Author name: Enthusiast

One of the biggest problems woodworkers have is runs and sags drying in their finishes, especially with slower drying finishes such as varnish (including polyurethane and wiping varnish) and water-based finish. They can also happen in shellac, though it dries faster. The remedy is simple. You should never have runs or sags drying in your finish whether you’re brushing or spraying. The way to achieve this level of perfection is […]

The post How to Avoid Runs & Sags appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

My third day on the job, a co-worker asked me, “So, are you a woodworker?” Am I? My inclination is to answer in the negative. The term just feels so hallowed, a label earned through decades spent in the shop, gaining technical expertise and crafting heirloom-quality pieces. That’s not me (yet), so I’m hesitant to claim the title for my own…but I wouldn’t call myself a “writer” until after I’d […]

The post New Guy Just Might Be a Woodworker appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

I have a hammer that looks like a squirrel. And I wish I had one that looked like a goat (alas, those are pretty rare and expensive). A little bit of whimsy in your tools is a good thing – it makes the connection that that natural world and the built world are connected. (The handsaw was said to have been inspired by the sawfish. I personally suspect hammers were […]

The post ‘Dancing Master’ Calipers appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

Tools and Supplies Used

Micro Jig GRR-Rippers
Kreg Trak and Stop (Tablesaw Sled)
2 7/8″ Forstner Bit
GRR-Rip Block
1/4″ Round Over Bit
Festool Orbital Sander
Minwax Lacquer Spray, Satin
Leather used was picked up from a local art scrap store….

Here’s a tip that you will thank me for if you aren’t already doing it. When you want to secure the lid on a paint, stain or finish can, step on it rather than hammer it closed. Using your body weight to close the can has two advantages. First, you don’t have to have a hammer handy. Your foot is always with you. Second, and more importantly, you don’t risk […]

The post Step on a Can to Close It appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.

When you’re building casework, your parts really need dead square ends if you hope to fit drawers, dividers or a gallery inside. I don’t trust any table saw gizmo to give me square cuts. And I don’t trust my shooting board, either. The only thing I trust is a square that has been tested for accuracy. To check my carcase parts, I have a couple of huge Starrett squares that […]

The post Check Squareness on Big Pieces appeared first on Popular Woodworking Magazine.