The white picket fence was always a part of the American home ownership dream. It wasn’t meant to keep pesky animals out, animals that might feast on your flowers or lawn; it was meant to put a finishing touch on …
A lawyer friend of mine once told me most of his clients had as their first question, “Can I be sued?” He always answered yes, but told them the more important question was whether they could be sued successfully. That …
A while back, we wrote a piece about poplar wood and asked whether poplar is stronger than pine. We will not repeat our answer here, but we did provide some helpful information about poplar in the woodworking shop. That piece …
Oil and water are two liquids that do not mix together. This is because they have different chemical properties. Water is a polar molecule, which means that it has a positive and negative end. Oil is a non-polar molecule, which …
When we began our woodworking hobby, we assumed there was a generally accepted order in which our project was to be finished. If the wood was to be stained, we stained, and then we added a topcoat, whether polyurethane, varnish, …
Teak wood is a good choice for outdoor furniture, as you probably know. You might even have a piece or two of outdoor teak furniture yourself. It’s a durable wood, has a Janka rating of 1155, which ranks it harder …
When I was a coffee drinker, I remember using white vinegar to clean the coffee maker every couple of weeks. It worked well and was the only reason I bought it, as I do not consider it a good vinegar …
While we have moved away somewhat from default staining our woodworking projects, turning instead to wood oils or products like Rubio Monocoat, we still will occasionally use a wood stain as part of finishing the project. Stains come in a …
If you have ever visited Japan or watched videos of Japanese techniques in woodworking, chances are you have learned of the ancient ways of wood joinery and the building of houses without nails, screws, or other mechanical connecting elements. The …
We’re so lucky to have so many different kinds of woods available to us to work within our shop. Supply chains have recovered somewhat from the disarray caused by the COVID pandemic, and lumber yards and specialty wood shops both …
We all have a pretty good idea of the value of a topcoat on our stained projects. Stains will enhance the wood’s appearance and grain and provide color to the wood. However, stains offer no protection to the wood. Key …
Chances are you’ve used polyurethane as a topcoat for at least some of your woodworking projects. Chances are, too, you already know what polyurethane is, or at least have a general idea. Just to make sure, though, we’ll engage in …
We like oil finishes on our woodworking projects. They create a beautiful finish, accentuate grains, and offer great protection for the wood surface. There are a variety of oils that work well on wood, and we’ve written about some of …
We all want our woodworking projects to turn out well and seek a professional appearance when completed. Accurate cuts, solid assembly, and stain or paint all play an important part in that process, but the final touch is the finish. …
We’ve written quite a bit about wood fillers and putties, products that fill nail holes, cracks and holes in wood generally, and any opening in wood that needs to be filled. Key Points: One such article is about staining wood …
We know it to be a durable finish on our woodworking projects, and we’ve all likely used it in our shop. It’s a protective finish that saves the wood from heat (to a degree, pun intended) and moisture. Key Points: …
Wood filler is a substance used to fill imperfections in wood, such as nail holes, cracks, and dents. It is typically made from a combination of wood fibers, resin, and a hardening agent. It can be applied with a putty …
Everything today has an acronym, and they have become a part of the English lexicon in everyday use now. You probably use some of them, too, at the least when you are using a messaging app on your phone. LOL, …