Tipsy Tablesaw Planning to rip several boards to width on his tablesaw, my friend stacked them on the extension wing to the left of the blade. After cutting each board, he placed it on the saw’s right-side extension table. Sometime during this process he unknowingly knocked loose the extension table’s support leg. The last board had…

Featherboards are an important accessory, providing both accuracy and a measure of safety. Typically, a featherboard is just a board with thin fingers sawn into the end that act as springs to keep your workpiece from wandering away from the fence. The problem I’ve always had with this type of featherboard is adjusting it to…

These waffle-patterned trivets are perfect for the last minute “shopper”. All you need to crank them out by the dozen is a dado set or router table and a plywood frame. You can make these trivets any size. You could make different shapes, too. I decided on 6″ squares, to keep it simple. A single…

Resin build-up on saw blades makes them less effective. A clean blade runs cooler, doesn’t cause burning on your workpiece, stays sharp longer and cuts more accurately. Cleaning blades is a chore, however, so I’m always on the lookout for ways to make it easier. Krud Kutter Cleaner/Degreaser seems to take off resin build-up pretty…

When I think of Judson Beaumont I can’t help thinking of Willie Wonka – the original Wonka, from Roald Dahl’s matchless tales. Small in stature with boundless energy, both inhabit a magical factory with a small army of dedicated helpers. Endlessly curious and constantly creating, they whip up whimsical confections that delight kids (and kids…

Tool: Fusion F2 Manufacturer: Laguna Price: $1800 A cabinet saw is the dream of many woodworkers, but many simply can’t afford one, or don’t have a 220 volt circuit to accommodate one. The folks at Laguna have been working hard to put a cabinet saw within reach of more woodworkers, and the Laguna Fusion – a 110…

Carrying a cutting list with me to the saw is a habit I learned long ago. If I don’t, it’s way too easy to transpose measurements on the way from my bench to the saw. I used to carry a small spiral notebook, but I found that it ended up getting rumpled and torn to…

Perhaps woodturners should sell naming rights. The field has never standardized the names of woodturning tools (or measurements of their widths or how to describe their angles), so they often go by different names. One tool stands out in this regard: Whether it’s called a spindle gouge, detail gouge, shallow-fluted gouge, fingernail gouge, lady-fingernail gouge,…

Bar clamps can wear out over time. Usually, it’s because the ridges on the bar get worn down. When this happens, the clamps lose their grip, rendering them useless. Even if it’s just one worn spot on the bar, it’s very annoying. So why not just go buy a new clamp? Well, I’m a little…

Pants? Pants Aren’t Tools! Strictly speaking, no, they’re not. But these Fire Hose Work Pants from Duluth Trading Co. are as at-home in the shop as any of my tools. The “Fire Hose” name comes from the fact that they’re made with the same heavy 11.5 oz. cotton canvas that’s on the outside of a…

A word about Plywood I used 3/4″ thick Baltic Birch for this cabinet. It has a thicker, more durable veneer than typical plywood. Like all plywood, however, 3/4″ doesn’t mean 3/4″. For example, Baltic Birch is typically 11/16″ thick. Whatever plywood you use, check its thickness and adjust your dimensions accordingly. Also, Baltic Birch comes…

Precise height adjustments on router bits and saw blades can be tricky because it’s really hard to see or measure small changes. This 1:8 tapered gauge “magnifies” them. Each mark on the gauge is 1/4″ apart, indicating a 1/32″ change in height. The gauge goes from 0 to 2″, is easy to read and accurate….

Even though you can carry this bench in one hand, it has the same desirable features as a full-size bench: A thick top, solid construction, a quick-release vise and dog holes that make it easy to securely hold work. Suitable for small-to-medium projects, it’s perfect for an apartment dweller like me: I simply clamp it…

Tool: MicroJig Tapering Jig Manufacturer: MicroJig Price: $109 Some jigs get stuck in a design rut—they never seem to change. Take a typical double-armed tapering jig, for example. It’s awkward to adjust and a bit scary to use. Taking up the challenge, the folks at MicroJig have created a much more sophisticated device that solves both…

A push pad is essential for jointing, routing or ripping because it keeps your fingers away from the danger zone. I’m always on the lookout for a pad that’s larger and grippier than the standard model. I found one at a home center, of all places, but it’s not sold as a push pad—it’s a…