Woodworker's Journal

“America’s leading woodworking authority”™

Woodworker's Journal2 min read
No Time Like the, Um, Present!
Sometimes I wonder what it’s like for people who don’t spend months building holiday presents for the people they love. As a person who has been the recipient of countless really well-considered gifts that I truly cherished, I know that handmade gift
Woodworker's Journal2 min read
Projects Through the Ages
I was struck recently by the trajectory of woodworking projects I have built over my time in the shop. I’m not thinking of the stuff I made during my career in production woodworking but rather the things I chose to make for my family and me. The fir
Woodworker's Journal1 min read
Woodworkers Journal
ROB JOHNSTONE Publisher ALYSSA TAUER Associate Publisher CHRIS MARSHALL Senior Editor JEFF JACOBSON Senior Art Director DAN CARY Senior Content Strategist COLLEEN CAREY Video Production Assistant NICK BRADY Project Builder MATTHEW HOCKING Internet Pr
Woodworker's Journal4 min read
Letters
Thanks for the video on buffing turning gouges [“More on the Web” for “Setting Up a Wolverine Grinding Jig,” June 2022]. I have good luck sharpening and polishing spindle roughing gouges but have not done so well on spindle gouges. It seems that spin
Woodworker's Journal1 min read
Reader Projects
This headboard was a collaborative family effort influenced by decades of reading Woodworkers Journal. My brother-in-law harvested the white oak for it. His son welded the framework and I did the rest of the woodworking. We fumed the white oak (somet
Woodworker's Journal1 min read
Survey
Many table saws and miter saws require these cutting mainstays, and the types and number of 10" blades you own cover the spectrum. a. General purpose 34% b. Ripping 25% c. Plywood 25% d. Melamine/plastics 8% e. Non-ferrous metal 7% f. I don’t use cir
Woodworker's Journal2 min read
A Bit Too Blue
In the spirit of “family friendly” entertainment, of which Stumpers has always been intended, we’re going to put the best construction on Dan McCoach’s purpose when he submitted his crutch-shaped mystery item (at left) for the June issue. We’ll trust
Woodworker's Journal1 min read
A Pro’s Tape Measure Advice
I personally don’t like inch-wide (tape measure) blades. The blade of my favorite steel tape is 3/4" wide and 20 ft. long. There’s no mystery about this. The longest lumber I use with any frequency is 16 ft long. For the bulk of my work, I handle boa
Woodworker's Journal2 min read
Clever Hints for Crisp Corners, Ending Snipe
I’ve always had issues with pipe clamps sticking to wood, staining the wood black or rusting when coming into contact with wet glue. But recently when I bought the wrong size plastic snap clamps for gardening, I put them on my black pipes instead, an
Woodworker's Journal2 min read
Ian Kirby Turns 90
I called Ian Kirby out of the blue in late 1999 after reading parts of his book The Accurate Router (Cambium Press). I found his direct language and instruction refreshing amid so much romanticized writing about the craft of woodworking. We chatted f
Woodworker's Journal2 min read
Lifestyle Woodworking
As a former contributing author for Woodworker’s Journal for almost a decade, I thought it would be fun to provide a quick update on what I’ve been up to for the past couple of years. I am still in the studio full time with my shop dog, Cedar, but my
Woodworker's Journal3 min read
Two Variations of Spinning Tops
Tops are ageless toys that fascinate young and old alike. While natural objects, such as acorns and hard-boiled eggs will spin vertically, turning a wooden version produces a much better example that spins longer. Making tops ranges in difficulty fro
Woodworker's Journal5 min read
Hideaway Bed
Murphy beds have always sparked my interest as a very cool idea. A bed that folds up maximizes a small space, which is super practical. And as a woodworker, building one myself makes the idea even more affordable and enticing. In the old days, the ha
Woodworker's Journal7 min read
Slatted Trivet
“What’s a tivet?” was the question my granddaughter Maya asked as she looked at the trivet (photo above), sitting on my workbench. “They keep hot things from harming your counter or tabletop,” I replied. Her baffled expression told me that the concep
Woodworker's Journal4 min read
Turned Bottle Stoppers
A custom-turned bottle stopper is one way to transform a fine bottle of wine or spirits into an even more sentimental gift that will be remembered long after the libation is gone. Better still, turning these attractive doodads doesn’t take much time
Woodworker's Journal9 min read
Make a Versatile Crosscut Sled
For perfect crosscuts, it’s hard to beat a miter saw. But when workpieces are too wide for a miter saw — or worse, you don’t have the funds or room for one — a table saw and miter gauge are your best friends. But you can do even better with a dedicat
Woodworker's Journal3 min read
Dovetail Joints
Considering the abundance of dovetailed furniture through the centuries, the sheer number of articles and YouTube videos produced about making dovetails, and the bounty of different products you can buy to saw or machine them, this handsome interlock
Woodworker's Journal7 min read
Track Saws and Circular Saw Guides
When many of us begin our do-it-yourself or woodworking endeavors as newbies, one of the first tools we often buy is an ordinary 7¼" circular saw. It’s far cheaper than a decent table saw and makes quick work of cutting lumber or sheet goods. That’s
Woodworker's Journal3 min read
Tools to Boost Air Power, Branding Accuracy
Festool 888-337-8600 festoolusa.com Milwaukee Tool 877-729-3878 milwaukeetool.com Oneida Air Systems 800-732-4065 oneida-air.com Rockler 800 279-4441 rockler.com The Dust Deputy® 2.5 Deluxe Kit from Oneida Air Systems comes with everything you need t
Woodworker's Journal2 min read
SawStop CTS™ Compact Table Saw
According to our survey results, over 94 percent of woodworkers own a table saw. But the type, size and configuration of those saws varies significantly. Whether it be full-sized cabinet saws, hybrid saws, contractor’s saws or jobsite saws, woodworke
Woodworker's Journal2 min read
Installing Butt Hinges with Hand Tools
Butt hinges are ubiquitous in woodworking. Here we will teach the step-by-step process for mounting a butt hinge with hand tools. You can always form hinge mortises with a handheld router and a jig of one sort or another. But if you just have one or
Woodworker's Journal2 min read
What’s the Best Finish for Butcher Block?
Q What’s the best finish for a butcher block work surface? A I’m sure this question will get a wide range of responses! My wife, who taught culinary arts would say, “Nothing!” She just wanted a plain, clean, cleanable wood surface. I made cutting boa

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