My task: 28 kitchen drawers of different sizes, all with hand-cut dovetails. The thought of laying these out was overwhelming, so I designed a jig to simplify the process. To make the jig, carefully lay out and cut a piece of 1/4” hardboard as if it were the pin board for the tallest drawer. Glue…

This trusted servant—an ideal project for using some of the nicer pieces in your scrap bin—will present a stylish and functional addition to your home. Project #2320 • Skill Level: Beginner • Time: 2 Days • Cost: $65 A long-time admirer of Tage Frid’s work, I have an attraction to Danish furniture style and design. So,…

Tool: Joinery Saw Shop Now Manufacturer: David Jeske MSRP: $235 If you’ve been around hand tools for any amount of time, David Jeske is probably familiar to you. Dave is the founder of Blue Spruce Toolworks, and has continued to design tools for them for a few years after stepping away from the business. When…

As we start the new year, I hope this blog finds you, your friends, and your families well. Each year, the rolling of the calendar is an exciting time for most people. It’s a new beginning. A time to make new resolutions for this next year and to look forward to what the year has…

After completing the reconstruction of the main broken molding piece, I glued the molding back onto its panel and began restoring the adjacent corner that was also damaged and required repair. First, I sawed off and smoothed out the damaged corner area. Then, I glued a piece of wood over it. Using chisels and rasps,…

A lifelong dream of woodworking comes to fruition. I stared up at the silent giant, standing twice as tall as me – polished wood, crystal-clear glass, full of brass gears and weights that seemed like gold to my young eyes. I was waiting for the top of the hour, when this sleeping giant, quiet other…

It’s almost a wrap on 2023, so it’s time to check out the tops projects you loved this year! 5. Torsion Beams 4. The Roubo Workbench 3. The Amazing Table Saw Bowl 2. Traveling Toolbox 1. Upgrade Your Miter Saw for Woodworking

Tool: 18V Brushless Cordless Compact Router R860444 Shop Now Manufacturer: Ridgid MSRP: $179 (bare tool) Ridgid has been on a bit of a tear recently updating and expanding their cordless tool lineup. That streak seems poised to continue with the release of the new R860444 18V Brushless Cordless Compact Router.  The router features a 1/4″…

The mouldings dress up the shelf while building the drawer increases your skills.

A stay-the-course attitude turns phobia into appreciation. I don’t know many woodworkers who enjoy finishing. We will gladly spend an eternity devising a jig to help with an operation that we’ll perform only once. Time stands still when we’re at the lumber mill looking for that elusive, perfect board for a project so far down…

My dovetail jig doesn’t have a depth gauge, and with my engineering background, I like things to be precise. This depth gauge allows me to set my router bits to within .001 of an inch! I also use it to set saw blade heights and check the depth of rabbets and dadoes. Start with a…

In the good old days, when a woodworker wanted to plane a board’s edge, he’d clamp one end in the bench’s face vise and support the cantilevered end with a free-standing devise called a “deadman”. My modernized version of this traditional fixture mounts in the tail vise. After drilling holes in a 2-in.-thick post, I…

After completing step (F), I used a gouge to hollow out the cove portion of the molding. I selected a gouge with a sweep that matched the cove radius and carefully shaved the wood in the direction of the grain (G). Next, I used chisels and a shoulder plane to round over the corners of…

The simplest tool in your chest is also the most sensitive and versatile; here’s how to set up a chisel to a high level and wield it like a maestro. It’s almost impossible to build furniture without a chisel, yet most woodworkers I’ve met (even professionals) have chisels that are unbalanced, the wrong shape and…

Strong and convenient, yellow wood glue is a good choice for most repairs. But there are glues that offer advantages for special situations: SLOWER GLUES: Depending on factors like temperature and wood species, standard wood glue can set in as little as five minutes. When you need more time for complex assemblies such as chairs,…

Your decision is simplified by the process of elimination. At some point as you progress in woodworking, you begin to realize that there are many finishes to choose among; you probably ask yourself if you are using the best finish for your project. Choosing is not as hard as it seems because there are only…

When making tenons for breadboard ends and other wide workpieces, the router is my tool of choice. Ensuring perfectly aligned rabbet shoulders on both sides of the board was a problem until I started using this shopmade collar jig. I just slip it over the end of the board and clamp it in place to…