Page 100 - Learn Woodworking

If you're like most woodworkers, you've invested a lot in your tool collection, both financially and in the time you've spent choosing, acquiring and setting up the tools that make up your shop. But how much time have you devoted to taking good care of them? With a bit of information, a modest investment in equipment and supplies, and a little time, you can keep your tools running at peak performance year-round.

Marking your cuts is an essential step in woodworking, and there are a variety of tools for any job from simple pencils to complex marking knives. If you are going to work wood using hand tools, then all of the traditional marking tools are essential.

Using the the depth probe on a set of calipers can help you set the height on your blades and router bits. A dial caliper takes precise inside and outside measurements, but the depth probe on the end can also help you set exact blade and bit heights.

Respirators and dust masks aren’t all the same – there are different kinds to choose from, as well as a rating system for efficiency. Choosing the right respirator is key. No matter how well made your respirator is, it can’t filter out hazards that it’s not designed for.

A jointer can be a handy tool to have in your shop for creating perfect butt joints and repairing cupped and twisted lumber. Many woodworkers agree that, after a table saw, the number one piece of shop equipment is the jointer. One look at the versatility of this workhorse and it’s easy to see why.

Most woodworkers who start experimenting with veneer quickly face a dilemma. They need to cover a surface wider than the capacities of their clamps but they don't want to purchase a costly veneer press. Don't fret; try caul veneering. It's cheap, easy, effective, and adaptable to most of the situations you'll come across.

Wooodworkers I talk to who haven't tried working with veneers tend to think that it's just too difficult. This couldn't be further from the truth. Veneering is an easy woodworking technique that is both fun and creative. In the last issue I covered the simple task of veneering a drawer face.

Assembling the layers of the shop made veneer press. If you don't own a veneer press to make veneering easy, build the one shown here. The technique involves the use of two plywood cauls and some wooden crossbearers that have a bow shaped profile along

Q: I’m trying to smooth a piece of cherry knot or crotch wood I’ve had drying out for about three years now. I resawed a slice with my band saw, but when I turned to my cabinet scrapers they were very dull. I tried to sharpen them but had little luck getting the wire edge on them that makes them work so well.

The wood shelving does a good job of keeping your various blades protected and helps you find the one you're looking for quickly. Saw blades don’t come cheap, so they deserve better storage between uses than a cardboard sleeve. This project stows 12 blades in pull-out trays. Two magnets hold each blade securely in its tray for transport. I keep four 10" blades and an eight piece dado set in mine.

While other methods work well, the author suggests using masking tape to "clamp" the edging during glue up, spacing the tape pieces around 2" apart. I asked some of my woodworker friends how they went about gluing solid wood edging to plywood, and I was surprised to learn that every one of them used a different technique, and very few were completely happy with their results.