The one thing that amazes most beginning woodworkers is how seldom you really need to hit the chisel to get it to work right (the exception to this is, of course, mortising). Paring is a process of using the knife edge of a sharp chisel to slice small amounts of wood off. With a little technique and a sharp chisel, you can get into places inaccessible to a plane or knife. Read more. Read more...

The bookcase sides require the most work, so begin at the handle area. Measure down from the top 11⁄4", then square a line across the grain. Also, find the top center of the sides then square a line off the top edge that extends just across the first line. Read and get more info on how to build a stickley bookcase. Read more...

With wiping varnish you can achieve a run-free, brush-mark-free, air-bubble-free and almost dust-free finish, which after several coats is very protective against moisture penetration, and resistant to scratches, heat and solvents. Read more. Read more...

Sharpening is a skill, as with any other skill, learning it will require practice. This may seem obvious, but it's easy to forget. It's certainly not as much fun to practice sharpening as actual turning. Read more. Read more...

Carpenters are craftspeople who specialize in working with wood to build houses, furniture and other objects. There are differnet kinds of carpenters who focus on specific areas of carpentry, and they include finishing carpenters, cabinetmakers, framers and formwork carpenters, among others. Read more...

The jigsaw generally gets a bad rap as a rough tool that's best suited for kitchen installations and odd-ball carpentry jobs. Read and get more tips on how to master the jigsaw. Read more...

To do mortise-and-tenon joints by hand, you have to do a lot of marking. After stock preparation, you mark the corner of the legs with a scribble to indicate the outside corners. Read and get more info from the following. Read more...

As simple as the idea is, the execution and engineering involved in making a good holdfast are complex. The angle of the holdfast's shaft as it sits in the benchtop, as well as the angle between the pad and shaft are key elements. Read and get to know more about the holdfasts. Read more...