There are few things as awkward as wrestling a sheet of 4 foot by 8 foot plywood onto a table saw.

OK, maybe there was the time I asked the cutest and most popular girl in middle school to go to a dance with me. And, after a long pause, she laughed. Loudly. Now, THAT was awkward …

But, think about it.  A sheet of 3/4″ ply tips the scales at about 80 pounds, has no easy way to grab and hold and is tough to balance on a table saw’s top while keeping one edge against the rip fence.  It’s not easy at all.

That’s why when Paul and I were just starting the cabinet project, we had a brief discussion about getting our hands on one of the ‘new’ track saws to help break the sheets into more manageable sections without the need to break someone’s back or damage their shoulders. Yes, that someone is me…

So, just as the plywood delivery came to the shop and the driver and I were unloading it, Paul walked in with a long, skinny box and a plastic container.  Paul had gone out and purchased a Festool TS 55 EQ plunge cut circular saw system for us to use on this project.

Now, Festool isn’t the only company with a dog in this hunt. DeWalt has a model they introduced about two years ago, and Makita also has a track saw system. I can’t really give a comparative review of these other models, but I can tell you that if they work as well at the one we are using, they are worth their weight in gold.

If you wanted to break down some sheets of plywood without one of these track saw systems, you could make yourself a sawboard and use your circular saw on the cut.  I’ve used the finest blades possible on my little Black and Decker saw, but still found the splintering on the piece to be unacceptable. This, of course, required me to go from the circular saw cut to the table saw in order to complete the cut.  This required that I remember to cut the piece strong and take that second step to get an acceptable edge.

Given the number of cuts on this case, the Festool saved a tremendous amount of time.  The cuts came from the saw cleaner than what I could accomplish with my Forrest Woodworker II blade on my table saw. Anything that eliminates a step in the process that doesn’t sacrifice quality is a winner in my book.

The saw is pretty sophisticated. The controls are clearly marked and easy to operate.  The saw does plunge to cut and also brings a riving knife down behind the blade.  If you have ever cut a board that pinched your saw’s blade during a cut, you know how frustrating and dangerous the situation could be.  This plunging action makes inside ‘pocket cuts’ a piece of cake, not a harrowing experience like plunging a traditional circular saw.

The Festool also has an anti-splinter ‘foot’ that presses down on the material just at the front of the blade to prevent splintering along the offcut side.

The track that the saw rides along is also very well thought out. Basically, the saw’s base plate has a square notch worked into its design.  This notch mates with a square track that rises from the track to guide the saw.  The base of this track has two rubber non-skid strips adhered to it, allowing you to place the guide down and not have to clamp it.  However, clamping isn’t the worst idea when cutting a lot of pieces.  It just helps to keep the saw track from shifting if you bump into it.

On the edge of this track that guides your cut, there is another anti-splinter device that keeps the keeper half of your board from splintering. Since this is exactly where your saw is cutting, you don’t have to move it into place… it’s always there.  The cuts off the track are perfectly straight and beautiful.

The saw also comes with a dust collection port.  I was using my shop vac instead of the company’s compatible dust collector, but noticed that the amount of dust generated by the cuts was very small.

The saw’s flexibility in cutting could also lead you to trouble. By not indexing off of a fixed rip fence, you have to be sure you carefully mark the pieces you are cutting.  If you mismark and cut on a diagonal, you will get a perfectly straight diagonal. You also have to remember which side is the keeper and ensure you don’t cut it one kerf too narrow by cutting on the wrong side of the  line.  Just sayin …

Yes, a track saw like the one we picked up is more expensive than just using a sawboard and your circular saw.  However, the time you save having to make two separate cuts could really be a difference maker on a large cabinet project. And, if that time savings also happens to lead to better quality cuts, well, sounds like a winner all around.

Since I’ve been on reduced duty this week recovering from my run in with the hedge trimmers, I’ve had a lot of time to watch movies, play games with the kids and read.  And, boy, have I read.  The librarians are getting tired of seeing me.

Libraries are great places to go.  There are tens of thousands of books on the shelves on all different kind of topics.  Wine. Travel. Woodworking. Music.  You can’t go wrong…

And, there are some of those books you want to borrow again and again.

C. Keith Wilbur’s Home Building and Woodworking in Colonial America (ISBN-13: 978-1564400192) is one of those books. Lavishly illustrated throughout, Wilbur takes readers through the process of home building from the selection and felling of trees for the timber frame to the plastering and white wash on the walls.  Each step is shown in the kind of detail that will leave the history minded woodworker intrigued for a good long while.

For instance, the action starts right on page one… Wilbur begins with a one page description of how the European settlers had over harvested the trees back in the homeland and the feeling of joy they experienced when they saw the enormous tree stands in North America.  The page also explains how the Royal Navy surveyors branded with the King’s broad arrow every single white pine with a diameter of two feet or greater for use as masts on new ships.

Later pages describe how the Colonists improved on the British trade axe to design a more efficient chopping design.  The proper way to select and fell a tree while using just an axe. The tools and processes used to buck the longer logs to more manageable sizes.  Hauling them out of the forest. Squaring the timbers.  Stacking and seasoning the timbers to get them ready for construction.

And, that’s all by page 15…

I was amazed by the way Wilbur constantly illustrated how conditions in the American Colonies dictated the construction techniques and designs in order to address local climactic conditions.  For example, homes built in New England were primarily built with a central chimney stack in order to retain as much heat as possible during the brutally cold winters.  In southern colonies, it was a better idea to move the chimney stack to the outside of the house in order to better control the heat gain in the milder winters and while cooking during the summer months.

As an unexpected bonus, Wilbur throws in a chapter dedicated to the evolution of common woodworking tools.  From prehistoric times through Egyptian, Greek, Roman and medieval times until the colonial American era. Axes, adzes, chisels, planes… they are in there.

I have only scratched the surface of what’s offered in this book. If you are a fan of old school woodworking, you can do a whole lot worse than picking up a copy of this book.  And, after I change my finger dressing this morning, I will be reading more during breakfast.

By the way… In case you are counting… this makes post number

Pretty cool, eh?  I had no idea back in 2007 that I was going to get this far.  I hope that during my run so far at Tom’s Workbench that I am able to provide you with a few laughs on our journey into woodworking.  Thanks for reading!

I’ve been told by many people that I need to take up meditation.  No, not some kind of mystic zen-like kinda thing, but just a few minutes every day to sit quietly, relax and do some deep breathing in order to take the edge off.  The benefits are that my blood pressure would drop, I would sleep better and it would help me find my ‘center’ of calm.

Well, at my house, with a busy job, two sons and all the other stuff that goes with being a dad, husband and homeowner, time to relax is at a premium.

Fortunately, the folks at Prazi USA have found an easier way for me to find my center.

To be precise, they have created the Groove Center. This nifty device helps you find the middle of a board while routing grooves.  The first time.  Seriously.

What do you get?  Well, the tool comes packed in a beautiful box befitting a precisely-functioning tool. The tool its self is a gold anodized aluminum beauty. It consists of a flat base that allows the tool to sit securely on your router table, and a sliding ‘truck’  that rides in the slots of the base.  As you move the ‘truck’ along the base, you will notice the third piece which extends from the front of the piece.  You will notice that this piece moves exactly one half the distance you move the ‘truck’. This measuring tool is what allows you to set your router table’s fence perfectly the first time around.

To set up the tool, first, you have to make sure the device is zeroed out, with the ‘truck’ far over to the stop at the back of the track. Push your router’s fence back away from the bit, jack your table-mounted router with the collet as far up as it will go.  There’s a 1/2″ diameter pin at the front of the jig that you slip into the collet (the 1/4″ pin is coming soon) and tighten so it grips the pin.  This is a very important step, since you are precisely measuring where to set your fence.

Next, push the ‘truck’ toward the front of the jig and slip a piece of the stock you will be routing into the opening and close the ‘truck’ to capture the piece.  Gently tighten the knob that locks everything into place, and voila, you will see that the nose of the jig has extended half the distance of the workpiece thickness.  Bring your router table fence over until it touches the nose and bingo, you are set up good to go.

Just don’t move the router fence.  It’s set perfectly.  If you have to move the fence in order to get to your router bit, you can clamp some wood to your table as a stop to allow you to get the fence back into the right position after you set the bit up.

Loosen the collet and remove the jig.  Insert your router bit and tighten it in place. If you had to move your fence, return it to its original position and you are good to go.  The groove is centered on the first run – no fuss, no muss.  And, it’s not just for grooves – cutting mortises on the router table is a snap once you know that everything is lined up perfectly.

Is this all the Groove Center does?  Absolutely not.  It has another trick up its sleeve – setting up the tricky-to-master lock miter bit.  But, that’s another post for another day.

Right now, I have a quick 15 minutes to spend meditating.  Gotta find my center, ya know.

FYI – here’s a video of the Groove Center in action…

The router.  The band saw.  The table saw.

These three tools are some of the most versatile tools in the shop… but you would never know it from reading the owners manuals.  Sure, they give information on how to change blades and bits,  use all of the adjustment controls and build essential safety items, but that’s about it.

To really crack the code on how to get the most out of  your tools, I’d strongly recommend that you get your hands on a few of the books that give you the tips and tricks that go way beyond what’s included in your owner’s manual.

For me, I picked up copies of the Cutting Edge books.  Kenneth Burton wrote Cutting Edge Band Saw Tips and Tricks and Cutting Edge Table Saw Tips and Tricks.  Jim Stack went rotary in Cutting Edge Router Tips and Tricks.

Each of these three books takes a much deeper look at these tools they address and provide a much more detailed picture of what is possible.  First, you can’t do good work without an accurately tuned tool.  While every manufacturer builds its tools with unique controls and adjustments, the books advise readers what the most critical areas of concern are to ensure accurate work. Getting the blade aligned properly. Ensuring the router bit is securely tightened and won’t fly out of the collet. Discovering the proper way to align the rip fence.  Stuff like that.

If you are looking to buy new blades or bits for your tools, readers can find sound advice on what to look for before they plunk down their hard-earned cash.  How to evaluate the quality.  Which ones are most essential And, since each blade or bit represents an investment, care and storage tips advise the best way to care for these to get the most from each. Proper cleaning instructions.  Careful storage techniques. How best to organize them so they are ready to go when you need them.

Jigs, jigs and more jigs.  From the most basic push stick to the far more elaborate and exotic, these books offer detailed construction plans and how-to instructions.  For example, did you ever want to cut dovetails, but never wanted to lay out the cash for a router jig or take the time to cut them by hand?  I discovered that a well-tuned band saw can do the deed admirably.  Want to make curved pieces for a project? How about using your straight-shooting table saw.? What about carving details in the face of a board?  You could invest in a set of carving tools and lessons, or you can build a simple face-routing jig and let your router do the work.

Finally, what good are all of these skills if you don’t have a project to use them on?  The books offer step-by-step plans to build such items as  a glorious showcase cabinet, intricate band sawn boxes or gracefully curved demilune tables.  Each of these projects uses the skills and jigs taught in the books, giving woodworkers the opportunity to try out their newly-discovered skills.

Let’s face it – money is tight these days.  Woodworking can potentially be a very expensive hobby to pursue.  Anything as inexpensive as a quality ‘how to’ book that helps me get the most out of my tools is certainly a welcome addition to my shop. I’d almost like to see some tool manufacturers partner with these publishing houses to bundle these books with the tools they sell.  It would certainly help out the budding woodworker with his or her new shop tools.  They are – in effect – the secret manuals you wish came with your purchase.

I chose to go with the Cutting Edge series of books, and they have served me well.  But, there are also many others out there well written by talented instructors.  My advice would be to check them out and pick up the ones that work for you.  You may never know just how much money you can save by learning all that your tools are capable of.

Shop Class as Soulcraft

by Matthew B. Crawford

ISBN-13: 978-1594202230

I recently called my old middle school – Walter T. Bergen in Bloomingdale, New Jersey – and had a chance to speak with the secretary who answered the phone.  All the memories started flooding back. How were my old teachers?  When did the town’s fifth graders start attending the school?

And, most importantly for me, what ever happened to the wood shop?

The place where I and hundreds of other kids took our first tentative steps into the craft was shut down maybe 15 years ago or so. The room sat dark for a long time, then the tools were shoved to one side and class was held on the other.  A few years ago, all of the tools were moved to the school district’s storage, and a partition was built.  Today, one half of the space is for special education, the other half is a health classroom.

What a total bummer.

Unfortunately, Water T. Bergen was not the only school to do this to their vocational education program.  Many other schools across the nation shuttered their shop classes through the ’80s and ’90s, seeing more value and less risk in using those facilities for other instructional purpose. Gearing their students up for academic excellence and a future in college.

That’s where Crawford’s book Shop Class as Soulcraft starts to engage the discussion and offer some interesting insights.

Crawford’s premise is simple – why has education and society marginalized the value of vocational education?  How does society look down on skilled tradespeople in comparison to the highly educated, yet has no problem coughing up $250 an hour for a plumber to fix an emergency sewer back up on a Sunday afternoon?

I only made it halfway through the book so far, but it has so thoroughly engaged me that I was moved to write about it. The points he made about the amount of knowledge and intuitive thinking a tradesperson needs to properly complete the job brought back memories of my family growing up.

My older brother wasn’t much into school as a high schooler. He struggled through the academics and was very happy once they were complete.  I frequently thought of him as someone who was never going to reach his potential because  he loved auto shop much more than – say – English Literature.

He really began to shine when he started taking classes at a local technical school. The instructors were awed by his ability to learn and apply what he was taught. He later went on to become ASE master certified in just about every single aspect of working on cars. My brother never lacked one bit for intelligence – his intelligence just lay in another area where he excelled.

I think I may owe my brother an apology.

Crawford also points out that this devaluation is also affecting the well educated.  While many can point to the cost-conscious approach of employing a moderately-skilled labor force in some foreign factory as an evolutionary step in the development of blue collar employees, the same process is occurring in white color work force, only at a more rapid pace. Think about it – a tech support question can be easily answered over the phone in India, Singapore or China, but it will still take a skilled tradesperson to properly construct and install a set of kitchen cabinets in your home or to fix your transmission.

Crawford’s book is a well-written argument for the return of vocational education to school systems.  Not every student is cut out for a four year college degree or higher education. As long as legislatures across the country and around the world try to impose a ‘college for all’ mind set, many students will be left behind, never achieving their true fulfillment.

And that would be a tragedy.

There are just some times when the best tool for the job is a well-sharpened wood chisel. Whether cutting a joint, trimming a plug or doing any number of other tasks, these descendants of some of the most ancient woodworking tools can be some of the most versatile multitaskers in the shop.

Here’s my collection, spread out for your viewing pleasure. From the waaay back row:

A 2 1/2″ slick. This was an eBay score. The iron was found in a barn in upstate New York, so I had to fit a handle to it. I made this one out of maple in the shop. Once I figured out how to sharpen it the right way (It’s enormous), it can pare very fine shavings off of even the trickiest boards.

The middle pack, from left to right, includes:

A set of Pinnacle chisels from 1/4″ to 1 1/2″. I traded a drill press mortising attachment for these beauties. The handles are very comfortable, and I’m in the process of getting them honed for regular use. The only knock is that they are a little narrower than advertised… not critical unless I’m cutting joints.

A set of Marples Blue Chip chisels from 1/4″ to 1″. These are my work horses in the shop – the ones I reach for first. Got the 1″, 3/4″ and 1/2″ ones as a set, then added on the 3/8″ and 1/4″ later to round out the set.

The two on the extreme left of that middle row are a pair of ‘pound puppies’ I found at eBay. Dirt cheap, they are two old Buck Brothers chisels – 1 1/2″ and 1 1/4″ size. I sharpened them, and they work very well.

In the front row from left to right, I’ll start with the three Lee Valley Crank Neck chisels. Sometimes, you need that little offset bend to get a little bit of glue out of a corner. These chisels fill the bill. They are kinda small, but they work well. I have a left and right skew, as well as a square nosed one.

The middle chisels are my pride and joy. These are a set of Japanese chisels I got from a friend. They belonged to his dad, a respected architect in Osaka, Japan, and my buddy was keeping them in an old coffee can in his garage. I have them honed razor sharp, and use them for light chopping and some paring work.

The last two chisels were given to me as a birthday gift. They are a pair of right and left skew chisels from Lee Valley. For those really odd jobs, they work out well. I’m sure I’ll end up using them more and more as I continue to build.

Keller 1500 Journeyman Dovetail Jig

Whether fair or not, dovetail joints are widely considered the mark of true craftsmanship when it comes to woodworking. While some find hand cutting dovetails with a saw and a sharp set of chisels a rewarding experience, others want to cut the joint with a minimum of fuss and a great deal faster.

Back in the 1970′s, David Keller perfected the through dovetail jig that bears his name – the Keller Dovetail Jig. Since those early days, a number of other manufacturers have introduced their jigs and other dovetailing systems. Some are relatively simple, while others have a rather steep learning curve.

When I went to Woodcraft a few years ago to buy a dovetail jig, the Keller Journeyman 1500 came highly recommended. An excellent balance of price, ease of use and flexibility, this jig has proven itself time and again in my shop.

The kit comes with special bearing guided bits (1/4″ shank) that work with the jig, the jig fixture itself and a clearly-written instruction manual. You have to secure the jig to a backer block made of wood or a stack of sheet goods that fit a particular measurement. To adjust the tightness of the joint’s fit, you adjust the jig forward or backwards on this backer block.

Since I had never used a dovetail jig before, it took some time to carefully go through the measurements, but it was worth it. The results were very good the first time out.

Variably spaced dovetails can be made easily by cutting the necessary tail slots in the pin board, and then cutting all of the pin slots on the tail board, then removing the unnecessary ones with a sharp chisel.

The one caveat with this jig – as with many others – is you have to carefully mark where the joints will align. This is a very important skill to master whether you cut the joints by hand or by machine. A striking knife – even a cheap Xacto knife from an office supply store – will work well.

Also, this jig only allows you to cut through dovetails. To make drawers which appear to have a half-blind dovetail, you can glue a thin piece of material to the drawer’s front. A simple and elegant solution that will allow you to stretch your showy wood supply.

An important tip – when you arrange the jig and the wood in your vise, be sure to put the backer block between you and the wood – this ensures the router cuts into the wood from the side opposite you, throwing the wood chips away from you while you are cutting.

While there are other jigs out there, I can see myself coming back to this jig time and time again. It’s really that easy. And, judging from what I saw on the Keller website, there are even more applications that can be mastered.