Tools

Match the size to the job–that’s the key Hand planes come in a bewildering variety of sizes. Why are there so many? I’ll help explain this mystery by dividing the field into four groups, in order [...]

In my school’s woodworking program, we have a variety of chisels, ranging from wood-handled to plastic-handled. We even have a chisel without a handle, which is a full-tang hybrid between a [...]

Here’s what one pro always keeps in his toolbox. My favorite tools are the ones that I use every day—around the house, in the shop or at a jobsite. They’ve become old friends. They’re not [...]

About 30 years ago, my girlfriend led me to a dark, cluttered basement workshop to meet a sweet, 70-ish gem of a man: her grandfather, Hayes. He was surrounded by a lifetime’s collection of [...]

It can save you lots of money—and grief! Are you a scrounger? Always looking for a deal? Self-reliant? Those words fit a lot of woodworkers, particularly those who search for unusual or [...]

Tools: A Visual Exploration of Implements & Devices in the Workshop If there’s one thing to be said about woodworkers, it’s that we’re old school and prefer to pick up a book (or a magazine). [...]

Building a sash clamp is quite easy. Begin by milling a hardwood bar to the appropriate thickness. The bar’s thickness should allow it to travel smoothly between the sash clamp’s shoulders. Next, [...]

Beyond its prime use as a bar clamp, an inverted T-bar sash clamp can be handy when holding pieces for planing and gouging.  Below is an example of how to use this clamp to tie down a branch and [...]

This blog entry will make our UK base readership happy and will bring a smile to the British expats who live in the USA. This week’s story is about sash clamps, a type of clamp that I [...]

In the first part of the story, I showcased my small bandsaw and discussed the basic procedure of aligning the blade over the tires and checking for drift during a rip cut. Now, in this segment, [...]

Ensuring your band saw’s blade runs square to the table and miter slot is crucial for accurate ripping and cross-cutting. A blade that cuts without any drift makes sawing along the grain, or [...]

These once-standard tools still have a place in the modern shop. Here's what you need to know about the use, care and keeping of drawknives and spokeshaves.