We all look for angles to work to our advantage, both in life and in the woodworking shop. We say that in the better sense of the words, too. This is especially so, though, in the world of marketing and advertising. How can we phrase something that makes it seem special or better, or more … Read more
One of our mantras at Obsessed Woodworking is “the right tool for the right job.” We’ve woven other words into that mantra, and today we weave another into it: the right battery for the right tool.” We don’t force tools designed for one task to perform another task for us; we follow the rule and … Read more
It’s a question we get asked regularly, and have tried to answer as many times as asked, and have included many brands of power tools and battery technology. We’ve written about Bosch batteries, Makita batteries, and DeWALT batteries and whether they are interchangeable with other power tool brands. We’ve also written of Black & Decker batteries … Read more
We have an article about the must-have tools a beginner should plan to have in his woodworking shop. We wrote this article with the woodworking hobbyist and enthusiast in mind and not for the professional woodworker. We wouldn’t presume to tell an experienced woodworker what he or she needs in their shop. That beginner woodworker … Read more
You know how a professional sports team can, on paper, appear to be better than another professional sports team? How many times have we read that about a team we are considering placing a friendly wager on for this week’s game? In truth, though, what may appear on paper to be so clear can also … Read more
If you’ve had trees removed from your yard, chances are some of that tree was run through a chipper. While one run through the chipper creates a coarse mulch, a second run will smooth it out more, and a third will bring it to a dimension akin to the bags of mulch you can purchase … Read more
Any rumors about the Festool Domino’s patent expiring soon are patently false. Bad word game there, patent/patently, but if you did hear such a rumor, it would be, at the moment of this article, wrong. The degree to which it might be wrong, though, is not entirely clear, and it has to do with patent … Read more
In a discussion about a spiral cutterhead and helical cutterheads, it’s important to first discuss whether the woodworking shop tool inventory should include a planer and a jointer. Although we wrote about the must-have tools for a beginner woodworker’s shop, we did not include either in what ended up being a very long list. Were … Read more
My bow saw has a red handle and a 20″ blade. I take good care of it and store it inside, oiling the blade from time to time to prevent rust. I also have a pole saw, and between the two, I can take good care of branches on the trees that surround the garden, … Read more
While we have casually mentioned lathes, turning, and turnery in some of our past articles, we’ve never really written about lathes in detail. Today we will dip our toe in that water a little bit more than we have previously. The thrust of the piece will be on lathes in the woodworking shop rather than … Read more
Bargain hunters look for coupons, special discounts, package deals, and previous year’s models, or wait for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or tax holiday sales. With so many cordless tools on our wish list to outfit our woodworking shop, sometimes corners have to be cut, and sometimes compromises are necessary to have everything we want available … Read more
Snipe hunting is an old joke, a fool’s errand considered to be a practical joke. Those of our generation remember it, but you younger woodworkers may not. It’s been around for a long time, and the first suggestion of it dates back to the 1840s. There is no such animal as a snipe. Planer snipe, … Read more
Batteries for cordless power tools and the question of their interchangeability with another brand’s cordless tools is a common question. We’ve written in the past about this subject with the Makita battery, the DEWALT battery, the Ridgid battery, the Ryobi battery, and others. You can use the search feature on our website to find others … Read more
In power tools, brand loyalty often goes hand in hand with practicality. Makita, a renowned name in the industry, has consistently delivered high-quality tools powered by equally impressive batteries. But as any seasoned craftsman or DIY enthusiast knows, the question of battery compatibility is ever-present. Can you use a Makita battery with tools from other … Read more
If you are an experienced woodworker, whether professional or hobbyist, you know about these two power saws. Each comes as a corded tool and a cordless model, and each has a place in every woodworking shop. For the beginner woodworker, though, you might not be as familiar with them. We wrote an article a while … Read more
We’re sure you have at least one power drill in your woodworking shop. They are pretty essential tools to have, whether corded or cordless or even a drill press. Along with the drills, you likely have a variety of bits for them, and the types of drill bits you have will depend on the type … Read more
In past articles, we have written about DEWALT battery compatibility with a few specific brands of cordless power tools, including Porter Cable, Ryobi, and Kobalt. We’ve been asked enough times about other brands, though, that we want to offer a general overview of DEWALT batteries and their compatibility or lack thereof with other manufacturers’ tools. … Read more
A power tool easily transported and brought to the workpiece, a guarantee of a straight cut when ripping boards or plywood, or for cutting floorboards or panels: these are valuable capabilities in a woodworking shop or for a DIY home project. Where table saws might have been used in making these cuts in the past, … Read more