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 …
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 …
My house is 130 years old, and the “cellar” is a dirt floor with original stone walls. I’m 6’1″, and have to stay low as there is only about 5 feet of space height. After tripping a breaker as I …
Linseed oil is a staple in woodworking, enhancing wood’s natural beauty and durability. Yet, its use comes with a significant fire hazard if the oil-soaked rags are not disposed of properly. These rags can spontaneously combust, posing a serious risk …
How tall are you? At 6’1”, I’m neither tall nor short, just sort of 6’1”, with somewhat long arms (35” shirt sleeve length) and an fairly erect stance – age hasn’t quite caught up with me yet. In preparing to …
The shop vac can be an indispensable tool for woodworkers. At the heart of a shop vac’s performance lies its horsepower (HP), a key indicator of its suction power and overall capability. Understanding the horsepower of a shop vac is …
The best estimate available for the percentage of people who are left-handed is 10%. It’s difficult to measure this with any great accuracy because the variance in preferences and skills from task to task is great and because left-handed people …
Safety first is always the rule in our woodworking shop. We want to preserve all ten digits, the flesh on our forearms, and our pretty faces. Safety first also applies to the tools we use. We’ve invested good money in …
Cyclones by any other name…in the Atlantic and Pacific northeast, they are called hurricanes; in the far East, they are called typhoons. But, they are all the same event: large air masses that circulate around an area of low atmospheric …
A warped sense of humor can be funny and fun, but warped wood isn’t. It will be either unusable or require a lot of effort to make it so. When it comes to lumber and its arch-enemy, water, warping is …
When I was in the eighth grade, way back before there were technical schools, ”Shop” was a mandatory subject. It was broken down into actual woodwork, metal work, and drafting, and it was a lot of fun. My interest in …
In my woodworking shop, I’ve found the French cleat system to be incredibly useful. It’s a simple way to hang tools and accessories securely on the wall. It’s not just practical but also easy to set up. In this article, …
A properly functioning dust collector or shop vac system in your workshop is necessary for shop cleanliness and convenience – and your health. It is as important as wearing safety goggles and a mask that covers both your mouth and nose. …
Woodwork hobbyists know of the mess they create in their woodshops, those piles of chips and shavings that collect beneath your table saw or planer. For many, dust collection probably means a dustpan and brush at the end of the day, …