Projects

One of the most popular projects my students ask to build is a sword. Alongside boatmaking or crafting a gnome house, swordmaking has become one of the signature fourth-grade projects we do once [...]

This small linen chest can be made in batches, and the lid presents some fun challenges during the process. Project #2502 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 2 Days • Cost: $20 Inspiration for a [...]

I recently made a few softwood handles on the table saw using a method that streamlines a simple yet elegant design—handles that can handle a lot. These handles are thick, tactile, strong, and [...]

Make this sturdy circle cutting jig in a day, with readily available hardware, and you’ll be cutting perfect circles at the bandsaw. I delayed, stalled, and put off a circle cutting jig for the [...]

Traditional construction techniques make this Limbert Style #357 bookcase a real gem. Project #2312 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 4 Days • Cost: $500 Original Limbert case pieces are really [...]

Contrasting woods highlight the elegant lines of this Gustav Stickley-designed classic. In days gone by, a chest similar to this would contain a bride’s dowry. The form goes back to Gothic times, [...]

This wall shelf is an elegant, simple way to showcase a special piece of woodworking —an Asa-no-ha Kumiko panel. Project #2218 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 2 Days • Cost: $75 Inspiration [...]

Building a throne for the common man. I’m sitting here listening to Fiona Richie’s “Thistle & Shamrock” radio show, thinking of an old friend, John Brown, from Ireland, and the ties between [...]

Tapping a New Thread When you can’t find the right thumb screw for an old tool (see Part 1 here), your best option is to drill and tap a new hole to accommodate a modern fastener. In the case …

There’s not enough room in my garage shop for a tablesaw with a 52-in.-capacity rip fence. But no worries—I don’t need one! To make wide cuts, I simply install a shop-made extension that bridges [...]

This weekend project lets you show off one dazzling board. True story. I first built a headboard like this years ago using only a miter saw, router, sander and a drill. My shop was just a [...]

Adapted from a 19th-century example, this wall-hung shelf is perfect for displaying your treasures.