Since I’m also on a mission to make jigs and other shop-related items as I go, I picked up a stack of plywood in varying thicknesses for the purpose. I usually work by myself in my small basement shop, which is too small to manoeuvre large sheets. I’ve discovered some handy tips about plywood such as:

• Shop vs cabinet grade plywood
• Making cutting guides to for use with your circular saw
• Using styrofoam insulation for a cutting pad

This article just scratches the surface on my new adventure into working with plywood.

‘Shop’ grade vs ‘cabinet’ grade plywood

These are terms I’ve heard over the years but I never really had a grip on what they meant and the difference between the two. After a bit of Googling, I pieced together the general descriptions – more or less. At the building centre I found plywood stamped ‘cabinet grade’ which had three core plys and birch veneer on both sides. Like your favourite Doobie Brothers album, it probably has ‘A’ and ‘B’ sides – with a really good side and a slightly less good side.

My understanding of ’shop grade’ plywood is that it’s (sometimes) cabinet grade that has been downgraded due to various flaws but it has at least 85% useable material. But the less expensive shop grade 3/4" ply that you’ll find at your local big box retailer is more than likely from China  – with all the caveats that go with many other Chinese products. The shop grade material I found had many thin plys (like Baltic Birch) but you could see some really wild variations in the core plys.

Many woodworkers will take a pass on this stuff, citing problems such as uneven plys, de-lamination, voids, etc. Armed with this knowledge, I picked though the stack of shop grade 3/4" ply that was on special and selected a few decent sheets. Time will tell how good a buy this really was – but my mistakes will be less costly than if I was working with the expensive stuff.

Making cutting guides

For years I’ve cobbled together a few clamps and a straight edge to make a cut that I couldn’t do on the table saw for one reason or another. This is inevitably a frustrating experience for various reasons – having to measure the offset from the cut line to find where to clamp the straightedge, not having a straight board, clamps interfering with the cut, you name it.

It’s time to build the proper guides.

There are a couple of slight variations on these guides but the basics are the same. They’re easy to make and allow you to mark your line, place the edge of the guide on the line and accurately make your cut. Make these cuts with the material good side down to prevent splintering on the good side as the teeth exit. Cut with the good side up on the table saw for the same reason.

It’s a good idea to make two of these  – a 4′ guide for crosscuts and an 8′ guide for ripping. I used some 1/4" fir plywood that I had ‘in stock’ for the bases and 1/2" and 3/4" ply for the fences. A good straight 1 x 4 will work for the fence as well.

Here’s what to do:

• Rip the base at least ten inches wide and the fence about 3 – 4 inches wide.
• Glue or nail the base onto the fence with extra plywood on the cutting side.
• Leave enough plywood behind the fence to use for clamping.
• Check to make sure your saw motor will clear the top of the clamps you’ll use when they’re in position before you attach the fence.
• Once the fence is installed run the saw the length of the guide cutting off the extra.

Since I was working with thin materials (1/2" ply fence – 1/4" ply base) I glued the fence on without mechanical fasteners. I quickly discovered my collection of clamps weren’t deep enough to reach the fence so I had to resort to my "Jed Clamp-it" system (all the heavy objects I could lay my hands on before the glue set). It ain’t pretty but it works.

Once I ripped the guide to width, I applied some paste wax to the sliding surfaces to reduce resistance, but not to the clamping surface left of the fence.

Styrofoam cutting pad

One of the best tips I’ve  found was to use a 2" thick sheet of styrofoam insulation as a pad for cutting large sheets.

I placed the styrofoam insulation on the floor so I could pull the plywood off the stack let it drop flat, landing safely on the foam. Tip – vacuum or sweep the floor first or you’ll have a storm of sawdust and dirt whirling around the shop. First thing I did was cut about three inches off the length of the styrofoam sheet to allow room for the clamps during the initial rip. Set your saw depth for your guide base & material plus a little extra. The 2" thickness allows plenty of depth for the blade.

The real beauty of this arrangement is that the entire sheet is supported by the foam – even after you make the cut. You don’t have to try and support an increasingly heavy and sagging cutoff which can pinch the blade or make you lose your line. I also liked being able to stay next to the saw without over-extending by crawling on top of the plywood as I made the cut.

You’ll notice in the pictures that notches appeared in the side – again for clamps. I eventually decided to cut the sheet crosswise, figuring a 3 foot piece and a 5 foot piece would offer the most flexibility for cutting and storage.

Let your imagination do the heavy lifting for you.

A visit from a friend with a bandaged hand after a serious table saw accident was the final sign that prompted me to replace the 1946 Walker-Turner table saw that I’ve had on loan from my brother-in-law for the last several years. The saw had a few deficiencies – no mitre gauge or blade guard, a cracked plexiglass throat plate and the replacement motor prevented the arbor from tilting beyond about 37 degrees. Oh yeah, and that irritating little nip it took out of the stock as it exited the blade. Other than that it worked great.

But it was time to go.

Gravity was on our side when we put it in the basement – sliding it down a couple of 2 x 8’s with a rope attached. Since then, both of us have spent enough days suffering lower back pain that the thought of trying to wrestle this bugger back to the surface and onto his Silverado was less than inspiring.

We waltzed it around the basement to the door as the name suggested
(walk ‘er – turn’er). He had a pair of wooden ramps for getting his ATV onto the truck and they were just the right length (almost) to reach the top of the basement stairs.

We knew the easiest way to do this was to slide it table-side down. But once the saw reached the top of the incline it needed to land somewhere. We sure didn’t want to be figuring this out once we had the saw to the top and no way to complete the mission. I scrounged around an found a few scraps of wood behind the garage including a small platform-type-thing that had appeared in the ditch by the driveway last fall. Perfect.

The light bulb went on in my head when the safety-minded saw owner started to unroll a ratcheting hold down strap with the idea that it could be snugged up as required to keep the saw from sliding backwards if things went pear-shaped on us.

Three minutes later, the car was in position and he was securing the tow rope. Once I got the all clear signal, I put it in gear and 10 seconds later the saw effortlessly appeared at the doorway and tipped gracefully onto the waiting platform. I never even touched the gas pedal. We swapped out vehicles, relocated the ramps, maneuvered the saw into position and easily pushed it up the same ramps into the bed of the truck. All done without breaking a sweat.

I picked up my new saw a couple of days before this move and hadn’t even unpacked it yet. We’re in the final planning stage of a second-floor bathroom renovation so my new saw will live in my ’summer shop’ (unheated garage) for the season to save me a few steps.

In the interest of safety and thinking about the road ahead for my injured friend, I’m taking this opportunity to make proper jigs and purchase the accessories I need to prevent any life-altering mishaps. I’ll be posting these tips and plans over the coming months.

Happy (and safe) woodworking.

The Stonehaven Roadside Honey Stand operates on the honor system – enabling your customers to serve themselves – even when you’re not home. Your customers will love the novelty and the good feeling that comes with it–which will pay off in great word-of-mouth advertising and repeat sales. Leave a note pad lying around and you’ll discover how many people appreciate your trust.

The Roadside Honey Stand’s enclosed cabinet protects your honey and other products from the weather and has a built-in cash box to keep your earnings secure.

Made from cedar — it’s designed to be easily moved.

The base has removable weights to keep it from tipping over in a strong wind.

Two people can easily tip the stand onto a trailer or pickup truck when the season is over and move it to “winter quarters” away from the road.

You can choose to stain it or let it weather to a beautiful rustic grey.

Build Your Own Roadside Honey Stand

With a few moderate carpentry skills and tools, and our easy-to-follow construction plans, now you can build your own Stonehaven Roadside Honey Stand!

These plans to build a Roadside Honey Stand include detailed diagrams and colour photographs, a materials and hardware list, and complete step-by-step instructions — all in a 20-page printable PDF file.

(To check out the quality of the printable document you’ll get with Stonehaven woodworking plans, click on the small picture at right to download a FREE sample page.)

Buy Now — Securely and Conveniently — and Download Your Plans Instantly

Plans to build your own Stonehaven Roadside Honey Stand are available for US $15.00 (plus GST/HST in Canada) — with secure online payment and instant delivery. Plans are supplied in printable PDF format.

Roadside Honey Stand Construction Plans
#SBE-0601 PDF 20pp
US $15.00

You can build the just the Bookcase Headboard and adapt it to fit a conventional metal bed frame or with the Tray Frame included in the plans for the complete cottage look. The Bookcase Headboard is 56″w x 46″h 6 1/4″d. The Tray Frame is 56″w x 75″l x 8″h

It’s all in the details.
Click images to take a closer look

Build Your Own Stonehaven Cottage Bookcase Bed

With a few moderate carpentry skills and tools, and our easy-to-follow construction plans, now you can build your own Cottage Bookcase Bed!

These plans to build a Cottage Bookcase Bed include detailed diagrams and colour photographs, a materials and hardware list, and complete step-by-step instructions — all in a 12-page printable PDF file. A metric/imperial measurement conversion chart is included with the construction plans for the convenience of International customers.

(To check out the quality of the printable document you’ll get with Stonehaven woodworking plans, click on the small picture at right to download a FREE sample page.)

Buy Now — Securely and Conveniently — and Download Your Plans Instantly

Plans to build your own Stonehaven Cottage Bookcase Bed are available for US $10.00 (plus GST/HST in Canada) — with secure online payment and instant delivery. Plans are supplied in printable PDF format.

Stonehaven Cottage Bookcase Bed Construction Plans
#SWF-0501 PDF 12pp
US $10.00

Here’s a unique way bring a beekeeping theme into your home garden. Make a Bee Hive Planter.

It’s made using a standard bottom board, deep super and a medium super. The cap is built to resemble a conventional hive cover. The open center allows access to one or more potted plants which sit on a shelf.

This one is made from “retired” equipment and serves as the base of the sign for our Roadside Honey Stand.

Build Your Own Bee Hive Planter

If you’re not a beekeeper you can find the supers (boxes) at any beekeeping supply store or better yet, make the boxes using our FREE Honey Supers and Hive Bodies Plans. Pine or cedar can be used for the other components.

This FREE construction plan includes a dimensioned drawing and colour photograph in a printable PDF file that you can download immediately.

With a few basic carpentry skills and tools, and our easy-to-follow FREE woodworking plans — you can build your own Bee Hive Planter!

Get Your FREE Bee Hive Planter Construction Plans Here!

Woodworking plans to build your own Bee Hive Planter are completely FREE, for immediate download. No purchase is necessary — no strings attached. We’ll send you a special link that you just click to save the PDF woodworking plans to your own computer. It’s just that easy!

Bee Hive Planter Construction Plans
#SBE-0600 PDF 1p
$0.00 (no charge)

How many times have you wished you had an extra pair of hands, or some kind of field stand to hold a frame or two while you’re working your hives?

Well, here’s the solution — a folding work bench, invented by a Canadian beekeeper and used for years in our own small apiary!

The Stonehaven BEE-Mate
A Folding Work Stand for Beekeepers

This handy “Beekeeper’s Helper” is a convenient work stand to set down supers, with a rack to hang up frames — whether you’re making up nucs, sorting frames, or just checking in on the “girls” during swarm season.

The BEE-Mate field stand’s 18-inch height makes beekeeping easier on your back and knees, especially when you’re working with supers loaded with honey. It also comes in handy in the workshop, as an extra work surface when you’re building or repairing frames and supers.

When it’s not in use, the BEE-Mate folds up to a space-saving 4 inches deep — so you can easily hang it on the wall or tuck it behind a door, out of the way.

Build Your Own BEE-Mate

With a few basic carpentry skills and our easy-to-follow construction plans, now you can build your own Stonehaven BEE-Mate!

These plans to build a beekeeper’s work bench include detailed diagrams and colour photographs, a materials and hardware list, and complete step-by-step instructions — all in an 8-page printable PDF file. A metric/Imperial measurement conversion chart is included with the construction plans for the convenience of International customers.

(To check out the quality of the printable document you’ll get with Stonehaven woodworking plans, click on the small picture at right to download a FREE sample page.)

Buy Now — Securely and Conveniently — and Download Your Plans Instantly

Plans to build your own Stonehaven BEE-Mate are available for US $4.00 (plus GST/HST in Canada) — with secure online payment and instant delivery. Plans are supplied in printable PDF format.

BEE-Mate Construction Plans
#SBE-0401 PDF 8pp
US $4.00

With a few basic carpentry skills and our easy-to-follow FREE woodworking plans — you can build your own beehive boxes!

Hive bodies and honey supers are probably the most popular woodworking project for new beekeepers. They’re easy to make, and there are times when we can all use a few more hive boxes than we’ve got on hand — especially in “swarm season”!

Build Your Own Honey Supers and Hive Bodies (Brood Boxes)

Our FREE construction plans include detailed diagrams and colour photographs, a materials and hardware list, and complete step-by-step instructions — all in a printable PDF file that you can download immediately.

This design uses regular 3/4″ lumber with rabbeted corners instead of box joints. They can be built by anyone with basic woodworking tools and skills. The illustrations show honey super construction, but the dimensions and instructions for building deep supers (a.k.a. hive bodies or brood boxes) are also included.

Get Your FREE Honey Super Construction Plans Here!

Woodworking plans to build your own Honey Supers are completely FREE, for immediate download. No purchase is necessary — no strings attached. We send you a special link that you just click to save the PDF woodworking plans to your own computer. It’s just that easy!

Honey Super Construction Plans
#SBE-0500 PDF 5pp
$0.00 (no charge)

Why are we giving away these plans?

It’s pretty simple, really. You might not know us yet, or know what kind of care and attention Rick puts into drawing up his plans for our woodworking projects. So this is a “free sample” of what we have to offer. If you like it, we hope you’ll come back again to see more from the Stonehaven workshop — because we’re adding new stuff all the time!

Well, here’s the perfect coin bank for beekeepers who need somewhere to stash their hard-earned Honey Money.

An original Stonehaven design, the Honey Money Bank is a unique and practical woodworking project you won’t find anywhere else —

Yes, it’s a money bank in the shape of a true-to-life miniature beehive!

Build Your Own “Honey Money” Bank

This craft project is suitable for anyone with basic woodworking skills and tools — it can be built using only a table saw and a table-mounted router, although an electric sander is also recommended.

Our money bank construction plans include a materials cut list, step-by-step directions with detailed drawings and photographs, assembly instructions, and a metric conversion table for the convenience of overseas woodworkers.

There’s even a full-sized template you can use to make a stencil for painting the handles on the little beehive coin bank (and we’ve got some other suggestions for decorative painting, too, if you’re feeling artistic).

The finished Honey Money Bank measures about 3 1/2″ x 4 1/8″ x 7″ high.

(To check out the quality of the printable document you’ll get with Stonehaven woodworking plans, click on the small picture at right to download a FREE sample page.)

Buy Now — Securely and Conveniently — and Download Your Plans Instantly

Plans to build your own Stonehaven Honey Money Bank are available for US $2.50 (plus GST/HST in Canada) — with secure online payment and instant delivery. Plans are supplied in printable PDF format.

Honey Money Bank Construction Plans
#SBM-0501 PDF 8pp
US $2.50