How To Lay Out Compound Angle Dovetails
A system as elegant as the joint itself. Compound-angle dovetails are some of the most beguiling joints in all woodworking. But, as John Lennon once suggested, they can be as difficult to make as [...]
Choosing Hand Planes
Match the size to the job–that’s the key Hand planes come in a bewildering variety of sizes. Why are there so many? I’ll help explain this mystery by dividing the field into four groups, in order [...]
Why You Need a Moisture Meter
It can save you lots of money—and grief! Are you a scrounger? Always looking for a deal? Self-reliant? Those words fit a lot of woodworkers, particularly those who search for unusual or [...]
Back Rabbets
The fastest way to rabbet the back of a cabinet is to do it all at once, after the cabinet is assembled. Unlike rabbeting individual pieces before assembly, I don’t have to worry about where to [...]
Classic Door Joinery
How to make strong mortise and tenon joints with a plunge router and a tablesaw. Imagine turning the clock back 500 years and visiting a fellow woodworker in any large European town. You could [...]
Homemade Hose Adapter
Hoses and dustports come in so many different diameters that you can go crazy trying to match them up. Sometimes, you can find a hose or adapter that will fit inside a dustport, but its smaller [...]
Mistake Magnifier
How do you know when your miter gauge is set exactly at 90°? Here’s a method I learned years ago, before I could afford a precision square to check the cut. You’ll need a 24″ [...]
Torsion Beams
They’re the next best thing to a giant assembly table. Maybe better! The next time you need a sturdy, level work surface, I’ve got the perfect solution for you: sawhorses and a pair of torsion [...]
Improved Crosscut Sled
Crosscut sleds have been around for a long time, but few are ideal. Many are heavy and hard to store. Most develop an extra-wide saw cut in the fence and allow the blade to throw sawdust in your [...]
Jointer Fence Straight-Edge
Can you assume that a board is straight, just because you’ve jointed its full length? Nope. It can still be as bowed as ever. You really should check it before moving on to the next piece. [...]
Compact Miter Saw Stand
It’s all made from one sheet of plywood. Space is at a premium in my small shop. Everything goes on wheels and is as compact as possible–including this miter saw stand. I made the stand quite [...]
The Sketchbook of Henry Lapp
An illuminating look at the life of a 19th century country cabinetmaker. Daydreaming in my shop, I’m imagining a warm summer day way back in 1899. Just after supper, Henry Lapp sits at a pine [...]