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Making a small indent/crevice/depression for a ball I am making my own wooden board game. The game pieces have ball-shaped bases. I want them to move around the board and rest in small indentations. Something like this: What kind of tools and techniques should I use? <Q> If using a drill ideally it will be in a dril...	The usual way to do this I think would be to use the correct bit in a router, but it could also be done using a suitable cutter chucked up in a drill.
Glue and orientation of 2 sheets of plywood I have 2 pieces of 5-ply birch plywood, and I want to glue them together to create a 10-ply piece. My question is, does it matter which way I orient the two pieces? Should the grain be perpendicular, parallel, or does it not matter? <Q> The layers of plywood are already alte...	No it doesn't make any significant difference which way you orient the two pieces of plywood. Sides of a shelving unit the grain should be up and down the shelves left and right and so on.
Why is my dust collector way too loud? I have a 3/4 HP dust collector which uses an induction motor. I bought it on the assumption that the fact that it uses an induction motor means that it shouldn't be too loud, but it sounds like a jet engine. I suspect that the sound is not generated by the motor but rather by the ...	Some folks build what amounts to a sound-deadening closet to isolate dust collectors; that's your only hope for anything resembling whisper-quiet operation.
How do I treat MDF? I recently bought a workbench with a 900x1500x12mm MDF top and it doesn't appear to be sealed. What should I apply to seal the edges from leaking and seal the top from absorbing? Indoor use, subject to humidity. I've been told and read many contradicting advice from being paint ready, requiring pr...	I have an assembly bench with a MDF top which I have treated with paste wax and the wax is very good at repelling wood glues and water. Technically you don't have to do anything to it, many people have MDF benchtops with no finish on them.
How to cut an opening and door out of 3/4" Plywood I want to cut a mostly rectangular hole out of a piece of 3/4" plywood about 21" wide by 32" tall. I would like the corners to be somewhat rounded (about a 1" - 2" radius), and I want to rehang the cut out section back in the main sheet as a door. I know that I could...	A hole-saw could also be used if one of the right size is available.
Good way to illustrate project / make a template of my small wood phone dock project? (CAD)? I have not done woodworking much before and a friend invited me to build something... I have it all planned out in my head but I don't know what software is available etc for making a good template that my friend can follow......	Most woodworkers who do CAD-like renderings these days are using SketchUp; the free version is pretty decent and lots of online tutorials exist. Make simple sketches (on paper or any drawing program) to document what you both agree on.
I need a critique on my sawing technique When I am using larger hand saws, like my big rip saw, I have a problem when I pull back. The blade "buckles" and flaps back and forth. As a result pulling the blade back through is harder and the blade "skips" back through. These are Western saws to clarify. I had though that...	Also, your saw could be binding in the kerf. Make sure you're applying force in line with the blade; shift your stance as necessary to achieve this. Let the weight of the blade and its motion do the work, whenever possible.
My jigsaw is terrible at cutting vertically through a simple 2x4 I made some Canexican saw horses for a friend. I liked the design feature that made it so the 2x4 sat in a perfect recess and could be changed out easily. I was cutting the angles with the jigsaw, using a 3 inch blade, and every cut I made was not ...	Really, jigsaws are not the best tool for this job.
Gluing plywood to plywood for doll's house floor I am making a small doll's house for my daughter. This is my first project; I am a total beginner at woodworking, basically what I know is remembered from watching my dad 30 years ago :) It's going pretty well, I have cut the panels, and even managed to get some perfect...	For the middle panel as long as you make a support for the plywood to rest on I imagine it would be fine.
Methods of jointing without a jointer I can't afford a jointer right now, and I am wondering, what are the tricks to getting a good joint(on the edges, not on the surface)? What I have tried in the past is simply nailing a straight board to the board I want to cut, and running the straight board along the fence of my ...	Most reading I've done has suggested planing/joining any cut on a table saw to make a nice surface to glue.
Taking apart a wood cabinet that has been glued together with Gorilla Glue Is there away to take apart a wood cabinet that has been glued together with Gorilla Glue without destroying the wood? <Q> Gorilla Glue is a polyurethane-based adhesive. <S> As such, you might be able to use a solvent that dissolves polyuretha...	Some solvents that may work are: ethyl alcohol (the kind you can drink)
Good way to sand wide curved faces I'm working on a project that has a piece of curved (concave) crotch walnut. The curve is in three dimensions and is roughly 8"x6" in x-y and curves inwards roughly .5" in the z axis. I used a spokeshave to get down to the final shape, but due to the grain direction of the crotch wa...	If your curves are not perfect circles, which they don't seem to be from your use of the word wide, then I would suggest a sanding star .
I wonder how this alternating stain effect is made I saw this example in a how-to page of sashco company !. I'm wondering how all the samples have a lighter and darker shade. Is it a double applying of the same product on it's right side? And how can I apply a similar transition on a piece of wood. Is it sufficient t...	It looks to me as though whomever did this just stuck the end of the piece into a can of finish, one end at a time.
Are there alternative tools to a straight ironing rasp (or why are they so hard to find)? I'm looking for a tool to smooth/flatten down a surface in a rectangular channel in the center of a piece of wood (I constructed the piece by gluing two halves together, but stupidly didn't clean the channel halves well prior to g...	You can buy a number of types and there are a few basic types that can be made in the shop, but the chisel router AKA "poor man's router" might be just the ticket since they're so simple: you just need a piece of wood (and even pine will do), a chisel and a suitable drill bit to make one. You can in theory form your ow...
Tips for planing huge panels of joined wood Somewhat akin to the purpose behind this question ( Recommendation for manual planing and sanding ), I am seeking advice from some experts that would help a hobbyist such as myself trying to manufacture large panels of wood made by joining together (mostly by glue - no fancy ...	I have used cabinet scraper in situations like this.
How can I create a sturdy walking cane I've read a little and I see that butcher blocks are really sturdy, but they only seem to be used for flat surfaces, can I somehow adapt the technique for walking cane. eg. make a dozen cylinder and glued them on top of each other ? That would probably be pretty strong in the up-d...	A cane's weakest points tend to be either its ends or those screws fastening pieces together.
Passing wood through a planer on both sides? Yesterday I jointed, planed, and biscuit cut some boards and am planning on gluing today. I inserted the biscuits and my boards and they seem to be uneven, I made sure the boards were flat on the table when biscuit cutting and was planning on making a final pass through the ...	Running a board through a jointer on opposing faces does not guarantee that the faces will be parallel to each other. A planer sled can be use with a planer to effectively joint (make flat) one side of work that's too wide for your jointer.
Is this a self-drilling wood screw? I needed to attach two 2x4 as T-joint and was looking to buy self-drilling wood screws to do that. In HomeDepot, I found a box of screws labeled as 'self-cutting' and bought it. But, when I opened the box and looked at the tip of the screws, I found that they had gaps on the threads ...	Those are screws that are made to drill their own hole.
How can I cleanly cut a large circle out of plywood? How can I cut a large (3.5' - 4' in diameter) circle out of a 4x8 sheet of plywood. The preferred method would be one that doesn't leave any holes/marks in the circle's plywood surface. It needs to be as near perfect as possible (shape/edges of the circle). The circ...	For a little money, you can put it on a device that spins it into a saw blade until it's perfectly circular with a pin.
Can 160-year-old wood still have sap? I bought a dining table and it was claimed that the table top was made from reclaimed wood from a 160-year-old Douglas Fir log. The table top is still seeping out sap. Is this even possible from something that is 160 years old? I think I'm being ripped off here. I'd like to he...	Sap doesn't just disappear from a piece of wood because it's old.
Best wood for table saw cross cut jig In particular the fence. The other day I got my sled nicely calibrated and on final screw up it lost its accuracy. I was only using a 18 mm MDF strip for the fence. I was worried it's flex was the problem. So can anyone tell me. The best wood to use for the sled. The bes...	As a rule there is no one best material for anything, although for jigs it's almost universal that plywood or MDF are recommended these days for the major elements, but they are not the only options.
Building a Cabinet with Drawers on a Budget I want to build a cabinet with drawers but I don't have many tools. I have a drill, a square, a level, and some hand saws. Most guides make use of a table saw and dado blades. I'm thinking about buying a Router and Router Table as a substitute to this. Does that make sense? ...	Properly speaking, you don't need any power tools to build a cabinet.
How do I temporarily attach two pieces of wood together for machining? How do I temporarily attach two pieces of wood together, face to face, in a way that's strong enough that I can, say, run it through a saw, but that doesn't leave marks on the wood or get in the way of the tool? For example, let's say I have a piec...	Masking tape and superglue almost completely resolve both issues. Wood glue is permanent. For your example of a waney edge through a tablesaw, there are sled designs that use toggle clamps.
Can I repair this bent part in my thickness planer? I've just discovered a bent part in my thickness planer and I'm wondering if it's repairable. The part is the slightly orange part, between the blades and the in-feed roller: As well as having a visible kink in it, it now sits so low it blocks wood when trying to ...	If you're precise enough with a hammer, you should be able to remove the shroud from the planer and beat it back into straightness.
How do I prevent static on vacuum hoses? Whether sucking up large amounts of sawdust at once or when attached to a tool, static electricity always builds up on my shop vac hoses when the dust passes through. This leads to messes on the hose and other annoyances. It can make emptying the vacuum difficult too. How do I ...	I solved the problem, temporarily, by wrapping the hose in bare copper wire and attaching the wire to the electrical ground for the power cord.
What size pilot hole should I drill for for a specific size of screw? I am trying to install a safe using 8mm coach screws (legislation dictates this is the minimum required size) into Jarrah . What size pilot holes should I drill? Is there a standard reference chart? I cannot find one. <Q> Less than thread diameter ...	If you can't find an exact guide for the screw in question (see next paragraph about this) you can eyeball the bit size directly against the screw you're using. In particular note that for hardwoods in all cases the pilot hole diameter is roughly 5% larger than the nominal minor shaft diameter.
Finding the right metal for making a froe They started clearing old ash trees from the lot where I work. There was lots of nice wood there so I took a couple pieces. One in particular a piece of green ash about 17" in diameter. I have been of fan of traditional tools since I started wood working as a hobby. I don't h...	Leaf springs are by far the most popular retrieval from junkyards because they are made from carbon steel and have convenient, simple, useful shape.
Can I speed up stain drying with a hair dryer? Can I speed up stain drying with a hair dryer or a heat gun? Is there any reason not to? If it matters: In my case Minwax Wood Finish or Varathane brand, oil based, not gel, referring to all coats including first (that's as specific as I want to get for this question). A...	Yes if you blow air (especially heated air) over various oil-based finishes they will dry faster. Add a drying agent such as Japanese drier or Cobalt Drier.
Accurately cutting large (4x8) stock to size I'm making a worktable using pre-laminated melamine on particleboard, and have just finished 'adjusting' the size for the 3rd or so time. The tabletop came slightly over 4x8 (and not at all square). I wanted it slightly smaller than 4x8 and tried to cut a strip off the side...	Measure, mark, place fence, measure again before you cut . You could use your table saw if it has enough capacity
Why can't I shake my can of polyurethane? I was going to ask this question after getting some misleading information from my can of poly, other questions and answers here and from my own experience. What I never understood was why I could not shake the can? The instructions from Minwax's website don't really explain...	It is true that bubbles can cause issues. To get the best results, just follow the directions on the can.
How to prevent table saw blade vibration gouges? I'm very new to table saws, and am having trouble getting a clean cut. The blade cuts fine most of the time, but every once in a while something goes wrong and I'll get a big gouge in the wood. Here is a picture of what I mean, done on the thinner edge of a 2x4: I've ...	One important that is usually overlooked when sharpening a used blade is checking the tensioning.
Joining partially-overlapping boards into panel A few times, I have seen partially-overlapping horizontal boards, creating a larger panel. For example, I've seen this done on the walls of some wooden houses. I would like to know if there is a joint between these boards, or they are just nailed / glued together. I didn'...	It sounds to me like you are describing bevel or clapboard siding. In furniture, they may or may not be glued, depending on how the ends are fixed to the piece.
Is there a average depth that works best for book shelf? I am planning on building a bookcase and some previous attempts have resulted in shelves that are too deep for most books. Is there a average depth that would work best? For example would a 9 inch deep shelf fit for most books and standard paper (8.5 x 11)? I ...	Standard bookshelves are 11 inches deep.
What type of paint would be suitable in terms of durability? I'm looking for a type of paint that I can use on a small children's desk. The desk is a simple round design with 4 legs. I would like to use a paint that can take a beating. I was thinking of using outdoor paint, like for a house. Is latex based a good choic...	Paint is always an option though will probably not provide as durable of a finish as lacquer.
What is the best drill bit for MDF? I want to drill holes in MDF of varying thicknesses, laid out to sub millimetre precision. In other words, I need the positioning of the center of the holes to be accurate to within a half millimetre (0.5mm or 0.02 inch) or better. My problem is that I can't decide whether MDF is co...	The brad point is the way to go.
Drilling a hole in end of spindle What's the best way to drill a hole in the end of a short spindle (maybe 8")? Mine is already turned and does not look like it would be so easy to clamp to. Is there a jig I can make to hold the spindle steady at the drill press? <Q> Is there a jig I can make to hold the spindle stead...	Usually, when I turn spindles that need holes in them, I drill the hole first using a Jacobs chuck in the tail stock of my lathe, then use that hole to center my cone center.
Help needed to decide between a miter saw or sliding miter saw I occasionally do some wood project for fun.I already have a 10” table saw and I have a limited budget to buy a 10” miter saw. My budget allows me to either buy a Dewalt DW713 or a lower brand sliding miter saw with a laser for the same price. I personal...	The advantage of the "sliding" saws which are sort of a poor man's version of a radial arm saw are that they will cut slightly wider material.
What's the best way to neatly cut a wooden cube in half, removing little material? I'm in the process of making some wooden block tubing clamps, a bit like these or the one at the bottom of this page . The blocks are fine, the leather hinge is all sorted and I'm not worried about boring the holes. I am hesitant ab...	I would make the half-blocks by using a table saw and then make two square faces using a pair of disc sanders. Although a table saw will give you a nice quick, clean cut, a properly tuned band saw with a fence (even just clamp some scrap to your band saw table as a guide to ride the block against) will do the job just ...
Fire Protection of Plywood I need to build a small door between my garage and my attic. The rest of the wall is plaster on button board and is about the equivalent of 5/8" sheetrock. If I doubled up two sheets of 3/4" plywood, would it offer the same or better fire protection? <Q> To lead from a comment you made on an...	The thickness of the wood is not the sole reason it suffices in other fire doors . In a hospital I used to work in, the fire doors were made out of wood and were rated at 1.5 or 2 hours of protection as a function of their thickness.
Supporting a workpiece during staining / finishing without damaging finish If I am staining or applying any type of finish to a piece, and have to turn it upside down at some point or set it on something to dry, what can I set it on that won't mark the finish? A limited selection of failed strategies so far: Setting...	Personally I like to put a screw in a non visible spot and then finish the piece. Many plastic objects are marketed for the purpose...
To change a blade on a table saw, do I pull the wrench toward the front? To change the blade on the table saw, do I pull the wrench toward the front of the saw to loosen the nut? <Q> If the arbor enters the blade from the left side of the saw (as most do), you need to rotate the top of the nut toward you to loosen it, ...	On all table saws I've seen rotate the wrench on the nut in the same direction that the blade spins to loosen the nut (regardless of which way the arbor is mounted).
Best way to drill a concentric hole with a lathe I'm new to turning and recently decided to make some pepper mills. Starting with squareish stock I roughed the pieces to round and then started drilling several concentric holes of different sizes using forstner bits on the lathe. Somebody gave me the feedback that I s...	First a hole is drilled through the blank using a drill press. Another thought coming to mind would say use a Forstner bit, which does it's cutting a bit differently, and a wire bit support to help guide and support the bit.
How to prevent router bit from sliding in collet? This is beyond frustrating. I tighten the heck out of my router bit in the colette and it slides mid cut. How do I prevent this? Also, how come they don't make routers with the SDS+ system of locking bits in the chuck/colette so there is no way for them to slide? Like...	The collet or bit is damaged and the collet cannot tighten properly around the bit. If this is a new router , perhaps it is possible that you have a defective machine with a damaged collet, or a piece of debris is jammed in the collet. If you have only observed this on a single bit it's also possible that your bit has ...
How to clean and maintain my table saw top We obtained this very nice JET table saw a while back but the surface had gotten some water sitting on it and started to get a rust spot. Unfortunately, someone got a bit overzealous and thought it would be a good idea to use a chemical rust remover. This did remove the rust ...	Most table saw manufacturers recommend periodic coating with a rust preventative on the table top.
Do I need to clean my miter and table saw after each use? A contractor told me that I need to clean wood dust from my table saw and miter saw after each use. He explained that leaving wood dust can impact the tools’ longevity and I should use a compressed air blower to clean the dust from the saw tools. How accurate i...	There is really no inherent harm in trying to clean the tools after every use (sort of somehow pushing dust into a crevice I suppose) except for maybe being an exercise in futility. On the Tablesaw, I clean the table top off every time to avoid anything that might rust the cast iron top, then I give a quick wipe down w...
Building a large dining table and wondering if my design is strong/structurally sound enough The table is 9' 6" L × 36" W × 29" tall. The frame and the legs will be 1 ½" T. Apron on the side is 2" T, 1" tapering to 1" at the end. The legs are 4" W at the top, tapering to 2" at the bottom. Wood is white oak. I'm plan...	The main thing that I can see (apart from the bracing being a bit overkill) is that you probably want some small braces at the top of the legs where they meet the apron / top, in order to stop sideways wobble.
How do I choose a drill press? A drill press seems such an essential tool -- even outside of fine woodworking I have found need for it a great many times -- but as I dive into woodworking I see even more of a need for it. The precision, straightness of cut, and depth limiter will obviously give better results and make ...	It should have a built-in depth stop, ideally with both quick and fine adjust.
What is the recommended way to mortise melamine particleboard? I need to cut square holes in some double sided melamine particleboard 3/4 inch thick. Can I use a hollow chisel mortise (drill press style) to make these holes? I could just experiment with this myself but I will be using someone else's equipment to do thi...	Alternatively, depending how many holes you need, their dimensions and the accuracy required, I would consider doing it strictly by drilling the waste and squaring and cleaning with a regular hand chisel.
Using a normal bench vise for a drill press? I'm aware that there is a separate type of vise specifically for drill presses, but the workshop where I'm at are a little short on budget and I'm wondering if a normal bench vise like this one can be used for a drill press as substitution for the specialised one. Also, d...	The problem with using a vice like that on a drill press is that it is difficult to keep the work piece in the same plane as the table of the drill press. If it's just bolted or screwed on, it should come off fine.
What steps should one take to avoid spalting when drying timber? I am interested in taking steps to ensure that some timber that I am drying does not develop spalting. My specific scenario is as follows: Recently felled Maple (1-2 months ago), Whole logs with bark retained on full circumference, Sizes from 1" to 5...	If you keep air circulating around the entire log to quickly get the moisture content down, it might reduce the risk of spalting.
What techniques are there to find the optimal wood cutting list for a project? When I've designed a piece of furniture, I need to source the wood for it. The wood is often sold in plank form that I need to cut to length when it's too long and glue together when it's too narrow. Is there a technique other than trial an...	If you do the project in Google Sketchup, there is a plug-in that will compute a cut list.
Building a safer blade guard on a table saw sled I saw this photo on another table saw question and it's basically identical to the sled that I built. When I use the sled my hands push on the back fence to move it forward. The blade will cut the piece and continue through the back fence and emerge under the blade gua...	Making it longer would be a pain, but my recommendation would be to put a handle on the top of the blade guard so you naturally grab that! Glue awkward wooden pieces or sharp soda can aluminium pieces on the parts you shouldn't touch.
How to lower large equipment down the basement stairs I'm expecting a new member of the shop family to arrive soon and as any expectant father I'm worried about delivery. I have a 250lbs+ band saw that needs to be lowered down a single flight of stairs into the basement, and I'm trying to figure out the best approach ...	First, if it's in the box, I could easily slide the box down the step one at a time (they're carpeted).
Joining an irregular, detachable modesty panel together and to an irregular shaped desk I've built an irregularly-shaped desk with irregular, five-sided cabinets. It now needs a modesty panel, but because of the unique angles and circumstances, I'm stumped as to how to attach such a panel within the design requirements...	I think adding something like a cleat to the inside of the modesty panel would be a good option.
How to store equipment no longer being used I have a nice mortise press that rarely gets use. It's a full sized standing unit made by General. It's located in a basement shop and I'm wondering how to best preserve the machine. I haven't turned it on in over a year, and I want to now protected it since I don't know whe...	Covering it will prevent it from being coated in dust and grime but since it's inside (I assume), it offers little protection from anything else.
I polyed my paintbrush then procrastination left me in a predicament I was using a nice paintbrush with polyurethane and it seems that I set it down then forgot to clean it. I have since run into it and I have a shiny, relativity tough, paintbrush now. Needless to say I do not value these qualities of my paintbrush. ...	I have had good luck suspending brushes in solvent as well. Unless the brush is something of a family heirloom (my grandfather was a housepainter), I'd recommend replacing... and taking this as a lesson in why you want to clean equipment as quickly as possible after you're done with it.
How should I cut a sheet of plywood for easy re-joining? I have 2 sheets of plywood approx 6ft x 18" x 3/4" and my plan is to use them as bench tops in a shed. I need to cut them cross ways so they fit in my car for transportation. What is the best way to do this so they can be re-joined easily later on? I was think...	Simply adjust the parallel guide on your saw table so the cut lands approximately in the middle, and then you cut a notch into both pieces that are to be joined using the same setting .
Reduce diameter of a dowel (preferably efficiently)? I've got some dowels whose diameters are slightly bigger than what I need, and I don't want to purchase some smaller ones since I'm on a tight budget. Does anyone know how to reduce the diameter throughout the length of the dowel, preferably efficiently? I only need ...	The simplest way would be putting the end of the dowel through a round hole in a piece of wood.
Mounting the top for a new workbench I am planning a new workbench and have a bit of a dilemma. While many home shops I have seen on youtube videos utilize the garage (think of all those displaced, cold cars), I have seized our home's basement. I am retired now and intend to use this new roubo style bench for many ye...	As Andy Rae shows in his book Choosing & Using Hand Tools the top can simply sit on round-nosed dowels that project from each leg frame:
How do I make a drill hole the same depth every time? My drill press doesn't have a "stop". How do I make a drill hole the same depth every time? <Q> Ashler's answer is the simplest and cheapest way to get holes the same depth. <S> But as an extra there are bit collars that can be put on the bits which will enforce ...	The simplest means is to place a tab of masking tape on the drill bit at the desired depth.
What alternatives are there to throwing sawdust in the trash? I find that the thing I make most in my shop is sawdust, I'm quite skilled at it. Much of my scraps and dust end up on a garbage truck and I am looking for a more earth friendly way to deal with it. I have tried composting the sawdust to use in gardens but ...	I have used sawdust as filler in my yard to curtail erosion. There also pellet makers for pellet stoves, though I would do plenty of research before buying one of these.
Why are keyed drill chucks still available for modern tools? Barring support for older tools why are keyed chucks still manufactured? Hopefully not just in my own ignorance but I view keyless chucks as just a useful equivalent without being tethered to the need for a key. A recent question I asked had a link to http...	Other than cost, one disadvantage of the keyless self-tightening chucks is that after some extreme high torque drilling, you might need a wrench to unscrew the chuck.
How do I create a hole with a hole saw that is deeper than the tool? I'm specifically trying to drill hole saw holes of 2.5" in a 4"x4". How do I create a hole with a hole saw that is deeper than the tool? (The saw itself) Are there alternatives to hole saws for thicker material? <Q> You could drill as deep as the ho...	You could cut the hole using multiple drillings and then clean out the edges with gouges.
Can I expect an improved weekend shop experience from installing an air filtration system? I'm in my shop for a full day on average once a week. Many many people seem to have shops without air filtration systems and don't complain, though I have poor ventilation in my shop in general. Even so, only MDF tends to mess u...	The main difference I see in my workshop with my dust collection and ventilation systems running is that I don't get dust over everything.
How do I put a really long narrow straight hole in a piece of wood? I tried using a really long thin drill bit that probably had a different purpose (like maybe drywall stuff) to put a hole in a tobacco pipe project. But the bit blew out the side of the wood because it didn't drill straight. This pipe is about 20 inc...	I suspect the only way you'll achieve this length of hole is if you can find a suitable shell auger bit or are willing to go to the trouble of making your own.
Is vertical storage of sheet goods causing my boards to warp? I have a consistent problem with warped sheet goods, particularly plywood and MDF. They always seem flat when I buy them, but by the time I use them they are always curved or twisted. It's a source of constant frustration. Even 3/4" stuff gets a slight curve...	If you lean stuff against a wall at an angle, it's weight will tend to cause it to bow.
Enlarging a Hole made by a Hole Saw I drilled several holes in my desk to put some grommets using a 7/8" hole saw bit. Unfortunately, I realized afterwards that the hole was supposed to be 1" to fit my grommets. Then, despite knowing better, I used my 1" hole saw bit in an attempt to make the holes the correct size. ...	If you and can disassemble the piece and have a router with a rabbet bit, you can enlarge the hole by going around with depth set less than the full thickness of the material and the bearing against the edge of the hole.
Where should the trademark be placed on a baseball bat? As a kid during the days of Little League (my last close contact with baseball), we always admonished one another not to hit the ball on the trademark of the bat. You'll break it! Well, occasionally one of us would manage to break a bat, but we never knew whet...	The trademark is stamped on the weakest part of the bat - notice it's always in the same position with relation to the grain of the wood.
Finger Joints on a 2x10 I am remodeling my kids sandbox and shrinking it from 12'x 8' to 8'x8' square. It is approximately 25" in depth. I will be using two "boxes" on top of each other made of redwood 2x10s. I am wondering how easily (or even possibly) I could make finger joints to join the corners of the wood in ord...	A jigsaw and chisels are quite adequate for making finger joints in thick stock like that.
Supporting a level box on an uneven surface I am building some 6' x 2' x 1.5' (depth) cedar planter boxes for specific locations on concrete outdoors. The boxes need to sit as close to the ground as possible, a few inches max. I am building three of them. The concrete is neither level nor flat (eyeballing it I would ...	If you use three feet per box (not four), you are guaranteed that nothing can shake or wobble. You could build a square or rectangular wooden frame, level to the top of this, using long spirit levels, filling any gaps below due to uneven ground, with, say, moist sand.
Which kind of hinges for a foldable box? This is the top view of a kind of folding box, actually a henhouse. The goal is to meet those three requirements: totally foldable when not in use, as flat as possible so that it's easy to move and store. a free standing position when a wall is not available (area=100) an ...	It needs to somehow rotate in both directions. I have seen spring action double hinges at home centers, but you can also call a local hardware supply company for variations.
How can I change speeds on my old lathe? I recently purchased a Shopmaster L-500 lathe. It has been restored to its original condition, unfortunately it did not include a manual. This particular lathe has a 4-stepped pulley in the headstock and originally had a 4 step pulley on the motor (though the restored motor has...	With your current setup you're limited to 3 speeds unless you can slide the motor spindle around a bit.
What finish should I use to make a bowl "microwave-safe"? I want to give a turned bowl to someone as a gift, but I know they will inevitably use these bowls in the microwave. From my own experience of force-drying wood in the microwave, I know it can get hot to the touch after about 30 seconds, depending on moisture l...	I recommend cherry, maple, oak and chestnut.
Applying clamping pressure on opposing sides of a circle I was in a boardroom and I noticed that one of the clocks had dropped off its nail and it broke the frame in two places. I assumed is was a very cheap clock made with plywood or some other engineered material. To my surprise it was laminated solid wood. The re...	Otherwise, one idea that might work is a clamshell-type jig where you take a square piece of plywood, cut it in half, cut out the shape of the thing you want to clamp (half on each side) and then use that to clamp the shape back together.
How to choose desirable oak slabs for projects I'm new to woodworking and have recently been given the opportunity to pick up free logs of a recently felled oak tree. (I believe logs is the proper term here, correct me if I'm wrong. Cords? Slabs?) I have been on the hunt for this opportunity for a while as i have bee...	If you are looking at getting a good piece of wood I would watch the grain in the wood and knots.
Is there nothing that can't be made from wood? (Can you top this?) A couple days ago I had an idea for a question to embrace the spirit of April Fools day. I wanted to write a supposedly serious question about an absurd wood project with odd, tongue in cheek, problems. This would give viewers a chance to have some fu...	Cars, usually trucks or wagons with wood panels applied to the side, and really great for conveying surfers to the beach.
cutting a circle wider on top than the bottom I want to recreate something I did at college, namely, a circular plug which I can replace with a different wood. I cannot work out how to get the angle of the saw to make the plug wedge shaped to fit the hole. Hope someone can help. Pickles. <Q> If you have a matched set o...	I would take a dowel and run it by and then cut it off at the top with the table saw.
What do I need to know before I lacquer a custom painted guitar body? I have a stratocaster body that a friend of mine has painted, I know I need to lacquer it before I do anything else, like sorting out the electrics etc. I'm just unsure what lacquer to use so that I don't accidentally ruin the artwork on the body or ...	The pros use spray lacquer, building many coats and then wet sanding level, followed by polishing.
How can I flute my own dowel or create dowel with similar properties Now I know that I can just buy these in packs of hundreds likely but lets play pretend that I need to make some from what I had available. When I think of fluted dowel I picture these guys... Image from HomeDepot.com That style of dowel would be d...	You could maybe make a dowel plate , but instead of drilling a regular hole through the steel plate, make a series of smaller holes in a circle that approximate the cross-section profile you're going for, then punch out the section where the dowel goes through.
Using newly cut wood with dry wood I have offcuts of Macrocarpa that I'd like to use instead of keeping them there doing nothing useful. I acquired some Macrocarpa wood that is still wet, it seems that it has been cut recently, I've had it for a month now myself. I was wondering if: I can use the wet wood to create a...	The only thing you could do (MAYBE) is cutting all the boards into 3 inch stripes and taking a glue joint router bit (I would use a finger joint) and glue the board, which should resist warping of the board.
What do I need to know to use a claw hammer effectively Yes, I get the gist of it. The hand goes on the handle and you hit the nail or whatever object with the head (of the hammer). So... not this: Image from ShutterStock I am referring to both the action of seating nails and removing them. When I am removing nails...	Always seat the nail as far into the space between claws as you can - keeps the hammer from slipping off and increases mechanical advantage.
What is the difference between a worm and sidewinder drive circular saws? I didn't even know this was a thing. Then I read comments in this question Worm drive saws are long and unwieldy for all but the burliest of men. I found them a real pain to work with. A Makita is a nicely-balanced tool and will last a woodwor...	As others have said, "direct drive" usually has the motor to the left of the blade, and "worm drive" is heavier (and more robust), with the motor to the right of the blade.
Can I use a 6mm shank in a 1/4 inch collet? There is a nice bit I would love to get/use but it uses a 6mm shank. My router uses 1/4 inch shank. It is a 0.014 inch difference...is it a bad idea to get this? Is there an adapter or something if not? From the comments on an answer: My router is a Performax trim router, ...	As this router also has a 3/8" collet, you could use an adapter to get down to a 6mm shank. You can hardly tell a difference with the naked eye, and the bits will fit in "just fine" either way.
What is an electric planer (hand tool) good for? This may be an opinion question... Someone recently gave me an old electric planer similar to And I'm wondering whether there is any task where it would really have an advantage over other tools such as hand planes, a thickness planer, a belt sander, etc. LATE ADDITI...	They're frequently used to plane doors (for fitment), they're much faster than sanding, and don't require the precise setting up needed to trim with a circular saw.
What tools could I use to cut a turned chair leg in half vertically? My uncle was recently trying to fix up a cabinet that used to belong to my grandfather for my mother. It used to be part of a modular set and you attached the same drawer set on each end. Since she only had the one my uncle wanted to embellish the o...	Since this sounds like a hypothetical question (original was already cut, for better or worse, by Uncle Handy), I suggest the use of a sharp, hand-held rip saw, provided you can handle one properly and will take the time to correctly mark and steady the workpiece.
What is the difference between a black oxide bit and a titanium bit? I have a black oxide bit and a titanium bit but do not understand what the difference, if any, is between them. Is it how long they last or how they cut the wood? Anything on this would be great! <Q> Black Oxide Bits coated with black oxide should be...	Between Black Oxide and Titanium coatings, bits with a Titanium based coat will generally fare better when drilling through soft steels and other metals (~A36 hardness).
How can I sharpen a reciprocating saw blade? Can I and how do I sharpen reciprocating saw, or Sawzall (as some people call it) blades? I have some that go dull and I want to know if I can't simply sharpen them instead of them going to waste. If I can sharpen them where do I go? from the front of the tooth or the back...	A grinding wheel or cut off wheel with a profile that better matches you blade (You can easily shape your own) would be a simple approach to this.
Should I use cleats or brackets when putting up shelves? I'm planning on putting up 3 sets of shelves in our utility room but am uncertain whether I should put the shelves up with cleats or brackets. I'm sure most of you will know what I mean but in case I am using the terms wrong here is what I mean by putting up the...	If the load can get heavy, use brackets, as they will lend more support to the middle of the shelf. For light utility use, I strongly prefer cleats: (1) they're easier to install in most situation because your cleat is guaranteed to span a few studs (unless it's very short)
What is an easy way of putting together a mitred box? I am putting together some boxes that have been mitred all around, they are sliding around and it takes me a lot of effort to put them together to stay and glue correctly. Anything I could do to make this easier? I do not want to use screws or anything like it becau...	If you are making larger boxes tape can still be used, but you might have to resort to band clamps. First thing you do is lay down the sides of the box flat on the table and apply tape across each corner joint:
Do I need to worry about wood dust for very small-scale manual sanding? I have recently discovered carving as a very relaxing and pleasant hobby. From small branches of wood I whittle hair-sticks with interesting shapes (the kind of object you use to put long hair up) with small knives and use sandpaper (by hand) of va...	No need to go overboard, but wearing a simple dust mask when sanding wouldn't do any harm. It depends on the wood and how much of the dust you inhale, and on the street in question.
Fixture and jig, what's the difference I hear the term "fixture" and "jig" all the time, but I don't know the difference. Can anyone explain? <Q> The difference can be arbitrary. <S> Or to put it another way the terms might be considered interchangeable. <S> I don't use the term fixture although I've seen it in pr...	A jig guides the tool for machining features in their correct location.
Alternatives to grip tape on a longboard Making my first longboard, and I'd like to put some art on top of it. On most skateboards (like Carver for example - see pic 1) grip on the top side of the deck is achieved by using a grip tape. On other boards though (like Globe for example - see pics 2, 3) some other technique...	You could try using spray adhesive (such as the one below) along with sand.
Can I use a band saw to make a cutting board? I don't really want a table saw because I think I could use the bandsaw/band saw for more things like resawing and curves. Is it feasible to use a bandsaw for a cutting board (and kind, on grain, strips, or just a cutout single piece of Maple)? Looking at the big box kind...	A bandsaw will work but you have to consider the blades.
What do I need to do to prepare wood for gluing? I would like to glue two pieces of pine together (at a right angle to eachother, flat sides together) using wood glue and nails. What do I need to do to prepare the wood? <Q> This can actually just be cleaning in the literal sense of the word since a wipe down with soapy...	All you need to do to prepare wood for glueing is to 'clean' the surface.
How to remove a smaller cube from the end of a wooden beam I have this wooden beam 12cm x 12cm. I need to remove a 10cm x 10cm x 6cm cube from it. What's the easiest way to approach this? I don't mind buying machinery for it if that makes the task any easier. Update: I want to end up with the beam and I don't care abo...	Take the wood out in small depth increments, cutting across the grain several mm using the sawn face of the remaining wood as a guide and then with the grain to pry the cut section out. Here are two approaches: Saw and chisels.
How do I drill greater than 7 inches in from the edge of my sheet of wood? From the drill press's supporting pipe to the drill bit tip measures 5". I believe this limits me to drilling no farther than 5" in from any given side of my MDF sheet. Unfortunately, I need to drill 7" in from the edge of my MDF sheet. Is t...	For drilling single holes in the middle of a piece of wood you can use a drill bushing to keep the bit perpendicular to the piece. An inexpensive older brace with a vintage 1" Jennings or Irwin auger will drill all the holes you'd need with little effort and are capable of great accuracy with only a little practice, an...
How to join short boards to make a longer panel I'm pretty familiar with edge joining boards of the same width to make a panel (for a table top, cabinet door, or whatever) but I've never done a project where I also need to end join short boards, and I'm a little unsure of what order I should do the gluing in. Basically...	As to the order the joints are made, you will need to join the shorter boards into longer ones, then join the long boards to make the correct width.
What are some good ways to fasten beams to posts for a swing? What would be a smart and solid way to fasten the beams to the posts in this image. The beams will have swings for 2-3 adults hanging down from them.The posts and the beams are 4" x 4" (95mm) pine and the posts are about 10 feet tall. I don't want them com...	A second approach would be to use steel plates on each side of the joints.
How brittle is carbide? I have Carbide grade tools like router bits, saw blades, etc. like everybody else. There are grades C2, C3 and C4, most of my tools are C3. They do say that it is brittle and if it hits the ground or something it shatters. I have dropped it a few times by accident but they never have broken befo...	I once dropped my router with a straight bit installed in it and one of the carbide cutters cracked (Murphy's law).
Where do I put the standards for adjustable shelves? Is there a standard distance or formula for where to put standards for adjustable shelves? http://www.rockler.com/zinc-shelf-standards-select-length <Q> There are no set distances for shelf standards, the reason being that how close together you want or need them t...	There is no prescribed distance, but if you put them to close together, the shelf may tilt depending on placement of the load.

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