Techniques

This topic has appeared once or twice on woodworking blogs. So why list the benefits of SketchUp for woodworkers again? Here’s why: There are still too many woodworkers out there...

Rip Fence for Plastic Laminate I used to work in a cabinet shop that churned out countertops by the truckload. We used this simple jig to keep plastic laminate from...

Q: I am really puzzled as to how the tail vise actually works as I have only used a front vise. A: A tail vise’s main purpose is to hold...

Ultimate Tool Stand An easy-to-use space saver with more functions than a Swiss army knife. By Dave Munkittrick For those of us who share shop space with a car or...

A Little Bit of Buried Treasure   A friend of mine had an old two-seater Adirondack chair that she figured was rotting and ready for the landfill. But she liked...

Is there any advantage/disadvantage to installing a dust collector outside the shop? It may sound as resolute as a long-range weather forecast, but yes, maybe and no. It is really...

Laminated Pedestal Table Curved legs make this table strong, practical and attractive. By Fred Matlack After knocking my knee on the leg of our kitchen table and spilling the gravy...

Q: I use my jointer to clean up sawn edges before glue-up. The results are great except when I try to joint figured wood. Any suggestions? A: Jointing highly figured...

Wicked Sharp For the ultimate edge, use a leather strop. By Alan Turner I have a special set of chisels that I only use for paring. To do a good...

Woodworkers love their toys. Table saws, jointers and planers are serious big-boy (and big-girl) toys. Planes, chisels and saws are cherished, too, and though we all take our craft and...

Clamp Leash My spring clamps always seem to be out of reach or scattered around the shop. To solve my problem, I suspended my dog’s old leash over my workbench....

Cordless Jointer.  Yup, it's late. But it's still Friday. It's been a whirlwind of a week. While working on a project today, I got to use one of my favorite...