Production Tips, part three
Part three of three from Woodworking International Magazine, offering proven ideas for increasing efficiency in production shops. 1998.

Production Tips, part two
Part two of three from Woodworking International Magazine, offering proven ideas for increasing efficiency in production shops. 1998.

Advantages of vacuum clamping
Advantages of vacuum clamping over mechanical clamping. June 24, 2002

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

CNC pod table
Homemade pods and more. (CNC Forum) March 23, 2003

Oil finish with airless equipment
Technique and tools to achieve excellent results. May 22, 2002

Creating templates for moulder knives
Thoughts on producing templates for cutting moulder knives. June 14, 2000


What NOT to expect from your computer -- Unreasonable expectations & wishful thinking
expect as a result of computerization. 1998

Tablesaw blade guards
Choosing the best blade guard/dust collector. April 9, 2003

Repairing veneer sand-through
Short of firing the employee, what's the best fix for recurring sand-through in veneer edges? November 15, 2000

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

Proper nail hole touchup
Using a material to fill holes that will be compatible with the finish. July 9, 2002

Airless spray equipment for lacquers?
An in-depth discussion of HVLP and airless equipment and techniques. January 16, 2001

Setting up new finishing department
Forum participants chime in on their favorite types of finishing systems, and approaches to establishing a finishing department. April 21, 2000

Dealing with spray booth noise
Protecting your hearing from the deafening roar of spray booth exhaust equipment. November 15, 2000

Dado processing
Methods and equipment for producing dados. October 30, 2003

When is three-phase power -- the right choice?
A primer on three-phase power, and when it's appropriate to make the switch from single-phase. June 14, 2000

Is Your Meter Running?
The value of the moisture meter when drying of oak lumber. 1998.

Wood getting stuck in planer
Some possible causes and solutions to the problem of wet wood getting stuck in a planer. June 14, 2000

Explosion-proof spray room lighting
The practical and regulatory aspects of explosion-proof lighting in finishing rooms. July 18, 2000

Digital hygrometers
Kiln operators discuss options for measuring conditions in their lumber drying and storage facilities. July 26, 2000

Protecting edges of installed cabinets
Protecting newly installed cabinetry from the chaos of continuing construction. November 15, 2000

Bandmill blade guide pressure
Proper set-up techniques for blade guides on bandsaw mills. November 29, 2000

Halogen lighting: Passing the temperature test
How high-heat halogen lighting is tested for safety, to ensure it is appropriate for various applications. - 1998

Ripping cabinet-grade plywood -- with a circular saw
Tips and accessories for getting decent cuts with a hand-held power saw. September 26, 2000

HVLP + compressor vs. HVLP + turbine
Participants offer their preferences between compressor- and turbine-driven HVLP spray finishing systems. March 13, 2000

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

Biscuits for face frames
A discussion of using biscuits for assembling cabinet face frames. Pros and cons of biscuits on face frames, and equipment used. November 21, 2000

Conditioning DH-kiln-dried white oak
July 18, 2000

Don't send a home dehumidifier -- to do a commercial kiln's work
Are domestic dehumidifiers adaptable for use in drying small quantities of lumber? March 12, 2000

Problems Cutting Full Bullnose
Cutting a profile in pine stock on a router table. March 14, 2004

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

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 veneered panels and melamines -- without a scoring blade
Avoiding chipping problems when cutting veneered panels and melamines. January 3, 2001

Turning logs on a manual mill
Home-made remedies for tough-to-turn timber. January 16, 2001

Keeping lumber flat during drying
Advice from Professor Gene Wengert on drying lumber in order to produce flat, true boards. December 12, 2000

Buying a forklift
Considerations when purchasing a used forklift. March 28, 2001

Smooth-back moulding head set-up
Ideas for setting up an older, smooth-back type moulding head. June 14, 2000

Production sanding of raised-panel profiles
Woodworkers offer tips on sanding a large quantity of raised panel profiles. September 26, 2000

Sharpening of band mill blades
A primer on sharpening band-mill blades. March 2, 2000

Solvent reclaimers and gun washers
Info on automatic spray gun washers and solvent reclaimers. April 20, 2001

Computer Clinic: Ground Your Equipment!
Protecting computer equipment, and users, from power surges. 1998.

Color uniformity in bird's-eye maple
Bleaching, tinting and staining to give bird's-eye maple boards a uniform color. December 12, 2000

Production sanding for humidors
There's no 'silver bullet' when it comes to the detail sanding that fine work demands, be it in a one-off or production environment. 1998.

Computers on shop floor
How to protect computers used on the shop floor from damaging dust. September 26, 2000

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

Mounting cabinets to block walls
Woodworkers share techniques for attaching work to concrete block walls. September 26, 2000

Leg levelers vs. notches and plinths
Leg levelers are the way to go, if you're going Euro. 1998.

Moisture content of walnut -- and measuring it
A woodworker seeks information about acceptable moisture contents for walnut used in furniture, and wonders what makes moisture meters tick. 1998.

Dust collection system cost
Calculating the cost of a dust collection system for your size shop. March 19, 2001

Hinge-mounting machines
Hinge insertion machines are available for European as well as traditional cabinet hinges. 1998.

Water-based lacquer for small shops
Things small shops should consider when switching to water-based lacquers. 1998.

Jigs for setting planer knives
Accessories for setting planer knives in the cutterhead. June 14, 2000

Biscuits for edge-gluing solid stock?
and solution. July 18, 2000

Ratios: Relative humidity to moisture content
Common conversions and instruments used in measuring wood moisture content. October 31, 2000

Pin and pinless moisture meters
The pros and cons of pinless and pin-type moisture meters. March 20, 2001

Choosing tooling for MDF moulding
Using carbide tooling on MDF in planer/moulder machines. November 21, 2000

Fumes escaping from lacquer drums
Options for sealing 55-gallon drums of lacquer to prevent fumes from escaping. 1998.

Moisture meter for veneer
Finding a moisture meter that can accurately "read" veneer. June 14, 2000

Are templates best for this job?
Using a template to repeat patterns on veneering project. June 14, 2000

Delta 12.5-inch planer
Participants discuss the performance of the DeWalt 12.5-inch planer. April 9, 2000

Mist-type dust collection
Water-mist dust collection techniques for capturing ultra-fine dust. June 14, 2000

Where to "plug" a moisture meter
How to use moisture meters to assure accurate readings. November 21, 2000

Vacuum application FAQ
All aspects of vacuum and how it is used by the woodworker. March 18, 2002

AutoCAD Drawings, Step by Step
Efficient development of shop drawings. April 18, 2004

Setting Up Excalibur Slider
Tips and photos for accurate alignment. March 14, 2004

Three-phase motors 101
Three-phase power and converters; explained in layman's terms. June 19, 2003

Making Code from Sloppy Drawings
The frustrations of messy drawings, and a parallel discussion of CNC theory vs. reality in terms of function. December 9, 2004

Chip-free dovetailing in plywood
Building dovetailed plywood drawers without chipping; European and American approaches. April 24, 2002

Scribing cabinets and Z clips
Issues of overhang and attachment are discussed. February 19, 2002

Cutting and drying beveled siding
Producing beveled siding from green lumber, with special attention to the drying process. June 24, 2001

Shop lighting
Best bulbs for brightness and efficiency. February 12, 2003

Outdoor wood furnaces
Experiences with outdoor "water stove" heating systems. March 20, 2001

Are bone-dry biscuits necessary?
Questions about the dryness and size of biscuits. April 24, 2002

Nesting Bleeder Board Material
CNC users dissect the options. January 24, 2005

Parametric Drawings
Can parametric design simplify change orders? May 19, 2004

Kitchen Corner Cabinets
Creative solutions for this awkward space. February 10, 2004

Electric Moisture Meters
A guide for using portable electric moisture meters on lumber. May 3, 2001

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

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

Installing Rollout Shelves
Keeping rollouts clear of the hinges. March 14, 2004

Layer Names and Line Defaults
Organizing and simplifying layers in CAD. May 19, 2004

Designing for Large Pocket Doors
Choosing quality hardware for TV entertainment center. March 14, 2004

Home DH for drying lumber
Home dehumidifiers versus bought kilns for drying wood. September 2, 2002

Calculating moisture content
Using a hygrometer and calculator to determine the MC of kiln samples. September 2, 2002

Praise for HVLP
Has HVLP outgrown a bad reputation? Here's why some swear by it. (Finishing Forum) May 19, 2003

How to attach a drawer front
Fine-tuning the attachment of applied drawer fronts. September 25, 2002

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

Arched raised panel doors
Using jigs to make arched raised panel doors. September 25, 2002

Color matching and grain repair
Learning the necessary skills. (From WOODWEB's Finishing Forum) January 21, 2003

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

Home-built band blade sharpener
Plans and pictures. February 18, 2003

Clamping Equipment
A brief description of the various types of high-volume clamping equipment available today. September 20, 2008

Deleting Blocks and Layers
Why won't these stubborn ACAD elements go away? December 9, 2004

Tablesaw blade safety device
Does a new sawblade-stop product really protect your fingers? July 29, 2003

Vacuum Clamping -- Save Time, Save Money!
March 19, 2002

Face frame clamping options
Woodworkers discuss their clamping systems and share pictures of what works for them. July 24, 2001

Titleblock in CAD
How-to instructions for setting up a titleblock for your template. July 24, 2002

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

Attaching Drawer Fronts Efficiently
Quick and simple methods for quality production. April 2, 2004

Face Frame Assembly Table
Developing a bench for fast and accurate assembly. March 14, 2004

To cleat or not to cleat
Does cleating cabinets save installation time and money? April 3, 2002

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

Pulling Surface Joints Tight
Links to gadgets that can make this sometmes-frustrating issue a breeze. February 8, 2005

Small parts on P2P
Using a spoilboard to solve problems of no suction with small parts. March 20, 2001

Shop arrangement and setup
Shop owners describe the best and worst aspects of their workspaces. March 21, 2002

Building a Glue Press
Creating a glue press system in-shop. April 2, 2004

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

Installing cabinets over tile
Tying kicks to a tile floor, and the complications presented by floor-integrated radiant heating. February 19, 2002

Polyurethane (PUR) adhesives
Basic overview of different PUR glues. September 24, 2002

How do you do it? -- CNC Programming
Programmers share their methods. August 17, 2004

Template Routing -- with a Vacuum Clamp
March 19, 2002

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

Both Sides, Now
Ideas for jigs and fixtures that allow finishing and drying on both sides of the same panel. February 8, 2005

Digitizing board recommendations
Digitizing drawings that are larger than the tablet. July 24, 2002

How many confirmats?
Determining how many fasteners to use per joint in frameless cabinetry. April 2, 2002

Drawers, from scratch to systems
Materials and methods forum participants are employing in their quest for the perfect drawer. February 14, 2001

Shop-Built Cabinet Lift Photos
Detailed images of a jack designed to help with cabinet installation. December 21, 2008

Cabinets over outlets and cables
Options for installing over electrical outlets and computer cables. July 9, 2002

Millwork Touch-up and Repair
A visitor seeks advice on how to get training in the fine art of fixing faults. February 26, 2005

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

Applying Kuhn edging
Methods, glues and clamps to use. April 2, 2002

Dehumidification drying of thin stock
Simple drying methods for small, thin stock. (Sawing and Drying Forum) March 23, 2003

Variables in Parametric Programming
Forum participants guide a user through programming customization techniques for an Andi CNC with a Fanuc 18I controller. January 24, 2005

Splitting stiles with pocket screws
Suggestions are offered on how to overcome the problem. July 24, 2002

Straight Lining Rough Lumber
Efficient methods for creating an edge. December 9, 2004

Cabinet Backs and Slide Installation
What other shops are using for back material and it works with back-mounted drawer slides. February 8, 2005

Safety and climb cutting
Safety issues involved in climb cutting with a shaper. January 21, 2003

Sanding face frames properly
The proper tools and techniques to avoid rounding edges. October 30, 2002

Which software?
Ideas on reasonably priced, comprehensive computer applications for cabinetmakers. February 13, 2001

In Praise of Old-School Bench Vises
Some simple but clever old iron that still works after many decades. Gotta love it.December 2, 2011

Sloppy-Fitting Biscuits
A primer on what's too loose, too tight, and just right. February 25, 2005

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

Three phase generator
Running machinery off of a three-phase generator. September 2, 2002

Treating Burls With Pentacryl
Is pentracryl a proper treatment for burl wood, or are other sealers more suitable? January 6, 2005

Choosing Footwear for Shop Use
Army boots? Flip-flops? It's a matter of personal preference, but here are some thoughts and observations. December 6, 2012

Building a Curved Form - for Inside the Bag
Illustrated advice on constructing lamination forms for use in vacuum pressing. June 24, 2002

Best Router for Dovetails?
A discussion focused on woodworkers' favorite routers for cutting half-blind dovetails.

Curved Work - with Form Outside the Bag
Creating vacuum-pressed curved parts with the clamping form outside the vacuum bag. March 10, 2002

Webbing type adhesives and veneer
Ar canister spary systems appropriate for use with sheet veneer? September 25, 2002

Finish Sanding Hand-Planed Boards -- Without Losing the Look
A woodworker wonders how to efficiently smooth a surface enough to take finish, without ruining the hand-planed texture. February 8, 2005

Assorted Videos for Millwork Installers and Cabinetmakers
January 25, 2007

Open Face Booth
Pros and cons. February 26, 2005

FSV adhesive
How this new glue is used. April 9, 2003

Dovetailing for a hand-cut look
Advice on getting a hand-cut look when dovetailing by machine, and reasons not to do it. June 13, 2001

Resawing Reclaimed Heart Pine Timbers
February 27, 2005

Facing frameless melamine cabinets
Facing and finishing melamine carcasses to attain a high-end, traditional look without face frames. April 2, 2002

Hinge Boring Dust Collection
Custom design of a dust collection system for a hinge boring machine. January 25, 2005

Tooth setter
Photos and descriptions of home-built tooth setters for band blades. March 5, 2003

Dovetailing plywood
Successfully dovetailing baltic birch plywood. March 20, 2001

Rating drawer slides
What does a drawer slide weight rating mean, exactly? February 12, 2001

Dimension Tick/Arrow Defaults
Ideas for making arrows the norm, rather than tick marks, in dimension callouts. January 24, 2005

Techniques for making tapered rips
Various machine and jig options for producing large quantities of tapered parts are offered . January 9, 2001

Why bother with dust collection?
Good reasons to invest in a dust collection system. March 16, 2001

Circle Jigs for Routers
Ideas and photos for router setups for cutting circles of various sizes. August 31, 2010

Confirmat screw spacing
Spacing guidelines for Confirmat screws in the assembly of particleboard cases. January 16, 2001

Applying putty for the long haul
How to fill holes in cherry and keep the colors matched over time. February 13, 2001

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

All about glue size
A basic explanation of this product and how to use it. February 13, 2001

Jig for beaded faceframes
Photographs of a shop-built jig. June 4, 2003

Using a moisture meter
How and where to use a moisture meter. November 14, 2001

Determining Wood EMC -- (Equilibrium Moisture Content)
How to calculate and establish EMC. From the Forest Products Laboratory. February 16, 2004

Today's Sponsors

Become a Sponsor today!