Four pieces from three cuts and two saw settings

Laying out the slot ends to be cut with the Domino and face template

Template allows easy visual alignment with slot centers and through mortising

Once the slots are cut on both ends, connect the dots with the tracksaw

A completed cover with added end caps

Powder room heater cover

Mudroom heater cover

A sort of traditional piece of furniture, the hutch has many uses in various locations throughout the home. This one will be used as an “entertainment center.” The work surface is 36” and will accomodate a stereo system. The shelves will have books, CDs and pictures. The base has one half-depth adjustble shelf and will hold many other items. All of the moldings and panel details were made in-house except for the beaded rear paneling. The finish is a traditional oilwax formula that I made. This finish is hand-applied and buffed, creating a warm satin glow. Oilwax is a great starting point for a lovely patina, which will happen slowly throughout the years. In addition, the pine will naturally oxidize, which will deepen the color while also becoming more uniform. There is no substitute for time when it comes to beautiful wood. Unlike film finishes such as polyurethane and lacquer, oilwax remains “alive” and can easily be revived or modified as needed. Maintenance is surpisingly simple and, dare I say, enjoyable. In fact, it's up to the owner how the piece ages. Keep it shiny and spotless or let it age with purpose and show the signs of life happening around it. It can be a living part of your Maine home, made in Maine by a Mainer with Maine's state tree, the Eastern White Pine.

Finished photos

How it was made

Making the cove

Making the vertical panels

Making the horizontal panels

Cutting curves and mortising for furniture connectors

Making rail and stile doors

Making base and cap, trimming doors

Making beaded casing for skylights

Applying traditional oilwax finish

Assembly with furniture connectors

sketch built

cutting grooves in the rail and stile to receive the panel

love the smell of pine

panels laid out for attractive figuring

grooving the backside of the panels

grooving the backside of the panels

parts laid out for test fit

glued together

trim the door bottoms to final size in one strait line (and remove slip tennons)

trim the sides (two stacked)

ready for sanding!

cedar porch

The HKC 55 carpentry saw is Festool's general use circular saw. It is a close relative of the company's hallmark track saw, but is optimized for ambidextrous, one-handed operations. This makes it is especially usefull for cross-cutting and rip cutting both wood and ply.

Recently, I have been working towards a distilled approach to the process of milling, or cutting, of wood and wood products. The original Festool track saw was born out of a post-war need to quickly, accurately, and affordably process sheetgoods without the overhead of large shops and equipment. In that sense, it was designed to replace the table saw and miter saw and, with practice, has proven itself capable of such.

However, the ability to quickly rip-cut and cross-cut smaller or narrower workpieces was always a unique challenge for track saw users. There are methods for using the track saw for these functions, including MFT-style table tops with fences, dog holes, aluminum extrusions, homemade jigs, etc. I have explored and used many of these options, and they work exceptionally well, but I find the additional equipment cumbersome: both physically and mentally. Ultimately, I want less equipment and fewer tools, leading to more workflow.

And so, I have acquired the HKC55 as an experiment in a single-saw workflow for wood and ply. The saw was developed in tandem with a special rail (available in three lengths) that has features enabling the user to cross-cut quickly at a variety of angles Not only can it handle small part milling (with or without the edge guide), but it can also be used on a rail in *almost the same way the traditional track saw can. All of this capability in a very small package.

I will update this post in future installments demonstrating the saw's unique abilities.

Track-based straight line rip-cutting

Track-based cross-cutting

Edge-guide based milling and small part rip cutting

working outside in the summer, last day of July

This article is part of a series about shingling a gable wall. The first part covers running strait courses from the bottom up. In the future, I will cover initial layout, which is not provided in this article.

The shingles I am using in this article are locally known as “shim stock,” a.k.a. the lowest grade of eastern white cedar. Without getting into the weeds regarding how suppliers esoterically classify wood products, suffice it to say that they are charmingly rough and not in the least bit square. But, with somewhat careful installation and the acceptance of a varied look (or even a penchant for it), they can look quite handsome.

Leaving shingles unfinished is a traditional method of siding epecially in New England. In time and depending on exposure to local elements, the shingles will acquire various levels of weathering. I adore aged wood and enjoy watching the process through the years. The result is an effect that cannot be replicated.

Unpack bundles and make loose piles of sizes. The general sizes this style of shingle (lowest grade) comes in are S, M, and L. Use a container for easy transport and sorting.

The proportion of size quantities for these shingles is roughly 5/3/1, S-L. So, when coursing, layout of the grab pile is set accordingly so material use is even.

When running a course, use shingles with respect to proportion available. Ensure overlap with course below is >1”. Follow a control line.

When reaching a termination, it is easy to sort through the container and select sizes to fit. Ihave found that it is almost always possible to end without cutting.

With practice and good (enough) sorting techniques, cognitive load can be reduced and, with reliance on quickly assessing available sizes, efficiency makes swift work.

The next part of the series will describe a method of using the shingles to create effects around openings such as windows and doors

Clark Fine Carpentry