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RECORD STAND
This Mid-Century Record
Stand Will Have you Dusting
Off Your Record Player & Vinyls

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Useful as they are Beautiful
for the Woodworker

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OCTOBER 2024 | VOL. 44, NO. 5

Build
36 Carve a Wood Spoon
A block of wood, sharp tools, and proper
technique will leave you with a serving
utensil that you’ll be proud to use in the
kitchen.
BY ELIZABETH WEBER

42 Record Stand
With its mitered corners, brass stand-offs,
and shapely legs, this record stand is ready
to show off your record collection as well
as your woodworking prowess.
BY COLLIN KNOFF

50 Banker’s Desk
This handsome desk takes design notes
from Charles Limbert, complete with the
Arts & Crafts finish and quartersawn white
oak. This stout desk will serve generations
to come.
BY WILLIE SANDRY 42

50 36

2 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
POPULARWOODWORKING.COM

Connect
04 From the Editor
Getting stuff done can be a
weight off the shoulders.
BY LOGAN WITTMER

05 Workshop Tips
Tips from our readers on
finishing, gluing, and more.
05
BY PW EDITORS

06 New Tools
What’s new in power tools,
layout tools, and shop
supplies.
BY PW EDITORS

Craft
16 Router Melee
We dive into midsized
routers and see how they
04 06 stack up.
BY WILLIE SANDRY

62 Bespoke Maker
Meet Charlie Earnest, a
top-tier saw-maker from
Rhode Island.
BY LOGAN WITTMER

64 From Our Readers

A reader looks back on
how woodworking created
core memories when he
was young.
BY MICAH HENRY
16
Number 280, October 2024, Popular Woodworking (USPS
#752-250) (ISSN 0884-8823) Canadian Agreement No.
40025316 is published 6 times a year, February, April,
June, August, October, and December, by the Home Group
of Active Interest Media HoldCo, Inc. The known office of
publication is located at 2143 Grand Avenue, Des Moines,
IA 50312. Periodicals postage paid at Des Moines, IA, and
additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER. Send address
changes to Popular Woodworking, P.O. Box 37274, Boone, IA
50037-0274. Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2);
NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Popular Wood-
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50037.PRIVACY STATEMENT: Active Interest Media HoldCo,
62 Inc. is committed to protecting your privacy. For a full copy of
our privacy statement, go to aimmedia.com/privacy-policy.

■ POPULARWOODWORKING.COM 3
October 2024, Vol. 44, No. 5
EDITOR IN CHIEF ■ Logan Wittmer
FROM THE EDITOR SENIOR DESIGNER ■ Danielle Lowery
DIGITAL EDITOR ■ Collin Knoff
Onward, Forward. PROJECTS EDITOR ■ Dillon Baker
TECHNOLOGY EDITOR ■ Chris Fitch
COVER PHOTOGRAPHER ■ Logan Wittmer
SET STYLIST ■ Becky Kralicek
As I sit here writing, it’s been a wet, hu- CONTRIBUTORS ■ Micah Henry,
mid summer in Iowa. I’ve finished most Willie Sandry, and Elizabeth Weber
of my travels for the year. Typically, from PROOFREADER ■ Rick Van Schoick

spring to summer, I’m traveling to vari-

ous contributing writers’ shops to take ADVERTISING SALES COORDINATOR ■
photos with them. I enjoy it, but I must Julie Dillon; [email protected]
ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER ■
admit, I breathed a sigh of relief when Jack Christiansen; Tel: (847) 724-5623;
I returned from my last trip, knowing I [email protected]
had several months of “home time.”
However, “home time” doesn’t neces-
sarily mean resting. No, it’s a time to get
things done around the house and the
shop. I’ve been working on and off on a new miter saw station for our shop (keep an
eye out for it in an upcoming issue). I’m also rerouting the driveway on our property SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CONTENT ■ Rob Yagid
to make it more easily accessible (definitely not to make more room for logs and DIRECTOR, SALES OPERATIONS ■
Heather Glynn Gniazdowski
lumber...). This means the past few weekends have involved cutting down about a
dozen ( large) Elm trees and dragging them through the yard into the timber, where
they’ll be out of the way until I can return to cut them into firewood.
The work seems never-ending, but as I’m sure you can relate, it feels great to make
progress. It often feels like we’re stuck in a rut and struggle to get things done, with
our wheels spinning. During those times, I like to think about a quote from the leg- CHAIRMAN & CEO ■ Andrew W. Clurman
endary AFC Richmond Coach Ted Lasso: Onward, Forward. Cheers. CHAIRMAN EMERITUS ■ Efrem Zimbalist III
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ■
Brian Van Heuverswyn
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER ■ Adam Smith
ABOUT THE AUTHORS CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER ■ Gary DeSanctis
SENIOR VP, MARKETING ■ Erica Moynihan
VP, MARKETING ■ Amanda Phillips
WILLIE SANDRY: Banker's Desk pg. 50 / Router Review– pg. 16 VP, CIRCULATION ■ Paige Nordmeyer
Living in the Pacific Northwest, Willie Sandry is a longtime fan of Arts & Crafts VP, SALES OPERATIONS ■ Christine Nilsen
furniture. He enjoys taking inspiration for his projects from antique furniture VP, EVENTS ■ Julie Zub
VP, DIGITAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT ■
exhibitions as well as “old barn finds.” Never one to do a job partway, Willie has Ashley MacDonald
developed a vast skill set to elevate his projects. From sawing lumber and kiln VP, STRATEGY & RESEARCH ■
drying it to finishing a chair with top-notch upholstery, Willie sees a project through Kristina Swindell
from the start until the finish. YouTube: The Thoughtful Woodworker. DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES ■
Scott Roeder
DIRECTOR, PRODUCTION ■ Phil Graham
DIRECTOR, RETAIL SALES ■ Susan A. Rose
COLLIN KNOFF: Record Stand– pg. 42 DIRECTOR, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ■
Andrew Shattuck
Collin has been fascinated with building things as long as he can remember —
from LEGO sets to taking apart things around the house just so he could see how
they went back together (sorry Mom!). It wasn’t until he took wood shop in high EDITORIAL CONTACT:
Logan Wittmer; lwittmer@ aimmedia.com
school, however, that he found the best way to channel that energy, and has been a
maker ever since. Collin joined the Popular Woodworking team as the Digital Editor SUBSCRIPTIONS:
in 2019, and is excited to be part of the bright future ahead for the next 40 years. For subscription questions or address changes, visit
www.popularwoodworking.com/customerservice
or call (877) 860-9140 (U.S. only). U.S. subscrip-
tion rate $24.95, single price $6.99. Canadian
subscriptions rate $34.95 USD. Canadian Agree-
ELIZABETH WEBER: Spoon Carving– pg. 36 ment No. 40025316.
Elizabeth is a woodturning and spoon carving instructor who lives in Seattle, WA. CUSTOMER SERVICE:
She began woodworking in 2015, starting with several pieces of furniture in the P.O. Box 842, Des Moines, IA 50304-0842,
Arts & Crafts style. She eventually turned to smaller objects and now specializes [email protected]
in bowls, spoons, and boxes. Her skills range from natural finish and simple forms COPYRIGHT:
to highly carved and painted forms that emulate natural motifs. Elizabeth serves 2024 by Active Interest Media Holdco, Inc. Des
as club president for the Seattle Woodturners, and she helps run the local spoon Moines, Iowa. This publication may not be repro-
duced, either in whole or part, in any form without
club chapter, the Seattle Spoon Club. She was awarded the American Association written permission from the publisher.
of Woodturner’s 2023 Professional Outreach Program’s Artist Showcase.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHORS
Connect STRONGER
WORKSHOP TIPS

PHOTOS BY RAMEN MORENO

No Math Octagons
I’m not a numbers guy, so I hate complicated formulas for figuring out
dimensions. I’d given up making octagonal wood blanks for my lathe until
I discovered this technique. No measuring required! You can also do this
on your bandsaw. – Steve Haffner (Northrum, UT)

1 2

1 Tilt your tablesaw blade to 45°. Rest the stock flat against the blade and slide the
fence over until it touches the corner of the stock. Then lock the fence into position.
2 Lower the blade half way. Then lay the stock flat and saw off the corners.

Zip-Tie Depth Gauge

I first used this technique to mea- RATED #1 BY PROS
sure tire tread depth, but found it to
be quite useful in the shop to find
Ultimate Performance
depths of holes or to transfer mea-
surements. Just cut off the “zipper”
end of the zip tie, insert the straight
end into the hole and zip it through
to the proper position. You can mea-
sure the zip-tie with a ruler or just
transfer the measurement directly.
– Ed Waali
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE OTHER
UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED
1.800.347.GLUE
Connect
NEW TOOLS

Bosch Brushless Planer

Every once in a while I’m fortunate to be struck by
serendipitous situations in this job. After building the
record stand (page 42) I was left with a pile of perfect-
ly good rough-cut walnut that would make some great
boxes. Only problem was that it was too small to go
through the planer, meaning I would need to plane it
by hand or make a sled. Just my luck then, that Bosch
emailed me about their new brushless 18V planer.
The GH018V-26N features a 13,600 rpm brushless ■ BRUSHLESS 18V
motor, a fast and safe blade change system, and a PLANER GHO18V-26N
maximum cut depth of 3/32". After a few test passes Bosch
BoschTools.com
at a shallow depth of cut, I decided to go for broke
Price: $229 (bare tool)
and crank the adjustment for a full-depth, full-width
pass on the walnut. The planer took it in stride and
left a clean finish with no chip out. That’s especially ability to mount the dust bag on either side of the
impressive given that the planer has one of the best tool for different applications.
cut depths in the class. Like most handheld electric planers, the Bosch
Based on what I’ve heard, I expected using the can be equipped with a fence (which is included),
planer to be a messy task, but the dust collection turning into a defacto jointer for making completely
system worked fairly well. I really appreciated the square stock. —Collin Knoff

Venom Steel
Shop Supplies
Just like a good pair of socks, a
good set of disposable gloves is a
luxury that I will not go without.
My problem with cheaper gloves
are that they tend to tear at the
worst possible moment— the
final wipe on a coat of finish, or
as I’m tightening down a greasy
bolt on a machine. ■ RIP RESISTANT GLOVES
A new release from a company Venom Steel
called Venom Steel are some of the VenomSteel.com
best disposable gloves that I’ve Price: $89.99
used. They claim that their gloves
are up to 70% thicker than others the texture is a deal breaker. But, Latex Gloves, and more. The first
on the market, and after running when I’m working on a piece of box I bought came from a big-box
through an entire box of 50 gloves, machinery that’s greasy, I do feel store (Menards), but they’re also
I believe it. Even after poking like it’s a benefit. available on Amazon and at Home
PHOTOS BY THE AUTHORS

holes in the glove with a dental Venom Steel has several styles Depot as well. I feel like it’s worth
pick (don’t ask), they did not tear. of gloves, and the ones I like are mentioning that Venom Steel also
In addition to being thick, the their “Rip Resistant” nitrile gloves. sells many other shop supplies,
gloves are also fully textured. Other styles include Sportsman’s such as shop wipes, disposable
For something like applying a Gloves (if you know, you know), paint suits, masks, and shoe
finish — meh, I don’t know that Max Grip Gloves, Flexible Fit guards. —Logan Wittmer

6 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
Connect FASTER
WORKSHOP TIPS

Scraping is Quicker than Sanding

No matter what grit sandpaper you use on end grain, there’s one hand tool that
can get the job done faster: the No. 80 scraper.
The No. 80 is a very simple tool. Although it looks like an oversized spoke-
shave, it’s completely different. It cuts like a scraper, with the blade leaning
forward. The depth of cut is regulated by a thumbscrew, which springs the
blade into a curve.
Although you can also use a plain card scraper on end grain, a No. 80 has
three big advantages:
• It has a 2 3/4" long sole to guide the blade and prevent it from digging in.
You can inadvertently make a ripply surface with a card scraper because
it’s not guided by a sole.
• Your hands won’t get scorched, because they don’t touch the blade.
As you may know, a scraper blade can get very hot!
• Holding the tool’s gull-wing handles, your hands are in a better position
to push harder, and cut deeper, in order to remove larger shavings.

The harder the wood, the better this tool works. For softer woods, such as
pine and basswood, use a low-angle block plane or a bevel-up plane. These
woods fuzz up when you try to scrape them.
After scraping with the No. 80, go directly to 150 grit or 180 grit sandpaper.
Once you’re learned how to sharpen and handle the No. 80, smoothing end
grain will still be a chore, but you’ll be done much sooner. —Tom Caspar

IMMEDIATE RESULTS
PHOTOS BY JASON ZENTER

Tough & Impact Resistant

Back-Saver Grinder
I’ve always found the average bench grinder much too low for comfort. I raised
mine closer to eye level and find it a tremendous improvement. No more
stooping and it’s easier for me to see exactly what I’m doing. – Eric Nicholas 1.800.347.GLUE
Connect
NEW TOOLS

Milwaukee FUEL
6 ½" Circular Saw
Milwaukee recently ■ M18 FUEL™ 6½"
announced their next CIRCULAR SAW 2833-20
generation of tools and Milwaukee
batteries at their annual MilwaukeeTool.com
Pipeline showcase. You can Price: $229 (bare tool)
check out the full list of all
of the woodworking announcements on our website,
and we’ll be featuring them in the pages of this maga-
zine as well, like this new Fuel 6¹₂" circular saw.
For those who don’t know, Fuel is the label that
Milwaukee applies to their professional-level tools
and equipment, designating the highest performance cuts per charge.
available. They also pack in the latest technology That’s all well and good on paper, but what’s it
which in this case includes the latest Powerstate like in practice? In short, it’s a beast. It cut through
Brushless Motor and Redlink Plus, which maximizes everything I threw at it without a hint of hesitation,
tool performance and protects against overload, over- and the ergonomics were great as usual. My only
heating, and over-discharge of the batteries. When complaint is that the dust collection was pretty
paired with Milwaukee’s (also new) Redlithium High weak— even with a dust extractor attached it blew
Output™ XC6.0 Battery, the saw delivers up to 300 dust everywhere. — Collin Knoff

JessEm
Precision Rules
The Canadian company JessEm,
known for their high-quality router
lifts, recently released a new line of
precision steel rules.
As you can see in the photo
to the right, what makes these
rules different than others is the
laser-cut shapes in the center. ■ PRECISION RULE
These shapes are what JessEm is JessEm
calling their Flex Grip. The area JessEm.com
that’s been laser cut has a very, Price: $24.99+
very slight burr on it. This means
that, when you use your fingers hold on to anything that’s softer The blades are made from 301
to press down the rule on your than the steel rule, so materials stainless steel, and all of the
workpiece, the burr acts like Vel- like wood, brass, paper (drafting), marks are laser engraved so that
PHOTOS BY THE AUTHORS

cro and keeps the rule from slid- and plastics all fall victim to the the marks never wear off. The
ing. I’m sure you’ve experienced micro-bur. rules are available in sizes ranging
your rule slipping in the past. Apart from the Flex Grip, the from 6"–24", and are offered in
The Flex Grip is such a simple steel rules are what you’ve come both imperial and metric. Kits are
idea, and like most simple ideas, to expect from JessEm — they’re available in both measurement
it just works. The Flex Grip will precision made and highly refined. systems. —Logan Wittmer

8 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
Connect BETTER
WORKSHOP TIPS

Bar Clamp Holdfast

A bar clamp makes an excellent bench holdfast. Just grind the end of the
clamp so the sliding jaw can be slipped off the bar. Drill holes in the bench at
convenient intervals, push the bar through one of the holes, and reinstall the
sliding jaw. You can put the handle above or below the bench—whichever is
more convenient. – D.E. Brumfield

Instant Rasp
I recently built a chest of drawers with sliding-dovetail joinery. During
assembly, I found that the fit was just a little too snug. Rather than trying to
realign my router jig, I looked around for another solution. I needed some-
thing that could slip in along the dovetail. I decided to stick some sandpaper
to a scrap of wood with double-faced tape. I beveled the edge of the board,
which allowed me to get right in where I needed to be.
Now this instant rasp is almost indispensable in my shop when I’m shaping,
sizing, or final sanding the edges of parts. I’ve made myself a whole set, rang-
ing from very coarse to very fine grits.– Bob Letcher

SUPERIOR STRENGTH
Fast Set – 2X Thicker

1.800.347.GLUE
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE OTHER UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED
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NEW TOOLS

Glancy’s No 1 Oil
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. The thing I love
most about woodworking is the community around
us. I meet some fantastic people within it. Take Chase
Glancy, for example. We were introduced through a
mutual friend (Jamie Harpster, from Plane Wellness).
Chase has designed, manufactured, and bottled a new
penetrating oil finish, called Glancy’s No 1.
Now, here’s where I put my “Editor” hat on. Is it
really better than other oils on the market? In short,
I absolutely believe it is. Think of Glancy’s No 1 as a
replacement for boiled linseed oil or tung oil. It pen-
etrates and, in one coat, creates a finish from within
the wood’s surface. Doing this increases the shimmer ■ NO 1 OIL
(chatoyance) of figured wood, and enhances the nat- Glancy’s Alchemy
ural color of the wood. GlancyAlchemy.com
Now here’s the thing about Glancy’s No 1. It’s un- Price: $15.00+
believably easy to apply. It’s significantly thinner than
other oils, so it goes on very smoothly via brush, pad, top coat (if you wish) after 8 hours. Boiled linseed oil
or rag. After flooding on a coat, you let it soak in for 10 takes days to dry. I think Chase nailed it on the head.
minutes before wiping away any excess. And serious- The branding has that old-world charm, and the oil is
ly—it only takes one coat. Get this ... it’s ready for a fantastic. It's my new go-to oil.—Logan Wittmer

Bosch Job Site

Table Saw
While many woodworkers dream of
the largest cabinet saw they can get
their hands on, reality often dic-
tates a different path. Whether it’s
space or price that’s driving your
decision, the new Bosch GTS15-10
is a solid choice of a table saw that
can even take a dado stack. ■ 15-AMP 10-IN. JOB SITE
The first sign that this saw is TABLE SAW WITH GRAVITY-RISE
WHEELED STAND (GTS15-10)
ready for all-day woodworking Bosch
is the is the choice to forgo the BoschTools.com
ongoing shift to battery powered Price: $649
everything in favor of plug-in 15
amp power. This means you’ll get
consistent power (of which the saw four Clampzone™ areas, which a breeze. Of course, the job site
has plenty) from the 3,800 rpm allow the tabletop to be used as a part means that the saw is light
motor. The motor also has a start- light-duty work surface. weight—not entirely immobile
soft feature and a brake mecha- As expected from a job site saw, as one might like. Overall though,
nism that helps the blade stop in all the tools and accessories are this is a solid choice for anyone pri-
approximately three seconds. mounted on-board, and the gravity oritizing mobility or convenience
Another standout feature is the stand makes setup and take down in their shop. —Collin Knoff

10 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
Learn more
shapertools.com/origin-stories

DID YOU SAY...

FRICTION
FIT?
Shaper Origin + Workstation =
Design custom tenons directly on-tool
Your Joinery Machine

With Shaper Origin, you can bring digital precision

to the craft of woodworking. There’s no computer
programing required to create tight fitting joinery,
and dial in just the glue-gap you desire. Using Shaper
Workstation you can fixture parts to cut mortise
Fixture Angled tenons,
and tenons, dovetails, blind dados, and more. Best
awkward pieces no problem
of all, it takes up virtually zero space in your shop.
presents

BEST NEW WOODWORKING

New 18-Gauge M-1500Pro Spider Superior Bond—
Finish Nailer Mobile Base Now in Jet Black

Titebond Instant Bond Medium— Jet Black is

To tackle the challenge of maneuvering large a cyanoacrylate adhesive offering profession-
equipment in workshops, we introduce the al-strength, permanent bonds to most com-
M-1500Pro Spider Mobile Base. This base mon materials. This rubber-toughened formu-
The BN31M1P is a durable and lightweight features four independently adjustable legs la is extremely impact-resistant and ideal for
18-gauge brad nailer that features SENCO’s that adapt to variations in ground level, com- hiding imperfections, repairing cracks, and
oil-less design, which eliminates the need for plemented by four swivel casters and a one- filling knots/voids in wood materials. With a
routine lubrication, saving you time and money. foot control mechanism. This design provides longer working time of approximately 40 to
The tool has the power to drive brads up to an effortless solution for moving and precisely 60 seconds it allows for precise application
2 1/8" in length into dense materials without positioning large equipment, maximizing work- for complex projects. It dries to a glossy black
splitting the work surface, making it ideal for a space utilization and offering limitless layout finish, ideal for inlays, spalted wood, and
wide variety of woodworking applications. possibilities in your woodworking shop. accenting details in your projects.

Visit Senco.com Visit HarveyWoodworking.com Visit Titebond.com

or call 800-543-4596 or call 888-211-0397 or call 800-347-4583

Rotary Burr Kits Releases Kreg Cabinet

New Compact Hardware Jig Pro
Marquetry Saw

Whether you’re installing one new knob or dozens

of large pulls (from 1¾" to 12" center to center)
The NEW, ‘Fine’ Kutzall Burr Kits are perfect the Cabinet Hardware Jig Pro is the go-to choice
for hobbyists interested in trying their hand at Knew Concepts releases its new compact for ensuring professional-grade accuracy and
power carving, as well as expect woodworkers marquetry saw. This smaller saw has the same consistency every time. A movable end stop
looking to upgrade their collection. They pack a tilting ball bearing guide tower and counter- and built-in measuring scales (with imperial and
lot of shaping versatility into one simple choice. weight system as the Lee Marshall Edition metric markings) make it easy to position knobs
Take the guesswork out of choosing the Burrs marquetry saw, for easy, precise cutting. and pulls precisely. The guides make it simple to
you need, with kits to match your favorite pow- More compact, it uses an 8" saw instead of drill straight, accurately positioned holes. This
er tools, in the two most common shaft sizes, 24" but has the same space saving dovetail jig works with almost any style of knob or pull,
1/8" and ¼". attachment. Stating from $615. making it exceptionally versatile.

Visit Kutzall.com Visit KnewConcepts.com Visit KregTool.com

or call 855-KUTZALL or call 831-234-4652 or call 800-447-8638
SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE

TOOLS & PRODUCTS

Durham s® Rock Hard®
Durham’s 1409 TrackSawGuide™ Rulers with Built-In Grip
Water
Wate Putty
er Putty

Durham’s® Rock Hard® Wat Water Putty has The Milescraft TrackSawGuide™ turns standard
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Connect
WORKSHOP TIPS

No Trace Screw Removal

Last summer I built some outdoor furniture and PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE OTHER UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED

used brass screws. Geez it’s a pain when those

screws break off. After I snapped a couple, I couldn’t
find my screw extractor so I had to get creative!
I’ve got a set of steel drill guides that I use to
make custom drilling jigs for shelf pegs and dowel
holes. I discovered that if I put the 3/16" drill guide
into a block of wood and clamped this assembly over
the broken screw, I was able to drill it out. Then I
plugged the hole with a piece of wood and some glue.
Once I inserted a new screw, the fix was invisible.
I’ve tried this with brass and mild-steel type screws
but it doesn’t work with hard drywall-type screws.
– Ronald G. Early (Tacoma, WA)

14 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
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WOODWORKING SERIES
For the For the For the
+REE\LVW Enthusiast 3URIHVVLRQDO
3700 5700 6700
Tools 101

MIDSIZE ROUTER MELEE

Routers — love them or hate them, th
there
here
are an overwhelming amount of options
ons
available. Here's the breakdown on how
o
ow
this midsized lot performs.
By Willie Sandry
A router is a fundamental wood-
working tool and sooner or later,
you’ll want to equip your shop
with one or more of these high
RPM workhorses. Spinning near-
ly 10x faster than a drill press, a
modern router can handle a bevy
of cutting and shaping tasks.
Whether you’re in the market
for a fi xed base, plunge base, or
something built for router table
use, the specs and tests here
should help narrow the field. This
review is focused on the most
common midsize routers in the
2–2.3 hp range. While compact
routers certainly are popular,
they’re limited to a 1/4" collet and
may be best as a second or third
router purchase. Full-size 31/2 hp
routers certainly have the power
needed in a production envi-

ronment, but few hobby wood-

workers are raising cabinet door
panels from dawn ‘til dusk. So,
the extra power these large units
offer might not be worth the size,
weight, and cost.
How strange to present a router
review without a single Porter Cable
tool in the mix! Despite being
almost synonymous with routers,
the Porter Cable brand no longer
makes routers. So, take a moment
to appreciate the tools that have
served you well in the past, before
turning the page and shopping for
1 the next great tool. My first router
was a small Craftsman, purchased
1 Remembering the Great Ones. A memorable Craftsman router with a at auction for a grand total of $17
spindle lock on top, the venerable Freud 1700 table router, and much- and that included a router table.
loved Porter Cable Speedmatic 7518. While that fixed base router failed
to impress, I have marveled at the

16 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
Midsize Routers

engineering triumphs of two (now Plunge/Fixed or motor and two bases, with the
extinct) models. The first was a Combination? Triton being the exception.
later model Craftsman that had a Before combination kits became
spindle lock button on top of the so popular, manufacturers offered Corded or Cordless?
motor. You simply slid the button either fixed routers or dedicated Until recently, cordless midsize
to one side to lock the spindle plunge routers. So why not use routers weren’t even an option.
shaft, which leaves both hands free a plunge router for all your wood- Battery operated trim routers have
to change the bit. I haven’t seen working? Well, it comes down to been around a while, but their
many bit-changing systems to rival operations using bearing guided application is limited due to less
that ingeniously simple approach. bits or dovetail jigs. If the plunge power and small collet size. The
The second is the Freud FT1700 mechanism is released, even perfect storm between compact
which, similar to the Triton in this slightly, it would ruin the work- brushless motors and advances in
review, had a built-in router lift. piece. For these tasks, as well as battery technology has forged this
When Bosch acquired Freud in general edge profiling, a fixed new midsize tool category and it
2009, the model was unfortunately base router is preferred. There looks quite promising. In the past,
discontinued. Because the collet are a couple dedicated plunge cutting the cord has meant dealing
extended fully above the table and routers in the current test and with bulky, top-heavy tools, but
many of the controls were accessi- which style to choose largely de- that’s no longer the case. In fact, the
ble topside, it made an ideal table pends on the work you plan to do. cordless routers tested were lighter
router. How about it Bosch, revive Combination routers or “combo than many of their corded counter-
the FT1700 in a nice shade of blue? kits” usually mean you get one parts. Metabo hit first first with the

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 17
Midsize Routers

HPT36V and Milwaukee punched a spring-loaded button to depress

back with the only cordless combo and continue holding down as you
kit in the test—the M18 Fuel. use a collet wrench to swap bits.
A two-wrench system has flats on
Bit Changes both the spindle shaft and the collet
How the spindle shaft is secured and you simple loosen the collet
to release bits is one way these like a “nut on a bolt” to release the
routers vary. There are one-wrench bit. Most routers traditionally use
and two-wrench systems, as well as a two-wrench system. The DeWalt
routers with hands-free collet locks. 618 and Milwaukee M18 have a
A one-wrench system means there’s collet lock button for single-wrench
bit changes, but also have flats on
the motor shafts, so you can use a
2 Some routers have features second wrench if you prefer. Hands-
that make them more suitable free collet locks are unicorns—you
for table use, like height winder don’t see them very often. Only one
cranks, larger motors, and in the test has it and it’s an auto-
collets that extend high enough matic hands-free collet lock. Looks
for easy bit changes. like bigfoot just jumped on the
2 unicorn for a quick trot.

THE ROUTER STATS

Bosch Bosch DeWalt Metabo Metabo HPT Milwaukee Rigid Ryobi Triton
1617EVS MRC23EVSK DW618 KM12VC 36V Cordless M18 Cordless R29303N RE180PL1G MOF001
AMP PEAK / 14.3 / 12. 9 / 14.8 / 13.1 / 9.3 / ---/ 20.8 /
N/A N/A
CONTINUOUS / STATED 6.3 / 12 4.8 / 15A 6.7 / 12A 4.4 / 11A 4.9 / 11A - - - / 10A 6.7 / 13A

ROUTER TYPE, HP
Combo, Combo, Combo, Combo, Plunge, Combo, Combo, Plunge, Dual Mode,
2.25 hp 2.3 hp 2.25 hp 2.25 hp 2 hp 2.25 hp 2 hp 2 hp 2.25 hp
COLLET RUNOUT (in.) 0.002" 0.003" 0.001" 0.003" 0.001" 0.001" 0.003" 0.001" 0.001"
# TURRET POSITIONS,
# ADJUSTABLE
7/7 7/2 5/5 3/2 3/2 6/6 1/1 1/1 3/2

PLUNGE LEVER TYPE PTR PTR PTL PTR PTL PTR PTL PTL PTL
VARIABLE SPEED / Yes / Yes
SOFT START
Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes / Yes Yes / Yes *3
WEIGHT FIXED / 8#, 11.1 / 10#, 3.4 / 7#, 8.4 / 8#, 3.8 / ---/ 8#, 14.2 / 8#, 4.2 / ---/
10#, 10.2
PLUNGE (lbs, oz) 10#, 9.2 13#, 13.2 11#, 2.2 10#, 10.2 8#, 2.6 11#, 7.9 10#, 10.9 8#, 9.5
PLUNGE FORCE REQ. 11.8 lbs 13..4 lbs 11.1 lbs 12.9 lbs 8.3 lbs 11.5 lbs 17.5 lbs 14.8 lbs. 13 lbs.
1 HANDED PLUNGE
TEST
FAIL FAIL PASS FAIL PASS PASS FAIL FAIL PASS

LED LIGHT No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No

ACCEPTS P.C. STYLE
BUSHINGS ( Y/N )
No * 1 No * 1 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes

POWER SWITCH / PLUNGE

LOCK REACHABLE
No / Yes Yes / Yes No / Yes No / Yes Yes / Yes Yes *2 / Yes No / Yes Yes / Yes No / No

CASE INCLUDED? / TYPE Hard shell Hard shell Hard Shell Hard Shell Soft Case Soft Case Soft Case No Case No Case
WRENCH # BIT CHANGE 2 2 1 or 2 2 1 1 or 2 1 1 1, Auto lock
NOISE dB NO-LOAD
78 / 89 88 / 89 82 / 89 85 / 86 86 / 88 85 / 88 87 / 88 87 / 89 86 / 87
18K RPM / MAX RPM

Plunge locking lever types: PTR = “Press to Release” style lever. PTL = “Press to Lock” style lever.
* 1 Bosch routers do not accept standard 13/16" guide bushings as equipped, but with two optional adapters they can. * 2 M18 Fuel power switch is reach-
able in fixed base, but not in plunge base. * 3 Triton has soft start, but starts more abruptly than the other routers, even at lower speed settings.

18 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
Midsize Routers

Router Table Use adjustment are important too, but Features & Accessories
Generally, if you’re mounting not critical if you can easily reach If this is your first router, you’ll
a router in a table, you’ll use a everything under the table. likely be happy with the basics,
fixed base. Plunge routers often but as your projects become more
don’t work well in a router table Ergonomics complex, you’ll want the ability to
because you’ll fight the resistance Whether a router can be recom- use common accessories. Guide
of the spring. Triton’s plunge mended or not often comes down bushings, oversized sub-bases,
spring is easily accessible, and you to the ergonomics and accesso- and edge guide attachments are
should remove it for router table ries, so these topics will be cov- extremely useful. Dust collection
applications. One key feature for ered with each model tested. If is also a key point with hand-
router table setup is how far the the handles feel good and inspire held and table-mounted routers.
collet extends. The collet on some confidence, that’s a nice place to Whether these features are avail-
models only extends flush with start. The handles also need to able or included with the router
the table or slightly above. This be positioned for a low center of package will be factored into the
makes it very difficult to change gravity as you operate the tool. overall recommendations.
bits, even with a pair of bent That’s particularly important
collet wrenches. You may need to on fixed bases, which are only Accuracy
remove the router from the table partially supported for edge-pro- Perhaps most important of all is
for routine bit changes, which be- filing tasks. Other key factors are how accurately the tool performs
comes a serious pain. If you have the placement of power switches each task. Plunge action and re-
a large cabinet shop, you’ll be us- and plunge-lock mechanisms. Are sistance will be highlighted with
ing an industrial shaper or router they easily reachable with your dynamic weight measurements
table with a separate router lift. hands on the handles, or do you and a “one-handed” plunge test.
For the rest of us, I’ll describe in have to move or reposition your Routers that will plunge with
detail how far the collet extends hands to operate them? By the one hand on a handle have guide
above the table on each model. way, my $17 auction router had posts and internal bushings that
Other features like topside height a lockable trigger on the han- are generally built to a tighter tol-
dle, so we’ve gone backwards in erance. It’s also a good indicator
some regards with modern router of how the plunge action works
3 You’ll need a router mounting designs. Much of that is due to when the base is only partially
plate, but luckily all the models combining both fixed and plunge supported, as you naturally apply
appropriate for a table fit the base features into one package. more force to the supported side
Rockler Pro Plate “A” except the Only one model has completely of the router. Turret depth-stops
Triton which fits the Pro Plate addressed this important issue on plunge models will be scru-
“C.” A well-appointed hardware with a low-voltage track, allowing tinized for design and function.
pack comes with the plate for triggers on the handles of both The more depth stops the better,
easy mounting. Bosch MRC23 bases. it seems, but how many should

4 Because the collet of most routers only extends

flush with the table, you’ll need to remove the trim
ring and use bent wrenches like these, available
3 separately from Bosch.

20 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
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See website for details
Mid-size Routers

be adjustable… and which system

works best overall? We’ll skip
past the micro-adjustable mar-
keting hyperbole and judge these
tools for everyday use in a busy
woodworking shop.

Testing & Assessment

Each router was assembled and
tested with a variety of cuts appro-
priate for the style of the router.
Plunge bases and dedicated plunge
routers made 3/4" deep mortises
with a 1/4" spiral bit, using an edge
5 6
guide or fence attached to the
workpiece. Fixed bases made 1/4" 5 Both peak and continuous amps were recorded with a Triplett
roundover cuts at full depth in CM450 clamp style ammeter and line splitter to isolate the hot lead,
one pass to assess handheld sta- without interrupting the router cord.
bility and control. Collet runout
was measured in an identical 6 A turned steel shaft was chucked in a 1/4" collet and tightened to test
way on each router with a digital collet runout with an iGaging digital micrometer setup, as the spindle
micrometer and turned steel shaft shaft was slowly rotated by hand. All tests were repeated 3 times and
and recorded in the table on page averaged if the values varied slightly between test runs.
18. Peak and continuous ampere
readings were taken using a 2 1/2" depth cut made in a single pass at indicates how hard the motor is
diameter panel raising bit in the maximum RPM. A high peak amp working compared to its stated
router table. Instead of lowering draw predicts the likelihood of a max. Finally, the routers were put
the RPM to 18,000 as recom- tripped breaker (for instance if through their paces with common
mended for large bits, the routers it’s on a shared circuit with a shop shop tasks to test general features,
were torture tested with a full- vac) and continuous amp draw dust collection, and accessories.

Bosch Bosch DeWalt Metabo Metabo HPT Milwaukee Rigid Ryobi Triton
1617EVS MRC23EVSK DW618 KM12VC 36V Cordless M18 Cordless R29303N RE180PL1G MOF001

POWER B+ A A– B+ A– A– A– B– A
ERGONOMICS B+ A A B– A– A B+ B– B–
FIXED BASE HEIGHT ADJ. A– A– B+ C– N/A A B N/A C+
PLUNGE BASE HEIGHT ADJ. C A A B– A– A B– B– B–
EASE OF BIT CHANGES A A A B+ B– A– B– C A
DUST COLLECTION B+ B+ A B– B B+ B+ F (none) B
ACCURACY B A A B A A– B B– A–
ACCESSORIES A A A B+ A– B B– D C
ROUTER TABLE USE B B B C N/A N/A B– N/A B+
PLUNGE ACTION B A– A B A A– B B– C+
CASE QUALITY A A A A A A B+ N/A N/A

INITIAL BUILD QUALITY B A A B– A A B+ B– B–

PLUNGE BASE GRADE B A– A B– A A– B– C+ B–
FIXED BASE GRADE B+ A A– B N/A A B N/A B–

OVERALL PACKAGE B+ A A B– A– A B C+ B

22 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
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LOCKSETS - DEADBOLTS - HINGES - LATCHES
Mid-size Routers

Bosch 1617 Combo oK

Kit
it :
The Classic Feel
Here’s a classic router design that works welwelll
for many woodworkers. The wood handless aare re
re
set very low on the base, which is generally
erral
ally
a good feature for control, although there’s
eree’ss
not quite enough clearance for your hands
andss
and they will feel slippery to some users.
rs.
s The
T e
variable speed 12-amp motor has enough ugh ppower
owerr
for router table duty, but the collet doesn’t
sn’
n t eex
exte
extend
xtend
t nnd far
te
enough for easy bit changes, so you’re better terr of
te oofff moun
mounting
nting H GH
HI HLIGH
HTS:
the 1617 in a dedicated lift. Out of the box, the pl plunge
nge
g bbase
asee tends to stickk in the do
downn • A 7-
7 step turret controls the
he plunge
position. The solution is to remove the factory grease and apply a dry lubricant like depth on the Bosch 1617.
Bostik GlideCote to the plunge rods, which instantly restores normal plunge action. • A flip-down chip shi
h eld is a nice
Like many routers in the test, the power switch is too far from the handles, but you touch on the plunge base.
get used to these shortcomings on any tool. A flip-down chip shield adds a measure
of safety on the plunge base and a three-piece dust collection kit is available sepa-
rately. The dust ports do work for their intended purpose, but since they’re not inte-
gral to the router, the question remains if you’ll take the time to use them.

In testing, the micro adjustment knob on the depth stop rotated wildly. This means
that your second plunge cut will be a different depth than your first. Luckily this is-
sue was easily resolved by replacing the small O-ring on the stop rod with a slightly
thicker one. I personally don’t care for the way the motor must be rotated as you
install it into either base. Particularly when mounting the motor in the fixed base,
it tends to hang up and scratch the soft aluminum motor casing, even when you
carefully align the arrows. This combo kit is a good fit for woodworkers that like a
classic feel and has the versatility to be the only router in your shop.

Ridgid Combo Kit: I wish the groove locations were labeled on the outside of the
bases, as these need to align with a tab on the motor. The plunge
The Clear Sub-Base Champion action is medium-stiff and while it failed the one-hand plunge test,
it worked consistently in normal operation. The plunge lock mech-
Egg-shaped rubberized handles offer a good grip for both bases. anism is the traditional press-to-lock variety and was easy to
An orange button on the fixed base offers coarse adjustment, reach and operate. The plunge turret has just one adjustable stop.
while a knob on the end of a short acme rod offers traditional fine
adjustment. When mounted in a table, the motor had plenty of The clear sub-bases on the Ridgid combo kit are some of the
power for our raised panel test and produced good results. The nicest in the test. They’re thicker than most and made from
included dust port faces the front of the router table, which meant high quality material. Unfortunately, the recesses for mounting
that there was no room to attach dust collection under the table. screws are so deep, they only leave 1/8” material at the most
It would be nice if Ridgid made the dust shield and dust port in- critical point. This may leave the sub-base prone to cracking
terchangeable on the fixed base for more mounting options. The if overtightened. The LED light is always appreciated and im-
kit includes a plastic T-wrench for topside height adjustments proves visibility, especially in plunge mode. A nice-zippered bag
in the table, but the collet doesn’t extend far enough for easy bit comes with the kit and easily contains the two dust collection
changes (collet raises only 3/8" past metal base). The 1-wrench bit fittings, accessories, and two bases. The bases are magnesium
change system requires you to reach under the table to depress and the fixed base feels feather-light yet sturdy. The overall
the collet lock button, while trying to get a wrench on the 2-piece package is well-positioned for the contractor who values strong
sleeve-style collet. For handheld use the system makes more power, portability, and convenience. This kit is appropriate for
sense, as you can easily remove the base by means of a large primarily handheld use and occasional table duty, perhaps in a
toggle switch. The bases install in a straightforward manner, but portable router table.

24 ■ POPULAR
POP
PULAR WOODWORKING
Metabo HPT 36V Cordless
Plunge Router:
The Standout
Surprisingly light and nimble, the powerful brushless motor and
battery combine for a truly attractive package. A three-position tur-
b-
ret stop limits the travel of the light-and-lively plunge action. The rub-
ber over-molded handles with lockable trigger are another bright spot, poot,
t
along with the unique two-pronged plunge lock lever. I found all the controls
c
easy and intuitive to use, and this was a router I reached for frequentlytlyy afterr
testing concluded. Bit changes are accomplished by means of a collet et loco k but-
lock H GH
HI HLIIGH
HTS
T :
ton and a single wrench. No flats are provided on the spindle shaft, so this hi iis the
h
• Thhe 36
3 V MeM ta tabo
b po wer trigger has a safety
one-and-only way to swap bits on this router. Standard P.C. style bushings fit in
loc
ockk ou
out bu
b ttt onn tha
haat al
a so lets youu lock the
the included adapter that screws directly to the base of the tool. A small edge
too
ool in the
he “on” poosition o for
o longer cuts.
guide and set of guide bushings are also included in this well-appointed router
package, stored in a sporty black and camo green, soft storage bag. Bright du- • A unniq
ique
u twoo-prong n ed
ng e plunge lock c lever
al-LED lights come on automatically and continues to illuminate your work area is a shhort reeac
a h frrom the over- r molded rubber
for 10 seconds after you turn it off – a smart and much appreciated feature. An handles es, of
o feriing good comf mffort an
a d conttrol
included dust port works surprisingly well for both inboard and edge profiling for plu
l nge cuutss.
tasks, however it’s very difficult to attach with tiny Phillips screws and you may
have trouble finding a good fit for the 1 5/16" I.D. hose fitting.

The only real negatives are the flat edge on the front side of the router base,
which decreases stability when edge profiling and will likely introduce errors
when following a straightedge. An AC power transformer is available (not
included), but the cord and transformer are bulky and heavy. As a standalone
plunge router, this model isn’t appropriate for router table use, so a table test
and amp draw test weren’t conducted.

HIGHLIGHTS
S:
• A convenient T-wrench allows w hei e ghht ad
adjusttme
m ntntss th
t ror ugh a routere taba le
l -ttop.
opp
• The orange butto
t n iss for coars rsee addju
rs justtme
mentn , wh
nt whililee toogg
ggliling
ng the
h gra
rayy leveer reele
leasses
the base.
• Thee Ridgid comes with thicck, higgh qu q alitity clea
eaar ac
acryylilicc su
sub-
b-ba
base
ba s s, one of whwhichh
accepts standarrd P.C.
C sty
tyle
lee bus
u hi
hing
ngs.
ng s

POPUL C M■
POPULARWOODWORKING.COM
P LARWOODWORKING.CO 25
Mid-size Routers

Bosch MRC23 Combob Kit:

bo
The Heavy-Hitter
This one snuck into a mid-size router reviewe
ew
because of its conservative 2.3 hp rating, but
b
consider this heavy hitter like other 15-
amp routers. The most unique
feature is a low voltage track that
allows lockable trigger switches in the
handles of both bases — a big win for
safety and control. Beyond that, the
handles are nicely shaped and well posi-
tioned. The motor installs in a more linear fashion
f
compared to the 1617, with a safety latch to t pre-
vent it from falling out. The dual-fulcrum motor lock lever
is the most robust of all the routers tests, but also felt like a potential finger trap.
INNOVATIONS & QUIRKS:
• The afterlock microfine adjuster is
In testing, the fixed based earned top marks with good balance and overall perfor- taller and therefore easier to reach,
mance. In fact, if Bosch included a sub-base that accepts standard 13/16" guide yet still allows you to flip the router
bushings, the fixed base of this kit would be nearly perfect. Dual LED lights come on its top.
on when the tool is plugged in, an appreciated feature for safety and visibility. • A low voltage track allows both
Mounted in a router table, the MRC23 had gobs of power, but suffers from the same bases to be equipped with triggers
issue as most routers here — the collet only extends 5/16" above the metal base. in the handle.
This leads to awkward bit changes, even with the bent wrenches that Bosch offers.
• There’s no safety lockout on the
Also, due to the 5-volt tracks that connects to the base, the motor can not be used
power switch and you can lock it in
with a stand-alone router lift. It does come with an above-the-table height adjust-
the “on” position for longer cuts.
ment wrench, but I’d consider this router for handheld use and only occasional
table duty. In plunge mode, this router feels much bigger and heavy, and the clear • You’ll need an optional adapter to
sub-base is fully 7" wide. An “afterlock” microfine adjustment knob lets you adjust use Bosch’s odd-looking and overly
bit height, even while the plunge lever is locked. One strange consequence of this tall guide bushings, and yet another
design is the fact that the plunge lock lever moves relative to the handle. It might adapter to use standard 13/16"
be located anywhere between 2 1/4" to 2 3/4" from the handle, depending on where diameter guide bushings.
the afterlock knob is adjusted. In any of these positions, I found the need to reposi-
tion my left hand to reach the plunge lock lever.

The MRC23 failed the one-handed plunge test, but plunge action was smooth and
relatively firm with routine cuts. The depth turret is high quality and offers 7 stops,
2 of which are adjustable. The steps are 1/8" apart, which is excessive. Plunge lock
levers of the “press to release” variety are harder to set bit depth with brass setup
bars, if that’s part of your normal routine. Despite its considerable size and heft, the
plunge base inspired confidence with excellent accessories like the RA1054 edge
guide, available separately.
Mid-size Routers

Metabo HPT Combo Kit:

The Accessory-Rich Kit
Packed in a large hard-shell case, every imaginable accessory is
included in this comprehensive kit. An additional clear sub-base,
guide bushings, and even a centering pin are included. What’s more,
the case has dedicated storage spots for all the accessories and
each one is meticulously labeled. If you write your name in your
underwear and get that label maker out weekly… this accesso-
ry-rich router package will get your attention. Rated at 11 amps
and pulling 4.4 continuous amps for the router table test, the fixed
base was capable of clean raised panel cuts. In a router table, the
collet doesn’t extend high enough for easy 2-wrench bit changes
(only 3/ 8" above the metal router base), so you’ll likely remove the
router instead. The motor twists on coarse threads to adjust bit
height in the fixed base. If you loved the P.C. 690, you’ll instantly
be comfortable with this kit. The negatives of this approach are the
power switch and cord will be in a different position each time you
use the tool. The height adjustment threads on the motor are too
coarse, making it somewhat difficult to set the bit height accurately.
The plastic handles don’t give the best grip, but they’re nicely sized
and well-positioned for stability when working with the fixed base.
The plunge base is easy to use with a simple height adjustment
knob and three-step adjustable depth turret. Press the plunge lever
to release it and you notice a medium spring action. This plunge
router failed the one-handed plunge test but was predictable with
routine use. There’s a debris shield on the plunge base and an HIGHLI
L GH
HTS
T :
optional dust collection port is available separately. A small edge • The Metabo
b kit accep e ts sta
t ndarrd P.P C.
C. sty
t le guide
ty
guide is also available separately but note that the edge guide sup- bushi
h nggs on eitither ba
b se
se, th
t anks
annk to an adapter that
plied with the co
cordless
ord
or lesss Metabo
rdless router
M taboo rou
Me route
ute doesn’t
esn’
t r does
esn’t fit this model
n t fit model.
mod
o el. sccre
rews
w too th
t e cllea
e r acrylilicc su
sub-base.
• A twtwo-stage lockinng lever on the
Fairly priced, tthis
his combo
comb
co mbbo kit offering
offfe ng from
fering fromm Metabo
Meta boo will
tabo
ta will appeal
appe a to
p al
pe to
fixed
e basase has a detent when half-
buyers who value
aluue portability
portaabiliityy and
andd organization
orggannizatio while
i n wh
w ilile on the
way closeed, allowing final depth
jobsite. Capable
blee in bobboth
th ffixed
i edd
ix
adj
djustmmenentss bef
efore lockinng
and plunge modes,
oddes, ththis
his
the
h lev
e er down.
complete package
kage
ka g iss a good
all-around performer
rfoormerr aandndd iiss
tailor made for
or sossomeone
meonne in
me
the construction
ion trades.
onn traadees.
s

28 ■ POPULAR
POP
PULAR WOODWORKING
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Mid-size Routers

Triton Dual-Mode Router :

The Dual-Mode Table Beast
Rated at 13 amps, the midsize Triton offering is unique among
this group of routers. In a single router, it offers both fixed and
plunge routing capability, all at the push of a button. On paper,
this looks like the only router you would ever need, but the
controls take some getting used to, especially the retractable
orange ring for coarse adjustments in fixed mode. The plastic
plunge lock lever is situated further from the handles than other
brands, making it an awkward reach for handheld use. The
plunge turret has three stops or really two adjustable stops
and a fixed stop to zero the bit height and is different than
other models. Because the spring-loaded stop rod articulates
with the threaded stops, it would be difficult to use brass set-
ups blocks to set bit height. A safety door covering the power
switch prevents accidental startups and the door actually locks
itself when the automatic collet lock is engaged. However, this
safety feature requires the user to take one or sometimes both
hands off the handles to turn the machine on, which somewhat
negates the safety feature. When the switch is toggled on, the
clear plastic door is held open, so at least you can turn the
motor off with one hand. The MOF001 has the most robust
chip shields of the bunch, but they obscure and distort your
HIGH
G LIGHTS
LIGHTS:
view of the bit for handheld operation. Included with the kit is a
thoughtful integrated dust collection port that accepts a reverse • A push butu toon inn the
h leftt hand ndle
le quick
ckklyy switcches betwtweeen
threaded 11/2" O.D. hose by simply screwing it into the router fixed andd plungge mo m des.
base. Dust collection worked fairly well for inboard plunge cuts, • A sliding coveverr over
e the
h pow o err swiw tc
tchh iss a safetty feature
however, didn’t collect chips as well as aftermarket options in a that make
kees itt mor
oree di
d ff
ffic
icullt to
t tur
u n thhe rout
ur uter
e on.n
router table. Although the Triton passed the one-handed plunge
test, it didn’t earn high marks for plunge action because you
must apply asymmetrical pressure for a smooth plunge. Any
potential negatives of the handheld controls disappear as you
drop this solid performer into a router table. It’s here in a router
table that this model shines and avoids the need for a router lift
entirely, which can cost more than the router itself. Raise the
router with the included winding crank and enjoy the automatic
collet lock feature, which easily allows one-wrench bit changes.
I only wish the nicely made collets had four-flats, as opposed
to just 2 flats, for more wrench placement options. Power is
robust on this model, but despite advertising a soft start feature,
it lurches to life more than any other router tested.

Amp draw testing confirmed this observation, with the highest

peak reading in the test at 20.8 amps. A very utilitarian edge
guide that also functions as a circle cutting jig is also included in
the kit. The most perplexing feature of this router is the fact that
you cannot raise the router fully for bit changes when the power
switch is toggled on. For users that prefer to simply unplug the
router topside, reaching under the table for every bit change will
feel inconvenient (especially since the best router orientation
places the power switch at the back of the cabinet). It’s one safe-
ty feature that reaches too far and makes the MOF001 somewhat
less desirable than a router in a dedicated lift.

30 ■ POPULAR
POP
PULAR WOODWORKING
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Mid-size Routers

DeWalt 618 Combo oK

Kit
it:
The Smooth Operator
This smooth operator is a good overall package
acckak g
kage
1
in the 2 /4" hp combo category. The rubber ber ov oover-
er-
er
molded handles are easy to grip, and
the low squat stance of the fixed
base gives good control for edge
profiling tasks. The fixed base feels
somewhat basic and bit height
adjustment is accomplished by a simple
twist ring that keeps the motor in the same
mee
orientation at any height. This style of adjustment
jus
ustm tmen
tm entt
has two potential advantages — adjustment ennntt is quick
qquicker
uicker
c er
e
than other fine adjustment knobs and router er tr rav
avel is un
travel uuninterrupted
innte
t rrrup
u ted th
throug ghout thee
throughout
range. On the negative side, some users will ill ffind
indd th
tthee la
larg
ge ri
large ing moree di
ring ddifficult
fffic
i ult too tur
un
turn
than a small knob.

Two things have changed with this kit over the years, and neither is an improve-
ment. The motor casing used to have a wonderful low-friction bronze colored coat-
ing, which is now a standard aluminum casing. The second change involves the 1/4"
collet, which was previously a high-quality individual collet and has been swapped
for a 1/4" collet sleeve. Luckily, one piece 1/4" collets are readily available and I rec-
ommend you add one to your collection immediately. Bit changes are accomplished
by means of a collet lock button and a single wrench, but luckily there are flats for
a second wrench (not included), which makes the process easier. A nice twist-lock
power cord is removable for safety and storage and can be replaced if it’s ever
damaged.

This router isn’t particularly well suited for use in a router table because the collet
only extends 3/8" beyond the metal base. The plunge base scored top marks with
its nimble and accurate controls. One of the few routers to pass the one-handed
plunge test, my notes describe the plunge action of the 618 “like buttah!” Through-
the-column dust collection is an excellent carryover from the original ELU router
designs that the 618 was based on. Just snap in a tool-free shroud and attach your
dust hose for exceptional topside collection. The plunge base dust collection is the
only one in the test that feels truly integrated into the product and you’re therefore
more likely to use it. The depth step turret is the best of the bunch with 5 steps at
logical 1/4" intervals. Each stop is adjustable by means of a clever spring-loaded HIIGH
GHLI
LIGH
G TS
S:
thumbscrew ensuring consistent depth of cut. The size of the turret also makes it • Th
T e deptpthh stop
pt o turrreet offers fine
easy to set your bit depth with common brass setup bars. Available separately is an adj
d ustm
t entt at all 5 steps, thanks to
excellent DW6913 edge guide to round out your plunge base capabilities. a spring-loaded thumbscrew built
into the st
s op rod.
• The wiide
der landingsg on each step
make it easy to set biti depth with
brasss setup bara s and earned top
mar
a ks in the ttest.
• Through-the-post dust collecction
offers best in test performance
and ease of use on the plunge base.
Just snap in the tool-free shroud
arounnd the bit and press a 11/2" I.D.
dust hose onto the thick post and
go to work.

32 ■ POPULAR
POP
PULAR WOODWORKING
Mid-size Routers

DeWalt
D e 618 D-Handle Base :
The D-Handle Hero
With tthe same smooth, quiet motor as the 618 combo kit, the
With
W
D-handle base is available as a single router or as part of a
D-han
3-base kit. The twist-lock removeable cord makes it a natural
3-bas
fitt fo
for
or this system. The main benefits are a pistol grip, with
lock
lockable
ckaa trigger switch right in the handle. The handles are set
at a 1120° angle, rather than being directly opposite each other,
which adds to the feeling of control when edge profiling. The
isssue with this style of router is the D-handle sits about 1/4"
issue
higher than the sub-base. This can make the router tippy for
highe
inboard
in b a cuts like dados, but it’s easily solved with an oversized
nbo
base
ba s plate. The cord attached to the D-base is twice as long
as
a itt nneeds to be and prevents the router from resting upside
downn on your bench. However, that’s not a deal breaker be-
do
cause
caus
ca u e you’ll likely remove the base for bit changes. You should
HIGHLIGH
GHT: ddetach the cord from the motor before removing it and a shorter
A ha
h nddy twist-lockk cord would encourage users to do that for safety. The plastic
p wer cord
po r iss th
t e handle needs an update to be on par with the excellent rubber
key to this D-ha h ndle
ha over-molded grips DeWalt tools are known for. If a trigger in the
base tha
hat includess a
ha handle is an important feature to you, this is
lockab
able switcch inn thee one of the few routers
pist
s ol gririp hand
ndlee. that offers iit.
t.

Ryobi Plunge Router:

The Homeowner's Champion
This one may be a feather weight in a middleweight bout, but if you’re in
the market for a light, compact dedicated plunge router, it’s one to consider.
The 10 amp, 2hp motor spins to life with a simple toggle switch near the
handle. The plunge lock is the press to lock variety and it’s easy to reach.
The variable speed dial is located front and center, but oddly labeled “A”
through “F” with speed increasing to a maximum of 25,000 rpm as you
move through the alphabet. This model failed the one-handed plunge test,
and some lateral play was noted in the plunge mechanism. Bit changes
are managed by way of a spindle lock button and a single wrench. A dust
shield is provided but must be removed to depress the spindle lock button.
No dust collection fittings are included or offered. The Ryobi is one of just
a couple routers here that cannot stand firmly upside down for bit changes, S ME
SO E FEA
ATU
TURE
ES FA
F LL FLAT:
due to the position of the power cord. Although it offers the flexibility of 1/4" • Insteaad of a det etac
acchablb e su
sub-base, tht e Ryob
o i
and 1/2" collets, the 1/4" is a col- featuurees a thinn stet el bas
te a e pressedd onto it.
let sleeve, which can be a hassle
• ItIt’s not
o as smoootht as an a acr crylic base and
compared to dedicated collets.
may lim imit versa
s titlity
t for
ty o mou o ntting acccessories
Firmly geared toward the “Home-
to yoour rouo ter.
owner” sector of woodworkers,
this would be a good choice for • This iss one of a handful ul of routers that
occasional users who don’t need come with a flat spot ott on the edge of the
all the accessories and gadgets. base bu b t is det
etrime
mental to handheld stabiility
andd decreasess accuracy whhen following
a straightedge.

C M■
POPULARWOODWORKING.CO
POPULARWOODWORKING.COM 33
Mid-size Routerss

Milwaukee
M18 Fuel
Cordless ½"
Combo Kit:
The Best of Both Wor
orlds
Fighting above its weight class, this new 18V router packs a punch.
Many of the popular features and ergonomic styles were carried over
from the Milwaukee’s corded router. The Body Grip® design is a wel-
come feature on the fixed base and since the diameter of the motor
is only 3 3/16", it will fit virtually any hand size. In fact, the size and
weight of this new brushless 2.25 hp offering feel smack dab be-
tween a compact router and a traditional midsize router. Power from
the high output 6.0 Ah Red Lithium battery was more than adequate
for edge profiling and cutting mortises. The fixed base features an
elegantly simple coarse adjustment button, which also releases the
motor once the cam action clamp lever is opened. Just press the but-
ton and the motor pulls straight up and out. The fixed base has a fine
adjustment knob as well, which was easy and reliable to adjust. While
that fine adjustment knob “comes along for the ride” in the plunge
base, it doesn’t have a function there. Instead, you’ll use the threaded
tip of the plunge rod, which makes all 6 turret stops fully adjustable.
The power switch is nicely shrouded in the router body to decrease
the chance of accidental startups and a safety feature keeps the
router from starting as you slide the battery pack in position (for
instance if the switch was turned on in transport). The ergonomics
in fixed mode are fantastic and the power switch is reachable from
the handle. The motor is situated slightly higher in the plunge base,
putting the switch out of reach, but the overall balance of both bases
is excellent. The rubberized grips are comfortable with a nice medium
plunge action.

Mortising cuts are easy to control with the included, albeit basic, edge
guide. You won’t find any micro-adjustments on this accessory, but it HIIGH
GHLI
LIGH
G TS
S:
certainly does the job. Dual LED’s light the way upon initially inserting • B
Both the
h batteery and fix
ixxed base ho
h using are flat —
the battery pack and at startup and stay illuminated 15 seconds after an important feature too allow flippp ing the router
the switch is turned off. Of critical importance with cordless routers is upsidde do
d wn on your bench.
the ability to set the router upside down — with or without the battery. • Al
A ways rem mov
ove the ba
b ttery of cordless tools for bit
This is another detail Milwaukee got right and it really encourages changn es or maintet nance.
the user to remove the battery for the bit changes. Plus, the flat side • Prroudly sportingg a 1/2" collet, the plunge bas
a e of
of the battery is rubber lined, so it sits flat on your bench and won’t this cordless brawler is intuitive to set and easy
slide around between cuts. A dust collection port is included in a well- too use.
packed soft carrying bag and fits both bases. Dust collection was
effective for inboard plunge cuts, but like any router only gets 50-
60% of the dust when edge profiling. This cordless kit will appeal to a
wide range of users for construction and fine woodworking.

34 ■ POPULAR
POP
PULAR WOODWORKING
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Carving a Spoon

PHOTOS BY LOGAN WITTMER

PROJECT #2415_
Skill Level:
Intermediate Wooden spoons can be as elaborate or utilitarian as
Time: 1 Day you’d please. Either way, it’s a great way to spend time
Cost: $5
in the shop. By Elizabeth Weber
Spoon Carving

I began woodworking in late 2015, needs some additional thinking, a blank that was salvaged from a
and the more I learned about I turn to carving spoons to allow fallen maple tree.
woodworking, the more I was my hands to move and my mind This project will center around
intrigued by all of its different to think. a cooking spoon as these are
avenues of creativity. Spoon carv- This method of spoon carving my favorite to carve. When I am
ing caught my attention because combines techniques that I have teaching people to carve spoons for
I love cooking and thought what picked up over the years in various the first time, I like to start them
better way to make the process classes, with the idea of carving off with an asymmetric shape. This
more personal than to create my for the long-term and keeping takes the pressure off of getting
own custom utensils. I took my your body safe and healthy. everything perfectly aligned and
first spoon carving class in January allows them to focus on technique.
of 2018, and discovered my intu- Getting Started with I have a selection of templates that
ition was correct. That first spoon Spoon Carving I carry around with me that are in
carving class opened up a new pas- First, we start with wood selection. the shape of some of my favorite
sion of mine. I continued to take I prefer to work with green wood spoons. I like to use 1/4" plywood
classes, including how to make as it is easier to carve than dry to create my templates, but any
your own spoon carving tools and wood. Green wood is abundant material that holds up well will
how to improve your knife skills. where I live, the Pacific Northwest, work. These templates allow quick
I was pleasantly surprised to however its availability can be lim- and easy transfer of patterns to the
find that there were other people ited elsewhere. If locating green wood. If you need to locate a tem-
who loved carving spoons almost wood is difficult, you can work plate, a quick internet search will
as much as I did. In January with dry wood for this project pull up an ample selection of spoon
2019, I, along with a couple other using the same steps. The types of templates. You can also check out
people, started a spoon club that wood that I prefer to use for spoon the Rise Up and Carve website
has since grown into a commu- carving are close grained hard- where they host monthly spoon
nity that is eager to share proj- woods with straight grain. The challenges that center around
ects, techniques, and show their straight grain makes following the different carving projects.
work. It’s through this process of grain with your carving tools eas-
sharing and community that my ier. Woods such as maple, cherry, Bandsawing
spoon carving has really grown. I birch, beech, apple, and plum are Your Spoon Blank
also find that any time I run into among my favorites to work with. Using one of my spoon templates,
a problem with a project that For this specific project, I am using I trace the outline of the spoon
onto the blank of wood I have
selected for the project. A good
pencil or a pen will work to trace
out your spoon shape. You want
to make sure that you can see
the outlined area clearly before
moving on to the next step. When
cutting out the shape of the spoon
blank, I always start with the top
view of the spoon. I sometimes
ax out my spoon blanks because
it’s fun, but using a bandsaw saves
time and wear and tear on my
body, especially when I’m creating
a lot of spoon blanks at once.
1 2 Cut out the shape of your
spoon blank very carefully on the
bandsaw, staying just outside of
1 Use your template to trace out the shape of your spoon. Make sure the lines you have traced. Once
that your outline comes across clearly. the shape of the spoon is cut
2 Cut out your blank on the bandsaw by starting with material removal out, create the profile view of
along the sides. Keep your hands out of the line of your bandsaw blade. the spoon. Most of my spoons
tend to have a crank in them, i.e.,

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 37
Spoon Carving

3 4 5

3 Outline the crank of your

slight curvature in the spoon that Prepping for Carving
spoon, using the grain direction
makes it easier to scoop some- the Spoon Blank
thing out of a pot. The straight- Now that you have bandsawed
as your guide on how cranky
grained piece of wood will limit your spoon blank, all evidence of
your spoon can get. The more
the amount of curve we can get the template and crank lines have
ornery the spoon, the better it is
with the crank but analyze the been eliminated. You still need
for scooping.
wood grain direction along the these, so take your pencil or pen
4 Cut out the profile on your side of the spoon and use that to and draw in new lines that will
spoon, cutting closely to the help determine how much of a define the final shape of the spoon.
lines you drew. crank you can put into the spoon. Once you have drawn a fresh
5 Redraw the outline of your
Outline the profile of the spoon spoon outline, mark a line about
using the same pencil/pen as 1/8" in from the rim of the spoon
spoon. Mark the spoon bowl
by drawing 1/8" away from the before, then take the piece back bowl to define the spoon’s bowl.
outline of the spoon bowl rim. to the bandsaw to cut out the Now the fun starts and we can get
profile view. to carving!

■ Spoon Carving

Tools Needed:
• Hook knife (Morakniv)
• Bent gouge (7L/20 or 8L/20)
L/20)
• Straight knife (such as Morakniv 120 or 106)
• Pattern maker’s vise
Start with a Blank:
• Spokeshave approximately 2 1/4" T x 113/4" W x 1 3/4" L
• Burnisher
• Finishing oil (walnut oil)

38 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
Carving the Spoon Bowl To fix this, use your spokeshave to is complete, flip the blank 90° so
Place your spoon blank in a vise. create long facets along the edges. that one side of the handle is facing
I prefer to use a pattern maker’s Not only does it feel much better up. Use the spokeshave to remove
vise with rotating wooden paddles to pick up, those long facets will the material along the sides down
for this step, as this vise is good impress a lot of people. You can to the pencil lines that you drew in
for holding oddly shaped pieces angle the spoon in your vise so the previous steps. When one side
for carving. Using a carving gouge, that both edges are easily accessi- is complete, flip the spoon 180° to
such as a 7L/20 or 8L/20, and a ble. How big you decide to make the other side and work down to
mallet, hollow out the inside of the your facets is entirely up to you. the line on the handle. Something
spoon bowl. I always start in the Yay! Creative opportunity! to note here is that there is the
center of the blank and work my The last step on the back of the transition where the spoon bowl
way out to the line removing a bulk spoon is to blend the handle and meets the handle, i.e. the neck. It’s
of the material from the spoon the spoon bowl so that the transi- difficult to get into this area with a
bowl. Once a majority of the mate- tion is seamless and the surfaces spokeshave, so I save that transi-
rial has been removed, come back you leave are fairly smooth. tional area for knife work, which
in with a hook knife to smooth up When the backside of the spoon we will cover shortly.
the surface of the spoon bowl.
Once you are happy with how it
looks and feels, it’s time to move
on to the back of the spoon bowl.
For this, I use a spokeshave to
remove material. Begin by easing
down the corners of the spoon
bowl and gradually work your way
towards the center of the backside
of the spoon bowl. Occasionally
check the thickness of the spoon
bowl. I use my fingers to make
sure that it is consistent, and I’m 6 7
not at risk of creating a strainer
spoon. If you have a set of calipers,
you can use those to gauge your 6 Mount your spoon blank into your vise. Using a bent gouge and mallet,
progress. I usually aim for a thick- and starting at the center of the spoon blank, start removing material.
ness of approximately 1/8". 7 Use a hook knife to come in and clean up the area you just carved.

Carving the Rest of the 8 Ease down the corners of the backside using a spokeshave. Work
Backside & Sides your way from the outside towards the center of the spoon bowl.
Still working on the backside of 9 Then spokeshave the back of the handle of the spoon, making sure
the spoon, move on to the handle. to move in the downhill direction. You want to knock down the edges
Use your spokeshave to remove of your handle, creating a nice long facet.
a bulk of the material and rid the
handle of any bandsaw marks.
Remember to carve with the grain!
This usually means carving in the
downhill direction, but if you find
that isn’t working for you, turn the
spokeshave around and try in the
other direction.
Once the back of the spoon has
been refined, next ease down the
edges along the handle. At this
point, they are probably pretty
sharp and well defined. While
crisp, sharp edges might look nice,
it doesn’t feel so nice to the touch. 8 9

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 39
Spoon Carving

10 12 14

15

11 13 16

Carving the Spoon’s Top ease the edges of the handle so that 10 Work the handle and spoon
Now we are ready to work the top it has a nice feel in the hands when bowl so that the transition
side of the spoon. The first step you pick it up. blends together seamlessly.
on the top side of the spoon is to
smooth out the side of the rim of Carving the Neck 11 With the top of the spoon
the spoon bowl by working to the Now we are ready for knife work. facing upwards, smooth the
lines that were drawn in the previ- Any evidence of the spoon’s outline outside of the spoon bowl.
ous steps. Next smooth out the top has been carved away, so we need 12 Ease down the edges of the
of the handle of the spoon, much to draw the outline of the neck handle by creating long facets.
like we did with the backside of again. These lines serve as carving
the spoon. Make sure that you are guides. The grain changes direction 13 Using a pencil, draw out the
carving in the downhill direction as you move away from the spoon neck of your spoon.
and rid the blank of any evidence of bowl and into the handle of the 14 Use a pull cut to start work-
bandsaw marks. At this point, I will spoon. To complete carving the ing the neck area of the spoon.
pick up the spoon blank to see how area, do a combination of thumb
15 Complete the same cut by
the handle feels to hold. Continue pivot cuts and pull cuts. Depending
to remove material along the top on which side of the spoon bowl doing a thumb pivot cut.
until the handle feels right. This you are working on will deter- 16 Use a pull cut to help com-
may vary from person to person mine how to combine the two plete the cut on the opposite
because no two hands are alike. cuts. Make sure you are carving side of the spoon.
Just as with the back of the spoon, in the downhill direction for the

40 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
of my spoon with my hook knife
one last time.
I prefer to have a finish straight
off the tool for my spoons, how-
ever, if you would like to sand the
surface of your spoon, you are free
to do so. I recommend raising the
grain between grits so that when
you go to wash your spoon for the
first time, you’re not met with an
unpleasant fuzzy feeling surface
on your spoon.
Before putting any finish on the
spoon, I like to burnish the sur-
19 face. You can burnish your spoon
using a smooth stone, antler, or
unglazed porcelain. Burnishing
eases down the high points of your
carving and leads to a smoother
17 feeling surface. My finish of pref-
erence is walnut oil, but any food
safe oil, such as linseed oil, tung
oil, poppyseed oil, should work.

Additional Notes:
1. If you are working in green
wood, leave your surfaces a little
thick, and do your initial carving.
Your spoon should dry in a couple
of days, and you can come back
and do some finishing cuts to
complete the spoon.
18 20
2. Types of cuts:
17 Use the pull cut to help best results. Work the top side of Thumb Pivot Cut: This cut gives
blend the neck area in with the the spoon, then flip it over and you a lot of control and is especial-
rest of the spoon handle. work the back. When the neck is ly useful for getting into nooks and
established, come back and blend crannies. Position your left thumb
18 A thumb pivot cut can be the area with the rest of the spoon against the back of your knife, and
helpful in working the neck on using the straight knife to do either use your thumb to push through
the back of the spoon. a pull cut or thumb pivot cut. the cut with your wrist twisting to
19 A small handplane is useful help rotate the blade about your
in cleaning up the final lines The Final Touch-Ups thumb pivot. For more power and
of your spoon and smoothing The top of the rim of the bowl control, you can move your pivot
out your surfaces. needs to be finished. Use a point closer to the tip of the knife.
combination of a thumb pivot cut Pull Cut: You will place the end
20 A series of thumb pivot cuts and pull cut, to complete the rim. of your blank into your chest for
and pull cuts can help refine the Remember to carve in the down- support. You will have your wrist
top of your spoon bowl. One hill direction as the rim is a very cocked such that the tip of the
last pass with the hook knife to delicate part of the spoon. When knife is always facing up towards
clean up and smooth out the the rim is finished you can do the ceiling. This ensures that your
spoon bowl. final clean up on the spoon. I have wrist will hit your chest before the
Check out my spoon. Yeehaw! a small hand plane that I like to tip of the knife as you will then
Now you can make one too. use to smooth out and blend any pull the knife towards yourself.
surfaces. I also touch up the bowl PW – Elizabeth Weber

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 41
Record Stand
PROJECT #2416_
Skill Level:
Intermediate
Time: 3 Days
Cost: $250

PHOTOS BY LOGAN WITTMER & COLLIN KNOFF

Brush up on your precision

miters, and build this mid-century
inspired record player stand.
By Collin Knoff
Record Stand

I've always appreciated vinyl

for its aesthetic qualities as much
as the analog experience of putting
a record on. Yet for some reason,
my collection has always lived in-
side of cabinets or cupboards. I de-
cided it was finally time to change
that and give my records a prom-
inent spot in my living room. The
added benefit is that with everyone
out on display, I’m actually using
my record player more often.
1
Design
One of my favorite parts of the
entire woodworking process is
the design phase. I spent months
bookmarking ideas on Instagram
and looking at mid-century pieces.
The case design itself came
together fairly early; after making
several furniture pieces with ply-
wood, I wanted to construct some-
thing entirely out of hardwood,
and I wasn’t about to pass up the
opportunity to use a Domino. The
legs were a different story though.
My original plan was similar to
the nightstands I made for the 2
February 2022 issue, just mounted
lower on the case. Over time it 1 Laying out your cuts in advance
evolved to a more Maloof-esque helps you get the most material
organic shape, which I really fell out of the board efficiently.
in love with in my head. When
I started prototyping the legs 2 Rough cut each one using
with the case though, it looked a jigsaw.
all wrong. The balance was off, 3 Using a fence on the band
looking like a weightlifter that did saw helps get each board to a
nothing except skip leg day. uniform width.
Finally I settled on the design you
see here. That Maloof bug is still
bouncing around my head though, had room to cut to final size later.
destined for a future project. The leftovers from the slab could
be turned into firewood, but I pre-
Rough Stock Prep fer to save them for box making. A
This project started life as a quick trip to the band saw brings
walnut slab with plenty of imper- one edge slightly closer to square,
fections, as most slabs have. That which will save time at the jointer.
doesn’t mean you can’t get plenty With a stack of rough boards in
of good boards from it though. hand, it’s time to turn them into 3
With a rough cutlist in hand, I laid proper woodworking stock. Like
out all the boards needed, plus an clockwork, the voice of my high better edge, plane to thickness,
extra here and there, and cut them school shop teacher pops into cut to size. Thirty minutes later
out with a jigsaw. I gave myself an my head with the correct order of and I have a pile of boards ready
extra inch in all dimensions so I operations: joint better side, joint for gluing.

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 43
Record Stand

4 5
Casework
With all the boards cleaned up, it’s
time to take stock of what I have
and where it’s going. There are
a few previously invisible imper-
fections and knots that I want to
avoid seeing in the final product.
I start by grouping the boards by
level of perfection, then testing
different layouts to see how the
grain patterns line up. Once I have
a combination I like, I mark it with
a triangle and number each board. 6 7
After all the parts are laid out, I
glue them up.
Once everything is dry, I can
start making my mitered joints.
Anyone who has worked with mi-
ters before knows they can be a bit
of a pain— being even a fraction
of a degree off will multiply into a
noticeable gap when it comes time
to assemble. I’ve had the best luck
getting perfect 45° cuts on the
table saw, so that’s what I chose
this time. After carefully setting
the angle, I cut two test pieces and
put them together to make sure
they make a perfect 90°.
I used a miter gauge to cut the
first mitered edge of each case 8
component. I tried a stop block
with the miter gauge for the oppo-
4 Make passes at the jointer until one face of the board is flat.
site end, but when making test cuts,
I kept running into issues with 5 Square the edge of the board using the flattened side against the fence.
consistency. A miter sled would 6 With a square edge and end, it's time to plane to thickness. Con-
have been perfect for this, had I grats, you’ve made S3 lumber.
had one handy. Instead, I set the
table saw fence and carefully held 7 Now you rip to width.
the workpiece against it to make 8 Lay out and mark board orientation before gluing.
the second cut. If you do it this

44 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
9 10

12

9 A miter gauge is used to make the first 45° cut.

10 A pocket rule with a sliding stop helps layout.

11-12 Holding the fence firmly against the face of

the board means nothing shifts while cutting. Once I
found a rhythm it took no time to make all of the cuts.
11

way, make sure you don’t press too gave me a joint that would be Truth be told though, there was
hard against the fence, or you risk plenty strong, but wouldn’t get too almost no drama.
marring the mitered point. close to going through my stock. I went with Titebond II for
I used my leftover mitered stock final assembly, as I was on a bit
Domino Layout from before to dial in the fence of a deadline and didn’t need
As with all things woodworking, height so the mortise would be the extra open time thanks to a
a little bit of patience and prep exactly centered. second set of hands from Logan.
before cutting the mortises will Cutting the mortises them- If I was doing this on my own I
pay off. One last time I checked selves after all this prep work was definitely would have gone with
the appearance of everything a breeze. I would line the Domino a longer open time to reduce
to make sure any imperfections up with the mark, turn on the stress. I applied a liberal amount
would be hidden after assembly. motor, press down firmly with my of glue to each surface and each
Then, I marked the location of all left hand to hold the tool in place, Domino tenon, then popped all
of the mortises. then cut the dowel hole. four pieces into place. The upper
Even though I was extra careful unit was almost exactly square
with my layout, I went with the me- Case Glue Up from the get-go, and only needed a
dium-width setting on the Domino At this point, it was the moment of handful of clamps to secure it. The
to ensure I had some wiggle room. truth. Is everything going to align? lower case went together just fine,
I chose a 6x40 Domino mortise Will it be square? Why was I doing but didn’t measure completely
and a 20mm depth of cut. This a project with miters once again? square after the clamps were on.

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 45
Record Stand

“right” as opposed to some sort of

mathematical calculation.
As you make your cuts on the
table saw, keep in mind what’s
going where and what piece can
correspond with it. You can get
half your cuts done with your first
setup, then you have to adjust
the fence so it’s angled 26° the
opposite direction for the second
half. This will get you a full set of
leg components with the correct
13 corresponding angles. Label the
legs and position of each part
before continuing. Also, go ahead
and mark the centerline for your
Domino tenons.
These angled ends might sound
like they’re a headache to cut the
Domino mortises on, but it’s actual-
ly straightforward. Start by loosen-
ing the fence lock lever and getting
the cutting surface of the Domino
pressed securely on the angled end
of your board. Then lock down the
fence. This is the angle you will use
for all of your cuts on all surfaces.
Since the Domino cutter is now
square and parallel to the mating
surface of the parts, the tenons will
align exactly across the joint.
14 For extra strength, each joint
gets two tenons. The first is cut
approximately 3/8" from the face,
13 Make sure to spread glue on all of the mating surfaces, including
and the second at a distance of
the tenons. 7/ 8". That left about one ten-
14 Leave the clamps just loose enough to allow the sides to flex when on space between each hole. I
installing the top of the case. completed all my cuts at the first
depth before adjusting the fence
height and making the second
It wasn’t off by a lot, but since I angle, then taper and finish an- round of mortises. I used the
had some wiggle room thanks to gling after the fact. There are two 8 x 40 size tenons here for some
those oversized mortise slots, it reasons for not doing it that way extra strength.
was worth correcting. Squaring up though. For one, the end result Glue up was a little bit tricky,
the case itself meant some of the looks better with the angle of the with a lack of parallel surfaces to
faces were offset by a fraction of miter and the nice straight grain. clamp to. I wanted the joints to be
an inch in the corners. Thankfully And two, I wouldn’t have been nice and tight, so I tried attaching
that was an easy enough problem pushing myself to learn new things. some clamping blocks with dou-
to solve with a block plane once The legs start as some 2 x 11/4 ble-sided tape. They kept peeling
everything was dry. stock. With precision being essen- off when I tightened down though,
tial, I chose to cut my compound so I switched to handscrew clamps
Legwork miters on the table saw. The miter on top of double-sided tape. That
I’ll say right off the bat that it fence was set to 26°, and the blade allowed me to exert a significant
would have been easier to cut a tilted at 3.5°. These dimensions amount of clamping force.
simple (as opposed to compound) were chosen because they looked After the glue was dried, I

46 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
15 16

15 With the right fence, you can dial in dead-accu- 17 Handscrew clamps don’t get enough love from
rate compound miters on the table saw. woodworkers, but they’re perfect for stuff like this.
16 It’s hard to tell from the photo, but the fence is set 18 It takes a good amount of clamping force to
at a slight angle so the domino is flush to the board. keep everything perfectly tight.

17 18

21

19-21 The band saw trims the

underside and inside of the legs,
where it's least visible.
19 20

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 47
Record Stand

■ Record Stand
19 1/2" 15"

FRONT VIEW SIDE VIEW

6" 7 1/2"
1/2"

1"
18"

33 3/8"
18" 19 1/2"

10 1/2"
11/4"
8"
2 3/8" 2" 611/16"
14 1/2"
5 3/8"
3 3/8"

13/4"
3/4" 18 1/2"

A
B B
NOTE : The legs are
angled outward 6° LEGS A
and down 52°. SIDE VIEW

A
Cutlist
No. Items Dimensions (in.)
T W L
4 A Box (top/bottom) 3/ 4 15 19 1/ 2 C
2 B Top box (sides) 3/ 4 15 7 1/ 2
2 C Bottom box (sides) 3/ 4 15 19 1/ 2 C
2 D Legs (long) 1 1/ 4 2 10 1/ 2 A
4 E Legs (short) 1 1/ 4 2 7

E D
48 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
tapered the legs on the band saw.
A block plane was used to finish
smoothing out any unevenness,
with a little help from a card
scraper on the corners.

Final assembly
The final little trick was getting the
negative space between the upper
and lower cases correct. I ended up
using a 3/4" diameter hollow brass
tube cut to 5/8" tall. After cutting
the spacers, I stacked the cases
with the brass tube between them
to get their position just right. I
wanted the upper case to appear to
be floating, with the brass spacers a
nice little reveal for those who look
closer. Once I was satisfied, I lifted
the top case off and marked the
locations to drill.
22 From the top, I drilled the
through-holes for each screw.
Then, from the inside of the
22 The legs just barely extend be- case, I drilled the countersinks. I
yond the boundaries of the case. stacked the cases upside-down
(without the brass tube), and a
23-24 While the transfer punch
transfer punch was used to mark
does leave a nice indent to the location of the screws in the
drive a screw into, I wanted upper unit. A stopped bit was used
to play it safe and pre drill the to pre-drill those holes to make
screw holes. sure everything would still be
25 The screws for the legs are aligned correctly.
the final assembly step. I re-stacked the case with the
23 brass spacers in the exact position
I wanted them. Screws were then
driven from the lower case into the
upper unit, hidden inside the tube.
Finally, the legs were also at-
tached with screws from below. A
quick trip to the drill press bored
the through holes and recess holes
in the legs. I precisely lined every-
thing up, then used the transfer
punch once again so I could pre-
drill the holes. Just make sure to
not apply too much torque when
driving the screws.
For finishing, I rubbed and wiped
a few coats of linseed oil to really
highlight the grain and rich color.
After that dried, I applied a few
coats of Watco liquid satin wax,
which I then buffed with a cloth.
24 25 PW — Collin Knoff

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 49
Bank Manager’s

With its quartersawn oak, and Arts &

Crafts finish, this desk is sure to serve
generations to come.
By Willie Sandry
Desk
The best thing about being a to cover the joint lines. Another
woodworker is the ability to make option is to make hollow legs using
custom furniture for a particular a locking bit at the router table. For
spot in the home. Need a desk more details on the locking miter
that perfectly nestles into a nook technique, check out the article on
or alcove? Once you have the popularwoodworking.com/onlineextras.
basic skills, you can build fine fur-
niture to suit the available space. Inlay Technique
This large desk provides ample The square inlays come next and
work surface, along with two pen- are inspired by the notable work
cil drawers and integral desktop of Charles P. Limbert. “Ebon-Oak”
organizers for corralling letters. furniture, as it was dubbed in a
Some advanced woodworking 1915 catalog featured ebony (or
techniques are included to chal- often walnut) inlays in Limbert’s
lenge you and keep woodworking furniture line. The inlays con-
fun, including inlays, locking sisted of squares connected by a
miter joints, and side-hung center thin strip of wood. It’s a simple
guided drawers. adornment that isn’t too fancy
and seems fitting for Arts & Crafts
Four Good Legs pieces. When I first started using
to Stand On this type of inlay, I created the
This project requires 21/4" square squares with a large hollow chisel
legs that are 30" long. 10/4 solid mortising bit. The problem with
white oak is hard to come by, but that approach is you’re limited
luckily there are a couple good to the size of hollow chisels you
ways to build your own posts from have available. I’ve since switched
3/4" stock. Laminating three strips to a router inlay approach using
of lumber together is one way to a square template and a special
go and if you carefully plan the di- guide bushing. While this does
mensions, you can add thin veneers require you to square the corners

1 If you don’t have lumber thick enough to make the legs, simply build
PROJECT #2417_ them with thinner stock. Laminating strips together with thin veneers
PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR

Skill Level: to hide the joints or lock miter joints are two great options.
Intermediate
Time: 5 Days
Cost: $$450 POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 51
Bank Manager’s Desk

2 3

2 Rout a 1/4" wide groove in the two front legs with a plunge router and
edge guide.
3 Glue strips of walnut into the grooves so they stand slightly proud of
the leg.
4 Plane the strip inlay flush with the leg’s surface.
5 With an inlay bushing kit installed on a plunge router, remove the
waste from the recess. Note how the strip inlay is trimmed to length
automatically.
6 The inlay is built to align with both the top or bottom of the leg,
depending on which it’s oriented. It’s secured with double-sided
carpet tape and a bench vise.
4

5 6

with a chisel, the finished product Then make a template as shown slightly proud after they’re in-
is extra clean and it’s an easy tech- to rout the square inlay. As you stalled. Finish the inlay by sanding
nique to master. rout the square recess, you’ll note or planing the squares flush with
Start by routing a 1/4" wide the walnut strip is conveniently the surface of the leg.
groove using a plunge router and trimmed to length as well. Then
edge guide. I’ve found a spiral remove the brass spacer ring on Mortises Please
downcut bit works best for this the inlay guide bushing to rout Once the inlays are done, go ahead
3/16" deep groove. Glue a strip of some walnut squares. Set your bit and layout the mortise loca-
walnut into the groove and plane depth to 1/4" for this step, which tions. All of the mortises for this
it flush with the surface of the leg. will make the walnut inlays stand project are 1/2" wide, except the

52 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
7 8

7 Now remove the brass spacer ring from

the inlay bushing and use the same template
to rout walnut squares. Move the router in
a clockwise direction, maintaining contact
with the perimeter of the template.
8 Next resaw the squares free at the band-
saw. Tape holds the pieces in temporarily.
9 Glue the squares in place. Note they
stand proud by design and will be sanded
smooth after the glue dries.
9

horizontal mortise for the lower

drawer rail, which is a 3/8" mortise.
Mortise depth is 1" with only one
exception: the mortises for the
side panel stub tenons are only 1/2"
deep. It’s helpful to have a system
to keep track of the legs as you lay
out and chop these mortises. My
system is simple, yet it tells me
which leg I’m working on and its
position in the project. Simply
number the legs 1–4 starting with
the left front leg and proceeding 11
in a clockwise direction.

Tenons to Match 10 Chop out the mortises, which

Next, form tenons on the rails and are mostly 1/2" wide x 1" deep.
side panels to fit the mortises. The 11 With a dado blade and miter
top shoulder of the side panels is gauge, tenon the rails to fit the
1" long, so the stub tenon doesn’t mortises.
interfere with the dovetail socket 10

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 53
Bank Manager’s Desk

12 13

14 15

on the two front legs. The drawer 12 Raise 1/2" long x 1/2" thick stub tenons on the side panels. Then turn
rail tenon is offset, so the inside the panel on end to trim 1" off the top and 1/2" off the bottom of the ten-
edge aligns with the leg. Follow the on. A deep-reach clamp secures the panel to a sturdy miter gauge.
detail renderings for the tenons, so
13. Chisel any detritus from the mortises. Dry assemble the desk frame.
the front reveal comes out right.
Clean out the mortises with a chis- 14 Mark a cutline and remove most of the waste with a bandsaw or jig-
el and mallet and think about your saw. Mount the lower rail in a routing jig. Trim it flush at the router table.
best method for shaping the rear 15 A large diameter flush trimming bit features compression geometry
lower rail. I used a bandsaw to cut for smooth cuts on top and bottom. Infinity #06-694 Mega Flush Trim
close to the line, then pattern rout- bit shown.
ed the shape with a template and
large diameter bearing guide bit.
You could certainly just sand to the that’s rock solid. I recommend the “shoulder-to-shoulder” length
line if you prefer. Sand all the parts you try it, because there’s some- matches that of the drawer rail
you’ve made for this desk project thing quite satisfying about a you tenoned previously. Then
and ease the edges as appropriate. perfectly fitting dovetail that no raise the blade to 1/2" and turn the
one will ever see. Install a com- rail on edge, to make a single kerf
Dovetail Rail bination blade with at least some on either side. Finally, draw the
While there are certainly easier flat raker teeth and set the blade dovetail shape and trim away the
ways to join the top drawer rail height to 1/4". With the fence set waste freehand at the bandsaw.
(pocket hole screws come to for a 1" shoulder, nibble away the Now take the completed dovetail
mind), a lapped dovetail joint is waste. It’s advisable to sneak up rail to the dry-assembled desk and
a historically accurate approach on the right fence setting, until lay it in position to make the dove-

54 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
16 17 18

16 Notch the dovetail rail until the

shoulder-to-shoulder dimension
matches the lower drawer rail.
Blade height is 1/4" for this step.
17 Maintaining the same fence
position from the previous step,
raise the blade height to 1/2"
and extend the shoulders of the
19 20 dovetail rail.
18 Draw the dovetail shape and
cut it freehand at the bandsaw.
19 Take the completed rail to the
desk and clamp it in position.
Deeply score around the perim-
eter of the dovetail shape with a
marking knife.
20 Darken the knife mark with a
pencil and carve out the dovetail
socket with a plunge router and
a 1/4" spiral bit. Use the dovetail
rail itself to set router bit depth.
Complete the socket with a
chisel and mallet.

tail sockets. Just like the tenoned

drawer rail, the 2" wide dovetailed
rail is positioned flush with the
21 inside of the front legs.
Secure the rail with a clamp and
use a marking knife to transfer the
21 Permanently assemble the location to the top of each front
desk frame, but leave the dove- leg. While you might think a dove-
tail rail loose for now. tail bit is required, that’s not true
22 With the cleat clamped in this case. Chuck a 1/4" spiral bit
behind the lower drawer rail, in a plunge router and excavate
rout notches centered in each the bulk of the waste from the
drawer opening. This ensures socket. A couple taps with a chisel
the notches in both parts will and mallet complete the dovetail
be perfectly aligned. Stop the sockets. Leave the dovetail rail
notch 3/4" from the front. loose for now, to allow access for
22 the next couple steps.

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 55
Bank Manager’s Desk

■ Bank Manager’s Desk

12" A
2 3
A
B 1
R

H C

O J N L 11/2" x 1/2" tenon 12 1/2" x 1/2" tenon

on each end on each end

1 1/4" x 1" tenon on each end,

positioned 3/16" from the bottom

FRONT VIEW SIDE VIEW

G
I 11/2" x 1" tenon
on each end
4
D D

FRONT LEGS 1/2"

1/4"
1/2" 1" 1" INTERIOR

3 3/4"
A 3/4" 2 1/2"
FRONT VIEW
SIDE VIEW
TOP VIEW
3/4"
1/2" 11/2"
11/4" 11/4" 13/4" 7/8" 1"
2" TOP
1 2 A 7/8" 1/2"
1"

18"
R 1/ 2" 3/4" 1/2"
1"
1/4" 1/ 2"
deep
6" dovetail
12 1/2"

INTERIOR SIDE VIEW

socket
BACK LEGS

1/2"
5"
1/4"
17 1/8"

5" 9/16" 3 7/16"

2 1/2"
2" 3/8"

3 11/4"
6 1/4"

1/4"
1" deep
mortise
I 1/2"

R 1/ 2" 3 3/4"
NOTE : Front side
3 1/2"

11/2" of the back legs

is the same as the
back side of the
4 4" 1" front legs, with no
1/ 2" deep mortise mortise on top.
P

NOTE: Organizer
miters are locking A R
miter joints

B
K Q

L
K
5 H
8
J 6 N
7 M C
O

V U S

W
G
V
S D

3/4" 3/8"
1/ 8"
18 1/8" mortise, N N
centered 2" 1/8" deep
deep mortise on 1/2" 5/8"
interior side only 3" 7/8"
11/2" 1/2" 11/4" 11/4"
H L SIDE VIEW SIDE VIEW
5 FRONT VIEW 6 SIDE VIEW 7 FRONT SIDE 8 BACK SIDE

Cutlist
No. Items Dimensions (in.) 1 M Drawer cleat 3/ 4 1 36 1/ 2
T W L 2 N Central runners 1 3/ 4 18 3/ 4
1 A Backsplash 7/ 8 41 6 2 O Drawer slides 5/ 16 1/ 2 17 3/ 8
1 B Top 7/ 8 44 22
ORGANIZERS
2 C Side panels 1 18 14 1/ 2
2 P Top 6 11 1/ 2
4 D Legs 2 1/ 4 2 1/ 4 30 1/ 2
1/ 4
2 Q Middle 5 1/ 2 11 1/ 2
1 E Inlay template 2 1/ 4 11 1/ 2
1/ 8
4 R Sides 11 1/ 2 5
- F Scrap walnut for inlay ~4_ ~18_
2 G Lower rail 1 19 2 DRAWERS
1 H Upper back rail 1 38 1/ 2 4 1/ 2 4 S Front/back 3/ 4 17 7/ 8 3
1 I Lower back rail 1 38 1/ 2 4 2 T Bottoms 1/ 4 17 1/ 8 14
2 J Front drawer rails 3/ 4 38 1/ 2 2 2 U Secret compartment wall 5/ 8 16 5/ 8 2 1/ 4
2 K Spacer boards 5/ 8 17 3 3/ 4 4 V Sides 5/ 8 19 3
1 L Drawer divider 3/ 4 19 3/ 4 3 3/ 4 2 W Track 1/ 2 2 1/ 2 18 3/ 4
Bank Manager’s Desk

Side-Hung,
Center Guided Drawers
This style of drawer hangs on
wooden slides and is guided by a
central runner underneath. This
system takes a note from the
Stickley playbook and results in
smoothly operating drawers that
won’t rack side-to-side. Make
the cleat component, which will
support the central runners at
the rear of the desk. Temporarily
clamp the cleat along the back
edge of the lower drawer rail and
rout 1/8" deep dado notches in 23
both parts. Stop the notch 3/4"
from the front of the rail. Next,
permanently install the cleat with 23 Form dovetail joints with a jig or
screws through counterbored and by hand.
predrilled holes, so that it’s flush 24 Rout 1/4" deep centered grooves in
with the bottom of the rear rail. the drawer sides with a 1/2" diameter
The cleat also forms a nice ledge plunge-tip bit.
for the drawer divider, which
25 With the same fence position, lower
we’ll install later.
the bit height to 1/16" and rout through
Build the drawer boxes with
grooves in the spacer blocks and both
your preferred method. I used
sides of the drawer divider. Make sure
half blind dovetails made with
to reference the bottom of the work-
a router-based jig. Make sure to
pieces against the fence for all the cuts.
leave 1/2" space below the drawer 24
bottom for the track component.
Then rout centered grooves in the
drawer sides at the router table.
This requires a router bit capable
of making a plunge cut. Use a 1/2"
diameter bit and make two passes
to achieve the finished groove
depth of 1/4". With the same rout-
er table setup, lower the bit height
to 1/16" and mill through grooves
in the spacer boards and drawer
divider as well. You’ll register the
bottom of the workpiece against
the router fence for all grooves.
Here’s the part where order of 25
operation is important… be sure
to mill these grooves before gluing back. Mill strips of maple roughly as a drawer stop, instead of the
on the vertical trim strip on the 1/2" wide x 5/16" thick for draw- drawer slides.
drawer divider. I used a single #20 er slides. Plane the slides until Finally, install the dovetail rail
biscuit to align these parts and they easily glide in the drawer with glue and add the drawer divid-
reinforce the end-grain joint. grooves, without any excess slop. er component. I made a 1/8" deep
Make the central runners from Round over the front end of each dado in the rear rail before assem-
hard maple and notch them to slide to match the radius of the bly, to quickly register the divider
fit. The central runners regis- drawer grooves. Drawer slide in position. Secure the front of the
ter into their notches and are length doesn’t need to be precise drawer divider with screws driven
secured with a screw at front and because the central runner acts through the drawer rails.

58 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
26

26 Notch the drawer back to receive a central track

component. It’s 2 1/2" wide x 1/2" thick and has a
tongue on the front end that fits into a mortise in
the drawer front.
27 Make central runners from hard maple and
install them in their dado notches. Spacer blocks
are installed with oversized holes and screws and
receive the drawer runners.
27

A Couple Special Backsplash & Organizer TransTint Golden Brown dye,

Drawer Box Features Shape the backsplash as indicated mixed one ounce per quart of
The back of the drawer is notched in the rendering and cut a “mouse NGR thinner. The thinner I mix
for a 21/2" wide x 1/2" deep cen- hole” for cord management as de- myself and it’s just a 50/50 ratio
tral track. The track installs with sired. I prefer biscuits for attaching of lacquer thinner and denatured
a tongue that fits into a shallow the backsplash, but dowels or loose alcohol. I also add 4 tbsp. of
mortise in the drawer front. Make tenons would work just fine. The lacquer retarder per quart of dye
sure to cut this mortise before you backsplash mounts flush with the to slow drying time and minimize
assemble the drawer. There’s also back of the desk top, so be sure to streaking. Next seal the dye with
a 5/8" wide dado in the drawer sides, keep the back edges crisp for now. shellac, which must be sprayed
located about 4" from the back. The The letter organizers are built if you use an alcohol-based dye.
dado receives a false drawer back with locking miter joints and Complete the coloring step with
and makes a perfect mounting dados, using 1/2" thick stock. For General Finishes Antique Walnut
location for a turning stop. This more information on using a lock- gel stain and wait at least 24 hours
setup stops the drawer before full ing miter bit, check out the article before topcoating with lacquer. I
extension and creates an interest- on popularwoodworking.com/online- find a satin sheen most fitting for
ing secret compartment at the rear extras. Once these subassemblies Arts & Crafts style furniture.
of each drawer. To access the secret are built, they’re mounted to the Attach the organizers with a
compartment, twist the turn-stop desk with 1/4" dowels. Drill four dab of glue in each dowel hole and
and remove the drawer. Before final holes in the bottom edge of each secure them with a pair of deep
drawer assembly, complete the 2 organizer, then use dowel centers reach clamps. Once the glue dries,
remaining steps. Trim 1/16" width to transfer marks to the desk- attach the top to the desk with
off the drawer parts at both top top. Drill the mating holes in the figure 8 fasteners. The crowning
and bottom. This creates a perfect desk top freehand. I very slightly touch is period-appropriate brass
drawer reveal automatically. Lastly, drawbored the holes to ensure the ring pulls with slotted screws. It
pre-finish the drawer front to add organizers would pull flush with might look like an instant antique,
some contrast to the dovetail joints. the backspash. but it’s a functional desk with
While turn of the century factories plenty of workspace. Plus — a
didn’t bother with this detail, small- Hardware and Finish project like this can easily be
batch custom furniture makers can The finishing schedule is a stain- adapted to fit your particular
add these extra touches. over-dye technique starting with space. PW – Willie Sandry

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 59
Classified & Woodworker’s Marketplace

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Spring Green Saws

Some of the nicest saws around are coming out
of Warwick, RI, at the hands of Charlie Earnest.
By Logan Wittmer

The story behind Spring Green diocre woodworker. (Side note — catalog that has been found is
Saws is one that I’ve followed for owning one of his saws, I call bull from 1876. That’s 36 years that we
years. I became aware of Charlie on—nobody can make this nice can only piece together through
Earnest and his saws as I watched of saw and be a mediocre wood- comparison of extant saw mod-
his saw building journey over the worker). Since that time, Charlie’s els. There is far less known about
last several years (via social me- inching closer to his 300th saw, many other US saw makers. The
dia). I actually approached Charlie mixing his own style with saws history of US saw making contin-
several years back, asking to do based on historic examples. ues to grow, moved forward by
this very spotlight on him and his many researchers and collectors,
saws. However, being the humble Why is it saws? What about but the reality is that we still only
guy that he is, he declined, and it them fascinates you? know very little.
took me meeting him in person (at Part of what I love about saws is
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CHARLIE EARNEST & LOGAN WITTMER

Handworks, in the Amana Colo- the history involved in different What about the handtool
nies) to finally convince him to let saw makers, methods, and how community do you love?
me share his story. the saws were used. Although The camaraderie. I spend almost
so much information has been all of my time in my home shop
Spring Green Saws uncovered in the last 30 years or with my family. When I started
Spring Green Saws got its start in relating to saw making in the to make an effort to get to more
2020, and shipped its first com- US and abroad, it is still a drop woodworking events, MWTCA
mission saw in 2021. Charlie, hav- in the bucket compared to the events, and tool auctions I was
ing spent time in the HVAC field, amount of information that can surprised when people started to
transitioned to a stay-at-home be found about other hand tools. seek me out or recognize me. It’s
dad, and became fascinated with For example, the most well known overwhelming and exhausting at
vintage handsaws (stemming from saw maker in US history, Henry times because I’m an introvert
his love of handtools). Charlie Disston, started producing saws who spends most of his time alone
claims himself as a-claimed me- around 1840 but the earliest but it has been rewarding in ways

62 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
Spring Green Saws

I’d not considered as well. Meet- What’s the biggest hurdle see a way it can be done better. At
ing people who I’ve shipped saws when building a saw? the end of the day, knowing I’ve
too and hearing about their proj- The biggest challenge is repeat- made a high quality tool that will
ects is something I never would’ve ability. Making my first saw was go out into the world and help to
dreamed I’d be doing. I’ve also easy but with each saw after, I create both beautiful and func-
met a handful of other tool/ saw learned a little bit more. I also tional things is hugely rewarding.
makers and gotten to know them learned different ways it can all It doesn’t matter whether the end
over the last couple of years. I go wrong. Trying to make a high user is a DIY guy or gal, hobby-
even get visitors to my shop from quality tool, that functions at a ist, well-known furniture maker
time to time. Saws, both collecting high level and is also aesthetically or someone who will use a saw I
and making, has opened up a new pleasing can be a challenge. Trying made to earn their living; each and
world for me and I’ve made some to be innovative in addition to this every saw I send out is reward-
great friends, met some interest- takes it to another level. However ing in its own way and hopefully
ing people, and generally learned a this is the other part of what I reflects the time and energy I put
lot from all of them. love about saws—the challenge. into making it.
It would be simpler, faster, and
What’s your process when perhaps more lucrative, to narrow Any last thoughts?
someone orders a saw? my offering. Only an acknowledgement. I
I’m currently trying to find the There is nothing wrong with am incredibly fortunate to have
time to finish my website which making saws in that manner but I a wonderful wife who has fully
would make everything easier prefer the stimulation that comes supported my passion from the
everybody (myself included). At with each new challenge. To take beginning. It is because of my
the moment, most people reach only an image of a saw and then wife’s job, as well as her patience
out to me through social media or to try and reproduce it faithfully and support, that I am able to
through email with some form of is something I never get tired of. continue making saws in the man-
idea on what they want in a saw. To dream up new and innovative ner I do. The absence of pressure
Current wait times from order to ways of making what is essentially associated with providing imme-
shipping run about 6-8 months. a simple tool is a challenging. I’m diately for my family allows me a
Inquiries can be made at not always successful but each certain latitude in how I approach
[email protected]. time I learn something new or saw-making. PW — Logan Wittmer

1 2

1 Charlie Earnest is the man behind

every Spring Green Saw.
2 Each saw is handmade in
Charlie’s shop.
3 Charlie’s offerings range from full
and half back saws, to panels saws.
3

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 63
End Grain

The Tisch Toy Shop

By Micah Henry
together the little wagon so that
I would have something to pull
behind the John Deere tractor I
was pushing around the shop floor.
Little things, such as allowing a child to spend time in While I can’t provide a materials
your shop, can shape their future. list, or any of the technical speci-
fications, I can tell you that it was
definitely sturdy enough to handle
I first learned about exploding the possibility of being able to cut anything that I could haul in it. My
outhouses when I was about six something other than a straight dad probably doesn’t remember
or seven. Maybe you’ve seen line. But perhaps the real highlight building it. For him, it was a just a
them: little banks in the shape of the weekend was that I had typical day.
of an outhouse with a coin slot doughnuts for breakfast: now that I’ve looked, but I can’t seem to
on top, and a hidden mousetrap was really living! I often wonder find that wagon at my parent’s
inside. Dropping a coin inside if Mr. Tisch ever realized just how house anywhere. Perhaps it fell
makes the whole thing fly apart. much spending that morning in victim to the yard sale that so
They were a big hit at the Tisch his woodshop impacted me. many of the other toys succumbed
Toy Shop. Mr. Tisch, our neighbor, There are lots of toys from my to. Had I been able to find it, I
was a retired carpenter who loved childhood that I remember fondly, could have passed it down. Be-
to spend his time in his wood- and many of them began their cause these days, in my single-car
shop building toys. I doubt that life in the Toy Shop across the garage woodshop, my young son
his business was very profitable, street. My favorite toy, however, likes to spend his time hauling
however, because the only thing was a small wooden wagon that sawdust from one pile to another.
he liked more than making his my father, a talented woodworker I guess that means it’s time for me
toys was giving them away. himself, built for me. There was to try my hand at building another
One evening when I was quite nothing fancy about the construc- wagon. Maybe, if I’m lucky, my
young, Mr. and Mrs. Tisch were tion of the wagon, it was mostly dad will draw up some plans for it.
over visiting with my parents. built from scrap pieces of plywood As for the Tisch Toy Shop, well it’s
They must have joked about and dowel rods. What’s special long since gone. But the memory
me going to stay with them for about it is that I can remember of its kind-hearted proprietor—
the night because I remember I helping him build it. I remember and those exploding outhouses—
rolled up my sleeping bag, got my that he took the time out of a busy continues to inspire me today.
pajamas, came down the steps house remodeling project to put PW - Micah Henry
and announced I was ready to go.
Well, after having a chuckle they
decided it would be a fine idea
for me to spend the night at their
place. Two life-changing events
happened that weekend. For one,
I got to sleep on a waterbed that
night. Before that, I didn’t even
know that they existed. Second,
the next morning I got to hang
out with Mr. Tisch in his wood-
shop. Surrounded by all those
toys, this blew my mind even
more than the waterbed.
I remember being fascinated
as I watched him cut something
out on his scroll saw—undoubt-
edly the most used tool is his
well-equipped shop. That was
the first time I had ever seen one.
As my only tool at the time was
a handsaw, my mind reeled with

64 ■ POPULAR WOODWORKING
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