AW Extra 11/21/13 – Tablesaw Tapering Jig
Tablesaw Tapering Jig I recently built a pair of garden benches that required several identical parts that were tapered on both sides.To make the job easier, I built this jig that worked for both [...]
Q & A: Why Does My Wood Have Stripes?
Why Does My Wood Have Stripes? Q: I put a clear finish on a beautiful ash table I made and found faint stripes an inch or two wide going across each board. Any ideas on what caused them [...]
AW Extra 11/14/13 – Perfectly Parallel Fence
Perfectly Parallel Fence Here’s a quick and easy way to align your tablesaw fence with your miter slot.Plane down a board until it fits into your miter slot without play. Now slide the [...]
Q & A: Is Polyurethane Food-Safe?
Is Polyurethane Food-Safe? Q: I’m planning on finishing a set of wooden plates with polyurethane. Is this finish safe for food? A: According to finishing expert Bob Flexner, all [...]
Q & A: Why Predrill Screw Holes?
Why Predrill Screw Holes? Q: I think predrilling screw holes is a real drag, so I rarely do it. Most screws seem to work fine without all that bother. Why are you always advocating [...]
AW Extra 10/31/13 – Cool Tip for Changing Sanding Sleeves
Cool Tip for Changing Sanding Sleeves Changing the sanding sleeves on a spindle sander can be as tough as removing an old rusty bolt. Next time, try this trick: Put the drum in your freezer for [...]
Q & A: Prescription Safety Glasses
Prescription Safety Glasses Q: I hate fumbling with goggles over my prescription glasses, so I’ve given up. Don’t regular glasses protect my eyes well enough in the workshop? A: No. Normal [...]
AW Extra 10/24/13 – Rigid Routing Sled
Rigid Routing Sled A routing sled is a great help when coping the ends of rails and stiles. But I had a problem when I built my first sled. The pressure from the toggle clamp caused the [...]
Q & A: How Do You Make New Hardware Look Old?
How Do You Make New Hardware Look Old? Q: I’m missing some hardware on an old piece of furniture. I found some replacements, but they’re way too shiny and new-looking. What do [...]
AW Extra 10/17/13 – Anti-Slip Dust-Collection Table
Anti-Slip Dust-Collection Table Here’s a pair of sanding helpers that work great together. The rug pad provides a soft anti-slip surface.The Peg-Board, combined with the holes in the rug [...]
AW Extra 10/10/13 – Working Alone
Working Alone Solitary Strategies for Three-Handed Tasks By Tim Johnson One of woodworking’s major attractions is being able to say, “I built that myself.” On the surface, this [...]
Q & A: How Fast Should a Forstner Bit Spin?
How Fast Should a Forstner Bit Spin? Q: I just bought a set of Forstner bits for my drill press.The first time I used one I made more smoke than sawdust! How do I figure out the right [...]
