Questions & Answers

Oils on Cedar

Q: I read that the oils in cedar will break down both water- and oil- based finishes. Is this true?

Michael Dresdner: Nope, it is not. However, what is true is that some cedars, notably Eastern red or aromatic cedar, contain an antioxidant that can prevent oil-based finishes from curing on them. This is not the case with Western red or yellow cedars, or with so-called Spanish cedar, which is not a true cedar. Those take any finish with impunity. In any case, no cedar will bother either waterbased or solvent-based finishes, only oil-based.

Twin Tenon

Q: At what width would you suggest a twin tenon becomes advisable?

Andy Rae: Twin (or multiple) tenons aid wood movement in that they localize the amount of movement in a rail, reducing stress to the joint. A good rule of thumb is that any piece of wood over four inches wide (in just about any species and cut of wood, such as quarter sawn, rift, or plain sawn) will have sufficient movement across the grain to affect joint integrity in a cross-grain construction, such as in a mortise-and-tenon joint. Therefore, a four-inch wide tenon on a five-inch wide rail or apron is fine because wood movement is minimal. But in rails six inches or wider, it's best to divide the tenons and house them in separate mortises.

Richard Jones: I think you mean a forked tenon, as you might see in the middle rail of an architectural frame and panel door. I consider forking the tenon where the rail is five inches wide or wider.

Drill Press Vibration

Q: I tried brute force and cleaning the taper with paint thinner, but the chuck falls off my new drill press with any vibration. What can I do?

Carol Reed: Clean the socket of the chuck as well, and clean off the paint thinner with lacquer thinner. Chill the chuck overnight in the refrigerator, then reinstall.

Priming OSB

Q: What can I use to prime OSB so I can paint it without loosening the outer flakes?

Michael Dresdner: Any primer will work. While waterbased ones might swell the outer pieces, they will not loosen them. For interior applications, I prefer Zinsser BIN, which is shellac-based.

Determining Fastener Length

Q: Is there a rule of thumb for determining how long a fastener needs to be for the joint of a project?

Carol Reed: For nails and screws, half to two-thirds the length of the fastener holds the board that is fastened. Example: a three-quarter-inch thick board is fastened with a one-and-a-half-inch fastener.

Staining Bookmatched Oak Veneer Panels

Q: When I stain bookmatched oak veneer panels, every other panel comes out darker. Why, and what can I do about it?

Carol Reed: It is a matter of light reflection and where you are standing. Move, and the panels could appear to have changed places.

Old Craftsman Power Tools

Q: I resurrected some old Craftsman power tools that belonged to my wife's father and need parts for them that Sears no longer carries. Do you happen to know if they are still available?

Joanna Takes: Check the options under "Sources for Manuals and Parts" under the Craftsman link (to the side of the page) at the Old Woodworking
Machinery web site: www.owwm.com

Fixing Bolivian Cherry Flooring

Q: I installed pre-finished Bolivian cherry flooring. This finish is fairly soft, so scratches and dings have appeared. How can I fix these spots?

Michael Dresdner: Varathane sells something called a Renewal Kit designed to apply a much harder than usual clear waterbased finish over an already finished floor without having to sand.

Using Through Bolts

Q: I have seen large tabletops with through bolts across the width. Can this procedure withhold the wood from normal expansion and contraction, and is this an acceptable practice?

Andy Rae: Nothing stops wood movement. Although bolts can limit the amount of expansion, the wood still moves and ends up compressing itself against the heads or nuts of the unmoving bolts. When the wood inevitably shrinks, the bolts will need tightening due to the compressed wood fibers that don't spring back. Adding bolts through wide panels is suitable for work that will experience a lot of stress (think bowling alleys), but pointless in tabletops and other furniture-type panels where a well-prepared edge-to-edge glue joint does just fine, thank you very much.

Kevin Hancock: The wood is still going to move, just with more resistance.  Over time, you may see compression ridges in the surface.

Richard Jones: The wood will still want to expand and contract in service. In my experience, this is used primarily as a clamping-up technique. Once the glue is dried, the nuts can be removed, or at least loosened to allow for movement across the grain. Leaving them tight can lead to localised crushing of the fibres.

How to Repair Chipped Enamel on a Hoosier Cabinet?

Q: Is there a way to repair chipped enamel on a Hoosier cabinet?

Michael Dresdner: Most home stores sell porcelain chip repair kits for fixing sinks and bathtubs, and they will work on that enamel. The problem will be finding one in the right color.

Remove Sweat Drops

Q: In spite of having waxed them when new, I got marks from sweat drops on some of my tool tables. Is there a way to remove them without harming the tables?

Andy Rae: I consider marks on my cast-iron tool tables well-earned woodworking rites of passage. Really old tool surfaces have wonderful dark patinas that only hard work — and sweat, and wet woods, and spilled glues and finishes, and stray coffee cups — can produce. Revel in them. But wax your tool surfaces regularly to keep 'em smooth.

Router Bit Extensions

Q: Is there such a thing as an extension for router bits?

Michael Dresdner: Funny you should ask that. In our last issue, number 177, we introduced our readers to Infinity Tool Co. and as it turns out, they sell a router collet extension.

Spontaneous Combustion

Q: Are you safe from spontaneous combustion if you dry oily rags by laying them out flat or hanging one at time on the edge of a garbage can?

Andy Rae: As long as you don't bundle or otherwise enclose the rag —where heat generated by the drying finish can accumulate to ignition levels — you, your rags and your shop should be fine.

Removing Iron and Water Stains

Q: Is there a way of removing water and iron stains from wood apart from sanding?

Kevin Hancock: A wash with oxalic will remove the black stains.  Mix one tablespoon with one cup of warm water and apply it to the entire surface of the raw, sanded wood.

Sag created by the weight of a router

Q: Is sag created by the weight of a router in an MDF table really a problem?

Carol Reed: Absolutely! The tabletop is a reference against which you place your workpiece in relationship with the cutter. If it is not dead-flat, it will affect the cut you are making.

Shop Humidity

Q: What is the ideal humidity for a shop?
 
Michael Dresdner: Anywhere from 40 percent to 60 percent would be considered within acceptable range by most factories which control their interior humidity, though one guitar company I know of monitors theirs to stay within plus or minus two points off ideal. Ideally, the humidity in your shop should reflect the typical humidity where the pieces you make will finally reside. For most of the U.S., that would mean about 50 percent relative humidity, which is more or less an ideal median humidity for a home.

Pin Router

Q: What is a pin router best used for?

Carol Reed: Making multiples of shapes or patterns.

Richard Jones: Generally for heavy-duty routing of all sorts, including straight-line and curved molding operations. The pin really earns its stripes when used for pattern cutting jobs using a template.

Allergies to Oil-Based Products

Q: I have allergies to oil-based products. Can you recommend a non-oil-based finish appropriate for new maple stairs and railings?

Kevin Hancock: There are many good quality waterbased floor finishes on the market. Choose one.

What Is A Riving Knife?

Q: What is a riving knife, and how is "riving" pronounced?

Carol Reed: Pronunciation: rye-ving.  It is a thin tapered splitter immediately behind the saw blade on a table saw, often curving with the blade.

Richard Jones: It's pronounced as you would say arriving at a destination. It's a European style splitter seen in North America mostly on imported table saws. It's usually a dagger-like plate of steel mounted on an arm that rises and falls with the saw blade where the dagger's inside curve closely follows the circumference of the saw blade. The thickness of the riving knife is slightly less than the saw kerf, and slightly thicker than the saw-blade plate. Its purpose is to reduce the chance of kickback.

Michael Dresdner: Here's an easy way to remember it. Rive or riving rhymes with drive or driving while the past tense riven, which is what wood is after it is split, rhymes with driven.

Lineal feet

Q: Is it "lineal feet" or "linear" feet?

Michael Dresdner: Either. I checked four dictionaries, and all of them had either "linear" or "arranged in a line" as one of the possible definitions of lineal.

John Brock: To me, "linear" refers to measurements, while  "lineal" usually refers to heredity.

Replacing Router Bit Ball Bearing

Q: Is there a jig for pulling and replacing a ball bearing on a router bit?

Carol Reed: You should not need a puller for these bearings. If they are stuck, lightly rap them with a piece of tapered wood between the cutter and the bearing. Clean everything carefully before installing new ones.

Modern Strippers

Q: Years ago, we always stripped paint outdoors because of the noxious and dangerous fumes. Do "modern" strippers still work in cold weather?

Michael Dresdner: Yes, the solvent-based ones do, though I would avoid waterbased ones if the temperature is much below freezing. There is a bit of a Catch-22, though. The solvents evaporate more slowly in cold weather, which is a plus, but they also work more slowly.

Accurate Jigs

Q: Has anyone ever designed an accurate jig for sliding dovetail joints?

Carol Reed: Yes. I did.  See the book Router Joinery Workshop (Lark Books) by yours truly.



Andy Rae: There are doubtless scores of woodworkers who've solved this problem with cleverly designed, shop-built devices that accurately cut this joint. You'll find one such example on page 65 of my book, The Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture & Cabinet Construction (Taunton Press), where I describe a simple, shop-made plywood jig with tapered fences that lets you create tapered sliding dovetail sockets using a handheld router equipped with a dovetail bit. The same page shows how to cut the mating tapered dovetail pin on the router table using the same bit and two slips of veneer taped to the workpiece. If  you want to make a straight sliding dovetail, you can use the same jig but without the taper, and the same router table setup without the veneer.

Figure Eight Fasteners

Q: Where can I find figure eight fasteners? No one in this town even knows what they are.

Michael Dresdner: You mean these? You can find them at Rockler.

Alleviate Sticky Shellac

Q: After a few days of drying, my shellac still has a tacky feel to it. What causes shellac to remain sticky and is there something I can do to alleviate this problem?

Greg Williams:  Premixed shellac has a definite shelf life, in most cases. Evidence of old shellac is its refusal to dry properly. Remove the old shellac and reapply, using fresh product. There is a shellac by the name of Zinsser SealCoat which has quite a long shelf life, and is readily available.

Kevin Hancock: Wash it off with denatured alcohol and start over with fresh shellac. Shellac breaks down over time by a process called esterification during which the shellac resin converts to shellac esters. The more esters in the mix, the slower it dries and the softer the final finish.

Cleaning up Squeeze-out

Q: When gluing joints, what is the best way to clean up the squeeze-out: wipe with a wet cloth, scrape when dry or something else?

Andy Rae: It depends. Waiting to scrape the glue while it's in a semi-soft state, or when the core of the glue line or puddle is rubbery and not wet, will give good results, as the glue peels from the wood without tearing fibers or leaving residue. It's a timing game that typically takes about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the glue and your shop's climate. However, if you wait too long, parts of your project will likely come off along with the glue. I'm easily distracted in the shop so I prefer to wipe as I go. To avoid smearing the glue around, which leaves a residue that will show up under the finish, I use a damp cloth that I continually re-fold to expose a clean face for each wipe. Resist the temptation to wash the area with a wet rag, as it will soak the wood, weakening the joinery and unduly raising the fibers which will need subsequent sanding. One tip for complex glue-ups: As soon as the clamps are on, go over all the areas of squeeze-out with a quick swipe to dampen the glue, which keeps it from skimming over. This approach buys you more time to deal with each area more thoroughly.

Kevin Hancock: I am a fan of wiping it off with a wet cloth.

Richard Jones: I use all of those methods. Also consider pre-finishing. Glue comes off a finished surface quite easily.

Conditioning Pine?

Q: Should I put wood conditioner on pine molding prior to staining?

Greg Williams:  It depends on the look you want and the type of stain you are using. Wood conditioner will lessen the tendency of the stain to be blotchy, and will give a more even color over the various absorbencies of the wood. On the other hand, the visual differences between the various absorbencies of the pine is one of the beautiful identifying characteristics of pine.

Best Fireplace Finish

Q: What is the best finish for a fireplace?

Michael Dresdner: Without question, it is oil-based polyurethane, which is not only durable and easy to clean, it has the best heat resistance of any common finish.

Rounded Depression on Stock: aka 'Snipe'

Q: What causes a rounded depression near the end of my planed stock?

Tim Inman: This is called "snipe" or "sniping," and it is caused by the tail end of the board being able to "jump" up into the cutterhead after it leaves the infeed rollers on its way out through the cutters and outfeed rollers. Correct it by adjusting the infeed and outfeed rollers (sometimes there is a pressure bar, too), or by just being there to make sure the tail end of the board is supported and unable to lift into the cutterhead at the end of the pass. Or cut the snipe off and make heat out of it.

Best Season for Felling Trees

Q: I want to cut down three cherry trees for wood. Does it matter in what season I fell them?

Andy Rae: Dead of winter, or when the sap is down, is your best bet.

Richard Jones: In temperate climates, during the winter is traditional when followed by air drying. The sap is down and subsequent drying after planking up the trunk is slower than in the summer because temperatures are lower, even though relative humidity also tends to be lower. This helps reduce end checking and surface checking during the initial drying phase.

Toning Down Orange Stain

Q: How can I tone down wood that came out too orange after staining?

Greg Williams:  You can tone or shade using a transparent aerosol toner with a blue or green cast to it, to neutralize the orange. If the stain has no coating on it, you could do a similar adjustment with a compatible stain, preferably a dye, over the existing stain, using a complementary color to neutralize the orange.

Kevin Hancock: A light shade of green should help "kill" the orange.  Mix your green colorant into some thinned clear finish and test a coat of it on a clear plastic.  I use photo album pages for my test coat, peel back the tinted clear sheet and place it on the wood to see the effect.  If it looks good, apply it to the piece in thin coats.  Once the color is nailed, be sure to apply a couple of clear topcoats.

Shelf Life

Q: Is there a shelf life on water soluble aniline dye once it's been mixed?

Greg Williams:  If it is kept in the dark, it will remain useable for quite some time. If stored in a glass jar with a metal top, it may corrode the top and contaminate the dye. Exposure of any of the dyes to strong sunlight will fade them.

Michael Dresdner: Another problem to be watchful for is mold or bacteria. While some dyes suppress mold growth, others do not, and that can alter both the color and smell.

Crown Molding

Q: How do I shape crown molding to fit a ceiling that is not straight?

Andy Rae: No ceiling is perfectly flat. When the ceiling gets really lumpy or bumpy, I use a short block plane to trim the top edge of the molding until it fits a bit closer. However, don't expect miracles here. Gaps three-sixteenths of an inch wide or more are not uncommon with well-executed crown molding. Your best friend is caulk, which comes in paintable varieties if you're going to paint, and in tans, browns and blacks if you're not. Once you've nailed the crown in place, dispense an even bead of caulk into your gaps with a caulk gun, and then wipe it smooth and even with the tip of your finger. Keep a rag moistened with the caulk's solvent on hand, to help smooth the joint and to keep your finger clean for each wipe.

Kevin Hancock: Hold the piece of crown parallel to the ceiling and use a duck bill scribe to draw a line parallel to the contour of the ceiling, then cut to the line.

Drill Press Speeds

Q: None of the drill press speed charts have a listing for the mortising bits for a drill press mortising attachment. What should that be?

Michael Dresdner: Mortising bits are standard sized bits, and the speed setting should be the same as for any wood cutting bit that size. The four most common sizes are quarter, five-sixteenths, three-eighths, and half inch.

Oil and Water

Q: What are the primary differences between oil-based and waterbased polyurethane?

Greg Williams:  Enough difference to consider them very different finishes. The oil types are more like traditional varnish. They darken over time, dry much more slowly, require attention to recoat intervals, and have much more objectionable odors. Both the coating and the cleanup solvents may be flammable. The waterbornes typically (there are many differences between brands and types) are fast drying, with low odor, are nonflammable and more quickly recoatable.

Michael Dresdner: To take it a step further, most waterbased polyurethanes go on clear and stay clear indefinitely, while oil-based ones go on amber and continue to darken over time. As for durability, oil-based polyurethane is typically more chemical resistant and more heat resistant than waterbased.

Temps for Fuming Oak

Q: Are there any temperature restrictions when fuming oak?

Michael Dresdner: Varying the temperature when fuming changes both the rate at which the color change occurs and the resulting color. Warmer temperatures tend to yield warmer browns, while colder ones result in greener tones. While there are no absolute limits on temperature, I feel the best results, both in terms of time and color, come at around 80 degrees F.

Quarter- to Half-Inch Adapter Collets?

Q: All my routers have quarter inch collets. Are there quarter-inch to half-inch adapters available that would let me use a half-inch set of cabinet door bits?

Kevin Hancock: No. You need a half-inch collet router for the task. Fortunately, most come with adapters for quarter-inch bits.

Richard Jones: I've never come across one. The bit would end up sticking too far out from the router for safe operation. On the other hand, a 1/4" adapter for a 1/2" collet is normal equipment.

Best Curved Stile to Rail Joinery

Q: What joinery is best for fitting the door stiles to the rails for a curved china door cabinet?

Andy Rae: A bridle joint, which is an open mortise-and-tenon joint, is probably your best bang for the buck. It's plenty strong for heavy glass doors, and it's easy to cut the open mortise in the stile on the table saw using a tenoning jig.

Kevin Hancock: Mortise and tenon.

Richard Jones: Mortised stile and tenoned rail is probably the most common in traditional work. You could also use slip tenons or dowels, and modern commercial cabinet doors are made with matched door rail and stile cutter sets.

Difference Between Wipe-On and Brush Poly

Q: What is the difference between wipe-on polyurethane and the brush-on? Can the brush-on also be wiped on?

Greg Williams: Wipe-on finishes are designed to be wiped on thin and without concern for flow, since the excess is usually wiped off. If they are wiped on thickly, or brushed on, they will show streaks and ridges. Brush-on varnishes remain wet and liquid long enough to flow out more smoothly, and thus don't show brush marks as badly.

Michael Dresdner: To sum up, most brush-on oil-based finishes can be wiped on and wiped off, but most wipe-on finishes cannot be successfully brushed on.

Angle for Chair Leg Holes

Q: How does one find the angle to drill holes into a chair seat for legs or back slats?

Tim Inman: I'm sure you could make a jig or find a fancy tool for this, but I use one of nature's finest instruments: my eye. It is amazing what you can do with a good "line-of-sight" when drilling in legs and stretchers on chairs. Mark the height on the legs and the correct spots on the seats, and then just use your trained eye. You'll amaze yourself after a little practice.

Storage Shed Floor Sealer

Q: What would be a good sealer for a particleboard floor in a storage shed?

Greg Williams: Floor paint.

What Is Spanish Cedar?

Q: If Spanish Cedar is not a true cedar, what is it?

Richard Jones: Cedrela fissilis and cedrela odorata, the two woods commonly sold as Spanish cedar, are members of the meliaceae or mahogany family.

Embedding Items in a Finish

Q: Bar tables sometimes have a finish thick enough that pictures and other items are completely embedded in it. How is that done?

Michael Dresdner: It's a poured epoxy or polyester finish. It's sold in two-bottle kits. You mix the two parts, then pour it onto the surface you want to coat. It is self-leveling and cures chemically as opposed to air curing. Hence, it is able to completely cure even in very thick applications. You'll find these two-pack kits, usually called "decoupage kits," at most craft stores.

Repairing Scorch Mark

Q: A hot pan scorched our butcher block table top. How do I go about repairing this?

Kevin Hancock: Clean the pan with soap and water, and belt sand the butcher block top.

Richard Jones: Scrape down to bare wood and refinish.

Michael Dresdner: The two different answers reflect the two possible interpretations of your question. If only the finish is scorched, simply strip and refinish. If the wood itself is scorched, you will have to remove the scorched wood back to clean wood, and belt sanding is as quick a way as any to do that. If the piece is veneer and the veneer itself is scorched, you will probably have to re-veneer the piece.

Normal Runout on Lathe Chuck?

Q: My new lathe chuck is out of concentricity by about .031". Is this normal runout, or should I have the chuck replaced? What is normal runout?

Tim Inman: The more you pay, the less runout you should have. On a wood lathe, unless you intend to mount and remount the same piece several times, the concentricity really isn't very important. This is because the wood will be absolutely concentric once you've turned it true in the lathe. Wobble would concern me much more than simple eccentricity. I'll tolerate some eccentricity (runout), but I won't tolerate any wobble.

Poly Turning White Paint Yellow

Q: When I put clear polyurethane over white paint, it turned yellow as it was being put on. What can I do?

John Brock: Choose a waterbased polyurethane instead. Any waterbased polyurethane will go on clear and will not yellow over time. Oil-based finishes start yellow and get more amber as they age.

Michael Dresdner: That's good advice for the future. For now, all you can do is remove the finish and start over, or simply paint over the polyurethane with primer and white paint. For what it is worth, there is rarely any reason to go over paint with clear polyurethane as there are plenty of white paints that are adequately durable on their own.

Smooth Grain Finish on Oak

How would I fill in the grain on an oak table to get a smooth finish?

Greg Williams: The best way is to use grain filler, sometimes called paste wood filler. Generally, filling with the coating itself or with a sealer involves much more work, produces a less durable finish, and may cause the pores to have a cloudy look. Most woodworking stores sell grain fillers, either solvent or waterbased, and many sell both.

Is Stripping a Good Idea?

Q: Is it better to sand the finish off an oak table or strip it chemically?

Greg Williams: If you have the facility to strip it chemically, you can save a lot of work. If you do not have a place to safely and conveniently use a stripper, including collecting and disposing of used stripper, washing off the piece, and cleaning up the mess, sanding may be your best choice.

Tim Inman: I'd use a chemical stripper most times. Sanding will take off a lot of wood, change the dimensions, and tear away any natural patination or coloring that has developed over the years. Also, by chemically stripping, you can control the process and remove only as much as you want. If the piece had a lot of surface mechanical damage like cuts, burn marks or gouges, then sanding might be a better choice. It all depends.

Freezing Waterbased Glue

Q: Is water based glue useable after it freezes?

Richard Jones: Generally no. Glue is so cheap really, it's safer to buy new rather than risk failure due to freezing of your old glue.

Michael Dresdner: Most waterbased glues are emulsions in which the solids are dispersed and suspended in water. Freezing causes the solids to drop out of suspension and coagulate into a solid, unusable mass. The exception is hide glue which can be frozen and thawed and will still work just fine.

Plywood and High Humidity

Q: Does plywood work in a high humidity environment, such as a bathroom?

Kevin Hancock: Exterior plywood does.

Applying Oxalic Acid

Q: How do you apply oxalic acid, how long do you let it sit on the wood, and do you wipe it off or wash it off?

Michael Dresdner: Flood it on liberally and let it stay on the wood until it dries, which is usually overnight. In the morning, wipe off the accumulated white residue with a damp cloth.

Sharpening Mortise Chisels

Q: How does one sharpen the four-sided chisels used with the mortising machines? The bevel is on the inside.

Richard Jones: Use a mortise chisel sharpener. It's a reamer with a pilot that slips up the inside of the tube— they look like countersinks for metal with a range of rod-like interchangeable ends to suit different chisel sizes. The auger is touched up with a triangular needle file or saw file.

Stair Making

Q: Are there jigs or instructions out there to make it simple to construct a standard set of stairs?

Kevin Hancock: I'd suggest you start with a framing square and a good book on carpentry. In the meantime, take a look at this web site for notes on simple stair making.

Pizza Peel

Q: What's the best wood to use for a pizza peel?

Michael Dresdner: Alder is certainly one of the more common woods used, probably because it is cheap, stable, strong and light. However, many woods will work, and I suspect "best" has more to do with what woods are stable and plentiful in your area.

Polyurethane and the earth

Q: Is polyurethane earth-friendly?

Figaro Subrosa: Perhaps "friendly" is too strong a word, but the earth did accept polyurethane's "friend request" on Facebook. Joking aside, once it is dry, polyurethane is inert and therefore landfill safe. However, in its liquid form, it may contain both solvents that should not get into the water table and solvents that can be ozone generators. Looked at it that way, the answer would have to be no, but to put it in perspective, most hobby woodworkers do more damage to the environment driving their car for one month than they do with all the finishing materials they use in a lifetime.

Cut of Shellac

Q: What is meant by a 1.5 pound cut of shellac?

Greg Williams: The cut of the shellac indicates the amount of dry shellac, in pounds, dissolved in a gallon of solvent. A 1.5 pound cut is a good choice for a size or sealer coat of shellac.

Kevin Hancock: That indicates 1.5 pounds of shellac flakes were mixed into one gallon of alcohol.

Michael Dresdner: What is curious is that if you mix a pound and a half of shellac flakes into one gallon of alcohol, you end up with much more than a gallon of product. Hence, a one gallon can of 1.5 pound cut shellac actually contains less than 1.5 pounds of shellac flakes.

Glue for Bamboo

Q: Since bamboo is not a true wood fiber, but a grass, what is the best glue to use with bamboo?

Tim Inman: Grass or wood, it's all cellulosic fiber. Any glue that will repair wood will also bond bamboo.

Richard Jones: As far as my experience goes, all the common wood glues work fine.

Use for Willow

Q: What is willow good for, if anything?

Richard Jones: Cricket bats are traditionally made of willow. Salicin from the bark has medicinal uses, easing aches, pains and fever going back millennia.

Michael Dresdner: Willow is the wood of choice for the locking blocks and wedges used when applying horsehair to a violin bow. It also shows up in boxes, basket bottoms, and both as solid wood and decorative veneer on furniture.

Dent Removal

Q: Is it possible to remove dents or depressions in wood after it is varnished without ruining the finish?

Greg Williams: You can use a number of touchup products to fill the dents or depressions, such as burn-in sticks (available in many colors as well as water clear and other transparent sticks), or you can "drop fill" with the coating material itself, sanding it smooth after it is thoroughly dry. Developing some skill at burn-in is advised before trying it on something you value.

Changing Drill Press Chuck

Q: I need to change the chuck on my drill press. How do I get the old one off?

Tim Inman: Most drill press chucks are mounted via a Morse taper shaft. If so, there will be a slot in the column where you can insert a tapered drift key punch. One good swat on the drift key, and the chuck will drop out suddenly.

John Brock: It will either have a slot in the side of the quill for a drift, or may have a hollow quill you can run a small rod down to break it free.

Thickness Range for Inlays

Q: I normally cut pockets and matching inlays with my router, and have used material from 1/4-inch thick down to veneer. Is there some thickness range I should be working with to get consistent results, or is it a matter of personal preference?

Carol Reed: For decorative purposes, your personal preference is just fine.

Best Exterior Finish for Eastern Red Cedar

Q: What is the best finish to use to protect the wood and maintain the natural red color of Eastern red cedar on an exterior application?

Michael Dresdner: Eastern red cedar contains an antioxidant that can prevent oil-based finish from curing, so for that wood, I'd choose a waterbased exterior coating that contains UV blockers or absorbers. Which one specifically depends not on the wood, but rather the type of piece and what it will be used for. For example, I'd use exterior waterbased polyurethane for a patio table, but I'd use waterbased deck coating for a fence. By the way, the UV absorbers will slow the rate of color change caused by sun exposure, but will not stop it.

WD40 as Brad Nailer Oil

Q: Will WD40 work as oil for my brad nailer?

Tim Inman: Sure, but if you're a finisher, you'll hate the cabinetmaker who shot WD-40 on your wood. Think fisheyes.

Stacked Dado Advantage

What's the advantage of a stacked dado over a wobble washer?

Tim Inman: Flat bottoms in the dado grooves would be the advantage of a stack set dado head. Wobblers cut on an arc and leave the bottom of the dado curved slightly.

John Brock: A wobble dado leaves a curved bottom to the dado. The wider the dado, the more pronounced the curve. I've used both, and I prefer the stacked version together with a set of shims for fine adjustments. Some of this preference is because the cheek blades of the stacked set leave a cleaner edge than the wobble set, but both are useable.

Finding Info on Pear Wood Characteristics

Where can I find information on the movement characteristics and durability of pear wood?

Richard Jones: William A Lincoln's book World Woods in Color—ISBN, 0854420282, states that the heartwood of pear, Pyrus communis is nondurable and that there is small movement in service. This is a useful book worth buying, but you need to make study of and understand his terms of reference for his "Movement in Service" numbers.

When to Use Variable Speeds

I'm not really clear on just when to use the various speeds on my variable speed sander.

Michael Dresdner: I'm with you on this one. When a sander slows down it is more likely to leave pig tails, those little squiggly scratches indicating that either your sander is running too slowly or you are moving it across the wood too quickly. While the theory is that slowing the sander gives you more control and makes for less aggressive wood removal, in practice it makes a lot more sense to leave the speed up and use finer paper. To be perfectly honest, the only time I have run my sanders below top speed is when I was making "what not to do" samples to be photographed for an article on sanding errors.

Rob Johnstone: Sanding speed is really more of a metaphor than an actuality. I mean, really, when has sanding ever gone fast enough for you?

Carol Reed: I found the feature to be more useful when sanding non-wood products, like aluminum.

Plywood Odor

I got some plywood made in China and it has a terrible chemical odor. Is it a health hazard?

Tim Inman: Unless the wood is elm or willow, I'd avoid it.

Clearance Between Joint Surfaces

How much clearance should there be between the mating surfaces of a joint? Is .002" enough? Is .010" too much?

Tim Inman: Mating is the operative term. If you can see light through the edge of the joint, there is too much clearance.

John Brock: It's more of a feel thing for me. I want the joint to be a clean, firm fit, with no wiggle or slop before glue-up. Remember, the glue is only there to hold the joint together. The strength comes from the mechanical fitting of the joint, and with most species you can count on a little compression in the wood to help out. On a mortise and tenon joint, I want to have to press the tenon into the mortise with a little pressure. If it falls in, it's too loose. If I need a hammer to test a joint, it's too tight.

Richard Jones: I've never tried to take such a precise approach. I aim for no more than firm hand pressure to assemble cut joints. Waterbased glues will swell the mating parts at glue-up time, thus the joint will be harder to push together, requiring cramps. If the tenon simply drops into the mortise, it's too loose. (Editor's note: "Cramps" is not a typo. In England, where Richard lives, "cramps" is the word for what we call "clamps.")

Finding 10-Inch Blades

I am having a hard time finding 10-inch table saw blades at the home improvement stores. Several suggested I buy a smaller size, such as a seven and a half inch, though I am not sure this is safe.

John Brock: It's safe provided the arbor hole is the right size, but you will have limited your depth of cut by one and a quarter inches. The tip speed will also be slower due to the smaller diameter.

Tim Inman: Change stores immediately. A 10-inch blade is the most common table saw blade there is.

Michael Dresdner: While it is true that a 10-inch blade is the most common table saw blade, many home stores cater to those using handheld circular saws, and those typically take smaller blades. If you shop for blades either online or at a woodworking store instead of a home store, I think you will find a very different situation. In any case, do make the effort to get 10-inch blades.

Getting Dried Glue Off Metal

What's the best way to get the dried glue off the metal teeth or gears of clamps?

John Brock: I use a sharp pointed tool like a hunting knife to pop them off. If I've made a big mess of it, I may use a brass wire wheel on a bench grinder.

Scroll Saw Blade Adapter

I have a scroll saw which uses pin hook type blades. Where can I find an adapter to use plain blades?

Michael Dresdner: Here's one company that makes an adapter kit, but I suspect others do as well.  http://www.olsonsaw.com/ck.html

Carol Reed: Check your scroll saw manufacturer for optional blade holders. I would think you would have to change the entire holder as opposed to adding an adapter.

Making Grids a Workable Size

Do you have any simple tricks for taking the grids on a plan and transferring them to workable size?

Tim Inman: Use a photocopier to make a copy of the plans. Enlarge the printed plans or reduce them as needed to the size you want. In addition to a "right-sized" copy or print, if you use a laser toner type copier, you also have an "iron-on" transfer. Simply lay the photocopy upside down on the wood, and press it with a hot iron. You'll get a direct transfer onto the board. I use an old dry iron set on "permanent press," and it works fine for me.

John Brock: In the past, I've used a flat bed scanner and a large format printer
(plotter). I have access to one at work, but your local Kinko's or a local reprographics shop can do a print for a reasonable price.

Oxalic Acid: What's It For?

What is oxalic acid used for?

Michael Dresdner: There are two common uses for oxalic acid. The first is to reverse the graying that happens to unfinished wood. Frequently, it is used to restore the original color to gray oxidized fences and decking. The other is to remove a particular type of blue-black stain caused when woods high in tannin come in contact with both iron and moisture. For that, you must first remove the iron that caused the problem. In both cases, flooding on a 10 percent solution of oxalic acid will reverse the problem and restore the original color of the wood. Let it dry overnight and wipe off the remaining white residue with a damp cloth. Once in solution it is fairly benign, but the concentrated crystalline powder, one form in which it is sold, is considered a toxic irritant to mucus membranes. It is, as its name implies, an acid. Keep it out of your eyes, nose and mouth with the appropriate dust mask and eye protection, wear gloves, and wash your hands after you are done working with it. 

What's a Good Moisture Content?

What is a good moisture content for working wood? What I have is currently at 14 percent

Andy Rae: Wood for furniture making should be in the region of 6 to 8 percent moisture content, depending on the area you live and your local humidity conditions. Your wood is too wet. It is typical of much of the lumber that carpenters use to build homes, which is fine for houses, but sucks for furniture. If your shop is dry, bring the stuff indoors and let it sit a couple of weeks to acclimate to the shop's humidity levels. If you can, stack and sticker the pile so air can circulate around it, and place some weight on top. This will promote even drying with less chance of warping.

Tim Inman: The "right" moisture is when the wood is at "equilibrium'" with the moisture in the air around it. When the wood is balanced with the air, it is the most dimensionally stable it will ever be. Get a chart showing EMC (Equilibrium Moisture Content) along with the average relative humidity in your geographical area. Match the two to know your best percentage number. Understand, it takes time for the wood to come into equilibrium, or balance. Cut a board and measure the EMC at the core as well as at the surface to know if the wood is stable or changing. Once the wood is at equilibrium, your joints will fit and stay that way. Here is a USDA Forest Product handout that might be interesting: http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr113/ch03.pdf

Getting Grease off New Lathe Jaws

I recently purchased a set of jaws for my lathe. What is the best way to remove the protective grease before using them for the first time?

John Brock: I use an old one-inch paintbrush and a little naphtha or mineral spirits in an inverted Frisbee to clean off the packing grease.

Michael Dresdner: I pair naphtha or mineral spirits with a gray nylon abrasive pad or stiff bristle brush, and don a pair of vinyl gloves. The solvent softens the grease quickly, and the pad helps dislodge it. Wipe off the resulting slurry with paper shop towels.

Bubbly

Why do I get air bubbles when I apply varnish?

Herbie Hind: They are caused by undigested complex carbohydrates. Consider a change in diet. And by the way, over on this side of the pond we refer to that as gas. Or did you mean you get bubbles in the varnish itself? Whatever.

Ella Quince: Little air bubble gnomes visit your shop at night and blow each individual bubble into your varnish for you. They are similar to the elves who came to help the shoemaker in the children's story. Consider yourself very lucky to have this kind of mythical assistance in your work shop.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Maybe I look like a neophyte, but I never seem to get any respect at hardware stores or lumberyards. What can I do or say to make the clerks take me seriously?

Click to Enlarge

Rodents vs. Rust

When I uncrated my new table saw, which was made in China, there was a dead mouse inside. Should I be concerned?

Enid Datrooth: Not at all. One of the more innovative improvements overseas manufacturers have discovered is that a dead rodent prevents rust from forming during the long boat trip from Asia. Consider yourself lucky. One Australian manufacturer I know of uses dead wombats.  

Dovetail/M&T Smackdown

Which is stronger, a dovetail joint or a mortise and tenon?

Sarah Fimm: Dovetail.

Cher Rubim: Mortise and tenon.

Fitting Blades to an Arbor

Are there inserts to adapt twelve inch table saw blades, most of which have a one-inch hole, to fit a five-eighths-inch arbor?

Tim Inman: There may be, but don't be pennywise and pound-foolish. Get the right blade for the best results. An out-of-round blade riding on a sloppy insert bushing will be better than an axe, but it will never do fine work.

Cordless Tools, Freezing Temps

Is it true that cordless tools will no longer work if they are left out during below freezing temperatures?

John Brock: Freezing temperatures are generally hard on batteries. Bring your battery powered tools in at night.

Effective Exterior Glue

What is a good, cost-effective exterior glue?

Andy Rae: I've used Titebond® II and Titebond III with good results. Both glues hold up well to wet/dry cycles in the weather and cost pennies on the dollar compared to other exterior adhesives. I prefer Titebond III as it has a higher rating for outdoor use. However, if my life is hanging on the margin, and the project demands the very best, I use a two-part, marine-grade epoxy. A good epoxy lets me sleep better at night.

John Brock: I've used polyurethane and the new Titebond III. I use so little that cost is of very little consideration. I preferred the Titebond III as it did not stain my fingers so much and didn't foam up making another mess to clean up.

Forming a Tenon at End of Apron

How do I form a tenon on the end of a five-foot-long table apron? It won't fit atop my table saw in the tenon jig.

Rob Johnstone: You could use a dado head mounted in your saw and nibble away (yup, that is the real woodworking term) the material at the end of the rail to form a tenon. If your apron is rectangular in shape with squared up edges, then it is really easy to do. Use some scrap lumber to test your cuts and you can remove stock on successive passes, using a miter gauge to control the cuts, until you have a tenon. You may need to pare away on the cheeks with a chisel to fit your tenon to its mortise. If your apron is not going to end up in a rectangular form with squared-up faces, it likely will be in that form at one point in your machining process. Take the time to form your tenons at that time, and then move ahead with the rest of the shaping you have in mind.

John Brock: I cut these on a crosscut sled on a table saw using a stacked dado set. I first make the shoulder cuts as I would on a shorter piece, then nibble the tenon down. I leave a little extra material on the tenon cheeks and pare them with a hand plane or a chisel for a clean press fit in the mortise.
 
Tim Inman: Sometimes we let technology get in our way. On a really long or difficult-to-fit-in-the-jig board, why not go back to the old school and just do it by hand? It is really pretty simple, and quite effective, to use an old-fashioned hand saw to define the shoulder position and depth. Then use a very sharp chisel to pare away the excess. They did it this way for centuries. If you must do it with something you can plug in, set up a handheld router.

Carol Reed: Hog it out with a dado blade and a miter gauge, just like Norm does!

Best Wood for Dropped Ceiling Panels

What type of wood would work best to build T-rails for dropped ceiling panels?

Andy Rae: A dense, close-grained hardwood would be my first choice, since you'll want to mill the rails relatively thin, yet retain strength. Any of the heavy tropicals would work fine, such as rosewood, granadillo, pau amaraillo, makore... the list goes on. But we don't live in the tropics. On the domestic front, hard maple, sycamore, beech, birch, or even somewhat softer cherry would offer sufficient strength, while keeping the carbon footprint to a minimum. Now, instead of using those soulless ceiling panels made from manufactured materials such as homosote, how about using a nice soft, lightweight wood panel? Say, linden, pine, redwood or cedar?

Best Respirators for Different Uses

I'm bewildered by the number of types of respirators at the home center.  What type of respirator should I get for working with MDF, wood, treated lumber and finishing?

Chris Marshall: Any double-strap, NIOSH-approved dust respirator will protect your lungs from wood dust generated by sanding or sawing. But, steer clear of those cheap, single strap "comfort" or "nuisance" masks: they're only intended for filtering out larger dust particles from sweeping or yard work. Finishing is a different can of worms altogether. Here, you're dealing with airborne mists, gases and vapors. Those contaminants are much smaller than wood particles. Wear a canister respirator for spraying finishes or when you are using strong strippers and solvents. The canisters suitable for "multipurpose" use will give you the broadest range of protection — they contain both a pre-filter and charcoal. Read the labels on respirator packaging carefully. Manufacturers are very explicit about what each type of respirator is intended to do.

Explaining Planes

On a jointer, the infeed and outfeed tables are offset, but plane beds are flat. If the plane iron is taking a .002 cut, it seems the back of the plane should be clearing the wood by the same amount, and yet it works even though that is not the case. Can you explain?

Richard Jones: Oddly enough, you'll find that by taking 10 to 15 full strokes off an already straight edge of a plank with something like a No. 5 hand plane, you'll end up with a convex edge. This is because a hand plane is configured as you describe. Every now and then you need to take corrective short strokes or stop shavings out of the middle of that edge to keep it straight.

Where to Use Wiping Varnish

Can wiping varnish be used over oil-based stain, waterbased stain or both?

Michael Dresdner: Both.

Uses for Cottonwood

I have a couple of large cottonwoods that need to come down. What is a good use for the wood?

T. C. Knight: The poplar usually used for interior parts by furniture and cabinetmakers is tulip poplar which is not a true poplar. Cottonwood, which is a true poplar, is normally used for pulp for fine paper production, in plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), and other more rough uses. Cottonwood is a diffuse porous hardwood, which simply means that the annual rings are not very prominent. It is light in weight, moderately weak when bent, moderately soft, and low in ability to resist shock, so don't turn a golf club head out of it.

However, it glues well, does not split easily, paints well and, again, is light in weight. The biggest problem with cottonwood is its propensity to grow in a leaned-over fashion, causing most of the wood to be compression wood or tension wood which causes a whole host of problems like warping, bowing and cupping while drying.

That being said, if you are able to get some good, straight, dry wood from yours, it is useful as interior parts and kitchen utensils such as spoons and cutting boards. If you plan to use it for interior parts, there is no reason to mill any more than one inch stock. However, I would recommend milling five quarter and as wide as possible so that you will have room to mill out cup and bow and still have half and three quarter stock.

Sharpening Curved Cabinet Scrapers

How do you sharpen curved cabinet scrapers?

Tim Inman: Just like you sharpen straight ones, but since the edge is curved, you use a technique called 'draw filing' instead of pushing the file as you would on a straight edge. Pushing or pulling the burnisher over a curved edge is not any different than using it on a straight edge.

Planing with Grain: the Right Direction

When planing a board with the grain, there is clearly a right direction and a wrong direction, but how can I tell by inspection which way to push before I begin?

Click to Enlarge

High Gloss Finish for Turnings

I am looking for a high gloss, inexpensive, fast-drying finish to use on my wood turnings.

Michael Dresdner: Inexpensive is in the eye of the beholder, but the quickest and easiest high gloss finish for lathe work is French polish. That term refers to both a technique of applying shellac using a cloth pad and a type of finish. Probably the easiest way to get there is with Behlen's Woodturner's Finish, a French polish formulated specifically for lathe work. Don't be too concerned about the price; you will find a little goes a very long way. Another good French polish option is to use Zinsser SealCoat right out of the container, which is probably the cheapest way, though it does take a bit more skill. Straight dewaxed shellac, which is what SealCoat is, can grab or curdle in less experienced hands. To prevent that, mix about one part mineral spirits or turpentine to five parts SealCoat to make a more user-friendly French polish. Put it in a plastic squeeze bottle and shake it every time before loading some onto a pad, since it will separate almost immediately.

Different Types of Plywood

What are the differences in the various plywood types with names like CDX, MDF, MDO, OSB and so on? 

Tim Inman: CDX plywood is "C" grade on one side, "D" grade (even worse) on the other side, and it is bonded for "X" exterior use. MDF is: "M" medium "D" density "F" fiberboard, sheet goods made from sawdust and glue. OSB is "O" oriented "S" strand "B" board, an "engineered" forest product made from wood chips and glue.

Carol Reed: CDX is a plywood with a "C" grade surface on one side, a "D" grade surface on the other and is glued with a exterior grade glue. It is generally used for sheathing in the construction industry. MDF is medium density fiberboard. It is quite heavy, doesn't have a lot of structural integrity, but is relatively inexpensive and great for jigs. MDO is medium density overlay. It is used for highway signs as it has a very smooth surface great for painting. OSB is oriented strand board. It is used as sheathing plywood in the construction industry.

Primer Bleed-through

I have a problem with primer. I stir it and brush it on, but it doesn't cover well, so I still get bleed-through after two coats.  What am I doing wrong?

Michael Dresdner: It could be one of two things, and both suggest that you may be using the wrong primer for the job. As a rule, primers will block bleed-through of only those dyes, whether natural or synthetic, that respond to a different solvent than the one in the primer. In other words, watersoluble colorants will bleed through waterbased primers, but not through oil-based or shellac-based ones, and vice versa. To choose a primer wisely, you must know the nature of what you are trying to block. The other possible problem is that you may be using a cheap, inferior primer that does not contain enough pigment to afford adequate hiding of what is below it.

Saw Blade Stalls

I inherited my father's 1958 DeWalt nine inch radial arm saw, but the saw is easily stalled with both 10-inch and seven-inch blades. Any ideas what the problem may be?

Chris Marshall: If your blades are sharp, it sounds like it might be time to have that saw motor evaluated and serviced by an electric motor repair shop. Some component inside the motor must be amiss. Given its vintage, it could be that the windings, contacts or bearings are in need of replacement, and that's why it is losing power. A good motor "monkey" should be able to make things right for your saw again.

Cutting Angle Larger Than Saw

How can I cut a 45 degree angle in a 10-centimeter thickness of wood when my blade only goes up to eight centimeters?

Michael Dresdner: Use a handsaw paired with a miter box, then clean up the surface if needed with a hand plane. You can build a miter box of scrap wood any size you like.

Carol Reed: You will need a bigger saw. This is a fine time to go tool buying, or find a woodworking buddy with a larger saw and borrow it, with the payment of the beverage of choice.

Richard Jones: It's not a job for your table saw, obviously. A band saw, if you have one, is a better alternative. Make a cradle that's at least the length of the band saw table that holds your squared wood with two adjacent faces at 45º to the band saw table. Set the rip fence to cut into the cradle with the blade at the right place and cut a kerf. Clamp the jig to the band saw table and pass your length of wood through the band saw using the cradle. Naturally, if your piece of wood is square sectioned, the kerf in the cradle will intersect the bottom 90º corner.

Bit Sizes vs. Plywood Sizes

I assumed that since there is a special sized bit for a dado for plywood, all nominal plywood must be the same thickness. The plywood I purchased for one job came in three different sizes. Is this unusual, and what's the solution?

Chris Marshall: Hardwood plywood can be as much as three sixty-fourths of an inch thinner than its nominal thickness and still meet industry tolerances. Its thickness is also influenced to some extent by changes in humidity. The way I deal with these variables is to cut my dadoes with a stacked dado set on the table saw whenever possible. I shim the blade to match the thickness of the actual divider or shelf I'm installing, and I make test cuts in scrap to check my setup — a pretty standard approach. When you're using a router and undersized plywood bit, you may have no choice but to reset the guide fence and make another pass in order to widen the dado a hair.

Richard Jones: Generally I find the most satisfactory solution is to avoid the full housing (dado) and go for the tongue and housing. If you're using, let's say, three- quarter-inch plywood, rout a convenient router cutter diameter, say a half-inch groove or housing in the female part, then rout a matching shy half-inch tongue in the male part to suit the groove. If your boards vary in thickness a bit, rout the tongue a hair tight and get it to the final size with a pass or two of a shoulder plane.

Staining Mixed Woods

I built a coffee table of mixed woods, including quartered red oak. How can I stain just the oak to bring out the rays without the stain bleeding into the adjacent woods?

Michael Dresdner: Mask the oak with lacquer tape, a type of masking tape that affords a crisp edge when masking and resists the solvents in finish. Seal everything else with a coat or two of SealCoat™ or dewaxed shellac. That will penetrate the wood and prevent stain from bleeding into it. When the SealCoat is dry, reverse the masking procedure, this time masking off the sealed areas. Stain the oak using pigmented stain with no dye stain. Either liquid or gel stain will work. Remove the masking tape as soon as you have wiped off the excess stain.

Function of 'L' Vises on European Benches

Is there some special function for the "L"-shaped vises sometimes seen on European style benches?

Click to Enlarge

Laying Out Bench Dog Holes

How do you go about choosing the location, layout pattern, and number of bench dog holes to cut when building a workbench?

Carol Reed: The path of holes needs to be in line with the center of the vise and its dog, or in two lines corresponding to two points equidistant on the vise. The distance apart would be a number slightly less than the opening of the vise. That should cover all contingencies.

Michael Dresdner: You could buy a set of plans. These, for instance, will set you back only four dollars. Even if you don't get all the holes you need, comfort yourself with the knowledge that there are round bench dogs out there for the purchasing. That means even long after the bench is built, you can always add extra bench dog holes with nothing but a hand drill.

Richard Jones: Within reason, I can't see that it matters much. My bench has holes spaced 145 mm center to center on both the fixed top and the moving L-shaped vise end. The vise has four holes, and there's more than 300 mm of travel in it. That's more than enough to select an appropriate pair of dog holes to lock a piece in place. I suspect that with that amount of travel I could manage with the dog holes on the main top spaced at twice the distance they are spaced; i.e. 290 mm, plus.

Learning to Read a Caliper

Where do I find instructions to read a caliper?

Carol Reed: For pictorial directions, I shamelessly recommend my book Router Joinery Workshop.

Michael Dresdner: This should help. It's a quick, online lesson in how to read a Vernier caliper. Or, you could do what I did: buy a digital caliper. Not only is a digital vastly easier to use, it also allows you to reset zero anywhere and compensates for older eyes, like mine, that have a hard time seeing those little lines.

Sanding: Removing Scratches from Previous Grits

I cannot seem to remove the sanding scratches on the lathe as I switch to progressively finer grit paper. Any suggestions on making that glass-smooth surface?

Kevin Hancock: Increase the speed of the lathe.

Carol Reed: Hand sand. Sanding on the lathe has the sandpaper always traveling in the same path. Hand sanding allows you to adjust the direction of the paper. Do it with each grit to eliminate the scratches of the previous grit. You don't need to take the piece off the lathe to do this. Just turn off the lathe motor.

Tim Inman: Sand on the lathe as you are doing until you get to the finest grit size you prefer. Then, stop the lathe, go backwards to one grit size coarser than you finished with and sand by hand in the direction of the grain, with the lathe stopped, of course.

Michael Dresdner: It sounds as if you may be jumping too far between grits. If you go up one grit size at a time, you should be able to remove the previous grit marks without much ado. Keep the lathe speed up, use good quality paper, and change the paper if clumps start to form. Use a foam backing behind the paper as well. You'll find that having a bit of give behind the paper translates into fewer obvious scratches. You may also find that sanding with either a random orbit or inertia sander will help hide sanding marks as they will cut in a rotary direction instead of always in the direction the wood is spinning.

Can You Paint Ceramic Tiles?

Is there a way to paint ceramic kitchen floor tiles rather than replace them?

Michael Dresdner: Yes, but bear in mind that the result will be a painted surface, which offers substantially less wear than the vitrified surface of ceramic tiles. Clean and degrease the tiles with mineral spirits or TSP on nylon abrasive pads, sand to de-gloss the surface, and paint. One of the few paints that will adhere to tile, if the surface is roughed, is Universal. Again, I'm happy to tell you how to do this, but I certainly do not recommend it.

Calculating Rail, Panel, Stile Sizes for Different Doors

Has anyone come up with a way to calculate panel, stile and rail sizes easily for various sized doors?

Carol Reed: Most easily is with a computer program designed to do just that. Failing that, copy the design features of the style you like best.

Michael Dresdner: Stile and rail lengths are simple arithmetic, but what can be a challenge is figuring the panel size with any given depth of slot or dado, and picturing what width rails and stiles will look good on any given door size. For that I would suggest The Picture Frame Guide by Jerry Cole. It will help you both visualize and choose stock and setup. Though it is targeted for mitered picture frames, much of the pertinent information is the same. All you will have to do is adjust the stopped rails (or stiles, depending on your door design) by subtracting twice the width of the stock from the length.

Easier Ways to Turn Multiples

Are there ways of using patterns or techniques for turning multiples, like chessmen, that eliminate repeatedly stopping the lathe to take measurements?

John Brock: There is no need to stop the lathe to check a diameter when using inside or outside calipers designed for turners, provided you have a light touch and observe the other obvious safety rules, like not wearing long-sleeved shirts or loose clothing when turning.

Carol Reed: Check into lathe duplicators.

Recommended Finish for Kitchen Table

Can you recommend a finish for a kitchen table I am making? Is polyurethane a bad finish?

Greg Williams:  Polyurethane is a resin used to make a great variety of finishes, both solvent- and waterbased. Their characteristics vary. I assume you are talking about a brush-on, oil-modified polyurethane varnish generally available at woodworking stores, hardware stores and the big box stores. This will probably be a light, honey-colored liquid. The film will darken somewhat over time. If brushed on properly, in a clean environment, it can look pretty good. If brushed on too heavily, while cold, in a dusty environment, it will look like a cheap plastic. Apply several thin coats according to the directions, allow it to dry for a week or so, then cut and rub carefully. Done properly, it can look about as good as a well done lacquer finish from a good manufacturer.

Michael Dresdner: For a kitchen table, I would go with an oil-based finish, and preferably oil-based polyurethane. If you are not comfortable with brushing, either use Wipe-on Poly or buy it in aerosol cans.

Molding Head for Table Saw

Where can I find a molding head for a table saw? I want to make bead board.

Mark Hensley: One such product is Magic Molder.

Regular vs. Tempered Hardboard

How do I tell regular hardboard (Masonite) from tempered hardboard, and what are the differences between the two?

Timothy Knight: Hardboard is a generic term for a panel manufactured from cellulose fibers pressed together under extreme pressure and heat to a density of at least 31 lbs per cubic foot. The natural lignin in the wood fibers acts as the bonding agent. The wet process using steam originated from the original patent of William H. Mason in 1926 and 1928. Most all hardboard today is manufactured using the "Mason" process, although hardboard made by the Masonite Company itself is sold under the trade name "Duron". Tempered hardboard adds an additional step of coating the hardboard with a thin film of linseed oil and baking the board to give more water and impact resistance, hardness, rigidity and tensile strength. Tempered hardboard is used almost exclusively in construction siding. The manufacturer should be able to tell you if their particular hardboard is tempered or not. 

Carol Reed: Visually, tempered hardboard is much darker, due to the oil.

Scrapers: Push or Pull?

How are cabinet scrapers used; are they pushed or pulled?

John Brock: I both push and pull cabinet scrapers. It depends on the grain runout and where I can best reach the workpiece. I think I have more control pulling, but I routinely do both.

Mark Hensley: I use them both ways. However, I get more power when I push.

Richard Jones: I use them both ways. It depends on which is most convenient, but I generally find it easier to push. I find it easier to flex the wide face of the scraper nearest me concave using my thumbs near the center and pulling the short edges towards me with my fingers.

Finishing Wormholes

When finishing, how do I deal with wormholes in wood: leave them open or try to fill them?

Greg Williams: This depends on the look you want. For a distressed look, the worms have made it unnecessary for you to put in the wormholes. If you don't want to see them, you must fill them. Look for a solvent or waterbased filler that, when stained, will look natural on your wood. Test the filler with your finishing schedule on a piece of wood as nearly identical to the item you are working, possibly in a spot on the piece that will not normally be seen, like the underside of a table or chair, to determine how it will look. To completely hide the holes, you may have to apply additional color for touchup or graining.

Laminate Appropriate for Stairs?

Is laminate flooring appropriate for stairs?

Carol Reed: Solve the issue of the nose of the tread with the material of your choice and then I don't see why not, assuming good adhesion with the tread substrate.

Michael Dresdner: There is no hard reason why not, but it certainly would not be my first choice, for three reasons. First, the high traffic on stairs might wear it prematurely; second, it might be too slippery; and third, it is not practical to refinish once it does wear, and in most cases, stair treads tend to wear sooner and are more labor-intensive to replace than flooring.

Replacing Old Broken Belt

How would I go about finding a replacement for the broken belt on my 15-yea- old, Chinese-made lathe? No one around here is familiar with the model.

Carol Reed: Check with beltsforanything.com.

John Brock: Measure the old belt and the sheaves, You can find just about any size belt at most automotive and tool suppliers, but I'd suggest you consider replacing it with a segmented style Power Twist Link Belt. It will give you more power transfer and quieter, more vibration-free operation.

Exterior Paint Recommendation

What kind of paint would you recommend for an exterior carved sign? I want it to protect the wood and not fade.

Greg Williams: House paint, of the best quality.

Michael Dresdner: You’ve got loads of options, including the combination of any good exterior primer and any good exterior paint, such as acrylic exterior trim paint. One of the newest options, and in my opinion, one of the slickest, is Universal. It’s good for interior or exterior projects, does not require primer, and goes over any surface including raw wood and finished wood, plastic, metal, glass and concrete. It comes in an aerosol container with a comfortable trigger instead of an annoying button stem, and even sprays upside down. 

Which Side for Wood Removal

If you want to take a one-inch board down to three-quarters, from which side should you remove the wood, the hidden side or the one that will show?

Richard Jones: The most common method is to try and remove equal amounts from both sides. This way, if there happens to be stress in the wood, you keep it in balance, and this, the theory has it, helps to maintain the board’s flatness. In practice, I find this is generally true, but there are always exceptions to every rule.
 
John Brock: It depends. I start with the jointer to get a flat side and a 90-degree edge. Then I move to the planer. If I like the grain pattern on the jointed side, I'll plane the other side. If the grain pattern on the jointed side doesn't wow me, I plane the other side to make it parallel, then alternate sides through the planer until I get a side I like better.

Mark Hensley: I go from one side to the other until the good side stands out.

Removing Stubborn Arbor Nut

I have an arbor nut that is on so well that I cannot remove it. Do you have any tips on removing a stubborn arbor nut?

Richard Jones: I hate to ask this question as it may seem rude and it’s not meant to be, but are you trying to loosen the right way? Is it a left-hand thread and you’re mistakenly tightening? If not, see if you can find a snug-fitting socket and a Tommy bar and try that, but gently. If it’s really stuck, a bit of heat from either a blowtorch or oxy-acetylene welder might just do the trick.

Carol Reed: Make sure you are turning the right way. Use the longest wrenches you can find. If it has been on for years and there is the possibility of rust, use a penetrating oil. If you do that, thoroughly remove the penetrating oil when finished.

John Brock: Unplug the saw, use a block of wood as a stop to keep the blade from spinning, and if needed, use an extension cheater on the end of your well-fitting arbor nut wrench to remove the nut. I would be very hesitant to use a penetrating oil or heat to help loosen the nut.

30/60/90 Hexagon Template

Does anyone manufacture a 30/60/90 degree template for cutting out hexagons?

Carol Reed: Make your own using a 30-60-90 plastic drafting triangle for accuracy.

What Can a Band Saw Do?

I have toyed with the idea of buying a band saw, but I don’t know what I could do with it that I don’t already do with my table saw and sliding compound miter saw. Should I buy one?

Mark Hensley: Try cutting an arc or circle on the table saw.

Carol Reed: Check out a book on band saws out from your local library and feast your eyes on the possibilities.

Richard Jones: If you need to cut irregular shapes, curves and circles, they’re a boon. Resawing or deep ripping of wide planks is a relatively safer operation with a band saw than on a table saw

Finishing Butternut

The butternut I am using is yellowish and has a green tint in places. How do I finish this wood to retain the characteristics of the butternut but still look attractive?

Greg Williams: Attractive is in the eye of the beholder. If you want to neutralize the green, you can use a reddish dye, perhaps in the form of a thinned down NGR stain, to move the green toward a more neutral brown. You will need to test the procedure on a piece of scrap as nearly identical as possible to your work. 

Michael Dresdner: Any type of stain in a reddish hue will move the yellow toward orange and move the green toward neutral brown.

Soundproofing Air-Dependent Machines

How can I soundproof my shop vacuum and compressor in the shop without choking off the air that both machines need?

John Brock: Ideally, place them outside in weatherproof sheds. In my
shop, that's not an option, so I have ear protectors hanging on hooks
all over the shop.

Michael Dresdner: Build a box around them lined with fiberglass insulation. As luck would have it, fiberglass is also an outstanding noise insulator. Have a filtered air intake and exhaust.

Carol Reed: Provide air-intake from outside. Use a clothes dryer vent for a tidy solution.

Guilds, Toys and Insurance

Do you know of a woodworking guild that produces wood toys for disadvantaged, hospitalized or foster kids and has access to insurance programs to cover the liability end of such an enterprise?

Pat Edwards: Contact the San Diego Fine Woodworker's Association at SDFWA.org.

Bill Cogswell: Our guild decided not to carry insurance. Personally, the board and members are protected because our guild is incorporated. While anyone can sue anyone at any time for anything, in a litigation, the guild is liable up to the extent of the assets of the guild. In the case of our guild, that is not a substantial amount of money.

Which Is Safer: Sled or Splitter?

Is using a sled on a table saw safer than using the splitter, or is it just personal preference?

John Brock: I never thought of it like that. I use a splitter when
ripping longer stock so it won't bind back into the back of the blade. I
use the sled for cross cutting, and finer precision.

Mark Hensley: I would use the splitter for ripping and the sled for cross cutting and small parts.

Carol Reed: A sled is most often used for crosscutting. The splitter serves best when ripping to width.

Prepping for Poly

I am considering adding another protective coat of polyurethane to my kitchen floor. What preparation is necessary prior to application ,and what product would you recommend?

Michael Dresdner: This is your lucky day. At least one company, and probably others, makes a kit called Varathane Renewal specifically designed to allow you to recoat any existing floor finish with a new coat of very durable, waterbased finish and do it without any sanding. I would advise that strongly over any other option as you do not have to contend with adhesion or compatibility issues, which can be a problem unless you know exactly what finish is already on there.

Keeping Router Bits Sharp

How do I keep my router bits sharp? Local companies only want to sell me new ones.

Carol Reed:  Few sharpeners do router bits. Those that do produce unpredictable results. For the most part, they are inexpensive enough to buy new when they are truly dull. Keep them pristine clean and separate from one another. Touch them up with a diamond slip stick if necessary.

John Brock: I touch mine up using a small, thin diamond sharpening stick that lives in my apron pocket.

Mark Hensley: I use diamond paddles. I place the bit flat side to the paddle and stroke it back and forth.

Getting Glue Off Your Hands

I love Gorilla Glue, but how do you get this stuff off your hands?

Richard Jones: I find mineral spirits used immediately after the glue-up does a pretty good job.

Michael Dresdner: If you mean after the glue has fully cured, according to the company president, there is no solvent that will dissolve cured polyurethane type Gorilla Glue. For that reason, the company suggests using gloves if you are likely to get it on your hands.

Finding Good Wood

I find that I just can't achieve truly good results when working with “bad" wood. Can you recommend some tips and sources for finding good, straight, clear wood?

Michael Dresdner: My favorite source is Woodfinder.com. They will help you find both the best quality and price no matter where you live.

John Brock: It depends on how you approach the project. Straight, clear grain stock is great when fitting the stock to your project. Sometimes, distressed wood can be much more visually interesting. The trick here is
to let the bad wood inspire an appropriate project

Securing a Tabletop

What’s the best way to secure a tabletop to its legs and apron?

John Brock: If the top is made of solid planks, you must allow for wood
movement. I secure the center and then use figure eight fasteners moving out to the edges perpendicular to the grain. If the tabletop has a plywood core, I attach it rigidly, typically using cleats on all sides.

Richard Jones: There are several, including buttons, expansion plates, figure eight fasteners and generous hole size pocket screws. These methods are all recommended for attaching a solid wood top where you need to allow for expansion and contraction of the wood. This requirement doesn’t matter if you’re holding down a man-made board top, and various methods, from screwing through the rail up into the top, to simple L brackets, to screw blocks, all work fine.

Keeping in a Chuck and Taper

The chuck and taper on my drill press keep falling out. How do I get them to stay in?

John Brock: Start by cleaning both. Turning specialty stores sell green plastic Morse taper cleaners. I use them for my drill press, metal lathe head stock and tail stock, and the tail stock on my wood lathes.

Carol Reed: Thoroughly clean both the socket and the taper. Use a solvent to remove any hint of lubrication. Also, check for any burrs and carefully remove them.

Repairing Woven Seat

I would like to repair my rocking chair’s pre-woven caned seat, held in with a spline, and I would like to do the weaving myself. Any guidelines?

Pat Edwards: You don't weave it, but rather it replaces like window screen. Remove the spline, clean out the groove and replace with similar pre-woven cane and spline.

Michael Dresdner: Chairs designed for hand woven cane have a series of holes around the perimeter of the seat. Those meant for pre-woven cane, as Pat described, will have a groove cut on the seat perimeter. You can’t usually switch from one to the other. The stresses are different, and the seats are designed accordingly.

Creating a Piano Finish

How does one create a "piano finish"?

Greg Williams: With care and patience. Generally we think of a piano finish as very clear, fairly thick and very high gloss. Unless you have a sophisticated finishing setup, it is easiest to do this with lacquer. Be meticulous at each step of the preparation of the piece and the application of the coating. Apply enough coats to create a thick film and sand carefully between coats, at least between every two or three coats. Allow plenty of drying time, then carefully sand the cured surface very level using waterproof paper and a suitable lubricant. Use a number of increasingly finer grits to remove the sanding scratches left by the previous coarser grit, going through 600-, 800-, 1,000-grit papers, or a similar process with other grading systems. Follow that by polishing the coating through several grits of fine polishing compounds.

Straightening Warped Plywood

I cut plywood into 16-inch by 48-inch pieces and a few of the pieces warped significantly. Is there a way to get the pieces to straighten out?

Richard Jones: None that I know of, apart from fixing it down to a stout flat frame or base. It is sometimes said that "flat" and "plywood" are two words that don't belong in the same sentence. If you are making boxes out of the warped pieces, it is often the case that good joinery such as a tongue and groove or biscuits will hold or pull the parts flat enough. It rather depends on how critical flatness and square is to the completed box.

Round- vs. Square-Edged Tenons

Is there a structural difference between square-edged tenons and those with edges rounded to fit a routed mortise?

Andy Rae: Of course there are structural variations. But for woodworking purposes, the differences are negligible. Both joints are strong enough for most furniture applications. Instead of worrying about the strength, I fashion the tenon based on the type of mortise I make. For a routed mortise with round ends, it's usually easier for me to round the tenon than to square up the ends of the mortise. If you find it easier to square the mortise to fit a square-edged tenon, go for it!

Vacuum System

I am looking for a good vacuum system and sander where the vacuum attaches directly to the sander.

John Brock: Both Fein and Festool make fantastic tools designed for use with their excellent vacuum systems. However, they come more dear than my conservative Scots heritage will allow.

Removing a Splitter

Since my splitter is in the kerf of the blade, is there any reason to remove it to use a sled? I never do, but am I overlooking a safety issue?

Michael Dresdner: As long as it does not impinge on the sled, there’s no reason to remove it. Whether it does or not has more to do with the sled design than the splitter design, but either could affect it. In your case, it seems clear there is no problem either way.

Oil vs. Water: Best Sandpaper Lubricant?

I smooth polyurethane with 600-grit wet and dry sandpaper lubricated with furniture oil instead of water. Is this a good idea?

Greg Williams: That depends on what you mean by furniture oil. If you mean a coating material, such as a "teak oil finish,} it will leave a film on the coating being sanded that might be difficult to remove. If it is an oil polish, it is an expensive way to lubricate the sandpaper, and again, will need to be removed with a solvent.  What you are trying to do is to prevent the sandpaper from loading up, and reduce friction, to reduce labor and heat buildup. Water by itself is not sufficiently lubricious for most wood coatings, but water with a vegetable-based lubricant, such as Wool-Lube™ or flax soap added, will cost less, be less messy, less smelly, non-flammable, and easier to clean up. A small amount will make the water slippery, and keep the sanded-off particles from adhering to the abrasive. When you are done, simply wipe dry. 

Jointer, Table Saw: What Tool Next?

I have a jointer and a table saw. Which should come next, a band saw, disk and belt sander, staple gun or drill press?

Richard Jones: You now can get wood flat and square on a wide face and one edge on your jointer. You can cut it to rough width on your table saw, and, if the piece of wood is narrow enough, you can cut it to rough thickness. The problem is getting the as yet out-of-true face and edge parallel and true with the previously planed edges done on your jointer. In your position, I would add a thickness planer to your wish list, and probably put it above all the other choices you mention. With wood that is properly trued and square all round, you can really do something of high quality.

Drawbacks to Aftermarket Laser Guide?

Are there any drawbacks to using an aftermarket laser guide attachment on a compound miter saw?

Michael Dresdner: Provided it is accurately set up and securely fastened, I can’t think of any.

Table Saw Burning Wood

I’m getting burning of the wood on my 10-inch table saw with both a low price 40-tooth blade and a higher priced 80-tooth blade. Any advice?

John Brock: Adjust the fence and clean the blade. Use a splitter if the stock is cupping back into the blade.

Carol Reed: It sounds like the wood is binding. Check the alignment of the blade with the miter slot and the fence. They must be absolutely parallel.

Richard Jones: The most common causes I come across during ripping operations are using the wrong type of saw blade, using a dull blade, having the rip fence not parallel with the blade, and feeding too slowly, allowing the blade to spin against stationary wood. In truth, neither of the blades you’ve described can possibly be rip blades. For ripping, what you need is a flat-top grind 20- or 24-tooth blade.

Solvent Took Off Tool Coating

I got some solvent on a DeWalt portable table saw and some of the coating came off. Is there a way to repair this? 

Michael Dresdner: It’s just paint, probably lacquer, so if you can find the matching color paint, touch it up. Your best odds for finding a match will be at an auto parts store in the paint touchup section.

Purpleheart Losing Color

Does purpleheart lose its color over time? I am using it on the inside face of a box only.

Andy Rae: I grew up on a small island in the West Indies as a child, where what we Americans call "tropical woods" were considered local, even though many were imported. One of the more common woods was purpleheart, which was used for everything from studs in walls and flooring, to cabinetry and furniture. In fact, our dining table was made from a huge slab of purpleheart. Unfortunately, and as my old table can testify, purpleheart eventually turns a rich, chocolate brown over time. Thanks to exposure to light, the intense purple color slowly leaches out, and a lovely brown color takes its place. You can retard these changes by using a finish with a UV inhibitor, such as some of the exterior polyurethanes, but it will only serve to slow the process. Eventually, the inside of your box will darken to brown. Personally, I like the color of old purpleheart.

Why Need a Band Saw?

Why would I need a band saw if I have a top of the line saber saw?

Richard Jones: A band saw can cut deeper. It is even capable of deep ripping or resawing planks into two halves. With a jig, a band saw will cut circular parts very accurately. Intricately curved shapes cut accurately are another task well-suited to a band saw. All of the previous do rely on a well-tuned band saw with an appropriate and sharp blade. These suggestions are just a quick snapshot of the tasks a band saw does well, but if you don't need to do any of these tasks, then your jigsaw or saber saw may be all you need.

Stopping Purpleheart from Changing Color

What kind of finish will stop the color change that happens to purpleheart?

Greg Williams: None, to my knowledge, although one with a UV inhibitor should slow down the change somewhat.

Avoiding Tearout with Grain Changes

I'd like to rout an edge on a solid wood round table top. What direction do I travel to avoid tear out as the grain changes?

Richard Jones: It can be tricky, especially if you are using a bearing guided bit to cut a profile. However, if you are using a handheld router and sneak up on the final depth of cut in several passes, leaving just the lightest trim for the last cut, you'll go a long way towards minimizing tearout. There is also the technique of climb cutting; i.e., cutting the "wrong way." It can also reduce tearout, but the technique, although well-known and commonly used, is one an inexperienced worker needs to approach with a great deal of caution as, done incorrectly, it could lead to severe injury. I strongly urge you to find an experienced and competent router user to demonstrate this technique and supervise your early attempts using it, should you decide you want to learn it.

Editor’s note: The point Richard is making about climb cutting assumes that you will rout the top in four quadrants, changing the direction you move the router for each quadrant. In other words, you start at the point where the grain is flat and not running out, and travel down the grain from there to the point where the bit is at the center of the end grain. Stop, go back to the flat and go the other way, then do the same on the opposite side, always running the router so it is going downhill relative to the grain. Thus, you will be climb cutting on two of the four quadrants.

Sheet Goods for Exterior Columns

What type of sheet goods should I use to build square exterior front porch columns?

Michael Dresdner: You want exterior structural sheathing, and there are many types, including exterior plywood, OSB, fiberboard, and several non-wood versions. I’m assuming you will be painting it, since all those need to be. You should be able to find most of them at the local home store. If the columns are load-bearing, you might want something more than simple sheet goods, though. Consider boxing in a support column so you are not relying on the plywood box for strength. 

Filling Former Screw Holes

Some screws pulled out of one of the drawer fronts of a small dresser made of pressed sawdust, creating voids twice the size of a silver dollar. Is there some kind of epoxy that could be used which could also be sanded and painted?

Greg Williams: The epoxy sticks (which resemble a Tootsie Roll) will be the easiest and most effective way of making that repair.  Available from Behlen (through such distributors as Rockler Woodworking and Hardware), they are an almost perfect replacement for wood, and can be shaped, sanded, and finished.

High School Woodworking Tests?

Does anyone know of a national woodworking test that can be given to high school students for a credit?

Michael Dresdner: Check out the article on WoodLINKS in the Industry Interview section of the current issue. They supply member schools with all sorts of teaching and certification tools designed to create skilled and well trained workers for the wood industry. 

The Impossibility of 'Perfectly' Flat

I am confused when I see directions for gluing parts together which say that the pieces must be perfectly flat. I know that there is no such thing as perfectly flat. What type of deviation or gap is really acceptable for the commonly used wood glues, like yellow, white, plastic resin, polyurethane and animal hide?

John Brock: I suppose it depends on your frame of reference. If you are used to the accuracies of a precision machinist, then you’re right, wood isn’t flat. I’m reminded of an old joke. One person asks, “How ya doin’ Joe?” Joe replies, “Compared to what?” For me, if I can close the pieces together with minimal clamping pressure and get a little squeeze-out, I’m happy. Don’t ever count on glue to fill gaps. That’s a fool’s errand. When edge gluing planks for a wide top, I like a little cupping so the ends touch first, and a little clamping pressure is required in the middle to close the gap. Then they tend to not skate around on the slick glue.

Cold's Impact on Tools

My shop gets cold in the winter. How bad is the cold for my tools and equipment?  Do I need to move all my tools into the house for the winter?

John Brock: Cold isn’t the problem, it’s moisture. If your tools are cold and you go in the shop and work, condensation will form and you have to deal with that.  If you can keep everything dry, it doesn’t much matter.

Michael Dresdner: Cold won’t hurt metal, wood or the plastics used in tools, but it can affect batteries. Battery-powered tools are the only ones I would worry about moving indoors.

Richard Jones: An alternative to moving tools out of the workshop might be to build tool cabinets with doors and fit a bulb holder. Then put in a low wattage bulb, preferably one of the extremely long-lived low-energy bulbs. The latter bulb type is what I use, rated at about seven watts ,and they last for a couple of years if run continuously. I have been using tool cabinets with lights in since about 1982, and they work very well.

Angle on Micro Bevel Blades

What angle is the micro bevel on those blades that have one?

Michael Dresdner: Typically, micro bevels are about one or two degrees beyond the sharpening angle. In other words, if the bevel angle is 30 degrees, the micro bevel will be 31 or 32 degrees.

Heat Treating Wood for International Shipping

How do I go about getting information about heat treating wood for international shipping?

Tim Knight: (United States) The general requirement for heat sterilization is to heat the interior of the wood configuration (center of the middle board in the stack) to 133 degrees Fahrenheit for a period of at least 30 minutes. The most common method to do this is with high humidity heat (steam) rather than dry heat, because when using dry heat, the water being released by the wood as it dries helps to cool the wood, causing the process to take much longer. Using steam becomes more cost-effective because it takes much less time to heat the interior to 133 degrees. This is explained in part in a publication found here: http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf2006/fpl_2006_simpson002.pdf  For more information, check the USDA Forest Products Laboratory website at www.fpl.fs.fed.us and search for “heat sterilization” and “international trade.”

Richard Jones: (Great Britain) There is the timber kiln drying standard ISPM 15 referred to by many in the timber trade simply as 56/30. This is a process of bringing the temperature of the wood inside the kiln to 56º C (~133º F) and holding it for 30 minutes, which completely kills any fungus present; it allows the seller of the wood to mark it with the ISPM 15 mark indicating compliance with the standard. Here is one place to start reading up on the subject, http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/infonotepurchasedhtdbrev110504.pdf/$FILE/infonotepurchasedhtdbrev110504.pdf

Reusing 'Disposable' Planer Blades

Is there a way to safely hone 13-inch throwaway planer blades for reuse?

Richard Jones: A light touchup with a fine stone to reduce small nicks will work, but a proper resharpening may mean that, after refitting, the blades describe too small an arc. This could result in the infeed and outfeed rollers, chipbreaker and anti-kick back pawls being out of line, which can cause chattering, poor cutting or even possibly cause the wood to hang up as it passes through.

Identifying Bevel Angle

How do I identify the bevel angle on blades in order to sharpen them correctly?

John Brock: I use a hand lens and a sliding bevel gauge.

Michael Dresdner: An inexpensive bevel-setting protractor will work, and you can also use it to set up angles in the shop. Personally, I use a brass bevel gauge: a small, flat circular plate of brass with seven different bevel angles cut into it, each labeled with the number of degrees in the angle. You simply pop it onto the chisel to find which angle fits.

Making New Pine Match Old

How can I make new very white pine match the rich, almost amber-orange color of our old pine walls?

Greg Williams: A darker-colored shellac, such as AC Garnet, will do a great job on most pine. More coats will increase the color. Mixing the garnet with a lighter shellac, orange or blonde, will give you less color. Do test boards first.

Tim Inman: Both the wood and finish tend to color with aging. I’d try a very diluted wash of an aniline dye to match the aged effect of the wood itself, then I’d go for a little orange shellac to match the finish color.

Michael Dresdner: Another option is to custom tint your topcoat by mixing in small amounts of a compatible dye. For instance, you can mix alcohol-soluble or NGR dyes into shellac or lacquer, and oil-soluble dyes into oil varnish. You can also buy aerosol cans of tinted topcoat, and you might just find one that matches.

Flexible Roll-top Slats

How do you re-cloth the slats of a roll-top desk so that it flexes easily without the glue stiffening it?

W. Patrick Edwards: The best glue for canvas backing of slats on roll-top desks is urea modified animal protein glue. It's traditional and easy to clean up if it leaks between the slats.

Michael Dresdner: The key is to keep the glue from between the slats, and that means putting just enough glue on the slats to bind to the cloth, but not enough to leak out and infuse the cloth between the slats. There are a few ways to help ensure this. I roll the hide glue onto each slat with a small, low-nap paint roller, then carefully set each slat in place. That applies glue just where needed: just enough of it to prevent squeeze-out and creep. Though I find it riskier, some folks prefer to iron on the canvas. Apply hide glue to each slat and let it dry. Set the slats in position glue side up. Lay the canvas atop the glued surface and iron it on with a hot iron set on the linen setting. The heat will reactivate the glue and stick the cloth to it.

Tim Inman: I like hide glue for its ease of use, lasting power and authenticity. After the glue has set up, I  fold the tambour over the edge of my workbench to "break" the joints and leave them pliable where they need to flex.

Removing Rust from Table Saw Top

What is the best way to remove rust from a table saw without harming the table top?

  Andy Rae: Low-tech is the way to go. You'll need some furniture paste wax, a green or gray nylon abrasive pad or 000 or 0000 steel wool, and lots and lots of elbow grease. Spread a generous amount of wax onto the surface with the pad, and work the entire surface with as much down pressure as you can muster. Placing the palm of one hand over the hand that holds the pad generates more pressure. If there are any really gnarly areas of rust, get a fresh pad, some more wax, and add more elbow grease. Work in small, circular motions to avoid streaking the surface, and be sure to rub the entire top, including the edges of the miter grooves. It should take a solid five minutes of rubbing on a standard table saw top, even if the rust is bad. When all the surface rust is gone, buff off the remaining wax and polish the top with a clean cloth. You'll notice a couple of side benefits: The wax will protect the surface from further rust and oxidation, and the slick surface is superior for sliding your wood and sheet goods over the saw. Be sure to keep the surface in tip-top shape by re-waxing your saw on a continual basis. However, you can skip all the muscle  work and simply rub on the wax with a cloth, then buff as before. It takes about 30 seconds.

Richard Jones: WD40 and 0000 wire wool (called steel wool in the US) removes light rust. Follow up with some paste wax or, probably better still, one of the proprietary spray-on rust inhibitors.

Bevel Sharpening Direction

Should I start at the heel of the bevel and keep sharpening until it reaches the tip, or do I start from the tip of the tool and keep sharpening my way back to the heel of the bevel?

Michael Dresdner: Neither. You should be sharpening in such a way that the bevel angle stays the same, which means you will be hitting the whole bevel at once. When sharpening on a round wheel to create a hollow grind, that may mean that you will contact the center of the bevel first, then grind outward to both the tip and heel simultaneously.

Mirror Frame Proportions

I'm thinking about building a mirror frame with a gooseneck molding as seen on period furniture such as highboys. I would appreciate any information you could give me as to proportions, cross-sectional shape, but most of all any suggestions on how to rout the curved molding.


Tim Inman:  As for design considerations, go to the library, then go to some good museums. There are books full of pictures and illustrations for you.  Hit the "enlarge" button on a photocopier enough times, and you can get a copy that is almost full-sized. There isn’t anything like seeing the real thing up close with your own eyes, though. That’s where the museum trip comes in. Local historic sites are a goldmine. As for cross-section, that will pretty much take care of itself once you identify the edge contours from a picture or observation. These were typically cut on shapers using pattern boards or jigs. The "work" is clamped onto the carrier, and the carrier edge rides on a collar mounted to the spindle of the shaper cutter. Check out some books on using shapers, and you’ll see how quickly. Folks who sell shapers are a great resource, too.

Old Finish, Old Materials?

I want to reproduce an old finish with period materials. What clear finishing products were available 60 years ago?

Greg Williams: Nitrocellulose lacquer, shellac, oil varnish, spirit varnish, and wax were commonly used 60 years ago.

Bevel Sharpening Angle

If I change the shape of my bevel during sharpening, do I just keep going and just make a new angle? 

John Brock: You want to make sure when setting up for sharpening that your desired angle is dialed into the process.  The shape and angle of the blade should be the result of your set up, not the other way around.

Michael Dresdner: If you want to grind a new angle into your chisel, that’s your right, and a very tiny change won’t have much effect. However, you should understand that different angles work best for different jobs. For instance, a very acute angle cuts easily and is ideal for a paring chisel, but will chip if pounded; on the other hand, the steep angle of a mortise chisel allows for such abuse without the tip chipping, but requires more oomph to push it through wood.