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3 finger joint trays and 2 jigs
I wanted those trays to be made of wood, at least their frames. Solid wood looks better and is easier to sand. The material I had in stock required some work before use, it had to be ripped to thinner pieces and planed. But that wasn’t something I was afraid of – making the jigs and cutting the finger joints was the most interesting part of the process. That was due to the fact that for the first time, those joints were cut with a dado blade. Not only did I have to make a dedicated throat plate for my…
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Leap Day tools, edition 2024
This year’s February is one day longer than usual, it’s a leap year. That extra day, the 29th, brings a bunch of useful tools that deliver excellent results quickly and easily. There are jobs that no other tools would do and even though I was very sceptical about adding them to my tool collection, I’m happy I eventually did. It’s like an investment that pays off, sooner or later. You just have to wait for the right moment, take on a relevant job, build up your skills and enjoy the results. With the right tools, some knowledge and patience everything…
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Dado stack throat plate
This insert is completely metal-free and is not adjustable. It fits perfectly and sits flush with the table saw top. It’s always ready to use and requires only a second for installation. This plate is essential when using a dado blade (I guess they’re called “grooving blades” here on the British Isles), ensuring safety when cutting rebates or box joints with the saw. As with everything in woodworking, this project too, could have been built in many other ways, but I tried to keep it as simple as possible. I also aimed to reduce the cost of materials to an…
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Heatwave tools, edition 2023
The recent heatwave pushed me away from my workshop to my garden, where I could enjoy all the benefits of sunshine and fresh air. It was also a good time to travel and to BBQ. The woodworking and workshop tools were used a little less on behalf of garden tools and garden equipment. Still, some work was done and I didn’t let my tools rust. Please let me present a few of them that joined my tool collection recently. DeWalt DWE7492 is my 3rd table saw. It is also the largest – it uses a 10″ blade, just like my…
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Soft-start module on DeWalt DWE7492
This is a fairly inexpensive upgrade that is quite easy to implement and, most importantly, significantly prolongs the saw’s lifespan. With this soft-start module installed, the saw starts slowly and gains speed gradually, which helps save the bearings and the motor. The whole process can be reversed to the factory setup, ensuring that the warranty isn’t voided. All the pictures shown below can be viewed in full size to make understanding each step even easier. Additionally, at the end of the post, I have included a short video to demonstrate the difference between before and after the module was installed.…
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Mitre saw storage rails
Due to my limited storage space, these two saws – table and new mitre saw – must be stacked when stored. That way I can squeeze out the most space possible and thanks to the rails, both saws stay securely in place, one on top of the other, even if knocked accidentally, they won’t fall. To make the rails, I reused a couple of old pallet boards from a disassembled towel rack (that explains the notches cut in them), additionally, I used a couple of bolts, wing nuts and advertisement wall fixings. The leftovers of yellow paint I used were…
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Jigsaw table with blade guide
This jig is mounted to a workbench with two fence clamps, its top is made of MDF, the arm is wooden, and the blade is guided by three bearings. The range of blades that can be used with this jig starts with short ones – used without the arm – and ends with massive ones – perfect for resawing. For most of my woodworking needs only two longer blades have been designated to use with it – the 178mm and 250mm ones (7 and 10 inches long, T744D and T1044DP). They have different depths, the shorter one is also slicker…
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Valentine’s Day tools, edition 2023
Let me present and quickly review 3 tools, that clearly have nothing to do with Valentine’s Day, but coincidentally are being reviewed that day, which explains the title. They may be recommended for tool lovers, that’s the only connection between them and that feeling. These are tools from Bosch, Axminster and Stanley – one each, that can make jobs a little easier, quicker and more accurate. They have been tested for some time and they are going to stay in my tool collection. Bosch Professional GSR 12V-35 HX Cordless Screwdriver belongs to the 12-volt platform, so it’s smaller and lighter…
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Autumnal equinox tools, edition 2022
I’m a big fan of tools, I sell the tools that I don’t use anymore and buy new ones. Sometimes they stay in my collection for longer, even their lifetime, sometimes I sell them sooner. I don’t have too much storage space and I can’t keep them all, but maybe that’s OK, otherwise, I might have gone crazy. This time I’m going to review a couple of work lights, a cordless screwdriver and 2 sanders – tools for a workshop or to be used around the house. It is a good moment to share my experience with these tools and…
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Alternative way to install a twin slot shelving board
This method of making shelves comes in handy when your shelves are thin and there is no way to drive a screw from below. If you’re using thick boards you can secure them to the brackets with screws, 2 different lengths, using pre-drilled mounting points. But what if your shelves are thin? Like mine – plywood-faced chipboards, stiff, sturdy and perfect for garage shelving – but too thin to take a screw? There are many advantages of using this method and I’ll mention them later on, but first I’ll show how I built my shelf. First I cut the chipboard…
