Are Dowels Stronger Than Pocket Holes?

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Matt Hagens

Chairs need to support people; tables need to support dinner, or computers and books, or vases filled with water and flowers; cabinets need to hold their content; and, doors need to support the weight of their woods.  This is basic …

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What Tool Do You Use To Make Pocket Holes?

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Matt Hagens

If you’ve been making picture frames, cabinet faces, or tables in your woodworking shop, then you likely know pocket holes and pocket hole joinery.  Most woodworkers consider it the strongest of joints, even more, strong than mortise and tenon joints.   …

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Which Festool Domino To Buy

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Matt Hagens

We know Festool, and we like Festool very much.  Its line of power tools are well crafted and highly specialized.  Yes, they are expensive, but their quality is undoubted and very well respected in woodworking circles.   We’ve written about them …

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Festool Granat vs Rubin Sandpaper

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Matt Hagens

We all know what abrasives are and the role they play in our woodworking projects.  Abrasives have been used for millennia, going back to our ancestors who used stones to shape and sharpen tools and weapons.  We know that sandpaper …

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How To Put SawStop in Bypass Mode

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Matt Hagens

Power tools are dangerous, and extreme caution is required when operating them.  Even the smallest and simplest power tool can draw blood if you aren’t careful, and that is to be avoided.   I remember so clearly Mr. Davis’s accident in …

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Is Pine a Hardwood Or A Softwood?

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Matt Hagens

We all know the words hard and soft, and we know what they mean, generally.  When it comes to wood, though, it is not quite so intuitive as we might think. Those of us who work with wood know that …

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How to Thin Latex & Oil Paints for Spray Guns

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Matt Hagens

Thinning paint is crucial for spray painting, ensuring that you achieve a smooth, professional-quality finish when using a paint sprayer. This process optimizes the paint’s performance, allowing for impeccable results every time. Whether you’re working with latex, oil-based paint, or …

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How Long Does Linseed Oil Take To Dry? (Boiled & Raw)

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Matt Hagens

Linseed oil, extracted from flax seeds, is a classic wood finish that enhances durability and appearance in woodworking projects. This article outlines the drying times for raw and boiled linseed oil: key considerations for any project. QUICK ANSWER: Raw linseed …

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How Thick a Piece of Wood Can a Scroll Saw Cut?

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Matt Hagens

What sort of woodworking projects interest you?  How well equipped is your woodworking shop?  Are your projects simple and straightforward, or are they involved, advanced, and intricate? In past pieces we’ve written about saw inventory in the home woodworking shop.  …

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Double Square vs Combination Square

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Matt Hagens

We all know what a right angle is, right?  It’s the standard by which all woodworkers build anything.  It’s 90 degrees, one corner of a box that has four of them.  Cabinet doors fit and look well and even, windows …

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Will DEWALT Batteries Fit Porter Cable

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Matt Hagens

Did you know that DEWALT, Black & Decker, Craftsman, Porter Cable, and more top power tool brands are all owned by the same company?  That parent company is Stanley Black & Decker.   The American Stanley Black & Decker is an …

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How To Prevent Tearout When Drilling

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Matt Hagens

Drilling holes in wood is going to be a regular part of your woodworking projects, and we want to be able to drill clean and neat holes that don’t rip the wood as the drill is coming through the other …

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