Garage-Friendly Assembly Tables

Efficient storage is important in my garage shop, so after use, my assembly tables tip, fold, clamp and roll. Each table has one apron-mounted caster ($10 at a home center). I used two sheets of [...]

Small Parts Drying Rack

I made this rack so the finish on my small projects would dry without leaving marks. I cut strips off of a 3/4″ board with my tablesaw’s blade tilted 30 degrees. For each new strip, I just [...]

No-Lathe Rounding

I don’t have a lathe, so when I need to make a cylindrical part, I do it by hand. Using this holding device, I can easily turn a square piece into a round piece using a hand plane—and you can, …

Speed-Square Assembly

I found yet another use for my trusty speed squares. Just clamp one or two of them inside the corners of a cabinet when you’re gluing it up. This guarantees that the corners will be square.  [...]

Long Tool Rest

For turning spindles, there’s nothing like having a  really long tool rest. You never have to move it! I made my own with parts from the hardware store. This rest is just a length of square steel [...]

Never-Lost Push Stick

Editor’s note: Special thanks to reader Bob L, who pointed out that putting a rare earth magnet that close to a moving saw blade can have catastrophic consequences. If you choose to use [...]

Centering a Hollow Grind

A felt-tip pen is the best tool I’ve found for adjusting a grinder’s tool rest. When you need to find the center of a bevel in order to duplicate an angle, color the whole bevel with a Magic [...]

Live Edge Bench

How do you make strong joints in wood like this? When I need wood for a project, my first stop is a small mill near my shop that specializes in local hardwoods. On one particular visit I noticed [...]

Cutting Sled for Inlay Strips

This sled allows me to cut the 1/8-in.- wide strips of veneer that I often use for inlays. I can cut strips all day without having to measure or reposition the saw’s fence. The sled consists of a [...]

Shop Apron Magnets

Small tools are easier to reach since I added two rare-earth magnets to my apron. I epoxied the 1/2″ dia. magnets to two 1″ square pieces of leather, punched 1/2″ holes in the [...]

Disc Break

Disc Break Back when I bought my radial arm saw, onboard braking systems didn’t exist. But I’m a gadget freak, so I bought an electronic brake and mounted it on top of the saw. The [...]

Hardware Store “T-Bolts”

Specialty hardware can be really annoying. Take the T-bolt—it’s essential for attaching anything to a T-track, but where can you buy one at a moment’s notice? Hardware stores don’t carry T-bolts, [...]

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