Shop Plan Protector

          I like to work from plans, but paper is hard to protect in a workshop. My plans often become so torn, crumpled and soiled that...

Handy Blast Gate Lever

Reaching down to open and close my tablesaw's blast gate was a real pain until I built this pivoting mechanical arm from pieces of 1/8-in. flat steel and 3/8-in. rod....

Using Melamine

Melamine is the professional cabinetmaker’s best friend. Build a cabinet with it and you have a complete, durable interior that requires no sanding (yes!) and no finishing (oh, yeah!). Pros...

AW Extra – 6 Storage Solutions

  1. Sandpaper Roll Storage I use pressure-sensitive-adhesive (PSA) sanding discs. For easy access, I like to get them out of their packages and lined up by grit. I hang...

MDF vs. Particleboard

How two versatile woods can be both a blessing and a curse. by Karen Nakamura Cheap, plain and definitely not wood. That’s how many woodworkers describe particleboard and MDF (medium-density...

Economical Inserts

Commercially made zero-clearance inserts cost about $20. I make my own for less than $3 from 3/8-in.-thick polyethylene cutting boards, which are flat and rigid. A 14-in. x 17-in. cutting...

Hide-Away Bin for Short Stock

I don't like to throw wood away; offcuts and other short boards work great for small projects, jigs and shop fixtures. But until I built this mobile cart, my shop...

My First Woodworking Project!

When I completed this letter holder in 7th grade woodshop, I had no idea that I'd end up as an editor at a woodworking magazine. In those days, woodshop was...

Become A Tool Nut

  I really don't need five cordless drills, seven routers or 24 antique hand planes, but I can't help it. I'm a tool nut. Are you? Have you ever bought...

Tablesawn Circles

It's easy to cut perfectly round tabletops of almost any size on your tablesaw. All it takes is a simple jig (Fig A) and careful setup. With this method, you...