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Using a Vacuum Table and Fixtures to Hold Small Parts | CNC Workholding

The worst part of running a CNC is figuring out how to hold parts so they can be machined, which can be especially tricky when using vacuum to hold smaller... View Content

Get Organized with Magnetic Trays

It’s always good to be organized in your shop. These magnetic trays are great for keeping tools you need close by for easy access. View Content

Bosch PS21 Pocket Driver

I like the cordless, compact drivers, and they keep getting better and better. Bosch has reworked their PS20 Pocket Driver, resulting in the new PS21, $145. In case compact wasn't... View Content

Solvent-Resistant Spritz Bottles

Unlike most off-the-shelf spray bottles, this robust sprayer can handle the solvents you commonly use in your shop. View Content

Electrolysis Rust Removal

Ever get to an auction or flea market and stare lovingly, but in despair, at a hand plane that you'd love to own, but are going to pass on because... View Content

Worn Table Saw Arbor Fix

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... View Content

Money-Saving DIY Festool Domino Tenons

Reduce the cost of using a Festool Domino by making your own tenons. It’s easy, and you’ll be surprised by how the savings can add up over the years. Here’s... View Content

Rare Earth Magnet Chisel Rack

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... View Content

Table Top Fracture Repair

Much of the work I do utilizes beautiful, live-edge hardwood slabs like this 34” wide piece of red oak. Because my sources are often different, I rarely know how long... View Content

Sign Your Work A few years ago I reworked a set of candle sticks for the local Masonic Lodge, stripping off the many layers of old paint and exposing the... View Content

Fix a Misplaced Mortise

Oops. When using loose tenons on a recent project I cut the mortise on the wrong face of a board. Has this happened to you? Don’t panic. We can make... View Content

A Bright Idea for Photographing Your Work

In an effort to better document my work (and possibly move into sales), I've begun to focus on my photography skills. One major need is light, preferably diffuse and bright-white.... View Content

Get a Grip - On Your Clamp Handles

Bar clamps provide many advantages over other types of clamps, so I use them a lot in my shop. One downside to their design, however, is they can be difficult... View Content

Drill a Hole Without a Center Point

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... View Content

Hooking Up Your Tools for Better Dust Collection

Where the proverbial "rubber meets the road" in dust collection is where the ductwork ties into the tool to extract dust while the tool is in operation. In my opinion... View Content

Workaround: Large Bit, Small Hole

I was working on a project that required a 1-7/8" forstner bit, and the only size close to this that I had was a 2" bit. Unfortunately this was not... View Content

Workaround: Make Any Size Hole

I know circle cutters aren't a lot of money. But the thought of a steel arm swinging around at face level with a knife makes me nervous. Besides, that single... View Content

Face Joint Wide Boards

Natural edged slab wood can be turned into some amazing projects. But taming the rough slab can be a chore. A planer needs a jointed surface on one face of... View Content

Branding Your Work

It's not uncommon for woodworkers to use a branding iron to mark their work. It's cool (actually, it's pretty hot), and a sign that you're proud of what you accomplished.... View Content

Transfer Holes from Template to Project

The other day I needed to mount an electrical power strip to the back of a cabinet. On the back of my power strip were four screw mounting holes. I... View Content

Secure Work Without a Vise

Not all workbenches have the perfect vise for holding stock, so I often use this cool trick. Tighten a hand screw clamp onto the bottom edge of the material, then... View Content

Pizza Points for Finishing

I had a real "Ah Ha" moment. Looking at a pizza we ordered I realized that the plastic thing in the middle of the pizza that keeps the box from... View Content

Use a Machinists Vise for Cutting Dovetails

I love my machinist vise for cutting dovetails in drawer parts. To keep from marring the stock, I replace the iron jaw inserts with wood ones. The beauty of a... View Content

Table Saw Plug Shop Tip

I have had the bad habit of not unplugging the table saw to change blades.To make it convenient, I mounted a 4 outlet box, on the rear corner of the... View Content