Summer is the season you’re most likely to refinish outdoor trim, door frames, window sashes and finickity woodwork of all kinds, and detail sanders are tools I’ve come to rely on for this kind of work. Also called multitools these days because they can also cut and grind, detail sanders are not for stripping back large expanses of bare wood.
Continue ReadingQ&A: How Can I Dispose of Shavings From My Planer?
Q: I recently bought a benchtop wood planer and have been happily generating bags and bags of sawdust in my workshop. Trouble is, I just found out that my municipality doesn’t accept sawdust as garbage. How can I dispose of […]
Continue ReadingLearn How To Build Your Own Classic Kitchen Cabinets
If you’re interested in saving tons of money building great kitchen cabinets, built-ins or a bathroom vanity, all while working in your garage or basement, then I’ve got some specific things to show you. In fact, I’ve already started showing people how to build cabinets like the ones you see here.
Continue ReadingOIL FINISHES FOR WOOD: A Beautiful & Repairable Option
Steve explains an under-appreciated option for finishing interior wood using a mixture of oil and varnish.
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WOODWORKING VIDEO: Use a Router to Make Fancy Handrails
In this video Steve Maxwell shows DIY (do-it-yourself) homeowners how to build wood handrails, beginning with making blanks from rough lumber.
Continue ReadingVIDEO: Real Milk Paint Delivers Timeless Beauty
Milk paint is easy to like. It’s safe, fast drying and when used in a particular way it delivers a kind of beauty that only gets better with the bumps and dings imparted by everyday life. I first experienced authentic milk […]
Continue ReadingHOW-TO: Why You Should Love Dowel Joinery
Dowel joints are one of the easiest, strongest and more versatile way to connect wood parts. Read Steve’s quick-start guide on how to succeed with dowel joints
Continue ReadingMill Your Own Micro Lumber
It’s easy to look past the obvious fact that lumber comes from logs, but once you start thinking this way, interesting things can happen. It’s surprisingly easy to mill short, small logs into furniture-grade boards, right in your own workshop, […]
Continue ReadingWood-Free Woodworking: Composite Lumber for Outdoor Projects
Wood isn’t the only material you can plane, rout, mill and join to create refined workshop projects. Composite deck lumber can also be used for fine “woodworking”, despite the fact that it’s designed for outdoor use supporting deck chairs, barbecues and people relaxing. Even though I’ve worked with composites for more than ten years – including the construction of simple outdoor furniture – I didn’t realize the full potential of composites until I was asked to tackle an unusual project.
Continue ReadingQ&A: Smoother Cuts With a Chopsaw
Why do my chopsaw cuts bind? I’m building the workbench you offered free plans for a while back, and some of the cuts seem to pinch the blade of the saw, causing friction and burning. What should I do? Read on for Steve’s advice.
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