Archives

Drawing Intersecting Rounds Joining two pieces of round stock to make a “T,” such as where a chair post joins a rail, requires a tricky intersection. Your layout must be precise so [...]

Bleaching Wood Subtract color to add life. By Michael Dresdner There are four types of bleach that woodworkers commonly use: chlorine, two-part wood bleach, oxalic acid and peroxide. Two-part [...]

Lock Miters This simple set-up process guarantees perfect joints! By George Vondriska Lock miters are strong, attractive joints that make assembly easy. So why the heck don’t we use lock miters [...]

Filling Nail Holes   Q: I am making an oak bookcase as a builtin for our living room. What’s the best way to fill the nail holes and finish the trim pieces once they’re in place? A: Don’t [...]

Touch up: Repairing a Damaged Finish Hide blemishes without refinishing. Touch up refers to techniques used to repair and disguise damage on already finished wood—without refinishing. Whether [...]

Treasured Board Table One precious board is all you need. By Tom Caspar Every woodworker discovers an extraordinary piece of wood once in a while. What do you do with it? One board is not enough [...]

Vertical Panel Clamping Gluing panels and other large assemblies vertically saves floor space and is easier on your back—you don’t have to carry anything. Make the crossbar from [...]

Hand-Planed Moldings Use a pair of planes to create custom profiles. By Bill McCarthy A woodworker who needs a small amount of hardwood molding for a furniture or cabinet project is often out of [...]

Tablesaw Tenoning Jig A precision joint-making tool for less than $30. By Frank Gregg A tablesaw tenoning jig is an essential tool for most woodworkers. But commercial units cost $100 and up, and [...]

Blade Alignment I made this rig to check the alignment of my tablesaw blade with the miter gauge slot. I don’t own a precision dial indicator, so I devised one using an ice pick and a [...]

Glue & Clamps A dry run is the key to a hassle-free glue-up. By Ian Kirby Everything looked good, until you added glue and clamps. Then the wood began to slip and slide, you scrambled for [...]

Steel Wool Holder I came up with this idea because I often use steel wool, bronze wool, and synthetic-steel wool. I attach the hook part of adhesive-backed, hook-and-loop strips to a piece of [...]