How to prevent a veneer catastrophe

A 2³⁄₈ " Forstner bit cuts aggressively, and the last thing you want is work piece to look like the one above left. To prevent this, cut a ¹⁄₂ " medium-density fiberboard waste block the same size as the body. Then draw diagonals onto one face to find the center. Place the waste block over the body with the edges flush, center the stack under the Forstner bit, and clamp the stack to the drill-press table. Now bore the hole, as shown at above right. The waste block prevents veneer chipping for a clean-edged hole. (Download a free drill-press table hold-down clamp plan at woodmagazine.com/holddown.)