End of an Era

1953. That’s when woodworkers were first able to buy an entire shop in a box with the commercial introduction of the Shopsmith Mark V. Hans Goldschmidt invented the concept in...

95 and Counting

More than a century ago, Stanley introduced a new plane, and I’ve wanted one ever since. Well, no — I’m not that old — but it was still in production...

Blown Away

Last spring, I talked about a new tool I’d never seen before, a handheld blower, about the size of a small travel-size hairdryer. I was intrigued so I bought one. Light,...

Easy Inlays

I’ve mentioned before how bad I am at hand-cutting dovetails, but there’s something else I’m terrible at: almost any kind of inlay. I say “almost” because I’ve done a lot of...

A New Twist

I love stumbling upon a new tool I didn’t know existed, and it’s been several months since the last time I did. Typically, I spot these on the Internet and a...

I Just Don’t Get

I enjoy seeing the craftsmanship of others, but every now and then you see a wooden creation and wonder: What were they thinking? But people actually buy these things, so they...

IWF Doubles Down

I’ve always felt positively when a business opens a second location. Doing well enough to expand is always a good sign for the business, and the economy at large. I...

A Teaching Moment

How much does the general public know about forestry and the timber industry? As woodworkers, we have a decent knowledge of the timber industry and issues that affect our number...

Love It but Don’t Like It

Can you both like and dislike a well-done project at the same time? There are as many woodworking tastes as there are woodworkers, and what appeals to one doesn’t always...

Ceasefire?

It looks like the SawStop battle is over, at least for now. It was only a year ago when it seemed a certainty that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission...

He Was Made for Lovin’ This

Rock star Paul Stanley had a string of hits as co-founder and lead singer of the classic rock band KISS, but it was a custom furniture maker that made a...

I’ve Seen The Future

I admit I haven’t followed the competition for a couple years, but after reading a recent article in Woodshop News on the 2025 Fresh Wood winners from this year’s AWFS Fair in Las Vegas,...