The Nutsaver: This Stuff Writes Itself
A couple years ago I revealed my secret shame: I use pliers to tighten the round collets on the fences and depth stops of my Veritas planes. Read that post here. I was admonished by the “lovers [...]
The Furniture at Shakespeare’s Birthplace
As a rule, I avoid touristy places and huge throngs. But when Roy and Jane Underhill invited me to tag along to Stratford-on-Avon to see William Shakespeare’s birthplace, I couldn’t say no. After [...]
Best Weapons for Leveling Table Legs: A Drill Press and a Stick
One of the challenges with making any sort of table is getting its legs to sit flat on a level surface without rocking. I know lots of tricks for fixing the problem of tables that rock, but I’d [...]
Yes, You Can Have Too Much Ventilation
Earlier this year I decided to set up a spray booth in my shop so I could spray finishes on crappy days. It did not turn out well. Usually I spray outside, so I have to wait for a pleasant …
How I Use the Veritas Mark II Power Sharpening Machine
I’ve long been a fan of the Veritas Mark II Power Sharpening machine. I had one of the first models while working at Popular Woodworking Magazine. On the day I left the magazine, I ordered one [...]
French Curves for Woodworking
I’m reviewing the new set of stainless steel French curves from Sterling Tool Works for the October 2015 issue, but you might want to get your hands on these tools before then if you have some [...]
Another Great Maker of Wooden Handplanes
When I first started using and writing about wooden moulding planes, there was only one modern maker with a full line of planes: the pioneers Clark & Williams (now Old Street Tool). If you [...]
An Inside Look at the Peabody Essex Museum
If this whole “building world-class furniture” thing doesn’t work out for Phil Lowe, I think he could get a job as a museum docent. Lowe, an amazing maker and owner of The Furniture Institute of [...]
A Visit to the Furniture Institute of Massachusetts
If you want to learn to build high-end gorgeous American furniture, then Phil Lowe at the Furniture Institute of Massachusetts is the guy to see. He is the father of the modern furniture program [...]
Patterns for a Simple Camp Stool Seat
The most difficult part of making a folding camp stool (for woodworkers) is the leather or fabric seat. Getting the right shape for the seat and the three pockets for the legs has vexed many [...]
Archimedes the Chair Maker
The first time I ever tried steam bending wood, it took two of us to pull the scalding hot ash against the bending form and then clamp it down before it cooled. While it was an amazing [...]
Reason No. 32…
…that I would never put storage cabinets below my workbench. The open architecture of early benches is your friend. — Christopher Schwarz…
