with Plug-It
162.06 (prices inc VAT)
From: www.festool.co.uk

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

21/04/2015 17:01

Hig

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069_FCM_232.indd 69

21/04/2015 11:19

COMING NEXT MONTH

A new magazine for woodworkers
More step-by-step guides, more features, more tech,
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071_FCM_232.indd 71

21/04/2015 11:20

Workshop library
Mark Langston reviews The Furniture Bible and Derek Jones looks at a book
on the great planemaker John Green as well as Classic American Furniture

BOOKS

The Furniture Bible

by Christophe Pourny

he Furniture Bible, penned

by renowned furniture
restorer Christophe Pourny,
is definitely not one of those
books destined to sit forlornly
gathering dust on your
bookshelf. It aims to present
a comprehensive guide to
restoring, transforming, fixing,
preserving and learning about
your favourite possessions
whether family heirlooms or
funky flea-market finds and it
certainly delivers on that aim.
Christophe learned the art
of furniture restoration at his
fathers atelier in the south of
France before moving to New
York where he established
his own business restoring
antiques. In this, his first book,
he covers: an abbreviated
history of furniture; where to
find great pieces; an overview
of traditional fine-finishing;
the process of restoring and
caring for furniture; a detailed
explanation of techniques,
rounded off with a discussion
on the different tools and
materials the wood finisher
should have at hand, plus
a number of Christophes
own recipes.
The writing style is open and
relaxed with the occasional
anecdote dropped in from
the authors own personal
experiences. The book is well

72 F&C232

F&C_232_72_73_WORKSHOP_LIBRARYtfDJJR.indd 72

laid out under a number of

different headings, with the
heart of the book dedicated to
a detailed, but straightforward,
explanation of some of the
authors favoured finishing
techniques including, cire
rempli, ceruse and French
polishing. These techniques
are presented as a series of
step-by-step instructions with
photos outlining each key
stage. Christophes relaxed
but informative writing style
manages to achieve the perfect
blend of detailed instruction
coupled with unintimidating,
straightforward explanation
for each of these techniques.
This guide will appeal to a
wide audience, from seasoned
pros to the DIY-er looking to
refresh a car boot sale purchase
and should definitely be in every
woodworkers library.
Published by Artisan
ISBN: 9781579655358
352 pages $35 (23.96)

Planes for making wedges

that genre. Thats not to say

that some of the others arent
informative, its just that Peter
Young has an eye for a story.
I had the good fortune to meet
Peter briefly a few months ago
at a David Stanley tool auction
in Leicester. He explained that
the book represents about 20
years of collecting and studying
the planes of a single maker.
For most of us, I guess that
amounts to quite an obsession,
that is until you realise that the
story of this family business
could have been written about
any aspiring entrepreneur of
the 18th century. This is a story
packed to the rafters with social
history and personal highs
and lows, opening a window
onto our not always glorious
past. Aside from the technical
aspects of the tools, Peter has

documented his paper trail,

apparently leaving no stone
unturned. In itself this is a
fascinating part of the book
and would serve as a great
source of reference to anyone
thinking of tracing their
personal ancestry.
When we get all nostalgic
about old tools its usually
about the people who used
them. In this instance, however,
we are treated to a whole
new experience that of the
toolmaker and his endeavours.
Before reading this book, there
was nothing to suggest that
a plane with the name John
Green stamped on the heel was
anything special: Matthieson,
Hield and Holtzapfel are equally
good marks to look out for. But
afterwards, Id go so far as to
say that its pretty remarkable

John Green
18th Century
York Planemaker
The Rise and Fall
of a Business Empire
by Peter Young

here seems to be a flurry of

extremely well-researched
books on the subject of old
woodworking tools of late. This
latest one from Peter Young sits
comfortably near the top of the
list of good reads for books in

The screw-stem plough

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

21/04/2015 17:03

YOUR F&C
Book reviews
that there are any planes with
that name at all.
There are so many fascinating
details captured within the text
of this book that, once read,
you could probably go out
and produce a fairly accurate
replica. If thats not a hook,
then you will at least be able to
spot a wrong-un in the future.
In short, this fantastic book
by Peter Young is a valuable
contribution to the history of a
craft and the people who made
it. And for 18, thats less than
1 a year for his time. You can
buy this book direct from the
author at www.johngreenbook.
co.uk.
Published by Peter Young
136 pages 18

Classic
Cl
i American
A
i
Furniture
by Chris Schwarz & the Editors
of Woodworking Magazine

o a European eye, the

title of this book might
at first glance appear to be a
little challenged, stylistically.
However, not only is it wrong
to judge a book by its cover,
its also a mistake to go by
the title alone. So, what do we
have here? Again, if the jacket
is anything to go by thats 20

Elegant Shaker and Arts &

Crafts Projects. Usually that
would be enough to make me
pass this one over but there are
some truly great techniques to
be found when you get stuck
in. For the main part, the two
styles featured are based around
tried and tested variations of
rectilinear joinery and basic
construction techniques
nothing wrong there. But my
hunch is that every piece in this
book could be tweaked to suit
almost any style you have in
mind to build.
The techniques cover
everything from edge-jointing
by hand to some pretty extreme
tablesaw shenanigans by our
standards. That said, there is
plenty to keep the hand tool
enthusiast entertained and
some good routing tips too.
As well as full blown projects,
there are some stand-alone
techniques that cover the finer
points of the basics to get your
joinery skills up to an advanced
standard. Simplistic as these
projects appear, I wouldnt
rate any of them as entry level.
Youll need to know your way
around a cutting list and tell
a cheek from a shoulder and
a host of other bits besides. I
really liked the range of projects
in this book and with 20 to
choose from, theres plenty of
scope to dip a toe in and build
something for the weekend or
jump right in and think big.
Complete a few of the projects
and you will have sufficient
experience to build practically
anything for the home out of
your own shop. One of the best
project-based how to books
weve seen in a long while.
Published by Popular
Woodworking Books
ISBN: 9781440337437
192 pages $27.99 (19.10)

Website of the month

Woodwurm

ww.woodwurm.des homepage is packed with links

to woodworking websites, from Chris Pye Master
Carver, Epple and In the Woodshop to Peter
Kramer Furniture Maker, Saskatchewan Woodworkers
Guild and The Unplugged Woodshop. These websites range
from official makers and manufacturers websites to the
casual hobbyist blog. The links are presented in alphabetical
order as soon as you visit the website, so if there is a certain
website you are looking for, it will be easy to find. There is
also an option to add your own website to the page, via link,
with the list being updated regularly.

Website sections
The other pages within this website include, news, philosophy,
wood and tools. All of the photographs used on the website
are of a great quality, bright and fun, lightheartedly
illustrating the authors words. The news pieces on the news
page are well detailed, although there are not too many
postings and the text on the philosophy page is boxed into
subjects, which is therefore easy to read. A good number of
images are available, which you can click on to enlarge by
scrolling over them.

Translation problems
The wood page is the most informative, packed with
helpful tips, facts, figures and graphs. Now, as this website is
originally in German viewable in either German or English
when it comes to the tools page, unfortunately it has yet to
be translated and is still in German.
Should you wish to email the author of www.woodwurm.
de, there is a small email icon at the top right-hand page.
This website is certainly one to check out for links to other
woodworkers, companies and tools manufacturers and is a
great way to explore the woodworking world online.

Details
Web: www.woodwurm.de
Learn how to make a better blanket chest design

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

F&C_232_72_73_WORKSHOP_LIBRARYtfDJJR.indd 73

F&C232 73

21/04/2015 17:03

PHOTOGRAPHS BY OLIVER WATERS

The Apprentices
notebook

Its a moment to savour for Waters & Acland

student Jim Cooper as he produces the first
shavings from a truly sharp bench plane

o, finally weve made it. Its taken

blood, sweat and perhaps tears to
get here but at last its time to make
some shavings. Not just rough shavings of
random thickness, but controlled, super
fine shavings that disappear to nothing at
each edge and can be made in even the
toughest timbers.

If, like many of our students, these are the

first shavings that you have ever produced,
you should take the time to savour the
experience. A perfectly setup plane is a
true joy to use. So enjoy the moment.

Jims notes
This article describes how to set up a

traditional bench plane, with a bevel-down

blade and a chipbreaker, so it is ready
for use, and also how to take your first
shaving. Other types of bench plane, such
as bevel-up planes, are set up in a similar
manner; however, since they do not have
a chipbreaker, the first part of the process
can be ignored.

Attaching the chipbreaker

The first step is to attach the chipbreaker
to the plane blade. At W&A we like to leave
1mm of blade exposed beyond the front
edge of the chipbreaker. It is important to
attach the chipbreaker firmly to the blade,
otherwise it may move relative to the blade
during use. For safety reasons, this is best
carried out with both components resting
on a hard surface, such as a workbench.
Avoid the temptation to just hold them in
your hand, as you risk injuring yourself if
the screwdriver slips while tightening the
screw. A screwdriver with a suitable size of
blade should be used to avoid damaging the
holding screw.

74 F&C232

F&C_232_74_75_APPRENTICES_NOTEBOOKtfJRDJSD.indd 74

Rest your blade and chipbreaker on a hard surface

Align the sides of the blade with the chipbreaker

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

21/04/2015 17:05

PROJECTS & TECHNIQUES

Apprentice notes

Re-assembling the plane

The bench plane should be placed on a flat
surface with the front of the plane resting on
a small wooden block so that the mouth of
the plane is raised above the surface. The
blade, with the chipbreaker attached, should
then be placed into the plane, locating them
on the frog and ensuring the upper hole in
the chipbreaker locates into the yoke, or
Y-lever. The cap iron should then be placed
on top of the chipbreaker, so it locates under
the cap screw and tensioned using the cap
lever. The cap lever should apply sufficient
pressure to ensure that the cap iron does
not move during use, while still allowing the
blade to be adjusted using both the depth

adjustment screw and the lateral adjustment

lever. It may be necessary to adjust the cap
screw to achieve the correct pressure.
Its important to state here that increasing
the pressure significantly can distort the
sole of the plane, especially on smaller
ones, and undermine all your previous
efforts to establish a flat sole. Ideally the
correct tension should already have been
set so that only the slightest adjustment is
required no more than half a turn. Also
remember that the screw thread may have
some backlash so if you need to loosen the
screw counterclockwise retighten it with
an appropriate amount of clockwise turn.

The bench plane placed on a flat surface with the

front of the plane resting on a small wooden block

Positioning the blade

At W&A we aim to position the cutting edge
of the blade so that it takes a shaving of full
thickness in the centre of the blade, with
that shaving becoming progressively finer
towards the edges and with no shaving at all
being created at the extreme edges of the
blade. The first stage in the process is to
hold the plane upside down and look from
front to back along the sole of the plane.
Placing a sheet of white paper at the far end
of the sole will allow you to see the cutting
edge where it projects through the mouth
of the plane. Set the blade using the lateral
adjustment lever and depth adjustment screw
until you see the maximum extension of the
cutting edge in the central region of the
blade, progressively less extension towards
the edges of the blade and no cutting edge
exposed at the tips of the blade.
The next stage is to fine-tune the position
of the cutting edge using a small piece of
thin wood; 50mm square and 2-3mm thick.

Select a long grain edge on your test block,

pass it front to back across the cutting
edge. Repeating this process from left to
right across the full width of the blade will
allow you to check that the cutting edge is
correctly positioned and is indeed taking a
shaving over the full width of the blade, with
the exception of the last few mm on either
side of the blade. As you move from left to
right across the mouth of the plane, the first
shavings should only be created once you
are away from the edge of the blade. These
first shavings should be extremely fine and
as you move towards the centre of the blade,
they should become noticeably thicker. As
you move beyond the centre of the blade,
the shavings should then become thinner,
as before, with no shavings being made at
the outer edge of the blade.
If you have set up the cutting edge of the
blade with the small amount of curvature
suggested in articles three and four, in issues

230 and 231, and you set up the plane as

described above, then you should achieve
fine shavings with a maximum thickness of
between 0.02mm and 0.05mm.

Begin the stroke with more downward pressure through

the front knob

Transfer the balance of pressure to the rear tote as

you complete the pass

A good indicator of a well set up plane is

that, when planing with the grain, the plane
leaves no lines from the edges of the blade
on the piece of timber being planed, there

is little or no break-out and a mirror-like

finish is obtained. What you now have at
your disposal is a tool that can reliably
dimension stock to within 0.02mm.

Hold the plane upside down to examine the amount

of blade projection

Your first full shavings

With the plane now fully setup, you are finally
in a position to take your first shaving. It is
suggested that you take your first shavings
on a securely clamped piece of flat timber.
The plane should be held securely in both
hands with the front hand holding the front
knob and the back hand holding the tote.
At the start of the cut, the front hand should
supply most of the downward pressure,
initiating the cut. Once the plane has started
to take a shaving, you should move towards
providing equal pressure with both hands.
As the plane finishes the shaving and
moves off the workpiece, you should move
towards the rear hand providing most of the
downward pressure. You also need to control
your body movement so that you do not
favour one side of the plane over the other.
Its very hard to explain in words how to
perfect your planing technique. The best
approach is to practise, analyse your results
and modify your technique as appropriate.
What you are striving for are shavings across
almost the full width of the blade, thickest in
the middle of the blade, progressively thinner
towards the edges of the blade and with no
shavings at the extreme edges of the blade.

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

F&C_232_74_75_APPRENTICES_NOTEBOOKtfJRDJSD.indd 75

Next month
In the next issue, planing techniques will be described in more detail when we look at preparing
an edge for jointing. To see the full video sequence of setting a traditional bench plane, with a
bevel-down blade and a chipbreaker, plus many other instructional videos as they appear in the
series, visit the Waters & Acland YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/watersandacland. F&C

F&C232 75

21/04/2015 17:06

COURSES
ADVERTISING CLASSIFIED

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O HN

LOYD

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76 F&C 232

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www.woodworkersinstitute.com

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F&C 232 77

FCM_232.indd 77

4/24/15 2:22 PM

ADVERTISING CLASSIFIED

TIMBER STORES/CLASSIFIEDS

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

Woodworks
PRODUCTION MANAGER
We are looking for an energetic team player to oversee the production of wood craft at our Furniture and Architectural
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FCM_232.indd 78

4/24/15 2:22 PM

CLASSIFIEDS

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The Old Tool Store

russellh@thegmcgroup.com

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F&C 232 79

FCM_232.indd 79

4/27/15 2:42 PM

DESIGN & INSPIRATION

Recently auctioned furniture

8
0,5
00

UNDER THE HAMMER:

A pair of George III

carved giltwood wall mirrors
This month, we take a look at another prized lot from
Bonhams recent Fine English Furniture and Works of Art sale
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF BONHAMS

A pair of George III carved giltwood wall mirrors

in the manner of Thomas Chippendale, 810mm wide
1,250mm high

hese mirrors, made in the manner

of Thomas Chippendale lot 100
recently went under the hammer and
surpassed all expectations when they sold
for a mammoth 80,500. The guide price
on this lot was 25,000-35,000, which goes
to show that these mirrors are much sought
after, and for good reason.
Taking a closer look at the pieces, you
can see the pierced cartouche crestings
surmounted by acanthus foliage, with each
flanked by a pair of ho-ho birds. The oval
plates are set within elaborate rocaille

80 F&C232

F&C_232_80_UNDER_THE_HAMMERtfJRDJ.indd 80

frames with leaf scroll, flower and C-scroll

ornament and are headed by icicles. The
mirrors have been re-gilded and the carved
elements restored.

Other examples
A pair of mirrors of closely related form
but surmounted by chinoiserie busts, were
supplied by Thomas Chippendale in 1759 to
the fifth Earl of Dumfries for Dumfries House
see Christies op. cit., lot 20. They were
invoiced at a cost of 36 15s and described
as two large oval pier glasses wt. rich carvd

frames and painted white. The third edition

of Chippendales Director published in 1762
illustrates several related designs for oval
mirrors, which are variants to the offered
mirrors. These include pls. CLXXIV and
CLXXII, which similarly feature ho-ho
birds flanking the crestings.
A further comparable pair of mirrors sold
at Christies London on 26 January, 2011
and a single giltwood oval mirror surmounted
by carved birds, with provenance from
Richard Courtenay Ltd, sold at Sothebys,
London on 25 November, 2005. F&C

www.woodworkersinstitute.com

15/04/2015 15:53

IBC_FCM_232.indd 1

20/04/2015 15:42

Introducing the Brand New Range of

Woodturning Chucks and Jaws
We are extremely proud to introduce the brand new range of Record Power woodturning chucks and jaws.
This exclusive new range has been developed using Record Powers extensive experience and knowledge of
woodturning in conjunction with a group of highly experienced professional and hobby woodturners, to bring
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Super Geared True-Lock technology
ensures high levels of accuracy to
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See online for full details

www.recordpower.co.uk Tel: 01246 571 020

OBC_FCM_232.indd 1

Sealed Backing Plate with

Full Indexing
The SC4 features a strong backing
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10/04/2015 15:37