The Magic of Masking Tape

Find magic in the mundane using this humble problem solver. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned as a woodworker is to never underestimate the seemingly mundane. I have found great [...]

Stopped Cuts Made Easy

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 [...]

Repair Water Damaged Wood

Work miracles on wood with oxalic acid. Watering a potted plant can be disastrous if the plant lives on top of something made out of wood. We’ve all seen the white spots and black rings that can [...]

Chippendale Chair

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 [...]

Lock Joint Holds Drawers Tight

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, [...]

Antique Barn Finish

Add centuries of wear and tear to your projects using a tested formula that’s simple and safe – no open flame! This is the furniture finish that fooled our local auctioneer, a man with 30 years [...]

No-Fuss Box Joints

Build a dedicated setup that creates perfect joints every time. Imagine routing perfect box joints whenever you want, without having to waste time setting up your router table. This notion may [...]

Breadboard End Joints

Cut precision joints on a large top. Breadboard ends are old devices for improving a solid-wood top. They act like cleats to hold the top flat, which is particularly important when there’s [...]

The Real Truth About Block Planes

Armed with a little trickery, you can make the block plane perform a wide variety of tasks. Hang around enough woodshops (or Internet discussion groups) with a block plane in your hand and you’ll [...]

Make Your Own Plywood

Shop-made ply can achieve shapes and forms solid wood just can’t handle. The title of this article may sound silly, or perhaps us woodworkers have just run out of things to write about? Now that [...]

Handles for Turning Tools

Customize their fit for comfort and performance. Decades ago, woodturning tools came without handles, and turners would simply fashion their own. This makes perfect sense, because a handle that [...]