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Yoav Liberman
As woodworkers, we rely on electricity to alleviate some of the heavy lifting burdens of milling, sawing, and drilling. Many of us use these machines quite often and I believe we would benefit from being able to maintain them and solve some basic malfunctions. A few weeks ago I turned on my Delta drill press…
Collin Knoff
For a long time, there was resistance from many in the woodworking community to battery-powered tools. Going “unplugged” usually meant reduced power, frequent charging, and the inevitable battery failure before the tool itself was worn out. That all changed with the introduction of lithium-ion batteries, and today there’s hardly a tool out there that doesn’t…
I own three bandsaws. Two are hand-me-downs from neighbors and the most recent arrival is a brand new Grizzly 17” that I bought. The Grizzly is a great machine but like many of its peers, most of the bandsaw adjustment features are controlled by locking socket head cap screw, aka Allen screws. There is nothing…
After milling the parts for the shelf’s frame, rabbiting them, and cutting the miters, (read the first part of this story here) I connected them to the legs with screws. I found out that the geometry of the shelf was closer to a trapezoid than a square or a rectangle. Plus, even if I could…
Tool: Ultra-Saw US20V Shop Now Manufacturer: Dremel MSRP: $179.00 I recently had the opportunity to test Dremel’s first cordless multi-saw, the Ultra-Saw US20V. This type of compact saw is becoming a mainstay in toolboxes for carpenters and DIYers, and Dremel clearly did its homework. The saw is designed for flush cutting, plunge cutting, and surface…
Six years ago my neighbor and friend Dave gifted me his vintage Sears Craftsman 12” band saw. I love this machine and use it quite a lot. Sears used to make these saws and sell them mainly to hobbyists and amateur woodworkers, but should not be disregarded by serious woodworkers; this machine is quite reliable…
Christopher Schwarz
Grab your torch and pitchfork; the hand-tool guy has a table saw. Editor’s note: this article appeared in the November 2016 issue of Popular Woodworking People react with shock and horror when they learn I have electric machinery in my Kentucky workshop. After all, I’ve been writing almost exclusively about handwork for almost 20 years…
When I teach beginners, one of the most common phrases I hear is, “I cannot get this (insert tool name) to work. What’s wrong?” They hand the tool to me and the fun begins. Though block planes are dirt-simple handplanes, there are some important points about them that are rarely discussed in the literature. Here…
Armed with a little trickery, you can make the block plane perform a wide variety of tasks. Hang around enough woodshops (or Internet discussion groups) with a block plane in your hand and you’ll eventually be derided for owning a “carpenter’s tool.” It’s a criticism that I’ve never understood. Small trimming planes – no matter…
Tool: Veritas Side-Clamping Honing Guide Shop Now Manufacturer: Veritas MSRP: $39.50 When I saw that Lee Valley has release two new honing guides last month I knew that I have to give them a try. I love honing guides and I have quite a few. My favorite guide designs are offspring from the original Eclipse style….
While most newly-purchased chisels are supplied together with their integral guard, any vintage tool, mortise chisels, corner chisels, and all gouges do not come with such protection. A few years ago I wrote about a technique to protect the edges of your chisels and gouges using cardboard and rope to make a tailored-made guard. But…
American Woodworker Editors
Tool: Nx60 Shop Now and DX60 Shop Now Manufacturer: Lee Valley MSRP: $209+ These low-angle block planes from Lee Valley are beautiful marriages of fine art and sound engineering. Under each shiny, streamlined exterior lies a very serious tool-one that should please even the most demanding woodworker. The NX60 (above) and DX60 (below) are part of…
Tool: Quipt Tray Shop Now Manufacturer: Quipt Tools MSRP: $19.99-$34.99 (for a tray+clamp starter kit) Storage for small parts while working on a project is always a game of compromise. Built-in storage is useful, but also a great place to collect sawdust and debris when not in use. Small bowls or old tupperware containers are…
Tool: PRO Aware Shop Now Manufacturer: ISOtunes MSRP: $129.99 Every once in a while a new product comes along that’s a real game-changer in the workshop, and the new ISOtunes PRO Aware headphones is one of those tools. Many of you are familiar now with the ISOtunes family of OSHA-compliant hearing protectors with music streaming capabilities….
Brad Holden
Tool: 6-Amp Power Planer Shop Now Manufacturer: Porter-Cable MSRP: $69.98 Say you’ve got a huge, uneven roughsawn board. It would make a fantastic top for a coffee table, but how are you going to level it? Well, one way is to use a power planer, such as this unit from Porter-Cable. A power planer is…
Tool: Sawhorse Supports Shop Now Manufacturer: Rockler MSRP: $17.99 An extra work surface is always handy in the shop. We’ve all thrown a large piece of plywood down on a couple of sawhorses when we need a temporary bench, but let’s admit it—a top that can flex and sag is less than ideal. This set…
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