We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. At every party, the kitchen ends up being the center of activity. So, adding a kitchen island to help focus that activity only makes sense. In this video from our archives, we show you how to make … Read more
When gluing plastic laminate to a substrate, lots of folks use sticks or dowels to support the laminate. Supports allow you to perfectly position the laminate, since it can’t be shifted once it contacts the glue. I use old mini-blinds, … Source
We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. This laminated material comes from Germany, and is made of hundreds of layers of European beech. As woodworkers, we have an affinity for hardwood. Cherry, walnut, maple, poplar and oak. Those species are what built America, and … Read more
We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. On this episode of the ShopNotes Podcast, Logan, Phil, and John talk about design details, an update to the jointer saga, and current projects in the magazine. Find all of the ShopNotes podcast episodes here. Product … Read more
Last week, I assembled Rockler’s Cutting Board Juice Groove Routing Jig to prepare for an upcoming video. The process took about 45 minutes. By the time I had the jig clamped to my cutting board workpiece, I was confident in what I was about to do to cut the juice groove. And that’s not because … Read more
A couple of weeks ago I wandered into a little-used room in my parent’s house. There I found the broken bits of a table I had made a few years ago. Clearly, someone had tripped over the table and one of the three legs had broken right at the dovetail joint. A nearby clamp told … Read more
When crosscutting with a handsaw, you can use the reflection on the saw plate to gauge your accuracy. A saw that is pivoted off 90° (but square vertically) will show a bend in the workpiece that looks like the refraction that occurs in water. Change the angle of the saw to straighten the reflection and … Read more
Winter has arrived in many a woodshop in the Northern Hemisphere, but our love of the craft keeps us battling cold temperatures just for a few hours at the bench. Cold-weather woodworking is not for the faint of heart, but here are some considerations for making the best of it. Let’s Start With You A … Read more
Every woodworking shop needs a dead-blow hammer or two, and these mallets from Trusty-Cook are among the best. Made in Indiana, and recently added to the Lee Valley catalog, they are made of nonmarring polyurethane, hot-cast around lead shot and a steel handle. This gives them a very solid feel and excellent impact. They come … Read more
A classic white ring on a piece of furniture. (Photo by Phillip Kerrigan) In 2022 when I was in France working with furniture conservators Nelly Koenig and Marine Prevet at Atelier Kopal, they had a large mid-century French cabinet in the workshop. It had been attributed to Louis Sognot, a prominent figure in modern French … Read more