I like to work from plans, but paper is hard to protect in a workshop. My plans often become so torn, crumpled and soiled that they’re impossible to read [...]
Reaching down to open and close my tablesaw's blast gate was a real pain until I built this pivoting mechanical arm from pieces of 1/8-in. flat steel and 3/8-in. rod. It may look cobbled [...]
Melamine is the professional cabinetmaker’s best friend. Build a cabinet with it and you have a complete, durable interior that requires no sanding (yes!) and no finishing (oh, yeah!). Pros [...]
1. Sandpaper Roll Storage I use pressure-sensitive-adhesive (PSA) sanding discs. For easy access, I like to get them out of their packages and lined up by grit. I hang my rolls of sanding [...]
How two versatile woods can be both a blessing and a curse. by Karen Nakamura Cheap, plain and definitely not wood. That’s how many woodworkers describe particleboard and MDF (medium-density [...]
Commercially made zero-clearance inserts cost about $20. I make my own for less than $3 from 3/8-in.-thick polyethylene cutting boards, which are flat and rigid. A 14-in. x 17-in. cutting board [...]
I don't like to throw wood away; offcuts and other short boards work great for small projects, jigs and shop fixtures. But until I built this mobile cart, my shop was littered with piles of [...]
It's easy to cut perfectly round tabletops of almost any size on your tablesaw. All it takes is a simple jig (Fig A) and careful setup. With this method, you can safely cut dia-meters from 12 [...]
Simple Lumber Maker By Jay McClellan I’ve turned my bandsaw into a mini sawmill with the help of one dirt-simple jig and a pair of extension tables. The jig is nothing more than a piece of [...]
Screwing plywood pieces with drywall-type screws is quick and easy, but drilling holes in a straight line can be tricky. That’s why I made this handy little marking gauge that allows me to [...]
I use my grinder almost exclusively for beveling my chisels, so I like to keep the tool rest set to produce the 25-degree bevel I prefer. Having to reset the angle after using my diamond wheel [...]
When it comes to router-bit storage, I could write a book. I've tried everything, but I think my latest design is a keeper. I prefer to keep my bits protected in a drawer. At first, I just [...]
