Once the smokestacks were glued in, it was time for the paint job. My plan was to leave the deck floors in their natural wood look and only paint the ship’s elevations. Check out part 1 and part 2. First, I affixed masking tape underneath the main deck line (Masking Tape 1) and painted all…

This table design is reminiscent of suspension style bridges, and is easy to build in a weekend. Project #2413 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 2 Day • Cost: $150 I built the first of these “torsion tables” for my book “Making Elegant Custom Tables,” and it wasn’t until years later that I realized that…

After finishing all the work on the bandsaw, I clamped the hull in a vise and, with the help of a rasp and a file, fine-tuned the bow and stern. Be sure and check out Part One of this project. Notes on the Top Deck and Bridge When reducing a complex shape like a ship…

All the flavors of walnut shine in this versatile storage and serving piece. Project #2313 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 60 hours • Cost: $1,000 My sister asked me to make a dining table and sideboard for her house. She was ready to move on from garage sale finds and inherited pieces that filled…

This traveler’s tool case project is a great way for the wayfaring woodworker to bring tools along for the ride.

Only a handful of tools are needed to recreate this iconic vessel. A few years ago, I crafted three identical waterline wooden toy ships based on the iconic design of the RMS Titanic and its sister ships, the Olympic and Britannic. My iterations of these ships were simple, excluding masts and delicate parts, as these…

The Windsor form survives trial by fire. The blaze started sometime after midnight. A weak spot in the chimney broke and glowing embers spilled out onto dry timbers. By the time the fire crew arrived and strung hoses from a nearby stream, it was all they could do to keep the adjoining barns and outbuildings…

This table design is reminiscent of suspension style bridges, and is easy to build in a weekend. Project #2413 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 2 Day • Cost: $150 I built the first of these “torsion tables” for my book “Making Elegant Custom Tables,” and it wasn’t until years later that I realized that…

All the flavors of walnut shine in this versatile storage and serving piece. Project #2313 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 60 hours • Cost: $1,000 My sister asked me to make a dining table and sideboard for her house. She was ready to move on from garage sale finds and inherited pieces that filled…

Waterlox is a mainstay for furniture makers. Follow these steps to get a deep glow, a buttery-smooth surface and unmatched protection.

Dramatic details showcase leaded glass and English style. Foreward: Nancy Hiller (1959-2022) Nancy Hiller was a trailblazing writer and furniture maker who lived fully in two worlds. That of a small-town furniture maker known for taking on difficult projects. And that of a forceful yet careful writer who inspired a generation of woodworkers to pick…

As special as the treasures it will hold. An old, nearly disintegrated steamer trunk in my grandfather’s basement held forgotten treasure—letters, photos, and a hand-written recipe for figgy pudding from my grandmother’s early life on a Kansas farm during the depression. Not pirate’s gold, of course, but treasure to me, nonetheless. So, when a gentleman…

I felt like I won the storage-space lottery when I came up with this bench design for my shop. I wanted a way to store lumber and my benchtop tools. The backbones of this bench are the 2 x 4 frames. For my 8-ft. bench, I made four frames. The rest of the materials were…

Tool: 7 in. Carpenters Vise Shop Now   Manufacturer: Doyle MSRP: $69.99 I recently saved an old workbench from the scrap heap, and the first thing I knew it needed (after a good cleaning and flattening) was a vise. I wondered aloud to Logan if Harbor Freight had anything, then decided to check online. Just…

An 18th-century French workbench is quite possibly the most perfect design ever put to paper. In the 18th century it was common for the workrooms and living areas of a home to share the same space. A workbench, for example, would not be out of place in the front room of the house. This small…

Since I received my Benchcrafted Roubo workbench a year ago, my woodworking life has tremendously improved. My new and heavy bench (I wrote about it here and here) has 1” holdfast holes that can be fitted with the excellent Crucible tools ductile cast iron holdfast that Chris Schwarz makes. The 1” holes and the monumental…

The bench hook is without question one of the most indispensable tools in my wood shop. The force of gravity and the force of using the tool up against a solid fence is all that it takes to keep the work from moving. It’s deceptively sophisticated and exceptionally simple to make. It’s a great choice…

Modern hardware and techniques update this Tage Frid-inspired bench. Scandinavian- or Continental-style workbenches are the vinyl LP records of the woodworking world. These iconic benches have never left the scene. A few are classics and others are the flavor of the month. Some benches in this style are masterworks and some are poor approximations of…

Giving a little bit of attention to the flooring in your shop can make your shop more inviting and more comfortable to work in. When’s the last time you took a good hard look at your shop floor? I know that’s an odd question. But if you think about it, it’s the one thing in…

Practice your hand-tool skills and make a pair of strong, collapsible workshop companions. About a year and a half ago my wife took a job in eastern North Carolina. My work is still on the western end of the state, so most weeks I travel back and forth from one end of The Old North…

Follow these best practices to get the most out of your dust collection system. I don’t think that there has been something that’s increased my enjoyment in the shop as much as getting a good dust collection system in place. I enjoy working in a clean space, and any rogue dust drives me nuts (let…

Replace your router’s base with one that is oversized and stable. The router can be a great friend in the woodshop, but it’s one of those friends with character traits that aren’t welcome in all situations. Like the fraternity brother you want at your bachelor party but not necessarily at your wedding ceremony, the router…

These simple shop storage solutions are quick to build, but will make a big impact in your shop. Project #2408 • Skill Level: Beginner • Time: 1 Day • Cost: $10-40 Sometimes, it’s the simplest things that can make your life better. That holds true in the shop as well. Often times, taking a bit…

Every shop can use more storage. This set of cabinets looks as good in the shop as they would in the home. Project #2411 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 4 Days • Cost: $1000 Get full details on the drawers and countertop in the online extras. Shopping for pre-made cabinets, you’ll likely find woefully…

Today Logan is showing you how to make a rustic bench that would be great around the fire pit, a front porch, or even as part of a farmhouse dining set. This is the perfect weekend project for you to undertake this fall. You can purchase Lumberjack tools from the Popular Woodworking Store.

This table design is reminiscent of suspension style bridges, and is easy to build in a weekend. Project #2413 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 2 Day • Cost: $150 I built the first of these “torsion tables” for my book “Making Elegant Custom Tables,” and it wasn’t until years later that I realized that…

These stylish amplifiers not only boost volume but can also improve the sound quality of your phone’s built-in speaker. Project #2412 • Skill Level: Beginner • Time: 2 Days • Cost: $5 Plastic smartphone amplifiers can be had for about $15 a piece, but expect to fork out $100 or even more for a fancy…