Archives

Breaking Rules Don’t throw away that broken, wooden rule. Strip the hardware from a 6-in. section. Then cut a slot for it in the front edge of your workbench with a router. Place the zero mark [...]

Portable Shaving Horse Bring your shop to the woods. In the modern workshop, the tablesaw is the central tool. A few centuries ago, for coopers (barrel makers), bodgers (chairmakers), and [...]

Q & A: A Brush for Tight Spots   Q: I built a little TV stand for our living room that included a 4-in. space for the DVD player. It seemed like a great idea until I went to varnish …

Q & A: Lock Miter Joint Q:   How do you set up a lock miter bit?     A:   There are two critical adjustments (Fig. A). First, you set the bit’s height; second, you [...]

Laser Cutting Guide I use a laser pen to improve accuracy when making miter cuts on a compound miter saw. It’s especially helpful when cutting ornate or rabbeted moldings. First I mark the edge [...]

Router Scarfing Jig Boatbuilders often need to join boards end to end to make longer planks. Instead of a butt joint they make a long taper on each board and overlap the ends. This is called a [...]

Taping Diagonals Measuring diagonals with a tape was a pain for me because the hook would always fall off the corner before I could get a reading. Finally I adapted a tape by riveting a small, [...]

Q & A: Getting Stain Out of Corners Q: I like using gel stain on difficult to stain woods like birch because it doesn’t leave a blotchy look. But man, the stuff is a pain to get out of [...]

Q & A: Easy Drawer Dividers Q: Help! The junk drawer in our kitchen is out of control! I have trouble finding anything in there. Is there a simple way to add dividers to my kitchen drawers [...]

Storing Lumber This rack is easily made from galvanized iron pipe and threaded floor flanges. For light loads use 10-in. lengths of 1/2-in. pipe and 2x4s. For heavier loads go to 3/4-in. pipe and [...]

Saw Sharpening Jig I made this jig to hold a dovetail or other backsaw when filing and resetting the teeth. To use, insert the saw blade, teeth up, and clamp the jig in a bench vice.…

One Man’s Trash … I jump at any chance to dig through an old building—you never know what you’ll find. Rummaging through an old farmhouse and barn slated for demolition, [...]