This is the first seminar where we’ve promised a completed project by the end of two hours. No one expected Phil to get through the first hour without making at least one mistake (except maybe me!). It takes a lot of concentration to complete a woodworking project, start to finish, successfully, even when you’re working in your own home workshop. But working in front of 70 people, and a camera that is recording your every move, makes it particularly difficult to keep everything straight.

Last Thursday, Phil was humming along answering questions, laying out the template, making cuts and drilling holes without a lot of problems. Best of all, he was able to explain what he was doing in a clear and concise manner as he worked. It was only after he had cut out the curve on the bookcase’s second side piece, and drilled all the holes for the knockdown fasteners and shelf pins, that he noticed a slight problem. The two sides of the bookcase are mirrored pieces, which means for the template to work correctly, it has to be flipped a certain way so that the curve and the “good” side of the plywood faces out. Several members of the crowd noticed the mistake just after Phil did.

The truth is, mistakes happen, even when you’re in your comfort zone and working at your own pace. Unfortunately, the only way to fix this problem was to start over.

Tonight, Phil will complete the project. Due to time limitations (and thanks to the magic of television), an all new side piece, laid out and cut to size, will be on hand for Phil to work on. He’ll complete the project by adding the veneer, drilling the holes for the knock-apart joinery system, and assemble the finished project.

The Bonus Download for tonight: Edgebanding Plywood, explains some of the techniques Phil will be using tonight to add the veneer to the edges of this plywood project.

This weekend project from Woodsmith No. 167, see photo, is actually more of a bookcase than a bookshelf. It has five wide shelves, perfect for large coffee table books, pottery and collectibles. Two of the shelves are adjustable, and the other three use quick-connect fasteners to hold the case together. The Minifix fasteners Phil Huber is using for this project eliminate the need for any complicated joinery.

In tonight’s seminar at the Woodsmith Store in Clive, IA., Phil will begin construction on the bookcase and hopefully, have it finished by the end of next week’s seminar. Tonight, he’ll deal with laying out and cutting the curves on the front of the case sides. Plus, he’ll drill the holes for the fasteners and shelf pins (He’s using a hardboard template to lay out the curves and the holes.)

Finally, he’ll show us how to use the table saw to cut grooves in the sides for the plywood back, as well as a series of grooves in the shelves that help hold everything together. By the way, the entire case is made with plywood. This way Phil won’t have to spend a lot of time gluing up solid-wood panels. The bonus download for tonight: “Our Best Plywood Secrets Revealed,” explains how we end up with better-looking projects by using plywood.

This week’s seminar will feature Carol Beronich, an assistant editor with Woodsmith Magazine. Carol has graciously agreed to substitute as the presenter tonight and will talk about a few projects that she added a hand-rubbed finish to. In fact, one of the first “woodworking” projects Carol took on was hand rubbing a finish on a candlestick she made for her mom. The results turned an interesting project into one that she was proud to show off to everyone.

To get that hand-rubbed look, start out with a little boiled linseed oil and follow up with 0000 steel wool and Briwax. The thin protective finish you create lets the natural beauty of the wood shine through.

There are two bonus articles this week: Hand Rubbing a Fabulous Finish.

There are a lot of ways to build a frame and panel door. One of the simplest methods is to use stub tenon and groove joinery. It’s quick, strong, and easy to do on a table saw, as you’ll see at tonight’s seminar, starting at 6:30pm at the Woodsmith Store.

Woodsmith Magazine assistant editor, Dennis Perkins will demonstrate how to cut the joints for his door, which has a plywood panel. He glues his plywood panel in place to add strength to the door, since he doesn’t have to worry about expansion and contraction of the panel inside the door frame.

But what if the doors you’re building call for a solid-wood panel? Well, then it’s best to use a “haunched” mortise and tenon joint. Solid-wood panels need to float inside the frame to prevent problems when the wood expands and contracts. The mortise and tenon provides the strength to hold the frame together and the haunch, which is just a short stepped shoulder on one edge of the tenon, hides the groove in the rails and stiles that holds the panel. Dennis will show you how to build a frame and panel door using haunched mortise and tenon joints.

Here’s a great plan that uses stub tenon and groove joinery: High-Back Hall Bench. It’s available online from PlansNow.com for only $9.95. After selecting your plan(s), just type the word SEMINAR in the coupon code box and 20% will be deducted from your total purchase.

At one time I’d cut rabbets, dadoes and grooves on the table saw using my dado blade. But the results just weren’t what I was looking for. That’s mostly because my dado blade was one of those wobble blades that didn’t cut a flat bottom. Then I started using a router with a straight bit and a simple T-square jig.

Now I rout most of my rabbets, dadoes and grooves, especially when I’m working on big case pieces, with an adjustable dado jig and a spiral downcut router bit. It’s faster and easier than trying to wrestle sheet goods on a table saw, plus I can cut them to any width I want thanks to the adjustable jig. It’s the same jig that Chris Fitch will use tonight during his seminar, starting at 6:30pm at the Woodsmith Store in Clive.

You can download the Adjustable Dado Jig used by Chris during this seminar (plus any other plans you may want to purchase) at PlansNow for 20% off. To obtain your 20% off price, go to www.PlansNow.com. After selecting your plan(s), just type the word SEMINAR in the coupon code box and 20% will be deducted from your total purchase.

Last evening during the seminar, a question was raised about the Leigh Super Jig that Bryan couldn’t answer. (I know, I’m as shocked as you!)

If you were there, you know that the box joint template is adjusted back and forth to cut evenly spaced pins and slots. Once the template is adjusted, a small pin holds it in place on the jig. The questioner wanted to know if the pin would limit the width of the workpiece that the jig would hold.

If you look at the photo at left, you’ll see a portion of the 24″ template and all of the 18″ template. (The pin I’m talking about is at the top right of the 18″ template.) A series of precisely spaced holes, that are a little hard to see in the photo, allow you to position the jig for routing the pins and then reposition it for the slots. Obviously the pin sticking up will limit the travel of the router as you cut your box joints on a wide board. According to Matt at Leigh Industries, the pin would be in the way at one end as you’re routing and so that is why duplicate pin holes are provided at the opposite end of the jig, as you can see in the photo.

Hope that answers the question fully

We continue to sell the Woodsmith Box Joint Jig in great quantities the Woodsmith Store. The jig has been around for years and frankly, I can’t think of an easier or more efficient way to cut box joints. Bryan Nelson will demonstrate just how easy the jig is to use during this week’s seminar, starting at 6:30pm. But, as the title of this seminar indicates, he’ll also demonstrate an all new method for cutting box joints — with the Leigh Super Jig and a brand-new finger joint template accessory that has just recently been released for sale.

The secret to using this jig (for both dovetails and box joints) is the patented E-bush system. You can get a little idea how it works by watching this quick video on the Leigh website:

Windows Version

Quicktime Version

Note: The template shown in the photo above is normally used for cutting dovetails. As you can see, it can also be used for cutting box joints (using the E-bush), but at 5/16″ and 5/8″, which are kind of odd-sized box joints. The jig Bryan uses tonight was not available for a photograph when this seminar was planned.

Don’t want to buy a fancy jig for box joints? Then you can easily build your own with plans for a box joint jig that I’m offering this week as a Bonus Download: Box Joint Jig

I’ve gotten more calls about this seminar than any in the last several weeks. Hopefully, that means we’ll have a lot of new people at the seminar at the Woodsmith Store in Clive, IA.

I guess there are a lot of folks out there who are wanting to learn more about scroll saw techniques and I can see why. I’ve spent lots of time with my 11-year old grandson on the scroll saw. It’s one of the easiest tools to learn (although it takes some time to master it as well as Linda Anderson has). And, because it’s relatively safe, I feel comfortable letting my grandson use it on his own.

I’m including four great articles in this week’s Bonus Download. You can get them by clicking here: Scroll Saw Tips & Techniques

One more thing, Galen Vetterick attended  this seminar on Thursday and suggested we post a link to the Olson website. They have blade selection section with more information about the blades that Linda was using. Thanks Galen.

The jig you see in the photo above is a prototype of the jig that Creative Director, Ten Kralicek came up with for this week’s seminar. His final version (as a designer, Ted claims there is never a final version!) is fully adjustable for practically any table saw fence and is made from MDF and hardwood. Ted will use the jig to cut lap joints, saddle joints and splined miter joints — all in under an hour.

The jig straddles your rip fence and tiny adjustments must be made to make perfect cuts, so this week I’m offering a micro-adjustment jig that is designed for a router table. I couldn’t find one designed specifically for a table saw, but I think this one can be modified easily to work on the table saw. I’d skip the clamp and add a couple of rare earth magnets to the base. You can find the plans for the jig here: Micro-Adjuster

Randy Maxey will demonstrate the surprisingly easy-to-use WorkSharp Sharpening System at tonight’s seminar starting at 6:30pm at the Woodsmith Store in Clive, IA. But don’t despair, he hasn’t tossed out his plate glass and sandpaper quite yet. He’ll also compare his inexpensive technique for sharpening by hand to the “machine.”

There are no Online Bonus downloads for this week’s seminar.