Bridge City Tool Works Sneak Preview #45

In ihis Issus: 2&3

PA6ES

The

Anazingly Sinple

Saddle 5quarc Dovetail PAGE

3

Impoilant CIub Menber Information!

PAGE

4

Wow! "The Mother ol all flulers!'

\+ ''\

because in Americ'l, we don't DO apprenticeships

hair ol two thicker than the stock thickness. This

thc bcautiful interloclting dovctail ioint. Ovcr | | than yeals I lravc succcsslully t'.urght hurrdrcds of

(Catechisrn the only exception). Consequendy, (I'm

setting allows the pins to protrude slightly once

llthc

done being silly now) we don't have the necessary

people how to perfectly execute D/ hand, tbe dovetail

muscle nremory, and neuer

assernbled, ultimately to be flush with the mating sulface, Once set, you will need to scribc a line u'hich

joint by leducing the task into a scries ofveq' casy steps using tools and techniques for people who don't

limited shop time . llowever, we can achieve the exact same results using different techniques that lecognize

have much tirne to practice. This Sneak Preview gives

our stlengths and shortcomings.

llo

ioinl has morc invisible balriers to thc uninitiatcd

you the foundatiou to unlocl< yonr

"I can't"

bias and

open your mind toward the very rewatding satisfaction

of handwork. We are also introducing a great new tool to ease this process! ltor ftrn, let's dispel sorne colnmon notions. I, like

I

retnain

arnazed by the collective ability of thcse individuals to ignore the single rnost important aspect of their talent musclc mcmory

One develops mnscle rnemory by repeating a task so many tilnes it can be accomplished blindfolded on a

humid moonless right with the body loped and superglued to a bar stool, wlapped with duck tape and sealed within a trunk suspended inside an abandoned w'L:er towet. l4uscle memoryt is why the woodworking guru can whip out perfect hand cut dovetails quicker thiur a sneeze using a haudsaw rustief than

a

of. our^

Beautiful, light-tight dovetails can bc obtained without muscle mernory (or a router) by properly applying the krowledge of material, tools mdprocesses. Once you have obtained the proper lcrowledge, you gain

rnany ofyou, hwe seen nulnerous dovetail setninars by talentcd nnd chalismatic woodwolking gunts from lands afar'. Although invariably inspiring,

will, becalse

6.1

proficiercy by .rpplyrng your knowledge through a little practice. If you choose the router to cut dovetails, you ale rnissing one 0f the true joys of the woodworking expedence. Router cut dovetails always look clun$ and are rarely seen in g'allery quality furniture, In addition, tlre router is one very noisy beast. I have always wondered, "Is it worth damaging your hearing fol a cltrnky looking joint?" If you are of this school, we invite you to open your mind and learn abont our newest family mernber We are pleased, to

present oar newest tool,

the SS-DT Sadd.le Sqaare. This amazingly simple tool will aUow you to layout dovelails in either a 6: I or 8:l ratio with ease you cannot believe. Read on for the sirnple techniques that make this extraordinarily

Dodge Valiant and a chisel that spends more time

strong and attractive ioint.

opening cans of Rustoleum than cuttirg woorJ. Muscle memory) explains why the busiest booth in the wood-

The dovetail is an important joint because if propellv

working hall is the booth selling.,.r'outers!

The reason all woodworking gurus have accents is because they are not fiorn here.ln addition, they all learned repetitive woodworking tasks at an early age while an apprentice, which is a faucy word for child slave. Their skills with hand tools are rmazing; can you eat canned peas with a dull scratch awl? These people are entertaining, but the simple truth is you will never be able to replicate their effor:ts in your shop

O

ERDER TELL FREE | -Etc]E]-z -,-ir!,r;

Gr:-ts,r.,

.1 !! r,,.iri

irl'f

i

constructed, youl joint

will always be square. This is why it is ploper for drawers and casework. The joint is lather sirnple and consists of hvo cortponents traditionally refelled to as "pins" and "tails". If you study the joint, this makes sense, but rnany don't and it cal be confusing. I prefer "pins" (rnale) and "sockets" (fernale). The "pin" is analogous to a tenon as the "socket" is to a lnortise.

After your stock has been ploperly dimensioned, set a marking gage (our MG-3 is pelfect fol this task) a

=3-Jsgz , U',:r:

is contiguous on all four strrfaces of each board.

It is now time t0 layout the joint. I strggest you allays layout the pins first, This is countel to rnost of the liternture and rnauy of the above-mentioned gurus, but there is a practical reason. Whethel you cut the pins fir'st depends upon the "waist" size of the pins. There are exceptionally benutiful dovetail joints ti'hele the waist of the pin is less than l/rzn,l of an inch. (Contrast this joirrt with a router ploduced dovetail ri'here the waist of the pin is detennined by the socket, the waist

ofwbich is always equal or greatel than the shanlt diameter of the router bit.) If you nrake a joint this graceful and cut the sockets fit'st, tltele is no way you

will be able to ttace the socket shape t0 the matiltg piece, as there does not exist a marking

kiJe ol awl

thin enough to trace the outline folrning the pin, Ilowever, you c'an always trace the socket fi'ont the pin, which is why I prefer this method.

Generally speaking and there are no hald rules, the 8: I dovetail ratio is used for rvoods that are hard and easily split, the 6:1 just the opposite. I like the 8:1 because it looks completely different than the angle ploduced by a router bit. (The ratio system is an excellent way to communicate angles in the absence of a protractor. Dlaw a right angle with equal divisions along each axis. "Six up and one over" is a 6:1 ratio.

Vho cares what angle this

is?

It is very easy to

reproduce and communicate in the most modest of facilities, paltictrlarly if gmph paper is available,)

hald "rule" that is full of bunk is that of the "double half-pin". Because it is poor engineet'ing to have dovetails begin an1'l'hele bLrt at the edge of the project, the fir'st and last piu hare onlr one angled face, hence "lialf-pins". The nrle that the l'aist of a halflin should be double the nrust of a legular pin One

really depends upon the waist size of a ftill pin. French dovetails (very thin and fragile looking, but quite strong) need a half-pin that is 4-10 times the waist ofa regular pin. Use your iudgernent. If you use the "double half-pin" mle and your pins are obese, you will create a joint that onry your mother will love.

The SS-DT Saddle Square realiy shines when it comes to dovetail layout,

It

replaces the need for a T-beuel and a square, The unique ability of this tool to fold around a corner will allow you to draw or scribe the necessary straight and angled pin lines in one easy stroke. It work just grand! Slide the tool down your stock and mark away. Each and every angled line will be perfectly connected to an adjacent vertical line. This tool is fast and amtzingly accurate! Your workbench is not cluttered and you never have to worry about knocking your fbevel angle out of whack accidentally. One tool, one line, two planes!

Pin spacing and pin quantity usually is a matter of taste. Too few pins and the joint looks weak. Too many and you have a very busy joint and much work for no thoughtful reason. (One of the rnany neat features of oul SD-6 Spidel Divider is the "quick look" fol equitable dovetail spacing.) Pins do not have to be equitably spaced however and can look quite nice with a uuique pattern indigenous t0 youl' style and sensibilities.

The layout process of a dovetail pin is identical to that of a tenon. Our Saddle Squale farnily is thrilled to bring this ease and function to you with the SS-DT

Saddle Square. I am sure you will fild this compact tool to be of enormous help as you add hand'Jovetails to your sldll set.

Milled from solid brass, each of these exquisite toois will perform flawlessly in your shop. hlrLid into each face of the Saddle Squares are tlvo precise JuararM ol losewood wood infills to complete the styling of this lemalkable tool. The hinge pin is custoln turned from stainless steel, providing a smooth acting joint without slop. Ilre SS-DT Saddle Square will work on all stock up to two inches in thickness. (The overall length is 6t/r": tl\e width is 7/8".) I think you will aglee the SS-DT Saddle Square is a welcorne additioil to ouf gfowing familv of tool" and a fasciuating combination ofinnovation, craftsrnanship and functionality. And nntil August 31, rI is ON SAIE!

EUR SPEtrIAL SALE EFFER The SS-DT Saddle Square is available in rosewood oL JuararM wood. Each of these tools is

florn the initial production run and is signed bv thc dcsigncr;

John liconornaki. Serl,al numbered,,

slgnatare serles tools w{,ll not be

aaallablefor sale afterAagust 31,1998.

Plcase allow l0-12 weeks for delivery Or'del Today! To reserrye youl Signature Series Saddle Square, call 1-800-253-3332 ot send in the enclosed order form todayl

llEl-IZZSS-DTrN

RDsEwtrED

ISB9.EE IUATALOG HRICE + I U9.UU'

I I E2-l ZZ SS-DT

rN

Junpa"

wooo

SbES,OO (carAloG Pnrcc $l tr4.Dtr)

AuroMATttr ERDER trusroMERS wtLL EE EENT THE RosEWooD VERS|EN.

PERSONAL ENGRAVINEi The limited edition and special nature of this tool are sure to be cherished by futnre genelations and personal engraving mly cafly special rneaning uuimaginable to many today. As a tool club member', engraving the fir'st thtee letters and all punctuation marks are free. Additional letters are $1.00 each. This tool can accommodate up to 6 characters, including spaces and punctuation.

A WORD ABEUT EUR DELIVERY StrHEDULES...

All our tools are special tools. If "WHEN" we deliver is rnore important to you than "WHAI" we deliver', vou may at tirnes be frustrated with us. Please note: all Sneak Preview tools ale shipped in sequence as the orders ale received. Tool Club members on our Automatic Order 0ption leceive their tools first, the balance are shipped first in, first out. Because these tools ate deliveted over a period of 2-J months, this may be of importauce to you, particularly if this tool is a gift. We make the dry the tool is shipped.

flften a 12"

bench

| | rule is too short. and

lJ 24" bench rules are too long, Our 18" cornpromise is sure to win a spot on your workbench and is expandable up to 54".

Plecisely extruded from hardened aluminum, the extrernely durable fi nish is washable and soaks

up light. Try this test: Set the RS-18 on your

workbench next to your favorite rule propped at the same angle as the RS-18. Step back five feet and compare the graduations. You will be completely shoched at the results.

Slide the axle andwheels in place on section one ofthe RS-18 and it will effortlessly glide back and forth (Fig. 4) allowing you to easily create parallel lines. It works accurately enough to

Here are the rules included on the RS-18:

substitute as a marking gage in many applications where a line is needed parallel to an edge or another line. It is a very handy

I .

2, 3, 4, 5.

6.

3 ZNDS READTNE LEff TE RIGHT READTNE LEFT TE RIEHT 16THE LEFT TE RIGHT READINc MTLLTMETERS aND SZMM RULE trENTER FINDINE 32NDs I 6THs READTNG R|EHT To LEff RULE trEMPAss EFFsET/BEAM SZNDs

feature.

The RS-18 has a rule that is offset from the end (Fig. 5) of the body. You can now measure with complete accuracy without having t0 remember rudimentary rnath by subtracting

Vrhen you need added capacity, simply attach section two

and three and you now have a 54"

l"

frorn

y0ur measufements.

rile. All graduations are

continued in sequence!

We guarantee the RS-18 t0 meet

Use the florescent orange indicators (Fig.

standards for commercial rttles. Yottr trust in our products is the backbone of our business relationship. We believe you will

l)

and you can

"note" all important measurements for repeatability or future reference. Frorn dovetails to the cornplete transference of features ftom an existing piece, you will be amazed at how you can work without aclually measuring anything!

Slide on the RS-18 trammel heads (Fig. 2) for arcs and circles. for extremely fast arcs and

They index to the rule, making

circles.

or exceed all U.S, and British

be absolutely thrilled with this new and exciting product!

Rarely is there a tool that garners more attention than this ruler system. Most people have never seen a ruler without some glare; nobody has seen a ruler with so many features. When you compare the price of individual rulers and consider the combination in this one remarkable tool, vou have a terrific value! Enjoy!

It takes about five seconds to attach the "hook" to the end

(Iig. 3) of the

RS-18 body. Measuring using the end of a rule

has never been easier.

Oâ&#x201A;$ rI o6.5o

3EO ..THE WERLD'S FINE5T RLJLER'' (THIS KIT INtrLUDES: SEtrTION I RULER' RELLING HEEK RULE) INDItrATERS, STtrRYEEARD

RULER KIT' PREEoRTED

FrRsr GLAEs MarL llsi FtrsraEE PAID

fs26A.95 MoTHER trF ALL RuLERstt {THIS KIT INtrLUOES: SEtrTION I ' SEtrTIEN Z' SEtrTIEN 3'

3E I "THE

TRAMMEL HEAOS, RELLING RULER KIT' STtrRYEEARD INDItrATERS'

HEtrK

FRItrES ARE AS FOLLEWEi:

INDIVIDUAL

I lor-1

1I SEcrroN ENE (E-lE} tNtrHEs)

$71.95

WITH HOOK RULE

I lEl-l

lZ

SEtrTrEN Two (f Et-36 lrucnes)

S65'5tr

WITH trONNEtrTDRS

I f tr l -l

1

3 EiEtrTroN THREE (36-54

tNcaes)

$65.50

WITH CENNECTtrRS

l loI-l IB RorrrNG RULER Ktr (woers'FoR sEcrtEN oNe sNlv) I lEl-l

l4

EiET oF 4 FLoRESceNT lNolcn].ocs

I |trI-l |5 PA|R EFTRAMMEL wlrH StrR|EES

ErrY TtrtrL WtrRKSt lNtr. I I 04 N.E, ZBTH AVENUE PDRTLAND. ER 97 z3Z-2498

BRTDGE

RULE)

HEADS

Heeo Teevvel I ltrl-1I6 Stusre (woRKs wtrH THE orHER Two HEADS FoR DEVELoptNG ELLIPsE eeovet.eY.)

$21 .e5 $17.95

+44.95

fi22.e5

PtrRTLANo, OR PERMTT

No. 5669