This question often surfaces among both new and experienced woodworkers and DIY enthusiasts. I understand the dilemma of choosing the right brand that balances quality with affordability. Black and Decker, a name synonymous with power tools, offers a range that …
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 …
We all have our favorite brands and our favorite saws from those brands to stock our woodworking shop with, and there are a multitude of choices. One of those brand choices is the Makita LS1219L. It is much to compel …
DeWALT is a quality name in the power tool world, and most of us likely have at least one of their tools in our woodworking shop. Its cordless drill is a very popular tool, a generally reliable and durable tool …
Air compressors are not the most common of features in a woodworking shop, although they do come in handy on job sites to power nailers and in painting around the house. But air compressors did not make our list of …
So many times on these pages, we have written “the right tool for the right job.” Expecting a tool to perform in ways it was not intended is a bad habit, as it can lead to injury or, at …
I own the DW735 and can attest it is a fantastic planer, the best “lunchbox” style planer on the market, in my opinion. Among the many power tools commonly found in the woodworking shop is a thickness planer. Depending on …
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 …
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 …
There are two companies and their product lines we have written about frequently in the past, each in articles devoted to just one at a time. Today, we get to write about both of them in the same piece. From …
While “You get what you pay for” is so often proven true, the question as it pertains to woodworking shop power tools requires something more than an axiom. I have a winter coat purchased from LL Bean 30 years ago …
It’s a long and dusty trail to walk for us woodworkers. Almost anything we do when we are in the shop will generate dust and wood debris, whether cutting or sanding or chiseling or planing. Dust collection becomes an important …
Dust, dust flying everywhere. Such an annoyance in the woodworking shop. Table saw, router, miter saw, all tossing it around with each cut. There’s got to be something that will cure this. The laments of a beginner woodworker, and we’ve …
SawStop, renowned for its advanced table and cabinet saws, has transformed the safety standards of power tools with its patented safety system. This innovation prioritizes user safety, ensuring protection against potential mishaps. We’ve extensively covered SawStop in previous articles, discussing …
Do you remember the first time you hammered your thumb? I do. It hurt like heck, and it was a long time before the normal pink flesh color returned to it, and the nail wasn’t threatening to fall off. At …
We’ve all heard the expression, “Measure twice, cut once.” There is great wisdom in those words, and the advice should be followed. Beyond the carefulness of measuring twice, though, is the tool you use to make that measure. Having confidence …
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 …
Makita and Festool are renowned for their top-tier track saws (plunge saws), yet the question arises: can their tracks be used interchangeably? In this comprehensive analysis, we’ll examine the critical distinctions and compatibility aspects of tracks from both brands, Makita …