Cheesy Dado Shims

Category Archives: Tricks of the Trade

Cheesy Dado Shims

American Woodworker Editors AW132, Dados, Shims, Techniques, Tricks of the Trade, Workshop Tips

While looking around the shop to find a shim for my dado set, I saw the plastic lid from a cottage cheese container in the trash. Hmm, I thought, that could be it. I trimmed away the edge and measured …
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Shop-made Beam Compass

Pop Wood Editors Compass, DIY, October 2008, Techniques, Tricks of the Trade, Workshop Tips

In my work I often need to draw large-radii curves, for which I use this long beam compass. Built from scrap wood and a dowel center, it’s cheap and easy to make in any length. It can be quickly adjusted …
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Drilling for Continuous Hinges

Pop Wood Editors Drill Bits, February 2010 #181, Hinge, Techniques, Tricks of the Trade

Self-centering drill bits (also called “Vix bits”) are great for quick, accurate drilling of hinge screw holes. Unfortunately, they don’t work very well for many continuous, or “piano,” hinges. That’s because the leaves on continuous hinges often are t…

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Perfect Bevels with a Jointer Plane

Pop Wood Editors Bevel, Jointer Plane, October 2013 #206, Tricks of the Trade

When making French cleats using a handplane, getting a consistent beveled edge can be problematic, particularly as the bevel approaches 45º and the plane gets “tippy.” Also, it’s difficult to get a good bevel established – starting on the …
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