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Every woodworker I know uses water-borne polyurethane. Of all the ways I’ve seen to get a silk-smooth finish, abrasive, steel-wool substitute pads are by far the best. The coarseness of...

Need to glue metal to wood? The answer is easy — epoxy! Epoxy bonds many kinds of materials to one another, including wood, metal, fiberglass, masonry, tile, concrete, and plaster....

A workpiece ALWAYS SLIPS when placed vertically in my vise, because the vise racks. To solve the problem, I made a vise spacer from a 1”x 2”x 6” hardwood block, a...

While on the job site and installing cabinets, I was preparing to scribe a face frame to fit against an irregular wall when I realized I forgot to bring my...

Make a habit of applying finish to end grain first. Why? It’s all about avoiding drip shadows.    Sounds creepy, doesn’t it? Here’s the deal: let’s say you’re finishing a...

When faced with the task of refinishing a large, heavy oak door, I wanted to complete the job as quickly as possible by being able to work on both faces...

Have you ever tried to use varnish from a skinned-over, half-used can? Even if you remove the skin carefully, lumps of dried finish get mixed in with the remaining varnish...

Do the clothes really make the man? Try taking a tip from turners and dress up for dust. Wear a jumpsuit and a face shield when you can’t collect sawdust...

  These furniture maker’s symbols are an international language. They have been used for generations because they’re easy to make and easy to understand. A board’s working face and edge...

I have a couple tools from which I frequently remove the dust collector hoses. I got tired of getting out my screwdriver and cranking out the adjustment bolt every time....

I cut dados for a tight fit. When I make them too tight, I use a jig that I call a Dado Tuner. The sole is 1⁄2” Baltic birch plywood,...

I well remember the day when I couldn’t get a mortise-and-tenon joint to come together no matter how hard I tightened the clamp. I had ignored a fundamental rule: Always...