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.

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 ...

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 forgotten finishing steps are why old furniture still looks better today.

Q: We just stripped six layers of paint off the front door of our 1820s house. I think the door is made of chestnut. We don’t want to repaint it, and we don’t like polyurethane. What’s the best ...

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 ...