Woodworker's Journal 1994-18-1, страница 45

If all looks okay, the parts can be glued and clamped. By the way. since plywood doesn't expand and contract with changes in humidity (unlike solid stock), it's okay to glue it in place here. It's an easy way to add strength to the entire frame.

The frame can now be attached to the drawer box by driving I in. long by no. 8 round head wood screws with washers (OO) through the inside of the front and into the stiles and rails. It's best not to use glue here, as you may want to adjust the frame a little to provide for a good fit all around the case opening. To do this, we find it helpful to bore oversized holes (about '/4 in. diameter) through the front. That, along w ith the washers, helps build a little adjustment into the drawer face frame.

Now. measure the opening and cut >/2 in. plywood for the adjustable shelves (R). Also, cut the adjustable shelf sides (S| and plough the ¹A in. deep by Ul in. wide groove. Assemble with glue, clamp firmly, and set aside to dry. Cut the -Vx in. long ad justable shelf pins (T) from '/4 in. diameter dowel slock.

THE CENTER DRAWERS

The six center drawers incorporate a very easy-to-make design, one that is perfect for light-duty service. Each drawer is simply a '/; in. thick bottom that's rabbeted into a 3/4 in. thick front. Where we felt dividers (or pegs) were needed, we simply glued them to the bottom (Fig 2).

CUT ALL THK PARTS: Cut the bottoms (U> to size and add the narrow edgings along the sides. Now. cut the narrow (V>, medium (W) and wide (X) drawer fronts to size, then use the table saw and dado head to cut the >/2 in. w ide by '/4 in. deep groove in the back side of each one. Locate the groove Ul in. from the bottom edge of the drawer fronts. Glue the bottoms to the fronts and set them aside lo dry.

ASSFMBI.i: AND TRIM: Oncc dry. check the drawers in the runners for a smooth sliding fit. You'll likely find it necessary to trim a little on the top and bottom edges of the fronts in order to allow '/ih in. lo Vs in. space in between each drawer. A sharp hand plane will trim them in short order.

ADD THK PAN'KL- Cut the panel <K) to fit the opening between the dividers.

Attach it with glue and I 'At in. long by no. 6 sheet rock screws driven through the div ider and into the ends of the panel. Also, drive two or three screws through the upper frame front and into the top edge of the panel.

MAKETHF. PI LLS: You'll need Va in. thick stock measuring about 2'A in. wide and 22 in. long to make the eight drawer pulls (CC). Round each of the edges using the router table and a half-radius bull nose router hit. If you don't have this bit. it can be ordered from Eagle America. P.O. Box 1099. Chardon. OH 44024: lei. I -800-872-2511. Order part no. 161-1205 (it has a '/2 in. diameter shank); current price is $39.99 plus $5.75 shipping and handling. Of course, you can also round the edges by doing some work w ith a hand plane, □ file, and some sandpaper.

Next, use the router table and a Vs in. core box bit to plough a '/4 in. deep groove l/: in. from each edge. Sand the sharp edges, then use the table saw to rip the stock to a pair of ⁷/k in. w idths. Finally. crosscut the stock to 5 in, lengths. Use glue and clamps to attach the pulls to the drawers,

THE WORKSURFACE

The worksurface is an option, but we like it because it transforms the Sanding Center into a workbench surface when the sanding chores are over. That's a nice feature, especially if, like most of us, you have limited space in your workshop. The worksurface is made slightly bigger than the sanding center top, so it just drops in place. It can hang on the wall, out of the w ay. w hen not in use.

Measure the sanding box. then cut the front and back (PPl and the sides tQQt to fit. A '/2 in. deep by V4 in. wide rabbet is cut on the ends of the sides and a '/: in. w ide by '/4 in. deep rabbet is cut along the top edge of all four parts.

Assemble the frame with glue and a few finishing nails. When dr\. measure the opening for the top (RR) and cut it to fit in the rabbet. Use glue and clamps to secure the lop to the frame.

FINISH UP

Final sand the parts through 220-grit. Vacuum all the surfaces to clean up the heavy dust, and use a tack rag lo remove what remains. For a finish, we applied two coals of a clear water-based

polyure thane.

When the finish dries, attach the sanding box to the case by driving the 1 '/4 in. by no. 6 sheetrock mounting screws through the Sanding Box base and into the upper frame. Now. use epoxv glue to secure the splice (II) to the back, then attach the flexible hose connector iHH). joining one end to the splice and one end to the exhaust hood. As shown, you'll need lo bend the hose to a 90 degree angle. Use the clamps (GG) to secure the hose ends.

The optional sandpaper tear-off fixture. attached lo the top of an end drawer, comes in handy when you need to cut a sheet of sandpaper to a smaller size. (We attached it to the top of the leftside end drawer, although on our exploded view it's shown on the righi-side drawer—it's your choice.) The fixture only has two parts - a guidestrip made from a piece of hardwood measuring ¹ /j in. thick by V4 in. w ide by 11 in. long, and a hacksaw blade. Mount the blade to ihe top of ihe drawer with a pair of screws and washers, then tack the guidestrip to the top at right angles lo the blade. The washers raise the hacksaw blade a bit. so it's easier lo slide the sandpaper under it. We found ii useful to add inch marks to the guidestrip.

To use the fixture, hutt the edge of your sandpaper up to the guidestrip, slide the sandpaper under the hacksaw blade as needed, then press down on the blade and pull-up on the sandpaper. You'll gel a nice, clean, square cut.

FINAL THOUGHTS

We used a dusi collector made by AM I', their model no. 4710, which sells for $239.50 plus shipping. The 4 in. diameter hose that connects from the collector to the splice is not included, but a 4 in. diameter clothes drier hose will work fine. For more information write lo AMT, Fourth Avenue and Spring Street. Royersford. PA 19468-2519; tel. 1-800435-3279. B\ the way. we tried using a shop vacuum, but found it didn't have enough power to do an effective job.

Before starting the Sanding Center, lock the casters in place and secure the workpiece to the Peg-Board lop. A couple of '/4 in. diameter by Ill in. long pegs glued to a cleat (Fig, 3) make a nice stop for ihe workpiece when bell sanding. EJ

Januiirv/Tehriun 1W4

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