Woodsmith

You’d never know it from the final result, but eye-catching inlay work begins with a surprisingly ordinary set of tools. This means you can save money on tools and spend it where it has the biggest impact: on high-quality veneer.

Over the years, I’ve developed a core set of tools that covers layout, cutting, and assembly. Use this as a guide for your own set.

If you've ever loaded up lumber only to pull a tangled mess of ratchet straps out of your truck, you're not alone. Keeping tie-down straps organized can be frustrating—but the solution is surprisingly simple.

A basic foam can koozie makes the perfect holder for rolled-up ratchet straps. Just coil or fold the strap, slide it into the koozie, and you've got a compact bund...

The art of inlaying decorative wooden details into a piece of furniture has been a hallmark of fine craftsmanship for centuries. Traditionally, those inlays were painstakingly crafted to fit into hand carved and chiseled recesses. But today you have another option available to you. All you need is a plunge router and a simple inlay kit.

The inlay kit cent...

There are certain woodworking skills that unlock new possibilities once you know about them. It’s like jumping through a pipe and starting a side quest in a video game. Template routing is one of those skills.

Template routing comes up in the torpedo level, play station, and kitchen chair — just from this issue. The technique is simple in concept: create a template of ...

There are few joints I use as regularly as grooves and dadoes. They may lack the flair of a dovetail or the outright strength of a mortise and tenon, but, for a functional and efficient joint, it’s hard to ask for more.

Grooves and dadoes are an integral part of most case and drawer constructions. They’re easily made with either a router or table saw (or even by hand),...