Profiles Index

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.

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.

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.

Japanese Backsaws
The Japanese back saw, also referred to as a dozuki, is a very thin-bladed saw that cuts on the back stroke. This type of saw is quite useful for cutting dovetails by hand or trimming items flush with the face of a piece of stock. Learn how and when to use a Japanese back saw on your woodworking projects.

Finding the Right Air Compressor for Your Shop
In the modern wood shop, pneumatic nailers have become as commonplace as the saw and hammer. However, in order to power these pneumatic tools appropriately, a woodworker needs to have the proper air compressor. In this article, we discuss the features to look for when shopping for an air compressor, to meet the needs of all of your pneumatic woodworking tools.

How to Use a Plate Joiner
A plate joiner is often referred to as a biscuit cutter, and while if has a single purpose, it performs that task with with incredible accuracy. Learn how to properly use a plate joiner, and the features you should look for when purchasing one of these handy woodworking tools.

Chisels - Essential Woodworking Tools
No matter how many power tools or woodworking machines you have in your shop, there will always be a need for chisels. There are literally hundreds of different types and sizes of chisels, and so you can always find the right chisel for the job. Learn the different types of chisels, and how they can help you with your woodworking projects.

Selecting the Proper Saw Blade
There are many different types of saw blades, each of which is designed for a particular cut. While combination blades do provide some of the advantages of the different types of blades, even the best combination blade cannot cut better than the right blade for the job. Learn the different types of saw blades to select the right one for your woodworking project.

Radial Arm Saws - Unparalleled Versatility
While the table saw is widely regarded as the king of woodworking tools, there may not be a more versatile tool for the wood shop than the radial arm saw. Once you learn the many ways to use a radial arm saw, you'll want one to use on all of your woodworking projects.

Bench Grinders as Woodworking Tools
Few woodworkers may think of a bench grinder as a woodworking tool, but in actuality, it belongs in every wood shop, not because you'll want to use it to help with the woodworking, but to keep all of your woodworking tools functioning properly. Learn the features you should look for when choosing a quality bench grinder to add to your cache of woodworking tools.