41 - Fold-Down Drafting Table, страница 2
Issue 41 September 1998 publisher Donald B. Peschke editor Tim Robertson associate editor Tom Begnal assistant editor Bryan Nelson art director Cary Christensen sr. graphic designer Kurt SchultZ senior illustrators Roger Reiland Mark Higdon creative resources Creative Director: Ted Kralieek • Project Developer: Ken Munkel • Senior Project Designer: Kevin Boyle • Project Coordinator: Kent Welsh • Shop Manager: Steve Curtis • Shop Craftsman: Steve Johnson • Senior Photographer: Crayola England books Executive Editor: Douglas L. Hicks • Senior Graphic Designer: Chris Glowacki circulation Sub. Serv. Dir.: Sandy Baum • Neio Bus. Dir.: Glenda Battles • Reneival Mgr.: Paige Rogers • Billing Mgr.: Rebecca Cunningham • Prom. Mgr.: Rick Junkins • New Bus. Mgr.: Todd L. Bierle • Asst. Sub. Mgr.: Joy Krause • Assoc. Graphic Design Dir.: Susie Rider • Sr. Graphic Designer: Cheryl L. Simpson corporate services V.P. of Planning & Finance: Jon Maearthy • Controller: Robin Hutchinson • Sr. Acct: Laura Thomas • Accts. Payable: Mary Schultz • Accts. Rec.: Margo Petrus • Prod. Dir.: George Chmielarz • Elect. Pub.: Douglas M. Lidster • Prod. Asst.: Susan Rueve • Pre-Press Image Spec.: Troy Clark, Minniette Bieghler • New Media Mgr.: Gordon C. Gaippe • Multimedia Art Dir.: Eugene Pedersen • Network Admin.: Chris Harrison • H. R. Asst.: Kirsten Koele • Admin. Asst.: Julia Fish • Recept.: Jeanne Johnson, Sheryl Ribbey • Bldg. Maint: Ken Griffith • Special Proj. Dir.: Saville H. Inman mail order Operations DirvBob Baker • Mat'ls Mgr.: Mark Mattiussi • Cust. Service Mgr.: Jennie Enos • WarehouseSupr.: Nancy Johnson • Buyer: Linda Jones • Op. Asst.: Tammy Aldini Tech. i&?p,.-MatthewTeRonde • Cust. Serv. iteps.: Anna Cox, Tammy Truckenbrod, Adam Best. Nancy Downey, Deborah Rich • Warehouse: Sylvia Carey • Quality Contivl Technician: Frank Johnson ShopNotes® (ISSN 1062-9696) is published bimonthly (Jan., March, May, July, Sept., Nov.) by August Home Publishing, 2200 Grand, Des Moines, IA 50312. ShopNotes® is a registered trademark of August Home Publishing ©Copyright 1998 by August Home Publishing. All rights reserved. Subscript ions: Single copy: $4.99. One year subscription (6 issues), $21.94. Canada/Foreign add $6 per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at Des Moines, IA and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send change of address to ShopNotes, P.O. Box 37103, Boone, IA 50037-2103. Subscription Questions? Write to: ShopNotes Customer Service, P.O. Box 842, Des Moines, IA 50304-9961. Or call 1-800-333-5854,8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Central Time, weekdays. FAX 515-283-0447 E-Mail: ShopNotes@shopnotes.com Internet: http://www.shopnotes.com PRINTED IN U.S.A. Reprinted 2002 EDITOR NOTE Wood NOW ON THE MB! • 101 Woodworking Tips Online • Woodworking Techniques — Step-by-Step • Project plans you can download • WoodNet Forum — Woodworkers' Q & A • Power Tool Reviews Point your browser to: http://www.augusthome.com Select "Woodworking" from the Welcome Page menu. Cutoffs Whenever I have an idea for a project, I like to get it down on paper right away. Even if it means sketching out a rough drawing on a napkin or the back of an envelope. Now there's nothing fancy about these drawings. (And the coffee stains don't help much either.) But they still serve a purpose. For example, the quick sketch on the napkin shown here gave me a good feel for the overall proportions of a project featured in this issue — a fold-down drafting table. napkin plans. While these bits and scraps of paper provide a good starting point, they've also managed to get me in trouble. Like the time I built a table using some hastily sketched "plans" on a napkin. In theory, it sounded simple. I'd jotted down all the important dimensions. And as for the joinery details, I planned to work those out when I came across them. Not surprisingly, problems began to crop up right away. I cut several pieces too short. And the joinery proved to be a bit more involved than I'd expected. As it turned out, it wasn't fussing around trying to get things to fit that bothered me. Or even the time and lumber that was wasted in making the pieces over again. The worst thing was the sinking-feeling I got when I finally assembled the table. Instead of the nicely proportioned project that I'd drawn on the napkin, the table was top- heavy, and the legs looked spindly and out of place. Although that table isn't around any more, the lesson it taught me has managed to stick. Not that I've quit doodling on napkins. But now I don't even get near the lumber pile without a complete set of accurate, detailed drawings. drafting table. Making those drawings is what got me thinking about building a drafting table in the first place. Wouldn't it be nice to have a table that's big enough to spread out a large sheet of drafting paper so I could make drawings in the shop? There's only one problem. A table that's large enough to do that would just be in the way most of the time. The solution was a wall-hung drafting table that folds down to create a large drawing surface. Once the drawing is complete, you just fold the table back up. (In the closed position, it only sticks out 4" from the wall.) Besides the fact it saves space, this table has a couple of other features that are worth a closer look. A metal rail along one edge guides a shop-made T-square. And there's a compartment up above to hold drafting tools and supplies. But as much as I like all that, the drafting table just wouldn't be complete without one more thing — a bulletin board. After all, how else would I tack up napkins when I sit down to make a drawing? 2 ShopNotes No. 41 |
