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Tool: Magnetic Straightedge Shop Now  Manufacturer: Lee Valley MSRP: $7.50 Don’t have a drafting table? Can’t draw freehand to save your life? Here’s a tool from Lee Valley that lets you [...]

Tool: Multiscribe Shop Now Manufacturer: Trend MSRP: $70 I like tools that can do more than one thing—they keep the clutter down. When I read that Trend’s Multiscribe performs 15 [...]

A quick guide to the pros and cons of how to make the difficult part of a classic joint. Many pieces of old handmade furniture owe their long life to mortise and tenon joints. There are many [...]

Finding a felt-tip marker or touch-up stick that actually matches the color of your project is a real crapshoot. What if you could make your own, using your own stain? You can, using the Perfect [...]

When using my miter saw, I’ve found that the easiest way to sneak up on a line is to use a stack of sticky notes. First, set a stop block to cut your part slightly oversize (1/16″ is [...]

I made my own try square using a 1″ x 4″ corner mending plate and a couple scrap pieces of hardwood. To make one yourself, first check the mending plate to be sure it’s square. If [...]

Tool: Sure-Foot F-Style Clamp Shop Now   Manufacturer: Rockler MSRP: $19.99+ There are few tools that couldn’t use an improvement or two—even the humble bar clamp. Rockler thought of a few [...]

Simple to Super Durable Outdoor finishes have one thing in common; they all require maintenance. Of course, paint is unequaled at protecting the wood from its two biggest enemies: moisture and [...]

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 [...]

Layout Tool Haiku A framing square, small Enough to fit in your hand Is nuts-on 90. (originally published in American Woodworker #158) Veritas precision square Buy Now …

Drilling in melamine, plastic laminate, particleboard, or other abrasive materials dulls a steel countersink very quickly. So why not make it out of carbide? Thankfully, Amana did just that—they [...]

For the ultimate edge, use a leather strop. I have a special set of chisels that I only use for paring. To do a good job, they have to be wicked sharp—and stay that way. My secret weapon isn’t a [...]