Grew-Sheridan Studio

Welcome

2021-02-06T11:47:00.000-08:00

The Grew-Sheridan Studio is a small, independent woodworking studio that was originally founded in 1974 by John Sheridan and Carolyn Grew-Sheridan (1947-1996). Carried on by John, the studio continues to produce unique, finely crafted furniture pieces. Additionally, John has opened the studio to students of all backgrounds to learn the art and craft of fine woodworking.

Explore the blog posts for articles on specific examples of furniture produced at the studio as well as general thoughts and writings on the practice and culture of woodworking. Information on woodworking classes, what to expect and how to enroll, can also be found in the pages on this site (linked in the navigation menu).

2011-11-09T17:32:00.000-08:00

Introductory class

2011-11-09T13:12:00.000-08:00

Thank you for your interest in the woodworking classes.

We will start in an evening with handouts and a review of paperwork and Wood As A Material. In the regular class we will practice milling and making with machines and tools. The first projects are a sanding block, a tray for your tools, a sample dovetail, a practice mortise and tenon joint, and a small bench or table of your design.

There are only up to seven people in each class. You can reserve your place by calling for an appointment and by sending or bringing to the shop the first month's tuition of $300 and $60 for the introduction. Half of this payment will not be refunded if you decline to start the classes. I will provide a few things to start .You will need to buy your own tape measure (1/2" x 12'), Veritas sliding square tool, and safety glasses. Eye glasses are fine for woodworking. A variety of tapes and glasses are for sale at Center Hardware on Mariposa and other hardware outlets. Please take a moment to discuss any purchases of tools.

The handouts at the beginning are abundant. The optional textbook is :

Collins Complete Woodworkers Manual
Jackson and Day, 2005 Edition from Lee Valley Tools
HarperCollins
ISBN 000-716442-4
2006 edition (not the 1995 edition) in hardcover

Please review the Student Tool List for additional information.
Please call if you have questions.

List of tools

2011-11-09T13:10:00.000-08:00

In addition to the benches, machinery, electric tools and clamps of the shop you will use a small kit of personal tools. Tools can be purchased from Lee Valley/Veritas of Canada, Woodcraft Supply, Woodworkers Supply of New Mexico, and Highland Woodworking Supply.
A project will be a shop-made, dovetailed tray to hold your personal tools:

You will need:

6" Ruler with end marks (1/32" end marks are essential).
4" Machinist's square
Awl
Ear muffs

12' Tape Measure, 1/2" or 3/4" width. Check a good hardware store (Center, Fox)
Mechanical pencil, .7 HD lead and long eraser.
Architect's Rule with various scales (1/8, 1/4, etc)
A blank or grid-lined sketch book.
Sliding Square tool Lee Valley, 05N32.01 ($31.50)
and eventually a 3/4" paring chisel or a set of chisels. I will loan a few at first.
Consider: Narex from Highland Woodworking in Georgia in the 7 chisel boxed set or from Lee Valley, or Marples blue handled in the 6 chisel set or Lee Valley chisels or the Woodcraft Supply sets
Safety glasses (Center Hardware on Mariposa or Fox or Cole Hardware; glasses OK)

In addition, there are small things to make and tools to use and consider:

Sanding block -- a shop project that you will make.
18/20 oz wood or urethane mallet
Scriber, knife, or Japanese knife (shop-made or general, #38l, $3.15)
Block plane (Lee Valley or English Stanley or Lie Nielsen)

We will discuss all of this. Be cautious about purchases so you do not waste money.

Enrollment

2011-11-08T18:43:00.000-08:00

Introductions are scheduled four times a year; fees will be pro-rated. Classes are mixtures of experienced and beginning students. Proof of medical coverage is required. There is an individual introduction to Wood as a Material and to the shop machinery. The introduction and handouts cost $60 and this payment and $300 toward the tuition is due in advance.

2011-05-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

Desk Caddy designed and made by John Sheridan
and juried into the 2010 annual show at the
Wharton Esherick Museum in Pennsylvania.

The shop

2011-05-07T17:31:00.000-07:00

Jodie Prudhomme running the wide belt sander.

Valerie Hunter gluing up.

David Chen checking for a square edge.

Jeff Kim sanding his bench project.

Richard White cutting tenons for his bench

Lawrence Schear trimming a tenon.

John Sheridan in the shop library.

George Kimmerling framed by his crib project.

Student Work: Winter, 2011

2011-04-25T22:12:00.000-07:00

To give you a taste of the kinds of work that students have recently completed at the Studio, here are some images: credit for all of these images goes to friend and photographer Joe Schopplein of Schopplein Studio (www.schoppleinstudio.com/).

Bookcase by Nathan Winn

Flat and curved laminated maple table by Jodie Prudhomme

Side tables by Robert Duncan

Strung, oak bench by Wes Wilson adapted
from a design in Fine Woodworking magazine.

Ward Noble's rocking chair and prototype.

Typical first table with wedged mortise and tenon joinery.

Kitchen dining table by Jim Kellogg

Walnut morning table by Jodie Prudhomme.

Bench by Kevin Parnow

Bench by Richard White.

6/8 Tables: All in a Day's Work

2011-02-07T12:51:00.000-08:00

This article was originally published in Woodwork, Spring 2009.

Photo credit: Joe Schopplein

I confess. Not every piece of furniture that I build is an heirloom. In fact, I've discovered that designing attractive, durable pieces that can be built in a short amount of time can be just as satisfying. I call these my "6/8" designs, because they can be finished in a day or over a weekend—in six to eight hours.
The table and bench shown here both fit this description of expedited building. Although they look completely different, their joinery—dowels reinforced with corner blocks—is identical. This simple joinery doesn't get much attention these days, but the joints are easy to create and they're very strong. As you can see, using this joinery makes it easy to create variations. Just use your imagination.

A Tapered Leg Table

Dramatically tapered legs give this large table a light, airy appearance, even though it's built strongly enough to support three dozen orchids. I made the legs and aprons from construction grade Douglas fir 2x4 and 4x4 timbers that were left over from a remodeling job (the timbers had been stacked and allowed to dry for three months). The 4x4 timbers were riftsawn, which made them perfect for the legs, because all four faces showed straight grain (1). The top is 3/4" maple plywood. To save time, I rounded over the plywood edges, instead of gluing on edging. The primer and paint fills the grain.

Photos 1 & 2

My normal procedure for assembling table bases is to mill the stock, drill for the joinery and then shape the legs. I squared and planed the leg timbers to 3" by 3". After milling the 2x4 rails to 1-1/2" thickness, I ripped them to final width. I used my radial arm saw to square the ends of all the pieces and cut them to length.
The one caveat with dowel joinery is that it requires precise layout and sharp brad point bits. I prefer to use a Veritas Sliding Square (#05N32.01) for marking, rather than the more familiar combination square (2). I outfit my drill press with a fence to drill the centered holes in the leg blanks (3). I use a doweling jig to drill the holes in the ends of the rails—the photo shows my prized Stanley #59, the best doweling jig ever, which I found in an antique shop in Asheville, North Carolina (4). For the strongest joints, the dowels should extend at least twice their diameter into the wood on both pieces. The dowels for this table are 1/2" dia., so all the holes are 1-1/16" deep—the extra 1/16" depth helps to ensure that the joint will close, by providing a cavity for excess glue. Whether using the drill press or the doweling jig, the key to success during this step is to locate the tip of the brad point bit with pinpoint accuracy.

Photos 3 & 4

I taper the legs using my bandsaw, equipped with a 1/2" 3-tpi blade. Because it's so easy to accidentally taper a leg the wrong way, I mark the outside corner on the bottom of each leg with an “x”. This corner is the only one that isn't cut away during the tapering. Before I make each cut, I make sure the "x" is oriented against the bandsaw's table. The taper starts 1" below the rail, a standard technique to allow for transition sanding to the rails. After drawing the taper on one face of each leg blank, I cut to the outside edge of the line. Then I mark the second taper on the sawn face, so the leg (and the "x") rests flat on the table when I make the cut (5).
When both tapers are sawn, I remove the saw marks by jointing. On the jointer, the thick end of the leg goes first, so that the cut follows the grain (6). The photo shows my trusty old 8" Silver jointer (circa 1918). It still has Babbett bearings, but I replaced the original square "finger-chopper" cutterhead with a modern custom-made cutterhead that uses Delta knives. I also installed a Northfield blade guard.

Photos 5 & 6

Sand the legs and aprons with 100, 150 and 220 grit sandpaper. Carefully smooth the transition on the tapered faces, so the taper extends to the bottom of the rail. Complete the legs by routing 1/8” chamfers around the bottom, to prevent tearing out the edges when the table is moved. Attach felt pads, if necessary, to protect a hardwood floor.
Before I start gluing, I test my joinery with “fitting dowels” (7 and 8). These dowels are carefully sawn halfway from each end, offset 90˚, to make them springy and easy to remove. I use solid dowels for glueup—these dowels must be grooved or spiral-cut to allow excess glue to escape.

Photos 7 & 8

Gluing the table base together is a two step process. First I glue each short apron between two legs. Then I glue the long aprons between the two assembled ends (9). I start by installing the dowels in the aprons. Then I press on the legs. Seating each individual dowel is easy, but substantial forces come into play when pressing in six, to create each end, or twelve, to complete the base. I use Jorgenson “I” bar clamps for this job. Clamping pads between the legs and clamps are a must, to prevent dents in the wood. Mitered corner blocks reinforce the joints and complete the base. I cut these 2-3/4" wide blocks on the bandsaw and disc-sand them to fit. They're glued to the rails and attached to the legs with #10 by 2” flathead tapping screws.

Photos 9 & 10

I fasten the top to the frame with Knape and Voight (KV) steel tabletop fasteners, which are available in several sizes from most hardware catalogs or commercial hardware dealers. The KV #320 (10, at left) is the best size for this table. These S-shaped fasteners slide into slots in the aprons cut with the biscuit jointer adjusted to the #20 setting. A router equipped with a 3/16" slotting cutter works, too. The slot must be positioned so that screwing in the fasteners pulls the top to securely to the frame (11).
These fasteners are usually used with solid wood tops, to allow seasonal movement. Movement isn't an issue here, because the top is plywood. I use them because they're economical to buy and easy to install.
To keep the fasteners from rusting, I dust them with spray paint before installing—here I used gloss black paint.
I finished this table base with three coats of clear water-borne polyurethane. In good drying conditions, I can apply all three coats in less than two hours. The top is satin latex paint. The painted-on socks visually ground the feet and add a touch of whimsey.

Photo 11

A Turned Leg Bench

I designed this small bench for a bathroom. Its columnar legs match the fixtures and its 3/4" marine plywood top is impervious to moisture. Plastic glides keep the feet dry. Its painted finish matches the bathroom walls and trim. The cylindrical legs require only basic turning skills, using a roughing gouge and a skew, followed by sanding. My design creates a tight transition from the curved legs to the flat aprons. The joinery is the same as on the tapered leg table, but it requires a few additional steps to complete.
Once again, milling the stock is the first step. Plane and square the leg blanks to 1-9/16" billets (as the squared stock is called before joinery and shaping). Plane the aprons to 1" thick and rip them to 2-1/2". Square the ends of the billets and aprons and cut them to length.
Next, drill 1-5/16" deep dowel holes in the legs and 1-1/16" deep holes in the aprons. First, lay out the holes on adjacent faces of each leg. As before, the holes are always centered across the width. But because these leg blanks are smaller in section, there's a problem: If the holes are drilled at the same location in each adjacent face, they'll intersect, resulting in a weak joint. My solution is to offset the holes, higher on one face and lower on the other, so they don't intersect. This creates another problem: Making sure that the holes drilled in the aprons match the holes in the legs. My solution for this problem is to lay out the dowel holes to create the legs in two mirror-image pairs. Then I orient the "high hole" faces with the short aprons and the "low hole" faces with the long aprons. As on the tapered leg table, I drill the leg holes on my drill press and the apron holes with my doweling jig.
Now, I locate and mark the centers on both ends of all the legs, for turning—the centers must be marked before the next step is completed.
To create the transition from curved leg to flat apron, both joint faces of each leg are precisely notched to fit the aprons. First, I use a tenoning jig to cut the cheeks (12). Then I use the tablesaw to cut the shoulders (13). The completed notches measure 1/4" x 2-1/2"; the dowel holes should now measure 1-1/16" deep, so the dowels protrude 1" (14).

Photos 12 & 13

After mounting each leg on the lathe with the notched end at the headstock, I use a spindle roughing gouge to turn the cylinder and calipers to gauge the diameter. Turning the notched end is no big deal; just maintain the same technique: keep the gouge firmly on the tool rest and apply steady, light cutting pressure. Stop the lathe to gauge the diameter. Turning the leg to a cylinder reduces the apron notch widths—I aim for them to end up barely over 1". I switch to an oval skew chisel to make a final cleaning pass. It leaves a super-clean surface that requires minimal sanding (15). I also use the skew to create the foot and round the bottom. Light sanding completes the job (16).

Photos 14 & 15 (Photo 14: credit Joe Schopplein)

From here on, the steps parallel the tapered leg table. I test-fit the joints (17). If an apron protrudes beyond the flat notches, I plane its outside face to make it flush. After gluing the aprons to the legs, I install the corner blocks (18). Then I fasten the top, using smaller KV #323 fasteners (10, at right).

Photos 16 & 17 (Photo 17: credit Joe Schopplein)

As a professional, I'm always looking for revenue-enhancement opportunities. These tables could sell for very reasonable prices, and the joinery lends itself to many different furniture pieces. As I said at the outset, completing a useful, well-constructed product in a short period of time is a worthwhile endeavor. After, all, life is short and there's so much to do.

Photo 18

The Scoot Stool: Revisited

2011-02-06T12:10:00.000-08:00

The Scoot Stool (copyright) was originally designed by John Grew-Sheridan and published in Woodwork (Feb., 2004). Presented here is a revised version with a simplified process and made from available scrap material. This is also one of the introductory projects that students at the Grew-Sheridan Studio complete within their first few weeks.

The material used in this version was salvaged plywood from packing crates. Originally 3/8”, the ply was laminated, doubling the thickness to ¾”. Any similar scrap plywood can be used, laminating if necessary for an adequate thickness.

John Sheridan

Grew-Sheridan Studio

San Francisco, CA

THE SCOOT STOOL

INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW

The “Scoot Stool” is the handy kitchen, bath, garage and shop companion that you will find yourself using all the time to get the paint roller up to the ceiling, the serving platters down from the upper cabinet, and the scrap wood off the highest rack. I have built many of these with recycled plywood and a few with solid wood, all with Lamello biscuits and a Lamello cutter but certainly it can be made with other joinery. Whichever joinery you choose, the angled sides that provide the exceptional stability need to be cut carefully and accurately.

The stool is a tiny ladder, designed to be sturdy, dependable and as light as possible with simple, fast joinery carefully laid out and executed. I also wanted it to look elegant so that it could sit comfortably in any room. I worked through a series or prototypes that were first hastily constructed and appeared clumsy. But that journey through various iterations is essential to the designing process. In later versions, the footprint of the base was moved outside the perimeter of the top, which improved stability, safety and appearance. The current version now has a narrower top than the version I originally published appearing in Woodwork issue #85 (Feb., 2004).

This is the procedural outline for making the revised “Scoot Stool” with a simplified process and made from available scrap material. Guidelines fo both laminated plywood and solid wood versions are included and we will discuss both limited production and one-of-a-kind construction.

TOOLS

• Rasp

• Protractor

• Angle Gauge

• Straight Edge

• Table Saw

• Panel Saw or Table Saw with a Slider Box

• Hand Plane or Jointer

• Lamello Biscuit Cutter

• Sanding Block

•

JIGS AND SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR LIMITED PRODUCTION RUNS

• Tapering Jig #1 & #2

• Handle Jig

• Step 2008 Layout Gauge

• Top 2008 Layout Gauge

PROCESS SUMMARY

• Prepare/Mill the rough material

• Rip and cross cut the top to 5 ½” x 15 ½”

• Rip the pieces for the sides to 12”

• Cross cut the sides to 15 5/8” with and 7-degree bevel on the top and bottom

• Layout the angles of the sides of steps from a centerline and cut

• Cross cut the step to a length of 13 7/16” with and 7-degree bevel on each side

• Rip the step to a width of 8 5/8” with a 12-degree bevel on each side

• Drill and rout the handle in the top piece

• Layout and cut the biscuit joints

• Sand the interior surfaces

• Glue and assemble

• Sand exterior surfaces

• Apply a finish

DETAILED STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE

Preparing the Recycled Plywood

My plywood materials are the 3/8” sides of the shipping cartons in which the Swiss company Caftec sends its $14,000 automated espresso machines to California and around the world. Other than these remnants, which I laminate for thickness and strength, virtually any material that is at least ¾” thick (except MDF or particle board) could be used.

• The first step is to dismantle the crates and strip the wood of any hardware (screws, nails, etc) and stickers that might interfere with gluing. Trim off ragged or unusable edges if necessary.

• Pair pieces of similar size together and apply wood glue thoroughly to one side of a piece. Working quickly, sandwich the two pieces together and tape the edges at each corner to keep the boards from sliding out of alignment. I place mine in a vacuum press overnight at the standard 14.7psi. The glue is Titebond “Extend” to allow more assembly time.

• Once the pieces have been removed from the vacuum press and the glue is set and dried, peel off the tape to prepare for surfacing and thicknessing of the boards. Remove any edge roughness with a rasp or coarse sandpaper. I have a wide belt sander so I send each board through 3 passes for each side at 60 grit, and one pass each side at both 80 and 120 grit. The final thickness is approximately 11/16” from our original thickness of ¾”.

Trimming and Sizing the Rough Stock

From the lot of prepared plywood, we used two sheets of approximately 18” x 33” in size to yield all four pieces of our “Scoot Stool” with some extra left over. This size may vary depending on the original material available to you. The important thing is to have enough original stock in either solid wood or plywood to yield the following rough-cut sizes:

(2x) 17” x 12” for the legs

(1x) 16” x 6” for the top

(1x) 15” x 9” for the step

Note that for strength, the grain of the solid wood or of the outer veneer of the plywood should orient along the length of each of these pieces.

For the Laminated Plywood Version:

• As previously mentioned, before the first cuts can be made the uneven edges from the laminating process have to be trimmed off. To do this, first take a rasp to one of the long edges of the board to clean off the dried glue beads. This edge can now be smoothly run along the fence of the table saw.

• Rip first one long edge, then the opposite edge on the table saw to produce two clean, square edges on each board, trimming off only about ½” each time. Now the boards can be ripped to width. Trim one board to 12” for the legs and one to 9” to accommodate both the top and the step.

• On the panel saw trim off the remaining uneven edges and cut the boards down to pieces of appropriate lengths. An additional cut to width will yield the 6” wide top piece.

For the Solid Wood Version:

• You will need less than six board feet of 1” thick wood per stool. If you do not have wide stock you can rip to any convenient width. Your available wood will vary. When rip cutting for safety always set the blade height first, one tooth above the work height, and then the ripping fence.

• Follow standard milling techniques with the jointer, planer and table saw to flatten, square and trim your solid wood.

• If necessary given the width of your original stock, glue up oversize panels to the sizes above. To ensure that the glued panels are flat and tight, the edge joinery of the wood is “accordion-folded”. That is, after laying out the wood to be glued up, paired edges are run through the jointer to offset any small deviation from 90 degrees to fence/bed alignment. Test the accuracy of your technique. Put a straightedge across your work and look for gaps. For ease of alignment when gluing panels, one can add a couple of Lamello biscuits. Be careful where you place them so that they are not revealed when the tapers or hand hold are cut.

Cutting the Beveled Edges on the Legs

The beveled edges along the width of the legs allow them to splay out when the piece is assembled, providing stability. Be sure to carefully observe orientation of the work pieces during this step as it’s important that the planes of the bevels are parallel to each other.

• Set the blade of the panel saw to an 7-degree angle. Use an angle gauge to check the tilt of the blade against either a protractor or a pre-existing template piece.

• For each leg, trim one edge along the width—enough to produce a full bevel while leaving plenty of material for the final length.

• Flip the piece over end-to-end so that the opposite edge is presented to the blade and the opposite face is upward. This will produce two bevel cuts that are parallel to each other.

• Before making the second cut, set the length of the cut to 15 5/8”. We used a pre-existing leg template for this purpose. When placed on the saw bed, the edge of the template should just touch the teeth of the blade when the guide is set at the right distance. Lock the guide in place and make the final cut-to-length on each of the legs.

• Check that both legs fit into the first tapering jig. If the fit is too tight, trim the edge again on the panel saw, removing the slightest amount of material until the piece slides in snugly.

Layout and Cutting the Taper on the Legs

The taper cut of the legs that produces a wide, stable base and a simple but refined look can be accomplished with careful layout and use of the bandsaw for a one-off version. However, to expedite the process for limited production my shop has two leg tapering jigs for the router table. These jigs make cutting the tapers on the legs quick and repeatable. Both process are covered here and you can refer to whichever method you prefer.

Layout and Cutting the Taper Without a Jig

• On each leg, measure and mark the centerline that divides the piece lengthwise. At the top of each piece (that is, at the edge that will join to the top of the stool) mark off a distance of 2 ¾” on either side of the centerline. At the bottom, mark off a distance of 5 ½” on either side. Draw a diagonal line from each of the top points to each of the corresponding bottom points. This will produce a layout of the 11” to 5 ½” taper from the bottom to the top of the legs.

• On the band saw, trim off the excess material up to approximately 1/16” outside of the taper layout lines.

• Cleaning up the tapered edges of the legs can be done in one of the following ways:

• Sandwich the two legs together—inside face-to inside face—being sure the center markings at the top and bottom are aligned with each other. The legs can be taped together for convenience to keep them properly aligned.

Place them in a vise and using a hand plane, plane the sides down to the layout lines.

• If using solid wood, run the sides of each leg through the jointer. Multiple passes on each side may be necessary to bring the edge down to the layout lines.

• Plywood can be trimmed with a router bit that has guide bearing and a straight cutter, using a straightedge as a guide.

Layout and Cutting the Taper With a Jig

• Check that both legs fit into the first tapering jig. If the fit is too tight, trim the beveled edge again on the panel saw, removing the slightest amount of material until the piece slides in snugly.

• Place one of the legs in Tapering Jig #1 and mark the backside of the piece along the edge of the jig. This line demarks the first taper cut.

• Out of the jig, trim away excess material on the band saw up to 1/16” outside of the line.

• Place the piece back in the jig and use the routing table to clean up the band saw cut and produce the final edge. The jig acts as a guide for router so be sure to choose a router bit with a bearing beneath the blade to run along the jig’s edge.

• Now, place the leg in Tapering Jig #2 and repeat as before: mark, trim and rout the second taper.

Repeat this process to cut the tapers on the second leg.

Cutting the Beveled Edges of the Step

The step has two bevels along its width at a 7-degree angle and two bevels along its length at a 12-degree angle. The 7-degree angle matches the tilt of the legs; the 12-degree angle matches the taper of the legs. All bevels taper into the same face, producing a trapezoid when viewing on-end.

• For the width-wise bevels that will join to the legs, keep the tilt of the panel saw blade at the same 8-degree angle as when cutting the legs.

• Make the first cut as before, trimming one edge of the step width-wise and taking off just enough material to produce the full bevel.

• Rotate the piece (rather than flipping it over) to present the opposite edge to the blade while keeping the same face upward on the sled. This will produce bevels that taper into the same face.

• For the second width-wise bevel cut, set the stop on the panel saw so that the final length measures 13 7/16” along the ‘long’ face. (If you’re using the jigs and templates you can use the ‘Step Template 2008’ for setting the length of this final cut).

• Layout a horizontal line on the inside face of the legs that is parallel to the top and bottom edges and is at ½ the height of the final stool (including the thickness of the top piece—16 ½” for a stool constructed of ¾” material). This should fall at 8 5/8” from the bottom inside edge of the leg. This line represents the location of the bottom edge of the step when the stool is assembled.

• Lay the step flat on top of the leg, aligning the beveled edge with the just-marked horizontal line. Center the step by eye and mark on the edge of the step the location of the sides of the legs. This marks the final width of the step.

• On the table saw, set the angle of the blade to 12-degrees for the length-wise bevel cuts. Again, use an angle gauge to check the angle against a protractor or against the taper of one of the legs.

• Set the fence so that the cut aligns with the first width marking. Be sure that the correct face of the step is facing up when setting up and making the cut such that the bevel tapers into the same face as the previous bevels.

• Rotate the piece (don’t flip it over!) and repeat the previous step, re-aligning the fence to match the blade to the second width marking. Make the final cut-to-width.

• Double check the width by laying the step back onto the legs with the width of the step aligned to the horizontal line and the top face of the step facing upwards. The corners of the step should just reach the tapered sides of the legs.

Rough Cutting and Routing the Handle in the Top Piece

Again, my shop has a jig for layout and routing of the handle in the top piece, useful for small production runs. Either this jig or any suitable slot template can be used or made for this purpose.

• If not already done, rip and cross cut the top piece to its final dimensions of 5 ½” x 15 ½”.

• Center a template on the top piece (or place the top piece in the jig) and mark the outline of the slot.

• Take the top piece to the drill press and, using 1” or 1 1/16” bit, drill out overlapping holes inside the handle marking. Start from either end and work your way towards the center.

• Place the template back on the top piece aligning it properly to the marking (or replace the top piece in the jig). Using a straight cutting bit with a bearing, use the template or jig as a guide to rout the slot.

• Choose a roundover bit and repeat the routing from both the top and bottom of the piece to give a comfortable internal radius to the slot. A 5/16” radius bit works well.

Cutting the Biscuit Joints

The joinery of the Scoot Stool is done entirely with “mid-panel” biscuit joints cut with the Lamello cutter. For this style of joint, careful attention to orientation and reference surfaces is important. Proper reference marking will help get the biscuit slots accurately aligned.

• First, before any cutting is done, mark the final orientation of the two legs with respect to each other by placing the two inside faces back-to-back. Mark one edge with a triangle. This helps keep track of which face is towards the inside of the stool and where the biscuit slots belong.

• Likewise, mark the appropriate face of the step with “up” and “down” to help keep track of the correct orientation of the step in the final piece.

• Start with the biscuit slots for the step-to-leg joints. For this joint, your reference surfaces are the ‘inside’ of the leg and the ‘underside’ of the step. Lay one leg on the table so the ‘inside’ face is upward. Lay the step on top of the leg so that the face marked “up” is visible. To double check that your orientation is correct, the short beveled edge of the step should be sloping away from the face of the leg, creating a 98-degree angle between them.

• Align a short edge of the step with the horizontal line marked previously on the leg at the half-height distance from the bottom. Center the step left-to-right on the leg. The corners of the step should just hit the tapered edges of the leg on either side.

• Clamp down both work pieces. Layout and mark three locations for slots for #20 sized biscuits—one at the center and one 2 5/8” inches from the center on either side.

• Cut the 6 biscuits slots with the Lamello cutter. Note that when cutting the slots into the beveled edge, the base of the Lamello cutter needs to be tilted up so that its face is flush against the bevel. Leaving the cutter flat against the leg when making these cuts will produce slots at the wrong angle for assembly.

• Repeat this process with the opposite end of the step and the second leg.

• For the side-to-top joints, the process is similar but first requires some layout and marking. The reference surfaces are the ‘inside’ of the leg and the ‘underside’ of the top. Mark the layout by dry assembling the step and legs. Lay the top piece in position, properly centered and mark a line at the inside, top edge of each of the legs on the underside of the top piece. The markings should be equidistant from the center.

• Disassemble the stool and lay the top piece with the underside face up. Now lay one of the legs with the outside face upward on the top piece. Align the top edge of the leg to the line just marked on the top piece.

• Clamp down the work pieces and mark two locations at 1 ¼“ from the center for two #20 size biscuit joints. Cut the four slots with the Lamello cutter. Again, angle the cutter so that its face is flush to the bevel when making the cuts into the beveled edge of the leg.

Gluing Up and Finishing

• Sand the interior, hard to reach surfaces prior to gluing the piece together but being careful not to sand the mating surfaces in the joints.

• Assemble with four clamps as shown. Note that for clamping the leg-to-step joint, angled blocks that keep the face of the clamp perpendicular to the step are required. This ensures the pressure applied by the clamp is acting to properly pull the joint closed and keep it flush and tight.

• After approximately 15 minutes, scrape off any jelled, excess glue that has squeezed out from the joints.

• Once the glue has set, complete the piece with a final sanding and a coat of finish of your choice. Knots and other defects can be filled.

⁃ 5/2011

PROCESS NOTES:

2010-11-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

grew_sheridan@mac.com

John Sheridan‘s Instruction in Woodworking.

The Grew-Sheridan Studio, a small private school and studio, offers possibilities to discover woodworking skills and methods to design with wood as the primary material. There are three, ongoing woodworking classes. Beginners join the sessions in progress when space permits. There are no separate classes for beginners. There is a short, required introductory evening meeting. The year is divided into 17 week Spring and Fall sessions and a 9 week Summer session.

What You Will Learn

We use handtools and machines to design and construct. The classes are small and open to all skill levels. Instruction is adapted to each student's experience and proficiency. After the introductory items you will be assisted in developing projects to meet your own interests and skills. There are seven suggested foundation projects, from a sanding block to a personally-designed bench or table . Design, planning, construction and use of all tools and equipment are individually covered as each project progresses. Techniques covered include hand-cut and machine-cut joinery, bent laminations, sculpting, turning, and veneering. The shop office has an extensive lending library on woodworking and furniture history. Commercial work cannot be accommodated.

Schedule: Three classes
Class A: Saturdays (Noon-5)
Class B: Sundays (Noon-5)
Class C: Tuesdays and Wednesdays combined (4-8 p.m.)

During class you will have use of a professional wood shop and research library. The shop is equipped with the SawStop table saw, panel saw, jointer, planer, lathe, Festool, mortiser, Lamello biscuit cutter, grinder, disc, spindle, and wide belt sanders, radial arm saw, band saw, drill press, horizontal boring machine, milling machine, shaper, scroll saw, abundant clamps, 7 benches, portable electric tools and hand tools. Each student purchases a personal tool kit. Project materials (lumber, plywood, finishes and the like) are an additional cost and are locally available. Minor supplies, including sandpaper, are provided. No recycled construction materials or wet wood are allowed because of possible damage to the machinery.
Grew-Sheridan Studio

You are welcome to visit the shop, which is at Arthur Street and Third Street, just South of Army/Cesar Chavez Street and adjacent to the Islais Creek Park, to see if I offer what you are seeking in woodworking and furniture making. Muni’s T Line is close.

Getting Started

Vacancies are filled four times a year by a competitive selection. Fees will be prorated. The classes are a mixture of experienced and beginning students. Proof of medical coverage is required. There is an individual introduction to Wood as a Material and to the shop machinery. The Introduction, history textbook, and handouts cost $60 and this and $200 toward the tuition, are due before the introduction. A folder or binder for handouts and sketches is suggested. A personal sketchbook or notebook is invaluable for drawings and notes. Additional information about required personal tools is provided.

Tuition Levels

Annual Income Semester Tuition Summer Tuition Monthly
1 -0- - 40,000 900 450 225
2 40,000 - 75,000 980 490 245
3 75,000 - 100,000 1,060 530 265
4 100,000 - 125,000 1,140 570 285
5 125,000 -150,000 1,220 610 305
6 150,000 and above 1,300 650 325

The tuition is due in advance. Installments are acceptable. The tuition must be kept current and be fully paid by the last month of the semester. Most people make monthly payments. There are no refunds if a class is missed. Make-up or extra days in other classes are available at no extra cost. Work/study assistance may be available and is limited.

Instructor

John Sheridan is a designer and builder of furniture and sculpture. He juried 500 Cabinets from Lark Books and was juried into 500 Tables and 500 Chairs. He writes for woodworking magazines. He studied woodworking at Peters Valley Crafts Center in New Jersey after graduating from Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, and serving in the U.S. Army. His work has been shown extensively in California and in national shows. In addition to his own studio he has taught at the Academy of Art, San Francisco. He has also taught seminars at Penland School in North Carolina, Arrowmont School in Tennessee, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine, Sheridan College, Ontario, Canada, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Colorado, Oregon College of Art and Craft, University of California Extension, San Francisco, Tamalpais High School, Mill Valley, CA, and California College of the Arts. The Grew-Sheridan Studio was established in l974 by John Sheridan and Carolyn Grew-Sheridan (1947-1996). 1/12

A letter from John Grew Sheridan

2008-01-14T15:00:00.000-08:00

Thank you for your interest in furniture making and woodworking. Please call or visit if you have any further questions.

The Studio is a small but dynamic center for furniture making. My approach is to encourage furniture making at all levels of ability and interest while also pursuing my own work. Enrolling is not an opportunity to create a major commercial or cabinetmaking operation in my shop. If you are interested in furniture or sculpture I am open to discussing what you would like to do and what you can afford. Of course, joining the shop does not give you any leasehold possession or a guaranteed right to continue.

The shop has most of the machines and tools that you will need. Sharpening expenses, trash, standard router bits, sandpaper and glue are included. Wide belt sander time is billed separately or free, if brief. My truck is available for lumber yard trips to MacBeath Lumber. The books of the library are reserved for Studio research. Participants may collect their own hand tools and I will make recommendations.

A commitment to the usual shop maintenance is expected and will usually be only a nominal amount. It includes sweeping, emptying the dust collector, and the like. Sustaining a woodworking shop in San Francisco can be challenging and to be able to do so is always something for which one is grateful.

The shop phone is available for emergency use and not usually for personal use. Participants are expected to use cell phones. Generally, headset music is preferred.

I can be at the shop in an evening for the Review of Wood as a Material, some paperwork, and a discussion of your participation. The cost (including the first month) is $360 (check to Grew-Sheridan Studio, when we meet). Reservations are necessary. We will set a mutually convenient date. Tuition payments are due in advance. Partial payments are accepted, as are some trade and scholarship possibilities. Most students pay monthly.

I look forward to hearing from you,

John Grew Sheridan

Instruction in woodworking

2008-01-14T14:45:00.000-08:00

All skill levels are welcome, including beginners. Instruction is adapted to each student's experience and proficiency. You will be assisted in developing projects to meet your own interests and skills. Design, planning, construction and use of all tools and equipment are covered as each project progresses. Techniques covered include hand-cut and machine-cut joinery, bent laminations, sculpturing, turning, veneering, and steam bending. The first four projects build the skills foundation.

The majority of the work done in the classes is hardwood furniture, though some of the students concentrate on
other areas such as sculpture or turning. Commercial work cannot be accommodated.

During the class you will have use of a professional wood shop and research library. The shop is equipped with SawStop and panel saws, jointer, planer, lathe, grinder, disc,spindle, and wide belt sanders, radial arm saw, band saw, drill press, horizontal boring machine, milling machine, shaper, scroll saw, clamps, benches, portable electric tools, and hand tools. Supplies are available through the studio or you can bring your own materials. No recycled construction materials or wet wood are allowed.

You are welcome to visit the shop, which is located at 3450 Third Street, #5E, San Francisco, just South of Army/Cesar Chavez Street and adjacent to the new Islais Creek Park, to see if I offer what you are seeking in woodworking and furniture making.

Schedule and Fees

2008-01-14T12:11:00.002-08:00

Tuition

Levels Annual Income    Semester Tuition Summer Tuition   Monthly
1        -0- - 40,000      900          450      225
2       40,000 - 75,000     980                          490              245
3       75,000 - 100,000          1,060                          530                    265
4     100,000 - 125,000          1,140    570                    285
5     125,000 - 150,000          1,220                          610                    305
6     150,000 and above         1,300                          650                    325