Sanding Savings

Right up front I have to say that I’m not a cheap person. I’m really not. But I’m also the kind of person that hates to spend more than I need, even if it takes more work. That’s the case …

Family Roots

Family-run, from one generation to another. There’s been a changing of the guard at Grizzly Industrial. Shabir Balolia — son of company founder Shiraz Balolia — has been named president. For any [...]

Dust Bomb

That little hand blower I talked about recently has become a constant companion. It hasn’t replaced my air compressor, though, because there are still two important things it does that the hand [...]

Double-duty Dynamos

Lasers can be both woodworking and metalworking tools. I got my laser engraver/cutters primarily to work wood and consider them woodworking tools first and foremost. But woodwork is supported by [...]

Small Tool, Big Wind

This handy little tool is like an air compressor in your pocket. I love finding new tools, or even tools that have been around a while that I’ve just learned about. Not sure what I was actually [...]

Judging Panels

It’s pointless to complain how “they don’t make ’em like they used to.” I’ve pointed out that that’s not always true: They still make ’em, but it will cost you more. And unless you’re lucky, [...]

Crooked Cabinets

Take the money and run. At least, until you’re caught. Every professional woodshop has heard horror stories about subpar work and unreliability of some shops. They give the good shops a bad name, [...]

Theory of Evolution

All living things evolve, and so do woodshops. No matter where I’ve lived, I’ve changed my shop around — relocating cabinets or shelves, changing one work area to another, adding to the [...]

A Clear Alternative

What could you do with see-through wood? Transparent wood isn’t a new thing. A German botanist developed a basic way to create it three decades ago.  It wasn’t very good and, honestly, not all [...]

The Latest in the Game

There’s new player in the loose tenon market. I’ve talked a couple times now about inexpensive jigs that turn a small router into a Festool Domino type tool. Available in a couple variations from [...]

The Market is There

With the right pricing formula, there’s always someone ready to buy your work. Pricing isn’t mysterious. Typically, it’s a factor of time and materials. The cost of materials is set by someone [...]

Magnetic Muscle

Is there any doubt that magnets positively rule? I’ve never welded anything in my life, but found a great woodworking use for something familiar to metalworkers. And it’s no wonder I like them: [...]