Archives

Rip Fence for Plastic Laminate I used to work in a cabinet shop that churned out countertops by the truckload. We used this simple jig to keep plastic laminate from lifting during the cut or from [...]

Q: I am really puzzled as to how the tail vise actually works as I have only used a front vise. A: A tail vise’s main purpose is to hold a board flat on the bench for planing, routing, [...]

Q: I use my jointer to clean up sawn edges before glue-up. The results are great except when I try to joint figured wood. Any suggestions? A: Jointing highly figured wood often leaves nasty [...]

Clamp Leash My spring clamps always seem to be out of reach or scattered around the shop. To solve my problem, I suspended my dog’s old leash over my workbench. Now my spring clamps are always [...]

Q & A: Fix a Misaligned Blade-Guide Post   Q: Every time I change the height of the blade-guide post on my bandsaw, I have to readjust the thrust bearings and the guide blocks. Is there [...]

Rollers Ease Plywood Storage Before I installed these rollers, sliding plywood in and out of my storage rack used to wear me out. It also damaged the edges of the sheets. Now plywood sheets glide [...]

Q & A: Steam Bending Gear   Q: What do I need to know before building a simple steam-bending rig?   A: Steam bending doesn’t require sophisticated equipment. For a single [...]

Lightweight Extension Wings     Extension wings on the miter saw make cutting long stock a breeze. My shop-made wings install and knock down in seconds and they’re as light as [...]

Sanding through a veneer happens to everyone sooner or later. Here’s an old cabinetmaker’s trick that will salvage what looks to be a hopeless situation.

10 Things You Need to Know About Plastic Lumber By Brad Holden No, we haven’t changed our name to American Plasticworker. I love wood, with all its beautiful textures, figures and smells. [...]

Q & A: Router Table Miter Joints   Q: I plan to build some jewelry boxes with mitered corners, but my contractor’s saw does a poor job of cutting miters. Can I use my router table [...]

Tackle Box Storage This is my all-time favorite way to store screws, small hardware and router bits. Fishing tackle boxes come in a variety of sizes and shapes but I picked this one because the [...]