Tools

An antique dealer’s secret formula for turning gunk into glow. I’ll bet you’ve got an old, tarnished plane sitting somewhere in your shop. Maybe it was your grandfather’s tool–one he...

This tool is a carver’s dream, but it had to be saved from history first.  There is an unfortunate reality that many woodworking techniques and tools have been lost to...

We visit a manufacturing facility to get the nitty-gritty on making abrasives. In all likelihood sandpaper isn’t made the way you probably think it’s made. In fact, what is most...

It’s easy to get a handle on which whacker to choose. If you’ve ever whacked a carving tool or pounded a joint using your palm or the side of your...

As most of you probably know by now, I’m a woodworker who doesn’t let a bit of rust stand in the way of putting a tool back to work —...

Once you understand the anatomy of a handplane, you’ll be well on your way to using it with success. [View the full-size exploded view of a handplane here] Handplanes are...

For the cost of one large piece of machinery, you can set up a complete shop with hand tools. Here's what you need to get started.

Safety is #1 in the workshop. Before you’re ready to lift a single hammer or cut a single board, you’re going to want to understand the impact of safety in...

For those of us who don’t own a lathe, or who sometimes need a quick turning solution for small objects without the fuss of a full lathe setup, there is...

This shaping powerhouse has fallen out of favor of router tables, but in some instances, it may be the better tool in your shop. When it comes to being a...

Three weeks ago, I decided to check the small shop vac I had hooked up to my Delta bandsaw. To my surprise, it was packed full of sawdust—years’ worth of...

A few months ago, while visiting the Rockler store in Cincinnati, I spotted a small ruler hanging by the checkout counter. It was promoted at a cost of around $6....