Workshop
Woodworking, metalworking and repairs all happen in workshops, and this is where you’ll find lots of inspiration and information
Review the entire Archive of Workshop Articles here, or do a more in-depth search to find what you’re looking for.
How to Create a Pickled Wood Finish
Colour and wood grain. This is what a pickled wood finish delivers. It’s a hot visual item these days and…
Top Three Thickness Planer Questions & Maintenance Video
Steve answers the top three queries he’s asked about these benchtop woodworking tools.
METALWORKING: See What Water Jet Cutting Can Do
Water jet cutting is a computer-controlled process that can create crisp, intricate cuts in metal of all kinds. A few…
Five Little Tools That Matter
Every building or repair job around the house is made of tasks, and every task requires that materials, labour and…
A Better Way to Install Door & Window Trim
There’s a better way to install trim. Instead of cutting, fitting and nailing each piece separately, check out this faster…
STAIR TREAD TRICK: See Simple Jig on Video
Are you building or renovating wooden stairs? Or perhaps you need to precisely fit other pieces of wood tightly between…
5 Tips for Turning Rough Lumber Into Fine Woodworking Projects
Check out five handy tips from Steve Maxwell for great mill-it-yourself lumber. Tips you’ll never find in your thickness planer…
POWERFUL WOOD BRIGHTENER: See the Latest Oxygen-Based Product in Action
If you’ve got weathered wood that you’d like to make bright again, or mold stains on any kind of porous…
How to Apply Waterbased Polyurethane
Many people have trouble finishing interior wood well, especially when using waterbased urethane. The video below can help. It’s part…
QUALITY & MORALITY: Build Unto Others As You Would Have Them Build for You
If you do anything at all creative with your hands, you might appreciate an idea I call “the challenge of…
Marking Tools for Woodworkers
This video comes from my online course “Woodworking for Beginners”, and explains the basics of choosing and using tools to…
Drilling Under a Vehicle Made Easier
Let me show you a simple trick for boring big holes in the unsiderside of vehicle frames. It’s a simple…
QUARTER-SAWN HARDWOOD: How Understanding Wood Grain Improves Your Woodworking
Steve Maxwell, Canada’s Handiest Man, explains how to select wood grain depending on how lumber was sawn from the tree.
MAKE YOUR OWN SHOP-CUT VENEER: Why It’s Easy to Like This Little-Known Woodworking Technique
Never heard of making your own shop-cut veneer for woodworking projects? Let me show you why it’s a powerful technique…
IMPACT DRIVERS FOR SCREWS: Meet the Quietest Model in the World (So Far)
Steve Maxwell is an expert when it comes to tools. In this video he takes apart an impact driver to…
ABRASIVES GET BETTER: Why Leading-Edge Abrasives Are Worth It
If you’re into woodworking or home improvements, your life will be better if you understand how innovation has made sandpapers…
HAND SCYTHES: How to Sharpen This Useful Yet Forgotten Tool From the Past
Even though I have many outdoor power tools in my shop, including several gas-powered weedeaters and brush cutters, I still…
HOW BRICKS ARE MADE: Video Tour of North America’s Largest Clay Brick Plant
Back in 2018, I went on a guided tour of the Brampton Brick manufacturing facility in Ontario Canada. It was given by…
DRILL PRESS TOUR: See the Bits & Accessories I Use in My Shop
A drill press is one of the most useful stationary power tools, both for metal and wood. In this video…
HOMEBUILDING IN SOUTH AFRICA: See How They Do It in Durban
In this blog Steve Maxwell, Canada’s handiest Man, shares insights acquired on a visit to Durban, South Africa on how…
7 Essential Table Saw Safety Tips
Table saws are powerful tools, but you need to know how to operate one safely. This video shows what I…
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Woodworking, metalworking and repairs all happen in workshops, and this is where you’ll find lots of inspiration and information.