O'Keeffe's Working Hands and O'Keeffe's for Healthy Feet are two products designed to help with the rough skin many woodworkers, building contractors and other tradesmen experience on their hands and feet. In many cases, these people are exposed to some extreme weather conditions, including the cold and variably wet/dry periods of winter.

In this woodworking product review, learn about how O'Keeffe's Working Hands and O'Keefe's for Healthy Feet can help you combat dry hands and uncomfortable conditions of cracked and split skin on the feet.

(c) 2012 Chris Baylor, licensed to About.com Inc.

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Shellac is a traditional, versatile finish for woodworking projects. It is non-toxic, dries quickly (as long as the mix is fresh), is easy to color and even easier to apply. There are disadvantages, though, primarily that it shellac finishes scratch easily and are prone to water damage.

Fortunately, shellac finishes are very easy to repair, even a number of years after the original finish was applied. In Repairing a Damaged Shellac Finish, learn methods for addressing such problems with shellac finishes. Once you learn just how easy shellac is to repair, you'll see this amazing finish in a totally new light.

(c) 2012 Chris Baylor, licensed to About.com Inc.

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The table saw is widely-regarded as the most versatile machine in the workshop. It is also statistically credited with more woodworking-related injuries than any other power tool.

This isn't to say that a table saw is by definition a dangerous tool, or can't be used safely. By following some common-sense safety rules, the woodworker can considerably reduce the risk of injury when using a table saw.

Learn twelve safety tips that every woodworker should keep in mind before using their table saw in Twelve Table Saw Safety Tips. By committing these twelve tips to habit, the woodworker will significantly reduce the chance of a debilitating table saw-related injury.

(c) 2012 Chris Baylor, licensed to About.com Inc.

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I recently saw a news story where a man in Massachusetts died when his backyard deck collapsed, pinning him underneath the rubble.

This unsettling news story immediately brought to mind the dangers of improperly built decks. I'm not going to say that this deck collapse was a result of improper construction; only that it brought to mind similar tragedies where the decks were built using improper fasteners. Michael Leavitt's DeckFailure.com does a good job of tracking the unfortunate number of deck failures due to improper fasteners every year.

The "improper fastener" problem stems from the fact that today's pressure treated lumber incorporates a chemical compound that is highly corrosive, and when traditional (untreated) screws and nails are used in this ACQ lumber, the level of corrosion can be so high as to weaken the fasteners to the point of failure in as little as a couple of years.

Learn the proper kinds of fasteners and how to safely build with pressure-treated ACQ lumber in Is the New Pressure Treated Lumber Safe?.

(c) 2012 Chris Baylor, licensed to About.com Inc.

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