Tag Archives: power tools

This Week in the Shop: 3 Simple Picture Frame Plans

Picture frames make fantastic skill building projects.  You can practice joinery and create precision jigs.  Frames reward practice and good finishes.  They can be made from cheap materials and scraps – meaning they are easy on the pocketbook.  All in all, the perfect project to start with. With one exception.  Miter joints – that is,Continue reading “This Week in the Shop: 3 Simple Picture Frame Plans”

Community Watch: Intro to Woodworking Tools

Last Saturday I had the chance to introduce ten students to woodworking tools – great bunch!  If you are interested in learning how to use power tools and are in the Houston area, why don’t you sign up for a class over at TX/RX Labs? Join me for a second class in June! Make itContinue reading “Community Watch: Intro to Woodworking Tools”

Tool Primer: How to Select & Use Jigsaws

Some tools do only one thing well.  Some tools do a lot of things well if you know how to use them.  The jigsaw (or sabersaw), in my opinion, is unique in the pantheon of modern woodworking tools as it does nearly everything with equal parts of ineptness and frustration.  So why keep it around?Continue reading “Tool Primer: How to Select & Use Jigsaws”

Gear Review: SKIL 7-1/4″ Circular Saw Mo. 5480

If you are in the market for a 7-1/4″ circular saw for light homeowner use, I don’t see any reason not to buy a SKIL 5480.  It’s cheap, durable construction, dead simple set-up and with a decent saw guide, can create clean cuts all day long.  The hard plastic casing has held up to threeContinue reading “Gear Review: SKIL 7-1/4″ Circular Saw Mo. 5480”

This Week in the Shop: Playhouse and How To Play in It

I just finished my son(s, I’m expecting another next month) Christmas gift: an outdoor playhouse. I used a router on table to create a half inch wide dado for the cedar edging. A cedar post with a deck cap from Lowes provides the stability. This project had some interesting design challenges. First, I couldn’t buildContinue reading “This Week in the Shop: Playhouse and How To Play in It”