T-minus Two Months … – Woodworking | Blog | Videos | Plans

Here in central Virginia, the ground is a multicolored tapestry of what was a spectacular showing from the maples this fall. The bronzy oaks are about the only color left in the canopies. I’ve seen whitetail bucks searching for girlfriends and the murmuration of starlings before they head farther south. It’s time … My mind is turning to holiday gift-making!

This year, a bathroom vanity mirror is on the docket, and so are a few of Rockler’s new kitchen knives — I’m really excited to work on those! The past couple of weekends, I’ve also been ramping up my production of turned bowls that we keep in reserve for those in-a-pinch gift needs that inevitably come up. I’m hoping that someone will ask for a cutting board this season because I’d like to give Rockler’s Cutting Board Juice Groove Routing Jig a try! But enough about me. How about you? What’s on your holiday project list? Are you buying any fun new shop tools or supplies to help get the job done? I hope you’ll fill us in!

Chris Marshall, Woodworker’s Journal

Mortise-and-Tenon Joints

Ian Kirby explains the basics of one of the most common woodworking joints in this instructional video.

Strengthen Corners with Dowels

Many boxes use simple, mitered corners for a clean joint, but dowels can provide strength to these joints and add an additional decorative element to your box.

Precision Tool Cabinet

Give those beloved chisels, fine-toothed saws and various delicate measuring and marking tools a home base that stows them safely while showing off your building skills.

Hexagonal Table Lamp

This casual contemporary lamp can be used as a table lamp or as a desk lamp.

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