My daughter-in-law picked up a pair of twin-bed head and footboards at a recycling place. They were free, hence there was a catch – no stretchers to connect them. I offered to help, which also meant buying and cutting two sheets of plywood to use as bedboards. I went to Home Depot for some poplar-veneered plywood, and a man who helped me wondered why not just buy cheaper fir plywood for under mattresses. I said that I wanted to be able to use the scraps. But when the kids paid me for the materials, I realized the scraps were theirs. So I suggested a bookcase. Except for a little extra poplar for the facing, footing and cornice, it’s basically their scraps. Not the finest of furniture (they’ll have to paint it) but it does make a point: always buy decent stuff because you never know how you’ll end up using all of it.
One further note, the shelf pegs are called “spiral supports.” They’re shaped with a variable radius (see photo above), so spinning them changes their height. That way, if a shelf is warped or the holes are misaligned, you just spin to pegs to even things out. No more wobbly shelves, ever. Clever idea, available at Woodworker’s Supply.
The DeWalt 735X produced two faces perfectly parallel to one another, with surfaces far superior to what the other machines produced, thanks to its two feed speeds. At high speed, the planer works fast and leaves a smooth surface. But the slower, finish speed produces an almost glass-smooth surface. Knife changes are easy, with spacious access to the cutterhead from the top and a gib screw wrench that doubles as a magnetic lift to remove the knives. The 735X also has great dust collection, thanks to an internal blower that helps evacuate chips. The port has a 2-1/2-in.-dia. opening, but has a built-in adapter for 4-in.-dia. hoses. My only complaint is the location of the dust port. It’s on the outfeed side of the machine, and exits straight back. If you don’t pull the hose to the side, it interferes with material as it leaves the machine. The top is large and flat, so it’s a great place to set material in between passes through the machine.
The jig’s primary design feature is that the depth guide on the drill bit is set when you clamp material into the jig, so it is always right for the material thickness (from 1⁄2 in. to 1 1⁄2 in.). A color-coded system of screws tells you which screw length to use for each material thickness. A starter set of screws is included. The jig and screw system work as designed, with the exit holes well centered in material of varying thicknesses.
With its graceful curves, cabriole legs, and ornamental back splat, a Queen Anne side chair is a bucket list build for many woodworkers. Dan Faia had a very specific Queen…
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