Tool: Ultimate Matte Finish Polyurethane Manufacturer: Rust-Oleum So you want the look of raw wood and excellent protection against spills and scratches? Until recently, that request might have provoked a few chuckles. Rust-Oleum’s water-based Ultimate Matte Finish Polyurethane will get you pretty close. When dry, this finish has the minimal look of a wax finish—the wood is…

Tool: Precision Router Table Setup Bars Manufacturer: Kreg MSRP: $69.99 Accurate tool setup is half the battle of doing good work. Kreg’s Precision Router Table Setup Bars make the battle a little easier. This kit includes seven bars in 1/16″ increments from 1/8″ to 1/2″. They’re accurately milled—I checked the end tabs with a micrometer, and…

Countersink first, drill the pilot hole second. That may sound backward, but it’s the easiest way to ensure a perfect countersink.

Leigh — known for accurate and clever joinery jigs — has a new box-joint jig for routers (for handheld use or on router tables). It’s designed to create 1⁄2″- and 3⁄4″-wide box joints and looks similar to other jigs, so I was ready to be under whelmed until I set it up and started checking out the features.

Unlock your saw’s full potential. by Seth Keller   The tablesaw’s power and precision put it at the center of everyone’s shop. Despite this honored position, a tablesaw is mostly used for mundane ripping tasks. To make better use of my tablesaw, I use these four simple jigs in my shop. They take advantage of…

First a disclaimer: This is a recollection of impressions following the installation and test running of our new 6” Grizzly spiral Cutterhead jointer, that we bought at full price this fall.  As many of you know, I teach woodworking at the Rudolf Steiner School in Manhattan. Our program is mainly geared towards hand tool work….

A Desktop size CNC at an Entry Level Price One of the questions I’m most often asked is “would you do a review of an affordable CNC?”  Up to now, there’ve been few choices for woodworkers on tight budgets with small home shops. Here’s the thing: as woodworkers, we do pretty heavy duty work and…

Track saws are a favorite among on-site installers and carpenters, for breaking down sheet goods, trimming floors and other operations common on the job. Their portability and accuracy make them a godsend for contractors. Many woodworkers have a circular saw in their shop and use it for crosscutting, kerfing out large joinery or cuts where the tool…

A few weeks ago one of our remarkable 8th grade students approached me during class and with a sad face as he presented two pieces of steel that just a few moments earlier used to be a vintage socket chisel. He remorsefully said that the chisel broke while he was shaping a round tenon at…

A few weeks ago Veritas tools (Lee Valley) released their most recent plane. The squirrel-looking plane (there are actually two versions of it: a limited edition stainless steel, and a continuous production cast iron) is by far one of the smallest planes around.

A while ago I blogged about a Breast Drill that I bought on eBay and restored. I also mentioned that it is hard to find a good quality drills with concealed gears on the market today. After I wrote the blog I found a supplier of drills who held (and still does) a few tools…

It sure is cute – but is it useful? by Clarence Blanchard from the December 2006 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine Few tools spark the affection of so many as the Stanley No. 1 size bench plane. Regardless of one’s interest, the small plane has a way of catching everyone’s eye. Set one on a…

This article, by John Wilson (of The Home Shop, which offers Shaker boxes and supplies for making them) first appeared in the August 2005 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. While we’re still calling it the “$5 Router Plane,” it’s possible it will now cost a bit more to make – but likely still less than $10…

When I was learning to sharpen and set saws in the 1990s, I was desperate for information. All I had was one modern book, a somewhat helpful video and the attempts I had made on my bargain basement saws. It was a slog. While today there is a lot more information available on saws and…

Tool: Ultimate Matte Finish Polyurethane Manufacturer: Rust-Oleum So you want the look of raw wood and excellent protection against spills and scratches? Until recently, that request might have provoked a few chuckles. Rust-Oleum’s water-based Ultimate Matte Finish Polyurethane will get you pretty close. When dry, this finish has the minimal look of a wax finish—the wood is…

Tool: Precision Router Table Setup Bars Manufacturer: Kreg MSRP: $69.99 Accurate tool setup is half the battle of doing good work. Kreg’s Precision Router Table Setup Bars make the battle a little easier. This kit includes seven bars in 1/16″ increments from 1/8″ to 1/2″. They’re accurately milled—I checked the end tabs with a micrometer, and…

No gas, no fumes and plenty of power for green woodworking. Tool: M18 FUEL Brushless Chain Saw Manufacturer: Milwaukee Tool MSRP: $449 (includes battery and charger)   I made the switch to battery-powered chainsaws for my tree service work in 2011 when pro-duty models first became available, and I never looked back. Battery power has…

Tool: 12V Max EC Brushless Palm Edge Router Manufacturer: Bosch MSRP: $149 (bare tool) There’s something to be said about the form of a tool that impacts your desire to pick it up and use it – especially when the form has been designed to address a particular process. And that’s what initially caught my eye…

Tool: Wood Carving Set Manufacturer: Morakniv MSRP: $59.99 If you’re looking to jump on the Slöyd bandwagon and start carving spoons and other wooden objects, this set of two knives is a great starting point. And they’re made in Sweden, where Slöyd is still a part of the school curriculum. First, you get a straight carving…

Tool: M9WW Rapid Acting Wood Working Vise Manufacturer: Yost MSRP: $99.99 Before I admitted I was a woodworker, I accomplished all of my woodworking in a Craftsman bench vise. I remember buying my bench vise as a young man who wanted to give the heaviest (and therefore, the most meaningful) gift to my father for Christmas that…