Labor of Love
After 50 years of woodworking, I’ve got a confession to make. I enjoy fixing up an old machine or rearranging my shop more than woodworking itself. A few years ago a friend gave me an old Rockwell lathe which clearly …
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Author Archives: American Woodworker Editors
Contoured Sanding Block
To sand a lot of molding, glue 80-grit sandpaper to several inches of the molding. Rub a block of Styrofoam on the sandpaper until the block conforms to the molding’s contour. Glue sandpaper to the block, then sand the molding.…
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Brush Care 101
How to choose, condition, and clean a finishing brush. It’s really tempting to buy an inexpensive brush for finishing. Say you spend $4 on a standard paint brush and throw it away rather than taking the time to clean it. …
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Homemade Bench Grips
Bench grips are handy for holding parts above the bench for routing, sanding or finishing. To make them, just cut some wood and rubber shelf liner into 2″ to 3″ squares. Glue the shelf liner onto both sides of each …
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Mobile, Sturdy Light Stand
Good light is a must in every workshop, but sometimes I need a little extra light in just the right place. To make my light/magnifier more portable, I drilled a hole in a handscrew to fit the light’s post. Now …
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