Sharpening Hand Tools with Sandpaper
Chisels and planes take a keen edge using increasing grits of sandpaper glued to glass. Here, pros discuss the fine points of achieving that wicked edge. December 15, 2005

Three-phase electricity primer
Pros and cons of three-phase electricity and static and rotary phase converters. November 21, 2000

Tools to choose in setting up shop
Selecting the best makes and models of tools when starting out. October 31, 2000

Tape-Measure Accuracy
Like everything else in life, tape measures are imperfect. But here are a couple of suggestions for improving accuracy. October 11, 2007

Sharpening Files
You can send files out to be re-sharpened. Lore also says you can sharpen them up yourself by soaking them in battery acid or vinegar. October 28, 2005

Sawing square timbers
Producing square timbers on the sawmill. November 15, 2000

Verifying moisture meters' accuracy
A discussion of ways to verify the accuracy of moisture meters. Includes info on calibration. June 21, 2000

Sawdust buildup in discharge chute
How to remedy pine-tar buildup leading to clogged discharge chutes during sawing. July 26, 2000


The Ten-Cent Router Switch Repair
A woodworker fixes the variable-speed control dial on his DeWalt plunge router by sliding a dime under it. Go figure.January 3, 2012

Knife Grinding and Woodworking Manual 5 -- Excerpts Part 5
One in a series of excerpts from the grinding manual of Charles G.G. Schmidt & Company. 1998.

Knife Grinding and Woodworking Manual 6 -- Excerpts Part 6
One in a series of excerpts from the grinding manual of Charles G.G. Schmidt & Company. 1998.

Honing Your Way to the Perfect Edge
An extensive discussion on chisel and plane iron sharpening walks through the basic and advanced aspects of creating a shaving-sharp edge on your hand tools. May 13, 2013

Knife Grinding and Woodworking Manual 1 -- Excerpts Part 1
One in a series of excerpts from the grinding manual of Charles G.G. Schmidt & Company. 1998.

Knife Grinding and Woodworking Manual 2 -- Excerpts Part 2
One in a series of excerpts from the grinding manual of Charles G.G. Schmidt & Company. 1998.

Knife Grinding and Woodworking Manual 4 -- Excerpts Part 4
One in a series of excerpts from the grinding manual of Charles G.G. Schmidt & Company. 1998.

Maintaining Sharpening and Honing Stones
Solid advice on selecting and using water stones and oil stones, and about how to keep them clean and flat. November 16, 2010

Knife Grinding and Woodworking Manual 3 -- Excerpts Part 3
One in a series of excerpts from the grinding manual of Charles G.G. Schmidt & Company. 1998.

Hand-Sharpening Plane Irons
Woodworkers discuss how to sharpen and "round" a smoothing plane iron. October 28, 2005

Routing phenolic paper
A discussion of the best bits and techniques for cutting phenolic paper on a CNC router. November 15, 2000

Keeping track of blade sharpenings
Comparing notes on noting the service history of sawmill blades. July 4, 2000

Jointing knives of a side-head planer
Choosing and using the proper stone when jointing knives used in a side-head planer. November 7, 2000

Preventing kickback
Diagosing the causes of recurring kickback, and finding cures. 1998.

Building a rotary phase converter
How to build a rotary phase converter. November 29, 2000

Capacitor ratings and installation
Technical information on the installation of capacitors. Rule one: Call an electrician. November 29, 2000

Choosing a moulder
Jointed- vs. non-jointed-head moulders; choosing the right machine for a custom moulding business. November 21, 2000

Correcting dowel hole runout
Finding and correcting the cause of dowel hole runout in CNC-machined parts. November 7, 2000

Chisel Sharpening Setups
Woodworkers discuss jigs and equipment for sharpening chisels. May 13, 2009

Cleaning and Lubricating Router Bits
people sometimes reach for the wrong stuff when trying to loosen up a bearing. August 14, 2007

Chisels for Hand-Cut Dovetails
Woodworkers talk about chisel quality, sharpening, and dovetail joinery. October 28, 2005

Cleaning the Kremlin Airmix system
Solvent recycling methods and hose products to help decrease the cost of cleaning and maintaining the Kremlin Airmix system. November 21, 2000

Cutting creosoted poles
Advice on cutting (or not cutting) utility poles treated with creosote. June 20, 2000

Too-tight biscuits
Biscuit joining tricks and techniques. March 23, 2002

Touching Up the Burnt Ends of a Routed Flute
Here's advice on cleaning up the rounded end of a flute if the router leaves burn marks — and on scraper sharpening, and on how to avoid those burn marks to begin with. February 11, 2010

Setting up a powerfeeder
The care and use of powerfeeders. November 7, 2000

Sharpening Equipment
A basic description of tool sharpening equipment and its use. November 13, 2008

Sliding table saw basics
General information for first-time users of 'sliders.' 1998.

Router Table and Lift
Designs and ideas for a smoothly functioning router workstation. December 9, 2004

Reviving an Old Sharpening Stone
Here's the story of an old, legacy grinding wheel and the difficulties a woodworker encountered while trying to make it work again. January 2, 2012

Getting Your Waterstone Back in Shape
If your waterstone isn’t flat, it can’t deliver a proper edge to your tools. Here's how to fix that. December 18, 2013

How to Smooth and Flatten a Tablesaw Table
A palm sander will do a decent job of removing scratches, but you can also have the thing professionally ground flat. April 27, 2007

3-phase to single phase
Is it possible to convert 3-phase equipment to single-phase power? March 20, 2001

Cleaning glue out of edgebander
The tedious process, illustrated. October 30, 2003

CNC tooling: What's the best?
Solving the problems of worn-out router bits and torn-out melamine. January 3, 2001

Clamp Cart
Shop-made carriers for clamps. December 26, 2004

Calibrating a Hollow Chisel Mortiser
Careful adjustments to the spacing between the chisels and the bit can prevent overheating, smoking, and chisel breakage. January 3, 2012

An Ax to Grind - A Practical Ax Manual
History, maintenance tips, and how-to for that ancient woodworking tool, the axe. December 21, 2009

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