Woodworker West (May-June, 2013)

Another option—if your bandsaw is a minimum of 18"
or bigger—is the Lenox Tri-Master carbide blade. This
blade cuts very fast and smooth. It costs a lot more,
and the kerf is wider, 1 /16" as opposed to 1 /32" with the
DieMaster blades.
3. Your Workbench: I really miss your show. I liked your
style of woodworking. You are an artist. Did you make
that workbench that was used on your show? If so, do you
sell plans to make it? I have seen a lot of workbenches and
yours is my favorite. John
David's Answer: Yes, I did make the Walnut workbench
that you saw on WoodWorks. I designed it
based upon a workbench built by Makoto Imai, a
Japanese timber framer that I studied with back in the
mid-1980's. I modified the design and built the base
using Makoto's drawing from page 158 of The Workbench
Book written by Scott Landis, published by The
Taunton Press (1998).
The top is my own version of what I wanted for the
top of the workbench. I have square holes for bench
dogs for either side of the top and one vise at the end
of the bench. I used a Record vise at the end, but I
housed it inside of some Burmese Padauk and Africian
Wenge. I laminated the top out of solid Walnut
and cut the through dovetails on my bandsaw.
The dovetails are a little over 3 1 /2" long due to the
thickness of the stock. The bandsaw was an excellent
tool for cutting the dovetails. I laid out my own pat-
tern and tilted the bandsaw table to the appropriate
angle, using the fence to guide the stock while I cut
the pins first. I, then, positioned the pins on to the tail
stock and scribed a line with a knife. With the stock
supported by a stand, I carefully bandsawed the tails
to the scribe line. I used a guide block clamped to
the scribe line and chopped half way down with very
sharp dovetail chisels. Then, I flipped it over, and
chopped half way down from the other side to finish
it off. I do teach classes on this technique, if you are
ever interested.
My recommendation would be to purchase the Workbench
Book by Scott Landis. Study the various designs,
and put together a design that works best for you.
4. Modulating Hegner Speed: On your Marquetry
DVD II, I do not understand how you modulate the
Hegner speed. Is it a variable voltage foot pedal? Are
you tapping and releasing a momentary footpedal?
Or what? Chris
David's Answer: I'm glad you enjoyed my Double
Bevel Marquetry DVD. Advanced Machinery sells an
optional foot pedal that will work with some models
of scroll saws.
I use their foot pedal to stop and start my cuts. I have
the electronic variable speed control Hegner model,
which accepts the foot pedal. Foredom also makes
a variable speed foot pedal that works well with the
Excalibur scroll saw.
David Marks' shop-made workbench, as seen on his television series WoodWorks.
May-June, 2013 Woodworker West Page 37