Tricks of the Trade

This unusual push stick provides fingertip control without risking your fingertips. Its V-notch end wraps around the board’s edge to hold the workpieces against both the table and the fence,...

We’ve all been there: you’re halfway through a sanding session, and your sandpaper—whether it’s a fresh disc on your orbital sander or a sheet wrapped around a block—suddenly stops cutting....

My power tool cords were always in a tangle, so I finally did something about it. All it took was a couple of cable ties; a small standard one and a large resealable one....

C-clamps can make nasty dents that are tough to sand out. Pads or block will prevent this, but they’re often awkward to hold in place while you tighten the clamps....

Wood movement can ruin a seemingly well-constructed project. Luckily getting ahead of the material and calculating wood shrinkage and expansion is fairly easy – all you need to do is...

Most furniture fractures can simply be glued back together. But some breaks are messy, leaving splintery fractures that won’t form a strong glue joint. You could replace the entire part,...

Hanging a wall cabinet is usually a two-person job—one to hold the cabinet level and one to screw it to the wall. I’m nearly always working alone, so I came...

My pneumatic nailer makes quick work of assembling cabinets, but if a nail blows out the side, it can be a real mess. Those power-driven nails often bend or break...

A lot of folks use a stone to put the final edge on a scraper before turning its hook, but I prefer to use a diamond paddle. It cuts faster...

I rarely use a stain or dye right out of the can. I make my own custom mixes in small quantities until I get the color just right. In order...

I didn’t notice this misfit miter until glue-up. Fortunately there’s an easy way to hide narrow gaps like this one. Before the glue dries, rub the corner with a hard,...

Lapping the back of the plane blade can be a lot of work. My fingers have often complained very loudly, so I’ve tried many ways to hold the blade more...