Tricks of the Trade

My small air compressor cycled so often during use that the noise almost drove me crazy. As much as I hated to spend money, it looked like a bigger compressor would be my only option. That’s when [...]

Countersink first, drill the pilot hole second. That may sound backward, but it’s the easiest way to ensure a perfect countersink.

Here’s a no-frills, adjustable block for making stopped cuts. Cut three pieces of 3/4″ plywood sized to fit your tablesaw’s rip fence. Install a T-nut in one of the side pieces before [...]

Avoid shellac drips, sags and runs by making sure your brush is properly loaded. After dipping your brush in the shellac and drawing it across the edge of the can, lightly dab it on a lint-free [...]

I frequently need an outfeed table or work support for long pieces, so I built this T-shaped assembly to use in conjunction with my Black & Decker Workmate. The table is just a horizontal [...]

I made this quick-release sanding block from four pieces of 1/2″-thick birch plywood. The top three pieces are glued together. Wrap a quarter sheet of sandpaper around the bottom piece and [...]

Every woodworker I know uses water-borne polyurethane. Of all the ways I’ve seen to get a silk-smooth finish, abrasive, steel-wool substitute pads are by far the best. The coarseness of the pad [...]

Need to glue metal to wood? The answer is easy — epoxy! Epoxy bonds many kinds of materials to one another, including wood, metal, fiberglass, masonry, tile, concrete, and plaster. It will not, [...]

A workpiece ALWAYS SLIPS when placed vertically in my vise, because the vise racks. To solve the problem, I made a vise spacer from a 1”x 2”x 6” hardwood block, a 1/4” T-nut, a 1/4” x …

While on the job site and installing cabinets, I was preparing to scribe a face frame to fit against an irregular wall when I realized I forgot to bring my compass. I was wondering if I had time [...]

For thorough mixing, a powered paddle is the way to go. Here’s an easy way to make one from a 3/8″ dowel rod. First, cut a slot in the end of the dowel. To do this, attach a fence to [...]

I ran short of clamps in the heat of making a set of panel doors, so I quickly made more from stuff I had in my shop. These clamps are based on an old design, but the idea still works …