NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1983, No. 43, $3.50 Making ... - Wood Tools

(continued)
Methods of Work
most of the waste. Now clamp the jig in place under the
workpiece so it becomes a guide for the bearing of a flushtrim
router bit. This results in clean, accurate mortises or tenons
with straight sides except in the corners, which must be
cleaned up with a chisel. If the jig is accurately lined up with
the edge of the workpiece, the spacing of the mortises and
tenons will be identical. -Ed Devlin, Rothsay, Minn.
Shaping with pencil-sharpener cutter
In my woodworking classes, I have been using an
old spiral cutter from a pencil sharpener, chucked
in the drill press, for smoothing small-radius internal
curves. The cutter works very well, and
saves the time and tedium of sanding or filing.
To make the tool, simply hacksaw one of the
two cutters free of the mechanism. Replace the
pin with a short length of :X6-in. cold-rolled steel
rod. Make sure the drive gear is on the bottom,
for the correct cutting action. Hammer the bar a
bit so that it will wedge tight in the spiral cutter.
To use, chuck the cutter and lock the quill.
-David Glen Whitling, Bolivar, Ohio
Producing dollhouse siding
Here's how to produce simulated clapboard siding for dollhouses
with a router and an easy-to-make subbase. First, to
make the subbase, bevel a 'X-in. thick, 6xlO block on the
tablesaw in much the same fashion as you would cut a raised
panel. Be sure to leave a X6-in. or so fillet, as shown. Now
bore a hole through the block, and mount the router so that a
'X-in. straight bit chucked in it is tangent to the fillet of the
12
�
base. After experimenting with the bit depth, you should be
able to rout multiple beveled cuts across the workpiece, indexing
each cut in the previous cut. For narrower siding, relocate
the subbase on the router and use either the same or a
smaller bit. -Jim and Dan Fortner, Newport, Ind.
Preserving green bowl blanks
To eliminate checking on green bowl blanks, simply store
them in your freezer until you're ready to turn. I even use the
freezer for storing work in progress if I'm interrupted before
completing the rough-turning. This method is especially useful
if you have a large number of green blanks and don't
have time to rough them out so that they will dry properly.
For long-term storage, wrap the blanks in plastic bags to
avoid freezer burn and surface drying.
Another advantage of the method is that the frozen blanks
turn without building up heat at the cutting edge-your
gouge will need sharpening less frequently. Also, spalted
wood, soaked and frozen, holds together much better.
-Joel N. Kutz, Brockport, N. Y.
Methods of Work buys readers' tips, jigs and tricks. Send
details, sketches (we 'll redraw them) and photos to Methods,
Fine Woodworking, Box 355, Newtown, Conn. 06470.
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