Table Saw Maintenance
Written by drbob on January 20, 2012 – 9:54 am -Table Saw Maintenance - Skill Builder Power Tool Tune-Up Series By Sandor Nagyszalanczy It's one thing to own an expensive sports car or a luxurious boat, it's another thing to keep it in top condition over time. Regular maintenance is essential to keep all of our "adult toys" operating at their best. A table saw - or any power tool - is no different. A well-tuned machine is a pleasure to use, while a poorly maintained one is at best inaccurate and a pain to use and at worst can cause a serious accident. Keeping a table saw in top-notch condition isn't difficult, it just takes a bit of attention in the form of regular maintenance including cleaning, inspection, replacement of worn parts, alignment and fine tuning. I like to go over my saw and... more
Posted in Table Saws, Tips | No Comments »
Leg to Rail Joinery Methods
Written by drbob on January 20, 2012 – 9:44 am -I use and prefer motise and tenon joints for joining legs to rails, but the video presents doweling and biscuits as two alternatives. Another alternative would be pocket holes. Biscuits an pocket holes are not going to be as strong as mortise and tenon or dowels. Read More →
Posted in Biscuit Joiner, Tips | No Comments »
Cleaning a Rusty Table
Written by drbob on January 20, 2012 – 9:41 am -Hopefully your table saw table or drill press tables will never get as badly rusted as the one in the video. But if they should do so it is good to know they can be reclaimed with some knowledge and a lot of elbow grease. Read More →
Posted in Tips | No Comments »
Clamping tips for stress free glue up
Written by drbob on September 29, 2011 – 11:37 am -Putting a project together is one of the best parts of woodworking, but don't let your enthusiasm cause you to skip the final prep work before opening the glue bottle. Every gluing and clamping session should begin with a level-headed approach, because once the glue sets, there's usually no going back. Here are some tips to help prepare yourself for calm, successful project assembly. Take a few minutes to rehearse these every time you are ready for gluing and clamping, and you'll be able to take the "panic button" off of the assembly line. Rally the Troops At first blush, it wouldn't seem like you would need many supplies to glue wood together, but thinking through the process of gluing and clamping will reveal otherwise (see Photo 1). Aside... more
Posted in Tips | No Comments »
Cutting Crown Molding
Written by drbob on July 14, 2011 – 12:04 am -Cutting Crown Molding the Easy Way Read More →
Tags: how to cut crown molding
Posted in Miter Saws, Tips | No Comments »
Make Better Miters Using Corner Clamps
Written by drbob on March 19, 2011 – 11:47 pm -If you don't want to invest in special corner clamps you can make your own and same some money. This shop-made miter clamp has many of the same advantages as the expensive metal ones. It’s strong, easy to use,holds project parts both square and flat and allows you to adjust one part at a time.The slot in the bottom lets you examine the back of your miter to make sure it’s properly aligned. It also keeps glue from smearing on the miter’s back. It’s simple to make this clamp out of some scrap plywood.Make the center 4-in.-square block from two layers of 3/4-in.plywood glued together. Double- check that this block is perfectly square and drill a 2-in. hole in the middle.Make the bottom board 7-in. square, cut the slot with... more
Tags: Ryobi cordless circular saw, woodworking tips
Posted in Tips | 1 Comment »
How to Cut Crown Molding Video
Written by drbob on February 18, 2011 – 10:28 pm -Cutting Crown Molding Easy 3 step process to cut crown molding perfectly every time without using books or charts. The Cut N Crown jig lets your saw do all the work. Read More →
Tags: how to cut crown molding
Posted in Miter Saws, Tips | No Comments »
How to Eliminate Saw Blade Burns
Written by drbob on January 28, 2011 – 9:22 pm -While it isn't all that difficult to get rid of saw blade burns, such as the one on the image below, it's better not to get the burn marks in the first place. Begin by checking your saw blade. Make sure that the blade is sharp, clean and free of pitch. A dull blade will slow the rate at which the stock can be pushed through the saw. Pushing the stock through the saw too slowly is a common cause of saw blade burn. Next, check the alignment of your saw blade. If the blade is not perfectly parallel to your fence, you're more likely to get burning. While you're at it, check your splitter (behind the blade) and make sure it is perfectly aligned with the blade and parallel to the fence. Without a splitter, the two halves your wood stock may be inclined... more
Tags: circular saws
Posted in Tips | No Comments »
How to use Forstner Bits
Written by drbob on September 26, 2010 – 1:36 pm -How to use Forstner Bits Forstner bits work differently than other bits because they have a centering bit, which lets you get right on your mark and drill exactly where you want to drill. Fix more projects yourself with help from a woodworking expert in this free video on forstner wood bits. Read More →
Tags: forstner bits, woodworking tips
Posted in Tips | No Comments »
Factors to Consider when Comparing Power Tools
Written by drbob on September 24, 2010 – 11:43 pm -With the market being saturated with various brands of power tools, it can be a really tough decision to choose the right ones. Here are some basic areas of comparison that you need to take into consideration. They will also help you get the best deals on the power tools you do decide to purchase. Of course, the purchase price is something we are all going to look at. It doesn’t matter how great of a power tool is, if it is too much for the budget then it can’t even be considered. Most power tools are reasonably priced but you are going to run across some heavy duty, top of the line power tools that have a price tag to reflect it. Keep in mind the cost is more than just the purchase price. Take the cost of essentials into consideration as... more
Tags: power tools
Posted in Power Tools, Tips | No Comments »