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How to Make a Basic Box – and why you need to know how.
Today’s project is a basic box. Knowing how to make a box is a very useful and even necessary woodworking skill. Honestly most projects, including all kinds of furniture, are just a variation on the basic box. So let’s get started . . . I’m using basic 3/4″ lumber for this box today. First, cut […]
18 Things Every Beginning Woodworker Should Know
I’ve been woodworking since I was a kid, but there are some things that took me years to figure out on my own. Before the internet, if you wanted advice from other woodworkers you needed to know another woodworker in real life! But those days are over and now we have Twitter and Facebook to […]
Folding Sawhorses | STEP BY STEP with limited tools
In this video, I’ll show you step-by-step how to make a pair of space-saving, folding sawhorses. Start by cutting the legs from 2x4s. TIP: Make sure to get kiln-dried (KD) and take your time to find the straightest boards you can. Set your circular saw to cut a 22.5-degree bevel for the leg cuts. Use […]
Weird Wood Stains 3
Today I am doing something fun – experimenting with stains from natural food products. All of these were prepared in my kitchen with ingredients from the grocery store! 1) Avocado Skin (pink) To make this stain, I peeled an avocado, boiled the skin and pit, and strained it. The stain looks light pink, but turned […]
How to Move, Maneuver and Break Down Plywood
One of the most challenging woodworking tasks is dealing with plywood and other large sheet goods. In the U.S. these are usually 4’ x 8’ or even a little larger for some materials. A ¾” sheet can weigh 50 pounds or more. They are unwieldy and a challenge to move by yourself and transport. Transporting […]
5 Kreg Jig tips, tricks and secrets
Whether you are a long time user of the Kreg Pocket Hole Jig or brand new to building projects with pocket screws, here are 5 tips that will help you get more out of your K4 or K5 jig. Secret Bit Storage If you have a K5 jig, you already have these two side supports […]
Beginners’ Guide to Woodburning
This week I want to talk about woodburning – also known as pyrography. Woodburning is a great affordable alternative to laser engraving, and you might find it even more fun. With a woodburning pen, the quality of results rely on the artist’s own hand. So let’s talk about some basics. THE WOOD You can use […]
What Was I Thinking? How to Fix a Wrongly-Placed Dado
We all make mistakes – the key is knowing how to fix them. Maybe, as I did, you cut an extra dado where you didn’t want it. Rather than scrap that piece and start over, why don’t you try this simple fix? A little patch will save you both time and money. Opps! I’m not sure […]
Transforming Bifold Closet Doors into a Corner Cabinet
I recently replaced some bifold closet doors in my house and I didn’t want to throw out the originals. I am going to attempt to upcycle them into a corner cabinet that would be great for books or any other storage. I am not sure exactly what these doors are made of, but I think […]
How Long Do You REALLY Need to Shake Spray Paint?
How often do you buy a product and the only instructions on it are to ‘shake well’? Spray paint is one of those products. Some brands do give a little more detail by saying ‘shake for 1-2 minutes’? Definitely helpful. But, do you really need to shake the can that long? And what is the […]
Metric vs. Imperial: Should you use inches or millimeters for woodworking?
Reminder: if you’re thinking about getting started in a hobby that will last you a lifetime, check out my online course, The Weekend Woodworker and build your first project this weekend. Start by heading over to theweekendwoodworker.com to get my list of affordable woodworking tools and how you can set up a shop for under […]
Circular Saw Basics
A circular saw is one of the most useful hand held power tools to own and I think every shop should have one. Plus it’s a great tool for making woodworking projects if you don’t have a tablesaw or have a limited space. Since it’s a portable tool, you can build projects anywhere…in your driveway […]
How to drive a screw (and not split the wood!)
You can drive a screw with or without drilling a pilot hole first. It depends a lot on the type of screw you use and the project you are building. There is nothing wrong with drilling a pilot hole every single time though if you aren’t sure. For shop projects and larger construction projects made […]
Types of screws and when to use them
Types of screws (and when to use them!) If you’ve ever been to the fasteners section of a hardware store of home center you know how intimidating this experience can be. You may only need a few screws, but what kind should you get? There a bazillion different kinds of screws and there is no […]