Tricks of the Trade

Hacksaw blades ganged together make a really useful file, one that can be as wide or narrow as you wish. The blades may be full length or half-length. (Use a rotary tool to cut them in half). To [...]

Finishing the plugs for covering screw holes is a pain. When you run a brush or rag over them after they’re installed, they’ll probably cause the finish to run or drip. Finishing them [...]

I’ve had trouble making square and smooth edges on face frame parts, but this planer jig solved all my problems. It produces accurate and consistent results. For the jig’s base, cut T-slots in a [...]

Ironing edge-banding that has hot-melt glue backing is familiar to most woodworkers. But what if you don’t have any on hand, or it’s not available in the species you’re using? I [...]

Biscuit joinery is great, but without an octopus for a shop assistant, how do you hold all the parts? These simple little stands can help. Made of 3/4“ melamine and some 3/8“ dowels, [...]

To keep stock from slipping when using my miter gauge, I rely on this simple jig. Screw a 3/4″ x 2″ fence to your miter gauge. Make it whatever length you need. Use a continuous hinge [...]

My finishing turntable is perfect for spraying large parts or projects. To make the device, I mounted five fixed 3-1/2” casters on a plywood panel. They’re equally spaced in a 16” diameter [...]

I’ve been noticing a lot of new tools these days that come equipped with on-board task lighting. Then while recently perusing my local home-improvement center, I noticed these small [...]

Trimming small parts on a table saw using a miter gauge can be a little nerve wracking. In order to trim small parts safely, I mounted a handscrew to a piece of plywood. First I trimmed the [...]

My lathe tool rack is based on a fishing rod rack that I made some time ago. Made from 3/4-in.-thick walnut, it measures 3-1/8-in. by 10-in. by 30- in. I made the matching front and back tool [...]

My bandsaw’s blade-tensioning system used to be wobbly and difficult to turn. Instead of shelling out for a quick-release lever, I came up with this simple, inexpensive fix. To stabilize [...]

Adding a hold-down to my shop-made crosscut sled makes the sled easier and safer to use. My parts don’t slip and my fingers are far from the blade because I don’t have to hold the workpiece. The [...]