WOOD FINISHING: Famous Sailing Ship Proving Ground for Age Old Wood Finish
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, discovers the wood finish that keeps Canada’s Bluenose II sailboat shining: Helmsman from Minwax.
WORKSHOP VIDEO: Understanding Drill Bits & Driver Bits
Get the most out of your drill with the right kind of things to put into it. This video comes from my online course WOODWORKING FOR BEGINNERS.
WOODWORKING: Bandsaw Your Own Real Boards From Small Logs
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,…
METALWORKING: Build a Tractor Toolbox From An Ammunition Box
I recently bought a new-to-me tractor and it did have any handy place to put a toolbox. But a little time in the shop with some 1/4″ x 2″ flat bar mild steel, and some John Deere green spray paint,…
WOODWORKING: See How Much Pressure a Dowel Joint Can Take
Just how strong is a dowel joint? Watch and see this measured stress test applied to a standard dowel joint in my workshop. I was surprised.
WOODWORKING: All About Plywood & Sheet Goods
Join me for a 13 minutes tutorial on plywood and other sheet goods for workshop and home renovation projects. This video is part of my Woodworking for Beginners online course.
BACKWOODS CRAFTSMANSHIP: See How Amish Carpenters Use Cordless Tools
Cordless tools have been at the leading edge of the building scene for decades, but not everyone who embraces cordless tools are leading edge people. Take the Amish for instance. The Amish call themselves “the plain people” and it’s easy…
CHISELS & PLANES: Why These Hand Tools Still Make Sense
Canada’s Handiest Man, Steve Maxwell, gives the scoop on some of his favourite hand tools. Simple, yet essential items for homeowners and woodworkers.
BETTER TARPING: See a Better Way to Tie Down Than Just grommets
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, explains a handy product called Grabbits that make tying down tarps much simpler and easier.
WORKSHOP & DIY: Five Fabulous Fasteners You Should Know About
There are dozens of different kinds of fasteners in the world and you can safely forget about most of them for building and maintaining things around the home, farm and cottage. But there are five types of fasteners that you’ll…
How to Incorporate Construction Waste Can Be Turned into Fun Creative Projects
Once you finish with a project (DIY or otherwise), or you’re finally finished with renovations, you’re probably left with a lot of leftover material. Some of it is straight up waste, while other things, such as broken/extra tiles, unused or…
METALWORKING: How to Adjust a MIG Welder for Best Results
One reason welding has become so much easier for beginners is because of a certain type of machine called a “MIG welder”. Click above to watch a video where I teach the fine points of adjusting the two parameters of any…