Seth Keller, Author at WoodWorkers Guild of America

Domino XP500 Review

November 7, 2012 By Seth Keller & filed under Buying Advice, Product Review.

In the 21st Century it is rare that a tool can revolutionize a wood joinery technique, yet the Festool Domino does just that. It borrows the portability and engineered fasteners from the biscuit jointer, and the robust joints created by a slot mortiser to result in a super-efficient joint making machine. The first time I…

An “Authentic” Arts and Crafts Finish

September 19, 2012 By Seth Keller & filed under Finishing, Skill Building.

There is actually no single, authentic, “Arts and Crafts finish,” rather many different schools of thought and technique that comprise the totality of the discipline. It seems that people are looking for that radiant, reddish chocolatey finish when uncovering an antique Stickley chair at a garage sale. In my research, I found the original Stickley…

Refurbish a Classic Apron Plane

August 9, 2012 By Seth Keller & filed under Hand Tools, Skill Building.

Few tools are as simple and utilitarian as an apron plane. I had a $100 Lie-Neilson Apron Plane years ago, and it disappeared in my co-operative shop. Chamfering, trimming tenons and cleaning up tear-out are just three of the myriad uses for this little tool. I always wanted to replace it, but just never got…

Ridgid Table Saw Review

July 25, 2012 By Seth Keller & filed under Buying Advice, Product Review.

Hybrid table saw innovation is less than a decade old. It marries the benefits of stationary cabinet saws like a cast iron top, full-depth T-Slots, great dust collection, and a high quality adjustable fence with the merits of the contractor saw including low amperage draw, reasonable price and portability. The hybrid has become a favorite…

Little Wizard Metal Detector Review

June 27, 2012 By Seth Keller & filed under Buying Advice, Product Review.

I use a lot of salvaged lumber, and have devastated my planer and jointer knives, not to mention my saw blades, with embedded nails, screws, and even a bullet! Now that I have the Little Wizard II, I no longer have that problem. This compact metal detector is extremely sensitive, able to detect framing nails…

Harbor Freight Dust Collector

May 30, 2012 By Seth Keller & filed under Buying Advice, Product Review.

I needed a new dust collector in a bad way. Shop vacuums are a great way to start collecting dust and chips out in the garage or basement, but a full sized dust collector offers much more suction as well as greater capacity for chips on tools like the planer and jointer. It is always…

Stopped-Cut Bent Lamination

May 16, 2012 By Seth Keller & filed under Gluing and Clamping, Skill Building.

My family lives in Northern Michigan, where we get tons of snow. While we love to cross country ski in the woods, we also like to go for walks out on the snow-covered road. I wanted to pull my two-and-a-half year old daughter in something a bit more stylish than an orange or red plastic…

Drill a Hole Without a Center Point

May 1, 2012 By Seth Keller & filed under Shop Tips, Skill Building.

I made a quick fix the other day I thought I’d share with you. I needed to make a 5/8″ wide stopped dado with a round end. I didn’t have a 5/8″ router bit, so I planned to make the round ends with a Forstner bit, and the length of the dado by taking multiple…

Product Review: Turgeon Spokeshaves

April 18, 2012 By Seth Keller & filed under Buying Advice, Product Review.

The spokeshave is an interesting tool; boatbuilders, luthiers and furniture makers have utilized this humble tool for centuries to chamfer, shape and smooth all manner of parts, from cabriole legs to guitar necks. Master bowyer Tom Turgeon needs a spokeshave to ’tiller’, or shape the longbows he makes. Finding all of the commercially available spokeshaves…

Fine Woodworking Tools We Love: Jigsaw

March 21, 2012 By Seth Keller & filed under Buying Advice, Tool Education.

When I started woodworking, I had a lot of tools to acquire. Of course, the table saw was the first big purchase. After a while, I got a really nice sliding miter saw, and then a planer. One of the ‘big’ tools that took me a long time to acquire was a bandsaw. I love…