Shop Blog

This post is Part 1 of a multi-part series on SketchUp Tricks. More precisely, methods of modeling that save time. Today I am going to show you some methods to draw boards with symmetrical ends [...]

Brian Denmeade, of Columbiana, Ohio, is the lucky winner of a Festool Kapex compound miter saw and Festool CT 26 dust extractor. Brian has been woodworking for 35 years; he enjoys making [...]

Last week I posted shop drawings for a Cherry Bedside Table. Some how a mortise was left out of the front legs. I have corrected the .layout, .PDF and .skp files and uploaded the new ones. If you [...]

Suspended Outlet This is one of my favorite shop upgrades.By adding this suspended outlet over my work area I always have electricity close at hand. It sure beats running an extension cord across [...]

I’m installing 12 hinges today on a collapsible bookcase and about half of them are in tight quarters where no drill can go, and screwdrivers are no picnic, either. To make the job easier, I like [...]

When I hear the word “veneering,” I reflexively think of the many hours I spent feeding 4×8 sheets of plywood into the Joos hot press machine where I used to work. Sometimes we had the [...]

As a furniture-maker, turning was always an uphill battle for me. Every turning tool requires a different touch and a different sharpening approach. The problem was that I never practiced enough [...]

Of all the variables of design, context is the easiest to miss. That is one of the powerful things about using SketchUp, you can easily compare one piece to another, add a human figure to the [...]

Tabletop Connection Steel tabletop fasteners are a great way to attach a tabletop to its base while still allowing for seasonal changes. On a table with straight aprons, it’s easy enough to [...]

The last two items on my list are for woodworkers who have been very good this year. They are a bit more expensive than the other items on my list, but they are excellent tools. Of those last two [...]

As editors, we search our two web sites (popularwoodworking.com and shopwoodworking.com) constantly for information for the online extras portion of all  articles and most columns – the [...]

I watched my old high school get pummeled in their state football championship game last weekend. Two things were obvious to any keen observer: 1. DNA matters. The opposing team, Valor, featured [...]