Bruce Kieffer, Author at WoodWorkers Guild of America

Workaround: Cut Biscuit Grooves with a Router

September 6, 2017 By Bruce Kieffer & filed under Joinery, Portable Power Tools, Router, Skill Building.

So you need to cut a few biscuit grooves but don’t own a biscuit (plate) joiner — No problem, cutting the grooves with your router and a slot-cutter bit is easy. So I’ll bet you’re wondering if it’s so easy then why even own a biscuit joiner? Well there are pros and cons: Pros: Great…

The Difference Between a Jointer and Planer

January 19, 2017 By Bruce Kieffer & filed under Buying Advice, Jointer, Stationary Power Tools, Tool Education.

Beginning woodworkers all ask this basic question; what is the difference between a jointer and a planer? The answer is simple, a lot! And is there such a thing as a jointer planer. No! Each machine does a completely different surfacing operation. A jointer flattens a face or straightens and squares an edge, and a…

Worn Table Saw Arbor Fix

August 4, 2015 By Bruce Kieffer & filed under Shop Maintenance, Shop Tips, Skill Building.

It's a fact of life… Everything eventually wears out. Bruce Kieffer found a great $2 "fix" for worn out table saw arbor threads. It's a super simple solution that saves a lot of cash and repair work.

Table Saw Safety: Guards and Splitters

March 10, 2015 By Bruce Kieffer & filed under Stationary Power Tools, Stationary Power Tools Safety, Table Saw, Woodworking Safety.

Table saw safety is critical for every woodworker. Bruce Kieffer's table saw safety article explores options for aftermarket and shop-made table saw guards and splitters. Be safe and saw often!

Make Your Own Magazine Storage Box

November 12, 2014 By Bruce Kieffer & filed under More Woodworking Projects, Plans and Projects, Woodworking Projects.

Time's a wasting! Bruce Kieffer shows you how to build these great last minute gift magazine storage boxes. Make one, or make a bunch.

Upholster a Wrapped Seat Cushion

September 25, 2014 By Bruce Kieffer & filed under Furniture Making, Skill Building.

A customer came into my shop the other day and asked me to replace their uncomfortable and broken fiberglass kitchen stool seats. They wanted to reuse the adjustable chrome bases, but change the seats so they were cushioned and upholstered. I said sure, no problem, and I suggested a simple wrapped padded cushion. The techniques…

Self-Centering Dowel Jig: An Old Favorite Gets Better

July 29, 2014 By Bruce Kieffer & filed under Buying Advice, Product Review.

I use dowels to assemble parts quite often; things like face frames, table bases, and chairs. Trying to drill and align the dowel holes without a decent dowel hole drilling jig is futile. This dowel jig (see Source below) is the latest version of a long-time favorite of mine. It has 4 threaded holes and…

Tools We Love: JessEm Clear-Cut Stock Guides

August 28, 2013 By Bruce Kieffer & filed under Buying Advice, Tool Education.

I’ve long wanted some type of hold-down hold-in system that was faster, easier, safer, and more flexible than the traditional feather boards. Here it is! Thank you JessEm for figuring this out. Plus these new clear-cut stock guides are darn cool looking… and I’m a sucker for cool looking tools! What they are The system…

Rare Earth Magnet Chisel Rack

August 28, 2013 By Bruce Kieffer & filed under Shop Improvement, Shop Tips, Skill Building.

Problem. I have a real mess in my chisel storage drawer. Good chisels bounce around far too much, and I have to protect every chisel edge otherwise they get banged and dinged. Idea. Will a pair of rare earth magnets hold a chisel rack? Will the setup work for all the different size of chisels…

Magnetic Clamp Pads: “Magna Pads”

July 10, 2013 By Bruce Kieffer & filed under Cabinet Making, Woodshop Projects, Woodworking Plans, Woodworking Q & A.

I love the name…It describes this clamp pad perfectly! I use shop-made 1/4″ thick mdf clamp pads to protect my work when I’m clamping. My clamp pads are easy to position on clamps across short distances, but impossible to set across distances that are greater than my reach. My solution was to embed a small…