Woodworker's Journal 1993-17-6, страница 72

glued wide pine Mock. It is generally sold in widths ranging from 12 in. to 24 in., in 2 in. increments.

When choosing the pine for this project, you'll want to avoid stock that has large knots, as they would reduce strength. Any knots you find should be small and tight.

If you are heading to the lumberyard lo buy the pine, we think you'll find our Shopping List and Culling Diagrams helpful. About 20 board feet are required for ihe project.

As shown in the Cutting Diagram, by edge-gluing two 1 bv 6 by 6 ft. long boards and a I by 8 by ft ft, long hoard, you'll have enough stock lo gel ihe two ends (A) and the wide stretcher (B). Two I b\ ft bv 3 ft. long boards and a 1 by 8 bv 3 ft. long board w ill vield the narrow stretcher (C). And. a I by 8 by 4 fL long board along w ilh a 1 by ft by 4 ft. long board provide enough material for ihe two sides (D), the panel (E) and the spreader (Hi. Remember, a I by ft actually measures 7-t in. thick bv 57: in. wide, and a I by 8 actual!} measures -7-1 in. thick by 77a in. wide.

Edge-glue the Stock

Begin by edge-gluing enough stock for all the parts. When rough culling the boards to length and width, it's best to cut them so that the glued up stock will be a bit w ider and longer than necessary. After gluing, the parts are trimmed lo final length and width. To edge glue, apply a thin coat of glue to the mating edges, then clamp firmly with bar or pipe clamps and set aside to dry. Ideally, you should locate the clamps about 12 in. lo 18 in. apart Don't bother lo add dowels or splines here, as this joint matches long-grain to long-grain, a joint that is as strong as the wood itself. To keep the edges from sliding oul of alignment, it's a good idea to clamp several waxed hardwood cleats (Fig. I) across the boards, spaced about 18 in. apart. The cleats serve to keep the boards flush, while the wax keeps the cleats from sticking to the glue. We used cleats that measured about I 7-1 in. square by 20 in. long.

Kip and Crosscut the Parts

W hen the clue is drv. remove the clamps and cleats, (hen cut the parts to final w idth using the table saw and rip fence.

72

Next, crosscut ihe parts to final length. Since most table and radial-arm saws don't have the capacity to crosscut stock that's around 18 in. wide, a table saw cutoff table, if you have one, will come in handy when crosscutling the desk/iable/bench parts. Or. if you don't have a cutoff table, you can make a Circular Saw Crosscut Jig like the one shown in Fig. 2. The chair/stool/table parts can be crosscut on most table saws without the need for am special jig.

Scribe the 17: in. radius on each corner of the ends and sides, then use a band saw or saber saw lo cut them out. Sand the sawn edges smooth with a disk sunder or bv hand w ith a sanding block.

Add the Wood Plugs

A screw driven into the end grain of a board won't provide much holding strength because end grain tends to tear out preiiv easily. However, by adding a dowel plug lo the end-grain part, as show n in Fig. 3. you can add considerable holding power lo the screw.

Lay out and mark the location of all the plugs, then use the drill press and a 7: in. diameter Forstner bit to bore each one to a depth of in.

Now, cut V? in. diameter dowel stock lo lengths of ¹7io in., which w ill allow them to protrude slightly from the 7s in. deep holes. Add a thin coat of glue lo each plug, then insert them in the holes just bored. Make sure the end grain of the dowel runs as shown in Fig, 3, If il doesn't, the screw is likely to split the dowel when it's driven in. effectively losing all the holding power of the dowel. When the plugs dry. sand them flush with the surface til the wood.

Assembly

Assemble the desk/laWe/bench unit first. Give all the parts a thorough sanding, finishing with 220-grit. Once sanded, use a thin coat of glue and several 17i in. long bv number 8 flathead wood screws, countersunk and plugged, to join the wide stretcher lo the narrow stretcher. If >ou have one. a countersinking drill bit will make things much easier. These one-piece bits will drill the pilot hole, shank hole and countersink in one operation. If not available at your local hardware store, they can be ordered from most woodworking mail-order outfits.

Next, lay oul mark ihe location of the wide/narrow stretcher assembly on one of the ends, then drill counterbored holes for I V-i by number 8 flathead wood screws. There isn't any need for glue here, as end-grain glue joints add little strength. With the holes bored, drive the screws, then repeat the procedure to secure the other end.

Wood plugs are used to fill all the countersunk screw holes. Add a little glue to ihe edges of each plug and lap them in the holes. Ideally, they should be just slightly above the surface of the wood. When dry. sand them flush.

Use the same procedure to assemble the chair/stool/lable unit. Note that fewer screws are needed here.

Finishing

Give the parts one last sanding lo make sure all the edges are smooth and well rounded. Just about any finishing option can be considered, as long as it's non-toxic when drv. A colorful enamel paint would look good; so would a stain. We decided to let the wood show, and chose a polyurethane finish. Three coats were applied to provide a bit of extra protection from Ihe wear and tear this project is likely to see. £3]

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