Page 101 - Learn Woodworking

A powered respirator unit keeps your lungs clear of debris as well as protecting your face. Even if you have a great dust collection system, there are times you’ll need to wear respiratory protection; for example, when running a big belt sander across a panel or sawing up MDF on a table saw, both operations notorious for producing clouds of lung-choking fine dust. But to get the best protection, you must wear the right mask.

It's easy to make decorative glass! Making your own decorative art glass might seem like a big challenge, but it's actually an easy project that even novices can tackle."You don't have to be an artist.

Tambour topped boxes, with their rolling tops are attractive storage pieces for around the house, but provide some unique woodworking challenges. I hate to admit it, but I really do like things that have a “wow factor,” like desks with secret compartments, cabinets with fancy marquetry… and the box shown above and at the left. This box has a little surprise: When you open the drawer, the top of the box retracts like a mini roll-top desk.

While it's relatively maintenance-free, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't do regular check-ups and lubrication of your shop's drill press. A drill press is a pretty simple looking machine: just a chuck at the end of a spindle that holds a drill bit, and allows it to move up and down while it’s spinning. But there are a number of things that can get out of kilter that compromise drilling performance and accuracy.

You don't have to spend thousands to give your kitchen a new look. Below, we'll show you how you can give one of the most important rooms in your house a first-rate "makeover" at a fraction of the cost of a full scale remodeling project."The vast majority of today's homeowners can update their kitchens with a few simple procedures, such as adding some hinges and hardware, new cabinet doors and drawer fronts, or by refacing existing cabinetry and casework." - Rockler Product Manager Stacy Lemmer

A cabinet with waterfall corner joints features continuous grain flow around the corners of the cabinet. A waterfall miter joint is a great way to highlight wood with beautiful grain. You'll learn how to cut the miters using a large crosscut sled and how to clamp this joint with temporary clamping cauls.

V-groove board is a decorative panel board similar to beadboard. It features chamfered edges that form a v-groove between each board. The v-groove creates a nice shadow line. You can purchase special router bit sets that will cut the tongue and groove joint and the v-groove in a single pass on each board, but you can also make these boards using more common router bits.

Learn how to make zero clearance throat plate inserts for you table saw. A zero clearance insert or throat plate is one of the best upgrades you can make to a table saw. If you’re having trouble with tear-out on the bottom edge of your table saw crosscuts, or experienced the sudden shock of a narrow piece of drop-off wedging in between the saw blade and the opening in your saw’s throat plate, then you should get a zero clearance throat plate or insert.

You can save money by making your own cabinet doors. Learn how to make frame and panel cabinet doors using a table saw and dado blade set. With this simple system, you can build custom cabinet doors for your home.

Installing drawer dividers is a great way to improve the storage organization in your kitchen, workshop, or bathroom cabinets. You can purchase divider inserts, but you'll be limited to their design. A better way is to make dividers that perfectly suit your storage needs. We show you three simple ways to make wood dividers for your drawers.

If you need to make a board narrower, then you will likely need to make a rip cut. Rip cuts are cuts that are made in the same direction as the wood grain. The table saw is the best tool for making rip cuts. We show you how to safely set up and make rip cuts with your table saw.