Woodworking

Whiteboards Rule! Here is a walk through to build a portable dry erase board and easel. The whiteboard has a tray and is framed in hardwood for a professional finish. The easel can fold closed...

These days everyone is enjoying the pleasures of doing something by hand, whether it’s doing all their housework, cooking all their meals at home from scratch, or crafting many of the everyday...

Children love to play games that mimic the activities of adults. One of the most popular toys used to help encourage these basic skill-building games is a child's kitchen. Toy stores are filled...

Before buying a banana stand, try making one yourself with tools found in your garage. Plastic banana stands eventually break due to the constant pressure from the weight of the bananas. Wood...

Simply moving tools in a building does not make for a good workshop. A good workshop is a place where a woodworker can work efficiently, safely and with minimum fatigue. In a good workshop, light...

An Amish magic marble towel holder is simply a marble sandwiched in between two pieces of wood. The marble glides in a groove to hold or release the towel, depending whether you pull up or down on...

A popular spin on the traditional mortise-and-tenon joint is what's called a mortise and "floating tenon." In other words, the tenon isn't cut from the end of a board, it's premade and inserted in...

Have a blast making signs---literally---by learning this craft to create one-of-a-kind nostalgic-looking creations. Once an art that required time and physical effort to carve out words and images...

Woodcarving pictures are a labor of love. The cost of materials and availability of desirable wood in wide enough pieces is prohibitive unless you have access to a woodlot. It is possible to cut...

One of the most important tools involved in making custom picture frames is the Lion Miter Trimmer. This tool, powered by a hand lever, trims the ends of wood into perfect 45 degree miters, making...

There's nothing like incorporating the beauty and elegance of hand-cut dovetails into your woodworking. It's a joint to be proud of, but it's also a joint that can make you want to pull out your...

In this age of mass produced power tools, many people may have forgotten about old-fashioned hand saws. Many are languishing in the bottom of tool boxes or in the back of tool sheds, rusted and...

There is no denying that using full mortise hinges really elevate your piece from good to great; however, installing them can seem very intimidating. This simple jig can be very useful and will...

The bokken, as a wooden katana replica, provides a safer alternative to training with a live, razor-sharp samurai sword. Carving your own bokken provides you with a practice weapon with strengths...

It's important to keep our antiques looking and functioning the best we can. Refinishing is sometimes part of that upkeep. Bentwood chairs can seem a little tricky due to the lack of flat surfaces.

It's not difficult to measure a picture frame, but cutting the four strips of molding requires a high degree of precision. It's essential that each set of matching molding strips are cut exactly...

Help Ted E. Bear escape from being underfoot. Don't just keep on picking him up and sticking him somewhere. Build him an attractive park bench to sit on with materials available at your local...

Scrapers are an essential part of woodworking. They help prepare the surface for finishing and eliminate a lot of sanding time by cutting the wood fibers and leaving a smooth surface. The key to...

Crown molding can add elegance and style to any project. Whether you're attaching it to cabinetry, wall-to-ceiling junctions or any number of finish trim applications, the most important part of...

Woodworking can be hard in its own right, but finishing presents its own set of challenges. Mistakes are common, but knowing how to fix them can mean the difference between a good piece and a...

Free-floating rolls of paper towels can be a source of great irritation when you just need a few towels to clean up a sudden mess. To avoid losing, dropping, or dirtying your entire roll of...

When hunting mule deer, every little edge can help. Setting up a silhouette decoy is one good way to improve your chances of success. One can be made inexpensively with readily available tools and...

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...

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...

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...

Air drying lumber is a cost effective alternative to kiln drying at a local sawmill. Hardwoods like Oak, Maple, Cherry and Walnut will yield quality hardwood furniture lumber. The lumber will...

Bloodwood is a dense, dark red and brown exotic wood with a straight grain pattern. Its rich color and density make it a favorite of cabinet makers, furniture makers and craftsmen, but working...

Fiberglass can increase the strength and durability of a wood surface. With just a few tools and careful preparation, you can achieve a tough, attractive finish on your project. As when dealing...

Dovetail joints are considered an art form for some woodworkers. These joints, commonly used when building a drawer, not only have an attractive look, but they provide durability. Woodworkers used...

When it is time to put the toys away, a sturdy, wooden toy box is an attractive option. A classic piece that is both aesthetic and functional, a wooden toy box can easily be built by the amateur...

While having an axe break because of damage to the axe head is rare, it does sometimes happen. In these cases, you might be able to save your handle and mount a new axe head on it. However, axe...

Building a clamping-style quilt rack can instantly improve the appearance of your quilt collection by allowing some pieces to hang. Hanging the quilt on the wall allows the viewer to enjoy the...

Primitive art is typified by thematic elements that represent either country life or a simple life. Often, Americana art, which represents patriotic themes, is incorporated into primitive designs....

Homemade wooden toys come in all shapes and sizes and can be quite profitable for the skilled craftsman. The creation of beautiful handcrafted toys requires creativity and perseverance, traits...

The most reliable way to sharpen planar knives, usually called planer knives, is to send them out to be professionally sharpened. Professionals have years of practice and can obtain a nice edge...

If you are seriously into sewing or embroidery, a thread rack can keep things neat and tangle free and can help you decide between similar colors without even pulling out the spools. Sometimes,...

You can't make antique picture frames. If you did, they wouldn't be antiques, which are characterized as objects that are more than 100 years old. You can, however, make homemade picture frames...

Swedish-style wooden wine racks offer a rare blend of form and function, combining an efficient storage system with a simple, elegant design. Whether you need a sturdy storage solution to...

A typical grandfather clocks stands more than 6-1/2 feet tall. A long, wooden case contains a pendulum to regulate the time. The slow movement of visible weights operates a series of internal...

While you can find art frames at your local craft store to meet most framing needs, you may occasionally have a piece of art that requires a custom frame. Custom framers are happy to do the job...

Plaques are commemorative plates of wood, metal, stone or another material that commemorate an important memory, figure or event. Historically, they were often attached to stones and marked an...

Bow building is rewarding and can be considered more of an art than a process. War bows were short, strong bows used by various cultures to wage war and protect their villages from other...

If you are a book lover with thousands of books and nowhere to put them, you can turn an unused coat closet into a revolving bookshelf. This revolving bookshelf will fill the doorway of a standard...

Sounds silly but yes it can be done. I can teach you how to make your very own cross bow.

Woodworking is a hobby which can be turned into a source of income. A person can even make an entire career as a woodworker. The working conditions for a woodworker vary significantly from one...

Scooters are fun ways to get exercise and show off new tricks. One of the best tools for trying new tricks on your scooter is the scooter ramp. They are fun to make and even more fun to use.

A veneer is a thin slice of wood glued or affixed to the surface of another piece of wood. The veneer is usually of higher quality and more expensive than the wood it covers. This technique is...

As a boy, English King Charles I rode on one of the first rocking horses in the 17th century, and they have remained popular children's toys ever since. They were made at home until commercialized...

Installing a door knob in a solid wood door or plumbing through drywall requires creating a large hole. A hole saw is the best tool for creating round openings in a variety of materials. It is...

Tenons are cuts in the end of a piece of wood to make it fit into a pocket called a mortise. Mortise and tenon joints are one of the strongest woodworking joints. They are used most often when...