DIY Network

Woodworking FAQ: Cool-Tools From "Ask DIY" episode ADI-603

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Figure A Figure B Figure C Figure D Figure E Figure F Figure G Figure H Figure I Figure J

Bruce Johnson answers some frequently asked questions about woodworking tools and techniques.

Q: I don't own a drill press, and don't want to buy one, but there are times when I need to drill a perfectly straight hole. Any tips?

A:There is a problem with hand-drills in that you don't always get perfectly straight holes. There is a simple alternative to a drill press, but you'll need to borrow a drill press at least one time to be able to use this tip.

• Consider making a drill-guide from a block of hardwood. If you can borrow someone's drill-press, you can drill a series of perfectly straight holes -- in sequential sizes -- in a block of hard maple (figure A). Avoid using soft pine, as the holes will eventually become larger or uneven through use.

• Simply start with a piece of hard maple, decide which sizes of bits you'll most commonly use, and drill a series of holes using a drill press (figure B). Once you've made a series of perfectly straight holes in your block, you can use it as a guide to help drill straight holes in your woodworking project.

• Safety Alert: Always wear eye protection when using a drill-press, or any power tools.

Q: I'm still using an old-fashioned claw hammer, but I've noticed that pneumatic brad-nailers have come down in price. Are they worth the cost?

A:The claw-hammer is still preferred by some for larger projects, but air-nailers are a great convenience for such projects as trim-work.

• Air-nailers are easy to use and have some nice features. The nails come in strips that load into the nailer (figure C), so you don't have to handle each nail.

• A safety feature prevents the air-nailer from firing until the tip is fully depressed on a hard surface (figure D).

• Simply connect the pressure hose to the nailer, depress the tip on your wood surface and pull the trigger.

• One problem with air-nailers is that they sometimes do leave indentations or "dimples" around the nail-head. A tip for preventing this from happening is to nail right through a thin piece of cardboard (figure E). Once you drive the nail, simply pull the cardboard free. The cardboard protects the wood surface from being dented or dimpled.

Q: I want to build some rustic furniture, but I want to make sure the bark stays on the wood. Is there a trick to making sure that will happen? Will a coat of varnish help?

A: Varnish might help a little, and is a good way to enhance the look of the natural bark. But the key to having the bark remain on natural pieces of wood (figure F) is harvesting the wood in winter when the sap is underground.

• During the winter months, the bark is tight and dry, and harvested wood will likely hold onto its bark better than wood harvested in warm months.

• Also, smaller pieces of wood are less susceptible to having the bark peel off. As larger pieces of wood dry out, they tend to shrink and crack slightly (figure G). The shrinkage may lead to the bark coming loose. Smaller pieces hold their shape better, and won't have as much of the problem of bark coming loose.

• Tip: To make rustic furniture from natural pieces of wood with the bark still on, you can make tenons on the cut ends of the wood (figure H) using a special tenon-cutter (aka, an "apple peeler" attachment). This is simply an attachment that you use with your power drill (figure I).

  The tenon cutter (figure J) creates tenons of a specific diameter. The tenons can then be inserted in matching holes of the same diameter to join pieces of furniture together.

RESOURCES :

The Weekend Refinisher:
How to Make the Most of Your Furniture-A Step-by-Step Guide
Author: Bruce E. Johnson
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 034535866X

The Wood Finisher: How to Finish Everything, From Decks to Floors to Doors
Author: Bruce Johnson
ISBN: 0345372972
Ballantine Books

Rustic Furniture Workshop
Model: 1579902200
Author: Dan Mack

Country Woodworker: How to Make Rustic Furniture
Author: Jack Hill
Publisher: Chronicle Books
ISBN: 0811815897

Making Rustic Furniture
Model: 1887374124
Author: Daniel Mack

The Art of Rustic Furniture
Model: 1579902642
Author: Daniel Mack

Popular Woodworking
F & W Publications, Inc.
Website: www.popularwoodworking.com