Blotchy stain
When your stain is blotchy, for whatever reason, in most cases you can blend it in by hand sanding with 600 grit sandpaper before you apply the next coat. I use Abranet brand 600 grit. Does not clog easily and works great.
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Skip plane long boards for maximum yield
I bought some 4/4 10′ long rough sawn Mahogany the other day. Because I wanted to keep as much of the boards thickness as possible, and knowing how that is difficult to do on a 10′ board using the jointer, I skip planed to get a sense of where the grain was so I could cut…
Mistakes can lead to better design
Mistakes happen on every project. They can be disheartening on occasion where you can’t recover, but I look at them as opportunities for better design. Here’s an example. I discovered an unforeseen problem while working on a prototype portable altar. The top portion tilts up allowing you to open the wings on the altar below,…
Flush trim band saw jig
Ever have to trim 1/16″ or 1/8″ from end grain but the piece won’t fit your shooting board, and the table saw is out of the question? I had this problem on the morning bar doors below where I had to flush trim the ends of the book matched ash (unstained in the photo). So…
Who says you don’t have to sand?
I bought a #4 smoother with the intent of using it for final prep before finishing, i.e. eliminating the need for sanding. After several projects (2 vanities, medicine cabinet doors, shaker table, etc.) I’ve come to realize that sanding is still absolutely necessary. My smoother and/or hand scraper inevitably leaves chatter marks that are visible…
Leather and wood
Here’s a photo of some leather work I did on the portable altar. The leather is a Lattigo leather, very thick, so I had to compress the leather for the post to have enough clearance to set the snaps. The bottom is fixed, I used Loktite to prevent the screw from coming loose during use….
Router bits, 1/4″ or 1/2″ shanks?
A few years ago when I was really getting serious about woodworking and building out my shop, I was mystified about router bits. Not only do they come in many different profiles, lengths, and radiuses, but most were available in 1/4″ and 1/2″ shank diameters. After using routers and just recently completing a large router…