Reclaimed wood has become a major industry in the world of woodworking and DIY projects. It’s not surprising, given the fact that it’s cheap, it’s enviromentally friendly, and the wood itself just seems wise (you know, since it’s aged and has surely seen a lot in its day). But finding and working with reclaimed old barn wood and the like is not necessarily the easy … Read More
Cutting large sheet material can be tricky, difficult, and for some woodworkers, just not worth the hassle, at least when you don’t yet have the right tools for cutting plywood. So maybe you settle with those “handy panels” that are pre-cut to 24″ by 48″. But that’s pretty limiting, and overall it’s more expensive than working with full sheets. Having the ability to accurately (and … Read More
When you don’t have a fully equipped wood shop, but you’ve got grandpas old table saw buried under some boxes, you just might have everything you need to take on a few woodworking projects. But you may need to learn how to square up a board first. Sometimes the boards we get don’t quite have usable edges. And that’s where this squaring process comes into … Read More
You’ve probably come across this large, brown, ugly sheet material at home stores before. But what is MDF? Does it have any real practical uses in a wood shop or for building furniture? How do you finish it? How strong is it? What kind of joinery should be used with it? I’ve been using MDF for various projects in my wood shop for some time … Read More
So you’re wondering if investing in a jointer is really worth it. Well, as a self-taught woodworker who has a basic 4” bench top jointer, I can tell you it definitely has its place in a wood shop. It’s not required, because you can build furniture with lumber that has been jointed and planed, right from the lumber yard. But when you start building more … Read More
So you want to learn how to inlay wood with a router, and like me, you don’t necessarily want to cut out intricate solid wood inserts to fill the inlay. Perfect, because that’s what this tutorial is for! I’m going to share all my steps, pictures, and even some video. I’ve come up with a very simple process for how to inlay wood with a … Read More
We’re talking about flattening, milling, straightening, ripping, truing, paralleling, etc… All of this is used interchangebly when desribing the process that can be summed up as “Squaring Up Rough Cut Lumber”. It’s everything you do before the glue ups, before the sanding, before the finishing. It’s the Prep Work that you just gotta do. And if you get this right, your completed project will thank … Read More
So I was making my coffee table and once the top was glued together, I sanded it down flat. It was at that point I could really see it. I could tell I didn’t choose the best lumber at lowes for this project. There were voids and knot holes everywhere! Ok, to be honest, I knew this was going to happen, and I chose the … Read More
Do you enjoy working with plywood as much as I do? It really does have a ton of applications, and can be used for all kinds of projects. But mostly, I just love how it’s really heavy… And it’s so awkward to carry too! Was that sarcasm you’re wondering? Yes. Yes it was. Although very useful, plywood is heavy, and that part sucks. While you … Read More
Plywood grades can be confusing and don’t make a lot of sense to anyone not used to working with plywood. But once you get it figured out, you’ll be ready to take on your next project with confidence. I love working with plywood. You can use it for anything from shop jigs, to shelving, to cabinets, book cases, work benches, and the list goes on. … Read More
Wood stain is a centuries-old dye or pigment used to change the color of raw wood. Read the wiki page to learn more about the history. However, for this article, I’ll just cover my basic and simple process for how to stain wood on a sanded and ready project. For my pine coffee table project I’ll be using a pre-stain wood conditioner, and then after … Read More
A dado is a square or rectangular slot cut from one end of a board to the other, and technically it goes across the grain, while the slot is called a groove if it goes with the grain. However, many times this is still referred to as a dado. A stopped dado is when the slot doesn’t extend to the end of the board. This … Read More
I’m sure you probably know some basics on how to sand wood, but I wanted to really break it down to help you save time and get sanding done with minimal effort and maximum results. So that’s why I titled this How To Sand Wood Like You Know What You’re Doing. Sanding your wood is not always a fun process. In fact, for me it … Read More
I absolutely love my woodworking hobby, and today I’m going to share with you all my best advice to get into woodworking for beginners. I’ve tried various types of projects, from painted plywood furniture, to scroll saw toys, outdoor concrete-topped tables, to indoor wall-décor and furniture. I absolutely love having the freedom to try new ideas and fun projects. Not to mention, almost everything I’ve … Read More
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