Work Begun

Forget the stockpile of wood; what about the stock of partial projects? When building furniture, some woodworkers keep a stockpile of lumber on hand and draw from their stacks as they begin a new [...]

Shaker-inspired Step Stool

Don’t let the panel glue-up scare you. This step stool (useful in just about any room of the house) is easy to build, using pocket screws as clamps and to add strength.

Japanese Sliding-lid Box

This clever and simple piece is great for storing tools, toys or a kimono While picking though a table of vintage Japanese tools for sale I spotted this sliding-lid box under the vendor’s table; [...]

Drill Press Mortising Fixture

Cut mortises of any width and length in stock of virtually any size. Here’s a win-win proposition: Spend a day in your shop and turn your drill press into a mortising machine. This fixture makes [...]

MDF Faux Panel Doors

Rout raised panel look-alikes in minutes.  Raised panel doors made with traditional stile and rail joinery are my first choice for cabinets. But I don’t always use them. For example, cabinets for [...]

Easy Storage Bench

The inspiration for this “I Can Do That” storage bench was simple – I wanted it. Ever since I picked up a king-size bed at a liquidation sale, I wanted a matching bench to [...]

Cedar Plant Stand

An Asian-inspired display stand for deck, patio or porch. This stand was originally designed for bonsai plants—dwarf trees or shrubs—but it can be used to display any kind of potted plant. As a [...]

Yard Games: Kubb

I’m sure you’re thinking, what’s Kubb? The original name, “Kubbspel,” translates (roughly) into  “throwing block game.” The goal is simple: knock over wooden “Kubbs” or soldiers by throwing [...]

Yard Games: Ladder Golf

Professional-sized ladder golf sets are larger and more robust than the chintzy ones you usually find in yard game kits. This project is a great way to use some long skinny scrap pieces too.  [...]

Build A Patio Planter

Strong, simple joinery provides lasting beauty. If you’ve been thinking about beautifying your patio, and you want to do it in a weekend, I’ve got just the thing. This sturdy planter is made from [...]

Patching Woodworking Mistakes

A long-time carpenter shares a repair trick to hide the mistakes made by ham-handed apprentices. For more than 30 years I was a traveling carpenter foreman in charge of installation of [...]

How to Make Lock Miter Drawers

This versatile router joint is perfect for production work. When I need to batch out a bunch of drawer boxes, I use a lock miter router bit. Not only does this bit create a joint with a clean, [...]

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