Furniture at WOODWEB's Knowledge Base

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Gluing Leather to Wood

Advice on the right adhesive for gluing up a leather desktop. March 30, 2008

Edge-Sanding Round Tops

Jigs and rigs for sanding the edges of solid wood round table-tops. March 31, 2008

Stone in a Solid Wood Table Top

Thoughts on setting stone into a wood top so it won't cause problems and will look good. March 30, 2008

Moisture Movement of Mixed Wood Species

Mixing species in a single furniture piece is no problem in most situations, but could create an issue if there are drastic changes in ambient humidity. March 30, 2008

Three-phase motors 101

Three-phase power and converters; explained in layman's terms. June 19, 2003

Polyethylene Versus Wood for Drawer Runners

A discussion of practical issues with ultra high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene drawer slides, and the all wood alternatives. April 10, 2008

Thick Butcher Blocks

A discussion of construction methods and wood movement issues for a six-inch-thick butcher block top. April 11, 2008

Appearance Considerations with Sapele

Sapele wood darkens over time (as do Cherry and Mahogany), and its compatibility with the look of other woods is a matter of personal preference. April 11, 2008

Expanding your Market for Furniture

When a cabinet shop starts to make furniture, how can they widen their niche? April 11, 2008

Soaking Cane

Furniture makers debate the fine points of soaking cane. April 10, 2008

Scribing three edges

Templates, tic sticking and more for efficient scribing in difficult situations. September 20, 2003

Pursuing perfect miters

Methods and equipment for achieving the highest quality. September 20, 2003

Value added defined

Many definitions and interpretations are offered up. July 29, 2003

Digital Modeling, Furnituremaking, and the Artist's Vision

A question about CAD and CNC for furnituremaking evolves into something much broader and deeper, as some extraordinary creative visualizations knock heads with some hard-bitten practical criticism. Technology versus Art: it's smackdown time for 12 full rounds. December 11, 2007

Furniture Pricing: Wholesale and Retail Markups

A heated, but detailed, discussion of cost and pricing practices in the furniture trade. April 24, 2006

Conference Table Disaster

One of life's hard lessons: Moisture-related wood movement has caused severe bowing in an unbalanced conference table. August 21, 2006

Stupid Woodworker Tricks

With a nod toward David Letterman, pros discuss their least-best moments. January 24, 2005

Woodshop Waste Percentage

How much wood do you waste in the construction of your product? June 21, 2004

AWI certification

Is membership or certfication with AWI worth your while?July 29, 2003

Custom Built-In Seating for a Boat

The furniture forum discusses plumb, level, port, starboard, pitch, yaw, and relating nautical seating terminology. June 10, 2006

Crowns on Band Wheels

Why do crowns exist, and do they improve band tracking? January 29, 2004

Vacuum Veneered Drawer Faces

Vacuum laminating is ideally suited for creating curved surfaces. May 23, 2006

Are bone-dry biscuits necessary?

Questions about the dryness and size of biscuits. April 24, 2002

Starting Out as a Furnituremaker

Making custom furniture is a very tough business, and most craftsmen who try it fail. August 29, 2006

Machining raised panels

Addressing workpiece movement and tear-out problems. April 9, 2003

Pricing a Custom Piece of Furniture

A custom cabinet-maker asks for input on pricing a specially-ordered free-standing chest of drawers. The discussion covers a lot of ground on estimating, pricing, and the difference between cabinets and furniture. October 19, 2005

Getting Mahogany Flat

Very hard woods with alternating grain patterns sometimes develop waviness when sanded with wide-belt equipment. Here's an extensive discussion of the characteristics of Mahogany, and of ways to approach it using both hand tools and power equipment. November 12, 2005

When to use waterbornes

Applications where waterborne coatings will and won't work. May 22, 2002

Selecting CNC Machinery

Choosing a machine to best suit your operation. January 28, 2004

Darkening existing finishes onsite

Setting up shop in the customer's home in order to modify a finish. October 9, 2002

Troubleshooting Cupping in a Bar Top

A solid Ipe bar top starts to show cupping. Furniture-makers chime in on wood movement and the nature of the problem. January 13, 2006

Unstable Cabinet Geometry and Toppling Risk

A furniture maker wrestles with the stability and safety issues of a tall, narrow freestanding cabinet with one heavy glass door. August 21, 2006

Japanese-Style Black Finish with Red Undertones

Finishers pitch in with different takes on how to imitate an ancient Oriental lacquer finish for a custom job. March 9, 2008

Low-tech panel squaring

Methods and machines for squaring that don't involve CNC equipment. April 9, 2003

Trimming Tenons

Woodworkers bring massive brainpower to bear on a miniature problem. August 21, 2006

Staining and Blending Difficult Woods -- Alder, Birch, Maple, Poplar, and...

A three step coloring technique to achieve rich, dark, even coloring on a variety of wood species - March 16, 2005

Designing entertainment centers

Important considerations when designing and building multimedia centers. August 25, 2003

Regular or dewaxed shellac?

is an appropriate primer coat. May 22, 2002

Presenting A Quote

There are reasons to sell the job face to face, in person. April 10, 2005

Too-tight biscuits

Biscuit joining tricks and techniques. March 23, 2002

Wrapping a cone with laminate

How to determine the size, shape, and positioning of cone "skins." April 9, 2003

Crating and shipping products

Advice on finding the most cost-effective and reliable shipping solutions. July 29, 2003

Troubleshooting Shrinkage Cracks in a Veneer Tabletop

Water-based glue may have caused expansion, then shrinkage, leading to gaps between the veneer pieces. June 10, 2006

Table-Leg Design Issues

A discussion of table leg thickness and related considerations when designing in the Arts and Crafts style. March 13, 2007

Board Widths for an Oak Table Top

Wood movement is the big concern with table tops. Here's how that concern affects the choice of lumber size. May 7, 2007

Multi-Router Versus Slot Mortiser

Furnituremakers discuss the value of a multi-router and compare it with other equipment options. August 21, 2006

Bending Pressure-Treated Wood

Detailed, authoritative information on the ins and outs of bending pressure-treated wood for curved outdoor decks or garden structures. May 23, 2007

Polyester and Epoxy Wood Repair Fillers in Conservation Work

Tips on whether epoxy or polyester wood repair formulas are sufficiently authentic for conservation work, and some tips on how to use them. October 26, 2007

Wood Table End Options

Woodworkers discuss breadboard table end details, and a slick mitered-end alternative. January 10, 2006

Marketing High-End Cabinets

Cabinetmakers share ideas for attracting big-ticket clients. February 10, 2004

Outsourcing drawings

Positive and negative experiences from those who have hired the job out. October 30, 2002

Ellipse jig

Making your own jig for ellipse-based arcs. (From WOODWEB's Cabinetmaking Forum) March 5, 2003

Radius of Convex Wall

Formulas for calculating this measurement. May 19, 2004

Math Question: Dimensioning Angles

Cabinetmakers chime in on methods for determining the size of an angled plane. February 8, 2005

Filling Dents with Burn-In Sticks

Detailed advice from experienced pros on how to touch up dings and dents in furniture. November 8, 2007

Drawer Construction

Choosing an efficient method over farming out the work. June 4, 2004

Selling Furniture Through A Retail Store

Woodworkers discuss reasonable terms of the deal when showing furniture at a retailer's showroom. Markups on already made pieces, prices for custom orders, and simple referrals each involve their own reasonable market value. June 23, 2006

Design for a Modern Secretary Desk

The clean modern look creates a tricky problem: support for the desk when it's open. April 14, 2005

Vacuum Clamping -- Save Time, Save Money!

March 19, 2002

Why Heat the Shop?

A start-up furniture maker hears about ten reasons not to work in an unheated garage during the winter. August 21, 2006

Stability in a Large Solid Wood Table Top

Pros discuss moisture-related movement and the associated design issues in a big table top. July 24, 2006

Pushing the Envelope with a Herringbone Table Top

Small pieces of wood sliced 1/8 inch thick, laid into a herringbone pattern, and applied to an MDF substrate on both sides, have been known to work as a custom table top. March 26, 2007

Steam bending and lamination

Switching from glulam to steam bending of curved furniture parts. July 22, 2003

Cutting Clean Through-Mortises in Oak

Techniques and equipment for volume production of accurate through mortises, without tear-out on the punch-through side. January 9, 2007

Ripping hardwood straight

Why do ripped pieces come out banana-shaped? July 9, 2002

To nest or not to nest?

Is nesting appropriate for all shops? June 4, 2003

Darkening of Oil-Finished End Grain

Unusual tables milled from whole logs present an interesting stain and finish problem, besides the obvious moisture-related movement concerns. May 23, 2007

Tinting and Staining Wood Filler

Furniture makers discuss how to make wood filler match wood, and debate wood filler's proper role in the shop. December 1, 2005

Wide Board Table Tops

Wide boards are a historically proven and viable table-top material. But think the issues through before you start. May 10, 2007

Steambending

How much time to allow based on thickness and proposed radius of wood. September 23, 2003

Static charge on wood

Troubleshooting and resolving static problems on freshly planed boards. October 9, 2002

Planing on edge

Processing stock through planer to define parts' widths. January 3, 2003

Drilling a Hole the Length of a Log

People have actually succeeded at drilling holes in logs the long way. Here, they explain how to do it. December 27, 2006

Pros and Cons of a Basement Workshop

Woodworkers share experiences with home-based woodshops. March 12, 2006

Red Alder Pros and Cons -- Pricing, Availability, Usefulness

Pros discuss the cost, availability, and characteristics of Red Alder solid stock and sheet goods. February 25, 2005

Solid Wood Table-Top Thickness and Warping

Ideas about how to make a solid wood table-top that will stay stable. March 26, 2007

Signing Your Furniture Pieces

Custom furniture makers share thoughts and suggest techniques for signing pieces. December 15, 2005

How to make a tenon

Accurately sized tenons without a tenoner. September 25, 2002

Oak Table Tops: Solid Wood Versus the Alternatives

For oak restaurant tables, solid wood may be cheaper in the end than hassling with the other possibilities. March 9, 2008

Eliminating springback problems

Determining the radius to aim for when creating a curve with vac-laminated plywood. September 23, 2003

Radius countertop edge

Making a radiused wood edge without resorting to segments. January 3, 2003

Bonding veneer to melamine

Bubbling veneer and contact cement. (Cabinetmaking Forum) May 1, 2003

Outdoor Wood Table Ideas

Woodworkers kick around some design and construction details for a wood table that can hold up to conditions on an outdoor deck. January 9, 2008

Template Routing -- with a Vacuum Clamp

March 19, 2002

Polyurethane (PUR) adhesives

Basic overview of different PUR glues. September 24, 2002

Searching for a sales rep

Increasing sales by adding the right marketing professional to your team. September 20, 2003

Why Glass Tops Can Warp Tabletops

A cautionary tale of a table that cracked because of glass resting on it. October 19, 2005

Touching Up Furniture that Won't Take Stain

Sometimes a piece is still sealed, or has been sanded down to a glue-saturated veneer ply. Here are tips on restoring color to those pieces. May 24, 2006

Sleigh Bed Construction Issues

Sleigh beds are traditionally made with veneers, but in this case a customer is asking for "solid wood." This brings up a discussion about wood movement and construction methods. November 26, 2006

MDF and fine furniture -- a contradiction in terms?

Do the two go together, or is MDF inherently lower in quality? March 4, 2002

Wide-Board Table Top with no Warping

Can it be done? Maybe. February 26, 2005

Joining boards end to end

What's the best way to do it when creating a 20' oak top? April 2, 2002

Consistent curves

How to create a long, accurate curve. May 15, 2002

Miterfolds for clean corner joints

A sweet technique for classy corners. November 21, 2003

Adding value to old pallets

Examples of how woodworkers have recycled pallets and other old wood into new products. June 5, 2002

Surfacing curly woods

The best machinery and tooling to handle the job. October 9, 2002

Structural Concerns for Boat Cabinetry

A proposal for a free-standing entertainment center on a boat sets off a discussion about appropriate technology in nautical cabinetry. July 30, 2007

Mitered Frame and Panel Table Tops

Wood movement is likely to wreck a mitered solid wood table top with a wood panel center. Other methods stand better odds of success. August 30, 2007

Making an Antiqued Round Solid Wood Slab Table Top

How to make a heavy solid wood table top and give it that "old and busted" look. July 24, 2006

Router Bits for Raised Panels

Horizontal versus vertical bits for cutting raised panels. January 28, 2004

Glue Choices for Chairs and Stools

Furnituremakers discuss which glues they like, and why. April 30, 2006

Drying and Cupping in Table-Top Boards

Here's a discussion of moisture-related wood movement and table construction. November 27, 2007

Maintaining a Point of Reference

Picking the brain of custom furnituremaker David Fay. July 17, 2002

Assembly table

A cabinetmaker shares a photo and description of his shop's assembly table. October 30, 2002

Exterminating Insects in Furniture

A table built from old wood previously stored in a barn now has "old house borers." The solutions are fumigation or heat. March 13, 2007

Dadoing techniques

Using a router to make dados. June 24, 2002

Crating and Shipping Tips

Advice on packing and shipping your fine work safely. August 23, 2006

Furnituremaking: Education Versus Experience

Thoughts about skill-building for a young craftsman. December 11, 2007

Glue Injection Techniques

When laminate or veneer is lifting, you can make a slit, inject adhesive, and clamp for a clean repair. Here are some detailed tips on getting the glue where it needs to go. February 20, 2008

Outfeed Table Plan

Construction ideas for an outfeed table with mounted router. March 14, 2004

Sliding Table Saw Tips

Sliders are a little different for those used to working on a standard table saw. January 24, 2005

Making Interlocking Shelves

Constructing sets of shelves with fitted parts. October 20, 2004

Furniture Shipping and Tropical Moisture Issues

Shipping from the tropics to the temperate zone, how do people deal with humidity changes? Here are some thoughts and possible solutions. November 8, 2007

From Slab to Tabletop

How one craftsman took a big chunk of tree and turned it into furniture. January 27, 2007

Best Tool for Cross-Cutting

Chopsaw, up-cut saw, or sliding table saw? September 26, 2006

Building Wide Glass Cabinet Doors

Advice on construction details and hinge choices for wide glass doors. July 10, 2007

Mahogany Table-Top Glue-Up

A discussion of how to avoid problems in a large round table-top slab. March 13, 2007

Adapting to an Oversize Table Saw Arbor

Ideas for modifying blades to fit an oversize arbor, or vice versa. August 21, 2006

Repairing Damaged Veneer

Pros troubleshoot a water-damaged veneer table top, and consider possible fixes. October 30, 2005

Building A 32-Foot-Long Conference Table

... and then christen it, "The Titanic." March 9, 2008

Spanish Cedar for Furniture?

Characteristics of Spanish Cedar make it problematic, even for porch furniture. January 27, 2007

Gluing dovetails and finger joints

Which adhesive is best for these joints? May 15, 2002

Buying and Using a Stroke Sander

Advice on buying a used stroke sander, and tips on making and using sanding blocks for it. July 24, 2006

Duplicating A Gadroon Molding

More complex than egg and dart (because of the asymettrical tadpole detail), a gadroon pattern is probably best carved by hand. March 12, 2006

Combining Teak and Holly in a Table Top

Considering the wood movement issues when building a table-top of Teak with Holly accents. June 30, 2007

Alternating growth rings in panels

The debate between alternating growth rings and matching grain. September 25, 2002

Drying Shrinkage Causes a Desktop to Cup

A typical example teaches a lesson about moisture changes and wood movement. January 14, 2008

Bending wood -- options

Products and methods for bending wood. March 23, 2002

Architectural Woodworking Forum -- Span Limits and Materials for Library Shelving

Furniture and cabinet makers discuss the theory and practice of bookshelf sag control. February 16, 2006

Finishing Inside the Drawers of a Fine Walnut Vanity

Advice on whether to finish the drawer interiors of a period furniture piece, and with what. February 26, 2007

Repairing Defects in Solid Walnut Slabs

If you can't make your patches disappear, do 'em up in style and make 'em look good. January 26, 2008

Notching Out Dovetail Drawers

Notching out for drawer hardware is tricky, slow, and sometimes blows out a dovetail. Here, custom furniture makers suggest ways to handle that delicate operation. October 19, 2005

Locking Miter Joints for Drawer Construction

A discussion of complicated and labor-intensive, but interesting, interlocking joinery for drawers. January 9, 2007

Springback formula for bent laminations

Calculating springback of laminated parts. October 2, 2001

Wood Movement Issues in a Solid Wood Bench Seat

Advice on how to allow for wood movement in bench seating in a commercial space. December 26, 2006

Portable Mortising Tools

Furnituremakers look at handy mortise-cutting power tools that work on the same principle as a biscuit-slot cutter. November 27, 2007

Effective Shop Lighting

Let's get some light in here so we can see what we're doing. February 8, 2008

Wood Veneer on MDF: How Thick Is Too Thick?

Craftsmen report problems using thick wood veneer on an MDF substrate. June 9, 2007

Glue Options

Glue options for furnituremakers. September 26, 2006

Tapered Stop Flutes

The search for a simple, efficient method. December 26, 2004

A multi-faceted challenge

An architectural woodworker gets ideas for making a too-wide handrail intersect gracefully with an octagon-shaped newel cap. December 17, 2003

Treating Soft Wood to Reduce Tear-Out when Turning

Soaking the piece in a sizing or finish solution can stiffen the material for cleaner turning results. November 27, 2007

Taper-Cutting Parts At High Volume

Pros discuss equipment, set-ups, and jigs. April 10, 2005

De-Nailing Antique Lumber

Furnituremakers consider ways to get old cut nails out of old chestnut. October 8, 2005

Solid Wood Octagon Table Top Failure

Wood movement dooms a solid wood "sunburst" table top, and we learn why that will always happen. February 12, 2007

Curved Work - with Form Outside the Bag

Creating vacuum-pressed curved parts with the clamping form outside the vacuum bag. March 10, 2002

De-Warping Table Leaves

A draw-leaf table has warped, and the maker asks for advice on fixing it. Colleagues suggest ways to quickly straighten the crooked parts. October 19, 2005

Wood Movement Considerations for a Large Table Top

Swelling and shrinkage place stress on wood table tops, especially if both sawn lumber and plywood are involved. Here's advice on construction details. March 13, 2007

Specifying Glass for a Table Top

tempered or untempered glass? Furniture makers exchange views. June 20, 2005

Solid Edge for a Round Table

A solid wood circumference for a round veneered table poses some tricky woodworking puzzles. In this thread, craftsman offer detailed advice for a unique project. June 28, 2005

Best Router for Dovetails?

A discussion focused on woodworkers' favorite routers for cutting half-blind dovetails.

Clamping Octagon Joints

Taping the joints and folding them together works the best. November 26, 2006

How to Secure Floating Panels

Using spaceballs versus pinning panels at top and bottom center points. January 22, 2006

Finishing Dovetail Drawer Fronts

A furniture builder gets help figuring out how to finish the fronts of some dovetail drawers in a custom piece. August 14, 2007

Oil-Sanded and Buffed Finish for a Table Top

Tips on a custom furniture finish include advice on wet-sanding with natural oil to fill grain, then waxing and buffing to a high gloss. May 24, 2006

Warping of a Tabletop with an Unbalanced Finish

A teachable moment: Finishers explain why tabletops finished on one side only (and in humid conditions to boot) experienced bad warping. December 31, 2005

Powderpost Beetles in Furniture

Pinholes and powder are a dead giveaway of a beetle infestation. Here are some facts about the bugs and how to handle them. February 19, 2006

Pine for Furniture Drawers

Furnituremakers discuss whether pine is too unstable to use for making drawer sides. March 13, 2007

Tinting body filler -- it can be done!

Searching out an epoxy filler that can be color-mixed, for filling large knot holes. March 20, 2001

Murphy Bed Hardware

A few general observations on the challenge of assembling and installing a Murphy bed. August 22, 2007

Troubleshooting a Cupped Table Top

How to deal with badly cupped boards in a table top — and how to prevent the problem next time. March 14, 2006

Table Leg Extensions

Customer has an odd request: a table with legs that adjust from coffee-table to dining-table height. Pros suggest solutions. August 30, 2005

How to Make Matching Male and Female Templates

Here are two ways to create templates that fit seamlessly into each other. January 27, 2008

Distressed finish

Techniques for making new furniture look old and beat up. February 19, 2002

Glueing Up a Mitered Bar Top

Adhesive choice and clamping and fastening methods for a tricky glue-up problem. June 30, 2007

Reproducing a Grooved Vanity Door

Thoughts on imitating the look of a reeded door panel (made with tambour mat screening in a hinged door panel). September 23, 2006

Windsor Chair Leg-to-Seat Joints

Furniture makers discuss the logic behind using tapered through tenons with wedges for joining chair legs to seats. July 24, 2006

Learning to Design Furniture

Tips on good books and resources for learning the principles of furniture design. November 26, 2006

Table-Leaf Warping Problem

Why are extra leaves from a tabletop warping? Experts explain causes and cures. June 28, 2005

Flattening a Glued-Up Dresser Top without a Belt Sander

Hand-planing techniques described. January 27, 2007

Specifying features for leased space

Advice on features to include in a leased production facility. June 6, 2001

Furniture Design Information Sources

Recommended books and other knowledge resources for the self-educator. December 15, 2005

Square Table Legs — One Piece, or Glued Up?

Should a furnituremaker go to the trouble of laminating smaller pieces together into a built-up table leg? Here's advice on whether to do it and, if so, on how to go about it. March 13, 2007

Using Air-Dried Lumber for Furniture

There are risks, but some say it can be done. April 19, 2006

Glue Choice for an Antique Clock Repair

Craftsman wonders whether to use hide glue or modern yellow glue. January 27, 2008

King-Size Bed Construction Details

Tips on building a king-size bed. April 27, 2007

Calculating Radians/Chords

Formulas to help do the figuring. February 28, 2004

Packing Materials for Finished Furniture

without scratching the finish. February 13, 2006

Tips on Large Tambour Construction

Old-fashioned yellow glue and canvas have a proven track record. January 9, 2007

Applying Nosing to Prefinished Plywood

The search for a satisfactory way to treat the seam where nosing meets plywood. May 10, 2005

Routing an Elliptical Table

CNC techniques are quick and accurate, but can also produce a template for edge work or future jobs. April 10, 2007

Bending Boards for a Barrel-Top Trunk

A furniture-maker gets advice on bending barrel-stave-like pieces to form a domed trunk lid. June 10, 2006

Sanding and Stock Removal for Large Burl Slabs

Advice on equipment and techniques to dress large burls before sale as raw material for table-tops. June 9, 2007

Filling Cracks in Reclaimed Lumber

Home-made crack-filler recipes for old wood. October 3, 2007

Staining MDF

Products and techniques for best results. July 28, 2004

Distressing Walnut

Tips for light distressing. January 9, 2007

Will Formal Education Help a Furniture-Maker?

Schools offer Master of Fine Arts degrees in furniture-making. Are they worth it? That all depends, say the pros. August 30, 2005

Avoiding Warping in an Unfinished Wood Tabletop

A customer has asked for a natural-wood kitchen island table top. Here, pros discuss the risk of warping and how to minimize it. December 15, 2005

Shaping Tapered Table Legs

Tips on profiling and tapering custom table legs when there's no easy outsourcing option. February 20, 2008

Gang Ripping on a Moulder

Tips for making short work of multiple rips. February 27, 2005

Joints for a HEAVY Tabletop

A tough project has a tricky angle: how to fasten the legs to a heavy table when there's no shelf or apron to control racking. A furniture-maker gets advice from colleagues. July 5, 2005

Wood Movement in Solid Wood Drawers

will movement cause trouble? A furniture maker receives opinions and advice. June 20, 2005

Long-Span Shelves

Ideas and resources for dealing with long shelf spans. December 30, 2005

Frame and Panel Table Top Construction

Tips and techniques for making picture-frame table tops that accomodate movement. August 21, 2006

Creating a Heavy Laminated Furniture Frame

A furniture maker gets tips on wood bending and lamination for a four-by-four curved hammock-chair frame. May 23, 2007

Corner Cutouts on Large Tabletops

There's more than one way to notch out the corner of a big table top. January 11, 2007

Frame and Panel Bookcase Back

A furniture maker gets advice on building solid cherry bookcase backs. August 21, 2006

MC for international shipping

Concerns of moisture content in jobs destined for overseas. November 18, 2002

Air-dried lumber

Is it air-dried cherry acceptable for furnituremaking? March 20, 2001

Cutting a Circle on the Table Saw

With the right jig, it's quick and slick. March 17, 2005

Trestle Table Connection Details

A discussion of joinery for attaching a trestle table top to the leg assemblies. February 8, 2008

Bandsaw Tire Refurbishing Cost

New tires for an old bandsaw ain't cheap. May 13, 2005

Shop-Rigged Task Lighting

Ideas for task lighting that is there when you need it, out of the way when you don't. August 21, 2006

Gluing Up a Cherry and Maple Tabletop cherry & maple

A woodworker gets advice on allowing for movement when gluing different wood species together. December 20, 2005

Making a Curved Table Skirt

Methods and materials for making up skirt pieces for a round Mahogany table. October 26, 2005

Shoji Screen Ideas

Basic tips for a first-timer on fabricating shoji screens. September 10, 2007

Building a steamer

Homemade steamers for bending wood in your shop. January 21, 2002

Calculating Springback

Simple formula for determining amount of springback in bent solid wood. April 18, 2004

Hole Filler to Match Wood that Turns Color with Age

So filled nail holes won't stand out after wood ages, use a filler made with sanding dust. January 9, 2007

Making Butterfly Key Joints

A quick primer on butterfly joints. October 2, 2005

Mother-of-Pearl Inlay

A few tips on laying mother-of-pearl into wood. November 12, 2006

Pocket Doors for Furniture

An explanation of custom-built pin-and-groove "flipper" pocket doors. May 7, 2007

Wooden Drawer Guides

Thoughts on how to make wooden drawer guides slide smoothly. December 11, 2007

Veneering Inside Curves on Furniture

After considering several possible methods, a furnituremaker finds success with hot hide glue. September 6, 2007

Softening/flattening burl veneers

Step-by-step instructions. July 22, 2003

Radius of an arc

Formulas for determining the radius of an arc, or "eyebrow"

Gluing Up a Round Table Apron

Furniture-makers supply tips and techniques for a large circular lamination. October 2, 2005

Distressing wood

Creating a well-worn look on newly built furniture. February 6, 2002

Usefulness of a Shoulder Vise

but is it worth it? January 9, 2007

Repairing a Water-Damaged Lacquer Finish

If it's nitrocellulose lacquer, you can use specialty sprays or denatured alcohol to remove the white water damage. May 24, 2006

Complementary Woods for Mahogany

Furnituremakers suggest woods to match with Mahogany for visual appeal. July 30, 2007

Y-Crotch Lumber Examples

Sawmillers show off a couple of nice slabs, and an example of a coffee table made from crotch wood. December 28, 2006

Coarse Thread Screws for Joinery

They might hold, but will they stand the test of time? Professionals weigh in. August 30, 2005

Building Outdoor Chairs

An example and step-by-step instructions for an Adirondack-style rocker. December 1, 2005

Hide glue

Proper mix ratio and storage info. September 24, 2002

Building a Tile-Topped Table

Basic tips for a tile table-top. January 27, 2008

Mortise and Tenon Fit Tolerances

Not too loose, not too tight — just right. April 19, 2006

Jig for beaded faceframes

Photographs of a shop-built jig. June 4, 2003

Prototypes for Custom Furniture Jobs

Custom furniture makers discuss whether, when, and how to make a prototype mock-up before beginning a furniture project for real. May 23, 2007

Fabric for Tambour Doors

You can use canvas, silk, or — old T-shirts? October 19, 2005

Osage Orange Color Changes

You can't stop Osage Orange wood from turning brown as it ages. February 12, 2007

Air-Dried Wood for Furniture

As this example demonstrates, when a people tell you your air-dried lumber won't make a sweet (and sweet-smelling) piece of furniture, sometimes it's because they want to take your wood away for free. January 11, 2007

Laminating Plywood Panels Together

When gluing multiple pieces of plywood together for a built-up thickness, make sure to balance thicknesses to balance opposing stresses. December 27, 2006

Dado Versus Dowel Joinery in Furniture

It's a trade-off: strength versus cost. January 9, 2007

Laminating Curved Drawer Fronts

Furniture makers discuss techniques. October 28, 2005

Tapering table legs

Small-shop methods for tapering square table legs. June 13, 2001

Bonding Stainless Steel to Plywood

Advice on fabricating a stainless-steel-on-plywood tabletop. June 28, 2007

Plastic Glue Odors in a Cedar Chest

A furniture maker tries to understand why it's so hard to get the smell of polyurethane glue out of a cedar chest. May 5, 2007

Octagonal tapers

Instructions for making octagonal table legs, tapered on all eight sides. June 13, 2001

Cleaning Up Latex Paint

Tips for getting a latex paint drip off a polyurethane finished surface. August 30, 2005

Repairing Chip-Out in a Walnut Table Top

It's possible to fill small defects so that they won't be noticed. February 12, 2007

The Use of Wax Finishes on Pre-Industrial American Furniture

Here's a scholarly paper on the history of wax finishes applied to early American furniture, and the difficult challenges of identifying and restoring original wax finishes. December 11, 2007

Distressing Techniques to Mimic Driftwood

A woodworker seeks advice for creating the shipwreck look. March 17, 2005

William and Mary Highboy Designs

A furniture maker gets leads for the information he needs to reproduce an antique highboy cabinet. August 21, 2006

Breadboards and Leaf Tables

Thoughts on how to handle a request for a table with breadboard ends and a center leaf. June 30, 2007

Rocker Lamination Tips

Advice on hardwood lamination thickness for rocking chair rockers, and tips for cutting the laminations. February 12, 2007

Lightweight MDF for Desks or Tables

With MDF, weight is related to strength and durability. November 10, 2006

Glue Reacting with Cherry

A Cherry table shows witness lines at the glue joints. The culprit: a reaction between the wood and the glue. November 13, 2005

Dowels and Screws in Breadboard Table Ends

Thoughts on fastening breadboard ends to avoid movement-related problems. March 26, 2007

Ways to Create Arched Seat-Back Curves

Different methods each have their advantages and disadvantages. December 28, 2006

Sources of Furniture Plans

Furniture-makers suggest useful design resources. August 14, 2007

Flexible Rope Moulding

There are sources of flexible rope molding, but if you know what you're doing you can also use actual rope. May 24, 2006

Drilling Out a Broken Dowel

It's kind of like pulling a wisdom tooth. February 26, 2007

Antiqueing Brass

Brass gets old quick if you fume or soak it with the right stuff. June 10, 2006

Table Top and Base Proportions

Because table height is generally a constant, the ratio between table top and base needed to provide stability varies with table diameter. October 28, 2005

A Router Duplicator for Copying Curved Shapes

Here's a slick setup for reproducing complex curved surfaces. December 15, 2005

Width Limit of a Glued Tenon

but what are the limits? March 12, 2006

Making Six-Sided Tapered Legs

Step-by-step directions for cutting a 6-sided tapered shaft on a table saw. August 30, 2005

Wood Box for a 19th-Century English Bible

Craftsmen discuss period details, and materials appropriate for archival use. October 28, 2005

Avoiding Iron Stain when Steam-Bending Red Oak

Oak and other high-tannin woods react with water and iron to create black staining. Here's how to prevent it. December 8, 2006

Making Warped Doors (on Purpose)

Epoxy and a vacuum bag does the trick. May 10, 2005

Cleaning Up an Old Board

Tips on getting the bird droppings and grime off a rustic old walnut board. August 30, 2007

Breadboard Table Top Ends

Tips on the mortise and tenon joinery for a breadboard table end. October 2, 2005

Handicapped-Accessible Conference Table Specs