Runaway Router
Runaway Router My first router, a 1968 Stanley, was a heavy, single-speed machine. I remember it well because of what happened the very first time I used it. I chucked up a Roman ogee bit and [...]
Shavings Shower
Shavings Shower Last spring I reorganized my shop and moved my planer near the garage door so it could spew its shavings harmlessly onto the driveway. Now that it’s colder, I work with the garage [...]
Patching Woodworking Mistakes
A long-time carpenter shares a repair trick to hide the mistakes made by ham-handed apprentices. For more than 30 years I was a traveling carpenter foreman in charge of installation of [...]
Choosing the Best Wood for Your Woodworking Projects
There are a number of things to think about when choosing wood for your woodworking project. You can have a great design, but if the material you use in your woodworking project has flaws in it, [...]
Top 5 Chair Repair Mistakes to Avoid
In my furniture repair shop, I repair a lot of chairs. I’ve seen many DIY mistakes over the years that didn’t need to happen. Repairing a chair with loose joints is a relatively [...]
Disc Break
Disc Break Back when I bought my radial arm saw, onboard braking systems didn’t exist. But I’m a gadget freak, so I bought an electronic brake and mounted it on top of the saw. The [...]
Hammered Cat
Hammered Cat The handle on my favorite hammer needed to be refinished, so I sanded it, sprayed on a coat of polyurethane and hung it over the edge of the picnic table to dry. A moment later I [...]
The Ol’ 1–2
The Ol’ 1–2 I volunteered to drill the holes for the halogen light fixtures in the 6′ tall display cabinet that my cohorts and I were building at the architectural millwork company where we [...]
That One Project
I was about to make a desk for my son John’s bedroom and in my mind it was a beautiful thing: simple, sleek and with elegant proportions. Drawings and a cut list were completed. Walnut boards [...]
Rear Ended
Rear Ended After cutting a piece of wood with my ancient radial arm saw, I turned to retrieve the pencil that I’d used to mark the cut—the saw’s vibration had caused it to roll off the table and [...]
