Archives

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...

Tool: Keter Folding Work Table Manufacturer: Keter Price: $89 Here’s a really fresh take on an old idea. The Keter Folding Work Table is a real boon for guys with limited...

Cutting precisely to a line on a miter saw isn’t easy. Usually, you have to make multiple cuts and sneak up to it. My solution is to use this universal...

Turning Tool Tamer by Richard Tendick I was turning a vase recently, and as I got deeper into the turning, the vase’s rotation pulled the tool’s tip down, making it...

Tool: Veritas Butt Chisels Manufacturer: Veritas Price: Starting at $70 Butt chisels have shorter blades than bench chisels and are generally made in wider sizes. They’re typically used for [...]

Tool: O’Keefe’s Working Hands Manufacturer: O’Keefe’s Price: $7.29 (3.4oz) Dry, cracked hands are the bane of many woodworkers, particularly during the cold, dry months in [...]

Balls Away! I’m a big fan of Space Balls, those little rubber balls that install in frame and panel constructions to stop rattles and keep the panels centered. I use...

Tool: Kreg K5 Manufacturer: Kreg Price: $129 Pocket hole joinery has been synonymous with the name Kreg for years. Kreg’s jigs have always been affordable and user-friendly. With the new K5...

Hose-Free Nailer Editor’s Pick Tool: Ryobi P320 Airstrike 18 Volt One+ Manufacturer: Ryobi Price: $99 (bare tool) No hose? No compressor? Now that’s an idea I can get behind. The new...

Sometimes I prefer to sand by hand using a rubber block. This method gives me a better feel for the work than using a random-orbit sander does. Blocks like mine...

A can of lubricant is very useful around the shop, and so is the little red straw… if you can find it after the first use! I figured out that...

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...