Rabbeting by Hand

Cutting rabbets by hand can quickly and easily be done with vintage and modern planes alike. Both just take a little know-how. I would consider a rabbet joint an essential woodworking joint to [...]

Mix-O-Matic

For thorough mixing, a powered paddle is the way to go. Here’s an easy way to make one from a 3/8″ dowel rod. First, cut a slot in the end of the dowel. To do this, attach a fence to [...]

Cheap Panel Clamps

I ran short of clamps in the heat of making a set of panel doors, so I quickly made more from stuff I had in my shop. These clamps are based on an old design, but the idea still works …

All-Angle Miter Gauge

Attaching a triangular jig to your miter gauge enables you to safely cut shallow angles, or any angle beyond the normal range of the miter gauge. The jig is just a 30-60-90 triangle made from [...]

The 7 Myths of Polyurethane

All levels of finishing are burdened with myths, but the types of finishes used by amateurs and sold in home centers and woodworking stores suffer the most. Myths about polyurethane are a good [...]

Understand & Use a Bowsaw

These traditional tools are woefully misunderstood by modern craftsmen. Here’s a primer. In the 1970s when I was the young, innocent and naive chairmaker at Strawbery Banke, a museum in [...]

Houndstooth Dovetails

This joint adds strength and beauty to any corner. And it’s easier to cut than you might suspect. I first saw this joint illustrated in “The Encyclopedia of Furniture Making,” by Ernest Joyce [...]

Swing-Under Bench Tools

In order to keep my bench clear for working, yet have the tools I need close at hand, I came up with this stowable mounting system. Each of my bench tools is mounted on a board with slotted guide [...]

The Case for Bevel-up Planes

A craftsman makes the argument that bevel-up planes are easier to tune for end grain and difficult woods. I can clearly remember my first experience with bench planes. I was in high school shop [...]

How to Make Banding Inlay

A mark of true craftsmanship, bandings are much more than just decoration. Stop for a moment and take a good look at a piece of furniture that you admire—say, a card table from the Federal era. [...]

Mini Router Tables

I’ve acquired a bunch of routers over the years—enough so that I can afford to keep a few permanently mounted in these mini router tables. For lots of jobs, you don’t need a large table or a [...]

Setting Up Your Band Saw for Resawing

Set your bandsaw up for accurate resawing by following these simple setup tips. A bandsaw is a versatile tool. In fact, I know many woodworkers that use a bandsaw as their primary saw in their [...]