As a professional woodworker of over five decades, I have learned a few tricks to make my time in the shop more efficient and more enjoyable. When it comes to finishing, my number-one trick is shellac ...

My buddy Chuck called me the other day and asked me to help out with a project. His wife, Kate, had lost her mother earlier in the year. When her mom’s estate was divided up, Kate got her mom’s Singer ...

These century-old floor finishing tricks still outperform what's on store shelves today.

For shellac finish users, good news: Shellac flakes have become more plentiful. Even those familiar with shellac may not know that it starts out as a crusty protective coating secreted on tree ...

Touch-up. When removing glue squeeze-out, sand with the grain using P220-grit sandpaper. Keep the block flat against the work to avoid rounding over an edge. Shield adjacent surfaces with a wide ...

Old methods endure: Pre-WWII hardwood finishes like shellac and oils have lasted over 100 years, resisting damage better than modern polyurethane coatings. Technique over speed: Hand-scraping and ...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. As a professional woodworker of over five decades, I have learned a few tricks to make my time in the shop more efficient and more enjoyable.