Woodworking

Table saws and compound miter saws can both be valuable power tools for woodworking, but each piece of equipment has its own strengths and limitations.

Cuckoo clocks are famous for the mechanical cuckoo that calls the hours. The clocks are also known for their rich carvings. Fine examples of traditional German craftsmanship, the carvings most...

Your woodshop is not complete without good, solid, strong cabinets. Pine board is strong and durable. Cabinets made of pine board can easily hold the weight of all of your woodshop supplies. A...

If you have a wood shop, and a love of working with wood, it is only natural that you would want to teach your children about woodworking as well. It is great to get your children involved, and to...

For many people, woodworking is a constructive and enjoyable hobby, and the wood shop is their special place to do what they love to do. If your wood shop is not well organized, you may have...

Gel stain is a wood stain that's thicker than traditional stain. If you want to stain the legs on a chair or a vertical headboard, gel stain is a great alternative because it doesn't drip....

A push stick is an essential accessory for woodworking, and keeps your fingers safely away from spinning blades and bits while cutting or shaping wood. Used primarily with a table saw, a push...

Pull-out cutting boards used to be a standard kitchen-cabinet feature. Over time, this feature became less popular and for a while they were hard to get. Today the pull-out cutting board is making...

White marks or heat marks are caused by setting a warm or cold object on the surface of wooden furniture without covering the surface of the wood to protect it from the extreme heat or cold and...

When working with wood to construct cabinetry or furniture, at some point you will eventually need solid wood panels. Solid wood panels are formed by gluing smaller boards together and, if done...

A variety of problems can occur when you refinish wood with a varnish. Applying varnish on a moist or oily surface, applying too much varnish, applying different types of varnish on top of each...

Traditionally used for purposes of agriculture and crafting, the hand ax became a dominant weapon for northern Anglo and Celtic medieval cultures. Traditionally constructed "full tang," with blade...

North America is home to three species of bluebirds--the Eastern bluebird, Western bluebird and mountain bluebird. The well-known American robin is part of the same family of birds, the thrush...

A compound miter saw is a tilting saw, while a table saw is a straight saw that comes up through the table. Often, you need both to complete wood projects.

Handmade toys serve as a cost-effective way to stock your child's toy shelf. Especially in the case of young children, elaborate toys aren't always necessary, and a handmade toy can be a great...

Butcher block counters are a beautiful addition to any kitchen. Like all wood kitchen products, they should be sealed before their first use and they may need re-sealing as you use them....

Table saws are essential tools for any carpenter or wood worker. They are used to make rip-cuts, cross-cuts, and miter cuts. Because table-saw blades adjust vertically as well as horizontally,...

Birch is a reasonably priced wood that is easy to work with. Birch wood can be used for any project and is found in everything from tongue depressors to furniture.

Woodworkers and hobbyists use scroll saws to cut intricate designs in wood, plastic or metal. These saws can also be used to create interesting wood joints, such as dovetail joints. Scroll saws...

Hide glue is a long-standing favorite adhesive in woodworking and joinery. Hide glue is a protein-based adhesive manufactured from cow hides, bones and connective tissue. It is sold in granule or...

The Sears Craftsman reciprocating saw is a useful tool for any number of household chores. A dull blade might need changing or replacing sooner than expected.

Lap looms are a great introduction to the art of weaving. They come in various shapes including square, rectangular and hexagonal. They are easy to set up and to weave with, great for kids who...

A dowel joint uses a concealed dowel to connect and reinforce the corresponding sides of a mated joint. Combined with wood glue, it makes for a very strong joint. Used for frame joints and leg...

Pipe smoking and collecting pipes have been popular for centuries. For the serious pipe smoker, the design of his smoking pipe is as important as the quality of the tobacco he puts in it. There...

Over time, every cutting board becomes nicked and sliced. Knife marks can make a board both unsightly and unsanitary, especially if the cuts become severe enough to make cleaning it difficult....

Ask a class of first-graders what is their favorite thing to do with Mommy or Daddy and you probably won't hear the answer, "Building something." This is because out of that class, only one or two...

Scroll saws and table saws both cut wood, but in different ways. Their physical features are specialized to help them perform specific woodworking tasks.

The easiest way to make your own kitchen cabinets is to adopt the European, or frameless, method. These cabinets consist of a five-sided box to which the door or drawers are attached by means of...

Nuts and bolts are small metallic building devices that bind one part to another. Nuts, similar to screws, come in variations such as the handled wing nut. Bolts attach to the bottom of nuts to...

If you enjoy woodworking and creating different shapes and objects out of wood, chances are you either have a wood lathe or are planning on purchasing one. These tools are wonderful for rounding...

When target shooting, you want to have a sturdy shooting bench to help your accuracy. As you plan to build a do-it-yourself bench, you need to consider whether you will be moving the bench...

Ask anyone what they would love to have more of in their home and most will say storage space. You can build one or more freestanding closets to give yourself just that right amount of storage. ...

The Ripstik is a new skateboard-like toy that uses, instead of four stationary wheels, two caster wheels that allow the rider to stay upright and propel themselves forward without taking a foot...

Adding a router table to your router is well worth it. The tables are a bit complicated to put together as they come in pieces from the factory. Plus, you need to determine the correct table for...

Picture frames are a home decor staple in countries all around the world. They are a great way to display family memories, photographs, paintings or other artwork. Sometimes, the perfect picture...

A basement can provide ample storage space for the unneeded clutter lying around the house. Keeping these stored items well organized is the most important part. A neatly organized basement...

Custom made cabinets are built to fit the location they are installed in. They might be simple storage cabinets in the basement, a new bathroom vanity or a complete set of kitchen cabinets. Today,...

Clearcoat wheels, like those found on wooden trailers and old vehicles, are known for their durability and stretch/compress spoke system. These wheels do not, however, fare well in the weather...

Creating a block of wood is the beginning point for many woodworking crafts. Laminating wood to create a larger piece allows flexibility in the types of wood chosen. Oftentimes, a larger piece of...

Saunas are a great addition to any home and can provide a unique experience for guests. As an added benefit, they require very little maintenance and are relatively easy to construct. Saunas are...

Building a swingset is a great way to entertain your children and get them outdoors. You can purchase playground equipment and play sets from a retailer, but they can be very expensive. Also,...

Over time, saw blades accumulate pitch and other contaminates that cause the blade to act as though it were dull. This is especially true if the blade is used to cut wood with heavy concentrations...

Pressure washing is a useful thing to do to remove paint or grime from the side of a house, mildew or stains from a deck or driveway and graffiti or other unwanted materials from a hard surface....

Sawing a dowel can be challenging because it is round and can roll while you are cutting it. You can purchase premade jigs that are designed for cutting dowels. The dowel slips into a hole and has...

Gel stain provides the same beautiful color to wood as liquid stain does. However, it is a thick gel instead of a liquid, meaning it doesn't run. That makes gel stain a perfect option if you need...

Wood putty is used to fill in imperfections in woodwork. It can be used on paneling, floors, furniture and a variety of other wood surfaces. Wood putty is perfect for filling in nail holes or...

Unsightly hardwood floor scratches are hard to remove, so you should take every precaution to prevent scratches before they happen. The best way to prevent your wooden floor from becoming...

Barn wood frames' appeal lies in the texture and character of the aged wood. They surround your photograph or painting with rustic shades of gray and brown that only natural aging can produce....

Building a wooden birdhouse is a simple wood craft, commonly performed in beginner level wood shop courses. Making your own birdhouse is a fun craft, and in addition, it comes with the added...

Over the years, there have been advances made in the raw materials and manufacturing process to make claw hammers, but these hammers are still basically the same and are used for driving in and...