Here are four things you need to know. Finishing is not hard to understand. As I’ve pointed out in previous articles, it’s made confusing by manufacturers who don’t understand their…

Outdoor projects encounter a variety of conditions. The project is only going to last as long as its finish does. Here’s my approach for finishing this set of exterior doors….

Subtract color to add life. There are four types of bleach that woodworkers commonly use: chlorine, two-part wood bleach, oxalic acid and peroxide. Two-part bleach changes the actual color of…

Once you understand the anatomy of a handplane, you’ll be well on your way to using it with success. [View the full-size exploded view of a handplane here] Handplanes are…

  Most woodworking projects involve roughing, refining, and finishing steps, and using the right tool for each makes the work both precise and efficient. Too often we hear that hand…

Stop measuring and simply learn how to saw straight. The dovetail is an ancient joint widely used in cathedrals, barns and Egyptian furniture. It is the right joint for many…

Master these skills and you can build anything. From chests to cupboards to cradles, frame and panel joinery opens a whole new world of possibilities.

Battens: Just one proven method to keep you on a level playing field. The best way to keep a tabletop flat is to make it flat in the first place…

From butt joints to dovetails, every builder should know these essential woodworking joints —and when to use each one. The following is a small sample from the book The Complete…

When using my miter saw, I’ve found that the easiest way to sneak up on a line is to use a stack of sticky notes. First, set a stop block…

I use a portable circular saw to break down plywood and other sheet goods into manageable pieces before bringing them to the table saw for final sizing. I prefer to…

The next time you use your jigsaw, forget about hauling out the sawhorses or cantilevering a hard-to-hold workpiece off your bench. Extruded polystyrene insulation board, the rigid pink sheets used…

Wood movement can ruin a seemingly well-constructed project. Luckily getting ahead of the material and calculating wood shrinkage and expansion is fairly easy – all you need to do is…

Most furniture fractures can simply be glued back together. But some breaks are messy, leaving splintery fractures that won’t form a strong glue joint. You could replace the entire part,…

Hanging a wall cabinet is usually a two-person job—one to hold the cabinet level and one to screw it to the wall. I’m nearly always working alone, so I came…

For the cost of one large piece of machinery, you can set up a complete shop with hand tools. Here’s what you need to get started.

Tool: Folding Saddle Square Shop Now  Manufacturer: Woodpeckers MSRP: $59.99+ Making accurate marks is one of the most fundamental tasks in a wood shop, yet it can be quite challenging…

Tool: Micro Squares Shop Now  Manufacturer: Blue Spruce Toolworks MSRP: $64.99-$109.99 Having one or two really nice squares is essential in the shop. Being able to check parts for square,…