A New Lightsaber Walking Stick Not long ago, in a small workshop far, far away… It was a period of unrest in the woodworking world. With new technologies entering a galaxy of century-old traditions, the woodworking world was in a period of great change. At a remote base deep in the woods of the Great…

Leigh Dotey is one of 43 fine woodworkers who are showcased in the exhibition Making a Seat at the Table: Women Transform Woodworking. We conducted a brief interview via email to find out more about their work. Why is this exhibition important to you? Having the opportunity to show work at The Center for Art…

Paul McCartney once said that he always walked around with his antenna up.  Random sounds and images were stored in his cerebral temp folder only to reappear years later in unexpected combinations. My Radial Wave Lamp was born in the same way. It’s an amalgam of an unusual router bit that I purchased before I…

So tell me—how many jigs do you have scattered around your shop? Is it true that a guy can’t have too many, just like you can’t have too many clamps? Well, here’s one that I’ll bet you haven’t seen before. I designed it to make a corrugated lamp reflector, but when I was done, I…

It’s finally happened. On Nov. 22, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its official removal of methylene-chloride paint and finish strippers from the consumer market. Companies can no longer manufacture or distribute these strippers to this market. I’m assuming professional shops can still buy these strippers, but there were already severe restrictions on their…

Teresa Audet is one of 43 fine woodworkers who are showcased in the exhibition Making a Seat at the Table: Women Transform Woodworking. We conducted a brief interview via email to find out more about her work. Why is this exhibition important to you? This exhibition was important to me personally because I was able to show…

Project #1923 • Skill Level: Advanced • Time: 1 Week • Cost: $250 I’m not a fan of period furniture from England. The English emphasis on the horizontal conflicts with the American emphasis on the aspiring vertical that I find so appealing in period furniture built in this country. But, of course, there are exceptions,…

Before I give my students their sandpaper for the first time, I ask them if they have noticed the depressions in the treads of our school’s stone stairs. Most of them have not, so I continue to ask: what do you think created these eroded areas? Now I see some raised hands and I begin…

When brushing a finish or paint onto large flat surfaces such as tabletops or cabinet doors, use an airplane-like landing motion with your brush when making contact with a surface near an edge. Land your brush about an inch in from the edge so you don’t drag it over the edge and cause runs. Land…

Vivian Chiu is one of 43 fine woodworkers who are showcased in the exhibition Making a Seat at the Table: Women Transform Woodworking. We conducted a brief interview via email to find out more about her work. Why is this exhibition important to you? This exhibition was such an incredible experience to be a part…

Many woodworking tools, like the saw, chisel and plane, go way, way back. We’ve no idea who invented them or who refined them. This jig is one of those anonymous acts of genius. How in the world did somebody come up with such a neat idea? You spin an arm around and around, and instead…

Specialty hardware can be really annoying. Take the T-bolt—it’s essential for attaching anything to a T-track, but where can you buy one at a moment’s notice? Hardware stores don’t carry T-bolts, but I’ve found that they always have a good substitute in stock: closet bolts. Closet bolts are used to fasten a toilet to the…

Welcome to the 2019 edition of the Popular Woodworking gift guide! We have products for every creative person on your shopping list, from an $8 pair of safety goggles to a $6500 laser cutter. Want to give your significant other a hint for what you want? “Accidentally” leave this article open on their laptop, having…

Alex Clarke is one of 43 fine woodworkers who are showcased in the exhibition Making a Seat at the Table: Women Transform Woodworking. We conducted a brief interview via email to find out more about her work. Why is this exhibition important to you? Making a Seat at the Table gave me the opportunity to…

Though you can build the December 2019 Popular Woodworking Modern Parametric Bench project with a combination of hybrid woodworking skills and tools, using a CNC has some obvious advantages. Let’s do the math. The Cabriolet style Modern Bench has 49 main parts. 48 of them are identical. That’s a heck of a lot of repetition….

If you have ever sprayed the inside of a cabinet, or even a deep drawer, with a fast-drying finish such as lacquer or catalyzed lacquer, you have surely experienced dry spray settling on the surface and causing it to feel rough. The bounce back and turbulence created by the force of the spray keeps the…

Sliding dovetail joints are peculiar—sometimes, the two parts are meant to travel past one another; other times, they’re glued together. Whatever their purpose, making these joints is craftsmanship at its best. You need decent tools, an eye for precision, and practice. In this article, you’ll learn a surefire method for getting fantastic results. I’ll describe…

Pegboard isn’t just for walls—it’s perfect for organizing stuff wherever you need to store it. I’ve bolted a piece of perfboard to the end of my table saw’s extension table to hold all the accessories I turn to each day in the shop. Choosing from a wide variety of hooks makes it possible to hang…

As the editor of a woodworking publication, I spend my days reading and writing about woodworking, and talking to other woodworkers about projects they’re doing. Part of my job is to research new techniques, new makers, interesting designs and woodworking history. (I also spend my fair share of time in meetings and talking about initiatives…

Every Tool’s a Hammer: Life is What You Make It Simon & Schuster, $27 You may recognize the man on the cover of this book, Adam Savage, as one half of the duo from TV’s “Mythbusters.” The show ran for more than a decade in its original incarnation, spawned multiple spinoffs and showed the world…

Authentic Sloyd Tool Cabinet This reproduction is a fun build and a great gift for a budding woodworker. Project #1922 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 3 days • Cost: $200 “Hand and heart lead to life.” was an early motto of the North Bennet Street Industrial School (NBIS), now called the North Bennet Street…

Emma Chorostecki is one of 43 fine woodworkers who are showcased in the exhibition Making a Seat at the Table: Women Transform Woodworking. We conducted a brief interview via email to find out more about her work. Why is this exhibition important to you? I would echo Katie Hudnall’s experience and say this is the…

We have about a dozen Jorgensen rapid action vises in our woodworking program which as being used by our students all the time. For the most part, my students try to treat our cast iron and steel helpers with respect and avoid over tightening them beyond the necessary pressure needed for holding our workpieces secure….

From the Editors and Contributors In an effort to inform our readers about the latest and greatest, Popular Woodworking has surveyed the rich landscape of tools and equipment available and made our picks of woodworking tools of note for 2019. Here’s our top ten, plus one tool storage accessory thrown in for good measure. Auto-Jig…

In the December 2019 Popular Woodworking article: “A Modern Parametric Bench”, I showed how any woodworker could build the project. Over the next few blog posts, I’ll get into additional project details, how to build the project with a CNC, how to build it using the Shaper Origin hand-held CNC, plus a few tricks for…

Christy Oates is one of 43 fine woodworkers who are showcased in the exhibition Making a Seat at the Table: Women Transform Woodworking. We conducted a brief interview via email to find out more about her work. Why is this exhibition important to you? Woodworking has always been a male-dominated field, and I get strange…

Curved lines in any project are both a blessing and a curse. They’re a blessing for the eye of the beholder, but a curse for the poor guy who has to make them. Executing a perfect, fair curve—particularly a large one—isn’t easy. If you cut one freehand, you’re often faced with hours of sanding to…

On one end of the spectrum, there’s the router screwed to the underside of a piece of plywood, supported on sawhorses, with a board clamped across for a fence. On the other end, there’s the Festool CMS router table. The basic principle and end result may be the same, but then, the same could be…

I’m sure you know the feeling; you’ve finished a project, and some little part didn’t come out quite right. Or maybe you missed the opportunity to add additional functionality, and wish you could add it on. Well, that’s how we’ve felt about our website lately. The redesign we finished last winter was a good start,…

Sturdy yet collapsible is easier said than done, but this drying rack is both. It folds flat against the wall to save space until I need it. I made my rack 36 in. tall, with 8″ between levels. Each side of the rack is made by sandwiching hardwood support arms between plywood uprights. Each arm…

A former student of mine from 10 years ago emailed me with a question about what he remembered was a formula I had come up with for a wipe-on finish. He had looked in his notes but couldn’t find anything. I think he was referring to tests I had done to tweak oil/varnish blends like…

Tool: DCW600 Router Manufacturer: DeWalt Price: $179 (bare tool) As power tools all go cordless, it’s especially nice to be able to lose the cord on a router. Going cordless really is a step forward—as long as the tool doesn’t sacrifice power and productivity that is. For all-day production output, I’d still look to a…

Katie Hudnall is one of 43 fine woodworkers who are showcased in the exhibition Making a Seat at the Table: Women Transform Woodworking. We conducted a brief interview via email to find out more about her work. Why is this exhibition important to you? For one thing, the quality and breadth of the work in…

Part Three: Design Though digital woodworking tools may be different and the scales are finer, the importance of precision is the same for every woodworker. If you’re working to a precision standard and your processes reinforce it, then the only differences between digital and machine tool woodworking are the numbers. Essentially, digital woodworking is to…

Learn how to adjust non-adjustable butt hinges here. Fixed or loose pin? In many cases the choice will depend on the style in which you’re working, but generally speaking, a loose-pin hinge makes it easier to fit large doors: You can remove the pin and take the door off for planing without the need to…

Part of my duties as the woodworking teacher in my school is to lead our Fall Fair parents Workshop. The Fall Fair is a one-day event that takes place a week before Thanksgiving. Our school is open to the public during that day and is hosting a variety of craft related activities. At the Fair’s…

We may receive commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. One of the most useful products in wood finishing that doesn’t get a lot of attention is oxalic acid, often labeled wood bleach. It’s useful for removing black water stains without changing the color of the wood. (If…

  Part Two: Commitment To be successful as a woodworker, either hobbyist or professional, precision needs to be a standard you set that you’re willing to live by. Professionals have obvious reasons to do this as their success is at least partially measured by efficiency with time and materials. If you mess up, mistakes are…

To save space, my trash can doubles as a work support. I made a dolly with locking casters to fit the can’s bottom, so I can roll the unit to wherever it’s needed. The work support is adjustable in height. It’s just a round-nosed board with two 1/4″ x 6″ slots, held in place with…

Here’s what the Pop Wood editors are listening to this fall. Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments! Made for Profit In this weekly podcast, Brad Rodriguez and John Malecki help you monetize your passion and achieve your business goals.             Making It With Jimmy Diresta, Bob…

Spice It Up With Rhythm Subtle use of patterns and repeating motifs please the eye. I was waiting on a phone call so I didn’t think twice when my phone rang. Two words in and I hung up the call. Why do telemarketers manage to get through when I least want to talk to them…

Part One: Precision There are two sides to this story. The first is obvious. The other not so much. First, digital woodworking is all about numbers. Very small numbers. That makes it simple, direct and precise. Your drawings, your setups, the instructions you give to digital tools and the machining itself, have to be accurate….

This project is part of the hidden door bookcase. To me, the book-opener is what puts the magic into a hidden door bookcase. When I ask a client to pick a book to use as the opening mechanism, they will undoubtedly pick a well-known or vintage title, or perhaps a book with a pleasant color…

I used to have three shooting boards for planing end grain: one for 90° cuts, one for 45° horizontal miters and one for 45° vertical miters. Now I’ve combined them all into one. The jig’s main body is a typical shooting board for trimming pieces at 90°, except that it has long wedges to tilt…

Pop Wood is getting into the halloween spirit, and what better way to do that than making a halloween decoration? I decided to recreate a wooden ghost my grandpa made more than two decades ago. Follow along in the video below, then download the template to create your own! Halloween Ghost PDF  

My wife loves watching house restoration shows on TV. The other day she mentioned to me that the paint on every surface the host had stripped in this one house had come off so easily and cleanly. She has done a fair amount of paint removal herself and knew that this wasn’t normal. So I…

Tool: Jobsite Saw Pro Manufacturer: SawStop Price: $1400 SawStop released the first version of their portable table saw about five years ago. Packaging their flesh-sensing blade brake technology in a smaller, more affordable format made it more attainable for a larger portion of woodworkers and folks on jobsites. This upgraded version of their jobsite saw…

Fall 2019 Edition One of the best places to be inspired as a woodworker is on Instagram. Here’s the woodworkers and makers our editors are following this fall. @anneofalltrades – Anne Briggs Alway full of energy and featuring a little something for everyone, Anne is one of the most popular woodworkers on instagram. @elliot_jokelson –…

Make no mistake: This is must-see exhibition. Curated by Laura Mays and Deirdre Visser, Making a Seat at the Table: Women Transform Woodworking showcases a collection of works by 43 artists. From well-crafted functional forms to experimental materials and idea-driven designs, the exhibition encompasses the wide range of work that women are contributing to the…

Hidden Door Bookcase Turn a closet into a hiding place with a basic bookcase, trimmed to match the room. By Nathan Rinne Project #1919 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 2 Days • Cost: $500 The alluring nature of secret rooms has captivated my imagination for as long as I can remember. Growing up, my…

Routing long, stiff pieces such as handrails, presents a couple of problems. First, it’s very hard to get (or make) stock that’s extremely straight and 12′ to 14′ long. Second, a piece that thick won’t flex, so a featherboard isn’t going to keep it tight against your fence. The solution? Use two short fences, each…

While working on my pegboard cabinet and trying to integrate into it most of my frequently used tools I noticed that one of them, a Woodriver spokeshave, didn’t have a hanging hole. Hanging holes are quite a common feature on many tools, and are part and parcel of all the Stanley and Record cast iron…

  A Brief Introduction to Using a CNC for Inlays As a woodworker, my work focuses on two areas: fine art and furniture. In fine art, the emphasis is on sculpture, primarily made from wood. As furniture maker with a background in design, rather than designing and building pieces around a client’s ideas and desires,…

Turned Rolling Pins Even an ordinary kitchen tool can be beautiful. By Tim Heil Project #1921 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: One day • Cost: $25 If you’re looking for an easy-to-make gift for someone who loves to cook, here it is: a custom-made rolling pin. There’s something about this humble tool that really…

A finishing topic that gets far too little coverage is aerosol finishing. Aerosols are widely available in four common finishes: lacquer, oil-based polyurethane, water-based finish and shellac. The first three are usually available in several sheens, most commonly gloss and satin. Shellac is available only in gloss. Other than the types, the important thing to…

Research gives names to unknown artisans. By Tom Caspar David Rowley, Freegift Wells, Amos Stewart, Orren Haskens, Eli Kidder…ever hear of these guys? They were Shaker cabinetmakers, the names behind one of the most unified and influential movements in American furnituremaking. You might think that they would have been completely anonymous, like most woodworkers of…

Understanding Furniture Polishes There are only four categories, so it’s easy. We may receive commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. There are probably more myths surrounding furniture polishes than any other single aspect of wood finishing. What makes this topic confusing are the often-silly claims of manufacturers….

Tool: Fisch Wave Cutter Forstner Bits Manufacturer: Fisch Tools Cost: $380 (16 piece set) My collection of Forstner bits was cobbled together over the years. I started with inexpensive multipacks. Then I bought a few specific sizes for projects and even sprung for some premium one-offs. And I’ve tried just about every style and brand…

When making repetitive cuts, I found that my stop block would shift. With a hardwood cutoff, a leftover piece of T-track, a 1/4–20 hex head bolt and a jig knob, I constructed a stop block that doesn’t move and is super easy to adjust. First, drill a hole in the saw’s fence, then groove the…

As the leaves turn and the nights get cooler, I know woodworking season is approaching. Yes, I do spend as much time in the shop as I can, but the warmer summer months mean mowing, trips to the cabin and preparing my house for the onslaught of Minnesota winter. But once those leaves are raked,…

An accurate combination square is the cornerstone of every layout work. It allows us to measure and mark joinery, and check for flatness and squareness of workpieces, setups and tools. I have a few squares and I treat them with respect, making sure that they would not get nicked by other tools or accidentally drop…

Here’s a situation you may have experienced if you do much French polishing. A woodworker friend emailed me with this problem. He had been French polishing a tabletop, and no matter what he did, he could still see sanding scratches when he viewed the surface from certain angles. Logically, he thought, fresh coats should fill…

Adjusting Non-Adjustable Butt Hinges Working with these traditional hinges takes a bit of old-fashioned ingenuity. High-quality butt hinges are handsome and durable for furniture and built-in cabinet doors. If you’re in the business of built-in cabinetry and sometimes work in houses constructed between the late 1800s and the 1930s, you’re almost certainly familiar with butt…

Historic North Carolina Candle Stand A tapered (not turned) post sets this stand apart from contemporaries. By Will Myers PROJECT #1912 • Skill Level:Intermediate • Time: 2 Days • Cost: $250 I have a thing for candle stands. These small tables are quick to make, don’t require a lot of material to build, and are…

Digital woodworking is a bit different than traditional and hybrid woodworking even if the ultimate results are often the same. For one thing, the tools are different. CAD software takes some effort and a commitment to learn. And, then there’s the very different machinery. Though digital woodworkers have some excellent machinery available at various price…

Have you ever closed an inset door in a cabinet you were building and found that you couldn’t open it, because you hadn’t added the knob yet? Well, I have. Here’s an easy effective solution: Make a little hook from a plastic lid. Cut the opener as shown below, with a raised tab that’s cut…

A woodworker friend emailed me with a problem. He had turned a face-grained bowl from what he described as “grainy” walnut. To finish it he was using Watco Danish Oil, and his problem was that the oil continued to soak in to the two end-grain sides even after 6 or 7 coats. What should he…

I recently was struck by a thought while spending some time in Andrew’s workshop: this is genuinely fun. It wasn’t until I was driving home a few hours later that the significance of that thought really hit me in full force. Since becoming a homeowner, my tool purchases have revolved around the home renovation medium,…

Tool: Bench Dog Tools No. 5 Jack Plane Manufacturer: Bench Dog Tools Price: $169.99 I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of the No.5 plane from Bench Dog straight out of the box. After wiping the protective oil off all the surfaces and setting the blade depth, I was able to make de-cent shavings within minutes….

When a family friend recently visited my new cabinet shop, he commented, “Your dad and grandpa would’ve loved this place. It wasn’t always like this!” He meant that although both men were pro wood-workers at various times in their lives, neither ever experienced the pleasant working conditions, robust tools, or the wide variety of materials,…

Read part 1 here and read part 2 here. As the design and construction of the rack was completed (see part one of the story) and after I  added the utility magnets and tried to hang the rack using the generic pegboard hooks (see part two) I came to the conclusion that my work was…

Earlier this week, Lee Valley rolled out their new website, and it’s a beauty. They’ve always been a go-to for me for hand tools and hardware. While the previous version of the site functioned well enough, Lee Valley’s new design feels borderline luxurious in comparison. Browsing and search results are driven by images. That’s especially…

Tool: InKleind Twin Turbo Vise Manufacturer: InKleind Price: $270 There’s a new twin-screw vise on the block designed by Andy Klein that I’ve had the opportunity to test in a pre-production form. The design seeks to solve some of the common issues associated with twin-screw vises. The solid transmission of power through the gears promises…

Barrister Bookcase We redesigned this classic with techniques so simple even a novice can build it! By Glen D. Huey PROJECT #1918 • Skill Level:Beginner•  Time: 3 days • Cost: $400 Almost everyone likes the look of barrister bookcases. But what makes them so appealing? I think there are a number of characteristics that make…

You may have noticed that acetone is becoming more widely available. This is primarily because it’s the only commonly available solvent that is classified as an exempt VOC solvent. VOC is the acronym for volatile organic compound – that is, an environmental (smog) pollutant. Though acetone has a strong odor, making it seem to be…

My father showed me this “bird’s mouth” jig almost 60 years ago. It securely clamps 1/4- to 3″thick boards on edge. It’s so useful that I’ve never bothered to add a vise to my workbench. I’ve been tempted to mount the jig permanently, but I prefer an uncluttered work surface. Besides, this jig is easy…

After years of fumbling with clamps, I decided there must be a better way to attach featherboards to my tablesaw’s rip fence. Two T-tracks screwed to the fence allow me to mount a piece of plywood with a side-mounted track for attaching featherboards. Now I can set and adjust my featherboards with ease.—Loren Englemann

Concrete & Walnut Coffee Table Add GFRC to your furniture-making arsenal. By Michael Clifford PROJECT #1911 • Skill Level:Intermediate • Time: 2 Days • Cost: $200 I’ve always loved aircraft-inspired design. There’s just something about an everyday item inspired by a plane that evokes a sense of wanderlust in me, and I wanted to make…

The hardwoods I use are almost always riven or split from a log. When I need thinner pieces than usual, I split them again. But there are times when I have mill-sawn stock and the way to get that thinner is either plane it down or resaw it. Ripping boards through their thickness rather than…

Square the table using this old machinists’ trick. Bend a piece of 1/4”. steel rod (available at home centers) into an S shape, as shown in the photo above. Mount it in the chuck and swing it by hand to each side of the table. Use a feeler gauge between the end of the rod…

Understanding Lines & Edges Control the eye for better design. Nice Lines. We say those words to describe a well-designed boat, sports car, chair or saw handle. It expresses our pleasure when all the parts of a design seem to flow together to give it a sense of motion and life. Finding that sweet spot…

The Wedged Mortise & Tenon This time-tested joint is perfect for knockdown furniture. This bedstead I’m building is a perfect place to use a joint that I rarely cut: the wedged, through-mortise and tenon. I need to be able to ship this bedstead across the country, so I wanted something the customer (with some simple…

Boiled linseed oil and 100% tung oil are the two widely available drying oils. Though called “drying oils” both dry adequately only when applied very thin. If the excess isn’t wiped off after each coat, the film will be soft and remain sticky for a long time. Eventually, the film will dry, but it will…

I love having a cutting list close at hand. But hanging on to it when both hands are busy was a problem—until I bought 24 clothespins for $2 at the hardware store. I epoxied the wooden pins in convenient spots around my shop. Now I can easily double-check measurements before cutting my boards too short….

Tool: Jet JWBS-14SFX Band Saw Manufacturer: Jet Tools Price: $1100 We may receive commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. I’ve spent a couple of months using the newest 14″ Jet bandsaw and I’m convinced this is an excellent buy at $1,100. This bandsaw bridges the gap between…

Read part 1 here and read part 3 here. As I was about to finish the rack, I began contemplating what would be the best way to hang it on the pegboard. One of the most abundant pegboard hooks in my arsenal  is a simple angled hook that fits into a pegboard hole and send…

A spray gun is a tool that turns a stain, paint, finish or other liquid material into a fine mist—a process called “atomization.” It then propels the liquid onto a work object. Spray guns vary in type and quality, but each is designed to produce the finest atomization possible for the money in order to…

It was the first idea I pitched to my boss: I’m going to carve a spoon and write about it. Andrew immediately approved, given the perennial popularity of spoon carving and the desire for me to utilize new skills. I quickly got to work, picking up some carving knives and practicing on some green scraps…

LEGO Inlay Table Add artful accents to a play table. By Caleb Harris Last Christmas my wife and I introduced our young boys to LEGO. This was a good reminder that there is something really special about spending time with your kids with toys that you grew up with. It’s been incredible seeing how fast…

Microfiber cloth picks up tiny dust particles as well as, if not better than, a tack cloth. Unlike a tack cloth, microfiber cloths are washable and reusable. Rockler Sells Norton’s microfiber finishing cloth for $5-7, but any microfiber cloth will work as long as it has hemmed edges.—Kevin Southwick

You need to watch this video that was just released from the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship. It centers on the founder of the school, Peter Korn, but it really talks about why people make furniture. You’ll see some familiar names from the pages of woodworking magazines, and it’s filled with beautiful shots of workshops and…

When it comes to finishing products, what happens in California doesn’t stay in California. It usually spreads across the country. So when a California friend emailed to tell me that denatured alcohol is now being removed from the consumer market, I was stunned. Denatured alcohol is critical for dissolving shellac flakes and for thinning liquid…

Learn the nuts and bolts of making hardware new again. We may receive commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. From the time I began collecting reclaimed wood I remember salvaging all kinds of hardware pieces. I like to dismantle hardware from found furniture that is either too…

One afternoon my wife called out to my shop with an urgent request. She needed me to make a round cake plate from 1/4″ plywood for a charity auction. I assured her it would be no problem. I was in the middle of a project and didn’t want to spend all afternoon on this. Then…

As I have said many times, spray guns are pretty simple tools. By comparison, they aren’t any more difficult to use than a router. Still, there are a couple of critical parts you should be familiar with to get the best results. These are the fluid nozzle and the air cap. NOTE:This article doesn’t cover…

I know that a lot of readers use shellac for finishing. Of all finishes, shellac is probably the easiest to use when it comes to cleaning and storing brushes because shellac dissolves easily in denatured alcohol and household ammonia. Here are some suggestions of ways to clean and store shellac brushes. If you plan to…

Learning from the past can secure our future. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links. By Tom Caspar On a sultry day in September, 1832, thirty-three-year-old Felix Dominy was perched high above the rocks of Montauk Point, at the far eastern tip of Long Island, removing the copper dome…

Out of the corner of my eye it caught my attention, a fire-engine red 1966 Chevy Impala Super Sport. Memories  flooded back to my first car, a model just like this except mine was green with a white rooftop. The problem with memories is that they often clash with reality. As I got closer to…

Read part 2 here and read part 3 here. The pegboards hanging system was, and still is, one of the most common shop organizing platforms out there. It is a versatile system that is easy to organize and reorganize, and it comes with lots of hanging hook options that can accommodate almost every tool with…

A few weeks ago my sister-in-law in Denmark got very severe burns on her lower legs from a gasoline explosion. Her friend had piled up a lot of brush and wanted to burn it. So he pored on some gasoline, gave my sister-in-law a match and asked her to toss it on the brush. Apparently,…

World Wood Day 2019 – Wood Design from Wood Culture on Vimeo. My extra-curricular woodworking has been firmly stuck in cabinet land for the last six months. And building plumb and square cabinets has its merits. Plus, installing said cabinets into a house where the walls are not entirely plumb and square has its challenges….

As this issue goes to press, Popular Woodworking is changing ownership. The last few months have been a rollercoaster of emotions for me, my colleagues, readers and contributors. There’s been uncertainty about jobs, the status of stories and projects, and an overall sense of unease about the world at large. And it’s during this time…

In the process of refinishing an old chair, I found that my random orbit sander’s flat surface didn’t work for sanding the concave hollow of the seat. My sander uses hook-and-loop paper, so I purchased some adhesive-backed hook-and-loop material at the hardware store. After sticking the material together with the hooks on one side and…

Here’s a fun way to save money, be creative, make something useful, and use up scrap stock: make your own picture frames. You can start from scratch and have finished frames in a day or less, and the only tools you need are a table saw and a router table. The challenge is to create…

Part of the unexpected interactions that stem from having an online column in a woodworking magazine is that, on occasion, a distributor or maker of craft/woodworking related tools or supplies will approach me and propose to send an item for review.  Two months ago, Brightech, a company that specializes in designing and manufacturing magnifying lamps…

Two triangular maple blocks and a pair of sharp-tipped drywall screws are all you need to make corner clamp blocks for picture frames. Drill and counterbore a hole for a drywall screw through one leg of each block, positioned so the screw’s tip is centered in the hypotenuse (photo). Make sure the screw threads through…

So you’ve built your paddle-arm chair, and all that’s left is making the cushion to sit on. I may be persnickety when it comes to armchair upholstery, but I really prefer a certain type of cushion for a large armchair or Morris chair. I like the leather or fabric to “waterfall” down the front, and…

If you’ve done much woodworking, it’s very likely that you have experienced some dents and gouges. Both are flaws in the wood. But they are not the same thing, so they should be treated differently. Dents are compressed wood. The wood fibers are still intact, just pressed down or indented. They can usually be steamed…

A woodworker friend called me with a problem. He had just built a bookcase and was trying to match the approximate sheen of a factory-finished piece of furniture he had and couldn’t find a polyurethane that was flat enough. What should he do? He had tried rubbing it with coarse abrasives to match the sheen…

A lot of woodworkers avoid staining whenever possible because of the problems that can occur. Instead of staining, they use a beautiful wood that gives the color they want to begin with. Most think of blotching as uneven coloring in the wood caused by stain penetrating deeper in some areas than others. Most tight-grained woods…

Read part one of the story here. After most of the rough excavation was done (using an adze or a gouge – what ever works best for you) we need to clean out the vault and even out its surface. I held the hollowed branch in my Jawhorse Workbench and with some medium sweep gouges…

As I’ve said many times, one of the reasons finishing seems difficult to amateur woodworkers is that the manufacturers targeting these woodworkers provide bad directions that don’t produce good results. One reason for many of these bad directions is that these manufacturers believe amateur woodworkers want to be able to finish their projects in a…

Distressing or aging wood can come in many forms, whether it’s a color change or physical wear. Here some tips for achieving different effects.

Get more out of your table saw with these four handy jigs. These simple jigs take advantage of the table saw’s speed and accuracy without tempting you to perform risky operations.

If you work in a shop with limited floor space, this overhead lumber rack can be a lifesaver. Inexpensive and quick to assemble, this easy project helps you make the most of your space.

I moved to Kentucky/Cincinnati on July 1st, and by the 15th of the month, I was already starting out on building the furniture for my new house here. Josselyn (my partner) and I had committed to leaving behind the cheap, second-hand furniture we had bought since leaving college years ago, and in doing so, arrived…

Six great ideas for space-challenged woodworkers to get more out of their small shops.

2 Ways to Cut a 3-Way Miter Create this impressive joint by hand or with power tools. By Garrett Glaser Admiring the complex 3-way mitered joint between the leg and aprons in an antique Chinese table is natural. But the thought of cutting and fitting this interlocking joint by hand is enough to make most…

Essential Table Saw Blades Choose complementary blades for perfect results. By Tim Johnson In the dark ages of woodworking, before carbide, you never used the same blade for ripping and crosscutting. Cutting plywood required yet another blade. Today, hybrid blades allow you to avoid blade changes entirely—unless you want absolutely perfect results. Then it’s better…

Recipe for Resawing by Dave Munkittrick For a woodworker, few things are more satisfying than resawing thin sheets of veneer off of a large block of wood or slicing a beautiful board in half to create two bookmatched pieces. I remember the enthusiasm I felt when I tried resawing for the first time. My excitement soon…

Our finishing expert shares some tips gained from a house-painter friend.

Chris Schwarz shares some handy, nearly-forgotten handsaw tricks to use in the shop.

This live edge branch bowl is a quick and easy project that can also be a great introduction to green woodworking. Yoav Liberman shows you the steps.

Keep these tips in mind when buying rough lumber to get the best deals on the best wood.

Make your brad nailer safer and easier to use with these tips. From avoiding the blowout curse to making your nailer last longer, it’s surprisingly simple to get more out of this tool.

Super-tune your table saw for absolutely straight, smooth and burn-free cuts.

Our finishing expert, Bob Flexner, describes the techniques he’s been testing to correct warped boards.

Patio Chair A curved seat and back make this chair extra-comfortable. By Carroll Davidson With a set of outdoor chairs like this on your patio or deck, you and your guests can enjoy the open air in comfort and style. This chair is comfortable (the seat contours were patterned after a Mercedes Benz seat!), and…

Oil it, spray it, shellac it, or glaze it. This is how to make cherry look great.

By: Bob Rozaieski Learn how to work with brass and make an indispensable tool for hand work. If you rip your stock on a table saw, your uses for a panel gauge are limited. If you make your rip cuts with a band saw or hand saw, however, a panel gauge is an indispensable tool….

We’d like to congratulate all of the winners from the 2019 30 Days for Dads giveaway. The grand prize (a Jet ProShop Table Saw) went to Jack from Lawton, OK. As you can guess, he’s excited to win it (he also shared a recent coffee table he built, pictured above): I first developed an affection…

A persistent myth in the woodworking community is that you should finish both sides of wood, especially tabletops, to reduce the likelihood of warping.

This simple plywood cover ensures the base of your drill press won’t collect lost hardware, or become home to the occasional shop mouse.

While setting up our flattening mill, we decided to try a router bit that was recommended by Nick Offerman. This bit is part of Amana’s straight plunge series, with two cutting faces.

From his dad’s shop to the Toronto Design Show, we take a closer look at the work of Wayne Muma and the beautiful, organic forms that defined his furniture.

For many years Mayer has been a leader in beam/panel saws and special application saws. The Mayer company has a presence internationally, and with continued growth in mind, has now successfully joined the Felder Group from Austria. Both companies are still family owned and operated, and both companies have been in business for over 60…

Whenever we visit our friends in Toronto, I always make sure to stop by at least one of the three Lee Valley stores in town. This month as we headed North I came up with a really good excuse to jump on the streetcar to visit the downtown Toronto store: I wanted to look at…

A Game of Thrones inspired coffee table meets a tragic (and ironic) end.

How do you remove Scotch Tape adhesive without damaging the plastic underneath? Join our finishing expert as he finds a solution to this sticky situation.

A few design modifications turn this garage staple into great tool storage. Learn how to make your own machinist’s tool chest.

Build a traditional Japanese writing box (called a suzuribako) for your writing supplies or other treasures.

Even if your finish won’t change color over time, many woods will. Our finishing expert Bob Flexner provides an important reminder using one of his own examples.

Using digital tools, you can make this handy tool tote in less than an hour. Learn how to build and customize your own tote.

Awls, dividers and compass points are sharp and thus can be easily damaged if not protected (or even worse, poke us). Over the years I have used wine corks, plastic wall anchors, and segments of plastic pipes as point protectors, but there’s an even better solution. I am quite lucky to have a partner who…

Cherry is notorious for blotching, with all sorts of methods suggested for preventing it. But it’s important to keep in mind that “blotching” is simply the opposite of “beautiful figure.”

A well-tuned spray gun doesn’t guarantee a perfect finish. Here are five of the most common spraying problems and how to fix them.

Here’s an outdoor chair that you can build in a weekend, or if you are willing to take David Thiel’s word for it, in four hours! It’s made of pine and common materials, stuff you can get at the big box store. For this outdoor Morris Chair, David used paint to fend off the elements….

A few years ago, Dremel started developing a new line of digital tools with the DigitaLab series of products. Recently they introduced their first laser cutter: The Dremel LC40.

Not being accurate in the use of language, even when it’s the manufacturer that is responsible for the misidentification, can, and often does, lead others to use a finish that doesn’t produce the same results.

The price on this mill doesn’t make it an impulse purchase for many of us. However, if you’re regularly flattening slabs with a router or are in a multi-person shop setting, this could be an outstanding next step after a homemade jig.

Ebonizing can be a lot of fun and it’s a great option to add to your offerings. Learn how to achieve a deep, rich black using household ingredients plus some powder from a South American evergreen.

A mobile workbench is handy in a small shop—until you want it to stand still! These levers work like a cam and prevent the bench from wiggling.

Bob Flexner shares some resources the pros use when solving woodworking mysteries. These websites target factories and larger shops, but the information can be used by anyone.

Sam Maloof’s sculpted rocking chairs are iconic, so much so that his name is synonymous with that furniture style. As his chair designs advanced, so did their construction.

Yoav Liberman demonstrates how to hone and sharpen the new spoon bits from Gramercy Tools. Learn how to keep your spoon bits sharp and effective.

What is corning and how do you prevent it from happening? Our finishing expert Bob Flexner tells you how to avoid this common sanding problem.

Mother’s day is around the corner, why not build her a lovely storage box? Mike Burton shares his method for creating handy storage with an interesting technique for making multiple drawers quickly. In his words, “Cut these boxes as if you were cutting slices from a jelly roll.” You’ll use 1/4″ MDF for the sides…

A thickness tester makes plywood joinery easy, accurate and predictable. Digital woodworker Tim Celeski shows you how to make your own.

This walnut table features simple router inlay and can be easily built during a long weekend.

French polish adds extraordinary depth to gorgeous wood. This finish is perfect for bowls, vessels, lamps and other turnings that aren’t handled often or are exposed to moisture, alcohol or heat.

Learn how to prevent the finish from peeling at the edges of your under-sink kitchen cabinets. Proper spraying technique is key to protecting your door and drawer edges.

This functional form is an ideal intro to the Shaker Style. Learn how to make this useful project, all while sharpening your hand tool skills.

For the cost of one large piece of machinery, you can set up a complete shop with hand tools. Here’s what you need to get started.

Building cabinets is a sub-set of woodworking that uses different skills and knowledge, but as any woodworker knows, putting in your own cabinetry is well worth the effort. Built-in cabinetry, or furniture, adds another element of expertise. Whether it’s fitting cabinetry in your kitchen, or adding a custom set of shelving that seamlessly fits into…

Spoon bits are meant to bore wood with the help of a brace drill. Join Yoav Liberman as he puts the new spoon bits by NYC’s Gramercy Tools to the test.

We all face constraints. In the woodworking world, there are three that I’m always balancing: time, tools and space.

A relative of mine wanted to know what finish is best to use on an outdoor oak bench he intended to make. Was it spar varnish, or is there something better?

Chairmaking requires its own unique tools and skillset. It may be daunting, but building a Windsor chair opens up a whole new world within woodworking. Here’s how to do it.

Shooting boards are typically pretty simple. A bench will have several variations nearby, but there are plenty of times when I have wanted a few more boards. This is where the Veritas Shooting Board shines.

Danzer is a large veneer manufacturer located in the US and Europe. One of their veneer factories is located in the Czech Republic. Someone realized that the sounds made by the slicing and spritzing could form the background for a tango foxtrot. So some musicians came together and produced this.

The Bessey GearKlamp is designed to reach into places that just weren’t possible with your average bar clamp or f-clamp. Today on the blog, David Lyell gives us his review.

This towel-bar style glue-up rack takes up very little shop space and comes in handy when you need to clamp up a small panel.

Optimize your shop space with this multi-function outfeed table that gives your CNC router a convenient home.

Like Kleenex, which is just one brand in the tissue category, some finishing products are known just by their brand name, not by what they are. This leaves room for misunderstanding. Watco, Waterlox and Deft are prime examples.

This elegant wooden clock is based on a Cartier design from the Art Deco period. Learn how to make this simple timepiece that can stand on its own or be hung on a wall.

Bob Flexner compares the three basic finishing tools (rag, brush, and spray gun) in terms of their cost and efficiency.

There’s never enough storage space in a shop, is there? When I recycled some old kitchen cabinets to use in my shop, I added one more drawer to each one—in the toe-kick space.

Sometime early in your woodworking career you probably learned that you were supposed to sand sharp edges to soften them. What you’re really trying to avoid is “fat edges” when the finish is applied.

Seth Keller shares some highlights from a new furniture exhibit meant to memorialize the many Chicago trees lost to the Emerald Ash Borer.

We’ve pulled together some router tips that will help you move beyond the roundover and make the most of this versatile tool.

Can sanding with very fine-grit sandpaper closes the pores of wood? Bob Flexner investigates this long-standing claim.

Yoav Liberman and his student Lisa put the finishing touches on a unique live edge desk.

Bob Flexner reveals the ingredients behind this popular, non-so-secret finishing formula.

In the course of a recent kitchen job, Nancy Hiller is faced with a challenge: refacing tilt-out storage drawers, with the sink still in place.

Waterlox is a mainstay for furniture makers. Follow these steps to get a deep glow, a buttery-smooth surface and unmatched protection.

Carrying plywood by yourself is a pain. This caddy allows you to roll it around instead. Just clamp this caddy to the board’s edge, tip the sheet down onto the wheels and off you go.

Master these skills and you can build anything. From chests to cupboards to cradles, frame and panel joinery opens a whole new world of possibilities.

The new Mirka Iridium abrasive paper has proven to be a workhorse in the Popular Woodworking shop. I’ve used it on several builds and I’ve found myself not dreading sanding quite as much.

The design journey isn’t a straight line. However, there are some concrete steps you can take to achieving a great design.

Milk paint has a long history and it continues to be used and enjoyed by woodworkers to this day. However, what you see is not always what you get.

Is there life after running your own professional furniture shop? Absolutely, says Russell Gale in Part 2 of my series on different kinds of furniture makers.

Like all of our I Can Do That! projects, this router bit storage case is designed to be useful, easy to build and made from inexpensive materials.

Working with reclaimed wood often requires some creative problem-solving. Here’s a clever strategy Yoav Liberman and his student Lisa used when making this live edge desk.

These once-standard tools still have a place in the modern shop. Here’s what you need to know about the use, care and keeping of drawknives and spokeshaves.

Dust is a real problem when you can’t use a router table’s fence and its dustport. Here’s a clever way to suck up that dust using your shop vacuum’s nozzle.

Hand tools are a pleasure to use–if they’re sharp. Brush up on your sharpening knowledge and get the most out of your tools.

Slab, or live-edge furniture is all the rage, and I like it! If you think wood is one of the most amazing things ever created, then how can you not like a piece of furniture that retains so much of the look of natural wood? The grain on full display and the undulations and imperfections…

Though it’s more work, the advantage of dissolving flakes is to ensure the shellac you use is fresh. The fresher the dissolved shellac, the quicker it hardens and the more water-resistant the dried finish.

Having a plan when you head to the shop is the only reliable way to manage your time. I know that some of us relish in the spontaneity of building without a plan, but there’s just something so many ways to get distracted if you don’t know what part your working on next. Yes, I could jot…

If you want to refinish your kitchen cabinets with milk paint, you should take heed of this advice.

Check out these cheap and easy ideas to make the most of your small shop space.

We have all seen them: those chisel handles that have crumbled from years of use. Here’s how to easily restore those handles to their former glory.

Benchtop mortising machines aren’t the only option when it comes to cutting square-shouldered mortises. A drill-press mortising attachment can be just as effective and it costs a lot less.

This morning I am traveling down to Atlanta to attend WorkbenchCon. It’s a conference designed for content creators in the DIY, woodworking and maker categories of YouTube and Instagram. In just their second year, they’ve captured considerable momentum, offering over 400 tickets and from what I’ve heard, sold every one of them. This isn’t a…

A trip to a professional upholstery shop yields valuable lessons in prototyping furniture and more.

Glen Huey walks “step-by-step” through his finishes for furniture using aniline dye along with shellac or lacquer, discusses mixing an oil/varnish wipe-on finish and demonstrates a distressed paint finish.

The basics of staining are easy – it’s when things don’t go as planned that staining becomes a difficult, frustrating task. Here are ten of the most common staining problems and how you can avoid them before they happen.

I’ve lived in an old home that had virtually no closets before, it’s not very fun. Here’s how the shakers solved this problem. Dovetails–45 fully dovetailed drawers complete this amazing storage space. In Kerry Pierce’s book, Storage & Shelving the Shaker Way, he shares detailed drawings and photos of storage projects from Pleasant Hill, KY. You’ll find…

Sometimes it’s impossible to find the right hardware for a piece. That’s when I turn to metalsmith Adam Nahas, who fabricates custom hardware.

This simple credenza is perfect for storing your extra dishes and linens. The seamless case features routed joints reinforced with floating tenons as well as easy lock miter drawers.

This versatile router joint is perfect for when you need to batch out a bunch of drawer boxes. Learn how to make these easy and efficient lock miter drawers.

Stronger Shelves Designing sag-proof shelves. By Tom Caspar Have you ever heard a shelf groan? Well, maybe not, but some shelves look like they would if they could. So much stuff gets piled on them that they end up sagging like a limp noodle. It’s not a pretty sight. A span that holds up weight…

Bench planes come in a wide range of lengths and widths. Do you need them all? Which ones are most useful? And if you only had to buy one….

Besides being useful for woodworkers or any artist who needs to display their work, this show panel project is also a great exercise in CNC thinking.

The only thing more exciting than getting your regular copy of Popular Woodworking magazine in the mail is opening your computer and browsing through the entire back catalog for that project you said you’d build later on down the road. We enjoy this privilege on a daily basis in the Popular Woodworking office and now you…

Through teaching, this master craftsman’s work lives on. Learn more about the work and influence of Tage Frid.

An acquaintance of mine was making a small project out of maple and he wanted it to be black. He asked if dye would do it, or should he use a different wood?

Left unfinished, brass will develop a patina with use. But sometimes you need the patina yesterday. Here are two methods to speed up the aging process.

Rulers and measurements are little help when it comes to creating a good design. Instead, learn to trust proportions.

If you’ve never put brush to bare wood (or you’d like a refresher), learn how to greatly improve your chances of success.

This workshop tip saves both time and money. Make your table saw inserts two-sided to pull double duty on projects.

Attractive lines, a comfortable seat and some lathe work provide the foundation for for this Shinto-inspired bar stools.

See the completed burl slab coffee table, plus learn how Yoav and his student Helder ensured this highly irregular table stays level.

You can use a router to joint two boards at once. This is a really handy trick if you don’t have a long-bed jointer or you don’t have a jointer at all, and you’re working with really long stock. The trick is to rout both boards at the same time, so the edges mirror each other….

We’re wrapping up our eight-week series on CNC Designed for Woodworkers and the series has taught me a lot about CNC and changed my thinking to appreciate how beneficial this technology can be in a woodworking shop. But when I think about the time spent on the series it’s not the very cool technology that…

The DCW210 5-inch random orbit sander is the latest woodworking tool in DeWalt’s 20-volt MAX cordless line. We gave it a try.

“I was looking for a tool tote to set beside my shave horse when doing demos with the SCA East Kingdom Foresters Guild. I attached the cover with hinges and added tool slots for use when working. Chisels store in till when traveling.” –Bill Childs

Build these easy-to-make plywood show panels to display your woodwork. Woodworkers love to make things out of wood. Naturally, we like to share what we make. And, if you’re at it long enough, many of us start to think about showing and maybe even selling your creations. Along with that big decision comes a long…

Crosscut sleds have been around for a long time, but few are ideal. Many are heavy and hard to store. Most develop an extra-wide saw cut in the fence and allow the blade to throw sawdust in your face. My design solves all these problems.

The danger of linseed oil rags spontaneously combusting is not new in the woodworking world. But because so many woodworkers use wipe-on stains and finishes that contain linseed oil, the warning can’t be repeated enough.

The Perfect Edge Woodworking begins with sharpening. There really isn’t any way around the subject if you want to take the craft seriously. Too often, many of us limp around using dull chisels and plane blades because sharpening feels like a tall task. But if you take just a moment, and learn the principals of…

Mistakes are always exasperating, but much less so when you have a few tricks up your sleeve to make them right. Here’s one of mine.

A storage tray is a useful addition to any stationary tool. Add a table saw tray to your shop to keep tools handy, yet out of the way.

Yoav Liberman and his student Helder design and construct legs for a unique, live edge coffee table.

This is an excerpt from The New Traditional Woodworker by Jim Tolpin. In traditional Western-style woodworking, the workbench was central to nearly all the woodworking processes. This is where the artisan planed surfaces and trued edges; ripped and crosscut short lengths of stock to size (with smaller-sized panel saws or bow saws); made precision cuts…

Every woodworker loves joints that are tight, strong and secure. Dovetail joints and mortise and tenons will get you there, but if you need a knockdown joint, good options are limited. That’s where Festool’s connector sets come in.

Whether you’re searching for the perfect gift, or simply looking for some reading material for the new year, we’ve got you covered. These books make great gifts for the woodworkers on your list – especially if they happen to be you.

Wiping is fast, almost as fast as spraying (without the downside of having to clean the spray gun). Wiping is also every bit as effective in all situations except possibly into recesses such as inside corners, fluting, deep carvings and the like.

How do you differentiate between varieties of furnituremakers? Here’s the preliminary take on how I do.

Zero-clearance throat inserts are a simple upgrade you can make to your table saw. Make your saw safer and achieve better cutting results with less hassle.

If you follow this blog, you may be aware that I’m fascinated by smart coatings and coatings that perform tasks you would never expect.

This knockdown shave horse from Amy Pate is small-shop friendly and perfect for apartment woodworkers. Learn to make this useful shop project.

Yoav Liberman and his student Helder design and construct a coffee table out of a particularly intriguing burl slab.

Your frustration is well-founded. We test 11 samples from around the world, unveil their inconsistencies and offer solutions.

A stand-alone router table hasn’t proven itself worthy of the square footage in my shop. But this Rockler convertible benchtop router table got my gears turning.

Nancy Hiller demonstrates quick method she used to spiff up old trim so that it would match the original trim in the customers’ house.