Outdoor Projects - Summer 2004

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Summer 2004
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Outdoor Projects
Summer 2004
8 Woodworking for the Great Outdoors

By Chris Marshall
DClge
64
18 Oriental Redwood Arbor

By Stan Schmidt
Build a trellised classic for the yard.
26
Gardener's Workstation
By Stan Schmidt
Gardeners need workbenches too.
32
Portable Outdoor Chairs

By Rick l1!hite
Classic two-piece nesting chairs.
38
DClgel8
Patio Furniture Spruce-up

Doges48856
By Michael Dresdner
Make sure your outdoor furniture lasts.
48
Spanish Cedar Picnic Table

By John English
Secrets to tackling a curved outdoor table.
56
Picnic Table Benches

By John English
Curved benches complete John's table.
59
Child's Adirondack Chair and Settee

By John English
This charmer converts from chairs to settee.
Doge 73
64 Victorian Birdhouse
By Larry Stoiaken
Share some shop time with a youngster.
66
Portable Folding Bench

By John English
Light and portable: perfect for the big game.
73
Modular Bench with Planter

By Rick l1!hite
Define the deck and boost your seating.
76
Classic Croquet Set

By Ron Hampton
All you need is a lathe and a weekend.
Summer 2004 Outdoor Projects
Doge 26
SUMMER 2004
woodworllersjournal. com
LARRY N. STOlAKEN Editor ill Chief
JOHN KELLIHER Art Director
Summertime Projects
ROB JOHNSTONE Editor

JEFF JACOBSON Associate Art Director
JOANNA WERCH TAKES Associate Editor
STEVE HINDERAKER Photographer
AJ"lN ROCKLERJACKSON Pubtisher

JILL ARENS Ciretttalioll Director
KELLY ROSAAEN Cirettlalioll Assistant
SARAH M. GREER Advertising &
Productioll Director
LISA REJ-IMAN Advertisillg Assistallt
JOE FAHEY Production Assistant
Special Projects Editor

CHRIS MARSHALL
Contributing Editors
MICHAEL DRESDNER
mCK WHITE
JOHN ENGLISH
MIKE McGLYNN
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BACK ISSUES & REPRINTS

Woodworker's Journal or Today's Woodworker -
Call: (800)610-0883
etween the baseball tournaments and lawn care, you may let a few
cobwebs gather in the shop these summer months. There's no
arguing that summer is too short to stay holed up inside. But the dog days
are the perfect time to dig into some fresh lumber and create a project or
two for the great outdoors. In this special Collector's Edition, I've pulled
together some real classics that will add charm and grace to your outdoor
scene. I'm confident you'll find
a project or two that will beautify
your yard while offering enough
of a challenge to keep your
woodworking skills sharp.
To start your planning, Chris
Marshall boils down the best
choices for weather-resistant
lumber, glues, finishes and
hardware, starting on page 8.
If your patio doesn't host as
many barbecues as it used to,
maybe John English's Spanish
cedar Picnic Table (see page 48)
and Benches (see page 56) will
renew your outdoor entertaining.
While you're at it, add some
seating for those guests and a bit
of greenery with the Modular Bench with Planter on page 73. I'll bet the
kids would love their own pint-sized Child's Adirondack Chairs, and our
plans show you how to convert them into a handy Settee (see page 59).
Long evenings on the sidelines of the soccer field will be more enjoyable
if you build a couple of Rick White's Portable Outdoor Chairs (see page 32)
or the equally sturdy and comfortable Portable Folding Bench (see page 66).
If gardening is one of your many passions, we've got you covered. Stan
Schmidt's Gardener's Workstation on page 26 is designed to keep your
potting supplies and tools within easy reach. If your yard or garden is
missing a signature focal point, have a look at the Redwood Arbor on page 18.
Do you have curious kids around the shop just waiting for a chance to
build something, too? The Birdhouse on page 64 may be just the ticket to
start passing on the craft - I had a great time putting this one together
with my daughter years ago. And when summer finally draws to a close,
give it a proper send-off on Labor Day with a croquet tournament.
You can build Ron Hampton's
complete Croquet Set including balls! - with
the plans on page 76.
Happy woodworking!
Outdoor Projects is published by RockIer

Press Inc., 4365 Willow Dr., Medina, MN
55340. Single copy price, $5.99 (U.S.); 88.99
(Canada/other countries). Reproduction
without permission prohibited.
Printed in the USA.
WEB SITE: www.woodworkersjournal.com

2004 Rockier Press Inc., Printed in USA.
Outdoor Projects Summer 2004
FRO
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Ideal for cabinet, chair and table construction, the jig is easy and
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and the timber positions can be adjusted for compound angle
joints. The reversible templates enable round or square end
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accurate dowel joints.
AD/04/11
Woodworkin~
for the Great Outdoors
When it comes to lumber, glues and finishes, a few smart choices

on the front end will add years of life to your exterior furniture.
By Chris Marshall
Photos courtesy California Redwood Association
One
_ .....,--------11''''1;
advantage to outdoor furniture is that,

on the whole, it's easier to build than indoor
furniture. But even with easier construction,
what's critical to the success of patio or yard
furniture is how it stands up to the elements
over time. Sunlight, water damage and
insects can spell doom for outdoor projects
unless you make some preemptive material
decisions before you build. Choose wisely,
and that Adirondack settee you make this
month for the kids will probably still be
around when they graduate high school.
Here's a short study on choosing outdoor
woods, adhesives, hardware and finishes so
you can get your project off on the right foot
and ensure that it will live a long, useful life.
Choosing Outdoor-tough Lumber
Most furniture lumber can withstand a season
or two outdoors before rot takes hold,
especially under a couple of coats
of primer and paint. However,
a handful of lumber species have
natural tannins and extractives that
make them especially well suited
for exterior use, with or without
a finish applied. Some are easy to
find regardless of where you live,
while others are in shorter supply.
Here are your best options:
Redwood
Redwood is still available in Western states, but you won't
typically find it stocked in the lumberyard elsewhere
in the country. Tannins and natural oils in the wood
resist fungal decay and insect pests. Once prized as the
premier lumber for siding, exterior furniture and deck
construction, first-growth redwood is a rare commodity
these days with a premium price tag. What you're more
likely to find now is second-growth wood from younger,
faster growing redwood trees. It's still a durable wood
Old-growth redwood is now protected and can be hard

to find as lumber. Recycled planks from old barns are
often the best source for this precious timber.
for outdoor use, but it has a higher percentage of sapwood

than the lumber that came from its mammoth forebears
a hundred years ago. Old-growth redwood ranges
in color from tobacco brown to deep crimson, but
second-growth redwood is more typically a mix of
reddish heartwood and lighter sapwood. The wood is
fine-grained and surprisingly lightweight. Old-growth
lumber is often knot-free.
Redwood is a softwood that's easy to mill with sharp
blades and bits, but dull cutters produce splinters and
lift the grain. Be sure :to wear a mask when working
bntique, reClaimed "sinker" cypresS' is .an

emerging lumber source yOU might consider
for your outdoor projects. Muc!). of thIs wood
., c,.omes[fom virgin timber logs dredged up,from
the 15Qtfom$. of lakes 'and rivers.. The logs sank
en route toIU1l1ber.mills a century or So ~gol arid
thew!Jod may,be hundreds, upwards fo. a thousand,
.Years Qld.>Thickriesses of4/4 or more aren't hard to
find in oversizedwidtns arid in lengths exceedil)g 8'.
WhiteOak
Ce~ar.
'.
{
Western red ced~r is' probably"fhe J~ast exp~nsiv(:) ang White oakhasbe~n,u~ed for centprie~ inthe'manufactun~! of Wine and whiskey barrels in part because it
. most a.ceessibleexterior lu.mber: optioij'. Ifs easy to find
athome.centet~ aild lumberyards inmanYPm:ts of the. cpntail)s the pore-filling substance tyloses. $ince water
'co1:lntry. Depe~ging on your locatioxfand.t~e demands
,doesn't peneJrate the pOfes, neither'doesfUnglls.
of n~giol)al constr.uction; you may.be' able . to buy
'Tannic acids in theo<lk also provJde
'.,
natural fungicides while
cedadn both 2x apd Ix thicknesses 'as well as post '
and beaill dimensions, and;5/4 d~cking.'!\.san
protectirg tn~
Qutqoor wood,. it i~es well against 'rot and
inse.ct~, especially ,if you sel~c,.t. boards with,'
ininin1al sapwoo<:l. Jbeh~artwoodhas a higher
"levelofnatural.extractives than the sapwood
, to fight fungalgJ;o\Vfp; that leads to rotting.,
,Cedclr has a fcfmlliar; pleaaUt aif9mawhen
machined, ",n.d the, wood~is easy/to work
. with ooth.J"landaud powe~ tools. Its fibers
are so;1t and prone to.splin~ring, ';iinilarto
. red,Wbod,so'treat'end' grain: carefully
espeCially when r~titing/ .
:Wood. froni tennite~

and other insect Pests.
Quartersawn whiteoak is
dimension31ly more' stabl~ - and mote'
expensive - than flatsa.wn white oaK,but
either cut is aU excellent cholc;e for outtloor
projects. The, wood fiber~' are hard; so
they'll stand up well towe.ar all;d tear, hut
white oak isn't difficult to cut or shape
i> wit!). carbide bIts and blade~. Be careful
'that the,stock you buy isn't red oak,
~hich lacks. thetyl6ses ,and won't fare
well oUfsid,e.
Mahogany
Mahogany is a general term that covers several species
of semi-exotic hardwoods, but the two most common
types are Honduras and American mahogany. American
mahogany comes from Central and South America or
Cuba, with the Cuban variety being most valuable and
rare. Honduras mahogany primary hails from South
America and is widely available from managed plantations.
Avoid lauan or "Philippine" mahogany, which isn't actually
a true mahogany and won't withstand the elements like
Honduras or American varieties.
Among a laundry list of virtues, mahogany is a dense
lumber that cuts and planes like softwood and accepts
fasteners and finishes readily. Its density helps it resist
shrinking and warping - a real benefit for outdoor
applications where temperature and humidity levels
change dramatically. The huge size and rapid growth
rate of mahogany trees also make it easy to find both
wide and thick lumber. Grain pattern ranges from
straight and uniform to interlocked, swirled or flaked.
from managed plantations using

renewable growing methods.
Teak's limited availability and
steep import costs make it the
priciest of these outdoor lumber options. It's also the
heaviest choice. If the
board foot cost doesn't
dent your wallet, the
shipping charges will.
Teak contains high
concentrations of silica,
so the lumber will dull
steel cutting tools
more rapidly than other
lumbers, but carbide cutters Mahogany
hold up better. The natural
oils in teak can impair the bonding strength of some
adhesives. For optimal gluing strength, use epoxy or
polyurethane glue here.
Teak
A beautiful, dense and oily hardwood, teak grows in Southeast
Asia, the East Indies and
now in both Latin
America and Africa.
Burmese teak is
most prized, but
be careful to
shop from
suppliers
that sell
lumber
Douglas Fir or Southern Yellow Pine

Both .of these softwoods are relatively strong and
dimensionally stable, which is why they're commonly
used for larger framing lumber. Read the grade stamps
printed on the 2 x lOs and 2 x 12s at your home center
or lumberyard to be sure of what you're buying.
Although neither option will hold up as long as teak,
mahogany or white oak, they're still viable choices
for outdoor furniture when painted - and they're
affordable. Definitely choose one of these two woods
over less durable spruces, pines or firs for outdoor
applications.
Another cheap option for a painted project is to use
treated wood, which generally is either Douglas fir or
Southern yellow pine anyway.
Teak
continues on page 12 ...
Selecting the Right Hardware

Water is a common enemy to both the lumber you pick
for outdoor projects and the hardware that holds it together.
Fasteners that stand up best to the elements are those the
boatbuilders use: stainless steel, bronze or solid brass. The
primary advantage to these three metals is corrosion
resistance. Both brass and stainless steel are softer metals
than typical hardened steel screws, so drilling pilot holes
is a must, especially if you're building with rock-hard white
oak or teak. Lubricate the screws with beeswax to make
driving them even easier. Or tap the screw holes first with
a harder screw, then drive the softer fasteners home.
10
Another option is to use coated or galvanized exteriorgrade screws, bolts and nails sold for deck building. The
screws are made from hardened steel to resist stripping or
breakage, and some styles have self-tapping auger tips and
heads. On soft lumber like cedar, you may not even need to
predrill before fastening. The downside to galvanized
hardware is that the coating sometimes reacts with acidic
woods like redwood or cedar and leaves black stains that
are tough to remove.
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Exterior Finishes that Weather the Test or Time

R.egardless of which outdoor lumber you use, the
ravages of sunlight and moisture will eventually have
their way in the end. Although this might be decades
from now, the best way to extend the life of your patio
and yard furniture is to protect it with a tough surface
finish. The best finish to use depends on the particular
project, your maintenance efforts over time and the
amount it will be exposed to the elements.
Jerry TerHark, who lectures nationwide on wood
finishing, says outdoor wood finishes face two major
natural challenges. Sunlight is an ever-present enemy.
For paint and varnish finishes, sunlight initially helps
the surface film polymerize and dry when it combines
with heat and air. However, polymerization continues
even after the finish dries, and as the finish continues
to harden it eventually becomes brittle. Sunlight also
breaks down the line where the wood and finish
meet, which loosens the adhesive bond
resulting in cracking and peeling.
Where sunlight leaves off,
moisture continues the
destructive work.
Water penetrates
under the coating of finish either through
the end grain,
which is harder to
seal, or through cracks
and openings left by
ultraviolet
sunlight.
Once under the finish,
water enters the wood
pores. Add oxygen and moderate temperature to the

equation, and conditions are right for fungus and
mildew to grow. Blue-black stains on the surface are sure
signs that mold is setting in. Moisture not only initiates
rot but further loosens the bond between the wood and
finish, exposing more bare wood. It also attracts
termites and other wood boring insects.
Finish Options
For an exterior finish to do its job, it needs to slow down
the degradation of UV light, form a water-resistant seal
and offer at least some degree of protection from nicks
and scuffs. So, your choices of finish amount to three
options: marine spar varnish, a penetrating wood
preservative or a good coating
of exterior primer
and several coats
of paint.
Marine spar
varnish has made
its way into woodworking from the
boatbuilding industry.
The best spar varnishes are
combinations of tung oil and
phenolic resin with a high
oil-to-resin content. The more
oil the varnish contains, the
more flexible the surface film
remains as it polymerizes.
Your choice of a spar
varnish should also
Adhesives that Hold Tough, Rain or Shine

Several varieties of wood glue are formulated to stand tough against water exposure,
temperature extremes and degradation from sunlight. The most user-friendly options are yellow
PVA wood glues intended for exterior projects. Titebond@ " and the new Titebond@ 1/1 varieties,
among others, clean up with soap and water and have good bonding characteristics on all but
the oiliest exterior lumbers.
If you're building with teak or other exotic woods with high oil content, polyurethane glue
is a better choice. It cures by taking a small amount of moisture from the wood or air and
combining with it to form a permanent bond. Most formulations foam up as they cure, so
clamping is essential to keep glue joints from separating. However, Franklin International's
HiPURformer poly glue dispenses from a heat gun similar to hot-melt glue without foaming
or expanding.
Two-part epoxy, a third weatherproof adhesive, is also a good option for bonding oily woods.
It doesn't expand as it cures and even fills gaps on misfitting joints.
12
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17
Oriental R.edwood Arbor

Add an element ofsOPhistication to your garden or yard.
By Stan Schmidt
t~
he last tool I expected grab

center stage for this redwood
arbor was the radial arm saw, which
lately has taken a back seat to
motorized and portable compound
miter saws. But I quickly found out
that my trusty old radial arm was the
perfect power tool for cutting a lot of
dadoes on long pieces of wood. So if
a radial arm saw is gathering dust in
18
a corner of your shop, wipe off the

cobwebs because you'll create
a mountain of redwood garden mulch
building this Oriental-flavored arbor.
An arbor.is a multi-functional
structure. It can be the focal point
for your garden or an inviting lawn
centerpiece. You can use it to create
an entranceway, accent a path or
frame a spectacular river view. This
arbor, equipped with a trellis <;m

two sides, is ideal for displaying
and growing climbing roses, ivy,
morning glories, clematis or other
flowering vines.
The arbor was crafted entirely of
redwood, including the screw hole
plugs. However, I didn't splurge for
ex~ensive, clear, all-heart redwood,
which is kiln-dried and void of knots
, on the graded faces. Instead, I used

air-dried construction heart redwood.
I did have to buy a few more pieces so
I could cut around some of the knots,
especially while making the fragile
trellises, but I was still money ahead.
Of course, if you live in or close to
California, the cost differences
between clear or construction
redwood may be smaller, but not
where I live here in Minnesota.
You also could substitute other
decay-resistant woods like cypress
or cedar instead of using redwood.
The arbor features an Oriental look
with shaped trellis rails, stretchers
and beams. Construction consists of
mortise-and-tenon, half-lap, lap and
bridle joints. But the wedged tenons
that appear to hold the trellis rails to
the posts are just decorative touches.
Those rail tenons sticking through
the post mortises are really held in
place with stainless steel screws
hidden beneath redwood plugs.
Making Two Trellises
You could rip 28 lattice strips for the
two trellises and then cut the half-lap
dadoes on each strip, but there's an
easier and faster method - and one
that virtually eliminates tearout.
Figure 1: Make the lattice strips gang-style

from 1" x 8" boards by first dadoing them on
a radial arm saw with an indexing key on the
fence. Then rip the wide boards into 3/4" wide
lattice strips on the table saw.
Cut three pieces of 1" x 8" redwood

to about 32" and two pieces to about
52". These will be used to create the
lattice strips (pieces 1 and 2) and the
cleats (pieces 3 and 4). Rip the eight
cleats from these boards and set
them aside. Now rip a couple of strips
off one of the longer boards to create
some test pieces. Mount a 3/4" dado
set on your radial arm saw and set Figure 2: Asquare piece of plywood makes
the depth of cut to 3/8". Cut dadoes a good mounting board to ensure that each
on the test pieces and adjust your trellis remains square during assembly.
depth of cut until you achieve a perfect
half-lap joint. (Note: For safety, Cutting Mortise and Tenon Joints
clamp your pieces firmly to the saw's This project requires two different
table and use both hands to carefully through mortise and tenon joints.
The first is centered on the posts
pull the saw forward.)
The first dado is cut 5" from one (pieces 5) and will hold the trellis
end of each board (see the Elevation rails (pieces 6). Start by laying out
Drawings, page 24, for all the dado the mortises on each post (see the
locations). Set up your saw's fence Detail Drawings on page 22 and the
with a 3/4" wide indexing key to cut Elevation Drawings on page 24) and
the second dado 41/4" from the first then, with a 3/4" Forstner bit in your
dado (see Figure 1). Now you can drill press, drill out as much waste as
proceed to cut the rest of the you can. If your bit isn't long enough
dadoes. When they've all been cut, to go completely through the post,
trim each board to final size, 5" from remember to keep the same side of
the last dado. This way, if you're off the post against your drill press
even the tiniest fraction, you'll still fence when you flip the post over.
end up with lattice strips that are This way, the bit will cut the mortise
equally spaced, even after the cleats evenly through from both sides.
are attached later. Now rip all your Finish each mortise by squaring it
lattice strips to size.
up with a sharp chisel.
The easy way to make sure
The odds are good that you will
you achieve a square lattice frame run into some wet redwood while
is to start with a mounting board cutting these mortises. Construction
(see Figure 2, above) that has been heartwood is air dried, so the center
squared up on the table saw. I of a 4" x 4" post may not be entirely
used a flat piece of 3/4" plywood dry. Two of my posts were noticeably
approximately 21" x 41". This allowed heavier than the other two - a good
me to glue and clamp the strips clue that they weren't totally dried.
in place, aligning one horizontal That doesn't pose a construction
strip and one vertical strip with problem, but it may mean it will take
the respective edges of the mounting a little more effort and time squaring
board. I covered the board with up the mortises as you painstakingly
wax paper to make sure I didn't glue cut through some slightly wet wood.
You also may have to resharpen your
the strips and the board together.
chisels during the process.
19
Trellis
Exploded
View
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Horizontal Lattice Strips (18)

Vertical Lattice Strips (10)
Horizontal Cleats (4)
Vertical Cleats (4)
Posts (4)
Rails (4)
Wedges (8)
Stretchers (2)
Stainless Steel Screws (88)
Stainless Steel Screws (88)
TxWx L
3/4" x 3/4" x 30 3/."
3/4" x 3/4" x SOW'
3/4" x 3/4" x 30%"
3/4" x 3/4" x 50%"
3'/2' x 3'/2' x 96"
1'/2' x 3'/2' x 43 3/."
1/2"x1"x3"
1'/2' x 3'/2' x 65"
#8 x 2'/2' Flathead
#6 X 1'/4" Flathead
Before you cut the trellis rails to

length, notch the ends and drill the
mortises for the decorative wedges
(see the Halfscale Patterns on the
facing page), simply because it's
easier and you don't have to worry
about tearout. The end corners of
each rail are notched with a 11/2 11
diameter Forstner bit chucked in
your drill press. Locate the point
of the bit on the corner of each end
to create the quarter-circle (see
Figure 3 on page 22). Because
you're not cutting a full circle in
your wood, make sure you firmly
clamp the workpiece down so the bit
doesn't wander.
The wedge mortises are located
slightly into the post mortises so
that the wedges (pieces 7) will fit
tightly into their respective holes.
They are drilled out with a 1/2 11
Forstner bit, but you can square the
mortises with chisels once you've
cut the tenons.
After the rails are notched and the
wedge mortises bored, it's time to
cut the cheeks on the tenons (see
the Elevation Drawings on page 24).
I set the depth of cut on my radial
arm saw (still set up with the dado
blade) for 3/8 11 I also clamped a stop
on the saw's fence that would create
61f2" long tenons. It's a good idea to
cut tenons on some test pieces to
make sure your setup is correct.
Also note that the outer 311 of these
tenons will have to be sanded to
eliminate the dado blade marks. So
sand your test pieces, too, to ensure
a tight fit.
After you've cut the tenons, and
mape sure they fit their respective
post mortises, you can square up
Rail and Post

Joint Detail
the mortises for the decorative

wedges with 1/2" and 1" chisels.
The decorative wedges are cut from
scrap redwood. Taper the wedges on
your disc sander (see Halfscale
Patterns, previous page).
The final shaping of the trellis
rails as well as the shaping of the
stretchers (pieces 8) is done on the
band saw. Use the Halfscale Patterns
to create a template (I made mine
from some scrap 1/2" plywood).
Trace the outline of the template
onto the rails and stretchers and
cut them out on the band saw. An
oscillating spindle sander does a great
job of easily removing the band saw
marks. I also rounded over all the
edges with 100-grit sandpaper.
Making Stretchers and Bridle Joints
The stretchers are attached to the
posts with full lap joints. In other
words, dadoes must be cut in the
posts (see the Rail and Post Joint
Detail, at right, and the Elevation
Drawings on page 24 for the dado
sizes and locations), but none are
needed in the stretchers.
I used the same dado setup in my

radial arm saw, this time adjusting
the depth of cut for a 11fz1' deep dado.
I cut the dadoes in two matching
posts at the same time. I know I've
said this before, but be extremely
careful during this process. Clamp
your workpieces securely to the
saw's table and operate the saw with
both hands. Watch out for knots in
the wood. A dado set in a radial arm
saw tends to grab and climb a knot if
the saw is pulled forward too fast.
This could easily stall the saw, overload the motor, or even cause an
injury if you lose control of the dado.
I thought about using the radial
arm saw to cut the bridle joints in
the tops of the posts (see the Rail
and Post Joint Detail, this page),
but it seemed like an awfully
cumbersome setup. You could use
a circular saw and slowly nibble
away at each dado, but I think the
easiest and safest method is to
chop out the dadoes with a Forstner
bit and chisels (see Figure 4). After
the open bridle mortises are cut, use
a miter saw to put a 27 chamfer on
the top of each post, as shown on the
Rail and Post Joint Detail.
Figure 3: Before you cut the tenons on the

trellis rails, notch each rail end with a 1W'
Forstner bit chucked in your drill press.
22
everyone of these screws to prevent

splitting the lattice strips. The fragile
lattice assemblies aren't glued to
the cleats so they can be replaced
if necessary.
Figure 4: Cut the mortises in the top of each

post by hogging out most of the waste with a
Forstner bit and squaring up with a sharp chisel.
Assembling the Trellises

With all the joints on the posts cut,
it's time to start assembling each
trellis. You'll need plenty of room
for this process, either on the floor
or on a large bench. Begin by making sure the rails are oriented with
the notched sides facing away from
the trellis. Apply Titebond II
weatherproof glue to each rail's
tenon and use the decorative wedges
to hold the rails in place. Drill 9/64"
pilot holes and 3/8" counterbores
before driving the longer stainless
steel screws (pieces 9) through the
posts and rails to lock these parts.
The cleats that were ripped earlier
can now be fastened to the posts and
rails. I didn't bother to measure the
cleats; instead, I marked each one
individually and cut the 45 miters
with my miter saw. The horizontal
cleats are fastened to the outside
edges of the rails first (see the
Exploded View, page 20). Then the
vertical cleats are fastened to
the posts so they line up with the
horizontal cleats. Attach these with
the shorter stainless steel screws
(pieces 10), countersunk just
enough to let the heads sit flush with
the surface. The lattice strips are
then screwed (but not glued) to
the cleats, also with the shorter
flathead stainless steel screws.
Make sure you drill pilot holes for
constructing the Canopy

Start the canopy by cutting the
beams, joists and top rails (pieces
11, 12 and 13) to the sizes listed in
the Material List, page 25. Clamp the
five beams together and layout the
dadoes (see the Elevation Drawings,
page 24) that will hold the top rails.
Gang cut 3/4" deep dadoes on the
radial arm saw, as shown in Figure 5.
Set aside the two beams that will
sit inside the bridle joints on the
posts. The other three beams will
need half-lap joints on the bottom
edges to accept dadoes cut in the
joists. Clamp these three beams
together, layout the dadoes as
shown in the Elevation Drawings,
page 24, and the Inside Beams detail,
page 25, and gang cut them on the
radial arm saw. Follow the same procedure to cut the corresponding
dadoes on the two joists.
Figure 6:
Once you have
everything built
and the arbor
posts located in
your favorite
garden or lawn
spot, ask
a couple of
friends to help
you hoist the
canopy into
place on top of
the two trellises.
There's one last shaping step

before the canopy can be assembled:
Cutting the curved shape on
the ends of the five beams. Make
a 'Wooden template from the Halfscale Patterns on page 21, and use
Figure 5: The radial arm saw allows you to

gang-cut the dadoes in all five beams at one
time. Make sure you clamp the workpieces
and use two hands to pull the saw carriage.
the template to trace the pattern

onto each beam. Cut out the shape
on the band saw. (Note: I tried using
a jigsaw, thinking the 58" beams
would be too unwieldy to handle
on the band saw, but my jigsaw
created too much tearout on the soft
Post
(Side View)
Trellis Rail
(Top View)
o_~
I
12'{,"
~
3'{,"
_ - - - - - - 43 /."
43'1,' - - - - - - - - - - .
23'1,'
1'1.'
o
NOTE: The top rails (pieces 13) require
no machining.
Cleat
Location
Detail
All of the dadoes on

the top of the beams
can be gang cut.
,
58" - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - -
Beam
(Side View)
1,{,,,-.~,{,,l-50'/4'
'----4r----~~--_t------___,.___'-'-:-;;rLower
Screw locations are only

required on the two outside beams.
Joist (Side View)
half-lap
joints are
only cut on
the three
inside beams.
...., - - -
1 r 1'I"
@A---_u_~_=__=__=_---'-r=+_
---i_u
3'1.'
1137/8"11137/8"1
13/411
1.....- - - - - - - - - 60" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ..
Horizontal Lattice Strip

(Side View)
r- 5"-J
~4'I,' ~
'I
(1)
:!<
'I,'
u-4'I"
~
U
4'1,'
r- 5"~
..
30'/4' _ _8
II!T '/4'
Vertical Lattice Strip

(Side View)
r 5"1 r r
I~.__
4'1"1
U __
U __
....
redwood. I got a cleaner cut on

the band saw. Because redwoo}i is
so lightweight, I didn't have any
problems maneuvering the beams.)
Wrap up this shaping work with
a drum sander in your drill press to
eliminate the saw marks.
Now you can assemble the canopy.
Dry-fit all the pieces to make sure
everything goes together properly
and the assembly is square. Apply
24
4'1"1
....
_
'18"
u
50'/4' ....
_ _:_
\ _
ul____..
glue to the half-laps connecting

the beams and joists as well as to
the dadoes on the beams that hold
the top rails. Drill pilot holes and
counterbores from the top for the
longer stainless steel screws. The
joists are anchored to the two outside
beams with additional screws driven
through the sides of the beams (see
the Exploded View, next page, for the
screw locations).
r 5"i.J
..
..\t
3/4
11
4'/4'1
3/,'
While the glue is drying, chuck

a 3/8" diameter tapered plug cutter
into your drill press so you can create
enough redwood plugs (pieces 14)
to cover all the arbor's screw holes
except those connecting the lattice
strips and cleats. Install these plugs
on the canopy top with dabs of
Titebond II glue and, once the glue
dries, chisel and sand the plugs flush
to th.e workpieces.
---.------------------------
MATERIAL LIST CANOPY

TxWx L
13 Top Rails (6)
1'/2' x 3'/2' x 58"

1'/2' x 3'/2' x 60"
1'/2' X 1518" x 75"
14 Screw Hole Plugs (88)
3/8" Dia. redwood
11 Beams (5)
12 Joists (2)
Canopy
Exploded
View
Installing the Arbor

The arbor can be set in concrete
or on concrete pads, but there's
an easier alternative - metal
anchors that you can find at
~
home improvement centers.
The installation process is simple:
Mark the precise location of
your arbor's posts and fit
a foot-long piece of scrap 4 x 4
into each anchor. With a sledgehammer, drive the anchor until
the top end is near the ground.
When the tops of all the anchors are
level, replace the scrap stock with
the arbor's post/trellis assemblies.
Now you'll need at least one friend
and a couple of stepladders to finish
the assembly. First, place the
stretchers in their respective dadoes
and clamp them to the posts. With
the stepladders placed on solid
ground, have two friends heft the
canopy onto the posts (see Figure 6,
Inside Beams
(Side View)
1 '/,"1 '/,"1\
"1 11/,"1 ..
8"
8"
r-::~.L.;;4'-------i
ff
i
I
.L
13/.'
"I
I..
previous page) while you supervise.

(After all, what are friends for?) Now
you can attach the stretchers to the
posts with the longer stainless steel
screws, drilling pilot holes and counterbores as you did for all the other
screws. Then screw the canopy to
the posts as shown on the Exploded
View, above. Complete the assembly
process by installing the rest of the
screw hole plugs and rounding off
all the sharp edges with sandpaper.
19"
Finishing Up
You can apply various finishes to
redwood, including paint, penetrating
oil and marine spar varnish. Or you
can let the redwood age naturally.
I opted for two coats of General
Finishes Outdoor Oil, which contains
UV and mildew prohibitors, using
cloth and a foam brush. Reapply
the finish annually to help retain the
"
redwood color.
------------'/ '
25
AG(}rdener's Workst(}tion
Whether you're a three-season gardening junkie or
a weekend dabbler, this workstation is sure to satisfy.
It features a pull-out potting tray, a removable mixing
tub and loads ofshelfand storage space.
By Stan Schmidt
26
Arrange your benchtop boards

by alternating the growth-ring
patterns, Number the boards
so they stay in sequence and
mark alternate As and Os
along the joint lines for jointing
tight-fitting edges,
his fine piece of outdoor

furniture says one thing loud
and clear: Style and grace aren't
always the victims of durability.
This gardener's workstation features
a removable mixing tub, a hidden
potting tray, lots of room for storing
extra clay pots or even bags of
fertilizer, and room to hang plenty of
gardening utensils. It's also designed
and built to take whatever you and
Mother Nature can throw at it. Even
if you don't leave it outdoors, you'll
want your potting bench to stand up
to humidity and bugs. Virtually all the
wood on ours is white oak, a good
choice for outdoor applications.
White oak's pores are filled with
tyloses, which gives the wood waterresistant properties. It also contains
tannic acids, which protect the wood
from insect and fungi attacks. There
are alternatives to white oak, of
course, like cedar, redwood, cypress,
Honduras mahogany, teak or even
pressure treated lumber. (For more
on choosing outdoor woods, see
page 8.)
While tannic acid can be beneficial,
it also can cause problems. Mix tannic
acid, a little humidity and regular
steel screws and you've got the
perfect recipe for unsightly stains.
That's why I opted for exterior-grade
screws, even where they're covered
with plugs. The outdoor factor also
dictated the use of Titebond II
weatherproof glue and spar varnish.
Building the Benchtop
Start this project by making the
rather massive benchtop (piece 1).
If this is your first try at gluing
together a large tabletop, save yourself some headaches by gluing the
top together in several

narrow assemblies, letting the glue
dry, then gluing and clamping them
together to make the full panel.
Otherwise, too many wet joints will
make the top difficult to clamp up,
resulting in shifting - and lots of
expletives! I made my top from two
pieces of 4lfz" wide oak sandwiched
around four pieces of 31/2" stock.
Here's a technique I frequently
use to achieve flawless butt joints
without worrying if my jointer is set
precisely at 90 degrees. I cut my
stock to rough width and length,
then arrange the boards to alternate
the growth-ring patterns (see the
Exploded View above). Number the
boards so they stay in sequence and
mark alternate Pis (Away from the
fence) and O's (On the fence) along
the joint lines on the top face. With
each board's top face away from the
fence, joint the A edges. Then, with
each board's top face on the fence,
joint the 0 edges. This way, if your
A cuts are 89 0 , you'll be guaranteed
that your 0 cuts will be 91 0 and
you'll end up with a nice flat top.
Figure 1: After you've carefully marked all your

workpieces, cut the lap joints on the bench legs
with a dado set mounted in your table saw.
Figure 2: The 45 miters on the bo"om aprons

are cut on a miter saw. Nibble at the cut to
prevent your saw from flinging small pieces
of oak across the room.
27
pattern shown on the Pinup Shop

Making the Legs and Aprons
Once you've double-checked all Drawings.
Next, you'll need your band saw,
your markups, install a sharp dado
set on your table saw and set it at its drum sander and router table. Use
maximum width. Since white oak your band saw and drum sander to
has a tendency to splinter easily, form the arc on the corner brackets.
I stuck masking tape over every Use your router table, equipped with
marked dado to minimize tearout. a 1/2 11 straight bit, to mill the
Figure 3: Cut three sides of the mixing tub hole After using some extra pieces of stopped groove on the inside faces
with your jigsaw, then screw a holding bracket
stock to test your settings, cut all the of the rear legs. Also on your router
to the waste piece so it doesn't pinch your blade
lap
joints on the legs (pieces 3 and 4) table make the stopped groove on
while you cut the fourth side - or bruise your
and aprons (pieces 5, 6 and 7), as the inside of the tray front (piece 13)
big toe when it falls to the floor.
shown in Figure 1 on page 27.
for housing the potting tray, as
Standard biscuits aren't made for
Stick with the dado set to cut the shown on the Pinup Shop Drawings.
Switch to a jigsaw to form the
exterior applications, so I opted to wide notch on the top front apron
join the boards with white oak (this will later accommodate the notches at the rear of the benchtop,
splines (pieces 2). I used a dado set tops of your flowerpots), the notches which allow the top to wrap around
on my table saw to cut the grooves on two of the six slats (pieces 8), the the rear legs. Even though the top is
three inches short of each end and tenon cheeks on the back boards 11/2 11 thick, a good jigsaw equipped
finished up this step by gluing and (pieces 9 and 10) and the notches on with a sharp blade shouldn't be
clamping the top.
the fronts of the tray runners (pieces overwhelmed cutting through white
The most difficult and time- 11). Finish up with the dado set by oak. I also used the jigsaw to cut the
hole for the mixing tub (piece 14).
consuming step in making a large cutting the grooves in the runners.
tabletop is flattening the glued-up
Move to your miter saw to shape Since you already have considerable
panel. I resolved this hassle a couple of the mitered front apron and two side time and money invested in the
years ago by investing in a Performax aprons (see Figure 2) on page 27 as white oak top, purchase your tub
drum sander capable of surfacing well as the bevel on the tops of the (really just a plastic dishwashing
half of a 44 11 wide slab in one pass. rear legs. The miter saw is also the pan) and cut a test hole in scrap
This machine is an immense time- perfect tool for shaping the straight before you tackle the white oak. Aim
saver. Alternatives include a belt edges on the corner brackets for a tight friction fit. The hole in
sander, a hand plane, or simply paying (pieces 12). To make the six corner my top measured 11%11 x 13 11 , but
a cabinet shop to flatten it for you on brackets stronger, follow the grain when I cut my test hole in some
scrap plywood, I discovered that the
their oversized sander. It shouldn't
tub lip wouldn't hide square corners.
cost much if you have the surfacing
In order to prevent the cutout
done for you. I used my table saw to
from dropping on your toes, cut
rip the panel to width and a circular
saw to cross cut to length.
three sides and then attach a scrap
With the benchtop finished, it's
brace (see Figure 3) to the cutout
with a couple screws. The brace
time to cut all the other pieces to
will also prevent the cutout from
width and length according t(') the
Material List on the next page.
pinching your jigsaw blade as you
While you're at it, cut some extra
cut the fourth side.
Now turn to your drill press,
pieces to use for testing during the
equipped
with a circle cutter, to form
machining stages. Label everything
,,, ,,,
carefully and remember that there's Figure 4: Drill the 1"
the arcs on the top back board and the
,,'-a left-hand and right-hand set of deep counterbores in the
tray front. Adjust the speed to 250
:, +
,
rpm and your cutter for a 311 diameter
legs. All the details are presented in tops and bottoms of the
~3/8"
Dia.
circle. To eliminate tearout, clamp
the Pinup Shop Drawings starting on aprons with a 3/8"
countersink.
page 39.
your boards down securely, cut
28
Exploded
View
MATERIAL LIST
TxWx L
1 Benchtop (1)
2 Benchtop Splines (5)
3 Front Legs (2)
4 Rear Legs (2)
5 Side Aprons (4)
6 Front & Rear Aprons (3)
7 Mitered Front Apron (1)
x 44"
1/4" x 3/4" x 38"
1"1." x 2'/2' x 3411>"
13/.' x 2'/2' x 50X"
13/4' x 2'/2' x 21"
13/4' x 2'/2' x 38X"
1"1." x 2 '/2' x 40"
1'/2" X 22 3/."
10 Lower Back Boards (3)
11 Tray Runners (2)

12 Corner Brackets (6)
3/4"
16 Shelf Stretcher (1)
13/4'
x 5'/2' x 36"
3/4" x 2" x 36"
1%" x 4'/8' x 19'/4'
1%" x 3'/4' x 3'/4'
3/4"
3/4" X 5'/2"
x 40"
Plastic dishpan
x 15%" x 19%"
x 2'/2' x 17'/2'
17 Tool Hangers (3)
1/4" x 2" Dowel
18 Tray Spacer (1)
3/4"
19 Back Board Spacers (8)
1/2"
20 Leg Caps (2)
8 Shelf Slats (6)

9 Top Back Board (1)
TxWx L
13 Tray Front (1)

14 Mixing Tub (1)
15 Potting Tray (1)
21 Potting Tray Cleat (1)
22 Screw Hole Plugs (15)

23 Exterior-grade Screws (10)
24 Exterior-grade Screws (73)
x 2lil" x 17'/2'
x 1/2" x 1"
1/4" x 13/.' x 2'/2'
3/4" x 3/4" x 13'/2'
3/8" Dia. white oak
#6
x 1X"
#8 x 2'/2'
Cutting Tapers in
Two Easy Steps
--l
1--2'12"
fpacer Cleat
11
2
r-:
..
...
0.
Cutting the tapers

on the tray front and
the top back board
of the potting bench
is easy with this simple
jig, even though the
tray front is 4" longer
than the top back
48" board. Cut the jig
and spacer from 3/4"
birch plywood, as
shown in the drawing
at left, using table and
jigsaws. Now just
follow the two-step
process shown below.
Step 1: With your fence set

at 10", cut one end of the
tray front. Now flip the
workpiece and cut the
other end.
Step 2: Screw the 2"

spacer and the cleat to the
tapering iig and cut one
end of your top back
board. Flip your workpiece
and cut the other end.
30
halfway through and ilip them over

to finish the cut. A circle cutter
forms a clean circle requiring little
sanding, but if you don't have one,
you could use a jigsaw and clean up
with a drum sander.
I also used the circle cutter for the
holes in the potting tray (piece 15).
Again, check your flowerpot sizes
before you cut the holes. I have 4"
and 6" standard clay pots, requiring
37/8 11 and 51/4 11 holes, respectively. No
matter what size pots you buy, aim
for a loose friction fit. Arrange them
in a pattern that will allow you to
remove a pot full of soil and fertilizer
easily, even if you're wearing damp
and dirty gardening gloves.
Accounting for Wood Movement
A unique feature designed into this
potting bench is the way it handles
wood movement. Basically, it consists
of matching 111 deep counterbores
that allow the wide, thick benchtop
to shift with the seasons (see Figure 4
on page 28). An additional benefit of
this design is that it allows you to
use shorter exterior-grade screws
that are only 21/2" long.
Mark the screw hole locations on
the aprons and the shelf stretcher
(piece 16) as indicated on the Pinup
Shop Drawings. With a 9/64" bit in
your drill press and a fence set 7/8"
from center, drill all the way through
the aprons. Now switch to a 3/8"
countersink and set your depth stop
to form a 1" deep counterbore. Drill
the holes on one edge of an apron
and ilip your workpiece to drill the
matching holes, using the 9/64"
pilot hole as a guide. Follow the
same procedures on the rest of the
aprons and the stretcher. Finish up
on the drill press by cutting holes for
the tool hangers (pieces 17) at a 5
angle on the top back board.
Putting the Pieces Together

With all this machining work behind
you, it's time for some assembly.
Dry-assemble and clamp the legs
and aprons, making sure everything
fits precisely and the full framework
is square. Once you're satisfied, drill
1/8" pilot holes and 3/8" counterbores where they are marked on the
Exploded View, page 29.
Now unclamp the dry assembly

and call a buddy who can supply
a couple of extra hands. Brush on
Titebond II glue, then reclamp and
screw the pieces together, again
making sure that everything remains
square. Note: For final assembly,
I recommend square-drive screws.
Once you use them, you'll be sorely
tempted to throwaway every slotted
or Phillips screw you ever see. You'll
need a square drive bit, but these
are worth every penny, simply
because square drive screws seldom,
if ever, slip.
Once this assembly dries, glue and
screw the tray spacer (piece 18) in
place and attach the tray runners
(see the Pinup Shop Drawings).
Now tip the bench on its back to
tackle the top and shelf. Clamp the
top in place and use an awl to mark
the locations of the screw holes (see
Figure 5). Remove the top and drill
the 1/8" pilot holes 111 deep, then
reposition the top and screw it in
place. Follow the same procedure
with the shelf slats, but first sand
a roundover on the top edges.
I attached the two notched shelf
slats first, and followed with the
other four slats spaced an equal
distance apart. Slip scrap spacers
in between the shelf slats if this
helps, or tack the boards in place
with hot-melt glue to hold them
while you drive the screws. As long
as you have the bench on its back,
0
- t-----+
t. _
,
,
it when needed in a couple years.

S,lide this half into the tray runners
and then glue and screw the right
half to the front apron from behind,
making sure it lines up with the left
half covering the potting tray.
Figure 5: With the top firmly clamped to the

aprons, drop the bench on its back and mark
the locations of the pilot holes with an awl.
now is a good time to glue and screw

the corner brackets in place, too.
Return the bench to an upright
position and glue the spacers
(pieces 19) and back boards - but
not the top back board - in place.
Dry-fit the top board just to make
sure the taper you've marked on the
board meets the top of the bevels
you've already cut on the rear legs.
Making the Top Back Board
and Splitting the Tray Front
The tapering jig that's described in
the sidebar on the previous page is
different than most jigs because it
will cut the same taper on boards of
different lengths. With this project,
I wanted the arcs and tapers to
match, even though the top back
board is four inches shorter than the
tray front.
Cut the taper on the top back
board using the tapering jig and glue
it in place. The tool hangers are
glued in place along with the leg
caps (pieces 20), which protect
the end grain of the rear legs from
moisture and cover the grooves cut
for the back board tenons.
Cut the tray front in half. Screw but don't glue - the left half to the
potting tray, using the tray cleat
(piece 21) and 11/4" exterior-grade
screws. I didn't glue the plywood
tray in place so I could easilyreplace
Finishing Up
I cut my own 3/8" diameter screw
hole plugs (pieces 22) from white
oak using a tapered plug cutter (see
Figure 6). Glue the plugs in the
screw holes on the front and side
surfaces and use a sharp chisel to
pare them even with the surrounding
wood.
,~~
,
,:,,,
,,
,,
,,,
.\~
,,
CD,
,
j1
P
Gardener's
Workstation ,
(Front view)
Figure 6: You can cut your

own screw hole plugs with
a 3/8" plug cutter in your
drill press. Cut the plugs
loose by resawing to 3/8"
on your band saw.
I sanded with 80-, 120- and 180-grit

sandpaper before applying two
coats of McCloskey's Satin Spar
Marine Varnish, sanding lightly with
180-grit paper between coats.
Once the varnish dries, your
workstation will be ready for many
seasons of green thumbing to come.
When the varnish takes a hazy cast,
just sand lightly and recoat.
---------_/.~
_. __._----
0
~~
11
31
Portable Outdoor Choirs

By Rick White
Fun to make, comfortable to sit in and surprisingly lightweight,

these outdoor chairs will be a welcome addition to your backyard.
Made from white oak, they'll provide years ofservice.
32
hether you're sitting around

.
a warm fire after a day in
the boat, cooling your heels at camp
after chasing upland game, or just
leaning back and soaking up a couple
of cold ones after you mow the lawn,
it's nice to have a comfortable place
to take a load off. These slidetogether outdoor chairs are not
a new idea; in fact, the inspiration for
this updated white oak version was
rolled out 20 years ago in the
May /J une 1984 issue of the Journal.
I did spruce up the design a bit
(with some help from my cohorts
here at Woodworker's Journal) by
making them more compact when
they are nested together for storage.
We also added a few strategically
placed cleats, to eliminate the
chance of racking.
I chose white oak for building
these chairs because it's so durable
and because these chairs really don't
eat up a lot of material - there are
only about 12 board feet in each one.
I raided my scrap bin for some of it.
At a little over $3 a board foot, these
chairs come in at a very reasonable
price. Spanish cedar or cypress
would also work well.
With your perfectlysized templates

complete, transfer
the shapes onto the
seat and backrest
stock. Then band saw
the pieces to shape,
keeping just outside
the pencil lines.
Getting Started: APair of Templates

I wanted to make a few of these
chairs, and the thought of making all
the curved side pieces one at
a time was out of the question.
Instead, I constructed a couple of
perfectly-sized templates (see the

Seat and Backrest Sides Drawing
on page 34) and traced around them
to layout a series of paired seat
and backrest sides (pieces 1 and 2)
on my hardwood stock. Then
I carefully cut these pieces to shape
on the band saw (see Photo above),
staying just a hair outside of the
pencil line. I used double-sided
carpet tape to attach the templates to
the stock for template routing and
added three small brads - just
for insurance. With a 1/2" flushtrimming, bearing-guided router bit
mounted in my router table, I was
Cleaning up your edges on

a spindle sander takes just
a few minutes. One of the nice
things about template routing
is that it leaves just a few
machining marks that are
a snap to remove.
33
II
i
MATERIAL LIST
I
Exploded View
1 Seat Sides' (2)

2 Backrest Sides' (2)
TxWx L
3/4" x 6 ' /2' x 41 "
3/4" x 6 ' /2' x 44"
3
4
5
6
x 1' /2' x 17%"

x 1'/2' x 18 15/,6"
3/4" x 2" x 17 3/8"
3/4" x 2" x 1815/,6"
Seat Slats (8)

Back Slats (7)
Seat Cleat (1)
Backrest Cleats (2)
1/2"
1/2"
*Length and width are slightly oversized.
Seat Side
(Slat and Cleat Locations)
-J
~....l-'--'---'----'-4~
1' /2"f<o-
I!
I
Chamfer
Detail
(End View)
Backrest
Side
(Slat and Cleat
Locations)
Seat and Backrest Sides
34
One square equals 1"
Guide to Template Routing

As contributing editor Mike McGlynn once said, "Template routing is a great
ready to rout. (For tips on template

routing, see the sidebar at right.)
The only problem I had with this
whole project was when I first
attempted to trim a rounded end of
a seat side. With my template firmly
in place, I started to trim across the
grain at the end of the part. In the
blink of an eye the bit caught and
shattered the stock. It was like the
wood exploded! My second and
third attempts (on scrap wood)
ended in the same dramatic fashion.
After a little more experimenting, I
came up with a successful technique
for this task. The key is to band saw
your stock, particularly at the ends,
so that you leave just the barest bit
to be trimmed away by the flush-trim
cutter. Equally important, go slow
and hang on tight! If your bit creates
a bit of a burn on the ends, don't
worry, it sands off easily. I sanded
the edges on a oscillating spindle
sander. Go ahead and make all the
shaped parts at one time.
Moving to the Seat and Back Slats
The seat and back slats (pieces 3
and 4) have the same thickness and
width, but differ in length. Rip
a sufficient quantity of slat stock and
then cut them to their appropriate
lengths. Again, if like me you are
making more than one chair, set up
and cut them in groups. (Maybe
even make one or two extra in case
of a machining error ... not that I've
ever had that sort of problem!)
Next, I drilled counterbored holes
centered at each end of the slats
(one setup works for both types of
slats). Later these holes will be
plugged to hide the screws.
As long as you are ripping and
drilling, go ahead and make the seat
and backrest cleats (pieces 5 and 6)
from 3/4" stock. The cle'ats are
way to ensure multiple pieces are identically shaped. It's also a great way
to destroy parts and injure yourself if you are not careful."
Here are four rules you should always follow:
1. Leave a bare 1/16" of stock to mill off.
2. Keep your hands well away from the cutter.
3. Attach your template firmly to the stock.
4. Be keenly aware of the bit's rotation before you begin trimming.
One final caution: Template routing at each end of a piece (across the end
grain) must be done slowly and with the utmost care. Rick ruined one of his
side pieces before he got the hang of this aspect of the task. We suggest you
make a test run on scrap before you move to the real thing.
Step 1: Begin the template routing sequence by

using your template to trace the shape of the
piece onto the hardwood stock. Step to the
band saw and cut out the piece, staying just
outside the layout line.
Step 2: A"ach the template to the stock with

double-sided carpet tape. The author also used
three small brads driven through the template
to ensure that they were firmly secured to the
hardwood.
Step 3: Great care

must be used when
routing around the ends
of a template. The end
grain is susceptible to
fracturing (as shown in
the illustration below)
and rushing a cut can
ruin your piece.
Router Bits and End Grain: ADeadly Combo

A flush-trimming, bearing-guided router bit follows the shape of the
template exactly But using such a bit to cut across end grain can
lead to big trouble. Limiting the depth of the cut by first trimming
close to the layout line (thus reducing the
penetration of the cutter's blade) will
greatly reduce your chance
of splitting the wood.
Split wood
35
wider than the slats and have two you place the final seat slat, use the
screws in each end. They keeps the spacer again to locate the seat cleat.
backrest and seat assemblies from Make sure you square up the
racking, although their main func- assembly before you drive in these
tion is locking the chair securely in screws. Simple as pie.
each of the various seat positions When you've placed the
possible with this design. Cut them last back slat, you need
to size and bore the screw holes. to go to the Elevation
Now grab the slats and cleats and Drawings once more to
move over to your router table. locate positions for the two
Chuck a chamfering bit in the router backrest cleats.
and get busy easing the edges of the
Plug the screw holes with
combined slats and cleats. (And if white oak dowels (you
you happen to be unlucky and should use a water-resistant
machine the wrong side of one of the glue to make sure they stay
slats, don't worry; remember you put), and after the glue
made extra ... I wish I had.)
cures, sand each
of the chair
Putting it All Together
assemblies
If you have two drill/drivers, get thoroughly. You
them ready. First make a 7/8" x 7/8" are almost ready
X 20" spacer. Start attaching the seat
to sit back and make yourself
and back slats as shown in the comfortable.
Elevation Drawings on page 34, and
use the spacer to locate each Finishing and Upkeep
successive slat. Drill a pilot hole with I considered a few finishing options
the first drill and then drive the for my chairs but settled on an easily
screw home with the second. When applied outdoor oil finish. I think an
exterior grade polyurethane or spar

varnish would also look great on
these white oak beauties, but it
would scratch and chip with the use
I had in mind for them. I like the oil
for many reasons: it's easy to get into
nooks and crannies formed by the
slats and cleats, it looks great and,
most important to me, it's simple
to touch up and renew. You will need
to reapply the finish on any piece
of outdoor furniture, and oil is the
easiest way to go, in my opinion.
A good cleaning and then a quick
rubdown with a coat of oil, and your
chairs will be ready for another
season of outdoor adventures.
Whether that would include a trip
to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area
or setting them up in your outdoor
Brew Area, is entirely up to you. .~
---------------/
Drilling the
counterbored screw
holes in both the slats
and the cleats gets
you ready for the final
assembly step.
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37
Potio Furniture Spruce-up

((Ifyou own a pressure washer, now's the time to haul it out and
prove to your spouse that you really did need to buy it. "
By Michael Dresdner
n spring, a young man's fancy

turns to thoughts of ...
refurbishing the deck and patio
furniture. That may not be so poetic,
but it's a darned good idea to redo
your deck every year, and the patio
furniture every few years. Yearly
upkeep is simple, and involves only
cleaning and recoating, but let it go
too long and the deck becomes an
unsightly mess that is a real chore to
restore. This column will take you
through the process of cleaning the
wood, then sealing both the deck
and the furniture on it.
Cleaning and Washing
The first step for the deck, its railings
and stairs, and even the furniture
that sat out on it all winter, is to clean
it. After a year of exposure, there will
be dirt to be removed and, if you live
in a wet climate, you might also have
38
mildew. The bane of exterior wood,

mildew is a slippery black or green
fungus that looks like a tenacious
layer of ground-in dirt. You can buy
special mildew removers at the
home store, or mix your own by
adding a quart of fresh laundry
bleach Oike Clorox) to a gallon
of water.
set to full throttle. Flood the bleach

mixture onto the still wet wood with
a synthetic fiber mop, floor pad, or
brush. (Bleach breaks down natural
fibers.) It will kill mildew and
remove its distinctive color almost
immediately, so there is no waiting
time. Afterwards, rinse the wood
well with the hose.
Killing Mildew
Bleach can kill plants, so before you
start, wet down the lawn and shrubbery below or around the deck with
a mist of clean water. If possible,
cover them with thin plastic film
while you work, but remove it as
soon as you finish the cleaning
process. Plants will wilt quickly
under plastic in the hot sun. When
you remove the film, mist the plants
again. Wash off any surface dirt or
leaves with the garden hose nozzle
Removing the Dirt

Once the mildew is gone, what's left
is good old-fashioned dirt. I like to
use TSP or the more environmentally
friendly TSP substitute to remove
the grime, but you can find special
deck cleaning compounds in the
deck coating aisle at your building
supply store. All are safe for the
existing finish, but strong enough to
do the job. Mix according to the
... continued from page 38
directions on the label and apply

with a scrub brush and some elbow
grease. Do a section at a time, and
rinse with the hose to make sure
you've gotten all the dirt off.
If you own a pressure washer, now's
the time to haul it out and prove to
your spouse that you really did need
to buy it. Set it on low power and
wide fan; a strong pinpoint blast
from this tool can peel back a layer
of wood lickety-split. Even without
cleaner added, a pressure washer
can make short work of surface dirt.
However, most of these rigs have
either a hose or compartment that
can add concentrated cleaner to the
water stream for a more thorough
scrubbing. You'll find compatible
deck and siding cleaners in the
pressure washer aisle of your local
home store.
Taking Away the Gray
Sometimes it seems the only thing
turning gray faster than your hair is
your deck. That's an indication that
that area is unsealed, because only
raw wood goes gray. Fortunately,
you can easily reverse it without
damaging the finish on adjacent,
ungrayed areas. Buy special gray
removing concentrate or a container
of oxalic acid and mix it according to
the directions on the label. Wear a
dust mask and goggles when mixing
oxalic acid powder as it is a toxic
irritant to mucous membranes. Flood
the mixture on the entire surface,
grayed or not. Leave it alone until it
dries, then hose it down thoroughly
to remove any acid residue.
Ableach-and
water mixture
is all you need
to kill mildew
and remove its
distinctive
color.
long-handled scrub brush, wet a small

area at a time; no more than 10
square feet. Reapply if you must, but
keep the stripper wet for at least 15
minutes, or until the finish softens,
then scrub to loosen it. Rinse away
the dissolved finish and move to a new
area. Be careful, though; this stuff
gets VERY slippery. You might want
to duct tape sections of old 40 grit
sanding belts to the soles of your
boots for traction.
Applying the Sealer or Stain

As always, preparation is the hard
part. Now comes the easy part. The
only challenge is to apply the coating
as uniformly as you can. Choose a
day when the weather is going to
cooperate with you. A calm, warm,
dry, slightly overcast day is best.
Strong winds can blow dirt into the
finish, and few things are as annoying
as watching an uncured deck coating
get destroyed by rain. Cold weather
will slow the dry time, and intense hot
sun can make the finish dry faster
than you can smooth it out. If the deck
is in direct sunlight, try working in
the early morning or evening when
Stripping Old Finish
the sun is low in the sky.
Start with the railings and peripheral
Decks that are recoated regularly
may never need to be stripped. But if areas, and leave the deck itself for
for whatever reason you decide to last. A brush, spray gun or even
remove the old finish and start a garden sprayer will work for railings
fresh, be aware that you are in for and for patio furniture, but my
a tough task. Special deck strippers favorite tool is a painter's mitt. It
sold in the deck coatings aisle will looks like a sheepskin mitten and
do the job. Wear gloves, old clothes, slips right over your hand. Dip it into
and rubber boots. With a synthetic the coating, grab the post or rail and
run your hand over it. Make sure

you wear a vinylor latex glove
underneath. The mitt is cloth and
the coating goes right through it.
For the deck itself, you can use
a brush, roller, or spray gun, but
most home and paint stores sell long
handled 1811 paint pads specifically
designed for deck coatings. Some
come with a cheap plastic pan to load
the pad from. For two to three dollars,
I would upgrade to a better quality
narrow pan that will not crack or tip
over so easily. While you are there,
pick up a smaller, standard paint pad.
Stir the coating well and pour it
into the pan. Do the perimeter near
the house or railings and coat the
first 411 or so in from the edge with
the small paint pad. That will let you
get into corners and small spots
without slopping finish around. For
the main area of the deck, switch to
the large pad and apply the finish
as evenly as possible, blending into
the already coated perimeter. Keep
it fairly thin. You can always apply
a second coat in a day or two if you
need it, but put it on too thick and
it will stay tacky for a long time.
One final word of caution: don't
paint yourself into a corner. Plan
your coating pattern in advance so
that you end up by a door to the
house or a break in the railing. Or at
the very least, carry a cell phone.
That way, when you call for help,
your family can come and laugh at
you and snap photos.
"
/~
---------------"
47
Spanish Cedar
Picnic Table
Surprisingly pleasing to the eye, Spanish cedar grows just about
everywhere in South and Central America. While it's not a true
cedar (in fact, it's a hardwood), it does have its own distinctive
fragrance, durability and easy working characteristics.
ong ago, I learned the

importance of working to
a storyboard when making circular
shaped projects. The idea is to layout
the elements of your project on a piece
of sheet stock, which then serves
as your workbench. I recommend
using a storyboard on this project.
Get started by shaping a piece of
48
By John English
particleboard to accommodate a 531/4"
diameter circle, which is the size of
your tabletop. Follow the Storyboard
Layout in the Pinup Shop Drawings,
starting on page 39, and mark pencil
lines where all the elements of the
tabletop will lie. You can draw the
circles with a simple homemade
compass made by driving a 4d finish
nail into one end of a stick and

attaching a pencil to the other end
with a small C-clamp.
Dry Bending the Apron
The apron is the heart of this table and
the element to which almost all other
parts are attached. By building it first,
you ~eal with the most challenging
Tabletop
Layout
Step-down
and bUilt-up
circular rim
The tabletop slats are
fitted individually. Start at
the center of the space
and work your way out
in both directions.
Use the Pinup Shop Drawings

on page 39 to create your
own storyboard with all the
table components.
a spare cleat to guide you when

drilling clamp holes in the top circle.
I used a hole saw large enough for
the bar clamp heads. Size your own
bit according to the diameter of your
clamp heads, and drill two of the
holes close to each other: this allows
you to clamp the beginning and end
of the lamination tightly.
Turn the assembly over to screw 4"
lengths of I" x I" stock to the bottom
circle, one at each cleat location (see
Figure 3). These will support the
bottom edges of the laminations as
you build them up. Apply masking
Building the Form
The apron's bending form is a pair tape to their top edges to prevent the
of 1/4" thick hardboard circles cleats and apron laminations from
separated by scrap wood cleats. bonding together during the glue-up
After crosscutting the sheet of stage. Now you're ready to glue up
hardboard at 48", temporarily fasten the apron, as described in the sidebar
the two halves together (face to on the bottom of page 50.
face) with two-sided tape. Locate the
center of the top piece, then use Building Up the Legs
a circle cutting jig attached to your To get nice, thick legs that wouldn't
router (see Figure 1) to cut both warp outdoors, I decided to laminate
47%" diameter circles at the same five layers of stock for each one. This
time. I made my jig from scrap, but process also allowed me to create
you can buy circle cutters for mortise-and-tenon joints without
routing as well. A 1/4" straight bit a lot of drilling, fitting and chopping.
will do the job in two passes.
I simply cut a notch in the middle
Cut a length of 3/4" x 3" scrap into lamination of each leg to serve as
8" long spacer cleats, then attach a mortise when the layers were
them between the circles with finish glued together.
The first step in building the legs is
nails (see Figure 2). Locate them as
shown in the Dry BendingJig Drawing to cut 15 laminations (pieces 2) to
on the Pinup Shop Drawings. Use size on the band saw. Their scaled
task up front and determine all the
other measurements, too.
Dry bending, for large radius
curves, is one of the oldest ways of
working wood into complex, stable
shapes. It's also the simplest technique used to bend wood into
a permanent shape, requiring little
more than a form, some glue and
a few bar clamps. Spanish cedar
bends well. I used three laminations
of 1/4" cedar (pieces 1) to build up
the apron, but first, I built the form.
Figure 1: Use a circle-cutting jig attached

to your router to cut the hardboard top and
bottom of the apron form at the same time.
Figure 2: Using an extra spacer cleat as

a guide, drill large clamp holes into the form
to anchor your bar clamps during glue-up.
Figure 3: Flip the form over and screw

4" lengths of scrap to its bottom. They will
support the apron laminations during glue-up.
49
MATERIAL LIST (BASE)

1 Apron Laminations (3)
TxWx L
1/4" x 3%" x 156%"
2 Leg Laminations (15)
3/4"
x 6%" x 28'14'
3 Leg Stretchers (3)
3/4" x 6" x 26"
4 Leg Beams (3)
3/4"
5 Large Triangle Sides (3)
3/4" x 6" x 13'14'
6 Large Triangle Cleats (6)
3/4" x 3/4" x 6"
7 Large Triangle Cap (1)
3/4" x 14%" (Each side)
x 3%" x 19%"
Base
Exploded View
Making a Solid Circle From Three Pieces

Dry bending this laminated apron is
easier than it looks. For many outdopr
uses, the author recommends using
waterproof polyurethane glue spread
liberally on all relevant surfaces. If the
stock is especially dry, dampen the
surfaces first, according to the
manufacturer's instructions. Sight
along the lamination stock to see if it
has a natural bend in either direction,
and, take advantage of this tendency,
if it does when bending it to shape.
50
To evenly spread the clamping pressure across

the entire width of each lamination, the author
used scraps of pine hot-melt glued to the clamp
faces to serve as clamping cauls.
Start and finish the final lamination at the spot

where you drilled two holes side-by-side: this
gives you the option of using two clamps to
finish the operation.
profile can be found in the Drawings

on page 54. Notch three of the
laminations at the locations shown
in the Drawings, then trim the tops
of these same three as indicated.
Glue and clamp three sets of
five laminations together to create
the legs (making sure the middle
lamination in each leg is the
notched one). After the glue dries,
drum sand the contoured edges,
then belt sand the flat surfaces.
Chamfer the edges of the legs with
a bearing-guided chamfering bit
chucked in your router.
Forming the Curved Stretchers
The strongest geometrical form is
a triangle, and I took advantage of
that fact to lock the legs in position.
Three stretchers (pieces 3) extend
from the leg mortises to the center
of the table. In keeping with the
round theme, their profiles are
curved (see page 54). To ensure all
three are identical, make a template
for the stretchers (see Figure 4).
Trace the profile onto a piece of
scrap particleboard, cut it to shape
Glue the first two laminations together,

offsetting their ends by six inches. Be
sure the outer lamination starts and
stops where you drilled the two clamp
holes side-by-side. Set the clamped-up
apron and form aside to cure for at least
two days. You want the wood to acquire
a "memory" for its new shape before
you release the clamps. Then apply the
tinallamination, offsetting and starting
and stopping as described above.
Leave this one clamped in
place for a couple
ot days as well.
on the band saw, then clean up the

edges with a drum sander.
Use glue and clamps to secure
leg beams (pieces 4) into the open
mortises where the middle leg
laminations were trimmed short.
After the glue dries, place one of the
legs on your tabletop layout and dry
fit the stretcher template to it.
Make any needed adjustments to
the template, then use it to layout
the stretchers. Cut all three to size,
then sand away the saw marks.
Assembling the Legset
The assembly process is where
making that full-size particleboard
layout really pays off. Dry fit the
stretchers and then stand all three
legs in position on the layout. The
beams and stretchers should all
meet at the lines you drew for the
center triangle (see Photo below). If
Figure 4: The stretchers of this table are

curved to reflect the circular top. Create
a template to ensure each piece is identical.
they are a little too long, you can

trim them to length. If they're too
short, simply adjust the size of the
triangle on the layout (note any
changes on your version of the
Material List). Just make sure all
three beams are the same length so
the triangle stays centered.
Set your table saw blade to 30
and use the miter gauge to trim the
triangle sides (pieces 5) to length, as
shown in the Elevation Drawing on
When building complex shapes, nothing is as helpful as a storyboard

or a full-size layout drawing to build from. Here the author test fits
his components to the storyboard. Any variations or potential
problems are easy to spot as he builds each piece in sequence.
Remember, a minute of planning is worth an hour of power.
MATERIAL LIST (Top)

8 Top Rim Segments (6)
page 50. Glue and finish nail the

triangle sides together (I also added
a single screw in each, to keep the
joint tight while the glue dried).
Set the triangle in place on the
layout. Apply glue to the ends of the
stretchers and beams, then secure
them to the triangle with three pairs
of cleats (pieces 6), as shown in
Figure 5. Glue and nail the cleats
in place, then use glue and four 3d
galvanized finish nails to attach each
leg to the apron. Set the nail heads
and fill them with a waterproof filler:
I mixed Titebond II weatherproof
glue and some fine Spanish cedar
sanding dust to make my own filler.
Follow up by driving two screws
through each triangle 'side into the
beams and stretchers.
Edge-glue some stock to create
a large enough blank for the cap on
the legset triangle (piece 7). Set the
dried blank on top of the triangle
and mark its outline, then band saw
it to shape. Set it aside for now.
52
9 Bottom Rim Segments (6)
TxWx L
3/4" x 8" x 27"
3/4"
x 8" x 27"
10 Rim Glue Blocks (6)
Trim to fit
11 Beam Caps (3)
x 8" x 18Y2"
3/4" x 6" (Each side)
3/4" x 5',(," x 21 %"
1W' x #6, Stainless
3/4" x 3'k" x 440"
3/4" x 18%" Dia.
12 Small Triangle (1)

13 Spokes (3)
14 Spoke Screws (18)
15 Tabletop Slats (1)
16 Lazy Susan Tray (1)
3/4"
17 Lazy Susan Mechanism (1)
Making the Circular Rim
Figure 5: Strong and simple, cleats are used

to capture the curved stretcher and the leg
beams and secure them to the center triangle.
The top edge of the tabletop is

a continuous circular rim, built with
two layers of 3/4" thick stock. Set
your saw's miter gauge to 30, then
use your full-size storyboard to
guide you when mitering the top
and bottom rim segments (pieces 3
and 9) to length.
Dry fit one layer at a time to the
layout and temporarily secure it in
place with two-sided tape or hot melt
glue. Use a circle-cutting router jig to
Figure 6: Form the circular rim from mitered

segments of 3/4" stock. The storyboard
temporarily holds (tack glued) the segments
together as you rout both radii of the rim.
trim both the inside and outside edges

to shape in several passes. You'll need
to secure a piece of 3/4" thick scrap
to the center of your storyboard
template to complete this operation,
or your jig won't be level with the
surface (see Figure 6). Save the cutoffs - you'll use them later.
When both layers are cut to size,
tape some clear poly to the storyboard
(I used 4mm vapor barrier left over
from another job). This is done to
prevent the rim from bonding to the
storyboard during assembly.
Mark all the joints in both layers of
the rim for #20 biscuits, then cut the
Building the Rim

Laminate the rim segments
together and both circular rims
to one another using the
storyboard as an alignment aid.
Stagger the segment joints from
rim to rim to strengthen these
connections. Be sure to cover
the storyboard with sheet plastic
first to seal it from the glue, or
your slatted top will suddenly
become a solid one! Poly glue
is a good adhesive here, but
clamp the parts securely The
glue will foam up and expand. '
relevant slots. These biscuits will

help keep everything in line during
assembly and also stop the end of
a segment from curling up if the
glue ever fails. Use one biscuit in
each top layer joint and two between
the wider bottom rim segments.
Offset the segments so each top
layer joint is between two bottom
layer joints, then glue and clamp the
rims together, as shown below.
Securing the Legs to the Top
After the glue in the rim segments
dries, give the rim a thorough
sanding. Then set it upside-down on
your workbench and center the
legset on it. Mark its location, and
use these marks to locate and attach
curved rim glue blocks (pieces 10)
to the rim with glue and pneumatic
pins, as shown in Figure 7. Use
clamps if you don't have access to
an air nailer. Make these blocks
from the cutoffs you saved earlier
as you trimmed the rim.
The final step is to slip the legset
back in place, dry fitting it to the
glue blocks. When everything fits,
glue and clamp the rim to the apron.
Completing the Framing

Take a moment to permanently
secure the large triangle top in place,
attaching it with glue and nails. Now,
again referring to your storyboard,
create three caps (pieces 11) for the
beams. Band saw the arc on the
ends that meet the bottom layer of
the rim, then trim each to length on
your table saw. Glue and screw
the caps to both the beams and
the tops of the legs, predrilling
Figure 7: Glue blocks are used to help secure

the top to the leg/apron subassembly. These
blocks should be glued and nailed to the
underside of the circular rim.
The top of this

picnic table is
a beautiful study
of lines and angles.
However, fiUing the
tabletop slats is
a time-consuming
process. Transfer
the front curve and
the back angle to
each piece as you
space them evenly
across the opening.
and countersinking the screw heads

as you go.
Use your layout to draw and cut
the small triangle (piece 12) to
shape. Center it on the large triangle
cap, then glue and nail it in place.
Make the three spokes (pieces 13)
like you made the beam caps, but
this time taper the edges of the
spokes (see the Pinup Shop Drawings
for shaping the tapers). These butt
up to the small triangle at one end
and a top rim segment at the other.
Then chamfer their top long edges
(but not the ends) with your router
and a piloted chamfering bit. Center
each spoke on a beam cap and glue
and screw (piece 14) them in place.
(Note: Drive these screws up from
the bottom through predrilled pilot
holes, making sure they don't come
through the top.)
Installing the Slats

There's no quick and easy way to
trim all the tabletop slats (pieces 15)
to length. You'll have to invest the
better part of a day trimming and
tweaking them for a perfect fit. The
first step is to rip and joint material
to the right width then crosscut
it into slightly overlong slats.
You can use the arched cutoffs you
saved when trimming the rim to
Figure 8: An 8d nail driven through a block

of wood is useful as a spacer when attaching
the table slats of the bench seat slats.
help you draw the arc where each

slat meets the rim. A straightedge
will help you transfer the angle at
the other end onto your stock. Band
saw both ends to shape, then belt or
disk sand the cut edges. Mill a small
chamfer on the top edges of each
slat, then glue and screw them in
place to the lower rim and beam
caps, driving the attachment screws
up from below.
Adding the Lazy Susan Tray

The circular tray with a lazy Susan
(pieces 16 and 17) at the center of
the table has two functions. First, it
hides the exposed ends of several
structural components, protecting
them from the weather. And,
second, it's a great way to make
condiments available to all the
diners without anyone having to
develop a boardinghouse reach.
Build the tray as shown below.
Finishing Up
For details on how I finished both
this picnic table and its kidneyshaped benches, turn to page 58. In
fact, I encourage you to build three
of those benches, too, once the dust
settles from this project.
"
/'
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _- J
Circular Solution
Edge glue enough stock to create a blank for the tray, then band saw it
tq shape. Chamfer the top edge, then use your circle cutting jig to create
a 1/4"-deep groove in the bottom face for the lazy Susan mechanism
(piece 17). Next, move to the assembled tabletop and center the circle
cutting jig. Rout a 1/4" deep groove onto the tabletop that matches the
circle routed into the tray Mount the lazy Susan to the tray The tray and
hardware rest firmly in the table groove but are removable for cleaning
and service.
55
Picnic Table Benches

These kidney-shaped, Spanish cedar benches are perfect
complements to the circular picnic table project on page 48.
By John English
hese lightweight benches

are designed specifically to
match the preceding picnic table
project. They allow two people to sit
between each pair of table legs.
While the bench tops are kidneyshaped to pick up the curve of the
tabletop, the legsets are rectangular
and easy to build. The quantities
given in the Material List, on page 58,
are enough to build three benches.
Start by building two A-frames for
the legs of each bench. Cut the rails
and legs (pieces 1, 2 and 3) to the
Material List sizes (see page 58), and
56
shape the ends of the legs using the

Elevation Drawings on the next page.
Drill counterbored pilot holes for
attaching the legs to the leg rails,
and glue and screw the parts
together. Use your drill press and
a plug cutter to make plugs (pieces
4) to cap the screw heads.
Cut the seat rails and stretcher
(pieces 5 and 6) to size and follow
the Elevation Drawings on the next
page to locate them on the side
assemblies. Counterbore the screw
holes and use glue and screws to
draw these pieces together. Follow
up with plugs on the lower rails. You

won't need them on the top because
end slat supports (pieces 7) are
attached to the outside face of each
A-frame with glue and clamps. Once
they're in place, rip some stock to
make the leg appliques (pieces 8).
Trim these to length (the cuts are
angled), then glue and clamp them
to the legs.
Forming the Bench Seats
Each seat's slats (pieces 9) are held in
place by glue and screws driven up
through four cleats (pieces 10 and 11).
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Bench Seat Template

Use this footprint to layout the kidney
shaped outline of the bench slats. Trim the
shape after the slats are attached to the
legset subassembly (shown as dotted lines).
I
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1
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f-
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Each square equals 1/2".

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Seat Side
Cleat
,
I
Picnic Table Bench

When forming the stretcher
and kidney shape for the bench
top slats, we recommend
transferring the grids to pieces
of 1/4' hardboard. After shaping
each hardboard template, it's
easy to transfer their shapes
onto your workpieces.
11
I
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1- _I
Bench Leg
Upper Rail
5
Layout the angles and the gentle
curve of the bench leg lower rails
(pieces 1) to fit after you assemble
the legs to the upper rail.
Bench
Leg
Bench Leg
Lower Rail
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57
Miter the cleat ends and

then soften the cuts with an
orbital sander. Glue and
clamp the cleats to the
legsets.
Use the scaled Bench
Seat Template Drawing on
the previous page to create
a rigid template to trace
the kidney-shaped benchtops
on the seat slats. Cut the slats
to approximate length, then chamfer
the top edges. Screw them in place,
using spacers to set each of the slats
a uniform distance from its
neighbors. These spacers are simply
Sd common nails driven through
a small piece of scrap, as shown in
the previous article on page 55. Use
the template you created to trace the
shape onto the seat. Number and
remove the slats, and cut their
shapes on the band saw. Reinstall
them on the legset, this time with
screws and glue.
Applying a Finish
Spanish cedar is a somewhat oily
wood, even after kiln drying. With
that in mind, and considering that
most parts of this project are glued
together, I knew I needed a finish
compatible with both the glue and
the characteristics of the wood. It
turned out that my range of finish
choices was actually quite limited.
A poured resinous finish would
not quite suit the fine lines of this
furniture. Remembering the boatbuilding past of Spanish cedar,
I went with spar marine varnish. It's
compatible with polyurethane glue
and really brought out the deep, rich
brown tones of the Spanish cedar. In
fact, the finish is so rich that several
knowledgeable woodworkers have
since asked if the species is teak something that wouldn't have
58
Exploded View
MATERIAL LIST (THREE BENCHES)

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Bench Leg Lower Rails (6)

Bench Leg Upper Rails (6)
Bench Legs (12)
Bench Leg Screw Plugs (30)
Bench Seat Rails (6)
Bench Seat Stretchers (3)
End Slat Supports (6)
Decorative Leg Appliques (12)
Bench Seat Slats (1)
Seat End Cleats (6)
11 Seat Side Cleats (6)
happened with standard red cedar.

After sanding the entire project
down to 220 grit, I applied a thinned
coat (25% paint thinner) of varnish
as a sanding sea~er. When the sealer
was dry, I knocked down the
surface with 400- and 600-grit
wet!dry paper, then sprayed on
three topcoats of unthinned varnish.
TxWxL
3/4" x 2 3/." x 10'1."
3/4"
3/4"
3/8"
3/4"
3/4"
3/4"
3/4"
3/4"
3/4"
3/4"
X 2'1." x 5'/2'
x 2%" x 18'/2'
Dia.
x 2'1." x 33"
x 2%" x 33"
x 2'1." x 107/8"
x 1" x 15%"
x 33Ja" x 468"
x 1'1." x 10"
x 1'1." x 33"
The net result was a beautiful and

durable finish on some sturdy
outdoor benches. These benches are
obviously designed to complement
my circular picnic table, but we've
found ourselves pulling them all
around the place as convenient
seating for backyard gatherings. if'
.
/'
Child's Adirondack Choir and Settee

A longtime favorite among Woodworker's Journal readers,
this chair/settee project is sure to thrill young people in your life.
By John English
must confess ... I'm something of a plan pack rat.

Great looking woodworking plans have a way of
getting tucked away, never again to see the light of day.
Some time back, I realized that I had stashed away
some old "favorites" from the Journal's early years and
this little Adirondack settee was on the top of my pile.
I mentioned it to editor Rob Johnstone over lunch one
day, and he said I wasn't the only one who liked that
plan. It's one of the most popular projects in the entire
Woodworker's Journal archive!'
Rob asked me to reprise the popular project for this

magazine but, like most woodworkers who build
projects from plans, I simply couldn't resist adding
a few touches of my own. The result was a Spanish
cedar chair/settee designed to be left outdoors.
Whenever you want to switch from individual chairs
to a settee with a center table, it's a simple matter
of unscrewing a few countersunk brass bolts from
their threaded inserts. Then you use the same bolts
to reassemble the set in its new configuration.
59
~l+--+-f---+--+---j-+--+--+-+--+--+-+-t--{
5 l-+---+-+--H
I---+--r----../
Bracket and Front Stretcher Pattern

(Front View)
Child's Adirondack
(Side View)
~.--------.----r-r--'
1
3 1/4 11
3 7/."
-I ~7/."[.-~
11'/."
--_.1
Child's Adirondack
Ii
(Front View)
B"R.
Note: Find the radius

starting point by
measuring up from the
bottom of pieces 9.
MATERIAL LIST (FOR TWO CHAIRS)

1 Legs (8)
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Seat Supports (4)

Settee Back Stretcher* (1)
Chair Back Stretcher (2)
Settee Front Stretcher* (1)
Chair Front Stretcher (2)
Seat Stretchers (2)
Seat Slats (6)
'Optional
60
TxWx L
3/4" x 1'/." x 12"
3/4"
3/4"
3/4"
3/4"
3/4"
3/4"
3/4"
X 1'/2" x 11"
x 1'/2' x 38'/2"
x 1'/2' x 14'/2'
x 2%" x 37'/2'
x 25fa" x 13'/2'
x 1'/2' x 12"
x 25fa" x 12"
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Back Slats** (8)

Arm Rests (4)
Brackets** (4)
Table Ends* (2)
Table Slats* (5)
Brass Threaded Inserts (32)
Brass Bolts (32)
Brass Screws (96)
"Size before shaping
TxWx L
3/4" x 2%" x 15'1."
x 2%" x 14"
x 1"1." x 3'/2'
3/4" x 1" x 14"
3/4" x 25fa" x 10"
1/4" x 20 ID
1/4" x 1'/2'
#8 x 1'/2'
3/4"
3/4"
II
Arm Rest
(Top View)
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(Front View)
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Each square equals 1".
Child's Adirondack
Settee
(Section View)
2'/."
20';'''
12'/."
-I ~7/."h-
11
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1
Child's Adirondack
Settee
(Front View)
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The front and

stretchers (pieces
3 and 5) are key
elements to the
settee conversion.
This is truly a project for all skill

levels. Choose a weather-resistant
species such as redwood, western
red cedar, Honduras mahogany, or
tryout Spanish cedar. It's a pleasure
to machine and finish, and will hold
up very well to the elements.
Cutting the Parts to Size
All the parts in this project are
3/4" thick, so there's no need for
a planer. You can quickly rip the
parts (pieces 1 through 13) to width.
Check the Material List (on the

facing page) for these dimensions.
Note that the list includes enough
material to build two chairs, plus the
extra parts needed to convert them
into the settee, complete with table.
Next, cross cut all the parts to the
lengths listed. Since there are no
angle cuts required, this is simply
a matter of using the miter gauge on
your table saw to make a series of
90 0 cuts. Mark each part according
to the Material List.
Here's a trick to hold the legs properly during

assembly: clamp all four to a piece of plywood
while you screw them to the seat subassembly.
61
brackets (pieces 11). A quick glance

at the Exploded View and Elevation
Drawings on pages 60 and 61 will
orient these parts for you.
After enlarging the Elevations to
create your own full-size patterns,
cut out each pattern with a pair of
scissors and stick them to the
boards with a few dabs of glue or
with double-sided carpet tape. Then
band saw the parts to shape and
clean up the cuts with a drum sander
in the drill press.
Use scrap spacers to align the seat slats

properly when screwing them to the chair"s
back stretchers. Stock cut the same width as
the stretcher supports the slats in this photo.
Laying Out Some Curves

There are a few shaped parts in this
project - the front stretchers
(pieces 5 and 6), back slats (pieces
9), arm rests (pieces 10) and
62
Assembling the Seats and Backs

With all the parts cut, you're ready
to move on to the assembly, most
of which is done with brass screws
(pieces 16). As you proceed, be sure
to keep the following approach in
mind. To avoid splitting your wood,
predrill for every screw. Clamp the
pieces together and drill through the
first piece of wood with a 1/8" bit.
Switch to a 1/16" bit and, using the
first hole as a guide, drill almost all
the way through the second piece.
Countersink for the screws, then
drive them home. Brass screws are
relatively soft, so drive a steel screw
in first, remove it, then install the
brass screw.
Start by screwing the seat
stretchers (pieces 7) to the seat
supports (pieces 2). Screw the back
slats (pieces 9) to the stretchers,
spacing them 1/2" apart. Then
mount the seat slats (pieces 8),
spacing them 7/16" apart.
Attaching the Seats to the Legs
The first step here is to mount the
legs (pieces 1) to the seat supports.
To get everything lined up properly,
you can use an old chairbuilder's
trick: cut a piece of scrap plywood to

fit between the legs (12" x 111f4"), set
it on a flat surface and clamp the legs
to it (see the photo on page 61).
Screw each of the seat/back
subassemblies to the legs next.
Locating these correctly is a snap:
make a mark 37/8" up the inside of the
back legs, then line up the seat so the
bottom corner of each seat support is
flush with one of your marks. Now
tilt the seat/back subassembly so it
angles at 15, as shown in the
Drawings on pages 60 and 61. When
everything is lined up, clamp it in
place, drive the countersunk screws
home and remove your clamps. Use
screws and a dab of weatherproof glue
to attach the four brackets (pieces 11)
to the legs, leaving them flush on top.
Chairs or Settee?
It is a good idea to complete both
chairs, then work on transforming
them into a settee. All the remaining
parts except the table slats are
installed with brass bolts (pieces
15), which are driven into threaded
brass inserts (pieces 14). This is
done so the parts can easily be
changed. You could use screws, but
after a few conversions the holes will
become enlarged and their holding
power will diminish.
Locating the inserts is a matter of
clamping the parts in place, then
drilling a 1/8" pilot hole through
both parts. The front, or more visible
part, is then redrilled for the bolt.
This is a 1/4" hole, countersunk to fit
the head of the bolt. The inner, or
hidden part, is redrilled to receive
a threaded insert. The ones I used
require a 3/8" hole, and the insert is
instaped with a flat screwdriver.
Some Final Notes

As I mentioned, I constructed my
settee from clear Spanish cedar.
This wood is a little hard to sand.
Like butternut and some of the less
dense softwoods, it tends to get
"hairy." The solution is to apply
a thinned coat of finish first (I used
spar varnish) to lock the wood fibers
in place. Let it dry, then sand off the
nubs before brushing or spraying on
three full-strength coats of varnish.
If this project puts you in a mind to
build a full-size Adirondack chair,
don't mess around with scaling up
this chair. Instead, point your
browser to woodworkersjournal.com
and click on the "Plans, Plans, Plans"
section of our web site. Now type
"Adirondack" in the search engine at
the top. In about two nanoseconds,
you'll find seven great Adirondack
plans to choose from!
~
Mount the chairs' arm rests

(pieces 10) and stretchers (pieces 4
and 6) in this manner. I found
it easiest to attach the back
stretcher to the arms,
then install these subassemblies to the chairs.
For the settee, add
the long stretchers
(pieces 3 and 5) to the
bottom face of the short
-ones (pieces 4 and 6). To
gain extra gluing strength
when attaching the two
table ends (pieces 12) to
the slats (pieces 13), I
used my biscuit joiner.
Then use the arm rests as
a pattern to line up holes for the
brass bolts. Finish up by rounding
off the front corners of the table to
match the arc on the arm rests.
Use the completed arm rests as patterns

to accurately locate the holes for the brass
bolts in the table.
/'
-----------~
Threaded inserts allow you to change from settee

to single chairs and back in just moments.
63
Victorian Birdhouse
House the neighborhood
songbirds in style and
introduce a child to
the wonders of
woodworking.
By Larry Stoiaken
y daughter recently expressed

interest in woodworking. Her
questions got me thinking about
projects we could build together,
and I began looking for ideas in back
issues of our magazine. I came
across a Victorian bird feeder and
decided this would be the perfect
time to build a companion birdhouse.
I took the lead on difficult steps
like routing and sawing, but let
Elizabeth try her hand at drilling.
When it came to sanding, glue-up
and finishing, we pooled our efforts
to complete the project in a day. As
was recommended in several books
on birdhouses, we chose cedar for
its natural resistance to decay,
and avoided using treated lumber
because it poses a health threat to
birds at nesting and feeding sites.
Cutting the Birdhouse Parts
Cut out the Full-size Patterns for the
birdhouse shown on the Pinup Shop
Drawings, starting on page 39, and
glue-up two oversized panels for the
endwalls (pieces 1). Now trace the
endwall pattern onto the inside
surface of the panels, making sure to
layout all the grooves and drilling
locations. You'll need an entry hole
in only one endwall, of course.
To rout the endwall grooves, use
a straightedge, a couple of clamps
and a 1/2" straight bit. Clamp the
straightedge parallel with each
layout line, as shown in Figure 1, and
64
rout the grooves 1/4" deep. When

you've completed the routing,
square the corners of the stopped
grooves with a sharp chisel.
Band saw the endwalls to shape
and drill all the holes as called for on
the Elevation Drawings, next page.
Next, mill stock for the sides,
bottom, door and ridge beam
(pieces 4 through 8). Cut these
pieces to size, angling the edges on
the sides and bottom. Layout the
hinge mortises on the door and
narrow side piece, as shown in the
Hinge Mortise Location Drawing at
right, and cut the mortises using
your table saw, dado blade and miter
Figure 1: Use a
straightedge to keep the
router bit aligned with
your groove layouts.
Endwall
gauge. While you're at it, drill pilot

holes for the hinges (pieces 9) and
bore a few drain holes in the bottom.
Now resaw stock for the fly
rafters and gable accents (pieces 2
and 3). Trace the Full-size Patterns
onto the stock (see the Pinup Shop
Drawings), and cut out these pieces.
Glue the sides and bottom to the
endwalls with waterproof glue. To
secure the ridge beam, drive
a flathead screw (pieces 10)
through each endwall after drilling
countersunk pilot holes. Secure the
fly rafters and gable accents to the
endwalls with small brads and glue,
then screw the hinges to the
sidewall and install the door. Drill
two countersunk pilot holes through
the door into the bottom and drive
a couple of exterior screws (pieces
11), as shown in the Side View
Elevation.
Making the Roof
The clapboard roofing (pieces 12
and 13) is easy to make with your
table saw. Rip 3/4" stock to width,
then tilt the table saw blade 5 and
adjust the fence to cut clapboard
Eyebolt Detail
(Section View)
Bottom
Detail
(Section View)
Figure 3: Tilt your 1/4"

dado blade 5 to cut
the rabbets in the
clapboard.
that's 1/2 11 thick at its thicker end.

Now resaw enough stock to get the
six clapboard pieces (see Figure 2).
For safety, be sure to use a push
stick and featherboard.
Rabbet the upper tiers of roofing
for a weathertight fit, as shown
in the End View Elevation at right,
using a 1/4 11 dado blade tilted 5
(see Figure 3). Next, switch to
a standard saw blade and rip a 45
edge on the clapboard for the peak.
Trim the clapboard to length and
install it with glue and brads.
Drill pilot holes for the eyebolts
(pieces 14) and install them, as
shown in the Eyebolt Detail. Coat the
birdhouse with a clear deck type
finish and allow it to dry thoroughly.
Reapply the finish every year, right
after you clean out the old nest.
Hang your birdhouse eight to ten
feet off the ground, and choose
a location that has shrubbery nearby
and is protected from the wind. These
features will increase your odds
of attracting small songbirds to your
new nesting site.
~
-----------~/.
10"
I"
A7
Drill a 1'I, entry

hole in one
endwall only.
~I
LJ
6'/2
"
11
Screw the door

to the botfom
Birdhouse
Elevations
I-=;
1"
I....
l-
Drill a decorative
hole in both endwalls.
I;
(End View)
ft-
'-;1
8"
(Side View)
MATERIAL LIST
TxWx L
3/4" x 9'/4" x 1Fla"
1/4" x 5/8" x 7%"
Gable Accents (2) 1/4" x 1%" x 3'1."
Side (1)
1/2" x 7W' x 7"
Side (1)
1/2" x 1'/." x 7"
Bottom (1)
1/2" x 1'/2' x 7"
Door (1)
1/2" x 6'/." x 6'/2'
1 Endwalls (2)
2 Fly Rafters (2)
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Ridge Beam (1)

Hinges (2)
Screws (2)
Screws (2)
Roofing (4)
Roofing (2)
Eyebolts (2)
TxWx L
3/4" x 3/4" x 6'/2'
1" x 2" Brass
#6 - 2" Steel
#6 - 1" Steel
1/2" x 2 3/." x 10"
1/2" x 23(." x 10"
#10 x 1'/2'
65
APortable Folding
Bench for Two
You'll be ready for extra innings,

double headers or any other outdoor
function with this portable folding bench.
By John English
66
ur team has just scored its

twenty-seventh run and it's
still the bottom of the sixth. Most of
the fans have been sitting on damp
grass for over two hours already.
No, this isn't a bad day in the majors
- it's infinitely worse: We're parents
at Tuesday night T-ball, and it's
a double header.
Actually, as every parent really
knows, T-ball is great fun. The kids
are having a blast, the weather is
warm and you get to hang out with
your l).eighbors. In fact, the only real
downside is those horrible chairs you know the ones - flimsy nylon
contraptions that fold up, usually
while you're still in them! What we
really need is a decent, comfortable
bench that can hold two weary
parents and still fit in the trunk after
the game. Well, you're in luck,
because that's exactly what this
project is - a lightweight, strong,
weather-resistant bench that, when
folded and stored, protrudes a mere
3" from the garage wall or trunk floor.
The inspiration for this bench
came from a similar design that
dates from the early 1940s. It was
made of weather-resistant white oak,
so that's the species we use here.
Building the Seat
The best way to get started on this
project is to cut all the parts to the
sizes given in the Material List on
page 68, then begin the milling
process by working on the seat
subassembly. The two seat supports
(pieces 1) are shaped pieces, and
their profile can be found in the
Pinup Shop Drawings on page 39.
Cut them to shape on your band saw,
then clean up the kerf marks with
a drum sander in the drill press.
Stay at the drill press to bore holes
for the pivot hinges (pieces 2) and
the dowel stretcher (piece 3) at the
locations given on the pattern,
noting the holes for the hinges step
down from 1" diameter to 1/2",
requiring a change of bits (see
Figure 1). Now turn your attention
to the seat slats (pieces 4). Four of
the five slats are simply rounded
over on their top edges with a 1/4"
radius router bit, then screwed in
place (see the Pinup Shop Drawings

for locations and spacing).
Counterbore for the short screws
(pieces 5) with a 3/8" Forstner bit:
These will later be filled with oak
plugs (pieces 6), to protect your
family from sun-heated screw heads.
Drive the screws home, but don't
use any glue yet. You'll remove the
slats during the assembly process.
The fifth and middle slat is
rabbeted on each end (prior to
rounding over the top edges) so the
back legs have room to pivot (see
Pinup Shop Drawings). You can cut
these rabbets on your table saw with
a dado head, using the miter gauge
to keep the cuts square to the end of
the slat. Now secure this final slat to
the seat supports with the same
screws.
Making the Back Leg Subassembly
This subassembly is made up of the
two back legs (pieces 7), two rails
(pieces 8 and 9) and a couple of
diagonal braces (pieces 10). Create a
radius on the top of each leg with
your band saw (see Elevations, page
70) and sand it smooth. The 55
miter on the bottom of each leg can
be cut on your table saw with the
miter gauge set at 35. A similar
setup can be used to create the 45
miters on both ends of the braces.
Drill 1/8" pilot holes through the
bottom rail Oocations are on the
Drawings), then counterbore for the
heads of the long screws (pieces 11).
Dry fit the braces to the bottom rail
and extend the pilot holes with a
3/32" bit. Apply Titebondall II or a
similar water resistant glue to the
joint and drive the screws home.
Figure 1: The holes in the seat supports

for the pivot hinges are drilled in two stages,
changing from a 1" bit to a 1/2" bit.
Figure 2: Various elements of the back leg

assembly are rounded over with a 1/4" radius
router bit. These cuts are stopped.
Attach the top rail to the braces in

much the same fashion, only this
time use the short screws. Be
careful that your pilot holes follow
the Drawings exactly, as there is
little room for error here. Now drill
countersunk pilot holes through the
legs and glue and screw them to the
rails. Make sure this subassembly
is perfectly flat, and set it aside to
dry. Once the glue has dried, round
over all the areas shown on the
Drawings using a 1/4" roundover bit
in your router table, as shown in
Figure 2 above.
Assembling the Backrest
Cut the profile on the top edge of the
backrest's top rail (piece 12)
67
Back Leg
(Side view)
Back Legset Subassembly
Round over the edges

with a 1/4" roundover bit.
MATERIAL LIST
T
68
1 Seat Supports (2)
3/4" x 2" x 13%"
10 Diagonal Braces (2)
3/4"
2 Pivot Hinges Pair (3)
Weatherproof
11 Long Screws (6)
#8
16 Front Legs (2)
x 2~"
3/4" x 5~" x 35~"
3/4" x 2" x 22"
3/4" x 1Y." x 35~"
3/4" x 3/4" x 35W'
3/4" x 2" x 23'%"
17 Retainer Pins (2) :
1/4" x 1" Dowels
3 White Oak Stretcher (1)
1" x 36" Dowel
4 Seat Slats (5)
3/4"
5 Short Screws (20)
#8 x 1%"
14 Backrest Middle Rail (1)

15 Backrest Bottom Rail (1)
x 1%" x 32"
6 White Oak Plugs (10)
3/8"
7 Back Legs (2)
3/4"
8 Back LegsetTop Rail (1)
3/4" x 1" x 30W
9 Back Legset Bottom Rail (1)
3/4" x 1%" x
x 2" x 20W'
W X L
x 1Y." x 13%"
12 BackrestTop Rail (1)

13 Backrest Stiles (2)
30~"
Installing Pivot Hinges
according to the Pinup Shop

Drawing dimensions, then sand it
smooth. Round over both the top
and bottom edges with the same
1/4" router bit you used on the seat
and legs earlier, then drill 1/8" pilot
holes at the locations shown on the
pattern. Countersink these holes on
the rear face of the top rail, then turn
your attention to the two backrest
stiles (pieces 13). These are also
shaped pieces, and their profiles can
be found on the Drawings on page
70. Cut them on the band saw, round
over the areas indicated (use the
1/4" radius bit), and then break all
the other edges with sandpaper. Use
the pattern to locate the holes for the
dowel and pivot hinges and drill
them on your drill press. Be aware
of the stepped nature of the pivot
hinge holes as well as which side
is drilled with the larger bit.
Moving to the Front Legs

The front legs (pieces 16)
are simply cut to shape on
Y0l-1T band saw and sanded
(see the Elevations on page
70). Miter their bottom ends
on the table saw, again using
the miter gauge to get the
angle right. You'll have to
drill each leg in two
locations for the pivot hinges
(refer to the Pinup Shop
Drawings for locations),
then you're ready to try
a dry assembly on the whole
project. The pivot hinges are
the key to this assembly
process, so let's take a closer
look at them.
Figure 3: Installing the weather-resistant pivot

hinges is a simple matter of lining up the two
sides of each hinge and bolting them together.
Installing the Hinges and Dowel

With the holes for your hinges
already drilled at the locations given
in the Elevations, you can go ahead
and secure all the knurled ends of
the hinges in place. Predrill for the
screws that come with the hinges to
avoid splitting, and locate these
screws so they aren't exactly in line
with the grain of the wood.
You have already drilled four holes
for the stretcher (piece 3), one hole
in each seat support and another in
each of the backrest stiles. Now
Clamp the top rail to the stiles,

then extend the pilot holes with
a 3/32" bit, apply glue and drive the
screws in snug.
At this time you can also round
over the two lower rails (pieces 14
and 15) and drill countersunk pilot
holes in them. But don't attach them
to the uprights yet - you'll see why
in during the next assembly step.
Install the main, knurled section

of the hinge (the piece on the left) into
a stopped boring in the first piece of
wood. Slide on a washer and the plastic
sleeve, then insert the threaded end into
the 1/2" diameter boring in the second
piece of wood. Secure it with a second
washer and a nut, both of which are set
into a larger counterbore to keep them
below the surface of the wood.
The Pivot Hinges

The drawing of the pivot hinge
(above right) gives you a good idea
of how this inexpensive but
wonderful piece of weather-resistant
hardware works. One end is fixed in
place by a combination of knurled
teeth and a pair of screws. The other
end is threaded, allowing you to
secure the second (moving) piece of
wood to the fixed piece with a nut. A
sleeve placed over the middle of the
hinge ensures you don't overtighten
the nut, and it also prevents any
friction buildup.
chuck a drum sander in your

portable drill and enlarge these
holes slightly - enough so the
dowel passes freely through them
without much play.
Slip the dowel through the holes in
the seat supports, then attach the
back rest in the same manner. Secure
the stretcher in the backrest uprights
with retainer pins (pieces 17), glued
into holes drilled through both
pieces. Attach the back leg assembly
next (temporarily remove the screws
in the seats slats to do this), then
install the spacers, nuts and washers
that come with the hinges.
Wrapping Up Construction
Apply waterproof glue to the seat
slats and drive the screws home for
the last time. Glue oak plugs into the
screw counterbores. I used button
plugs with domed tops to make sure
the rain ran off. Measure diagonally
in both directions to make sure the
seat is square before the glue dries,
and tweak it if it's not. Slip the front
legs in place next, then install the
spacers, washers and nuts and fold
the bench into its closed position.
69
Seat Support
Back Leg
(Side View)
(Side View)
,
Note: The leg pieces
are constructed as
mirror images of each
other. When facing
the bench, the seat
support, back leg,
backrest stile and front
leg (pieces 1, 7, 13
and 16) are on the
right. The stepped
bores for the pivot
hinges are drawn
accordingly The
hinges come complete
with full instructions
and bore dimensions.
Applying Finish
35
Front Leg
(Side View)
Backrest
Stile
(Side View)
8"
133/4"
1"
-.,-:- +
I
I
The last step in assembly is to

install the two lower rails of the
backrest, the ones I said to wait on
awhile back. The idea is to ensure
that the backrest rails fit neatly on
either side of the front seat slat
when the bench is folded. Instead of
relying on the pattern, simply fold
the backrest down and position the
rails on either side of the front slat.
Once they're positioned, drill the
pilot holes and countersinks and
attach the rails to the stiles with the
short screws.
I wanted this bench to last at least
as long as the original - that one
was built around World War II so I sprayed it with exterior
polyurethane. With all its slat nooks
and narrow parts, this project really
lends itself to spraying rather than
brushing. If you don't own spray
equipment, a couple of aerosol cans
will do a respectable job. To avoid
exposure to the fumes, spray the
bench outside. After all, that's where
this handy, lightweight folding
bench belongs.
~
---------------"/ '
@
@
L
Start
taper
here
Bore for
retainer pin
35
The weathered classic shown

above, which Art Director John
Kelliher came across in "deep
storagll" was the original
inspiralion for this project.
70
VODWORKER'S
Y:J0URNAL presents
ARTS (t CRArTS rUR.NITURt

The Arts & Crafts style of furniture is showing up everywhere.
I We feature it regularly in Woodworker's journal, but have
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71
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*lanzinatroI?
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Our Pock'it Jig Kit is complete

with all the tools needed to execute
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1 the pocket jig with clamp, 2 a 3/8"
step drill bit, 3 collar and 4 hex wrench,
5 an ample supply of square drive
screws and 6 a six inch square drive bit.
All the pieces are pictured below.
- it's a word we created to describe our

unique guide for cutting thin laminates
on your table saw. It easily slips under
the rip fence preventing stock from
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you'll recognize the value of this super
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A steal at $8.50 SUGG. RET.
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This kit can be the perfect addition to

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to make all the joints shown above
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pilot-hole in the mating work piece.
A bargain at $39.95 SUGG. RET.
The Joint'r Clamp Kit, consisting

of two clamps, allows you to straight
line rip crooked boards making it possible to utilize stock you might otherwise
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*(soffletiffles you just need a' ne'W 'Word)

Modular Bench with Planters

Here's a low-profile seating solution that adds a touch of nature.
By Rick White
fter building a deck in my
~ backyard last summer, I took
a long rest. This spring, I decided to

outfit the deck with furniture.
I really liked the idea of blending the
deck with the yard, so I set out to
design low profile, natural looking
furniture with room for plantings.
I also wanted a flexible system so
that I could add more pieces later.
The design I came up with is more
like carpentry than fine furniture, but
for a deck this seems appropriate,
and as an outdoor project I enjoyed
the break from detailed shop
techniques and precise joinery. The
design fulfills both of my original
objectives. It creates a natural-setting
that blends well with my deck, and
the modular construction gives me

the flexibility to rearrange the pieces
or add on more.
For durability and appearance, the
best woods to choose here are cedar
Figure 1: Use a clearance block and a dado

blade to cut half-laps in the nailers stock.
Along fence on the miter gauge helps
stabilize the cut.
or redwood. I spent two weekends

and a few odd evenings completing
the benches and planters.
Framing the Planters
Begin building all of the planters by
using the nailers (pieces 1, 2, 3 and
4) to make the interior frames. The
Elevation Drawings on pages 74 and
75 show all the measurements and
construction details needed to make
the frames. For strength and
alignment, I used half-lap joints on
all the nailers in the hidden frames
and cut more decorative miter joints
for the exposed cap frames.
Rip enough stock into 2 x 2 material
and cut the pieces to length. To cut
the half-lap joints install a 1/2" dado
73
Exploded
View
.'/"',
r----------------,
I
I
I
I
I
I
if'
I
I
I I
17'/4'
Drain holes
I
I I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I I
I
I
I
I
I
I
10'12"
-------------~-
I r
II
II
II
II
II
II
------------1
15'/4'
l ______ :
),P
+
I'
I'
II
II
II
:.II
________
Planters and Bench

(Top View)
Medium/large Planters
Medium Planter
(Side View)
1C-4
I
I
I
1--
[ '...1
Large
Planter Caps
(End View)
~--3'/4"
"I
blade in your table saw and raise it

3/4". Next, clamp a clearance block
to the rip fence and adjust the fence
so the block is 1lfz" from the far side of
the blade (see Figure 1, page 73).
Now use the saw's miter gauge to
push the nailer stock over the blade
after butting each 2 x 2 up to the
clearance block.
Once the half-laps are cut on. the
nailers (pieces 1 and 2), you can
build the frames for the three taller
planters. Set the nailers for the small
planters (pieces 3 and 4) aside for
now. Spread exterior glue on the
mating surfaces, then drive two
#8 - 1lfz" screws through each joint.
The interior frames in the tall
planters are spaced 10" apart. Rather
than fumbling around trying to
74
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
(Front View)
---:.t"---------1=- I
J1
7 /a
ll
- -
I
I
I
--<
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___I J
13'/."
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
24'(,"
t-l-- - I
I
I
1--
C 1-I I
1
1
1
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I
I
I
I
-t- - - - T- I
7 1M'
1-
,I
I
--I
- -I
1
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I
24'/2'
1
1
1
I
I
I
f-Il..c - - - - - 2 0 " - - - - . . 1
.. 1
I..
13" ---I
maintain this gap, cut 10" long scrap Assembling the Tall Planters
spacers and set them between the Begin assembling the three tall
frames while attaching the siding.
planters by securing the mitered
pieces to the corners of the frames.
Start by laying a piece in position at
Making the Siding
The planter design calls for siding in one corner and screwing it in place
two different widths (pieces 5 and from inside the frame. Butt the
6). You'll need about 84 lineal feet of second corner piece against it, then
3W' material and about 24 lineal feet screw this piece to the frame. Follow
of 11/4" stock to enclose all the this simple procedure for all the
planters. Once you've ripped the corners of the planters.
Once the corner siding is installed,
stock, chamfer both long edges on
you can move on to covering the rest
all the pieces.
Cut enough of the siding 12" long of the sides with siding. Lay each
to cover the short planters, then cut piece on the frame and screw it in
the remaining material into 24" place from the inside. All of these
lengths for the tall planters. Miter pieces should fit snugly, but if the
cut the siding pieces that meet at last one on each side gives you any
each outside corner of the planters trou1:)le, simply trim it and use your
router to rechamfer the edge.
for a finished look.
MATERIAL LIST (LARGE, MEDIUM AND SMALL PLANTERS*)
Small Planter
(Side View)
18'/4'
1....- - - - -
TxWx L
"",
- - - -c - -
- - -
-i
'i
~J== 1========= ====:
12' 12"
---,
t+--
Small/medium
Planter Caps
9'/"'~
(End View)
1
I
1
I
I
1
1
1
1== ====j
1- _
_ __ -'
T
L
I-- 1'/4'--1
~1'I,"
1
II
t---8'/4'~
Assembling the Small Planters

Because of their size, it's difficult to
build the small planters in the same
manner as the larger ones. Your drill
simply won't fit down in the box. To
get around this, assemble the front
and back walls of both planters by
predrilling the longer nailers (pieces
3) and screwing the half-laps. Now
your drill will fit down into the
planters to secure siding to the
remaining short walls.
Trimming the Planters
To support flower pots in the
planters, a piece of plywood (pieces
7, 8 and 9) must be dropped into
each box to rest on the interior
frames. Cut exterior grade, 1/2"
thick plywood to fit each box. For
water drainage, drill 1/2" holes
through the panels before dropping
them into place. Use screws to
secure the panels to the frames.
Each of the planters is capped off
with a mitered frame (pieces 10,
11, 12, 13 and 14). On the large
planter use 2 x 4 stock for the cap,
and for the other units rip 2x strips
to 13/4" wide.
In order to strengthen the
planters, the caps are dadoed and
glued to the walls. Set up your table
saw with a 3/4" dado blade <ind cut
1' /4 11 dadoes in the cap stock as
1'/2' x 1'/2' x 11 '/2'
4 Small Planter Side Nailers (8)
1'/2' x 1'/2' x 16'/."

1'/2' x 1'/2' X 63/."
5 Wide Siding (52 long/24 short)
3/4" x 3 '/2' x 24"/12"
6 Narrow Siding (24 long/16 short)
3/4" x 1' /." x 24"/12"

1/2" X 18'/2' x 18'/2' Ply
9 Small Planter Shelf (1)

10 Large Planter Cap (All Sides) (4)
17'/4'-'- - - - . . . .,
.1
(Front View)
2 Medium Planter Front and Back Nailers (8)

3 Small Planter Front and Back Nailers (8)
8 Medium Planter Shelf (1)
Ll.-_~.l.-_-L.--L-_--.l.--'-_-..1.-I-.l
1....- - - - -
1'/2' X 1'/2' x 18'/2'
7 Large Planter Shelf (1)
r---
1 Large & Medium Planter Side Nailers (16)
1/2" x 11 '12' x 18'/2' Ply

1/2" x 6W' x 16' /'" Ply
1'/2' X 3'/2' x 21'/2'
11 Medium Planter Caps (Long Sides) (4)

12 Medium Planter Caps (Short Sides) (4)
1'/2' x P/..' x 21"
13 Small Planter Caps (Long Sides) (4)

14 Small Planter Caps (Short Sides) (4)
15 Ledgers (4)
1'/2' x 13/'" x 183/'"
16 Bench Boards (25)

17 Bench Cleats (6)
18 Bench Aprons (4)
19 Lag Screws (16)
1'/2' x P/..' x 14"

1' /2' x 13/'"
1'/2' x 1'/2'
1'/2' x 3 ' /2'
1'/2' x 1' /2'
x 9 ' /'"
x 16'/2'
x 48"
x 16'/'"
1' /2' x 1'/2' x 48"

1/2" x 2"
*This list contains materials for one large and two small and medium planters.
shown in the Drawings. Once the

dadoes are cut, rip one side of the
stock to 1" in thickness. This will
make the cap appear less massive
and more in proportion with the
planters. Chamfer all the outside
edges of the stock.
Now miter the stock to length and
make the caps fit over the top of the
planter walls. Use exterior glue and
a couple counterbored screws to
hold the miters together. I filled the
screw holes with plugs to keep the
outside of the planters looking as
clean as possible.
Put glue in the dadoes and drop the
caps onto the planter walls. I drove
a few brads around the inside of the
frame to hold it in place while the glue
set. Wrap up this construction phase
by making the ledger boards (pieces
15) and lag screwing them to the
sides of the three tall planters (see the
Elevation Drawings).
Building the Benches

Begin building your benches by
cutting 2x stock for the bench
boards (pieces 16) and the cleats
(pieces 17). Next, cut the aprons
(pieces 18) and glue each of these to
a bench board. Use these four pieces
for the front and back planks in each
bench assembly. Chamfer all the
edges.
Layout the bench boards and
cleats and drill countersunk pilot
holes attachment screws. Use 5/8"
spacers between each board. Drive
the screws, then set your benches
onto the planter box ledgers. If
everything fits, drive a couple
screws through the ledgers into the
benches.
Now that I've got these
bench/planter units finished with
a couple coats of penetrating sealer,
I guess I can rest for another year. ~
-------------/.
75
Dust offyour lathe and sharpen your

turning tools for this challenging project.
By Ron Hampton
on't you love the look you

get when you hand a justfinished project over to its new
owner? That smile is worth a million
dollars, so you can imagine my joy
when I presented this project to an
entire family. Beyond the joy of
giving, this croquet set is a lot of fun
to build, too. Its construction will
help you polish your round-tenon
joinery skills and introduce you to
a couple of new turning techniques.
I chose African padauk for the
cart, primarily because I fell in love
with the color. I also like the way
it machines: padauk has a fine,
smooth texture, is very strong and
hard, and it's naturally resistant to
decay. The only real disadvantage
is that you must be very careful
about dust collection. The residue is
similar to hot chili pepper dust, and
it can aggravate some allergies.
For the mallets and stakes, I chose
Honduras mahogany. Again, this
was based essentially on color: the
mahogany provides such a rich
contrast to the padauk. (Of course,
the fact that my supplier had it in
the right dimensions had some
influence as well!)
Starting with the Cart
The first step in creating the croquet set is to build the cart, since all
the other parts must fit within its
confines. Select two pieces of
padauk for the cart top and bottom
(pieces 1 and 2), then use the
Elevation Drawings on page 80 to
establish the hole locations in each.
Note that some of these go all the
way through, while others are
stopped. Use Forstner bits in the
drill press and a scrap backer to
bore the holes.
'
Follow the three-step process

shown at right to create a pair of
perfectly matched racks (pieces 3)
for the top of the cart. Then bore
a stopped hole in each rack for
the handle.
Turning the Cart Handle
Get started on the handle (piece 4)
by mounting a 2" x 2" x 8" padauk
blank between centers on your lathe
and bringing it to a 11/4" cylinder at
slow speed with a bowl or a roughing gouge. Smooth the cylinder with
a skew, checking dimensions with
calipers. While the lathe is turning
slowly, mark the handle's groove
and end tenon locations with pencil
lines. These are all shown on the
Elevation Drawings on page 80.
Remove most of the waste on the
tenons with a skew or a thin parting
tool, then bring it right to 3/4".
(I actually ground a cutting bevel
on the top edge of a regular old 3/4"
open end wrench, and this shopmade tool lets me quickly cut an
exact thickness tenon.) Clean up the
corners with a thin parting tool. Use
the same parting tool to define the
four flat-bottom grooves, then lay
your skew at 45 and bevel the top
of each trough. Sand to 220 grit,
then use a thin parting tool to cut
most of the way through the end
of both tenons.
You can apply finish to all the
turned parts while they are still on
the lathe (except for the tenons).
I use a mixture of Deft wood sealer
diluted 50/50 with lacquer thinner.
Wet the wood with the lathe turned
off and let it soak for 15 seconds.
Then turn the lathe on and dry the
part with a paper towel (much safer
than cloth). This produces a fast
For perfectly matching scalloped rack pieces,

chuck a hole saw in your drill press and bore
holes down the center of a single piece of wood.
Once you've drilled the holes in the rack, move

to the table saw to cut the piece exactly down
the center, forming two pieces.
After separating your pieces, stack them for

the next cut. Move to the band saw to form
the handle portion of the rack.
77
satin finish. After finishing, remove

the handle from the lathe and trim
the ends square on the band saw.
After getting the front legs round,

mark off and cut the decorative
grooves that divide each leg into
visual thirds. With long, thin
spindles always use sharp tools and
light pressure to minimize flexing.
On the back legs, use a storyboard

to locate the square portion for the
wicket holder. Athin parting tool is
used to make a slice straight in where
the square edge meets the round.
78
Milling Profiles on the Edges

Take the completed parts of the
cart to your router table and lock
a bearing-guided, 45 chamfer bit
in the chuck (see top photo, right).
Bevel the top edges of the rack, the
top edge of the cart top and the
bottom edge of the cart bottom with
this bit. Mill the same profile on
the edges of all six large holes in the
cart top (upper face only), then
switch to an agee bit to create
a decorative profile along the
bottom edge of the cart top and the
top edge of the cart bottom. All
of these profiles are shown in
Elevation Drawings.
Making the Axle Supports and Feet
The cart can be moved around on
a pair of wheels (pieces 5) that are
attached by means of an axle (piece
6) and two supports (pieces 7). Cut
strips of padauk for the supports,
making sure their grain travels
along the length, not the width.
Band saw these pieces to shape (see
the Elevation Drawings) and sand
their edges. Drill holes for the axle,
then cut the two front feet (pieces 8)
to shape.
Bevel all but the top edges of the
axle supports and the feet using the
same bearing-guided chamfer bit
you used earlier. With small parts
like these, I like to hot-melt glue
them to a large piece of scrap and
take multiple passes. Keep your
fingers away Com the cutters.
Forming the Wicket Holder
Cut the wicket holder (piece 9) to
the shape shown on the Elevation
Drawings, then use a Forstner bit to
Abearing guided, 45 chamfering bit handles

the edge milling for the top and bottom, the
racks and the wicket holder (shown above).
Once the back legs are

turned, cut the shallow
mortises for the wicket holders on the table
saw. The wicket holders are notched where
they meet the legs, so the mortise isn't as
deep as it appears in the inset.
drill its two round holes. Switch to

a 1" bit to drill four corners of the
rectangular holes, and complete
these cutouts (as well as the notches
for the legs) with a jigsaw. Sand,
then relieve the square edges with
the chamfering bit (except around
the notches for the legs).
Turning the Columns
Turn the four center columns
(pieces 10) next, using a bowl
gouge and then a skew, as shown at
top left. Follow the same sequence
used earlier for the handle, only this
time instead of grooves, you're
creating curved arcs. Stick to the
dimensions shown on the Pinup
Shop Drawings, or the croquet balls
won't fit between the columns after
the cart is assembled. To make this
easier, cut a plywood circle the
diameter of the balls and use it to
test your arcs.
Exploded
View
Making the two front legs

(pieces 11) of this cart is a simple
turning process. After getting
the cylinders round, mark off and
cut the decorative grooves that
divide each leg into visual thirds,
then complete the tenons, as
shown in the photos at left. You
will have to use a storyboard for
the back legs (pieces 12) since
a portion of each leg remains
square, as shown in the photo
(bottom, left). Mill the round
areas first, referring to the
Elevation Drawings for the
dimensions of the square portion.
Once you've formed the tenons
and removed the back legs from
the lathe, set up your table saw
with a dado blade to cut the
notches for the wicket holder.
Each notch should be 1/2" deep.
Assembling the Cart
After completing a dry fit, begin
assembling the cart by gluing the
handle tenons into their borings
in the racks. Use a weatherproof
glue. Before it sets, attach the racks
to the cart top with glue, biscuits and
clamps. Use biscuits to secure the
feet, and use dowels to attach the
axle supports, as they're too small for
biscuits. Push the axle through the
supports as you work to ensure they
will line up later.
MATERIAL LIST
1 CartTop(1)
2 Cart Bottom (1)
TxWx L
1"x9"x25 3/."
1" x 9" x 25 3/."
10 Center Columns (4)
3 Racks (2)
1" x 2'/2" x 26%"
12 Back Legs (2)
4 Handle (1)
5 Wheels (2)
6 Axle (1)
1'/." x 6"
2" x 6" x 6"
13 Croquet Balls (6)
3/8" Dia. x 14" steel
15 Mallet Handles (6)
1" x 2'/2' x 1'/2'

1" x 3' /2' x 3 7/.'
1" x 6%" x 7%
16 Mallet Heads (6)
7 Axle Supports (2)

8 Front Feet (2)
9 Wicket Holder (1)
11 Front Legs (2)
14 Wicket Posts (2)
17 Wickets (9)
18 Axle Caps (2)
TxWx L
1"/a" x 1"/a" x 23 ' /2"
13/a" x 1%" x 23'/2'
F/a" x F/a" x 23'/2'
35/.' Dia.
3/4" x 3/4" x 18"
1' /2' x 1' /2' x 28 '/2'
3" x 3" x 9"
1/8" x 14" Brass
Push nuts, plastic
79
Cart Top
(Top View)
Cart Bottom
+0
~@
(Top View) '12" Dia.
3"D.ia.
+ 4'/2'
""'~
..-e-+
,ffT
3
'
/
2
'
(iftf4'/'..]J
3f." Dia,
1I!.s='======================*=====I====*~t'-
+
'/'"
Dia.
~3"m
(Side View)
- l:-1"
(End View)
Racks
(Top View)
Wicket Post
Wicket
(Front View)
(Front View)
Mallet Handle
(Section View)
5"
1
Center
Column
Front Leg
Back Leg
(Front View)
(Front View)
(Front and Side Views)
8'/'"
Ii
51/2'
27 1/,.'
t ---
33/16 11
Front Feet
Axle Support
(Side View)
(Side Vie;)
'/"
m-rA-m
J~ lli-JL.@JlLU
+
1"
l'
30
300
'fa" Dia.
1" D'la.
Mallet Head
5
1 /.' Dia.
80
(Side View)
Glue and clamp the four columns

and the four legs into the base, then
turn the assembly upside down
to set and glue these eight pieces
into their relevant borings in the
underside of the top.
Turning Wheels on the Lathe
As you can see from the two Photos
at right, turning wheels on a lathe is
easy. Get started by cutting four
square blanks (two for each wheel)
on the table saw and gluing them
face to face. Then, band saw a round
piece of plywood and attach it to
a faceplate. Turn the plywood to
round. This will become the holder
for turning the wheels and, later, the
balls. Drill a pilot hole at the center
of the plywood and use a 3" wood
screw and strips of two-sided tape to
hold a wheel blank in place.
Turn the wheel true, then mark
the points for its central depression.
Use a sharp skew for this operation,
making fine passes. When you're
happy with the look, sand and apply
finish, then unscrew the wheel and
turn it around. You don't have to
have the exact same look on the
insides, but it should be close, since
both sides of the wheel are visible
on the finished project.
Rounding Up the Croquet Balls
Put your first ball blank (piece 13)
between centers and turn the blank
to a column. A small spindle gouge
works well for this job.
After all six balls have been
roughed to round, you'll have to
remount the balls to continue. Begin
by taking the two-sided tape off the
face plate that you used to turn the
wheels. Cut a small cup in the center:
the ball will rest in this cup on the
headstock side. On the taitstock,
mount a large sealed ball bearing to

a plywood backer secured to a live
center. Hold the ball between these
two depressions. Now rough in the
ball using a 31/4" to 3W' bi-metal hole
cutter, as shown in the photo (second
from the bottom, at right). This is
a quick and easy way to cut a ball
round. Rotate the ball blank often
between the center supports so you
are cutting it round in all three axes.
After you sand all six balls you can
spray paint them. Set them on golf
tees or egg cartons while you spray,
and fine sand between coats.
Making the Wicket Post
I saved the wicket posts (pieces 14)
until now so your spindle turning
skills would have a chance to gain
a little polish. A wicket post (also
commonly called a stake) can be
difficult to turn because it gets very
thin and flexible. It's 18" long, so cut
your turning blank no more than
20": the shorter the blank, the less
flexible it will be.
Apply very little pressure against
your tail stock as you lock the blank
between centers, and make light
cuts in the wicket post as you turn
it. Aggressive cuts should actually
make the spindle stop turning. Lay
out the wicket posts the way you
have all other spindles in this
project. Reduce the blank to round
and leave the pointed tip fat (that is,
the full 3/4" diameter). Work on the
wider head first.
Carefully taper the point of the
wicket post, starting from the
middle and working toward the
headstock where it will be thinnest.
Use the tool that you can control the
best - my preference is the skew.
An aggressive bowl gouge will dig
in, flex the post and break it.
To hold the wheels (and the balls) in place,

band saw a round piece of plywood and attach
it to a faceplate. Turn it round and drill a pilot
hole at the center for a 3" wood screw.
Turn the wheel true, then mark the points for

its central depression. Use a sharp skew for
this step, making fine cuts. When one side is
right, reverse the wheel to turn the other side.
After minor surgery on the wheel's faceplate,

rough in the ball using a 3'/," to 3'/," bi-metal
hole cutter - an easy way to cut a ball round.
Make sure you keep moving the hole cutter

through all three axes during the roughing
process, then work your way through the grits.
81
Mer turning, sand this piece,

but don't be excessive about
smoothness, since the post will end
up being painted later on anyway.
Turning the mallet heads is a welcome change

from the spindles since you don't have to fight
flexing. Turn them round with a bowl gouge
and use a caliper to get the diameter right.
Turning the Mallets

The only difference between turning
the mallet handles (pieces 15) and
the legs is that a storyboard is
essential here, as the profile is a little
more complicated. It will also ensure
that all six mallets are identical.
Use calipers to make sure the mallet
heads (pieces 16) are 3" diameter,
then complete the rest of the turning
in accordance with the Pinup Shop
Drawings.
Make a simple scrap wood
V-shaped cradle to hold the mallet
heads steady on the drill press while
you bore them for the tenons on
the ends of the handles. Once
everything gets a good sanding, glue
and clamp the handles to the heads.
After applying finish to the head, go back to

the ends and deepen the cut with your parting
tool so only 1/4" remains. Finish up the ends
on the band saw, followed by the belt sander.
Some folks think
the challenge
of the game is to
progress through
the wickets in the
fewest strokes. For
others, real joy
is attained with
a properly "sent"
competitor's ball.
Rough out the flat part of the mallet handle

with the bowl gouge and then the skew. Use
your caliper to get the diameter perfect.
82
Make a story board to mark all the critical

points at the top of the handle, then use the
shallow gouge to shape the top end.
No Sticky Wickets Here

I went to a welding supply shop and
got brass welding rods for the wire
hoop wickets (pieces 17). They bend
easily, and I liked the color. Sand and
finish those elements of the set that
weren't finished on the lathe, then
you're ready to present your
completed set. Your family will have
fun with this project for years to come.
----------------'/'
JOIN US AT AMERICAN SYCAMORE TO BUILD YOUR HEIRLOOM GARDEN BENCH IN A FIVE DAY WORKSHOP.
GARDEN BENCH WORKSHOP,

JUNE 14TH THRU THE 18TH
Garden bench measures to the size of 62" in length, by 20" in depth and 36" in total height. The plans for this bench provided by
American Furniture Design Co.
You can construct your bench under the masterful guidance of Michael Van Pelt at
American Sycamore's woodworking school. Your Garden Bench will be of fine Mahogany and
built with pegged mortise and tenon joinery. The fine wood and joinery will assure long life in an outdoor
environment and certainly to become your estate's treasure.
']{eCief Carvines, June
19 t1i
Express your selfwith a personalize bench with fme finished details. Make plans to extend your stay for an
additional day, JlUle 19th .. In the extra day allotted you willieam the art of relief carving from the master wood carver Dennis
Maddox. Dennis will instruct you on layout and executing your decorative carving design for your Garden Bench.
American Sycamore offers as many as seventy woodworking classes throughout the

year, visit our web site for additional Information.
AMERICAN SYCAMORE
VVOODVVORKERS'RETREAT
Toll fr 1-877-8452666
www.amerlcansycamoreretreat.com
7559 E. County Road 950 S.
Cloverdale Indiana 46120

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8 Woodworking for the Great Outdoors

18 Oriental Redwood Arbor

Portable Outdoor Chairs

Patio Furniture Spruce-up

Spanish Cedar Picnic Table

Picnic Table Benches

Child's Adirondack Chair and Settee

Portable Folding Bench

Modular Bench with Planter

Classic Croquet Set

Summer 2004 Outdoor Projects

ROB JOHNSTONE Editor

AJ"lN ROCKLERJACKSON Pubtisher

Special Projects Editor

DAVID BECKLER david@jvgco.com

Phone: (972) 392-1892

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Outdoor Projects Summer 2004

for the Great Outdoors

When it comes to lumber, glues and finishes, a few smart choices

advantage to outdoor furniture is that,

Old-growth redwood is now protected and can be hard

for outdoor use, but it has a higher percentage of sapwood

Outdoor Projects Summer 2004

bntique, reClaimed "sinker" cypresS' is .an

:Wood. froni tennite~

from managed plantations using

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Outdoor Projects Summer 2004

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Summer 2004 Outdoor Projects

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