Gimbal Jig
How to use a plunge router to scoop out a curved seat. OK, How do you make a concave seat? I designed a stool quite a while ago that called...
Seamless Curved Panel Glue-ups
Work with the grain when gluing panels, even when the grain throws you a curve. When I look at a piece of furniture, aside from its design and craftsmanship, I...
Sliding-Head Beam Compass
My beam compass is perfect for drawing huge arcs. It’s super easy to make, and I can adjust it quickly without using screws or clamps. To change the arc’s radius,...
Restore a Round Oak Table
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...
Cove Cuts on the Table Saw
Accurately set up for and safely make these versatile curved shapes. It was the 1970s. I was a young, lost woodworker out cruising the West Coast in search of inspiration,...
Planer Blade Drawknife
My portable planer uses disposable blades. When the first set got dull, I didn’t throw them away–I turned the two blades into very useful drawknives. I wrapped duct tape around...
Designing With Curves
Getting off the straight path can be liberating. I can see it with my eyes shut: a curving stretch of highway snaking past Otter Cliffs in Acadia National Park. Each...
Nice Curves, No Math
Mechanical solutions for the formula-challenged woodworker. There was a time when I was fairly good at math – but that was back when “personal” and “computer” were two words you’d...
The Bow Box
Take your box-making and scroll saw skills to a new level. “Trompe l’oeil” is an old French phrase that literally means “it fools the eye.” Trompe l’oeil has a long...
Veneering the Curve
The ‘flat-board-first’ method enables you to veneer a curved part with any pattern you want. Boldness with balance—that’s how I see the front apron of a classic Federal card table....
Curve Appeal
This stool builds your skills with eight different joints and bent laminations. Competition is the whetstone of talent; this was in full effect when I built this Wharton Esherick-inspired stool...
Sterling Tool Works Stainless Steel French Curves
Tool: Stainless Steel Roubo Curves Manufacturer: Sterling Tool Works MSRP: $90 I like using French curves for laying out hyperbolas, ellipses and parabolas when designing furniture details. These [...]
