Traveling Tool Chest

Historic proportions and details are still the best. Since I started woodworking in about 1993, I’ve stored my tools in almost every way imaginable – from plastic buckets to wall...

Compound Angles; No Math

Once you understand ‘resultant’ angles, sawbenches (and chairs) are easy. Most first-time chairmakers are intimidated by the compound joinery used to fasten all the legs, stretchers, spindles and [...]

Kreg Precision Router Table

Tool: Precision Router Table System Manufacturer: Kreg MSRP: $549.00 Some router tables have gotten so complex and expensive that they actually rival a decent shaper. I’ve always preferred simple [...]

American Gothic

This early form – an aumbry – spawned many different types of furniture. It is easy to forget that many of our favorite pieces of furniture are recent innovations. Forms...

Shellac Tiger Flakes

Tool: Tiger Flakes Manufacturer: Brooklyn Tool & Craft MSRP: $28+ Because shellac is my favorite finish, I have tried nearly every brand of flakes on the market. By far, my...

Blue Spruce Joiner’s Mallets

Tool: Rectangular Mallet Manufacturer: Blue Spruce Toolworks MSRP: $85 For some woodworkers, building your own mallet is a rite of passage. After using dozens of student-made mallets, however, I [...]

Folding Bookcase

Though not as lightweight as an eReader, this portable library is far more stylish. Bookcases that fold up like a clamshell were common among British travelers of the 19th century....

BenchCrafted Classic Leg Vise

Tool: Classic Leg Vise Manufacturer: BenchCrafted MSRP: $210 Until recently, workbench hardware on the market was so pitiful that you were better off looking for vintage vises and screws for your...