Below you’ll find smart woodworking techniques including quick tips, advice for beginners and more advanced methods to improve your skills and allow you to get the most out of your workshop and tools. Whether you’re looking for traditional woodworking techniques using hand tools or power tools, finishing or sharpening advice, or just want to hone your woodworking basics, the advice below is from seasoned and trusted woodworkers and furniture makers working at the top of their field.
They’re a sure sign of good craftsmanship, but are almost invisible. Small and discreet, knife hinges lend a tidy, refined look to your project. They’re ideal for a small cabinet if you want the [...]
What makes this wood so special? Fungus. If there’s one wood that can really challenge your sense of design—and your woodworking skills—it’s spalted maple. Those inky black lines can both delight [...]
The ‘flat-board-first’ method enables you to veneer a curved part with any pattern you want. Boldness with balance—that’s how I see the front apron of a classic Federal card table. I love the way [...]
You can hold anything on your workbench with just pegs, wedges & notches – no fancy vises required. It’s difficult for most woodworkers to imagine a workbench without screw-driven vises. But [...]
These notched sticks simplify your workholding at the bench. Workbenches didn’t always have vises. In fact, for most of human history, workbenches around the world were nothing more than a [...]
Chainsaw Carving is a unique art form that tends to fascinate viewers and carvers alike. People often ask, “How did you start chainsaw carving?” And I’m eager to share a bit of my carving [...]
Strength, patience and a sharp saw turn scraps into treasure. The hardwoods I use are almost always riven or split from a log. When I need thinner pieces than usual, I split them again. But there [...]
Add a new dimension to your work with a few basic skills and an inexpensive machine. Woodworkers are joining the welding renaissance that’s happening among makers. Understanding the fundamentals [...]
This workbench form is uncommon today, but it is still a sound bench because it allows you to perform all of the critical workbench operations with relative ease. Benches are a triumph of [...]
One jig opens up a whole world of useful shapes If you’ve ever wanted to venture beyond the world of squares and circles, consider incorporating elliptical shapes into your next design. Cutting [...]
Affordable line lasers and a simple setup make for perfect angled drilling. I’m a 21st-century Windsor chairmaker. I build chairs using mostly hand tools: froes, drawknives, spokeshaves, [...]
Why liquid hide glue should be your first choice as an adhesive. Since the beginnings of civilization up until World War II, most pieces of furniture were assembled using animal-based glues. That [...]