Category Archives: Techniques

A Different Drawer

Posted on November 2, 2011 by

Woodworking writers love to get to the end of the story where they can simply state: Build the drawers in the usual manner and apply your favorite finish. And enjoy! This is, by the way, a bit of laziness or … Continue reading →

Posted in Techniques, Uncategorized | 10 Comments

The Candy-Bottom Wuss Girl Guide to Drawboring

Posted on October 27, 2011 by

I admit it: I can be a total weenie when it comes to drawboring. Unlike Peter Follansbee I am overly fearful, cautious and timid. When Peter drawbores a joint, he uses no glue. He uses no clamps. He uses hand-tapered … Continue reading →

Posted in Make a Joint Stool from a Tree, Techniques | 16 Comments

We Don’t Need You

Posted on September 27, 2011 by

“Unless you think you can do better than Tolstoy, we don’t need you.” — James Michener

Posted in Personal Favorites, Techniques | 8 Comments

Tool Chest Finish: Make it Stick

Posted on August 24, 2011 by

When it comes to finishing a tool chest, I feel a bit like Henry Ford. I like any tool chest finish as long as it’s paint. That said, my finishing procedure outlined in “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest,” has bemused some … Continue reading →

Posted in Techniques, The Anarchist's Tool Chest | 9 Comments

Make a Table or Stool: Part 1

Posted on March 31, 2011 by

Design brief: Before commencing on any design other than a copy a design brief must be prepared. A design brief is a collection of all the data relevant to the construction and use of the article and the design is … Continue reading →

Posted in Products We Sell, Techniques, The Essential Woodworker | 2 Comments

Some Dovetails from the 15th Century

Posted on July 19, 2010 by

When I first learned about dovetails, the tale was that this mechanical joint was one of the things that helped transform the squat furniture of the Jacobean era into the soaring vertical styles of the 18th century. The problem with … Continue reading →

Posted in Techniques | 6 Comments

A Little Dab Will Do You

Posted on December 12, 2009 by

I like non-drying vegetable-based oils. Not just for frying up chicken, but for keeping rust at bay in my basement workshop at home. What’s not to like? For nearly 14 years these oils have kept rust at bay on my … Continue reading →

Posted in Techniques | 6 Comments

Was the Author a Genuine Joiner?

Posted on December 1, 2009 by

Nothing drives a trained journalist crazier than an unanswered question. As you probably know, the book “The Joiner and Cabinet Maker” doesn’t name the original author. He (and it almost certainly was a “he”) didn’t put his name on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Techniques | 12 Comments

Footwork and Casework

Posted on November 14, 2009 by

One of the interesting things about the “Joiner and Cabinet Maker” are the construction details you can find in almost every sentence. I’ve read the book at least six times now, and every time I dip into the text I … Continue reading →

Posted in Projects, Techniques | 3 Comments

I’m Thinking I’m Over-thinking

Posted on July 12, 2009 by

Today I taught my 8-year-old to sharpen. It took five minutes. Instead of teaching her about abrasives and honing angles and all the other theory my head is filled with, I took a hands-off approach to this important hand skill. … Continue reading →

Posted in Techniques | 4 Comments