Techniques

Careful layout and precise cutting are the keys to getting a beautiful marquetry panel. It’s difficult to describe the excitement I feel when I start a new double-bevel marquetry project. The [...]

Grind, hone, polish: the basics of all sharpening. Among the fundamental skills necessary for good woodworking, I’d put knowing how to sharpen your edge tools at the top of the list. Even if you [...]

Whether a hobby or a small business, it’s a woodworker’s dream job. As a craftsman, I’ve always enjoyed building stuff. But the pivotal point that led me into woodworking [...]

Every woodworker eventually faces a universal challenge: needing to glue up a long panel, like a tabletop or a shelf, only to find that your longest clamp is still inches too short to span the [...]

Get a razor edge on tools that are tricky to sharpen. A dull tool is a dangerous tool. A lot of people struggle with sharpening their tools, but it is important to keep your tools sharp. A sharp [...]

If you recall, a few years ago I wrote about the method I use to teach my students how to drill wide holes—around 1-3/8 inches or even wider—at the base of a stool seat to anchor the legs. Since [...]

Learn how to repair typical damage Thirty-five years ago, I traded $125 worth of work for the mid-19th-century Empire chest-of-drawers pictured here. You could argue that I paid too much, because [...]

From butt joints to dovetails, every builder should know these essential woodworking joints —and when to use each one. The following is a small sample from the book The Complete Starter Guide to [...]

When you need a jig, or you’re assembling a simple utility box for the shop, sometimes speed and practicality matter more than tradition. In these situations—and in many of the most basic tenets [...]

  Most woodworking projects involve roughing, refining, and finishing steps, and using the right tool for each makes the work both precise and efficient. Too often we hear that hand tools [...]

Six common situations where specialty glues serve you well. It goes without saying that most of our projects would be nothing more than a loose assembly of parts without the holding power of [...]

Work with the grain when gluing panels, even when the grain throws you a curve. When I look at a piece of furniture, aside from its design and craftsmanship, I examine how the wood was used. How [...]