After designing and building custom furniture in southern California for 24 years, I finally got to build my dream workshop. Inspired by the Craftsman style and the designs of the...
Using your hands to sketch can teach your eyes to really see. Most of us use our eyes to avoid bumping into things; we probably are only using 20 percent...
A felt-tip pen is the best tool I’ve found for adjusting a grinder’s tool rest. When you need to find the center of a bevel in order to duplicate an...
Bullet-Catch Bench Dogs When I built my workbench, I drilled round bench-dog holes in the top so I didn’t have to cut square mortises. Being a thrifty sort, I didn’t...
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in American Woodwork #142, June/July 2009. I stumbled onto pen making seven years ago, as I was scouring through my husband Jerry’s [...]
Working wood with a sense of humor. Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in American Woodworker #154 Most woodworkers have gotten a chuckle or two out of a piece of...
Combine power and hand tools to improve your joinery skills Building a toolbox much like this one was a real turning point in my woodworking career. It was 1999 and...
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the May 2008 issue of American Woodworker I share my workshop with about 12,000 others. It’s the military woodshop at Offutt Air Force...
From apprentice to craftsman to fine toolmaker, he’s always had a passion for woodworking. Torben Helshoj’s passion for woodworking started when he was a boy watching the skilled craftsmen in...
I’m sure I’m not the only reader who is astounded by the pristine, seemingly unused shops that frequently appear in this department. Here are a couple of pictures of my...
I have read with envy about spacious shops with room for many dedicated stationary tools. But alas, my shop is confined to a 200 sq. ft. corner of my basement....
Shop-Made Rocker Jaw One simple board, cut into the shape of a seesaw, can make a huge improvement to your vise. It allows you to firmly hold tapered work and...
