Archives

Bench Helper I use this simple device when planing the edges of long boards. It's especially useful when the board is too springy to be clamped between a bench dog and a tail vise. I hold the [...]

Q & A: Silencing a Squeaky Tablesaw Q: My tablesaw screeches like nails on a chalkboard whenever I adjust the blade.WD-40 made the noise go away for a while, but now it’s back. What do [...]

Getting the Point I frequently use awls in my work and like to keep them needle-sharp. This little jig takes only a few minutes to make and guarantees a fine, tapered point. Two magnets keep the [...]

Veneer for Edging Instead of buying veneer or edge-banding material for plywood, make your own from scrap left over from the project. This is not only inexpensive, but the edge banding will match [...]

Q & A: What Kind of Saw for Dovetails? Q: I’d like to try hand-cutting dovetails for the drawers of a sideboard I’m building.What kind of saw do I need for this job? A: Dovetailing can become [...]

Clean Bandsaw Tires – This one is from our old Q & A department. Q. My bandsaw tires have a builup of pitch and sawdust that seems to be embedded right into the  rubber. What's [...]

Q & A: Planer or Small Drum Sander? Q: I’d like to try using more rough lumber, but I’m not sure whether to choose a portable planer at around four bills, or a drum belt sander at [...]

Router Table Spring Board I saw this device in an old woodworking book. I gave it a try and now I use it all the time. With this spring board you get even pressure along the entire fence and [...]

Q & A: Anti-Kickback Router Bits Q: I’ve noticed some router bits are available with an “anti-kickback” feature. If this works, this seems like a great thing. Does it? [...]

Double-Duty Sanding Drum I sand a lot of thin wood on my drum sander and as a result, I only wear out the bottom part of the drums. Flipping them over allows me to use the top but the middle …

it’s very useful to have one very precise square in your shop. You can rely on this square for machinery setup, such as setting your jointer fence and your tablesaw blade square to the table.

Zero-Clearance Bandsaw Table I like to cut tenons with my bandsaw, but the little cutoffs tend to fall down in the space by the blade and get in the way or bind the blade. I found a slick fix. [...]