Archives

Q & A: Are Broken Screws Removable? Q: Argh! I broke off a brass screw while installing a small hinge. Can I get it out?   A: Join the club! Every woodworker has faced this problem.The [...]

Q & A: Help! My Router Makes Sparks! Q: When I run my router I see lots of small, blue sparks inside. Recently the sparks have grown larger. Is this OK?   A: Nope. Small sparks are [...]

  Q & A: Why are new chisels so dull?   Q: Whenever I buy a blade, like a tablesaw blade or a router bit, it’s always sharp.How come when I buy chisels they’re duller [...]

Q & A: Dovetail Jig Set-Up Q: I’ve fallen in love with my dovetail router jig, but my big frustration is setting the depth of the dovetail bit each time. I’ve tried measuring how [...]

Make Corner Splines Decorative corner splines sure make an ordinary box look great. But they can be a bit dicey to cut on a tablesaw. Let your plate joiner come to the rescue. A simple jig holds [...]

At-Hand Tool Storage By Bob Ungar I hate fumbling around in drawers or digging into cabinets for tools.That’s why I love perf-board. It displays my hand tools out in the open [...]

Q & A: Final Rubout   Q: I always have problems getting a smooth finish. I sand the wood with 220 paper,wipe it with a tack cloth, apply three coats of high-quality varnish, and still [...]

  Q & A: Keep the Crook Q: I have some planks with a pronounced crook.The grain is beautiful and I would like to make use of the crook in a desktop design. How can I edge join the boards [...]

Q & A: Cock-Beading on Drawer Fronts Q: I have plans for a Queen Anne highboy in which the drawer beads are applied as separate strips to the edges of the drawer front. How is this done [...]

Q & A: Folding Bandsaw Blades Q: I once saw someone fold a bandsaw blade for easier storage— how was that done? A: Folding a bandsaw blade can be a bit intimidating when you first [...]

The Way Wood Works: Reading Grain Direction By Tom Caspar “Going against the grain” is a familiar phrase. It means doing something the wrong way.When you’re talking about wood, [...]

As CNCs become increasingly common in small woodshops, an amazing variety of work is emerging. This confirms the technical versatility of CNCs, it’s an even greater testimony to the creativity [...]