Workshop Setup & Handplanes: Two Books on the Horizon
One of my resolutions for the new year is to post more updates about our progress with book projects and share tips or ideas I learn from them … and so, a quick update from your friendly [...]
Tommy Mac’s Toolbox
Combine power and hand tools to improve your joinery skills. by Thomas J. MacDonald first published in the December 2012 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine Building a toolbox much like this [...]
Cool Nailmaking Video from Austria
Blacksmith Peter Ross recently sent me a link to the video below that shows production nailmaking of shoe nails in a town in Austria. These guys are working at breakneck speed – forget those [...]
Stop Spelching with an Unlikely Ally: Sandpaper
When you shoot end grain with a handplane, you have to be wary of spelching – when the end grain breaks off at the end of your stroke. There are several ways to avoid spelching; one of the quick [...]
CNC Tooling Basics for Woodworkers
Part One: Questions & Answers about Mills & Bits Yes, the topic of CNC mills can be complicated. Because of the overwhelming minutiae of design detail and a bewildering number of choices, [...]
Tool Lubrication & Asher’s First Eggbeater Hand Drill – Part 1
Asher, who turned two last week, shows a promising appetite for woodworking tools. He is a frequent visitor to my home shop, where he examines the tools that he can reach. Mainly he’s drawn to [...]
Finish for Maloof-style chair
I got a call from a fellow who made a Sam Maloof-style chair and screwed up the finish using Maloof’s formula. I thought, how can you screw up a Maloof finish? Maloof combined three products – [...]
Sharpen a Scraper – Ron Hock Shows You How
Sometimes, a smoothing plane just can’t get things smooth enough (think reversing grain) – and if you’re a handplane user, you probably prefer not to pick up the sandpaper (thought [...]
2-Day Contest: Wall Shelf Build-Off from Chris Wong
Chris Wong of Flair Woodworks has set up another fun 2-day “build-off” for January 28 & 29 – and this time, it’s for a wall shelf. The idea is to have all participants [...]
Traditional Danish Workbench
I was thrilled to see the article by Bill Rainford in the current issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine in which he gives directions for making a traditional Danish workbench. It’s been a long [...]
The Best Way to Stamp Your Work or Tools
A name stamp is a great investment to mark your tools as your own, especially if you attend woodworking classes or work in a shop with others. It’s also a good way to stamp your finished [...]
So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish
I was cooking breakfast for a few friends at my family’s house on Lake Barkley when I received the call offering me the online editor position for Popular Woodworking Magazine. I was beyond [...]
