Woodworkers have given their stamp of approval to the
biscuit joiner because it’s so quick and easy to use.
Haven’t tried one yet? Then let us show you how it can
become one of the handiest tools in your shop.
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There’s more than one way to cut and assemble air-tight
miters; we’ll show you how. |
The jig plan guarantees your success!
If you’ve shied away from mortise-and-tenon joinery because
it sounds too complicated, take heart. With our tenoning jig
and a little practice, you can turn out tight-fitting joints
like a professional craftsman. |
Strength and good looks rolled into one
If you’re sitting there thinking, “Boy, those joints sure
are great-looking; I wish I could do that,” get ready for a
happy surprise. Armed with the information we’ve developed
for this technique—and with a little practice—you can
produce equally impressive results. So if you’re ready to
take your project-building skills to a new, higher level
(and amaze your family and friends with your special
talent), read on. We’ll have you up and running in nothing
flat. We even include plans for building the jigs, like the
one shown left. |
A faster, easier way to build.
Imagine a magical tool that cuts the construction time of
cabinetry and other woodworking projects in half, and
eliminates the need for an expensive arsenal of clamps.
Pocket-hole jigs help give you such advantages. And best of
all, they’re easy to use. Traditional joinery—chopping
mortises and cutting tenon or drilling and aligning dowel
holes—takes a lot of time. With a pocket-hole jig, however,
you can join two pieces of wood in just minutes. All it
takes is a portable electric drill, the jig, and a
counterbore bit designed to be used with the jig. You’ll
also need a special type of auger-point screw designed to
seat tightly and not split the wood. You can find a variety
of pocket-hole jigs on the market, and we compare today’s
models. To get you started, we’ll take a look at the basics
of pocket-hole joints and then show you how to build
cabinets and other types of projects.
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We don’t often cut dovetails by hand in the WOOD® magazine
shop, mainly because of a lack of time. So when it came time
to research this article, we turned to a local friend and
furniture maker, Jack Settle. From 1978 to 1991, Jack ran a
turn-of-the-century "Carpenter’s Shop" at Living History
Farms in Des Moines, Iowa and taught thousands of school-
age kids how to cut dovetails by hand. According to Jack,
learning these time-honored dovetail techniques is simple,
and improvement only requires patience and a little
practice. "When making a box, most students’ first dovetail
joint is usually pretty rough. The second one gets better,
the third is acceptable, and the fourth is downright
decent," says Jack. In most cases, you already own the tools
you need to cut dovetails: a marking gauge, carving knife,
dovetail saw, coping saw, bevel gauge, square, and a few
chisels of various widths. So round up your tools, and let’s
get going. |
It adds an elegant look to projects, but few things
intimidate woodworkers more than cutting and installing
crown molding—until now. |
Don't be afraid of mortise-and-tenon joinery. We'll show you
two goof-proof ways to machine tenons that match your
mortises.
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Dovetail construction symbolizes quality woodworking for
good reason: Its locking parts produce a mechanically strong
joint built to last. Let us show you how to rout them. |
Sure they’re tough and functional, but router-cut finger
joints also can add a decorative touch to you projects. In
addition to teaching you the proper set-up technique, we’ll
show you how to make the box at left. |
Call this your divide-and-conquer joint. Divide the mortise
cuts before glue-ups, and you’ll conquer the challenge of
joining large projects pieces. |
 Raised
panels have long been viewed as signs of fine craftsmanship
— perhaps because they appear difficult to make. But, as
you'll see here, that need not be the case.
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Dress up mitered picture frames with face keys and you’ll
open up a world of creative possibilities. |
Follow this script for perfectly aligned rock-solid
assemblies that are easy to manage. |
The tools, tips, and tricks that will guarantee your
success.
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While most woodworkers shy away from epoxy, furnituremakers
Robert Hensarling finds it the adhesive of choice in his
workshop, and for good reason. |
Maintaining clean, gap-free corner joints when installing
moldings around three or even four sides of a carcase or
panel can be tricky. Here’s a fail-safe method that’ll
handle both situations. |
You won’t find a faster way to build basic cabinets, and
they’re handy for assembly tricky joints, too. |
Whether the frame parts form a trapezoid, a rectangle, or
other shape, placing them in a simple jig makes the cutting
easy and save. Article includes plan for simple half-lap
joint jig.
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Elevate your cabinetmaking and furnituremaking skills with
three router bits and our short course on how to use them.
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Create curved project parts the easy way with strips of
wood, glue, and a form.
We all know that curves are pleasing to the eye. The
question for woodworkers is: What’s the best way to make
them? In some cases, you can cut an arching shape from a
solid piece of stock. Or you can build up a blank with
mitered pieces, and then cut it into a curve. But more often
it’s best to bend wood to get the shape you want. Why?
Because bending usually produces a stronger, better-looking
result and wastes much less wood.
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Give your room the royal treatment!
You’ll get terrific results with simple 45° settings on a
mitersaw. No tricky compound cuts required! |
Learn how to make fancy inlays for enhancing projects--it's
easier than you might think. |
They look like the work of an artist, with their elegant
curves and classic proportions. Actually, you can make these
delightful boxes with crown molding available at any home
center. The trick is in the jigs, and the jigs aren’t
complicated at all. So, just spend a little time jigging up,
and you’ll soon be turning out a variety of impressive
boxes. Don’t worry—no mathematics or protractors required.
Includes plans for building two jigs to construct your own
crown molding boxes.
Box measures aproximately 8" wide, and 12" tall. |
Build a batch of good-looking picture frames using our
simple how-to instructions, 8 eye-catching profiles, and
easy-to-build miter jigs.
Preserve your fondest photos of friends and loved ones by
surrounding them with handsome picture frames of your own
making. Here, we’ll tell how to do it, from sizing, styling,
and cutting to assembling and mounting. |
Ever wonder if pocket-hole screws out-hold biscuits? Or if
deeper dadoes yield stronger joints? We destroyed nearly 100
joints to discover these and other secrets. |
These common cuts can prove uncommonly difficult when
joint-making. Sloppy fits, uneven edges, and splintering
wood point to poor execution. All you need are the tools
already in your shop for flawless, tight-fitting joints on
your projects. Let us show you how.
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Not just for looks, the signature stock shown in the frame
at right gives miters added strength. We’ll show you how to
make the jig and cut the joints.
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Cutting dovetails the old-fashioned way is more than a link
to the past. Such well-made joints add a one-of-a-kind
handcrafted appearance to your work.
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Simple, stylish, solid—this reinforcer dresses up everything
from picture frames to cabinet face frames.
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Making flat, stable panels from edge-joined stock requires
careful preparation and clamping. Even after the glue dries,
there’s work to be done.
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This workhorse provides the muscle and durability to create
frame-and-panel doors. And the real beauty: You can cut both
mating parts easily on your tablesaw without fancy or
expensive jigs.
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Learn one craftsman's secrets for creating three
high-quality joints using hand planes.
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Choose the best method for you shop and budget, and we'll
show you the foolproof path to success. We'll show you how
to make mortises in three different ways: with a drill
press, with a drill-press with a mortising attachment, and
with a benchtop mortiser.
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Team up a half lap with a basic miter, and you instantly
create a handsome joint that also provides plenty of
strength. Let us show you exactly how to make this
extra-strong miter joint.
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Strengthen and simplify rail-and-stile framework with this
easy variation on classic mortise and tenon.
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Whether showy or concealed, it’s a strong functional, and
simple-to-make joint. Let us show you exactly how it’s done
in the WOOD magazine shop.
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