Ironing edge-banding that has hot-melt glue backing is familiar to most woodworkers. But what if you don’t have any on hand, or it’s not available in the species you’re using?…

Accurately drilling an angled hole with a hand drill is a challenge – particularly if you’re using a brad point or Forstner bit. This angled drilling guide solves the problem…

The bandsaw has always been the prima donna machine in my shop. It requires so much time and attention to make it work right; changing blades, adjusting tension and repositioning…

This sawhorse/workbench combo is made using dimensional pine construction lumber from a home center. It’s rugged and inexpensive, with no complicated joinery – just butt joints, glue and screws. While…

Cutting dovetails by hand is supposed to be an orderly, precise process. But when you’re in the thick of it, it’s all too easy to end up with a bench…

Close your eyes and picture it: your entire shop organized, a place for every tool, never struggling to find your cardscraper when you need it, and a stress-free day of…

Making through-slots without a router may sound tricky, but it couldn’t be easier. In the days before I could afford a router, I made through-slots by gluing up scraps instead….

Tool: Rip & Crosscut Tenon Saws Manufacturer: Veritas Price: $139 Cutting tenons on large workpieces often requires bringing the tool to the work, instead of the other way around. It’s not…

Making equal divisions on parts isn’t always straightforward when it comes to dividing fractions. On a recent trip to my local office supply store, I found a drafting tool that…

This 3-cabinet unit is designed to organize and store finishing supplies ranging from flammable liquids to Q-tips in ways that makes them easy to access and (just as important!) easy…

Tool: Precision Strait Edge Manufacturer: iGaging Price: $36 (24″) A precision ruler is just one of those tools that every shop should have. Let’s face it; not everything can be done…

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,…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

“Have chisel, will travel.” As an itinerant carver, teaching classes here and there, I’ve always wanted a bench that I could store in a small space, carry around by hand…

Sixty-something year old George Wurtzel has turned porch posts for mansions, built furniture for R&B stars and crafted hundreds of kitchen cabinets. He’s run a cabinetmaking and countertop fabrication shop,…

Designed to work closely with your bench, this toolbox keeps your tools organized and close at hand, but out of the way of your project. By making it the same…

Whether shaped as a vase, a column or even an egg, there’s plenty of room for expression in a turned lamp. The flowing contours of the lamp shown here do…

Equally-Spaced Dovetails Every Time When laying out dovetails, I always start by marking the centers of the pins so the distance between them is approximately the same. I came up…

by William Mikus My woodworking career began at age 7, in 1935, cutting out lawn ornaments from grocery store boxes and crates with an old coping saw. Paint was the…

Applying putty with your finger works great, but it’s messy. Instead of using my finger, I just stick a blob of putty on a pencil eraser. It works great, and…

A computer in the shop is becoming increasingly common. I use my tablet in the shop all the time; it’s where I keep project plans, cutting lists, etc. I also…

Editors note: This item no longer appears to be available. Dowels and loose tenons have been around for some time. Both have stood the test of time, making strong, simple,…

Editors note: This item no longer appears to be available. Mobile tools are one of the keys to working efficiently in a small shop or if you ever set up…

Video Using a Detail Spindle Gouge (“Turning Wood,” page 20)     Video Air-Tensioned Bandsaw (“Air-Tensioned Bandsaw,” page 48)     Video The Flutter Test (“Power-Tool Friendly Workbench,” page 56)…