Archives

The primary advantage to square-drive screws is they are much less prone to “cam-out.” Cam-out refers to the slipping of the bit in the screw head as the screw is driven.

Q: Try as I might, I can’t seem to get a good edge on my bowl gouges. Are bowl gouge sharpening jigs worth looking into? A: Bowl-gouge sharpening jigs do...

Saber-Saw Cushion The next time you use your saber saw, forget about hauling out the sawhorses or cantilevering a hard-to-hold workpiece off your bench. Extruded polystyrene insulation board, the [...]

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.