Boatbuilder’s Shop

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the October/November 2009 issue of American Woodworker The impetus for building my shop was to satisfy a passion that my late brother Glen...

Kick the Can

Kick the Can When I was a boy, my dad taught me a great way to re-seal a can of stain. He would place the open can on the floor...

Cheap Shop Supplies

When buying supplies for my shop, I often visit a store where stuff costs around $1. Many items sell for much more at a home improvement store, so I save...

Rural Shop

Having been a woodworker for well over fifty years, I knew what I wanted in a shop: an ample assembly area with plenty of natural light and my tools close...

Sure Shot

SURE SHOT When I found out my wife was pregnant with our first child, I decided to make a cradle. Nine months seemed like plenty of time, but naturally, I...

Snake Surprise

Snake Surprise While I was visiting my brother in Florida, he showed me his latest toy, a Wood-Mizer portable sawmill. A huge hickory log was mounted on the cutting platform....

Ripping Thin Pieces

While making Shaker boxes, I built a jig to accurately rip 1/16″ thick strips without getting my hands too close to the blade. In fact, I can leave the guard...

Instant Rosewood

I like to use purpleheart pen blanks because they’re less expensive than other exotic hardwoods. Recently, I stumbled on a cool trick. I discovered that I could cause the wood...

Extreme Block Planes

Tool: Nx60 Shop Now  and DX60 Shop Now  Manufacturer: Lee Valley MSRP: $209+ These low-angle block planes from Lee Valley are beautiful marriages of fine art and sound engineering. [...]

Clear Up Scuffed Blade Guards

After years of use, I could hardly see through my table saw’s guard. While at a car show, I heard that polish for renewing aluminum wheels also worked to clear...

Super Glued

SUPER GLUED After making a small repair with super glue, I put the tube in my pocket and forgot about it. Later, when I saw the tube’s cap sitting on...

Small Size, Big Features

Tool: Excalibur EX-16 Shop Now  Manufacturer: General International MSRP: $499.99 Cramped for space? If so, this compact scroll saw from General International may be just the [...]