Dovetail Markers

These simple shop-made helpers will make marking less of a chore. Marking out dovetails for hand cutting goes much easier with these helpers. Held in place while hooked over the end of a board, [...]

The Striking Knife

Discover a nearly extinct tool that can help you work faster and more accurately. As preposterous as the notion seems, the historical record suggests cabinetmakers working in dim shops with hand [...]

Whittling Basics, Part 3

Parting and Pulling Techniques Part 1: Introduction • Part 2: Push and Peel Knife Maneuvers • Part 4: Rounding the Tree • Part 5: Sculpting the Branches • Part 6: Attach to The Base Continuing [...]

Whittling Basics, Part 2

Mastering the Push and Peel Knife Maneuvers Part 1: Introduction • Part 3: Parting and Pulling Techniques • Part 4: Rounding the Tree • Part 5: Sculpting the Branches • Part 6: Attach to The Base [...]

Small-shop Efficiencies

Simplification and organization are the keys to success. I’ve worked in a small workshop for many years now. Many, if not most woodworkers, would classify my 7′ x 13′ space more as a [...]

Chipbreaker: Theory & Use

Most bench planes come equipped to eliminate tear-out. Handplanes are great tools for creating a smooth, finish-ready surface on a board without the dust and noise from a sander. If the board is [...]

21 Drum Sander Tips

Maximize your drum sander’s potential. 1. Skip the Scrape Eliminate laborious hand scraping of dried glue: contrary to popular belief, you can take glue-ups directly to your drum sander. [...]

Whittling Basics, Part 1

An Introduction to Whittling Part 2: Push and Peel Knife Maneuvers • Part 3: Parting and Pulling Techniques • Part 4: Rounding the Tree • Part 5: Sculpting the Branches • Part 6: Attach to The [...]

Eastwood Ottoman Upholstery

After the woodworking is done, finish your project with upholstery to match. The topic of DIY upholstery interests many woodworkers, however, few have access to detailed tutorials. Tacking a [...]

How to Install Butt Hinges

For this work, hand tools are better than power tools. Fitting butt hinges is exacting work. For precision, you might think that power tools are the way to go, but I always turn to a small set of [...]

Making Multiples

Sometimes, unique is exactly what you want to avoid when turning. If you turn, sooner or later you are going to find yourself facing  some project that requires several (or many) duplicate [...]