A good workbench is more than just a flat place to cut, glue, or sand. If you’ve spent any serious time in the shop, you know it’s really about how well that bench can hold your workpiece steady while you do your thing. That’s where bench dogs come into play—and once you start using them, … Read more
Building Wooden Gears — My No-Nonsense Notes from the Garage If you’ve ever thought about building wooden gears for a clock, a jig, or just to see if you could, you’re in the right place. I didn’t read a book. I didn’t take a class. I just needed a gear, didn’t want to wait for … Read more
So, I was halfway through building a couple of floating shelves when I stopped, looked at the plywood I was using, and thought — “Ugh. This just looks like plywood.” Not exactly the rich, oak look I had pictured in my head. Instead of scrapping the project or shelling out for hardwood, I started playing … Read more
Let’s not sugarcoat it — I avoided building drawer boxes for way too long. They always seemed like a pain: too many precise cuts, too much room for error. I figured one wrong measurement and the whole drawer would end up wonky. But I was wrong — drawer boxes aren’t nearly as scary as they … Read more
Alright, let me be honest—I’m a sewer, not a builder. I can stitch a French seam blindfolded but hand me a saw and I’m Googling “how not to lose fingers.” Still, I reached a breaking point trying to sew at the kitchen table (again), with a cat on my fabric and thread tangled around a … Read more