The Basics of Cabinet Making
Hearing that someone is a cabinetmaker tends to bring respect for the woodworking skills of the person described. That’s as it should be, but the skills are neither arcane, nor impossible for the average woodworker to gain. After all, most of us feel anyone can...The Plate (Biscuit) Joiner – a tool for everyone
The plate (or biscuit) joiner is one those tools that gives a really big bang for the buck. In the hands of a seasoned professional or novice, it provides rock solid joints. For beginners, it is a tool that provides an immediate improvement in woodworking skills....Tool Sharpening 101: Stones
Different types of sharpening stones exist for a reason – there is not one type or style of stone that is best for every sharpening task. Choosing the one that best one is a matter of matching the best combination of advantages for your particular sharpening...Trim Routers – your new best friend?
With some routing chores, bigger isn’t always better; sometimes it’s a bother. For small-cut jobs, a larger machine is the workshop equivalent of swatting a fly with an elephant gun. Enter the trim router. This prized tool – sometimes called a...Use Grain Fillers for a Great Finish
The first step to a superb finishing job on your projects is the realization that all hardwoods are not created equal. Most woodworkers really know this already, but check out the surface of a piece of red oak, and then hold a piece of cherry next to it. Look at them...Using Forgotten ‘Throw-away’ Wood
I grew up in Connecticut, where large trunk hardwood trees were in abundance. Split vertically the grains visible on their flat surface run as long and with as much grace and purpose as the highways crossing this country. I now call the Bitterroot Valley in Montana,...Veneering with Contact Cement
There are a number of ways to apply wood veneer to a substrate. If you prefer a fast, convenient method that doesn’t require a lot of special equipment, good results can be achieved with contact cement and a few hand tools. With a few tips, the process is...Wipe-On Oil Finishes – you may never use a brush again
Wipe-on finishes are popular for a variety of reasons, the biggest of which is the ease of application. Wipe-on oils may take a little more time to apply and to dry than do some spray finishes, but provide a different look, and feel, which is often preferable for the...Wood Finishing with Shellac
Want a safe, non-toxic finish on your project? Finishing or refinishing your woodworking project with Shellac gives you the both of best worlds: A beautiful (superior clarity) and an environmentally friendly finish. Shellac is perfect for antique restoration,...Woodcarving: Selecting Wood
The ideal carver’s wood might be as soft as white pine, with mahogany’s straight grain, totally without knots or difficult grain, and able to hold detail as well as persimmon. But the next carver in line may well prefer working with very hard woods that...Workshop Project: Making Tools Mobile – Adding Casters
Most of us soon or later find that our shops are quite a large as we thought they were on paper. As we accumulate more tools, tool stands and tool boxes the frustration of crowding sets in. There is a solution short of building a new shop – convert as many of...Workshop Project: Table Saw Tune-up
As durable as most table saws are, they do require attention from time to time. If you’re table saw is is leaving rough saw marks, burning wood or bogging down when you rip average stock thicknesses, chances are something’s amiss, and it’s time to...
Woodcraft Magazine
