Tricks of the Trade

Microfiber cloth picks up tiny dust particles as well as, if not better than, a tack cloth. Unlike a tack cloth, microfiber cloths are washable and reusable. Rockler Sells Norton’s microfiber [...]

A mobile workbench is handy in a small shop—until you want it to stand still! These levers work like a cam and prevent the bench from wiggling.

Check out these cheap and easy ideas to make the most of your small shop space.

You can use a router to joint two boards at once. This is a really handy trick if you don’t have a long-bed jointer or you don’t have a jointer at all, and you’re working with [...]

A storage tray is a useful addition to any stationary tool. Add a table saw tray to your shop to keep tools handy, yet out of the way.

I wanted to use my benchtop belt sander as a safe and accurate way to grind my hand tools. By adding a little extension table that is co-planar with the sanding surface, I can use my honing [...]

A collection of our favorite router tricks recently unearthed from our archives. A router is truly one of the most versatile tools in the shop. Enjoy!

Go to your local building supply store, and find a cheap plunger (mine was $3). Then take the handle off and use it for a jam chuck on your lathe – mine gets the most use when reversing hollow [...]

Following up on a promise from a previous trick, in this video, we take a look at how to replace the sandpaper on a disc sander. If “big deal” is running through your head, then [...]

Many new chisels, especially most premium-quality chisels, have sharp lands (the beveled side edges). Some people wear cotton gloves to protect their hands when using these, but I don’t like the [...]

I learned this in engineering school and soon found out it worked for my router. It is called the “right-hand thumb rule.” When trying to remember which way your router bit is spinning so you can [...]

Here’s a tip on how to cut curves on the bandsaw. When cutting a circle or an odd shape from a square piece of lumber on a bandsaw, you’ve probably dealt with the annoying corners that try [...]