Shop Blog

On this way to work this morning, I heard Guy Clark’s “Step Inside this House” (it was Lyle Lovett’s version off his album of the same title). It reminded me...

You may recall Tom Calisto (pictured above holding a Shaker chair he made; Ozzie is holding a sock), a woodworker in Chapel Hill, N.C., from his April 2013 Popular Woodworking...

Q: Does varnish go bad sitting on the shelf? A: Unopened varnish should last for years on the shelf when kept away from excessive heat. When a can is opened...

I’m working on an upcoming article for Popular Woodworking Magazine that includes router-bit storage. There are scads of ways to store router bits; some are worthy of discussion and keep...

With the glue dry, it’s time to see if your square is square – or if it’s a doorstop. Squaring a wooden square is a simple operation if you plan...

Making the blade of the Wierix square is the most creative part of the construction process, when you can get in touch with your inner fledermaus (aka bat). While you...

A customer asked me to make a Wierix try square for him this week, and because it’s silly to make just one wooden square, I’m making a batch of five...

The entries are in; it’s now time to cast your votes in the 2014 PWM Reader Excellence Awards. Your picks in each of the five categories will be featured in...

As September approaches, we are getting revved up about Woodworking in America (WIA) which is held this year in Winston-Salem, N. C. (here’s all the information). New speakers this year...

This time-honored finishing approach helps highlight – not hide – the beauty of your workmanship. Painting wood furniture isn’t quite like slapping a new coat of color on your living-room...

Tambour Doors Disappearing doors hide your clutter and show off your skill. Tambour doors are a bit of woodworking sleight of hand. Now you see them, now you don’t. Fun...

Glue Squeegee I stack-laminate boards to create turning blanks. Each blank contains numerous laminations, so I have to work fast during assembly. To spread glue quickly and evenly, I use...