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Materials:
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Tools
- Pencil
- Protractor
- Circular saw
- Jigsaw
- Safety gear
- Hammer
- Clamps
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Cut List:
- Ends - Two 16" pieces
- Sides - Two 22" pieces
- Bottom - TRICKY - please see text
- Feet - Two 12" pieces
- Handle - Two 37" lengths ripped 1/16" - 1/8"
thick
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Steps:
Cut the boards to length and determine the angle |
Using a protractor, scribe a 15 degree line |
Cut along the line with a circular saw |
Put the corners together, notice the top and bottom edges look
geeky |
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The First Degree
Using a protractor, mark 15-degree angles on the ends of each
of the boards that form the walls of your basket. Cut along
the lines. Now, put one of the corners together. Everything
good? NO. Because when you put the joints together, the top
and bottom edges are no longer horizontal. In fact, they look
stupid. Why? Because they need to be shaved off the exact 15
degrees that you tilted the joints. OKAY |
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To fit properly, the board profile should be a parallelogram
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Adjust the shoe of the saw to 15 degrees |
Use a ripping guide for straight cuts |
| So, in order to make the top and bottom edges horizontal,
trim off the offending high and low corner edges of each board.
To do this you must invoke the magic of your circular saw. Adjust
the plate of the circular saw to 15 degrees using its bevel
gauge and off come those nasty corner edges. When finished,
the board should be a parallelogram with the top and bottom
edge perfectly horizontal. With me so far?
TIP:
If your saw came with a ripping guide this is a crucial time
to use it. It will guide the blade, making your cuts clean
and straight.
Compounding Trouble
Put the joints together again. Do they fit together perfectly?
NO THEY DON'T. The inside corners are all open just a bit.
This is because when the sides are tipped down 15 degrees
and have a 15-degree angle, the inside corner becomes a compound
angle! In order to close that gap, 3-3/4 degrees must be taken
of the outside edge of the joint. 3-3/4 degrees is one quarter
of 15 degrees. Because there are four corners, divide 15 degrees
by four and you get 3-3/4 degrees. IS THIS FUN OR WHAT!?
A note to the suicidal: The gap is subtle enough that it
really isn't essential to make that cut unless you're using
thicker boards and it really shows up.
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Antique reproduction nail |
Pre-drill before nailing |
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| Attach the joints together with nails (rustic reproduction
nails available at Lee
Valley) and carpenter's glue. Pre-drill because the
nails will be so close to the edge that the board will split
without a pilot hole. |
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Bevel and then apply glue to the edges of the bottom boards
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Set the pieces in place |
Weight them down until dry |
Bottom Line
Measure the bottom opening and cut pieces to fit. REMEMBER,
the outside edge of the bottom must have a 15-degree edge to
match the sides. If you don't have a wide enough board to cover
the whole bottom just cut 'slats' to fit, with a butt joint
in the center. Glue them in place. Weight the bottom in position
while the glue dries. |
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Cut and position the feet |
Glue 'em, then tape them in place until dry |
Add nails through the bottom for strength |
| Make and install the feet. They are trapezoids 10" long
with 15-degree angles at the sides. Cut a shallow arc with the
jigsaw on the long side leaving a 2" foot on either end.
Glue and nail the short side to the bottom of the basket.
TIP:
To avoid an emotional meltdown, use tape to hold the feet
in place while nailing them.
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Rip thin pieces for the handle |
Flex your strip - if it breaks, it needs to be thinner |
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| Make the handle by gluing two thin strips of wood together.
(ripped off the side of a 2" x 4" board with your
circular saw). If it's thin enough it will bend but not break. |
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Glue and clamp one end |
Gently bend the strip and clamp the other end
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Apply glue to the outside of the first strip |
Clamp second strip in place over the first one |
Clamp them together every few inches |
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Clamp the first strip in place on the trug. Apply glue and
then bend the second strip to follow the first using small
clamps (or tape). Let the glue dry at least 20 minutes.
TIP:
The two strips will be different lengths so cut the inside
one 1/2" or so shorter than the outside one. They can
also be trimmed easily with a utility knife after they have
dried.
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Use decorative copper nails to secure the handle |
Finished trug with compound angles and bent-wood handle |
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| Pre-drill and install four little copper boat nails (available
at Lee
Valley) to anchor the handle. Sand all the edges smooth
and apply a coat of milk paint. For an antiqued look, sand through
the milk paint in spots. |
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Artisans'
work featured on this episode:
(click pics for Artist info and larger
images)
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