How and Why I’m Buying a Festool Domino XL (DF-700)

I learned in Session 9 of the Maple Trestle Table Build that using a router to cut mortises was slow and tiring, and required me to wrestle the heavy slabs into a vertical position.  I certainly didn't want to bring the wood to a stationary machine such as a hollow chisel mortiser or slot mortiser - … Continue reading How and Why I’m Buying a Festool Domino XL (DF-700)

Maple Trestle Table, Session 12 – Fitting the Mother of all Mortise & Tenon Joints

On the morning of Sunday, April 15th, Morton and I exchanged ideas about trestle tables, spurred on by a recent sketch of a table on which he was working.  That got me yearning to build a trestle table. I documented my progress live on Twitter which was useful because each update had a time stamp so followers could … Continue reading Maple Trestle Table, Session 12 – Fitting the Mother of all Mortise & Tenon Joints

Maple Trestle Table, Session 11 – Straight Lines on Wonky Surfaces

On the morning of Sunday, April 15th, Morton and I exchanged ideas about trestle tables, spurred on by a recent sketch of a table on which he was working.  That got me yearning to build a trestle table. I documented my progress live on Twitter which was useful because each update had a time stamp so followers could … Continue reading Maple Trestle Table, Session 11 – Straight Lines on Wonky Surfaces

Maple Trestle Table, Session 10 – Curvy Legs are Always Good

On the morning of Sunday, April 15th, Morton and I exchanged ideas about trestle tables, spurred on by a recent sketch of a table on which he was working.  That got me yearning to build a trestle table. I documented my progress live on Twitter which was useful because each update had a time stamp so followers could … Continue reading Maple Trestle Table, Session 10 – Curvy Legs are Always Good

Maple Trestle Table, Session 5 – Routing Pockets for Battens

On the morning of Sunday, April 15th, Morton and I exchanged ideas about trestle tables, spurred on by a recent sketch of a table on which he was working.  That got me yearning to build a trestle table. I documented my progress live on Twitter which was useful because each update had a time stamp so followers could … Continue reading Maple Trestle Table, Session 5 – Routing Pockets for Battens

Maple Slab Build, Session 2

Friday night, I went to down the shop because I wanted to build something.  I started with a small slab of Western maple and designed the piece on the fly.  I documented the build live on Twitter and what you see below are the updates from the second session (see what I did in the … Continue reading Maple Slab Build, Session 2

Maple Slab Build, Session 1

Friday night, I went down to the shop because I wanted to build something.  I started with a small slab of Western maple and designed the piece on the fly.  I documented the build, live on Twitter, and what you see below are the updates from the first session.  This was useful because each update … Continue reading Maple Slab Build, Session 1

Dovetails and Plywood

My cousin, Michael, asked me to make a wooden box to store his torque wrench.  When he gave me the wrench so I could make the box to fit, he told me, "It doesn't need to be anything fancy - just something to protect it."  My job was just to make the box and he … Continue reading Dovetails and Plywood

Flat-Top Ripping Blade is King

Freud's 24-tooth Heavy Duty Rip Blade (LM72M010) is what is installed in my table saw 90% of the time.  The blade has 24 teeth 0.126" wide, ground flat on the top and pitched forwards at 20 degrees.  These characteristics make it the most versatile and most used saw blade in my shop. As you would expect, … Continue reading Flat-Top Ripping Blade is King

My Tall Workbench with Flair

This bench was inspired after the Joinery Bench that Shannon Rogers brought to Woodworking in America.  It was intended to simply be a taller workbench and I honestly did not know how useful I would find it (ask me in half a year). This small bench was built taller than normal (39.5") to allow joinery … Continue reading My Tall Workbench with Flair