Woodworking
Some say woodworking is a dying art, but not on my watch! This rewarding hobby can be extremely inexpensive and can provide beautiful items you’ll proudly display in your home. I'll teach you how to build everything from a hand-carved wooden spoon using a $25 carving knife that you use in the kitchen, to a collapsible bookshelf built with traditional joinery. I've also got an easy 3-ingredient furniture polish recipe to make those hand-cut dovetails really shine. Plus tutorials on how to sharpen a chisel, how to sharpen a hook knife, and the must-have woodworking tools that will 10x your skills!
While you're here, you'll also want to check out some of my more unique tutorials like building a mandolin, preserving wood with Shou Sugi Ban, and learning why practice doesn't always make perfect! Before you dive in, be sure to learn how to restore those old tools you have laying around, then head on over and grab a few of my online woodworking classes!
You don’t have to be a wizard or have the fanciest, most expensive sharpening setups to get where you need to go in woodworking. Watch as we get professional results from a 3 pack of chisels ($11), and a sharpening set ($11) to prove it!
We’re going to discuss possibly the most important tool that can 10x your woodworking skills. That’s right, this post is all about chisels! Learn about the kinds of chisels, chisel sizes, the differences in steel, western chisels vs. foreign chisels, tool safety, and so much more.
Folks online tend to get in a tizzy when it comes time to paint my Windsor chairs because they want to see me “stain or oil the natural wood.” But here’s why we paint Windsor chairs…
Painting with milk paint is a great non-toxic option for painting furniture. I've found a hack that will save you hours of time!
Here are nine must-have woodworking tools easily found at most home centers that will get you started with handtool woodworking without breaking the bank.
Knowing how to sharpen a chisel and maintain it for a lifetime’s worth of use is something all craftsmen and woodworkers should know. Learn how to properly sharpen your tools, whether inexpensive or not, with the tips in this post.
Learn how to carve a whistle out of wood! This easy DIY project is simple enough to do with your kids and start passing along your love of woodworking to the next generation. Read on to learn how to carve a wooden whistle.
Learn how to properly sharpen a hook knife, including a step-by-step video tutorial, supplies needed, and tips on how to always keep your tools sharp.
If you’re fortunate enough to find an old axe head laying around, don’t throw it out! Axe restoration is very simple and inexpensive, and they don’t make tools like they used to! So hang on to that axe head and restore it with this simple axe restoration tutorial.
One of the easiest ways to make tools more affordable is by bringing old tools back to life. A little TLC and a handmade handle on a $5 garage sale axe head can yield a valuable axe that will last for years to come.
Learn how to use a handsaw the correct way. In this post, I’ll teach you the proper body and hand positions to let the tool do the work and you get a perfect cut every time.
Learn how easy, inexpensive, and functional dovetail joints are. With nine basic tools and this step by step tutorial, you will be making dovetails like a pro!
Building a dutch tool chest is a fantastic exercise in many different kinds of joinery, and gives you a place that you can take an entire furniture building shop’s worth of hand tools on the go. See step by step how I repurpose a bookshelf and turn it into a Dutch-style tool chest.
Learn how to make and apply this easy DIY polyurethane furniture finish recipe from Chris Swartz who happens to be a fount of knowledge in furniture wizardry. This finish will beautify any wooden project at a fraction of the cost.
Learning how to build a bookshelf is a great skill most everyone will benefit from. This Japanese-style Tusk bookshelf is one that requires very few tools or supplies and the result is a beautiful piece of furniture that will last a lifetime.
I’ve always been told you can’t plant tomatoes in March. I think that’s great advice, but this year, I wanted to push my limits a little, so I built a couple of raised garden beds with a polycarbonate lid that instantly converts them into cold frames.
Old files and rasps are great for woodworking, even if they may be a tad too far gone for metal work. I pick them up at garage sales and add my own custom handles.
As a furniture builder, I love the look of natural wood but wanted to give this planter a sleek modern look to better match the midcentury feel of our house and other patio furniture.
Side Table, Nightstand, Bedside Table, end table, whatever you like to call it, we designed these super simple DIY Live Edge Side Tables and built them for just $2... find out how!
Many online commenters as of late have voiced their concern about me, an occasional chairmaker, sitting on a bucket like a peasant while milking. I’d like to clear the air- I’ve built several, but the bucket serves an important purpose.