Woodworking, like fishing, covers a lot of territory, so the audience for our magazine and web site is a diverse lot. When I learned how to make stuff out of wood, the Internet didn’t exist and there was only one magazine and few books available on the subject. Lacking these modern resources, I was forced … Read more
The portable “Milkman’s Workbench” from the June 2013 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine has attracted a lot of attention, judging from the e-mail piling up in my Inbox. The No. 1 question: How can I build the bench without wooden bench screws? One answer: wedges. Reader Ilkka Sivonen of FInland built the bench without wooden … Read more
The crates for the April 5-6 Lie-Nielsen Hand Tool Event arrived yesterday (thank you, kind neighbor, for your forklift help); it’s tempting to open them and dig into the bronze, wood and steel goodness inside. The free event is next Friday (10 a.m.-6 p.m.) and Saturday (10 a.m.-5 p.m.) in our office and shop, 8469 … Read more
Perhaps the headline should read “the tool I hate to love.” Every now and then I need something round, or an odd-sized hole, and I turn to the “adjustable circle cutter.” I know it as a “fly cutter” and it is never my first choice. It’s a simple device, but it looks scary, and for … Read more
Before I jump onto my soapbox to spout off, I’ll share a bit more about drawers for my upcoming workbench. I plan to have two stacks, each with five drawers. Sizes range from a small 2-3/16″-deep drawer to the deepest, bottom drawer at 3-3/8″ deep. My SketchUp drawing shows an exploded drawer, including how the … Read more
One of the oldest designs for a dining table is also one of the most highly engineered and contemporary. But will its unusual dimensions work in a modern home? By Christopher Schwarz From the Autumn 2006 issue of Woodworking Magazine Traditional trestle tables have a bit of an austere reputation. They show up in Gothic … Read more
This morning, I’m listening to the newest album from The Avett Brothers, “The Carpenter.” It’s a delightful acoustic and folky album, and as a bonus the CD cover looks like a traditional seal of a brotherhood of carpenters. (Listen to them perform the song here.) I’ve always liked songs about the craft, like Guy Clark’s … Read more
