Profiles Index

Doweling - Woodworking Joinery
Doweling has been used for centuries as a method of woodworking joinery. The principle of doweling is simple: a few dowels are glued into matching holes in corresponding boards. The joint is clamped until the glue dries, which yields a strong, durable, classic woodworking joint. Learn how to incorporate doweling into your woodworking plans.

How to Use a Block Plane
The block plane is among the most versatile hand woodworking tools, because it can be used to shape and clean up so many parts of woodworking projects. Whether you are using your block plane to shape, flatten, smooth, or even add a chamfer to an edge, you'll find that keeping a sharp block plane at the ready is a must in the woodshop. Learn tips for safely and effectively using your block plane.

Woodworking with Pine
Pine is one of the most common softwoods available at home centers. Pine is typically regarded as utilitarian, but it can also be used for building fine woodworking projects. Stable pine, particularly old long-leaf pine, is quite beautiful in fine furniture. Learn tips for getting the most out of pine in your woodworking projects.

Table Saws - the Workhorses of the Wood Shop
Table saws are the most versatile of all home woodworking machines. Learn how to find the best table saw for your workshop.

Table Saw Tune-Up Tips
The table saw is, without a doubt, the workhorse of the wood shop. However, a table saw occasionally needs to be tuned-up in order to keep it working in optimum condition. Learn how to determine whether your table saw needs to be aligned, what adjustments to make and how to make them. Once your saw is tuned, you'll see better results on your woodworking plans.

Twelve Table Saw Safety Tips
The table saw is the workhorse at the center of most woodshops. It is also widely regarded as one of the most dangerous power tools. With the proper precautions, the table saw can be much safer. Learn twelve table saw safety tips to help you operate your table saw safely and effectively.

Stationary & Plunge Routers
With the wide range of shapes that can be routed onto edges, routers may be among the most exciting of woodworking tools for a beginning woodworker to use. Learn the features you should consider when looking to purchase a router.

Jigsaws - What Features do you Really Need?
When needing to make curved cuts, few tools are as versatile as the jigsaw. With the proper blades, jigsaws can also be employed to cut metal, plastics and other materials. Learn the features you should look for when buying one of these useful woodworking tools.

Compound Miter Saws - Precise Angled Cuts Made Easy
Precision angled crosscuts are remarkably easy with a compound miter saw. Learn the features you should look for when purchasing a single-bevel or double-bevel compound miter saw.

Find the Best Circular Saw for your Shop
Carpenters and building contractors have used circular saws for years because of their versatility and portability. A circular saw can rip and crosscut hardwoods, softwoods and other building materials with ease. This same versatile tool has numerous uses in the workshop. Learn the features that you should look for when choosing one of these useful handheld power woodworking tools.

Choosing a Power Drill
With the increasing popularity and improved quality of cordless drills, one might be tempted to avoid using a power drill. However, there definitely are reasons to add one to your shop. Learn the features you should look for when selecting a power drill to add to your collection of woodworking tools.

Choosing a Cordless Drill
As technology has improved, cordless drills have become much more popular as woodworking tools. With improved battery life and torque, cordless drills are a viable option for nearly all hand held drilling tasks on any woodworking project. Learn the features you should consider when looking to buy a cordless drill for your wood shop.

Cutting Mortises with a Hollow-Chisel Mortiser
A mortise can easily be cut using a power drill and a sharp chisel. However, when you have a lot of mortises to cut, a dedicated mortiser is a real time saver. A mortiser is basically a modified drill press that uses a hollow, four-sided chisel with a drill bit in the middle designed to cut square holes. Learn the features to look for when purchasing a hollow-chisel mortiser.

Stacked Dado Blade Sets
Using a stacked dado set is probably the easiest method for cutting dadoes and rabbets, particularly in plywood. While there are other types of dado blades (primarily wobble dado blades), the stacked dado set will give the cleanest cut with edges that will be square to the foot of the cut.

Understanding Wood Sizes
When you visit your home center or woodworking supply house, you'll notice that stock comes in varying wood sizes using terms that may not make sense to the beginning woodworker. Learn how to find the exact sizes of stock you need to complete your project.

Box Joints - A Simple Alternative to Dovetails
Dovetail joints are beautiful and strong, but aren't always the most practical choice. Would you use dovetails when joining two pieces of plywood? Not likely. However, a box joint would work fine, and have some of the qualities of dovetails. In this article, we discuss how and when you should use box joints instead of dovetails in your woodworking projects.

How to Complete a Durable, Beautiful Polyurethane Finish
When finishing a woodworking piece, one common protective finish is polyurethane. While available in both oil-based and water-based versions, polyurethane is durable, easy to apply and provides protection to your piece. Learn methods for applying polyurethane properly to ensure a smooth, beautiful polyurethane finish to your woodworking projects.

Using Your Radial Arm Saw Safely
Radial arm saws are among the most versatile tools in the wood shop. They can be used to cross-cut, rip, cut compound angles, cut dadoes and rabbets on your woodworking projects. Like all other woodworking tools, they can be dangerous if used improperly. Learn safety tips for using your radial arm saw safely.

Do You have a Disaster Plan for Your Woodworking Shop?
We all have a disaster plan for our home, in the event of a weather-related emergency or other such natural disaster. Have you considered how to prepare your wood shop for such a natural disaster? In this woodworking tip, we discuss a few steps to help protect the tools in your shop from damage in the event of a weather-related emergency or other natural disaster.

Lacquer Finishes - Strong, Durable & Beautiful Woodworking Finishes
Lacquer has been used for literally thousands of years to protect woodworking projects. Lacquer provides a hard, durable, clear finish that does a good job of protecting against water damage. Most modern lacquer finishes are designed to be applied either by spraying or by brush. Learn the advantages of using a lacquer finish to protect your woodworking projects.

Tips for Woodworking with Poplar
Poplar is one of the most common types of wood used in furniture making, boat-building and other woodworking projects because it is inexpensive wood, fairly workable, will take paint well and is moderately durable. While Poplar shouldn't be used for every set of woodworking plans you intend to build, it is a versatile wood and can be used for a number of projects.

Basic Joinery - Clean Butt Joints
The Butt Joint is the most basic woodworking joint. Although the joint is simple, there is a considerable amount of accuracy that must be maintained for a butt joint to function properly. Learn how to make clean and functional butt joints.

Jointers - The Easy Way to Square & Flat Surfaces
A jointer is a woodworking machine whose primary purpose is to create a flat surface on one edge of a board. However, the jointer also excels as making a perpendicular edge square to that flat side. Learn how to properly utilize this useful power tool for your woodworking projects.

Choosing a Portable Wood Shop Vacuum
Many advanced wood shops have extravagant central dust collection systems that keep sawdust and debris to a minimum around woodworking tools. What should you do if you don't have the room or the budget for a dust collection system? Consider a portable wood shop vacuum that you can move from tool to tool and use as needed. Learn the features you should look for when buying a wood shop vacuum.

Sheet Sanders for Woodworking Projects
When preparing a woodworking project for finishing, you have a few choices in power sanders. You can choose a random orbital sander, belt sander or a sheet sander. In this article, we discuss the advantages of a sheet sander, including when to use on to complete your woodworking plans.