Tool Education

Do I Really Need an Impact Driver?

December 27, 2017 By Paul Mayer & filed under Buying Advice, More Portable Power Tools, Portable Power Tools, Tool Education.

Impact Driver vs Drill I’m going to spoil the ending. Yes you do need an impact driver, right away. Stop reading. Go to store. Buy an impact driver. Thank me later. If you feel the need to understand why, read on. Impact drivers are creating a lot of buzz on the internet these days, and…

Must-Have Woodworking Apps for Your iPhone Pt. 1

October 21, 2017 By Paul Mayer & filed under Blog, Buying Advice, Tool Education.

In the earliest days of woodworking (or even just a few years ago for that matter), who would have ever thought that we would be talking about how to best utilize our telephones in the woodworking shop? Well, times they certainly are a changin’, and smart phones are capable of performing tasks that we would…

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…

AWFS 2015 New Products

August 11, 2015 By George Vondriska & filed under Buying Advice, Skill Building, Tool Education.

AWFS 2015 has come and gone, with manufacturers taking advantage of the venue to show off their products. Have a look at a few things George discovered at this year’s show.

Hearing Protection for the Woodshop

August 29, 2014 By Seth Keller & filed under Buying Advice, Tool Education.

Why Hearing Protection is Important My first job out of college was framing houses. The contractor I worked for was ‘old school.’ Protective gear like gloves, earplugs or safety glasses were generally viewed as signs of weakness. For a long time I tried to be a tough guy. After an afternoon of air-nailing fire blocking…

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…

Wobble Dado Heads

July 15, 2013 By George Vondriska & filed under Buying Advice, Tool Education.

I find that I’m asked pretty frequently about wobble (adjustable) dado heads. You can’t blame folks for asking. A wobble head is a lot less expensive than a stackable head. So why don’t woodworkers use them much? About the Blade A wobble head consists of one blade mounted on a hub. Dialing the hub allows…

Why I Bought a SawStop

March 14, 2013 By David Munkittrick & filed under Buying Advice, Tool Education.

I recently bought a SawStop tablesaw. (Is that the sound of applause I’m hearing?) On the one hand, it was an easy decision. Who wouldn’t want the blade brake safety feature only SawStop offers. On the other hand, it wasn’t a snap decision. In fact, years went by between the time I first used a…

Tools We Love: A “Real” Burnisher Makes All the Difference

March 13, 2013 By Paul Mayer & filed under Buying Advice, Tool Education.

I tried my hand at using a cabinet scraper a couple years ago and was frustrated that in spite of my best efforts to roll a proper burr on its edge, I just couldn’t tune the scraper to produce more than dust and the occasional wimpy shaving. I followed all the instructions, and did everything…

Self Centering Drill Bit: Vix Style

May 29, 2012 By Paul Mayer & filed under Buying Advice, Tool Education.

Have you ever struggled to get all of the screw holes perfectly aligned when you are installing hinges? If you do not pre-drill your screw holes in the center of the mounting holes on the hinge, the hinge can be installed at a skewed angle, and/or the screw heads can fail to seat properly, making…