Popular Woodworking Magazine » Feature Articles

Hand Tool Maintenance-Don’t Ruin Your Tools!

Robert W. Lang — Thu, 02 May 2013 14:59:30 +0000

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 »

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‘Milkman’s Workbench’ Without Screws

Christopher Schwarz — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:59:09 +0000

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 »

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SAPFM Demos at Lie-Nielsen Show, April 5-6 2013

Megan Fitzpatrick — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 18:02:42 +0000

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 »

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Taming the Circle Cutter – the Tool I Love to Hate

Robert W. Lang — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:21:45 +0000

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 »

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French Dovetails or Sliding Dovetails

Glen D. Huey — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 18:03:24 +0000

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 »

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American Trestle Table

Article Index — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:55:51 +0000

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 »

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For Fun: The Song of ‘Rooney O’Chisel’

Christopher Schwarz — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 16:36:18 +0000

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 »

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One-Stop Shop for Furniture Design

Matthew Teague — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 21:37:22 +0000

All woodworkers know that improving their bench skills and learning new workshop techniques are necessary parts of becoming a better woodworker. Just as important but often overlooked, however, is developing your design skills. I’m always eager to improve my knowledge of furniture design and further develop my eye. Whether your tastes lean toward ornate pieces … Read more »

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Don’t Leave Home Without Essential Layout Tools

Robert W. Lang — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 16:04:45 +0000

Whenever I leave town to teach a woodworking class, I make two stops to pick up a supply of two essential things for project layout. The first stop is the office supply store for a box of Bic .5mm mechanical pencils. Next stop is the “big box home center” for a dozen lumber crayons. The … Read more »

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Cut Accurate and Clean Rabbets

Article Index — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 15:25:38 +0000

By Christopher Schwarz From the Spring 2004 issue of Woodworking Magazine, pages 8-11 When I was taught to cut rabbets in my first woodworking class, we made them with two cuts on the table saw. You’ve probably seen this technique in books and magazines before. For the first cut, the work is flat on the … Read more »

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