How do you make strong joints in wood like this? When I need wood for a project, my first stop is a small mill near my shop that specializes in local hardwoods. On one particular visit I noticed [...]
Your joints will last for decades if you know how to apply your glue. Much of woodworking is joinery: An edge-to-edge joint is used to join two or more boards to create a tabletop, dovetails are [...]
Some people get pretty worked up about using the right word for the right joint. Perhaps they have a point since imprecise use of terms can lead to confusion. So, to be precise, here are the [...]
Editor’s note: This dovetail method is referenced in the October 2021 issue of Popular Woodworking, so we are republishing it to the home page. The blog below was originally published in [...]
Destroying 10 joints taught us surprising lessons about joint design, wood failure and the tenacity of modern glue. Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the December 2005 [...]
Our staff offers simple, strong and fast ways to make this important furniture component. In woodworking magazines, books and plans there’s almost always an omission that’s big enough to drive a [...]
Simple joinery creates a compact cabinet with full-size storage. When I spied an old machinist’s chest loaded with narrow drawers in my neighbor’s garage, I knew my small tools were finally [...]
To build the ultimate jig, use a tap. When I build a jig or fixture that needs to come apart, I don’t use wood screws, I use machine screws–and tap holes in the wood to receive them. It’s very [...]
Research gives names to unknown artisans. David Rowley, Freegift Wells, Amos Stewart, Orren Haskens, Eli Kidder…ever hear of these guys? They were Shaker cabinetmakers, the names behind one [...]
This extra-long mortising fence helps you cut “blind” joints in your work. Cabinets and furniture often have “blind” joints − dados, grooves or rabbets that are stopped at one end so you can’t [...]
Creative thinking and dirt-simple jigs make the joinery a straightforward task. Full-Size Plan: Download I tend to think of Chippendale chairs as highly ornate. But there are startlingly simple [...]
A good substitute for traditional methods, this joint is strong and easy to make. A couple of hundred years ago, most drawers were assembled with hand-cut dovetail joints – half-blinds up front, [...]