Free Tutorials

Spalted wood- What you need to know about it.

Posted on April 16, 2021 at 6:08 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Wood & Material Tutorials

Spalted wood is BEAUTIFUL, but tricky to work with.

What to do if your wood finish is ILLEGAL

Posted on April 13, 2021 at 5:53 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Finishing, Other Tutorials

What to do if you can’t find the woodworking finish or solvent you need because of a restriction in your area.

How to PROPERLY use a marking gauge

Posted on April 12, 2021 at 5:44 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Misc. Tool Tutorials, Old-Timey Woodworking

These ancient tools are NOT obsolete in the modern workshop. Learn how to use them properly and you’ll be glad you did.

Why you should try wood grain filler before your finish.

Posted on April 2, 2021 at 5:35 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Finishing, Other Tutorials, Wood & Material Tutorials

How an easy to apply goop can change the way you finish wood.

The MYTH of food-safe wood finishes!

Posted on March 31, 2021 at 5:26 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Finishing

It’s all a bunch of advertising nonsense designed to sell you stuff! Here are the REAL food-safe finishes for cutting boards, bowls, etc…

A clever way to make your own door/drawer pulls!

Posted on March 30, 2021 at 4:56 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Furniture, Other Tutorials

No lathe required! Need some craftsman style door/drawer pulls? We figured out a process…

How I made this DIY bed FLOAT!

Posted on March 28, 2021 at 7:13 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Furniture, Joinery

In part 2 we build an awesome dovetailed bed frame that appears to float!

DIY jig makes long dowels shorter in SECONDS!

Posted on March 24, 2021 at 7:54 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Other Tutorials, Wood & Material Tutorials

Make this handy jig today and you’ll thank yourself when you need it later!

Is this a BIG woodworking mistake?

Posted on March 23, 2021 at 3:30 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Finishing, Vlog

To paint or not to paint? (And some other interesting stuff.)

Why do they call it a jointer when it planes wood?

Posted on March 17, 2021 at 2:40 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Misc. Tool Tutorials, Wood & Material Tutorials

Everything you need to know but were afraid to ask about one of the least understood tools in the workshop!

So, you think you know how to sand, eh?

Posted on March 15, 2021 at 8:08 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Finishing, Other Tutorials, Wood & Material Tutorials

FULL OF TIPS! A comprehensive tutorial on one of the most important parts of any woodworking project.

I destroy a chisel to see if the Tormek is too slow

Posted on March 9, 2021 at 7:54 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Quick-Tips, Sharpening

Are wet grinders too slow? Let’s find out…

Burning wood with a table saw

Posted on March 8, 2021 at 7:44 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Table Saw Tutorials, Wood & Material Tutorials

I hate scorch marks, but I know how to avoid them. I’ll show you how, too!

Is the frame and raised panel obsolete?

Posted on March 6, 2021 at 7:25 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Furniture, Router Tutorials

Should frame and panel construction be limited to cabinet doors?

Should you hate sapwood?

Posted on March 2, 2021 at 7:41 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Misc. Tool Tutorials, Wood & Material Tutorials

Hoity-toity woodworkers say don’t use sapwood. Do they have a point?

Why woodworkers LOVE cheap 1-2-3 blocks

Posted on March 1, 2021 at 6:41 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Misc. Tool Tutorials, Other Tutorials

An old machinist tool has found a home in thousands of woodworking shops, and for good reason!

The TRUTH about radial arm saws

Posted on February 22, 2021 at 7:33 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Other Tutorials, Shop Safety

I need to set the record straight about what I think of radial arm saws.

Make EASY cabinet doors without special tools!

Posted on February 19, 2021 at 6:00 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Furniture, Table Saw Tutorials

Well built, durable and nothing but a cheap table saw required! (No dado set!)

How to use your hands AND eyes to rip with a table saw

Posted on February 16, 2021 at 5:51 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Table Saw Tutorials

Good rip cuts are a function of two hands and two eyes, and everything has a job to do!

7 Cool Tools I Have in my Woodworking Shop

Posted on February 15, 2021 at 5:37 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Cool Tools

7 great tools for your shop

A better way to make your own dowels

Posted on February 12, 2021 at 9:02 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Joinery, Other Tutorials, Router Tutorials, Wood & Material Tutorials

Make limitless piles of dowels from any wood with this easy process!

Why a band saw is BETTER than a table saw for some rip cuts

Posted on February 6, 2021 at 8:31 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Band Saw Tutorials

We identify the times when a band saw is the better choice for rip cuts, and how to get the best results with it.

The LIES and confusion of Tung Oil Wood Finish

Posted on February 4, 2021 at 7:03 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Finishing

Sorting through the mess of contradictory information about what should be a simple subject

Are table saws becoming obsolete?????

Posted on February 1, 2021 at 6:39 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Quick-Tips, Table Saw Tutorials

Can you do it all with other tools and skip the big, expensive table saw? NOT SO FAST…

A beginner’s guide to rotary tool carving

Posted on January 31, 2021 at 6:29 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Turning & Carving

Everything you need to know to start power carving with a rotary tool- even if you aren’t an artist!

How to get a machine back to a prior setup

Posted on January 30, 2021 at 6:05 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Misc. Tool Tutorials, Other Tutorials

When you have to make another piece a week later, how do you ensure you get your tools set up to make a perfect copy?

Make CHEAP hardware work and look better!

Posted on January 22, 2021 at 9:37 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Furniture, Other Tutorials

How to tune up a cheap hinge, and give it one of three different appearances.

How to cut the mysterious hidden groove joint

Posted on January 19, 2021 at 9:28 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Joinery, Router Tutorials

Install drawer/box bottoms and backs in grooves which can’t be seen with this easy to follow router table tutorial!

Tips For Duplicating Project Parts

Posted on January 13, 2021 at 8:54 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Joinery, Misc. Tool Tutorials, Other Tutorials

When a project calls for more than one of the same thing, you need ways to make them quickly and accurately.

How to make BIG projects without being overwhelmed

Posted on December 31, 2020 at 8:53 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Furniture, Misc. Tool Tutorials

You’ve made a cabinet, but can you make a kitchen full of them? Big projects start with efficient design.

CAUGHT ON TAPE: Table saw bevel kickback goes through wall- WHAT HAPPENED???

Posted on December 29, 2020 at 8:47 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Quick-Tips, Shop Safety, Table Saw Tutorials

A kickback while cutting a bevel on the table saw goes through my wall- how to prevent it in the future.

PROBLEM SOLVED: How to make CURVED tenon shoulders

Posted on December 23, 2020 at 8:41 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Joinery, Quick-Tips

Another problem we encountered while building a dog crate-end table, and the creative way we solved it.

How to cut a square hole (mortise) with a table saw

Posted on December 21, 2020 at 8:34 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Joinery, Table Saw Tutorials

A creative solution to a problem we recently encountered.

Stuff you should know before trying to edge band plywood

Posted on December 15, 2020 at 8:24 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Finishing, Wood & Material Tutorials

Pro tips about applying iron-on edge banding that will save you a lot of frustration.

How to bend a piece of 3/4-inch plywood

Posted on December 9, 2020 at 8:34 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Quick-Tips, Wood & Material Tutorials

How we solved a unique problem in a recent project and the lessons you can learn from it

6 Cool Tools from family businesses worth supporting!

Posted on December 6, 2020 at 7:36 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Cool Tools

PART 2 of 2 Special editions of Cool Tools to kick off the 2020/21 woodworking season!

The coolest way to make a raised panel door with tenoned frame!

Posted on December 5, 2020 at 7:26 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Furniture, Misc. Tool Tutorials

Sometimes it’s fun to see something different. And THIS is different!

CHEAP and EASY three-Minute finger/box joint jig

Posted on December 4, 2020 at 7:17 pm by Jim Hamiltion / Joinery, Quick-Tips, Table Saw Tutorials

It’s cheap, fast and easy to build, and it works flawlessly! NOTE: Scroll to the bottom of this page to watch a video version of this tutorial and to find links to things mentioned in the video. Transcript coming soon… LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT: When you use this link to…

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