Arts & Crafts Oak Finish
Layering colors is the secret to an authentic look. When a customer asked me to replicate the finish on her antique Stickley sideboard for the pieces she had commissioned, I...
Crosscut Sled Scale
My crosscut sled is my “go-to” jig for precise, square cuts. Recently, I added this self-adhesive tape scale – called Peel-n-Stick Ruler Tape – that makes it even more efficient....
Stock Sizing Board
Planing stock to fit standard dados is much easier than trying to find the right chipper and shim combination to fit the dado to your stock. I cut five grooves...
Self Portrait
Self Portrait Seeing that it was a very fine day, I began to carve a gnome. This little guy would be my masterpiece. Hours, then days passed as I worked...
Wooden Bar Clamp
I saw stars the last time I dropped a bar clamp on my foot. Then I saw the light, in the form of a wooden handscrew. I’d been making my...
Set-up / Sanding Combo
Tool: Table Saw Setup and Sanding Disks Manufacturer: Infinity MSRP: $29.90 This tablesaw set-up/sanding kit from Infinity really hits the mark for me. As I’ve noted in the past, a tool with...
All-Purpose Bench
Tool: Universal Bench Manufacturer: Kreg MSRP: $145+ Every shop needs a bench. In fact, two or three is even better, as you’ll want an assembly table that’s a little lower than your...
My Luthier’s Shop
My shop is located in a spare bedroom. As a luthier, I don’t need a lot of space—just enough to allow working on a double bass. What I do need,...
Monticello Lap Desk
In 1776, Thomas Jefferson commissioned Benjamin Randolph, a Philadelphia cabinetmaker, to build a compact lap desk to serve as a portable office. This small mahogany box, now prominently [...]
Pint-Size Precision
Tool: Micro Plunge Base Manufacturer: Micro Fence Price: $300 The term “precision” tends to be thrown around with impunity, but in this case, it’s warranted. Imagine [...]
Plywood Play Table
Easy to make, easy to assemble and built to last. Back in the Paleozoic era, when I was a kid, one of my favorite pastimes was playing with a Brio...
Pinwheel Picture Frame
Both of the prints I planned to frame included a windmill as a minor detail. Thinking, “what if?” I grabbed four pieces of scrap wood, made a pinwheel, and thought,...
