Tool: STSQ4 4-1/2″ Trim Square Shop Now • STSQ7 7″ Carpenter Square Shop Now • STSQ7-L 7″ Carpenter Square with Level Shop Now Manufacturer: Stiletto MSRP: $74.99 • $84.99 • $99.99 Stiletto, a longtime hand tool maker known for their hammers, is entering the measurement tool market with a trio of new squares. There’s a pair…

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, John, Phil, and Logan are talking about this year’s black walnut harvest (the nut, not the wood), possible livestock acquisitions, and maybe if they have time they’ll get to some woodworking and tool talk. Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here.

I use a piece of painter’s tape to mark dadoes when I assemble cabinets. Then I know exactly where to shoot nails or install screws and there aren’t any pencil lines to sand off when I’m finished. I just remove the tape. -Stanley Krasovic

This rolling stand is the perfect mobile workstation. Use it for a computer in your shop or to mount a power tool.  Project #2303 • Skill Level: Beginner • Time: 2 Days • Cost: $120 Over the last few years, I have become interested in CNC. In fact, I recently decided to add a medium sized…

Move beyond a measured drawing and let your imagination reign. My 6-year-old nephew, Ryan, loves to eat cheese puffs and play with Legos. For his birthday, I bought him a set of the colorful plastic bricks to build a Lego attack helicopter, then watched as he meticulously assembled each piece exactly as depicted on the…

Over the last several years, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with various people, and sharing their stories through this magazine is one of the things that I genuinely enjoy. For example, I’d like to introduce you to my friend Lupe Nielsen.  I met Lupe through my friend Jimmy Clewes, who you’ve seen…

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…

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast with John, Logan, and Phil is going to be a random grab-bag of woodworking nonsense. (So basically, we did not do the required reading before the podcast.) Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here.

Sculpting the Tree Branches Part 1: Introduction • Part 2: Push and Peel Knife Maneuvers • Part 3: Parting and Pulling Techniques • Part 4: Rounding the Tree We’ve reached the final stages of the whittling journey – crafting the tree branches. Let’s start by tracing five or more circles around the tree cone. As…

It’s a crate. It’s a cabinet. It’s useful shop furniture. Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the February 2014 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. One of the enduring features of Roy Underhill’s “The Woodwright’s Shop” PBS television show is the familiar and rambling backdrop of former projects, parts, tools and wood that frames most…

Cutting miters so they are ‘just right’ is a problem faced by all woodworkers. Here’s how to sneak up on the perfect miter with scrap wood and a plane. You find yourself in a quandary. To ensure that you don’t cut a miter too short, you end up cutting it just a bit too long…

Water can cause many problems to finished and unfinished wood. As woodworkers, most of us have come across problems caused by water that we may be asked to repair. The problems can occur in the finish or in the wood if the water gets through the finish. Here are some of the most common problems…

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…

When my bench’s tool tray fills up with sawdust and hardware, I’ve found that the easiest way to clean it is to use a vacuum. To keep the hardware from going into the vacuum, I cover its nozzle with a washing machine lint trap. Lint traps are made for washing machine drain hoses and are…

I purchased this classic tool chest at a yard sale in Maine, while on vacation. The case had only two drawers remaining, and no handle. The seller said he had every intention of restoring it, but never got around to it. I bought it for $15 and proudly showed it to my friend Roger, who…

Scientific Name: Quercus rubra Other Common Names: Northern Red Oak Growing Regions: Canada and the United States. Size Characteristics: Grows to 70 feet tall, with a trunk up to 39 inches in diameter. Characteristics of Wood: The sapwood is almost pure white while the heartwood is usually a red-tinged brown. Once the tree has been…

If you use a cyclone dust collector, you’ve no doubt struggled with emptying the barrel. When it’s filled with dust, it’s really heavy, not to mention the face full of dust you get when you dump it out. The answer is to line the barrel with a trash bag; simple, right? Not exactly. See, when…

Get Great Results without Rubbing Out Maybe I’m crazy, but I like to brush polyurethane. I’ve built more than 50 dining room tables, and I’ve brush-finished every one, using a simple system that consistently provides great results. I’m not a purist. I use tools that you can get at any paint store and I don’t…

One of magic’s oldest box tricks. Magic boxes… Secret compartments… Items that do more than meets the eye… There is such a mystique surrounding these pieces. The world of magic and magicians is full of these. In fact, most of the magic box “secrets” we see today were invented between the mid-19th century to the…

Rounding the Tree Part 1: Introduction • Part 2: Push and Peel Knife Maneuvers • Part 3: Parting and Pulling Techniques • Part 5: Sculpting the Branches In our previous installment, we dived into the part and pull technique to shape the main facets of the trunk (F & E, below). While the part and peel…

Tool: 18V Brushless Jig Saw R86344 Shop Now   Manufacturer: Ridgid MSRP: $179 (bare tool) A thought occurred to me the other day — is the jigsaw the most versatile power tool? It can crosscut and rip. Make straight cuts or curved. It can even cut bevels and compound miters if used correctly. This mental…

On this episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, it’s John, Logan, and Phil with a Handworks recap with chairs, walnuts, and allergies galore. Check out the show notes page for photos and links: https://www.shopnotes.com/article/sho… Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here.

An old-timer showed me this trick years ago and I’ve used it ever since. Plain old waxed paper is great for lubricating my tools’ cast iron tables and miter gauge bars. Whenever I start to feel resistance, I crumple up a couple sheets and rub the surface. That’s all it takes to keep workpieces and…

When you know what you’re doing, chisels can be wonderfully helpful tools. If all you want to do with your chisels is adjust machine-cut joints or slice glue drips, any technique or tool will work. This sort of work is occasional in nature, and not particularly strenuous. But chisels offer woodworkers the opportunity to do…

Establishing Depth Reference A recent project required making a series of small wooden panels with shallow concave faces. For efficiency and accuracy, I decided to make a series of preliminary cuts on the table saw to establish the basic concave surface, then clean up the faces with an angle grinder and disc sander. It worked…

No doubt, you’ll fit right in. A woodworking club offers countless rewards to the aspiring craftsman. It provides a platform for displaying your work. It offers the chance to learn new techniques. It affords you the opportunity to find tutelage and mentoring, like Croesus consulting the Oracle, Luke studying with Yoda, or Chachi hanging with…

These simple shop-made helpers will make marking less of a chore. Marking out dovetails for hand cutting goes much easier with these helpers. Held in place while hooked over the end of a board, these markers allow you, with one placement, to pencil a squared line across the end grain and a tail-slope line down…

Large plastic boxes, the kind that restaurants use for bussing dishes, are perfect for shop drawers. They’re strong, durable and lightweight, plus they have built-in handles. They’re perfect for storing and transporting workshop essentials, from screws to power tools. They come ready-made and they’re super-easy to install. I’ll never build another storage drawer! Bus boxes…

Get organized fast with easy slat construction and versatile hangers. Whether you have an exquisite collection of antique tools or the latest in high-tech gear, this versatile wall rack stores them all within easy reach. It’s easy to build and adapts to fit virtually any wall space. The 48 in. by 48 in. rack shown…

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast with Phil, Logan, and John, we are going to check in on the questions and comments from last episode and a “John Doyle Design Challenge.” Special thanks to our show sponsor Titebond – Woodworkers, builders and contractors depend on Titebond to deliver the most consistent, highest-performing products…

Discover a nearly extinct tool that can help you work faster and more accurately. As preposterous as the notion seems, the historical record suggests cabinetmakers working in dim shops with hand tools were able to produce fine furniture with great speed. Despite the superiority of our modern tools and shops, few can match their productivity….

I don’t use my machinist’s vise often enough to dedicate any of my limited bench space to it. Instead, I keep it tucked under a nearby cabinet for occasional use. I bolted the vise to a board that has a heavy cleat glued to its front edge, which allows me to clamp the whole setup…

So you can’t afford (insert dream tool here). Boo hoo. Hit the flea markets then start making sawdust. Yeah, you heard me. Oh sure, I know exactly how it is. The new catalogs come piling into your mailbox and you’re drooling on your shoes. You need a 36″ planer and an infill plane stuffed with…

A great all-around kitchen utensil. Here’s a great kitchen utensil you’re sure to find indispensable. These wooden tongs feature a unique spring tab mechanism built into a knuckle joint. The joint allows the tongs to be folded flat for storage. When the tongs are opened up, the spring tabs contact each other so the tongs…

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, John, Logan and Phil catch up on listener comments, shop updates, and all that is going on with ShopNotes, Woodsmith, and PopWood over the past week. Special thanks to our show sponsor Titebond – Woodworkers, builders and contractors depend on Titebond to deliver the most consistent, highest-performing…

Discover what really matters when choosing a handsaw. You don’t have to be a saw maker to think about saws like one. Some of the most important decisions made when making a saw get surprisingly little attention from those who buy them. Take hang angle, for example – that’s the angle formed between a saw’s…

Parting and Pulling Techniques Part 1: Introduction • Part 2: Push and Peel Knife Maneuvers • Part 4: Rounding the Tree • Part 5: Sculpting the Branches Continuing our journey through the art of whittling, we arrive at the third part of our series. After successfully carving out the foliage outline on one side (Facet…

John, Phil, and Logan are back in the podcastery making small batch podcasts for your listening pleasure! On this episode of the ShopNotes Podcast the topic of discussion is new tools, making shop projects, and a general update from the Woodsmith, ShopNotes, and PopWood world. Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here. Special thanks…

Scientific Name: Acer rubrum Other Common Names: Carolina red maple, Drummond red maple, Red maple, Scarlet maple, Swamp maple, Water maple. This wood is often found in the same bin as Silver maple. Growing Regions: Maple is found throughout the Northeast in the United States and in Eastern Canada. It is thought to have the…

I’m a great fan of aerosol finishes, especially now that many of them have adjustable tips that make much less splatter. But my shop got so cluttered with half-used cans that I had trouble finding the color I wanted, so I built this simple storage rack for all the cans. Now I can instantly find…

The best work is often built one piece at a time, so toss your cutlist. I have been in professional piano repair and tuning for more than 30 years. My father taught me how to tune by ear. That’s “old-school” style. The piano is an imperfect instrument. When a note is played, a series of…

Safer strippers are having a ‘green’ revival. Methods for removing old paint and finish from furniture have gone through at least four distinct periods. Before solvents became widely available, coatings were removed by scraping, often with glass used like we use scrapers, and sometimes by sanding, after sandpaper became available. (Heat and caustics such as…

Turn a contractor’s tool into a precision woodworking machine. I don’t know of too many woodworking shops, whether home or professional, that don’t have a miter saw as part of their equipment. A miter saw is a fine alternative to a radial-arm saw or circular saw for rough-cutting lumber. It’s also an accurate alternative to…

The strong adhesive and tough plastic of packaging tape allow it to work as a hinge on long, mitered corners. After carefully cutting the miters, lay the boards outside-face up and side by side so their sharp edges touch. Apply strips of tape along each joint, pressing the tape firmly onto the wood, then flip…

Mastering the Push and Peel Knife Maneuvers Part 1: Introduction • Part 3: Parting and Pulling Techniques • Part 4: Rounding the Tree • Part 5: Sculpting the Branches In this installment, I’ll be your guide through the fundamental knife techniques that my students and I employ to sculpt and shape our projects. Our practice…

Tool:ProBlade Tape Measure TB-H2-T-12225 Shop Now Manufacturer: ToughBuilt MSRP: $20.99-$25.99 If you think of a “sexy tool,” a tape measure probably is one of the last things that you’d consider. But at the very least, most of us probably have our favorite one. That is when we can remember where we sat it, at least….

Simplification and organization are the keys to success. I’ve worked in a small workshop for many years now. Many, if not most woodworkers, would classify my 7′ x 13′ space more as a closet than a workshop. In fact, I have seen some master-suite walk-ins that were indeed larger than my shop. The challenges of…

This mahogany Arts & Crafts desk chair exemplifies furniture as art. Most woodworkers are familiar with Arts & Crafts designers William Morris, Gustav Stickley and Charles and Henry Greene. But Charles Rohlfs’ inspiring work is a bit less well-known. Rohlfs, trained as a designer and draftsman, spent his early years designing iron stoves and dabbling…

Most bench planes come equipped to eliminate tear-out. Handplanes are great tools for creating a smooth, finish-ready surface on a board without the dust and noise from a sander. If the board is straight grained and the blade is sharp, it is easy to use a plane. But if the board has some figure, such…

Online extras from the October 2023 #274 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. Download: Coping Saw Full-Size Template

My tight finances forced me to devise an alternative to an expensive bench vise. This simple leg vise – cobbled together from a board, a 3⁄4“-diameter pipe clamp, and a short length of 1⁄2“-diameter pipe – works fine for many of my needs. As seen in the drawing, the pipe clamp extends through the vise…

Normally we cover solid wood in the Wood Encylopedia, but we thought it might be useful to discuss a versatile material for everything from jigs to drawer parts and scroll saw projects. What is baltic birch?: It’s a stable, high-grade plywood with many layers (or “plys”). A 3/ 4″- thick piece of baltic birch will…

Tool:Electric Sawmill G0960 Shop Now Manufacturer: Grizzly MSRP: $3159 As a sawmill owner, I cut lumber for a variety of outlets. Most, I cut for myself. I then dry it and sell it to woodworkers like yourselves. (Heck, I even horde some of it for my projects, but don’t tell my wife that). Other times,…

Dress Up Your Custom Furniture With Custom Knobs Why would you ever make your own when you can buy them for less than a buck? I can think of many reasons. One is wood choice: many knobs are only available in oak, birch/ maple and sometimes pine, cherry and walnut. Perhaps the best reason is…

Woodworkers are both cursed and blessed with our hopelessly archaic system of measuring. When it comes time to divide any distance in half, like marking the center of a board’s edge for resawing, it’s best to avoid arithmetic altogether. A combination square will do the trick; just ignore the numbers.  Finding the center takes no…

Maximize your drum sander’s potential. 1. Skip the Scrape Eliminate laborious hand scraping of dried glue: contrary to popular belief, you can take glue-ups directly to your drum sander. The secrets are to use a coarse abrasive (24-grit to 60- grit, depending on the amount of glue and how uneven the glueup is) and feed…

An Introduction to Whittling Part 2: Push and Peel Knife Maneuvers • Part 3: Parting and Pulling Techniques • Part 4: Rounding the Tree • Part 5: Sculpting the Branches I’ve been passionate about whittling and teaching wood carving for quite a few years now. Whittling, one of the most basic and ancient arts, allows…

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, Phil, John, and Logan declare winners of the Red Cedar Challenge, and discuss any new happenings on the latest at PopWood, Woodsmith, and ShopNotes Land. Plus, Logan gives an update on his workshop build. Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here.  Special thanks to our show…

Whenever I have to cut down a sheet of plywood, I reach for one of my trusty metal stud straightedges. Metal studs are available in different thicknesses for different applications. For example, a 20-gauge non-load-bearing drywall stud won’t deflect significantly when it’s not clamped to an 8‘ long sheet of plywood. I bought 35/8“ by…

An anachronism in its time, this table now fits perfectly in our homes. Frank Lloyd Wright would probably be dismayed to see a coffee table built in his Prairie furniture style. In fact he and his fellow early 20th-century designers all would have been disturbed by the concept of a coffee table. Eating or drinking…

I built my wedge-shaped workshop twelve years ago. It’s 470 square feet, which is too small, as every woodworker knows, but my options were limited, because the shop had to fit between my house and garage. I love how the windows flood the space with light. My biggest challenge has been to make my stationary…

Put a ton of tools up on the wall in this tool “book.” Hang 1/2“ or 3/4“ thick plywood “pages” 4“ apart on horizontal 2x4s with 3“ door hinges. Screw and glue 3/4“ plywood blocks between the hinges and the 2x4s so the pages can pivot without binding. The pages shown here are 16“ wide…

This small rack rolls easily to anywhere you need it. There is an old saying in woodworking that you can’t have too many clamps. While this is true, it is entirely possible to have too many clamps in the wrong place at the wrong time. The last thing I want to do in the midst…

Find woodworking education, fellowship, and shop space at a woodworking guild near you.  I am an avid woodworker. Let me rephrase that. I am an avid woodworker with a chronic disease. I’m not an expert woodworker; I’m average, at best. But I put my best into every project. You see I have Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)…

Sheets of sandpaper aren’t easy to work with. It’s tempting to scrunch a sheet up so you can get a better grip, but if you do that, most of the paper gets wasted. Tame the abrasive beast by tearing it into four pieces. Each folded quarter sheet makes a sanding pad that works like an…

As a professional woodworker, I know firsthand the significance of capturing the beauty and craftsmanship of our projects through photography. Whether it’s for showcasing our portfolio, creating content for clients, or sharing our work with the world, having high-quality photographs is essential. In this blog post, I’ll share the tried-and-tested setup that allows me to…

Most of us share this pathological habit that’s hard to break. I have a problem. A compulsion, really. It’s not as serious as, say, alcoholism, a food addiction, or an unhealthy fascination with Megan Fox. But it’s a problem. Fortunately, most people are too polite to point it out. Or they don’t even notice. But…

This classic Stickley ottoman oozes Craftsman style, but don’t let its simple form fool you—it packs in some great woodworking.  Project #2221 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 4 Days • Cost: $150 Named for a neighborhood in Syracuse, New York, this Gustav Stickley footstool design was an instant favorite. Originally sold with a massive Eastwood…

After the woodworking is done, finish your project with upholstery to match. The topic of DIY upholstery interests many woodworkers, however, few have access to detailed tutorials. Tacking a “no-sew” project like this Eastwood Ottoman can be a good confidence builder and a great place to start learning the craft of upholstery. If you get…

An experiment uncovers cutting edges of the past. “How did they sharpen their tools back then?” I’ve asked this question myself and I have been asked the question, and I’ve never felt comfortable with any answer. We know that 18th-century woodworkers had grindstones and natural whetstones and that’s as far as any answer I’ve ever…

Tool: 18V Brushless Cordless 6-1/2 in. Track Saw R48630B Shop Now   Manufacturer: Ridgid MSRP: $399 (includes saw and two 27.5″ tracks) Ridgid is the latest tool manufacturer to throw their hat into the ever-growing track saw field. On paper features like the brushless motor, full scope of adjustability including bevel range of -1 to…

Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue is one of the most popular choices for woodworking pros and hobbyists alike. Is Titebond III a good choice for you in your shop though? Read on for the top reasons Titebond III deserves a spot on your shelf. Strong Bond: Titebond III is a polyvinyl acetate (PVA) glue that…

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, Phil, John, and Logan are responding to listener comments talking about upcoming furniture projects, and Season 17 of the Woodsmith Shop TV Show. Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here. Special thanks to our episode sponsor, Epilog Laser: https://www.epiloglaser.com

Art Nouveau meets Arts & Crafts in this oval-topped piece. Although he died in poverty, the Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s furniture now sells for tens of thousands of dollars at auction. Part of the appeal of his work comes from the sheer variety of his designs, which range in style from Art Nouveau to…

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…

When crosscutting a series of short pieces from a longer board using the table saw’s miter gauge, it’s dangerous to use the rip fence as a stop. The freed pieces can get jammed between the blade and fence, causing kickback. To prevent this, the usual approach is to clamp a wide “standoff” block to the…

Like many North American woodworkers, my shop is located in our two-car garage underneath the house. Most garages include two ceiling-mount bulb fixtures that accept a regular light bulb. While it’s possible to hire an electrician to add additional light fixtures, there’s another way to increase the brightness of the space. LED light fixtures, which…

Understand the difference between these often misused terms. It would be difficult to find wood finishing subjects that have been made more confusing than sealing and washcoating. This is unfortunate because these procedures are very simple and easy to understand. Definitions A sealer is the first coat of finish you apply to the wood. It…

Here’s a dirt cheap way to store your saw blades and keep their carbide teeth from knocking into each other. Slip the blades onto a 3/8″ dia. landscape nail, using plastic coffee-can lids as spacers. I hang the nail on a perf-board tool holder, but you could pound it into the wall, instead. –William Monahan

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, Phil, John, and Logan are talking about finishing, tool storage, and more. Download your free woodworking plan of the week here. Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here. Special thanks to our episode sponsor, Epilog Laser: https://www.epiloglaser.com

Youthful energy sparks the experience, but careful work takes time. Editor’s note: this article originally appeared in the February 2018 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. Recently, the young boy a few houses down the street wanted to make some things out of wood.  His father told him that Mr. Bill (that’s me) would be the…

A Delaware Valley foot and a Pennsylvania ring-and-vase turning combine to develop a period-style design. Years ago, when I first began my business as a period furniture maker, a close friend and mentor jumped on board to help kick off my backlog of work. He was a widely known collector of William & Mary furniture…

I use bench holdfasts because they’re so convenient and provide such a tremendous amount of clamping force. However, in the process, they can mar workpieces, especially softwoods. The traditional solution is to place a protective wood block under the holdfast pad, but this can be a bit of a hassle, and it’s one more maneuver…

[Updated 7/12 9:00PM CST] Amazon Prime Day 2023 is here, and we’re rounding up the best deals for woodworkers! Keep checking in throughout the next two days as we update the list! Lightning Deals:  25% off Ultrawall Lumber Storage Metal Rack 24% off SPACEKEEPER Workbench Casters kit 22% off PONY 4-Pack Cabinet Clamps 20% off…

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, we have Phil, Logan, and John in a special mid-summer edition talking about the “Red Cedar Challenge” and listener comments. Plus, more on Logan’s shop floor and all of the deep-diving questions that let you peer into the guys’ souls. Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes…

Tool: CTS Compact Table Saw Shop Now   Manufacturer: SawStop MSRP: $899 Most woodworkers are familiar now with the SawStop line of table saws and their patented safety system that stops the blade and retracts it in less than 5 milliseconds when it comes in contact with human skin. SawStop has recently expanded their lineup…

When it comes to finishing parts, I have a simple yet effective trick up my sleeve: using nails and corrugated cardboard. This method allows me to suspend the parts while their finish is drying, ensuring a flawless result. Let me walk you through the process and explain why this technique works wonders. Leaving parts to…

Splayed legs add stability indoors or out. I demonstrate Windsor chair-making at the Common Ground Country Fair in Unity, Maine, an event that celebrates traditional crafts of all kinds. There’s never enough seating, so this year I resolved to build some benches to set up around my demonstration area.  I wanted a simple design that…

For this work, hand tools are better than power tools. Fitting butt hinges is exacting work. For precision, you might think that power tools are the way to go, but I always turn to a small set of hand tools to do the job. Using a marking knife, pin gauge and chisel, you can precisely…

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, John, Phil, and Logan get an update on the Red Cedar Challenge, and dive deep on the reader’s mailbag.  Download the plan of the week here. Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here.

How do you know when your miter gauge is set exactly at 90°? Here’s a method I learned years ago, before I could afford a precision square to check the cut. You’ll need a 24″ long board that is flat and straight, with perfectly parallel sides. It should be about 6″ wide. You’ll also need…

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…

When I first started teaching the 8th-grade stool-making class, I needed to find an easy method for my students to mark the leg length accurately before trimming them to a parallel surface with the seat. While there are various techniques available, such as using wedges to level the seat and scribing a line on the…

Tool: DELTA 2 Portable Power Station Shop Now   Manufacturer: EcoFlow MSRP: $999 A while back Yoav wrote about the advantages of using a portable power station to run small tools outdoors. As someone who is constantly frustrated by extension cords (just how do they get so tangled?) I immediately understood the appeal. I recently…

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again (and keep saying it)—the people you meet in the woodworking community are some of the best around. Recently, I met a gentleman by the name of Larry—that’s him in the Packers sweater. (I offered to send him a better sweater, such as a Miami Dolphins one……

The blade of a marking gauge must be as sharp as a scalpel in order to cut a fine line across the grain. Sharpening it can be very difficult because it’s so small. I solved that problem by making a gauge that accepts snap-off utility knife blades. I use epoxy to glue the blade into…

Make a Sherpa of a dining table centerpiece that goes the distance. The modest Lazy Susan is a staple on circular dining tables. Everyone can reach out and activate its convenient, if sluggish, spinning action in order to self-serve their favorite condiments from a jumble of bottles, shakers and jars. The unseen glory of the…

Tool: DWV010 8 Gallon Dust Extractor Shop Now   Manufacturer: DeWalt MSRP: $419 A true dust extractor with HEPA-level (removes at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and any airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns) filtration is one of the most effective shop safety upgrades a woodworker can make. The DeWalt DWV010 has…

The bogs of New Zealand yield gargantuan Kauri logs. Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in American Woodworker #139. Ancientwood is listed as permanently closed on Google but the website is still up at ancientwood.com and appears to have slabs for sale. As I drive toward Ashland, Wisconsin—home of the company that lays claim to…

Accurately drilling an angled hole with a hand drill is a challenge – particularly if you’re using a brad point or Forstner bit. This angled drilling guide solves the problem handily. The guide keeps the drill bit from wandering as it enters the stock. It can be cut at any angle, and its alignment marks…

This centuries-old device is effective in use and simple to make. In my early years as a woodworker I was prejudiced against veneer – but experience has mellowed my opinion; I’ve realized building the period furniture pieces on my bucket list requires skills working with veneer and inlay. My burgeoning interest in traditional techniques made…

With sweat equity and a few simple tools, you can split strong, stable stock. Though sawn lumber was available to 17th- and 18th-century European woodworkers in Colonial America, many American craftsmen split wood to produce stock for furniture. Rive or split marks are typical of 17th-century furniture and not at all uncommon on the finest…

When using my miter saw, I’ve found that the easiest way to sneak up on a line is to use a stack of sticky notes. First, set a stop block to cut your part slightly oversize (1/16″ is plenty). Attach a thin pile of sticky notes to the stop block, make a cut, and then…

Introduction In recent years, the market has seen an influx of high-end planes in the Bedrock style. Initially, Lie-Nielsen planes took the lead, followed by Clifton, and later the Chinese-made Wood River brand, carried by Woodcraft. Surprisingly, Jorgensen, a brand mostly associated with vises and clamps, made a bold reentry last year by introducing their…

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, Phil and John talk about learning and teaching, having shop tourists, the concept of persistence and so much more! Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here.

I’m going to admit that there are aspects of my life that I live (and view) “inside the box.” Woodworking, as an industry, tends to be one of those. Our (magazine) audience is concentrated in the United States, and that’s usually where my scope of the industry lies (toolmakers aside—some of my favorites are from…

This hardwood is best harvested for its bark and wood soon after cutting. Green woodworking has a different set of criteria when it comes to stockpiling material. Unlike those who work with seasoned stock, those of use who use green wood try to keep a large log from drying at all; we want to rive…

Passing up gold for a treasure with more lasting value. The holidays are a time for visiting and catching up. While visiting my parents one Thanksgiving, my mother handed me an envelope. I could tell at first glance that it was old. The acid in the paper had turned the envelope to a coffee-brown color….

After brushing the first coat of finish on my shelf project, quite a bit remained in the disposable cup. I didn’t want to pour it back, because that would contaminate the fresh finish that remained in the can. But I didn’t want to waste the finish by throwing it away, either. Knowing the shelves were…

This small-scale curio cabinet is the perfect size to sit on a shelf, or in a bookcase. Project #2222 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 3 Days • Cost: $200 If you’re like me, you spent your formative years outdoors climbing trees, riding bikes, scraping knees, and enjoying the offerings of the natural world. This newfound…

Gambler’s Micro-Adjust Precise fence adjustments are a sure bet when I clamp this shop-made device on my router table. I simply drilled and tapped a hole to accept a 1/4″-20 machine screw through the center of a 3/4-in. by 1-in. by 3-in. piece of hardwood. I covered the tip that contacts the fence with a…

Friend of PW Char Miller-King (@woodenmaven on Instagram) set a goal for herself to turn every place she travels, and was recently in town to film an episode of the Woodsmith Shop. Logan was more than happy to introduce her to traditional turning tools and show her some of the techniques and how they differ…

The key to a quick finish is the finish you choose. Finishing is seldom the most enjoyable part of woodworking, so many woodworkers want to get it over within a day – or even an afternoon. Many manufacturers encourage this with their directions, which often produce less than optimal results because they push the process…

Tool: Grr-Ripper 2 Go Shop Now   Manufacturer: MicroJig MSRP: $29 MicroJig, the company behind the much acclaimed, Grr-Ripper push block, recently released a new, trimmed-down version of the very same push block. The new push block, shown below, is called the Grr-Ripper 2 Go. Unlike its heftier big brother, the Grr-Ripper 2 Go has…

After considering various design options, including a grooved-around lid inspired by art deco designs and reminiscent of one of my favorite industrial objects—the high voltage glass and porcelain insulators—I rummaged through my pile of scrap wood. Eventually, I settled on an impressive block of reclaimed white oak cut-off that immediately caught my attention. Given that…

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…

Thoughtful finishing and new leaves prepare this classic for the next 100 years. This old table looks like a prime candidate for refinishing. Scrub off the old finish, sand out all the dings and scratches, spray on a catalyzed lacquer finish and it would look brand new. But in my opinion, doing this would rob…

Oneida Air Systems recently announced they will be showcasing their newest products at AWFS 2023, booth 2900. In case you can’t make it, here’s a rundown of the latest and greatest from Oneida. Dust Deputy Low-Pro Lid Separator The new Dust Deputy Low-Pro Lid Separator is their most compact separator at only 4″ tall, making…

We’re interviewing makers from across the country. Today we’re featuring Alexis Dolese, a furniture maker and woodworking instructor from Montana. How did you get started woodworking? Who were your mentors? I grew up in a family of woodworkers. My dad, Tom Dolese, has had a fine furniture business for over 30 years and my mom,…

On this weeks episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, it’s just Phil and Logan talking about repairing, customizing, and modifying tools, plus some discussion of shop coffee. Come back next week for an update on John’s drainage issues… Check out the Free plan o’ the week, an Outfeed Table. Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes…

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…

If your Dad is a woodworker, then this is the perfect Father’s Day gift guide to help you shop. He’ll love anything you get for him on this list. Looking to build something for your Dad? Check out this gift guide instead! FastCap Right Left Tap Measure $7.99 The ability to read this tape measure…

Handmade gifts are one of the most personal ways to say that you love your Dad. No matter Dad’s interest, you’re sure to find something he’ll enjoy on this list. Seeing this list last minute with Father’s Day imminent? Don’t worry, most of these gifts can be made over the course of a weekend (and…

Build this timeless chair with modern methods. When I was 17 years old, my family had an old craftsman style armchair that we’d inherited years earlier. It was an antique chair with solid bones but badly in need of refinishing. It had all the right details, from the through tenons in the armrests to the…

As woodworkers, we possess the remarkable ability to augment everyday objects by adding wooden components to them. From crafting knobs, handles, and legs to forming frames, lids, pedestals, and raised bases for artwork, we can transform and enhance various household items. We can even replace missing or broken parts with custom-made wooden alternatives that often…

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, John, Logan, and Phil debate and explain the process of finding and working with “found” wood. You can find the WoodsmithPlans.com Free Plan O’ The Week here. Thanks to our sponsor, Titebond Wood Glues, they have the glue you need to get the job done with confidence….

Protect your “cheaters” in style. Sooner or later everyone’s eyes need a little help—especially for reading or close work. One popular solution is to buy a pair of “cheaters,” those stylish reading glasses that are available in bookstores and practically everywhere else. How to protect these delicate, inexpensive glasses—especially the compact versions—is always an issue….

While turning wooden pens, students in my woodshop classes kept wearing out the points on the live centers of our mini lathes. The points fit into the hollowed end of the pen mandrel. If the mandrel isn’t clamped tight enough between the lathe’s head and tailstock, it spins on the point and wears it out….

With thirty-five years of experience, Jimmy Clewes knows a thing or two about woodturning. We’ve decided to tap into that knowledge with this exclusive video of Jimmy covering all of the basics of turning. Even experienced turners are sure to find a trick or two they can use as well. Enjoy!

An essential part of your turning tool arsenal. There’s a theory in woodturning—popularized by some British turners—that wood “prefers” to be cut rather than scraped. While I agree with this notion, I’ve also found that scraping tools play an essential role in woodturning. Scraping tools are used primarily for bowl turning, vessels and end-grain hollowing….

Turned drops and legs, arches, and serpentine stretchers typify this ornate 17th-century style. When someone uses the term “period furniture,” we think most often of the Queen Anne, Chippendale and Federal genres. Certainly these have been the most influential styles in Western furniture-making history. But there have been other periods worthy of our attention, among…

Sometimes, unique is exactly what you want to avoid when turning. If you turn, sooner or later you are going to find yourself facing  some project that requires several (or many) duplicate turnings. You may feel a brief rush of mild panic, most likely followed by a powerful urge to check your catalog shelf (or…

Create a beautiful showpiece by power carving on the lathe and adding a splash (or a wave) of colour. Project #2309 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 1 Day • Cost: $100 Looking to create a unique, statement? Look no further—this piece is sure to give you that WOW factor! To get started, I used a…

Trade dangers revealed in 17th-century journals. I thought of Nehemiah Wallington (1598-1658) when I set up my lathe in my nearly finished workshop. A few times a year he pops up in my mind. He was a turner in Puritan-era London, and as unhappy a soul as you might meet. I know of him through…

Taking the time to learn a few basic cuts and moves will help you succeed. Bowl turning was my first love in woodturning. There is something special about a bowl: The wonderful way the shape shows off different aspects of the wood, the roundness and the ability to contain and present nourishment. I still find…

Woodworking is full of smaller subcultures and disciplines that utilize a wide range of tools and techniques. This week we’re looking at one of the most popular: turning. We’ll be sharing our best articles and videos on woodturning from the top modern woodturners. Whether you’re an expert or just getting started, you’re sure to find…

A nervous woodworker is aghast as his best projects arrive from storage. The message “Up”(with a directional arrow, no less) seems unambiguous. When displayed prominently on all four of what should be the vertical surfaces of a crate, the intent of the person who went to the trouble to emblazon that simple message, multiple times,…

Thanks to our sponsor, Titebond Wood Glues, they have the glue you need to get the job done with confidence. For more information, visit www.Titebond.com Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here.

They’re the next best thing to a giant assembly table. Maybe better! The next time you need a sturdy, level work surface, I’ve got the perfect solution for you: sawhorses and a pair of torsion beams. Torsion beams are incredibly strong and will always be dead straight; they’re easy to make and inexpensive. But best…

Small logs from a local downed tree are a great windfall of free lumber for small projects. They’re easy to saw into boards on the band saw once you have established a couple flat reference surfaces for safe feeding. I use a simple L-shaped carrier jig screwed together from scrap plywood to make the initial…

I recently came across another handy solution to prevent jaw-racking when clamping a workpiece on the side of a vise. Most parallel vises tend to rack in such scenarios, but there are situations where clamping on the jaws’ right or left sides becomes necessary, especially when working with long pieces to bypass the central screw….

Battery compatibility across brands has been on the wishlist of many a woodworker over the years, and a new alliance announced today is going to make that a reality for 15 different brands. The new platform, called AMPShare, is powered by Bosch and includes founding partners FEIN Power Tools US and Rothenberger USA, plus 12…

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,…

Scientific Name: Juglans nigra Other Common Names: Black walnut, American walnut, American black walnut. Growing Regions: Throughout the eastern United States and Canada. Characteristics of Tree: Walnut trees attain a height of 100 to 120 feet and diameters of 24 to 36 inches. Characteristics of Wood: Walnut is a hard, dense wood with a tight…

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, it is Logan, John, and Phil, talking about woodworking seasonality, Spring routines, project/shop updates, and so much more… You can find the WoodsmithPlans.com Free Plan O’ The Week here. Thanks to our sponsor, Titebond Wood Glues, they have the glue you need to get the job done…

I always sign my work, now that I’ve figured out an easy and permanent way to do it: I use an engraver. But not just any engraver—it has to have an adjustable stroke (the distance the tip moves in and out). Set the stroke to maximum. An engraver works just like a pencil, but some…

Kite frames to cabinets: A 50-year journey back to woodworking. Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the February 2015 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. Before mom’s shop bustled with warmth, woodcraft and cheer, the location of her future endeavors hoarded what dad called, “Relics from the Golden Age of Aviation.” Mom would rebut, smiling,…

We’re interviewing makers from across the country. Today we’re speaking with Jess Hirsch about Fireweed Community Woodshop in Minneapolis, Minnesota. How did Fireweed Community Woodshop get started? Were there certain people that inspired its creation? Fireweed Community Woodshop started as a DIY project in 2017 called Women’s Woodshop and after burnout running an LLC, a…

Filling knots with colored epoxy usually works quite well, but sometimes the void is in a spot that’s difficult to fill, like the edge of a board. Here’s how to do it. First, apply some paste wax to a piece of melamine so the epoxy won’t adhere to it. Clamp the melamine to the workpiece,…

Crosscut sleds have been around for a long time, but few are ideal. Many are heavy and hard to store. Most develop an extra-wide saw cut in the fence and allow the blade to throw sawdust in your face. My design solves all these problems.

Before the advent of magnetic-based LED lights, many of us used flexible gooseneck lamps with an incandescent bulb as auxiliary lights on our drill presses and band saws. These lamps were usually screwed or clamped onto the machine. I acquired a Craftsman lamp many years ago, but there were many other brands and styles available….

Mice used to rule my shop. They got into everything! That all changed when someone told me that fresh mint repels mice. Mint grows wild in one corner of my yard (it’s a perennial and comes back each year), so every couple weeks, I pick a handful and spread it around my floor. Now my…

Material and finish choice help dictate grit progression. The objective of sanding wood is to remove mill marks, which are caused by woodworking machines, and to remove other flaws such as dents and gouges that may have been introduced in handling. The most efficient method of doing this is to begin sanding with a coarse…

Chamfering an edge with a block plane is often easier, faster and safer than using a router or tablesaw—particularly on a small part. I do it so often that I’ve dedicated one of my planes for the job. To modify your plane, make two 3/16″ thick hardwood sides, two 3/8″ thick chamfering guides and shims…

Vintage woodworking machinery can be a great bang for your buck.  Vintage woodworking tools have always held a certain appeal to me. Earlier this year, I was out in California with David Marks working on an upcoming project. In David’s shop, he has a 24“ jointer of  vintage make, and if you’d watched his TV…

Listener Question — Where does the table saw go? Stephen asks: How can you put a table saw against a wall? There are enough different operations that all sides are required for access. Ripping requires access in the front and rear. Crosscut tables require access from the left side as well as the right side…

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…

How do you know if the table on your drill press is square? Not more-or-less square, but precisely square? I’ve adopted an old machinist’s trick, using a very simple jig. To make it, you’ll need a hardwood arm, two 5/16″ carriage bolts that are 2″-3″ long, four nuts and four washers. First, make the arm….

Tool: Bear Crawl “Papa Bear” Mobile Base T28923 Shop Now   Manufacturer: Grizzly MSRP: $93.95 Being able to move heavy machinery in my tiny garage shop has been a game-changer for me. Mobile bases are my go-to instruments for transferring equipment and making space as needed, and I want to share my experience with one…

Turn trash into treasure. I love hard cheeses and hard-crust bread. Although my cheese-making skills are limited and my baking talent is only admired in our household and among close friends, I use woodworking to make distinctive boards to serve the foods I like. The secret to my designs is using cast-off lumber, those short…

Here’s a simple way to sharpen chisels using a 3″ sanding drum mounted in an oscillating spindle sander or a drill press. Cut a squared-up 2×4 the length of the sander’s table. Cut a 2″ deep by 1/2″ wide slot at 45° near the 2×4’s center. Clamp the 2×4 to your sander’s table.  Place the…

Wiping is fast, almost as fast as spraying (without the downside of having to clean the spray gun). Wiping is also every bit as effective in all situations except possibly into recesses such as inside corners, fluting, deep carvings and the like.

If your Mom is a woodworker, then this is the perfect Mother’s Day gift guide to help you shop. She’ll love anything you get for her on this list. Looking to build something for your Mom? Check out this gift guide instead! FastCap Right Left Tap Measure $7.99 The ability to read this tape measure…

Handmade gifts are one of the most personal ways to say that you love your Mom. No matter Mom’s interest, you’re sure to find something she’ll love. Seeing this list last minute with Mother’s Day imminent? Don’t worry, most of these gifts can be made over the course of a weekend (and some in an…

Scientific Name: Quercus macrocarpa Other Common Names: Blue oak, Cucharillo, Encino, Mamecillo, Mossy overcup oak, Roble, Scrub oak Growing Regions: Throughout North America. According to Woods of the World, bur oak is often found on dry uplands, limestone and gravelly ridges, sandy plains, and loamy slopes to moist flood plains of streams. Characteristics of Tree:…

Dust is a real problem when you can’t use a router table’s fence and its dustport. Here’s a clever way to suck up that dust using your shop vacuum’s nozzle.

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…

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast with Logan, John, and Phil, we’re talking about a shop update from Logan, tools, projects that are going on and more from the PopWood, Woodsmith, and ShopNotes Land. You can find the free downloadable plans for the Table Saw Ripping Jig here. Thanks to our sponsor, Titebond…

This two-step process guarantees flawless results. No brush marks, drips, runs, bubbles, hairs, dust or orange peel—and beautiful results every time. For most furniture projects, it doesn’t get easier than using a wipe-on/rub-off finishing process. This two-step method eliminates all the usual problems because rubbing off all of the finish that isn’t absorbed by the…

For small cabinets, I prefer to use small, discreet shelf pins that I make myself. I also make sleeves for the pins to fit into. Sleeves help hold the pins firmly in place. I make the pins from 1/16″ brass rod and the sleeves from 1/16″ i.d. brass tubing. Both of these are available at…

“Kids play with it like a toy, but it drives adults nuts. They think it’s a puzzle. They’re sure there’s some way to get the little cube out of the big cube. You can’t.”

Scientific Name: Peltogyne venosa Other Common Names: Amaranth, Guarabu, Nazareno, Palo morado, Pau roxo, Purperhart, Saka, Tananeo, Violetwood Growing Regions: Purpleheart grows in Central and South America between Mexico and southern Brazil. The trees are most commonly found in the Amazon Basin. Characteristics of Tree: The trees attain heights of 100 to 150 feet and…

Flush-cutting dowels, corner keys or screw-hole plugs used to frustrate me because my saw’s teeth always left scratches on the project’s surface. Rather than buy a special flush-cutting saw, I made one from a hacksaw blade. I used my disc sander to grind off the wavy set of the teeth from both sides of the…

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast with John and Phil, the topics include: how many woodworking techniques are too many techniques, As the Phil Turns, plus updates from the world of Woodsmith. You can find the free downloadable plans for the Night Light here. Thanks to our sponsor, Titebond Wood Glues, they have…

Last week I showed how to modify — using only two copper shims — a tap wrench handle and turn it into a high torque handle to drive augers. This week I will show how to improve this wrench even further by adding a chuck that will hold the bits and provide a stronger fit plus,…

I used to have three shooting boards for planing end grain: one for 90° cuts, one for 45° horizontal miters and one for 45° vertical miters. Now I’ve combined them all into one. The jig’s main body is a typical shooting board for trimming pieces at 90°, except that it has long wedges to tilt…

Simply change the ‘drawer’ and finish to change the look of this easy piece. The first step in building this contemporary side table is to go shopping for the basket that serves as a drawer – then adjust the plans as necessary to fit your choice. The one shown here is an 11″-deep, 7″-tall, 17″-long…

The amazing tool cabinet of piano-maker Henry O. Studley has fostered intense admiration and contemplation surrounding its origins and creator for nearly three decades. I’ve heard a lot of this speculation while conducting research for the book “Virtuoso: The Tool Cabinet and Workbench of Henry O. Studley” (Lost Art Press). About the only thing I’ve…

Tool: Thickness Planer 10044 Shop Now   Manufacturer: Oliver MSRP: $999.99 Oliver Machinery, a name recognized as a manufacturer of vintage woodworking machinery, has returned to the marketplace. Oliver, while no longer manufacturing in the states, has strong ties with their factory and is producing machines in smaller quantities. This allow them to quickly respond…

Tree Anatomy In woodworking, we’re generally concerned about the sapwood, heartwood, and annular rings (which is what we see as “grain pattern”). The slower a tree grew, the tighter the annular rings will be. If a tree grew quickly, it will have large growth rings and a large amount of sapwood. Trees that grew on…

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, John, Logan, and Phil are back together to talk about old tools and tools that need a little TLC. Thanks to our sponsor, Titebond Wood Glues, they have the glue you need to get the job done with confidence. For more information, visit www.Titebond.com Find all of…

An F-style clamp works well for getting into tight spaces, but how do you turn the handle? The answer: Just drill a couple of holes through it and insert a screwdriver. A 90° offset to the holes ensures that the handle won’t be significantly weakened and makes at least one hole accessible at all times….

If you like working with hand tools and enjoy timber framing, bushcraft, and other off-grid activities, your typical drilling device is a hand brace.  Since most modern hand braces have limited torque due to their narrow-radius handle, drilling big and deep holes can be tedious or even impossible. T-handles for auger bits used to be…

Harvest green wood saplings, bend ’em, nail ’em and sit yourself down. You can make a pretty good case for bending and attaching green wood sticks as the second oldest wood-furniture making method (after sitting on a log). Today, this type of furniture is labeled “rustic,” so exposed nails, screws, and other hardware are acceptable…

Signature Details Create an Elegant Box. We needed a new mailbox, but I couldn’t find an off-the-shelf version that I liked. So I decided to build my own. As I’ve always admired the work of Greene and Greene, the architect brothers who fused Asian design with Arts & Crafts style during the early 20th century,…

When it comes to milling lumber, chainsaw mills offer a low cost of entry, with some big capacities. The more and more I get wrapped up in the milling, logging, and lumber industry, the more and more questions I seem to get about chainsaw mills. What are my thoughts on them? Are they worth the…

Walk down Main Street in Anysmalltown, U.S.A., and people acknowledge your existence from their porch rockers. They don’t have to say anything, just use their body to move the chair in a friendly, neighborly sort of way. Porch rockers are a part of our popular culture, a bit of Americana. The chair I bought was…

A slab from green wood, some sturdy legs and a sylvan setting are all you need. Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the June 2006 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. “A slab like that can make up into a garden bench. Being white oak, they last.” The sawyer was making conversation while cutting my…

Five different types of protection exist. Here’s a guide to choosing the best one for your project.

It’s thirty-six degrees here in Minnesota as I sit down to write this. We’re supposed to get up to 10 inches of snow tonight. But despite what the weather outside tells me, it is indeed spring. Soon we’ll emerge from hibernation and return to outdoor activities, cookouts, and relaxation on the deck. It’s going to…

Online extras from the April 2023 #270 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. Download: Chess Board Full Dimensions

While staring at the pile of assorted hardware I just accidentally spilled onto my sawdust-covered floor, my thoughts quickly turned from banging my head against the wall to patting myself on the back. Here’s why. I grabbed my MagSwitch featherboard, turned on its two magnets and picked up all the hardware—minus the sawdust—in one fell…

Until recently, my go-to glue-spreading tool for small joints was always a cheap nickel-plated steel brush with natural bristols. I still use these brushes, but ever since I discovered the flexible polyurethane paddles, AKA Glue Spreaders, they replaced the brushed and became my glue applicator of choice.  Plastic spreaders have two main advantages over small…

This traditional joint allows the wings of a table to raise up and have a seamless look. A rule joint uses matching profiles to fit a table top together with a folding leaf. The resulting shapes fit together perfectly and allow the table panel to offer support to the leaf along the edge, something a…

Vacuum attachments are a challenge to store. They come in so many shapes! I made this device to keep them all together, within easy reach. It’s just a long chain with shorter lengths of chain branching out from it. Each branch has a 3″ to 4″ length of 1/2″ dowel fastened to its end. The…

Additional reading: Check out Michael Dunbar’s Sharpening Method Here are some general thoughts and advice on sharpening, as well as answers to some frequently asked questions. Every shop should have a dedicated sharpening system. You should work with sharp tools. It is easier and safer. You are less likely to stop and hone a tool…

Sometimes it’s fun to build a gadget just because it’s a neat idea. There are many ways to draw a centerline, for example, but this method is very clever. It doesn’t require any measuring or trial-and-error adjustments. To build the marker, you’ll need two hardwood bars 3/4″ x 1″ x 12″, two Plexiglas links 1/4″…

On this episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, Phil and Logan welcome guest Kevin Scott, Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft by day and long time woodworker in his free time. This episode of the ShopNotes podcast is presented by Epilog Laser. Quickly and easily customize your woodworking projects for added beauty and value. Learn more at…

After roughly shaping the awl’s handle (read the first part of the story here) on the bandsaw, I clamped it inside my Pattern Maker’s Carving Vise and began shaping the neck. This vise is the perfect tool for holding tapered shapes and any blank with unusual facets. If you don’t have a dedicated vise, you…

We’re interviewing makers from across the country. Today we’re featuring Chris Davis, a shop teacher at Henry Ford II high school in Michigan.  How did you get started woodworking?  I got started in woodworking at a young age with my dad. He was always building something, and I learned a lot of the basics from…

Puzzling lubrication. Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the August 2010 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine I ran out of mutton tallow this morning! I searched my tool chests, under the benches and in the drawers hoping to find just enough white magic to ease the passage of the big jointer plane up and…

Tool: M18 Track Saw Kit 2831-21 Shop Now   Manufacturer: Milwaukee MSRP: $639 (includes saw, 6ah battery, charger, and Packout XL toolbox) Few tools in recent memory have been as hotly anticipated as Milwaukee’s new track saw, and the new M18 Fuel model does not disappoint. It doesn’t break much new ground, but it’s a…

Hardware-store parts do the trick. This simple leg vise is based on a traditional design still favored by many woodworkers. My version is built with inexpensive parts you can buy from any hardware store or home center. Every bench should have a good vise. Why use a leg vise, rather than a commercial face vise?…

Basements aren’t recommended in this part of North Carolina, and our lot was too small for a detached shop. That meant my woodworking was either going to have to dodge cars in the garage—or I could turn the space above the garage into a shop. As this was going to be my first real shop…

It is fun to make a tool for your own use. When that tool becomes one of the handiest tools in the shop, you’ll be delighted that you took up that challenge. On the many occasions you hold it in your hand and mobilize it into action, you’ll look fondly at it and be proud…

We’re interviewing makers from across the country. Today we’re featuring Lee Scheffey, a spoon carver from New Hampshire.  How did you get started woodworking? Who were your mentors? I came to green woodworking by necessity, with a need to ground myself in my humanness and the interconnected expansiveness found in wood. As a child, I…

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…

The world’s best custom-made apron is handmade by husband-and-wife team Patrick and Michelle Melchior. When I step into my shop,a few things happen each and every time — so much that they’re nearly primal instincts. In one motion, I flip all the lights on and slip my shop apron off its hook. My apron goes…

Drawbore it for a joint that will last centuries. I once had a visitor to my shop remark that he’d like to see a book about all the types of joints that I use. I told him it’d be a pretty short book: One page for the rabbet joints I use in boxes and drawers,…

With all the high-tech, expensive tools in my shop, I still find a dozen uses for a simple, inexpensive hunk of paraffin wax. I use it anywhere I need lubrication to slide material: the tops of my tablesaw, router table and jointer, the sides of my miter gauge, the bottom of my router base plates,…

Uncomplicated construction and an easy, attractive finish make this table tops.

In just over 90 seconds Logan walks you through all the main parts of a metal body hand plane. Interested in learning more? Check out the article Handplanes for Beginners. For Basics Week we’re presenting a special offer on our PopWood+ membership, where you can save 25% off your first month or full year when…

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…

Need to discover the differences among a groove, dado, and rabbet? Have trouble remembering what’s a rail and what’s a stile? Or maybe you just need to know how to spell “cyanoacrylate” (spell check will tell you you’re wrong). You’ve come to the right place! We are building this glossary of woodworking terms based on…

Michael Dunbar distills three decades of sharpening into a simple, inexpensive and do-able system. This is a subversive article. Woodworking gurus and companies that make expensive sharpening equipment don’t want you to read this, because when you discover that sharpening is both easy and inexpensive, they are all out of a job. For Basics Week…

From the PW archives: Megan Fitzpatrick covers the essential measuring tools for beginners, and shows you how to choose ones that will provide accurate results. For Basics Week we’re presenting a special offer on our PopWood+ membership, where you can save 25% off your first month or full year when you use the code BASIC23…

The awl is one of the most useful tools in woodworking and perhaps the most basic of them all. Awls help to initiate indentations into which screws, nails, and drill bits will bore. We use them to mark locations for sawing, and score lines to define parts’ parameters. And awls are used to pock holes…

It’s an age-old question I hear uttered hundreds of times a year: What hand tool should I buy first? Without context, the question is impossible to answer. Most times, I fire back several questions that help people understand why I can’t give them specific recommendations yet. What tools do you already own? What do you…

Prepare your wood, pick the right glue and prevent problems. Baseball bats, utensils, turned items and small carved objects are usually made from one piece of wood. But most woodworking projects are made under the premise of “some assembly required.” Face it: Most everything we make with wood involves one or more boards joined together….

Good stock is the foundation of a good project. But if your foundation isn’t square you’re going to have issues. Learn how to use a jointer and planer to square your stock and create three flat, true surfaces to work with. For Basics Week we’re presenting a special offer on our PopWood+ membership, where you…

About a year ago we did a week of articles focused on woodworking basics, which you all seemed to love. And since we continuously see an influx of new woodworkers visiting our site, we’ve decided to make it an annual tradition going forward. Like last year, we’ll be gathering articles new and old that showcase…

On this episode of the ShopNotes podcast, Logan, John & Phil explore managing expectations while building projects, being “time optimistic,” problems with dado clean out bits, and shop snacks. Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here. The free episode for this week is a set of miterless picture frames. Woodsmith hosted a local 4H…

An historical detail adds refinement to projects both period and modern. The 18th century – a time when human hands were set to work in order to create the objects of material culture; when men and women by their sweat and ingenuity wrought wares in the latest fashions; when the cabinetmaker, toiling away in dusty…

Rebuilding a toy chest is a connection to the past and the future. I do not stem from woodworking lineage, at least not the kind you hear about. My dad wasn’t overly handy. While growing up, I recall most things either went unfixed or someone else was called to remedy the situation. My grandfather worked…

Based on watchmaker and spool cabinets, this project is a great way to hone your hand tool skills. Project #2213 • Skill Level: Advanced • Time: 7 Days • Cost: $300 One of my favorite ways to spend my lunch hour is to pop into any one of the dozen antique and thrift stores within a…

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…

Shellac is a mainstay in my shop, both as a sealer and as a finish. I mix my shellac from flakes and usually go with a 1 lb. cut, which is ideal for brushing ultra-smooth coats. I used to measure out the flakes each time I made a new batch, but here’s an easier way….

Logan discusses his most-used tool in the shop: his apron.

The perilous flight of the world’s most valuable tool. Half of the airplane’s hydraulic system had failed at take-off; the other half failed as the plane was 10 minutes from the Atlanta airport. So the flight crew prepared the passengers for an emergency landing because they were going to hit the ground at about 200…

  Bodger and blacksmith Don Weber shows how to effectively combine power and hand-tool techniques to build a simple and sturdy toolbox. Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the April 2005 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. I’m a bodger and a blacksmith, making tables and chairs in iron and wood. When I’m not in…

They explain so much. It’s often possible to sum up a lot of situations with a rule, a principle that applies in almost all cases. When I teach seminars on finishing, I often find myself citing a rule I’ve created to explain a procedure or to answer a question. These rules can be very helpful…

This strong and simple – but uncommon – joint imparts a decorative touch. Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the June 2014 issue of Popular Woodworking. After 20 years of making furniture, it’s not every day that you stumble on a joint you’ve never seen before. But that’s exactly what happened several years ago…

 Here’s a trick for I use for removing a stubborn router bit from the collet. I cut 1/2″ wide slots in a few credit card-size pieces of laminate. I then slide as many cards as I can fit between the collet and the bottom of the bit. As I unscrew the collet, it pushes against…

I buy glue in gallon jugs and, having tried about every glue bottle on the market, I thought I would never find the perfect one. My search ended while washing dishes with my wife one evening.  The dish-soap bottle was empty so I rinsed it out thoroughly and filled it with glue. Just the ticket! —Phillip…

One of the first things that many people notice when advancing the blade of a Preston/Record style shoulder plane (today’s Clifton and Lie Nielsen planes are based on that design) is a scratching noise or a grinding sensation when the nut turns inside the blade’s rectangular recess. This is likely because of sharp edges or…

On today’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, Phil, Logan, and John talk pets in the shop (Because the Baha Men ain’t got nothin’ on us!), cordless tools, and a recap on last week’s episode on having multiples of tools. You can download the free Table Saw Crosscut Sleds plan here: https://www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/t… Find all of the…

Last week the PW staff had the opportunity to spend an evening at Festool USA’s HQ in Lebanon, Indiana. In addition to learning some fun facts (the design is nearly identical to the worldwide headquarters in Germany, right down to the floor materials) we were able to check out some of the latest tools coming…

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…

Frustrated with my vise’s inability to hold odd-shaped pieces, I tried many solutions: v-notched face plates, cork, bubble wrap, leather, etc., but to no avail. One day I pulled an old mop out of the trash. I peeled off its bottom pad, cut it in half and fastened both pieces to the faces of my…

Like most people, I keep lots of different screws, bolts, nails, washers, and other small parts in bins. Instead of paper labels, I hot glue a sample of the actual part on the outside of the bin. It’s much easier to locate what I need by eye than by name. If I ever run out of parts,…

A few years ago, my friend Cambell Albritton gifted me with a small Clifton #410 shoulder plane that he no longer needed. The plane was still in its original box but unfortunately developed a few areas of rust both on its sole and sides.  The Clifton # 410 plane is one of the best small…

On today’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, Phil, Logan, and John talk about cloning projects, having duplicates of tools, and updates from Woodsmith, ShopNotes, and Popular Woodworking Magazine. You can download the free Cheese and Cracker Tray plan here: https://www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/cheese-and-cracker-tray/ Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here. Thanks to our sponsor, Titebond Wood Glues,…

Demystifying volts, amp hours, and types of cordless tool motors. More and more, cordless tools are becoming everyday fixtures in the woodworking shop. The most common of these is the drill, which you can see broken down below. Most cordless power tools have the same basic components, though, so once you understand how one tool…

Having grown tired of bending and tearing sheet sandpaper again and again to get the size I need, I finally decided to employ the time-honored trick of cutting it with a hacksaw blade screwed to a plywood panel. The jig is very quick to make, and it allows you to simply slip a sheet of…

How one woodworker got over her fear of dismemberment: more fear. Industrial Technology. That was the name of the course I took in the autumn of 1993. Beats me as to why it was entitled thus, because anyone with two brain cells to rub together could easily see that it was really woodshop, but I’m…

Requiring sawing, planning, and shaping skills, this tray is the perfect project to put hand-tool lessons to practice. Project #2220 • Skill Level: Intermediate • Time: 1 Day • Cost: $45 This tray is a slightly amended version of a shaker cutlery tray and is a great one-day project to help you hone your hand-tool skills…

Can you assume that a board is straight, just because you’ve jointed its full length? Nope. It can still be as bowed as ever. You really should check it before moving on to the next piece. Rather than pull out a long straightedge, I just place the board against the jointer’s fence and look for…

Hinges are some of the most important hardware elements at our disposal. We need them for practical reasons, but we also want them to look good – as together with pulls and knobs, they become accented focal points in the furniture or the boxes we make.  I am in the last stages of building a…

On this week’s episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, John, Phil, and Logan have all the updates at Woodsmith, ShopNotes, and Popular Woodworking Magazines, plus the personal projects they have going on at home. Download the free plan for Dresser Top Valet here: https://www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/dresser-top-valet/ Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here. Thanks to our sponsor,…

Give ordinary wood the charm of old age. I love the look of old paint—I’ve often tried to capture it in new furniture I’ve made. I’m not trying to build fake antiques, however. I’m just trying to create a simple look that has the charm of old age. I’m also a big fan of using…

I made my own try square using a 1″ x 4″ corner mending plate and a couple scrap pieces of hardwood. To make one yourself, first check the mending plate to be sure it’s square. If it’s off, true it up with a file. Epoxy wood blocks to both faces of one leg, and you’re…

Regular attention to a few simple procedures will keep you turning smoothly. A lathe, like any other piece of woodworking equipment, is exposed to wood shavings, dust and other substances as well as general wear and tear. The bed, toolrest base and toolrest especially require regular attention for easy functioning. I can’t count how many…

You can tune up your band saw to resaw veneer without expensive fences or blades. The subject most often written about in woodworking magazines is probably cutting dovetails. In second place – and not far behind – is likely resawing with a 14″ band saw. To be sure, there is disagreement from one article to…

I wanted to rout some shelf dados, but I didn’t have the correct-size bit for the job. Fortunately, my dad stopped by and, as usual, had the answer to my problem. We cobbled up a couple L-shaped wooden fences from 3″-wide straight scraps, squaring each of the units carefully before gluing and screwing them together…

No joints. Just jigsaw and go. After Hobbit Frodo Baggins destroys the One Ring in Peter Jackson’s epic film “The Return of the King,” there’s an emotional reunion scene when Frodo wakes up in the city of Minas Tirith and is reunited with his long-lost friends. While most viewers were transfixed by the hugging Hobbits, all…

After 50 years of woodworking, I’ve got a confession to make. I enjoy fixing up an old machine or rearranging my shop more than woodworking itself. A few years ago a friend gave me an old Rockwell lathe which clearly needed a lot of help. The motor, pulley, belt cover, tool rest and tailstock base…

As you recall, a few months ago, I wrote about a beautiful chair made of solid mahogany that we bought and found out that it was sadly damaged during shipping. The vendor sent us a replacement, but I decided to fix the broken piece anyway so we could use it. At the time, I thought…

We improve a contemporary design to make it sturdier, a bit curvier and easier to build. Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the August 2005 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. It was about 1 a.m., and I was at the grocery on a bleary-eyed run to buy orange juice for the family’s breakfast. The…

To sand a lot of molding, glue 80-grit sandpaper to several inches of the molding. Rub a block of Styrofoam on the sandpaper until the block conforms to the molding’s contour. Glue sandpaper to the block, then sand the molding. This method works best on large cove moldings; small rounds or hollows can loose their…

Beating it requires knowing the right way to nail a board. When I was about 8 years old, I decided that I needed to construct a sturdy fort to protect myself from the army of aliens (who cleverly had taken the form of my older sister and her friends) that were constantly invading my backyard….

There are many things we do wrong but we don’t know they’re wrong. In woodworking there are two kinds of mistakes: There’s the garden-variety gaffe where we simply cut a board too short or botch a dimension, and the kind of mistake that we make over and over again because we don’t even know we…

Phil, Logan, and John are back on the ShopNotes Podcast talking about “What Grinds Your Chisels” and other updates on the latest issue of PopWood Magazine and so much more! Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here.

How to choose, condition, and clean a finishing brush. It’s really tempting to buy an inexpensive brush for finishing. Say you spend $4 on a standard paint brush and throw it away rather than taking the time to clean it. You may buy 40 such brushes over the next 10 years … that’s $160! A…

Measured drawings for some, story sticks for me (and others). I once had a job making a couple of wainscot chairs and chests for the National Park Service. After barely surviving the paperwork it took to get the job in the first place, I was then confronted with the horrible task of making and submitting…

I don’t like to lay my router on its side with the bit exposed, so I built a stand for it. It’s just a 3/4″ x 8″ x 8″ board with a 2″ dia. hole in the center. The board sits on 2″ tall legs. I added shelf liner to the top of the stand…

It’s just like sawing a cove molding, but now the wood is round. “You’re kidding me!” That’s everybody’s first reaction when I tell them that I’ve figured out a way to make a bowl on the table saw. Then they ask, “Isn’t it dangerous?” Believe me, if it were, I wouldn’t be writing about it….

The limited crosscut capacity of my cabinet saw made it a challenge to cut wider boards, so I designed an infeed table that hangs on a wall when not in use and quickly and securely attaches to the front rail of my saw with Universal Fence Clamps (Rockler #31373). To make the infeed table, use…

Diamond stones are the bedrock of my sharpening routine. I use them as my main abrader throughout my sharpening/honing sessions because they preserve their flatness and keep their hard particles sharp longer than other media. But even diamond stones get dull over time. Most of the stones I own have lost diamond particles, mainly around…

This week on the ShopNotes Podcast, Phil, Logan, and John are reading some listener comments from last weeks episode, talking shop injuries, and updating you on the latest goings on in the woodworking world. This episode’s FREE plan is a set of stackable tool totes: https://www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/stackable-tool-totes/ Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here.

Make your own light-duty one-handed workholding wonders. Like most workshops, mine is well-populated with spring clamps, the ubiquitous tool for applying localized pressure with one hand while holding the workpiece (or workpieces) with the other. But one of the most intractable problems is the need for either gentle holding pressure or a much greater throat…

Cooking wood in your kitchen can produce results that rival specialty kilns. Luthiers have long used roasted or tempered wood in stringed instruments because the roasting process pre-stresses the wood and caramelizes the sugars, sealing the pores and rendering them more resistant to moisture. While these properties are beneficial for guitars and violins, it occurred…

Simple joinery will keep this piece together for centuries. Books, papers, lamps, candlesticks, spoons, Legos, clothing, electronics and more all end up on top of any flat surfaces in our house. As a joiner, I have made lots of carved boxes over the years. My family has between four and eight at any given time…

Wiping varnish is simply any brand of oil-based alkyd (regular) varnish or oil-based polyurethane varnish in any sheen (gloss or satin) thinned about half with mineral spirits (paint thinner). Rules for Application ■  Wipe or brush on the wood and ■  Wipe off all the excess; or ■  Brush off some or most of the…

Bench grips are handy for holding parts above the bench for routing, sanding or finishing.  To make them, just cut some wood and rubber shelf liner into 2″ to 3″ squares. Glue the shelf liner onto both sides of each square using spray adhesive, such as 3M Super 77. –Marlin Davis

A project with a bite. This article originally appeared in the February 2011 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine How do three carpenters feed an abandoned baby squirrel? Glass dropper in hand, huddled around a kitchen table in the historic district of downtown Alexandria, Va., we discovered the answer: with great difficulty. The day previous, atop…

Just the good ol’ boys, Phil, Logan, and John are making their way the only way they know how by kicking off the first podcast of the year by discussing the tool buying process and so much more. Free Stacking Sawhorse Plans: https://www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/stacking-sawhorse Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here.

We’re interviewing makers from across the country. Today we’re featuring Amanda Ewing, a luthier from Tennessee.  I was chosen by my path not so long ago. Thanks to all of the twists, turns, and detours along the way, lutherie is where I find myself now. It is at times difficult for me to forget the…

Good light is a must in every workshop, but sometimes I need a little extra light in just the right place. To make my light/magnifier more portable, I drilled a hole in a handscrew to fit the light’s post. Now I can clamp the light to any of my benches, stationary tools, or shelves. –Edward…

Most of us have used, at some point, a pegboard to organize our tools. In fact, a few years ago, I reclaimed a hanging pegboard toolbox (a colleague of mine discarded it) and have been using it ever since. While pegboard hanging is not a rock-solid way to support heavy tools, it does provide a…

Separate, sort, and see your collection With just five different parts to make, this easy-to-build caddy accommodates bits with both 1/2″ and 1/4″ shafts. It can be customized to handle just about any collection. Long bits have plenty of room on the top shelf. The caddy stands solidly on its wide base, stores easily on…

Instead of measuring for my circular saw’s offset each time I need to make a cut, I use a modified edge guide. I screwed two 3/4″ x 3/4″ x 12″ hardwood blocks to the front and back clamp bars of the guide and clamped the guide to a board. Next, I placed the saw’s base…