Knives Out
The key to good woodworking is to keep all cutters and knives sharp. Also key? Don’t wreck them beyond repair. I held a whole-shop machine tuneup day recently. No work, just…
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Woodworking Mistakes
The Most Costly Mistakes
The cost of value added parts When Jeff Lefkowitz was teaching me to build berea ladder back chairs he would make me identify the side of a leg we were…
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Brad Driver in Reverse
My pneumatic nailer makes quick work of assembling cabinets, but if a nail blows out the side, it can be a real mess. Those power-driven nails often bend or break if you try to pound them back with a hammer …
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Close an Open Miter
I didn’t notice this misfit miter until glue-up. Fortunately there’s an easy way to hide narrow gaps like this one. Before the glue dries, rub the corner with a hard, rounded object, like a big drill bit. Rubbing crushes the …
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Oops! Talkin’ Trash
One day while disposing trash at the landfill, I discovered a pristine miter saw. It looked perfect—well, almost. The blade was covered with nasty burn marks. I love fixing old tools, so I took the saw home, expecting to recondition …
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Sticky Finish Mystery
A newly-installed oak floor with oil-based polyurethane wouldn’t dry after five days. What was the problem? Bob Flexner explains.
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