UPDATED 26Sep2018: I’ve noticed that most woodworkers start assessing a board by looking at its face. But if this is where your investigations end, you’re missing out on insights that can lead to a lot of creative control and better […]
Continue ReadingRAISED PANELS, HAND-PLANED: Make Solid Wood Panels Without a Router
Woodworking machines are great, but there’s more of a place for hand tools than many people think. Click below to watch how I refine the bevel on the edge of raised door panels using a sharp hand plane. The results […]
Continue ReadingDETAIL SANDERS: Tips for Using This Key Tool for Outdoor Wood Refinishing
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 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.
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WOOD PLANERS: Tips for Choosing & Maintaining One
UPDATED 13Jun2019 (Video below): There are big reasons to like a wood planer for your workshop. Not to be confused with a jointer, wood planers (also called “thickness planers”) are a class of stationary power tool designed to smooth the […]
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.
Continue ReadingHOW-TO: Jointing Wood Flat & True
Woodworking success often depends on boards that are flat, true and square. The jointer is the tool that creates these essential conditions. Watch and see how to use a jointer properly.
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 ReadingCRAFTSMANSHIP: Creating Quality in a World of Junk
All good things eventually come to an end. That said, the right attitude towards woodworking offers a unique chance to extend ourselves a little beyond the usual limits of life. That’s because building beautiful things isn’t just about making something […]
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.
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