Archives

Tool: Mini-Ligno E/D Pin Moisture Meter Shop Now  Manufacturer: Lignomat MSRP: $125 Knowing the moisture content of your wood before using it is important. If your lumber has been sitting [...]

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

I’ve combined the working parts of two quick-action clamps to make a good tool even better. A two-headed clamp allows me to quickly make an adjustable-height table for my drill press or an [...]

I like to use carpenter’s pencils until they’re worn down to stubs. Stubs aren’t very handy, though–they’re hard to dig out of a pocket. To solve this problem, I gathered up all [...]

I really like bright-colored speed squares because they’re easy to locate on the job, but I find them difficult to read. To solve this problem, I spray-painted my speed squares black. After [...]

Super Sander After years of hard use, my tablesaw’s 120-volt motor finally expired. Eureka! This was the perfect opportunity to acquire a more powerful machine. I purchased a new 240-volt [...]

One roll of shelf liner will provide a lifetime supply of pads to improve the performance of your sanding block. I bought a 18″ x 48″ roll at a local home center for about $5. At [...]

Add richness, depth and color like a pro. Some wood finishes seem to have richness and depth that combine to create a special warm glow. This glow usually comes with age, due to natural changes [...]

Build accurate replicas of a classic design Having built the Mission oak dining table that appeared in American Woodworker (Dec/Jan 2009, issue 139), my next project was to build chairs to go [...]

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 [...]

I have a hard time throwing things away, such as these chucks from a couple of worn-out drills. To put them back into service, I bought a 3 ft. long, 3/8″ dia. threaded rod at the hardware [...]

Planing or scraping parts with angled or mitered ends is tricky. Bench dogs will damage a crisp corner, and clamps get in the way. To hold the work, I use an over-sized bench hook with a new [...]