Archives

Q & A: Folding Bandsaw Blades Q: I once saw someone fold a bandsaw blade for easier storage— how was that done? A: Folding a bandsaw blade can be a bit intimidating when you first [...]

Q & A: Matching Old Stains Q: I have to match an old stain. I’ve come pretty close with a new stain I bought at the hardware store, but it’s not good enough. Is there a way I can [...]

Q & A: Setting Jointer Knives Q: How can I set my jointer knives without using a jig? A: A wood block and a pencil will do the job on a jointer with an adjustable outfeed table. If the [...]

  Cutting Gauge Tune-Up Q: I bought a new marking gauge to cut across the grain when I lay out tenon shoulders and dovetails. The problem is, it doesn’t make a clean cut. All I get is a [...]

  Removing Old Glue Q: I’ve got some old furniture that’s been reglued too many times. How do I get the old glue off so I can get back to clean wood? A: If your furniture was [...]

Q & A: Mortising By Machine Q: I’m having trouble with my mortising machine. I cut mortises by slightly overlapping each hole, but I’ve broken a few bits and my chisels have [...]

  Nailer Blowout Q: I am building an entertainment center with a solid-oak face frame, and an MDF-core plywood and oak veneer carcass. When I was nailing the face frame to the carcass, the [...]

Q & A: Rust and Mold on Waterstones Question: My set of Norton waterstones has recently developed two problems. First, a brownish stain appears when I sharpen my chisels and plane irons. [...]

See-Through Router Base See where you're going on a dovetail jig. By Dave Munkittrick   Why are so many router bases solid black? I hate peering through those little holes to align my [...]

The Way Wood Works: Birch This affordable wood is great for both high-end and utilitarian cabinetry. By Tim Johnson Birch is a hot item at the lumberyard these days, and birch veneer is the [...]

The Way Wood Works: Reading Grain Direction By Tom Caspar “Going against the grain” is a familiar phrase. It means doing something the wrong way.When you’re talking about wood, [...]

Bandsaw Tire True-Up Q: How can I fix a bandsaw tire with irregularities that bump the blade? I’m getting a lot of side-to-side movement with the blade. A: Truing the hard rubber tire that [...]