Essential Techniques

Learn these techniques to improve your woodworking skills.


How to Use a Hollow-Chisel Mortiser for Clean, Square Mortises

How to Use a Hollow-Chisel Mortiser for Clean, Square Mortises

A hollow-chisel mortiser makes fast work of cutting clean, square mortises for mortise-and-tenon joinery. Learn how to set up the … Read More

Adding Paint to Your Woodworking Projects

Adding Paint to Your Woodworking Projects

Decorative painting only takes a modest number of paints and brushes for most projects and the basic skills to handle … Read More

Seal Outdoor Furniture Legs with Epoxy to Help Prevent Rot

Seal Outdoor Furniture Legs with Epoxy to Help Prevent Rot

The end grain at the bottom of outdoor furniture legs can soak up moisture. A small amount of epoxy creates … Read More

Making Your Own Cutting Diagrams

Making Your Own Cutting Diagrams

After nearly 50 years of building projects in the Woodsmith production shop, we just knew it was time to explain … Read More

How To Create Perfect Curves on Small Workpieces

How To Create Perfect Curves on Small Workpieces

There are many ways to cut circles in woodworking, but choosing the appropriate procedure is paramount to the quality of … Read More

The Secrets of Kerf Bending

The Secrets of Kerf Bending

One of the easiest ways to create a piece that curves across its face is kerf bending. Unlike more complex … Read More

Perfect Profiles with Raised-Panel Bits

Perfect Profiles with Raised-Panel Bits

With the increasing popularity of router use, most manufacturers now offer high-quality raised-panel bits for use on the router table. … Read More

One Last Lesson

One Last Lesson

A toolbox's final gift to its builder. Read More

Gearing Up for Woodworking In America 2025

Gearing Up for Woodworking In America 2025

Connect, learn, enjoy, and inspire at Woodworking In America this fall. Read More

Shaping chair seats with hand tools

Shaping chair seats with hand tools

Start with a gouge, then wrap up with a scraper to shape comfortable chair seats. Read More

Chip Carving

Chip Carving

It looks elegantly simple, but Chip Carving takes some focus and effort to do. We'll walk you through the steps … Read More

Adding Metal Inlay to Your Woodworking Projects

Adding Metal Inlay to Your Woodworking Projects

Add some flair to your projects by incorporating inlays. While you're at it give them a unique look by using … Read More

Turning Firewood into a Beautiful, Live Edge Bowl

Turning Firewood into a Beautiful, Live Edge Bowl

Watch as Logan saves a piece of Apple wood from the burn pile and turns it into a beautiful, live … Read More

How to Set a Miter Saw Stop Block Accurately

How to Set a Miter Saw Stop Block Accurately

Need several project parts exactly the same length? This simple kerf-and-tape-measure trick makes it easy to position a miter saw … Read More

How to Cut Perfect Hinge Mortises with a Chisel or Router

How to Cut Perfect Hinge Mortises with a Chisel or Router

A clean, accurately sized hinge mortise is the secret to a well-fitting cabinet door or box lid. Learn how to … Read More