Woodworker's Journal 2007-Winter, страница 61

Side Panel Joint Exploded View

Space is at a premium in every shop we've ever been in, and yours is probably no exception. If you own a miter saw, it really should have a solid working surface with supports on either side. But, it's hard to justify devoting so much space to one benchtop tool when others, such as mortising machines or benchtop drill presses, also compete for space.

The inspiration for this miter saw station actually came from a previous routing system built by contributing editor Rick White. Like this saw station, Rick's router table featured fold-down wing extensions and rolled out of the way easily. This unit also incorporates built-in dust collection and a drawer to store the rollers that are integral to the design.

The saw station is essentially a cabinet on wheels, and each side is made up of two stiles, two rails and a panel (pieces 1 through 3). Check the Material List on page 62 for dimensions, and begin construction by cutting these parts to size.

The rails are attached to the stiles with tongue and groove joinery, as shown in the illustration on this page and in the Side Joinery Detail Drawing in the Pinup Shop Drawings. Form tongues on the ends of the rails using either a dado blade in the table saw or a router table. Make several passes of increasing depth until you reach the final required depth.

Plow a through groove in one face of each stile. This must be done on the router because it is a stepped groove: the groove is 3/8" deep to hold the panel and increases to 3/4" deep where the rail tongues join the stiles. This almost doubles the glue areas and the strength of the joints.

Assemble the rails, stiles and panels with glue and clamps, but glue just the corner joints. After the glue dries, use a 3/4" straight bit to plow a 1/4"-deep stopped rabbet in each side for the cabinet bottom (piece 4). Glue and clamp the bottom in place, and make sure it is square to the sides.

Continuing the Carcass

The back of the cabinet (piece 5) is held in place with three U-shaped mitered moldings (pieces 6 and 7). Rip these to size, then plow a groove in one edge of each, using a dado blade in the table saw. Miter the moldings to fit and use glue and clamps to attach one piece to the top face of the cabinet bottom, flush against the back edge. Secure two more lengths of molding to the sides (only their bottom ends are mitered) and, after the glue dries, slide the back in place.

The top edge of the back is housed in a rail (piece 8), which has a tongue milled on each end and a groove plowed along its bottom edge (see Pinup Shop Drawings). Attach the rail with glue and clamps, making sure everything is square. Leave the clamp in place while you make the face frame for the front of the cabinet.

Making the Cabinet Face Frame

The face frame accommodates both the drawer and door openings. Begin by ripping the stiles (pieces 9) to size, then chop the three through mortises in each of them (see Pinup Shop Drawings).

The three face frame rails (pieces 10, 11 and 12) need to have tenons milled on their ends. Use a tenoning jig on the table saw or your miter gauge and a dado blade. Glue and clamp the face frame together and, after the glue is dry, remove the clamps. Dry-fit the frame in the front of the cabinet and trim it to fit. Glue and clamp the face frame in position and leave the clamps in place until the top of the cabinet is attached.

Now you can turn the station upside-down and attach the four casters (pieces 13 and 14).

Building the Cabinet Top

Cut the MDF top for the cabinet (piece 15) to the dimensions shown in the Material List on page 62, then create a hardwood molding (piece 16) to wrap its edges. This is simply ripped and jointed to size, then mitered to length.

Winter 2007

61