I don’t know much about electricity, plugs, circuit breakers, and such, except that electricity can kill you if you don’t know what you’re doing and touch the wrong thing. I did once dare to replace a copper lantern outside my front door – turned the switch off, shut the circuit breaker off, wore my sneakers … Read more
What Is Polyurethane? Polyurethane is a versatile polymer material that is made by reacting a polyol with an isocyanate. The resulting product is a strong, durable material that can be used in a wide variety of applications. Polyurethanes are known for their flexibility, toughness, and resistance to water, chemicals, and heat. They are also relatively … Read more
We all think the “measure twice, cut once” axiom will always result in both an accurate cut and a straight cut. However, that will not be the case on our table saw if something is amiss. You’d think setting your fence, measuring accurately, and pushing the wood against the blade would always give you a … Read more
We know that good and professional woodworking in the shop requires patience. From measuring twice and cutting once to letting all applications of a finish dry adequately before the next one, patience is required. This is a truism when it comes to applying polyurethane coatings to your project. From which type of polyurethane you are … Read more
Unless we are practicing the old style of woodworking that does not use mechanical connection methods of nails and screws, we’re going to be making holes in our wood. I marvel at the building methods of Japanese home construction that do not use any nails, screws, or other metal connecting/securing methods and the way in … Read more
There is the notion that nothing ever lasts forever and that things change always, in time. Those thoughts crossed my mind as I was looking for a way to begin this piece. While J-B Weld is an excellent bonding agent, it does not last forever if we don’t want it to – a strong bond, … Read more
We all know in woodworking that there are many types of cuts – straight cuts, through cuts, non-through cuts, mitered cuts – and the power tool or tools we use to make these cuts depends on the type of cut. We also know that the same tool can make different types of cuts. Choosing the … Read more
We like our table saw. It’s a great tool for ripping plywood or other boards, but it can do much more. We use it often, maybe not as often as the chop saw, but still quite often. But what do you do if your woodworking shop is too small for a cabinet saw – a … Read more
We recently wrote about lathes and, in particular, a mandrel, a tool used with lathes that hold a work piece at the center so the spin of the piece is balanced. This is an essential element of turnery, and it assures the work piece does not wobble or spin unevenly. As you can imagine, your … Read more
How long does it take to charge a DeWALT battery, you ask? It depends, we say. Like many questions, “it depends” is an appropriate answer. We’ll tell you why and what it depends on in a moment. There are certain conditions of the battery, its age, its use, and the charger, among “it depends” things … Read more
If you’ve read previous articles I’ve written, you know my brother is a turnery artist in Boston. His work is stunningly beautiful, true works of art. I especially loved his spring 2022 collection from spalted maple. His lathe talent is well beyond my understanding. The wood is held in place with a dead center tool, … Read more
Sometimes what we think will be good turns out not to be so much. Whether it’s a paint color that looked good on the chip but turned out to be too light or too dark for the room, or a stain color that we thought would be a good match in the room but ended … Read more
Interior trim work signals you are nearing the end of the carpentry work for that reno job or room addition in your home. It is the “home” stretch if you will. Window and door trim, maybe some crown moulding, maybe wainscoting, and baseboard are the tasks. Depending on the trim you have chosen, you might … Read more
In restaurant kitchens, you are likely to see plastic cutting boards used. They are color-coded and used for a specific cutting purpose: vegetables on one, raw chicken on another, cooked chicken on a third, then fish, raw meat, cooked meat, and so on. Interestingly, though, wooden cutting boards are better overall than plastic cutting boards … Read more
The official brand name is BLACK+DECKER, but we will refer to it as Black & Decker or Black and Decker. What is good? What one might consider something as good for their particular use, while another might choose to go in a different direction. With so many power tool brand names to consider and choose … Read more
Our woodworking projects go in cycles. A burst of enthusiasm overcomes us, and we rush to the shop for the next project. Or, a particular need arises, whether it’s a desk for one of the kids or a new platform bed for another. Most of our projects have particular joinery needs of one type or … Read more
No matter how many times I watch the SawStop video demo using a hot dog to show how quickly the blade stops spinning when it comes in contact with the dog, it still amazes me. The mark left on the hot dog is minimal, at worst, hardly a nick, and had it been a finger, … Read more
We all know the dangers of woodworking. Power tools, and even hand tools, when not used properly and without taking the proper precautions, can cause great harm, and we must be careful. There is a reason why we recommend eye goggles, gloves, respirators, fans for ventilation, and ear plugs at times. Key Points: There are … Read more