Woodworking Skills

Drywall screws have conquered home centers and hardware stores, but the traditional wood screw is still better designed for holding two pieces…

Sanding wood can get boring, but you can finish this tedious chore in as much as half the time—and with better results—if you know a…

These six expert shop tips simplify and speed up sanding, gluing, cross cutting, drawing and measuring lines, making repetitive cuts and other…

Expand your woodworking skills and get access to a wide range of domestic and imported wood for your furniture projects by learning to flatten…

Learn how to use a circular saw safely and effectively. These pro tips and techniques will help you build everything from a few shelves to a…

Aerosol cans of shellac, lacquer and polyurethane allow you to quickly apply a finish on small or complex projects that's free of brush marks.…

Almost all table saw injuries are avoidable if you use the proper ripping techniques. Learn the safe way to make a variety of rip cuts…

Although it takes longer than a jointer, routers can make clean, straight-edged joints for cabinet doors and panels, as well as for other…

Looking for a satisfying woodworking project? Make this beautiful maple and walnut cutting board/serving tray. Simple enough that you can start…

The router does more than cut fancy edges. It'll also cut flawless dadoes and rabbets and perfect patterns. Our basics here show you how to…

With a few special tools and good sandpaper you can smooth wood easily and quickly with first-class results. Often even better than with a power…

A professional woodworker shares basic, time-tested tips that will help you work faster and get better results on your furniture projects.

Learn better ways to cut and install casing, baseboard and crown molding, tricks for hanging doors and avoiding bad transitions, and other…

Drive screws with a drill/driver more simply and easily by adjusting the clutch, predrilling, using a bit holder, using good bits, and other…

Learn to use a bench-top planer correctly and avoid common problems like tearout, snipe and ridges. Reclaim old wood, clean up inexpensive…

Double the usefulness of your router with a router table. Smooth edges, cut long moldings and mold small projects easier and more safely by…

Coped joints for baseboard look great, but can be time-consuming. Instead of using a coping saw, learn to cope baseboard with a miter saw. It's…

Pro-quality finish work is a lot easier with the right tools—and they don't have to be expensive. Check out a master carpenter's list of…

Getting a smooth, blemish-free finish with oil-based polyurethane is within your grasp if you follow the steps in this article. Oil-based…

A table saw sled makes crosscuts safe, simple and accurate. You can quickly make precise right angle cuts time after time. You can build one in…