There’s no need to fear the most versatile machine in the modern shop. There are good reasons that the table saw is at the center of many shops. This machine revolutionized the way we make things. And in recent years, it has become the center of controversy on two fronts: safety and accuracy. There is…

Tool: eCAPR Respirator Shop Now   Manufacturer: MAXAIR MSRP: $769+ If you’ve been a subscriber to Popular Woodworking for a while, you’ve probably noticed that I like to turn. A few issues back, I covered some of my top turning accessories—one of those was the Sundstrom SR500/700 respirator. I had many emails from people saying…

I like to buy used electric motors for powering various tools around the shop. I also use them to mount grinding wheels, wire brushes and buffing wheels. I typically outfit the motors with toggle switches because they’re light and small. However, as unobtrusive as they are, I would occasionally catch my sleeve on a switch,…

My lathe came with a lamp, but the lathe’s manual has this weird warning: “Position the work lamp so that wood chips do not accumulate inside the lamp shade and pose a fire hazard.” Now, where in the world could the lamp go? When I turn, chips fly everywhere! It occurred to me that metal…

Even though my shop is well-lit, sometimes I need more light right on my work area. Instead of rigging up additional lights, I attach a small clip-on LED light to my cap’s brim. It’s great for working inside cabinets or doing close work of any kind. The light shines right where you’re looking. You can buy…

It is estimated that nearly 80 percent of all woodworking requires some type of sawing. The power, accuracy and control of the table saw has made the process of sawing wood a lot more productive and a lot less physical. It’s arguable as to who first invented the circular saw, but one thing is certain…

Bow Blues After preparing the laminations, bending form and heat box for the fiberglass longbow I planned to build, I mixed the epoxy—and promptly began to mess up the entire project. First, I laid down the laminations in the wrong order, so I had to pry the sticky mess apart and start over. Then, while…

Pants on Fire When Daylight Savings Time begins, I make it a point to change the batteries in the three smoke detectors in my workshop. It was that time again, so I bought new 9-volt batteries and got out the ladder. To keep both hands free, I stored the batteries in my back pockets, keeping…

Cordless Curler As I leaned over to press down while drilling some holes in a board, my long hair slipped into the drill’s vent slots and got caught in the motor. Before I could release the trigger, my head was pulled down tight against the drill. In shock, I  ran into the house to survey…

Back Leg Boo-Boo My wife asked me to repair a wobbly kitchen chair. All the joints below the seat had failed, so it didn’t take much to knock apart the legs and stretchers. The joints were a bit loose after I removed all the glue, so I planned to wrap a shaving from a hand…

Planer-Puss After my friend Jason and I purchased a truckload of rough lumber, we headed for his garage workshop to plane the boards before divvying them up. All of Jason’s tools are on mobile bases, because he has to share the space with the family cars. So, as he horsed the planer into position, I…

Flying Sawdust Last summer, due to the heat, I covered my portable saw with a canvas tarp and retreated to the cooler air inside my basement shop.  For two months, the saw sat under the shed roof, unattended, until I needed to cut some boards that were too long and unwieldy to maneuver in my…